Frozen Fantasy: PFD for PPD

The NHL is lurching into a league-wide COVID outbreak. Just like the rest of North America. And the world.

PPD is going to get worse before it gets better.

I've asked Santa for a PFD to weather this storm. I'm not sure it's enough, but I just need to keep my head above water. Professionally and personally.

We're all tired of COVID and just want to move on. But we can't ignore it. We have to figure out how to live with it until things are a little safer.

Yahoo! formats restrict the number of roster moves we can make. I don't know if I should be using them up right now or holding some to weather the rest of the season.

I hope there IS a rest of the season.

I can't imagine NHLers heading to the Olympics. I can see the playoffs stretching to August.

Strap on the PFD. Float with the waves.

This week's list is a proverbial dog's breakfast. Several guys who caught my eye earlier in the week are now in COVID protocols. Sigh. I dumped them. I just had to dig deeper.

Let's take a look.

Ivan Barbashev, LW/RW/C, St. Louis (55 percent Yahoo!) – Go check the wire right now. This guy's current run has him on twice as many rosters as he was just days ago. Barbashev has put up points in seven of his last eight games. To a total of nine (three goals and six helpers, including three PPP). Add on 17 hits, 21 FW and even a few blocked shots, and you have yourself a top-five – yes, top-five - fantasy forward this past week. It won't last, but in times with so many PPD, you have to work the wire like the grab n'go snack counter at the 7-11. Don't overthink it. It's all food (sort of).

Tanner Jeannot, LW/RW, Nashville (23 percent Yahoo!) – Jeannot is a throwback – a tough, hard scrabble farm boy with underrated skills who isn't afraid to drop 'em and pop a few punches if that's what it takes. He's had four fights and they've lasted all of three, four, eight and 11 seconds. Ouch. Jeannot's tough. But that's not what caught my eye, even if that type of 'talent' is something Yahoo! standard leagues need. Jeannot played close to 23 minutes Friday night and scored a goal. And that gave him six points (two goals, four assists) with 20 hits in his last five games. Jeannot is a surprising sixth in scoring on the Preds, but fewer than one-in-four fantasy managers have caught on. Don't be one of them.

Clayton Keller, LW/RW, Arizona (23 percent Yahoo!) – Has Keller finally turned the corner? Who knows, but his five points and 15 shots in his last two games are brilliant. And he's put up 15 points (six goals, nine assists) across his last dozen contests. Keller can help if you can swallow that plus-minus without choking.

Charlie Lindgren, G, St. Louis (26 percent Yahoo!) – Lindgren was here last week. He's back again. Five straight wins. Only five goals allowed. Enough said.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G, Buffalo (10 percent Yahoo!) – Over the last few games, Ukulele has looked every bit the hot prospect we've been waiting on. He beat the Wild and Jets this week, and is 2-2-1 with a 1.96 GAA and .939 save percentage. Wins are hard to come by in Buffalo, but great performances are clearly possible. Luukkonen may help more than you think.

Jake McCabe, D, Chicago (2 percent Yahoo!) – McCabe is here as a one-category wonder. He's living in the land of ice packs and arnica given all the pucks he's blocked of late. Like 11. He also threw in a goal and an assist against the Leafs. The scoring won't continue, but the self-sacrifice will. And that can help you take that category if you need help.

Riley Stillman, D, Chicago (0 percent Yahoo!) – Cory's kid won't have a career like his dad. But he's finding his footing in Chicago as a rugged and reliable third-pairing defender. Stillman isn't going to score loads, but he's leveled 10 hits in his last two games and added four blocks. His assist was just a bonus. Like McCabe, Stillman is largely a one-category wonder. Pick one or the other.

James van Riemsdyk, LW/RW, Philadelphia (11 percent Yahoo!) – JVR heads into Saturday on a four-game scoring streak, including three goals. No, he's nowhere near the guy he was in Toronto and his role is limited. But his hands are still silky even if his feet look more like cement. Van Riemsdyk's shooting percentage is below his career mark, so there's room for this to continue. A little.

Back to PFDs.

It's hard to change league rules in the middle of the season. For many, it's just not possible.

Some managers are affected more than others. But that's going to change and fast. This Omicron wave is going to wash over everyone and every team in the NHL.

Please stay safe. Please. Fantasy won't mean a thing if you don't have your health.

I'm going to escape into my fantasy teams as much as I can. And get more aggressive on roster moves in a couple of leagues where I can. If I can move ahead now, I might stay ahead given the way things are going.

I think it's worth a shot.

Until next week.