Every Monday, theScore will offer a weekly fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. Ownership percentages (as of Jan. 13) and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.
Trade for Wayne Simmonds
Team: Flyers
Position: RW
Ownership: 65 percent
Wayne Simmonds is in the final year of his contract and an extension seems unlikely at this point. Even though reports about his chances of being dealt are cautious, there's simply no reason the Philadelphia Flyers wouldn't trade him. They're dead last in the entire NHL and the assets they'll receive in return could help them next season and beyond.
Simmonds is still scoring at a 25-goal pace but his assists are down as he continues to play with subpar linemates. A move to a contending team would surround him with better players, boosting his point total as well as his plus-minus.
Now is the time to acquire Simmonds in fantasy. Like he'll do for the new club to which he inevitably gets dealt, the 30-year-old will help your team down the stretch and into the fantasy playoffs - especially in leagues that include hits.
Add Jordan Binnington
Team: Blues
Position: G
Ownership: 17 percent
Jordan Binnington has been lights out so far in his brief stint with the St. Louis Blues. In three starts this season, he's authored a sparkling .974 save percentage and a 0.67 goals-against average. Obviously, there's bound to be some regression but for now, he's the hottest goalie in the league.
It's never a bad idea to pick up a goalie seeing beach balls, but Binnington's fantasy value could stretch beyond a couple of weeks. Jake Allen has been inconsistent, to say the least. With the Blues expected to be sellers at the deadline, the organization may want to see what it has in Binnington and give him a heavier workload for the remainder of the season.
Drop Casey DeSmith in shallow leagues
Team: Penguins
Position: G
Ownership: 43 percent
Casey DeSmith's decrease in fantasy value is no fault of his own. He owns a .921 save percentage and 2.53 goals-against average on the season, at times serving as the Pittsburgh Penguins' No. 1 goalie. But Matt Murray has started nine of the team's 14 games since returning from injury, going undefeated with a .953 save percentage and a 1.55 goals-against average.
It's safe to say the crease now belongs to Murray, meaning DeSmith can be dropped in leagues with 10 or fewer users.
Stream Andreas Johnsson
Team: Maple Leafs
Position: LW
Ownership: 7 percent
The Toronto Maple Leafs have one of the most favorable schedules this week, playing four games including three on non-busy game nights. Of Toronto's four opponents, only the Tampa Bay Lightning and the slumping Colorado Avalanche are currently in a playoff spot.
Andreas Johnsson shares the ice with Auston Matthews at 5-on-5 and on the power play. Matthews has been in a bit of rut lately, scoring just once in his last nine games despite firing 28 shots on goal. Matthews is bound to start burying and when he does, Johnsson will add some helpers. Johnsson has quietly amassed 17 points in his last 21 games after a slow start to the season.
Take a flier on Conor Garland in deeper leagues
Team: Coyotes
Position: RW
Ownership: 7 percent
Conor Garland made himself a semi-known commodity over the weekend by taking a puck to his face to score a goal, but he could actually become a valuable member of your fantasy team if you're in a league with 14-16 users.
The diminutive winger has six goals in his last five games for the offense-starved Arizona Coyotes and even holds a spot on the team's top power-play unit. Garland lit up the QMJHL in his junior days and was a point-per-game player in the AHL this year. It's possible the 2015 fifth-round pick could turn out to be the next undersized late-round gem.
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