Holding Dahlin in a keep-5 league... Worth it?

[Turbo_Supremo]

Hey All,

So a few weeks back I made a move to acquire J.Hughes and Dahlin as a means to get some younger 'keepers'. However, I am drastically losing patience with Dahlin.

J.Hughes still quite isn't there yet, but he has been average enough for me to consider a keeper going forward; but in a keep-5, it is really hard for me to justify keeping Dahlin at this point considering his current performance and how many better D-men there are out there (especially with expanded Categories).

Is Dahlin really worth one of my 5 spots? He isn't worth much, if anything, on the trade market at the moment... so I'm asking, is he worth keeping in a keep-5 or do I just drop him to actually get some better performance this season?

[J0e Th0rnton]

Dahlin is rock bottom value right now for trading. People are legit dropping him to waivers as he sinks our +/- past rock bottom into the earth's core.

I am holding simply hoping for a coaching change and him to wake up, same as Zibanejad(Who is waking up).

But he will be first on my trade away list when I start loading up for the playoffs in a few weeks in my keep 5. Buffalo's playoff schedule games per week is 3/3/4 and if I can sneak in a Dman from Dallas, Carolina or Tampa who have a 4/4/5 schedule for a medium pick upgrade and ejecting Dahlin, ill try it in a heartbeat

[Blues_fan1000]

i just dropped him in my keep 4 league, i too was losing patience and decided this year was not the year for him to be kept. unless he crazy turns it around this season, i imagine his draft stock will be fairly low and should be easier to acquire. buffalo looks so bad, complete dumpster fire

him getting -3 every night doesnt help his situation either...

[Jyeatbvg]

Trade him now and you’re not getting him back. Just don’t regret it when he becomes an elite dman over the next decade.

[J0e Th0rnton]

Trade him now and you’re not getting him back. Just don’t regret it when he becomes an elite dman over the next decade.

In a keep 5 league? Nobody is keeping dahlin this year

He didn't even get redrafted until I drafted him in round 2 this year in my keep 5

[Jyeatbvg]

In a keep 5 league? Nobody is keeping dahlin this year

He didn't even get redrafted until I drafted him in round 2 this year in my keep 5

Guess it depends on how competitive your league is. In most of my leagues (and general consensus on this forum) Dahlin is still a top “prospect” with generational potential. I feel like people often overlook the fact that he’s only 20 years old and already has more nhl experience than most guys 3-4 years older. He had a 50+ point pace season last year at age 19. AGE NINETEEN! Let that sink in..

[J0e Th0rnton]

Guess it depends on how competitive your league is. In most of my leagues (and general consensus on this forum) Dahlin is still a top “prospect” with generational potential. I feel like people often overlook the fact that he’s only 20 years old and already has more nhl experience than most guys 3-4 years older. He had a 50+ point pace season last year at age 19. AGE NINETEEN! Let that sink in..

And? Its not terribly uncommon for Dmen to come out big their rookie season and then regress for several years. The league veterans have a knack for figuring out how to neutralize young Dmen and then exploit them. Ekblad had 39 points as an 18 year old and regressed. Now he is coming around again. Klingberg had 2 good years, regressed. Will Butcher came out swinging as a rookie with 44 points. now he barely looks NHL caliber. Gostisbhere had 46 points in 64 games as a rookie, regressed, then had a big 65 point year, regressed and now looks like he doesn't belong in the NHL.

In a keep 5 league, unless the categories are weighted for Dmen to get extra points, usually Dmen who do not hit or block shots fall well below forwards in value. A 60 point forward is basically equal in value to a 50 point Dman unless categories favor Dmen. His categories DO favor minute munching shot blocking big hitting Dmen who play on the PK (his league uses the STP category). That's not Dahlin tho. Dahlin doesn't play PK, or block shots and he doesn't add a hit per game. He is just a Dman that accumulates points like a 2nd line forward at best.

In my Keep 5, Dahlin doesn't have a prayer in hell of remaining on the team in my sig. Dmen get no extra points, so unless you are a proven 70+ point Dman, a steady 70 point Forward who gets faceoffs is more valuable. Goalies in that league are 40% of the categories.

Dahlin is the sort of chap who gets consideration in a keep 8 league. Not a keep 5. in keep 5, people gravitate towards the prime Burns, prime Karlsson, Cale Makar types, but most people stick with steady producing forwards. And my league is hyper competitive with experienced GM's. Dahlin will fall to 2nd round of the draft. Maybe 3rd next year. Some schmuck can use a pick on him banking on the idea that it will be a big year. I certainly did this year.

[Jyeatbvg]

And? Its not terribly uncommon for Dmen to come out big their rookie season and then regress for several years. The league veterans have a knack for figuring out how to neutralize young Dmen and then exploit them. Ekblad had 39 points as an 18 year old and regressed. Now he is coming around again. Klingberg had 2 good years, regressed. Will Butcher came out swinging as a rookie with 44 points. now he barely looks NHL caliber. Gostisbhere had 46 points in 64 games as a rookie, regressed, then had a big 65 point year, regressed and now looks like he doesn't belong in the NHL.

In a keep 5 league, unless the categories are weighted for Dmen to get extra points, usually Dmen who do not hit or block shots fall well below forwards in value. A 60 point forward is basically equal in value to a 50 point Dman unless categories favor Dmen. His categories DO favor minute munching shot blocking big hitting Dmen who play on the PK (his league uses the STP category). That's not Dahlin tho. Dahlin doesn't play PK, or block shots and he doesn't add a hit per game. He is just a Dman that accumulates points like a 2nd line forward at best.

In my Keep 5, Dahlin doesn't have a prayer in hell of remaining on the team in my sig. Dmen get no extra points, so unless you are a proven 70+ point Dman, a steady 70 point Forward who gets faceoffs is more valuable. Goalies in that league are 40% of the categories.

Dahlin is the sort of chap who gets consideration in a keep 8 league. Not a keep 5. in keep 5, people gravitate towards the prime Burns, prime Karlsson, Cale Makar types, but most people stick with steady producing forwards. And my league is hyper competitive with experienced GM's. Dahlin will fall to 2nd round of the draft. Maybe 3rd next year. Some schmuck can use a pick on him banking on the idea that it will be a big year. I certainly did this year.

To each their own I guess. In my leagues if not kept, I could at least put him on the market and get something for him. And I disagree with your assessment that 50 point dman are the same as 60 point forwards, which I’m not going to get into but have to do with number of positions on a roster.

For the record, I think Dahlin is an easy choice as keeper given op’s team. After the obvious three I’d take a flyer on the generational talent. Crazy how quickly people forget how good he is.

[J0e Th0rnton]

To each their own I guess. In my leagues if not kept, I could at least put him on the market and get something for him. And I disagree with your assessment that 50 point dman are the same as 60 point forwards, which I’m not going to get into but have to do with number of positions on a roster.

For the record, I think Dahlin is an easy choice as keeper given op’s team. After the obvious three I’d take a flyer on the generational talent. Crazy how quickly people forget how good he is.

That's just it. He is NOT a generational talent. He is very bad defensively and most coaches are not going to let him get away with that. Makar and Hughes are well ahead of Dahlin on the scale of best young D right now and neither of them yet gets the label of generational talent either.

He's very good and has the skills to be elite. but he isn't prime Erik Karlsson. Makar has the potential to be closer to EK than Dahlin.

[Jyeatbvg]

That's just it. He is NOT a generational talent. He is very bad defensively and most coaches are not going to let him get away with that. Makar and Hughes are well ahead of Dahlin on the scale of best young D right now and neither of them yet gets the label of generational talent either.

He's very good and has the skills to be elite. but he isn't prime Erik Karlsson. Makar has the potential to be closer to EK than Dahlin.

I think it’s still too early to be making conclusions like that. Again, Dahlin is only 20 years old. He’s not prime EK..yet, but who’s expecting him to be at this point? Defenseman often blossom later than forwards.

[J0e Th0rnton]

I think it’s still too early to be making conclusions like that. Again, Dahlin is only 20 years old. He’s not prime EK..yet, but who’s expecting him to be at this point? Defenseman often blossom later than forwards.

Too early to be making conclusions like what?
I'd say its too early to be calling him a "generational talent", because he isn't, hasn't shown that level yet and and might never be. He's shown early promise and offensive acumen. Kind of like Gostisbehere, Werenski and Will Butcher showed early promise. Hopefully Dahlin and his pedigree evolve to more a Klingberg+ level, but as of now, Dahlin hasn't scored 50 points in a season yet and is having the worst start of his career. I think cap leagues are going to rejoice because he probably resigns for 5x5m Werenski money since he hasn't earned anything more and once they change coaching, Dahlin will be back to normal. If Coaching is the problem. I frequent the Buffalo boards, so reading the game day threads and comments on "WTF is wrong with Dahlin, he looks fat and slow" has me worried.

If the Pegulas have any pride they bite the bullet and hire Boudreau, Gallant or Julien. You have to see these players play under a veteran, successful NHL coach to see if this group is salvageable or if the whole thing needs to be blown up.

[Mr. Monotonous]

Taking into consideration your league has 10 teams, I wouldn't fault you for moving on from Dahlin and keeping a safer/more proven defenseman. Now if your league had 14+ teams, the talent pool would be a lot thinner and I would be more inclined to wait on Dahlin.

Good luck!

[Turbo_Supremo]

Well, tonight is his last chance to prove to me he is worth holding onto. He may become a generational player, but if it is not going to be this season, or even look like it'll happen next season... I think I'm willing to take the chance to dump him and try to re-acquire him next draft.

Thanks for the opinions!