This article is part of our The Man Advantage series.
Hello again all you hockey pool fanatics, and welcome back to another edition of The Man Advantage, where we give you the need-to-know in the ever-changing world of NHL power play squads.
This week, we look at five players who are seeing more PP minutes than they did last season. These are guys who have not only become a bigger part of their respective teams' power play squads, but who are also having an impact in the points column. Some could still be available in your leagues, so don't hesitate to check the waiver wire to see if you can grab them on the cheap.
Mikkel Boedker, LW, ARI: Granted, it's early, but the Coyotes' power play is off to a 1-for-21 start (4.8 percent) in four games, good for third lowest in the NHL. That pales in comparison to the success the Coyotes had the last two seasons -- 20 percent last season (7th in the league) and 19.9 percent the season before (4th). One of the main differences, of course, is the Coyotes no longer have Keith Yandle, who rang up 57 points over most of the those two seasons. In his place, the Coyotes are now using Boedker, who had some experience manning the point in the AHL last year. Boedker still doesn't have any PP points to show for his efforts yet this season, but his average ice time is a whopping 6:00 with the man advantage, compared to 2:50 last year. That won't
Hello again all you hockey pool fanatics, and welcome back to another edition of The Man Advantage, where we give you the need-to-know in the ever-changing world of NHL power play squads.
This week, we look at five players who are seeing more PP minutes than they did last season. These are guys who have not only become a bigger part of their respective teams' power play squads, but who are also having an impact in the points column. Some could still be available in your leagues, so don't hesitate to check the waiver wire to see if you can grab them on the cheap.
Mikkel Boedker, LW, ARI: Granted, it's early, but the Coyotes' power play is off to a 1-for-21 start (4.8 percent) in four games, good for third lowest in the NHL. That pales in comparison to the success the Coyotes had the last two seasons -- 20 percent last season (7th in the league) and 19.9 percent the season before (4th). One of the main differences, of course, is the Coyotes no longer have Keith Yandle, who rang up 57 points over most of the those two seasons. In his place, the Coyotes are now using Boedker, who had some experience manning the point in the AHL last year. Boedker still doesn't have any PP points to show for his efforts yet this season, but his average ice time is a whopping 6:00 with the man advantage, compared to 2:50 last year. That won't continue, of course, but neither will the team's 4.8 percent hit ratio. As long as he keeps seeing first-line minutes, the points will come. Boedker is available in 95 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Kris Versteeg, RW, CAR: Versteeg was mostly a second-line power-play option for the Blackhawks last season, averaging just 1:56 in ice time and recording just five points (2G, 3A). This season with Carolina, however, he's skating on the first unit alongside Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner. Through four games, he is averaging ice time of 4:12 and has four points, two of which have come on the power play. The Canes were 27th in the NHL in goals scored last season and are counting on a big boost from Versteeg, who has scored 20 or more goals three times in his career. Coach Bill Peters likes what he sees in Versteeg so far. "He's got a lot of skill and he's a very smart hockey player," Peters said recently. "He knows where he's supposed to be on the ice in every situation." Versteeg is owned in just 6 percent of Yahoo formats.
Rasmus Ristolainen, D, BUF: Ristolainen averaged just 2:00 on the power play last season, with just nine points (4G, 5A) in 78 games. However, with the departure of Tyler Myers to Winnipeg and injury to Zach Bogosian (lower body), Ristolainen has taken on a bigger role in Buffalo this year. Through four games, he leads his team in total ice time, averaging 24:49 per game, and is fourth in PP minutes with 3:52. He is already a third of the way to matching last year's PP points total, with a goal and two helpers in four games. At just 13.4 percent, the Sabres had the lowest-ranked power play last season, but so far this year they are fifth at 27.8 percent. Ristolainen is a big reason behind that success, along with linemates Ryan O'Reilly (three points), Matt Moulson (two points) and Evander Kane (two points). Sabres coach Dan Bylsma recently said he expects to keep using Ristolainen's ice time where it is. "He's playing in all situations for us," Bylsma said. "He's playing against other teams' best players in defensive situations so it's going to result in being out there in the 20-25 minute range." Ristolainen is owned in just 13 percent of Yahoo formats, so take advantage if he's available in your league.
Mikael Granlund, C, MIN: The last two seasons, Granlund has quietly assumed the Wild's first-line center duties, taking over from the 32-year-old Mikko Koivu. He averages more than 20 minutes of ice time per game this season, versus 17:54 last year. On the power play, he's second on the team with 3:49, over a minute more than the 2:24 he saw last season. The Wild are off to a hot start this season at 3-0-1, and Granlund has contributed with four points in four games, including one PP helper. With just eight goals in each of the last two seasons (along with 31 and 33 assists, respectively), Granlund still doesn't shoot the puck much -- just 99 shots in 68 games last year, and five through four games this year -- but his pass-first, shoot-second mentality shouldn't hurt him in the points column too much, as he skates with a couple of 30-goal snipers in Zach Parise and Jason Pominville. Granlund can be picked up in a 80 percent of all Yaho leagues.
Reilly Smith, RW, FLA: Smith is another example of a player who is enjoying a more prominent offensive role after changing teams in the offseason. After a 51-point season with the Bruins in 2013-14, Smith looked like he was on the verge of a breakout, but took a step back last season with a 40-point campaign and was ultimately traded to the Panthers in July. Now in Florida, Smith has started quickly with his new team, posting three points in four games, including a pair of PP assists. In terms of minutes, he averages 16:24 in ice time, a minute more than he saw last year in Boston. On the power play, he's seeing 3:06, which is well above the 1:48 he recorded in a second-line role with the Bruins last year. He's skating on the Panthers' second line with two other promising young forwards -- Nick Bjugstad and Brandon Pirri -- and looks like he could be a "building block" player in Florida for years to come. He's only owned in 11 percent of Yahoo leagues, so for those of you in deeper formats, be sure you take advantage.
