Meet my fantasy team

by James Mirtle on Nov 5, 2008 2:38 PM CST Comment 8 comments

I'm running three Yahoo! pools this year, the biggest of which is the Third Annual Hockey Blogger Invitational. It's an 18-team behemoth, with 20 roster spots (plus IR) per team and an incredible 360-plus players taken.

The top-ranked player available in free agency right now is Andrew Ference, so the pickins are slim.

I hate giving away my fantasy strategies in a public forum like this, especially when I'm competing against a few of you, but here's a look at my team in the elite pool to this point. Kent from Five Hole Fanatics is currently in first place, with Mirtle's Merry Men right in the middle of the pack.

I'm the two-time defending champ, but the title's definitely up for grabs this season given some of my sleepers are still slumbering. I'm also currently carrying only two defencemen and too many forwards and goaltenders, something that I'll have to correct here shortly via trade:

Centres
Mike Ribeiro, Tomas Plekanec, R.J. Umberger, Bryan Little

Left Wingers
Brenden Morrow, Ray Whitney, David Booth, Slava Kozlov

Right Wingers
Marian Hossa, Milan Hejduk, Martin Erat, Kris Versteeg, Maxim Afinogenov, Petr Sykora

Defencemen
Sergei Gonchar (IR), Stephane Robidas, Andrej Sekera

Goaltenders
Carey Price, Alex Auld, Ty Conklin, Martin Gerber

I should be deep in goal given the roster spots I'm giving up there, but it hasn't worked out that way. Gerber, a high draft pick, has been all but useless, while Conklin has struggled in his limited starts.

Thankfully, Price, my second-round pick, has been terrific.

This is a head-to-head league based on 13 categories, eight for skaters and five for goaltenders. (This week I'm against Puck Daddy, and so far he's on the ropes.)

Team strengths: First overall in assists, third in power-play points, second in wins, third in saves and second in save percentage.

Team weaknesses: Near the bottom in plus-minus (too many Stars and Thrashers) and penalty minutes. No shutouts yet, either.

My best player to this point has been Hossa, by far, followed by Morrow, Hejduk, Price and Erat. The weak links are Gerber, Sykora and Umberger.

What do you think — can I threepeat?

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I’m going to enjoy my couple weeks at the top because I think they’re going to come to an end very soon.

Still, I had a good run.

by Kent Wilson on Nov 5, 2008 3:21 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Whoa

I didn’t even know about this stat-ranking thing in Yahoo. First in goalie wins, last in plus-minus.

Even-strength play is so overrated :)

http://battleofcalifornia.blogspot.com/

by Earl Sleek on Nov 5, 2008 3:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Threepeat is looking tough with no Sharks on the team ;)

Sleeper is Ryane Clowe. I’d roll the dice and try and dish Sykora. Patrick Marleau is also a good bet (and plays center/left wing). Though he might be untouchable at this stage of the game.

Fear The Fin: Where the second round is overrated.

by Mr. Plank on Nov 5, 2008 5:45 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Earl and P.J. from Sharkspage make taking Sharks pretty tough. I believe Nabokov went second overall to one of those turkeys.

by James Mirtle on Nov 5, 2008 5:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

not this turkey

That was PJ all the way. I got Malkin thanks to his off-the-board pick (which frankly, looks pretty darn good right about now).

I do have Setoguchi and Clowe, though. Sleepers no more!

http://battleofcalifornia.blogspot.com/

by Earl Sleek on Nov 5, 2008 5:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

No kidding. I’m in three of these things and managed to get Marleau and Clowe in some of the others. Can’t beat you BoC guys for Pacific Division players though.

Well, other than the three Stars I picked.

by James Mirtle on Nov 5, 2008 7:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Puck Daddy Matchup

Please put the sleeper on Wyshy, he annoys the hell out of mnay with his writing style. He’s gotten a little less smarmy in the last few months but he still needs to be taken down a fantasy peg or two. ;)

by SDWingNut on Nov 6, 2008 12:03 PM CST reply actions 0 recs