Sometimes it is necessary for fantasy GMs to put their money where their mouth is. This year I decided to put my money where my name is. As defending champs, my fantasy hockey team, The Playoff Beards, would start the season with a target on their backs. In order to capture the ever-elusive repeat, I would have to try something different.
Then it hit me. The perfect plan was not hiding amongst the clutter of spreadsheets and scoring projections. It was right under my nose, or rather, on my nose. Actually, it was IN my nose. It WAS my nose. A drafting system so daring, so fearless, so egocentric, so down right maniacal in its simplicity - corner the market on the best name in hockey.
If you don’t believe that Ryan wins for Most Valuable Name [MVN], then let’s take a look at the current stats [12-6-2013]. According to Yahoo!’s overall rankings, there are two Ryans in the Top 25 skaters [Getzlaf and Kesler]. If you include Bobby Ryan and Bryan Little [and you totally should] you’re left with four inside the Top 50. And a staggering nine inside the Top 200! And that doesn’t include the shorthanded wunderkind, Ryan Garbutt, who is destined for Top 200-ness. By contrast, Chris and Alex, both talented names in their own right, each only have five inside the Top 200.
Side Bar: Is it just me, or does it look like the ref is helping out Mssr. Garbutt in that link? Even the refs like Ryans more. Well, they like Ryans more than Hampusses. Or is the plural of Hampus, Hampi? Anyway...
