FantasyTrade411

Yes, the apparently age-less Teemu Selanne is still in the league!

While a lockout is a very unfortunate process which angered likely all who follow hockey; there are some positives.  The previous lockout revealed players of the likes of Tim Thomas and Henrik Lundqvist who may have never had NHL careers.  When the NHL shuts down the rest of the leagues flourish and hidden gems are uncovered.  It also allows players to refine their skills by playing on larger ice surfaces in a much more open game.  As an avid fantasy hockey player I can say that this drafting season has been one of the most entertaining I’ve experienced.  In this article I will discuss sleeper potentials and draft suggestions.

My picks are based on standard format 12-man Rotisserie and Head-to-Head leagues.  Categories including:
 
Skaters: Goals (G), Assists (A), Plus/Minus (+/-), Penalty Minutes (PIM), Powerplay Points (PPP), Shots on Goal (SOG).
 
Goalies: Wins (W), Goals Against Average (GAA), Save Percentage (SV%), Shutouts (SHO)
 
My feelings towards goalies are similar to that of pitchers in baseball.  There is still plenty of juice to squeeze late in the draft.  No reason to waste low round picks(Rounds 1-4) unless you’re seeing real value.  The same goes for defensemen.  The elite tier of defensemen consists of a handful of players who you will likely overpay for based on their limited availability.
 
The only exceptions to this rule for this season in my opinion are; Zdeno Chara on defense and Ilya Bryzgalov in net.  Both can be had in the 4^th round.
 
Another thing to keep in mind while drafting is during the recent evolution of the NHL.  Young players are starting to make big impacts early in their careers.  A key component to fantasy success is cashing in on some of the young new names.  So don’t be afraid to go after a young guy with upside over a veteran whose showed signs of wear.  It’s also much more likely the younger guy has been seeing game action most of the lockout.
 
Moving along I’ll get into the sleepers ranked by position.  The center category likely provides the most depth where you can have legitimate expectations of production up until the last round. Sleepers will be guys going in the 11^th round and later on average.
 
Sleepers: 

Center:

1. Mikko Koivu – MIN 1st line/Power Play
2. Vincent Lecavalier – TBL 2nd line/Power Play
3. Mike Ribeiro – WSH 2nd line/Power Play
4.   Stephen Weiss – FLA 1st line/Power Play

 
Right Wing:

1. Kris Versteeg – FLA 1st line/Power Play LW/RW Eligibility
2.  Teemu Selanne – ANA 2nd line/ Power Play

 
Left Wing:

1. Alex Steen – STL  3rd line C/LW Eligibility
2. Brandon Dubinsky – CLS 2nd line/Power Play C/LW Eligibility

 
Defensemen:

1. Christian Ehrhoff – BUF
2. Oliver Ekman-Larsson – PHX
3. Alex Goligoski – DAL
4. Matt Carle – TB
5. Victor Hedman – TB

 
Goalies:

1. Anders Lindback – TB
2. Evgeni Nabokov – NYI
3. Ondrej Pavelec – WPG

 
I’m selecting 1 forward, 1 defensemen and 1 goalie as my breakout sleeper candidates for this season.
 
Forward – Mikko Koivu – A healthy Mikko Koivu should be centering one of the best lines in the NHL this year.  With Dany Heatley and Zach Parise on his wings Mikko should see his first point per game campaign in the NHL.  He spent some time in Europe during the lockout so he shouldn’t be as rusty as most veterans.
 
Defensemen – Victor Hedman – The former Number two overall pick is starting to show signs of what drew the comparisons to fellow countrymen Nicklas Lidstrom.  Although his offensive production has been modest he should see a breakout year. He showcased his abilities in the KHL by scoring 21 points in 26 games.  He also produces a higher than average PIM total. If his offensive side translates to the NHL he will be a can’t miss fantasy player for years to come.
 
Goalie – Anders Lindback – No longer playing second fiddle to Pekka Rinne; Lindback will emerge as one of the world’s best.  The Swedish native has showed glimpses of brilliance while on the heavily defensive Predators.  He won’t have nearly the same help in front of the net but the 6’6 goalie should handle his first starting role well.  He spent time playing in Europe during the lockout unlike many of the starting goalies around the NHL.

Hopefully this guide will provide some insight as to what caliber of players you may see late in your draft and what traps to avoid.  Due to the limited schedule you’ll likely need to rely more so on your draft day than usual.
 
During the season I will be providing a weekly breakdown of waiver wire options and top players as well as a weekly review of the top prospects for the 2013 draft class.  I will also continue to play daily fantasy leagues and this year I will be tweeting a daily Player of the Day based on whom I think will be most productive for that night.  Thanks for reading good luck and drop the puck!

Dale grew up in New Jersey playing baseball and a lot of hockey.  He ended up pursuing hockey further and played in college for three years while obtaining a degree in Communication Studies. He’s been heavily involved in pools and fantasy sports since middle school and his interest and dedication has gone up dramatically in the past year since discovering daily fantasy leagues. His attention and interest in daily leagues has only further developed his ability in standard fantasy leagues in baseball, hockey and football.  Dale can be reached on Twitter at @threestardot for questions and comments.