To be fair, his slap shot isn't anything to behold, but he's a very heady player with a short windup and terrific accuracy. He's never had trouble scoring goals at any level. His 13 goals last year was actually good for 5th in D scoring. He also has a terrific wrist shot.

Interesting thread. Love reading up on OEL. With the season set to start and my team set below, I'm wondering, having read about a 60/40 split of Future Perenial All Star vs Very good 2 way Defender on OEL, Where does he fit on my team (see below).

I've had him a couple times in the past 2 years and lost him either to the draft or trade. I know now that I can get him for a 2nd round pick straight up, and maybe not even lose out on watching what Kulikov and Smith can do.

Based on my Cats and what I currently have on my team, Is OEL worth the 2nd round pick? Is he gong to be a fantasy stud, or just a real life stud?

Thanks for the help guys!

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Team:
C - Tavares, Getzlaf, Ribeiro, (C/R)
L - Hall, Semin, Macdonald(C/L), Healtey(L/R),
R - Perry, Yakupov, Voracek, Voracek, Williams, Boyes
D - Streit, OEL, Edler, Karlsson, B. Smith, Beauchemin, Seidenberg
G - Rinne, Bryzgalov, Anderson, Bernier, Vokoun
10 Team Keeper league with Yahoo

Roster (14 Kept Players): C, C, LW, LW, RW, RW, D, D, D, D, Util, Util, G, G,

(Weighted Category Points: see below).

Skaters -
(Points: G a/o A) 6
(+/-) 3
(PIM) 1
(PPP) 5
(GWG) 5

Goaltenders
(W) 15
(GA) -10
(SV) 1
(SHO) 15

If you mean the second rounder in a prospect draft, absolutely you should give that up for OEL.

If it's a supplemental draft second rounder, you're looking at around the 140th best player available (based on 10 teams x 13 keepers), and I'd rank OEL higher than that, so yeah I'd do that deal too.

Since you like reading up on the guy, check out this article. I've posted it here before.

http://nhlnumbers.com/2012/5/22/oliv...rvalued-season

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10 team roto, Keep 17 + 45 farmers (Farm GP limits 246 F, 328 D and 200 G). Dress 9F 5D 1Ut 2G (G A +/- PPP PIM SOG W SV% GAA)
F- Kovalchuk Spezza Skinner Tavares Williams M. Richards Brown Hartnell Bergeron Doan
D- Ehrhoff Whitney Suter Wisniewski Goligoski
G- Ward Lehtonen
Bench: Pavelec Thomas Pronger Simmonds Carle Hornqvist Nikitin
Farm highlights: Orlov Armia Puempel Kucherov Josi Weal Hamonic Rodin Muzzin McNabb Salak Dubnyk Bachman Dumba Ceci Dansk Maatta Gaunce

Phoenix doesn't get a lot of airtime. If OEL was playing in Canada or Chicago/Philly/Detroit/NY, he would be a household name.

__________________
Ultimate Fantasy Hockey League
Teams: 12
Players: G,A,+/-,PIM,PPP,SHP,GWG,SOG,FW,HIT
Goalies: GS,W,L,GAA,SA,SV,SV%,SHO
Pro(23)
3C - Malkin(RW)/Toews/Vermette(LW)/Hanzel
3LW - Parise/M.Foligno/Michalek(RW)/McDonald(C)
3RW - Cole/Simmonds/Brown(LW)/Downie(LW)
6D - Letang/Streit/Hamonic/Garrison/Ekman-Larsson/Girardi/Seidenberg
2G - Rask/Markstrom/Reimer/Vokoun
Farm(8)
C - Shaw/K.Palmieri/Tatar
LW - Zucker
RW -
D - S.Elliot/Trouba
G -Scrivens/Hackett

Thanks man. Yeah, I did read this article you posted. Very interesting. The 2nd rounder is a supplemental draft. We keep 14 so yeah...150the best player. I only keep 4 defenders...so end of day, what are the chances of OEL taking over one of my 4 keeper D spots...likely over Kulikov or Smith or Whitney.

I've made my pitch for the 2nd rounder.

__________________
Team:
C - Tavares, Getzlaf, Ribeiro, (C/R)
L - Hall, Semin, Macdonald(C/L), Healtey(L/R),
R - Perry, Yakupov, Voracek, Voracek, Williams, Boyes
D - Streit, OEL, Edler, Karlsson, B. Smith, Beauchemin, Seidenberg
G - Rinne, Bryzgalov, Anderson, Bernier, Vokoun
10 Team Keeper league with Yahoo

Roster (14 Kept Players): C, C, LW, LW, RW, RW, D, D, D, D, Util, Util, G, G,

(Weighted Category Points: see below).

Skaters -
(Points: G a/o A) 6
(+/-) 3
(PIM) 1
(PPP) 5
(GWG) 5

Goaltenders
(W) 15
(GA) -10
(SV) 1
(SHO) 15

Im currently debating a deal with OEL as the centerpiece, but it may kill me this year and send the other guy to the promise land.

Chara/Marleau - OEL/J. Williams

Due to the heavy goal weighted league, I get killed this year, BUT love landing OEL. Back and forth on this one, would love any opinions!

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19 team Dynasty League - POINTS ONLY. Daily starts: 9 fwds, 6 D, 1 goalie

G=2pts, A=1pt, Dman G=3pts, GWG=1pt, Goalie Win=3.5pts, SO=4pts, L=-1pt


Kovalchuk, Couture, Wheeler
Parenteau, Elias, Little
Desharnais, Hemsky, Zuccarello
Smith, Cogliano

Karlsson, Letang, Ehrhoff
Carle, Giordano, Martin
Hamhuis

Fleury
Schneider

A lot has been said already but one thing that speaks volumes is that he was the #1 D in terms of ice time by the end of last year in the desert and Tippett's teams tend to score a bunch from the point.

He ate into Yandle's PP time by the play-offs as well.

Their reporters in the desert said he was their best player by the end of the season.

So I'm thinking he's pretty bad-ass.

Lidstrom 2.0.

__________________

I totally understand your plight here. What you say is true. Chara and Marleau is a steep price to pay on the Hype (albeit perhaps justified) of OEL and Justin Williams who has been great...but still...not necessarily a game changer like each of Chara and Marleau at points of their respective careers.

I know this isn't much help as I'm echoing what you're issue is, but if you're more apt to rebuild, sounds like this is a helluva guys to take a chance on. But maybe see if you can upgrade Williams. You're giving up 2 studs...and only getting one potential stud in the making back. As much as I like the idea of OEL, this is fairly steep price, but I wouldn't criticize you for pulling the trigger.

__________________
Team:
C - Tavares, Getzlaf, Ribeiro, (C/R)
L - Hall, Semin, Macdonald(C/L), Healtey(L/R),
R - Perry, Yakupov, Voracek, Voracek, Williams, Boyes
D - Streit, OEL, Edler, Karlsson, B. Smith, Beauchemin, Seidenberg
G - Rinne, Bryzgalov, Anderson, Bernier, Vokoun
10 Team Keeper league with Yahoo

Roster (14 Kept Players): C, C, LW, LW, RW, RW, D, D, D, D, Util, Util, G, G,

(Weighted Category Points: see below).

Skaters -
(Points: G a/o A) 6
(+/-) 3
(PIM) 1
(PPP) 5
(GWG) 5

Goaltenders
(W) 15
(GA) -10
(SV) 1
(SHO) 15

I ended up shipping Chara and Iginla for OEL and Michalek. It may seem like I got deflowered at first blush, but...

In my goal heavy league, Michalek had virtually the same points as Iggy and is 8 years younger. I think out of the two of em, Milan has the better shot at 35 goals going forward - he has landed in a pot of gold with his coach, team, linemate, PP time, etc. It made losing Chara (which stings for sure) for the 21 year old OEL more palitable.

I am hoping that I didn't lose TOO much this season and that I can still contend, while still landing the younger guy.

We'll see

__________________
19 team Dynasty League - POINTS ONLY. Daily starts: 9 fwds, 6 D, 1 goalie

G=2pts, A=1pt, Dman G=3pts, GWG=1pt, Goalie Win=3.5pts, SO=4pts, L=-1pt


Kovalchuk, Couture, Wheeler
Parenteau, Elias, Little
Desharnais, Hemsky, Zuccarello
Smith, Cogliano

Karlsson, Letang, Ehrhoff
Carle, Giordano, Martin
Hamhuis

Fleury
Schneider

Best of luck on your deal!

In the spirit of OEL...I need some help on this one (Note my team and cats below).

Offer on the table...

My Kulikov and 2nd round pick
for
OEL and a 9th round pick

Help me out guys...Is now the time to move on OEL, assuming he'll edge out B.Smith and Whitney as my #4 defender?

__________________
Team:
C - Tavares, Getzlaf, Ribeiro, (C/R)
L - Hall, Semin, Macdonald(C/L), Healtey(L/R),
R - Perry, Yakupov, Voracek, Voracek, Williams, Boyes
D - Streit, OEL, Edler, Karlsson, B. Smith, Beauchemin, Seidenberg
G - Rinne, Bryzgalov, Anderson, Bernier, Vokoun
10 Team Keeper league with Yahoo

Roster (14 Kept Players): C, C, LW, LW, RW, RW, D, D, D, D, Util, Util, G, G,

(Weighted Category Points: see below).

Skaters -
(Points: G a/o A) 6
(+/-) 3
(PIM) 1
(PPP) 5
(GWG) 5

Goaltenders
(W) 15
(GA) -10
(SV) 1
(SHO) 15