Frozen Fantasy: Big Trades

I made a keeper-league trade a few weeks ago that I forgot to mention. I didn't think twice when I finally reviewed it as my roster had lots of stars, but I needed to nail down a playoff spot to test it.

Five-for-two. The old best-player-wins-the-deal mantra? 

Who knows in this case. I lost a lot by sending Cutter Gauthier (90 percent Yahoo!) away. And James Hagens (2 percent Yahoo!) may be great. One day. 

I got back Tom Wilson (93 percent Yahoo!), Nico Hischier (90 percent Yahoo!), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (43 percent Yahoo!), Scott Wedgewood (90 percent Yahoo!) and Artturi Lehkonen (78 percent Yahoo!).

I raised my roster floor significantly, and strengthened my active roster by a lot. I dropped Vitek Vanecek (1 percent Yahoo!), Oliver Bjorkstrand (5 percent Yahoo!), Justin Hryckowian (0 percent Yahoo!) and Yegor Sharangovich (5 percent Yahoo!). Good riddance, according to Green Day (and Glenn Campbell before them). I hope you had the time of your life. 

I got a lot. But it's more complicated than what appears at first glance. There are contracts and ages. But this was a swing. And a big one. And after this week, I will be in a tie for the last playoff spot. I have a shot. 

Gauthier will haunt me the most - I really like his game. But my roster was star-studded with Mikko Rantanen, Jack Eichel, Tim Stutzle and Trevor Zegras (100, 100, 99 and 78 percent Yahoo!, respectively). I couldn't waste their efforts…

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

Filip Chytil, C, Vancouver (1 percent Yahoo!) -- Chytil is back after a three-month injury absence. It was yet another concussion, so I don't have high expectations. But his offensive ability is strong and he has a chance to excel within Vancouver's top-six. Chytil is a must-monitor for potential alone. 

Cody Glass, RW/C, New Jersey (14 percent Yahoo!) -- Jersey has struggled this season. Honestly, I think it's because the Leafs curse everyone that comes in contact with them, including their current head coach Sheldon Keefe. Their stars haven't scored. Or they get hurt. So any sign of heat is helpful, and it's Glass who's fired up of late with five points (three goals, two assists) and eight shots over two games heading into Sunday alongside six goals, three assists and 19 shots from the previous seven. He was held off the scoresheet Sunday. Glass is a streamer… until he isn't. 

Konsta Helenius, C, Buffalo (2 percent Yahoo!) -- Helenius and Noah Ostlund (1 percent Yahoo!) looked like world beaters on Tuesday night. The rookie debuted on Monday and his skill was on full display the next night when he exploded for three points (one goal, two assists) against the Preds. Helenius then supplied an assist Thursday against the Habs and could slide up the lineup (and onto a power-play unit) based on talent alone. First-year players rarely provide consistent offense, so this bump could be short-lived. And Helenius hasn't got wing eligibility yet. But his value in dynasty is clear, and you never know if he catches a little lightning in his water bottle. 

Marco Kasper, LW/C, Detroit (5 percent Yahoo!) -- Kasper has been a fantasy afterthought this season - his offensive step backward has been frustrating, yet he's notched points during four of his last five games (two goals, four assists) along with 12 hits, 13 shots and a plus-7. Kasper has become a buzzsaw on Detroit's top trio alongside Dylan Larkin (97 percent Yahoo!) and Lucas Raymond (94 percent Yahoo!) and he'll stick there until his game slides. 

Alex Lyon, G, Buffalo (22 percent Yahoo!) -- Lyon is a no-brainer pickup as he's won nine straight, including a shutout Saturday night. He's 12-6-3 with a 2.70 GAA and .911 save percentage in 21 starts (23 appearances). That last number puts him top-15 among netminders with at least 15 games. Lyon's numbers are better than that of Joseph Woll (63 percent Yahoo!). I've always said we need to strip away the names and look at the numbers. Maybe he can't keep this up, but maybe he can.

Mason Marchment, LW, Columbus (21 percent Yahoo!) -- Marchment exploded Saturday with his third career hat-trick (plus an assist) against the powerhouse Bolts. He's on the first line and power play, and his drip is unmatched right now - even if new head coach Rick Bowness has no clue what that means. This opportunity isn't knocking for Marchment - it's screaming with eight goals (two PPGs), 11 points, 12 PIM and eight hits during nine outings since joining Columbus. Marchment's 42.1 shooting percentage will regress, but this role looks set in stone. And the Blue Jackets are poised for improvement only four points from third place in the Metropolitan with a 6-4-0 record in their last 10 heading into Monday. I'm targeting Marchment. 

Alex Nedeljkovic, G, San Jose (8 percent Yahoo!) -- This one is simple. Ned is all but free, so get him. He's been in a straight platoon since the start of the calendar year and 5-0-0 with only 10 goals allowed over his last five starts - including only one from each of his last two. Yaroslav Askarov (44 percent Yahoo!) has struggled of late, so this timeshare isn't going anywhere. Nedeljkovic could even get a few more starts so the Sharks can nail down a playoff spot. Last week, he was the fourth-best netminder in Yahoo! formats, well ahead of most of the NHL's elite. Nedeljkovic's output isn't sustainable, yet he plays in a city where pressure is light. I have Askarov in a couple leagues. I wish I had Ned too. 

Thomas Novak, LW/C, Pittsburgh (1 percent Yahoo!) -- Novak went into Sunday with three points (one goal, two assists) in his last two games and six points - including five assists - and eight shots from the last five. He carries wing eligibility while skating as the Pens' 2C alongside Evgeni Malkin (76 percent Yahoo!). Novak doesn't receiving any power-play time, but skating with Geno is a gift that keeps giving… as long as the old man stays healthy - and that may not be the case after Sunday night. Check on him. 

Jack St. Ivany, D, Pittsburgh (1 percent Yahoo!) – St. Ivany is a shutdown beast who blindly throws his body in front of pucks and at opposing forwards. The defender has also demonstrated his ability to plate some sweet dishes for his skilled forwards, and that resulted in two straight two-assist efforts going into Sunday night. St. Ivany produced seven assists, 40 hits, 22 blocks and a plus-7 across 16 appearances. That's modest, but impressive for a 26-year-old fighting to fulfill his NHL dream. St. Ivany's ability to hit could be your ticket to success if he can keep his gig when the Pens' backend gets healthy. He left Sunday after blocking a shot, so see how he's doing before you jump.  

Owen Tippett, LW/RW, Philadelphia (34 percent Yahoo!) -- This is a one-to-two game recommendation, and that's it. I like Tippett, yet not enough to trust him in weekly formats. A girl doesn't forget. But short-term, he's going to hit the ice Monday at the peak of confidence after tallying his second career hattie (plus an assist) against the Avs. You know how it goes - he'll have his chest out after dressing down that elite squad. The Flyers play the Islanders on Monday and the Blue Jackets on Wednesday. I'd roll him for those two.

Mats Zuccarello, RW, Minnesota (26 percent Yahoo!) -- The Norwegian Hobbit continues to impress. The 38-year-old missed the start of the season after suffering a lower-body injury prior to training camp. And then he missed five more contests after getting hurt in December. Zuccarello continues to impress when on the ice riding a five-game, nine-point scoring streak heading into Tuesday where he's registered three goals, six assists, five PPPs, nine shots and a plus-2 rating. And overall, he's zipping along at close to a point-per-game pace. Zuccarello is a RW1 and on PP1 who's out there in about three quarters of leagues. He shouldn't be. 

Jason Zucker, LW, Buffalo (11 percent Yahoo!) -- Zucker is a bit like Mats Zuccarello (above) as an older winger who missed plenty of time who's under-the-radar. He's delivered three goals from his last two outings with seven points - four of those assists - 13 shots and seven hits during his last six. Zucker has quietly put up 13 goals and 14 helpers in only 32 matchups 27 points while participating on PP1 where he's combined for 11 points. He's not sexy, but he's dang hot and that's good enough for me. 

Back to big trades.

Playing it safe is fine, that is if playing it safe is actually playing it smart. If you're stacked but scuffling, then leave it alone. Great players generally reboot and rise. That's what I'm hoping for with Hischier. 

But I'd rethink that if you're hanging onto the what-ifs instead of the here-right-nows. Hagens might be good, maybe even great. What's that old adage - a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush? Hagens is in the bush. He won't produce for a few years.

All I need now is to let my goalies figure themselves out. I can play two of Linus Ullmark (61 percent Yahoo!), Yaroslav Askarov (44 percent Yahoo!), Stuart Skinner (61 percent Yahoo!) and Scott Wedgewood (90 percent Yahoo!). 

There's a lot there to work with. 

Until next week.