NHL Fantasy Hockey: Overrated Players That Will Cost Too Much

NHL Fantasy Hockey: Overrated Players That Will Cost More Than They’re Worth in Your Draft

When it comes to NHL fantasy hockey rankings, those who construct them for major networks tend to have a short-term memory. One great season and a player/goalie can easily find themselves in the top 20. At the same time, a top-tier fantasy stud year after year can fall dramatically with one bad season.

How many folks out there drafted Nick Foligno in 2015-16 after his breakout 73-point campaign the previous year? ESPN ranked Foligno 55th on their list last season, meaning at least one person in every draft made him an average 5th or 6th round selection (some sooner, some later). The hockey world knew there was no chance he could duplicate his performance, although few likely had foreseen a drop to 37 points.

Point being, those pulling the strings that create NHL fantasy hockey rankings for the biggest outlets make these same common mistakes year after year. Don’t allow yourself to fall victim to these traps when you sit down for your draft in the coming weeks.

This will be part one of two in a series dedicated to the upcoming NHL fantasy hockey season. In this first piece, we will identify five players that are overrated in rankings who will cost more than they’re worth.

We’ll flip the switch in our next release focusing on five players that are severely underrated and could be fantasy bargains.

NHL Fantasy Hockey: 5 Players That Will Cost Too Much

Feb 26, 2016; Raleigh, NC, USA; Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron (37) reacts against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Boston Bruins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins (#16 ESPN rankings)

With 32 goals (68 points) in 2015-16, Patrice Bergeron posted his best numbers in over a decade. It was only the second time in his career that he surpassed 30 goals, and just the fifth time posting more than 60 points in a single season.

Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning (#20 ESPN rankings)

This is truly a strange ranking. Yes, Ben Bishop put up Vezina quality numbers in 2015-16 which typically garner this type of result. But then again, there’s also a lot of uncertainty surrounding his future, or how Tampa Bay plans to manage their goalie tandem until a trade partner can be found.

Here’s the problem: At this point, we don’t have any idea how many games Ben Bishop will play. Maybe TB keeps the tandem together, giving Bishop the bulk amount of starts. Or, maybe Steve Yzerman isn’t sold on Andrei Vasilevskiy, and wants to give him the majority starts to ensure he can handle it before trading Ben Bishop. We just don’t know at this point.

It’s also unfathomable to imagine selecting a goalie in the first two to three rounds with question marks. The only time you invest a pick that soon is to get your hands on one of the elite netminders that are safe and secure.

Apr 24, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo (1) makes a save against the New York Islanders during the second period in game six of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Roberto Luongo, Florida Panthers (#69 ESPN rankings)

On the surface, this would seem like a bargain. After all, Luongo went 35-19-4 with a 2.35GAA and .922 save percentage in 2015-16. That being said, some would argue the extensive workload caught up to Luongo in Florida’s early playoff exit.

Luongo, 37, is nearing the end of an outstanding NHL career. While not intended to be long-term answers, both James Reimer and Reto Berra were brought in this offseason. For the price Florida paid to sign Reimer, we know he won’t see a typical backup workload. So ask yourself, are you still comfortable selecting Roberto Luongo around 69th when Tuukka Rask and Petr Mrazek both rank slightly lower?

May 26, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Chris Kunitz (14) skates with the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period in game seven of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won the game 2-1 and the Eastern Conference Championship four games to three. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Kunitz, Pittsburgh Penguins (#128 ESPN rankings)

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It seems NHL fantasy hockey still hasn’t caught on that Chris’ game has been on the decline in recent years. He maxed out with a career year of 68 points in 2013-14, but it’s been all downhill since then. He posted an identical stat-line of 17 goals, 23 assists (40 points) in both 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Now, it’s not to say that Kunitz doesn’t still possess fantasy value. If he falls a few rounds (as he should) from his average, the pick could make sense. But there’s no reason to start reaching for or selecting him around that ranking of 128 on ESPN.

When we’re talking about players such as Alex Pietrangelo, Brendan Gallagher, Henrik Zetterberg, Henrik Sedin, Brandon Saad (among others) being taken around the same time, do yourself a favor and let someone else select the 36-year-old veteran.

Mar 24, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Vancouver Canucks goalie Ryan Miller (30) makes a save during the first period against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Miller, Vancouver Canucks (#182 ESPN rankings)

This one will be short and sweet folks. Why in the world would you select Ryan Miller in the later rounds when his teammate Jacob Markstrom ranks almost 50 spots lower (#235 by ESPN)?

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The only reason you would select Miller would be with the intention of also drafting Markstrom. All signs point to Vancouver giving Jacob Markstrom the majority amount of starts in 2016-17. If you had to pick one or the other as a late third option in your draft, Markstrom will still put up better numbers even if they split the load.