Don’t Eat The Cheese: 2022 Fantasy Hockey Forward Busts
After hitting the goalies, the Don’t Eat The Cheese series returns with forward busts. The forwards are the heart of your fantasy team. Picking the wrong ones automatically will tank your fantasy season. I list the 10 forwards that I see having major red flags entering 2022 fantasy hockey leagues. Let’s get after it.
1: Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers) F7, 11th overall
I understand that we should get excited for offseason additions. I truly do. However, we’re talking about a team that could very well not make the playoffs. Paul Maurice is a huge question mark. Losing Mason Marchment, Anthony Duclair, Claude Giroux, Jonathan Huberdeau, and MacKenzie Weegar should be viewed as a big deal.
It’s somehow still getting worse. As I predicted, it would appear that Tkachuk has been skating with the second line thus far splitting up the Aleksander Barkov and Tkachuk connection. Can Tkachuk carry a line with Sam Bennett and Colin White? Call me skeptical.
I don’t think Tkachuk can repeat that 104-point season without Elias Lindholm and Johnny Gaudreau. I don’t think it’s in the cards. I love Tkachuk but he spends too much time in the box for fantasy purposes.
Call me crazy but this is something I truly believe is coming. Brady Tkachuk outscores Matthew this year for fantasy. Even if he doesn’t, pick 11 ahead of Barkov is Looney Tunes.
2: Mika Zibanejad (New York Rangers) F12, 19th overall
I’m just not sure why we have to keep pretending that Mika Zibanejad is a good hockey player. Hey, nice little playoff run there but overall, this is one of the most overrated players in the entire sport. 49.4 CF% from last year tells a lot of the story. When matched up against the other top line centers around the league, we usually find out pretty quickly Zibanejad is on the short end of the stick.
Last year was even a career best season and it only resulted in 81 points. I have to do better if this is my second round pick. Picking Zibanejad at 19 isn’t an option. Especially when Artemi Panarin is the team’s best forward and is ranked 70th overall.
What exactly are we doing here?
3: JT Miller (Vancouver Canucks) F14, 22nd overall
Yeah, I’m just going to go out on a limb and be on the side of fading JT Miller. Really good hockey player coming off a 99 point season. The problem is his prior career high is 72 and now he got his money. It’s a Canucks team that may or may not be better. I just can’t buy 99 points is in the cards again. I need 99 points if this is my high end third round pick. I think there are way better buys on this Canucks team if you want to go that route.
4: Timo Meier (San Jose Sharks) F20, 30th overall
Don’t pick guys on bad teams. You will get burned more often than not. 76 points last year and maybe that can be in the cards again. However, I’m still talking about taking Meier 30th on a terrible Sharks team that lost Brent Burns and is finally in full tank mode.
I just don’t think you can buy anything on the Sharks this year. I don’t see any way they’re not the worst or second worst team in that Pacific division. If Meier has the slightest scratch on him at the end of the year, he could be shut down. Any Sharks player actually helping them win could be dealt at the deadline. This ranking is just WAY too rich.
5: Chris Kreider (New York Rangers) F26, 39th overall
52 goals and 77 points overall for Kreider last year. It would have been more than 77 but we all know that Zibanejad isn’t creating goals for himself. Kreider’s prior career high is 53 points five years ago. This was a weird outlier season that won’t happen again. A top 40 pick here won’t be justified at the end of the year. Not a chance Kreider pockets 50 goals again.
6: John Tavares (Toronto Maple Leafs) F34, 53rd overall
I think Tavares has shown clear signs of decline. He’s also hurt to start the year so you’re going to have to use an IR spot out of the gate. You’re also banking on him to collect powerplay points and 2nd line assists if William Nylander is hot. Unless your league has points for faceoff wins, pass on Tavares.
Here will be the measuring stick. I bet you Tavares is ranked lower than 53rd next year. Anybody want to take bets on that?
7: Pierre-Luc Dubois (Winnipeg Jets) F40, 65th overall
Yeah, I think I’m just good here. Some offensive upside but Winnipeg got robbed in the Patrik Laine deal and they know it. Much rather have Mark Scheifele who’s ranked lower and actually skates on the first line. Scheifele is also just the way better player.
Furthermore, I really want no part of Winnipeg if it’s not Kyle Connor. Just screams bad value pick here.
8: Phil Kessel (Vegas Golden Knights) F73, 114th overall
See this post for the full explanation.
9: Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg Jets) F79, 129th overall
This one is actually a joke. Production has fallen off a cliff. Minus the shortened season, Wheeler’s 60 points last year is hit lowest total since 2012-13. He was also stripped of his captaincy. It’s bad vibes everywhere. Wheeler shouldn’t be ranked let alone being 129. Why would you take Wheeler over the rookie dart throw of Cole Perfetti? Make it make sense.
10: Shane Wright (Seattle Kraken) F78, 120th overall
Speaking of rookies, normally it’s probably wise to pass. We want the high end play. Why eat the cheese and repeat the Cole Caufield mistake from last year? Wright may be very good but this year? On that Kraken team? While playing behind Matty Beniers? Stop it.
