December 2018 Fantasy Hockey Stock Market Report

Since the beginning of the season I have been tracking player ownership and statistics month by month on Yahoo. At the end of every month posting the top risers and fallers in ownership.  I've decided to combine the two into a monthly Fantasy Stock Market Report. All the numbers listed below are entirely for the month of December (unless stated otherwise).

It's worth pointing out here that any player who is eligible on the wing on Yahoo is considered a winger even if they also play center (or are center in real life). I do this because of an over-supply issue at the center position.

Best Value:

December All-Star Team: Best players for the month by position.

C) Connor McDavid, Edm: 13 GP, 24 PTS

W) Nikita Kucherov, TB: 14 GP, 30 PTS

W) Johnny Gaudreau, Cgy: 14 GP, 26 PTS

D) Erik Karlsson, SJ: 13 GP, 17 PTS

D) Morgan Reilly, Tor: 13 GP, 16 PTS

G) Jakob Markstrom, Van: 9 GP, 8 wins, 1.66 GAA, .943 SV%

Best Value Under 50% Owned All-Star Team:

C) Kevin Hayes, NYR, (39% owned): 12 GP, 16 PTS

W) Ondrej Kase, Ana, (25% owned): 13 GP, 14 PTS

W) Bryan Rust, Pit, (28% owned): 14 GP, 13 PTS

D) Nate Schmidt, LV, (37% owned): 15 GP, 12 PTS

D) Ryan Pulock, NYI, (47% owned): 14 GP, 11 PTS

G) Jimmy Howard, Det, (45% owned): 7 GP, 2.77 GAA, 0.915 SV%

Top Ownership Risers:

Which NHL players had the biggest jump in fantasy hockey ownership for the month of December 2018? Goalies not included.

1) Gustav Nyquist, Det, +38%: Gust started to click with Larkin, saw a bump in deployment, and scored 16 PTS in 16 GP, climbing up to 50% owned on New Year’s Eve.

2) Josh Morrissey, Wpg, +35%: Morrissey's offensive game has developed nicely, and Byfuglien is out long term so there's more opportunity.

3) Alex Edler, Van, +30%: His ownership sank due to injury and he's been great since returning. Hit 52% Jan 1.

4) Nate Schmidt, LV, +30%: He said his prayers, ate his vitamins, and now he's up to 37% owned. Congrats!

5) Bryan Rust, Pit, +27%: This guy was just 1% owned at the end of November. He's been red hot ever since on a great line.

6) Erik Gustavsson, Chi, +25%: Just 2% owned a month ago, Gustavsson has excelled on the power play and put up 10 PTS in 12 GP.

7) Darnell Nurse, Edm, +24%: An injury to Klefbom has been a huge gift for Nurse who has made the most of the opportunity, 12 PTS in 14 GP in Dec, climbing up to 56% ownership. I was one of the people who added him.

8) Kevin Hayes, NYR, +27%: He was one of the best players in the league for the month, scoring 16 PTS in 12 GP. He's only at 39% do to center abundance.

9) Sam Reinhart, Buf, +23%: On the ice with Jack Eichel is a great place to be, and it's paying dividends to Reinhart owners (up to 71% owned)

10) Jake Muzzin, LA, +16%: It was a good month for Muzzin after a slow start. He was 80% owned during preseason, then fell to 48% by Dec 1, currently at 64%.

Worst Value:

December Not-Star Team: Most Disappointing Players Over 60% Owned Jan 1, min 10 GP

F) Vladimir Tarasenko, Stl, (94% owned): 13 GP, 2 PTS

F) Kyle Connor, Wpg, (81% owned): 15 GP, 4 PTS

F) William Nylander, Tor, (80% owned): 11 GP, 2 PTS

D) Dougie Hamilton, Car, (80% owned): 13 GP, 1 PT

D) Aaron Ekblad, Fla, (75% owned), 14 GP, 3 PTS

G) Semyon Varlamov, Col, (82% owned): 8 GP, 2 wins, 3.87 GAA, 0.874 SV%

December Deep Disappointment Team: Biggest December busts between 10% and 50% ownership. Min 10 GP.

F) Kyle Okposo, Buf, (13% owned): 13 GP 1 PT

F) Tyler Toffoli, LA, (24% owned): 14 GP, 3 PTS

F) Nolan Patrick, Phi, (20% owned): 12 GP 2 PTS

D) Will Butcher, NJ, (31% owned): 13 GP, 4 PTS + scratches

D) Erik Johnson, Col, (35% owned): 14 GP, 2 PTS

G) Keith Kinkaid, NJ, (41% owned): 9 GP, 3 wins, 3.57 GAA, 0.876 SV%

Top Ownership Decliners: 

What NHL players have seen their ownership drop the most in the month of December 2018? Goalies are not included and there is a 10 GP minimum to avoid listing those who simply missed significant time with injury. Yes, some of these guys did miss a few games, but still played the majority. I want to look at the healthier players who dropped significantly.

1) Jamie Oleksiak, Pit, -16%: Oleksiak is currently sidelined with a concussion, dropping his ownership down to 11%. When his ownership climbed to 27% at the end of November, that was too high for his ice time (and occasional healthy scratch). Some of this drop was concussion related, but some was because he had risen too high.

2) Brent Seabrook, Chi, -13%: Seabrook had a decent start to the season, that helped his ownership climb from 25% before the season up to 60% on Dec 1. He's been slowly bleeding that back ever since (down to 47% Jan 1). The last few weeks he's been dropped to the 3rd D pairing averaging around 16 minutes of ice.

3) Brady Tkachuk, Ott, -13%: The kid still has tremendous upside, but 4 PTS in 14 Dec GP made him hard to own in shallow leagues where there's productive players available on the waiver wire. Still owned in 37% of leagues.

4) Andreas Athanasiou, Det, -13%: He got hot, his ownership went up (26% at the end of November), then cooled off and fell to 13% at the end of Dec.

5) Wayne Simmonds, Phi, -12%: It's looking like father time is starting to catch up with Wayne Simmonds at the worst possible moment. He's been playing through his prime at a ridiculous discount, now his production is dropping off right before he's supposed to hit his UFA home run. Tough break. Down to 67% fantasy ownership.

6) JT Miller, TB, -11%: Miller has been up and down the line-up for Tampa and has seen his ownership drop from 55% to 44%. He'll be a bounce back candidate.

7) James Van Riemsdyk, Phi, -11%: JVR did finish the month better than he started it but still saw his ownership fall from 64% down to 53%. He has started heating up, so he may be a January bounce back candidate.

8) Jeff Carter, LA, -10%: Carter is now in the twilight of his career. The back-dive portion of his contract kicks in next season, so he may just retire suffer a career ending injury in the summer. That 43% ownership is going nowhere but down.

9) Josh Bailey, NYI, -10%: Bailey did score 9 PTS in 14 Dec GP, but still saw his ownership fall from 51% to 41%. Could be a bounce back candidate in January.

10) Maxime Lajoie, Ott, -10%: It's been a steady downward decline since he was flirting with 50% ownership in early November. Now down to 13% Jan 1st. 1 point in his last 10 GP. He may get more opportunity with Chabot out.