Timo Meier and the Sharks Offer Value in the Week Ahead

Adam Daly-Frey

2018-01-19

 

All fantasy owners need help in the short term AND the long term. The Looking Ahead feature identifies one player to plug into lineups in the short term, a second to invest in for the long term, a third to bench for the coming week, and a fourth who will struggle to meet expectations for some time. All players discussed are selected based on their upcoming schedule. Stats in this article updated through January 17th

The Immediate Fix (Grab this guy and use him for the next several days)

Jordan Oesterle, D, Chicago Blackhawks (Available in 84 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Had the Blackhawks not been on bye last week, Oesterle was going to be featured here. With the ‘Hawks favourable upcoming schedule, now is the time to grab the ex-Oiler. All the 25-year old d-man has accomplished so far since moving on from Edmonton: averaged 20:52 through his first 20 games (no less than 21:24 in his last five games), grabbed a first-pairing spot alongside Duncan Keith, and took over the PPQB spot on what should be a strong offensive unit. He’s put up 39SOG in those 20 games, with 3G-7A (shooting 7.7% which will regress a touch), and is an excellent mid-season add for the next few weeks.

 

The Building Block (Buy now, sit back and enjoy the production)

Timo Meier, LW, San Jose (Available in 96 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Meier is currently sporting the 12th-highest iCF/60 out of forwards with more than 200 5v5 minutes (18.44/60), and has a plum lineup spot beside the Two Joes. Unfortunately, Meier is relegated to secondary power play minutes – which explains his only having two PPP – so that will hurt fantasy owners that play in leagues that track that, but Meier is averaging 2.57SOG/Gm and has put up 8G-5A-13Pts to date this season. His ice time has started to jump up since the year turned over, and he collects the odd peripheral (hit/block) as well. Given his opportunity, Meier should have a great second half.

 

The Odd Man Out (His short-term value is cause for concern)

Aaron Ekblad, D, Florida (Owned in 74 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Ekblad in points-only leagues is almost a non-starter on a bad Florida team that also features Keith Yandle on the point – Ekblad has put up only 7G-6A-13Pts even seeing 23:54/game. Beyond a game against Nashville who typically funnel shots to come from the points, there’s nothing exciting about Ekblad’s upcoming schedule, and his value comes purely from leagues that count peripherals. It’s easy to forget Ekblad is just 21, but he’s a long way off his 39-point rookie season and should be benched until he gets hot; of his 13 points, four came in a one-week stretch, four came in another one-week stretch, and he went all of November and January with only one point in each month. He’s streaky, sit him for now.

 

The Anchors (They’ll do nothing but disappoint even over the long haul)

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, Arizona (Owned in 81 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Beyond Arizona’s light upcoming schedule, there are many reasons to be concerned about OEL in the short-term, but more concerning is his long-term value. From game 28 to 46, the former 55-point defenseman put up all of one goal and two assists. He did that even seeing anywhere from 22-26 minutes every night, and his shot volume over the last ten games is nowhere close to what’s expected from him. For leagues that track +/-, OEL’s -19 from December 2nd onward is just a microcosm of how bad the Coyotes are; put him on the bench for the foreseeable future, hope he gets briefly hot, and shop him.

 

Love ‘Em (These squads are sure to pay dividends in the coming days)

Detroit – Hockeytown has been home to a pretty inconsistent team these days, but the Red Wings have some nice match-ups upcoming against teams that lack a bit in the defensive areas: New Jersey, Chicago and the sub-par goaltending of Carolina. All but the game against New Jersey come at home as well, which is a bonus in terms of avoiding some of the better shutdown lines in the league.

Chicago – Unfortunately the ‘Hawks are coming off their bye which is always a recipe for disaster, but going in their favour is that their first game back comes against the hapless Islanders (at home). Beyond that fantasy cakewalk, Chicago faces Tampa Bay, Toronto and Detroit before the break.

New Jersey – The Devils have four games before heading into the break and one after (on the 30th a.k.a. my birthday), and fantasy owners should look for NJ to continue their high-event hockey: in their past four games (not including vs. Washington), the Devils have hit 40 shots on goal three times and scored at least thee goals in every one. They play Philly, Detroit and Buffalo, but also have “tougher” games against the Preds and Boston.

 

Leave ‘Em (These squads will leave fantasy owners sorely disappointed in the short term)

The bye weeks are finally over, but the All-Star Break also coincides with this week’s Looking Ahead, which means lots of options for teams to steer clear of.

Arizona – The Desert Dogs don’t have much happening in this next stretch with only three games between the 19th-31st, and although one is coming against the previously mentioned Islanders (jackpot!), the other two games come at St. Louis and home against Columbus. There are few fantasy relevant Coyotes in the first place, but leave them to the side if you own any.

ColoradoNathan MacKinnon and company have been hot fire recently with seven wins in a row (reminder: stats updated through the 17th so this may have changed), and they do get five games in this next stretch, but unfortunately four of those games come on a road trip: against Toronto, Montreal, St. Louis, and Vancouver. In ten of the Avs’ 19 road games, Colorado has scored two or less as they can’t get their optimal line match-ups set up, so feel free to lower expectations for them.

New York Rangers – The Rangers have four games in this period but all four of them come on the road, first at Colorado followed by the California swing. In their previous ten games, NYR have scored more than two goals in just two games (Philadelphia, at Buffalo) and failed to hit 30 shots on goal in five of those ten. Play the studs but don’t get cute with secondary players.

 

January 19th to January 25th

Best Bets

DET 4.305 – Away NJD – Home CAR PHI CHI

CHI 4.2425 – Away DET- Home NYI TBL TOR

NJD 4.2 – Away PHI BOS – Home DET NSH

MTL 4.12 – Away WSH – Home BOS COL CAR

CGY 4.105 – Away EDM- Home WPG BUF LAK

Steer Clear

BOS 2.86 – Away MTL OTT- Home NJD

ARI 2.8925 – Away STL – Home NYI CBJ

PIT 2.8975 – Away SJS – Home CAR MIN

MIN 2.9025 – Away PIT- Home TBL OTT

WSH 3.05 – Away FLA- Home MTL PHI

January 20th to January 26th

Best Bets

DET 4.305 – Away NJD – Home CAR PHI CHI

CHI 4.2425 – Away DET – Home NYI TBL TOR

NJD 4.2 – Away PHI BOS – Home DET NSH

CGY 4.105 – Away EDM – Home WPG BUF LAK

BUF 4.09 – Away CGY EDM VAN – Home DAL

Steer Clear

CBJ 2.185 – Away VGK ARI – Home

FLA 2.6925 – Away NSH DAL – Home WSH

BOS 2.86 – Away MTL OTT – Home NJD

ARI 2.8925 – Away STL – Home NYI CBJ

PIT 2.8975 – Away SJS – Home CAR MIN

January 21st to January 27th

Best Bets

DET 3.2025 – Away NJD – Home PHI CHI

CHI 3.1925 – Away DET – Home TBL TOR

NJD 3.155 – Away BOS – Home DET NSH

LAK 3.135 – Away VAN CGY – Home NYR

TOR 3.1075 – Away CHI DAL – Home COL

Steer Clear

MIN 1.8525 – Away PIT – Home OTT

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ARI 1.9425 – Away – Home NYI CBJ

PIT 1.995 – Away – Home CAR MIN

BOS 2.005 – Away OTT – Home NJD

NSH 2.0475 – Away NJD – Home TBL

January 22nd to January 28th

Best Bets

DET 3.2025 – Away NJD – Home PHI CHI

CHI 3.1925 – Away DET – Home TBL TOR

NJD 3.155 – Away BOS – Home DET NSH

TOR 3.1075 – Away CHI DAL – Home COL

BUF 3.04 – Away CGY EDM VAN – Home

Steer Clear

NYR 1.805 – Away ANH SJS – Home

CAR 1.71 – Away PIT MTL – Home

WPG 1.805 – Away SJS ANH – Home

FLA 1.79 – Away DAL – Home WSH

MIN 1.8525 – Away PIT – Home OTT

January 23rd to January 29th

Best Bets

MTL 2.31 – – Home COL CAR

STL 2.205 – Away – Home OTT COL

DET 2.205 – Away – Home PHI CHI

EDM 2.2575 – Home BUF CGY

CBJ 2.185 – Away VGK ARI – Home

Steer Clear

ARI 0.8925 – Away – Home CBJ

WSH 0.95 – Away FLA – Home

NYI 1.14 – Away VGK – Home

CAR 1.71 – Away PIT MTL – Home

FLA 1.79 – Away DAL – Home WSH

January 24th to January 30th

Best Bets

CGY 3.1075 – Away EDM – Home LAK VGK

CHI 3.045 – Away DET NSH- Home TOR

VAN 2.3625 – Away – Home BUF COL

BUF 2.2425 – Away VAN – Home NJD

NYI 2.19 – Away VGK – Home FLA

Steer Clear

NYR 0.9025 – Away SJS – Home

WSH 0.95 – Away FLA – Home

DET 1.05 – Away – Home CHI

PHI 1.05 – Away – Home TBL

EDM 1.1025 – Away – Home CGY

January 25th to January 31st

Best Bets

NYI 3.14 – Away VGK TOR- Home FLA

SJS 2.945 – Away PIT DET- Home NYR

VAN 2.3625 – Away – Home BUF COL

BUF 2.2425 – Away VAN – Home NJD

CGY 2.1625 – Away EDM – Home VGK

Steer Clear

NYR 0.9025 – Away SJS – Home

LAK 0.95 – Away DAL – Home

EDM 1.1025 – Away – Home CGY

MIN 1.6625 – Away PIT CBJ – Home

FLA 1.79 – Away NYI – Home WSH

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UPCOMING GAMES

Mar 19 - 19:03 DET vs CBJ
Mar 19 - 19:03 N.J vs PIT
Mar 19 - 19:03 PHI vs TOR
Mar 19 - 19:03 NYR vs WPG
Mar 19 - 19:03 BOS vs OTT
Mar 19 - 19:03 NYI vs CAR
Mar 19 - 20:03 NSH vs S.J
Mar 19 - 20:03 STL vs COL
Mar 19 - 21:03 EDM vs MTL
Mar 19 - 22:03 VGK vs T.B
Mar 19 - 22:03 L.A vs CHI
Mar 19 - 22:03 VAN vs BUF
Mar 19 - 22:03 ANA vs MIN

Starting Goalies

Top Skater Views

  Players Team
DANIIL MIROMANOV CGY
CONNOR MCMICHAEL WSH
CONNOR BEDARD CHI
EVGENY KUZNETSOV CAR
YEGOR SHARANGOVICH CGY

Top Goalie Profile Views

  Players Team
DUSTIN WOLF CGY
CHARLIE LINDGREN WSH
DANIIL TARASOV CBJ
JOEY DACCORD SEA
DEVIN COOLEY S.J

LINE COMBOS

  Frequency TOR Players
17.7 JOHN TAVARES NICHOLAS ROBERTSON MATTHEW KNIES
17.7 AUSTON MATTHEWS PONTUS HOLMBERG TYLER BERTUZZI
17.2 DAVID KAMPF NOAH GREGOR CONNOR DEWAR

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