Frozen Fantasy: Panic or Pause?

How soon should you panic if your fantasy team stumbles out of the gate? Six weeks? Three?

Or three days?

In one of my leagues, an owner panicked three days in. All it took was two queasy performances by Connor Hellebuyck and he fired up the trade offers.

I thought he was crazy. But maybe not.

In the past, I've been too attached to guys I drafted. They'll come around, I thought. They're too good to stay "this bad" for long, I said.

I've been wrong more often than right.

By the time U.S. Thanksgiving arrived, I'd already be looking at the backsides of too many teams ahead of me. Like last year's Yahoo! Friends and Family League.

I hustled, but injuries drove me down into last place (11th) by Christmas. I clawed my way to fourth place at year's end. Just 1.5 points from third.

Pretty good work. But where would I have been if I'd moved just a little sooner?

This year, I've already started rocking the wire in a couple leagues. And I am seriously considering trades. Leverage a couple unsustainable hot streaks into future gain.

I do that with investments, so why can't I do it in fantasy?

How long do you wait before making moves? Could you pull off a trade this early? Talk to me.

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

Joel Armia, RW, Montreal (2 percent Yahoo! owned) – Has Armia finally found a fit? The Habs are surprisingly deep and this former first rounder fills out an impressive third line alongside Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jonathan Drouin. The trio has put up half of Montreal's even-strength goals heading into the weekend (five of 10). And Armia has three of those five and four points in his last two games. He's no Max Domi, but he's about to shatter his previous high of 29 points.

Jonathan Bernier, G, Detroit (3 percent Yahoo! owned) – Have you watched any Red Wings' games? You should. This team is playing fast and inspired hockey, and it has catapulted them into second in the Atlantic division. Both Bernier and Jimmy Howard have been playing well, but Bernier's number might just been a bit better than the starter. The Wings will struggle, but something tells me both goalies will be better than expected.

Danny DeKeyser, D, Detroit (2 percent Yahoo! owned) – I'm not sure what's gotten into DeKeyser, but I'll take it in the short term. He has five assists in four games and a plus-5 rating. On what was supposed to be a bad team. This won't last – those five assists are almost half of his entire production in both 2016-17 and 2017-18 (12 points). But the Wings are flying and DeKeyser is flourishing so far. He's worth a two-week investment.

Aaron Dell, G, San Jose (3 percent Yahoo! owned) – The Sharks have been awful so far and there's already talk of blowing up the roster. Seriously? No need to panic yet. Or is there? They rely on Martin Jones, who might just be the worst 36-win starter in the NHL. It's shades of Andrew Raycroft all over again. And therein lies Dell's opportunity. If Jones continues to wobble, Dell can deliver wins, too – who couldn't behind that squad? And his ratios may be better than the current starter. This is pure speculation. Nothing more. Stash him if you have room. Run to do it – no sprint – if you already own Jones.

Ryan Dzingel, LW/RW, Carolina (17 percent Yahoo! owned) – Dzingel failed to hit the score sheet Friday night, but he's still making a strong impression in his new uniform. He has brought his speed and skill to the third line and managed two goals and two assists in his first five games. Dzingel is coming off a 56-point season and you'll reap the rewards if he manages to climb the lines. After all, the Canes did test him alongside Sebastian Aho to start training camp. So, you never know ...

Marcus Johansson, LW/C, Buffalo (8 percent Yahoo! owned) – Oh, if Johansson could just stay healthy. His last full season was 2016-17 and he delivered a career-high 58 points. Clearly the talent is there and he's showing it right now. Johansson has four points (two goals and two assists) in his last four games and he's in a top-six role. Until he gets hurt, of course. I've stashed him in one league and will see if I can fit him onto another roster.

Neal Pionk, D, Winnipeg (17 percent Yahoo! owned) – This late-blooming defender has been thrust into a marquis role in the 'Peg. Pionk is on the top pairing despite a queasy approach in his own zone. And with Josh Morrissey's early injury, Pionk quickly became the de facto top dog in Manitoba. His defense remains questionable, but even with Morrissey back, Pionk is going to chew minutes and get chances. Winnipeg has a lot of firepower. Someone has to push them the puck. Pionk is going to put up points, even when Morrissey is healthy.

Sean Walker, D, Los Angeles (0 percent Yahoo! owned) – Walker is an unknown outside of California, Bowling Green and Keswick (Ontario). But perhaps not for long. The young man was a solid NCAA player and he has all the tools – good feet, good stickhandling and a right-handed shot – to be a decent fourth or fifth defender in the NHL. Walker won't get power-play time, but already has two even-strength goals in three games. And he's in a prime spot to watch and learn from guys like Drew Doughty and Alec Martinez. Walker is another short-term option on the blue line, especially for the desperate.

Mats Zuccarello, RW, Minnesota (27 percent Yahoo! owned) – The Norwegian Hobbit is strangely available in three-of-every-four Yahoo! leagues. Yes, his offence is barren right now. So much so that he called himself out this past week. But he's still the same speedy water bug who averaged 56 points over five full seasons in New York. Monitor him closely and be ready to pounce.

Back to panic.

Or pause. I still can't bring myself to trading in the first couple weeks of the season. What if I let a good one go?

But I can't get too attached to my so-called drafting prowess, either. I just can't afford to call too far behind in this year's Yahoo! Friends and Family league.

Wish me luck.

Until next week.