Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
James Wisniewski
Wisniewski is now with the Carolina Hurricanes and could be a great under-the-radar pickup for your fantasy squad. I know what you’re thinking… The Carolina Hurricanes?
Last season, Wisniewski outscored a multitude of players that are ranked above him in fantasy rankings this season. And, he did so in fewer games, as he recorded 34 points (8g, 26a) in only 69 games-played. The key here is that 15 of those points were on the power play, which is obviously crucial in the fantasy world.
Carolina is looking poised to improve this season. My head tells me that they’re a bottom-five team in the NHL again but their analytics show that they weren’t as bad as their record last season. Even if they are, do you really see Wisniewski as the 46th best defenseman in the NHL for fantasy? I don’t. So, similar to someone like Nicklas Backstrom, if you’re drafting with folks that rely heavily on rankings and continuously draft from the top of each position’s list, Wisniewski will be available. I’m not saying that you should consider him a top-10 defenseman but he’s far more valuable than most platforms have him ranked.
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