1. Keep up with news around the NHL (or other relevant league)
This is a no-brainer. Do your research. Those who succeed at fantasy hockey have a strong feel for the league, its players and its teams. They know which teams and players are trending up, which are trending down, and which are simply standing pat. Those who have followed the league over years or decades have a strong sense of what players are surefire stars and those which are simply a "flash in the pan".
2. Come prepared to draft
The teams that win their fantasy hockey leagues always come to the annual draft prepared.
The first thing you need to do is to find some NHL statistics and a pad of paper (or, more likely, a Word document).
Second, create columns based on the positional requirements of your league - for example, most leagues are divided into Center, Right Wing, Left Wing, Defense and Goalie.
Third, proceed to rank the players in each category. Take a look at their career performance, their recent performances and what you can reasonably expect from them in the future. The last point is obviously the most difficult, and requires not simply statistical analysis but looking at the player's "pedigree" (draft position, Junior league statistics) and reputation. Make sure your lists are each reasonably long so you don't run out of names to pick before the end of the draft. It's also crucial you become familiar with the statistical categories of your league and produces your rankings with them in mind.
Fourth, examine your lists for trends. Is there a lack of quality Left Wingers? Then you would probably want to prioritize taking one early in your draft. However, you want to avoid overpaying early in the draft by taking an inferior player solely because of their position: this is ultimately a losing strategy.
Fifth: practice. Try to find an online mock draft which will help you test your draft strategy a few times.
Believe me, if you don't come prepared with rankings, well-prepared or more knowledgeable GMs will outdo you.
3. Don't be afraid to make trades
Another key aspect of fantasy hockey is making good trades in-season. The problem is that many GMs are simply too risk-aversive to trade for fear of looking stupid if it doesn't work out. In fact, some GMs seem more content to lose their league than they are to lose a trade! Don't be that guy. Also don't be someone who offers one-sided trades that only benefit themselves, a surefire way to anger a GM. You want to treat other GMs with respect by offering them quality in return for quality.
4. Don't take it too seriously
As serious as some people take their fantasy hockey leagues, remember that this isn't homework. Have a little fun, don't be afraid to screw up, and make the odd draft pick or free agent pickup based on your personal preferences. You will stay engaged and motivated about your league if you actually want your players to succeed in real life.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=P._Morrow
No comments:
Post a Comment