Successful fantasy hockey owners snag at least one player who exceeds his past production by a considerable margin. It is a vital component of any successful fantasy hockey team because championships are largely won by players selected after the first couple of rounds of your draft.
So it is very important to have a good feel for which players will exceed their past value and are trending up in 2011-12.
Check out my list of 10 players trending up this season in fantasy hockey and remember these names as you draft in the coming weeks.
1. Bobby Ryan-LW-Ducks
Linemate Corey Perry had his breakthorugh last year, and now 2011-12 could very well be Ryan's coming-out party. In his first three seasons Ryan has steadily progressed from 57 points to 64 to 71 a year ago. He is ready to explode past that 71-point totoal this year. 60 of his points came at even strength in 2010-11, and with no Teemu Selanne on the horizon any time soon, he likely will get much more top-unit power play time with Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. That alone should push him into 90-point territory.
2. Matt Duchene-C-Avalanche
He may not be playing with the elite level of talent that Ryan is, but the 20-year-old Duchene is an absolute superstar in the waiting. In his first two years Duchene recorded 55 and 67 points as a teenager. 80 points could easily be in his cross-hairs this season. And if you are in a keeper league, keep in mind that if he reaches 80 this season, one day that number will be long in the rearview mirror. Duchene's that good.
3. James Van Riemsdyk-LW-Flyers
The 22-year-old third year pro sent out his calling card in the playoffs last year by scoring seven goals in 11 games. Now Van Riemsdyk likely will be playing on Philly's top line and should reward fantasy hockey owners with a nice spike from the 40 points he recorded a year ago. I don't see him as an 80+ point player, but a jump into the 60 point range certainly makes him a viable selection in fantasy drafts.
4. Jordan Staal-C-Penguins
Injuries limited Staal to only 42 games a year ago, but he still notched 30 points with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin sidelined. Crosby may not be ready to play for a while, which means Staal gets increased ice time at even strength and on the poiwer play, and his numbers will positively reflect that. Staal, 23, has yet to top 49 points in his career, but 60 is certainly not out of the question in 2011-12. And he is even more valuable fantasy-wise when you consider how many of those points could come shorthanded and on the power play.
5. Tomas Vokoun-G-Capitals
Vokoun has been a top-tier NHL goalie for years now, but his fantasy value has been affected because he played for a very poor Florida Panthers team. Vokoun, 35, is now backstopping Eastern Conference favorite Washington and you can see his win totals (23 and 22 the last two years) and goals against average (2.55 last season) improving, while his solid save percentage (.925 and .922 the last two years) should remain constant. Don't be afraid to value Vokoun higher than you have in the past, even despite his advanced age.
6. Taylor Hall-LW-Oilers
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft posted strong numbers as an 18-year-old rookie last season (22 goals, 42 points in 65 games). It is very likely the extremely-talented Hall adds another 15-20 points to that total for a young, yet intriguing, Oilers squad in 2011-12.
7. John Tavares-C-Islanders
While on the topic of first-overall picks, the 2009 No. 1 selection could be on the verge of a breakout year after posting 54 and 67 points his first two NHL seasons. The young Islanders' nucleus is coming together, and the club is healthier already this season with the return of both Mark Streit and Kyle Okposo. This will definitely be a benefit to the skilled Tavares in his third year.
8. Bobby Butler-RW-Senators
There's not a lot of offense to be found in Ottawa, but Butler is on the cusp of doing some good things and becoming a viable secondary scorer in most fantasy hockey leagues. After notching 21 points in 36 games last year with the Sens, Butler led Binghamton to the Calder Cup title with 13 goals and 17 points in 23 AHL playoff games. A 50-point season in the NHL is not out of the question, though with the dearth of scoring options in Ottawa, Butler may be looking at 42-45 points.
9. Evander Kane-LW-Jets
A 17-point jump from his rookie season to his second year (26 to 43) has Kane on the verge of true stardom. He could very well replace veteran Andrew Ladd as the Jets' top left wing, and if that happens Kane could have himself a 55-60 point season in Winnipeg.
10. Dmitri Kulikov-D-Panthers
No longer a teenager and now surrounded by more talent after Florida's revamping of the roster this summer, Kulikov, 20, seems set to make a substantial improvement on the 16 and 26 points he recorded his first two seasons. 35-40 points is definitely not out the question for Kulikov in 2011-12.