Blockbuster Trade May Create Fantasy Options
There are fewer and fewer blockbuster trades in the salary cap NHL. This week when the Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres worked out a massive seven player deal fans were amazed, and some fantasy owners looking for help had thoughts run through their head? Later in the day the Sabres also dealt their starting goalie Jhonas Enroth to the Dallas Stars. It was like a mini trade deadline day. The truth is this deal will have little impact on fantasy teams, but may just provide free-agent relief for some owners.
The Buffalo Sabres get troubled, young superstar Evander Kane. The downside is that he will miss the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury so fantasy owners have been dropping him like wildfire. It will be interesting to see how fantasy owners will react to Kane being on the Sabres next season, and how high he will be chosen in the draft. My guess is that many owners will be very cautious. Adding Zach Bogosian will help Buffalo, but just won’t help fantasy owners. Bogosian has just 13 points in 41 games this year, and has never been a promising fantasy defenseman.
As for the Winnipeg Jets, there just may be a little more sudden impact. Adding Tyler Myers to the blue line will give them size and depth. As for fantasy owners this may just be the spark for Myers that he needed. He has put up points in the past, and is fully capable of doing it again. His points this year have been down at 4 goals, 9 assists for 13 points in 48 games played. His plus/minus has also been down at -16. He has the potential in a new setting to improve on this. He may be a guy to consider if you have a struggling defensive core.
Drew Stafford is another player that the Jets acquired in this trade. The right winger has had his ups and downs in Buffalo. Stafford has 9 goals, 15 assists for 24 points in 51 games played for the Sabres. His plus/minus is terrible at -18, but this is the case for many players in Buffalo. I look for a big improvement for Stafford in Winnipeg. He is a power forward, and put in the right role he just might flourish. He may be worth a look for a long shot pick.
The player most likely to have an impact just might be goaltender Jhonas Enroth. He will now be sharing the starting duties in Dallas with Kari Lehtonen. Enroth was one of few bright spots in Buffalo. The Stockholm, Sweden native managed a .903 save percentage and a 3.27 goals against average, while receiving little defensive help. With the struggles of Lehtonen in Dallas, Enroth looks poised to take over that number one goaltending spot, and help push the Dallas Stars into the playoffs.
Trades affect fantasy hockey in different ways. This blockbuster trade will not have a huge impact on this season, but if you’re looking to fill a weakness on your team, this trade creates three different options.
* Photo by Getty Images
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