Welcome back to another edition of the Roos Lets Loose monthly mailbag, where I answer your fantasy hockey questions by giving advice that should be useful to all poolies even if they don't own the specific players being discussed. As a reminder, if you want your fantasy hockey question(s) answered in the next mailbag, check out the end of the column, where I explain the ways to get it/them to me as well as the details you should provide when sending. The earlier you send a question the more likely it is to be included in the mailbag, and the deeper dive I can provide with my reply.

Question #1 (from Adam)

I'm in a 12 team, keep 5 (max 1 goalie), H2H league, with categories and scoring as follows: G(4), A(2), SHG(2), SHA(1), +/-(0.5), W(3), S(0.125), GA(-0.25), L(-2) and SO(3). Lineups consist of 3C, 3LW, 3RW, 4D, 2G, 5 bench and 2 IR+. No offseason trading is allowed, with the 8 playoff teams going into a lottery to pick 5th to 12th, all with equal odds. The worst 4 teams go into a lottery for 1st overall, with the "losers" of the lottery picking 2nd, 3rd, and 4th according to record.

I realize it's early, but I find myself thinking about my keepers. In the past four seasons, I've been at the top of the league, with a three-peat, followed by a semifinal loss last year. Interestingly, never once did I have a top 25 scorer in the league, as I won mainly due to roster depth and having a lot of very good but not superstar players. This season though, I have two, in – as I write this in the middle of December –Macklin Celebrini (4th) and Cutter Gauthier (12th), with several close behind, namely Cole Caufield (26th), John Tavares (35th) and Will Smith (40th). Yet my record this season is 3-6, and about to be 3-7. My keepers would be better than they have ever been, yet my team is performing far worse! Yes, I have been unlucky in that I have the most points against of any team, so perhaps my luck will turn around as the season progresses. But I've dug myself a big hole, hence thinking now about my keepers. Options, in addition to those five, are Zach Werenski and Jake Sanderson.

I love the idea of keeping Celebrini/Smith, with them becoming Nathan MacKinnon/Mikko Rantanen 2.0. If I had to choose today, my keepers would be Celebrini, Smith, Gauthier, Caufield and Werenski. Who would you keep? And if I find myself a longshot to win the league, who might you trade?

It is interesting you've had less success despite more top end scorers. You're wise to have noticed that more points have been scored against your team than any other. Still, that matters only if you've lost close matches, or those teams were vastly better when they played you as opposed to when they played others. I would crunch the numbers, seeing just how much worse you've had it than other teams who might have records of 4-6, 5-5, and 6-4. If indeed you've happened to play against teams who had far and away their best weeks specifically against you, then you're not wrong to have hope to still be a factor, especially with two-thirds of teams making the playoffs. This also brings up how to truly assess one's team at this point in the season in a H2H league. It is true that anything can happen once in the playoffs, but you have get there and be poised to perform better than others. Remember that to improve in the standings, you not only have to win but those ahead of you have to lose. In short, don't throw in the towel too early, but don't cling to unrealistic hope. Again, crunch the realistic numbers.

It's also all the more important to be realistic here since there is no offseason trading, making it so you ought to be able to get a nice return for the two players you don't intend to keep if you do decide to not play for the win. For sure Tavares would not be a keeper, such that you can't have any regrets if you do trade him. After him it gets tricky. I can understand you having Sanderson as the odd man out; but after a hot start Caufield has come back to earth and is back under point per game pace. I'd at least consider Caufield as one not to keep, and, in turn, to trade if you decide to focus on next season.

What's also key about Caufield is his name value is at least as high, if not higher, than his actual value. My concern with Caufield as a keeper is he's not getting top tier ice time despite improving, realistically placing a ceiling on how well he can do. He's also becoming more of a selective shooter, with an SOG rate this season that's neaerly a full SOG less than what it was a mere two seasons ago. But less might be more, as since starting to shoot less his SH% has risen, although not by enough to compensate for a drop in SOG as large as he'd had. Then again, we also can't ignore that he's undersized, which means despite him having managed to produce better every season he's been in the NHL, he still could have another gear which he may only hit next season at game 400. I can understand if you'd be hesitant to trade him; but the same positives I pointed out here could be selling points, on top of his name value.

If you feel you do not have a shot to win, I'd dangle Caufield, as I'm guessing he could net you a nice haul in trade. Throw in Sanderson too, if it can help land you a clearcut upgrade. If you enter 2026-27 with Celebrini, Smith, Gauthier, Werenski, and what you get for Caufield plus perhaps Sanderson, that should position you for success in 2026-27, but even more so for the future. Good luck!

Question #2 (from Kent)

I'm in a 20 team, points only, keep 8 league. My problem is I have Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras, but cannot keep both. I'm thinking of trading Zegras and hoping Michkov still hits his ceiling despite his struggles so far this season. Thoughts?

Having not seen your other projected keepers, I can't decide whether it would make sense to keep both. Also, I don't know if positions matter, and, if so, whether Zegras is C-only eligible. This is a reminder to those who submit questions to err on the side of inclusion in what you tell me, as things you might not consider relevant could indeed be. If they aren't pertinent, I can just omit them.

Zegras' metrics are superb, as his IPP is 75.0% overall and 80.0% on the PP. Those are elite, especially when coupled with his 5×5 team SH% of 12.0%. Maybe these come back to earth a bit; but his OZ% is not too high, and he 41.7% secondary assists, which is fine for a center. In short, there is a picture painted of a player who helps create offense and then factors into the scoring quite often, which is exactly what you want to see. Yes, he's not piling on the points; however, that is due to the fact Philly does not really run a true PP1, as Zegras is only taking the ice for 61.3% of his team's PP minutes. That is well lower than most elite scorers, who are in the high 60s and often 70-75%. Still, the silver lining is that can only improve, and he also has realistic room for his overall TOI to rise in the normal course, as well as his SOG rate. And if Zegras does somehow gets more PP minutes, the results could be amazing, since as it stands he currently sits tied for 37th in PPPts, yet ranks only 91st PP TOI. That is quite a feat. He also is within the top 50 in points per 60 minutes, with fewer than a handful of players having a lower points per game rate despite a higher Pts/60.

As for Michkov, he is within the top six, making his struggles at least somewhat of a concern but also reassuring versus being scratched or getting deployed worse. I'd let it be known that Michkov could be obtainable in trade and see what offers you get. Yes, trading him in a 20-team league where he could be kept forever is risky; yet by the same token, it makes it more likely that despite his struggles some GMs still will pay handsomely to get him, especially if you tout that what he did last season – despite Torts headwinds – has only been done by only a select few wingers his age or younger in the last 30+ years, including Alex Ovechkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Jaromir Jagr, strategically omitting the fact it was also done by Jeff Skinner and Patrik Laine. Hear their offers and see if any make it worth dealing Michkov.

In short, I think what Zegras is doing is going a long way to legitimizing him as the player we thought he was after his first two seasons in Anaheim. As such, not keeping him would be a tough pill to swallow. But the size of your league, and the prospect of keeping Michkov forever, likely will lead to a team giving you a very nice return for Michkov if you do opt to trade him. Good luck!

Question #3 (from Jesse)

I'm in an 8 team, keep-6 league with skater categories of: G/A/PIM/PPP/FOW/SOG/HIT/BLK and goalie categories of: W/GAA/SV/SV%. Rosters are 4C, 4LW, 4RW, 6D, 1Util, 2G, 6BN, 2IR+.

I've been burned by goalies in the past, and as such have prioritized grabbing potential quality goalies off the waiver wire when they become available rather than investing a lot in them at the draft. But now I find myself with six goalies: Mackenzie Blackwood, Jacob Markstrom, Anthony Stolarz, Joseph Woll, Tristan Jarry, and Brandon Bussi. And in case it matters, Pyotr Kochetkov is currently on the waiver wire, so I could even grab him. My goal is to have trimmed the list to the best 3 to 4 goalies by the end of the season, as I have a team that should make the playoffs. Given that, the only goalie who seems like he must be part of those 3 or 4 is Blackwood. Otherwise, Jarry on Edmonton is an unknown, Bussi has been on an absolute heater but is a rookie, but Markstrom has been garbage, Woll has been good and there has been no updates on Stolarz. 

I can sit on all 6 goalies for a couple of weeks, but would prefer to have the streaming spots I'd get if I only had 3 or 4. What would you do? Who would you drop? The obvious candidate to me would be Markstrom, but do you see him bouncing back? What will Toronto do with Woll and Stolarz when they are both healthy? Is Bussi the real deal? How do you think Jarry will do in Edmonton?

Since this question was submitted Kochetkov was announced as being out for the season, in turn making Bussi seemingly far more valuable. But is he indeed more valuable? Will a team like Carolina, who likely sees itself as a threat to make it to the Stanley Cup finals, go into the playoffs with a clearly over the hill Frederick Andersen, and a true rookie in Bussi? Question #5 asks specifically about Bussi, so be sure to read my full thoughts there.

Woll and Stolarz are tempting to own; but Toronto has been subpar, and I could think of a lot better handcuffs. Markstrom has indeed been lousy, and Jake Allen quite decent. Plus Allen is a veteran, albeit one who's never been a "the guy" netminder, except for two seasons in St. Louis, where he was okay but not great. Still, although Markstrom has an identical percentage of quality starts as really bad starts, there are signs he's righting his ship in that he's had only one really bad start in his last 12; and despite one game where he let in three goals on seven shots, he's allowed three or fewer goals in all but one of those other 11 games. He's also making nearly four times as much as Allen, which is a big deal.

Blackwood has played well, and most certainly has the best team in front of him. Most would've figured he'd be the true starter by now; yet other than a brief stretch when Scott Wedgewood, was hurt he's basically been in a 50/50 split with Wedgewood. I have to think though that the Avs, remembering what happened to Boston in 2022-23 when they had Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman alternating starts on the way to the best record in the history of the NHL, only to lose in round one of the playoffs when it came time for Ullmark to start consecutive games. Even as it stands, Blackwood suits this league, since although wins and saves are two of the four categories and volume-based, Blackwood is getting plenty of wins despite not starting often. In the end I agree, he needs to be among the three or four if you do trim your goalies.

But do you trim them? What is the benefit to you? Goalie is the position of the most scarcity; and if you have an abundance, then not only do you have insurance, or the ability to rotate them in and out in a strategic way, but you likely will have teams knocking on your door to try to get one, such that you'll be able to command a nice price for whichever one(s) you are willing to unload. With two goalies starting, and a bench and IR that can include eight players, and only 18 skaters starting, you might be best served carrying extra goalies rather than bottom forwards or d-men who could be less impactful.

I suggest you take a long look at what it would really mean to trim your goalies from six to five, or four, or three. Would it truly amount to a net benefit? You know your roster and those of the other teams who'll likely be in the playoffs. If indeed you see more of an upside to shedding goalies, then do so; but I'd go to no fewer than four, and those four would be Blackwood, Markstrom, Jarry and Bussi, namely those most likely to be true starters when we get to later in the season. But Bussi is risky, as discussed more below when I answer question #5. Still, the chances of him being the go to guy down the stretch are likely worth the risk of holding him and then having his value tank due to the Canes grabbing a starter. Yes, this would mean parting with the Leafs tandem, but between them being a tandem and Toronto not playing up to par, it seems like the best choice all things considered. Good luck!

Question #4 (from Mike)

Do you have any thoughts on under the radar rookie/prospects to stash for next season? Is Noah Laba worth a pick up with his FO% and hits? Will he move up the lineup and produce more? Are Eeli Tolvanen and Jani Nyman future high upside power forwards? What about Tom Willander, Scott Morrow, David Juricek, and Logan Mailloux…are these examples of rookie defensemen that are in the NHL now but not producing yet who could hit their stride in a season or two?

At the outset, I will – without hesitation – reiterate what I've said in my columns previously, and that is prospects are not my strong suit. The website and the Forums have great coverage, and the annual Fantasy Prospects Report is gold. Still, I'll give you my thoughts on those you mentioned, plus others I think might be wise to grab

At the outset, I'm not sure why you list Tolvanen, as he's almost 27 years old. I thought it might be a typo and you were referring to another true prospect with a similar last name, and perhaps you were; however, if you do indeed mean Eeli Tolvanen, he is seeing the most ice time of his career, and although his SOG rate for the season is lower, it's been nearly two per game since Q1. He also seems to be a fixture on a line with Chandler Stephenson, which is a nice gig. And he's seeing regular PP time. His IPP is above 70%, which I was all set to say was unsustainable until, to my surprise, I saw he was above that mark two seasons ago and at 62.6% last season. Also, his team SH% at 5×5 is 8.6%, which is a decent number. He is also nearing game 400 of his career; and although he's not a small or large player, he plays a physical game, so he might rightfully be a forward who takes until game 400 to break out. I think he is worth grabbing.

Let's look next at the defensemen. Jiricek has been nothing short of awful in the NHL thus far; but he also has dealt with recurring injuries. His draft pedigree will ensure he gets more chances to emerge, and he could be in line for a larger role if Quinn Hughes leave Minnesota after next season. But I worry he might be a true band-aid boy, which is bad in and of itself but even worse when it happens to a player this young, since it stifles his development, ala Bowen Byram. If you already have him, hold and hope; but if you don't, then I'm not looking to acquire him, unless it's for a very cheap price.

Morrow was a key piece in the K'Andre Miller trade, and a highly regarded prospect. He has fared okay in the NHL thus far; but when Adam Fox was hurt, New York opted for a 5F PP1 rather than use Morrow, which may be due to inexperience, but certainly is not great to see. He's also 23, and won't have played in 100 total NHL games by the end of 2025-26. There is still hope, but I'm not super high on him.

Mailloux is playing sheltered minutes, with a 60% OZ%, yet is barely shooting and not providing any semblance of offense from the blueline. The good news is the top d-men for the Blues are all 32 or older, and they have no top tier rearguard prospects other than Theo Lindstein, but he projects to be more of a defensive-minded d-man. Although Malloux is not hitting the ground running, I actually like him best of the three, with the caveat that he's likely a couple of seasons away from producing.

Laba is a nice story, having been drafted outside of the top 20 and then making the Rangers straight out of college without any AHL time. He is indeed quite decent on the draw, and hits, so he could keep his hold on a bottom six spot. Can he rise to be in the top six though? If the Rangers do end up cleaning house in order to rebuild, then maybe; and although it is very limited data, Laba has solid IPPs. I can get behind you grabbing him.

Nyman had a very solid preseason, but has not been very impactful, leading to a chicken and egg type of situation in that he's not playing well in limited minutes such that he's not earning more minutes or getting the deployment he needs to succeed. Truth be told, although I did say Tolvanen could be worth a grab, I'm not keen on most Seattle players, as the system they run is very unfavorable to forward scoring. Of course that might change by the time Nyman, who's only 21, fully hits his stride; but he's not showing me a lot about which to get excited.

Who are some near term prospects that stand out to me in a good way and not already well known? He doesn't have draft pedigree, but Nick Lardis is playing quite well in the AHL and is now with the Hawks. But he's undersized, so he could just be another Trey Fix-Wollansky. Still, I think that Lardis is worth consideration. I think too that Fabian Lysell might be showing signs of emerging. He was looking like a middling AHLer, but this season he seems to be connecting the dots. Like Chicago, Boston is a team where opportunities should be there for a youngster to make an impact.

On defense, I realize Jason Dickenson looms, but let's not count out Luka Cagnoni yet. He has done well in the AHL this season, firing 2.5 SOG per game. At 21, I still see a path to him being a source of blueline offense for the Sharks, or at least in the mix. 

As for goalies, we all know that's a crapshoot at best. I'm liking Carson Bjarnson. He's faring better in the AHL than he did in his last couple of seasons in juniors, and the path to becoming a top netminder for Philly is a much easier than it would be on nearly any other club.

There you have it, my prospect advice. Again, I encourage you to buy the Guide and look to the site and forums for additional advice. Good luck!

Question #5 (from Trent)

Is it time to "sell high" on Brandon Bussi? By that I mean is it a foregone conclusion that Carolina, with Pyotr Kochetkov out for the season and Frederick Andersen playing so poorly, will make a deal for a veteran netminder?

On the one hand, Bussi is a true rookie, as despite being 27 he'd never set foot on NHL ice before this season, let alone amid the pressure cooker of the NHL playoffs. Carolina likely sees a path to reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, with Florida not quite looking up to par, plus no truly dominant team in the East. Yet on the other, we can't forget that a 21 year old Cam Ward, who likewise had not played even in the NHL previously, backstopped them to a Cup in 2005-06. Plus, Carolina, despite ample cap room, has shown a reluctance to spending big on a goalie, so they might be disinclined to do so.

There's also the fact that some veteran netminders likely could be obtainable. Topping the list is Jordan Binnington, who has yet again performed poorly in the regular season but has a history of shining when the most is at stake. With the strong play of Joel Hofer, plus Binnington's now not so pricey $6M salary and him being inked only through next season, it seems a gamble Carolina could consider taking. There's also Thatcher Demko, although his three year, $8.5M deal kicks in next season, which is pricey for a goalie who seems to be unable to stay healthy and never had a quality start rate of 60%+. Juuse Saros is another consideration, and his salary will be less than Demko's at $7.7M; but he's signed through 2033, when he'll be 38, plus is several years removed from top tier status, although in fairness his team has not done him many favors. He's also never made it past the first round of the playoffs, and been inconsistent in the second season. A wild card is Ilya Sorokin, who I realize has a NMC, just was reunited with his former goalie coach, and is on a team which is still in the playoff mix. But many feel Sorokin is still a top tier netminder, made to look worse due to his team. It's hard to argue with that logic, given his sky high GSAx and lack of really bad starts despite so few quality starts. It could be a win-win, if the Islanders were able to get Jackson Blake or Alexander Nikishin in return, but a longshot.

What do I think will occur? Most likely Bussi will be given a chance to show he can be a "the guy" goalie over the next couple of months. If he seems capable, it is possible the Canes stick to their formula and don't add a goalie. They might also think that Andersen, despite major struggles, will be able to step up if needed come playoff time, which is not too farfetched, as this is a goalie whose lifetime playoff GAA is 2.00 and SV% is .916. Still, even there he had started to show signs of age, as his SV% in his last two playoffs were among the three worst of his career. Holding Bussi does bring with it risks, but at the same time if the Canes stick with him, he could be a huge asset. What would I do? I feel like if Carolina had wanted an expensive goalie they have gotten one already in prior season, so I'd likely hold and hope with Bussi. Good question!

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To get mailbag questions to me either (1) email them to [email protected] with the words "Roos Mailbag" as the subject line, or (2) send them to me via a private message on the DobberHockey Forums, where my username is "rizzeedizzee".

When sending me your questions, remember to provide as much detail about your league/situation as possible. Examples of things I need to know include what type of league you're in (i.e., limited keeper, dynasty, or one-year; roto vs. H2H; auction – if so, what the budget is – or non-auction), how many teams are in the league, does the salary cap matter, how many players are rostered (and of those, how many start at each position as well as how many bench and/or IR spots there are), what categories are scored and how are they weighted, plus other details if pertinent. If your question involves whether to pick up or drop a player, give me a list of top free agents available and let me know if the number of pick-ups is limited or if there is a priority system for pick-ups. If you're thinking of making a trade, it would be good to know not only the roster of the other team you might trade with but also where you stand in your categories. If your question involves keepers, in addition to giving me the options for who to keep, let me know if offseason trading is allowed and to what extent it is a viable option given your league. In sum, the key is to tell me enough for me to give you a truly proper answer, and for readers of this column to benefit from the answer/advice I provide. When in doubt, it's best to err on the side of inclusion since I can always omit or disregard things that don't matter.