Your True Fantasy Hockey Preview (Complete with Rules and Rankings)

(Photo by Ned Dishman/Getty Images)

I should start off by stating why you should even remotely attempt to consider the opinion of a guy that's never posted a piece of fantasy news or information on this site.

First and foremost, I have been playing Fantasy Hockey for over a decade now.  I remember my first few drafts, awaiting Yahoo's autopick to do it's thing.  Why I had to wait for what felt like a week to have my team was beyond me at that point.

Of course, I quickly grew in to live, online drafts and well, the rest is history.  But before I give my own personal rankings (which I have done for each and every position), I'd like to share a few rules that I have for drafting a good team. 

Call it: "Hockey's 10 Commandments."  You might like these rules or you might disagree with them entirely.  But I have found that, when followed, these rules generally help me to a good season:

1. THE KOVALCHUK RULE:  That's what it's called this year because Ilya Kovalchuk is in a contract year.  In other words:  Do a quick check on which players contract's might be coming up at the end of the season.  There are few great sites for this but NHLnumbers is the best.
2. THE FLEURY RULE:  Okay sure, he's currently trying to mount a comeback with the Flames, but do you remember his magical '01-'02 season when he had over 60 points and over 200 penalty minutes?  Power forwards are the bread and butter of fantasy drafts and they're not at all easy to come by.
3. THE ZHERDEV RULE:  Know your wacky facts.  Here's a fact:  Nikolai Zherdev is ranked in Yahoo's top 100 this season, but guess what?  He's not playing in the NHL this year.  Injuries also fall under this category.  Marian Hossa is missing the first two months of the season and Phil Kessel is missing the first month.
4. THE DAZE RULE:  I drafted Eric Daze in the 2nd round of my '02-'03 draft partially because he had a 70 point season the year before, but mostly because he was on my hometown Blackhawks.  It was a reach and a dumb one at that.  If your team stinks, limit yourself to one of their best players.  If they're good, limit yourself to two.  Oh, and don't reach!
5. THE LEMAIRE RULE:  This might be going a bit deep for some, but if a team has a new coach this year, you might want to at least attempt to find out how that new coach might impact players fantasy value.  I'm downgraded all Devils this year because they now have Jaques Lemaire, the most defensive minded coach in the history of the universe.  Also of note:  Dave Tippett just took over for The Great One in Phoenix.  He will be a better coach by far, so perhaps Shane Doan moves up a notch.
6. THE BRODEUR RULE:  Get a top 5 goalie if you can.  I have mine listed here, but feel free to make your own list if you disagree.  As you may or may not know, goalies are small in number on your team, but they contribute to many stat categories.  Thus, it makes sense to have some good ones, right?
7. THE STREIT RULE:  I'm going to let you in on a little secret.  You don't need to have a top tier defensemen.  The top ten on my list?  Forget about them.  Get two or three mid-tier defensemen and you'll be fine.  Use those higher picks on solid offensive contributors and power forwards.  Most defensemen are only good for plus/minus, assists and penalty minutes.
8. THE ALLISON-O'NEILL RULE:  Several years ago, I decided that I simply had to have Jeff O'Neill and Jason Allison on my team.  I was convinced that they were in line for huge seasons and I paid through the nose to get them.  The rule here?  Don't get attached to players.  Once you do, other good GMs will recognize this and they'll make you overpay.
9. THE GABORIK RULE:  This one is simple.  I don't care how fantastic a player is when he's healthy.  If he routinely misses 20 or more games per season, he's not worth having on your team.  Let someone else have him.  They'll brag about what a steal they got in the draft, right up until the point where the dreaded groin injury or hamstring pull occurs.
10. THE CHEECHOO RULE:  Also simple... Be weary of one year     wonders.  If you look in the top 20 and you see someone that had a breakout season the year before, devalue them ever so slightly.  Go for the guy that's been performing year in and year out that's still in his prime.  In baseball, you might call this the Josh Hamilton rule or the Adrian Beltre rule.  Sure, Jonathan Cheechoo looked like a world beater back in 05-06.  93 points!  He followed that season up with point totals in the 60's and 30's in the following two years.    

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