Navigating the 2024 fantasy hockey season can be challenging, especially when identifying players who may not live up to expectations. Drafting the wrong player can quickly derail your fantasy hopes, Whether due to declining performance, injury concerns, or unfavorable team situations. In this guide, we’ll highlight the 2024 fantasy hockey players to avoid, helping you make smarter decisions and stay ahead of the competition. You’ll be in a stronger position to build a championship-winning roster by steering clear of these potential pitfalls.
- Understanding Fantasy Hockey Scoring Categories
- How to Use the Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire
- Fantasy Hockey Drafting Strategies
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2024 Fantasy Hockey Players to Avoid
Based on Standard Yahoo Fantasy Hockey scoring
Kyle Connor (LW – WPG): ECR 25
Connor missed 17 games in 2023-2024, which is one of the red flags, and he plays for Winnipeg, which is the other. A year after playing all 82 games, the 27-year-old did what he could with his time on ice last season. He still managed 61 points and took 221 shots on goal. His shooting percentage was 15.4, which is around his career average, and he skated on the top power-play line. The Jets, however, were a defense-first squad, ranking 24th in power-play opportunities and 18th in goals scored per game. Connor is a great player, but his ADP of 39 overall seems too high.
Alex Ovechkin (LW – WSH): ECR 36
Ovechkin is 39 years old, and we finally saw some decline in 2023-2024. He played in 79 games (his highest total since 2018), but he stalled at 65 points and only 31 goals. His shooting percentage was 11.4, down from 14.3 in 2022-2023, and he was a surprising -22 in +/-. If you can get him near the ninth or tenth round, he could be worth the flier, but chances are good his name will land him on a roster long before then. Don’t reach. Ovi’s best days are behind him.
Adam Fox (D – NYR): ECR 39
Fox is an outstanding defenseman, but his cost continues to be extremely high for a guy with injury issues throughout his career. The other red flag for the 26-year-old is his shooting percentage being five percentage points higher than his career average. Fox’s 73 points were good for sixth among defensemen, and he plays in a top-seven offense in the NHL. The fifth round is fine for him, but earlier than that seems like a bit risky for the health of your roster.
John Tavares (C – TOR): ECR 52
If your league includes faceoffs, Tavares becomes a target instead of a player to avoid. However, in standard leagues, the 34-year-old leaves much to be desired. His durability is solid, having played 80 games for the second straight year, but he had 15 fewer points last season than in 2022-2023, even though he took more shots on goal. His shot percentage dropped to 10.4, and his power-play points dipped to 20, which seemed almost impossible when he skated alongside Auston Matthews much of the time. Tavares’s age quickly became an issue, and that doesn’t usually improve. I’d pass.
Charlie McAvoy (D – BOS): ECR 77
McAvoy will be on the ice (almost 25 minutes per game last season), but the fantasy production you get there is questionable. The 26-year-old did kick in an equal number of hits and blocked shots (159), but he only got to 47 points and a scant 13 power-play points. An ECR of 77 seems absurdly high; he shouldn’t go until the double-digit rounds or later.
Alexandar Georgiev (G – COL): ECR 59
Anyone who had Georgiev in fantasy hockey last season understands why he might be an excellent player to avoid this season. The 28-year-old netminder had a respectable 3.02 GAA, but that’s not the type of production you necessarily want from your top goalie. His save percentage was a paltry .897, and he only got 38 wins for a strong Colorado team. Georgiev is coming off the board as the eighth goalie, and there are plenty of others around him who will have better fantasy years.
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