NHL 2018 Week 11 Fantasy Hockey Report

This is my week eleven fantasy hockey report for those competing in head to head categories or rotisserie leagues. There are both standard and deep league acquisition targets. This is more of a “waiver wire” report, looking for those who are more likely to be available in your league as opposed to the universally owned players. I also do not recommend any players who play 2 games or less over the next 7 days (Monday to Sunday), with a preference for those with 4 or more games.

Best Standard League Adds (20% to 60% Yahoo ownership):

1) Ondrej Kase, W, Anaheim, (28% Yahoo ownership): With 9 PTS in his last 6 GP, Kase’s fantasy stock is rapidly rising. He can’t sustain that pace in the long-term, but strike while the iron is hot and he’s playing with Getzlaf. Kase did not play in October due to injury, then scored 5 PTS in 10 GP in November, at the end of which his ownership was 10%.

2) David Krejci, C, Boston, (37% Yahoo ownership): Krejci won’t be playing with Pasternak and Marchand once Bergeron returns to the line-up, but in the meantime, he’s critically under-owned with 8 PTS in his last 7 GP. Krejci was 14% owned heading into the season, creeping up a little bit each month. His season has exceeded expectations.

3) Brandon Montour, D, Anaheim, (57% Yahoo ownership): Montour is coming off a 4-point night against Dallas, raising his season total 19 PTS in 33 GP (a 47-point pace). We will see if he can keep his role on the top power play when Fowler returns from that broken face. Montour’s shot and hit totals are low, which does prevent him from becoming a top tier fantasy defenseman.

4) Andrew Shaw, W, Montreal, (27% Yahoo ownership): Shaw is riding a 7-game point streak, playing big minutes with Domi and Drouin. He certainly appears to be completely recovered from that concussion that cost him time earlier in the season. He was 1% owned on November 1^st, 10% owned on December 1^st. I had the opportunity to add him in an 18-team league but passed over the concussion concerns. I now strongly regret that decision.

5) Dave Rittich, G, Calgary, (51% Yahoo ownership): The Flames have won 9 of their last 12 games and Mike Smith is injured again. That creates a great opportunity for Rittich, who has only allowed 1 goal in each of his last 2 starts. In 17 GP this season, the kid has 10 wins with a 2.22 GAA and .925 SV %. That puts him as the 8^th best goalie in the NHL according to Yahoo rankings.

Last Week: Gustav Nyquist, Dustin Brown, Mike Green, Jimmy Howard, Nick Schmaltz

Best Deep League Adds (under 15% ownership):

1) Pontus Aberg, W, Anaheim, (14% Yahoo ownership): Pontus was 0% owned when the season began, and has worked himself into double digits with 17 PTS in 28 GP and 6 PTS in his last 6. He’s not much more than a short-term streaming option in shallower leagues, but does have some long-term potential in deeper formats.

2) Jesper Bratt, W, New Jersey, (3% Yahoo ownership): Bratt missed the first month of the season with injury, but he’s been good lately, scoring 6 PTS in his last 6 GP. That puts his season total 13 PTS in 17 GP (a 62-point pace) after scoring 35 PTS in his rookie season. There are reasons to like this kid going forward. 3% ownership is too low.

3) Nate Schmidt, D, Vegas, (8% Yahoo ownership): With the help of a strong off-season workout regiment, Schmidt has started to find his rhythm, scoring 5 PTS in his last 7 GP. He enhanced his performance last season with 36 PTS in 76 GP, and he’s been scoring at a 35-point pace since returning from suspension that cost him the first 6 weeks of the season, by saying his prayers and eating his vitamins...

4) Zach Aston-Reese, W, Pittsburgh, (4% Yahoo ownership): Over his last 8 GP, Reese has scored 5 PTS with 17 shots, 48 hits, and a +4. That kind of production has value in the right kind of league if you need help in the hits department. Anyone who gets to play with Malkin and Kessel has value, certainly in deeper formats.

5) Anton Khudobin, G, Dallas, (11% Yahoo ownership): Every week I like to recommend at least 1 goalie under 15% ownership for those who need extra starts in deep leagues. There are not many to choose from this week. The best is Khudobin, a decent back up with a 2.98 GAA and .910 SV % on the season. You can expect at least 1 start from him next week, maybe 2.

Last Week: Bryan Little, Tyler Bertuzzi, Alec Martinez, Anthony Stolarz, Andreas Johnsson,

The 1% (best adds 1% owned or less):

1) Marcus Johansson, W, New Jersey: Johansson has been playing on the Devils top line with Hischier and Palmieri, producing 5 PTS in his last 6 GP. That’s tremendous value for a 1% owned player.

2) Oscar Lindberg, W, Vegas: The ice time has been low for Lindberg, but he has still managed to produce 6 PTS over his last 6 GP. Last game he played on a line with Stastny and Tuch, which makes Lindberg intriguing in the deepest of leagues.

3) Brendan Dillon, D, San Jose: Over his last 6 GP, Dillion has scored 3 PTS with 20 hits and a +6 rating. He doesn’t get quite enough ice time (16:43) to be a long-term target, but he’s a decent streaming option in deep leagues next week if you need a few extra hits.

Last Week: Christian Fischer, Lucas Wallmark, Adrian Kempe

Safe to drop in Standard Leagues:

1) Ivan Provorov, D, Philly: This is not Provorov’s first appearance here this season. The Russian is still 58% owned in Yahoo leagues. I dropped him in my standard league a few weeks ago and nobody has picked him up. He does still get a ton of ice time and could start producing decent numbers, but I’m not burning a roster spot while I wait.

2) Jeff Carter, C, LA: Carter was 76% owned heading into the season and that number has since fallen to 49%, with 5 PTS in his last 16 GP. Father time may have caught up to Jeff this season. At this point with how deep the center position is, Carter is really nothing more than a streaming option on favourable weeks.

Last Week: Wayne Simmonds, Justin Faulk