Defensemen are Important
Here along the Lake Today we are going to create a defensemen list that will ultimately hold some of your most productive point producers on your fantasy team.
Beginning your Defensemen List (some players will be on your initial list)
Write down the two top blocking defensemen from each of the 32 NHL teams to create your 64 player defensemen list, a fine source of statistics to go to is statmuse.com to preview last season’s blocking statistics for each defenseman from each team.
Utilizing the Western Conference Pacific Division as an Example
Anaheim Ducks Radko Gudas & Jacob Trouba
Calgary Flames MacKenzie Weegar & Rasmus Andersson
Edmonton Oilers Darnell Nurse & Brett Kulak
Los Angeles Kings Vladislav Gavrikov & Mikey Anderson
San Jose Sharks Mario Ferraro & Jake Walman
Seattle Kraken Jamie Oleksiak & Adam Larsson
Vancouver Canucks Tyler Myers & Derek Forbort
Nevada Knights Brayden McNabb & Alex Pietrangelo
In the ESPN FHL point system players earn .1 (1/10th) of a point for either a shot or a hit, but you receive .5 (1/2) a point for each block, so 2 BLKs earns you 1 point, whereas you have to take 10 shots or throw 10 hits (or a combination) to earn 1 point.
We have now created two lists with approximately 128 players, of course some of the rushing scoring defensemen could be on your initial list, but you still have over 100 players names at your fingertips that you will have at the ready during the draft.
Tomorrow’s article will explain how goaltenders are a high risk / high reward point producing player and what that means to your fantasy roster.
Buffalo Winter 
In an upcoming article you may want to address the pros and cons of how the ESPN fantasy hockey pool is laid out e.g. an inability to communicate with other team managers, games played limits (maximums)–both which ruined my enjoyment.
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I remember when ESPN had a “smack talking” window which was active during live games, I miss that, lol.
The only reason I would want to communicate with another team manager in my league would be connected to trades, in general I do not trade.
Additionally, one of the 12 tools to manage your team is the games played limits, I have found most league managers usually go with the default where there are no limits, a league manager would have to go out of their way to set limits, all I can suggest is to check your league to see how is run as far as limits, point scoring, amount of teams, before committing to that league.
Not getting into a league you prefer can ruin the experience no doubt, I have been frustrated with league managers that overly compensate goaltenders, essentially creating a “goaltender’s league”, so to each their own.
I endeavor to participate in a standard league with what I think is a decent point scoring system, so far so good.
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Thanks Buffalo Winter. In the past I might have been willing, even excited, to put my energy towards doing that kind of research before joining a league. I just don’t care anymore.
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