This article is part of our Frozen Fantasy series.
What happens when you rip the heart out of a team? Well, Vancouver fans are about to find out.
Sitting dead last in the NHL doesn't help.
Quinn Hughes (100 percent Yahoo!) is now in Minnesota, arguably the heartbeat of American hockey. He was the heartbeat of the Canucks. The haul that Vancouver got back was fantasy trade-worthy. Zeev Buium (48 percent Yahoo!; below), Marco Rossi (21 percent Yahoo!) and Liam Öhgren (0 percent Yahoo!) head north of the 49th. Plus another first rounder in 2026.
That's a huge price for potentially a year-and-a-half of Hughes. But general manager Bill Guerin has decided that Minnesota is all-in to bring Lord Stanley to the Land of 10,000 Lakes come June. But there are no guarantees as the Wild may not even be a top-five team with Quinn stirring the drink.
Hughes is a superstar at a premium position. A player who skates his team out of trouble and puts up points like a forward. His D? Well, he's average simply because the puck is on his stick all the time and not in his team's zone.
Buium may be one of the league's best young players. He's not Hughes, but is talented and a creative offensive defender. Rossi has silky hands and works hard, even if he doesn't drive play. He still registered 60 points - including 24 goals - during 2024-25. Öhgren will eventually be a pesky, third-line, complementary scorer. And the first-round pick will be in the bottom third
What happens when you rip the heart out of a team? Well, Vancouver fans are about to find out.
Sitting dead last in the NHL doesn't help.
Quinn Hughes (100 percent Yahoo!) is now in Minnesota, arguably the heartbeat of American hockey. He was the heartbeat of the Canucks. The haul that Vancouver got back was fantasy trade-worthy. Zeev Buium (48 percent Yahoo!; below), Marco Rossi (21 percent Yahoo!) and Liam Öhgren (0 percent Yahoo!) head north of the 49th. Plus another first rounder in 2026.
That's a huge price for potentially a year-and-a-half of Hughes. But general manager Bill Guerin has decided that Minnesota is all-in to bring Lord Stanley to the Land of 10,000 Lakes come June. But there are no guarantees as the Wild may not even be a top-five team with Quinn stirring the drink.
Hughes is a superstar at a premium position. A player who skates his team out of trouble and puts up points like a forward. His D? Well, he's average simply because the puck is on his stick all the time and not in his team's zone.
Buium may be one of the league's best young players. He's not Hughes, but is talented and a creative offensive defender. Rossi has silky hands and works hard, even if he doesn't drive play. He still registered 60 points - including 24 goals - during 2024-25. Öhgren will eventually be a pesky, third-line, complementary scorer. And the first-round pick will be in the bottom third of the Draft.
This might be the biggest hockey trade in a decade. But again, it feels a lot like a fantasy trade. The kind that other managers scream murder about when they don't land the star. You know the type. I think there's something to be learned in fantasy from Guerin's approach.
I heard Orcas' GM Jim Rutherford describe the deal Friday night. It stuck. He said Guerin started with a significant offer - he wasn't messing around. And then it came together fast because it didn't take much to tweak the edges.
We could learn a lot from Guerin. Know your goal. Shoot high if you want something. Treat the other manager with respect. Don't overthink the complications.
Guerin didn't when he couldn't guarantee a contract extension. He pulled a Nike. He just did it.
Now let's take a look at who caught my eye this week.
Zeev Buium, D, Vancouver (48 percent Yahoo!) -- Buium has been thrust into the limelight in Vancouver. No sheltering. It's Buium time, just in time for Hanukkah. The kid is exceptional. And yes, there will be growing pains. But I can't wait to see what he can do on PP1. Buium picked up a goal and assist Sunday with the man-advantage, and that could be the tip of the iceberg.
Andrew Copp, LW/C, Detroit (2 percent Yahoo!) -- Copp is really clicking with Alex DeBrincat (96 percent Yahoo!) and Patrick Kane (49 percent Yahoo!). Heading into Tuesday night, he has seven points (two goals, five assists), 13 shots, 41 faceoff wins (51.9 percent) and a plus-9 in his last six games. Copp even added a power-play helper. He's all but free right now, and there are far worse options out there for streaming.
Christian Dvorak, C, Philadelphia (5 percent Yahoo!) -- Dvorak is on a mid-50s pace while centering Trevor Zegras (76 percent Yahoo!) and Travis Konecny (90 percent Yahoo!) on Philly's lead trio top and had a modest three-game, five-point (one goal, four assist) streak snapped on Friday. And he's not a power-play guy. But Dvorak blocked nine shots during those three outings and won 24 faceoffs (52.2 percent). There's enough in that line to take a look in deeper leagues.
Luke Evangelista, RW, Nashville (7 percent Yahoo!) -- Evangelista makes another appearance on this list because, well, he's still on a tear. And he's way underrostered. He saw a three-game, five-assist end Saturday while delivering 13 points - 11 of those assists - from his last 10 contests. Evangelista fired 21 shots in that span and three of those helpers came with the man-advantage. Seven percent, eh? Another player who is essentially free.
Jacob Fowler, G, Montreal (25 percent Yahoo!) -- I'm invested in Fowler in as many dynasty leagues as I can get him. He looked great in his debut Thursday by beating the Pens. And even Saturday in an OT loss to the Rangers despite buckling twice (two goals in 19 seconds in the first and another two in 36 during the second). Fowler is the real deal, and both Sam Montembeault (39 percent Yahoo!) and Jakub Dobes (27 percent Yahoo!) have really struggled of late. He hasn't yet lost in regulation, so I think the leash is long. The Habs want the league to believe they are the team they were in October, so they'll do what's needed to try to win.
John Gibson, G, Detroit (31 percent Yahoo!) -- Gibson has recently looked like his version from eight or nine years ago winning five straight, including two by shutout while delivering a .940 save percentage. And four of those Ws were on the road. As of Sunday, the Wings were in a tie for the Atlantic Division lead. It's not all Gibson, but right now he's channeling his former stardom. And he's only 32 (I know, he seems like he's due a pension soon). I'm investing.
Simon Holmstrom, RW, NY Islanders (1 percent Yahoo!) -- Holmstrom looked great Thursday night against the Quacks. He earned the game's second star with a goal and two assists to give him four points (two goals, two assists) from two games last week. Holmstrom goes cold for long stretches - he endured a 14-game drought before warming up again. He's creative, has great hands, and is in the top-nine. Holmstrom will be hard-pressed to replicate his 45 points from last season, though could deliver at that pace going forward. And that could make him a streaming option in deep formats.
Marcus Johansson, LW, Minnesota (29 percent Yahoo!) -- Johansson skated into Sunday on a three-game, five-point streak that included three goals. He's already found the back of the net 11 times through 32 appearances, which is the same number he managed in each of the last two seasons (across 72 and 78 outings). Johansson is in the top-six, on PP2, and on pace for his best season ever. And oh yeah, on a team that just added some superstar named Quinn. I'm buying Wild players wherever I can.
John Klingberg, D, San Jose (9 percent Yahoo!) -- I thought Klingberg was done. But here he is, riding a four-game, seven-point run into Tuesday night highlighted by four goals. Klingberg also laid out nine hits and eight blocked shots with a goal and a assist on the power play. He once put up 67 points. And 58. Klingberg can excel when given the right kind of offensive opportunity, and San Jose's youth movement looks to be an excellent fit.
Alex Lyon, G, Buffalo (7 percent Yahoo!) -- Lyon won back-to-back games this week, including one against the high-powered Oilers. And his save percentage during that short stretch was .911. Sure, this could be a fluke. But Lyon won 21 games in Detroit two seasons ago when his save percentage was a respectable .904. I have him in one format. I'm watching in more.
Anthony Mantha, LW/RW, Pittsburgh (14 percent Yahoo!) -- Mantha is the one who got away. I dumped him early last week to activate Rickard Rakell (62 percent Yahoo!), and he promptly went on a three-point rip Saturday with all three coming on the power play. Mantha's PP1 gig will likely disappear when Evgeni Malkin (76 percent Yahoo!) returns, but is a worthy addition this week.
Ryan Pulock, D, NY Islanders (6 percent Yahoo!) -- Pulock has produced three points (one goal, two assists) in his last four games with seven - including six assists - over his last nine going into Tuesday. The Isles' offense is likely to cool, yet his ability to block shots isn't with 22 during his recent run. And any defender that contributes a few points and delivers in secondary categories is found money in fantasy.
Axel Sandin-Pellikka, D, Detroit (4 percent Yahoo!) -- December has been good to Sandin-Pelikka, another one who got away… right before he ramped up this offense. He heads into a Tuesday showdown with hotshot rookie defender Matthew Schaefer (94 percent Yahoo!) having notched points in five of his last six games (one goal, five assists). Sandin-Pelikka sits just outside the top-10 rookie scoring list and has shown some real flashes of promise. Two of his recent helpers have come with the man-advantage while throwing down seven blocks. Sandin-Pellikka could help if you've been bruised with injuries.
Vladimir Tarasenko, LW/RW, Minnesota (9 percent Yahoo!) -- Who benefits from the addition of an elite defender? Everyone, but especially other high-skill players who know exactly where to be when someone like Quinn Hughes is on the ice. Tarasenko potted a goal and added two assists midweek, and he's on PP1. Get him now. He won the lottery. You will too.
Alexander Wennberg, C, San Jose (3 percent Yahoo!) -- Wennberg has caught fire of late and heads into Tuesday with back-to-back three-point efforts and eight (two goals, six assists) from his last four games. He also blocked eight shots in that stretch, which helps offset his horrible record at the dot (21 wins; 35.8 percent). Wennberg's time as San Jose's 2C will soon be over as Michael Misa (9 percent Yahoo!) is on an AHL conditioning stint. But Wennberg's recent offensive success could keep him in the top-six for a bit. He's worth a look short-term.
Back to fantasy trades.
We've both been there. A fellow manager makes a trade offer that absolutely sucks. It's easy to ignore in a public league, but not when you play against friends.
The best managers don't mess around. They Guerin it. I got an offer the other day for Jakob Chychrun (99 percent Yahoo!). It was serious. I can't keep the guy in a three-keeper league, because I already have Auston Matthews, Kirill Kaprizov and Connor Bedard (100, 100 and 99 percent Yahoo!, respectively).
The offer was a third-round draft pick. I countered up to a second. The teams that rise to the top of this competitive format often get there because they gather extra picks in the first five rounds.
Goal set. Shot high. No monkeying around. Respect. And I did it early, so I don't have to compete with the myriad sellers as time passes. I'm last. It's not like I'm going to recover…
Until next week.
