Fantasy preview: Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are no longer the juggernauts they used to be in the Western Conference. They are caught in purgatory, not quite rebuilding and not ready for a play-off run. Most hockey experts have picked them to miss the post-season for the second straight year. However, that does not mean they do not have fantasy potential.
Forwards
Upfront the Ducks are a very solid club with a plethora of players that are capable of putting the puck in the net. The club has a stellar first line filled with Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan, all of whom can be expected to go in the top two rounds.
Perry and Getzlaf are two of the best rotisserie players in the league; both pile up penalty minutes and are able to get their names on the score sheet. Last year Getzlaf was limited to 66 games, this season he is healthy and ready to go. A healthy first line centre should boost both Perry and Ryan’s numbers.
The Ducks also have some depth at the forward position. Teemu Selanne could be an effective late round pick-up after coming off of an injury, which saw him only play 54 games last year. If Selanne is healthy he is still capable of over 30 goals.
A sleeper up front may be Joffrey Lupul who suffered an injury last season, but was very effective when he did play, posting 14 points in 23 games. Lupul is expected to start the year injured, however if you are able to get your hands on him through waivers when he is ready to come back, you could be looking at a steal.
Defence
The Ducks are extraordinarily thin on defence and you are better to look elsewhere for top flight point-getters. Lubomir Visnovsky is the only defenseman who is capable of major point totals on the club. Last season he managed 15 goals and 45 points split between the Edmonton Oilers and the Ducks. Moreover, he is likely to see inflated ice time after Scott Niedermayer’s retirement. However, Visnovsky is not reliable in many other categories as he went minus-10 last season and only accumulated 20 penalty minutes.
If you are in a really deep pool then you might want to take a look at Toni Lydman, who signed with the Ducks over the off-season after spending five years with the Buffalo Sabres. Lydman is not flashy but he is capable of around 30 points and is expected to garner first line minutes on a very thin defence core.
Once again if you are in a deep draft and are in need of penalty minutes, Andy Sutton may show up on your radar. Benefiting from the Ducks' poor defence, Sutton is expected to see second line minutes, and is pencilled in to pick up over 100 penalty minutes next season.
Goaltending
Jonas Hiller is the man between the pipes in Anaheim and is likely to start close to 70 games this year. Hiller is a bona-fide starter capable of incredible numbers. However, a poor defensive squad is likely to keep him from reaching his full potential. In the back-up spot is Curtis McElhinney who came over from the Calgary Flames and is expected to play roughly 10 games next season - definitely not fantasy material.
In fantasy terms there is not a great deal beyond the Ducks' forward core. Players such as Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan and Selanne are legitimate top picks, while, if healthy, Lupul could be a solid contributor. However, at the back-end there is very little talent, which should only be selected in very deep leagues.
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