Wrapping up a mid-season look at the best and worst fantasy hockey contributions from around the NHL with a look today at players from the Pacific Division.
Anaheim Ducks
Plus: On an extremely gifted team offensively, Teemu Selanne's season deserves to be recognized here. The 39 year-old future Hall-of-Famer is no longer the 40-goal man he used to be, but he is still pretty darn good, and certainly is a solid secondary scoring option for most fantasy hockey owners. Selanne has 15 goals and 45 points in 43 games, and he leads the Ducks with 10 power play goals, making him an even greater value in fantasy hockey.
Minus: Hard-luck winger Joffrey Lupul just can't stay healthy. He has played in just 24 games this season with 4-8-12 scoring numbers. When healthy, Lupul is a nice secondary scoring option, capable of 25 goals and 50 points, but this is now three of the last four years that he can't stay on the ice.
Dallas Stars
Plus: Brad Richards is having an All Star season, but James Neal has stepped up for the Stars, and for fantasy hockey owners, with underrated strong numbers across the board. Through 50 games Neal has registered 20 goals---five on the power play, 37 points, 56 penalty minutes, and is a +11. That is a lot of secondary production in a lot of different categories.
Minus: It has been almost a completely lost season for Jamie Langenbrunner. Coming off back-to-back 60+ point seasons, Langenbrunner has just five goals and 18 points in 39 games. He has been hurt, been traded by the Devils, and just has not been the same player this season. Langenbrunner does have four points in eight games since being traded to the Stars, but from a fantasy hockey perspective he has been a complete dud this year.
Los Angeles Kings
Plus: How about Ryan Smyth at age 34 leading the Kings with 19 goals, and 8 power play tallies, so far this season? Others may have more points than his 33, but he has remained a nice secondary option for fantasy hockey owners because he still can fill the net.
Minus: Similar to Joffrey Lupul, it's not Marco Sturm's fault he has trouble staying healthy. Yet when healthy Sturm still drives fantasy hockey owners crazy because his skill far exceeds his production. Though his numbers are usually decent, there just seems to be so much unfulfilled potential with Sturm. This year, following a trade from Boston, Sturm has eight points in 15 games. And he is hurt again.
Phoenix Coyotes
Plus: All Star defenseman Keith Yandle is coming off a solid 41-point season, yet his rise this season is still somewhat surprising. He already has a career-high 36 assists and 44 points with still 30 games to play in the season. At 24 years of age, and with his production rising every year from 30 to 41 and now 44+ points, Yandle is one the verge of becoming a top offensive defenseman for years to come.
Minus: Lee Stempniak scored 28 goals last season and had 27 back in 2006-07. He was a risky fantasy hockey pick because of the scoring inconsistncies throughout his career. And that has held true again this year as Stempniak is down to 14 goals and 29 points. He is a tough player to trust from a fantasy hockey point of view.
San Jose Sharks
Plus: Rookie Logan Couture had a solid first pro season in the AHL last year, and even earned 25 games at the NHL level, scoring five goals in that span. His production this season (team-high 22 goals and +11 to go along with 33 points) has been quite the pleasant surprise for the Sharks, and for smart fantasy hockey owners who likely snagged him off the waiver wire early in the season.
Minus: Goaltender Antti Niemi has not had a horrible first season in San Jose (29 games, 13 wins, 2.69 GAA, .912 save %), but much more was expected of him after backstopping Chicago to the Stanley Cup title last spring. His failure to shake Antero Niittymaki and claim the No. 1 role has also helped make him a fantasy hockey disappointment this season.