Mmm. Good point on the LW eligibility. I missed that in the original post.

That being said if Heatley DOES have LW eligibility, I'd take Heatley there over Gagne..and hold on to Pavelski.

Injury issues for Gagne still majorly concern me.

BUMP.

I asked for advice on my buddy's "Keep 8" last year.
He won his league this past year (2011-2012), nice job by him... I gave him a list of players to draft & he got some good ones.
Thought I'd fill the slow-season by finding out who people like for next year (2012-2013).

His team at end of this year (LAST YEAR'S 2011 KEEPERS ARE BOLD):
C: Datsyuk (DET), Malkin (PIT)
LW: Benn (DAL), E.Kane (WPG)
RW: Heatley (SJ), Pavelski (SJ), J.Neal (PIT), Wheeler (WPG)
D: Karlsson (OTT), Del Zotto (NYR), Leddy (CHI), E.Johnson (COL)
G: Fleury (PIT), Crawford (CHI), Vokoun (WAS), Neuvirth (WAS)

Who would be your 8 keepers?

Skaters: G=1pt, A=1pt.
Goalies: W=2pts, SO=3pts, OTL=1pts.

Count: 2C, 2LW, 2RW, 4D, 2G. (12)
There are also four players on your bench.

It is a "full-season points pool" and "points move with trades".
The team with the highest total points for their 12 counting players wins.
Positions are based on Yahoo!.
Trading is allowed all season until NHL Trade Deadline.

C: Malkin, Datsyuk
LW: Benn, Kane
RW: Neal, Pavelski
D: Karlsson
G: Fleury

Although depends on availability of goalies, may want to sub in Crawford for Pavelski

Hard to argue with that although since league requires team to play 4D (vs 6F total) then it is tempting to secure another D-man even though it may be hard to justify say keeping MDZ over little Joe. Depends on availability of D-men at the draft.

C: Datsyuk (DET), Malkin (PIT)
LW: Benn (DAL), E.Kane (WPG)
RW: J.Neal (PIT),
D: Karlsson (OTT)
G: Fleury (PIT), Crawford (CHI)

I didnt follow the sharks FO totals closely this year but what are the chances Pavelski only gets C eligibility next season? If that happens he's a wasted keeper no?

__________________
ASKL - 10 Team dynasty,G/A=1,PIM=.1,+/- =.2 SOG=.05 (W=2,SO=3) Keep 12F 6D 2G 8BN + farm
F-Perry,Ryan,Giroux,Stastny,Ribeiro,Krejci,Plekanec, JvR,Bergeron,Fleischmann,Grabovski,Cammalleri
D-Letang,Chara,Edler,Boyle,Giordano,Gardiner,
G-Rinne,Crawford
Bench-Bernier,Reimer,Parenteau,Callahan,Downie,Kulemin, Meszaros,Nikitin
Farm- Namestnikov,Khoklachev,Rundblad,Despres,Jensen, L.Adam,Barberio,Galiev,Telegin,Hertl,Aberg

C: Datsyuk (DET), Malkin (PIT)
LW: Benn (DAL), E.Kane (WPG)
RW: Heatley (SJ), Pavelski (SJ), J.Neal (PIT), Wheeler (WPG)
D: Karlsson (OTT), Del Zotto (NYR), Leddy (CHI), E.Johnson (COL)
G: Fleury (PIT), Crawford (CHI), Vokoun (WAS), Neuvirth (WAS)

I don't like Crawford a whole lot but he is on a good team and should be able to rebound a bit this year.

MDZ is good but this is points only so I wouldn't value any 40 point defenseman over a goalie or a 60 point forward.
Pavelac and Heater are both solid but this team has to many good players so you got to cut ties.

__________________
2010-2011 League Champion - ROTO
2C, 2LW, 2RW, 4D, 2,G | G, A, PPP, +/-, PIM, BS, W, GAA, SV%
C: Tavares, Thornton
LW: Benn, Hall
RW: Semin, Sharp
D: Edler, Carlson, OEL, Hedman
G: Smith, Miller, Fasth, Markstrom, Bernier
B: Wheeler, Weisniewski
H2H Keeper League [5F, 2D, 1G]
2C, 2LW, 2RW, 4D,1 Ult, 1 G -H2H Daily Start - G, A, +/-, Hits, BS, PPP, SHP - W, SV, GAA, SO
C:RNH, Ribeiro, Backes, Kesler
LW: Parise, Landeskog, E. Kane
RW: Ryan, Yakupov, Clarkson
D: OEL, Keith, Boyle, Wisniewski, Smid, Georges
G: Schneider, Varlamov, Nabokov, Bishop
IR: Wisniewski

completely agree

__________________
10 team league, multi-cat, full keeper.

Forwards: J. Toews, J. Tavares, J. Eberle, J. Neal, A. Kopitar, T. Seguin, E. Kane, M. Duchene, J. Benn, M. Ryder, D. Brown, B. Marchand

Defense: A. Pietrangelo, K. Shattenkirk, A. Goligoski, PK Subban, J. Carlson, J. Spurgeon

Goalies: M. Smith, A. Niemi

Bench: R. Clowe, B. Dubinsky, M. Calvert, P. Mueller, D. Clarkson, M. Carle, M. Niskanen, P. Wiercioch, J. Halak, A. Lindback

This. Except I wouldn't consider keeping Crawford, just draft a G first and then focus on D.

__________________
Dynasty - $100/yr buy-in - YR5 - $90M CAP
G A PTS +/- PIM PPP SOG W GAA SV% SO

C - Crosby, Giroux, Getzlaf
LW - Neal, Elias
RW - Perry, Voracek
D - Letang, Chara, Boyle, Del Zotto, Faulk
Util - Eberle, Seguin,Hossa, Pavelski
G - Rask, Lehtonen

BENCH
Selanne, Iginla, Doan, M. Foligno, Bogosian, Garrison, McDonagh, Gardiner, Bryzgalov

PROSPECT
Forsberg, Bjugstad, Eller, M. Backlund, Vatanen, R. Murphy, Lack.

2010-11 - 1st
2011-12 - 1st
2012-13 - 2nd

Clear cut keepers are:
Malkin, Datsyuk, Benn, Kane, Neal, Karlsson, Fleury

Last spot is: Pavelski/Crawford/MDZ

Given the quality of your buddy's team, I'm going to guess this is a small league (8-10) teams which means he should be able to draft a decent goalie in the first round.

4D means defensemen are less abundant, so I would probably take MDZ over Pavelski. I don't see Pavs breaking that 70pt barrier like many seem to expect him to, but I do expect MDZ to break 50 next season which will make him a rare asset amongst d-men.

__________________
2013 Bay Street CBS Playoff Cash Pool - $100 buyin
12 Teams, Points Only (G/A = 1, DG = 2, W = 2, SO = 1)

The Motherpuckers (5 NYR, 2 PIT, 3 VAN)
Forwards: Neal / Iginla / Nash / Richards / Stepan / Roy / Higgins
Defense: Del Zotto / Garrison
Goalies: Lundqvist

This is spot on.