| Picking a winning hockey pool involves
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| | defensemen, the number one rule is pick a
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| more than simply going online and
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| | player who is going to see a ton of ice
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| downloading last year's scoring
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| | time each night and is also going to be a
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| statistics and starting from the top
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| | major factor on the power play.
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| down. Anybody can do that! To be a
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| | In some hockey pools, it's also customary
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| successful hockey prognosticator, you
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| | to pick at least one goaltender for the
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| must be able to find players who will
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| | year. Depending on how points are
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| exceed their point totals from last year
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| | allocated, goaltenders can be big point
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| and not simply go with last year's Art
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| | producers in any hockey pool. The best
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| Ross Trophy winner with your first pick.
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| | advice is to pick a goaltender that is an
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| This theory holds true if you picked
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| | established number 1 that will play 65 to
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| Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis to repeat
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| | 75 games and has a good defence in front
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| his 2003-2004 season when he tallied 94
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| | of him that can earn him a few shutouts.
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| points. Last season, I'm willing to wager
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| | Be careful in picking a good goaltender
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| that St. Louis was a hot commodity and
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| | that plays for a bad team - i.e. Nikolai
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| probably picked in everybody's hockey
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| | Khabibulin on Chicago or Olaf Kolzig in
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| pool in the first or second round because
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| | Washington. Remember, no goalie is
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| he had one good season. Can't find St.
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| | capable of winning a game alone, so make
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| Louis on last year's scoring list? Well,
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| | sure he has a solid a solid team in front
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| that's because he didn't make it into
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| | of him.
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| last year's Top 50 scorers - in fact St.
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| | It also pays do some homework and find
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| Louis finished tied for 76th overall in
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| | out if any players are injured before the
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| scoring with Maple Leafs "super sniper"
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| | season starts or if they are involved in
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| Darcy Tucker with a grand total of 61
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| | contract disputes. Having players missing
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| points.
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| | from your line in the early months will
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| Another strategy to remember in picking a
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| | set you back early in the season and you
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| winning hockey pool is selecting players
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| | may never get a chance to catch up.
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| who have a history of consistency. When I
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| | Similarly, if want to pick injury prone
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| think of consistency, I think of players
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| | players, make sure your hockey pool rules
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| like Joe Sakic, Brad Richards, Mats
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| | include a re-draft halfway through the
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| Sundin, and Daniel Alfredsson. These
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| | season where you can drop players who are
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| players are also consistent
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| | injured or underperforming. You may also
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| "point-per-game" players which is crucial
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| | want to check in to find out what players
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| in picking a successful hockey pool. Even
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| | are in the final years of their contract
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| though some of these players won't
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| | and may be looking for that big raise the
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| compete for this year's Art Ross trophy,
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| | following year. Players who are due to
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| they have a history of finishing in the
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| | become unrestricted free agents at the
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| top 25 players in scoring. These types of
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| | end of the season are usually the best
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| players are guys you know who are going
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| | examples of this philosophy.
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| to show up every night to play and you
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| | Keep in mind too; a player may have
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| will thank yourself every night when you
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| | missed some games the previous season,
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| look at the box scores.
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| | thus his stats might not be at the very
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| In most hockey pools, it is usually
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| | top of the list. An excellent example of
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| required to take at least a couple of
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| | this strategy is Bruins centre Marc
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| defensemen but knowing what round to
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| | Savard. Two seasons ago, Savard tallied
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| start picking defensemen is another
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| | 52 points in only 45 games and therefore
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| strategy. Last season, the top scoring
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| | didn't register in the top 25 in scoring.
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| defenseman in the NHL was Detroit's
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| | Last season, Savard played in all 82
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| Nicklas Lidstrom who finished with 80
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| | games and rung up 97 points with the
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| points - good enough for 25th in overall
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| | Atlanta Thrashers.
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| points. The next highest defenseman was
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| | So on draft day, print out a copy of the
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| Dallas' Sergei Zubov who had 71 points
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| | top 250-300 players from the previous
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| and finished 48th overall in scoring. The
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| | season and go through every player
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| bottom line here is only 2 D-Men finished
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| | thoroughly and ask yourself, can this
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| in the top 50 so don't waste your time
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| | player improve on his stats from last
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| worrying about selecting a defenseman in
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| | year? Could this player do better now
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| the first few rounds of your hockey pool.
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| | that he's playing on a different team
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| If you think a forward is still out there
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| | with different linemates?
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| that could conceivably score more points
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| | Follow this advice closely and with a
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| then the defenseman you want to pick,
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| | little luck, you may find yourself taking
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| take the forward - it will probably pay
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| | home the big prize when April rolls
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| off in the long run. However, when it
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| | around next year!
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| does come time to start picking
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| | HockeyDraft.
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