Draft advice

[A Watch]

The draft isn't for a while but here's my predicament...

I draft 7th overall in a 14 team draft. 16 cat, salary cap, H2H roto with 5 of those cats Goalies. We start 2C,2LW,2RW,4D and 2G and 2 UTIL Goalies are even more important with the 2 Util spots as it means of the 11 skater cats there are 12 contributors per night while only 2 contribute to the 5 goalie cats.

I see the chance of Perry falling to me at 7th but he has the best salary of the top 10 forwards and with PIM and Hits he would be my first choice assuming he falls there. So... My thoughts are, if Perry (or somehow Crosby or Malkin as people seem scared of these two) is available, I take him. Otherwise I take Price. Or, I take Price no matter what to ensure I have a top teir goalie as my next pick isnt for another 14 and I am sure Price, Lundqvist, Luongo and Rinne will be gone by then. I guess the question is would you rather Price and someone like Kovalchuck or Perry and Quick?

I think I'm overthinking....

[Shoeless]

No you aren't overthinking, pick 7 is the hangman's slot. Any time I draw that slot in a league like this I do my best to try and trade down from that pick. In essence, I want a goalie but not at #7 so I try and go to a pick that warrants taking a goalie (9 onwards) and hopefully improve my draft position positively enough to warrant the move down. A normal strategy here for me is to seek swapping picks completely in rounds 1, 2 and 4.

You get an elite goalie at your first pick and improve your picks in round 2 and 4 by the difference between you and your trading partner's picks which is as little as 2 spots and as much as 5 - but can certainly yield a better player than you would normally get.

Failing that, I usually am looking goalies after picks 5 or 6 unless a super stud slides for some reason. I figure if guys picking 8 through 14 aren't taking at least one goalie in the two picks they have before I pick again then something is screwy. Goalie #8 is usually not a tier 1 guy with certainty - guys aren't going to opt for Thomas, Kipper or Brodeur because of their age so that thins out the tier 1 guys reasonably available. So I lean towards taking a goalie at 7 and should another youngish tier 1 guy slide to me at round 2 then oh well - I would rather be safe than sorry.

[A Watch]

Thanks shoeless. I did put my pick on the block but the most interest is from the guy with the 14th overall. I am having troubles finding some benefit for myself there though. He is willing to move his first for mine and give me his 3rd for my fifth but Being as his third id the last in that round I feel my normal picks are better off.

[gainerama]

If one of the elite/upper forwards drops to you (Corey Perry, Dan Sedin) then I think you should take them. If they don't drop that far then I'm thinking you pretty much have to go with an elite goalie. Not sure how your cap is based but keep in mind that Price is a RFA in a year, Lundvqist is also a consideration. With a 14 team league and 2 goalies starting, I'll be tempted to go 2 goalies in a row and worry about the forwards after your goalies are secured.

[Shoeless]

Thanks shoeless. I did put my pick on the block but the most interest is from the guy with the 14th overall. I am having troubles finding some benefit for myself there though. He is willing to move his first for mine and give me his 3rd for my fifth but Being as his third id the last in that round I feel my normal picks are better off.

So pick 42 instead of pick 63?

[dmvincent]

I'd take a forward and then a goalie with your second round pick. i guarantee you that you will get a very good goalie either way. You'll get one of Luongo, Lundqvist, Rinne, Price, Quick, Bryz etc. In terms of forwards you'll probably be looking at Parise, D Sedin, Perry, Kopitar, Kovalchuk and what not. I would go for Daniel Sedin, after that it depends what position you want. RW is becoming harder and harder to find, while LW is becoming a deeper fantasy position as the years go by. Personally I would go with Parise or Kopitar if Perry and Sedin are taken. If any of those two are available at your pick, I wouldn't hesitate with your pick at all.

[Rocky71]

Nothing wrong with Jon Quick. I think the Kings will win alot of games this season and Quick will play a huge role in this.