Buy-Low/Sell-High For Fantasy Hockey

It is early but it's a short season, too.

Jan 21, 2021

The National Hockey League season is just over a week old so there is typically no need to overreact to the results of three or four games. At the same time, just because you don’t want to overreact that doesn’t mean there won’t be others in your league that are thinking the same way.

If you can catch one of these players that might be undervalued or deal one at the peak of his value, you should be better off for it. Some names to consider:

Buy Low

Evgeni Malkin, C, Pittsburgh

Even with a slow start that includes one goal and 10 shots on goal in four games, it is worth checking on Malkin’s availability, especially if there is an impatient team owner who might be frustrated.

Kevin Fiala, RW, Minnesota

The Wild attack has struggled early, and Fiala has yet to record a point but has generated 19 shots on goal in four games. With that shot rate, the goals and points will come soon enough.

Zach Hyman, LW, Toronto

You may need to hit the waiver wire to grab Hyman but, with Joe Thornton injured that could lead Hyman to return to the wing with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Also, Hyman has two points and 13 shots on goal through four games while playing on the third line, so a move up does make him more appealing.

Carter Hart, G, Philadelphia

Philadelphia’s rising star netminder has a .899 SV% after allowing four goals on 22 shots in his last start. If that is enough to frustrate someone who drafted Hart, swoop in.

Igor Shesterkin, G, N.Y. Rangers

Same goes for the Rangers rookie who struggled in his first start of the season but Hart and Shesterkin were both in my top half dozen goaltenders coming into the season. One ineffective start doesn’t change that.

Sell High

Tom Wilson, RW, Washington

This isn’t a case of you must get rid of Tom Wilson, it’s more like if you can get great value in return, consider it. He has five points and 22 hits in four games, which is outstanding but he also has three goals on four shots so Wilson, who is still going to be really valuable, probably won’t be able to maintain his current production.

Jeff Petry, D, Montreal

I doubt anyone was higher on Petry than I was coming into the season but even I would try to see what kind of value is out there for Petry when he has six points in four games. He also has seven hits, eight blocks and 10 shots on goal, and those contributions are expected to some degree, but his early scoring exploits may have helped to push Petry’s value higher than anticipated.

WEDNESDAY STARS

MTL RW Tyler Toffoli 3 G

VAN RW Brock Boeser 2 G, 1 A

VAN C Bo Horvat 2 G, 1 A

VGK RW Alex Tuch 1 G, 2 A

Edmonton 3 Toronto 1

EDM C Connor McDavid 2 A

San Jose 2 St. Louis 1 (SO)

STL G Jordan Binnington stopped 37 of 38 shots in the loss.

SJ G Martin Jones stopped 22 of 23 for the win.

Minnesota 3 Anaheim 2

MIN C Joel Eriksson Ek 1 G, 1 A

ANA LW Nic Deslauriers 1 G, 1 A

ANA RW Carter Rowney 2 A

Arizona 2 Vegas 5

VGK RW Alex Tuch 1 G, 2 A

VGK D Shea Theodore 2 G

VGK RW Mark Stone and D Alex Pietrangelo 1 G, 1 A

Montreal 5 Vancouver 6 (SO)

MTL RW Tyler Toffoli 3 G

MTL C Jesperi Kotkaniemi 1 G, 1 A

VAN RW Brock Boeser and C Bo Horvat 2 G, 1 A

VAN LW J.T. Miller 3 A

VAN D Quinn Hughes 2 A

Forgot to include a trade in yesterday’s newsletter.

Wild acquire Cole from Avalanche for Pateryn

The Wild Get: D Ian Cole

Cole is a 31-year-old left-shot defenseman who tied a career high with 26 points for Colorado last season. He is a bit of a throwback type who hits and blocks shots and, to his credit, tends to have favorable shot differentials despite being used in a very defensive deployment. Cole can play both sides and he does upgrade Minnesota’s defensive depth. He’s a solid third pair option. Cole is in the last year of a deal with a $3.45 million cap hit and $3 million salary this season.

The Avalanche Get: D Greg Pateryn

Pateryn is a 30-year-old right-shot defenseman who has tended to be on the fringe of the lineup or a third pair defenseman. He did have a good stint in Dallas in 2017-2018 but also had core muscle surgery last season and played just 20 games. He is a big physical defenseman who can play on the third pair but, in Colorado, he may be an extra piece on the blueline because the Avalanche are really deep. Pateryn is also in the last year of his deal, with a $2.25 million cap hit and $2.75 million salary this season, so while it doesn’t necessarily save the Avs a lot of cash, it does give them a little more salary cap room and more right-shot depth.

It’s not a blockbuster deal but probably one that improves the Wild on the ice a little bit right now.