Frozen Fantasy: Look Past Assumptions

This week has been one of the worst the NHL has faced. The allegations – and emerging facts – are both appalling and disgusting. And revelations about psychological abuse by other veteran coaches further exposes the toxicity of the NHL – no, hockey.

Don Cherry – you were the tipping point.

I applaud everyone who has come forward. Hockey will be better once it emerges from this dark phase. It's still a great game.

I don't want to give this issue any more traction. There has to be something else interesting in our hockey world.

And there is.

I heard something Friday that really piqued my curiosity. In part because it was controversial. And part because I wished I'd thought of it first.

Intrigued? Hope so.

Ready? The Edmonton Oilers are for real. Yah, that's a little controversial, But the bigger controversies? They have the top two players in the NHL. And one of the best young bluelines in the NHL.

Did I miss something? Did you?

I'd ignored Leon Draisaitl's production. I keep looking at the Mile High Crew (Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen), Nikita Kucherov, Sidney Crosby and even Auston Matthews as the league's elite.

But the blueline? I'd assumed that was still a wasteland.

The emergence of Ethan Bear has been a revelation. Darnell Nurse plays with a snarl. Adam Larsson and Oscar Klefbom are exactly the kind of steady rudders every team wants on their back end. Caleb Jones simply hasn't looked out of place on NHL ice. And vets Brandon Manning and Matt Benning give the Oil a glut on the blue line.

I have to admit I missed this. Now, the fantasy value for these guys isn't rising, but that's coming soon. And dealing from a sudden strength means the Oil will soon go searching for help on the wings.

Now THAT will bring fantasy value. Any guy headed to the Oil Patch to play with Draisaitl and McDavid will get a huge upgrade. Go set up some Twitter notifications so you can move fast if a trade happens. I already have.

Now let's take a look at who caught my eye this week.

Jonathan Bernier, G, Detroit (4 percent Yahoo! owned) – OK, so this is for the truly desperate. The Wings are bad and their beleaguered starter, Jimmy Howard, hit the IR on Friday. Bernier plays behind a poor team, so there's not much to like here. But he will pick up a few wins here and there, if that's all your league counts.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, LW/RW, Columbus (9 percent Yahoo! owned) – Bjorkstrand has nine points - including seven assists and four power-play points - in six games heading into Saturday night. I had all but given up on ever seeing growth in his game. But Bjorkstrand has finally shown up. His attention to detail in all three zones has improved and so has his intensity. That's sort of the magic bullet to go along with his excellent shot. I've picked him up and he's in my lineup Saturday.

Anthony Cirelli, C, Tampa Bay (12 percent Yahoo! owned) – I love this guy. Cirelli has been clutch wherever he's played and Tampa Bay is no different. This is a kid who got Selke votes as a rookie last season. Cirelli has ascended to the second line and his game has taken off. His six-game, nine-point scoring streak was snapped Friday night, but that hasn't dulled the shine on his game. Cirelli is a rising, Jonathan Toews-esque player. Yah, he's that good. And he should be owned in more than one-in-every-seven leagues.

Eric Comrie, G, Detroit (0 percent Yahoo! owned) – Comrie's stock has fallen a long way, but it wasn't that long ago he was viewed as the possible franchise goalie of the future in Winnipeg. The Jets lost him on waivers to the Coyotes, who sent him to Detroit on Saturday. The skills are there. So, if he can get his head back in the game, Comrie might just be a sneaky deep league pickup. Just remember there will be a lot of struggles – the Wings have scored the fewest goals in support of their 'tenders and allowed the NHL's most goals.

Jake DeBrusk, LW/RW, Boston (25 percent Yahoo! owned) – If Bjorkstrand (above) has finally shown up, then DeBrusk has finally woken up. He has put up five points (two goals, three assists) in his last four games – that's after tallying just six points in his first 17. DeBrusk still isn't putting up hits, but I'll take the offense. Sigh. I have to admit the Bruins are pretty dang good. They are far more than the sum of their top line. DeBrusk is going to help your squad.

Nick Foligno, LW/C, Columbus (7 percent Yahoo! owned) – Foligno scored twice Friday night; one of them came on the PP. He's not the 73-point stud he was five seasons ago, but he's not without talent. Or fantasy value. Foligno is on pace for a record number of hits (he already has 69 in 22 games). And that puts him in rare company – there are only nine guys with at least 10 points and 69 hits. At minimum, Foligno can help in deep formats that count extended stats.

Cam Fowler, D, Anaheim (21 percent Yahoo! owned) – Fowler has long been a fantasy tease. His offensive skills always seem to grab our attention, but his own-zone play can be cringe-worthy. This season, Fowler is somehow delivering a plus rating on a team really struggling in its own zone. Couple that with six points in his last five games and Fowler suddenly starts to look roster-worthy. Yes, I hear you – you've been burned before. So have I. But I'm willing to give him another shot, especially when he's on a career, mid-40s scoring pace.

Adam Fox, D, NY Rangers (20 percent Yahoo! owned) – Everything is arguable, but in my eyes, this 21-year-old has been the Rangers' best defender so far this season. No, Fox's offense isn't quite as good as Tony DeAngelo's, but he's still delivering at a mid-40s pace. This is clearly the year of rookie defenders. I suggest investing now and then trading him in two weeks. Fox has never played more than 35 games in the last three seasons. The second half of an NHL season is brutal on U.S. college grads. Leverage this run.

Sean Kuraly, LW/C, Boston (1 percent Yahoo! owned) – Kuraly delivers a little bit of everything – points, hits and faceoff wins. So when one of those takes a jump, Kuraly's value does too. Heading into weekend play, he's riding a three-game, five-point streak. Kuraly isn't a long-term play, but he's a solid short-term fill if you need a quick boost.

Jimmy Vesey, LW/RW, Buffalo (1 percent Yahoo! owned) – Vesey heads into Saturday night's tilt against the Leafs on a four-game, five-point scoring streak. He has goals in three straight and is also plus-6. Vesey has never really lived up the hype of his signing, but he has been remarkably consistent. And maybe this little run will get him back to a 35-point pace. In deep leagues, that kind of steady can fill your last spot.

Back to the Oilers.

I talked recently about the importance of goal differential. The Oil is second overall in the West with a plus-9 differential. They're great at home and solid on the road.

And if they get some help up front, they'll be unstoppable. That is, if their goaltending holds up.

Finally, the resurrection is happening. I had looked at them as a two-player team. I was wrong.

Somewhere, Wayne Gretzky is smiling. We all should be – the return of one of the best teams from the roaring 80s is upon us.

And I've gotten a good lesson in not making assumptions.

Until next week.