Hey folks; I decided to run through a few yahoo mock drafts today with my NHL fantasy team. With my draft style, it looks like the classic Center, goalie, goalie, center strategy is going to be my best bet. I have tried variations of this style which includes:
C, G, C, G
or
G,C,C,G
Any of these styles is great, and is often dependent on your opponents and the position you are selecting in. We have 8 guys, and a lot of them are going to be tempted by the big name forwards right off the hop. With that in mind, I will probably take a shot at Tuuka Rask right off the bat. Ideally, I like to choose in the middle somewhere so I can pick up Getzlaf in the first round, and then grab a solid goalie in round two. I have scouted my opponents well and I believe that I will be able to go for a center first, and still get a solid second goalie in round 4. I was looking to do something like this.
1. Getzlaf
2. Rask or Quick
3. Pavelski or Seguin
4. Corey Crawford or Ben Bishop
I believe this strategy will give me the best shot at winning. However, I have been doing some research and if you are weak at drafting in the later rounds, I would suggest going for a goalie in round 2 and then another goalie in round 5. You can likely pick up Marc- Andre Fleury or Anti Niemmi in rounds 5-6. Do not wait any longer than that though, as you may be stuck with a goalie from a weaker team like Vancouver or Nashville. Both teams have solid tenders, but they will not be fantasy studs this year. When drafting defenseman, be attentive for alternative options. Many forwards will get you more points, and good defenseman can be found late in the draft. For example: Girardi is 308 and Seabrook is somewhere around 160. Do your research and load up on forwards and goaltenders ASAP. If the defense are going quickly, try to pick up some guys who get big minutes on good teams. Often guys like Paul Martin, Dan Hamhuis, and Chris Phillips are overlooked simply because they are not "big name" guys. These guys will get a lot of playing time, and generally put up solid numbers every year. Big name Defenseman like Doughty and Weber only put up about 20 points more than an average D-man. Be cautious when seeking those highly sought after D. Be smart, do your homework and you should be on your way to a solid season.
SLEEPER PICK ALERT:
Ehrhoff - Pittsburgh
Nichushkin - Anaheim
Palat - Tampa Bay
