2021 Week 11 NHL Fantasy Hockey Report

This is my 2021 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 your best options among those who are more likely to be available in your league as opposed to the universally owned players. There are 10 recommendations in total, 2 goalies, 2 defensemen, and 6 forwards. If you include honorable mentions, there are 4 goalies, 4 defensemen, and 12 forwards.

 

Best Standard League Adds (25% to 65% Yahoo ownership):

 

1) Yanni Gourde, TB, (63% Yahoo ownership): Yanni Gourde has scored 14 PTS in his last 16 GP (including 4 on the power play) while also providing 39 shots and 21 hits. The Lightning play 4 games this week, 2 each against Columbus and Detroit. The Red Wings actually beat them 6-4 in their last meeting, so the Lightning will be motivated by revenge and those games will be on home ice, where they’ve crushed the Wings in the past. Buy all the Lightning equity you can find for those 2 games, I’m expecting a massacre.

2) MacKenzie Weegar, Fla, (63% Yahoo ownership): I’ve been late to board the MacKenzie Weegar bandwagon, but I can no longer deny that he has elevated himself into a consistent offensive contributor. He was already a hot commodity in banger leagues, but has now pushed himself into mainstream relevance. He spent nearly all of last season in single digit fantasy ownership, but his stock is now soaring. Over his last 15 GP, Weegar has scored 10 PTS with 22 shots, 33 hits, and a +8. Florida will face Columbus twice and Detroit twice this week.

3) Jack Campbell, Tor, (60% Yahoo ownership): The Leafs #1 goaltender Fredrick Andersen is currently injured, and it remains unknown when he will return. There is speculation that Kyle Dubas may trade for another goaltender, but in the meantime, Jack Campbell has performed well since returning from injury, posting a .955 SV% with 2 shutouts in his last 4 GP. The Leafs are the dominant team in that division, and Campbell has a high probability of providing you with wins. They’ll play 4 games this week with no back-to-backs.

4) Alex Killorn, TB, (48% Yahoo ownership): My compulsion to stream Lightning players against the Red Wings has produced positive results in the past, despite the Wings performing shockingly well in their last meeting. The difference between this series and the previous is that goaltender Jonathan Bernier is currently injured. Yes, he could be back in the line-up before these teams face each other again, but that might not be enough to prevent the massacre. Killorn has scored 13 PTS in his last 16 GP. His linemates Anthony Cirelli and Tyler Johnson are also worth considering.

5) Martin Necas, Car, (52% Yahoo ownership): Martin Necas is having a breakout season in Carolina, scoring 28 PTS in 30 GP, with 69 shots and a +16. He is currently playing on the top line and top power play unit with Sebastian Aho, and is poised to post solid numbers down the stretch. Carolina will face Dallas twice and Chicago twice, both teams who have struggled with goal prevention at times this month (Chicago more so than Dallas). You may want to hang on to Necas beyond just this week if he’s available in your league.

 

Honorable Mentions: Alec Martinez, Carter Verhaeghe, Tomas Hertl, Anthony Cirelli, Juuse Saros

Last Week: Devon Toews, Pavel Buchnevich, Juuse Saros, Carter Verhaeghe, Oliver Bjorkstrand

 

Best Deep League Adds (under 25% ownership):

 

1) Adin Hill, Ari, (8% Yahoo ownership): Both Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper are currently injured, leaving Adin Hill in the top starting spot for the Coyotes. This is not a great week to be invested in Coyote’s goaltending, as they only play 3 games and one of them is against Colorado. You should not be starting any Arizona goaltender for that game, but they will face Anaheim twice to close the week. Hill has posted a .921 SV% over his last 5 games, and shutout the Sharks on Saturday night.

2) Jason Robertson, Dal, (19% Yahoo ownership): Jason Robertson was on my radar in December as a potential fantasy sleeper, and he has significantly exceeded my expectations. He currently finds himself on the top line and top power play in Dallas, scoring 14 PTS in his last 16 GP, with a whopping 46 shots. That’s more shots in the last 30 days than any other player in this entire fantasy report, including the honorable mentions. Robertson’s ownership is up 8% since yesterday, as his stock is ascending to a higher level.

3) Noah Hanifin, Cgy, (5% Yahoo ownership): Noah Hanifin has been a major beneficiary of the coaching change in Calgary, getting a bump in ice time, including on the power play. After scoring 5 PTS in his first 28 GP, Noah has now scored 6 PTS in his last 8 GP. He was showing promise when he scored 33 PTS in 80 GP at age 22 in 2018/19 until regressing last season. He’s still young and theoretically has not hit his ceiling. The Flames will play 4 games this week against 4 different teams, which is strange to see these days.

4) Joonas Donskoi, Col, (21% Yahoo ownership): Joonas Donskoi has been on fire, scoring 10 PTS in his last 8 GP. The peripheral stats have not been particularly good (plus minus notwithstanding) and the scoring rate is entirely unsustainable, but I’m still interested in that Avs 3rd line for deep fantasy leagues (Nichushkin-Jost-Donskoi) while they’re on fire. The Avalanche will play 4 games this week against Anaheim, Arizona, and St. Louis twice. That’s a good schedule for a team that might have become the front runner to win the Stanley Cup.

5) Valeri Nichushkin, Col, (4% Yahoo ownership): Part of the reason for Donskoi’s success is the effectiveness of Valeri Nichushkin on that 3^rd line that has been converting solid defensive coverage into goals on the scoreboard. The Russian is available in 96% of fantasy leagues, and has scored 6 PTS in his last 8 GP, with 17 shots and a +8. He’s not sniffing any of my rosters in 12-team leagues, but if you’re in a deep format is absolutely worth a stream. This Avs team is trucking the opposition now that they’re healthy.

 

Honorable Mentions: Calvin Petersen, Jared Spurgeon, Mikael Backlund, Eeli Tolvanen, Milan Lucic

Last Week: Robby Fabbri, Adam Boqvist, Devan Dubnyk, Andrew Mangiapane, Calle Jarnkrok