Top 10 Players you should sell (2015)

Tom Collins

2015-05-04

DevanDubnyk2

 

Ten players you should trade (sell high) right now in your keeper league

 

 

To build a successful fantasy hockey squad, sometimes you have to take a step back when evaluating your roster.

A year ago, there were some fantasy GMs who thought that keeping their top guys of Semyon Varlamov, Patrick Sharp, and Zdeno Chara made a lot of sense. They could easily repeat their career years, they GMs convinced themselves, rebuffing all trade offers that came their way.

A year later, and they're kicking themselves. How could Sharp not continue to be a top-10 points guy? But that's what happens. We get too attached to our players, especially when they are having career years.

Those four players look pretty similar, except for the plus-minus stat. They are, in order, P.K. Subban, Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson and Drew Doughty. Burns had pretty much a Norris calibre season, and was tied for second in points for defencemen. He had a career year in pretty much every category, and made a pretty smooth transition from forward back to defence. Now, the Sharks are in trouble. They missed the playoffs, have no number one goalie signed, will have a new coach next season, and there's a battle between the team's ex-captain and general manager. I don't like Burns' situation at all for next season, and would be looking to get trade him while his numbers are still comparable to Norris-trophy nominees.

 

6. Mark Stone

Let me preface this by saying that I absolutely believe 100 per cent that if you are a rebuilding team, you hold onto Stone unless there's an offer that you can't refuse. But if you're pushing for a championship trophy next year, now's the time to deal him (unless he wins the Calder, which at that point, that's the best time to deal him). Why deal him now? Even if you believe he can improve and be a 65-70 point guy next season, that's not much an improvement. And there's always the dreaded sophomore slump to worry about. If you can deal him for an older consistent 75-80 point type, now's the time to do so.

 

5. Daniel Sedin

Yeah, yeah, I know what regular readers are thinking: I have a vendetta against the Sedin twins, and I let my personal bias against them get in the way. But I've never owned them in a pool, and have never been burned by them in an important fantasy matchup, so there's nothing personal about this, it's just facts. This was Sedin's best season in five years. He'll be 35 years old when next season begins, and his ice time is down as the coach wants to roll four lines consistently. He also scored 10 of his points against Edmonton, and six against the Coyotes. I know the points count the same, but I always get worried when players inflate their stats against bad teams.  

 

4. Rick Nash

Nash could have been number one on this list if he could have only kept up his first-half pace. He still finished with a career high in goals and plus minus, and it was his second best ever season in points and game winning goals. But as mentioned, he faltered in the second half of the season, and this was his best campaign in six years. It would be too much to expect another season like this out of him next year.

 

3. Jiri Hudler

Everyone kept waiting for the inevitable slowdown for Hudler, but it just didn't happen this season. Maybe next year.  In fact, odds are pretty good that Hudler will have a major regression. While his shooting percentage of 19.6 is not that far off his four-year average of 18.4, his overall points is way higher than most would expect, especially for a forward at the age of 31. His 31 goals is the first time he's ever cracked 30 goals, and his 76 points is 19 points higher than his career high. While the Flames were a fun team to watch this year, there is also concern they could be this year's Colorado Avalanche (and look how bad the fantasy seasons were for Avalanche players). Is there a chance he could be a top-10 point getter again next season? Maybe, but I wouldn't bet on it.

 

2. Nick Foligno

Maybe he's a late bloomer. Or maybe he's finally got quality line mates (Ryan Johansen) that are just maturing. Maybe he finally saw a lot more ice time and power play ice time thanks to major injuries to teammates. Whatever the reason, Foligno just topped his career high by 26 points.  He also scored 31 goals, the first time he's ever even hit 20, much less 30. And his 17 per cent shooting percentage was 4.6 percentage points higher than his career average. With a fully healthy squad next season, Foligno will see his ice time decrease. And so will his numbers.

 

1. Devan Dubnyk

Dubnyk just had a great season. He was sixth in the league in wins, second in save percentage, second in goals against average, and fourth in shutouts. If you still own him, go trade him now. As mentioned in the Price section, goalies are fickle. I can't see Dubnyk putting together another season like this. And it was only one year ago that we saw career seasons out of guys like Semyon Varlamov, Antti Niemi, Ben Bishop, Josh Harding and a few others. Dubnyk is a top candidate for a dropoff next season, so trade him while his value is still high. 

 

 

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