Frozen Fantasy: Trade Deadline Casualties

Trade Dion Phaneuf now. Take Thursday's two-helper performance straight to the cashier and cash in your chips.

It's all down hill from here.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Sens, who acquired the defenseman in a nine-player trade Tuesday, are a better team with Phaneuf in their lineup. But those two power-play points Thursday might be the only ones he gets on the man advantage. And it's not because Dion's point shot is more likely to maim than score.

Just ask Joffrey Lupul.

Phaneuf is just the first casualty of the trade deadline. And yes, I said casualty. Like a lot of other solid fantasy performers, Phaneuf's value will drop in new colors. His role will be a little less in Ottawa. And so will his performance.

Think about some guys rumored to be on the block. And be honest in your assessment.

• Will Jordan Eberle ever get a better center than Connor McDavid to dish him the puck?
• Is Kyle Okposo ever going to find a better power-play partner than John Tavares?
• Will Eric Staal get first-line minutes on a contending squad?
• Is Cam Ward anything more than valuable insurance behind a top-flight starter for the rest of 2015-16?
• Will Mikkel Boedker drop to the second or third line on a contender?

A lot of big-salaried players will change jerseys before the NHL's trade deadline (Feb. 29). So will a lot of solid fantasy performers. And I'm trading them all if I think they'll be traded at the NHL deadline.

Top-flight guys sacrifice individual production for a shot at team glory. That's good for them. But bad, bad, BAD for your fantasy squad.

Prep now for the inevitable and deal the guys who are likely to be dealt. Before they become another casualty. And a big, heavy anchor on your squad.

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

Karl Alzner, D, Washington (8 percent Yahoo owned) - Alzner is en route to the most productive fantasy season of his career. He's on pace for almost 30 points, but more importantly, he's a plus-minus beast (plus-19). That's top 12 in the NHL. And he could finish close to plus-30 this season. That kind of gain could net you a couple points (or more) in a single category. Plus minus tends to get bunched up, so it's a good category to target for quick gains.

Mikael Backlund, C, Calgary (3 person) - Backlund entered play Friday night on a three-game, four-point streak that included a goal in each of the three games. No, the streak isn't exactly earth shattering, but Backlund does have a rep as a second-half guy. He's cheap. What have you got to lose at this point?

Blake Comeau, LW, Colorado (4 percent) - Comeau plays a mean possession game in the cycle -- the guy knows how to use his butt to protect the puck. He's gritty and aggressive, and has spent most of his NHL career working the defensive side of the game. But Comeau has been remarkably productive lately, with seven points (three goals, four assists) in his last seven games. He also has a plus-3 rating and 18 each of PIM and SOG in the same span. That kind of multi-categorical contribution is almost impossible to get off the wire. Take advantage for as long as it lasts.

Mathew Dumba, D, Minnesota (12 percent) - Uh oh. Dumba is on a five-game, six-point (two goals, four assists) point streak heading into the weekend. That's a sweet run, but it hasn't helped the Wild much -- they're 1-12 since Jan. 10. And the Wild need offense -- more offense than Dumba can provide -- so, his name has been circulating on the trade winds. Unfortunately, his value will drop short term if he's dropped into a world where there's no Ryan Suter-esque talent to chew up hard minutes. Still, he's a worthy investment while he's ripping it in Minny. Just get ready to ditch him. Quick.

Patrick Eaves, LW/RW, Dallas (6 percent) - The Garbage Man became a top-line player in Dallas after Jason Spezza went down to injury and all he's done is pick up rebounds and deposit that trash in the net. He has seven points (four goals, three assists) in the last four games, including a hattie Thursday night. And almost every one of those points came because he wasn't afraid to go to the front of the net. He won't stick on the first line -- coach Lindy Ruff will get bored with him soon enough. But you'll get some solid output until he does. I scooped him up. It's better than someone else getting him.

Radko Gudas, D, Philadelphia (9 percent) - Gudas is getting into headlines for all the wrong reasons these days -- he somehow dodged a suspension for the second time this month after an unnecessary hit to the Sabres' Daniel Catenacci on Thursday night. He walks a fine line between OK and ugly, but it's that delicate dance that delivers his fantasy value. Ogie (Oglethorpe) has 40 PIM in his last six games and he's on pace for almost 350 hits. Wow.

Tanner Pearson, LW, Los Angeles (3 percent) - Marian Gaborik had to be helped off the ice Friday night and couldn't put any weight on his left leg. So, last season's 70s sensation has a shot to fill his boots on the port side. Pearson hasn't been the same player he was when he was one-third of that remarkable 70s Line. But the talent is there for him to produce in an offensive role. He's cheap and he's available.

Antti Raanta, G, NY Rangers (7 percent) - Friday was a bit queasy for Raanta, who allowed a goal some 33 seconds into the game. He ultimately took the loss and sure looked rusty, but it's still time to stash the guy. The Rangers have a lot of back-to-back games down the stretch and it's not inconceivable that the team will rest King Henrik. And that leaves Raanta with plenty of playing time for a pretty solid team. He's a sneaky play for smart owners.

Ben Scrivens, G, Montreal (24 percent) - Scrivens had won three consecutive games before the Sabres cut him to shreds Friday night. His ownership shot up 20 percent Friday, ostensibly on news that Carey Price's season might actually be over. Scrivens is a cerebral twinetender who shouldered some of the starter's responsibilities way back when in Toronto. If he can stand that market, he can play pretty much anywhere. Jump on board now, just in case.

Back to Dion.

Some guys just produce more on a crummy team than they would on a high-end one. It happens all the time. Opportunity delivers over-performance and that disappears in a new, stronger environment.

Antoine Vermette. Anyone? Anyone? But hey -- he got a Cup ring. So who's counting?

You've heard it from me before: snag the guy who fills the departed dude's boots. It'll be a young guy who's desperate to prove his mettle. And that can only spell good things.

Just work to trade off the guys who get moved by Feb. 29. You don't want to get stuck with a depreciating asset.

Until next week.