We have officially reached the All-Star break, as NHL game action is on pause until Monday, Feb. 5.
Several teams won’t be back in action until later in the week as they enjoy their respective bye weeks, but this is a great time for fantasy hockey managers to step back and evaluate.
Which players aren’t pulling their weight? Who can we identify to help us in the second half? Let’s dive in and check out some buy and sell options as we await the NHL All-Star festivities.
NHL Fantasy Hockey Trade Advice (Week 18)
Buy
Elias Lindholm (C – VAN)
A popular name in fantasy hockey circles moving forward will be Elias Lindholm after he was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks by the Calgary Flames in a big-time deal on Wednesday night.
The 29-year-old isn’t enjoying his best offensive season, as he sits with nine goals and 32 points on 131 shots across 49 games this season. However, there is plenty to like about this player moving to a high-octane Canucks team.
While we don’t know exactly where he will play in the Canucks’ lineup when they return to action, we do know that Vancouver’s top six is vastly superior to Calgary’s. The Canucks rank second in overall offense with 3.80 goals per game. Lindholm will at least skate on a top power-play unit that has helped the team rank eighth with an even 25% clip on the man advantage.
Additionally, Lindholm was due to regress positively whether he was moved or not. His current 6.9% shooting rate is nearly half of his 12.1% career mark. He has an 11.8% shooting rate minimum over his last five seasons.
While the Canucks get better with the addition of Lindholm, his fantasy stock rises significantly with the move, as well.
Bo Horvat (C – NYI)
A former Canucks center, Islanders pivot Bo Horvat has quietly gone about his business this season.
The former Canucks captain has notched 20 goals and 45 points across 48 games on the season. He has 146 shots on goal in that time, good for 3.04 shots per game versus his 2.39 shots per game career average. Remember, this is a player coming off of a career-best 38-goal, 70-point season in 2022-23, even if his production slowed following a deal to the Islanders.
Shooting-rate regression can be blamed for his lack of output with the Isles last season, as he was shooting 21.7% with the Canucks prior to the deal before regressing to 8.1% with New York. We don’t have to worry about such a drop-off this season, as his current 13.7% shooting rate is identical to his career mark.
Add in 14 power-play points, 20 penalty minutes and a plus-six rating, and Horvat is a very nice addition for the second half.
Sell
Eeli Tolvanen (LW, RW – SEA)
I’m not sure what Eeli Tolvanen is doing to be rostered in nearly 83% of ESPN leagues, but we should do our best to take advantage of the bloated rostership in a trade.
The 24-year-old has been solid yet unspectacular, with 13 goals and 30 points across 50 games. He is averaging fewer than two shots per game with just 98 shots in those 50 contests. Tolvanen is also a minus-three with just six power-play points and 12 penalty minutes.
His value increases in leagues that reward hits, as he has laid 101 hits on the season, but that is the only department where Tolvanen has stood out.
From a pure hockey standpoint, you hate to knock a player enjoying the best season of his career. Tolvanen fell short of expectations with the Nashville Predators, but he is on pace to blow past previous career highs in goals and points. In fact, he needs just two points to set a new career high.
However, this is still a player that’s overvalued in the fantasy hockey community, hits aside. Let’s use that to our advantage as part of a package for a much more impactful piece ahead of the trade deadline.
Brent Burns (D – CAR)
Admittedly, the fantasy hockey community is already on to the fact that Brent Burns is a shell of his former self. However, perhaps the name value alone can help net you a superior asset on the trade market.
The 38-year-old is enjoying a solid season with eight goals and 27 points in 48 games. However, his elite shot volume has taken a serious hit. Burns has just 118 shots on goal this season, good for just 2.46 shots per game versus his 2.76 shots-per-game career volume and a 3.11 shots-per-game volume from last season.
The reason for the shots-on-goal decline is largely correlated to a significant dip in usage. His 21:35 of average ice time per game is well below his 23:13 from last season and roughly four and a half minutes below his 26:09 mark in his final season with San Jose in the 2021-22 campaign.
Burns still has 13 points on the power play, and he’s also a plus-14 on the season. However, he has just 15 hits, 38 blocks and 14 penalty minutes.
He’s still a solid fantasy player, but he’s not driving you to championship territory anymore. Package him up and upgrade your back end with a player carrying significant name value.
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