| When it comes to picking a winning sports | | | | missed games. |
| fantasy pool/league (such as a hockey pool), it | | | | Defensemen can also get you quite a few points |
| involves more than just picking the "exceptional | | | | depending on how your pool's point allocation is |
| players" from last season. You need to discover | | | | setup, but in most cases, they will not get you as |
| the players which are going to have their break | | | | many points as forwards will. The top scoring |
| out season - or at least try to! This article will | | | | defensemen usually do not finish much higher than |
| outline the best practices and guidelines for | | | | 25th in the overall scoring. If you can avoid it, |
| selecting players in a NHL Hockey Fantasy Pool | | | | save selecting your defensemen until the later |
| (or League). | | | | rounds as they are not going to provide you with |
| For example, a few years ago Joe Thornton was | | | | as many points as forwards will. If you are unsure |
| atop the scoring leaders at the season's end. But | | | | when it comes to your selection on whether to |
| the following year, he was nowhere to be found | | | | take the best available defenseman (such as a |
| at the top of the scoring leaders. He was a | | | | player like Nicklas Lidstrom) and a forward you |
| mediocre player at best. If you had chose a | | | | had your eye one, try to think which will give you |
| player such as Thomas Vanek who had a very | | | | more points in the pool based on your pool's point |
| average rookie season in 2005/2006, but he then | | | | allocation. |
| had an exceptional 2006/2007 campaign. He would | | | | One more tip is to also have at least a few |
| have cost you much less points than Joe | | | | players which are time-proven constant point |
| Thornton but would give you many more points in | | | | scorers. These players include Daniel Alfredsson, |
| the pool you are competing in than you would | | | | Joe Sakic, Dany Heatley and Daniel Briere. But |
| have received with Joe Thornton. | | | | don't have too many of these players as they will |
| Another strategy to keep in mind is doing your | | | | usually be expensive and you may have to |
| research on a player's current situation which | | | | choose players which you have no heard much of |
| includes injuries, contract disputes, etc. Players | | | | in the past because you have no points left |
| missing games in your pool can have a | | | | towards the end of your draft. These types of |
| devastating effect on your positioning in the pool. | | | | players should give you points almost every time |
| If you insist on picking up injury prone players | | | | they play. |
| (such as Martin Havlat), make sure that your pool | | | | Also, if your pool includes a goaltender as a player |
| enables trades or dropping players who are | | | | to pick, these players can be big point-getters |
| injured or under performing so you can replace | | | | depending on how your pool allocates points for |
| them if (or when) they become injured. You may | | | | the goaltender's stats. Try to pick a goaltender |
| also want to find out which players are coming to | | | | which you feel will play 60-70 games in any given |
| the end of their contract and will be looking for a | | | | season such as Martin Brodeur or Olaf Kolzig. |
| big season point-wise to boost their value to get | | | | On your pool's draft day, take a look (or print |
| a bigger contract in their contract negotiations. | | | | out) at the top players from the previous season |
| These players will usually give that little bit extra | | | | and go through them and ask yourself if you |
| when battling in the corners and produce more | | | | believe they are capable of improving in the |
| points for you in the pool. | | | | upcoming season. If you don't think they will, then |
| Also keep in mind that a player may have missed | | | | you are probably better off passing on these |
| a number of games the previous season, so if | | | | players. Also keep in mind if the player has been |
| your pool's draft is based on the players previous | | | | traded to another team and who their line mates |
| season's stats, try to find a player which you feel | | | | will be this season. |
| will yield a lot of points, but their stats did not | | | | If you follow these tips, you may find yourself |
| reflect it from the last season because of their | | | | atop your fantasy sports pool. |