MSVG News
September 2019
New Budget Adds Strategy
GMs given more to work with this season
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9/25/19
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Last season, MSVG implemented numerous acquisition rules, including an "acquisition budget." This further limited teams from making virtually-unlimited moves. Under the ESPN format, that dollar amount was only $1,000.
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Yahoo, on the other hand, allows for any amount to be used. So, in order to ready the league for the eventual "hybrid-keeper" format arriving next year, the budget was set at $20 million.
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In a vacuum, that seems slightly far-fetched. However, setting such an amount allowed for a full-revamp of the trade rules to include cash offerings out of the same pool for free agents and waiver claims. In essence, it set a realistic "salary cap" - where it may cost a good portion of money to make your team better.
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Additionally, individuals' rationale will likely be re-focused to "true" dollar amounts for players, like spending $850,000 on a forward as opposed to paying $1.
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The fact the budget carries over to the next year will also prepare the league for the keeper changes coming in 12 months.
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For rules on how to trade cash, visit the "Resources" tab. An example budget sheet has also been posted under that tab.
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Putting "Action" in "Transaction"
New Transaction/Trade Center ready and waiting
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9/25/19
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While Yahoo Fantasy Hockey is in many ways better than ESPN, we have taken a step to further emphasize trades and Free Agency/Waiver additions in a way Yahoo isn't quite able.
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MSVG welcomes its new Transaction page, featuring "Trade Center" - where teams can view and access the trade block and any potential trade rumors. Each trade, in detail, will also be posted in the Trade Center.
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It's also where you will find a copy of the MSVG Official Trade Sheet, which will be also physically distributed at the opening of the January 12, 2020 trade window.
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While it may seem silly to have a Trade Center with a trade block when teams can only trade for one month, it's important to note the block can be updated at any time. So if you want to get a head start on your trade strategy, the block allows you to stoke those discussions.
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New Team Pages Posted
ESPN finally updated their history - after MSVG leaves
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9/24/19
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For those who suffered through the toils of ESPN Fantasy Hockey last year, I'm sure you're all quite relieved the league switched platforms.
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Of course, ESPN waited until we left to start fixing some things.
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As of this time last year, the entirety of the league history was summed up on one page. Every previous roster had been deleted, the playoff brackets were missing, and they apparently thought the 2016-17 MSVG didn't even exist.
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Shockingly, in the process of transferring all of the data over to Yahoo this season, it was discovered that ESPN had remapped their entire history - to include MSVG 2016-17.
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As a result, team pages have been created to show the full-out history - including playoff appearances, overall record, championships, etc. Best of all, every roster has been restored, so each team has a full tracked record.
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Refer to the "Teams" tab to begin exploring (and reminiscing).
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MSVG Draft Preview
Is it a gift or curse to draft in the Top 5, what strategies can be used, and which players may rebound?
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9/24/19
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After a long offseason, the GMs of MSVG are once again gearing up for the new season. While we do not yet know what the draft order will be, we do know the draft can be very unpredictable. Most teams aim for the highest pick they can, of course, hoping to better their odds. But is it really a good thing to draft higher?
For example, Uncle Gene's Senators drafted first overall last season. His obvious choice was Connor McDavid - it had to be. Yet so much of a successful draft is being able to put together a deep squad, which was difficult for UGS by the time their second pick, 32nd overall, came around. UGS struggled throughout the first half of the year before turning it around, barely squeaking out a playoff berth before falling in the first round. It could be said the team had a depth issue - partially due to luck, but may have ultimately been due to draft position.
While the league is smaller by four teams this season, it's not out of the question that some teams may 'stunt' their answers in the game of chance in order to draft slightly lower. By Saturday night, we'll know the true strategy trend.
That said, most teams would take a top-tier player if they could. But are there some mid-round picks that could bolster a team more?
While it's too early to say for sure, we do know that the most recent NHL draft produced rookies such as Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko. Charlie McAvoy has obviously emerged as a great young defenseman, Toronto has a slew of young talent even beyond Auston Matthews, and the continued growth of Elias Pettersson is something to behold.
With so much of this young talent available, it shouldn't be hard to build a back end of core players. Additionally, it's important to look for rebound candidates - such as Patrik Laine, who had a productive-but-quiet 2018-19 with a career-low 50 points, or Alex Galchenyuk, who is primed to share a line with Evgeni Malkin this year.
It's hard to tell what each team is thinking heading in, but this will be just about as talented a draft pool as there has ever been - it should be fun to watch unfold.
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TWDP Takes First Overall
GM Dave Kuhn, who barely missed playoffs last year, gets redemption
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9/28/19
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The game of chance came-and-went, as the most coveted spot in the 2019 draft came down to an overtime game between the Pens and Sabres.
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Emerging on top was Tom Wilson Drinks Pee, led by GM Dave Kuhn. He and GM Cody Gray of John Cougar Kellycamp statistically-tied with their guesses, separated only by a 3-goal to 7-goal tiebreaker.
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TWDP claims redemption this year after a heartbreaking ending to the 2018-19 season, where the team was barely squeezed out of the playoff race on the last night of the season with a loss to Uncle Gene's Senators. UGS will draft 8th.
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The 10/11 spot came to a two-way tie between We Are The CHAMPIONS and the Ice Bombers. After a best-out-of-3 draw of the hat between the two, GM Cindy Porterfield beat out GM Bobbi Jo Ponterio.
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The Omsk Omnomnomz did not qualify for the contest and will choose last by default.
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The entire draft position results are as follows:
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1. Tom Wilson Drinks Pee (Dave Kuhn)
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2. John Cougar Kellycamp (Cody Gray)
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3. Monahanjobs (Nevin Gray)
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4. Bryan Berard STFB (Justin Trabucco)
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5. Team Hoffman (Tyler Hoffman)
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6. Molson Canadian (Dan Tucci)
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7. Camo's Red Army (Camdon Porterfield)
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8. Uncle Gene's Senators (Gene Porterfield)
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9. Wanted Anal Intruders (Will Dixon)
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10. Ice Bombers (Cindy Porterfield)
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11. We Are The CHAMPIONS (Bobbi Jo Ponterio)
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12. Omsk Omnomnomz (Angela Petrosko)
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