Last week we explored defencemen to drop in Week 6. Now it’s time to look at 2024 Week 7 forwards to drop in fantasy hockey. Replacing forwards can be easier than replacing defencemen. Cutting a player you drafted can be difficult because of your initial expectations, but you should not let a player sink your team and prevent you from winning your match-up. Keep in mind that this is all dependent on your league’s scoring settings and size. Let’s take a closer look at some underperforming forwards that should be dropped this week in fantasy hockey.
Fantasy Hockey Forwards to Drop: Week 7
Patrick Kane and the Detroit Red Wings are Struggling
This one may hurt some long-time fantasy hockey managers, but Patrick Kane is just not doing enough to be a rostered fantasy hockey player right now. The 36-year-old came back from hip surgery last season and put up great numbers at just under a point per game pace. In Kane’s 18 games played this season, he has only registered three goals and ten points.
What’s alarming for Kane owners are his underlying numbers. He currently has the lowest 5 on 5 S%, SOG/60, PTS/60, and IPP of his career. Kane also has the lowest xGF/60 in his last five seasons.
Kane is also driving play less, indicated by the highest secondary assist percentage in his career, though he only has seven total assists this season. He is still over 83% rostered on Fantrax, a steep drop from the 95% of leagues he was drafted in. This number will continue to drop if Kane’s struggles continue. For now, he is playing at a replaceable level, making him one of the 2024 Week 7 forwards to drop.
Pavel Buchnevich is Not Producing Enough
The St. Louis Blues are not off to a great start this season. In their 20 games played, they are ranked 30th in shots per game and 29th in goals for per game. Buchnevich’s stock in fantasy hockey is falling because of this.
A fixture in the Blues’ top six, Buchnevich has not been producing offence at his normal rate. The Russian forward currently sits with five goals and 12 points in 20 games played. With 35 shots so far, he has the lowest SOG/60 in his career. His shooting percentage is on par with his career average, but his xGF/60 is the lowest it has been since 2020-21.
Part of Buchnevich’s struggles could be due to linemate Robert Thomas’ injury absence. With Thomas returning this week, Buchnevich could see an increase to his career-low PTS/60. However, with the fantasy value Buchnevich has brought to the table so far, he should be owned in far less than 82% of Fantrax leagues. Unless you are in a deep league, consider dropping Buchnevich.
Quinton Byfield Has Steps to Take Before Fantasy Relevance
Byfield seems to have the tools to be a star in this league for the Los Angeles Kings. He is a big body, a strong skater and possess smooth hands. He has shown glimpses of why he was the 2nd overall pick in the 2020 draft but has not put it all together yet.
The 22-year-old took strides last season, posting a career high 55 points in 80 games. Many fantasy managers believed his development would continue and his fantasy value would sky rocket this season. Unfortunately to the 75% of Fantrax managers who drafted Byfield, that has not happened.
For being gifted with a large frame, he does not use it. He average a hit less than once a game to this point in the season. Limited to third line minutes, his average TOI is below 18 minutes. He is getting PP1 playing time, but has yet to register a power play point. Byfield’s shooting percentage is below his career average, so it is possible we see some positive regression in his efficiency in the coming months.
It can take longer for bigger players to climatize to the NHL after dominating in junior and minor hockey. Byfield’s time may still come, but it is not here yet in fantasy hockey.
Main photo by: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
