There's been a flurry of trades over the past 24 hours in the National Hockey League, but the one that is the most intriguing from a fantasy hockey point of view is a five-player deal made between the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers.
In this trade, Chicago acquired forward Michael Frolik and goaltender Alexander Salak in exchange for forwards Jack Skille, Hugh Jessiman, and David Pacan.
Of the five players involved in the trade, only Frolik and Skille are currently playing in the NHL, and are of interest to fantasy hockey owners, so let's focus on those two.
Frolik:
Funny, just last week in my Southeast Division Plus/Minus report, I chose Frolik---hands-down---to be the Panthers' minus player from a fantasy hockey standpoint. He has gone 23 games without scoring a goal, and has just 8 goals, 29 points, and a single power play tally in 52 games this season.
It was a deserving (lack of) distinction. Frolik was the 10th overall pick in the 2006 draft and, coming off back-to-back 21-goal seasons, seemed ready to break out this year at the age of 22. Obviously he has been a huge disappointment.
But that said, this is a great move for the Blackhawks. And those fantasy hockey owners who still have Frolik on their roster could very well benefit over the final two months of the season.
In Chicago, Frolik---who has points in three straight games---will not have to be the main threat offensively as he was in Florida. Clearly he was struggling in that role. But with the 'Hawks he will get to play with the likes of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Patrick Kane, and a much better group of puck-moving defensemen. Scoring opportunities will be more frequent, and his confidence should rise along with his level of play by sharing the ice with such a group of All Stars. It also won't hurt Frolik to play in a winning atmosphere after three seasons with Florida.
If Frolik is a free agent in your fantasy hockey league, take a chance on picking him up because this change of scenery could be a great late-season boost to your fantasy squad.
Skille:
Keep an eye on Skille. Playing on Chicago's fourth line he has scored seven goals and recorded 17 points in 49 games, while generating a decent amount of scoring chances.
In Florida, the former first round pick---seventh overall in 2005---should get much more of an opportunity to play an offensive role, and to play much more than the seven or eight minutes a night he received in Chicago. Skille was a 20-goal scorer in the minors, so it will be interesting to watch and see what he can do at the NHL level with a greater opportunity.
But for now, follow Skille's progress. There is no reason for fantasy hockey owners to jump the gun on picking him up as a free agent just yet.
Have fantasy hockey questions or comments? Then make sure to e-mail Jim at jimcerny@gmail.com. and look for his weekly Fantasy Hockey Mailbag feature coming soon!