Top 10 trade targets for your fantasy team

Tom Collins

2018-02-26

The NHL is not the only league to have a trade deadline this week. Deadlines for the majority of fantasy leagues are either today or later this week.

Not only is this your last chance to make your squad better for a championship run, it’s also a good time to cheaply pick up players that are struggling and could rebound next season.

I apply this strategy to my points-only pool with great results. Last year, my team was out of it early. So, I traded for the underachieving Claude Giroux, Shayne Gostisbehere and Anze Kopitar, plus the injured Jonathan Quick. Those moves have helped put me in first place for 126 of 145 days since the season started this year.

Below are 10 players that you might be able to get somewhat inexpensively from your fellow GMs, with the focus that they can bounce back next season.

 

10. Antti Raanta

It was extremely tough to want to own Raanta at the start of the season. Up until Dec. 31, he had just five wins in 20 games with a 2.87 GAA and a 0.912 SV %. He’s been a completely different netminder since the calendar flipped, posting a 2.04 GAA and .935 SV % in 17 games. He only has eight wins in those games because Arizona isn’t a good team, but keeping his win total down makes it more affordable for you to pick him up.

 

9. Jonathan Drouin

Only when Drouin was suspended by Tampa Bay for not reporting to the AHL two years ago could you have gotten Drouin cheaper than you can now. Drouin is the poster child for a disappointing year as he was stuck playing most of the season out of position at centre. The Habs won’t make that mistake again next year. They’re going to go after a top-six centre this offseason, and Drouin will greatly improve going back to his normal wing position.

 

8. Corey Crawford

Crawford’s season has been cut short by post-concussion syndrome, thereby lowering his value tremendously even though he put up some of his best peripheral numbers in years. His 2.27 GAA is the best since 2014-15, and his .929 SV % is the best of his career. He also won 57 per cent of his starts, on par with his career stats. He may not play another game until October, but he should be back to his old self by then.

 

7. Jake Allen

Allen got lit up again Sunday, the 10th time this season he has given up at least four goals, and the 21st time he’s given up at least three goals. Considering he’s only played 44 games, that’s not good. He’s lost the starter’s job to Carter Hutton, and has a 2.78 GAA and a 0.906 SV %. He’s 27 years old, so you can’t consider him a young guy any more, but he’ll still be given the opportunity to be the top netminder in St. Louis for at least another season.

 

6. Max Pacioretty

You may not have long to get Pacioretty for cheap. If he’s dealt by 3 p.m. today, his value will automatically jump in hockey pools (a traded player getting a fresh start drives up his value). If he stays in Montreal the rest of the year, his value will decrease. Do you feel like gambling? Max is on pace for 23 goals and 48 points, way below what is expected of him. You should believe he’ll get back to his normal totals next year, even if he stays in Montreal.

 

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5. Matt Murray

Murray is the perfect fit for the Pittsburgh Penguins: Young, hyped and a certified Band-Aid boy. Murray may have two Stanley Cup rings, but he also has too many injuries. That injury history is why I said he would be the league’s top disappointment way back in August. However, his injury problems could be your best bet to buy low. If he was healthy, he’d be up to 30-plus wins by now and it would be tough to acquire him. If you’re the type that can stomach Band-Aid boys, send an offer to Murray owners.

 

4. Evgenii Dadonov

Ian covered Dadonov in Sunday’s ramblings, but it’s kind of criminal that he isn’t owned in more leagues. In fact, he’s only owned in 30 per cent of Yahoo pools. He missed nine games due to a shoulder injury, but is still on pace for 26 goals and 59 points. Remember that only about 40 players hit the 60-point mark, so jump on those guys when you can.

 

3. Cam Talbot

It’s always tough to find goaltenders who can consistently put up top numbers every season. Goalies that struggle one year before top netminders the next. A year ago, Connor Hellebuyck was awful and seemed poised to be a backup for at least two more years. Now he’s one of the top goalies in the league. Carey Price is one of the best goalies but is awful this year. Martin Jones has gone from a hot commodity to hot garbage. Talbot is another one that is suffering greatly. Depending on your take on whether the Oilers can bounce back, Talbot could be had for much cheaper now than he will be next year.

 

2. Joe Pavelski

Many fantasy general managers are shying away from Joe Pavelski as he’s having a below-normal season for him. However, there are signs he would be a great bounce-back candidate for next season. Pavelski was dealing with an undisclosed injury at the start of the season and had eight points in his first 19 games. Since then, he has 38 points in 43 games (before last night’s game), a 72-point pace over 82 games. Pavelski will be 34 next season, so his owners may be enticed with a lesser prospect.

 

1. Nicklas Backstrom

No one seems to be talking about how poor a season Backstrom is having. The Capitals pivot is still getting the minutes, the power play time and is playing with Alex Ovechkin, but is on pace for only 60 points. The only other times he had less points were during the 2012-13 lockout shortened season and in 2011-12 when he played only 42 games because of a concussion. However, both those seasons he was still a point-per-game player. Backstrom will be next season’s Claude Giroux, bouncing back from a subpar season to be an elite player once again.

 

 

2 Comments

  1. Mark 2018-02-26 at 19:47

    What about Carey Price? Does he turn it around next year?

  2. madden_curser 2018-02-26 at 20:30

    Ya, we have 2 keepers and I just stashed Price on my IR. Also, Allen is 7 and Crawford 8th? I feel pretty skeptical about Jake Allen right now. Not sure he has a better season than Crawford? Crawford also cut loose in our 10 teamer. Do you think he might be a better stash than Price?

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