How to Win your Hockey Pool

My craving for regular season Vancouver Canucks hockey--but not those lame Canuck jerseys--is reaching fever pitch as the regular season is a mere two weeks away.

Adding to the enjoyment each NHL season for many, myself included, is the annual hockey pool.

Putting money in a "pool"; drafting a roster of players and tallying the sum of their goals and assists is the default model that many hockey fans use but there are always variations.

I'm not TSN's Bob McKenzie or The Vancouver Province's Tony Gallagher but I have been in my fair share of pools and I offer you some pearls of wisdom.

- Do your research. It's been a long offseason and a lot of players have changed addresses; sustained injuries in camp and some are undecided about whether they will play. A little time on the internet will save you embarrassment.

- Be cautious with rookies. Some newcomers receive a lot of hype but fail to live up to expectations. A friend of mine took "can't-miss prospect" Jarkko Varvio in '93 and he only played eight games.

- Keep a list of players you want handy. Be organized.

- Pay attention. Nothing is more annoying than the jackass who takes a player that already has been drafted.

- Keep trash talk to a minimum. It could come back to haunt you.

- Pick with your head and not your heart. As much as I hate the Leafs, I'll take Mats Sundin if it means winning it all.

Have fun.