Ramblings: Deep playoff drafts call for deep team stacks – Backing the Pens (April 12)

 

Backing the Penguins and more playoff talk leading into the second season …

 

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I had my annual playoff draft last night. Points only and 24 teams with 10 players apiece.

It is a marathon.

This is the ninth year I've been in the pool, and I won in 2007, 2012 and finished second in 2008 or 2009. I can't remember which Detroit-Pittsburgh final I cashed in. I wouldn't call it is the sharpest draft room, but numerous people will load up over 50 percent of their roster on a single team, as volume has been a proven winning formula over savvy picks across multiple teams.

I drew eighth pick and was eyeballing Ryan Getzlaf or Corey Perry.

 

Here were the top-10 selections:

 

1. Evgeny Kuznetsov

2. Nicklas Backstrom

3. Alex Ovechkin

4. Patrick Kane

5. Jamie Benn

6. Ryan Getzlaf

7. Corey Perry

8. Sidney Crosby

9. Jeff Carter

10. Tyler Seguin

 

I had no intentions of rolling with Pittsburgh, but their beastly second half that included the most goals per game in the league (3.56) was tough to pass up. In such a cavernous format, you're hitching your wagon to a few ponies, and Crosby is a thoroughbred with pool-winning upside.

The Rangers are scary on so many levels because of their depth, experience, and most importantly, Henrik Lundqvist.

Pittsburgh beat New York three times in March by a combined 12-6 score, though, and there is a strong case to suggest the Rangers have overachieved all season. Plus, in the