Ice Report

Buy Low, Sell High

November is finally here folks, and the NHL season is in full throttle.  We’ve passed that 10 game mark where people start to formulate their assumptions on the teams and players (even though 10 games might not be enough), so let’s take a look at some of the players you want to buy low and sell high on...

- David Backes (STL – RW): BUY LOW!

How frustrating it must be.  Here’s a guy you probably targeted in the early to mid rounds of your draft.  With 30+ goals last year and over 100 PIM, Backes represented exactly the all-around type player you want on your squad.  So far after 12 games he only 1 goal and 1 assist to show for his efforts, with 8 PIM.  Chin up people, Backes will pick up his play on this young St. Louis Blues team and prove his worth.

- Dustin Penner (EDM – LW): SELL HIGH!

9 goals and 19 points so far in this young season.  Are we really talking about Dustin Penner here?!  This is the guy who accepted a $4.5 million offer sheet from the Oilers a few season back, which raised many eyebrows among NHL executives who figured if anyone was to receive a massive offer sheet, it wouldn’t be this guy.  Since leaving the Ducks he’s been an underachiever, although for whatever reason he’s been dynamite to start the 09-10 campaign.  Maybe he’s trying to prove his critics wrong, but this pace can’t keep up, can it?

-          Alex Tanguay (TB – LW): BUY LOW!

You can’t help but feel for this guy.  In what was a brutal summer for the Tanguay family, Alex finally found a suitor just a few weeks before the start of training camp with the Tampa Bay Lightning, accepting a deal far lower than market value and less than half of his salary from a year ago.  Now paired with the likes of Vinny Lecavalier and Steven Stamkos, Tanguay has great centers at his disposal to help him rack up the points and face free agency once again this summer.  So far his point totals are low, but as the chemistry develops between him and his linemates you can be sure Tanguay will become once again a regular fantasy contributor. 

-          Craig Anderson (COL – G): SELL HIGH!

Call me crazy to suggest trading away the best statistical goaltender this season.  But let me say this, you offer Anderson to just about anyone in your league and the return will be enormous.  His value will never be higher, and it seems as if he’s at his ceiling right now: 10 wins, 2.11 GAA, .936 SV% and 2 shutouts (phenomenal!).  However look at the facts, he was good last year in Florida but this is the first time he’s really been a no.1 starter for a NHL team.  Maybe he’s legitimate, but I’ll predict the Avs fall off a little and Anderson falls back to earth by midseason.

            - Dennis Wideman (BOS – D): BUY LOW!

It’s been the trend this year for the Bruins: get hurt and underachieve.  This team was so good a year ago it seems almost impossible to comprehend the B’s start to this season.  Wideman is a steady defenseman who’s sort of lost his way a little this season.  Battling minor injuries haven’t helped, but you need to remember he has big Zdeno Chara as his d-man pairing and should continue to get plenty of minutes on the powerful Bruins power play.  Be patient my friends, don’t give up on Dennis.  And if you’re in need of defensive depth, an excellent target here.

            - Brad Richards (DAL – C): SELL HIGH!

What year is this 2006?  17 pts in 12 games, that would mean Richards is on pace for 114 pts this year which would cement him as the best Richards in the NHL (sorry Mike!).  But seriously, that won’t happen.  Richards is a nice player on a good team.  However he’s been known to suffer an injury here or there and by all account isn’t known as a point per game player.  On a team with Mike Ribeiro as the no.1 center, we’ll chalk this as simply a hot start.  The power play time will be divided evenly among all of the Dallas’ star players, and Richards should cool off as time goes by.