The fantasy playoffs are upon us.
That means it’s time to start trimming the fat off your roster. Anyone not producing should be kicked to the curb. Obviously, you won’t punt superstars for going a game without a point but no one is beyond reproach.
The following highly-owned players may be better left on the waiver wire for someone else than rotting on your roster:
COLD
Aaron Ekblad, D, Florida Panthers
Ekblad put up just six points in 17 games since the all-star break before going down with a concussion. He was providing tremendous shot volume, which was enough to keep him on rosters for much of the season. Now is not the time for patience. A concussion could cost Ekblad the rest of the season, especially if the Panthers fall out of the playoff race.
Colton Parayko, D, St. Louis Blues
Unlike Ekblad, Parayko is expected to make a return to the lineup from his injury. Unfortunately, Parayko comes in with just three points in his past 12 games. There was hope that Parayko would win the top power play gig once Kevin Shattenkirk was traded but the job went to Alex Pietrangelo instead. Consider moving on.
Ryan Suter, D, Minnesota Wild
You saw Suter in this spot last week and not much has changed with the defenceman putting up one point in four games. That brings him to five points in 19 games since the all-star break. It may not be worth waiting for Suter to turn the tide.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, Arizona Coyotes
You’re probably noticing a theme here. Because defencemen have a much lower bar for productivity, they’re also more susceptible to streakiness. Ekman-Larsson came out of the all-star break hot but has just one point in the last 11 games.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic, D, San Jose Sharks
There is no good excuse for Vlasic to be owned in as many leagues as he is. Vlasic has 21 points in 63 games. If that’s relevant in your league, you might be too hardcore. Last year’s 39-point performance was the outlier. Drop him.
Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
Matthews is up to five straight without a point. He’s too good to outright drop, but with an unfavourable Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday schedule this week, perhaps you bench Matthews for hotter options as you wait for the streak to break.
Tyler Toffoli, RW, Los Angeles Kings
Another repeat offender on this list. Fantasy owners just do not seem willing to part ways with Toffoli despite evidence suggesting they should. He has scored just six points in 16 games since returning from injury and has been written off the power play entirely with the arrival of Jarome Iginla. There aren’t too many players who can achieve fantasy relevance without power-play time.
Matt Duchene, C/RW, Colorado Avalanche
If you thought that the passing of the trade deadline would unburden Duchene and kick-start his offence you were sorely mistaken. Duchene hasn’t scored in six games since the deadline, extending his scoreless drought to 10 games.
Daniel Sedin, LW, Vancouver Canucks
Sedin came out of the all-star break scoring with nine points in 12 games but a six-game scoreless streak has dropped that rate to untenable levels. You could blame that on the Canucks playing six straight against playoff teams, but if you look at the remaining schedule, things don’t get any easier for Vancouver.
Cory Schneider, G, New Jersey Devils
Schneider had been playing much better since New Years, but he is on treacherous ground having gone winless in his last eight starts. You weren’t counting on Schneider for wins but he was delivering strong ratios in goals-against average and save percentage. The past few weeks have gone south, including losses to Arizona and Colorado in his last two starts. If you can’t trust a goalie against those teams, who can you trust him against?
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HOT
Josh Bailey, LW/RW, New York Islanders
Bailey represents one of the biggest mistakes that fantasy managers make, which is overlooking slow starters. Bailey ranks in the top-40 of NHL scorers since the start of December with 36 points in 45 games. That’s one point fewer than Cam Atkinson, Alex Ovechkin, Johnny Gaudreau and Ryan Getzlaf over that same span. They all boast ownership levels that dwarf Bailey’s.
The list of players owned at a greater percentage but with fewer points than Bailey in that span is staggering but some players include fast starters like Ryan Kesler, Brandon Saad and Derek Stepan. Bailey’s only mistake (if he cares about his fantasy ownership percentage) was not producing much in the first month of the season. Had he put on this three-month (and counting) run starting in October, he’d still be owned in over 50 per cent of leagues regardless of his production following that three-month run.
Henrik Zetterberg, C/LW, Detroit Red Wings
Zetterberg is fifth in scoring since the all-star break with 22 points in 18 games. He can’t do it over 82 games but Zetterberg still has that elite skill ready to be flashed. It will be interesting to see if he can stay hot through the fantasy playoffs.
Evander Kane, LW, Buffalo Sabres
With Kyle Okposo out with a rib injury, Kane has graduated to the top power play unit. That elevates the value of an already scorching Kane, who has 16 points in 20 games since the all-star break.
Sam Gagner, C/RW, Columbus Blue Jackets
Better get Gagner back on your radar. When the Blue Jackets’ power play started to go sour around mid-season, Gagner fell off the fantasy map but the arrival of electric rookie Oliver Bjorkstrand has him re-ignited. The third line with Gagner, Bjorkstrand and Scott Hartnell is firing on all cylinders. And because Gagner still sees top power-play time, he is available for points on the few occasions that the Blue Jackets due click. Gagner has three goals and seven points in his last five games.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, C, Ottawa Senators
With Kyle Turris missing time due to a finger injury, Pageau has stepped up with six points in the past five games. His fantasy value is fleeting but Pageau could help you in a pinch.
Michael Frolik, RW, Calgary Flames
The Flames have the most enticing schedule for this week playing four games on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. If you need someone to stream, you could do worse than Frolik who has 10 points in his last 10 games, continuing to produce on a line with Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk.
Antti Raanta, G, New York Rangers
With Henrik Lundqvist shut down for the next few weeks, Raanta emerges as a No. 1 option just in time for the fantasy playoffs. The Rangers’ upcoming schedule is riddled with back-to-backs, which won’t make things easy for Raanta but he has potential skating behind one of the league’s top teams.
Jonathan Bernier, G, Anaheim Ducks
John Gibson’s injury struggles have forced Bernier into the crease for eight of the Ducks’ last nine games. Bernier has been up to the task, winning five of those with a 2.49 goals-against average and a 0.921 save percentage. He’s the kind of under-the-radar pickup who could alter your league.
