Fantasy Hockey Week 3/4 NHL: Saves on The Waiver

It feels good to see Vladimir Tarasenko and Cory Conacher, two young awesome rookies, continue their torrid play so far in Week 3.  While this week's waiver saviors aren't quite at that talent level we do offer some goalie help, including a growing 'tender controversy in Pittsburgh. One of the most exciting things in fantasy is to grab those super rooks before everyone  else, and then watch dude ball, grind,puck, and dominate and become a major source of fantasy points be it NBA, NFL, MLB or the National Hockey League.  Some players just have the skills that you don't need to see the whole resume to snag and start.  Here's to Tarasenko and Concacher being top options yearlong this year in fantasy hockey.  Both are part of feared offenses; it might be time to trade now.  Let's look at the waiver saviors in Week 3.

Vokoun: Growing Goalie Contronversy?

Tomas Vokoun (G, Penguins)  may create a goalie controversy in Pittsburgh, posting a shut-out Thursday night, stopping 28 shots in a 3-0 blanking of a good New York Rangers team.   The veteran Vokoun has a 1.81 goals against average and a .940 save rate (3^rd in the NHL so far) to being this young season and presumed starter Marc-Andre Fleury has posted a 2.94 and a .890 comparatively.  Fleury allowed four goals against the Islanders and five against the Maple Leafs so he has been vulnerable to the meltdowns that plagued him last year in the playoffs against the Flyers.  Vokoun was added to push the young Fleury and netminder for the Pens is such a fantasy-friendly proposition that Vokoun is getting scooped up at an alarming rate.  It may be time to follow suit; he’s owned 36% in ESPN leagues and less than 50% in Yahoo..

Reimer Reasons..Is Toronto Going to Score Enough?

Provided the Maple Leafs don’t trade for Roberto Luongo, there is growing fantasy value with goalie James Reimer (G, Maple Leafs).  Reimer didn’t get much fantasy love in 2011-12, in which he oscillated between injury (19 games with a concussion?) and ineffectiveness (3.10 GAA) but he’s been decent this year with a .910 save percentage (15^th in the league).  He’s worth a pickup for matchups at this point with a bit of upside; an improving Toronto defense could make him much more fantasy useful.

It is may be useful to you to inquire on the waiver wire status of Evgeni Nabokov (G, Islanders).   He’s no spring chicken, but he’s quietly 4-1-1 this season although his 3.14 GAA and .906 aren’t exactly record-setting.  What is encouraging is that the Islanders offense is improving and playoffs look very doable at this point.  He’ll give you wins at this point.  He’s owned in about half of standard fantasy hockey leagues.

Jiri Hudler (LW, Flames) the diminutive Czech has shown flashes of offensive mastery (57 points in 2009 with Detroit) and already has four points in two games.  He’s missed the beginning of the season dealing with the death of his father.  He may benefit from the move to Calgary as most folks who know the game still believe in Hudler’s potential.   Calgary doesn’t have anywhere near the goal-scoring arsenal as Detroit did so Hudler will be counted upon to score and facilitate.  Word out of Calgary is that the second line is all his and that he could even jump to the first line if oft-injured Mike Cammalleri gets hurt.  Hudler can play either wing so that screams fantasy potential as well.  I just don’t think we’ve seen all that Hudler can do on the ice yet.

Tom Gilbert (D, Wild) Already has six points in seven games for Minnesota and is gaining adds as we speak.  He is still on the second-team power play but if he were to bump Jared Spurgeon from the top-pair position and ends up playing alongside big-free agent acquisition Ryan Suter? His fantasy upside would rise significantly.  He’s added much more in Yahoo (only owned in about 15% of leagues) than ESPN where he was drafted in most leagues.

Fantasy Hockey Week 1 - Desire the Wire With Vlad Tarasenko

The fantasy hockey season is finally back! Granted you’ve already likely drafted your fantasy hockey squad for 2013; the season opened on Saturday.  There are a few guys who made have made themselves surprisingly fantasy relevant based on just the first one or two games that made make a Week 1 waiver wire add necessary.  We’ll explore them here:

Tasasenko: Russian For "Scoring Goals Easily"

Vladimir Tarasenko (RW, Blues)  The former first-round pick had a dazzling debut in his first game for the Blues.  Owners tend to take notice when you score twice in your first NHL start and that’s exactly what Tasasenko did helping St. Louis defeat the Detroit Red Wings on the season opener.  The young Russian has plenty of upside and word on the street is he could lead the Blues in scoring.  He dominated the KHL at the tender age of 19; his defense is the only that could affect his playing time.   A special player and he’s the hottest add right now in fantasy hockey.  Get him.

Also scoring two goals (one on power play) in the Blues dominant shutout of the Red Wings was Chris Stewart (RW, Blues) on five shots Saturday night.  Stewart reportedly dedicated his offseason to reconditioning thus increasing his speed on his skates, but time will tell.  Of course, being on of the most prolific offense in the NHL means that being on the Blues third line is probably equivalent to most second lines in the NHL.  He’s owned in 10% of standard leagues.

Zajac Attack

A good bet for scoring could come in the form of talented but oft-injured Travis Zajac (C, Devils). Limited to a handful of games the last couple of years, he reminded us all of his talent and fantasy usefulness during the Devils Stanley Cup run in 2012.  New Jersey seems to believe in him and you should too, even if he is only currently owned in 40% of standard leagues.  Reason number one: he signed an 8-year, $46 million dollar contract with New Jersey in the offseason not to be on the second line.   Reason number two: Although he’s without star Zach Parise (signed with Minnesota) he still lines up with marksman Ilya Kovalchuk.  Fellow center Adam Henrique is still there so it bears monitoring early on.

Jagr the Facilitator?

Jaromir Jagr (RW, Stars) Probably owned in most leagues) but add rate is jumping after yesterday’s opener. The grizzly veteran (aged 40) can still get it done and be fantasy relevant this year.  He scored 4 points against Phoenix in Dallas’s opener; he scored only 19 goals and only 54 points as a Flyer all of last year.  He has potential this season with center Jamie Benn and Loui Eriksson to get pack to a point average a game—something savvy fantasy owners will capitalize on.  He will likely excel more as a facilitator then a pure goal scorer this year.

There may be some goaltender help for  accidental auto-pick hockey victims, or real deep leagues in the form of Toronto’s Ben Scrivens (G, Maple Leafs)  Owned in less than 5% of fantasy hockey standard leagues, Scrivens saved 21 shots in a scrappy 2-1 win against the Habs.  He’ll face competition from struggling incumbent James Reimer but it’s a situation to monitor. Reimer isn’t too far removed from promising fantasy goalie himself and there are the trade rumors swirling with Roberto Luongo.  It’s a deep situation to monitor but keep in mind Scrivens looked right at home in the crease, albeit against the offensively-challenged Canadiens.