Find out the pros and cons to different types of fantasy drafts and which one works best for your league

For many fantasy hockey fanatics, the last month represented the most exciting period in the NHL calendar. Despite the obvious fact that there's, you know, no hockey being played, the annual entry draft followed swiftly by the opening of the free agent frenzy injects an electricity into the air that is unmatchable. And for the nerds like me that populate many a fantasy league, the team building process is every bit as intriguing as anything that actually happens on the ice.

So too with hockey pools. Whether your league's draft coincides with that of the NHL, or you wait until early fall to make your picks, no day is as hotly anticipated as draft day.

With armchair GMs around the world having just witnessed the proceedings in Philadelphia, it seems an appropriate time to give some thought to one of the most fundamental issues faced by any fantasy commissioner: determining the style of draft that is the best fit for your league. There are a number of options, and while we each may have a personal preference, each type of draft has its place. The key is to match the draft style to the unique circumstances of your league.

Below are the four major draft options, with some guidance as to which type of draft may be the most effective for your league.

Box-Style Pools

Many a fantasy player has taken their first steps into a whole new world through a box-style pool. In a box pool, players are segmented into groupings (typically about six players per group, though this varies), and managers select the player in each group that they think will accumulate the most fantasy points, based on the league's scoring system. Generally, every player in each group plays the same position, and players of similar value are grouped together to make the decisions as tough as possible. By its very nature, in this type of pool, players can be owned by more than one manager.