Welcome again to a different version of the Roos Lets Unfastened month-to-month mailbag, the place I reply your fantasy hockey questions by giving recommendation that ought to be helpful to all poolies even when they do not personal the precise gamers being mentioned. As a reminder, if you need your fantasy hockey query(s) answered within the subsequent mailbag, take a look at the top of the column, the place I clarify the methods to get it/them to me in addition to the small print you need to present when sending. The sooner you ship a query the extra possible it’s to be included within the mailbag, and the deeper dive I can present with my reply.
Query #1 (from Chris)
I’m in a 13 workforce league the place we preserve 13 gamers and draft 10 every season. Trades can embody future draft picks in addition to FA Strikes (each workforce will get 10 per season). Every day’s roster should embody 16 complete gamers – 9F, 6D, 1G. We use the NHL Wage Cap plus a ten% bonus. Scoring classes are G, A, +/-, SHG, SOG, PIM, W, L, GA, SV, SHO. Presently, my roster is as follows:
F: Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Matt Boldy, Quinton Byfield, Alex DeBrincat, Matty Beniers, Zach Benson, Owen Tippett, Ivan Demidov, Kaapo Kakko
D: Simon Edvinsson, Charlie McAvoy, Mattias Ekholm, Owen Energy, Simon Benoit, Niko Mikkola, Zayne Parekh, Jamie Drysdale, Logan Stanley
G: Jusse Saros, Yaroslav Askarov, David Rittich, Jonathan Fast
I made plenty of strikes this previous season, buying items I didn’t need (Fast, Kakko, Drysdale) for draft upside. My long-term objective is to have the ability to compete for a cash place (prime 3) within the subsequent two years, and hopefully stay aggressive for some time thereafter provided that I ought to have a strong core in Boldy, Byfield, Beniers, Benson, Demidov, Bratt, Hischier, Edvinsson, Energy, Parekh, Askarov, and Saros. There are a few guys I’d take into account transferring (e.g., Hischier, DeBrincat, Beniers) for a defenseman if a transfer materializes, however in fact, I’d in the end transfer another person if I felt it helped push my workforce ahead.
I’m drafting third general and haven’t any picks after the seventh spherical as I traded all my late spherical picks. For the primary three rounds, I’ve one first spherical choose, one second spherical choose, and two third spherical picks.
Two questions:
1. Based mostly on my full workforce listing and said objectives, who would you counsel as my 13 keepers?
2. As I’m drafting third general within the first spherical, would you counsel taking an opportunity on a man like Frondell (for instance – glad to listen to any solutions of some other participant drafted in 2025), or a extra established participant, reminiscent of the most effective obtainable defenseman?
For keepers, let’s take away Fast, Benoit, Rittich, Stanley, and Mikkola as they are not within the dialog. Meaning we have to land on 5 extra cuts. However earlier than attending to who I feel ought to or shouldn’t be your cuts, I’ll say your league has fairly distinctive scoring for skaters. So I might give critical consideration to utilizing Fantasy Hockey Geek, since many different projections for gamers wouldn’t be in keeping with this mixture of classes, whereas you possibly can choose any you need with FHG. Again to the cuts – Taking a look at your roster, it simply so occurs that I see precisely 5 gamers who “stand out” as being not the caliber as the remainder – Ekholm, Drysdale, Edvinsson, Kakko, Tippett.
Ekholm is coming into a contract yr and has fared nicely for the Oilers, however he is 35 years previous and is benefitting in scoring just by being on a excessive scoring workforce, and certain will see his stats drop after this season. So I am unable to get behind conserving him only for yet one more first rate season and given his age.
Drysdale should still succeed, because it’s principally solely him and Cam York battling for PP1 in Philly. However Drysdale can’t keep wholesome, and the Flyers dedicated to York within the type of a 5 yr deal. There may be undoubtedly a universe the place Drysdale lives as much as having been drafted sixth general, and the Flyers paid a hefty worth to get him within the type of Cutter Gauthier; nevertheless, there are different current extremely drafted rearguards who fell flat, together with the likes of Jake Bean, Erik Brannstrom, and Adam Boqvist. So I feel Drysdale shouldn’t be a preserve, however might be redrafted in case you nonetheless have hopes for him.
Edvinsson was the hardest of the 5 to not preserve; nevertheless, I fear that though he is scoring okay and getting good minutes, he appears to be on a path to have extra of a defensive focus. So though he did surpass 30 factors in his first full season, I’m uncertain he’ll attain 40 any time quickly. He is likely to be one to try to commerce although. Extra on trades beneath.
Kakko is a bigger body participant poised to hit his 400 recreation breakout threshold. However although he had profession bests in 5×5 workforce SH% and IPPs, the end result was a 46 level scoring charge. I get that folk bear in mind him being a second general choose; however he barely shoots and is never used on the PP. There’s danger in chopping the twine because of the 400 recreation mark approaching, however you want cuts, and on paper he ought to be one.
Lastly there’s Tippett. He has a sizeable contract; and in 2023-24 averaged the fourth most SOG per 60 minutes of any ahead. However he took a step again, and Philly now has, as different winger choices, not simply Matvei Michkov, however Tyson Foerster, who had as many factors as Tippett final season and had 11 factors within the 9 video games after John Tortorella was fired, plus was on PP1, rather than Tippett. So though Tippett may rise once more, I am not liking his state of affairs almost as a lot as I did simply two seasons in the past.
What about trades? I might be very open to dealing Byfield, since though previous outcomes don’t dictate future outcomes, gamers as tall and heavy as him should not have a observe report of success and several other of them had their careers minimize brief resulting from harm. Sure, he had 34 factors in his final 40 video games, however I am nonetheless leery. I may additionally see buying and selling Hischier, as I feel we have seen his finest, however others would possibly nonetheless view him as in a position to do much more, particularly as a former first general choose. When you commerce them collectively, you possibly can preserve who you get again, plus one of many 5 I named. And use Edvinsson as potential sweetener.
As for who to select third general, it relies upon. If you will get a participant who has baked in success, I might go for him over a 2025 draftee. Sure, for a few of the prime picks this is likely to be your solely probability to seize them; nevertheless, after Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa the remainder are a bit iffy for my liking. However in case you’re intent on drafting a 2025 choose, I like James Hagens, because the Bs are in determined want for a scoring middle, and there’s solely Matthew Poitras looming and when Hagens prepared he’ll possible get the prize of taking part in alongside David Pastrnak, who ought to nonetheless be an elite participant by then. Good luck!
Query #2 (from Aaron)
I’m in a 12 workforce, H2H league the place groups can preserve as much as 6 gamers for any period and at any place however should preserve not less than 3 per season. Every keeper prices you a choose in that spherical, so in case you preserve 6 you do not draft till the seventh spherical. Classes are G, A, PPG, PPA, PIM, SOG, HIT, BLK, FOW, W, SV%, SO. My “lock” keepers are Nikita Kucherov, Matthew Tkachuk, Evan Bouchard, and Jake Oettinger. For my different two keeper slots I’m deciding between Dlyan Holloway, Joel Eriksson Ek, Andrei Svechnikov and Dylan Guenther. I saved JEE and Svech final yr. Each have been fairly disappointing however clearly have upside in my banger league. Holloway is the very best rated based mostly on the Fantasy Hockey Geek 2025-26 projections for my league, however Guenther is tempting based mostly on upside/trajectory regardless of not being as nicely rounded as Holloway.
As a wrinkle, one of many different GMs has a stacked roster and provided me J.T. Miller for a seventh rounder or Filip Forsberg for an eighth rounder. Each are clearly upgrades to the choices I’m contemplating for my final two spots. Miller is a unicorn with C/RW eligibility and a beast in all stats, however he’s 32 years previous. Forsberg has a stellar multi cat observe report and has turn out to be fairly constant, even on a foul Nashville workforce final yr however can also be in his thirties. So though his age is a priority, I could not say no to the Miller commerce. Do you assume it was a great transfer? Would you’ve opted for Forsberg as a substitute?
Now that I did the commerce, I certainly to maintain 6 gamers. Meaning my seventh rounder would have been my first draft choose, however not it would be in spherical 8. I am leaning towards Guenter as my final preserve, figuring at lot of what I might “lose” in leeping him versus Holloway I’ve offset by getting Miller. Do you agree?
Let’s begin with the commerce. With 12 groups and also you choosing eleventh, your seventh rounder ought to be the 83rd finest participant whereas your eighth ought to be 97th finest. Each Miller and Forsberg look like wonderful worth for these spots. It is too unhealthy you possibly can’t get each, though in case you can you need to achieve this, as I feel they’re excellent for this format. Do I agree that Miller was the higher of the 2 although, in case you may certainly solely get certainly one of them? Forsberg is a spherical cheaper and shoots extra, plus is youthful. And as you famous he was fairly good final season regardless of the Preds being a trainwreck. Miller is wonderful too although, plus offers you coveted FOW from the wing, and he took the twenty sixth most FOW final season, with the overwhelming majority of these above him being C eligible solely. So do attempt to get each, however assuming that may be a no go, Miller does get an edge resulting from him being primarily on a par with Forsberg in most areas aside from SOG and a yr older, however the FOW at RW is so big. So I agree with choosing Miller over Forsberg to commerce for.
Meaning you possibly can preserve solely one of many 4 you listed, relatively than two. I understand Holloway initiatives to be excellent in your league; nevertheless, he isn’t even assured a spot on PP1. The silver lining about that’s the Blues are a uncommon breed in at the moment’s NHL in that they do not heap PPTOI on their first unit; and on prime of that, in addition they divide the expertise between each items. However I do not like that Holloway was nearly by no means on a line with Robert Thomas, who’s rising as a star within the making. Maybe if Holloway continues to do nicely they are going to be paired; nevertheless, that uncertainty is sufficient to make me go for Guenther as a substitute. Sure, he’s very weak in multicat, however he’s seemingly locked into the highest line and PP1, and the trio of him, Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley, plus new addition JJ Peterka on PP1, ought to elevate Guenther to have the ability to outpoint Holloway by 10-15+ factors, and with heaps extra PPPts and SOG. So though certainly Holloway presents nice worth on this setting, I am with you in conserving Guenther, plus buying and selling for Miller.
What about JEE and Svechnikov? JEE is ok, and presents a great mixture of scoring and banger stats, however he’s seemingly taking pictures much less, and his upward trajectory of scoring has stopped. In brief, I feel he is at his ceiling, and if final season was a sign might be vulnerable to acquiring band-aid boy standing. Make no mistake – you shouldn’t hesitate to draft him once more if he will be obtained in a great worth spot, however I do not see conserving him over Guenther. As for Svech, he is gone from a participant many have been ready to be some extent per recreation multicat stud, to now scoring, taking pictures and hitting much less. And the addition of Nicolaj Ehlers provides a winger to the equation which possible can solely damage Svech extra. He too is somebody I might take into account drafting once more; nevertheless, it may now not be justified to maintain him over Guenther. Good luck!
Query #3 (from DobberHockey Boards)
I am in a ten Group, Maintain 6, H2H 1 win, weekly matches, every day lineups league with rosters of 2C, 2RW, 2LW, 4D, 1Util, 3G (4 weekly appearances minimal), 6Bench, 2IR+ and classes of G, A, PPP, SOG, FOW, HIT, BLK, W, SV%, GAA, S/O. For the third consecutive yr I completed 1st within the common season, however lastly I gained my championship! Right here is my season-ending roster:
C: Robert Thomas, Roope Hintz, Dylan Strome, Mikael Backlund
LW: Leon Draisaitl, Kirill Kaprizov, Tim Stutzle, Brandon Hagel, Marco Kasper
RW: Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, Dylan Guenther, Quinton Byfield
D: Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Rasmus Dahlin, Jacob Trouba, Nick Seeler, Lian Bischel
G: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Filip Gustavsson, MacKenzie Blackwood
I am fairly set on conserving Draisaitl, Kaprizov, Makar, Dahlin, and Hughes. I’ve narrowed down my final keeper to Marner or Rantanen, and am leaning towards Marner. Stutzle had been a keeper, however I feel he’s a notch beneath the opposite choice, although he’s youthful. I additionally do not see conserving Vasilevskiy or Gustavsson as being a profit over a skater. I did method the GMs who personal Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon a few commerce, however didn’t obtain a response. There are a couple of GM’s who I imagine would have critical curiosity in Hughes, certainly one of whom has Matthews and Kucherov, so I’ve thought-about providing Hughes and Stutzle for Kucherov or probably Hughes, Stutzle and Kaprizov for Kucherov and Matthews. What would you do in case you have been me?
Congrats on the win! Your workforce is sort of stacked, and also you being the common season champ for 3 straight seasons is a testomony to your data of the league and fantasy hockey. Nevertheless it additionally could also be having an undesired impact of inflicting different GMs to be skittish about buying and selling with you, for concern of constructing your workforce even higher. Additionally, if potential you wish to ensure that any commerce will not enable your competitors to make internet good points as in comparison with these in your workforce.
On the outset I am saying no lifelike universe exists the place you commerce certainly one of your defensemen. They’re wonderful and just too tough to exchange. And I am additionally conserving a vice grip on Kaprizov, who, though admittedly has turn out to be a band-aid boy, additionally has 112 factors in his final 74 common season video games performed, and that was and not using a prime tier middle or PP1 QB. He’s Kucherov stage, and also you maintain onto that for certain.
I agree that Stutzle is outclassed by Marner and Rantanen. His declining SOG and TOI are regarding, and he looks like not the identical participant with out Josh Norris within the combine. Make no mistake – I might be glad to draft him once more; however when you’ve these different choices for keepers, he is outclassed.
Rantanen versus Marner is hard. Rantanen went nuts within the playoffs, however the ice time he was getting was atypical, even accounting for no extra Pete DeBoer. Dallas is also so balanced that I concern there shall be extra factors unfold extra evenly, in contrast to in Colorado the place he was stapled to Mac and obtained heaps of TOI each general and on the PP and so they have been on the prime of the meals chain by way of scoring. It could be a stretch for Rantanen to attain greater than 90 factors. As for Marner, he is been one of the constant scorers since coming into the NHL, however he is in literal uncharted territory. And though he’ll for certain be on PP1, I am undecided if Vegas will select to place him with Jack Eichel, as Vegas, very similar to Dallas, is worried with successful in methods that don’t at all times translate to the most effective fantasy outcomes for his or her gamers. Nonetheless, for what it’s value, Marner had 23 factors within the 15 video games Matthews missed final season, serving to allay considerations as as to whether he can thrive with out Matthews. Curiously, Matthews had 17 factors within the 11 video games Marner missed in 2023-24. So maybe each can do nicely when separated? As such, I give an edge to Marner over Rantanen, however I am not tremendous enthusiastic about Marner since as with Rantanen I concern he won’t be able to succeed to his fullest extent.
As such, I’d attempt to make it so you do not have to maintain both. I am uncertain why you are not contemplating Vasy, as you do begin three goalies and he regarded rejuvenated. Right here although is the place I belief that you realize your league.
But when Matthews or Kucherov are in play through commerce, I might make a run at them. Matthews is not going to have the identical situation as Marner, as Toronto will give him any and each probability to go nuts, which, as I famous, he has proven he can do with out Marner. And Kucherov is….nicely….Kucherov.
What about David Pastrnak? Possibly the GM who owns him is anxious given how weak the Bruins determine to be? If he will be pried away, seize him, as he is really wonderful, as he’s a lock for 110+ factors. Or what about Zach Werenski or Evan Bouchard, to provide you an unbeatable roster of defensemen, whereas, as the identical time, having fewer on the market for different groups? Werenski is nobody yr marvel, taking a look at his IPPs and the actual fact he hit a mixed 23 crossbars and posts. And Bouchard, though maybe a rung beneath the others, is younger and nonetheless the unquestioned supply for blueline offense on a really potent workforce and both of these two would additionally depart even fewer scoring d-men in your rivals, which is an element value contemplating, since cornering the market will be useful.
I might be in favor of you making an attempt to maneuver a number of of Vasy, Gus, Marner, Rantanen, and Stutzle to get any of Matthews, Pasta, Kucherov, Werenski or Bouchard. My desire can be Kucherov or Pasta, then Matthews or Werenski, and Bouchard final. If a deal can’t materialize, both preserve Vasy, or, in case you really feel that isn’t sensible given your league, I am going with Marner over Rantanen. Good luck going for a repeat!
Query #4 (additionally from DobberHockey Boards)
I am in a 13 workforce public sale league the place we get a finances of $209 for 30 participant rosters, with 12F, 6D, 3G beginning for every workforce, which means 9 bench spots. Classes are G, A, Pts, SOG, +/-, PIM, W, GAA. I can preserve 3 gamers and the choices I am contemplating, with their keeper prices, are:
Adrian Kempe $15
Matt Boldy $13
Nicolaj Ehlers $10
Matvei Michkov $6
Adam Fox $17
Logan Thompson $11
David Pastrnak $35
For some context, Connor McDavid and Nathan Mackinnon go for $40-45, whereas Jack Eichel, Sebastian Aho, and Kyle Connor normally go for $20-25. High d-men go for $20-25, exterior of Makar, who is way increased. High 5 goalies usually price $30-40, whereas the likes of Pyotr Kotchekov, Jordan Binnington, and Jacob Markstrom price $15 or so. My components for approaching the draft is to try to spend $120 on forwards, $40 on defensemen, $40 on goalie, after which fill my bench with $1 guys, of which there are at all times a lot. I feel Boldy is a lock and I’m leaning in direction of Thompson simply to safe a great #2 netminder with out battling for one at a probable increased worth. The final keeper is hard as Kempe may cost about the identical to draft as to maintain, whereas Ehlers and Michkov ought to see their costs rise. Fox doesn’t wow me however is my solely actual defenseman keeper choice so I figured I might listing him too. Which three are you conserving?
That is an fascinating league by way of three scoring classes for skaters, but in addition SOG, +/- and PIM, which isn’t a mixture you see usually. Equally, goalies have solely two classes, with one being quantity (wins) and the opposite high quality (GAA), however nothing pertaining to saves. My readers know I am not a shill, however this too strikes me as an excellent league for Fantasy Hockey Geek, with such a singular mixture of classes.
The large query is Pasta. He had a staggering 61 factors in his final 37 video games, this after being precisely some extent per recreation participant within the first half. What’s odd although is he had the identical major linemates all season. So I’m wondering if this was only a case of him working tremendous chilly to begin, and tremendous sizzling to finish, however the internet result’s him ending proper round the place he ought to. If he was a bit decrease price I might say preserve him, however likelihood is he goes for round that worth, or maybe a tiny bit extra, making him not a preserve.
I am undecided why there’s any debate about Michkov. He had 63 factors in 80 video games taking part in underneath John Tortorella, who actually didn’t deploy him in a fashion that may result in him thriving. And never solely did he have 12 factors within the 9 video games after Torts was fired, however he had as many video games – six – with a TOI of 19:59+ in these video games as he did in the whole season previous to Torts being proven the door. He additionally had 4 video games of 4+ SOG, after hitting that mark solely 13 in his prior 68 video games. He’s poised to blow up, and you have to preserve him. Heck – I might nonetheless preserve him if the fee to take action was greater than double what it’s!
Your instincts are appropriate, I really feel, concerning Kempe. The query to at all times ask your self when deciding whether or not to maintain a participant in an public sale league is did he do something to make it so his price can be greater than it was going into final season, assuming he wasn’t a keeper? For Kempe, he did nice, however not higher, and thus his price shouldn’t be increased, making him not a preserve except there are not any higher different choices.
I can see the temptation concerning Thompson; however although he inked a big deal throughout the season, it didn’t cement him as a real primary, as after the date he signed the deal he didn’t as soon as begin three straight video games. And it is not just like the Caps had motive to be involved about him tiring, as he’d began 46 video games in 2023-24. I do assume he’s the presumed starter, however $5.85M shouldn’t be such a excessive wage as to lock him into that function. So he is a possibly as a preserve.
I do like Boldy although. He was thriving on the PP with Kirill Kaprizov and at ES with Joel Eriksson-Ek, however then each of them have been out and in of the line-up after Q1, and Boldy performed principally with Marco Rossi, with whom he didn’t have nice chemistry. However with Kaprizov and JEE again within the fold, Boldy ought to be poised to thrive. I am conserving him for certain at that worth.
Additionally, though it looks like you threw in Fox, if certainly prime defensemen go for $20-25, Fox at $17 looks like a strong worth. Sure, Ehlers will go for comparatively increased, however I am not offered on how Ehlers will fare in Carolina, a workforce on which even its highest paid gamers do not get heaps of ice time and the place let’s not overlook Mikko Rantanen failed to search out chemistry. Ehlers has additionally by no means had expectations positioned on him as they are going to be now. And though Martin Necas was doing fairly nicely for some time final season, no Carolina winger has been some extent per gamer in nearly twenty years.!
To me, it is Michkov and Boldy, with the final spot going to Thompson or Fox. And though I’ve some reservations about Thompson, he shall be an even bigger cut price than Fox, so I can get behind conserving him relatively than Fox. Good luck!
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It looks like of us are having fun with sending in questions and studying my solutions, so I will preserve doing these prematurely of the season so long as I proceed to get sufficient to fill a column. You’ll be able to ship your inquiries to me in certainly one of two methods: (1) by emailing them to [email protected] with the phrases “Roos Mailbag” as the topic line, or (2) by sending them to me through a personal message on the DobberHockey Boards, the place my username is “rizzeedizzee”.
When sending me your questions, bear in mind to offer as a lot element about your league/state of affairs as potential. Examples of issues I have to know embody what sort of league you are in (i.e., restricted keeper, dynasty, or one-year; roto vs. H2H; public sale – in that case, what the finances is – or non-auction), what number of groups are within the league, does the wage cap matter, what number of gamers are rostered (and of these, what number of begin at every place in addition to what number of bench and/or IR spots there are), what classes are scored and the way are they weighted, plus different particulars if pertinent. In case your query entails whether or not to select up or drop a participant, give me a listing of prime free brokers obtainable and let me know if the variety of pick-ups is restricted or if there’s a precedence system for pick-ups. When you’re pondering of constructing a commerce, it will be good to know not solely the roster of the opposite workforce you would possibly commerce with but in addition the place you stand in your classes. In case your query entails keepers, along with giving me the choices for who to maintain, let me know if offseason buying and selling is allowed and to what extent it’s a viable choice given your league. In sum, the hot button is to inform me sufficient for me to provide you a very correct reply, and for readers of this column to profit from the reply/recommendation I present. When unsure, it is best to err on the aspect of inclusion since I can at all times omit or disregard issues that do not matter.
