The Keeper Pool

So I have entered into a Keeper Hockey Pool for the first time. I usually play a variety of Fantasy sports over the course of the year. I had a couple baseball Leagues, a NASCAR team, a Football team and a few different hockey teams and now a Keeper Pool. For those who are not aware this is where you select a team and that is now your team, you are the GM and keep the same team year in and year out.

Since this is the first year there was a 22 round live draft with the other 8 participants for a total of 9 teams to make up the rosters. Each team has 15 players from the original 22 man roster that will count toward the pool totals. The top 8 forwards, 5 defence and 2 goalies points are eligible. Each team also gets 5 draft picks per year that can be used as part of trades or selections at the beginning of the next year. At the end of the year you can only protect 15 players + 2 rookies. It makes it so that GM’s need to be decent at not only pro but amateur scouting.

This will prove interesting to see how it goes as there are a few people in the league that have been involved in leagues like this before or currently and have already worked on strategies that they believe will work to build a team. Will that be an advantage or will the fresh ideas play better or worse, time will tell.

I would like to introduce you now to YOUR Los Louis Blue Kings!! At Forward - Pavel Datsyuk, Jarome Iginla, Martin St. Louis, Simon Gagne, Brad Boyes, Martin Havlat, Johan Franzen, Phil Kessel, Brenden Morrow, Cody Hodgson, Jamie Langenbrunner, Ray Whitney, Shane Doan, and Kyle Turris.
On Defence - Shea Weber, Dan Boyle, Brent Burns, Marek Zidlicky, Jaroslav Spacek, Alex Pietrangelo
In Goal - Marc-Andre Fleury, Ilya Bryzgalov
I am not displeased with my team at this time, some of my players have stumbled out of the gates a bit but it is still early and hopefully they can turn it around soon. The loss of Franzen will hurt with him being out for at least 4-6 months. Where I think I will have problems is once I have a player I become very loyal and perhaps overvalue them and it may make it hard for me to agree to making deals. I also like the idea of pulling the trigger on a blockbuster so that will be the internal fight.

With The First Overall Selection, I will Select....

So upon further review and after numerous self imposed deadlines have passed it looks like we may now have a winner for my affection in the NHL’s Western Conference going forward. As I had listed previously there were a few teams in the running. The Blues, The Coyotes, The Kings and The Blue Jackets.

The league essentially is in control of the Phoenix Coyotes as a caretaker and not an owner, at least as it stands now. The future still in doubt both as a franchise and the location of the city. There is also question marks regarding the how the team may be structured in the near future because of this move I am just not confident hitching my wagon to this horse. The coaching staff is now as solid as it can be but that just isn’t enough. The Blue Jackets were a surprise dark horse and managed to prove that they are on the right path, but the management still doesn’t re-assure me and that took them out of the running. the endorsement of Antoine Vermette didn’t help their position.

So then it went right down to the wire between the Kings and the Blues...The Blues and the Kings. Where to go? What to believe? Is one better off in the next few years, is one poised to be better in the long run? St. Louis is looking strong up front but LA looks deep on the back end. Should I just go with the prettiest colours and nicest logo? Can I allow Chris Mason’s former beard sway my decision? Does the speculation about Jack Johnson’s attitude play a factor? All these things factored into the agonizing decision. Both have great Pros and even the Cons aren’t that bad. The Blues made the playoffs so that gives them a head start, good young offence and a promising defence. The Kings have some cap space, prospects and a nice first rounder from last year in Brayden Schenn in their back pocket. This makes them comparable or equally appealing.
Well since right now not much can really happen either way for either of these teams until likely the trade deadline or a major injury, I may as well just go ahead, take the plunge and make a decision. The decision has been made...no delays....I am going to tell you....i’ll do it right now...

The team is...

THE LOS LOUIS BLUE KINGS, and I suppose that is going to have to be my final answer. Cheap call? Perhaps. I don’t consider it sitting on the fence. It is just like a goaltending situation in hockey or a running back situation in football. It is a 1A/1B deal or like they call it a two headed monster. I went back and forth so many times that I decided if it was such a close race what is the harm in a tie. It also occurs to be that both have good solid Gretzky ties and that is not a bad thing, Share the wealth.

So now with this selection I now have an Eastern Conference team to root for in the Ottawa Senators and a pair Western Conference teams in the LA Kings and the St. Louis Blues. I guess now I may have to go in search for my favorite player on all my teams. In Ottawa it was Dany Heatley without a doubt. Dany is still number 1 overall but as for the team that is questionable. I will also have to think about an LA and St. Louis player as well. That will be the next tall task, hopefully it will be easier then picking the teams were.

The beauty of LA is that they have 3 distinct looks and that gives one options when it comes to merchandising. I can go new with the Purple/White Crown (Drew Doughty style), retro with the less desirable Yellow and Purple Crown (maybe Brian Kilrea Style) or the Straight outta Compton - Grey and Black look (old school Gretzky style). St. Louis pretty much just has the 1 true look so that limits any possible decisions.
Yes, I think this sound may play well here. I think the correct decision has been made and I have come to peace with it.