Frozen Fantasy: No Regrets

I can't believe we're heading into NHL playoff season. Fantasy postseason is already in full swing, so it's now or never. Tough decisions abound. 

Chasing a title can make you dizzy. And do things you might not do otherwise.

Aggressive managers are prepared to ditch strong players stuck in meh moments. They're climbing to win or doing whatever it takes to stay ahead. 

I monitor a lot of leagues. Call me a fantasy hockey stalker, but I like to see what's happening in public leagues. In one, a manager dumped Connor McMichael (51 percent Yahoo!) before Tuesday's games to get Justin Faulk (45 percent Yahoo!). The latter has been on fire. And honestly, I may have done the same - especially in a league with separate D categories. McMichael put up two goals and an assist, five shots, one block and a plus-4 rating. Faulk nabbed one PPG and two assists, two shots, six blocks, two PIM and a minus-two rating during the same span. 

Will it be worth it? Only time will tell. It's rare that a single move breaks you, but it often feels like it did if you lose. Ditto when you win - it won't be because of that pickup. Yet it feels like it did. 

Do your homework. Then pull the trigger with no regrets. Remember - regret is an appalling waste of energy.  

Now let's take a look at who caught my eye this week. 

OFFENSE

Ross Colton, LW/C, Colorado (12 percent Yahoo!) - A warm front is sliding through Mile High, and Colton is enjoying the sun. It's a modest heat, though he's notched eight assists in his last eight games. And when you combine that with his grit, you get someone who could provide a multi-cat boost. Colton has recorded 26 hits and 13 shots over the aforementioned run, and one of his helpers was a PPA. At this point, warm may be all we can hope for. So take a look if he fits your categories. 

Logan Cooley, C, Utah (41 percent Yahoo!) - Cooley joined impressive company on Saturday night as his two goals gave him his second 20-goal campaign by the age of 20. There are only four other active U.S.-born NHLers in that club, and their names are Auston Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel and Patrick Kane. All have been 100 percent Yahoo! rostered at some point during their careers. Cooley is riding a four-game, six-point streak right now that includes four goals, 12 shots and eight hits. He has a dozen games left, and could finish strong. 

Matthew Coronato, RW, Calgary (4 percent Yahoo!) - Coronato heads into Tuesday on a three-game, four-goal run. Two have come on the power play, and he did it on 10 shots. Coronatoalso  added some miscellaneous hits and blocks, though that's not what you need from him. His catch-and-release is lightning-fast, and that's exactly what delivers on the man-advantage. You see where I'm going here. Calgary is two points out of the second Wild Card with two games in hand on the Blues, the team currently in that spot. The Flames will strive for this by whatever means necessary, and that will give Coronato more offensive profile. He's already on PP1, so what's stopping you?

Tony DeAngelo, D, NY Islanders (13 percent Yahoo!) - DeAngelo may be many things, yet he knows how to skate and deliver offense. So ignore his name and look at the stats. He's racked up five assists - including a PPA - from his last four contests. Look closer, and you'll see DeAngelo is on apace that would deliver 48-50 points over a full campaign. Yah. Go now or forever hold your peace. 

Brendan Gallagher, RW, Montreal (1 percent Yahoo!) - Gallagher's best is behind him, though the third-line irritant is still getting minutes on PP2 and went on a scoring spurt this week while bringing veteran leadership to a squad that's surprising everyone. Gallagher heads into Tuesday on a three-game, five-point run that includes three goals, one PPA, eight shots and a bit of secondary coverage (two blocks, one hit). He'd gone scoreless in nine prior to this outburst, so this isn't sustainable. But never say never with Gallagher as this could be his moment to get this group to the postseason, and that's powerful motivation.

Simon Holmstrom, RW, NY Islanders (2 percent Yahoo!) - Holmstrom has quietly posted a point in each of his last four matchups with three goals - one of those on the power play - and nine shots plus a gig on the top line with Bo Horvat (68 percent Yahoo!). The Isles are surging as they're only two points out of the second Wild Card (Habs) and one behind the Rangers with two in hand. If the Isles get in, it'll be on Horvat and Ilya Sorokin (96 percent Yahoo!). Holmstom's wagon is hitched to Horvat right now, and that means more success. 

Jeff Skinner, LW, Edmonton (26 percent Yahoo!) - Get Skinner now! His surreptitious sniping has finally shown up, courtesy of the absence of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl (both 100 percent Yahoo!). Funny how fit matters, right? Skinner is going to get a heavy profile in the Oilers' offense until those two return. And he's always been able to get his shot off before goalies can get set. Bingo.

HITS/PIM/BLOCKS

Dakota Joshua, LW, Vancouver (4 percent Yahoo!) - I saw Joshua's goal Saturday night, and it was classic as he mucked around at the edge of the crease and couldn't be denied. But I like him for his hits more than anything else. Joshua's the type of player who can get to another physical gear without ending up in the penalty box. Honestly, that's an art, and he's it figured out. In the last four games, he's averaged 5.5 hits - including eight against the Jets early last week. Joshua is the kind of player you need to help make a single-category move. 

Tyler Tucker, D, St. Louis (1 percent Yahoo!) - This is another single-category call - or maybe two, to be honest. Unlike Joshua (above), Tucker is someone who hasn't mastered the skill of walking a fine line. Maybe he never will, and that's OK. Tucker has gotten more ice time with Colton Parayko (41 percent Yahoo!) out. And this week, he laid down a stat line with 18 PIM that covered multiple majors, 14 hits and nine blocks. I'm not looking at Tucker's goal and assist as that's just bonus, yet his kind of physical help make a run in the meathead stats. 

Nathan Walker, LW, St. Louis (5 percent Yahoo!) - Walker has been rattling teeth all season, and he's been especially heavy this past week with 28 hits alongside 15 PIM on Sunday Ouch. At 5-foot-9 and 187, Walker hits more like a lacrosse ball than a freight train, but I can tell you from experience that lacrosse balls often leave a deep, weeks-long discomfort. Walker has also produced a goal and two assists - highlighted by a two-point effort against Chicago - in the same span. He's eighth overall in hits (237) and likely has eyes on moving up that list. You also will if you grab him for a category run. 

GOALIES

Joel Hofer, G, St. Louis (9 percent Yahoo!) - Hofer has been splitting time with Jordan Binnington (85 percent Yahoo!). Both are hot at 3-0-1 from their last four starts going into Sunday, but there's a big difference in performance. Binner had allowed 12 goals and was pulled in the loss. Hofer? He only conceded five in four - yes, you read that right. And despite getting pulled after one period at the beginning of the month, Hofer still hasn't lost in regulation since Feb. 6 (4-0-2). The Blues sit second for the West Wild Card, but they need to keep the pedal down the rest of the way. The teams on their bumper have games in hand, and a two-point lead can evaporate faster than water in the sun. They need hot, and so do you. And Hofer is hot. 

Petr Mrazek, G, Detroit (12 percent Yahoo!) - Mrazek hasn't been special in Detroit, yet he's quickly become the top man for the winged wheels. The club are all but out of the playoff hunt five points out of the second WC with 13 contests remains and three teams ahead. But they won't give up or give in easily, and that means this week will be full bore. Mrazek is 2-2-0 with a 2.51 GAA and .901 save percentage in four starts with his new team. The Wings have only won twice across 10 (2-8-0), and both victories were Mrazek's. This is his team now, and will want to show Stevie Y he can get them into the postseason for 2025-26. Mrazek can throw down with the best for short periods, and this could be one of those moments. 

Back to no regrets.

Last week, I told you I pushed the chips in for Roope Hintz (83 percent Yahoo!) and Sam Montembeault (69 percent Yahoo!). Well, I sent Pavel Dorofeyev (49 percent Yahoo!) the other way as part of that deal and he then put up a hattie Thursday to hit 30 goals on the season.

I WhatsApp'd a congratulations to my trading partner, who's also a good friend. Would have Dorofeyev given me more than Hintz in my playoff week? Maybe as goals are weighted more than anything else in our league. But we count about eight offensive categories, and it'll likely be a wash by the time we're done the week. 

But here's the truth - I probably wouldn't have put Dorofeyev in my weekly lineup. So it would have been a net loss without the deal.

No regrets. No wallowing. Life is too short. 

Until next week.