The youth movement is set to take over the Florida Panthers this season, especially when looking at their top fantasy players. Health is the biggest concern for many of their top players entering the season. Specifically, Aleksander Barkov only played 61 games last year, Jonathan Huberdeau played 33 and Aaron Ekblad played 68. If the Panthers best players can stay healthy, they have some of the best bargain players entering the season in terms of NHL fantasy. Avoid drafting their veterans too high and stick to the young forwards. Here are the best Florida Panthers to draft in fantasy hockey this season.
Top Three Players To Own
1. Vincent Trocheck
Over the last two NHL seasons, Vincent Trocheck has started to develop into a major asset in fantasy hockey. Amongst all centers who recorded at least 30 points last season, Trochek ranked in the top-25 of many statistical categories. Trocheck ranked 21st in goals with 23, 22nd in blocks, tenth in shots and fifth in both hits and average ice time. If he can up his shooting percentage from 10.0% this season, he could have his first 30 goal season.
2. Alexander Barkov
Although he has missed 37 games over the last two seasons, Alexander Barkov is one of the best players on the Florida Panthers and a fantasy stud when healthy. Over the last two seasons, Barkov has averaged 0.874 points per game, best on the team. If he can manage to stay healthy in 2017-18, he is 30 goals, 70-point level player. His ceiling is even higher than 30 goals if he can manage to get off more than 200 shots, as he has averaged a 15.6% shooting percentage over the last two seasons. Barkov is one of the best-undervalued players this year in fantasy.
3. Jonathan Huberdeau
After missing over half of the 2016-17 season, Jonathan Huberdeau enters this year fully healthy and ready to be a major contributor for the Florida Panthers. With five years of NHL experience at just 24 years of age, Huberdeau is entering into, what should be the most productive stretch of his career. The last two years, which includes the 31 games he played last season, Huberdeau has averaged .795 points per game. Huberdeau, who is an excellent passer, should see plenty of assists opportunities if he pairs with Alexander Barkov on the top line. A 50-assist season is not out of the realm of possibilities for Huberdeau this season.
One Fantasy Bust: Keith Yandle
For a brief period, Keith Yandle was an elite defenseman in fantasy hockey, but those days have long since passed. Now Yandle is a below average fantasy defenseman, who is often over drafted. He has finished with a negative +/-, including -26 in 2014-15, all of the last four seasons. Yandle struggles to score goals, having not scored at a better rate than 3.3% over the last four season. The biggest asset Yandle used to bring to your team, his ability to get blocks, has also decreased over the previous two seasons to less than 0.9 per game. Yandle is good for about 45 points a season and that is about all.
Goaltending Situation
Entering the 2017-18 NHL season at 38 years old, Roberto Luongo is nearing the end of his playing career. His age began to show last season when the veteran played in just 40 games, which is his lowest total of a non-lockout season since his rookie year in 1999-00. The greater concern is that he faded as the season went on. While his 2.33 GAA in October and 1.96 GAA in November are quite palatable, things got worse the more he played. He had a 2.88 GAA in December, a 2.89 GAA in January and a 3.82 GAA in February. His save percentage in February was a paltry .878. That’s a big concern. Some of the blame can be put on the team around him but it was also pretty clear that he isn’t the All-Star type of goaltender he once used to be.
The Florida Panthers other goaltender, James Reimer, was better in his 43 games last season posting a better save percentage (.920 to .915), GAA (2.53 to 2.68) with two more shutouts. Neither is goalie is good enough to win you a fantasy championship, but as a third option on your bench, you could do worse.
The 2017-18 odds to win the Stanley Cup have been posted. Click here to get the latest lines from BetDSI, including moneylines, totals, props and futures!
