Fantasy Hockey: Draft Guide

Who says Christmas is the greatest time of the year? These people are obviously not Sports fans or Fantasy Sports fans for that matter.

As the summer is winding down, professional sports leagues like the NFL, NHL, are on the verge of starting back up. Along with the season commencement, the rapidly growing Fantasy Sports industry is in full operation. NFL Football fantasy leagues have be open and drafting for 3 weeks, while NHL Fantasy hockey leagues are on the verge of re-opening.

Fantasy Sports have evolved from the fun leisure activity to a fun but competitive event. Fans can hardly wait to enroll in their new league or renew a previous league in anticipation of draft day and the official start to the fantasy season.

In all fantasy leagues there is always two main debates that take place. The primary debate is, who will go #1, the second debate is what position is more important. In Fantasy Football leagues the discussion remains are Running Backs (RB) or Wide Receivers (WR) more crucial? But what about Fantasy Hockey?

Fantasy Hockey is not that different to Fantasy Football in terms of the debates. Still, the question of “who will go #1” is prominent, however the debate on which position is more crucial merits a greater discussion. I’d like to look at the most popular head-head Fantasy Hockey league format.

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The obvious choice on draft day would be to grab a solid goaltender. Since goalies don’t compete against Defense or Forwards, you are at an advantage by choosing a top five goaltender right off the hop.

Nov 23, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; New York Rangers goalies Henrik Lunqvist (30) and Cam Talbot (33) skate off the ice together after a win over the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. The Rangers beat the Predators 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

On average leagues will assign Wins, GAA, Saves and Shutouts as stat categories for the goalies. That being said, wasting a top pick on a high rated goalie is not necessary. While the names Rinne, Lundqvist and Price are appetizing to add to your team, consistent all around goalies like Schneider, Bobrovsky, Mrazek are smarter choices that can be drafted a little later and will be just as effective for you.

Drafting your forwards is a little trickier. It’s easy to say “I’ll take the best available based on last year’s stats”, however, you should strategize and plan to draft based on the stat categories assigned.

On average Yahoo Fantasy Hockey league commissioners will assign Goals, Assists, Shots, Faceoffs, and Powerplay/Shorthanded points to both their Forwards and Defense. It’s very easy to look simply at players goals and assists, however you should plan to draft at least a few multi-positon, multi-category players and rookies to give yourself a great chance to win each week. Players like Ryan Kesler, Eric Fehr, Jeff Carter, Nathan McKinnon and Ryan O’Reilly have been very successful for fantasy owners. Their ability to rack up consistent points, while being able to contribute heavily to the faceoff category, makes them a key acquisition to slot beside your high point generating players.

I save the best and most important for last, the Defenseman. This position is the most crucial to your fantasy team and should lay claim to at least two of your top five picks. Let me explain why. A top defenseman like Shattenkirk has averaged 50+ points in each of the last 2 seasons. Adding a defenseman with that stat potential allows you to draft more consistent, yet still solid point producing players without having to toss your pick on streaky players like Perry.

Don’t get me wrong, Perry is a good “poolie” and worth a spot on any roster, he goes on stints producing mediocre stats over that time. A defenseman is “allowed” to go cold for periods as they are first and foremost supposed to defend. The same logic does not apply to a forward as it’s their job to produce points, so any pointless stint is a hindrance to you and your team.

Jan 30, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; St. Louis Blues defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk (22) watches the play against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The St. Louis Blues defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in a shoot out. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Drafting at least two top defense within your first five rounds will give you a competitive edge over your opponents. Here’s my draft recommendation for the first 10 rounds.

• Draft a 50+ point defenseman
• Draft a 70+ point forward with faceoff ability
• Draft a 40+ point defenseman
• Draft a consistent goalie
• Draft a 50+ point forward with faceoff ability
• Draft a consistent goalie
• Draft a 50+ point forward with PPP/SHP specialization
• Draft a 40+ point forward with faceoff ability
• Draft a 40+ point forward
• Draft a 30+ point defenseman

Reserve a spot for at least one consistent potential rookie.

This format has helped me out season after season and I am confident it will help you as well. I know each league is different, however, even if you are in a keeper league, this format will be of help.