uh, OK... .thanks for the post big_dl. I apologize for the confusing email, but the \"?\" marks were intentional. However, what wasn\'t intentional was the fact that it decreased the credibility of the post. So I\'m gonna dig deep and try and remember my high school english classes and re-post my questions in a differnt manner.

1) Should I hang on to Zherdev instead of the likes of Cole, Brule, O\'Sully on speculation he might get traded? If he does get traded, will his value increase? Is there a team he could be traded to that would not increase his value?

2) This maybe worthy of a seperate thread, but, who would you keep between Brule and O\'Sully? O\'Sully is on an up an coming team but apparently has a history of \"coasting\" through games and would be 2nd line at best (ala J. Carter). Brule had a absolute great junior career, but has had two very serious injuries early on and plays for Hitch on CLB.

As a note, yes big_dl I could definitely trade for pics, but we are only allowed to carry 12 per season, so if I already have an established core of 12 young up-and-comer\'s, it might not be beneficial to load up on any more prospects or released players if I won\'t be competitive for a couple years, and can\'t carry the player\'s from the extra picks further. For example, would you replace Stastny for another prospect right now? Simiarly with Radulov, Carle, Whitney, Lehtonen, Bergeron, etc. Even my \"older\" keeper players like Zetter, P Bergeron, Biron, still have a lot of years left. But I do realize team\'s and lineup\'s are very dynamic, and do in fact change a lot year to year. I just don\'t see the point in trading for picks when there is a \"keeper cap\" and I already have a very young team.

Not doggin\' ya big_dl, just trying to understand why you feel picks are the way to go.

Again, thanks all for taking a look. This has been an invaluable thread for me going into this coming season.

WC

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12 team, 20 player keeper league, keep 12 every year:
G, A, Pts, +/-, PIM, PPG, PPP, GWG, W, SV%, GAA, SO
Ice: 2C, 2LW, 2RW, 2W, 2Util, 4D, 2G (4 bench)
C: J.Carter, O\\\'Sullivan, Toews, P.Bergeron
RW: Gaborik, Radulov, Zherdev,
LW: T.Ruttu, Carcillo, Semin
D: R.Whitney, E.Johnson, Meszaros, Redden, Carle
G: Biron, Lehtonen, Harding, J.Bernier

Without stealing Big_dl thunder, you may have a young team but if you are just going to lose guys you might as well trade for something and picks are a great way to get assets. You can trade them later or if one of your protectable guys isn\'t panning out you could replace them.

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Dynasty
C-Weiss,Lombardi,Plekanec
R-Erat,Dorsett,Dvorak,
L-Versteeg,Bailey,McLeod
D-Pietrangelo,Subban,Zidlicky,Michalek
G-Kiprusoff,Mason S.

Ya, thanks Leaffan64. I wrote the post, and then went out for dinner and realized what an idiot I was for not understanding the whole picks thing that big_dl mentioned, and came to the same conclusion you did and what big_dl was arguing for. If I\'m not going to be competitive next year, I might as well try and get the best prospects I can and have \"open tryouts.\" That way (as you point out) if one of the prospects tanks during the year, I have another good one to fill the spot.

WC

__________________
12 team, 20 player keeper league, keep 12 every year:
G, A, Pts, +/-, PIM, PPG, PPP, GWG, W, SV%, GAA, SO
Ice: 2C, 2LW, 2RW, 2W, 2Util, 4D, 2G (4 bench)
C: J.Carter, O\\\'Sullivan, Toews, P.Bergeron
RW: Gaborik, Radulov, Zherdev,
LW: T.Ruttu, Carcillo, Semin
D: R.Whitney, E.Johnson, Meszaros, Redden, Carle
G: Biron, Lehtonen, Harding, J.Bernier

I\'m not going to apologize for commenting on your use of question marks, accidental or not, but I will say that i\'m happy to see that some are finally starting to agree with me. i was beginning to think that my opinions were as in tune with the rest here as Martin Luther King Jr. at a KKK meeting. Ok so its not that bad, people occasionally agree with me its nice to it in writing. I\'m considering saving this reconsideration after sober thought for if and or when i ever get married.

The Comish wrote:

That\'s only 12 guys, but I disagree with your thoughts on Carter. He\'ll have one 50-point year and follow it up with something huge.
I would keep the guys Comish has here, but would add Carter and I would replace Boyes with O\'Sullivan.
Boyes may be a 70-point guy (or maybe not), but O\'Sully is on the cusp of great things. Being further down the depth chart will be good for his development

__________________
DobberHockey Rules
14 Team Keeper, points only, best 12 skaters 2 dman 2 G count. Playoffs count.
F - Crosby, C.Smith, Wheeler, Parenteau, Hudler, Clowe, Grabovski, Atkinson, Frolik, S. Kostitsyn, Marchand, Peverley, Tavares, Read, Brouwer, Bickell, Gionta, Setoguchi
G - Anderson, Hiller, Markstrom, Brodeur
D - Letang, Del Zotto, I. White, Kronwall, Brodin, Nikitin

If I owned O\'Sullivan and Boyes and had to decide which one to keep I would keep O\'Sullivan. His upside is higher than Boyes. O\'Sullivan is just beginning to find his game. His growth will be steady.

I am not suggesting that Boyes is not a good player. I think he is, and hope that he does get the first line centre position, but his supporting cast is not nearly as good as O\'Sullivan\'s.

I also agree that you could replace what Redden and Cole bring(?) to your team. (I had to do that.)