(Article) Sneaky Players to Win Your Pool With - Part 1 Forwards

[Crazy Joe Davola]

Hey all,

This is an article I had prepared for the main site, however there has been so much great content of late, that this won't likely be published in time for most drafts. So instead of letting it go to waste, I thought I would share with all of you! So without further adieu, here they are, some sneaky (and not-so-snaeky) players to help win your pool.

Sneaky Players That’ll Win Your Pool
By: Cameron Robinson

When I was just a wee lad, it felt like summer could not get here soon enough. Those last few days of school seemed like an eternity. But then something strange happened; as soon as the calendar rolled over to July, it seemed the days went by far too quickly. Where had my summer gone?! September looms and with it, cold weather, alarm clocks and teacher’s dirty looks. However, it didn’t take long for me to heed my Dad’s advice on the matter. See he would always remind me that as summer closed, with it comes the greatest time of year. Fall brings us a brand new chapter for 30 NHL clubs and all their fans; it brings us MLB playoffs, NFL action and even some basketball highlights to fill in the last five minutes of SportsCentre. And for a lucky few of us, fall also brings our Fantasy Drafts.


If you’re anything like me, draft day is the pinnacle of weekend activities. It’s a time when your closest friends (and fantasy enemies) get together from wherever each individual’s lives have taken them, sit down, talk hockey, chat about life, chirp each other and the laughs are endless. It usually culminates with a headache and a greasy diner breakfast, and if I’m lucky I’ll be doing that every year ’til the day I die.


Now what happens between those welcoming high fives and Flo serving that Eggs Benny… is the pudding. If you have serious aspirations of winning, you need a strong draft. Blow your first round pick? You might as well start selling for next year already. Grab a couple absolute steals in the 7th and 8th rounds? Now we’re talking. With that in mind, here are a few sneaky players that can help you win your pool and the gain the respect, envy and glory that you so callously believe you deserve.

The Big Dogs - Players that are already fantasy studs just waiting to enter into that rare air of cornerstone pieces. Draft early or target them in trades. These guys are the real deal.

Ryan Johansen (CBJ) - Here’s a player who’s stock has continually risen in the past two campaigns. Last year, he posted 71 points in 82 games on an injury-depleted squad. He’ll be targeted as a 70 point player (which is very valuable) but he’ll be pushing for top five in league scoring when it’s all said and done. Reach for this player and be the one laughing as he goes off for his first point-per-game season.
2015-16 Prediction: 34 goals 49 assists = 83 points


Nikita Kucherov (TBL) - Can Tampa Bay do anything wrong? Here is a franchise littered with top-end young talent, and look no further than Kucherov to be the poster boy for such a squad. After a rocky rookie season, he erupted for 29 goals and 63 points as a sophomore playing on the most dynamic line in the league last year. Together with Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat, Kucherov will continue his assent in to the upper echelon of fantasy players. This Russian sniper is poised to have a Tarasenko-like breakout in 2015-16; and while he may go early in some drafts, if you can snake him in the third round, get excited.
2015-16 Prediction: 36 goals 35 assists = 71 points

Risers- These players may or may not be owned in your dynasty league, but they’re set to enter into the conversation as top assets. If they are owned, fret not, they would provide excellent targets to trade for, and you’ll get them cheaper than more established stars who will likely end up with similar points by years end.

Jaden Schwartz (STL) - I haven’t been shy in voicing my feelings towards the young St. Louis Blues winger. This kid is all heart and drives possession with a career Corsi rate of 53.5%. Coupled with the fact that he has fantastic chemistry with top 10 fantasy asset Vladimir Tarasenko and you’ve got the recipe for a 70 point season. He was tied for 35th in league scoring last year and is primed to jump into the top 20 this year.
2015-16 Prediction: 33 goals 38 assists = 71 points



Gabriel Landeskog (COL) - See first comments about Barrie. O’captain my captain. This natural-born leader didn’t suffer as dumpy a year as some of his other teammates, but he did see his point total drop by six (65-59). Expect a resurgence by the 22 year old with 30 goals and 70 points well within his reach.
2015-16 Prediction: 31 goals 41 assists = 72 points


Derek Stepan (NYR) - The 25 year old Rangers centre just scored himself a tasty longterm contract to the tune of 6.5 million for six years, all the while never having broke the 60 point barrier. Don’t expect that to last. When healthy, this top line pivot should be able to provide 20 goals and 45-50 assists. Rangers fans are hoping he can keep Rick Nash rolling into next spring.
2015-16 Prediction: 21 goals 46 assists = 67 points

Fighting for a Chance- These are the players who should be available to draft in your dynasty league and are set to increase their fantasy values - whether thats from irrelevancy to fringe or fringe to impact player. Deep league should take notice.

Emerson Etem (NYR) - After being drafted at the tail end of the 2010 first round (29th overall), Etem has bounced around the Ducks lineup, never finding time in the top six for any lengthy period. With his move to New York, things may open up for him if he can push his way through. Marty St. louis is off relaxing with his family and Carl Hagelin is in sunny California. Etem has proven he’s a point-per-game player at the AHL level, now its time for this 22 year old to prove he’s got the skills to produce in The Show. He’ll battle Zuccarello and Hayes for a shot in the top six.
2015-16 Prediction: 18 goals 21 assists = 39 points



Alexander Wennberg (CBJ) - Wennberg ended up being the de facto second line centre as a 19 year old last year thanks to the ridiculous amount of injuries CBJ faced. He struggled early and often but turned the corner by scoring 11 points and being a +11 in his final 17 games. Expect him to play on the third line this year with second unit power play minutes. He’s the future behind Johansen.
2015-2016 Prediction: 11 goals 31 assists = 42 points

Vladislav Namestnikov (TBL)- Tampa Bay has been patient with the young Russian centre, whom they chose in the first round of the 2011 draft. He’ll either have to transition to the wing or continue to wait for a real shot at playing in the top six. Blessed with tremendous skill, something Tampa has an abundance of, he’ll need to come to camp bigger and stronger to attempt to force the issue. If Jonathan Drouin needs another year to earn the trust of John Cooper, Nemestnikov may get a look on the Stamkos wing. Consider taking a speculative late round pick on him.

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So there you have it, an old Bauer duffle bag stuffed with players who could make you a Champion. Be sure to take some of these guys under consideration while your League’s Tacois still trying to draft Temmu Selanne in the sixth round. And speaking of Tacos, what a beauty Eddie Lack is!


Happy drafting folks.

[MarmotKing]

Nice article. Bold to call RyJo a PPG player!

[Crazy Joe Davola]

I love to be bold! That and i'm a HUGE believer in Johansen. I really see a lot of Ryan Getzlaf in him. He added some more snarl to his game last year and I expect more of the same this year. He's just scratching the surface of what he's capable of. Top flight potential.

[Magicstew]

nice article Joe - good topic - will add
Another sneaky pick - Looking for a chance - Alex Burmistrov - Wpg - 20g + 20a

[evans334]

nice article Joe - good topic - will add
Another sneaky pick - Looking for a chance - Alex Burmistrov - Wpg - 20g + 20a

Picked Burmistrov up in two of my leagues which are really deep (16 and 24 teams) and I'm considering using a late round pick on him in my shallower league (10 teams).

Will be keeping an eye on him tonight lining up with Ehlers and Perrault.

[RizzeeDizzee]

I'm a fan of Schwartz too, and see him as a lock for 70+ this season. He actually had the 20th best points per game scoring rate last season among players who skated in 75+ contests, ahead of, among others, Kopitar, Toews, Thornton, Couture, and Eberle.

I'm not seeing Etem or Wennberg in the 40 point club this season. I'd have steered instead toward the likes of Rickard Rakell, Teemu Pulkkinen, or Melker Karlsson instead. But when you get into this territory, it's more a matter of subjective instinct. The guys you chose made sense on paper and you argued your points well; I just happen to feel like they won't reach 0.5 points per game territory in 2015-16.

[Crazy Joe Davola]

nice article Joe - good topic - will add
Another sneaky pick - Looking for a chance - Alex Burmistrov - Wpg - 20g + 20a

Funny you should mention Burmistrov.. I actually had a little blurb about him in the original piece but cut it out due to length. I definitely believe he's a wildcard to make some noise this season. Especially if him and Ehlers develop some chemistry on the third line. I think the 20+20 projection is reachable for him

[Crazy Joe Davola]

I'm a fan of Schwartz too, and see him as a lock for 70+ this season. He actually had the 20th best points per game scoring rate last season among players who skated in 75+ contests, ahead of, among others, Kopitar, Toews, Thornton, Couture, and Eberle.

I'm not seeing Etem or Wennberg in the 40 point club this season. I'd have steered instead toward the likes of Rickard Rakell, Teemu Pulkkinen, or Melker Karlsson instead. But when you get into this territory, it's more a matter of subjective instinct. The guys you chose made sense on paper and you argued your points well; I just happen to feel like they won't reach 0.5 points per game territory in 2015-16.

Its true, those players may not reach the 0.5 ppg rate this season. I've liked Wennberg for a while now and see him as a great #2 behind Johansen one day.. I think with the offence in CBJ, he could still get there with time on the second unit PP and solid line mates on the 3rd line.

Rackell is another interesting one, he's trapped behind Getzlaf and Kesler down the middle, but if he finds himself enough PP time and can gain some traction at 5v5 on the 3rd line (or better yet, finds himself on the wing on one of the top two lines) he could certainly break that 40 point barrier.

Pulks is a pure sniper who has produced extremely well under Blashill down in GR. However I can't yet see a spot for him in the top six, with Jurco likely ahead of him on the depth chart and the likes of Abdelkader, Helm, Nyqvist, Tatar and now the return of the Mule causing a traffic jam on the wings. I believe he'll eventually get his chance but perhaps not this season. I'd like to see him show some chemistry with Sheahan on the third line.. those two could form a deadly combo in the bottom six.

Love to hear of another Schwartz fan! I recently traded him in a package to get OV. Tough to move a young asset like him, but i've gotta go for broke and Ovechkin is a different beast all together.

[RizzeeDizzee]

Its true, those players may not reach the 0.5 ppg rate this season. I've liked Wennberg for a while now and see him as a great #2 behind Johansen one day.. I think with the offence in CBJ, he could still get there with time on the second unit PP and solid line mates on the 3rd line.

Pulks is a pure sniper who has produced extremely well under Blashill down in GR. However I can't yet see a spot for him in the top six, with Jurco likely ahead of him on the depth chart and the likes of Abdelkader, Helm, Nyqvist, Tatar and now the return of the Mule causing a traffic jam on the wings. I believe he'll eventually get his chance but perhaps not this season. I'd like to see him show some chemistry with Sheahan on the third line.. those two could form a deadly combo in the bottom six. .

Not only does Blashill know what Pulks is capable of, but I believe Pulks has a deal where he'd have to clear waivers to be sent down. And with the team "forced" to play him he'll turn heads and leapfrog into the top six, especially if (when?) Franzen gets hurt.

[Crazy Joe Davola]

Not only does Blashill know what Pulks is capable of, but I believe Pulks has a deal where he'd have to clear waivers to be sent down. And with the team "forced" to play him he'll turn heads and leapfrog into the top six, especially if (when?) Franzen gets hurt.

Yah you're absolutely right, he would need to clear waivers to be sent down and as such will be with the big club all year. I have faith that he'll eventually push some of those vets aside and force himself into strong offensive positions.. I guess i'm just used to Detroit favouring the golden oldies, but perhaps with Blashill around, that will change. Either way, I see him as a great addition to their lineup once he gets his bearings at the NHL-level. He didn't look out of place in his short stints last year, but he still looked a little lost at times in the D zone.

I think he's a far better fit in the top six than Helm or Franzen, but whether or not that is realized in ice time and opportunity this season is yet to be seen.

Definite sleeper potential.