This article is part of our From the Press Box series.
Top surprises of the first half season – players to avoid
Last week, we looked at the surprise players and highlighted some players to watch in the second half. This week we look at some players whose profiles have taken a hit, whether by injury, team performance or the fact that teammates have passed them on the depth chart.
If you own them, we will advise whether they are players to keep or drop during the remainder of the season.
The big, talented first overall pick in the 2006 Amateur Draft had been a key contributor on an underperforming Avalanche club that has failed to duplicate their surprising winning ways of last season. He was tied for the league lead in goals scored among defensemen when he went down with a knee injury that would require arthroscopic surgery. The recovery time is unclear, as the early speculation gave a range of 3-to-8 weeks, much wider than we usually see for an injury like this. In this instance, more clarity should be available soon, but he rates as a long-term keeper if your league is set up that way. You likely got him cheaply, and he has already given a good return with a good upside when healthy. If you are in it for this season only, you need to look at alternatives.
This guy was a surprise contributor to one of the league's dynamic lines in the first half of the season, but he is out
Top surprises of the first half season – players to avoid
Last week, we looked at the surprise players and highlighted some players to watch in the second half. This week we look at some players whose profiles have taken a hit, whether by injury, team performance or the fact that teammates have passed them on the depth chart.
If you own them, we will advise whether they are players to keep or drop during the remainder of the season.
The big, talented first overall pick in the 2006 Amateur Draft had been a key contributor on an underperforming Avalanche club that has failed to duplicate their surprising winning ways of last season. He was tied for the league lead in goals scored among defensemen when he went down with a knee injury that would require arthroscopic surgery. The recovery time is unclear, as the early speculation gave a range of 3-to-8 weeks, much wider than we usually see for an injury like this. In this instance, more clarity should be available soon, but he rates as a long-term keeper if your league is set up that way. You likely got him cheaply, and he has already given a good return with a good upside when healthy. If you are in it for this season only, you need to look at alternatives.
This guy was a surprise contributor to one of the league's dynamic lines in the first half of the season, but he is out of the Blues' lineup with suspected concussions symptoms. Whenever you hear that diagnosis the outlook is not good. Add in the fact that this line (including Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz) was cooling down, and I think we may be best advised to look elsewhere for a replacement. The Blues are certainly deep enough that other players can, and will, step up there. Lehtera has recorded 30 points in 46 games this season, and since he is rated as a center -- the deepest position in fantasy hockey -- this looks like an easy call.
The Flames called Ortio up as an injury replacement shortly before the All-Star break and he certainly turned some heads with 1.98 GAA with four wins in five appearances. Fantasy owners were drawn to these numbers like bees to honey. Goalie wins are a precious commodity in some formats, and he looked like he was going to steal starts from starter Jonas Hiller and veteran backup Karri Ramo. Instead, Calgary has reverted to Hiller now that he is healthy again, and the Flames are in contention for the final playoff spots in the Western Conference. Keep an eye on the standings because Ortio may get the call later in the season if this teams slips back in the race.
He broke training camp as the lone experienced Wild goalie and he put together some solid statistics with some strong work to begin the season (10 wins, including three shutouts, in 18 appearances). Since then, he has only three wins in 11 appearances and his GAA in that stretch ballooned to over 3.00 per game. In the absence of "in-house" alternatives, the Wild traded for Devan Dubnyk, who was backing up Mike Smith in Arizona. Dubnyk has grabbed this opportunity with both hands, compiling five wins in six starts with Minnesota, based on some gaudy numbers – a 1.48 GAA and a .943 save percentage. He definitely looks like he has the inside track to the lion's share of the workload, and Kuemper will have to wait until Dubnyk falters before he gets another shot.
He began this season armed with a one-year contract and an opportunity to showcase himself as a viable offensive defenseman in support of a powerful Penguins forward complement. While the table seemed set for him to put up big numbers and position himself as a desirable UFA once again this summer, Ehrhoff has faltered badly. He has only counted 13 points in 43 games and failed to take advantage of opportunities when some of his defensive mates were out with injuries. He no longer projects as a high-end option in keeper leagues and should also give way to a host of other younger emerging offensive-minded defensemen who have performed well, or beyond expectations, around the league this season.
This big, mobile defenseman entered the league with a splash, scoring 54 goals in his first three seasons as a pro in Calgary. Rumors began about his impact in their dressing room and he was dealt to Toronto where he has captained the Leafs since his arrival in the 2009-2010 season. While he has taken on all the big minutes and played on all special teams, his overall play has slipped to the point where Leafs fans and fantasy owners have not received their money's worth. Now, his profile around the league is that of a vastly overpaid and underperforming player who has already seen his best days. He has become the poster boy for all that currently ails the moribund Leafs and it appears that his days are numbered there. You should consider moving or replacing him, too…at least until such time as he may be moved either at the NHL trade deadline or during the next off-season.
Zack Bogosian
This big, nasty blueliner was drafted third overall by the Jets in the 2008 Draft and while, he has been an imposing force in the defensive end, he has been able to find corresponding success on the offensive side. The Jets have not been a competitive team, having missed the playoffs in Bogosian's first six years with the franchise. Insiders felt that he may have been restricted by the lack of depth on this roster. This season, the Jets are in the thick of the playoff race. A number of his teammates have contributed career-best efforts to get them into contention. In particular, a pair of defensemen, Dustin Byfuglien and Jacob Trouba (who is only 20-years old), has passed him for duty in prime offensive roles, working with the power-play or top-scoring units at even strength. There are a multitude of better options available to fantasy owners.
The defending Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the MVP of last year's playoffs, Williams has never been among the NHL's elite scorers in any of his six prior seasons in a Kings uniform. In fact, his career-high was way back in the 2005-06 season when he totaled 76 points in 82 games. Any owners who drafted him hoping he would return to those levels, especially after such a wonderful playoff, have been left wanting. Worse, his personal fortunes measure that of this year's edition of the Kings squad, as he has only 25 points in 49 games and the Kings currently sit on the outside of the playoff picture. If it were earlier in the season, we might expect a significant turnaround, but a 50-game sample size is enough to tell me that we can't wait much longer for a change in fortunes.
The appearance of a second Maple Leaf on this list underlines the historic nature of yet another second half collapse by the Toronto club. Skeptics will say that the former undrafted U.S. college free agent has always been miscast as a No. 1 center, but this is the role that he has carried with some modest and relatively consistent success, having formed a potent partnership, and close friendship, with Phil Kessel, who has firmly established himself as one of the NHL's top natural goal scorers. Bozak entered this campaign fresh off a season that saw him collect a career-best 49 points in 58 games. He continued with an ever better beginning to this season, with 22 points in 23 games and seemed ready to blow by last year's totals. Instead, amid the current team-wide funk, he has produced only 11 points over his last 29 games.
I recommend fantasy owners stay far away from all of these players over the remainder of this regular season.
Paul Bruno has been writing about the fantasy sports scene for several years and is an accredited member of the sports media in Toronto for over 20 years. You are invited to send your feedback and you can follow him on Twitter (@statsman22)) or listen to him on 120Sports.
