The Hockey News Nov. 16, 2020 - Fantasy Pool Guide

WATCHING HOCKEY – and all of sports for that matter – is a temporary means of escape from the real world. Even though the NHL has become big business, and the players, managers and executives are true professionals at their jobs, the hockey fanatic tunes in and watches because the on-ice activity is a full step removed from the realities of life. And the adrenaline rush keeps him or her coming back for more. So when the real world was dealt a severe blow last March and the coronavirus pandemic altered, and continues to alter, the way we do things, the sports world was affected as well. Suddenly, this mode of entertainment was gone. The return-to-play recovery efforts in August and September to ice an NHL playoffs that saw Tampa Bay…

Dear readers, Sports Illustrated started publishing in 1954, seven years after The Hockey News was born. Since 1947, The Hockey News has been the global leader in hockey coverage, and Sports Illustrated’s CEO Ross Levinsohn recognized this when he reached out to me a year ago with an offer to acquire our brand. The quality of The Hockey News is no surprise to our subscribers, who’ve known this since 1947. After letting Ross (and several others) know that I would never sell The Hockey News, we entered into an exclusive hockey content strategic partnership with SI that rolled out on Aug. 18, 2020, when TheHockeyNews.com pointed to its new home at SI.com/hockey Readers are benefiting from this new partnership with more content, both in written and video formats, and the reviews are pouring…

YOU’RE IN A FANTASY league with your friends, but you want more. Fantasy leagues, that is, not friends. You want to go in two or three or eight more leagues. You can do it. Online fantasy sites aren’t just for hosting your own group, they have leagues that host themselves, open to everyone. So go crazy in this pandemic-altered year, but do your homework. Here’s a primer. >PREPARATION Your online draft site will automatically draft players for you if you’ve done nothing at all in preparation, based on average draft position or their own ratings. It also serves as a guide to help you determine your picks. You’ll generally find people who rely on the auto-draft strategy at the bottom of the standings by the end of the season. But they’re contributing to…

ONLY TWO NHL ROOKIES have eclipsed 70 points in the past five seasons: Mathew Barzal with the New York Islanders and Artemi Panarin with the Chicago Blackhawks. Barzal had 85 points in 2017-18, making him the only recent freshman to put up a point per game while playing the full season. Panarin had 77 points in 2015-16, which was still great, but not quite on pace. Given the exceptional players who have been part of this cohort – everyone from Auston Matthews to Elias Pettersson to Patrik Laine – it’s clear just how difficult it is to put up gaudy numbers in the NHL as a rookie, even when you have a proven pedigree. So it’s important to place rookies in the appropriate slot when you’re drafting your fantasy team this year.…

IT ALWAYS HURTS ON fantasy draft day to turn your back on the surprise player pickup who helped you win a championship the previous season. But sometimes, dispensing with sentimentality is good business. Last year, those who scooped Chicago’s Dominik Kubalik off the waiver wire felt like geniuses. But when players break out unexpectedly, their values change drastically in fantasy drafts, too. They’re not necessarily bargains anymore. Which of last year’s sensations are still worth the investment for 2020-21? Which will give you buyer’s remorse? >KEVIN FIALA LW, MINNESOTA Fiala finished 2019-20 with 14 goals and 26 points in 18 games, but that’s not the full story. He had 53 points in his final 56 games and ranked among NHL leaders in points per 60. He’ll play more – and score more.…

WITH 10 TEAMS MAKING 20 picks apiece, The Hockey News Mock Draft goes 200 players deep. While it’s important to grab as many point-per-game players as possible in the early rounds, it’s just as vital to make sure your depth picks are consistent producers. It will likely be the success – or failure – of the bottom half of your fantasy roster that is the difference between winning and losing. In the 2020-21 THN Mock Draft, we stuck to the same guidelines as the past few years – 20 selections per team, and every team needed two goaltenders (no more, no less) and at least four defensemen. Goalies get two points per win, plus a bonus point for shutouts. For defensemen and forwards, it’s pure points. Here are a few highlights from…