Chasing Shorthanded Points
 

A category that is hurting me in roto.

Havlat could score 1 or 2 when he comes back but at this point the only player he'd replace on my roster is Fleischmann.

Benn, St Louis and Vanek play the PK sparingly these days.
Malkin, Moulson and Fleischmann don't.
Filppula plays more than them, but he's not heavily featured on it.

Backes jumps out at me as a guy to target, I could try to swing Fleischmann or Moulson for him.

Who should I trade and who should I target?

You could try to target Adam Henrique. More low key, will definitely cost less, and will get you SHP. Him and Parise on the PK make a formidable duo.

Henrique is a decent buy low ATM too because he was dropped from the top line in the Devils' last game.

In my experience you can't chase SHP. They come in at their own rate and have no master. Even the NHL leader averages one every 7-8 games which means he can easily go in a 30-game slump without getting one. Oh ya and the turnover from one year to the next is insane. This is a very tough stat to predict.

I looked at Henrique but I don't like his fit on my team. It's such a fluky stat it wouldn't surprise me to see him get no more than 1 point the rest of the way. Same could be said about anyone but Henrique's production elsewhere is lacking.


I completely agree, 1st overall pick in my league this year went to Grabner, that hasn't worked out. I drafted Benn assuming he was good for at least 5 of em, so far 1 (thankfully that's not all Benn is good for).

I try to use the Frozen Pool player charts to track how often guys are playing Shorthanded, it is however somewhat time consuming.

My thinking is that if Backes plays shorthanded and Fleischmann/Moulson don't, maybe I should trade one of em for him and hope for some luck.

Chasing this category is not a wise choice. It's like going after defensive TDs in fantasy football.

But in terms of numbers: Parise, Henrique, M Richards. As others have said, Henrique is the most cost effective choice.

Don't bother chasing SHP, it's a crapshoot.

If you absolutely must and you feel like overpaying, then the most reliable guys in my opinion are Mike Richards, Marleau and Giroux.

Agree 100%.
If you have a Yahoo! league, just click some past years and see how those guys are doing this year. I specifically remember that guys like Mike Richards, Claude Giroux, and Frans Nielsen have had a dynamite year in the past playing SH. Then their coaches realize they have enough offensive talent where all their time should be ES & PP.

Don't chase SHP, just don't do it.
If it is really a thing... you may try to pick a token PIM goon that kills penalties - Steve Ott & Matt Cooke, I believe, are goons that typically get 1-3 SHP each year. Although Matt Cooke v2.0 isn't really a PIM goon.

Overall SHP is just a terrible, terrible cat for fantasy pools.
I despise the concept.

I mean, who's better..
Player A, kills 90/100 penalties and scores 2 SHP.
or
Player B, kills 98/100 penalties and scores 0 SHP.

A player's NHL SH value is in how many PPP he can keep the other team from getting... but that's not a statistic that is tracked for fantasy leagues.

Parise, Richards, Marleau and Giroux won't be possible because they're either owned by teams fighting for the title or I'll have to seriously overpay to get them which like you've all said doesn't make sense.

But what about a Fleischman or Moulson for Backes type trade? I'd hesitate on Moulson but Fleischmann for Backes seems pretty even no?

Those 2 guys aren't an option, I'm not going to forfeit every category to chase SHPs... and I agree completely, but I'm bound by these shitty rules for now!

OK... I'll try to help.

Sort through the players who have played the most time SH.
Then pick the best available player with good hands - somebody that can finish if they get that break-away.

Max Talbot, Daniel Winnik, and Zach Smith are all top 5 players (by SHTOI) that can bury an opportunity.

A little farther down is Lauri Korpikoski... who might be cheap being on Phoenix.
Pascal Dupuis is also a guy I like... but being with PIT - he is taken in most pools.

Winnik has been really racking up SOG this year.
Perhaps you could go after him - maybe his owner isn't aware where he stacks up SOG-wise.