Waiver Gems
1. Benoit Pouliot (MON-LW)
‘09-‘10 stat-line: 29gp, 12g, 3a, 15pt, +3, 29 pims
- Two weeks ago, I listed newly-acquired Minnesota Wild forward Guillaume Latendresse as an excellent waiver wire pickup. Well, what about his counterpart, the player he was trade for? In what may amount to be the win-win trade of the season, former 2005 fourth overall pick Benoit Pouliot has been lighting the lamp with unexpected regularity since his transition to Montreal. Pouliot has notched ten goals and 11 points in his fifteen games with the Canadiens, and has helped lift the games of his new linemates Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta. While the 23-year old Pouliot will surely slow from his two goals per every three games pace, his success has been far from luck and good bounces. He is scoring goal scorers’ goals – one timers from the slot, deflections from the front of the net, and conversions on rebounds. We know Pouliot is talented from his days in Junior and because of his draft status; it’s just taken him a while to put it all together and find the right situation. Owned in just 15% of Yahoo leagues, there’s an excellent chance that Pouliot can be snagged in your one-year league. Make the move before somebody else does.
2. Sam Gagner (EDM-C)
‘09-‘10 stat-line: 49gp, 12g, 18a, 30pt, -5, 29 pims
- Despite Edmonton’s constant struggles this season, Sam Gagner has been able to piece together a decent season thus far point-wise. He is on pace for a 50-point season, which is about where he finished in his rookie season two years ago (49 points). But, if you look at his past ten games, you can see that he is beginning to up his game. The 20-year old center has four goals and nine points over his last ten tilts, but what I like most about his recent play is the number of shots on net he is registering. During this span Gagner has averaged 4.1 shots per game, which placed over a full 82-game season would represent a staggering 336.2 shots. 336.2 shots would have put Gagner fifth in the entire NHL had he registered this number of shots last season. Expect Gagner to finish out the season strong as he sees valuable ice-time and continues to grow more comfortable at the NHL level. It’s important to remember that Gagner is still just 20-years of age, and there is a lot of untapped potential which he may be beginning to realize. Not every 18-year old that comes into the league will put up big numbers right away – so be patient. Gagner is owned in just 12% of Yahoo leagues.
3. Jussi Jokinen (CAR–LW)
‘09-‘10 stat-line: 50gp, 15g, 22a, 37pt, +1, 24 pims
- Making his second appearance on this list is Carolina’s Jussi Jokinen. On November 10th, I wrote, “What poolies must not lose sight of when a team is struggling and riddled with injuries is the opportunities that the situation may present for less renowned players.” Jokinen has taken this opportunity and has run with it. He is currently third on the ‘Canes in points, tied for second in goals, first in plus minus, and is on pace for his first career 60-point season. Although Jokinen continues to perform well, few poolies seem to be noticing - he is still owned in just 21% of Yahoo leagues. The 26-year old Finn is currently playing on Carolina’s first line with Ray Whitney and perennial second-half performer Eric Staal. If he is available, pick him up and expect the Carolina forward to continue his excellent play down the stretch.
4. Matt Cooke (PIT–LW)
‘09-‘10 stat-line: 52gp, 11g, 11a, 22pt, +12, 68 pims
- Penguins’ agitator Matt Cooke has been an excellent rotisserie player throughout his first 52 games in ‘09-‘10. “Cookie” has already hit double digits in both the goals and assists columns, sports an excellent plus minus, and continues to rack up some gaudy penalty minute numbers. Lately, the third-liner has even been receiving some power play time for the Pens. Expect Cooke to continue to be a multi-category producer for the rest of the season. If you’re looking for a well-rounded player to fill out your depth forward ranks, Cooke makes for a very safe pick – his penalty minutes will always be solid and he is a consistent producer in all other categories. Cooke is currently owned in just 5% of Yahoo leagues.
5. Brian Elliot (OTT–G)
‘09-‘10 stat-line: 30gp, 14W, 11L, 3ot, .903sv%, 2.67gaa, 2so
- Looking to for a cheap goaltender on the waiver wire? If you are, then Brian Elliot may be the solution to your problem. With Pascal Leclaire sidelined with yet another injury, Elliot has helped guide the Senators to six straight victories. During this stretch, the Senators’ opponents have been held to just seven goals. Elliot, the winner of the NHL’s Number One Star of the Week Award, may get the majority of the starts from here on out. Leclaire has proven, time and again, to be inept at staying healthy, and his save percentage and goals against numbers are significantly inferior to those of Elliot. Expect the Senators to ride Elliot for the foreseeable future, and probably even upon the return of Leclaire. The Senators have received a nice boost over the last handful of games with the return of both Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza to the line-up, which will only help Elliot’s overall numbers. The University of Wisconsin alum is owned in just 30% of Yahoo leagues.
Trade Targets
1. Pavel Datsyuk (DET-C)
‘09-‘10 stat-line: 49gp, 11g, 26a, 37pt, +11, 12 pims
- The Detroit Red Wings currently have the second fewest goals scored in the NHL…that just doesn’t seem right, huh? With the departures of Marian Hossa, Mikael Samuelsson, and Jiri Hudler in the off-season, compounded with injuries to Johan Franzen, Valtteri Filppula, Dan Cleary, Tomas Holmstrom, and Niklas Kronwall, this has been an odd season in Mo-Town. It’s even more peculiar to see Pavel Datsyuk currently sitting 63rd in the NHL in scoring as February nears. If you own Datsyuk, be patient. If you don’t, now is the time to bust a move. The slick Russian’s numbers will improve dramatically, and so too will the Red Wings as all of their players begin to come back from injury. Kronwall returns tonight. Franzen, often a linemate of Datsyuk, will return sometime within the foreseeable future, as well. The bottom line is that Datsyuk is an elite talent who will always garner an excellent plus minus in addition to a plethora of points. Over his past four seasons, Datsyuk has sported seasons of 87, 87, 97, and 97 points. While 97 points may be out of reach with Detroit’s current roster and aging defensemen on the backend, Datsyuk should still be an 85-90 point player next season and as we go forward during this season.
2. Claude Giroux (PHI–C/RW)
‘09-‘10 stat-line: 51gp, 10g, 19a, 29pt, +/-0, 19 pims
- After Claude Giroux’s impressive performance at the end of last season – especially during the Flyers’ first round playoff series against the Penguins – many fantasy poolies were expecting big things from Giroux heading into this season. Unfortunately for Giroux owners and Flyers fans, it doesn’t seem that this year will feature a Claude Giroux breakout performance. His play has been mediocre, as has the Flyers’ performance. But, better days will come soon for Giroux. His hands and vision give him all the makings for potential 75-85 point seasons down the road. Turning 22 this January, Giroux still has plenty of room to grow and become more accustomed to the NHL tempo. If you have any concerns regarding his position as “third-line” center with Jeff Carter and Mike Richards in front of him, be eased by the fact that Carter was once labeled the “third-line” pivot behind Richards and now-right wing Danny Briere. Expect better things from Claude Giroux in the ‘10-‘11 season.
3. Daniel Alfredsson (OTT-RW)
‘09-‘10 stat-line: 42gp, 14g, 26a, 40pt, +5, 14 pims
- Are you gearing up for the stretch run in your keeper or one-year league? Looking for some sure-fire pop at the forward position to help push your team over the edge? One player that may be worth turning your attention to is Ottawa Captain Daniel Alfredsson. No spring chicken at 37, Alfredsson still has plenty of the gas left in the tank, and is a sure-fire bet to produce at or around a point per game from here on out. After being shelved with an injury for three and a half weeks, Alfredsson has made his presence known upon his return five games ago. Since coming back, he has compiled five goals, nine points, and a plus five rating. With Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek coming back from injury, and Mike Fisher enjoying a career year, Alfredsson should have plenty of help up front regardless of what line combinations are employed by Sens Coach Cory Clouston. Even at 37, Alfredsson is still a very worthy and consistent fantasy asset.
4. Bobby Ryan (ANA-RW)
‘09-‘10 stat-line: 52gp, 24g, 18a, 42pt, +3, 55 pims
- While Ryan Getzlaf and Cory Perry often garner most of the headlines coming out of Anaheim, it’s important to remember that there is another hulking, talented right winger that deserves his share of accolades. Bobby Ryan possesses a combination of size, skills, and smarts that will make him a point per game player for a long time at the NHL level. Despite playing much of his time at even strength on the second line without the aid of Anaheim’s big guns, Ryan continues to produce. Injuries to Joffrey Lupul, Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu? So what? Ryan still continues to light the lamp and find his name on the scoresheet with regularity. Expect Ryan’s fantasy value to increase with every passing day, meaning the best time to trade for the hulking winger is right now. Ryan’s future is very, very promising.
5. Phil Kessel (TOR–C/RW)
‘09-‘10 stat-line: 41gp, 15g, 15a, 30pt, -2, 11 pims
- Upon his return from a shoulder injury, Phil Kessel made his presence known as soon as he put on a Toronto sweater. Through his first fifteen games, Kessel notched an impressive ten goals and 15 points. However, Toronto’s newest star has cooled dramatically since. In the following 26 games, Kessel lit the lamp just five times, and registered only fifteen points in that span. Kessel’s speed and quick release will make him a 40+ goal, 75-85 point NHL player for years to come. While his current linemates are nothing to get excited about, aid is on the way. 2009 first round pick Nazem Kadri is the logical fit to eventually center Kessel on the first line, and Toronto’s available cap space heading into this summer will allow Brian Burke to add some fire power up front. If your league counts shots on net, Kessel becomes even more valuable. Kessel has amassed 186 shots over just 41 games this season, which is good for ninth overall in the entire league. While it may feel like Kessel has been around forever, remember that he is still just 22 years of age. Buy low while you have a chance.