NHL Fantasy Hockey
The Players That May Have Been Overlooked
Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Geno Malkin and Joe Thornton are all obvious choices for any fantasy team owner. The first and second round picks in a fantasy draft don’t really require a ton of thought, its more of a crap shoot as each team lays claim to the top 20 players in the league. Rounds 5 through 10 are where a true championship teams are built. Solid third and fourth line performers that will get 20 or 25 goals for your team are essential.
Andy McDonald, St. Louis Blues
2008/2009 Stats: 46 games played, 15 goals, 29 assists
A near point-per-game player, McDonald may be flying under the radar this season as a leg injury saw him miss 36 games in his first season with the Blues. McDonald is a gifted player with quick feet and quicker hands. Expect McDonald to have a great year as part of a great, young Blues team.
Tim Connolly, Buffalo Sabres
2008/2009 Stats: 48 games played, 18 goals, 29 assists
According to Yahoo! Sports, Connolly is only owned by 23% of fantasy teams. Outrageous! Connolly is a dynamic, electrifying player who is a legitimate threat to score every time he is on the ice. Sure, Connolly may be an injury liability, but he’s heading into the 09/10 season healthy and will provide consistent secondary scoring for the Sabres all year long.
Patrick Berglund, St Louis Blues
2008/2009 Stats: 76 games played, 21 goals, 26 assists
A second-year player out of Sweden who garnered serious consideration for rookie of the year last season, Berglund is poised to take the next step in an expanded role with the Blues. Berglund should be approached with caution by fantasy owners however, as very few new NHL players have solid seasons back-to-back to start their careers. Nowhere is it being suggested that Berglund may fall victim to the “sophomore jinx”, but it is being urged that owners reserve judgment before committing a roster spot to Berglund.
Dustin Byfuglien, Chicago Blackhawks
2008/2009 Stats: 77 games played, 15 goals, 16 assists
You may not know it, but Byfuglien has been with the Blackhawks since 2005. This warrior has been dropped and re-called from the minors 12 times before earning a full time spot with the club last season. Byfuglien earned his notoriety in the playoffs last year as his earned 9 points in the Blackhawks post season run. Another year gone by, Byfuglien enters the 2009/2010 season as a bonafide member of the team and will see more time on the ice with superstars Patrick Kane and Jonathon Toews, as well as added minutes on the Blackhawks power play.
Francois Beauchemin, Toronto Maple Leafs
2008/2009 Stats: 20 games played, 4 goals, 1 assist
Playing behind Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger, any player is bound to be overshadowed. Beauchemin has a booming shot and great vision from the point. Playing along side Tomas Kaberle on Toronto’s number one power play unit should see Beauchemin be the beneficiary of Bryan McCabe like numbers from a few years ago. Expect career highs from the Sorel, Quebec native.
Andrew Cogliano, Edmonton Oliers
2008/2009 Stats: 82 games played, 18 goals, 20 assists
The fastest skater in the league is maturing very nicely. Tallying 45 points in his rookie year and 38 last year, Cogliano is slowly becoming a true leader for the Oilers. He may not get you 70 points, but Cogliano would be a great late round pick for any fantasy team. He’s fast, he’s skilled and he stays healthy; Cogliano played all 82 games in his first two seasons. With Craig MAcTavish gone and Pat Quinn and Tom Renney in, Cogliano will benefit immensely from a player friendly coach like Quinn. Expect Cogliano’s ice time to improve, along with his statistical numbers.
Jonas Gustavsson, Toronto Maple Leafs
2008/2009 Stats: N/A
Conventional wisdom will tell you that taking a risk on a kid who has no NHL experience is not the best move. However, should Vesa Toskala falter as the Leafs number 1 goalie as many suspect, Gustavsson will be thrust into the spotlight sooner rather than later. “The Monster”, barring any injury, should see at least 25 games in the net this season. Leafs GM Brian Burke did not go through all the trouble he did to sign Gustavsson to a one-year deal to see him on the bench for the majority of the season. It may be a risky pick, but it may just be the smartest – only time will tell with this one.
What do you think about this article?
Comments
Latest Articles