[FrozenMAN]

I'm in a keeper league and this year we get to keep 4 guys. The team last year was pretty disappointing lots of injuries left me in shambles and lots of pick ups in a 12 team league, which didn't offer than much depth, but I've got a FEW decent guys to pick from :

Nicklas Backstrom
Daymond Langkow
Brad Boyes
Patrik Elias
Dustin Byfuglien
Milan Hejduk
Patrick Marleau
Bryan McCabe
Drew Stafford
Kris Versteeg
Mark Streit
Kimmo Timonen
James van Riemsdyk
Jaroslav Halak
Miikka Kiprusoff
Jose Theodore, I think he's gonna lose the job

Backstrom is a certain #1, as well as Kiprusoff....I like Marleau as well, but do you think he can put up similar numbers to last year again, he is another year older and I don't know if he can do it again, last few years he's been beastly. Also like Halak, but will he be able to lock down wins for lowly St. Louis?? I could see maybe an outside shot at Elias, as he was injured for most of last year, but when he did come back, his numbers were decent. Streit is decent on D as well and can lock down Assists and could be of value to keep as well...

I've seen various different player predictions and rankings, but I just wanted to get the opinions and thoughts of a few other people...

Thanks A Lot

[keyboarding]

You have to keep Backstrom, he's the only legitimate star on your team, and that's a loose title for a guy who is only good for assists at the deepest position in hockey. Still, can't ignore a guy who breaks 100 points in a season.

You have to keep Kiprusoff. You might have to keep Halak in a 12 teamer because I can't imagine the FA market for starting goalies is going to be much. So just to make your minimum starts you have to have two starters, unless you think you can pick one up in the draft, but that's a high risk proposition, and whoever you do pick up probably won't be much better than Halak.

None of your defense are worth keeping. It's really a position you can forget about and use as a PIM source. Let other people waste their picks on guys who might produce 50 points.

Here is how I see the guys on your team who are worth a look:

Marleau: Probably a guy you keep. A PPG threat on an older but still dangerous SJ team.
Boyes: A very high risk keep. He has potential but hasn't shown it in quite some time.
Elias: Old and injury prone.
Byfuglien: Isn't worth much with his dual eligibility at D.
van Riemsdyk: If you had 6 keepers, I'd make room for him, but with only 4, you could easily redraft him.

[Baxter Man13]

Lose JVR. He is a bum, replace him with Claude Giroux

[ochenta y cinco]

van Riemdsyk's role on the Flyer line-up isn't big enough yet to make him a valuable option here IMO. He'll definitely make the top-9, but his ice time should be limited as Philly has some pretty impressive depth up front. Every single one of Brière, Carter, Richards, Giroux, Hartnell, Zherdev and Leino are probably considered to be ahead of JVR in the depth chart ATM.

[FrozenMAN]

You have to keep Backstrom, he's the only legitimate star on your team, and that's a loose title for a guy who is only good for assists at the deepest position in hockey. Still, can't ignore a guy who breaks 100 points in a season.

You have to keep Kiprusoff. You might have to keep Halak in a 12 teamer because I can't imagine the FA market for starting goalies is going to be much. So just to make your minimum starts you have to have two starters, unless you think you can pick one up in the draft, but that's a high risk proposition, and whoever you do pick up probably won't be much better than Halak.

None of your defense are worth keeping. It's really a position you can forget about and use as a PIM source. Let other people waste their picks on guys who might produce 50 points.

Here is how I see the guys on your team who are worth a look:

Marleau: Probably a guy you keep. A PPG threat on an older but still dangerous SJ team.
Boyes: A very high risk keep. He has potential but hasn't shown it in quite some time.
Elias: Old and injury prone.
Byfuglien: Isn't worth much with his dual eligibility at D.
van Riemsdyk: If you had 6 keepers, I'd make room for him, but with only 4, you could easily redraft him.

Now ya see why this team was royal shit last year lololol......That was my opinion with Halak and with going to the Blues, are they improved enough to get wins.....Boyes was a ROYAL bust for me last year, though the year before he was solid..I hope he returns to his old form but I never saw any signs of life from him for much of the season and think I can grab him in the draft again with JVR....

Think i'm gonna just go backstrom/maleau/kippy/halak as I kinda anticipated.... wish i had one more SOLID scoring threat on this team but that's simply is not the case....Thanks for all the input guys

[ochenta y cinco]

Backstrom/Kipper/Marleau/Halak is definitely the way to go here.


Once Jaro Halak gets hot, he's nearly unbeatable. He should be good for anywhere between 30 to 40 wins this year IMHO, which isn't half bad.

[keyboarding]

Now ya see why this team was royal shit last year lololol......That was my opinion with Halak and with going to the Blues, are they improved enough to get wins.....Boyes was a ROYAL bust for me last year, though the year before he was solid..I hope he returns to his old form but I never saw any signs of life from him for much of the season and think I can grab him in the draft again with JVR....

Think i'm gonna just go backstrom/maleau/kippy/halak as I kinda anticipated.... wish i had one more SOLID scoring threat on this team but that's simply is not the case....Thanks for all the input guys

To be honest, I would trade Backstrom and Halak before the draft starts. Halak could be huge but there are way too many question marks around that STL team. Halak's value is the highest it's going to be unless he actually turns out to be a legitimate starter.

The thing you need to decide is if you want to go for it this year or plan for a run in the next two year. Your keepers are kind of inconsistent as you have two aging players in Marleau and Kiprusoff, and two young players in Backstrom and Halak. I think you should go for it this year, trading Backstrom for a legitimate RW and Halak for a more proven goalie on a better team with no competition. Someone like Turco.

[ochenta y cinco]

I disagree with trading Bäckstrom. At 22, he's already a virtual lock to the top-10 in NHL scoring, playing on one of the most deadly PP units. Also, his goal output went way up from year to year, from 14 in his rookie year, to 22 two seasons ago, to 33 last in 2009-10. So he's not just a playmaker, he's a pretty skilled goal-scorer of his own. Clearly I wouldn't touch this guy, he's a keeper.

[keyboarding]

I disagree with trading Bäckstrom. At 22, he's already a virtual lock to the top-10 in NHL scoring, playing on one of the most deadly PP units. Also, his goal output went way up from year to year, from 14 in his rookie year, to 22 two seasons ago, to 33 last in 2009-10. So he's not just a playmaker, he's a pretty skilled goal-scorer of his own. Clearly I wouldn't touch this guy, he's a keeper.

While I agree he's a stud in the making, he's at the deepest position in hockey. In a league where you can only keep 4 and 2 have to be goalies, you really should be focusing on wingers. The return value of a Backstrom should be good enough for either a top tier winger or possibly a top tier goalie, both of which would help a team more long term during the course of a season.

Though, I'm saying all this based on standard H2H categories. The original post doesn't describe the league.

[DennisGreen]

Backstrom and Marleau without a doubt. After that it gets a bit tricky. I would probably just stick with Kipper and Halak for now. Quality goalies are usually at more of a premium in Fantasy hockey. Only other guy I would consider is Elias.

[Salmon Steak]

I'm telling you the blues will be better than you think. They really turned the corner with new coach payne. Now with Halak hopefully having a good year. they might be a top five team in the west.

[FrozenMAN]

yeah the possibility of trading halak after what he did for LE HABITANS last year was on my mind and several people wanted him last year....i desperately need scoring and hope marleau and backstrom can sit in the top 5 in goals and assists, respectively.......i found i have the #1 pick based on last year's results so that should help with the scoring struggles, but after the other 10 years keep 4 guys each, the big names are most likely going to be gone.....

i really like young johnathan tavares to have a BIG year the the islanders, do you feel the same way? no one else on that team can score though and if he starts off hot then could lead to defensive adjustements to neutralize him

[jollyoscars]

Backstrom/Kipper/Marleau/Halak is definitely the way to go here.


Once Jaro Halak gets hot, he's nearly unbeatable. He should be good for anywhere between 30 to 40 wins this year IMHO, which isn't half bad.

i agree about the 4 keepers. think they are far ahead of the other options on ur old team

[FrozenMAN]

yeah i concur....i guess our league is looking for another person or 2 to fill some missing people, if anyone is interested let me know....i don't know if anyone else has been found yet but i know we're looking.....