Lindholm and the Hurricanes Offer Value in the Week Ahead
Adam Daly-Frey
2018-01-26
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 24th
The Immediate Fix (Grab this guy and use him for the next several days)
Elias Lindholm, RW, Carolina Hurricanes (Available in 88 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – With Sebastian Aho (…the forward…) currently injured with both a lower-body injury and a concussion, Elias Lindholm found his way to the top line of a very strong possession team that fires a ton of pucks (4th-most SOG/game). Since taking over that spot, Lindholm has put up 2G-1A with 8SOG and 9 combined HIT/BLK, with both goals coming on the power play as the net-front. Given Carolina’s strong upcoming schedule, Lindholm is an excellent fill-in that can produce.
The Building Block (Buy now, sit back and enjoy the production)
Justin Faulk, D, Carolina (Available in 33 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – It’s an all-Carolina Pick ‘Em Up section this week, with the time to buy Faulk – or pick him up if he’s available given he’s still out there in THIRTY-THREE PERCENT of leagues. Faulk has fired 138 shots on net this season and has only connected for four goals, which is a career-low shooting percentage of only 2.9%. Taking out the year where he shot 3.3%, Faulk’s career average is 7.4%, which means positive regression should be coming. In points-only leagues he’ll still offer value if that regression comes, and seeing 22:24 per game and time on the first power play, it would be a shock if he didn’t find the back of the net with his current shooting rate.
The Odd Man Out (His short-term value is cause for concern)
Patrick Maroon, LW, Edmonton Oilers (Owned in 45 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Getting dropped to the third line ahead of the All-Star Break, Maroon’s value is almost nil in leagues that don’t account for peripheral stats like HIT/PIM, with only 13G-13A on the season while playing alongside (arguably) the best player in the league. With his role unclear, lack of strong production to date, and the Oilers’ weak three-game schedule coming back, Maroon can take a backseat.
The Anchors (They’ll do nothing but disappoint even over the long haul)
Max Domi, LW, Arizona Coyotes (Owned in 27 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Although owned at only 27%, Max Domi is owned by about 26% too many Yahoo! users. Beyond the very small percentage of deep keeper leagues, Domi shouldn’t be active in any of them, which makes him a droppable (or hopefully tradeable if someone else bites on “potential”) asset. Without missing a game, Domi’s only found the back of the net THREE times this year, while seeing 17:36 a night. His role is slipping as his other young teammates (Fischer, Perlini) produce, and he’s not putting up the peripheral statistics expected with only 30PIM and 48 combined HIT/BLK.
Love ‘Em (These squads are sure to pay dividends in the coming days)
Carolina – The Hurricanes have only four games during this stretch, but with the All-Star Break that’s actually a reasonable number. More importantly, all four games come at home, and three of the four come against very soft competition – four if the Sharks decide to start Martin Jones. They get the weak end of the Atlantic division for their other three: Detroit, Ottawa, Montreal.
Ottawa – Ottawa’s been very inconsistent from a scoring perspective, popping six in back-to-back games to start the month before scoring five combined goals in their past four games. Based on volume – five games – they can be rolled out even as they struggle; there are few fantasy-relevant Senators, but they should all be deployed for games against CAR, ANA, PHI, MTL, and NJ.
Anaheim – With their roster fully healthy, the Ducks have been clicking recently: in their past five games they’ve fired at least 30SOG and potted 16 goals – although that sample includes a five- and six-goal game, it’s good to see the team with the 13th-least goals per game starting to score. The Ducks get five games in this period (although they all come on the road), against some real bottom-feeders in Ottawa, Montreal and Buffalo. Their other two are a bit tougher against Toronto and Boston, but they should find ways to score in all of their games with strong balanced lines.
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.
Edmonton – #HereComeTheOilers is the best hashtag on Twitter as the Oilers struggle, and their struggles should continue during this period: the Oilers only have three games upcoming, and they come against some pretty staunch defensive teams in Tampa Bay (4th-least Goals Against/game), Colorado (17th), and Los Angeles (2nd). In their past ten games, the Oilers are averaging only 1.7 goals per game.
Arizona – The ‘Yotes have been scoring more lately, with 29 goals in their past ten games, with scoring coming from an exciting bunch of rookies, but their schedule and inconsistency makes them a team to leave. With only three games upcoming – home vs. Dallas and on the road against LA and Winnipeg – they’ll be in tough to keep finding the back of the net at the rate fantasy players need.
New York Rangers – Off three straight losses where the Rangers gave up at least three goals and averaged two goals per game, the Rangers limped into the All-Star Break (not including game vs. Sharks), and their schedule is light coming out of the break. The Rags don`t hit the ice against until Feb. 1st and although they do play four games between Jan 26th – Feb 7th, their schedule is no prize: home against Boston and Toronto, and away games at Dallas and Nashville – not a recipe for offensive success.
January 26th to February 1st |
Best Bets |
WPG 2.31 – Home TBL VGK |
CGY 2.31 – Home VGK TBL |
VAN 2.2575 – Home COL CHI |
NJD 2.2 – Away BUF – Home PHI |
BUF 2.1525 – Home NJD FLA |
Steer Clear |
MIN 0.8075 – Away CBJ |
CBJ 0.8925 – Home MIN |
DET 0.9975 – Home SJS |
PIT 0.9975 – Home SJS |
NYR 1.05 – Home TOR |
January 27th to February 2nd |
Best Bets |
CAR 3.15 – Home OTT MTL DET |
VGK 2.8025 – Away CGY WPG MIN |
SJS 2.755 – Away PIT DET CBJ |
WPG 2.31 – Home TBL VGK |
CGY 2.31 – Home VGK TBL |
Steer Clear |
NYR 1.05 – Home TOR |
ARI 1.05 – Home DAL |
EDM 1.2075 – Home COL |
PHI 1.7575 – Away WSH NJD |
PIT 1.8375 – Home SJS WSH |
January 28th to February 3rd |
Best Bets |
WPG 3.5175 – Home TBL VGK COL |
CGY 3.36 – Home VGK TBL CHI |
VAN 3.3075 – Home COL CHI TBL |
FLA 3.2025 – Away NYI BUF – Home DET |
BUF 3.2025 – Home NJD FLA STL |
Steer Clear |
EDM 1.2075 – Home COL |
ARI 1.905 – Away LAK- Home DAL
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NYR 1.9525 – Away NSH- Home TOR |
WSH 2.01 – Away PIT – Home PHI |
ANH 2.7075 – Away BOS OTT MTL |
January 29th to February 4th |
Best Bets |
CAR 4.1475 – Home OTT MTL DET SJS |
MTL 3.9425 – Away STL CAR – Home ANH OTT |
OTT 3.895 – Away CAR PHI MTL- Home ANH |
SJS 3.7525 – Away PIT DET CBJ CAR |
VGK 3.5625 – Away CGY WPG MIN WSH |
Steer Clear |
NYR 1.9525 – Away NSH – Home TOR |
EDM 1.2075 – Home COL |
ANH 2.7075 – Away BOS OTT MTL |
ARI 1.905 – Away LAK – Home DAL |
PHI 2.755 – Away WSH NJD – Home OTT |
January 30th to February 5th |
Best Bets |
CAR 4.1475 – Home OTT MTL DET SJS |
NSH 3.9425 – Away NYI- Home CHI LAK NYR |
MTL 3.9425 – Away STL CAR – Home ANH OTT |
TBL 4.0375 – Away WPG CGY VAN EDM |
TOR 3.9 – Away NYR BOS – Home NYI ANH |
Steer Clear |
ARI 1.905 – Away LAK – Home DAL |
EDM 2.2575 – Home COL TBL |
PHI 2.755 – Away WSH NJD – Home OTT |
PIT 2.835 – Away NJD – Home SJS WSH |
CBJ 2.84 – Away NYI – Home MIN SJS |
January 31st to February 6th |
Best Bets |
CAR 4.305 – Home MTL DET SJS PHI |
WSH 4.0775 – Away PIT CBJ- Home PHI VGK |
OTT 4 – Away PHI MTL – Home ANH NJD |
DET 3.995 – Away CAR FLA – Home SJS BOS |
SJS 3.99 – Away DET CBJ CAR COL |
Steer Clear |
LAK 2.0575 – Away NSH – Home ARI |
EDM 2.2575 – Home COL TBL |
CBJ 2.7875 – Away NYI – Home SJS WSH |
NYI 2.84 – Away TOR – Home CBJ NSH |
STL 2.8875 – Away BOS BUF – Home MIN |
February 1st to February 7th |
Best Bets |
CAR 4.305 – Home MTL DET SJS PHI |
BOS 4.095 – Away DET NYR- Home STL TOR |
OTT 4 – Away PHI MTL – Home ANH NJD |
NYR 3.9525 – Away NSH DAL – Home TOR BOS |
TOR 3.8475 – Away NYR BOS – Home ANH NSH |
Steer Clear |
NYI 1.89 – Home CBJ NSH |
CBJ 2.7875 – Away NYI – Home SJS WSH |
STL 2.8875 – Away BOS BUF – Home MIN |
COL 2.8975 – Away EDM WPG – Home SJS |
SJS 2.8975 – Away CBJ CAR COL |