This article is part of our Frozen Fantasy series.
I'll admit I smiled smugly when Kevin Shattenkirk hit the IR this week. I took some heat last season when I criticized both his trade demands and his inflated sense of self.
Vindicated?
Nope. I actually prefer to be wrong. Shattenkirk has proven he isn't a number one defender. I'm not even sure he's a true two. But a three who plays on the power play? You bet. And that's where his loss will be felt.
Injuries like his can I, Tonya your fantasy team. Yep, it's like taking a police baton to the leg.
You can buffer injuries with smart trades and quick pick-ups. Or you can create panic for owners hit by the hurt by snagging smart replacements before they do.
But you need to move fast.
Target Ryan McDonagh, not Brady Skjei, to replace Shattenkirk's power-play potential. Like many coaches, Alain Vigneault prefers veteran experience to youthful exuberance. My gut says McDonagh will get the time.
And I'm not just saying that because I dropped Skjei a week ago.
On the other hand, Todd McLellan isn't afraid to role the dice on young guys – at this point, desperation rules. So, line shuffles with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' trip to the IR will elevate Drake Caggiula, not Milan Lucic, to the top line. With Connor McDavid.
Yep, the non-six Drake is now on my squad.
Chicago is another story altogether. Will a team loaded with the likes of Patrick Kane, Jonathan
I'll admit I smiled smugly when Kevin Shattenkirk hit the IR this week. I took some heat last season when I criticized both his trade demands and his inflated sense of self.
Vindicated?
Nope. I actually prefer to be wrong. Shattenkirk has proven he isn't a number one defender. I'm not even sure he's a true two. But a three who plays on the power play? You bet. And that's where his loss will be felt.
Injuries like his can I, Tonya your fantasy team. Yep, it's like taking a police baton to the leg.
You can buffer injuries with smart trades and quick pick-ups. Or you can create panic for owners hit by the hurt by snagging smart replacements before they do.
But you need to move fast.
Target Ryan McDonagh, not Brady Skjei, to replace Shattenkirk's power-play potential. Like many coaches, Alain Vigneault prefers veteran experience to youthful exuberance. My gut says McDonagh will get the time.
And I'm not just saying that because I dropped Skjei a week ago.
On the other hand, Todd McLellan isn't afraid to role the dice on young guys – at this point, desperation rules. So, line shuffles with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' trip to the IR will elevate Drake Caggiula, not Milan Lucic, to the top line. With Connor McDavid.
Yep, the non-six Drake is now on my squad.
Chicago is another story altogether. Will a team loaded with the likes of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and an aging Duncan Keith rely on Jeff Glass and Anton Forsberg between the pipes if Corey Crawford really is done for '18?
Or will they trade for help? Anton Khudobin kept Boston in the hunt early this season while Tuukka Rask got his crap together. Aaron Dell has been better than Martin Jones this season. Petr Mrazek has stunk, but he has shown a battling mentality that could fit in the city with wind.
Don't sleep – take the leap. You are going to have to take risks at this point to make a change in the standings. Move up. Force the desperate down. Close the gap. I know you can do it.
Now let's take a look at who caught my eye this week.
Drake Caggiula, LW/C, Edmonton (0 percent Yahoo! owned) – (In case you didn't read above) Injuries provide opportunity and that's what Caggiula was gifted when RNH busted a rib. The resulting line shuffle has plopped Drake on Connor McDavid's wing. He showed he could both keep up and convert when they skated together last season. That's good enough for me.
Joonas Donskoi, LW/RW, San Jose (5 percent Yahoo! owned) – Donskoi showed real promise in his rookie campaign, but fell off the side of the flat earth last year. He's back this season with 20 points in 38 games, including five (two goals, three assists) and a plus-6 rating in his last four. Donskoi will streak, so there will be slumps to go along with the surges, too. But he's hot and available. Swipe right.
Alexander Edler, D, Vancouver (15 percent Yahoo! owned) – Edler is a tease. He hasn't played a full season since his career-best 82-game, 49-point effort in 2011-12. This year, Edler has missed time because of yet another ouch, but he still delivers when he's healthy. And right now, he's on a four-game, five-point streak heading into the weekend. Short-term, this Orca can help.
Carl Hagelin, LW, Pittsburgh (2 percent Yahoo! owned) – Hagelin has lot of skills, but sadly, he's really only been able to use one at a time. And that means his upside has been seriously limited. So, I'm not sure what has gotten into him lately – maybe he's learned how to skate and chew gum at the same time. Hagelin is riding a surprising five-game, six-point streak heading into the weekend. That gum will soon go stale, but he is worth rostering for at least a couple games.
Ondrej Kase, LW/RW, Anaheim (9 percent Yahoo! owned) – Kase is an offensively gifted and a talented playmaker, and he's on a tear. He's finding real chemistry with Adam Henrique and the Quacks are warming up. Kase's six points, including three goals, in his last four games should be on your roster.
Alex Kerfoot, RW/C, Colorado (10 percent Yahoo! owned) – So, what would you pay for an offensively gifted forward on the league's hottest team? Kerfoot is a Harvard-grad with excellent hockey sense, strong puck skills and prowess on the power play, and he's sitting in a tie for fifth in rookie scoring across the league. Oh yeah – he has nine points in his last 10 games. Need something more? Kerfoot is tied with Mathew Barzal for second in rookie scoring on the power play and just a point behind PPP-leader Brock Boeser. I thought that would seal the deal.
Andrew MacDonald, D, Philadelphia (0 percent Yahoo! owned) – MacDonald is a stay-at-home defender who has somehow put up five assists in his last five games. This will dry up as fast as it started, but he might manage to stretch it a few more games. Defenders who score are almost impossible to pull off the wire, so you may have to roll the dice on this unlikely producer.
Richard Panik, LW/RW, Arizona (16 percent Yahoo! owned) – Everyone I know thought Panik was banished to the desert with that Jan. 10 trade. Nope. Panik is riding shotgun on the top line and while he doesn't have a Jonathan Toews or even an occasional Patrick Kane beside him, he does have talent. He has three assists in his last four games after putting up 16 in 37 with the Hawks. Panik looks like a natural in the dawg pound.
Henrik Sedin, C, Vancouver (13 percent Yahoo! owned) – Sedin is riding a five-game, six-assist streak heading into Saturday's game in Edmonton. The old boy looks great right now, so stick him in your lineup. What's the worst thing that could happen? He might even score a goal.
Back to the IR.
Blocking is a strategy that can put desperate owners in the palm of your hand. Know what they need and pull the rug out by picking guys up first.
The panic will rise for those trying to replace those hurt. And you might be able to lever real benefit, especially if you are in a keeper league.
Like the NHL, some owners make fear-based moves. Maybe you can get 10 percent more in a deal if you play your cards right. Block and then pounce.
Just be kind. Don't be a jerk. Keep your long-term relationship, but oversell if you can.
Until next week.
