Is it time to shop cheaply at Trevor Zegras?
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This article is based on the NHL Barometer. available from RotoWire.
All of these players are trending downward, and most of them are getting good prospects in most leagues, while others could be considered trade options.
A goalie considering leaving on waivers permanent
John Gibson, G, ANA (39% of squad)
In five games for Anaheim this season, Gibson and Lukas Dostal have basically alternated starts. Normally this wouldn’t be much of a story, but Gibson is usually a workhorse between the posts for the Ducks. One reason for this is the back-to-back games last Saturday and Sunday. However, Dostal could be the team’s future in net while Gibson has struggled the last few seasons, and if he didn’t have four years left on the eight-year, $51.2 million contract extension he signed in August If he signed with the Ducks in 2018, he would already be somewhere else. Consider Gibson a third-string goaltender at best in most leagues unless he ends up on a roster with better team defense.
Others include Matty Beniers (slow start), Tyler Seguin, Yanni Gourde, Anthony Duclair, Bowen Byram, John Klingberg (offensively but defensively brutal), Darcy Kuemper and Jack Campbell.
Sell high
You may not want these players on your team, but their recent performances mean you may be able to get something out of them rather than cutting them out completely.
Thomas Chabot, D, OTT (76%)
Chabot scored 55 points in his second full season in the NHL, but has never reached that mark. The COVID-shortened 2020-21 season was his best chance to match that tally, as he posted 31 points in 49 games. Injuries have affected Chabot’s games the last two seasons, but that’s not why he’s a sell.
With Jakob Chychrun in Ottawa and Jake Sanderson taking a big step forward, Chabot was moved back to the second power play unit, which likely had a negative impact on his performance. Find someone who can be persuaded by big names and take advantage of it.
Training room (injuries)
These players won’t see the ice for a while, but whether they are designated for your IR slot or waiver claim depends on your league settings.
Sam Bennett, LW, FLA (22%)
Bennett has not played yet this season as he remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. He was injured in pre-season and the hope was that Bennett would only miss the first two weeks of the season and then return to action. That time frame remains in place, even though we have no reports yet of him training or about to enter active duty. Bennett, 27, had 16 goals, 24 assists, 193 shots on net and 150 hits in 63 games last season, his second full year in Florida.
Other players include Connor McDavid (upper body, injured Saturday, out 1-2 weeks), Josh Norris (shoulder, returned to action last Wednesday with two goals), Andre Burakovsky (upper body, probably collarbone, injured Saturday, will miss 6-8 weeks), Sebastian Aho (upper body, missed third straight game Saturday), Patrik Laine (upper body, injured Friday, placed on IR Monday), Gabriel Vilardi (sprained MCL, out 4-6 weeks) , Pavel Buchnevich (upper body, injured 10/14, could return Tuesday), Jamie Drysdale (lower body, missed last three games, moved to injured reserve Monday), Devon Levi (lower body, missed last two games, will play at least one more miss) and Frederik Andersen (upper body, missed the second game in a row on Saturday).
Buy cheap
Your leaguemates may be thinking about cutting these players, but that shouldn’t be the case.
Trevor Zegras, C, ANA (65%)
It’s highly doubtful that a manager in your league will sell Zegras at a discount, but the longer his slow start continues, the more likely that is to happen. Zegras was not in camp because he and the Ducks were in a contract standoff. On October 2, he signed a three-year, $17.25 million contract with Anaheim, which gave him minimal time to get into shape and rebuild chemistry with the team. Zegras had 61 and 65 points in his first two full seasons and should settle in that range, although he may struggle a bit until he settles in.
