Are you wondering what your plan of attack should be in your fantasy hockey pool this summer? Preparing for a draft? Upset about some trades you made in the past? I’ll weigh in with my thoughts on the interesting and important issues.

This week, I took a look at the team submitted to me by DobberHockey reader Jamie M.

The League

The KPL ‘Keeper Pool League’ (Way to get creative, guys!)

The Team

Peter’s Pantry

The Rules

10 Teams

Weekly active rosters consist of 3 C, 6 W (not broken down by LW or RW), 4 D, and 1 G

Points only league

Goals = 1 point

Assists = 1 point

Wins = 2 points

No roster size restrictions for the farm (bench) or the un-activated prospects roster

$65 salary cap

UFA auction and rookie draft each off-season

Trade schedule mirrors the NHL’s (trade deadline, etc)

The Roster

To save myself the time it takes to format and create a table, I’ll link you to the rosters page for this league. Jamie's team is in the middle - Peter's Pantry.

Recent Trades

Outgoing: Luca Caputi, 2^nd round draft pick

Incoming: PM Bouchard, 2^nd round draft pick

Decent risk to take at the time. Caputi is nothing special.

Outgoing: Mikkel Boedker

Incoming: TJ Hensick, Kyle Turris

Turris is the best of the three. Boedker is the closest to being NHL ready, though, and you are rather thin at wing. Hensick had a great AHL season but he needs to leave Colorado to get an NHL gig. Could be trade bait at the draft.

Outgoing: Joe Corvo

Incoming: Sheldon Souray, Karl Alzner

Great trade. Souray is a goner this summer - expect a return to 45-55 points if he lands with a contender. Alzner moves the puck well and in Washington that will get him his fair share of points. Corvo is great offensively but a liability defensively. He won't be back with the Capitals.

Outgoing: Eric Staal

Incoming: Jason Spezza

Both are free agents in the KPL this summer. A wash.

Here is a link to check out some more trades made in the league. Very active league in terms of trading, which is awesome to see – the active leagues are usually the most interesting to take part in.

The Breakdown

Contracts can run for up to a maximum of three seasons in the KPL. Players can be renewed at double their current salary. For example, Peter’s Pantry could re-sign Jason Spezza for $19 ($9.50 x 2). All of the players on the spreadsheet listed above with one year remaining on their “term” (under the roster header) are free agents this summer.

Peter’s Pantry has made deadline deals over the past few seasons to target young talent in the draft. Having both Steven Stamkos and John Tavares obviously reflects that.

Of the impending free agents, I would bring back:

Getzlaf ($8)

Souray ($5)

Turris ($1.5)

A. Markov ($2)

Price ($1.5)

Niklas Backstrom ($2)

I would pass on:

Spezza (too expensive)

Ryder (dime-a-dozen winger)

Bouchard (concussion issues)

Hensick (no future in Colorado)

Barker (awful defensively, stuck behind Zidlicky and Burns on the PP)

Looking at your team head into 2010-11, I’d say your biggest strength is on defense. Focus on improving wing, through trading and free agency.

I see Niklas Backstrom having a bounce back season for the Wild. He was one of the best fantasy goalies to own in 2008-09, but struggled at times last year as Minnesota tried to adapt to the new system put in place by Todd Richards. Price should see at least 50 starts next year, and Varlamov probably has the inside edge at the starting job for the Capitals. I’d try and add a fourth goalie though, as you may struggle to get a lot of starts out of Varlamov if Michal Neuvirth steals the job.

I’d find a way to dump some of the dead weight. Justin Williams is done. He can’t keep up with the speed of the game after two knee surgeries.  The other players I would find a way to dump:

The Recommendations

1) Cut the dead weight. Your roster sizes have no maximum, but all of those useless $0.50 or $1.00 players add up. Trim the dead weight through trades or any other means possible.

2) Improve winger talent. You’ll have some cap space at the draft – use it on at least two PPG wingers.

3) Be patient. I see several of your players bouncing back offensively in 2010-11: Boyes, Getzlaf, Ribeiro, Souray, and Kostitsyn. Lepisto is a sleeper, but I like his upside. Alzner will always be more of a two-way guy, but he moves the puck well and that will get him 30-35 assists in Washington.  Kyle Turris needs more seasoning, but he will be a very good player.

Comments (2)

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Davey said:

	Peter's Paradise Now that you have the Pros on the Pantry wagon there is no excuses. 2nd place is not an option. Unless you have grown a custom to the basement?
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Jamie M. said:

Thanks Jeff! You the man. That's all good advice. I wasn't sure about bringing Justin Williams back or not, but you've convinced me not to. Ericsson and Barker are two other guys I was probably going to keep, but you've given me second thoughts. I'm not sure I agree with bringing Souray back at $5, but I'll wait to see where he ends up. I got Alzner as a trade toss-in to equalize cap hits, but maybe he'll be worth keeping as a back-up D with some modest upside. Jeff and anyone else-- Who among the following UFA (in the KPL) wingers would you pay a high-price for the next three years: Iginla, Kovalchuk, St. Louis, D. Sedin, Vanek, Gionta, Zetterberg, Gaborik, Alfie and Heatley. I'll also be in the market for a cheap 70-point center to back up Stamkos, Getzlaf and M. Koivu.

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June 10, 2010 | url
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