NHL playoff fantasy pool drafts are underway as the quest for the Stanley Cup begins. Notably, Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid were snubbed from the first overall pick in a recent draft among experts.
Key points
NHL playoff fantasy pool drafts are starting soon.
MacKinnon and McDavid were not chosen first overall.
Draft rules include specific player positions and point scoring.
The draft followed a snake format.
The Stanley Cup quest begins on Saturday.
Stanley CupEdmonton OilersColorado Avalanche
It's time to get your NHL playoff fantasy pool drafts done before the quest for the Stanley Cup begins Saturday.
Five of us at TheHockeyNews.com wanted to get in on the action as well. We hopped on a video call Wednesday afternoon and drafted the team we think will win us the ultimate bragging rights. After some quick thinking and the customary chirps, we created our rosters.
Fortunately for whoever took players on the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche, the standings did not change Thursday, avoiding a powerhouse first-round matchup between the two teams.
Here are our rules:
Three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender had to be selected.
Goals and assists are worth one point each.
Goaltender wins are worth two points, and a shutout is worth one extra point.
The draft followed a snake format.
Presenting our participants in order of selection, as determined at random:
Ryan Kennedy, editor in chief and co-host of The Hockey News Big Show
Michael Traikos, managing editor, digital media, and co-host of The Hockey News Big Show
Frank Zawrazky, co-editor, The Hockey News' NCAA site
Jonathan Tovell, deputy managing editor, digital media
Adam Proteau, senior digital correspondent
Here are the picks in order, followed by more analysis of the team representation and fantasy hockey strategies to consider.
Why were MacKinnon and McDavid snubbed from the first overall pick?
MacKinnon and McDavid were not selected first overall likely due to strategic choices made by the drafters, focusing on other players deemed more favorable for the playoff pool.
What are the rules for the NHL playoff fantasy pool draft?
The draft requires selecting three forwards, two defensemen, and one goaltender, with points awarded for goals, assists, and goaltender wins.
When does the NHL playoff quest for the Stanley Cup begin?
The NHL playoff quest for the Stanley Cup begins on Saturday.
How does the snake format work in fantasy drafts?
In a snake format, the draft order reverses after each round, allowing participants who pick last in one round to pick first in the next.
Related Articles
Sports
Emotional Lampard: Coventry promotion 'right up there' in my achievements
Lampard celebrates Coventry's return to the Premier League after 25 years!
Sky Sports··1 min read
Soccer·Transfer
Carrick: No decision made over Rashford Man Utd return
Carrick says no decision made on Rashford's future at Man Utd.
Sky Sports··1 min read
Sports
Andoni Iraola: United target provides fresh update on his future
Yahoo Sports·
Sports
Kevin Durant, LeBron James meet in playoffs for 4th time when Rockets visit short-handed Lakers
Yahoo Sports·
Sports
Inside the fallout of the Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel photos
NFL reporter Dianna Russini and coach Mike Vrabel caught in controversial photos.
ESPN News··1 min read
NFL·Feature
Why over half the NFL went to Jordyn Tyson's personal workout
Why did over half the NFL attend Jordyn Tyson's personal workout?
Ryan said he's counting on Dallas to make a deep run. Beyond that, he went with players he believes will get a lot of points in at least two rounds.
Michael has five NHL teams represented in his playoff pool roster. He said that should leave him with a ton of options regardless of when they go out.
Frank agreed, saying he diversified his portfolio of players while choosing skaters who can shine on their own.
I (Jonathan) chose three players from the Avalanche since I believe they'll go far, although whether Wedgewood or Mackenzie Blackwood gets the starts remains to be seen. Carolina and Dallas have the potential to get to at least the conference finals again, while Dahlin should produce a decent amount in however long the Sabres are in the playoffs.
Adam said he predicts the Bolts will make the final and the Senators will get to at least Round 2. In the West, he felt well with taking Kaprizov and Faber from the Wild.
Thirteen teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs had players selected in our post-season fantasy pool draft.
The Lightning, Stars and Avalanche had the most representation, with four players each. The Avs and Lightning have the top two shortest odds of winning the Stanley Cup on BetMGM, while the Stars have the fifth-shortest odds.
Carolina, which had two players selected, has the third-shortest odds of winning the Cup. There was some doubt that they could beat the Senators and go far, which gives the two people who selected Hurricanes players an advantage if they can pull it off. Of course, the opposite holds true for Adam, who picked two Sens players.
All three come from the Pacific Division, although the Kings will be on the Central Division side of the bracket since they're a wild-card team facing the Avalanche in Round 1. The Ducks are also the lower seed in their series versus Edmonton.
Snubbing the Golden Knights could be risky, considering they finished first in the Pacific. That said, they face the Mammoth, which had just three fewer points this season. One team that missed the playoffs actually finished one place above the Pacific winners in the standings: the Washington Capitals.
As always, taking a player on an underdog could pay off in spades if their team eliminates a higher seed. But in general, more playoff series means more games played, which means more chances for points and goalie wins.
Of course, if there's a superstar available on a team that isn't predicted to go far, they could wind up scoring more points than someone on a squad that goes far.
For more playoff pool strategies and rankings, visit The Hockey News' fantasy hockey site at THN.com/fantasy, and let the games begin.
Image
Image
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News atTHN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending storiesby subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
