Ramblings: Islanders Tie Series, Slavin Wins Lady Byng, OEL on Trade Block Again (June 20)

Ian Gooding

2021-06-20

The Islanders/Lightning series is now a best-of-3 heading back to Tampa Bay for Game 5. Despite a late push by the Lightning, the Islanders were able to hang on with a 3-2 win in Game 4. And I mean hang on. Watch this last-second save by Ryan Pulock. Not Semyon Varlamov. Ryan Pulock.

After a scoreless first period, the Islanders exploded for three goals. Josh Bailey broke the ice with his sixth goal of the playoffs. Mathew Barzal then doubled the lead with his sixth goal of the playoffs (all in his last eight games) and his ninth point in his last nine games. Then Matt Martin scored his first goal of the playoffs, which gives him points in back-to-back games after being held without a point in his first 14 games. Martin was also without a goal in 33 consecutive games. 3-0 Isles heading into the third period.

The Lightning made it into a game in the third period. Brayden Point scored the Lightning's first goal, giving him goals in seven consecutive games. That's now tied for the second-longest streak in postseason history. Point also has at least 12 goals in consecutive playoff seasons. He should be on the short list of players that you want when your season is on the line, and a strong Conn Smythe favorite should the Bolts go all the way.

Then a few minutes later, Tyler Johnson made things interesting with his second goal of the playoffs, snapping a four-game point slump. But that was as close as Tampa Bay would get in this game.

Cal Clutterbuck and Adam Pelech each recorded two assists. Clutterbuck in particular seems to be heating up with points in back-to-back games. Clutterbuck was also the surprise shots leader for the Islanders, taking six shots in this game.

Some Lightning players will look to break out of slumps in Game 5. Anthony Cirelli has not registered a point in five games and is also without a goal in seven games. Mikhail Sergachev is without a point in his last nine games and has not scored a goal during the playoffs. Both are players that I've rostered in the Tim's Hockey Challenge recently.

Another popular selection in the Tim's Hockey Challenge for me has been Anthony Beauvillier. After a red-hot start to the playoffs (9 PTS in his first 8 GP), he has really cooled off. Beauvillier has not scored a goal in nine games, although he snapped a four-game point drought with an assist on Bailey's goal in Game 4. At the time Beauvillier was hot, Barzal was cold (0 G and 4 A in his first 8 GP). Now it's the other way around. The two play on separate lines.

Your Lady Byng Trophy winner for 2020-21 is Jaccob Slavin, who is just the fourth defenseman in NHL history to win the award. This is clearly the right call, and the voting reflected that, as Slavin was the runaway winner with 827 points. Jared Spurgeon finished second with 223 points, while Auston Matthews finished third with 188 points. See the full results here.

Slavin was assessed just one minor penalty all season, which was a puck over glass penalty. Playing a position such as defense proficiently and not being assessed a physical infraction is the very definition of sportsmanship and gentlemanly play. It may not help your bangers league, but I believe fantasy leagues are trending away from penalty minutes. In the one league I play in that counted penalty minutes this past season, we plan to replace that category with hits and blocked shots next season.

In the spirit of lack of penalty minutes, here is a list of players who did not record a single penalty this season while playing a minimum of 20 games (0.0 PIM/60, if you want to look this up on Frozen Tools).

NameTeamGPPIM
FILIP ZADINADET490
DANTON HEINENANA430
KYLE OKPOSOBUF350
ERIK GUSTAFSSONMTL290
FRANS NIELSENDET290
RASMUS ASPLUNDBUF280
VLADIMIR TARASENKOSTL240
OLLI JUOLEVIVAN230
EMIL BEMSTROMCBJ200
JACK STUDNICKABOS200
KARSON KUHLMANBOS200

Filip Zadina was tied for 35th in the Lady Byng voting with one second-place vote. If penalty minutes are important criteria for winning this award, then he should have been higher on the list. The Red Wings forward has received just one minor penalty in his 86-game NHL career. Perhaps he will be nominated for the award once he establishes himself more.

Vladimir Tarasenko, who finished tied for 42nd in voting, has not received a penalty since the 2018-19 season. Mind you, he has played in only a combined 42 regular-season and postseason games over the past two seasons.

According to Elliotte Friedman, the Coyotes are attempting to trade Oliver Ekman-Larsson again. You may remember that he was on the block last season, when he reportedly would only accept a trade to Vancouver or Boston. This time, the Coyotes will present him with a deal and will ask him if he'll accept. A team is at a serious negotiating disadvantage if there are only two potential trade partners, so this seems like a better plan. The Coyotes are already in a difficult position with Ekman-Larsson's contract (six more years at $8.25 million), so there's a strong probability they will need to retain part of that in a trade. Analytics also haven't been kind to him in recent seasons either.

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In hindsight, I think trying to trade for OEL really messed up the Canucks' offseason, as all of Jacob Markstrom, Tyler Toffoli, Chris Tanev, and Troy Stecher eventually left via free agency while Jim Benning and company were focused for at least part of the time on Ekman-Larsson.

From a fantasy perspective, Ekman-Larsson has been extremely consistent over the past five seasons. Not a top-level fantasy option, but one that is a known commodity. Between 2016-17 and 2020-21, OEL has averaged between 0.45 PTS/GP and 0.54 PTS/GP, which is a pace of between 37 and 45 points each season. In 4D formats, there should be room for that kind of production. The consistent negative plus-minus hurts his value in leagues that count that stat, but that might change with a trade to a better team.

Don't forget that the Fantasy Prospects Report will be available on July 10! It should be an essential part of your offseason keeper planning. Head over to the Dobber Sports Shop to purchase your copy, or to get it as part of a Keeper League Pack or an Ultimate Pack.

While you wait, you can check out Dave Hall's mock draft of the first round (picks 1-15) in this week's The Journey.

No goals again on Saturday in the Tim Horton's Hockey Challenge, which makes my five-game goal streak from earlier in the playoffs seem like a major accomplishment or perhaps even a fluke. Let's go with some Sunday picks anyway.

Pick 1: Mark Stone – Given the balance of play in Game 3, I think Vegas gets its due and ties the series in Game 4. Call this a hunch, but Stone might be due. His last goal was the Game 5 overtime winner against Colorado. I'll predict that he'll come through when the Golden Knights need him the most. The likes of Max Pacioretty and Jonathan Marchessault are also available here if you're not sold on Stone.

Pick 2: Alex Pietrangelo – Going with the hot hand here. Pietrangelo has three goals over his last two games and four goals over his last four games. This is because he is shooting the puck, leading everyone in the playoffs with 63 shots on goal.

Pick 3: Jeff Petry – I picked him in the last game as well. He still seems like the best of this group, even if he is dealing with a hand injury.

For more fantasy hockey discussion, or to reach out to me, you can follow me on Twitter @Ian_Gooding

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