Fantasy Hockey

2014-15 Fantasy Hockey: Buy Low Candidates

mackinnon land
Nathan MacKinnon
Source: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images North America

Sometimes in fantasy hockey, one man’s junk, is another man’s treasure. Disappointment early on in a season can cause fantasy owners to trade away players who are off to a terrible start.  Some players will have a disappointing year, while others will turn it around and help fantasy owners win a championship. Let’s take a look at some players who are buy-low candidates early on this season.

Nathan MacKinnon | Colorado Avalanche | Center

The reining rookie of the year is off to a slow start this year. MacKinnon has just three assists so far this season and is a minus-3. The Colorado Avalanche are off to a slow start, so its understandable to see his production down to this point, but fantasy owners off to a tough start may not see it like that. The 19-year-old will turn it around and is a perfect candidate to target in a trade early on.

Brad Marchand | Boston Bruins | Left Wing

Marchand falls into the same category as MacKinnon. The left-winger has three points (1G, 2A) and is a minus-2 in nine games so far this season. The two-time world junior champion is going to get back on track, just like the Boston Bruins, so this slump to start the season is only temporary. There’s no reason to think that Marchand can’t reproduce his point total from last year, even with the slow start. He may already be on the waiver wire, and if so, he definitely deserves to be scooped up.

Thomas Vanek | Minnesota Wild | Left Wing

Vanek is off to a bit of a slow start this year. The Austrian has only two assists in five games so far this season with 13 shots. The former fifth overall pick in 2004 has always had good starts to his season, so this is a bit of a problem for fantasy owners who used a relatively high draft pick on him. The 30-year-old has too much skill to be in a slump like this for long, and playing with Zac Parise and Jason Pominville on the power play will only help him get back on the right track. Look for Vanek to turn it around soon.

Alexander Semin | Carolina Hurricanes | Right Wing

Semin has been a fantasy disappointment so far this season. The Russian has two assists and is a minus-5 in six games. Fantasy owners, who took a risk on Semin drafting him early, are certainly not pleased with his performance so far. The talented sniper could possibly find himself on the waiver wire if this trend continues, but his ability to score goals will have some fantasy owners taking the risk on him. He’s definitely worth buying low on if available as we wait for him to get hot.

Anze Kopitar | Los Angeles Kings | Center

The two-time Stanley Cup champion is off to a difficult start this season. Kopitar has two points (1G, 1A) and a minus-1 rating in six games this season. The L.A captain’s average draft position this year was round two, so fantasy owners might be a bit concerned with the Slovenians production to date. Someone will try to sell Kopitar below his actual value, and fantasy owners should pounce on that opportunity. The 27-year-old will get back on tack soon, so buy low while you still have a chance.

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