Fantasy hockey

Post by **Pouzar** » 17 Feb 2008, 20:24

I don't know of any fantasy hockey games that allow players from outside North America but they are fun to play. This year I'm focusing on FSN, Fantasy Sports Network, which uses a system, popular here, where you pick 10 players, a goalie, 3 defenders, two centers, 2 left wingers and two right wingers and you get to change up to seven each week.
It took me two years to really get the hang of how to play, using their scoring system, which is complex, but I am finally challenging.
There's $10,000 for the overall winner, and $500 for 2nd place to 10th. I have been moving up and my four teams are now 14th, 19th, 23rd, and 27th, so I'm starting to smell the money. Season ends in early April.
Sportsnet has another good game, where you can change all 10 players every week, and they change the player ratings twice a year, jacking up the price for a the bargain players, and Hockey Night in Canada also has one.
Would love to have some FISOers involved but you would have to find a way to play through a North American connection.

Post by **M-boy** » 17 Feb 2008, 20:28

I looked into it at the start of last season Pouzar, but all the games seemed to be North America only.

Post by **Pouzar** » 18 Feb 2008, 06:16

Let's just say if you could get the information you need to play the game properly and competitively and could find a way to "send me the money" I could probably grease the wheels for you or anyone who wants to play by letting you play under my name. Of course you'd have to trust me but that would be your decision. Let's just say I have a similar arrangement going the other way. And that I don't really need the money. So the offer is open. Trouble is I plan to be away during the early part of next season hiking through the highlands of Bhutan, communing only with Yaks, snow leopards and the occasional shepard. There aren't even any phones, let alone internet connections. I will be back around Oct. 23rd, less than 3 weeks into the season, but that would not effect you as I would give you access to my site. Hell, I might even need you to play my teams as my sons are balking about doing it for me. Little teenaged wretches.
Or you could play free games. Both Sportsnet and HNIC are free and offer reasonable prizes. It's single entry so I would have to enter a team for you and then let you use my site. Or have one of my boys pretend to enter a team so you could pick it and play it.
Just a thought.
It would be nice to have a few other blokes playing fantasy hockey. It's fun because there is constant action. Games every day. None of this waiting for the weekend. Had a fairly good night tonight and hoping I might have moved up on the leaders. Haven't won anything since picking up 3,000 quid in TFFO three years ago, except for local hockey and NFL games with mates.

Post by **M-boy** » 18 Feb 2008, 10:35

To be honest Pouzar I'd only be interested in a free game as we don't get an awful lot of hockey over here and it doesn't have the media coverage that makes fantasy soccer so easy. I know a couple of guys who would also be interested though, so perhaps it's something we could look into. If we used North America-based proxy servers then maybe there's a possibility of playing.

Post by **Pouzar** » 18 Feb 2008, 19:07

http://hockeypool.cbc.ca/Games/GameDeta ... ontestID=8
Have a look at the Hockey Night in Canada game. There are three seperate competitions. The first half of the year, the ssecond half and then the playoff game. They are all free, have prizes and only Canucks are eligible, a problem we can deal with if you are interested.
I have played this game and can certainly give you tips. Have a look at it, show it to any mates that are interested and let me know. I may play it myself in the playoffs, but you guys could be my two sons, for example. Hell, I'm probably old enough to have you as a son! Anyway, if you are interested have a look. I can also provide you with the websites you could use to play the game well. Let's face it, I've done pretty well at FF from over here although I can watch most of the matches which obviously helps.
Have a read, think it over, let me know what you think.

Post by **dazedandconfused** » 19 Feb 2008, 13:29

All the main fantasy providers have free to play fantasy hockey games, ESPN , Sportsline and Yahoo which can be played by anyone. The format is Rotisserie or Head to head. I play in a yahoo league.

If you are thinking about prize leagues then the money is only winnable by US residents.

Post by **Pouzar** » 19 Feb 2008, 15:10

I've never seen one that wasn't open to Canadians, outside of Quebec, which prohibits such games. At any rate the HNIC (Hockey Night in Canada) game is open to Canadians only but with a little finesse could be played by someone overseas. You just need a contact here. My top teams are up to 12th, 17th 23rd and 28th this morning in FSN (fantasy sports network), the only game I'm playing at the moment. I can really smell that money now, although the $10,000 for first looks out of reach. Just two places out and 7 places out for my top two. Evgeni Malkin and Marty Brodeur have carried me this week. Have already made my picks for next week, which begins tomorrow. The free games are all single entry, but as I've said, if a FISOer wants to play they can play as my 18-year-old son, Danny, for example, who just plays private games against his buddies.
The rotisserie games are boring frankly, but there are quite a few pay-to-play and free options with decent prizes. It's a bit different than FF, but there are good ones. I avoid the ones where you can pay extra for more transfers, as you can go broke trying to win and those with limitless cash have an unfair advantage.

Post by **Pouzar** » 20 Feb 2008, 10:06

Another good night. My top team is now 10th.

Which meant if the season ended now I would collect $500. My other three have pulled up to 16th, 19th and 21st, meaning i have a shot at getting multiple teams, as well as none, into the top ten. Most encouraging I made up 66 points on the leader this week, to trail him by 94. It's a long shot but that gives me a faint hope at the big prize, $10,000 for first.

Not so long ago I didn't have a team in the top 100, so I am really hot. I hope the teams I picked for this week (the game runs Wednesday to Tuesday) are solid. Most of the year I went with the same 10 players on each team but in the home stretch I am doing some variations to try and be sure some of the teams do well no matter who gets hot. I pick the 10 best for my top team and then try a few variations with the others.

Post by **M-boy** » 20 Feb 2008, 10:15

Great stuff Pouzar, good for you. Who's doing it for you? Do you have Colby Armstrong in your team. Not only did he score last night, he's also a great actor...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOrvdvczpEA

Post by **Pouzar** » 20 Feb 2008, 15:32

Last week's team - G - Brodeur, NJ D- Phaneuf, Calg, Markov, Mtl, Gonchar, Pitt, C- Malkin, Pitt, Lecavalier, TB, LW Ovechkin, Wash, Ignla, Calg, RW Heatley, Ott, Kovalchuk, Atlanta. The game is silly because the budget is huge meaning you can afford just about any player.
This week my goalie is J.S. Gigiere of Anaheim, with Pronger of Anaheim replacing Markov, Spezza of Ottawa replacing Lecavalier, Alfreddson of Ottawa replacing Kovalchuk and Zatterberg of Detroit in for Iginla.
Of course the schedule is key. Detroit is the highest scoring team but they only play three games this week, all away from home and Lidstrom, the league's best defenceman is hurt. Calgary, Washington, Ottawa and Pittsburgh play four times, including 2 0r 3 at home. The goalie is crucial because a win is worth 15 points, minus one for each goal conceded, and a loss is -5, with each goal an additional minus. So it's as much about avoiding negative scores as nailing positive ones. It's a killer when a games goes into overtime and you're facing a 20-point swing depending on who scores next. Gigiere plays every game for Anaheim, a good team, and they have 3 home games against relatively weak opponents.

Post by **murf** » 20 Feb 2008, 15:35

Did you ever get anywhere with developing your own game Pouzar?

Post by **Pouzar** » 20 Feb 2008, 21:23

Yeah Murf, I got turned down. the idiots then came up with the worst free game of all time that bombed so bad the subject will probably never come up again. Despite everything it was a good experience for me, reinforcing my fears that the people that run the company are a pack of idiots. Apart from receiving a pension and some medical benefits from them I am no longer connected to them happily. It was fun to develop it despite the dissapointment. I knew the problem wasn't my proposal, but the boobs I was proposing it to.
Interestingly, fantasy sports are largely different in NA, although I have found some fairly good hockey games the past two years. With a year under my belt, I threw everything at my four teams in FSL this year and am finally doing very well. Would be a thrill to cop some prize money. There's still 1/4 of the season left so I could strike gold or drop like a stone.

Post by **Pouzar** » 22 Feb 2008, 00:50

Oopas, back out of the money to 12th

Post by **RamR** » 22 Feb 2008, 05:19

Pouzar, what would it take for you to be able to develop your own game independently?

With your experience in several games I'm sure you would be able to put together quite a good hockey game. I've found serious problems with all the NHL games I've tried.

Post by **Pouzar** » 22 Feb 2008, 07:21

I did develop one, which utilized the most successful aspects of British FF games that fit with Canadian hockey culture. Obviously the idea of utilizing the traditional Canadian "hockey pool" as part of a larger fantasy hockey game would be crucial. People need a reason to keep playing after they realize they are not going to win the big game. Also, the use of a second half of season game, or monthly or weekly prizes would also achieve that. The Canwest bosses insist that you can not increase subscriptions, only street sales using such games (not totally wrong) and insist on choosinbg the most dumbed down games imaginable. They are totally opposed to pay-yo-play games which makes prizes very limited. the pay-to-play game I'm playing offers $14,500 in prizes, including $10,000 for first, plus $500 for the next nine spots.
The success of such a game depends largely on clever catchy promotion, building up enthusiasm by presenting a different kind of game, bringing in a celebrity or two, and offering substantial prizes, aiming only to break even. Fantasy sports is growing in North America but isn't nearly as developed or as sophisticated as FF games IMHO. My plan was to come up with a heavily and craftily promoted hybrid of FF and North American games.
It is completely unrealistic to think I could start my own game without the support of a major company so i have moved on. I've chosen one game to play and am having fun with it and could well end up in the money, although things may be going south this week. My main focus now is my university classes and getting in shape for Bhutan and the Snowman Trek anyway.

Post by **murf** » 22 Feb 2008, 08:59

Its a shame it didn't come off Pouzar.

What you say about the backing of a big company is very true (papers or Premier League here). Anyone else who has put up a decent cash prize has either folded or made a loss as far as I know. Maybe FISO is big enough to start something - is it next season Chris will be starting the FF game??

Anyway back to grass-free hockey.....

Post by **Karrde** » 25 Feb 2008, 19:27

Very basic question, depending on the answer I may ask more.

Are the Flames any good?

Post by **Pouzar** » 26 Feb 2008, 15:05

Think Portsmouth or maybe Villa. Good? Yes. Good enough? No. Jerome Iginla is a fabulous player, and remember, these are our hated enemies. He is a great goal scorer, a terrific two way player and he is the only top player in the league who is more than happy to drop his gloves and trade punches to inspire his teammates. He holds his own with the big boys. Gotta love that. An Edmonton boy, what the Hell is he doing playing for Calgary!
Their young defenceman, Dion Phaneuf, is the hardest bodychecking player in the league and already one of the best in the world. Their Finnish keeper, Miikka Kiprusof, is also top class. It gets a little thin after that. When Kipper is hot they are dangerous, but I don't see how they could beat really top teams like Detroit or Anaheim in the playoffs.
If the Oilers of two years ago could get to Game 7 of the final, you can't say Calgary making it is impossible, but if the Oilers had done it, it would have been the greatest upset in NHL history.
My prediction. The Flames make it to the second round of the playoffs and get edged out by Dallas in a very tough series. Should they make Round three they run into the Wall of Detroit, which will crush them like bugs enroute to the Cup.

Post by **Karrde** » 26 Feb 2008, 16:55

Superb answer, detail enough for me. No need for further questions.

Post by **Pouzar** » 07 Apr 2008, 00:57

Time for an update. Calgary to play San Jose in the first round of the playoffs. So much for Calgary making the second round. The Flames have a pretty good roster and sometimes they look very good. More often they look mediocre or downright awful. The Oilers were clearly the better team at the end of the season. If they find a way to play their very best and Kipper gets red hot, well I still can't see it. San Jose was probably the best team in the NHL the past two months and is in the top three (Detroit, San Jose and Anaheim) Cup favourites. I would rate the Flames 10th favourite at best. Of course the Oilers were clearly 16th fav ourt of 16 two years ago and came within a whisker, so...who knows? But I would be VERY surprised if they survived to reach the second round. Of course I didn't envision Cardiff in the FA Cup final either.

Post by **Gravesy** » 22 Apr 2008, 17:30

Well it's tied 3-3 Pouzar!

Weird that neither team won a game @ home. Wonder if it'll continue and Flames will do a Cardiff

Watched Flyers v Caps last night, awesome game, some big hits.

Ovechkin stepped up to the plate at last, and scored the GW's.

Personally want the Penguins to go all the way, they're playing some class attacking hockey.

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Fantasy hockey

Fantasy hockey