Fantasy Hockey, Week 5 Player Preview

The first few weeks of the NHL season have been perplexing to fantasy owners and regular fans alike. However, some clear trends are emerging and can be used to your benefit.

Pick 'Em Up If You Still Can:

Steven Stamkos has officially busted on to the NHL scene with four points coming in his past two games. It took him a while to get his first goal but he appears to be seeing more ice time now and is worthy of adding for the time being.

His linemate, Ryan Malone, should also be added for penalty minutes and may suddenly start posting points galore.

If you're short on defenseman, check the wire to see if Keith Ballard is still free. He recorded his second goal of the year last night and is maintaining his point per game pace for the time being. He won't end the season with 80 points but 45 is starting to look realistic.

And what about Mikku Koivu? How is this guy not owned in 100% of leagues? Well fantasy hockey is a tricky business, since there tend to be a lot of good free agent centers, but grab this guy if possible. He is the team leader on the ice and in the locker room and his points prove it.

Alex Auld from the Ottawa Senators is in the process of taking starts away from Martin Gerber and is looking sharp in the process. He may be a nice stop-gap measure for weeks five and six but is unlikely to ever claim the job outright.

On Fire

Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins posted back to back shutouts this week and played very well despite allowing three goals as the Bruins lost last night to Calgary. He is near the very top of the league once again in GAA and save percentage. He has apparently taken the starting job away from Manny Fernandez, at least for the time being.

Mike Knuble has scored several goals in week 4 and is an ideal pick up at RW for anyone needing PPG or goals in general. His value seems to be much higher with Daniel Briere injured. Look to sell high in the coming weeks.

Vincent Lecavalier has once again shown why he is so well regarded, posting two goals in Tuesday's game at Buffalo and recording two assists in the Lightning's 5-2 win over Buffalo. The only problem is that his shoulder injury from last year is causing him pain and soreness on a regular basis. Keep an eye on him and make sure you have a talented back up center just in case.

Another suddenly scorching center is the Flames Mike Camalleri. Cammy is playing on the first line with Jarome Iginla and it shows. He's been a man possessed lately, posting 3 goals and 3 assists in his last 4 games. He is likely to have a strong season but don't expect MVP caliber numbers from him.

What Gives?

Players who are seeing their values hit recent lows include Alexander Ovechkin, Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Gaborik. Ovechkin is a sure fire bet to rebound in the near future and this should begin in week 5. He will reportedly be back Monday and  the Capitals are set to play in Ottawa, then return home for Carolina and the Rangers. The Sens and Canes have had problems in goal as of late, and look for the Caps to take advantage of that. If he plays in all 3 games, 4 points wouldn't be a surprise to me.

Gaborik is another unknown quantity. Is he going to be traded? How serious is his injury? Nobody knows for sure, but with the Wild having early success without him, why should they rush? As of this moment, he is still on the IR and at best, an injury-risk start for week 5. However if he does play, expect him to look either awfully inspired or awfully bad.

Ilya Kovalchuk has 6 points in 9 games entering tonight and can likely be had for cheap but the rumor is that his days in Atlanta may be numbered. Should he be traded, his +/- and overall points may increase but his goals might decrease. For now, look to buy him cheap if you can.

Zdeno Chara is having all kinds of problems in Boston. He has failed to record even a single goal and has just three assists through ten games. This is the ideal time to trade for him cheap, because this is just one in a string of many slow starts for him. Look for him to rebound in November and December.

Dump Them Now!!

The days of Aaron Voros being a fantasy darling are now long gone, so dump him unless you desperately need PIM.

And does anyone still have RJ Umberger on their roster? Drop him like bad habit if he's still on your club.

Pavel Kubina has had a terrible start too and if you made the mistake of drafting him as a #3 fantasy defenseman like I did, now is the time to stash him on the bench until he returns to form.

Penguin RW Petr Sykora has been disappointing his owners this season with 3 points thus far. He was injured and missed the Pens first few games and now is the victim of a team that just can't seem to score consistently. With Sidney Crosby now nicked up, Sykora's value may go up, so hold him for the time being.