Keeper Worthy Players to Avoid (Part 2)

As promised in the first “Keeper Worthy Players to Avoid” article, here are a few more players that can be added to the list of keeper worthy players managers may want to steer clear of.

Milan Hejduk – Colorado Avalanche
Right wing and left wing are thin positions in fantasy hockey but there still are some players that managers shouldn’t take chances with. Milan Hejduk is a top line player for Colorado and currently has 38 points on the year. The thing with Hejduk is he’s a long way off from the 90+ points he put up before the lockout. The other issue here is he doesn’t play for a very good team and his -9 somewhat reflects that. If you’re looking for a keeper on the right side, maybe try and make a play for someone like Nathan Horton from Florida. He only has 30 points on the season and if the manager in your league who owns him pays attention to the stats, he or she could bite because Milan has the edge in several statistical categories. Horton has much greater upside than Hejduk and until Colorado starts improving, you may only want to consider the crème de la crème of players on the team (Paul Stastny). Please note, however, that in deep keeper leagues, Milan may be an option as a 2nd but probably 3rd wing option.

Ryan Smyth – Colorado Avalanche
Smyth has 40 points on the year and plays at a relatively thin left wing position. These seem like respectable numbers for a keeper, however, the biggest issue with Smyth is he constantly finds himself on the IR. This season has been kinder to Ryan but he has missed significant time throughout his career because of injuries. He has 4 goals and 10 assists in his last 12 games so now may be a good time to offer him up for a less delicate option.

Dan Ellis – Nashville Predators
Can someone say Pekka Rinne? Dan Ellis looked to have the starting job for the Preds locked up this season but has seemed to have lost his touch as the season has progressed. Rinne on the other hand has played well between the pipes and is now giving Ellis a run for his money as the starter in Nashville. Some quick comparisons: Ellis has a lower win percentage, save percentage, and higher GAA. Certainly keep an eye on the situation as we head down the home stretch and if Ellis owners haven’t already done so, it may be advantageous to acquire Rinne before we head into the off-season.

Erik Cole – Edmonton Oilers
After being traded to Edmonton this summer, managers assumed Erik Cole’s production would increase a bit with top line responsibilities. With only 22 points on the season thus far, to say he has been a fantasy let down would be an understatement. Edmonton as a team has been struggling lately so things don’t seem to be getting any better for Cole owners. It may be time to look elsewhere.

Joni Pitkanen – Carolina Hurricanes
Pitkanen was a key piece in the Erik Cole trade from last summer, however, the ‘Canes aren’t any more well off in terms of a keeper worthy player than Edmonton right now. Pitkanen has the resources to return to 40+ point performances we saw in Philadelphia but has fallen short so far this season. He can’t seem to find his way on the positive side of the +/- column and currently has 23 points on the season. Pitkanen’s downfall is his proneness to injury. He’s missed 8 games this season after playing in only 63 last year. He’s not a bad player to have on a fantasy team but certainly isn’t a number 1 option a D.