Annual Who to Keep

[Luffy D Monkey]

Points only, keep 8, dress 12 F 6 D 2 G.

Aiming for the best finish I can this season.

I'm planning to keep:

Draisaitl 8.5
Zibanejad 5.35
Lafreniere .925
A Svechnikov (RFA)

Makar 9
Theodore 5.2

Vasilevsky 9.5

This leaves me with 1 keeper spot for the following options:

K Connor 7.143
Barzal 7
Hintz 3.15
E Lindholm 4.85

D Hamilton 9
Klingberg 4.25

Saros 5
Grubauer 5.9

Pretty tough choices. Leaning Connor, Klingberg, or Saros. It may just come down to whoever I can't trade away. Curious about your thoughts.

Thanks.

[stevegamer]

1. What's the goalie scoring? That's important when comparing goalies to skaters.

2. I have the skater short list as Hintz, Connor, Klingberg. I'm leaning Hintz, as I think he's the best production for the cap hit there, and the contract runs one more year.

[jshed2]

Personally I'd let Lafreniere go - if you want to do the best possible this season, Laf is likely still a year or two from being better than the other options listed. From there I'm taking Hintz and either Saros or Klingberg depending on your league's value of goaltending. If you can be reasonably confident in drafting another decent goalie go Klingberg. If goalies are hard to draft keep Saros.

[Luffy D Monkey]

Thanks for the quick responses.

Goalie scoring is Win = 2 pts, SO = 1 point

Hintz is interesting because he offers so much value, but I'm not yet sold that the last month or two of production is going to continue.

I see your point about Laf, but by the same token, we can afford a 30-40 point entry-level cost forward or two on our rosters in my league. In fact, with salary constrictions, a few entry-level contracts are almost a must. And while Laf is not a sure-fire option like say, Makar was last year, he still has decent promise to hit 40 points. Add my keeper investment factor (I want to win, but it's also a keeper pool and building for the future is something I am always committed to, to some degree) and I don't think I can drop him. Maybe if I can trade him for a good enough return, but that's the same as a lot of my other guys.

I am high on Connor but he didn't quite have the season to justify his price (which is more reasonable than people might think IMO).

Good goalies are definitely valuable in my league as there just aren't many out there, and it looks like Saros is now the guaranteed starter.

[stevegamer]

Given that goalie scoring, I like Saros to do well relative to the contract, but I still think I'd take Hintz. There seem to be a lot of goalie options this year.

[Feenom]

Tough one but I’m leaning Connor here. I think between him and Hintz he can be the more consistent player. He gets a ton of PP time and is the go to guy for goals. Makes more but still a good player to keep and still has upside. Good luck.

[sweetcelly]

Lindholm

[Swarley]

Lindholm

Another lindholm vote

[mdratch]

Is trading still an option for you? You have some really valuable contracts that you have to drop to keep Lafreniere. Lindholm is on an awesome contract considering his production, and so is Hintz.. I even like Connor's contract in contrast to some of the top talent's pricetag in the NHL! Although, I'm not sure his production makes up for the 2+ mil difference between him and Lindholm, if they keep tkachuk, lindholm, goudreau line together.

If I really wanted to win this year, I'd probably keep Lindholm/Hintz over Laf, because that's two productive players for about 8 mil.. If I'm considering my future, like you said you were, I'd probably just keep Connor and Laf.. However, if Laf breakouts in 2022/23, he's gonna cost you a pretty penny which might make you miss the extra year on Lindholm's contract. Or i guess, at least you know you don't have to resign Connor for 5 years at a reasonable hit. I like Hintz and his deal, and am happy he got his surgery, but I'm unsure about how many games he'll miss year to year. I feel like Connor is the type of player who can do what he does for a long time. Hintz is a big explosive player that doesn't seem to know when his body is saying 'no'. Lindholm, although I'm not sure he repeats the 78 point season this year is still a 70ish point player for less than 5 mil.

It's also a bonus that it's player salaries vs. AAV, where Laf is sooo cheap. So, if you're set on keeping him... after talking myself into it, I lean towards Lindholm or Connor. I want Hintz here too but he really lost a bit of faith from me last season with how he and his team doctors dealt with his injury. (i.e one game on, one game off, one game on, one game off for part of the season) - then needed groin surgery post-season.. I get that athletes are competitive and push through injuries, but you can't do that with groins. Anyways, random rant over for why I'll pass on keeping Hintz and maybe give him a chance in re-draft. (he might lose ice/opportunity if Radulov and Seguin are healthy)

I kinda think Lindholm is the happy medium between Connor and Hintz.