Yahoo Fantasy Hockey: Shot blockers and short-term waiver wire grabs
Dobber launched his fantasy hockey website DobberHockey back in 2005 and has been Puck Daddy’s resident fantasy hockey ‘expert’ since 2009.
The season is early and that’s the perfect time to pick up on some early trends in terms of player production in various categories. Now is when you claim the bulk of the surprise players for the season ahead. But since it’s so early, the risk is great that the ‘hot’ sleeper you scoop up after three games comes back to reality. For every Artemi Panarin you’ll have to go through several Jannik Hansens (or will it turn out to be the other way around?)
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One area that’s generally safe to react to this early are the shot blocks. A player can cool off with the goals, but a young defenseman getting more ice time will keep blocking shots. Courtesy of Frozen Pool, here are the early blocked shots (BLKS) leaders:
Tanev’s BLKS rate has increased in each of his last three seasons and this year his ice time is 1:24 per game over last year’s mark – a career high at 22:29. The only rookie on the chart, Joe Morrow, is known in deep keeper leagues for his potential offense but it looks like there could be a nice bonus with BLKS too (though keep in mind he’s currently sidelined with the flu).
Studs…
These fellas are wielding a hot stick. Take that into consideration when you go after them in trade talks…
Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings (3-2-5-7, plus-5, 0 PIM, 4 SOG, 2 PPPts) – He’s playing with super-rookie Dylan Larkin and showing him the ropes…or is it the apprentice who’s helping the master along? Whatever the reason, Zetterberg is flying right now.
Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators (4-0-7-7, plus-2, 2 PIM, 7 SOG, 3 PPPts) – What a dream fantasy own this guy is. Plays the full season, logs over 4:00 of PP time per game (95.2% of Ottawa’s PP time this year so far), and is a defenseman who scores 20 goals per campaign. Wednesday he padded his totals with a four-point performance.
Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators (3-0-0, 0.67 GAA, 0.975 SV%, 1 SO) – This is just Rinne being Rinne. It was only 54 weeks ago that one of the most common questions I was being asked was if Rinne was safe to draft early. He’s gone 44-17-6 since then.
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Duds…
Somebody wake these guys up – their fantasy owners are counting on them…
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins (3-0-0-0, even, 0 PIM, 4 SOG, 0 PPPts) – If you look at your fantasy league standings right now and you see a team in the Bottom 3 who you know won’t be there by season’s end, well I can pretty much guarantee that Crosby is on that team. And when Crosby isn’t producing, then you can pretty much write off about four other players on the Penguins. We saw that first hand back in March, and we’re seeing it again now.
Taylor Hall, Edmonton Oilers (3-0-0-0, minus-2, 14 SOG, 0 PIM, 0 PPPts) – A lot of fantasy owners really fell for the Oilers’ act this offseason and drafted accordingly. Let’s just hope they stay the course because Edmonton is not this bad anymore. I still believe Hall will have a career season.
Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings (0-3-0, 3.70 GAA, 0.861 SV%) – This is a repeat of the early-season crap we’ve seen from the Kings for several years now. It’s their M.O.: suck until January and then make a mad dash for a postseason berth so they can quickly win a Stanley Cup. The strategy failed last year and it will fail again this year. I fear Quick is no longer the fantasy stud he once was, and he’s possibly going to be an anchor that drags your fantasy squad down over the next few weeks.
The Wire…
Mostly short-term grabs here, but as always some potential steals…
Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets (17%) (4-1-2-3, plus-4, 2 PIM, 1 PPPts) – So many exciting rookies, from Jack Eichel to Artemi Panarin to Dylan Larkin to this guy, Nik Ehlers. Just waiting for McSomeone to McJoin this McGroup.
Ales Hemsky, Dallas Stars (7%) (3-1-3-4, plus-2, 2 PIM, 10 SOG, 2 PPPts) – That hip surgery he had in the summer? Bionic implant. Nothing else explains the transition from suckiness to, well this. But he’s been doing this while playing mostly with Antoine Roussel and Mattias Janmark (another promising rookie).
Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers (18%) (3-1-2-3, plus-2, 0 PIM, 10 SOG) – Barkov also ended last season with 12 points in 13 games. The 20-year-old was drafted second overall in 2013 for a reason, why the hesitation here?
Jannik Hansen, Vancouver Canucks (2%) (4-1-3-4, plus-6, 0 PIM, 8 SOG) – Only 2% owned because poolies aren’t buying it. And rightfully so, given his career high is just 39 points. But he makes a good short-term pickup because his points have been spread out. Nice and consistent – one point and at least a plus-1 in each game he’s played.
Anthony Duclair, Arizona Coyotes (10%) (3-3-2-5, plus-5, 4 PIM, 6 SOG) – Even if when Arizona falls back to earth, Duclair could still be a 50-point rookie. Certainly worth holding onto for now regardless, given the upside.
Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues (5%) (3-2-0-2, plus-3, 2 PIM, 7 SOG, 1 PPPts) – Even if Kevin Shattenkirk wasn’t sidelined with an injury I would recommend the rookie Parayko. He’s starting to get some PP time now, and he also has 4 BLKS for those in leagues that count that stat.
Scott Darling, Chicago Blackhawks (14%) (1-0-0, 1.01 GAA, 0.966 SV%) – Watch this one carefully because while Corey Crawford hasn’t been terrible, he is sporting a record of 1-2-0 right now. And Darling won his only start. If this continues for another five or six games, you’ll start to see things tilt Darling’s way a little more. Worth putting on your bench and holding for two or three weeks.
Michal Neuvirth, Philadelphia Flyers (16%) (2-0-0, 1.04 GAA, 0.964 SV%, 2 SO) – Neuvirth has the talent to be a No.1 goaltender. Washington believed it. Buffalo believed it. But what always stopped him from taking the next step were the untimely injuries. He’d look great for five games and then tweak his groin or something. By the time he returned, the other goalie had taken his spot. We call that the “Jonas Gustavsson”. Anyway, if Neuvirth can stay healthy he’s a threat to Steve Mason. Because as good as Mason has been, the bottom line is that the Flyers don’t win in front of him.
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