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Philadelphia Flyers F Wayne Simmonds is an Underrated Fantasy Stud

By Suraj Sukumar

Apr 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Wayne Simmonds (17) during the first period against the Washington Capitals in game six of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Wayne Simmonds (17) during the first period against the Washington Capitals in game six of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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Philadelphia Flyers F Wayne Simmonds has maintained a power forward role in the City of Brotherly Love, but his overall fantasy production makes him one of the best fantasy hockey assets on the draft board.

Philadelphia Flyers F Wayne Simmonds is becoming a big name in the City of Brotherly Love. Playing alongside captain Claude Giroux, Simmonds has become one of the most reliable right wingers in the NHL and could grow into an even bigger asset from a fantasy perspective.

When drafting position-based fantasy teams, most standard 12-team formats require 16 players. There are six main categories in standard leagues; goals, assists, plus-minus, penalty minutes, power play points and shots. Based on versatility, there may not be a better player in the top 50 than Simmonds.

Last season, Simmonds scored 32 goals with 28 assists and took a whopping 229 shots on net. With most modern leagues counting penalty minutes, Simmonds comes in as one of the most unique players. He recorded 147 penalty minutes last year and is a threat to break the 100-mark again this season.

Simmonds is slated to continue on the top line with Giroux and Brayden Schenn, and should see top line power play minutes as well. His larger role and bigger minutes opened the door to a new level of production, and Simmonds has become an impressive fantasy asset as a result.

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Looking at his overall production from last year, it would be incredible for Simmonds to have a repeat season. He finished in the top 10 in  Yahoo! leagues with career highs in goals, penalty minutes and shots.

Efficiency wise, Simmonds has been better.

His 14.9% shooting percentage in 2014-15 helped him scored 28 goals on just 188 shots. He was also a better special teams player over the past two seasons.

With his physical numbers going up (192 hits, 44 blocks), Simmonds seems to have traded a bit of offensive efficiency for more grit. As fantasy managers, we might not mind, but if he could bring it all together, Simmonds would surely be a bona fide top 20 player from a fantasy perspective.

If Philadelphia Flyers F Wayne Simmonds could get closer to the 40-goal mark, and take it easy on the physical side, his overall value skyrockets in standard leagues. He would likely approach the 100-penalty mark but his points, rating, and special teams totals would be the key beneficiaries.

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One of the most underrated factors of Simmonds’ game is his durability.

Despite his physical and sometimes violent play, Simmonds has missed just 17 games since 2008-09 when he started his career with the Los Angeles Kings.

On the other hand, Simmonds has been a plus player just once in his career, and his consistent minus rating will continue to plague his admirable stat line.

Whether Simmonds will take the next step in his offensive production, or continue to be a solid power forward with tremendous grit, remains to be seen. The primary constants in Simmonds’ output is his chemistry with Giroux. As long as their production continues, Philadelphia Flyers F Wayne Simmonds should maintain his elite status in the fantasy hockey realm.

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