Buy Low/Sell High – Fantasy Hockey Week 3

Three weeks into the NHL season, there have been several players who have overachieved early on, while multiple superstars continue to struggle. Here are four players that fantasy hockey managers should either part ways with before it’s too late, or consider taking a chance on.

Fantasy Hockey Buy Lows

Alex Ovechkin – Washington Capitals

Since the beginning of the season, Alex Ovechkin has disappointed managers who were relying on him to add some goal-scoring depth to their roster. In his first seven games, Ovechkin has only tallied 1 goal and has been of minimal use on the Washington Capitals’ power play.

That said, the Russian-born star hasn’t been completely invisible, having collected 4 assists and 15 hits thus far. Every year, owners seem to give up on Ovechkin early, thinking he’ll finally taper off, but he usually finishes each season by silencing his doubters and scoring 30-plus goals. Ovechkin is no stranger to slow starts, and he’s one of the best buy-low candidates available for managers looking for a veteran scorer.

Brandon Hagel – Tampa Bay Lightning

For a player who ended last year’s season with a career-high of 90 points, Brandon Hagel has really struggled to get on the scoresheet in October. Through six games, Hagel has recorded just 1 assist and is posting a -5 rating on the Tampa Bay Lightning’s second line.

It’s easy to think that the Canadian star is one of the most frustrating players to start right now, especially since he isn’t contributing on the power-play and failing to accumulate hits or blocks. That said, Hagel has also been without Nikita Kucherov, who picked up an injury last week, while playing on a Tampa roster that has disappointed on every area of the ice so far. Hagel has been a key piece to the Lightning’s offensive unit since 2021, and managers would be wise to trade for a player who consistently scores over 25 goals a year.

Fantasy Hockey Sell Highs

Spencer Knight – Chicago Blackhawks

Spencer Knight currently has the third-best save percentage in the NHL after taking on the role of the Chicago Blackhawks’ starting goaltender. He’s been able to impress early by posting a 1.96 goals against average, but the 24-year-old has only been able to secure 2 victories in his first five games this season. Knight has quickly become a top goaltending option in several fantasy leagues, but his impressive numbers make it easy to forget that he’s playing behind the Blackhawks’ defense.

Last season, Chicago had the second-worst goals against in the league, and though they’ve been steady through October, it’s likely both the team and Knight will be unable to continue that trend. Managers would be smart to offload Knight now before the Blackhawks begin a tough Western Canadian road trip next week.

Darnell Nurse – Edmonton Oilers

Darnell Nurse is currently one of the highest-ranked defensemen for leagues tracking hits and blocks, but he’s been rather inconsequential in other categories. He’s logged 2 points in seven games despite playing over 20 minutes a night, while also being absent from the Edmonton Oilers’ power-play.

Nurse could still be valuable for owners in desperate need of hits or blocks. However, if both categories have already been targeted by other players, the return for Nurse could be better than expected for those who choose to trade him.

Week 3 of fantasy hockey is an opportune time to act on buy-low/sell-high options, with managers quickly losing patience with underperformers, but also overrating early achievers. Make sure to return next week for advice on the best buy-low/sell-high candidates a month into the NHL fantasy hockey season.