The Wire Troll: Remembering the Vets
Dustin Penner’s return to Anaheim has gone well. (Getty Images)
Veteran’s Day is on Monday and this seemed to be a perfect theme for this week’s edition of The Wire Troll. The 11th day of the 11th month is always significant so today we pay tribute to the veterans that are on the waiver wire. Yes, this was a tougher search but hey, we may have found some surprises along the way.
As your’s truly battles through the Fantasy salt mines and some new developments in the daily Fantasy realm, we again trudge onward. This will be fun. Are you ready for a few good men for your Fantasy hockey team? Okay, let’s get this moving! It is time for this week’s Troll recommendations.
Dustin Penner, LW, Anaheim Ducks: Penner may be more known for getting a backache from eating pancakes, but he has quietly put up some eye popping numbers while seeing a bit more ice time with the Ducks (13:17 ATOI). A first line of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Penner is about 700 pounds of beef and, as you can see from the video below, Penner has already forged some nice chemistry with Getzlaf. So far, Penner is an NHL-leading +18 with 12 points in 11 games. As long as the motivational carrot is dangled, he will be very Fantasy viable and a must add, despite the risks.
Derek Roy, C, St. Louis Blues: Roy has been pretty steady for the Blues so far with eight points in 14 games. He is seeing some second line power play time but mostly has a third line role during even strength situations. St. Louis does play a rugged four-line system yet with Alexander Steen and company, the team has the ability to pot some goals (top three in goals per game). Part of me still thinks Roy could see a top six role at some point during the season and with the low ownership rate, he is a sneaky play at this point.
Patric Hornqvist, RW, Nashville Predators: Hornqvist is a quiet vet playing in Nashville, which is not exactly known for prolific scoring. Paul Kariya is still the only Predator to ever go over the 80-point mark in a season. Though Hornqvist probably has 60-to-65 point upside, that is significant for a Nashville team that has trouble finding a leading scorer that can stay healthy. He has 10 points so far in 16 games, but with 44 shots on goal perhaps we should expect more. There is a lot to be encouraged about as Hornqvist is owned in only 25-to-30 per cent of Fantasy leagues. For now, he is one of the few viable Fantasy threats from the land of “Honky Tonk.”
Andy Greene, D, New Jersey Devils: In a rough season for most every Fantasy hockey player in Jersey, Greene has quietly developed a nice niche in filling some defensive categories. Granted, points may be hard to come by, but his blocked shots, ATOI, and shots on goal have been pretty solid. Again, these are not earth shattering numbers. With Bryce Salvador out, Greene is the guy that will rack up the most minutes and more minutes mean more opportunities and maybe, at some point, more points? His Fantasy owners can only hope that’s the way it plays out, but for now, Greene is worth the pickup.
Zbynek Michalek, D, Phoenix Coyotes: Michalek does two things very well: He plays tough minutes and he blocks shots. Honestly, that is it. When you have 54 blocks (over three per game) and can log 22-to-23 minutes per game, we’d suggest you’re a nice little find for a fourth or fifth defenseman in your Fantasy leagues. Hey, it could be worse after all. With an ownership rate around 10 per cent, Michalek is worth a flyer. Veterans like these are needed for every Fantasy hockey team.
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @ChrisWasselTHW. Soon we should have daily Fantasy rankings on a variety of sites, so keep an eye out for that as well. Thanks for reading.
Now it’s your turn. In the comments below, tell us who your favourite Fantasy hockey waiver wire pick of the week is.
