Fantasy Hockey Draft Stratagey?

Question

I have a hockey draft on Sunday and need some advise as to the order in which players are drafted. I understand that golies go first but take two goalies in the first two rounds? I had someone draft my team last year so I didn't get to try it. Any help would be nice.

Answer 1

Actually, goalies DON'T necessarily go first. That is the beauty of fantasy hockey. Compared to football and baseball, there are many more ways to win. Yes, goaltending is important, but you also need to make sure you get some of the superstar forwards. If you can get Brodeur or Luongo in the first round, great, but you can't pass up the Heatleys and Thorntons just to get goaltending. And if you get first pick, Crosby is a MUST.

That said, you are right that goalies are important. You need to have a stud goaltender AND a good, solid #2. You probably want to have both of your goalies by round 5, and taking one in the first three rounds probably is a good idea. But if you take two goalies in the first two rounds, you'll be hurting for scoring, and it will hurt a lot. The difference between your first and second round forwards like Jagr and Heatley and Ovechkin, compared to those you'll get in round 3 and 4, is massive.

I recommend balance. It depends on your pick, but make sure you get a top goalie and a top forward in the first three rounds. Whether you take another forward or goalie with the other pick is up to you. Heck, if you take a top defenseman in the third round it won't necessarily kill you. After that, take the best player available, no matter what the position. If you end up a little lopsided at the end, you can always trade.

That's my view. I've won 6 leagues in the past 3 years, and only finished out of the top 5 once. So I must be doing something right. All that said, though, the key to winning is often less in the drafting than it is in the managing during the season. Trades, key free agent pickups, and managing your injuries will get you a top 5 finish even if you draft poorly.

Good luck!

p.s. One other tip: centers are less valuable than wings and goalies and defensemen. Why? Because there are more good ones available. Don't pass up a Crosby or Lecavalier, but if you have a choice between two equals that are a center and another position, take the other position. There will be a decent center later.

Answer 2

Goalies usually go in the 3rd or 4th round. Its usually a good idea to grab one solid goalie early and one mediocre goalie later on but not one after the other. Usually the top 10 players that yahoo lists go first ( Crosby, Jagr, Thornton etc...) but depending on the players a goalie like Luongo or Brodeur will be taken in the first round because of their exceptional stats. LW are usually who i draft first mainly b/c there are so few "good" LW. I get as many goal producers (LW/RW) then a goalie and finally a center. This is usually how my top 5 picks go and then from there it depends on what your team needs for your league. ie. PIM, +/- this is where my defense plays a key role.