Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

A funky fantasy week

November 26, 2014, 2:49 PM ET [47 Comments]
Lucas Neilson
Blogger •Fantasy Hockey Expert • RSSArchiveCONTACT



Looking at all the games this week; you will notice there is not the regular number of games on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. There is actually a boat load of games tonight and just one game on each Thursday and Friday. Tomorrow will include Edmonton playing in Nashville where the red hot Predators hope to decimate the ice cold Oilers. Sorry Oiler fans, it looks like it will be another season of no playoffs; as a Leaf fan…I feel your pain.

Lots of the young players who came out of the gates with guns a blazing have really slowed down in terms of point production. Most of them at least…there is still a handful of young upcoming stars who have continued to light the lamp or at least assist in doing so. If you still have one of these young guns on your team who has slowed down in production, its either time to drop them and find someone who is starting to find their magic touch; or attempt to trade them. Trading them can be difficult at time because there may be some reluctance from others who can see they have slowed down. Fair enough you can’t exactly force feed a trade to someone unwilling. It’s very difficult to say when the “right” time is to drop someone or sell high; nobody can see the future…at least that I know.

Here is an idea that I have used in the past and will continue to use as I find it one of the best ways to upgrade your fantasy roster. Of course a quality roster is a must to make something like this happen, or even better a player that is on the IR and who you feel will be able to contribute in a quality fashion to your team. Looking ahead; you will have to drop a player 100% if you are going to bring your Injured Reserve (IR) player back into your lineup. What better to do than sell off one of your young guns who may or may not be able to maintain the pace he is at. Moving two players for one player of better quality, and you will 100% over pay to get that player; which is fine. This is the type of deal you want to make with someone who is struggling for offence in your pool. Like I said; you will have to drop a player for absolutely no return if you are going to bring in your IR player. Talk on the phone or through text to the person you are hoping to trade with; explain your situation even…if they are smart; they will be interested. Why? Because you really will overpay them, but in return you will get the best player who should produce the most points out of anyone in the trade.

Why would they want to do this? I know I’m really driving the point home…but offer them a player that you would drop if you put your IR player in, and then add in a player who has good fantasy value; someone who would spark their interest without a doubt. Just make sure that the player that you want from them is going to produce more than the best player you give in the trade to their team.

Last week I scooped up Ryan McDonagh from the IR; which made one of my defensemen expendable. I had Keith, Yandle, Josi and Muzzin on my roster. I am a big fan of Keith as I think he is one of the best overall defensemen in the game and he also plays on one of the best teams in the NHL. So I didn’t want to move him, but I do know that Yandle has value because he produces a lot on the power play.

The guy I am doing the trade with is a huge Maple Leafs fan and I know for a fact that he has a lot of interest in Phil Kessel; as most Leaf fans would. I told him straight up, I have an extra defenseman that I am hoping to trade to you with a high end roster player. In return I want two forwards; and one of them being Pavelski. After some back and forth we agreed on a deal that would send me Pavelski and Krejci in exchange for Yandle and Kessel. It hurt giving away Phil as he should be good for 30 goals and 45 assists or so. But in the big picture; I am replacing Yandle with McDonagh when he returns. Meanwhile I can float Pavelski and Krejci through my lineup and I will drop my worst player and pick up defensemen until McDonagh is healthy.

The only problem here was Krejci ended being banged up and hasn’t played a game for me yet. Brutal? Yeah…for now, but when he is healthy and back on track which should be within the next couple weeks I would imagine; I’ll be dancing. No risk no reward.

Now the guy I traded with, he’s content; he just added in a better defenseman that he had on his roster and he got Kessel for Pavelski. We both “win” the trade for now; but at seasons end when and if Krecji becomes healthy I should acquire more points and a better +- in the end.

I thrive on having at least one excellent goalie and absolutely loading up my top end forward talent.

For the record I picked up John Klingberg and he has been dynamite for me! He even managed to score a knuckle puck from center ice…you’d think he was playing for the Ducks!

Do you have someone on the IR? Feel free to write in the comments section about your trade or your thoughts on a trade in the near future.

Starting Goalies:

(WPG) Pavelec VS (BUF) Enroth
(WSH) Holtby VS (NYI) Halak
(PHI) Mason VS (DET) Howard
(NYR) Lundqvist VS (TBL) Bishop
(CAR) Ward VS (FLA) Luongo
(TOR) Bernier VS (PIT) Fleury
(LA) Quick VS (MIN) Kuemper
(CHI) Crawford VS (COL) Pickard
(CLG) Ramo VS (SJ) Niemi

Bold is starting for sure – Italics is likely.

Just going over one of my fantasy teams that I do a lot of trading/rotating in and here is how things have gone:

Bozak + Nash = P. Kane
Vatanen = O’Reilly
Kessel + Yandle = Pavelski + Krecji

As you can see; I’ve made a few moves to grab some high end offensive talent. Once Krecji returns from his hip/groin injury and if O’Reilly and Colorado figure things out…I will be in good shape. I have no doubt that these moves will push me in the right direction. If O’Reilly doesn’t start to produce by Christmas I may have to dump him for a hot hand, or simply use that slot as a rotator since I get 4 moves a week.

Hopefully some of these tactics help open your views on some new strategy in ways to make your roster better as the season goes on.

I appreciate the positive feedback I’ve been getting and I thank you all for reading, best of luck in tonight’s games!
Join the Discussion: » 47 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Lucas Neilson
» Fantasy Spotlight: Matthew Boldy
» Fantasy Quick Hits: Husso, Nichushkin, Strome, Kahkonen, Mikheyev
» Mid season: Fire up the Free Agency
» Fantasy: Working the waiver wire & who to grab
» The Fantasy Portal