Fantasy Take: Simmonds sent packing to Buffalo

Michael Clifford

2020-02-24

Buffalo has gone 6-2-0 in their last eight games to climb within six points of a playoff spot, and the GM has gone out and added Wayne Simmonds from New Jersey to bolster the roster. The Devils added a conditional fifth-round pick in the exchange.

Simmonds is a free agent after this season and has eight goals on the year.

 

To the Sabres

Presumably, Sam Reinhart is locked into the top-line role with Jack Eichel, which means Simmonds is no higher than the second line. Not being able to get to the top line in Buffalo is a death-knell for fantasy value – let's ask Jeff Skinner how his season's going, shall we? Maybe Simmonds adds a minute to his TOI which would, in theory, lead to more peripherals. He's still very much useful in leagues that count PIMs and hits. In leagues that don't? Waiver fodder. His impacts across the board over the last three years are in the negative. It's hard to see a bounce-back here. Is he an improvement over Johan Larsson, Evan Rodrigues, or Zemgus Girgensons? I doubt it. Even if he is, it would be marginal. If anyone wants to talk about adding a veteran presence, go ahead; they have just six players on the current roster under the age of 25, and many of them are the team's best players (Eichel, Reinhart, Dahlin, Olofsson). They don't need more veterans with experience, they need talent. There's also the chance they stick him on the second PP unit, which is a downgrade for him. That could hurt Conor Sheary, though, as Simmonds would probably take his role on the second PP unit.

This does open up things for the Devils, at least on the power play. I'm not sure that Joey Anderson jumping from the fourth the third line moves the needle at all, but Simmonds had been skating on the team's top PP unit of late. The guy who had rotated in for him at times on that top PP unit? Nick Merkley. Now, again, I'm not sure how much additional fantasy value Merkley has just going from New Jersey's second PP unit to the top PP unit if he's stuck on the third line, but it's additional value nonetheless. He should be a winner here if they keep him on the top PP unit.

 

Who this helps

Nick Merkley

📢 advertisement:

Joey Anderson

 

Who this hurts

Michael Frolik

Conor Sheary

Leave A Comment

UPCOMING GAMES

No data found.

Starting Goalies

Top Skater Views

  Players Team
ISAAC HOWARD EDM
MATIAS MACCELLI TOR
RUTGER MCGROARTY PIT
ELIAS PETTERSSON VAN
CARTER VERHAEGHE FLA

Top Goalie Profile Views

  Players Team
JESPER WALLSTEDT MIN
MICHAL PRADEL DET
GABRIEL D'AIGLE PIT
SCOTT WEDGEWOOD COL
NIKITA TOLOPILO VAN

LINE COMBOS

  Frequency CGY Players
20.0 MATT CORONATO BLAKE COLEMAN MIKAEL BACKLUND
19.5 YEGOR SHARANGOVICH MORGAN FROST JOEL FARABEE
17.3 SAM MORTON RYAN LOMBERG DRYDEN HUNT

DobberHockey Podcasts

Fantasy Hockey Life: Draftastic 2 – Q&A on the NHL Draft

Victor and Jesse are back in studio as Victor reports on his time at the NHL Draft and his outlook on fantasy rookie drafts. We discuss Michael Misa, Matthew Schaefer, Cole McKinney, Mason West, Milton Gastrin and Jacob Ihs-Wozniak with player audio. Victor also answers patron questions on which players you’ll want to target for […]

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

📢 advertisement: