Ryan Strome is forcing my hand and I feel I need to pick him up before someone else in my pool does, even if he doesn't play too much this season. There is no farm, so I would prefer guys who will play, but he may be dynamic enough to sit all year, so I could keep him next year and so that no one else has him. So the question is who gets cut? The three players I am considering are Cam Atkinson, Colin Wilson and Craig Smith. I am leaning towards Atkinson, even though I believe he is in a position to breakout this season, but I don't think he is valued too highly in my pool, so if I need to get him back, he should be available...

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C- Stepan J. Staal(K) Benn(K)
LW- Lucic(K) Landeskog(K) Saad
RW- Skinner(K) Wheeler(K) Hornquist
D- Doughty(K) Subban(K) Ekman-Larsson(K) Carlson
W- Yakupov(K) Tarasenko(K)
F- M. Foligno Tlusty
UT- Atkinson Silferberg
G- Crawford(K) Dubnyk
BN- Varlamov J. Bernier Voynov Pouliot C. Wilson(IR) Brouwer

G A +/- PIM PPP SHP GWG W GAA SV SV% SHO 4 goal app min
Yahoo H2H 12 team keeper. Keep 12 next year and beyond.

I'd go with Smith...

I think most "poolies" now have heard of Atkinson, plus he's in the most likely position to succeed in Columbus, where he should see some top-6 time which could generate more trade value...

With Smith and Wilson they're always going to be stuck behind the "big names" of Fisher, Erat, Hornqvist, Legwand and Kostitsyn. Also Trotz has never produced high point producers, his system doesn't really allow for it. So I would be more inclined to drop one of the Preds than Atkinson... I've given the edge to Wilson because he's had a few more years of NHL experience under his belt, and he did average more ice-time (16:07 and 2:19) than Smith (14:11 and 2:08).

My 2 cents.

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Dobber Expert Pool Champion 2011-12

I just don't see him being one of the 12 you keep after this year, so it seems a bit silly to hang on to him for the season. The other three have a chance at either helping your team this year, or being worth more in trade bait to another team competing. How many teams are in your league?

As it stands now, your bench is already made up of 2 rookies, a sophomore and a backup goalie.

If you did grab him, he'd have to outvalue one of Stepan, Staal, Lucic, Landeskog, Benn, Skinner, Wheeler, Doughty, Subban, OEL, Yakupov, Varlamov, Crawford/Dubnyk, etc. Those don't even include prospects like Tarasenko, Nyquist, and Scheifele.

I just can't see him being worth it at this point. You've got enough youth already -- and you'll be dumping some of them at year's end. With no farm, he's just not worth grabbing for you.

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Points-only, Full Keeper Dynasty League
Active roster (no starts, just total points): 12 FW, 6 D, 1 Goalie

Forwards: Ovechkin, D. Sedin, Stastny, Nash, Kesler, Ribeiro, B. Richards, Selanne, Hossa, Fleischmann, Whitney, Lecavalier, Alfredsson, Okposo, Plekanec, Doan, S. Kostitsyn

Defense: Goligoski, Campbell, Gonchar, Bergeron, Liles, McBain, Vatanen, Timonen, Visnovsky, Giordano, Wideman

Goal: Luongo, Holtby

these are the guys you should be keeping...
Stepan
Lucic
Landeskog
Benn
Skinner
Doughty
Subban
Yakupov
Scheifele
Varlamov
Nyquist

that's 11 must keep guys. Strome would have to prove a better option than Tarasenko long term to be considered. And he is not a better option. And even if there is a season Tarasenko is already not going to be doing anything for you this year. So, why add another such player? Stick with what you have. Now if you can make some deals and package say Nyquist and Scheifele for a high end talent that can help you now, then look at such a move. But right now it's not worth it to lose a guy like Smith who should at least be a decent 50 point guy right now.

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H2H CONTRACT POOL
C-, Grabovski(1), Thorton (3),Colin Wilson (1) (dual), Lokitonov(3) (dual)
W- Lucic(3), Brunner(3), Semin(1), Conacher (4)
D-Kieth, Voyanov(3), Zidlicky(1),) Faulk(3), Diaz (3), Tyutin (1)
G-Quick(4), Fasth (2)
MINORS- Redmond), Krieder(m), Morrow (m)
IR Malkin(3), Filppula (dual)(2)

CATS:SKATER +-/G/A/SOG/PM
CATS:GOALIE GAA/W/SO/S

ANY WEEK WE PLAY 2C,4W,4D,1G

If you're set on picking him up, which I can't really blame you for, then drop Wilson. He seems to have really dropped down Nashville's list since he was drafted. The worst that can happen is that you drop Strome at the end of the year with him not having played a game (if there's a season, of course). Wilson could get you 40-50 points, but Strome is the better player. Tough call.

Out of your list of keepers (I only counted 10) I would definitely include Yakupov and OEL. I've found that quality centers are easier to redraft than defensemen or wingers. There will probably be better options available than Stepan anyways.

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16 team, full keeper
19 roster players, 15 prospects
Stats: G, A, PPG, SHG, special teams assists, SOG, FOW, PIM, hits, blocked shots, +/-, W, SO, saves, s%, GAA, shootout saves

C: Crosby, Backstrom, H. Sedin, Boyle, Brassard
W: Voracek, Burrows, McDonald, Filppula, Dorsett, Hudler, Abdelkader, Bouchard, Ott, Zuccarello, Stalberg
D: Karlsson, Letang, Enstrom, Boyle, Giordano, Gorges, M. Stuart
G: Quick, Kiprusoff, Ellis

Prospects: Granlund, Pirri, Caron, Killorn, T. Johnson, Galiev, Corrado, Vatanen, Moore, Rundblad, Bachman, C. Johnson, Desjardins

Drop Bernier - you have 2 goalie slots and 3 starters now, Quick would have to get his carotid artery slashed to make him a worthwhile hold.

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Yahoo weekly starts 12 team league, keep 17 plus farm

GS, W, L, SV, GAA, SV%, SO G, A, P, +/-, PIM, SOG, GWG, PPP, SHP, HITS, FOW

3C: H. Sedin,Stepan, Stastny, R. Johansen, Hanzal, Anisimov,
3LW: Burrows, Vanek, Ott, Lupul, Dubinsky
3RW: Doan, Pavelski, Brown, Okposo,
6D: Franson, Doughty, Voynov, Subban, Markov, Gonchar, Karlsson
1Util:
2G: Price, Emery


Farm: (< 100 games): S. Elliott, J. Bernier, Galchenyuk, Etem, Eakin, Atkinson

I voted you drop Wilson. I do think Wilson has a good shot at be a top six player, but because its the Predators w/ the system Trotz employs, at best Wilson is looking like a 50 point player most seasons. Craig Smith has more offensive ability than Wilson, and I think he could be a 60 point player in Nashville.

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Stamkos was asked today in Tampa how he can top last season:
"Well, get into the playoffs. That's the big key and that's our goal here."

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