Steamers here. With the exception of a pick here and there I really like my team.
ROUND 1
I entered the draft with the attitude that I wanted one of the quality LWers as my first pick. I had 8th pick so I was holding out that Parise would fall to me. Parise was snagged by Team St. Hillaire with the #4 pick. Now I was sweating it out because I valued Daniel Sedin more than Heatley and Kovalchuk despite their dual wing status. PHEWWWW! Sedin makes it to me and I happily grab him with my first pick. Kovalchuk and Heatley go later in the first round.
ROUND 2
I like to leave myself open here and get a feel for what the others are doing. I may grab another top-end forward with my second pick or I may have to grab a goalie depending on what happens. The only thing I'm certain of is that I'm not taking a d-man with my 2nd pick.
Luongo, Brodeur, Miller and Lundqvist all went in the first round. Rinne, Halak, Bryzgalov, Howard and Rask are all chosen before me in the second round. I NEED to draft a goalie and I need to do it now. I spend a second considering Kiprusoff before taking Fleury. I don't think Fleury has ever had a defense as good as he'll have this season. I'm happy with this pick. Anderson, Turco and Kipper go behind me in the second round. What a run of goalies...people without one must be slightly worried.
ROUND 3
My strategy is still open. Still not considering a d-man. I loved seeing Phaneuf taken with the first pick in the third round. Leafs fan probably. Centremen start flying out of my queue...Getzlaf, Marleau (dual eligibility), Toews, Thornton...still enough quality forwards to get back to me in round 4 so I grab a second goalie. I snag Vokoun. What he lacks in wins, he'll make up for in Saves and his GAA will be decent. Ehrhoff goes after me in the third round...love it! It means a quality forward is closer to reaching me in the fourth.
ROUND 4
Goalies are being picked here and there. I'm not sure if it's guys grabbing their second one like I did or if they're grabbing their first. I don't really care as I'm after a FWD. Zetterberg, Spezza and Kopitar go. I grab Lecavalier. I'm happy with that! Five more goalies and an Iginla are taken to finish the 4th round.
ROUND 5
Team Postanen grabs another D-man first in the 5th. He's the same GM who took Phaneuf earlier. He loves his d-men and I love him for it! Then Downie goes...would've loved to have him but this is too early. Carter, Markov (?), Leighton and Vanek go before me. I have a guy in queue who I really can't believe is still there. I do a quick Google search to see if his leg fell off last night and everything seems good. I grab Mike Richards and thank everyone for the gift. Thinks are all over the board with everyone now...FWDs are flying and D-men are flying. Goalies seem to be done for awhile now.
ROUND 6
Still some quality FWDs available and I'm looking for a multi-cat guy here. I find him when I land Chris Stewart. He'll get me goals, assists, PIMs and shots for sure. Wingers finish out the 6th round.
ROUND 7
I'm thinking about a D here and I have my guy in queue but I have a feeling he won't last. I quickly check the rosters of the teams picking ahead of me and see that a few of them will likely be targeting a D here. I'm sweating again...not as bad as the Sedin sweat, but close. Only Erik Johnson and Brian Rafalski are taken...I get Tyler Myers. I'm loving my team so far. I'm immediately considering another multi-cat guy. I have a few in my queue.
ROUND 8
5 wingers, Matt Duchene and (poor Poolster couldn't log in) Mark Streit go ahead of me. I'm thinking the guy I want here would probably last until the next round but I'm not certain and I really want this guy. I grab Lucic. Mish mash...including Eberle and Ennis finish out the round.
ROUND 9
I have some forwards in my queue but I'm thinking I need to grab another D. We need at least 6 of them and I still only have Myers. Plenty of quality FWDS left...grab a D. Edler and Del Zotto fly out of my queue. I grab Brian Campbell. I liked him more than my other options...Kaberle, Goligoski, Enstrom, Giordano, etc...Goalies are still going here and there.
ROUND 10
I want a right winger here. I have 2 C, 2 LW but only 1 RW at this point. I strongly consider Dustin Brown but pull the trigger on Setoguchi. I think the Sharks need him this season and will put him on Thornton's line. Four more goalies taken.
ROUND 11
I'm flexible here. It's either gonna be a F or D here. Not sure. Subban is in my queue.
Only D to go before me is Robidas. I decide to grab a forward. I choose Scott Gomez...I need his assists! Then Bogosian, Subban, J Johnson and Andy Greene are taken. DAMN! I should have grabbed Subban. Oh well! On we go...
ROUND 12
More D are taken...Pitkanen, Suter, Kronwall... I decide that I'm taking another forward here. I grab a player I feel is being underated...I take Bryan Little. I think he returns to 30 goal mark this season. McBain and Ryan Whitney finish out the round.
ROUND 13
I'm thinking I definitely need another D here. Ian White, Timmonen and Letang are chosen ahead of me. I roll the dice with Victor Hedman. Foster, Kubina and Bouwmeester gone now!
To be continued...