The anti-all-star staff is an concept that struck me final week whereas assembling the fantasy model of the all-star squads introduced by the NHL. The idea is straightforward, whereas the fantasy all-star staff highlighted the gamers finest combining manufacturing and expectations, the anti-all-star squad will do the other.
These are the gamers which can be doing the least in comparison with the expectations we placed on them previous to the season. That’s all relative, after all. For instance, you may see Auston Matthews on the Atlantic Division staff — however that certainly not implies he is a poor asset for fantasy. In reality, he is ninth in fantasy scoring this season and tied for sixth in fantasy factors per recreation (FPPG). What makes him eligible for this staff, nevertheless, is the expectation that he could be the one one able to competing with Connor McDavid to be the most effective in fantasy this season. However there are seven different gamers doing higher in that chase, whereas Matthews lags McDavid by greater than 50 fantasy factors.
This is not essentially an all-dud staff. Many of those gamers are possible serving to you obtain success in fantasy this season. It is simply that they are not serving to as a lot as we hoped they might.
As soon as once more, similar guidelines because the NHL apply right here: One participant from every staff (even when it feels compelled at occasions) and one goaltender per division, however no must steadiness forwards and defensemen.
Metropolitan Division
Artemi Panarin, W, New York Rangers: After posting 2.2, 2.4 and a pair of.5 fantasy factors per recreation going again the earlier three seasons, there is no such thing as a query Panarin isn’t doing what fantasy managers drafted him to do that season. Was Ryan Strome a greater heart for him than Vincent Trocheck is popping out to be? Or have Panarin and Trocheck simply not fairly had sufficient time collectively? Or is Panarin, in his age-31 season, simply beginning to come out of his prime?
Ondrej Palat, W, New Jersey Devils: There weren’t very many good candidates from the Devils, as overachieving has been the theme this season. So we’ll be powerful on Palat right here, though he is solely been wholesome for 11 video games. His 1.5 FPPG is not adequate contemplating the top-six expertise he performs with.
Johnny Gaudreau, W, Columbus Blue Jackets: Did expectations get constructed up an excessive amount of due to Gaudreau’s monumental contract yr and offseason drama? In case you be aware that his FPPG this season is healthier than it was in each 2020-21 and 2019-20, it is a truthful query. His 1.8 FPPG is a far cry from final season’s 2.5 although, nevertheless you slice it.
Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, Washington Capitals: He is outdoors the highest 150 skaters for complete fantasy factors in a wholesome season. This could have been a bounceback marketing campaign for Kuznetsov with Nicklas Backstrom sidelined for the primary half.
Jake Guentzel, W, Pittsburgh Penguins: After rating within the prime 25 skaters for FPPG within the earlier two seasons and coming into his age-29 marketing campaign, all the things was primed for Guentzel to place all of it collectively for a profession season. His 2.1 FPPG is not horrible, however it’s extra like prime 75 versus prime 25.
Ivan Provorov, D, Philadelphia Flyers: That is made extra disappointing as a result of Provorov really began sturdy. On Nov. 27, he ranked tenth amongst defensemen in fantasy factors and had 2.2 FPPG. Now, he ranks twenty fifth amongst defensemen and his plummet continues.
Ryan Pulock, D, New York Islanders: Cresting above 2.0 FPPG in two of the previous three seasons, Pulock at present sits forty eighth amongst defensemen for fantasy factors and has posted a lowly 1.6 FPPG.
Frederik Andersen, G, Carolina Hurricanes: Sorry, Andersen, however somebody has to get picked on from the division and no different goaltender has executed considerably lower than what was anticipated of them. It is a prime instance of how this anti-all-star staff works. Whereas Elvis Merzlikins has the worst targets saved above anticipated mark within the NHL this season, no person in fantasy was relying on him. So Andersen, though he is been nice when wholesome, will get to symbolize the Canes on this staff as a result of he missed a lot time.
Atlantic Division
Juraj Slafkovsky, W, Montreal Canadiens: Poor Slavkovsky finally ends up on this squad as a result of nobody — wherever — anticipated an excessive amount of out of the Habs this season. Whereas Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have cooled after a scorching begin, their total manufacturing has been strong. Slafkovsky, whereas a danger in fantasy drafts, has been disappointing relative to alternative. In case you informed me he was a lineup common with 12 minutes per recreation, I might have stated he’d be fantasy related previous to the season. A 0.9 FPPG price says in any other case.
Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs: Once more, we have now a case of nobody actually enjoying beneath expectations for the Leafs. Possibly Michael Bunting, however we knew his star was tied to Matthews success. And Matthews has been removed from disappointing, it is simply that he is not neck and neck with Connor McDavid because the clear-cut prime fantasy choices.
Sam Reinhart, C/W, Florida Panthers: A drop-off of greater than 35 fantasy factors is what Reinhart is at present on tempo for. With the expertise on the Panthers, this should not have occurred this season. Fee-wise, it is a drop from 2.2 FPPG final season to 1.7 FPPG this yr.
Victor Olofsson, W, Buffalo Sabres: Needed to choose somebody from this crew of overachievers. With everybody else on the staff blowing previous expectations, it is a contact disappointing to see Olofsson cruising alongside at the very same 1.4 FPPG he posted final season. That stated, the Sabres are successful story and nobody was actually drafting Olofsson this yr anyway. However once more, every staff will get a consultant.
Taylor Hall, W, Boston Bruins: The Bruins aren’t even utilizing Corridor with regularity within the prime six — even with an damage among the many ranks. Hopes that the longer term Hart Trophy winner might discover a fantasy groove later in his profession are proving to be fruitless.
Tyler Bertuzzi, W, Detroit Red Wings: Not too many underwhelmers from the Crimson Wings, so Bertuzzi will get the nod right here regardless of his accidents. He is solely managed 12 fantasy factors in 12 video games heading into Monday’s motion.
Victor Hedman, D, Tampa Bay Lightning: He’s rounding again into type once more, however the truth that Mikhail Sergachev was the Lightning’s prime fantasy defenseman for 2 months of the season regardless of a wholesome Hedman within the lineup was a troubling begin to the marketing campaign. Although he has posted 2.2 FPPG up to now month and is getting again to the place we wish him to be, there was a time in mid-December when Hedman was outdoors the highest 50 defensemen; not prime 50 skaters, that is prime 50 defensemen.
Cam Talbot, G, Ottawa Senators: He simply is not a fantasy issue. Now in January, it is getting more and more dangerous to nonetheless be ready for the Sens to seek out their rhythm. Possibly that is the Sens? A mercurial offense regardless of a top-notch energy play, however with out the chops within the crease to make the playoffs. I do not suppose anybody drafted Talbot to be their No. 1 fantasy goalie, however he is not even a No. 2 at this stage.
Central Division
Matt Duchene, C/W, Nashville Predators: Regression from 43 targets was inevitable for the just-turned-32-year-old, however Duchene may see his purpose complete minimize in half. I might have been all-in on him no less than attending to 30 targets, however one chilly streak and Duchene may wrestle to get to twenty. This Predators offense is on tempo to attain 37 fewer targets than they scored final season. I ponder the place all of them went. Mr. Duchene, I am you.
Tyler Seguin, C/W, Dallas Stars: There is a parallel universe someplace with Seguin and Taylor Corridor close to the highest of the leaderboards for scoring within the NHL. Nevertheless it ain’t this one. Will Seguin get again to his pre-leg-injuries type? Now two years eliminated, it is beginning to seem like that is the brand new bottom line. Which suggests he is solely related when somebody larger up the depth chart is injured.
Alex Newhook, C/W, Colorado Avalanche: Regardless of at present sitting outdoors the playoff image, nobody on the Avs is admittedly doing lower than we anticipated them to this season. That is means the anti-all-star staff rep is the sleeper we hoped would step into Nazem Kadri‘s skates on the second line, however hasn’t made a lot of an affect for fantasy this season in any respect.
Cole Perfetti, C/W, Winnipeg Jets: Perfetti did not have lofty expectations set upon him this season, however he was an ideal sleeper due to the chance he may get. Nicely, he is obtained each little bit of the anticipated alternative and extra, he simply hasn’t transformed time on this gifted prime six to fantasy factors.
Ryan O’Reilly, C, St. Louis Blues: Most different Blues are doing what we wished them to this season or maybe much more. O’Reilly wasn’t anticipated to be a world beater or something, however his contributions thus far are fully irrelevant to fantasy. We had been actually anticipating greater than that.
Nick Schmaltz, C/W, Arizona Coyotes: With expectations for the membership set so low, there aren’t many good illustration choices from the Coyotes. That stated, I wished extra of late-2021-22 Schmatlz, who was a prime 50 fantasy ahead within the NHL. We don’t get that from him but, however keep in mind this was concerning the time he heated up final season.
Patrick Kane, W, Chicago Blackhawks: Mercy. Mercy, expensive Blackhawks. Whereas I’m infatuated with the thought as an NHL fan of a participant staying with a company for the whole lot of a profession, that is painful to look at as a fantasy supervisor. Simply 1.6 FPPG from Kane? Even in my worst-case eventualities for the Hawks, I nonetheless had Kane amassing extra fantasy factors.
Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Minnesota Wild: I virtually went the Marco Rossi route right here, as there have been some hefty expectations the rookie winger would discover a significant function. However he is been off the radar since October. Fleury simply is not passing muster as a fantasy goaltender; a reality made all of the extra stark by Filip Gustavsson performing exceptionally properly in the exact same crease.
Pacific Division
Jonathan Huberdeau, W, Calgary Flames: The inspiration for this anti-all-star staff, Huberdeau is following up a 115-point, 212.6-fantasy level marketing campaign in 2021-22 with a painful displaying right here. He’s on tempo for 60 factors and 12 fantasy factors. Only a shadow of what he earned in Florida final season.
Adrian Kempe, C/W, Los Angeles Kings: In case you informed me that Kempe would play nearly each second of five-on-five with Anze Kopitar and be a lock on the primary power-play unit in his age-26 season, I might have promised enchancment in fantasy scoring from his 1.9 FPPG final season.
Phil Kessel, W, Vegas Golden Knights: Yeah. Nicely, it was a hope on a wing and a prayer constructed on a home of playing cards. Nevertheless it was nonetheless some form of expectation right here. As an alternative, Kessel’s solely headlines this season are from his iron-man streak.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, W, Seattle Kraken: The arrival of Eeli Tolvanen is making it so even Bjorkstrand may begin to meet the sleeper expectations positioned upon him, as each member of the Kraken goes above and past this marketing campaign. However after virtually scoring 30 targets final season and shifting to a stronger offense, seven targets is lower than we hoped on the midway level.
J.T. Miller, C/W, Vancouver Canucks: Miller is like Matthews inclusion on the Atlantic squad: He is not a poor fantasy funding by any means, he simply is not assembly the calls for of final season. It is a drop from 2.7 FPPG to 2.3 FPPG, which is nothing to complain about except you took Miller within the first two rounds of a draft — which is one thing that occurred.
Alexander Barabanov, W, San Jose Sharks: When nobody outdoors 4 gamers is incomes any fantasy worth — and nobody was anticipated to — it is arduous to be dissatisfied with anybody right here. For Barabanov, it is only a matter of enjoying essentially the most minutes on the highest power-play unit with the Sharks gamers who do transfer the needle, but Barabanov is incomes virtually no fantasy worth to talk of.
John Klingberg, D, Anaheim Ducks: Take your choose from the Geese for this anti-all-star staff. Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras are equally good candidates, however Klingberg’s 1.6 FPPG is simply terribly underwhelming given the system for this season: He was simply alleged to anchor the highest power-play unit and earn sufficient worth to be flipped on the deadline. It was alleged to be so easy.
Jack Campbell, G, Edmonton Oilers: Take your choose of Pacific Division goaltenders not named Logan Thompson or Martin Jones. Jacob Markstrom and Thatcher Demko have dropped off a cliff, however for Campbell to return into Edmonton on such a serious deal and purport to be the reply in internet solely to lose his beginning gig a month into the season — that is anti-all-star staff. However do not look now! Campbell has gained 4 of 5 begins and perhaps, simply perhaps is pushing for a bigger share of the crease again.