Watching the third period of Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals the one skater on the Canucks I could not keep my eyes off of was not named Sedin, Burrows, Kesler, or even Torres---who ended up scoring the lone goal of the match.
The single most dynamic player in that third period was a 25 year-old from Denmark---the 287th pick in the 2004 draft---who scored only 9 goals and produced only 29 points this past season.
Jannick Hansen was---and is---that player's name. File it away for now, but make sure to bring his name out again when you are considering whom to take with your last pick or two in next fall's fantasy hockey drafts.
Hansen is an extremely skilled skater with very good hands and on-ice vision who has a very good offensive upside. Though his numbers as a Canuck third-liner this year were not that exciting, the skill level of Hansen should excite you, as well as his ability to take over the crucial third period Wednesday night in Vancouver.
Though thwarted by Tim Thomas on a breakaway early in the final period, Hansen exploded past Boston's defense to create the breakaway and then showed a sweet moves trying to finish. Only a sensational save by Thomas denied Hansen a goal.
Hansen also set up several teammates for prime scoring chances with smart passes in the offensive zone. And, of course, when Raffi Torres did score the game-winner in the final seconds, the goal was set up by a perfect lead pass from Hansen on right wing.
He has never scored more than the 9 goals and 29 points he had this year in any of his three NHL seasons, but Hansen does have some scoring in his background. In 2007-08 he lit the lamp 21 times in only 50 AHL games and he did score 24 goals for Portland in his final season of Junior.
I have had a good feeling about Hansen's skill-set for some time, and Wednesday night just verified everything I thought he could be.
Hansen could be a real sleeper pick in later rounds of next year's fantasy hockey drafts.
Send your fantasy hockey questions and comments to jimcerny@gmail.com.