It’s late in the draft and you’re starting to lose focus. You have one spot left to fill and all the good ones are already taken. At this point, you take the next guy on the list with the most points and call him a day. I am here to tell you that there is a better way. It’s called the “Specialist”.
In general, when you rank your players, you want to focus on the ones that can do it in all stat categories. Guys like Ovechkin, Malkin and Perry are a dream as they score goals, assist and aren’t afraid to add a couple of PIMs to the scoreboard every night. But what about those one-dimensional types? the bully The power play specialist. The guys who shine in one of the lesser-known stats, but might not rack up the points like fantasy studs. Is there room on your list for one of these men?
The bottom line is that it depends on the league. Some leagues (like ESPN) have a lot of roster spots to fill. When you pick your 10th striker in a 12-team league, the options are slim. Other leagues (such as most Yahoo formats) actually weight these “other stats” the same way they weight goals and assists. We tend to focus on points, but in these formats, penalty minutes, +/-, Power Play goals and even shots on goal can be just as important. If you are in such a league, you should consider adding a Specialist to your roster with a late pick. For Yahoo leagues, their latest defense (or two) might be the sweet spot for these guys. While they won’t add to your balance, the right specialist could earn a stat category on their own. Here are a few guys worth considering that you won’t find on most point-based cheat sheets, but can give you an edge as a late pick.
Note: I’m omitting +/-, as it’s nearly impossible to predict this stat, and it means next to nothing…
The Goons – The obvious specialist. Sit back and watch the guaranteed PIMs stack up here:
* Zenon Konopka (F – VG) – 265 PIM, 5 points. Unlike many goons, Konopka is a regular in the lineup, so you can count on him contributing every week.
* Colton Orr (F – BOS) – 239 PIMS, 6 points. Like Konopka, Orr is a fixture on his roster.
* Matt Carkner (D – OTT) – 190 PIM, 11 points from a defenseman. It’s not a bad mix.
* Sheldon Brookbank (D – ANA) – 114 PIM, 9 points. Brookbank was a consistent +10 last season as well.
Here are some well-known ones that add points to the pack and can be recruited in your league:
* Steve Downie (F – TB) – He’ll probably be gone sooner than he’s worth. If he can repeat last season, he is a goalkeeper.
* Daniel Carcillo (F – PHI) – 12 goals to complement his more than 200 Penalty Minutes.
* Scott Hartnell (F – PHI) – 44 points and 155 PIM means he’s going to be taken at some point.
* Sean Avery (F – NYR) – Capable of more than the 31 points/160 PIM he produced last season
* Steve Ott (F – DAL) – 20+ goals, 150+ PIMs are a good set of stats for a late player
* Wayne Simmonds (F – LA) – 116 PIM, close to the league leaders at +/-. He should add points to his resume this year.
The Power Play Specialist: These guys get an inordinate percentage of their goals on the power play:
* Teemu Selanne (F – ANA): His 48 points and old-age status may put many to shame, but he’s still a sharpshooter on the power play. He tied for third in the league last season with 14 PPG in just 54 games.
* Tomas Holmstrom (F – DET) – Persists in the NHL for one reason: to stand in front of the net on the power play. He has averaged about 10 power play counts per season throughout his career.
* Andrew Brunette (F – MIN) – I’ve been in a lot of drafts this season and I haven’t seen his name once. He regularly contributes 10 PPG per season.
* Ryan Smyth (F – AL) – Half of his 22 goals last season came on the power play. He is regularly among the league leaders in that category, even if his point total tops 60.
* Brian Gionta (F – MON) – Once scored 24 PPG in one season. Last year it came with 10.
Trigger Happy – These guys will rack up the shots on goal, while the points sadly fall behind:
* Patrick Hornqvist(F – NAS) – Sure, he reached 30 goals, but his 51 points don’t call for a great selection. If shots matter to you, he finished 14th last season with 275.
* Patrick Sharp (W – CHI) – Only 66 points, but was 19th in shooting with 266. Should see more of those this time around.
* Radim Vrbata (F – PHO) – He finished 20th in shooting last season with 266, but finished the year with a dismal 43 points.
* Kyle Okposo (F – NYI) – Top 30 in SOG with 249. Should push for 30 this year.
The Shorty: Guys who get their time (and their goals) when they’re supposed to be playing defense:
* Kris Versteeg (F – TOR) – 3 of his 20 goals were less than one man last season
* Jordan Staal (F – PIT) – Achieved 7 beauties in his rookie year. He came back with 2 last season.
* Chris Thorburn (F – ATL) – 4 goals scored last season. 3 short hands.
