Hello guys,

Two questions for you this morning.

# 1 In my keeper draft, I have a shot at the first overall pick. I\'ll sure draft between 1 and 3. We proceed using a lottery mode, with the last team getting 3 chances out of 6, and then 2/6, and 1/6. Got the \"3 out of 6\" in a trade, so I really have a good shot at drafting first.

Anyway, right now (and don\'t ask : Backstrom is gone), my choice would be Paul Stastny, followed by (can\'t decide) Michalek or Toews. Goals give 2 points in our pool, and Michalek has been my second choice for a long time, but now, seeing Toews, hearing great things about the kid, I really don\'t know anymore. Toews or Michalek ? I like the fact we\'ve already seen what Michalek can do, he\'s showing improvement and can count on a great supporting cast, to say the least. On the other hand, Toews looks like he\'ll be a special player. Here, however, we\'re strictly talking offensive production...


# 2 With what happened in Buffalo, what\'s your take on Drew Stafford ? I know Dobber predicted he\'ll be a consistent 65-70 points guy, with 30-35 goals each year. However, he\'ll have a lot more room and great playing time, especially on the PP. With what we\'ve seen, could he turn into a big power forward with a more interesting upside ? He\'s certainly higher on my draft list right now...

Thanks for your comments.

When in doubt, take results over potential...draft Michalek.

__________________
***2011-12 3rd Place***
***2010-11 Champions***
***2009-10 Champions***

1st Place Playoff Pool

16 TEAM KEEPER
FORWARDS (G,A,Pts,+/-,PIM,PPG)
LW:MacDonald,Kovalchuk,Eriksson,D.Sedin (B-Clifford)
C:H.Sedin,Backstrom,Stamkos,Turris (B-Burmistrov)
RW:Perry,Hudler,Gionta,Rinaldo (B-Atkinson)
DEFENSE (G,A,+/-,PIM)
Green(WAS),Gonchar,Bogosian,Faulk,O'Brien,Markov (B-Visnovsky,Elliott)
GOAL (Min,W,GGA)
Schneider,Crawford,Holtby
FARM
Tatar,Couturier,Aberg

Michalek would be my choice, without question. He plays first line with Thornton and Cheechoo. The same line also is the power play. He had 66 points last year. That will improve this year.

I am sure that Toews will be a very good player but if I were to make a \'safe\' pick then I would choose Michalek.

I like Stafford a lot. He needs playing time. He will get that now. His development will be noticeable. He will have more of a presence.

Thanks Brian and Hockeylifer,

Well, so far, Michalek : that\'s also the way I still think. I really believe he\'ll do more damage this year. Being a big Sharks fan, I even think of drafting him before Stastny sometimes, but I know the \"emotion factor\" would also be playing there, so I\'ll stick with Paul for first. (Even though my fellow poolies thought I got fooled by the \"emotion factor\" when I picked Radulov last year second overall, so... )

Talking about Stafford, would you draft him before guys like Kostitsyn, Little, Penner, Dustin Brown, Esposito or the mysterious (but oh so talented) Cherepanov ? That\'s a tough one.

Post edited by: CaporalRadulov, at: 2007/07/13 10:43

Cap - since it\'s a keeper draft. I\'d go with Toews.
He hasn\'t proved anything yet but comes with great promise.
He has the rare ability to make others around him better.
I like Michalek a lot and he does benefit from some great Shark players, but I also remember 2 knee operations. Has he really lived up to your expectations of being a top 10 pick?

I\'m a Sabres fan and like Stafford but I think Stafford is less of pure talent and more of a very hard worker.

__________________
2010 - 2011 Signature Team
RFHL: Founded 1989 Rochester, NY
10 Man Keeper League
G, A, PTS, 2W+OL, SV%, GAA
C: Tavares, Kopitar, Benn, Roy
LW: Hall, Vanek, van Riemsdyke, Nyquist
RW: Seguin, Carter, Yakupov, Tarasenko
D: Green, Fowler, Elliott, J.Schultz, Streit, Wisniewski
G: Price, Ward

CaporalRadulov wrote:
I like Stafford. I think he will get more ice time in Buffalo now that Briere and Drury are gone. My pool operates under a cap system and I am hoping Stafford flies under the radar. Kostitsyn is also on my radar.

The rights to Penner and Brown are already taken in my league. If Penner was available, I might take him over Stafford.

Esposito and Cherepanov are still a few years away I think...

__________________
***2011-12 3rd Place***
***2010-11 Champions***
***2009-10 Champions***

1st Place Playoff Pool

16 TEAM KEEPER
FORWARDS (G,A,Pts,+/-,PIM,PPG)
LW:MacDonald,Kovalchuk,Eriksson,D.Sedin (B-Clifford)
C:H.Sedin,Backstrom,Stamkos,Turris (B-Burmistrov)
RW:Perry,Hudler,Gionta,Rinaldo (B-Atkinson)
DEFENSE (G,A,+/-,PIM)
Green(WAS),Gonchar,Bogosian,Faulk,O'Brien,Markov (B-Visnovsky,Elliott)
GOAL (Min,W,GGA)
Schneider,Crawford,Holtby
FARM
Tatar,Couturier,Aberg

Toews is a heartbeat. Four years from now where\'s Michalek going to be playing? Still on Joe\'s line? And I bet in 4 years Toews is the Captain of the Hawks and burying 80 points a season.

Toews will be a captain/franchise stud, whilst Michalek is just another random forward like Hecht or something.