This article is part of our Frozen Fantasy series.
Look – the sky is not falling. Aaron Ekblad is hurt. Gabriel Landeskog had surgery. Thatcher Demko and Marc-Andre Fleury look a little lost out there.
Just breathe. Don't make me go all mindfulness on you.
That snapped you back to reality quick. These blips are like acorns. They hit, you rub your head and then swear at the squirrel that made you panic.
I lost Ekblad. Sure it hurt. I swore under my breath. There's no one on the wire to replace him.
But I already had Jamie Drysdale on reserve. Not bad. You have a guy too.
I also have Marc-Andre Fleury, albeit in another league. I'm not walking from either of them, especially for pennies on the dollar or a shiny object that tarnishes as quickly as it shone.
Last year, I scored an injured Nikita Kucherov early from a panicky manager. He was worried about losing the league.
He did anyway. And I still have Kucherov as a keeper.
Look to the wire for forwards, no matter what skater you lose. They're plentiful and there are plenty of guys who get streaky or earn time on PP2.
Be creative. Be crafty. Worst case, go chat up the manager in your league who overvalues shiny objects, rookies and their favorite team. You know who they are. Their objectivity can be clouded and that can be to your advantage in a trade.
The season is young. Players and teams can overcome slow starts. So can yours. Just don't lose your league by panicking. It only leads to regret and there's no point to that.
Now let's take a look at who caught my eye this week.
Calen Addison, D, Minnesota (27 percent Yahoo!) – Yes, Addison has defensive warts. But his offensive touch is real and he already has six assists, including four on the power play. He has replaced Jared Spurgeon (64 percent Yahoo!) on PP1. Go get him.
Eric Comrie, G, Buffalo (23 percent Yahoo!) – Sometimes, all it takes is a new opportunity and a fresh set of eyes to see your potential. Comrie was the No. 2 goalie for Canada's 2015 gold-medal winning junior squad, but his pro career sputtered through Winnipeg, Detroit, New Jersey and Winnipeg (again). Now, he's enjoying hockey again on a young squad in Buffalo and turning away a lot of pucks. This week, Comrie beat Edmonton and Calgary on the road and only allowed five goals on 91 shots. He won't be this good going forward, but I think he's going to deliver a career year in at least a platoon.
Nico Hischier, C, New Jersey (36 percent Yahoo!) – Hischier is one of best number two pivots in the NHL. His two-way game is finally starting to look like all those "future Selke" comments of a couple years ago and he posted 60 points in 70 games last season. Hischier is on a three-game, six-point streak (two goals, four assists) with 37 face-off wins, 11 shots and four hits. Center is deep, but think of it like this: by season's end, Hischier and Dylan Larkin (85 percent Yahoo!) will have almost identical stat lines (Larkin will likely have more shots). Trade Larkin for value and add Hischier. Before someone smart does it.
Dominik Kubalik, LW/RW, Detroit (18 percent Yahoo!) – I truly hope Jakub Vrana (50 percent Yahoo!) can return this season. But until then, Kubalik is a first-line winger with positional versatility and a 30-goal season under his belt. Sure, his shooting percentage that season was inflated, but I'll repeat – he's a first-line winger and plays on PP1. Get Kubalik now before the cost goes up. He's on a three-game, five-point scoring streak (two goals, three assists) and skating with two bona fide scorers in Dylan Larkin (85 percent Yahoo!) and David Perron (72 percent Yahoo!).
Trevor Moore, LW/RW, Los Angeles (9 percent Yahoo!) – Moore was one of the surprise fantasy finds last season – he ended up with a career-best 48 points, almost all earned at even-strength, and a plus-20 rating. He rang up two helpers Saturday night and he, Viktor Arvidsson and Phillip Danault looked in midseason form. Moore won't get you much on the power play. But there are plenty of formats where a potential 50-point, 200-plus shot winger with dual eligibility can help.
Tyler Motte, LW/RW, Ottawa (2 percent Yahoo!) – Motte's on fire, but I offer this pickup with a grain of salt. He and Shane Pinto have really clicked. But Josh Norris's injury Saturday looked bad (see Pinto above). If Norris is out for a bit, then Pinto will slide up the lineup and Motte loses his newfound friend. As it stands, Motte is on a three-game, five-point streak (two goals, three assists) with eight hits and three blocks. As Pinto goes, Motte goes, so watch the dominos fall this week before making a move.
Shane Pinto, C, Ottawa (7 percent Yahoo!) – Pinto stretched his goal streak to four games (five points) Saturday night. This kid is the real deal. Smart managers are already on him – he was on just three percent of Yahoo! rosters at midnight Saturday night. Josh Norris collapsed to his knees in the face-off circle Saturday night and got up clutching his arm. An MRI is scheduled and he was seen storming down the tunnel to the dressing room and hurling his stick at the wall. Pinto is the next-best option for the 2C gig. The 21-year-old has 22 NHL games under his belt, so it'll be a tough transition. But the talent is there.
Nick Robertson, LW, Toronto (24 percent Yahoo!) – I like Robertson, but maybe not as much as Leafs' fans do. They jumped all over the guy in Yahoo!, driving his rostering up from 4 percent to 24 in about a day. Robertson might be just another overinflated Leaf, but he does offer real talent. His defensive stop in overtime was one of the best all-game (and a surprise, tbh), and it led to the winning goal – his second of the game. He's on the second line with the white-hot John Tavares and slippery William Nylander. That trio is getting a lot of offensive zone starts and that has helped ease some pressure off Tavares in particular. It'll do the same for the pint-sized sniper.
Matt Roy, D, Los Angeles (16 percent Yahoo!) – Roy caught lightning in a bottle Tuesday night with his two-goal outburst – that was truly unexpected. But he's here because of his work Monday night – those five blocks made me remember he delivered a triple-century guy last season. Roy racked up 153 shots, 124 hits and 103 blocks and should improve on all those tallies. A top-four role could push his point total closer to 30 and that makes those potential hits and blocks even more valuable.
Oliver Wahlstrom, RW, NY Islanders (12 percent Yahoo!) – Wahlstrom's moment has arrived. He's on the second line and has four points (three goals, one assist) in his first four games. He's going to be a fits-and-spurts scorer, so he's more of a deeper-league option you load'em and leave'em. But it's not a stretch to think Wahlstrom will come close to doubling his career mark in points (24) while delivering 125 hits. And get PP2 time.
Watch List
Jack Rathbone, D, Vancouver (0 percent Yahoo!) – This is a bit of a flyer because the leash on the Orcas is tight after a 0-6 start. Rathbone has offensive talent, but he's young and can still be outmatched in his own zone. Coach Bruce Boudreau needs a win and that always means relying heavily on vets. But Vancouver needs to let Rathbone test his mettle and grow, and his hockey sense is incredibly high. Quinn Hughes runs the offense, but Rathbone could become the PP2 guy once the team gets a few wins under its belt.
Filip Zadina, LW/RW, Detroit (1 percent Yahoo!) – Zadina is a great skater with a goal scorer's touch, but has found himself on a lower line too much in his young career. You can't teach his skill and his moment has finally arrived... even if it comes on the back of the Jakub Vrana (50 percent Yahoo!) situation. Zadina will now skate on the second line and hop the boards on PP2. Once he finds his touch again, he'll start blipping on the fantasy radar.
Back to taking a breath.
Maybe I'm just a little Zen about this stuff from all the years of living within Leafland. It wasn't but a month ago Chicken Little was squawking about John Tavares being done.
He's old. He's slow. He's paid too much. He needs to go.
Blah. Blah. Blah. Today, he leads the Leafs in scoring. He's in the league's top-25.
Take a breath. Don't panic. Crack a pop and let someone else lose their mind. They might come calling with a Kucherov-type deal.
That's an opportunity that you probably won't be able to pass up.
Until next week.
