Help me choose my last keeper

[Pashowretty]

Hi guys,

I need help to choose a player for my last keeper spot. My fantasy league is points-only and we protect 11 skaters or 10 skaters + 1 goalie (details and team in sig).

Currently, my protected roster looks like this :

1. Gaudreau
2. Kaprizov (Assuming he's not leaving for Russia)
3. Lafrenière
4. Necas
5. Seguin
6. Stützle
7. Boeser
8. Chabot
9. Chychrun
10. Hart
11.E. Karlsson/Ty Smith/Dylan Larkin

For my last keeper spot, I'm hesitating between Dylan Larkin, Erik Karlsson and Ty Smith. My initial plan was to protect Smith since I'm rebuilding, but I feel like the arrival of Dougie Hamilton in Jersey + the selection of Luke Hughes kills his fantasy value for the near future (at least in a points-only league).

Karlsson could be the choice to make, but I was disappointed by his last two seasons and I don't really know what to make of the Sharks this upcoming season. Finally, Larkin plays on a dumpster fire of a team that can't seem to score a goal.

What would you do? Do you see any player in my team that could be part of the discussion? Appreciate the help!

[niconasr]

Karlsson has a ton of name value but his game has had such a decline that he's an easy drop for me. I'd keep Larkin without a doubt. He had a tough year last year but he's the number one center on a slightly rising team. With a full year of Bertuzzi and a newly signed Vrana plus all the youngsters, I think they'll score enough to make him much more relevant.

That would leave you with Smith who definitely is not sniffing PP1 time as long as Hamilton is healthy. Would you consider Slavin? He's not a sexy name but with Hamilton gone from Carolina, he has a real chance to man that PP unit. People think DeAngelo will get first crack and maybe he will, but he's been such a volatile player that betting on the steady Slavin might be better.

It's up to you. Good luck!

[evans334]

Larkin for me and it's an easy choice.

EK65's prime days are done.
Ty Smith still need to proove it and to your point Hamilton being in NJ makes it harder for him to get prime minutes.

Larkin is the best forward in DET and they are slowly getting better.

[Pashowretty]

Karlsson has a ton of name value but his game has had such a decline that he's an easy drop for me. I'd keep Larkin without a doubt. He had a tough year last year but he's the number one center on a slightly rising team. With a full year of Bertuzzi and a newly signed Vrana plus all the youngsters, I think they'll score enough to make him much more relevant.

That would leave you with Smith who definitely is not sniffing PP1 time as long as Hamilton is healthy. Would you consider Slavin? He's not a sexy name but with Hamilton gone from Carolina, he has a real chance to man that PP unit. People think DeAngelo will get first crack and maybe he will, but he's been such a volatile player that betting on the steady Slavin might be better.

It's up to you. Good luck!

Yeah, I was leaning towards Larkin too... Thanks for the advice!

I like your idea about Slavin, but I might drop him and try to re-draft him instead of giving him a protected spot. I feel he might be available in rounds 3-5 whereas Larkin or Karlsson will probably be gone by then.

[Axeman33]

Larkin for me too

[niconasr]

Yeah, I was leaning towards Larkin too... Thanks for the advice!

I like your idea about Slavin, but I might drop him and try to re-draft him instead of giving him a protected spot. I feel he might be available in rounds 3-5 whereas Larkin or Karlsson will probably be gone by then.

Fair enough. Karlsson and Larkin are more 'household' names even if Slavin is a better real-life player than them. If you feel like he'll be available later in the re-draft then I agree with you. Keep Larkin and look for Slavin to fall to you later in the draft.

[rufio.85]

Another vote for Larkin.
He's shown he can do it and he's too young to not bet on a rebound.

[Feenom]

Larkin here

[ACC90]

Larkin for me too

Question about Ty Smith, everyone is saying that his fantasy value is dropping with the Hamilton contract.
Smith is playing on the left side so yes at 5v5 Graves is probably in front of him as a shutdown guy with Hamilton but on a second pair it's not that bad.
For the PP, there is still a possibility that Smith will play with Hamilton on the PP1. NJD doesn't have a the moment a forward playing at the blue line instead of a D (hughes is taking faceoff so maybe he will go there in a near future if Hischier is on PP1)

What are your insight about that?

[Eli26]

D Boss!

[Pashowretty]

Larkin for me too

Question about Ty Smith, everyone is saying that his fantasy value is dropping with the Hamilton contract.
Smith is playing on the left side so yes at 5v5 Graves is probably in front of him as a shutdown guy with Hamilton but on a second pair it's not that bad.
For the PP, there is still a possibility that Smith will play with Hamilton on the PP1. NJD doesn't have a the moment a forward playing at the blue line instead of a D (hughes is taking faceoff so maybe he will go there in a near future if Hischier is on PP1)

What are your insight about that?

A quick look at their players' time on ice shows that they were usually playing Hughes, Hischier, Smith, Bratt and Zacha on the PP1 at the end of the season (after Palmieri's trade), so only one d-man. At the start of the season, they rotated Subban and Severson on PP1 until Smith slowly took over. I agree that they could balance their forwards on two units and play Smith and Hamilton on PP1, but based on what we saw last season, I would say that's unlikely.

Of course, at 5-on-5, Graves and Hamilton will probably see the toughest competition, so that could help Smith produce against easier opponents. But I don't know, I feel like PP1 is so important for a d-man. I just don't see Smith on a 40-point pace (on a full season) like he did last year with Hamilton in front of him... Thoughts?

[mdratch]

Larkin for me

[lusshouse]

Why don't you go for Meier? Or Kubalik?

If your sig is up to date, of course.

I dont hate the idea of Kubalik here.

[Pashowretty]

Why don't you go for Meier? Or Kubalik?

If your sig is up to date, of course.

I dont hate the idea of Kubalik here.

Yep, my sig is up to date!

I considered Meier, but like I wrote, I really don't know what to make of the Sharks next season. Plus, Meier has been a little bit flat since his breakout season in 2018-19.

Quite frankly, I'm thinking that Kubalik's 30-goal season in 2019-20 was a fluke. He scored on a unsustainable pace that year (19.1 S%) and he inevitably slowed down last season. Of course, he's an intriguing player, but I feel like Larkin has the most upside of the three...

I'm curious, what would be your arguments in favor of Kubalik over Larkin/Meier?

[Seyfert]

I’d probably take Larkin too. I like Kubalik too, he has a great shot. Im not sure how Colliton uses him though, seem to me that Kubalik doesn’t get the best opportunities? That’s the impression I got anyway.