Category: NHL

Varlamov And Others Available

After allowing six goals in Vancouver Tuesday, Semyon Varlamov’s fantasy value took a hit.

Analysis: Prior to the six goal game against Vancouver, Varlamov tallied an impressive four wins in six games and did not allow more than two goals in any contest in that span. On the year Varlamov is sporting a .900 save percentage and a goals against average of just 3.02. His current hot streak has him firmly in the driver’s seat of the goaltender situation in Colorado.

Varlamov is available in over twenty percent of fantasy leagues nationwide. As long as the young Russian continues to get the majority of the starts in Colorado he is a top twenty fantasy netminder. There was a reason he was traded for a first and a second round pick and he’s finally proving it. If Colorado is to make the palyoffs, Varlamov must continue to get the majority of the starts and continue to play at the level he is at the moment.

There are other options on the wire- Al Montoya has been playing well for the Islanders and Ondrej Pavelec continues to rack up wins in Winnipeg. At the moment there are plenty of quality goalies on the wire.

Blake Wheeler Is Heating Up

Winnipeg right winger Blake Wheeler has been a top fifty fantasy player over the last two weeks.

Analysis: Blake Wheeler has been huge for the Jets over the past few weeks and a few fantasy owners are taking notice. Wheeler has amassed five assists, two goals and a plus six rating in his last seven games. Throw in sixteen shots in that seven game span and you have yourself one hot forward. Despite his recent hot streak he is still available in about seventy percent of fantasy hockey leagues and not many people are giving him much attention.

It feels like Wheeler has been around forever but he is just twenty-five years old. He had an excellent rookie season with twenty- one goals but he has yet to play up to his top five pick potential until recently. Since he is so widely available it cannot hurt to add Wheeler and see how long it lasts. He has been getting some serious minutes as of late and he has always been a solid plus/minus guy. It just may be his break out year and now is the time to pick him up.

Selling High- Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby returns to action Monday night against the Islanders after a ten month layoff.

Analysis: The window to sell high in Sidney Crosby’s case may be rather short. We do not know how his body will react nor do we know if any opposing teams will head hunt the overrated center. What we do know is that with all the hype surrounding Crosby at the moment, the intelligent play here is to sell him. Yes, when he suits up he is a top five fantasy player but how often will he suit up this year? The Pens have sixty-two games remaining on their schedule and if Crosby cannot play in at least fifty games then his top five to ten value will go out the window.

It is unpredictable how Crosby will acclimate back into a rigorous NHL schedule and with the nature of concussions I do not expect Crosby to play in more than forty games. Now is the time to capitalize on the hype of his return and land an elite, reliable player. After all, Crosby is only scheduled for twelve minutes of ice time Monday night and with four games this week it is likely that he will miss a game or two.

Ales Hemsky Is Available

After missing significant time earlier in the year with a shoulder injury, Ales Hemsky is back in form and playing well.

Analysis: The knock on Ales Hemsky is and will always be his health. He has not played in more than fifty games over the last two years but when he’s healthy he always produces. He’s a career .80 point per game player and with the Oilers much improved his plus/minus is no longer a fantasy issue. His injured shoulder appears to be healthy and while it remains that way… you just have to play him.

Hemsky is available in a little less than half of fantasy leagues which is a big plus for those looking for a boost on their right wing. His ice time in his last four games has been in the sixteen minute range but his biggest asset will be in assists. With guys like Steve Downie struggling, you have to consider making the switch to Hemsky. Hemsky will most likely miss more time down the road but as a right wing option in the present… he’s more than solid.

Buying Low- Martin Hanzal

After missing two games with a lower body injury, Martin Hanzal is back in action and a viable fantasy option once again.

Analysis: Martin Hanzal has ten points on the year in just twelve games as well as thirty-nine shots on goal. Hanzal is and will continue to be a major player for the Yotes as his nineteen minutes of ice time suggests. He’s second to only Shane Doan on the Yotes in ice time among forwards and that trend will continue throughout this season.

His only fantasy weakness right now is power play points but his performance this year has been so good that you can live with his shortcoming. His penalty minutes remain around one minute per game this year(10 in 12 games) and are on par with his past two seasons. He actually leads all Phoenix forwards in penalty minutes even though he has missed a few games. Hanzal is a twenty-four year old center on the rise and this is shaping out to be a career year for him. He’s available in a little less than half of fantasy leagues due to his recent injury and now is certainly the time to buy him low.