International Ice Hockey Federation

Separation begins now

Separation begins now

Fantasy hockey: top players established

Published 16.05.2016 10:40 GMT+3 | Author David Alter
Separation begins now
It's the last fantasy hockey round before we move to the playoff stage, make your picks today!
Through six rounds, it’s pretty clear who the top point-scorers are. There is finally some clarity as we get ready for the playoffs.

When a team comes together, it usually takes some time in order for players to gel. That’s especially true at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.

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While many players are superstars in their own right, there is an adjustment period when settling into a new environment. Nearly finished through the preliminaries, we finally have a sense of who is for real.

ON FIRE:
Sebastian Dahm, G, Denmark

Danish goaltender Sebastian Dahm continues to be the MVP of the Danish squad. He made 40 saves against a stacked Czech Republic team on Sunday. Fighting for their playoff lives, there is no doubt he will get the start again when his team takes on Kazakhstan in Round 7. He is a mandatory selection as a goaltender as far as anyone is concerned.

WARMING UP: Derrick Brassard, F, Canada

Derrick Brassard of Team Canada wasn’t necessarily expected to be a top-point getter at this year’s Worlds. But after a two-point performance against Slovakia, that’s where the forward currently sits. With a price tag of 17.85, he’s a fairly good value for Canada. More importantly, he’s been consistent.

ICE COLD: Jan Kovar, F, Czech Republic

At last year’s Worlds, forward Jan Kovar recorded nine points in ten games. This year, Kovar has yet to record a single point through six games. The Czechs have had a fairly good tournament, although losing to Denmark puts into question where they are among the elite. Stay away from Kovar.

The Matchups:

Denmark vs Kazakstan: It’s a battle of the top goalies in terms of fantasy points. But you absolutely have to take Sebastian Dahm in this particular case. See above.

Germany vs Hungary: Hungary has been a nice story, but Germany has been the dark horse of this tournament. They’ve been competitive in every matchup and made their mark Sunday by defeating USA 3-2. Forward Philip Gogulla continues to put up the shots on goal and it’s likely he’ll have many more against the Hungarians.

Czech Republic vs Switzerland: Czech forward Tomas Plekanec has been on a roll with three goals in his last four games. He’s also second on the team in shots on goal with 22. Looking to try and secure first place in Group A, Plekanec is your guy.

USA vs Slovakia: This is where you want to pick a defenceman. Both teams have had their share of struggles, but Andrej Sekera has managed to put a lot of shots on goal. He has three goals so far and is an excellent value pick at 16.45.

Latvia vs Norway: Norway forward Mathis Olimb continues to provide good value at 13.60. If you had the budget, Mats Zuccarello could be another option. He’s fired a lot of shots on goal, but he has yet to produce. This could be the game to excel. but he costs a lot at 16.5, given his limited production.

Belarus vs France: Belarus will be desperate and in need of some points in order to get out of their current relegation placing. But France has had a better tournament and hopes to end strong before hosting next year. Look for Damien Fleury to be a potential game-breaker. He has two game-winning goals already and those pay well.

Russia vs Sweden: Russia have been on fire and this is an excellent place for you to grab a defenceman. Anton Belov has five points in five games and is among the team leaders in shots on goal with 15. It’s not a bad strategy to save on your fantasy budget here and get points from forwards on other teams.

Canada vs Finland: Patrik Laine continues to be a solid choice, averaging 27 fantasy points a game at a cost of 17.95. With first place in Group B on the line, Laine will be counted on to perform for Finland and he shouldn’t disappoint.

Fantasy Tip: Be very aware of situations. Look at time spent on the ice from the players you select. If your player isn’t averaging the amount of minutes he did to start, you may want to think about cutting bait.

Look at every situation. See how many shots that player is taking toward the net. Look at the amount of opportunities. Sometimes the answers are right in front of you.

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