Fantasy Hockey Mailbag: Take a wait-and-see approach with Flames' Toffoli

Tyler Toffoli literally went from the coldest team in the NHL to the hottest.

Calgary can’t lose, Montreal can’t win (kudos to them for bumping the slide on Thursday night).

In fact, the Flames haven’t lost a game since Jan. 27 — it’s Feb. 18 today. They’ve won eight in a row, including two straight with their newest winger in the lineup.

Calgary's 8-game win streak:

GF: 37
GA: 13#Flames

— Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) February 17, 2022

As you can tell, the Flames aren’t just winning, they’re downright globetrotting their opponents. Until they show legitimate signs of cooling off, it would be foolish not to continue littering your daily fantasy rosters with Calgary players. The Flames play three times next week, be cognizant of that as you put together your next roster for the Sportsnet Fantasy Hockey Pool.

[snippet id=5213745]

Now to your questions (edited for brevity):

@Presidan asks: What impact could Eichel and Toffoli have on players like Dadonov and Monahan?

With respect to Toffoli in Calgary, I’m taking a wait-and-see approach for now. Through two games, he’s been used predominantly in a third-line checking role (12:19 T.O.I, 1 G, 6 SOG) with zero power play time thus far. He’s a talented scorer, but there’s only one puck, right? Of course, line combos change all the time in the NHL, so for now, I’d sit tight and monitor closely.

As for Monahan, I’m cautiously optimistic that Toffoli’s arrival will help boost his fantasy value moving forward this season. After all, the two ripped it up together with the Ottawa 67’s back in the day. Let’s see how it plays out.

On Dadonov, I’ll be honest, I’m skeptical that he’ll be able to stick on the top line with Eichel and Pacioretty long-term, even with Mark Stone out indefinitely. In due time, I can see Chandler Stephenson moving back up. I mean, this is not the first time that Dadonov’s been thrusted to a garden seat. He’s been very hit or miss as a Golden Knight, much similar to his short stay in Ottawa. I’m passing.

@gallo1978 asks: Hey Nick, I’m in a keeper league Lehner is out. Would you go with Mike Smith, Brossoit, Swayman, Oettinger or Quick as a replacement?

The way he’s been playing lately, it’s tough to pass on Oettinger. In his past seven appearances, the 23-year-old is 5-1-0 with a 2.05 goals-against and .935 save percentage. In the process, it looks like he’s secured the number one job in Dallas. Grab him.

@BostonDiGiorgio asks: Capitals goalie situation has been fluid all year and they’re reportedly checking in on Fleury. Does it make sense to dangle Samsonov? And, what type of return could I get there? I have Andersen, Swayman, Merz, and Husso already. Dynasty league.

Honestly, I think the only logical play here is the long game with Samsonov. He’s been extremely pedestrian this season, bad news if you’re looking to attain fair value for him in a trade. Simply put, he’s not worth much right now, even in a dynasty league. You’re better off waiting to see if he can in fact turn things around. Any way you slice it, I would try to build value before progressing in trade talks. For what it’s worth, you’re probably better off trying to sell high on a guy like Husso. It’s all about extracting value, don’t forget that.

@BigShow162 asks: I’m sitting near the bottom and was offered Hellebucyk and a first for Josi and Guentzel. In a dynasty league, would you consider this?

All things being equal, I think that’s a fair trade for both sides. Ultimately, I guess it depends on how important goaltending is in your league. Despite his inconsistencies this season, I still view Hellebuyck as a top-tier netminder in fantasy hockey. The future is still bright.

Make the move.

[snippet id=5216510]

@Coleman42 asks: Best goalie targets for weeks 22 and onward?

Jeremy Swayman, Jake Oettinger, Petr Mrazek and James Reimer.

@maltesea asks: Hey Nick, Wheeler or Boldy for the rest of the season?

Tough question. Personally, I would lean towards Wheeler. Aside from the fact that he’s tallied 12 points in the past six games, the Jets captain has the track record and resume to suggest he’s in line for a strong finish to his underwhelming (to-date) season. The Wheeler/Scheifele combo has been on fire lately for Winnipeg, they’re 4-1-1 since the All-Star break. On the other hand, Boldy’s been hot, too. Having said that, he’s played 14 NHL games. It’s a tough league; he’ll have his ups and downs.

In summary, I’m siding with the veteran Wheeler. He was widely regarded as a top-50 fantasy file entering the season for a reason.

@CubHockey asks: I get to keep two for next year, who do I pick? (Nylander, Guentzal, E. Kane, Larkin, Boldy)

Pretty easy answer for me, maybe not so much for others.

I would go with Nylander and Guentzel. I just can’t overlook the fact that the former will continue to have significant attachment to the big boys in Toronto and the latter, Guentzel, is pretty much Sidney Crosby’s forever Valentine in Pittsburgh. So, that’s that.

[snippet id=3816507]

@Squeege800 asks: Dahlin or Kylington on a goals/assists/plus-minus/hits/sog type of league?

I know Kylington’s been solid this season, but if you have the chance to pick up Dahlin, you do it. For rest of season purposes, I like the Sabres a lot. Quietly, the Swede’s putting together a pretty decent season. He’s currently riding a modest four-game point streak, and on top of that, he’s notched nine points in the past nine games. Of the two, Dahlin has the way higher ceiling and upside. Do it.

@sarumanthedark asks: Which two should I keep of Eriksson Ek, Kempe and Kerfoot? And, would you take a chance on Mike Smith in place of Quick or Varlamov?

It would be Eriksson Ek and Kerfoot for me. Even though Eriksson Ek’s currently on line three, the Wild can score with the best of them. He’ll get his looks. Meantime, Kerfoot continues to get prolific attachment to the likes of John Tavares and William Nylander. And that’s hard to pass up. As for Kempe, there’s no denying he’s having a great year. That said, the Kings have been inconsistent to say the least when it comes to goal scoring this season. Do it up.

[relatedlinks]