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Brandon's fantasy hockey sell-highs, overvalued players to consider trading away. These skaters and goalies have overperformed early and may bust going forward.
Hey, RotoBallers! A month has skated by, a spooky Halloween has tricked and treated, and we are left with more hockey as we approach the holidays and the roster freeze. Fantasy managers are identifying potential breakout candidates and are growing concerned about many underperforming stars. They are even looking to rookies to help boost production. However, sometimes it comes down to knowing when to let go of an in-form player or to stay on the 'gravy train'.
Below are six players who are performing well to start the season. We will do a deep dive on each player and make the case for managers to sell high or keep them on the roster.
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NHL Metrics Glossary
ixG = Individual Expected Goals
iSCF = Individual Scoring Chances For
iHDCF = Individual High-Danger Chances For
xGF/60 = Expected Goals For Per 60
SCF/60 = Scoring Chances For Per 60
HDCF/60 = High-Danger Chances For Per 60
GSAx/60 = Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60
GAA/60 = Goals Against Average
Fantasy Hockey Rookie Panic Meter - Buy, Hold or Drop?
Vasily Podkolzin (LW, RW) - Edmonton Oilers
Vasily Podkolzin kicks off the article. The veteran winger has found a new level of play since the season started as the left winger on the Edmonton Oilers’ top line. Perhaps it is because he is playing with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Perhaps he is just playing at a higher level than he ever did with the Vancouver Canucks or in past years with the Oilers. Regardless, he is producing, despite his last five games. Podkolzin’s last five games are his worst stretch this season, with zero goals, one assist, zero power-play points, and six shots on goal, but he has remained a must-start option in all standard formats.
The question remains. Do fantasy managers keep Vasily or sell? So far this season, he has produced 4.98 Goals For Per 60 (GF/60), 3.08 Expected Goals For Per 60 (xGF/60), 33.59 Scoring Chances For Per 60 (SCF/60), and 13.44 High-Danger Chances For Per 60 (HCF/60). Excluding his GF/60, the remaining metrics barely rank in the top 100, if not the top 200 players.
Given that the metrics don't match his early-season production or recent form, Podkolzin has become a potential sell candidate. The other concern is that he was moved down to the second power-play unit, which does slightly limit his ceiling.
As long as he continues to skate alongside McDavid and Draisaitl, he will remain a must-start player and could continue to "outperform" his metrics given the talent on the ice. He remains a hold in most leagues, but if managers can sell off Podkolzin for a high price tag to acquire an underachieving star, managers should consider making the pivot.
Verdict: Hold in most leagues unless managers can still pivot to a far-more proven asset. The move to the second power-play unit is concerning.
Logan Stankoven (C, RW) - Carolina Hurricanes
Logan Stankoven and the Carolina Hurricanes’ second line is everything the franchise ever wanted. They needed to stop relying on only their top line for production, and they are getting that and more. In 81 games last season–his first full season as a Carolina Hurricane–he registered 21 goals, 23 assists, and 44 points. He is currently on a point-per-game pace to start this year.
Furthermore, in his last five games, he has managed three goals, four assists, one power-play point, 12 shots on goal, and five blocked shots. He is not only producing points, but also generating peripherals.
What is even more surprising? Stankoven ranks in the top 20 in every meaningful metric: GF/60, xGF/60, SCF/60, and HDCF/60. Despite his relatively modest name recognition in shallower formats, his value remains modest in redraft leagues, so moving him to acquire a more established player may be difficult, depending on the league.
However, in dynasty leagues, he is a hot commodity and perhaps untouchable, depending on the manager. Stankoven will remain a firm hold in all redraft formats.
Verdict: Hold
Brandon Montour (D) - Seattle Kraken
Brandon Montour has not progressed as a two-way defenseman since his days in Florida, and took a step in his first two seasons in Seattle. Back in 2022, he tallied 73 points in 80 games and followed that up with a 33-point effort in 66 games. Since joining Seattle, he has posted back-to-back seasons with a minus rating and averaged a much lower 36.5 points over 72.5 games per season (compared to 53 points in 73 games per season in his last two seasons in Florida).
However, he has looked far more productive in the early going.
Over his last seven games, he has tallied seven points (three goals) with a sharp +5 rating. Overall, Montour has tallied 12 points in 15 games with 21 hits and 22 blocked shots.
On underlying metrics, Montour ranks in the top 150 among all defensemen in xGF/60, SCF/60, and HDCF/60. Unfortunately, these numbers match his current role on Seattle's second pairing. He is also only seeing time on the second power-play unit, which greatly lowers his ceiling on most nights.
Unless injuries hit the blueline or he gets traded, Montour is a sell-high candidate after his most recent production. If managers can package him to upgrade defense, it is a recommended move.
Verdict: Sell-High
Jesper Wallstedt (G) - Minnesota Wild
Goaltenders are always a finicky subject in hockey. Unsuspecting goalies may get the ‘hot hand’ and the prototypical ‘starter’ will get benched for a few games. Big injuries, like Igor Shesterkin's, also happen and leave teams running a tandem of goalies, a rookie, etc. That could be the case in Minnesota to a certain extent.
Jesper Wallstedt, the younger of the two ‘starters’, has taken over the crease with veteran Filip Gustavsson on the injured reserve.
In Wallstedt’s 16 starts this season, he has a 11-2-3 record with a 1.99 Goals Against Average and a 0.922 Save Percentage. He also has a +0.917 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60. This came after posting a 2.61 GAA with a .915% SV% over his first full season in the NHL last winter.
While he has been sharp, there is a strong argument that Wallstedt has hit his "peak" trade value. Gustavsson is with the team on its current road trip and was the lead option during the 2025 season. Last season, the 28-year-old posted a 28-15-6 record with a solid .903% SV%.
Even if Wallstedt remains the lead option, his workload risk is much higher, which greatly affects his fantasy outlook. He can still be a reliable option in all formats, but his ceiling will be capped, especially if Minnesota opts to alternate starts.
Verdict: Sell-high
Connor Bedard (C, RW) - Chicago Blackhawks
Connor Bedard has a bright future and long-term fantasy outlook, but his current profile makes him a sell candidate in 2026. He and the rest of the Chicago Blackhawks continue to struggle, and their most recent 9-2 loss at Lenovo Center is a new low.
Despite the struggles in the Windy City and the constant rotation of right-wingers, Bedard has managed two goals, five assists, one power-play point, 19 shots on goal, and two blocked shots in his most recent five games.
Over the season, Bedard ranks in the top 70 in Goals For Per 60 (3.97). However, he ranks in the bottom 200 in xGF/60 (2.27), SCF/60 (23.48), and HDCF/60 (9.59).
He is a top-sell-high candidate right now. He is producing and has name recognition. Fantasy managers should look to move Bedard for a "buy-low" option. While he will remain productive during the campaign, there is far more risk in his profile as his team context could limit his consistency.
Verdict: Sell
More Fantasy Hockey and Analysis
