If you find such a player that could be a good fit for your team, don’t present that owner with a ridiculously lowball offer such as two players that you plan to dump from your roster next week. The other owner will have trouble taking you seriously when negotiating an offer. Instead, you might be able to receive a normally top-level player for a price that is slightly below top level.
Remember that it doesn’t hurt to gauge an owner’s level of frustration with an underperforming player. If your offer is accepted, you may be lucky enough to receive that player right when his season is about to turn around.
Max Pacioretty, LW
The Habs are a prime example of an unlucky team, as they lead the NHL with 38 shots per game while holding the second-lowest goals per game total (1.89). In other words, they are due for a breakout, which we caught a glimpse of with a 5-1 win over Florida on Tuesday. Pacioretty has suffered along with the rest of the team, as his goal on Tuesday was his first goal in eight games. His 5.7 shooting percentage is still well below his career average of 11.3 percent, so expect him to build on Tuesday’s performance. Pacioretty still has just two points (both goals) in nine games, so there’s still very much a buy-low opportunity here.
Oscar Dansk, G
Marc-Andre Fleury. Malcolm Subban. And now Oscar Dansk. It doesn’t matter who the Vegas Golden Knights stick between the pipes – he’ll earn a win. Following his first win in relief on Sunday, Dansk earned a win in his first NHL start, a 29-save performance in a 4-2 win over Chicago. The stakes will get higher for the Golden Knights, as they embark on a six-game eastern road trip next week following a game against Colorado on Friday. But for now, ride the hot hand as long as the Golden Knights are in the running to be the best-ever NHL expansion franchise.
Jason Zucker, LW
With all the injuries in Minnesota (Zach Parise, Nino Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle), someone has to be playing more. That player is Zucker, who played at least 20 minutes in each of his past three games prior to Tuesday’s game against Vancouver. In addition, he is also on the first-unit power play. Although he hasn’t scored a point in his past two games, he is still off to a great start (two goals and four assists in seven games). As long as he stays on that top line, he’s in a great spot to earn his third career 20-goal season.
Brandon Montour, D
Cam Fowler will be out of the Ducks lineup for a while. So in spite of Hampus Lindholm making his season debut on Tuesday, the Ducks defenceman to own in fantasy leagues is Montour. During Tuesday’s game, Montour led Ducks defencemen in both power-play ice time and overall ice time while scoring a goal. And with five points in eight games, Montour has filled the gap left by injured Ducks defencemen Fowler, Lindholm, and Sami Vatanen. He simply isn’t owned in enough leagues relative to what he is capable of.
Adrian Kempe, C/LW
Kempe was one player who stood to benefit from added ice time when Jeff Carter was sidelined with a cut to his leg. So far he has earned it, as he has been red hot with five goals and two assists over his last four games. Because of his recent success, Kempe was promoted to a line with Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson on Tuesday (more line combinations here), where he scored a goal and added an assist in 15 minutes of ice time. With the Kings’ switch to a more offensive system, Kempe could end up having a solid rookie season.
Tim Heed, D
At first glance, Heed appears to be just another rookie third-pairing defenceman with limited minutes. However, you may be interested to learn that Heed has been pairing on the Sharks’ first-unit power play with Brent Burns. Heed has the offensive upside, as he demonstrated in the AHL last season with 56 points in 55 games. So far Heed is scoring at a pace that will keep him in the NHL with a goal and two assists in six games. Feel free to add him in deeper formats.
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