Horrorfan, you are my audience! Every Thursday check the main page for my CAPPED series that has everything to do with cap leagues. I have listed all the best bargain players at each position which can be found in the PG Advised section and my last weeks article started focusing on exactly what you want, Salary Cap Strategies. Last weeks was on how to plan for the future and be ready for changes in salaries, next weeks will be on the type of depth you want to make your team successful. Check out Future Focused here

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10tm Dynasty Lg - $70M CAP
G A PTS +/- PIM PPP SOG W GAA SV% SO

C: J. Carter, H Sedin, E. Staal
RW: P. Kane, Stewart
LW: Semin, Couture
D: Pietrangelo, Hamhuis, Subban, Carlson
G: Lundqvist, Price
UTIL: Plekanec, Ennis, Perron, D. Brown


Farm
D: B. Smith, Morrow
F: Brassard, Williams, Niederreiter, Little, Okposo, Whitney, Nyquist, Kesler
G: S. Mason, Ward

Prospect:
F - Z. Kassian, Spooner, Kuznetsov, Tatar, Teravainen, Stone, Connolly
D - Matt Dumba

Thanks Ryan. Yeah I had noticed your other 'Capped' articles, and just read this one - nice one thanks. However, as I assumed earlier in this thread and seemed the case in your 'future' article, it appears that the majority of cap leagues are keepers. For one-years, I assume much of the strategy is not there because you rarely have to think about raises unless someone is signed mid-season? So the main strategy in a one-year is to find the right balance, beginning in the draft and in-season roster moves, with a eye on not going over when making such moves?

I don't suppose there's a 'beginner's guide to cap leagues' anywhere? I'm just trying to think of someone like me joining a league for the first time and has no clue on what players earn (and I really mean no clue), what's the best start and process of research?
- Having a look at capgeek and make a list of players/salaries? Or download a pre-existing one?
- Reading articles on strategy?
- Finding a list of 'points per $' players (if available)

Usually a good thing for preparing for such a draft is create a free league on fantrax, set up the league with your real league setup and compare the players there. You can sort them after which stat you want and always have the salary attached to the name given you the value of the guy in a salary league.

Capgeek is another good tool for leagues( yahoo) where you do not have the salaries directly written after the player name or not counting the salaries.

I def. suggest to not use yahoo in salary league and look elsewhere.

But in general i would fully try to convince you to try to play in a full keeper salary league. Those are the trickiest and most compatatible ones. If you ever are intrested let me know since i´m part of 6 leagues like that and most of the time every few months there comes a open spot with it.

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Member of the UHL,SCFHL2,Kings of Hockey and Commish of UNFFHL
Florida Panthers Team Coverage

I've never played a keeper league and not as interested in them at the moment, but thanks for the offer. That is helpful about pre-draft research. Do you know if there's a way of downloading a list of 'points per dollar' players into excel, so I can play around with it? Even based on last year's stats and salaries would be fine. I'm thinking that I should consider playing in a points only league in the first instance.

That being said, since I won't be considering to join a league until next year, as a complete beginner, what's the first thing to do to get my head around such leagues? I have time to prepare, so I want to do it right and not just reading tons of stuff without the proper structure. Then if I do join next season, then hopefully I'll be ready.

Honestly it´s not that diffrent that you think it is.

Get used to the salaries of players and try to compare them, this will give you a clear hint if the value goes up/down cause of the salary of the player.

Maybe try to build some rosters with the salaries to see how teams figure out at best and what happens if you draft some high salary guys early on.

With your knowledge on fantasyhockey overall it will not be a tough transition.

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Member of the UHL,SCFHL2,Kings of Hockey and Commish of UNFFHL
Florida Panthers Team Coverage

Well, at the very least you have given me a new idea for a piece! I'll look more into the one-year idea. Thanks, horrorfan!

__________________
10tm Dynasty Lg - $70M CAP
G A PTS +/- PIM PPP SOG W GAA SV% SO

C: J. Carter, H Sedin, E. Staal
RW: P. Kane, Stewart
LW: Semin, Couture
D: Pietrangelo, Hamhuis, Subban, Carlson
G: Lundqvist, Price
UTIL: Plekanec, Ennis, Perron, D. Brown


Farm
D: B. Smith, Morrow
F: Brassard, Williams, Niederreiter, Little, Okposo, Whitney, Nyquist, Kesler
G: S. Mason, Ward

Prospect:
F - Z. Kassian, Spooner, Kuznetsov, Tatar, Teravainen, Stone, Connolly
D - Matt Dumba

Ok thanks for the advice.

Cool, look forward to it. Thanks.

Don't mean to threadjack but what sites do you guys run your salary cap leagues on?

Fantrax? officepools?
How do they compare to Yahoo in terms of options and stat-tracking?

I think it was mentioned that Yahoo doesn't give that option and that's the site where we currently run our league...