Frozen Fantasy: Don't Be Left Behind

American Thanksgiving is a week-and-a-half away. And by then, the NHL playoffs will be about 80, maybe even 90 percent set. So says Detroit GM, Ken Holland.

Is your fantasy league the same?

Sure, the NHL standings are tight. But there's a lot of truth to Holland's musings. Over the last 12 or 13 seasons, teams that were more than two points out of a playoff spot at Thanksgiving had little more than a 10 percent shot at making the postseason.

Black Friday really is black.

It's not foolproof. But it's a good gauge. And my gut says it applies in fantasy, too.

Sleep early and lose later.

I'm once again chasing a bunch of folks in the Yahoo Friends and Family League. Admittedly, I screwed up the auction – I ended up stacked in the blue paint, but woefully thin on scoring.

So, a week ago, I flipped Cory Schneider, Tomas Tatar and Max Domi to the league leader – he was desperate for a high-end goalie. In return, I got Claude Giroux, Tyson Barrie, Petr Mrazek and Kyle Palmieri.

He overpaid, but it was his offer, not mine. I hope this move will help me make up ground in several offensive categories. Over time, the benefits should be compounded – five months of Giroux, Barrie et al., is way better than three.

Don't wait. Active ownership is the only way to succeed in any fantasy format. We'll soon see how it works out for me.

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

Nick Bjugstad, C, Florida (4 percent Yahoo owned) - The big boy is nearing a return from a busted paw and is champing at the bit to get the kitties into a playoff spot. Bjugstad's 22 goals from two seasons ago weren't an anomaly – he could easily bag 30 in the NHL. I expect him to push at a 60-point pace, and that's definitely roster-worthy. Get him on there now. NOW.

Pavel Buchnevich, LW/RW, N.Y. Rangers (7 percent) - Buchnevich is head and shoulders above all other Rangers' prospects (then again, it's a pretty thin list). Still, he's big (6-foot-2) and his skills are sublime. Heading into Sunday's action, Buchnevich was riding a four-game goal-scoring streak (six points total). He'd be in the Calder discussion in any other season. He'll come cheap, but not for long. Buchnevich is on the second line with Mats Zuccarello and Mika Zibanejad. Opportunity is knocking and it has delivered eight points in 10 games. Snap him up.

Jason Demers, D, Florida (7 percent) - Daddy has six points (two goals, four assists) in his last seven games and half of those have come on the power play. That's a career pace for the seventh-round pick. Demers is great in possession and has a smooth outlet pass that helps fire up the offense. And he carries impressive defensive credentials. Demers will quietly deliver 35-plus points for you with minimal investment.

Patrick Eaves, RW, Dallas (7 percent) - Cheap and cheerful versatility. That's Eaves. He can play up and down the lineup, everywhere from the top power-play unit to the shutdown line. Right now, he's tearing up the score sheet alongside Tyler Seguin and has seven points, including four goals, in his last five games. And four of those points have come on the power play. Snap him up, but just know it will come to an end. His luck sucks, so he'll cut a finger fixing his drone or turning on the oven. Or both. Wait – that's something a baseball pitcher would do. But I digress.

Anthony Mantha, RW, Detroit (2 percent) - Detroit is no longer cellaring its young until their mid-20s, so this 22-year-old will be given ample opportunity to strut his stuff. Mantha debuted on the second line Saturday night, but like his brethren, he put up a goose egg. He won't be off the score sheet long. Mantha is 6-5 and happy to Corey Perry at the net. I don't think he'll produce like Perry, but he will be an asset with the man advantage.

Jacob Markstrom, G, Vancouver (23 percent) - The Orcas suck (and that's being nice). At some point, ownership there will realize that Miller time is over and the Markstrom era is in. It'll happen this year. The Canucks will still be dog dung, but a starting goalie is a starting goalie. Stash him early if you can.

Brady Skjei, D, NY Rangers (12 percent) - Don't be like me. I missed this hot defender by a day – the day his ownership jumped from 1 percent to 12. Skjei is a stay-at-home defender who rode a six-game, seven-point assist streak that ended Saturday night. The brain trust in New York thinks he's the next Ryan McDonagh. I'm not sure I agree. But I'd take his current production. See if he's out there.

Radim Vrbata, RW, Arizona (7 percent) - Third time is a charm for Vrbata, who's back home in the desert for the third time in his career. The 35-year-old is skating with Martin Hanzal and Max Domi, and that's injected some serious octane into Vrbata's game. He came through the weekend on a four-game, five-point streak (two goals, three assists) and has 11 points in 14 games. That's a 64-point pace! He should NOT be on your wire.

Back to the trade.

The early returns aren't good – I've dropped two spots in the standings. But I'm confident that's only temporary.

I hope.

Now I have to figure out what to do with my 1-4 start in the RotoWire staff head-to-head league. I can't fall any further behind.

Until next week.