This article is part of our Frozen Fantasy series.
Trade season is heating up. I went to bed late Friday, only to wake up to a Twitter bomb about Cam Talbot. And perhaps lesser so, Anthony Stolarz.
At least both know they look good in orange.
As I've said before, deadline moves rarely pan out. The Flyers don't really need Talbot, but he gives them the flexibility to shuffle Brian Elliott out. After all, Elliott's remaining cap hit is just over $700,000.
That will mean something to a team tight on the cap.
The Oilers need cap flexibility and they got a little. Stolarz is young and cheap. And interestingly enough, if they play him 30 minutes or more in 10 of their final 25 games, they can keep him from becoming a UFA. And sign him cheap as an RFA.
Stolarz's addition means the Oil is truly all-in on Mikko Koskinen. And Stolarz would make for a cheap backup, giving them cap flexibility going forward.
Not sure I'd bank on that duo. But to each their own. Especially if their netminding is locked down for about $5.5 million going forward.
This deal is just like the ones you and I as armchair GMs try to make in fantasy. Especially in keeper formats.
How cool is that?
Think about it. We all try to lock down the young and/or cheap so we can invest heavy into the studs. We take chances and try to optimize our return-on-investment in one part of our roster, so we can
Trade season is heating up. I went to bed late Friday, only to wake up to a Twitter bomb about Cam Talbot. And perhaps lesser so, Anthony Stolarz.
At least both know they look good in orange.
As I've said before, deadline moves rarely pan out. The Flyers don't really need Talbot, but he gives them the flexibility to shuffle Brian Elliott out. After all, Elliott's remaining cap hit is just over $700,000.
That will mean something to a team tight on the cap.
The Oilers need cap flexibility and they got a little. Stolarz is young and cheap. And interestingly enough, if they play him 30 minutes or more in 10 of their final 25 games, they can keep him from becoming a UFA. And sign him cheap as an RFA.
Stolarz's addition means the Oil is truly all-in on Mikko Koskinen. And Stolarz would make for a cheap backup, giving them cap flexibility going forward.
Not sure I'd bank on that duo. But to each their own. Especially if their netminding is locked down for about $5.5 million going forward.
This deal is just like the ones you and I as armchair GMs try to make in fantasy. Especially in keeper formats.
How cool is that?
Think about it. We all try to lock down the young and/or cheap so we can invest heavy into the studs. We take chances and try to optimize our return-on-investment in one part of our roster, so we can chase the big boys.
Darryl Houston Smith and I did just that in a keeper league this year. We're going for it. But we will need to go cheap on something next season after trading for Connor McDavid. His contract hit is $46 on a $230 cap for this year and next.
Our cap is complicated because we need to lock up Brayden Point, whose contract going forward will still be a bargain at $23, $28 or even $33. But it will put us under pressure.
Suddenly, I have a lot more empathy for Keith Gretzky. And the Oilers.
Now let's take a look at who caught my eye this week.
Andreas Athanasiou, LW/C, Detroit (17 percent Yahoo! owned) – Athanasiou has turned up the jets recently, not just on his skating but on his offence, too. He has three goals and six assists in eight games heading into Philly on Saturday. Double-A has already established a new career mark in goals with 20 and points with 37, and is on a pace that will see him flirt with 30 snipes. There's real value in this speedster.
Joel Eriksson Ek, LW/C, Minnesota (1 percent Yahoo! owned) – Eriksson Ek's big break came with another break, this time a snapped cruciate ligament in pivot Mikko Koivu's right knee. Since Koivu went down, Eriksson Ek has delivered three goals and one assist in five games. We'll soon know if the Wild will sell or push for a playoff spot. If it's the former, then I think they'll let Eriksson Ek and Luke Kunin (below) run. The kid is talented.
Erik Johnson, D, Colorado (29 percent Yahoo! owned) – I have a hard time trusting this guy – he's always seemed overrated to me. But he has been hot since returning from a concussion. Johnson has five points (two goals, three assists), a plus-5 rating and 21 shots in seven games. He won't get power-play production, but this run can help you. Until he gets hurt again. Just saying.
Dominik Kahun, LW/RW/C, Chicago (7percent Yahoo! owned) – Kahun's chemistry with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome is uncanny. The trio has been unstoppable of late and given Chicago a bonafide second line. And a real shot at the playoffs. Who would have thought that this season? Kahun has nine points (three goals, six assists) in six games heading into the weekend and is the most available of the amazing trio. Scoop him up before someone else does. I missed, but you don't have to.
Alex Killorn, LW/RW, Tampa Bay (13 percent Yahoo! owned) – This brainiac is a coach's dream. Killorn will throw himself into any role his coach asks, from fourth-line plugger to second-line scorer. Every team wants a Killorn. He saw his ice time skyrocket Thursday as he patrolled beside Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos as his coach juggled lines. And he delivered a goal, an assist, one minor penalty and four shots on net. Nice. Over the last four games, Killorn has four points, nine PIM and 12 shots. And a plus-4 rating. He'll continue to slide up and down the lineup, but he can help.
Luke Kunin, LW/C, Minnesota (3 percent Yahoo! owned) – Kunin has gotten hot at just the right time. Kunin had three goals, four assists and a plus-7 rating in his last six games. His offence – especially his sniping – can be a difference maker in the NHL. And his tenacious approach makes him a coach fave. Kunin is going to be a top-six building block for the Wild for a while. Hot is hot, but it may not last. He is only 21. But for keeper owners, Kunin could be the team's top player very, very soon.
Kevin Labanc, LW/RW, San Jose (19 percent Yahoo! owned) – Labanc has been a sniper on a mission lately – he has five goals on a three-game streak heading into the weekend. And eight points, including six goals, in his last six games. Grab Labanc, but beware his future. He might not keep his job on a scoring line into March. He could even get dangled for a veteran forward at the deadline. Or he could slide down depending on who arrives in another trade. Long-term, his poor defence means I'll be trading him off every keeper league. One-dimensional guys only go so far in today's stat-driven leagues.
J.T. Miller, LW/RW/C, Tampa Bay (32 percent Yahoo! owned) – I gave up on Miller a long time ago. He held so much promise after showing off what he could do with the Bolts' top dogs last playoff run. But every little while, he goes on a bit of spurt where I second-guess my decision to drop him. I'm not there yet, but Miller does have four points, including two power-play assists, in his last four games. I'm still not sold, but add him fast if he gets consistent top-six time.
Anton Stralman, D, Tampa Bay (2 percent Yahoo! owned) – Stralman has had a quiet couple of years. He embraced a stabilizing role on the East's best team and gave up scoring. But he's riding a three-game, four-assist streak heading into the weekend. Don't drop someone truly valuable to get him. But Stralman might be your man for a couple games if you're trying to ride streaks on a short-term basis.
Robert Thomas, RW/C, St. Louis (1 percent Yahoo! owned) – Thomas is a teenage talent who just got moved to the Blues' top power-play unit. The result? A soaring confidence and five assists, including two on the power play. Thomas continues to toil on the fourth line at even strength. But that power-play spot makes him a cheap fantasy threat, especially with the Blues surging.
Back to the Oilers.
I said I wouldn't bank on Koskinen and Stolarz. But I would have said the same thing about Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner.
And look what has happened there.
Sometimes it isn't the 'who' you get, but what that move gets you.
Maybe Keith Gretzky is onto something. Maybe this signals the kind of move the Oilers needed in 2015. Or 2016. Or … you get the point.
I'm going to sit back with some popcorn and watch this unfold. And see what I learn to make my next fantasy move.
Until next week.
