This article is part of our NHL Waiver Wire series.
Prior to the regular season, few would have predicted the diametrically opposite starts by two teams: Montreal's record-setting 8-0-0 winning streak entering Saturday, and the abysmal 0-8-0 start by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
For Montreal, its hot start mirrors largely what the Habs did last year to start the season; after eight games last year, the Canadiens were 7-1-0 and looking like the team to beat in the East. Unlike last season, however, this team looks poised and deep. Coach Michel Therien is rolling four lines with little reservation; the difference in ice time between the first and fourth lines has averaged only four minutes a game. Their defense has also seen an increase in depth as Jeff Petry has really blossomed into a solid second-pairing blueliner to augment the already reliable P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov. The latter two rearguards have a combined plus-minus of plus-27 with 16 assists. Newly named captain Max Pacioretty is showing his leadership on the scoresheet by recording six goals and nine points in eight games.
Once the Habs register a tally or two against the opposition, Carey Price has found a way to be even better than he was last year. Based on his numbers, one goal has been good enough; Price has six wins in six games with a .966 SV% and 1.00 GAA with two shutouts.
With four solid offensive lines, four solid defensemen (including two all-star caliber), the league leader in goals and a goaltender who last year won every
Prior to the regular season, few would have predicted the diametrically opposite starts by two teams: Montreal's record-setting 8-0-0 winning streak entering Saturday, and the abysmal 0-8-0 start by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
For Montreal, its hot start mirrors largely what the Habs did last year to start the season; after eight games last year, the Canadiens were 7-1-0 and looking like the team to beat in the East. Unlike last season, however, this team looks poised and deep. Coach Michel Therien is rolling four lines with little reservation; the difference in ice time between the first and fourth lines has averaged only four minutes a game. Their defense has also seen an increase in depth as Jeff Petry has really blossomed into a solid second-pairing blueliner to augment the already reliable P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov. The latter two rearguards have a combined plus-minus of plus-27 with 16 assists. Newly named captain Max Pacioretty is showing his leadership on the scoresheet by recording six goals and nine points in eight games.
Once the Habs register a tally or two against the opposition, Carey Price has found a way to be even better than he was last year. Based on his numbers, one goal has been good enough; Price has six wins in six games with a .966 SV% and 1.00 GAA with two shutouts.
With four solid offensive lines, four solid defensemen (including two all-star caliber), the league leader in goals and a goaltender who last year won every individual trophy possible, the future looks very bright for the Canadiens this season. Their only concern is complacency.
Meanwhile, over in the Buckeye state, the Blue Jackets are off to the worst start in franchise history and well on their way to one of the worst ever; the 1943-1944 Rangers have the mark with 11 straight losses. Fortunately for both the Columbus faithful and fantasy GMs that own Blue Jackets, all is not as bad as that record dictates. Granted, their 37 goals-against is unconscionable, and a full 30 percent worse than the next-worst team (Boston) -- but their 15 goals-for is middle of the pack.
Noteworthy in their conspicuously poor play are Nick Foligno, David Savard and Jack Johnson, who have a combined seven points with a horrid minus-29. These are the same players who finished with a combined 149 points last year and a plus-three. The combination of production, grit and defensive awareness have disappeared from their games, and are large parts of why the Blue Jackets are off to such a poor start. Combine that with AHL-level goaltending in Sergei Bobrovsky (4.72 GAA, .840 SV%) and Curtis McElhinney (3.06 GAA, .891 SV%) and you've got all the hallmarks for a legendary start -- in the most unfortunate of meanings.
Shrewd fantasy GMs should take note, though: there are a lot of opportunities for a bargain. If plus-minus isn't a category in your pool, a number of Blue Jackets can be had for a song-and-dance. Perception is everything, and few GMs like holding on to assets on historically bad teams. There will be a lot of available quality Columbus players who would round out a lot of rosters well, especially when they break this funk and start to climb back to where they should be.
If it makes Ohioans feel better, Philadelphia had a similar start to its 2013-2014 season and still managed to make the playoffs. A bad start does not a bad year make.
This Week's Recommended Pickups
Deep Pool:
Torrey Mitchell C/W, MON - As one of the early season aberrations, Mitchell ranks in the 60s in most pools, yet is only owned in about 5 percent of them. Based on ice time, Mitchell is getting a large vote of confidence from coach Therien; the fourth-line center averages 12:47 per game and has three goals and one assist in eight games, in addition to 18 PIM and a plus-five rating. Linemates Devante Smith-Pelly and Brian Flynn are capable of exploiting the fourth lines of opposing teams, yet also providing the grit necessary to help in the PIM category. If you're looking for someone to solidify the lower bench ranks of your team, and would like to ride the wave of an early season streak, Mitchell looks to fit the bill. Word to the wise: his history doesn't suggest this is a long-term acquisition. If Montreal's fortunes start to turn, keep him riding the pine.
Brandon Dubinsky C/W, CLS - Despite everything, he's on pace for another good season individually. His minus-five rating is a terrible anomaly that will clear up as the season progresses and the Blue Jackets shrug off this start. He's a cross-category performer, and I've been a huge fantasy fan of his since his time with New York. The brutal beginning to the year has dropped his ownership levels to the low-20s -- he's hovered around the mid-70s for most of his career. That spells bargain. He has two goals, two assists, four PIM and a power-play goal; if his plus-minus wasn't terrible, he would rank in the top 50, and likely will be around the top 100 before too long. If he's available in your deep pool, he's a hidden gem.
Scott Hartnell W, CLS - He's like a bigger, badder, more experienced older brother of Dubinsky. In fact, their stat lines look almost identical, with Hartnell registering the same number of goals and assists, with three more PIM and one more power-play point. Unlike Dubinsky, he's moderately well owned -- about 60 percent for the last week -- so the prospects of you nabbing him are a little bit worse than the younger Blue Jacket. For those able to capitalize on his availability, you'll have a wonderful asset who will bolster your lower roster for the rest of the season. For those who aren't -- look to make him a throw in as part of a broader trade package. His ranking is terrible -- high 200s to low 300s in most pools -- and many don't see his value increasing beyond there. He's had a career of slow starts as part of the Flyers, and only gets better as the year progresses. Trust me on Hartnell -- he's one of my go-to utility players to round out many of my rosters, and this year is no exception.
Tomas Fleischmann W, MTL - I've had my eye on Fleischmann through most of his career for his unwaivering ability to make a team better with his presence. His time in Washington saw career bests for both him and the Capitals, until moving on to Florida, where the Panthers made the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade, where now, he's helping Montreal to a historic start. His stat line mirrors Dubinsky and Hartnell with two goals and two assist and six PIM, but his plus-two rating is a fair bit better. Over his career, he's paced at just more than a half-point per game player, and his presence on the third line in Montreal should keep him at or around that level, but with a respectable plus-minus. If you're in a league with 30 players or more per team, Fleischmann should be a part of the lower tier. He'll help without hurting many of your important stat categories.
Shallow Pool:
Brendan Gallagher W, MON - One of my favorite selections in every draft I've been a part of the last few years, Gallagher is a pest of the highest order (and I say that with all due respect). Like his Bostonian counterpart in Brad Marchand, Gallagher is small, fast, talented, and the opposition absolutely hate him. He aggravates while he beats you, and it drives the other teams crazy. Surprisingly, his ownership is in the low 70s -- meaning that if you're in a shallow pool, he's probably available. Unsurprisingly, he's ranked in the top 25 in most leagues with three goals and five assists with a plus-eight, four PIM and two PPPs. Regardless of this streak, I would advocate getting and holding Gallagher anyways, but given an 8-0 start, it's even more imperative.
Ryan Johansen C/W, CLS - Granted, you won't be able to snag him off of most waiver wires -- he's just too talented for most people to give up on this soon -- you should be able to tempt owners to deal him given Columbus' start to the season, and the apocalyptic prospect of it never getting any better. Realistically, his numbers this season have been pretty good; to put it in perspective, Johansen has been involved in half the goals for the Blue Jackets, registering a goal and five assists to this point. His minus-six is as bad as the rest of the team, but like Dubinsky mentioned above, that will regulate back to just-above-or-below-zero. For his fifth season in the NHL, he's very near a point-per-game now, and anything that can dislodge a quality player like him from other GMs hands is a big win. See if you can package up a player like Max Domi (who's overperforming) to get him. It's a long season -- bet on the proven workhorses, which Johansen is indeed.
