We’re on to Week 17 of the National Hockey League (NHL) fantasy season. The unofficial first half of the season wraps up Sunday before hitting the pause button for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, which runs from February 12th to February 20th in Boston and Montreal.
We’ll try and provide two options to add at a cheap price while offering up two players to package right now.
I hope you’re doing well in your fantasy leagues. If you ever have any questions, comments or concerns, feel free to hit up my X account (@DanielEDobish). I’ll be glad to try and answer as quickly as possible if I see it. Let’s get started.
NHL Fantasy Hockey Trade Advice (Week 17)
Buy
The 22-year-old Minnesota native and rearguard has cooled off substantially, going scoreless in eight consecutive games with a -4 rating in the past three outings. He has managed just one goal and zero assists in the past 13 games since his last assist on December 31.
Here’s the deal with Faber: If you’re in a fantasy pool that rewards penalty minutes, he isn’t as attractive of a trade target. He hasn’t been in the penalty box since January 18th when he had a pair of minor penalties in Nashville. Faber burst onto the scene last season with eight goals and 47 points, including three goals and 16 points on the power play. He is currently on pace for nine goals and 31 points with 10 points on the man advantage.
It wouldn’t take much of a heater to bump him back up into the 40-point territory. Don’t go out of your way trading major assets to get Faber. But, it is a rarity to have a fantasy defenseman capable of 45-50 points.
Adrian Kempe is scoreless in the past six games while turning in an ugly -7 rating across the previous five outings. That six-game skid follows up a four-game goal-scoring streak from January 16th to January 22nd. He also lit the lamp in four consecutive games from December 29th to January 10th, including two game-winning goals.
The time is now to go out and get Kempe, as he is capable of picking up points in bunches. His fantasy appeal is currently at its nadir. The 28-year-old Swede is still on pace for 39 goals and 71 points despite the recent skid. Get on the ball immediately and try and acquire him before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
It’s just a matter of time before the veteran picks up the pace again, driving his asking price up substantially. He has been especially hot at home, posting 12 goals and 21 points in 20 home games, which is another reason you’ll want him. The Kings’ schedule is backloaded with home games after an extensive road schedule early on, as they were away due to renovations at Crypto.com Arena.
Sell
Cole Perfetti has picked up the pace lately, going for four goals and eight points in the past six games. That includes a hat trick against the Utah Hockey Club on January 24th. He has a +3 rating during the streak, with two goals and four points on the man advantage.
Perfetti is just 23 years old, so it needs to be said that if you’re in a dynasty fantasy pool, sell advice does not apply to you. This is for seasonal or redraft pools only. Perfetti has racked up five goals and 13 points on the power play, with just six goals and 20 points in even-strength situations.
The time is now to package Perfetti, perhaps with another player with some short-term success, for a top-tier option. It’s doable, but it will likely take a little bit of creativity. The window to sell high on Perfetti won’t be open longer, however, so get moving.
The 24-year-old Belarussian pivot has been crushing it this season, racking up 22 goals with 46 points and a +29 rating. It’s hard to believe that, depending on the fantasy platform, Aliaksei Protas is available in 40-60% of leagues.
The “Vitebsk Viceroy”, which isn’t an official name, but one I just made up on the fly, has managed to go scoreless in just one of his past nine games. He has registered a +29 rating, 16 penalty minutes and 95 shots, while also striking for a short-handed goal and an assist while picking up five game-winning goals.
In front of the home fans, Protas is good for 14 goals in 26 games while piling up a +17 rating. Don’t sell him for pennies on the dollar. Get a good return, or hang onto him. He isn’t a player with short-term appeal. Grab him immediately if he is available as a free agent in your pool.
Daniel E. Dobish is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Daniel, follow him @danieledobish.
