Sunday, October 6, 2019

2019 Week 1 NHL Fantasy Hockey Report

This is my week one 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.

In Yahoo leagues Week 1 extends to Sunday Oct 13, where ESPN leagues will be heading into week 2.


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



1) Reilly Smith, W, LV, (45% Yahoo ownership): Reilly Smith has amassed 3 PTS over the first 2 Vegas games, and the Golden Knights have a 4-game week coming up. Smith started out last season at 82% ownership, dropped down to 52% by Dec 1, then hovered around the 50% mark for the rest of the season. I’m still not holding him as anything more than a weekly streamer in a standard league, but he’s a great streaming target for the upcoming week.

2) Carter Hutton, G, Buf, (38% Yahoo ownership): Hutton is the most added goalie on Yahoo today, after a strong start to the season. I added him in a 12-team standard league because I need help in net next week and he was the best option available. Two games into the season he has a 1.50 GAA and .939 SV%. He hasn’t fully regained my trust coming off a bad year, but he’s two steps closer. I drafted him as my 3rd goalie in a 14-team league and had been trying to trade him heading into the season. Two games in, he’s no longer for sale.



3) Justin Schultz, D, Pit, (21% Yahoo ownership): Schultz played over 20 minutes in the Penguins first game, with 6 shots, and spent 3:13 on the Penguins power play. He had similar numbers in their second game. The Pens have a 4-game week coming up, playing the Jets twice and that defense is a mess. He’s had some issues staying healthy in the past, but so long as he’s healthy right now, I’m buying more Schultz stock.

3) Sam Reinhart, W, BUF, (56% Yahoo ownership): The Sabres may only play 3 games, but it’s going to be on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, so it will be easier to get them into your line-up. Reinhart has big fantasy potential so long as he’s playing on the Eichel line, also contributing hits. In the first two games he averaged 20 minutes per game, chipping in 3 PTS, and led all forwards in power play ice time. I'm looking to buy more Reinhart stock where I can.

 4) Alex Galchenyuk, W, Pit, (42% Yahoo ownership): He’s playing with Malkin, he’s playing top power play, and he’s got a great schedule this week. Malkin did leave Saturday night’s game with an injury, hopefully it’s not serious. Jared McCann had a big game in his absence, so Galchenyuk is still a good streamer if Gino misses time. I’m not yet ready to burn a permanent roster spot on Galchenyuk in a standard league, but I certainly like him next week.


Best Deep League Adds (under 20% ownership):


1) Victor Olofsson, W, Buf, (28% Yahoo ownership): Olofsson was 20% owned when I started writing this on Saturday morning, and is up to 28% in 24 hours after a 2-goal performance on Saturday night. The opportunity to add him in a deep league is running out, as he’s moving into the shallow league radar. The young Swede has managed to usurp Jeff Skinner as the trigger man on the top line with Jack Eichel, and that’s a good place to be. I’m an Olofsson shareholder myself, but understand the ride might be over if/when Skinner ever gets his 5 on 5 gig back.  In the meantime, ride the wave. The Sabres have a good streaming schedule for daily leagues, playing on “off nights”.

2) Cody Glass, C, LV, (18% Yahoo ownership): Glass has been one of the hottest commodities in fantasy since it was announced that he was going to center a line with Stone and Pacioretty. While his ice time totals have been a bit low to start the season, any opportunity to play with those players has value. He will face some competition from Paul Stastny for that role, so he’ll need to produce in order to fend off the challenger. At the very least he’s a great streamer for the upcoming week.

3) Brandon Tanev, W, Pit, (10% Yahoo ownership): He’s playing with Malkin, he hits a ton, and he’ll play 4 games next week (with the Jets twice). I’m riding the Tanev train myself next week. His value diminishes significantly if he gets dropped to the 3rd line, but in the meantime, he should pick up some PTS to go with all those hits. Certainly less of an acquisition target if your league does not count hits.

4) Ilya Samsonov, G, Wsh, (10% Yahoo ownership): The biggest problem with deep leagues is goalie scarcity. There are generally slim pickings on the waiver wire. If Washington doesn’t think they will be able to re-sign Holtby, Samsonov will get an increased time share in the Caps net. He’s not necessarily a great streaming target this week, more of a long-term acquisition, especially if you own Holtby. Even in a shallow league, it’s a smart move to get the handcuff. If you are looking for a pure streaming play next week, you may want to try Cam Talbot instead.

5) Neal Pionk, D, Wpg, (10% Yahoo ownership): However you feel about Pionk as a defender, the current giant hole on the Jets blueline is creating a great opportunity. He played over 27 minutes in the Jets last game, including power play time. Pionk reached 60% ownership with the Rangers last November before his hot streak cooled off and he finished the season at 12% owned. He certainly has proven he’s got offensive upside if he gets ice time, and there is plenty of that to go around in Winnipeg right now.




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


1) Radek Faksa, C, Dal:  If you are playing in a deep league, Faksa needs to be on your radar (ignore the Rotoworld update that he’s not ownable in any fantasy format). He’s going to be playing between Seguin and Benn, which gives him huge growth potential for as long as that lasts. Even playing on the 2nd line isn’t a terrible assignment in Dallas right now.



2) Ville Heinola, D, Wpg: It’s probably too soon for the 18-year-old to start his NHL career, but the Jets don’t really have any better options right now. The kid played over 21 minutes in the Jets last game, including power play time, and has already collected 2 PTS. He’s a risk to be sent down to the minors at some point. So long as the defense stays like this, he’s going to get opportunity.

3) Thomas Nosek, W, LV: In the Knights last win against San Jose, Nosek scored 2 goals, 3 PTS, and played over 17 minutes (after 0 PTS and 12 minutes in the first game). Whether or not you view Nosek as a long-term addition in your deep league, at the very least he’s a strong streaming candidate for the upcoming week.


Best Buy Low:


· Roope Hintz, Dal, (44% Yahoo ownership): If you are looking for a player who is currently under-valued, Roope Hintz should be on your radar. He currently finds himself playing center between Radulov and Pavelski, and also has a spot on the Stars top power play unit. Hintz was awesome for Dallas in the playoffs last year and was on my sleeper list before the season. He averaged over 17 minutes of ice in Dallas first two games, putting up 1 point. He’ll need to put up some PTS before that ownership will climb over 50%, at which point he’ll cease to be a buy low candidate. He's unquestionably in the right situation to succeed.



Best Sell High:


· Kevin Shattenkirk, TB: Shattenkirk has been near the top of the Yahoo most added player list this weekend, after scoring a goal with 5 shots in the season opener. Perhaps the most impressive thing about his game wasn’t the goal he scored, but the amount of time he spent on the ice, logging over 22 minutes. There may not be a better time to sell your Shattenkirk stock, if you can get someone to buy his return to relevancy. Or maybe you sit on him for a few weeks and then sell after he’s had more success than just one game.


Safe to drop in Standard Leagues:


· Dustin Byfuglien, Wpg, (67% Yahoo ownership): If you got stuck with Big Buff on your roster, it’s safe to drop him. 100% someone I’d be quick to add if he decides to return to the team, I’m just not waiting around for that to happen.  I would continue to hold on to Buff in deep leagues, where hopefully you have an IR+ spot to stash him. In shallow leagues where you have deep waiver wires, it makes no sense to burn a bench spot. He was auto-drafted onto a bunch of rosters.

· Klas Dahlback, Car, (21% Yahoo ownership): When Dahlback was auto-drafted in my 12-team standard league, I joked in the draft chat “dammit I missed him again!” He’s only being drafted because Yahoo’s stat provider messed up their rankings again, and put this KHL player high on the NHL rankings for some bizarre reason. While Martin Marincin’s stock has plunged all the way from 35% down to 7%, the market hasn’t corrected on Dahlback. At least Marincin has a job in the NHL.  

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