Dobber launched his fantasy hockey website DobberHockey back in 2005 and has been Puck Daddy’s resident fantasy hockey ‘expert’ since 2009.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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While you’re wolfing down your turkey, hold your phone just underneath the table so nobody can see you scroll down the following chart. The following is the Top 25 players of the past two weeks based on simply ranking them in each roto-league category and then tallying up the score. Not very scientific, but a nice, quick and dirty snapshot of how things are going. This report is one of many you can run for free over at the Frozen Pool section of the DobberHockey website:
Studs…
These fellas are wielding a hot stick. Take that into consideration when you go after them in trade talks…
Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks (8-6-8-14, plus-5, 2 PIM, 35 SOG, 5 PPPts) – It’s a ridiculous clip that the Sedins – both Sedins – are on. Reminiscent of the early days when they were 70-point players who suddenly turned into 100-point players. Fantasy owners are really cashing in with these guys so far.
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins (4-4-3-7, minus-2, 0 PIM, 9 SOG, 4 PPPts) – It feels good to finally put Malkin’s name back in this section. My fantasy hockey world is starting to right itself. Even Sidney Crosby is on a three-game points streak. Also, this:
Ryan McDonagh, New York Rangers (10-3-5-8, plus-8, 4 PIM, 18 hits, 3 PPPts) – Over the first 10 games or so, McDonagh saw very little in the way of available PP time. But Keith Yandle wasn’t getting it done, so rather than give Yandle almost all the PP time it is now spread out a little more. It’s working, and McDonagh is benefitting from that.
Duds…
Somebody wake these guys up – their fantasy owners are counting on them…
The “all-defensemen” version this week.
Roman Josi, Nashville Predators (4-0-0-0, minus-5, 4 Hits, 8 SOG, 0 PPPts) – No surprise here. The Predators as a team have only scored three times over those four games.
Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames (9-0-0-0, minus-7, 6 PIM, 18 SOG, 0 PPPts) – This guy may have had some MVP consideration last year were it not for the injury that cut his season short. His numbers today are a shell of what they once were. Lingering problems with his arm?
Keith Yandle, New York Rangers (5-0-1-1, minus-3, 2 PIM, 3 Hits, 9 SOG, 1 PPPts) – As noted above, the power-play dynamic has shifted from being Yandle-centric to more of a Yandle/McDonagh/Dan Boyle split. You could see Yandle’s lowest numbers in years this season.
The Wire…
Mostly short-term grabs here, but as always some potential steals…
Mikhail Grigorenko, Colorado Avalanche (2%) (7-1-6-7, plus-5, 0 PIM, 8 SOG, 1 PPPts) – It’s the hottest streak of his young career. These last seven games saw him post more points than he did in any of the other three partial NHL seasons he’s played. He’s lining up with Jarome Iginla now, though most of his points have come when he was playing with Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon.
Jannik Hansen, Vancouver Canucks (11%) (8-4-4-8, plus-5, 4 PIM, 20 SOG, 0 PPPts) – Not seeing much in the way of power-play time, but at even strength he’s playing with the white-hot Sedin twins.
Joonas Donskoi, San Jose Sharks (1%) (5-1-3-4, plus-3, 0 PIM, 4 SOG, 0 PPPts) – The former Finnish League star is finally getting the hang of this NHL thing. Up until now, he hasn’t been seeing much in the way of PP time. But Wednesday he was out there on the second unit, which is a good sign.
Rickard Rakell, Anaheim Ducks (4%) (10-4-4-8, plus-5, 0 PIM, 22 SOG, 2 PPPts) – Coach Bruce Boudreau has been trying winger after winger on the Ryan Getzlaf – Corey Perry line in what has been a game of musical chairs. Now the music has stopped: Perry and Getzlaf have woken up. And look who’s sitting in the lucky chair…
Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers (9%) (6-2-2-4, minus-3, 0 PIM, 14 SOG, 3 PPPts) – The Flyers aren’t winning many hockey games. In fact, they have just three wins in the last 15 and two of those took overtime to get it done. The team isn’t scoring either, with just 22 goals in the 15 contests. Mark Streit going down with an injury forced the Flyers to get a look at one of their prize prospects in Gostisbehere. And ‘Ghost’ is doing something that the team desperately needs – he’s putting up points. When Streit returns, the team will have a hard time sending Gostisbehere back down.
Michael Condon, Montreal Canadiens (35%) (7-2-2, 2.16 GAA, 0.916 SV%) – Poolies were just finished dropping Condon due to Carey Price’s return from injury…and now they have to pick him up again. Hopefully nobody else snagged him before they could do that, because Price suffered another injury Wednesday.
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets (4%) (no stats yet) – I’ve maintained since the summer that Hellebuyck is Winnipeg’s most talented netminders. Now that Ondrej Pavelec is out for the long term and Michael Hutchinson is struggling, look for Hellebuyck to get a look soon. My prediction is that he’ll impress enough to continue getting starts until Pavelec’s return. Worth keeping on your bench until he starts proving himself.
For more fantasy hockey tips, take a gander at DobberHockey. And while you’re at it, follow Dobber’s fantasy hockey musings on Twitter.
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