About a month ago in our Last Word On Fantasy Hockey Report, we recommended a number of New York Islanders for your fantasy hockey team. This week is no different as the New York Islanders remain hot.
New York Islanders Remain Hot
In four games this week, the New York Islanders top line scored nine goals and added 14 assists for a total of 23 points. Captain John Tavares led the charge with two goals and seven assists for nine points, good enough for tops in the NHL last week. Linemate Josh Bailey was a close runner-up with eight points, putting up four goals and four assists in four games. Bailey is currently tied with Tavares and some guy named Connor McDavid, for third in NHL scoring with 40 points. Tavares is 99% owned in Yahoo! fantasy hockey leagues. Bailey is shockingly still available in about one in four leagues. If yours is one of those then get him in your lineup.
Tavares’s other winger, Anders Lee, scored three goals and assisted on three more for six points in just four games. That was good enough for third in NHL scoring over the last seven days. Lee is still available in about 20% of Yahoo! leagues.
Buy and Hold
If none of those top line players is available for you, then Oliver Bjorkstrand might be a decent option. In only his last three games the Columbus Blue Jackets forward has six points. While five of these points were assists and all were at even strength, the 22-year-old is skating in a top-six role and is averaging just under two minutes of power play time per game. Despite being 18th on the team in average ice time overall, Bjorkstrand is second on the team in points with 22. This bodes well for the future for a young player with only 71 career NHL games played. For those of you in one year or shallow leagues, Bjorkstrand might not be a great option just yet. If you are in a deep or keeper league, however, this is a player you should buy and hold.
Other Options
Brayden Point and Tyler Johnson are two hot forwards playing for a hot Tampa Bay Lightning. Both players put up a pair of goals each and five points total in only three games. Point is 79% Yahoo! owned, while Johnson is only 42% Yahoo! owned.
Don’t write off Daniel Sedin or his twin Henrik Sedin just yet. Daniel, at 28% Yahoo! ownership, is producing at a point-a-game pace over his last five for the Vancouver Canucks. Henrik meanwhile, at only 15% Yahoo! ownership, has six points in his last four games played.
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