I just bought a team in a running keeper league and I have to submit my list of keepers asap.

The team was in last place last year and will have first draft this year.

Rules of the league are:
Rosters: 2 centre, 2 LW, 2 RW, 3 D, 1 Utility (i.e. any position), 2 G, 4 Bench, 2 IR.
Scoring: Goals x 1.5, Assists x 1, Plus/Minus x 1, PIM x 0.2, PPP x1, Wins x 2, Losses x -1, Shutouts x 3, Saves x 0.05

I can protect 8 of the following:
N Backstrom
M Afinogenov
R Getzlaf
T Holmstrom
S Zubov
M Erat
PM Bouchard
A Markov
B Rafalski
P Sykora
A Hemsky
M Lombardi
M Ohlund
C Higgins
T Thomas
O Kolzig
J Grahame
O Saprykin

I think the no-brainers are:
N Backstrom
M Afinogenov
R Getzlaf
A Hemsky

Who should I keep? Do I protect Kolzig as goalies are rare?
Who do I keep of the D-men: Ralfaski, Markov, and Zubov are about even?
How about forwards? Is Holmstrom, Erat or Bouchard worth protecting? Who would you chose and why?

Thanks,
Alex

Rafalski
Markov
Kolzig
Bouchard would be the other 4.

If you need another d, keep zubov, even if just for one year

__________________
Keeper - 23 Man Roster (17 Keepers) + 8 Man Farm Team
G,A,P,PIM,PPP,SHP,GWG,+/-,FW,Shots, Hits - GP,W,L,GAA,SV%,SV,SA,SO

C: Stamkos, Berglund, Gagner (RW), Turris, Zibanejad
LW: Kovalchuk (RW), Benn (C), Kunitz, Lupul (RW), Mcdonald (C)
RW: Iginla, P. Kane (C), Oshie (C), Pominville
D: Phaneuf, Shattenkirk, Kulikov, Leddy, Carlson, Faulk, Kindl
G: Fleury, Lehtonen, Anderson

Farm: Niederreiter, Kuznetsov, Connolly, Soderberg, R. Murphy, Morrow, Gardiner, Rielly

Focus on youth - this team is not going to win it this year.
Draft young goalies like Price, Bernier, Harding.
Be prepared to trade Sykora, Rafalski, Zubov to a contending team this year for good young prospects and draft picks.

N Backstrom...goalie or the center? - either way a keeper
M Afinogenov...an enigma but worth it
R Getzlaf...young stud all star
S Zubov...power play on a good team
B Rafalski...power play on a really good team
P Sykora...possibly playing with Sid
A Hemsky...better than people think
M Lombardi...fast and slippery like a greased pig

__________________
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

Thanks for the advice. I like how you are thinking.