Roster spots are important on a fantasy team, this week we will look at some fringe players that are struggling early and should they continue to take an importunate place on our teams or enter the waiver wire.
Ryane Clowe, LW Sharks: The big forward broke out last season with 22 goals and 52 points and helped many fantasy teams with an amazing 24 power play points and 51 PIM. This season he lost his line mates (Milan Michalek in Dany Heatley trade and Joe Pavelski to early injury) but was suppose to bring secondary scoring. So far he has been a fantasy disappointment scoring just one assist in the first eight games; he still has been getting some PIM with 27. I think the 27-year-old, 6-2 forward is worth the roster spot, he still plays big time minutes including on the second power play unit (2:49 PP TOI/G) and is just felling the pressure to live up to his new 4-year contract but will break out of this slump.
Jason Blake, LW Maple Leafs: This guy is owned in 65% of leagues and still living off his 40-goal season in 2006-07 with the Islanders. Yes he did bounce back and score 25 goals in his second in Toronto including 5 power play goals. This season Blake as the whole Maple Leafs’ team are struggling defensively as he is a -7, and he is not scoring at the same pace to make that worth a roster spot. The Maple Leafs’ are rebuilding and will start to give his important minutes to younger players and is not worth a roster spot in fantasy.
T.J. Oshie, C Blues: A former first round pick out of North Dakota, Oshie had an up and down rookie year but was primed to be a fantasy stud in his sophomore season. So far he is a fantasy dud scoring only one goal and assisting on two others, even worse he is getting minimal power play time. This is a tough call to make as the Blues have both Andy McDonald and Paul Kariya healthy this season and both seeing significant minutes. If you are in a 12-team league he might be worth to stash for safe keeping but in a 10-team league I would say drop him and keep him on your watch list.
Waiver Wire Pickup of the Week: Matt Moulson or Kyle Okposo, Islanders F: If one or both of these talented young forwards are available jump on the claim. Moulson is available in more leagues than Okposo (owned only 20% vs. 70%) but both have been scoring at a fast pace (Moulson with 7 points and Okposo with 6 points in the first six games). The Islanders will struggle on the ice but that should not discount them from being fantasy options. Okposo and Moulson were both big time college scorers and are playing on a line together with John Tavares in both five on five and power play (Moulson with 4 PP and Okposo with 3 PP).
