Frozen Fantasy: End Run

I'll keep this short. This article is late this week because central Ontario got hammered by an ice storm Saturday that knocked power out for close to 500,000 people. I'm one of the lucky ones as power finally came back Monday morning. 

Others will have to wait until Wednesday. Or even later. 

I managed to get my daily roster set for Sunday, but even my multiple power banks drained. I know some people probably ended their fantasy playoff week in a panic. It's a first-world problem, for sure, but it still hurts. We all want to win. 

Fantasy hockey is down to the wire. Category domination is the name of the game at this point in the season. They can be the difference between triumph and tears. 

I know. I went 0-3-0 in one league last week - one or two tiny category shifts would have changed that to 3-0-0. What a fluke. I doubt I can recover. 

It is what it is. So go for it. I'd rather go down swinging than sit on my hands. 

Let's take a look at who caught my eye this week. 

HITS AND BLOCKS

Connor Clifton, D, Buffalo (4 percent Yahoo!) - Clifton has established himself as a sturdy, shutdown defender who moves the puck well enough to be in the Sabres' top-four. He's not a points achiever, though he hits like a truck. And last week, Clifton was a top-15 Yahoo! fantasy performer after putting up 14 hits and 10 blocks along with three bonus assists over a four-game span. He even supplied six shots. Clifton won't deliver points consistently, but he's on pace to be a three-time 200-hit defender. He's playing to prove a point and keep his job next season and is out to bruise. 

Kiefer Sherwood, LW/RW, Vancouver (41 percent Yahoo!) - This week, Sherwood padded his new NHL hit record with 29 - including two 10-smack efforts. Holy bone crunch. He also chipped in with two goals and four helpers, though that's not why you need him. Sherwood can single handedly give you the hits category. 

SHOTS

Anders Lee, RW, NY Islanders (47 percent Yahoo!) - This is an odd recommendation, but hear me out. Lee wired 26 shots over four outings last week. It only netted two goals (one assist), yet he also had eight hits. The Isles continue to hold onto the illusion of a postseason berth, and Lee seems like he's the Atlas of Long Island who's carrying the weight of the franchise on his back. I'm not sold, I'll take all those biscuits in the short-term - even if they miss the basket. 

GOALIES

Elvis Merzlikins, G, Columbus (30 percent Yahoo!) - The Blue Jackets are within reach of the second Wild Card spot in the East, and all they care about is wins - not goals allowed. Merzlikins has produced the club's last two victories over the Orcas and Isles. He also played really well against the Kitties the previous week during a 1-0 defeat. Elvis will help until the team falls out of contention… as long as your league doesn't count total goals against. 

Cam Talbot, G, Detroit (36 percent Yahoo!) - Petr Mrazek (11 percent Yahoo!) is out, so Talbot has slid back into the blue paint. He allowed one goal in relief Thursday and one Saturday in a win over Boston. Like Anders Lee (above), Talbot's Wings still have illusions of the playoffs. And this goalie has proven he can carry his team for short runs, even at 37. 

OFFENSE

Leo Carlsson, C, Anaheim (17 percent Yahoo!) - Carlson heads into Tuesday on a three-game, four-goal rip with three apples and 11 shots. Add on another couple snipes the week before, and he's tickled the twine six times across six contests. Center is such a deep position, and we don't often make moves there because of that. But Carlson's heat could be the reason to consider it for this week. 

Ryan McLeod, C, Buffalo (9 percent Yahoo!) - Who knew McLeod was even hot?!? I missed him until now, but not anymore. In McLeod's last 13 matchups, he's gone off for four goals, 12 assists, 23 shots and 123 faceoff wins (50.8 percent). He's taken the big leap forward in Buffalo that never came in Edmonton. Hmmm… the Oil traded him for the future, yet they could really use him right now, eh? Sorry, not sorry, Oilers fans. 

Jack Quinn, RW, Buffalo (2 percent Yahoo!) - Quinn is showing the hockey world why some believe he could be a 75-plus point NHL winger. He rides into Tuesday with back-to-back three-point efforts with a four-game, eight-point streak (four goals, four assists). Quinn has done it on only nine shots, so there's an element of luck. But his confidence has never been higher, and the Sabres have gone 6-4-0 over the last 10. Great combination. 

Jaden Schwartz, LW/C, Seattle (10 percent Yahoo!) - Schwartz saw his scoring streak snapped Saturday. But he still posted four goals, one assist, three PPP and 16 shots during his last four games. The Kraken have been eliminated from the postseason, and that makes them a dangerous team. I like Schwartz's leadership in that situation. 

Pius Suter, LW/C, Vancouver (20 percent Yahoo!) - Suter is suddenly white hot. He enters Wednesday on a four-game, eight-point stretch that covers six assists, nine shots and four each of blocks and hits. Suter can slide up and down the lineup, and right now he's the 1C with Elias Pettersson (85 percent Yahoo!) out. He can help for your playoff run. 

Back to an end run. 

There are two themes in these recommendations: players on teams desperate to get into the postseason by the end of the season and a few on clubs that will push to the end to prove they can be contenders next year. 

That drive to their end run can help you keep the pressure up, especially as some start to rest their big guns to prep for the playoffs.

I get it. It's hard to stick a Ryan McLeod or Leo Carlsson in over, say, John Tavares (92 percent Yahoo!), who has been pure fire of late. But the Leafs will likely rest him and they only have two games this week. That makes for a tough decision. I've kept Tavares in, though I can't deny I've thought long and hard about sitting him. 

Don't be rash, but there will be a time when you need to be bold. Otherwise, you may leave money on the table. 

Until next week.