As we exit the first month of the 2018 NHL season, some players have surprised and emerged as hot fantasy commodities out of the gate, while others have seemingly disappointed so far. This week we take a look at some players that are performing above their anticipated level, and those who have struggled to find their stride so far.
Sell
Mikko Rantanen (COL – RW)
The Avalanche got off to a great start this year and there’s no denying why this is happening: The top line of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. They have taken the momentum from last year and kept it rolling, evidenced by the line’s point total. However, they are moving at a ridiculous pace and expecting them to maintain at that level doesn’t seem sustainable, especially with the lack of offensive depth in Colorado. Rantanen had an ADP of 62.4 but is currently ranked second among all fantasy players. Now is an ideal time to sell him and pick up Nikita Kucherov and Patrick Kane if you want to replace the RW but there’s no reason not to aim for whomever you think will help your roster the most with the start he’s off to.
Tyler Seguin (DAL – C)
The Dallas Stars are off to a decent start this year sitting at 8-6-1. Tyler Seguin…not so much. He has three goals and 11 assists through the first 15 games of the season. This puts him on pace for 75 points which is usually what you can expect out of the talent that is Tyler Seguin. It is early, and that is a decent number to expect, but he hasn’t scored since Oct 9th and is staring down 15 goals at this rate. The talent surrounding him on the wings aren’t worth noting in the fantasy realm and he only sees time with Jamie Benn on the PP. He has the skill to get his numbers back in line if you’re a patient owner, but he is putting you behind the eight-ball early on and you should be able to get a decent return for him despite his totals so far since he carries a very high name brand.
Thomas Chabot (OTT – D)
Yes, there is a player from the Senators worthy of mention in the “Sell” column. Chabot is currently tied for fourth in the NHL with 20 points to his name. That’s up there with Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid. Ottawa is not poised to be a competitor this year and with the recent off-ice debacle of players chirping at their coach, it goes to show how deep the problems for that team actually are. He’s playing like a must-start option right now and with the point total, there’s no reason not to try and snatch up players like Kris Letang or Mark Giordano.
Buy
Erik Karlsson (SJ – D)
Karlsson ended up leaving Ottawa and finding the sunny shores of the west coast this offseason. He’s easily been one of the best fantasy defensemen over the years but is off to a slow start in San Jose. He was originally paired up with Marc-Edouard Vlasic but the match wasn’t working so well so Peter Deboer changed things up and paired him with Brenden Dillon. Anyone who has watched hockey over the last decade knows the talent that Karlsson has and it’s just a matter of time before he hits his stride with the Sharks. Even his teammate Timo Meier has mentioned how Karlsson looks like he’s having more fun on the ice. With zero goals to date, it makes for a great time to buy the stud d-man at less than market cost.
Steven Stamkos (TB – C)
Tampa Bay is a team with a solid level of skill and player depth. They’re off to an 11-3-1 record so far this year while registering 55 goals for. Yet Stamkos appears to be on the outside looking in. Perhaps they haven’t found the right line combination for him to thrive with yet or he’s just off to a slow start. Either way he’s outside the top-100 in fantasy as of Nov 8th with five goals and eight assists. He has just begun to center Nikita Kucherov and there is no doubt that the points will follow in the G, A, and PPP category. Try offering up some hot start centers like Jeff Skinner, Ryan Johansen or Bo Horvat.
Patrik Laine (WIN – RW)
The highly talented right winger from Finland has gotten off to a rocky start this year. Winnipeg hasn’t quite found the right line combination yet to get him going, but there is hope. He recently fired up with Adam Lowry and Brandon Tanev who tend to be more offensive-minded which should help him develop more opportunities to put the puck in the net. Up until the most recent home and home with the Panthers where he scored four goals combined in the two games, he had only posted five points through 12 games. Players like Elias Lindholm or Micheal Ferland are good examples of early, overachieving fantasy assets you could move to get some of his stock.
Jeremy Farr is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Jeremy, check out his archive.
