The countdown to American Thanksgiving is here. Many, like Patrik Laine, were just waiting for the calendar to change to November to catch fire. It’s likely we see a return to relative normalcy around the NHL this month. One thing is for certain: expect the goaltending to pick up league wide.
1. If you’re scrambling to find a replacement for the indefinitely sidelined Jonathan Quick, here are some options –
Carter Hutton (Buffalo Sabres) – 64% ownership)
Roberto Luongo (Florida Panthers – 59% ownership)
Jaroslav Halak (Boston Bruins – 56% ownership)
2. I can’t believe I’m writing this after one month but I’m ready to endorse Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner – when healthy – as nightly streamer options. Surprisingly, the Islanders have become very stingy defensively. They’re currently fourth in the NHL in goals against per game with a superb 2.5.
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Barry Trotz and Mitch Korn are really good at their jobs. Enjoy.
3. Even with Pekka Rinne back in the fold, I’d hold onto Juuse Saros. Rinne is 35 and the Predators would like to lessen his regular season work load to keep him fresh for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Saros has a bright future. He’ll get plenty of action.
4. Make sure 39-year-old Roberto Luongo is on your active roster again. The veteran returned to the Panthers crease in Finland and unsurprisingly, they were victorious. Assuming he can stay healthy, Florida gains some much needed stability in goal, something it’s lacked thus far. Given his age and recent injury history, proceed with caution.
5. Why not take a stab at acquiring Sergei Bobrovsky? The Blue Jackets stud goaltender was horrendous in October posting an abysmal 3.57 goals-against average coupled with an .882 save percentage. He’ll be better in November. Try to land him before he finds his game again.
6. Now’s a good time to buy low on John Gibson. The Ducks aren’t as good as their start and they’re definitely not as bad as this recent stretch. I expect Gibson to resort back to his early season dominance once Randy Carlyle figures out how to limit the shot totals.
7. Time to jump ship on James Neal. The 31-year-old was supposed to play with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau but then Elias Lindholm happened. No need for a third-liner on your fantasy roster. Good riddance. Be sure to stay up-to-date, Neal’s assignment can change into a favourable one at any moment.
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8. Sell high on Jason Pominville immediately. The Sabres PR put out an astonishing tweet on Saturday afternoon: Since they began playing together on Oct. 20, Jeff Skinner (8G, 5A), Pominville (7G, 6A) and Jack Eichel (1G, 11A) are the top three scorers in the NHL.
At this point in Pominville’s career, we know what he is. Perhaps the 35-year-old randomly returns to his 60-point days but I’d rather the safer route – trading him for an upgrade. Fire away!
9. Injury concerns may allow you to pick up Stars winger Alex Radulov on the cheap right now. Given his lingering lower-body injury, this transaction comes at a risk but I feel the pros outweigh the cons. Give it a try.
10. Hope you held onto Nolan Patrick. The Flyers sophomore forward has rebounded nicely after a dash-four outing last weekend against the Islanders. In the last three games, the 20-year-old has potted two goals and three helpers along with a plus-5 rating. A recent promotion to PP1 seems to have ignited the 2017 second-overall pick. Pounce on Patrick.
11. Brady Tkachuk did enough for me early in the season – before getting hurt – to warrant holding a spot on your roster. The rookie reportedly may be ready to return to the Senators lineup as early as this upcoming week. Currently 36 per cent owned, I view Tkachuk as an significant upgrade over anything currently sitting on your waiver wire in a 12-team standard league. Grab him.
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12. The Boston Bruins recently demoted Harvard product Ryan Donato, effectively ending my pre-season forecast of a Calder Trophy win. He had just one goal and no assists in 11 games. More seasoning in the minors never hurts. Keep tabs on Donato’s progression.
13. Jordan Eberle deserves your attention. Dating back to Jan. 1, the pending unrestricted free agent has tallied 16 goals and 25 assists over 58 games for the New York Islanders. That’s nothing to sneeze at. Once he gets paid, Eberle may want to send some gratuities to Mathew Barzal if you know what I’m saying. Own him.
14. Blues forward Robby Fabbri could be a valuable addition to your fantasy squad. He’s looked good so far participating in his first regular season game action since February of 2017. While he’s currently being used sparingly, Mike Yeo knows what he can bring to the table and the Blues are pretty desperate these days. Don’t be shocked if Fabbri finds himself in the top six soon enough. There’s sneaky value here.
15. Hope you didn’t pull a tantrum and dispose of Ryan Pulock. Slowly but surely, the Islanders defender is starting to cook offensively. He’s still on PP2 but as I always lament, the power-play assignments across the NHL are fluid. Pulock has way more offensive upside than Nick Leddy. Hold on.
16. Time to say “bon voyage” to early season go-getter Max Lajoie. After an unbelievable start for the Senators, the 20-year-old is pointless in the last seven games and should be dropped to the waiver wire. Lajoie has a bright future.
17. It’s time to test the waters again on Ty Rattie. After a seven-game absence due to a mid-body injury, the 25-year-old has been activated from IR and is ready to return. Given how good Drake Caggiula has performed lately, it’ll be interesting to see if Rattie reprises his role on Edmonton’s top line with Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Have an eye.
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18. Nikolay Goldobin is quickly emerging as a cheeky waiver stream. Why, you ask? Well, he’s landed a dream job promotion in Vancouver playing with Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser. Enough said. Enjoy that value!
19. Music to the ears of an Edmonton Oilers fan: Oscar Klefbom has been playing like a stallion lately. Since Oct. 27, the 25-year-old has notched three assists, mustering a total of 16 shots on goal with a plus-9 rating. Now 29 per cent owned in Yahoo Leagues, fantasy owners have been taking note and so should you.
20. Attention Sportsnet Fantasy Hockey Pool players, the upcoming week in the NHL is a busy one with a total of 50 games on the docket.
11 teams have four-game weeks but it’s the Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers that you want to hone in on. Some low value options – Jakub Vrana, Will Butcher and the aforementioned Klefbom.
McDavid is obviously a must.
Conversely, you want to steer clear of Buffalo, Chicago, Nashville and Winnipeg. They play just twice.
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