Hot Dogs Go From Afterthoughts to Finalists in Fantasy Debut
They weren’t supposed to matter.
The Chicago Style Hot Dogs entered the league with no buzz, no stars, and barely a bankroll. As an expansion team, they were given the last pick slot, no franchise players, and a constrained budget. While other teams dropped $60 or more on top-tier talent, the Hot Dogs quietly built a team with just $39 of their $200 cap—by far the lowest spend in the league.
They didn’t draft McDavid or Matthews. They drafted Tavares—for a dollar. Kadri—for two. Demko, Kane, Giroux, Raymond—each for pennies. Analysts laughed. Opponents prepared for easy wins. On paper, it looked like a joke.
And for a while, it was. The Hot Dogs lost their first six matchups. They didn’t have the goals. They didn’t have the shots. Fans were losing hope.
But in Week 4, everything shifted. They posted 340 points in a losing effort—but they had found their gear. From Weeks 5 to 14, they went 7–3, grinding out wins by exploiting every category: faceoffs, blocks, plus-minus. They bled teams dry without ever blowing them out.
By season’s end, they had clawed to an 11–11 record. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t dominant. But it was enough for sixth and a playoff berth. They had survived—and sharpened their blades.
The Run
The quarterfinal was a dogfight. Against The Comeback Kid, the Hot Dogs clung to a slim lead heading into Sunday night. Every faceoff, every block, every save mattered. Final score: 280.7 to 274.7. Chicago advanced.
The semis were even tougher. Their opponent: Mysterious Injuries, 19–3, the league’s most dominant regular-season team. The Hot Dogs didn't panic. They played tight. Giroux led in FWs, Gustavsson stood tall in net, and every skater contributed. They eked out a 241.4 to 229.9 victory. The juggernaut had fallen.
In the final, they faced Rags to Mitches—built on stars, not depth. The Hot Dogs had their best game all year: 399.3 points. Tavares. Horvat. Hagel. Every position lit up. And yet, Rags dropped a nuclear 501.4. Chicago fell. But not by failure. By force.
The Legacy
The Hot Dogs ended their season with:
- 7,055 points on just $39 of spending
- ~181 points per dollar—highest in the league
- Wins over #1 and #3 seeds in the playoffs
- Most productive $1 player (John Tavares: 1,031 points)
This wasn’t just a good run—it was a revolution in team-building. While others paid for ceiling, the Hot Dogs paid for reliability. They showed that depth, discipline, and deployment can win in a league obsessed with stars.
Next season, they won’t be underestimated. But they won’t be overextended either. The league’s most efficient team is just getting started.