Who to select 1OA (approx pick #160) and should I compete or tank?

[E63Wagon]

So I'm selecting 1st this year in my Keeper League of 11 teams. Works out to be pick # 160 after all the keepers. In the poll are 10 players I'm considering, would love to see who you guys would take in my shoes.

Also, with Eichel being out for a significant portion of this season or potentially the entire season I'm also struggling with whether or not to bother competing this year. Team is in my sig along with scoring and other league details. So comment down below if you think my team isn't ready to compete, because if that is the consensus I may change up my draft strategy and take a bunch of goalies early on to force trades.

[YzermansLegacy]

At first blush I think you would have needed to absolutely smoke your draft to have been competitive this season. (And assuming there's quality G available to be drafted).

As it stands now, you've got some excellent young pieces though - so it's perhaps fortuitous that you've got an extra year to build/tweak things. With Eichel out, and so many guys not at their ceiling yet, if I'm you I'm continuing to build for this year with eyes on being really competitive next year.

I see a few excellent choices available but based on your sig, it's apparent you really need a goalie so that's likely where I'd go with the 1OA (this is assuming that trades are difficult in your league and no one would give you as much value back if you took a D.Hamilton/L.Ullmark/etc.... plus you'll want max flex when Mack gets paid)

So Hart or Knight for me... probably Knight just because you're not competing this year and there's probably a better chance Hart slides to your next pick.

[E63Wagon]

At first blush I think you would have needed to absolutely smoke your draft to have been competitive this season. (And assuming there's quality G available to be drafted).

As it stands now, you've got some excellent young pieces though - so it's perhaps fortuitous that you've got an extra year to build/tweak things. With Eichel out, and so many guys not at their ceiling yet, if I'm you I'm continuing to build for this year with eyes on being really competitive next year.

I see a few excellent choices available but based on your sig, it's apparent you really need a goalie so that's likely where I'd go with the 1OA (this is assuming that trades are difficult in your league and no one would give you as much value back if you took a D.Hamilton/L.Ullmark/etc.... plus you'll want max flex when Mack gets paid)

So Hart or Knight for me... probably Knight just because you're not competing this year and there's probably a better chance Hart slides to your next pick.

I totally agree with your post.

Things to note, that may or may not change your view, I was able to secure a bunch more picks this year during my second year of rebuilding/tweaking. So I have 16 picks in our 12 round draft, which may provide the ability to piece together a competitive team.

There are a good amount of goalies in the draft (Ullmark, Jarry, Markstrom, Hart, Talbot, Bob, Knight, Swayman, MAF, Samsonov, Petersen, Oettinger, etc). I would say only 3 other GMs need to focus on goalies in the early rounds of the draft while the rest are likely waiting till the mid to end of the draft to shore up their goalies.

My initial plan was to go with Knight to secure a potentially elite goalie that will be a keeper going forward for 5+ years and after him I try to secure 3 more starter goalies + 1 backup/tandem like Swayman/Samsonov. Even though we can only play 2 goalies a week, I would flip a hot goalie to a GM looking to compete for a couple draft picks.

Trades are somewhat difficult until close to our trade deadline where GMs decide if they can shoot for a prize spot (1st to 3rd). Goalies are somewhat easier to trade as our FA is rarely left with much. So if I can utilize my extra draft picks this year to stack myself with goalie targets I could definitely produce some trades early on to a GM in need of upgrades.

It's just so hard to fight against my FOMO on cheap-affordable players like Bennett and TDA even though there are elements of risk to them. I know they won't be there in the second round and neither will Knight, but I guess the struggle is do I care about not getting Knight if I can still go after Ullmark, Markstrom, Hart, Swayman, etc?

[senryu]

Knight for me. You can't go with Bennett or DeAngelo given the inordinate amount of risk associated with them. Knight at least has pedigree and opportunity and low cost.

[Feenom]

Knight should be nice and ready for you when your ready to contend.

[E63Wagon]

Knight for me. You can't go with Bennett or DeAngelo given the inordinate amount of risk associated with them. Knight at least has pedigree and opportunity and low cost.

Agreed. It's just one of those "My mind's tellin' me no, but my body... mY bOdY is tellin' yeeehusss"

Knight should be nice and ready for you when your ready to contend.

Yeah I think so too.

If my goal is to continue building/tweaking - should I go after players I can just hold onto or should I utilize my picks to draft players that I can utilize as trade bait?

[Feenom]

If you draft players just to trade them then your catering to others needs and not your own. If you are rebuilding you need to accumulate early round picks and pick players you can hold on to. Young and talented players will get you out of that mode to eventually contend. Ultimately that is what you want.

[E63Wagon]

If you draft players just to trade them then your catering to others needs and not your own. If you are rebuilding you need to accumulate early round picks and pick players you can hold on to. Young and talented players will get you out of that mode to eventually contend. Ultimately that is what you want.

Yeah, I guess the only issue is that I also need to manage the amount of keepers I can carry forward.

Goalies take 2 keeper spots, so taking him and keeping him for the future will already knock me down 1 slot from my current roster.

My immediate shortlist from my current roster would be Schenn, J. Anderson, Kravtsov. Assuming the rest of my players are worthy of a spot with my remaining 15 picks (after Knight), only two of those picks would be used to find upgrades over them. That leaves me with 13 picks that I could utilize in trades that are upgrades over my own keepers.

So I can't just use my 16 picks and translate them all to keepers.

[stevegamer]

First, I'm sure you could draft to be competitive - but you need to get the goalies right. So, you probably will be hindered.

I want nothing to do with taking Knight in your shoes at the cost of 2 keeper spots as a guy I intend to keep. If goalies are as perennially available as they seem to be this year, I'd continue to load up on skaters for yourself.

As guya I intend to trade, the load up on goalies, and force deals idea is interesting, but don't get so many it's an issue.

[E63Wagon]

First, I'm sure you could draft to be competitive - but you need to get the goalies right. So, you probably will be hindered.

I want nothing to do with taking Knight in your shoes at the cost of 2 keeper spots as a guy I intend to keep. If goalies are as perennially available as they seem to be this year, I'd continue to load up on skaters for yourself.

As guya I intend to trade, the load up on goalies, and force deals idea is interesting, but don't get so many it's an issue.

I do think there is a chance to compete as well and I do agree that it hinges on if I can grab the right goalies and then the right D for PTS and Multi Cat (Blk, Hits, etc). Even without Eichel I think my Forwards are in an okay position to acquire me points in scoring categories.

I think due to the amount of tandems potentially being run going forward presented an opportunity for a bunch of goalies to be available. But certainly the 2 keeper spot cost has something to do with it. Some goalies are worth it (Vasi, Helle and Lehner) while some make the decision extremely difficult. The only reason to jump on Knight now is if I or any other GM believes he can get to the level of Vasi, Helle and Lehner.

Yeah I wouldn't grab too many goalies to the point where I feel I've hindered myself. Ideally I'd love to grab 4-5 and trade off 2-3 so I can maintain a legal roster of playing 2 goalies a week.

So if you are in favor of passing on a goalie with 1OA pick this year, are you the person who voted for Rossi as the 1st round pick? Aside from the poll list, there is every 2021 NHL Draft prospect in this year's draft as well.

[stevegamer]

I do think there is a chance to compete as well and I do agree that it hinges on if I can grab the right goalies and then the right D for PTS and Multi Cat (Blk, Hits, etc). Even without Eichel I think my Forwards are in an okay position to acquire me points in scoring categories.

I think due to the amount of tandems potentially being run going forward presented an opportunity for a bunch of goalies to be available. But certainly the 2 keeper spot cost has something to do with it. Some goalies are worth it (Vasi, Helle and Lehner) while some make the decision extremely difficult. The only reason to jump on Knight now is if I or any other GM believes he can get to the level of Vasi, Helle and Lehner.

Yeah I wouldn't grab too many goalies to the point where I feel I've hindered myself. Ideally I'd love to grab 4-5 and trade off 2-3 so I can maintain a legal roster of playing 2 goalies a week.

So if you are in favor of passing on a goalie with 1OA pick this year, are you the person who voted for Rossi as the 1st round pick? Aside from the poll list, there is every 2021 NHL Draft prospect in this year's draft as well.

I didn't vote yet, because I'm unsure about some of these guys in multi-cat, and wanted to make sure I wasn't voting stupidly.

Am I understanding things right that you can simply bury Eichel's salary on your bench, and it won't impact your cap?

[E63Wagon]

I didn't vote yet, because I'm unsure about some of these guys in multi-cat, and wanted to make sure I wasn't voting stupidly.

Am I understanding things right that you can simply bury Eichel's salary on your bench, and it won't impact your cap?

Oh okay haha.

Yeah guys on bench won't count towards the $81.5M cap for the weekly line. There is no cap for total salary from active and bench players.

[stevegamer]

I voted for Hamilton, since you can get his salary off the roster when he isn't playing. That assumes lineup changes don't cost real dollars as well, which would be something I've never seen if they do.

[E63Wagon]

I voted for Hamilton, since you can get his salary off the roster when he isn't playing. That assumes lineup changes don't cost real dollars as well, which would be something I've never seen if they do.

Thanks for the input. We have to set our lines the first puck drop of each new week. So won't be able to change lines during the week.

Real money is only for FA pickups and trades.

[E63Wagon]

I voted for Hamilton, since you can get his salary off the roster when he isn't playing. That assumes lineup changes don't cost real dollars as well, which would be something I've never seen if they do.

Was able to grab Knight and Hamilton.