At certain points in a player’s career there is a discernable decline in production. While said player may contribute in other areas, their value in the world of fantasy hockey awaits you like the trap door in front of Montgomery Burns’ desk.
Our job at eDraft is to give you a heads up on who could be heading for a disappointing season. While Alex Ovechkin’s goal total might suggest that I whiffed on picking him as a fantasy bust, his minus-28 and paltry assist total is a red flag on a one-dimensional player.
Ovechkin is a gimme. He is a sexy big name player that is miscast as one of the faces of the NHL. He says silly things, he’s Russian, which naturally makes him interesting (or eccentric) and still makes plays that take your breath away. However, he’s visibly lazy in the defensive zone, has an erratic work ethic, and has shown that he absolutely doesn’t respond well to criticism from his coaches.
Enter a no-nonsense coach like Barry Trotz, buyer beware on the Great 8.
Here are five other players to watch out for when you are building your fantasy roster. These are high profile guys that are due for a significant drop off this season.
Semyon Varlamov, G, Colorado
Varlamov owners were probably waiting all season for the annual groin injury to derail his season. Instead, the Avalanche backstop anchored an amazing season personally and for the upstart Avs who surprisingly won the Central Division. Don’t count on that happening again.
Marian Gaborik, RW, Los Angeles Kings
Gaborik proved me wrong and was a huge pick up for the Kings at the trade deadline and throughout the playoffs. However, his free agent contract is borderline lunacy scripted during the hangover of Los Angeles’ Stanley Cup celebration. Don’t count on Gaborik to have a big season.
Patrick Sharp, RW, Chicago Blackhawks
With the blockbuster dual contracts for Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, Sharp has been the subject of trade rumors out of the Windy City for salary cap reasons. If he is moved early enough in the season, he could settle and be productive, otherwise it could be a long and awkward season for the Hawk’s leading scorer in 2013-14.
Chris Kunitz, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins
The yellow brick road could be coming to an end for the Pittsburgh wing. No player stands to lose more with the recent roster upgrades than Kunitz. With Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling coming over from Nashville in the James Neal trade there will be significantly less time on the power play for Kunitz. He’ll need to battle for time on the wings with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as well with Pascal Dupuis returning from injury. Kuntiz will still be productive, but with less face time on the top lines his numbers will certainly drop.
Matt Niskanen, D, Washington Capitals
Not that you had Niskanen penciled in for a Norris Trophy, but the overpriced Washington rearguard now has the weight of a monster contract on his shoulders. One good season on an offensively gifted Pittsburgh roster had the 28-year old right-hander primed for a big payday, but the Caps went a tad overboard. Make sure you use caution when looking at Niskanen for fantasy purposes because a Barry Trotz system will shrivel his offensive stats.