Fantasy or reality, steady goaltending is hard to come by these days. Just ask the Toronto Maple Leafs.
To say Kyle Dubas’ hand was forced would probably be an understatement. There’s no question Wednesday night’s 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers was the final straw for Michael Hutchinson. The 29-year-old will almost certainly be placed on waivers once Frederik Andersen is able to return from a neck injury.
Enter Jack Campbell.
Depending on Andersen’s immediate status, you may want to take a flier on Campbell, especially in daily fantasy. When it comes to the Sportsnet Fantasy Hockey Pool, the 28-year-old’s two-point value is also extremely appealing. For what it’s worth, Toronto has another four-game docket upcoming next week.
Now to your questions:
Simply put, his trade value is through the roof. You should have a multitude of suitors.
You’d be silly not to investigate the trade market for Vasilevskiy right now, especially if you possess crease depth. Once again, the 25-year-old is on a different planet right now. He’s an astounding 15-0-2 over his last 17 outings. Just think about that for a second.
Because elite goaltending is hard to come by, I’d say you control the market if you decide to make a move here. There’s no doubt in my mind you can easily fetch a top-10 fantasy forward in exchange for Vasilevskiy. If I were you, I’d try to acquire a pair of forwards in the same deal. You can never have enough depth scoring.
For now, I’d slow play the market. Let others come to you. Furthermore, try to capitalize on the desperation of other owners. Oftentimes, fantasy owners will feel pressure and angst to make a move. Capitalize on that and maximize that asset. Good luck!
Hey @thegoldenmuzzy, In my one league (non keeper) my goalies are Freddie, Reims & Lehner (we start 2 nightly). Who's the best option to add out of these guys hanging on the wire? Koski, Shesterkin, Craw or Raanta? We count W/GAA/SV%/SHO.
— [̲̅S][̲̅l][̲̅a][̲̅v] (@Slav_Dr) February 5, 2020
I’d go with Crawford.
Quietly, the Blackhawks have found their groove. Jeremy Colliton’s squad is 13-6-2 since Dec. 15, a top-10 record in the NHL in that span. The biggest reason for the mid-season turnaround has been the goaltending – both Crawford and partner Robin Lehner have been solid lately. In addition to that, they’re both in contract years. Need I say more?
In general, it’s great to see the 35-year-old Crawford back and healthy. Since Jan. 1, the two-time Stanley Cup champ has posted a respectable 4-2-1 record. In that time, he’s notched a sparkling 2.12 goals-against to go with an impressive .931 save percentage. Everything’s coming up Chicago these days. Watch out for Crawford and the Hawks down the stretch!
Missed that – sorry for the late response. Honestly, I think a sell-high opportunity has passed you by here. If I were you, I’d be looking for upgrades right now. The Canes and Mrazek have been supremely inconsistent lately.
In general, I’m fascinated to see what the Canes do between now and the Feb. 24 trade deadline. Interestingly enough, they’ve been linked to some goalies, namely the aforementioned Lehner. Is Don Waddell showing his hand? Maybe a little. At this point in his career, it’s safe to say Mrazek will never truly be a number-one. He’s found a nice home in Carolina, but don’t get it twisted. There are some definite flees with this file.
Gauge the market and look for an upgrade.
Undoubtedly, one of the biggest shockers of this fantasy season so far has been the volatility in Nashville’s crease. Both Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros have struggled mightily. That said, the Predators have shown recent signs of awakening from their season-long slumber. They’ve won five of their past seven.
Despite the struggles this season, I still feel that Saros is in line to succeed Rinne. Because he’s been around seemingly forever, we do forget that Saros is just 24. The growing pains are normal. Just ask John Gibson and Connor Hellebuyck, for starters.
For my money, Saros is way too talented not to take the job eventually. When will that be? His play will dictate that. Regardless of the coaching change, this has always been David Poile’s plan. Monitor closely.
Hoffman for me.
The 30-year-old has tallied at least a point in 12 of 14 games to start off 2020. Unsurprisingly, with a payday in sight, Hoffman has caught fire. I’d say 30 goals and 70 points is very attainable. I wonder if he’ll use Skinner’s contract as a comparable in free agency. We’ll see. Also, don’t put it past Dale Tallon to deal Hoffman to shore up the blueline. Anything is possible.
If you were wondering, DeBrincat would rank two, Bjorkstrand three, for me.
Honestly, I think you have to ride this out and hope for a hot finish. Here’s why: if you were to place Seguin on the trade block, there’s no doubt you’d be getting lowball offers. No one ever wants to pay full price. What’s the point of that, right? You’re better off taking a calculated risk and betting on Seguin. He’s done it time and time before. Hopefully a hot streak is coming.
Now, if you’re hell bent on moving him, make sure to be patient when it comes to prospective offers.
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