Week 5 NHL Risers and Fallers for Fantasy Hockey

November 6, 2014

Joe Hannon recaps some NHL forwards, defensemen and goalies rising and falling after Week 4. These players might be fantasy hockey waiver wire pickups or potential sleepers for your fantasy hockey teams.

Hey RotoBallers. Here is my weekly rundown of NHL forwards, defensemen and goaltenders whose fantasy hockey values are rising and falling over the past seven days.

The rising players can be considered fantasy hockey sleepers or waiver wire pickups depending on your league format. If you are still holding onto any of the skaters that are trending downward, it's time to look elsewhere for production.

NHL Players Rising After Week 4 of Fantasy Hockey

Jori Lehtera (F, STL) - 25% Owned

After skating roughly 14:00 minutes per game over the first five games of the season, Jori Lehtera has been on the ice for at least 17:40 in each of his last five contests. St. Louis won five straight decisions and the talented rookie has played a large part in their success. He and Vladimir Tarasenko have been two of the Blues' most productive forwards over the past week. Lehtera has 4 points in his last 4 games and is starting to become a fixture on the Blues power play. Lehtera can give an offensive boost to fantasy hockey teams in any format.

Zach Bogosian (D, WPG) - 36% Owned

Zach Bogosian is now a seven-year veteran despite being only 24-years-old. He is skating alongside Tobias Enstrom on the Jets top defensive pairing and could be in line to break his career-high of 30 points this season. Zach has tallied 3 A, 8 SOG, and a +3 rating over his last 4 games, skating over 23:00 minutes in each of those starts. He can add stability and production for fantasy owners looking for help at the defenseman position.

Michal Neuvirth (G, BUF) - 1% Owned

With two wins in five starts, including a 36-save performance against the Red Wings on Sunday, Michal Neuvirth may be taking over as the number one netminder in Buffalo. Jhonas Enroth, on the other hand, has just one win in eight starts for the Sabres. Neuvirth may not be worth adding quite yet, but if Buffalo can shore up in their defensive zone, there may be some value to be found in his game. Keep an eye on his performance in the near future.

NHL Players Falling After Week 4 of Fantasy Hockey

P.A. Parenteau (F, MON) - 68% Owned

It has been a slow start in Montreal for P.A. Parenteau. The 31-year-old forward has been held scoreless in seven straight games. He has registered just 2 SOG and a -3 rating over his last four contests. Parenteau has been skating on the Canadiens top line for the majority of the season, but his ice-time could be in jeopardy if the production doesn't rise. He still may end up being one of the leading scorers on the team, but it's tough to keep him in the lineup right now when he's not putting pucks on net.

Matt Niskanen (D, WSH) - 89% Owned

This one is a no-brainer. Matt Niskanen is owned in 89% of fantasy leagues despite registering just 3 A, 2 PIM, 11 SOG, and a -2 rating in 11 games this season. His ice time is starting to dip as well. After skating more than 20:00 minutes in each of his first 9 starts, Niskanen has seen just 17:44 and 19:00 minutes in his last two games. He has 0 points, 2 SOG, and a -5 rating in his last four contests. There are plenty of other options on the blue line around the league.

Mike Smith (G, ARI) - 78% Owned

Whether or not an NHL goaltender has fantasy value depends largely on the team skating in front of him. The Coyotes have had a rough start to the season and their 42 goals allowed (11 games) is the second highest total in the league. Only the Sabres (43 goals in 13 games) have allowed more pucks into the back of the net. Mike Smith hasn't played terribly, but he is winless in his last three appearances. His stat line - 2 W, .873 SV%, and 3.84 GAA - isn't one that is going to help fantasy owners much either.