My Community

On the eve of blockbuster deal between LA and Boston where we finally saw Marco Sturm go to Kings for future consideration, i would like to open up and let you know my thoughts on a couple of negotiations I happened to have during our 2nd waiver period.

"You came back from the desert with a new friend, didn't you Beni?" – Rick O'Connell (Brendan Frasier), The Mummy (1999)
Oh yes most of us did this waiver period.

I felt like a kid at the candy store this waiver period. Having 2 picks in this waiver period I was ready for some holiday shopping this season. And behold, DX along with some other managers opened up the candy shop with some very juicy options early.

Right of the bet I did not get the "Imhotep" (The Mommy) himself, but I think I got the next to the next best player available.

Looking down my team I quickly realized that thanks to Lecavalier injury I did not have a bonafide numero Uno center, you need in this league to compete. So I concentrated on getting one, fully understanding that those do not come cheap. Just like back to the hotel direction from off the strip second rate casino from the hooker. But we all know that.

A lot of managers did a lot of wheeling and dealing this time around in order to tune their team into a lean, mean, fantasy points producing machine.
Only time will tell who succeeds.

But this waiver was full of action with numerous negotiations, movement of picks, trades, spite decisions, resignations
and posts of their illegality. Some were trying to shake their team up to get out of the basement by trading star power for depth and potential. Some were trying to get cheaper to fit their high end players in frantically and than surprising us with picks out of position which weirdly enough all worked out fine once injuries hit them. Go figure. Some were just in a holiday spirit and gave away their assets on a cheap. Some were collecting picks to trade them away for players that would allow them to get more picks and etc...  In short not much more you could have asked for.

In the play of words of George McFly from Back To The Future,
"it was like Last night Darth Vader came down from the planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn't" make some type of noise in this waiver period "he'd melt my brain". Everybody wanted a piece of something. Nobody wanted to feel left out. And not many did. Just look and the names that change hands this time around. Spezza, Getzlaf, Richards, Brodeur and this is just off the top of my head.

Not sure where to start but I guess I just want to give you my take on my action in this waiver period. I will not give you my take on the players you took or added. I will only write about my team actions.

Decimated by injuries and its placement in the standings DX posts that some of his big name players are available. I feel that I have enough depth to make a play for one of them.
I start with an offer for one of my favorite players in Getzlaf. Pairing him with Perry makes me giggle with joy. I must admit dealing with DX is the way fantasy trades should be discussed and approached. There are no low balling offers or insulting first stabs. Straight to the point with both owners realizing each other strength and needs.
DX is trying to maximize his return for his blue chips. I quickly learn that there is another play for Getzlaf. I put what I think is my best offer forward and wait. DX is faced with the tough choice since both offers do present him with interesting possibilities. I assume playing both offers allows him to tweak the one from another manager to an offer from Penguins that is more to his likings.
I lose Getzlaf to Penguins for Phaneuf, Fillpula and Tanguay. I thought I had a better package, but I must be biased I guess. :-)

At that I do not feel that I have to make a trade. I hold 2 picks and there are 4 players I like. I am sure all players taken in this waiver period are worthy. However, there are 4 guys I am looking at. They are Shattenkirk, Cal O'Reilly, Corey Crawford and Fowler. So I am more than happy just to make my 2 picks.

But sometimes good things come to those who do not wait i guess. I learn that Henrik Sedin could be had. I turn my attention to him. His current goal scoring pace is shamefull, so it should not last, he will score and score and score. But 29 goals is out of the question, i am sure. So no Getzlaf - Perry for me, but Twins are ain't to shabby, hey.
Honestly contrary to popular belief, I rank Getzlaf higher than Sedin (thus the reason why I passed on Henrik during the draft to take Daniel), but having both Sedins can't hurt, right?
I pretty much offer the same deal to Transformers that I did to DX for Getzlaf, though I do realize that I lost Getzlaf deal to Lou. So I will go up if needed but not by much.
As suspected, Fanky wants more. In his eyes Henrik is a second coming of JC i guess.  I try to scale down the counter and offer something in the middle. The other owner is almost ready to make the deal. Though busy to agree right on the spot. Asks me to wait a bit.
I wait, and wait and wait. No call. I get frustrated (not the smartest condition to continue negotiations, but whatever). feeling somewhat used (I have a feeling Henrik is being shopped around while my offer is on the table). Did I mention I already lost Getzlaf? I guess I did. So I want to have something in tha back of my pocket as well.
Call DX and ask for Mike Richards. In this case I like Henrik better than Richards, but getting upset at the owner of Henrik for making me wait. Of course I realize that i am offering more for Richards that I did for Getzlaf.
So it is more for a player i like less, but Richards on my team will give that #1 option at C. So no biggy for me. DX and I come to an agreement. This time I do not have to wait. I land Mike Richards. Paid the depth price, but you have to give to get. So no twins and no Getzlaf-Perry combo. But having Richards gives me a top notch center my team lacks.
Hartnell, Steen, pick in this round and pick in the next round go the other way. I still have a pick. 3 out of 4 players are stil there. What to do. I really could use a D, Fowler would do, Cal O'Reily would look really nice at Center for me as wel, but I just landed Richards. So I use my pick on Corey Crawford. Not sure what will happen to him this year, but prospect of owning an OK goalie for a good team next year is just to much to pass on, especially taking into account my goalie situation.
As any other manager I am trying to shape my team into a lean, mean, fantasy points producing machine. Time will tell. Time will tell. I need to stop slip sliding away.
I am sure it is not the last move this year for me. But now I have to wait to see where my team takes me. Am I  playing for it all this year? or once again putting pieces together for the next. Decision will come sometime in February I hope.

Stay active. Watch The League on FX (order it on Netflix if you have to). Have fun and do not take this hobby of ours too seriously. Though sometimes it is tough to do.
When your player gets injured it is not the end of the world, it just possibly the end of your season. No just kidding. It is an opportunity to retool and put your GM skills and draft depth to test.

So till the next column, good luck to all. and let the luckiest (i mean best) GM win.