Fantasy Hockey Drops

Home/Tag: Fantasy Hockey Drops

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 27

This is it! Chances are, this is your finals week and now is the time to either win it all or go out with a bang and place as high as you can. Every player I recommend in my Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 27 article will have four or more games this week.

Must Add

Frans Nielsen – C – New York Islanders
27% Owned
OPP: TBL/WSH/NYR/BUF/PHI

Frans Nielsen and the Islanders have five games this week which instantly makes him a must add. More games equals more production. In his last 11 games, his ice time has only dipped below 17 minutes once. He’s playing on the second line while also getting time on the first powerplay unit. Nielsen is nearing 100 blocks and 600+ faceoff wins which makes him a valuable asset. (NOTE: If Nielsen isn’t available and you still want an Islander because of the five game stream – pick up Anders Lee or Brock Nelson)

Marcus Johansson – RW, LW, C – Washington Capitals
28% Owned
OPP: NYI/PIT/STL/ANH

I’m a sucker for triple eligibility and you should be too. The ability to flex Johansson into any position slot is exactly why you should pick him up this week…. And he’s centering Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie… And he’s on the first powerplay… And he plays for the best team in the NHL. Ok, so there’s a lot of reasons why you should pick him up. Johansson is a valuable finals play.

Nick Bjugstad – C – Florida Panthers
26% Owned
OPP: TOR/MTL/OTT/CAR

What an easy schedule the Panthers have coming up. What an opportunity Nick Bjugstad has fallen into. With Vincent Trocheck out for the rest of the season, Bjugstad finds himself as a top six forward again. Playing alongside Jussi Jokinen who has set a new career high in assists (41), Bjugstad will find the back of the net against a very weak schedule.

Morgan Rielly – D – Toronto Maple Leafs
25% Owned
OPP: FLA/CBJ/PHI/NJD

Yes, I know the Leafs are bad. You should also know that Morgan Rielly is in a class of his own when it comes to blueliners in Toronto. Rielly’s offensive ceiling is sky high. Extra time playing with phenom William Nylander will only help him get on the board more. If you have blocked shots in your league as well, Rielly surprisingly has put his body in front of 110+ shots. He has potential to pick up two or more points against his opponents this week as well.

Drops

Erik Haula – C, LW – Minnesota Wild
18% Owned
OPP: SJS/CAL

Erik Haula was such a fun streamer to have while he (and the rest of Minnesota’s third line) was hot. Unfortunately, no matter how well he was producing prior (he’s also cooled off recently), a two game week isn’t going to cut it.

 

Carl Soderberg – C, LW – Colorado Avalanche
29% Owned
OPP: NSH/DAL/ANH

Look at Colorado’s upcoming schedule and then tell me you’re still comfortable with rostering Carl Soderberg. Soderberg has been streaky lately and he’s not going to heat up against three of the leagues best teams.

Thanks for reading this season’s last Waiver Wire article! Your feedback and comments have been much appreciated throughout the year and I’m already looking forward to next season. I’m happy to announce that starting next week I’ll be switching gears and starting a weekly MLB Waiver Wire article! If you do have NHL DFS questions or need help in your finals week, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT.

 

 

Read More

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 26

Chances are you’re either in the finals or in the semi-finals of your fantasy hockey leagues. More than ever is it important to maximize how many player starts you’ll have in a week as well as focusing in on what teams have the easiest matchups. Below in my Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 26 article, I’ll outline players that have great matchups this week as well as the teams you should stay away from when picking up players.

Must Adds

Jamie McGinn – LW/RW – Anaheim Ducks
14% Owned
OPP: EDM/CGY/VAN/DAL

Jamie McGinn has been constantly producing in Anaheim to the point where it’s no longer a fluke. He’s found chemistry within the top six no matter who he’s played with and he’s getting a ton of powerplay time. McGinn hasn’t been held without a shot on goal since March 11th. He also hasn’t had a game without recording a hit dating back to February 24th against Anaheim while he was a member of the Sabres. The Ducks have been the most lethal offensive team as of late and there’s no reason McGinn should slow down any time soon.

Radko Gudas – D – Philadelphia Flyers
27% Owned
OPP: WPG/WSH/OTT/PIT

Radko Gudas is everything you want in a stay at home D-man. He’s also everything you want when it comes to filling categories such as penalty minutes, blocked shots & hits. He’s a part of what I like to call the “100 club”. You need at least 100 hits, blocks and penalty minutes to join. Gudas fits right in with 277 hits, 137 blocks and 108 PIMs. With four games on the schedule against teams that shoot a lot, Gudas will have a chance to keep on contributing.

Darren Helm – C – Detroit Red Wings
2% Owned
OPP: BUF/MTL/MIN/TOR

I’ll start by saying this – if you can get Justin Abdelkader (41%) get him instead of Darren Helm. The reasoning for picking up either is the same. Detroit has the easiest four game schedule this week. Helm is getting a great opportunity to play along side Pavel Datsyuk and Anthony Mantha. Helm also has the fourth most hits among all Red Wings (105). Against four very bad teams this week, there’s production to be had.

Cody Eakin – C – Dallas Stars
9% Owned
OPP: NSH/ARI/LA/ANA

If there’s one thing I like in a player, it’s time on ice. Cody Eakin is in no danger of losing his spot centering the top line until Tyler Seguin comes back. Over his last seven games he’s been producing at exactly a point per game pace. Playing next to Jamie Benn and Patrick Sharp, it’s a no-brainer to have Eakin on your team.

Drops

J.T. Miller – C – New York Rangers
18% Owned
OPP: CAR/BUF

If there was a segment called “trap of the week” this would be it. At first glance, J.T. Miller has been producing well. Two goals over his last three games and getting top six minutes. The problem with this is, the Rangers have two games this week and his production will likely cap off at two points at the most if you decide to keep him. Streaming someone who has just two games is just not worth it at this point.

Devante Smith-Pelly – RW – New Jersey Devils
21% Owned
OPP: BOS/FLA/TBL

I’ll be the first to say that the Honeymoon is over with Devante Smith-Pelly. Why? He’s producing at a pace that is unsustainable for most players, never mind a career bottom six forward. Pointless in his last two games as well as seeing his ice time dip to 14 minutes to go along with a tough schedule this week, it’s time to cut ties with Smith-Pelly.

Thanks for reading! If you have any NHL season long or DFS questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

 

 

 

Read More

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 25

The playoffs are still underway for most leagues and in order to advance into the next round – you need some strategic adds and drops. I will not only cover what players you should add and drop but also mix in some strategy in this week’s Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire.

It’s easy. Games played equals opportunity. Opportunity equals stuffing your categories with points. Points equals wins. If you haven’t checked weekly schedules for teams, I suggest you start immediately in the playoffs. I always recommend picking players up on four game streams but this week it’s definitely worth noting how many games some teams have. This deep into the season, it’s not worth picking someone up that plays two games just because they’re a name of value. Punch your ticket into the next round and then worry about re-adding players.

Must Adds

Vincent Lecavalier – C,LW – Los Angeles Kings
6% Owned
OPP: NSH/MIN/WPG/EDM

Out of all the teams that have four games this week (CAR, LA, NYI, NYR, PHI, VAN) none have an easier schedule than the Kings. Vincent Lecavalier has looked like “Old Vinny” from years ago since being moved to LA from Philadelphia. Talk about a revitalizing trade. He has eight goals in 32 games since being traded (puts him on pace for about 21 goals in a full season) and has been hot as of late. Dating back to March 5th, he’s only been held off the scoresheet in two games.

Rickard Rakell – C – Anaheim Ducks
18% Owned
OPP: MTL/TOR/OTT

The Anaheim Ducks have the easiest schedule this week. Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa are all inside the bottom ten of the league when it comes to the standings while Toronto and Ottawa have the honour of being in the top ten of giving up the most goals per game (Montreal gets an honourable mention at 11th). Rickard Rakell is getting fed a steady diet of minutes as well as playing on the same line with a former Rocket Richard winner in Corey Perry. It wouldn’t be far fetched to say Anaheim could score five or more against these three teams with Rakell definitely getting in on the action.

Frans Nielsen – C – New York Islanders
30% Owned
OPP: PHI/OTT/TBL/CAR

Frans Nielsen has quietly been having a great season for the Islanders. Currently third on the team in points, he’s been very under-owned in fantasy. Over his last 12 games he’s only seen his minutes dip below 16 twice while being above 20 minutes four times. He’s really clicked well recently with Ryan Strome and Nikolay Kulemin and should continue to this week with a relatively easy schedule.

Radko Gudas – D – Philadelphia Flyers
24% Owned
OPP: NYI/CBJ/COL/ARI

Don’t be fooled by his two recent goals. That is not why you’re picking up Radko Gudas. Sure, if he scores – that’s just icing on the cake. Gudas is great when it comes to other categories such as blocked shots or hits. In fact, he’s a monster when it comes to that. Gudas is fourth in hits in the NHL while having over 100 blocked shots. If you’re needing those stats padded, Gudas is the go-to guy.

Drops

Lee Stempniak – LW,RW – Boston Bruins
47% Owned
OPP: NYR/FLA/TOR

Lee Stempniak is back to doing what Lee Stempniak does when he’s not the number one option on a team. Disappear. Pointless in his last six games and seeing back-to-back nights with less than 13 minutes of ice time, it’s time to cut ties with Stempniak. At the pace he’s playing right now in Boston, with a full season with the B’s he’s projected to score 9 goals. He scored 16 in 63 games for the Devils this year. The last time he had 16 or more goals in a full season was in 2010-2011 with the Coyotes.

Ryan Callahan – RW – Tampa Bay Lightning
32% Owned
OPP: DET/NYI/FLA

It’s a shame Ryan Callahan had to find himself on this list. He was producing so well after the All-Star break (14 points in 22 games). He’s on here because he’s been recently dealing with an “undisclosed injury”. I don’t like the sounds of that at all and I don’t want to run the risk of missing games and having his production fall off when he comes back. There are much safer options out there.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

 

Read More

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 24

With playoffs underway for most leagues, it’s important now more than ever to maximize on weakness of schedule and the amount of games played per week. What you want to stay away from is players with a low number of games this week as well as tough matchups which would limit their fantasy value. Below in my Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 24 outlook, I’ll break down who you should pick up and who you should drop for your playoff matchups.

Must Add:

Charlie Coyle – C,RW – Minnesota Wild
13% Owned
OPP: OTT/NJD/CAR/CHI

Charlie Coyle has seemingly cemented himself on the first line and first powerplay unit with Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise. The 24 year old has shown tremendous growth this year and has almost doubled last years goal output with 23 games left to play. Coyle is a perfect play up until Sunday night when the Wild face the Blackhawks. For the other three opponents, you need Coyle on your roster.

Jori Lehtera – C – St. Louis Blues
8% Owned
OPP: CGY/EDM/VAN

Jori Lehtera has got to be the biggest beneficiary of the linemate lottery. For most of the last two years he’s played along side Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko to form the “STL” line. Playing with those two, Lehtera has massive potential this week to snag you some points. He’s also produces on the faceoff dot (Over 400 wins). The Blues boast one of the easiest schedules this week and Lehtera is someone you can use to exploit that.

Ben Hutton – D – Vancouver Canucks
2% Owned
OPP: WPG/COL/EDM/STL

You might be thinking, Ben who? That’s perfect. Ben Hutton is a player nobody is even focusing on and I can’t figure out why for the life of me. Hutton is getting every opportunity to show Vancouver he can be the go-to guy at the backend for years to come. He’s gobbled up a ton of minutes (20:36 has been his lowest TOI dating back to February 15th) and he’s producing offensively (six points in his last seven games). He’s on the first pairing with Luca Sbisa and is on the backend of the first powerplay unit. Hutton is a converted forward playing defence and has the potential to chip in some serious points as a blueliner.

Reilly Smith – LW,RW – Florida Panthers
26% Owned
OPP: NYI/MTL/TOR/DET

What’s better than being on a hot streak? Being on a hot streak and getting the opportunity to play Montreal and Toronto in the same week. Reilly Smith has been more successful lately because he’s actually been firing the puck on net a lot more (12 shots over his last three games) compared to the rest of the season. He already has 23 goals but look for him to add to that tally against some weak teams this week.

Drops:

Louis Domingue – G – Arizona Coyotes
24% Owned
OPP: NJD/NYR/BOS/WPG

First of all, don’t roster a goalie from Arizona if you want wins. Second of all, Mike Smith is back and looks excellent after posting a 44 save shutout. With the former Olympian back in the crease, it looks like Domingue’s days of carrying the load between the pipes is over.

Jordan Staal – C/LW – Carolina Hurricanes
30% Owned
OPP: WSH/PIT/MIN

People are still holding onto Staal hoping that he’ll gobble up all the offence left behind by his brother Eric. That hasn’t happened since he left and it’s definitely not going to happen against Washington and Pittsburgh. Cut ties with Staal fast.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding Fantasy Hockey or DFS Hockey, feel free to reach out to me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

 

Read More

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 23

The best thing about being the last place team in the league is that nearly nobody will be owned fantasy-wise. The best thing about reading the rest of this article? Finding out who I’m talking about because that person is absolutely stuffing the stat sheet and you’ll want him for your Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 23 .

Must Add

Zach Smith – C – Ottawa Senators
8% Owned
OPP: CAR/FLA/TOR 

Zach Smith has been on a tear since Kyle Turris went down. He’s found consistent ice time on the second line with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mark Stone while also playing a ton of the powerplay. He’s riding a five game point streak (3G, 2A) and a hit streak of the same length. While the Sens may not have many big names to choose from, Zach Smith is a nice under-the-radar play.

Mike Ribeiro – C – Nashville Predators
20% Owned 
OPP: WPG/CGY/VAN

If you need a plethora of assists and faceoff wins, Mike Ribeiro is your guy. On a four game point streak, the 36 year old has racked up six assists to go along with a goal. He’s really been feeding off of Filip Forsberg on both the powerplay and the second line. As long as Forsberg is hot, Ribeiro will be a hot fantasy commodity.

Mikkel Boedker – LW,RW – Colorado Avalanche
30% Owned
OPP: ARI/ANA/WPG

Perhaps the biggest winner from the trade deadline, Mikkel Boedker is getting the chance to play next to supreme talent. He’s been cemented next to Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog upon arrival on both the first line and second powerplay unit. It’s not a matter of “if” he can gel with his new linemates, it’s a matter of “when”. If for some reason Boedker is not owned in your league, pick him up now.

Nikita Soshnikov – RW – Toronto Maple Leafs
5% Owned
OPP: BUF/NYI/OTT/DET

The saying does go, save the best for last. Nikita Soshnikov is flourishing in Mike Babcocks system. The 22 year old is an absolute machine across the stat sheet. Hits? 15 in his last three games. Goals? Two in his last three games. Shots? Nine in his last three games. He has certainly earned the trust of his coach and is finding himself time on the first line and first powerplay unit. While the Leafs might not have much offensive talent, Soshnikov is certainly worthy of a pickup this week.

Drops

Jason Pominville – RW – Minnesota Wild
33% Owned
OPP: EDM/MTL

It was nice while it lasted, right? Jason Pominville was a nice streamer to pick up last week but this week he’s absolutely droppable. Pointless in his last three games as well as only having two games this week makes Pominville dead weight on your fantasy team.

Cory Schneider/Keith Kinkaid – G – New Jersey Devils
93%/9% Owned
OPP: SJS/LA

I’m not saying drop Cory Schneider. I’m saying put him on the IR if you own him but do not pick up Keith Kinkaid. Many flocked to the waiver wire to pick him up when Cory Schneider went down but Kinkaid is really not that good between the pipes. He even said that he might have “put too much pressure” on himself. Not exactly what you want to hear from your goalie. The Devils were marginally successful because they relied on Schneider to carry them. Kinkaid is not ready for that workload.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding NHL Fantasy or NHL DFS, feel free to tweet at me @BESTofMATT

Read More

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire – NHL Trade Deadline Week 22

I figured it’s a safe time to write this Trade Deadline article before the actual day wraps up  because in all honesty, the Trade Deadline “day” is almost useless now. With a bunch of fantasy relevant names already on the move, I’ll list some of the biggest names you should be on as well as other players you should just pick up and drop. Also, watch for me on Twitter (@BESTofMATT) to break down the fantasy relevance of trades that happen to break throughout the day

Must Add

Teddy Purcell – RW – Florida Panthers
7% Owned
OPP: WPG/COL/ARI

This is risky, but risks win weekly matchups. Purcell is going to get every opportunity to keep being a top six forward in Florida and some strange part of me thinks he’s going to flourish. There’s two things that are going to push Purcell. First – he’s finally on a contender. Secondly  – but most importantly; he’s on his contract year. Purcell is a high risk, high reward add this week and I’m in.

Zack Kassian – RW – Edmonton Oilers
1% Owned
OPP: BUF/PHI/CBJ/WPG

I can already hear it. “Why Zack Kassian?” It’s simple, with Teddy Purcell gone someone has to play on the second line. He hits and he’s starting to find the score sheet. Kassian has simply been impressing and now he’ll have an even bigger chance to impress playing alongside Leon Draisaitl and Taylor Hall.

Ryan Callahan – RW – Tampa Bay Lightning
33% Owned
OPP: ARI/NJD/BOS

Ryan Callahan is very much a second half player and he’s delivering on that premise. With five points in the last three games, Callahan has looked excellent on the ice. He’s stapled himself on the first line and the first powerplay unit. At 33% owned, if he’s still there – grab him quickly.

Dmitry Orlov – D – Washington Capitals
9% Owned 
OPP: ARI/MTL/MIN/CHI

Dmitry Orlov has now scored more goals than his last three seasons combined. The rise of Orlov (sounds like a movie title, I should probably trademark it) has been paying dividends for owners who have stuck with him. With John Carlson out for 2-3 weeks, Orlov will get a bigger opportunity to shine in Washington. He has hits in five straight games, goals in two straight and a huge jump in playing time, scoop up Orlov before it’s too late.

William Nylander – C/RW – Toronto Maple Leafs
13% Owned
OPP: TBL/WSH/MIN/OTT

William Nylander represents the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The young Swede racked up 45 points in 37 games with the AHL’s Marlies and is going to get a big shot up with the Leafs. Already put on the second powerplay unit, Nylander is also slotted to be on the second line with Zach Hyman and Michael Grabner. His dual eligibility between C and RW offers you a fantastic flex opportunity as he’ll be mainly centering and racking up the faceoff wins.

 

Drops

Lee Stempniak – LW/RW- New Jersey Devils (Even if he gets traded, drop him)
44% Owned
OPP: NYR/CBJ/TBL

Lee Stempniak was only producing because nobody else in New Jersey is a threat to be a bigger offensive threat than Stempniak. He’s slumping there and will be a bottom six forward if/when he gets traded. He won’t get near enough time on ice with a new team and even if he sticks around with the Devils, like I said – he’s slumping.

James Reimer – G – San Jose Sharks
33% Owned
OPP: STL/COL/BUF/VAN

James Reimer had it good in Toronto when it came to getting starts. In San Jose he’ll take the backseat to Martin Jones and get some spot starts here or there (which makes him a great DFS play when the time comes). As of now, the Sharks are unsure as to when he’ll even join the team due to possible visa issues. It’s safe to cut ties with the former Leaf.

 

As the trades trickle in throughout the deadline – follow me on Twitter (@BESTofMATT) for all the latest fantasy hockey analysis.

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding NHL Fantasy or DFS, feel free to tweet me!

 

 

Read More

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 21

With the trade deadline quickly approaching on Monday, February 29th, now is the time to lock in some players who may see a rise in production due to trades surrounding them or being traded themselves. Below, I’ll outline who these players are as well as providing you with some other adds and drops for the fantasy hockey waiver wire week 21.

Must Add

Rickard Rakell – C – Anaheim Ducks
13% Owned
OPP: CAL/EDM/VAN/CAL

Rickard Rakell has been thriving playing with Corey Perry. Rakell has already shattered his career highs in every category. At the time of writing this – in 16 less games played compared to last year, Rakell has 30 more shots and his shooting percentage is up to 11.1% from 8.6% last year. In his last five games Rakell has only played less than 17 minutes just once. The Ducks are high on Rakell and you should be too in your fantasy leagues.

Jordan Staal – C/LW – Carolina Hurricanes
32% Owned
OPP: WPG/OTT/SJS/TBL

Jordan Staal is a perfect example of someone whose production will sky rocket due to a trade. If his brother Eric is traded (And he doesn’t seem to care if he does or not) Jordan will almost certainly jump to the first line in Carolina. Already the points leader for the Hurricanes, a bump to the top line with more minutes would almost guarantee that he finishes the season the leading point getter in Carolina. A plus player with a 14.30% shooting percentage to go along with 100+ hits, Staal is a perfect fantasy stat stuffing machine.

Jason Pominville – RW – Minnesota Wild
16% Owned 
OPP: VAN/CAL/EDM/CHI

Jason Pominville is literally at the hands of the Minnesota Wild in the best ways possible. Pominville and the Wild are hot right now (Pominville – three goals over his last three games. Minnesota – winners of four straight) and they have to decide if they want to be buyers or sellers at the deadline. If they’re buyers – they’ll almost certainly get a complimentary player to help Pominville keep putting the puck in the net, but if they’re sellers – Pominville is definitely a big trading chip.

Michael Stone – D – Arizona Coyotes
16% Owned
OPP: MTL/DAL/STL

Mostly known as a shot blocker, Michael Stone has really been chipping in offensively as of late. With six points in his last five games, his trade value has never been higher. With the Coyotes five points out of a wildcard spot, it’s looking more and more like they’ll be sellers at the deadline. Stone is a perfect fit on a contending team looking for blocked shots with a bit of an offensive upside.

Drops

Mark Streit – D – Philadelphia Flyers 
42% Owned
OPP: NJD/MTL/TOR

With Shayne Gostisbehere as the go-to guy in Philadelphia, Mark Streit is basically fantasy irrelevant. He might be on the second powerplay unit, but it’s with nobody special (Sam Gagner is the biggest name on the unit). If he’s not scoring – he’s not helping you out fantasy wise.

Lee Stempniak – LW/RW – New Jersey
48% Owned
OPP: PHI/NYI/WSH

Lee Stempniak was good for providing some offence with Mike Cammalleri out of the lineup but at the end of the day, Stempniak can’t be relied on for a long period of time to do so. He’s cooled off considerably with no goals in his last nine games with only two assists across that span as well.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any NHL DFS or season long questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

Read More

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 20

With the NHL Trade Deadline fast approaching, it’s usually around this time players are being auditioned in hopes to raise their value. Other players are seeing their production rise because of new (or old, depending on how you look at it) line-mates & a D-man wearing blue and white is providing most of the offence for the 30th place team in the league.  Below I’ll discuss some important names for the fantasy hockey waiver wire for week 20.

Must Add

Benoit Pouliot – LW – Edmonton Oilers
21% Owned
OPP: ANA/MIN/COL

Nobody is safe in Edmonton. Nobody. Well, unless your name is Connor McDavid. If that’s not your name – you’re more than likely on the trading block. Pouliot has been hot as of late. Five points in his last three games is nothing to ignore. He’s on the top line with McDavid and Eberle and should reap the benefits.

Blake Comeau – LW – Colorado Avalanche
7% Owned
OPP: MTL/EDM/VAN

Blake Comeau is getting the perfect opportunity in Colorado to showcase his skills. Whether GM Joe Sakic intends to move the 29 year old is yet to be seen. For now – Comeau is lighting it up on the first line and first powerplay unit. 11 shots on goal over his last three games to go along with three points is perfect fantasy value. Slide Comeau into your roster now.

Jori Lehtera – C – St. Louis Blues
10% Owned
OPP: DAL/L.A./ARI

The STL (Schwartz/Tarasenko/Lehtera) line is re-uniting in St. Louis. Lehtera found most of his success last year playing with Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz. Lehtera has been underwhelming this year but that’s mostly because of Schwartz’s asbence in the lineup. With Schwartz back – Lehtera’s fantasy value should see a boost.

Jake Gardiner – D – Toronto Maple Leafs
4% Owned
OPP: CHI/NYR/PHI

The Leafs don’t have much offence. At all. Their first line consists of Michael Grabner, Leo Komarov and Peter Holland. Since there’s not much offence up front, Toronto is going to rely heavily on their mobile D-men. Jake Gardiner has been hot as of late. Four points in his last three games including a pair of goals is supreme production for a blue liner. He’s paired with the rugged Roman Polak so Gardiner has a bit more freedom to play his offensive minded game. The Leafs might not be relevant right now but Jake Gardiner is.

Drops

Mike Condon/Ben Scrivens – G – Montreal Canadiens
29/20% Owned
OPP: ARI/COL/PHI

Montreal is a tire fire. Early on in the year Condon gave Price owners a solid short-term replacement between the pipes. Condon has never played more than 48 games at any professional level before and just doesn’t have the endurance to be a long-term replacement for Montreal. Ben Scrivens is a backup goaltender who is streaky at best. Unfortunately his hot streak came to an end. You’re safe to drop either of these Montreal goaltenders

Tyler Myers – D – Winnipeg Jets
29% Owned
OPP: CAR/TBL/FLA

This is just a friendly reminder to drop Tyler Myers if you have him on your roster. He’s 6’8” and has three hits in his last seven games. To make matters worse – he has no points in those seven games. The 2009-2010 Calder Trophy winner has certainly fallen from grace.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or comments regarding NHL Fantasy or NHL DFS, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @BESTofMATT

Read More
Toggle Sliding Bar Area
Go to Top