Week Nine Waiver Draft Next Week... What Do You Need To Know?

Well, everyone... we're almost there!  I know some of you have been waiting for a while to offload a few of your bums and rightfully so.  I know there are a few new teams to the pool, who are really curious to know what this draft is all about... and are possibly furious that they didn't have a consistent chance to drop and add players through the week.

Well, we're there.  Almost.  Time to do your homework in preparation for your strategy at this draft and this year is so much different, because there are mini-games that you can also consider.  That's awesome, right?  You've had a shitty start to the season and you still get a chance to win your money back?  Okay, that might not be the case for everyone, but that's why we're doing the homework.

First thing you should know... there are two rounds in this draft.  We will operate both rounds in the last-to-first format, where 27th place will pick first in both rounds and 1st place will pick last in both rounds.  The order will be determined by the standings at the end of Week Eight.  That's the second thing you should know.  Your team could get a leg up on a team that you're close to, if you just happen to lose a few extra points, just to get a better pick.  Just saying.

Next... this is all done by e-mail, text, phone calls or possibly in person, if we were to meet up during the week.  It would have be really coordinated to happen, right when your pick happens, but I've seen crazier things happen.  No one is really on the clock, but I do like to give a soft 24 hours to get your pick done.  I've got 7 days to do 54 picks this year and everyone isn't by their communication device or their homework device at all times.  Please be patient.

How could you do some homework?  Well, that's easy.  If you haven't noticed on the standings, I have provided two pages... one, the rankings of available players by scoring. You're going to want someone to score for you, right?  You want to know who's hot, right?  Well, click here and your wishes are my command.  I will keep this up-to-date during the draft, it will be constantly updated, there are 200 players on this page.

Wait... your team really sucks?  You want to seriously goon it up and go after Wes, who is already gooned it up to this point?  Well, okay... click here and you get the top 200 goons, sorted by penalty minutes.  Spoiler alert... Wes' team is worse than yours and he'll get a pretty good goon, if he has truly given up on the big money.

You may have rookies or you might have a lame goalie in the goalie survivor pool... I'm sure you are picking up what I'm putting down here, so I am not going to hold your hand through this entire process.  You know your team, I would assume... you know what you need.  Remember, I am playing against you and you must be very weary about my advice, if you so choose to ask for it.  Especially you money guys... don't ask for my advice, I'm chasing you down.

What kind of potential do you have in this draft?  Well, that's got a lot to do about what you need, who you think is good and what Lady Luck has to say about your whole situation.  Last year, Devan Dubnyk was taken with the 7th overall pick in the Week Nine Waiver Draft... he finished with 74 points AFTER he was taken in the draft.  Brian, our buddy from Down Under, did very well and nearly climbed his way back into... the top 10.  Okay, last year was a tough year, because there were huge gaps by the Waiver Draft, something I'm not seeing this year.  A 74-point player, if at all possible, would be huge.

Goalies are going to be thin in skill and they might go fast.  Rookies, they're in abundance, so you'll be good to get one, maybe two and you can hope that Ryan's four (plus whatever he adds) rookies falls off a cliff and doesn't get any more points, maybe add a couple more in Week Eighteen and be happy.  Goons... they're the bread and butter, I'm thinking.  Any of these guys will be good for fighting majors, misconducts, instigator penalties... 17 PIM a night could go a long way to tracking down Wes.  You just have to find the most pissed off guy on the list.  Cody McLeod of the Avalanche is turning into a solid option.

These are the things you need to know, I'm probably going to try and offer a mock draft, I'm going to guess what all you people are going to try and do.  Boy, I failed miserably at it last year, but that's the fun of these pools... no one rates you on your absolute, plane crash failures.

You'll be hearing from me... soon.  Be ready.  I have always toyed with the idea that if everyone played ball and I was done the first two rounds before the weekend, I would offer a third round to those who need it the most.  So, be ready... it's so easy.