NHL fantasy hockey: Who to pick up, start, sit and drop after Week 3
By Tim Lazenby
Who To Drop
It’s like Kenny Rogers says, “You gotta know when to hold ‘em; know when to fold ‘em”. Some players simply don’t yield what you paid in the draft. It happens. You just need to know when to let go. Here is one of each position that should be set free.
Center: Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks has been good for a long time but, his place among the elites is gone. He may get better, but chances are there is someone better out there to take his place. He might still kill it in real life, but not so much in fantasy hockey. With only two points and a -3 this season, it’s time to say goodbye.
Left Wing: Timo Meier of the San Jose Sharks has not started well. The draft capital you spent has not been returned. That being said, he does have four points in the last five games, but I don’t see that being the norm here. If you can trade him, do so, but I doubt you’ll have takers.
Right Wing: Joe Pavelski of the Dallas Stars has let a lot of us down. Mr. Consistent, with the exception of the 2013 season, has never been below 60 points in the last nine seasons. Now in with a new team in Dallas, it reminds me of when David Backes left the Blues. It’s time to cut him loose.
Defenseman: Matthew Dumba of the Minnesota Wild had his coming out party two seasons ago, followed by injured one last year. It hasn’t gone well for him so far; although much can be attributed to the team. Don’t run to drop him, but if you need a spot, don’t be afraid to.
Goalie: Ilya Samsonov of the Washington Capitals has been amazing. In fact, he’s been light years better than Braden Holtby, but Holtby is the starter and that’s not changing. He always starts slow. With three wins in a row for Holtby, it’s time to let go of Samsonov, no matter how good he is.