Last June Kris Versteeg played a fairly major role when the Chicago Blackhawks bested the Philadelphia Flyers to win the Stanley Cup. Now, after an unsatisfying layover in Toronto with the Maple Leafs, Versteeg is going to try and help Philly get over the hump and win their own Stanley Cup.
The Flyers acquired the gritty 24 year-old Versteeg yesterday in exchange for first and third round draft picks.
The change of scenery should do wonders for Versteeg, and for fantasy hockey owners who currently have him or are considering picking him up for some secondary scoring.
In 53 games with Toronto this year---after being purged from Chicago's Cap-cutting roster this summer after winning his first Cup---Versteeg scored 14 goals and notched 35 points. While his numbers are not that far off from his 25-goal, 50-point projections, Versteeg was never happy nor comfortable with the loising culture in Toronto, and his play really sagged as of late.
Versteeg, who played a season-low 12:59 in his final game with the Maple Leafs on Saturday night, had just two goals in his last 14 games.
Playing for a legit Cup contender again should rejuvinate Versteeg and once again make him a viable secondary scoring option in most fantasy leagues, especially if he is given the chance to play on one of the top two lines in Philly.
There's one other reason why this trade is of fantasy hockey interest. Should you be taking part in a post-season pool or league, players on the Flyers are going to hold more value than those on many other teams because of their projection to last deep into the post-season. Versteeg has proven playoff success: 12 points in 17 games two years ago and 14 points in 22 games last spring. That, once again, makes him an intriguing secondary scoring option in a playoff pool or league.
The Fantasy Hockey Mailbag will be here tomorrow! E-mail your fantasy hockey questions or comments to Jim at jimcerny@gmail.com.