Need a push for the stretch run? Looking towards the future? Regardless of the situation your fantasy squad is in, the trade block is always a nice place to find value and outsmart your peers.
Let’s dive into some names worth buying and selling as we get closer and closer to the fantasy playoffs.
*All rosterships courtesy of ESPN
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NHL Fantasy Hockey Week 16 Buy/Sell Advice
Buy
Kane’s season has been a bit of a roller coaster. His wrist was lacerated in a scary scene on November 8, causing him to miss more than three months of action. Currently, he’s missing at least one game due to a personal issue that reportedly stems from bankruptcy court appearances.
As a result, Kane’s perceived value is low. He’s rostered in just 88.5% of leagues but is a cross-category fantasy beast when healthy. Kane has five goals and 13 points in his 17 games played on the season, but he’s also a shot-on-goal monster with 63 shots in that time (3.71 shots per game) and has also recorded 61 hits in that time. Kane has also registered 20 penalty minutes and an even plus/minus rating on the campaign.
We can’t predict where Kane will slot in on the Oilers’ depth chart upon his return, but there’s a good chance he will skate with either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl in the club’s top six. Top power-play unit duties are uncertain, but Kane is easily the Oilers’ top left-winger who was seeing 19:05 of average ice time on the season.
Trading for Kane cost a king’s ransom for much of his NHL career. However, his off-ice issues have not only cost him time on the ice but have seemingly diminished his fantasy value, but only to those who aren’t realizing his cross-category value, something that remains at its peak.
Seeking Kane in a trade could be the smartest move you’ve made all season.
I included Letang as a buy recommendation earlier in the season, but he never rewarded that notion — at least so far. If his return to the lineup on Tuesday was any indication, regression to the mean could very well be taking place.
After missing almost a month due to a lower-body injury combined with a personal issue, Letang exploded for two goals, four points, two power-play points, six shots, four hits, and two blocks in a wild 7-6 win over the visiting Florida Panthers. Prior to Tuesday, Letang had tallied just 16 points in 29 games, a mark well below his standards.
His shot volume was also suppressed, but he also registered 50 blocks and 75 hits in 29 contests. He’s been around forever, but Letang has remained as productive these days as he’s been in the past. He registered 68 points in 78 games last season and 45 points in 55 games the season prior. Heck, his 0.67 points per game this season are only a hair below his career 0.69 figure.
A minus-12 rating hurts, but Letang is still been productive. His rostership has slipped all the way to 88.7% for a player that has annually competed for the top defenseman in fantasy hockey throughout his career. Like with Kane, time missed is his biggest issue. Productivity is not.
Considering the fantasy community has soured on the future Hall of Fame blueliner, now is the time to offer up some assets in exchange for a player who may just go on a tear for the remainder of the regular season.
Sell
Simply put, the return of Torey Krug is disastrous for Justin Faulk.
Actually, his partner at five-on-five, Faulk, is now punted from the top power-play unit and will now skate on the second group alongside the likes of Logan Brown and Jake Neighbours. With all due respect to those young players, their production is a far cry from the likes of Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, and Vladimir Tarasenko in the top group.
Faulk is a solid cross-category contributor, even if his point totals are set to take a hit. He’s notched 26 points, 114 shots, 81 blocks, and 83 hits across 48 games. Of course, he will very much remain fantasy relevant moving forward. That said, he’s also seeing almost 92% rostership, about 4% more than Letang. If you’re asking me who I could take in the Letang/Faulk debate, the answer should already be clear.
After posting a massive plus-41 rating last season, he’s a minus-four on a Blues team that will probably get worse moving forward as trade-deadline sellers. his 18 penalty minutes are fine but not great. He has seven power-play points on the season, but that total shouldn’t be in for a sharp rise moving forward.
He is a solid contributor in the peripheral categories, but Faulk is being overvalued right now. If you own him, look for a deal right now before his production stagnates.
I’ve said this countless times in these pieces throughout the season: sometimes, you have to trade good players to acquire good players. I’ve also noted that some players are far more valuable to their NHL teams than they are to your fantasy team. Suzuki falls into that category.
I’d be more hesitant to put him on the block in dynasty leagues, but I’d strongly consider it. He’s not getting much help on a poor Canadiens club, and with Cole Caufield out for the season, he’s not about to kick it into a higher gear.
With 16 goals and 38 points in 48 games, he’s been solid. However, he’s also a minus-11 and averages just 1.81 shots per game. Add in just 31 hits and 16 penalty minutes, he’s not exactly dominating those categories, either.
Additionally, goal-scoring regression should be on the horizon. Suzuki has scored on a hefty 18.4% of his shots this season, a mark that’s miles above his 12.5% career rate. His previous career high is 13.6%. He’s obviously benefited from some fortunate puck luck on the season.
With Caufield out for the year and Kirby Dach needed at center on the second line, the pickings are slim for Suzuki when it comes to linemates. He’s currently skating with Josh Anderson and Rem Pitlick, two players who aren’t going to suddenly emerge into above-average playmakers and enable the 23-year-old to maintain his scoring pace.
He’s the Canadiens’ best all-around player, but at 92.6% rostered, he’s extremely overvalued in the fantasy community.
