It is the home stretch for the hockey season. As NHL teams scratch and claw to punch their ticket to the post season, fantasy owners are doing the same.
Most leagues are in a trade freeze period, but some still offer waivers and free agents. For those who do not or for owners who are looking to the future here are some fantasy hockey sleeper options which may be available in your league.
Jamie McGinn – Colorado Avalanche, LW 35% Fantrax Owned
McGinn is lining up on a regular basis with Matt Duchene and Ryan O’Reilly. In 68 games he has 32 points and 128 hits. While he is not as skilled as his line mates, he is used to playing with elite centres since his junior days with the Ottawa 67’s where he played with Logan Couture.
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emgus Girgensons – Buffalo Sabres, C 29% Fantrax Owned
The man with the best name in hockey had a breakout performance at the Sochi Olympics for Latvia. Since the trade deadline purge, he has established himself as one of the team’s premier players along with Cody Hodgson and Tyler Myers. He is currently on the IR with a lower body injury so not a great option this season, but for keeper leagues he has tremendous long term upside, particularly in leagues that have peripheral stat categories such as hits, and faceoff wins.
Anders Lee – New York Islanders, LW 29% Owned
Lee has been turning some heads since joining the Islanders in late February after being called up from Bridgeport of the AHL. In ten games he has had three two point games and has a total of ten points. He is 6’3” and 227 pounds making him a big scoring threat on a line with fellow rookie Ryan Strome. His size and skill make him a keeper in deep dynasty leagues.
Nick Holden – Colorado Avalanche, D 21% Owned
Holden has made vast improvements this season under Coach Patrick Roy and has shown steady improvements. He was not an option at the start of the season and a virtual unknown. He has been a healthy scratch at times but seems to have secured a full time job with his partner Tyson Barrie and even sees time on the powerplay where he has not looked out of place. He has played 40 games and has produced 18 points and is a respectable plus seven.
Ryan Garbutt – Dallas Stars, RW 21% Owned
Garbutt is not the only Star to enjoy a breakout season, line mates Cody Eakin and Antoine Roussel have formed a formidable trio. Garbutt has played 61 games in his first full season and has 24 points with 119 hits for leagues with peripheral stats. The loss of Peverley on the right wing gives Garbutt an opportunity for more ice time behind Valeri Nichushkin and Alex Chiasson to see more ice time.
Quinton Howden – Florida Panthers, LW 15% Owned
Howden had a brief and unspectacular 18 game audition last season. After playing in the AHL this season, he has been recalled and has four points in four games, including three goals. In his late season audition he has not looked out of place and is playing on a line with Jimmy Hayes and Brandon Pirri who could also be on this list. All three have size, two-way acumen and will either be bottom six energy players, or second line fantasy contributors. All three are well worth keeper consideration in dynasty leagues
Mike Hoffman – Ottawa Senators, LW 9% Owned
Hoffman has shown signs of his prolific scoring ability in his 12 games this season with the Sens. In his career in the QMJHL he scored 227 points in 180 games and scored another 102 points in the AHL. He is small, but has good speed, a nose for the goal and above average skills. The Sens have no chance of making the playoffs anymore, but players like Hoffman are playing for their career so expect him to have a strong finish.