Fantasy Hockey 101: These Three Turkeys

We are back!!!!

After a week’s absence, the turkeys are back and ready to name three NHL players as Turkeys Of The Week. What happened was that the turkeys were too busy worrying about being cooked to really heave ample havoc on hockey players last week. They were also in mourning over the many that had fallen just because some humans wanted turkey for Thanksgiving.

This week we found three players that truly gobbled it up in the last week or two. Here is a quick story on each before the turkeys fly again!!!!

These Three Turkeys

Ray Whitney (LW) – Carolina Hurricanes

The guy has been normally so consistent that this may have been one of the toughest calls in TOTW history but it had to be done. He has been awful over the last couple weeks with just 1 assist and a -7. The Canes are still losing games all over the place that they should win and really it appears no hope is in sight. What is worse is that honestly the schedule does not get easier and really Whitney might FINALLY be showing signs of his age. For a guy who has had a pretty steady career…it is a shame to see him on here.

Nicklas Lidstrom (D) – Detroit Red Wings

8 points in 26 games this season! Yes that is not a misprint. Lidstrom will be 40 next year and maybe “Father Time” is creeping up on him too. He has just one point in his last 7 games and is a -6 in that span. The shots on goal are only down slightly this year but the accuracy and speed of those shots is quite a bit lower which other teams have noticed. Some will say that the talent level has dropped in Detroit which is also true. However, Lidstrom is making mistakes that Lidstrom does not normally make. I guess heading down to 40 is really an elevator that has no upside these days.

Alexander Ovechkin (LW) – Washington Capitals

Now this is a special award this week for a player who has about as much brains as a thimble on and off the ice at times. Having 2 high profile knee on knee incidents just this season alone is enough to almost land you on here. Then to come out and say well they haven’t seen me play angry yet while your coach thinks you play reckless among other strange things gets you on this list for this week without a doubt! Sure Ovechkin has 30 points this season and 18 goals but how long will it be before he either gets suspended long term or tears ligaments in his knees? Ah the burning question. In the meantime, he got suspended two games for his knee on knee to Tim Gleason. Maybe someday he will figure it out but right now Captain Caveman lives in Washington, D.C.

Next week we shall have three more turkeys for your amusement. No NHL player is safe from scrutiny and I mean NONE! Gobble! Gobble!!!!

About Chris Wassel