Fantasy hockey games for 2010-11
Finishing the season near the top of your league can be rewarding, but if you’re reading this, you’re probably in it to win. And to win, sometimes you have to roll the dice on one or two bets and expect to collect. You certainly don’t want to load these guys up too much, as the chances of them all coming out well are slim. There are a handful of guys here that could make or break your season, depending on how the coin drops.
Insulted
Tim Connolly BUF
Once again, Connolly was limited in the game due to injury. He wasn’t too bad this time, as he “only” missed 9 games with a foot injury. He managed to put up 65 points in 73 games, both career highs for him. No one denies his talent, but you can’t ignore the story here. It’s worth a late look.
Simon Gagné TAM
With Win, hope never dies of landing one of the top scorers in the game at the end of the draft. Injuries seem to follow this guy at every turn. Hopefully I can escape those monsters by moving him to Tampa. With Lecavalier or Stamkos serving him the puck, he’ll score at his usual pace (which is pretty often). The issue, as always, is durability. It’s worth the risk as your fifth or sixth advance option.
Marian Hossa CHI
After reaching 100 points a few years ago, Hossa has regularly ranked near the top of fantasy forwards; however, a couple of injury-shortened seasons with unexciting totals, his value has slipped a bit. While he contributes a lot to the Hawks with his defensive game, the offensive side has constantly slipped, as his dismal playoff numbers last spring demonstrate. There’s still a chance to get back into 80-point territory, but drafting Hossa too soon is a risky move these days.
Ilya Kovalchuk NJD
Until he gets a contract, consider it a gamble. There’s always a chance he’ll play in the KHL, and you don’t want to waste your first or second pick on someone who isn’t a player.
Rick Nash COB
Up to this point, Nash has been a one-man show in Columbus. He has never had a top-tier center to give him the puck. Some of the young forwards are starting to emerge, so help may be on the way; however, in 2010, he will be pulling the load once again. While he has the talent to score 40 goals per season, he has yet to play a full 82 games in his 7-year career. He missed 6 games last season and is a bit prone to injury. If all the stars align, he may still be a 50-goal scorer one day. Safe bet says he turns 35 this year.
Marc SavardBOS
It’s probably best to rule out last season when evaluating Savard’s draft value. He was plagued by various injuries and was healthy in very few of the 41 games he played. Looking back, he’s been an assist glutton for half a decade and should be back in that role next season. On the other hand, concussions don’t go away, so there’s a chance his games won’t make it to 70. Potential for a big steal or disappointing flop.
Alejandro Semin WAS
In terms of raw talent, there are few players in the world at the same level as Semin. The problem is the extras. Between injuries, office decisions and occasional periods when he can’t hit the net during games, he can be a risky pick, particularly in the first or second round. Then again, when he’s turned on, he’s worth the pain. They may not be able to keep you in DC forever with the other salaries on the books, so enjoy the production while it lasts.
Lee Stempniak PHO
If anyone out there has this guy figured out, please let me know. For now, I’m putting it in the gambling category, just because we don’t have a “full mystery” category yet. After four seasons of complete mediocrity, he was traded to the Coyotes last spring. Out of nowhere, he emerged as the hottest player in the league down the stretch. It seems impossible that he can pick up where he left off in terms of pace, but you can’t ignore what he accomplished in the last 2 months of the season. Added to the story that he has not yet signed. No advice on this from me. You’re on your own.
Defending
Kevin Bieksa VAN
Bieksa has twice surpassed the 10-goal mark in his time with Vancouver. He has a booming shot, but can be inconsistent. He is also prone to injury, which makes him a risky choice. On the other hand, he could easily be a 50-point player if he stays healthy.
Brian Campbell CHI
Campbell has become the forgotten man playing in Chicago behind Keith and Seabrook. He finished the season on the IR with a broken collarbone, but came back in the playoffs to post some unimpressive numbers. Don’t let all that bad news make Campbell’s future sour. He is still a dynamic puck player and the Hawks will fill the nets again in 2010-11. As long as he’s healthy, there’s a good chance he can get back into the 50-plus range this season. Or he could become one of the highest paid players of all time.
Joe Corvo CAR
Corvo can be a scoring machine at times, but he has a history of being inconsistent. After arriving in Washington last spring, his production completely dried up, earning just 8 points in 27 games. With that experiment deemed a failure, he will return to Carolina, where he will be the undisputed powerplay quarterback. It’s hard to project where he’ll be, but 10 goals and 35 points seem realistic.
Ryan WhitneyEDM
Roll the dice and pray for the best with Ryan Whitney. For years the Penguins waited for his appearance, which came in 2006 with a huge 59-point season; however, things went south after that, and it bounced back to Anaheim and now Edmonton. He bounced back to 39 points last season after a dismal 23-point performance the year before. Edmonton won’t be leading the league in scoring this season, so won’t benefit from any free assists down the road, but the potential will always be there for a big fantasy season.
James Wisniewski JNI
Wisniewski has shown glimpses of great potential, but has yet to become a fantasy factor. He bounced from Chicago to Anaheim and now to New York, where he will have ample opportunities this season to establish himself as an offensive presence. He has a tendency to have hot and cold streaks and was suspended twice last season, so take advantage of his opportunities. As a last round bet, it is worth choosing.
Jay Bouwmeester CGY
Bouwmeester’s shares took a deep dive last season. The move from Florida to Calgary was expected to help his stats, but his goal total dropped from 15 to 3. Where will he go from here? The Flames are still struggling to find an identity and don’t have the firepower to score much, so don’t count on a full resurgence. However, his numbers have yet to improve on last year’s disaster, so look for him as a potential sleeper. 10 goals and 40 points is a realistic goal this season.
goals
Craig AndersonCOL
Midway through last season, Anderson was history. He led the shocking avalanche to an incredible start. While it didn’t completely collapse, the team and its stats fell to the ground in the second half. Because of his high fantasy point total last season, GMs can overly inflate his value. Despite early success last season, Colorado remains a young and growing team. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them miss the playoffs next year. Look at Anderson as a decent #2 option in 2010, no more.
Christopher Huet CHI
While the prevailing wisdom is that he’ll take his big contract to the AHL or Europe to free up some salary-cap space, the bottom line at this point is that he’s still on the Hawks’ roster and, objectively speaking, he’s a good goalie. . Teams could do much worse than his 2.5 GAA and 26-14 record from last season. If another cap-room contender gets desperate enough, Huet can be a fantasy hockey factor once again before he ends the season. At this point, however, he is a great bet to say the least.
Michael Leighton PHI
Drafting a Flyers goalie can always be considered a gamble. Leighton served admirably as flavor of the month last spring after being passed over by the Canes. He seems like the best option in Philly right now, which gives him value from the get-go. He will keep an eye on the situation until draft day. If another doorman comes to town, you can remove him from your list; otherwise, write it down for a last round bet.
Antti Niemi (UFA)
It’s wait and see at this point for Niemi until he signs a deal…
Carey LUN Price
Price has only been in the league a couple of years, and you could already write a book about the journey he’s been on. The last chapter saw him lose his job with Halak last spring, only to see Halak sent away for next to nothing. While this defaults him back to the starting role, he adds even more pressure to the man, particularly if fans have to see Halak succeed in St. Louis. And more pressure is not what a 23-year-old goalkeeper in Montreal needs. The upside is that he’s a young, skilled goalie on a team on the brink of the playoffs. The Canadians don’t have a particularly strong defensive team against him, so he’ll probably see a lot of shooting in 2010, if he lasts. No matter how you look at it, recruiting Price is a serious gamble.