Fantasy Hockey Mailbag: Looking ahead to keepers for next season
With the Stanley Cup Playoffs just 10 short days away, load management is once again wreaking havoc on the conclusion of another fantasy season.
Left and right, marquee players are sitting out due to undisclosed reasons in preparation for what’s to come starting May 2. Simply put, it’s been a nightmare to navigate through, which is pretty much par for the course since March 2020.
Whether it be for personal milestones or playoff positioning, as you put together your final roster for the Sportsnet Fantasy Hockey Pool, it would be wise to target incentivized players. Honestly, it’s appalling how watered-down contending rosters have been lately; tough times for those of you who are into daily fantasy and single-game betting.
Now to your questions:
For as long as I can remember, the standard goalie categories have been wins, shutouts, goals-against average and save percentage, so I’d stick with what you already have in place. As for start requirements, the sweet spot seems to be three; that’s all I’ve ever played with.
With a handful of games remaining, this question ultimately comes down to the rest of the season schedule. Raanta and the Canes have the Devils, Isles and Rangers – all on the road – to wrap. Meantime, Quick and the Kings have the Ducks at home before concluding their regular season with stops in Seattle and Vancouver, respectively.
With that in mind, I’d probably lean a smidge towards Quick in this instance. The 36-year-old has been lights out lately, turning back the clock to his glory days. I’m all about riding the hot hand this time of year, so get aboard the Quick train immediately. For what it’s worth, my level of confidence is high in both files right now. Carolina continues to duke it out with the Rangers for the Metro Division crown and Los Angeles looks to be closing in on a well-deserved playoff berth.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I would cut the cord. The Lightning star has registered just one measly point – an assist – over his past eight outings. On top of that, it appears Point could be dealing with something as the 26-year-old was forced to sit out Thursday night against Toronto. After the game, Tampa head coach Jon Cooper said he was ‘hopeful’ Point could return to the lineup on Saturday night. What for is my question? Rest him.
At any rate, I’d move on and hit the waiver wire, now’s not the time to wait around.
For my money, the first three keepers are no brainers: Shesterkin, Kaprizov and Seider. After that, the debate between Crosby, Ovechkin and Pastrnak is a fascinating one. Personally, I’d probably give a bit of an edge to Pastrnak, strictly because of the age factor. When healthy this season, especially in the second half, the Bruins sniper once again proved his worth and value in the fantasy world. I believe in him, and you should too. Lastly, if I had to rank the three forward, I’d go Pastrnak then Ovechkin then Crosby.
Despite his recent struggles, I do unequivocally think Oettinger’s the real deal. After all, I don’t think the Stars would even be in this position to contest for a playoff spot if it weren’t for the 23-year-old and his consistent play. With rumours of Rick Bowness retiring and both John Klingberg and Alex Radulov set to come off the books, it could be a busy summer ahead for GM Jim Nill and company. I really like Dallas’ nucleus; I’m intrigued to see how they continue to build around Oettinger, Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen.
Ultimately, because Petersen has been so inconsistent this season for the Kings, I think it’s an easy decision for you to go with Malkin and Scheifele. Simply put, I prefer players with pedigree over a relative unknown. And that’s no slight on Petersen by the way, I just think you’ll be able to re-draft him with relative ease if you so please.
Even at the ripe age of 35, Malkin continues to chug right along at a point per game clip. When it comes to Scheifele, I’m expecting him to have a monster offseason and come in hungry for training camp in September. I can tell you right now, he’s definitely on my radar for bounce-back candidates for next season. I’ll be all over him.