Frozen Fantasy: Silly Season is Here

Trade deadline is Monday. Up here north of the 49th, it's a hockey fan's dream. Nowhere else is there full-day broadcast and streaming of analysis and rumors.

Only hockey. Only here.

Sure, there's US-based coverage of trade deadline, but it might as well be a national holiday in Canada. Instant analysis, even for a sixth defender. And it doesn't matter if a Canadian team is involved.

Honestly, it'll be a nice, albeit short escape from what's going on in the world.

Yes, there are fantasy impacts of deadline deals, but I've always maintained that there are fewer fantasy upgrades than people think. New teams, new systems, new roles.

They don't always add up to instant success.

Claude Giroux will move. He can still be a star. But he could be a third-line guy and second PP guy on a serious contender. Is Marc-Andre Fleury going anywhere? And if he does, is it as insurance or as a starter?

John Klingberg might become a bigger power-play guy in a new home, but his defensive game may cause struggles on a new squad and that often frustrates a new coach.

Would Jonathan Toews consent to a trade? He seems unhappy with the Brandon Hagel deal, but who could afford him if he did? And what value does he still have?

A Brock Boeser for Jake DeBrusk deal could happen, but will either one pull a Sam Bennett in another city? Maybe. Maybe not. Or just maybe not this season.

Silly season is upon us. I'm grabbing my popcorn and favorite beverage, and getting ready for a good show.

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

Lawson Crouse, LW, Arizona (17 percent Yahoo!) – Crouse was one of the darlings of Canada's 2015 World Junior gold-medal team, but he's just never lived up to that hype. But his season, the big winger has finally consolidated the disparate parts of his game into true power forward play. Crouse rode in Saturday's game against the Pens with five points, including four goals, in his previous two games and points in five of his previous six (five goals, three assists, with three points on the PP). He's in the middle of a career season with 19 goals and 32 points in 59 games, and he's delivered 170 hits. Those results should have Crouse on more than about one-in-five rosters.

Kevin Hayes, C, Philadelphia (4 percent Yahoo!) – Hayes is warming up at just the right time. Claude Giroux has one skate out the door and will be gone before the deadline. And Hayes will get a lot more ice as a result. In seven games since returning from injury, the big pivot has five points - including two goals - 14 shots, 15 hits and 47 faceoff wins - with 12 on Friday night. Hayes is a huge man who can dominate physically if he decides to flip that switch, and that could deliver some solid fantasy magic on the cheap. 

Erik Kallgren, G, Toronto (39 percent Yahoo!) – Calm, cool and collected – that's tough to do in blue and white. Kallgren has been a quiet revelation in the Big Smoke and Leafs fans cannot contain themselves. That's what a shutout debut and then a win over a true contender will do for a guy. Kallgren is more than the goalie the Coyotes let go – he carried his SHL team to a league championship last season. And he's already more stable (and a whole lot more composed) in the crease than Petr Mrazek. I scored two wins and that elusive SO this week on a lucky waiver snag just after his call-up. Kallgren is starting Saturday night and could be the natural back up for Jack Campbell when he comes back from IR. He's being added at a furious rate, but may still be out there if you look.

Anders Lee, LW, NY Islanders (46 percent Yahoo!) – Lee burned me straight out of the draft. And like many managers, I quickly tossed him to the curb. But a six-game, nine-goal streak (10 points) heading into Saturday has recaptured my attention. Lee's hands have never been questioned; his feet, on the other hand, are a different story. But as hockey gets tighter down the stretch, the lack of pure speed may not hurt as much. Lee needs to be rostered fast.

Josh Manson, D, Colorado (12 percent Yahoo!) – Maybe it was adrenaline or just Red Bull. But whatever it was, Manson was a hit machine Tuesday in his Avs debut. He laid 10 in 18:41 during a 3-0 win over the Kings. Manson's here for hits alone – don't expect anything else. But sometimes you just need to juice a single-category.

Mike Matheson, D, Pittsburgh (6 percent Yahoo!) – Matheson is an on-again, off-again fantasy play this season. But under it all is a career offensive pace with a sudden goal-scoring surge. Matheson played four games this week after missing time to injury and scored twice, added an assist, fired 10 shots and laid nine hits. Not convinced? His next goal will be his 10th and 10 snipes from a defender would put him in the NHL's top-10 right now. You read that right. Matheson is a sneaky play especially for any league that uses Defense Goals.

Kyle Palmieri, LW/RW, NY Islanders (8 percent Yahoo!) – Go get this guy. Fast. Palmieri has suddenly rediscovered his magic of 2015-16. In his first 35 games, he produced five goals and 11 points. In his last 10 (heading into Saturday), Palmieri racked up six goals and 10 points. He rode a six-game streak going into the weekend game against the Stars and had been held off the scoresheet just once in those 10 games. The Isles think they're still in the playoff hunt and that inspiration is propelling their veterans. Take this gift and run with it.

Frank Vatrano, LW/RW, NY Rangers (6 percent Yahoo!) – Vatrano is a rare traded player who gets a fantasy bump by line assignment alone. He's now a top-six winger skating with Artemi Panarin rather than on the Panthers' third line. And he'll get a real shot at some power-play time instead of the occasional 10-second table scraps he received in Florida. Vatrano isn't a star winger, but he's skilled and adaptable. And he could inject some production into both the Rangers' and your lineup, at least short-term.

Scott Wedgewood, G, Arizona (6 percent Yahoo!) – Wedgewood has won three straight heading into Saturday's home game against the Pens and is 5-2 in his last seven starts. He's never been a starter and is held down by the poor team around him. But Wedgie has delivered more wins lately than some so-called stars. That can help you save a week or keep pace in that category. This is desperation season and Wedgewood is a desperation move. But sometimes desperation works. Those five wins have carried me in a league where I would have otherwise scored zeros. And for nothing more than an IR move and open roster spot.

Kailer Yamamoto, RW, Edmonton (10 percent Yahoo!) – Carpe diem. Finally. We've all been waiting for this guy to show up and like you, I'd all but given up. Then he went and rang up a four-game goal streak (seven points) while skating with Connor McDavid. Again, finally. Yamamoto is currently helping across multiple categories and will be a valuable fantasy asset even when comes back down to earth. Maybe he's taking that step forward in his career. Finally. I think he's worth the gamble.

Back to silly season.

I am a huge proponent for two things this time of year. First, find a fan that thinks a new arrival is the second coming and trade your Giroux's of the world to them.

They'll overpay. Sometimes in a big way.

And work the wire for guys who move up a line because someone left town. Early returns on that kind of move are often high. They're inspired to show management they deserve that bigger role and often over deliver, at least short term.

That's worth rostering, especially if you're streaming guys into your lineup.

Until next week.