Fantasy hockey is dynamic in the sense that you have to adjust your drafting and acquisition strategies based on the statistical categories that your league has. There are certain managers that try and test the skills of those in their leagues by adding in categories that aren’t found in standard fantasy hockey formats.

For those fantasy hockey managers who are leagues that have some specialty categories, there are players hanging out on the waiver wire that could be of some use to you.

This article looks at the category of face-off wins and who in the league could offer you the most bang for your buck. We’ll break it down by league size and even look at a group of wingers who could offer you relief in the face-off circle.

Face-offs are unique in the sense that a manager new to the category may want to load up on centers to ensure that they stay competitive in the category. It’s not always the best strategy for a few reasons: Center is the deepest position in fantasy hockey and proper scouting can ensure that you still remain competitive in the face-off circle while addressing more important needs on your team first. Also, there are other players on the ice, more specifically wingers, who are productive in the face-off circle as well.

Now, the obvious choices for face-offs (Crosby, Sedin, Thornton etc.) should already be owned in all leagues. Consider the following players, however, as they play into your specific league depth (and please note that the players we recommend will be productive over several categories, and not just face-off wins):

Players to Consider in Shallow Fantasy Hockey Leagues

• Mikko Koivu – It may surprise some that Koivu is currently 2nd in the NHL in face-off wins. He’s a solid source for points as he is Minnesota’s mainstay on the first line. He’ll see power play duties all season long and should top out around 60-70 points this season.
• Paul Stastny – Stastny was a serious sleeper heading into this season because of his injury last year, and after a bit of a slower start than anticipated, he has rattled off 7 points in the last 5 games. He’s their top option at center and should have a dynamite season as long as he remains healthy.
• Scott Gomez – We knew that there would be some growing pains that came along with all the movement in Montreal, but with the top line finally showing some chemistry, Gomez could be a savvy waiver wire pickup going forward.
• Travis Zajac – It’s never a bad thing having rock solid chemistry with one of the best players in the league. Zajac and Parise have clicked over the past couple of seasons and continue to do so in 2009. There may be some line shuffling taking place when Elias rejoins the team, but Zajac will shouldn’t be bounced out of the top 6 in New Jersey.
• Mike Ribeiro – Ribeiro is a player who could share top line duties this season with Brad Richards, but he has been successful ever since he joined the Stars. Consider him a solid waiver wire pick-up as he already has 107 face-off wins on the season.

Players to Consider in Moderate Fantasy Hockey Leagues

• Shawn Horcoff – Horcoff may not be putting up the points that some anticipated early on, but he’s been an absolute beast in the face-off circle. It could be a good opportunity for a low buy or waiver wire steal early on in this season as Horcoff is a top 6 player in Edmonton at all times.
• Ryan Kesler – Kesler’s 59-point season in 2008-2009 put him on many fantasy radars this season but he still remains un-owned in many moderate sized leagues. He’s slowly working his way up from “deeper leagues” status to “standard league” status and is finding success in the face-off circle so far this season.
• Tomas Plekanec – Plekanec is off to a fantastic start this season and managers who avoided him because of his busted season in 2008-2009 may want to put him back on the radar.
• Stephen Weiss – Weiss is another player with a solid upside but hasn’t started the year off quite as well as many anticipated. Still, he’s worth a look as he’ll be a top 6 option all season long for the Panthers.
• Brandon Dubinsky – Dubinsky is finding success in the face-off circle early on this season and is certainly benefiting from a revamped Ranger offense. Look for Dubinsky to be a factor in scoring all season long as he could finish the season with 55-65 points.

Players to Consider in Deeper Fantasy Hockey Leagues

• Michal Handzus – Zeus is finding early success in the scoring and face-off column and could certainly be of service to managers in deeper fantasy leagues. He’ll be battling Stoll this season for a shot at the 2nd line center job, but if the Kings keep playing the way they are now, he could be just as successful on the 3rd line this season.
• Patrice Bergeron – Sure he comes with an injury risk, but in deeper fantasy leagues, it’s a low risk, high reward situation. He’s still largely un-owned in many fantasy leagues and for a player who spends time on the power play and penalty kill, he’s a threat over many different fantasy categories.
• Samuel Pahlsson – It’s too bad you don’t get fantasy points for hard work out on the ice. Pahlsson should only be of consideration in the absolute deepest of fantasy leagues by managers who have a solid core of players up front and that are just looking to shore up their face-off wins a bit. With that being said, Pahlsson should finish the season with 25 points-ish, but more importantly, several of those will be shorthanded. Oh, and he’s a beast in the face-off circle to boot.
• Dave Bolland – Bolland had a strong season in Chicago in 2008-2009 and continues to play well for the ‘Hawks this season. He’s already racked up 107 wins in the face-off circle and seems to be pointing every other game at the current pace.
• Mike Fisher – It’s unlikely that Fisher will overthrow Spezza as the top line center in Ottawa, but he’s certainly worth a look as he is off to a great start to the season.

Major fantasy hockey services usually have players listed at the positions they finished the season prior and just add eligibility as their role becomes more defined throughout the year. There are plenty of players listed as wingers in fantasy hockey services that are currently centering a line on their respective teams. Savvy managers may want to consider making a play for wingers who take face-offs to preserve a sense of balance on their fantasy hockey team.

Players Listed as Wingers Who Take Face-Offs

• Richard Park – Park isn’t exactly lighting up the score sheet right now, but he’s a fast, shorthanded threat racking up face-off wins for the Islanders. Recommended only for deeper fantasy hockey leagues at the moment.
• Vernon Fiddler – Fiddler is playing a pretty big role in the young Phoenix offense right now, so as long as he’s still getting the ice time, consider him a decent option for points and face-off wins in deeper leagues.
• Keith Tkachuk – Some services have Tkachuk listed as a center; some as a left wing. If he’s listed as a winger, there’s a good chance he’ll have duel-eligibility before the year is out. Either way, he’s winning a decent amount of face-offs and scoring some points as well.