Ryan Kesler of the Canucks, who took a major step forward this past season in becoming a true star and fantasy hockey stud, may not be ready for the 2011-12 NHL opening night due to recent hip surgery. However, that should not be reason for fantasy hockey owners to shy away from selecting him in fantasy drafts this fall.
The full recovery time from this type of surgery is expected to be about ten weeks, meaning Kesler could be ready by opening night or shortly thereafter barring any unforeseen circumstances.
But even if Kesler does miss some game action---a rarity for a player who has played all 82 games three seasons running---he is still a player you want on your fantasy hockey team. Entering his prime at age 26, Kesler scored 41 goals (fourth most in the NHL) last season to go along with 73 points (15th most), 15 power play goals (fourth most), three shorties (tenth most), and seven game-winners (12th best). His +24 plus/minus mark last season did not hurt his fantasy value either.
Kesler helps your fantasy team in so many areas, and you can be confident that by playing with a skilled Canucks team his production should not fall off dramatically, if at all, and could still be on the rise.
Yes, there is some concern that this is the second hip issue for Kesler in his career, so there could be fears that he has a recurring health issue. But in my opinion, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
Don't let this most recent news spook you on draft day. Make sure that Ryan Kesler is still high up on your draft board.
Send your fantasy hockey questions and comments to jimcerny@gmail.com