To be fair, sometimes they truly aren't getting the bounces. In which case a little patience is in order, expecting the productive tide to inevitably turn. However, under other circumstances, your underperforming fantasy hockey pick isn't falling short because of poor puck luck alone. Perhaps they've dropped into a less prominent and promising position. Maybe the fit with a new squad just isn't there. Perchance our fantasy expectations were too grand in the first place.
Nagging injuries, questionable fitness, or plain, old poor play could also be factors. In which case, it's likely time to break fantasy ties and move on. Here's a roundup of eight underachieving candidates - rostered in a significant number of ESPN.com leagues - who might very well deserve the boot from your own squad altogether.
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Tyler Bertuzzi, F, Toronto Maple Leafs (Rostered in 69% of ESPN.com leagues) Since that top line role with Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner is now one for the recent history books, we'll see how long he lasts alongside John Tavares and William Nylander. Following Tuesday's convincing 4-1 loss to L.A., in which Bertuzzi played all of 14 minutes, perhaps not long. It's not only the minimal production and minutes that serve as a fantasy bother; after firing nine shots on net in his first two games, Bertuzzi has all of nine in seven since. Dump him.
At least until he rediscovers his pesky, productive groove and rises back up the fantasy hockey depth chart altogther.
Ivan Barbashev, F, Vegas Golden Knights (66.6%): Before we get too dismayed about Barbashev's two goals in 10 games, and not much else beyond hits, remember, more modest numbers are what we should be accustomed to from the 27-year-old. Last year's post-deadline productive turn with the Golden Knights appears more blip-on-the-graph than in keeping with Barbashev's on-ice resume (outside of one anomalous 60-point season in St. Louis).
Sometimes playing on a scoring line with a top center isn't enough. He isn't shooting. He isn't seeing a ton of ice-time. He may no longer merit inclusion on your fantasy roster, compared to other options on the wire.
Connor Brown, F, Edmonton Oilers (39.8%): Many of us had such high hopes that the Oilers had finally found an ideal fit for Connor McDavid's ring wing in form of his ex-Erie Otters teammate. So much for those dreams. It took Coach Jay Woodcroft all of no time to end that experiment in sending Brown tumbling down to the third line.
Eight games in, the 29-year-old has his own goose egg to show for all of 11 total shots on goal. Even with turns on the secondary power play, he's averaging fewer than 16 minutes/game. Cut him loose.
Dawson Mercer, F, New Jersey Devils (59.6%): This one's a real bummer, since the 22-year-old - who's easy to root for - was expected to take another leap forward in his third NHL season. But zero points are zero points, and six shots in eight games, including two in his past six, is hard to back.
Plus, a fantasy manager can only get so excited about Mercer's current role on a third line with Erik Haula and Curtis Lazar. And that's with Nico Hischier out of the lineup. Unfortunately, a turnaround doesn't feel immediate.
Kirill Marchenko, F, Columbus Blue Jackets (55.5%): Allow me a bit of mitigation here, in briefly pressing pause off the top: First, see how Marchenko responds, back in the lineup, after spending two games as a healthy scratch. Sometimes a view from the press box does wonders. Then gauge how well he competes on a line with fellow Russian Dmitri Voronkov. Maybe there's something there. If it still doesn't seem to be coming together for Marchenko, who hasn't made a productive peep since collecting three helpers through his first two games, show him the fantasy door.
Jakub Vrana, F, St. Louis Blues (52.9%) After sitting as a healthy scratch for two games - and feeling none too pleased about it - Vrana returned to the Blues' lineup against the Avalanche Wednesday. Logging 15:20, including a team-high 4:04 on the power play, he registered three shots and a minus-1 in the 4-1 loss. All of it adding up to 0.3 points in ESPN.com standard leagues. Not exactly the angry, explosive response his fantasy managers, or Blues fans for that matter, would have liked. At least, result-wise. Fact is, St. Louis isn't scoring as a whole (1.75 goals/games). Outside of maybe Jordan Kyrou, who at least is shooting on net, there's nary a figure I want on my fantasy roster right now. Including Vrana.
Tyson Barrie, D, Nashville Predators (64.1%): Measuring up against other defenders, he doesn't block a lot of shots. Barrie's total of 817 in 777 career games over 13 years, including only seven in nine games this season, falls well short of those who sacrifice themselves regularly. So, to justify his spot on more fantasy rosters than not, the puck-moving defenseman best put up some points.
Which he isn't either - at least not at the desired pace - thus far in 2023-24. Four assists in nine games, with only one counting on the power play, and zero through his past three, leaves much to be desired in fantasy leagues that count both scoring and blocked-shots, like ESPN.com's standard league. If this applies to you, consider dropping Barrie and picking up his teammate Alexandre Carrier instead, who ranks second in blocked shots, only behind New York's Jacob Trouba.
Gustav Forsling, D, Florida Panthers (49.6%): With Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad out of the lineup, Forsling is playing loads of minutes, ranking seventh in the league in that department. Yet, he has one solitary power-play goal, and zero points otherwise, to show for all that TOI. His average of a singular blocked-shot/game doesn't exactly woo us either. And now both Montour and Ekblad are expected back sooner rather than later. Which should bump Forsling from the power play altogether. Time to move on.