Frozen Fantasy: Is the NHL Changing?

David Perron got a get-out-of-jail card on Friday. And it's an absolute no-brainer that his fantasy value will go up with the move to Pennsylvania (although there will be growing pains; I'll get to those later.) But this trade signals a real change to the competitive landscape in the East. A whole lot of teams just got antsy.

Bring on the trades.

Trading in the NHL is tough sledding. As a fan, I love trades – they keep me engaged and interested during the season when my attention can start to wane. But last year, there were no significant deals made until the trade deadline. And only two first-round picks moved all season – one in the Ryan Miller deal and the other in the Martin St. Louis trade.

So the Perron deal is an anomaly. But damn smart.

We're just shy of the halfway point of the season and the Pens are all-in. They can now experiment with Perron beside both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. And they have time for him to shake off the leg weights he carried in Edmonton before the heavy slogging starts.

Stanley Cup or bust.

How will the rest of the East respond? I'm not entirely sure, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit if the Capitals and Bruins, and maybe even the Rangers, start getting itchy fingers. I say bring it on.

There are guys in Buffalo, New Jersey, Carolina and Philly who would look a lot better in a more competitive team's jersey. And trades will have huge impacts on their fantasy values. Which brings me back to Perron.

Sometimes it takes guys a while to really fit in. And we could see that with Perron. Yes, he's fast. And sure, he scored in his first game in black and gold. But he's an east-west kind of guy who loves to carry the puck. Doh. The Pens already have two guys who carry the puck and their names are Crosby and Malkin. They don't chase. Their wingers do.

Perron isn't much of a chaser. There will be growing pains, just as there will be if a guy like Eric Staal gets moved. Or Chris Stewart to a lesser extent.

But the NHL just got a whole lot more exciting. And two months sooner than I expected. It's the kind of jolt we all need to reignite our passions for our teams, on the ice and in fantasy.

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

Matt Carle, D, Tampa Bay (3 percent Yahoo! owned): Carle drives me batty, at least from a fantasy perspective. I always thought his scoring touch in Philly was a mirage – he's more of a shutdown minute-muncher than a point producer. He did deliver 31 points last season, so perhaps I shouldn't be so hard on him. But still – 30-point guys are a dime-a-dozen. He's not going to get power-play time in Tampa Bay, but he is delivering even-strength value right now. He has a three-point streak (one goal, two helpers) and four points in his last five games. Interestingly, the points have come while he's spending time paired with Anton Stralman, who has also found his offense again. I might be convinced to stick him into a spot. Maybe.

Kevin Connauton , D, Columbus (6 percent Yahoo! owned): Did you pick this guy up when I flagged him three weeks ago? Thought not. So, what did you miss? Nine points -- including five goals -- in 15 games. And his production this past week was worthy of the number two spot for all defenders. Yup. He's given my squad a real boost – what's your excuse?

Calvin de Haan, D, NY Islanders (1 percent Yahoo! owned): Is Rip Van Winkle finally rousing from his slumber? I'm not ready to declare de Haan fully awake, but he has delivered a surprising three-game, three-point scoring streak. And that even includes a goal AND a power-play helper. He is a beautiful skater who does his best work in his own zone. But he's smart with good offensive instincts, so that power-play assist intrigues me. He has the skills to quarterback the PP, so this could be the start of something. It's worth monitoring at bare minimum, and he's worth stashing for those of you desperate for an injection of octane.

Eric Fehr, RW, Washington (3 percent Yahoo! owned): Fehr has always had outstanding hands, but he's never played a full season. And he's been in the league since 2005-06. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. But right now, he's clicking like crazy with Brooks Laich and Joel Ward, and he has eight points -- including seven goals -- in his last 10 games. That's elite. It won't continue – hey, he'll get hurt. But I'm buying short term. I'll drop him when the next ouch comes.

Mike Fisher, C, Nashville (9 percent Yahoo! owned): I flagged Fish a few weeks back, and all he's done is reward me with 11 points, including five goals, in 16 games. That pace would prorate to 56 points over a complete season, but he's ripping it at an even better rate over his last 10 games. Try nine points, including all five of those goals, in his last 10. Good enough for you now? Thought so.

Ryan Garbutt, RW, Dallas (1 percent Yahoo! owned): Garbutt had a major brain fart – a $65,854 one, in fact – back in early December. That stupid slew foot on the Jets' Dustin Byfuglien earned him a three-game suspension as a repeat offender, and it cost him a mint. He came back Dec. 21 to little fanfare, but since Christmas, he has delivered a four-game, four-point scoring streak. He has two goals, two assists and a plus-5 rating while skating on the Stars' agitation line with Cody Eakin and Antoine Roussel. He's a deep-league add only, but there's some value here...that is, if he can keep his brain from escaping through his sphincter.

Anders Lee, LW/C, NY Islanders (3 percent Yahoo! owned): General Lee has four goals (and two assists) in his last seven games. Why? He seems to have nailed down a spot alongside Ryan Strome and the big forward is making the most of it. He has the hands to be a legitimate top-six (or maybe even top-line) winger and he's strong on the wall and in cycle. I bought a little too early this year – I drafted him and then stuck him on my bench in a big keeper league. I almost dropped him. Almost. He's kicking it for me now. Depth scoring in Yahoo! leagues is critical to climb the ranks.

Teuvo Teravainen, LW, Chicago (3 percent Yahoo! owned): Kris Versteeg's hand injury is Teravainen's gain. This kid is uber talented and can undress an opponent inside a phone booth. Wait – there are no phone booths anymore. OK, he can undress a guy in a shower stall. Oops, that doesn't work here, either. Scratch all that. Teravainen is a supreme stickhandler who'll get a shot at some primo ice time in Chicago. The Hawks are saying all the right things about easing him in on the fourth line. But his talent is too much to toil with Ben Smith and Dan Carcillo. I think it's only matter of time before they give him a shot on the second line with Brad Richards and Patrick Kane. Stash him on pure speculation alone. And don't even worry about where he undresses guys – they won't know what hit them.

Shallow leagues only

Devan Dubnyk, G, Arizona (24 percent Yahoo! owned): Dubnyk's ownership jumped from 14 percent owned to 24 between Friday and Saturday, and with good reason. The 'Yotes have turned to Double D as their starter (buh-bye, Mike Smith) and he's actually producing. I'm not sure he's a true starter, but he's 3-1 in his last four games. Goalie points are still goalie points, even on a crappy team.

Ryan Strome, RW/C, NY Islanders (35 percent Yahoo! owned): Strome has been on fire this past week – he was the second-best performing skater with one goal, six helpers, eight SOG, three power-play points, a plus-1 rating, and one minor penalty. I snagged him Thursday and haven't looked back. And that's in a 14-team league where we each carry 18 guys. There's no way he should have been available when more than 250 guys are owned. Trolling the wire is ALWAYS worth the effort. Check yours now. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Colin Wilson, LW/C, Nashville (18 percent Yahoo! owned): Wilson got out of the blocks like a tortoise – 13 points in 29 games made most fantasy owners turn the other cheek. But nine points (five goals) in his last six games have made a real impression. I know they have on me. I snagged him in the Friends and Family League a few days ago, and now I'm reaping the benefits. He's easy enough to drop. But then again, this could be THE breakout. I'm willing to take that chance.

Back to David Perron.

Don't get me wrong – I think he'll probably end up in the mid-20s in goals (he scored his sixth on Saturday night) now that he's a Pen. His plus/minus will improve almost instantly. And his power-play production will go through the roof – he's the kind of sniping, right-hand shot that team needs on the man advantage.

You know me well enough to know that I often criticize deadline deals – they rarely change the outcome for a team. But a deal like this? It's totally different. And it might just signal a real change to the way that NHL teams do business.

Things have gotten stale in the NHL, at least during the season. This is like a breath of fresh air.

Now let's see if other teams inhale.

Until next week.