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The fantasy hockey world will be turned upside down over the next week.
The NHL’s trade deadline is set for February 29th, so there are going to be plenty of superstars and fantasy hockey stalwarts changing uniforms between now and next Monday. That will result in tumult as a change of scenery usually translates into a change of fantasy value. But until the deadline looms closer and blockbusters start rolling in faster than you can say, “Ryan McDonagh is hurt again,” daily fantasy hockey players just have to focus on the good buys and the overpriced players to stay away from in their leagues.
Here are this week’s DFS fantasy hockey buys and don’t buys:
Week 21 Daily Fantasy Hockey Buys
T.J. Brodie - D, CGY
Brodie is playing like a defenseman who desperately wants to win the Norris Trophy. With seven points over his last five games, he is surpassing teammate Mark Giordano as Calgary’s most effective fantasy defenseman. Brodie now possesses a better points-per-game average and blows Giordano away in the plus-minus department (plus-15 vs. -2). But Brodie is still priced below Giordano in many daily leagues, either because of Giordano’s 2014-15 breakout campaign or because Giordano still bests Brodie in other categories such as goals, power-play goals and penalty minutes.
Brodie has an advantageous upcoming schedule as Calgary plays home games against the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders. That bodes well for Brodie as his home numbers have been off the charts this season as he has 21 points in 25 home contests. Between him being at home for two games against teams that are not world beaters this week and with him passing the puck lately like he is Paul Coffey, Brodie shapes up to be a perfect pick for DFS while his price stays affordable.
Andre Burakovsky - LW, WAS
Burakovsky’s fantasy value has been uneven at best this season. The former first-round pick has been skating alongside burgeoning superstar Evgeny Kuznetsov at even strength and has shown flashes of brilliance, yet due to his lack of power-play time, his lack of penalty minutes and the lack of times he plays more than 14 minutes a night has stunted his fantasy value throughout the year. So when the price tags for left wings get announced for DFS leagues, Burakovsky is hardly ever ranked among the top 10.
Burakovsky loves being in Washington as much as most politicians do. His home numbers (16 points, plus-7 in 26 games) are starkly better than his road numbers (11 points, minus-1 in 28 games). That should be music to fantasy owners’ ears thinking of using him in DFS leagues since Washington’s first three games this week are home versus Arizona, Montreal and Minnesota. Since Burakovsky is only averaging 0.5 points per game on the season and has yet to net a power-play goal, his price is on the low end in DFS. Feel free to spend less on him to free up money to use on other players and positions. Burakovsky should post some solid games since he is in the friendly confines of his home rink three times.
Week 21 Daily Fantasy Hockey Don't Buys
Steven Stamkos - C, TB
Stamkos has not been his usual Stamkos self this season. Fantasy owners have been patiently waiting for that seven-game scoring streak or that series of multi-goal games, but the points have been trickling in for Stamkos instead of coming in bunches. Stamkos’ point-per-game average this season is the worst it has been since his rookie year. He was probably one of the first 10-15 players drafted in many season-long leagues and remains one of the priciest players in DFS leagues right now, even though he is not averaging anywhere near a point per game like he normally does.
It is as obvious as the sun is yellow that Stamkos’ current contract situation and the daily trade rumors swirling about him have been hanging over him like a sticky defenseman. Stamkos only has nine points over his last 15 outings, although he has played and scored better recently. His first game of the week, home against Arizona, might make him worthy of spending a large chunk of your DFS cap. But with two other road games after that later in the week, allocating your funds for others is probably prudent.
Evander Kane - LW, BUF
Kane is in dire need of two things. One is an alarm clock so he does not oversleep and miss any more practices. The other is a top-line center to pass him the puck. Ryan O’ Reilly will miss the next three-to-four weeks with a lower-body injury, so Kane is going to be without his main playmaker for almost a month. And as fantasy hockey owners know, Kane is a power forward who needs someone to put the puck on his stick to help him score.
Kane was on a goal roll before O’Reilly’s injury, scoring four times in a five-game span. February has been his best fantasy month as he has racked up 41 penalty minutes, taken 48 shots on goal and been a plus-1. But gaining an alarm clock while losing O’Reilly is not a tradeoff that is going to help his fantasy value. Kane went scoreless and was minus-2 in his first game without O’Reilly in the lineup. Unless Kane is moved onto Jack Eichel’s line and clicks with the young rookie sensation, he is going to be in for some tough sledding in the coming weeks.
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