Fantasy Report Card - Montreal Canadiens
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theScore will be giving out fantasy report cards discussing the fantasy value of key players on each of the 30 teams. This edition focuses on the Montreal Canadiens.
ANA | ARI | BOS | BUF | CGY | CAR | CHI | COL | CLB | DAL | DET | EDM | FLA| LA | MIN | MTL | NAS | NJ | NYI | NYR | OTT | PHI | PIT | SJ | STL | TB | TOR | VAN | WAS | WPG
G Carey Price
Despite the odd disaster outing, Price has come as advertised. In 25 starts, he is 18-5-2 with a superhuman .934 save percentage. With injuries and uncertain sources of scoring, Price still manages to scrape wins off the ice. He's the best goaltender on the planet and is the only one worth trusting with this sporadic team in front of him. Grade: A+
LW Max Pacioretty
Pacioretty went through a severe goal-scoring drought with only one goal over an 11-game stretch between late October and early November. He turned a corner in December, though he is still looking more like a boom-or-bust candidate. His propensity to take several shots per game helps, and he's been finding twine at a better rate than he did in his slow start. Grade: B-
RW Alexander Radulov
No complaints here. Radulov's relatively low goal totals are easy to ignore because of his expertise in setting up his teammates. He started slowly, but he has not been held off the score sheet often, though he had a rough road trip to finish November. He's one of the few Canadiens worth rostering on a daily basis even if his upside is limited without the goals. Grade: A
RW Brendan Gallagher
Hampered by a poor shooting percentage, Gallagher has not developed into a consistent scorer. He's provided a decent floor, but after scoring twice on opening night, he hasn't gone back to the well often enough, including a six-game point-less streak in early November. He won't cost much, but the returns aren't inspiring. Grade: C
C Alex Galchenyuk
Before the knee injury, Galchenyuk had established himself as the Canadiens' most consistent fantasy option. He had only been held without a point in consecutive games once and had tallied five multi-point offerings. His ceiling wasn't reaching elite status, but he was as dependable as they come for cash-game options. Grade: A
LW Paul Byron
Byron established a career high with 11 goals in 2015-16 and has already matched it. His high shooting percentage (23.9) suggests a correction is going to come soon, but he's been the bargain play of the season. Exceeding expectations, any extra fantasy value is gravy. Grade: A-
C Tomas Plekanec
The Montreal mainstay is having his worst offensive season, leaving him on the cutting room floor in all fantasy formats. Plekanec's 4.8 shooting percentage is largely to blame as it's comically below his career numbers. He can't be trusted. Grade: F
D Shea Weber
The prize of the P.K. Subban acquisition paid immediate dividends when he first suited up for the Canadiens and, like many teammates, his offensive numbers cooled after a hot start. Weber adds a couple blocked shots per game, so he maintains value even when he's not scoring. Expected offensive regression has settled in with only one point in his last 12 games. Grade: B
D Andrei Markov
A cheaper alternative to Weber on most nights for the right reasons. He's less likely to score as he takes fewer shots, but he makes up for it with a smattering of assists and leads the team in helpers. Eventually, Markov is going to fall off due to age, but it hasn't happened yet. A limited ceiling prevents him from being a tournament option. Grade: B+
Player to Watch - LW Artturi Lehkonen
The rookie has played in 25 games and has seen some success. Five of his seven goals have come in 11 December games. His playing time jumped briefly, and settled back to under 14 minutes per game over his last five. Should injuries continue to pile up, Lehkonen has some serious upside, though he's only sporadically taking enough shots.