Fantasy Hockey Buy Low Candidates: Brayden Point, Sam Reinhart, Artemi Panarin and More

Hey folks. We're six weeks into the season, and there are several superstar players who are grossly underperforming expectations. While unfortunate if you are an owner, there is a silver lining to the players we are discussing today.

What is that silver lining? It's panicking fantasy league managers, and plummeting value. Patience is not only a virtue, it is worth its weight in gold as the season progresses. If you can target one of these buy-low targets for pennies on the dollar, it's expected that given enough time, these proven skaters will turn things around, which in turn will pay dividends on your low investment when it matters.

Let's take a look at six skaters who you should consider when looking for buy-low trade targets.

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Brayden Point - Tampa Bay Lightning

Among the worst starts of his career, since his rookie season in 2016-2017, Point is not having much luck with production. Also hurting his fantasy value is Point is a pure scorer, with not much to add for peripherals so when the goals and apples aren't on the scoresheet, he isn't adding much value to your team.

Point should be a 40+ goal and 90+ point lock (no pun intended). His struggling to get out of the gate is a Bolts' whole issue, not specific to just him. While still in a wild card spot, the once all powerful Bolts are slowly falling from grace in an absolute powerhouse Eastern Conference.

There is no doubt that Point will find his game again, and will explode where it counts, which is also likely to drive the offense of the rest of the slumping Bolts. Nikita Kucherov could have just as easily been on this list at a mere point per game. There is too much talent on this roster, and on this top powerplay unit, for it to have a long-term lack of production. 

Point has three goals, six assists, and three powerplay points in 15 games played as a forward. He also has 31 shots on goal, three hits, and seven blocked shots.

Sam Reinhart - Florida Panthers

Whoever said that the Cats would be fine without captain Aleksander Barkov or Matthew Tkachuk were fooling themselves. The most prolific goal scorer on the team has just nine points this season, while the team as a whole struggles to find their footing and sits outside a playoff position for the first time in years.

This perennial goal scorer has had a couple season defining years, not including his back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, but has proven he is a driving force behind the team's offensive prowess. He is likely to get it back soon, with at least Tkachuk scheduled to return next month, but take two of your best players out of your roster and it goes to show that on and off the ice, they aren't the same.

The physical play of both Barkov and Tkachuk makes the Panthers a less formidable team to play against, and add in the offense that is missing, Reinhart just can't do it on his own, despite the other pieces who are trying to hold the storm.

Reinhart has eight goals, one assist, and three powerplay points in 16 games played as a forward. He also has 48 shots on goal, 18 hits, and 12 blocked shots.

Artemi Panarin - New York Rangers

Act fast here. Superstition is real, and Panarin knows it. Knowing he was not producing at his normal rate, Panarin decided to shave his head because he “had to change something” (which he has done before), and absolutely went off the next game; tallying three points that night, and now five in his past three.

The Rangers have had a lot of ups and downs over the last couple seasons, but still seem to be in a struggling slump. All of their players are down, but given the caliber of the roster, it's only a matter of time before they figure it out and begin firing on a President's Trophy pace once again.

As with most on this list, Panarin has elite deployment, playing top six minutes and a solidified spot on the top powerplay unit. His come back to earth moment has already started, so again act fast here.

Panarin has five goals, seven assists, and three powerplay points in 17 games played as forward. He also has 52 shots on goal, two hits, and two blocked shots.

Jackson LaCombe - Anaheim Ducks

It seems everyone in Anaheim is firing on all cylinders except LaCombe, who should be among their best players this season. The entire Ducks roster is having a career year, minus a couple holes on the blueline including both LaCombe and captain Radko Gudas, who is on IR.

Despite his slow start, LaCombe is logging monster minutes on the top defensive pairing, the top powerplay unit, AND the top penalty kill unit. His peripherals are also solid on the year, so once the points start coming he will be golden.

Having good peripherals and the projections he has earned give him a high floor and higher ceiling. If the Ducks keep winning, and LaCombe starts getting breaks to go his way, he should become one of the best prospect defensemen in the league, especially for dynasty or keepers.

LaCombe has zero goals, six assists, and four powerplay points in 16 games played as a defenseman. He also has 35 shots on goal, 16 hits, and 31 blocked shots.

Rasmus Dahlin - Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres are awful, again, and so is Dahlin's family situation. It goes without saying that this usual elite performer can produce regardless of the team or lack of help around him; however, he has been quite distracted since training camp. 

Dahlin is on IR and has taken a leave from the organization for personal reasons and is in Sweden with his fiancee as she recovers from surgery. He is still skating in Sweden to keep conditioning up, and should return soon, with an anticiated return date as early as next week.

I believe taking a time out from hockey to tend to his personal matters and clear his head, while also ensuring everything with his partner is on the right track will be just what he needs to get his own game on track.

Dahlin has one goal, eight assists, and five powerplay points in 14 games played as a defenseman. He also has 38 shots on goal, 12 hits, and 17 blocked shots.