Frozen Fantasy: Antidote for Boredom

Maybe it's the lack of sunlight. Or maybe it's too much tryptophan from holiday turkey. But December feels like the dog days of winter.

Fantasy stagnation. And absolute disinterest.

We've all been there. I found myself there over the last few weeks. It's a horrible state. You feel like giving up – rolling over in leagues where you're off the lead. Or maybe worse, you're a bit too comfortable in the ones you're leading.

Trades are easy antidotes to extinguish boredom and reignite a fire. That is, if you can find a willing partner.

It's not as easy as it sounds.

Some leagues are super active. Others are solidly asleep. Both are challenges to deal with – it's overwhelming at times to deal with multiple offers every week. It can shake your focus and drag you off your goals.

But trying to shake a league awake can be depressing.

Still, offering and receiving trade offers is a great way to sharpen your mental game. Even if they go nowhere.

For example, I had sent out two offers in one league that weren't even acknowledged! I left one out there a full eight days, just in case the owner only visited Mondays to set his weekly rosters. I even emailed him directly. Then I gave up. At least on him.

Maybe I should have thought about my next move – there hasn't been a single trade in this league all season.

Undeterred, I moved on to the next owner. I offered Mathew Barzal and Zach Werenski for Tyler Seguin and Jonathan Marchessault. Yes, that favored me slightly, but Werenski's current ranking is low because of games missed. It was politely rejected, but no counter was offered.

I moved on to another owner. Again, there was no counter for my offer of Barzal and Sam Reinhart for Jonathan Toews and Evander Kane. That one was actually a much more even offer – I would have lost offence, but gained faceoff wins and hits. Oh well.

But in another league, I offered Taylor Hall, Marc-Andre Fleury and P.K. Subban for Jack Eichel, Alexandar Georgiev and Andreas Johnsson. Offer accepted!

And in another keeper format – one where I'm fighting for the sixth and last playoff spot, with no hope of winning – I moved Max Pacioretty, Drew Doughty and Sergei Bobrovsky for Tristan Jarry, Jacob Markstrom, T.J. Brodie and a first-round pick.

These were just the tip of the iceberg – I've been in on two or three more trades in the last 10 days. And I'm a whole lot more engaged.

I'll explain my rationale after we look at who caught my eye this week.

Craig Anderson, G, Ottawa (8 percent Yahoo! owned) – Yes, he's old. And yes, he's coming off time lost due to a wonky knee. And no, the Sens don't have loads of skill up front. But Anderson has been through much worse in his life – just Google 'Craig Anderson wife cancer' and you'll remember. He's a battler. Plus he's going to be targeted in trade talks – some great team is going to want insurance at backup heading into the postseason. Match-up play becomes excellent for you at that point, so stash Anderson if you can.

Josh Archibald, RW, Edmonton (0 percent Yahoo! owned) – Take a look back in time and you'll see Archibald's name on the 2013-14 Hobey Baker list – that's the year Johnny Gaudreau won it all. So the talent is there, but the opportunity (or lack of it) has held him back. But coming out of the break, Archibald is skating alongside Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the Oilers' second line. He has three points in his last four games and a whopping 17 hits in that span. Bare minimum, he will deliver some super-sneaky results in leagues that count extended stats. But he could do more, all things considered.

Chris Driedger, G, Florida (4 percent Yahoo! owned) – He's starting Saturday. And despite Sergei Bobrovsky's improving play, Driedger should see decent spot starts behind this bunch of kitties. The team should be in the playoffs, so watch for a push in 2020. He should benefit. You could, too.

Jordan Eberle, RW, NY Islanders (15 percent Yahoo! owned) – Eberle is hot. As in nine points in eight games hot. He went into Friday night with points in six of his last seven games. And while they're a bit hollow – he doesn't contribute in many categories other than pure points – Eberle is on the Isles' top power play. He missed almost a month due to injury, so he's underowned. He shouldn't be – he's on a mid-50s pace and looking like a stud after being reunited with Mathew Barzal and Anders Lee. I scooped him up. You should consider doing the same.

Erik Haula, RW/C, Carolina (21 percent Yahoo! owned) – Haula came out of the blocks hot this season – seven goals and an assist in his first nine games. But then the injury bug hit and owners dropped him. Like a stone. After all, Haula had missed all but 15 games due to injury last season and it felt a little like déjà vu. He's back now and his two-goal, one-assist outburst Monday night has his ownership on a rocket again. Suddenly, Haula's 29 goals and 55 points in his first season in Vegas look very, very real. Jump on board quick before someone else snaps him up.

Zach Hyman, LW/C, Toronto (24 percent Yahoo! owned) – Hyman is the straw that stirs the drink on the Leafs' top line. What's that mean? He does the kind of dirty work that makes offensive studs shine – they're better with him than without him. Plus he can pick up offense, too. Hyman's knee is looking stronger and stronger, and he's riding a three-game, seven-point streak heading into play Saturday. He produces whether he's beside Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares or a combination of those guys. That's good for you. And me.

Martin Necas, RW/C, Carolina (4 percent Yahoo! owned) – The Canes are set for years with their young core and Necas is close to the center of that group. He, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov - along with Teuvo Teravainen - are absolute pillars. And oh, that glorious blue line. Back to Necas. He exploded against the Maple Leafs on Monday night. Wow. Two goals and two assists, plus the helper the game before. And he's getting time on the power play as a 20-year-old. Necas will flirt with 50 points this season. Mark my words.

Damon Severson, D, New Jersey (2 percent Yahoo! owned) – Severson has always carried the weight of his draft-day comparison to Shea Weber. Maybe that's why his game has never really taken off – the expectations were just too heavy. But then he goes off like he did Monday against Chicago. Wow. That three-point effort was sharp. Severson only has 11 points in 37 games, but four have come in the last four games and six in his last 11.  Seven if you count his own-goal Friday night that lost the game to the Leafs. But I digress. Severson will give you a little bit of everything except power-play production – he has 18 shots, 15 hits and 23 blocked shots in those same 11. That counts for something in deep leagues.

Malcolm Subban, G, Vegas (6 percent Yahoo! owned) – Sure, Subban's overall numbers are meh at best. But look a little closer and you'll see he was 5-1-1 with a .929 save percentage in his last seven starts before Friday's low-shot snore fest. No, he hasn't faced the NHL's best teams other than the Coyotes (he also beat the Rangers, Devils, Stars and Sharks). But that doesn't matter in fantasy. Subban can help if you missed snagging James Reimer as your spot starter.

Chris Tanev, D, Vancouver (2 percent Yahoo! owned) – Tanev is one of the most quietly productive defenders of late. There is nothing sexy about his game – it's just super steady. Tanev has five points in his last six games heading into the holiday break and seven in his last 10. Plus 16 blocked shots and a modest 10 shots. Tanev only had five points in his previous 28 games, so there's something positive happening here. He won't keep up the scoring, but there might just be enough of everything to make him worthy in deep formats. 

Back to my antidote for boredom.

I've had a blast thinking out offers and working some deals. It's injected a new energy into my half-dozen leagues.

I know my readers love to know the why, because strategy isn't always obvious on the surface. So here goes.

First, the Hall/Subban deal. I knew my trade partner liked them both. Hall's Hart Trophy may have been lightning in a bottle – just look at his results. And UFAs can be seriously overrated. P.K.'s foot speed might return and I might regret this. Maybe not. Maybe his new engagement ring inspires his game. Or not.

Georgiev is already better than Henrik Lundqvist and Igor Shesterkin is a couple seasons from making a dent. Jack Eichel gives me years of excellence and instantly becomes a pillar. Andreas Johnsson's opportunity – once he returns from the IR – is greater than his talent. And this league is half-filled with rabid Maple Leafs' fans.

#tradebait

The Doughty/Pacioretty deal was a bit different. Goalies mean a lot in that format and mine were my Achilles heel. I'm in a race for the sixth and final playoff spot where only the top team takes home cash.

My goaltending was Bob, David Rittich, Anton Khudobin and Curtis McElhinney. Now it's Jarry, Rittich, Markstrom and Khudobin. Cha-ching.

I've long-thought Bobrovsky is among the NHL's elite. Obviously, so did the Kitties. But he's on year four of declining results – growing GAA and dropping save percentage. A recent improvement in play gave me a chance to move his sorry behind. I am off the Bob train for good.

Doughty is so overrated (sorry Kings and Team Canada fans). And Maxmillian Kolenda Pacioretty is on a career pace at age 31.

They went to the guy in third in the league – he's actually within reach of that top spot and there's more than a grand sitting out there for the taking.

Me? My Mitch Marner, J.T. Miller, Rickard Rakell and Nick Schmaltz are about to be joined by young scorers like Cody Glass, Martin Necas, Kirill Kaprizov, Trevor Zegras, Owen Tippett and Cole Caufield, who are in my feeder system.

My goal? Stay competitive next season and push hard starting in 2021-22.

Less than a week later, my team is already way more competitive, courtesy of my improved blue paint. Go figure. I was OK with dropping out of sixth.

Maybe I'll have to tweak my goal a little. And plan how I'll spend the winnings a little sooner than I'd planned.

Until next week. Enjoy the World Juniors. We'll talk about them next time.