This article is part of our The Man Advantage series.
December is here, and every team has played in at least 24 games, while some have played as many as 29. That's a pretty good sample size in terms of power-play production, but it's also enough time to see fluctuations in how players are used on the power play. Here are several players that could potentially help your fantasy team rack up some points with the man advantage…
Robby Fabbri, C, STL – Fabbri got a bit overlooked in last year's stellar rookie class, but in 72 games he notched 18 goals and 37 points, eight of which came on the power play. That was as a 19-year-old rookie, though. One would assume he'd take on a bigger role as a sophomore, and that seems to be the case. After averaging 1:58 per game on the power play last season, he's up to 2:51 this year, and he's got six points with the extra man. Three of those have come in his last 10 games, so there's no early season hot streak at work here. The Blues are ranked eighth on the power play, and Fabbri has been a significant part of that.
Radim Vrbata, RW, ARI – Vrbata is oft overlooked, and some may not remember that he scored 31 goals just two seasons ago. That year he had 23 power-play points, and the season prior he had 21. Last year he only had nine, but he only played 63 games. This season he has four, all
December is here, and every team has played in at least 24 games, while some have played as many as 29. That's a pretty good sample size in terms of power-play production, but it's also enough time to see fluctuations in how players are used on the power play. Here are several players that could potentially help your fantasy team rack up some points with the man advantage…
Robby Fabbri, C, STL – Fabbri got a bit overlooked in last year's stellar rookie class, but in 72 games he notched 18 goals and 37 points, eight of which came on the power play. That was as a 19-year-old rookie, though. One would assume he'd take on a bigger role as a sophomore, and that seems to be the case. After averaging 1:58 per game on the power play last season, he's up to 2:51 this year, and he's got six points with the extra man. Three of those have come in his last 10 games, so there's no early season hot streak at work here. The Blues are ranked eighth on the power play, and Fabbri has been a significant part of that.
Radim Vrbata, RW, ARI – Vrbata is oft overlooked, and some may not remember that he scored 31 goals just two seasons ago. That year he had 23 power-play points, and the season prior he had 21. Last year he only had nine, but he only played 63 games. This season he has four, all of which have come in the last month, and he's averaging 2:50 per game with the extra man. He's 35, but there's clearly still life left in his legs.
Martin Hanzal, C, ARI – Two Coyotes? Has the world gone mad? Perhaps, or maybe a couple of veterans are being relied upon on the power play because there isn't exactly a ton of talent around them. Hanzal missed some time this season, but in his 20 games he has four power-play points, and they've all come in his last 10 contests. Last year, the big pivot had 13 points with the extra man, but that was in 64 games. That's part of the issue, though, because Hanzal has had a real hard time staying healthy. For now, though, he's taking the ice, and can help you as long as that's happening.
Josh Bailey, RW, NYI – New York has the worst power play in the league, but that doesn't mean everybody has been a disaster. Bailey has four points with the man advantage, three of which have come in the last 10 games. On one hand, Bailey only put up double-digit power-play points in one of his last six seasons. On the other, Bailey's minutes are way up this season and he's averaging 2:58 a night with the extra man, which is more than a minute more than in his previous five campaigns. If that continues, this should end up being his best season on the power play.
Nick Leddy, D, NYI – Yes, it's another Islander, but Leddy has a proven track record. In his two seasons with the Islanders, he's had at least 12 power-play points, and he had 19 last year. He's averaging 3:15 per game with the extra man, which is in line with last season, when he had those aforementioned 19 points. Even if New York's power play doesn't get a ton better, Leddy should be fine, and he's got skills outside the power play to help your fantasy team too.
Dion Phaneuf, D, OTT - Phaneuf is no longer a major force on the blue line even though he's only 31. However, every season before last, Phaneuf had double-digit power-play points, and last year he had nine in 71 games. He has four power-play points this season, but three of them have come in his last five. It seems reasonable to think he may at least hit the double-digit mark once again.
