Fantasy Hockey Drop Candidates: It's Time to Let Go of Ovechkin, Hedman, and Others

Hey folks. Sometimes the hardest part of fantasy hockey is knowing when to let go. We all have players we want to believe in, whether it's a legendary veteran, a former top prospect or someone who has consistently shown flashes of fantasy potential. But at some point, you have to stop looking at the name on your roster and start looking at what that player is actually contributing.

This week, I'm looking at four players who I think managers should seriously consider dropping. From a legendary goal scorer playing out his final NHL season to a former franchise defenseman who has lost his role, there are some tough decisions to make. We'll also look at a highly-touted young forward who continues to disappoint and a winger who seems to have made a habit of disappearing in the first half of the season.

If you're still holding onto these players waiting for things to turn around, it might be time to move on. 

As always, let's dive in and look at these players you are holding out to produce that probably just won't.

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Alex Ovechkin - Washington Capitals

I think Ovi has become a nostalgia draft at this point. We all know what the Great 8 has accomplished throughout his career, but unfortunately, he simply isn't keeping up with the pace of the NHL anymore. With Ovechkin officially announcing that this will be his final NHL season, it appears the urgency to push for ice time has disappeared. The Capitals aren't exactly pushing to get him out there either.

Ovi used to double shift on the powerplay and was a fixture in the top six, but those days are gone. He's now playing on the third line, averaging just over 13 minutes of ice time per game, and has managed only one goal and four points this season. That's simply not enough production to justify keeping him on your fantasy roster, especially when there are younger players with much more upside available on the waiver wire.

Fantasy outlook: Sadly, it's time to let go of the greatest goal scorer of all time. I know it's difficult to drop a future Hall of Famer, especially one who has given us so many great fantasy seasons, but he's hurting your fantasy team at this point. Don't let nostalgia get in the way of making the right roster decisions. Sorry Ovi.

Quinton Byfield - Los Angeles Kings

Byfield is another player who seems to get hyped up every season, only to leave fantasy managers disappointed. At some point, we have to accept that a player might have reached their potential and simply doesn't have anything left in the tank to give offensively. Byfield was supposed to develop into a dominant offensive force, but we're still waiting for that breakout to happen.

Even with a spot on the top powerplay unit and sharing the ice with Artemi Panarin, Byfield has managed just four points this season. The opportunities are there, the expectations have been there for years, but the production continues to fall short. I'm not saying he isn't a useful NHL player, because he certainly is, but being a good hockey player and being a valuable fantasy asset are two very different things.

Fantasy outlook: Enough is enough here. I'm comfortable moving on from Byfield in standard fantasy leagues and using that roster spot on someone who is actually producing. He might still have another level to reach, but managers shouldn't be expected to wait around forever for it to happen. He's simply not the top-line offensive monster we were promised, and that's OK.

Gabriel Vilardi - Winnipeg Jets

Vilardi is a frustrating one because the opportunity is certainly there. He's playing alongside Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele on the top line in Winnipeg, and yet the production just isn't coming. Vilardi has every opportunity to produce and just... doesn't. 

It's becoming a familiar story for fantasy managers who have watched him struggle through another slow start to the season. I will give Vilardi a little more leeway than some of the other players on this list, as he has somehow, and without fail, managed to come alive in the second half of the season. 

He's developed a reputation for being a slow starter, and this year appears to be no different. However, that doesn't mean managers need to keep holding onto him while waiting for the calendar to turn. There are plenty of players who can give you more production right now.

Fantasy outlook: I'm comfortable dropping Vilardi in standard leagues until after the Christmas break. If you have the roster space in a deeper league, or can afford to stash him, there is certainly some appeal in holding out for his usual second-half resurgence. But for everyone else, I'd rather take my chances on someone producing now than continue waiting for Vilardi to wake up.

Victor Hedman - Tampa Bay Lightning

Hedman is another player whose name is carrying more fantasy value than his actual production. At this point, he's a shell of his former self and has become someone managers are rostering based on brand recognition rather than what he's actually bringing to their teams. He's been in and out of the lineup, has even served as a seventh defenseman for the Lightning, and his role has diminished considerably.

Perhaps the biggest concern is that Hedman has been removed from all powerplay duties, leaving him with very little opportunity to contribute offensively. He's still getting some penalty kill work, but his ice time has dropped to around 14 minutes per game. That's a far cry from the 20+ minutes we were accustomed to seeing from him just a few years ago. When you lose that much ice time and your powerplay role disappears, it's difficult to justify keeping you on a fantasy roster.

Fantasy outlook: It's time to move on from Hedman. There is no reason to keep holding onto a defenseman simply because of what he used to be capable of. There are plenty of younger defensemen available who can offer more offensive upside and a much better opportunity to contribute. Don't let the name fool you. Hedman is no longer the fantasy asset he once was, and it's time to find someone else.