Even though NHL superstars are nice to have on a fantasy team, there are certain players that carry more well-rounded statistics that benefit fantasy teams immensely. Consider adding/acquiring the following players as we head down the stretch here:
Ryan Getzlaf | Anaheim Ducks
Getzlaf is having an absolutely smashing season and continues to produce night in and night out. From a fantasy perspective, a player like Gezlaf can contribute to goals, assists, +/-, special teams points and penalty minutes. He’ll be the number one center in Anaheim for years to come and should be in good company for the next several seasons.
Corey Perry | Anaheim Ducks
Perry plays along side of Ryan Getzlaf and is very similar in nature to fantasy worth except for the fact that Perry is in higher demand because he’s at an extremely thin right wing position. Perry is a serious threat on the power play and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves at any given moment. You won’t find him on the waiver wire, so a trade may be in order to obtain his services down the stretch.
Milan Lucic | Boston Bruins
Lucic showed promise last season with the Bruins and has improved upon his effort this year to become a viable fantasy option at wing. Lucic has 29 points (7 of which are on the power play), 86 penalty minutes and a +15 rating. He’s got a sizable frame that makes him a dangerous player to have in front of the net, almost Tomas Holmstrom-esque. He’s only 61% owned in Yahoo! right now so he could be a solid waiver wire steal to help round out a fantasy team trying to make a push down the stretch.
Scott Hartnell | Philadelphia Flyers
Hartnell is having himself a rock solid season with the Flyers proving his worth in all facets of the game. It’s easy to overlook someone like Hartnell because he is on a team that is knee deep in fantasy talent but make no mistake: Scottie is a well-rounded fantasy option that can provide much needed momentum to swing several categories for any manager. Hartnell has 20 goals and 18 assists on the season which is good for 4th on the team in scoring. He has 2 hat tricks on the season and 7 multi-point efforts in what is shaping up to be the most productive season of his career.
Ryane Clowe | San Jose Sharks
Clowe is another one of those players that can easily be overlooked because he doesn’t really have the luster of a big name and is on a team that is extremely deep when it comes to fantasy talent. Clowe showcased his talents 2 years ago as he was called up to the NHL to fill in for several injured players on the Sharks. He is playing extremely well this season with 43 points, 23 of which coming with the man advantage. He has respectable penalty minute numbers and a solid +9 rating. He certainly should be of consideration for managers looking to round out their fantasy lineups for the final push.
David Backes | St. Louis Blues
David Backes has certainly been worth the investment for the Blues and is becoming an all-around solid fantasy option. He has 28 points on the season with 6 of those points coming with the man advantage. Backes has 1 shorthanded goal and 129 penalty minutes in a season that has allowed him to showcase his talent because of non-stop injuries to teammates. While his +/- is a little less desirable, the good certainly outweighs the bad in a fantasy sense and could certainly help any manager looking to make a push in a rotisserie league.
Rene Bourque | Calgary Flames
While Bourque’s output is due largely in part to being on a good team, he has shown fantasy managers that he could certainly be worth an add in deeper leagues as he is proving to be extremely well-rounded on the ice. Bourque is only 2 points away from matching his career high in scoring and can easily hit the 45-50 point mark this season if current trends continue. He isn’t spending a great deal of time on the power play so his value is somewhat limited to deeper leagues where he can contribute steadily to major categories and not be relied on too heavily for special teams points.
-Schrembs
schrembs@saucerpass.com
Honestly, I picked him up off the waiver wire in one of my leagues last week. I was stunned. It’s players like this that put trophies in your case.
Scott Hartnell is an absolute fantasy god. I’m so happy that nobody else seems to recognize how many points he puts up. It makes it so much easier to pick him up in the late rounds.