Frozen Fantasy: Top-Six Talent for Free

Did you notice a lot of great forwards got passed over in your fantasy drafts this year?

Bizarre, I know. But it's a sign of the times.

Every season brings a new twist to fantasy hockey. And to draft strategies.

I had a half-dozen drafts squished into the course of just a few days. Right before the puck dropped Wednesday. It was nuts, but insanely fun. I even did one using the amazing Yahoo! draft app while sitting in my car in a dark arena parking lot.

How cool is that?!

It didn't take long to notice the number of top-six forwards that went undrafted in every draft. Even ones that hop the boards on their team's top power-play unit.

The NHL skews toward youth. And it's clear that fantasy owners are erring that way, too. That just means there are plenty of boring, but solid fantasy performers left on the wire.

Recalibrate your lineup. Take advantage of the silence that follows most drafts.

Here are just a few of the undrafted top-six guys that caught my eye this week. Every single one of them gets power-play time, too.

Their ownership will definitely go up over the next few weeks. But they might just be available in your league right now. Wire pickings are a whole lot better right now than they'll be the rest of the season.

Go get some top-six talent for free.

Josh Bailey, RW, New York Islanders (30 percent Yahoo! owned) – Sure, Bailey is a buyer-beware now that John Tavares is off the island. But he's still a first-line right winger coming off a 71-point season. And the creative playmaker is on the Isles' top power-play unit. Bailey has big value even if he slides back to the 55-point range. Add him now or he'll be gone.

Anthony Beauvillier, LW/C, New York Islanders (20 percent Yahoo! owned) – Beauvillier is the finisher on the Isles' first line. He'll take passes from Josh Bailey and stud playmaker Mathew Barzal. And he'll see time on the second power-play unit. Beauvillier is a surprisingly good defensive player for a 21-year-old. He and Barzal could be a powerful duo for years to come.

Kevin Hayes, C, New York Rangers (10 percent Yahoo! owned) – Hayes finished tied for second in goals on the Rangers last season with 25. And most nights, he was arguably the best Blueshirt on the ice. I'd like to see him use his big body a bit more, but I'll take a second-line, second PP-unit guy on my squad any time. Especially one so cheap.

Bo Horvat, C, Vancouver (39 percent Yahoo! owned) – Horvat is the Orcas' top-line pivot. That's a gig that uber-prospect Elias Pettersson will take over in a few short years. Until then, this former London Knight should deliver 20 goals and 60 points and toil on the team's first power play. His ownership is set to rise when people realize Vancouver is the next hot young thing.

David Krejci, C, Boston (18 percent Yahoo! owned) – A healthy Krejci has the ability to ring up an 18-goal, 55-60 point season. That is, if he stays healthy. Bottom line? He might be 32, but there will always be value in a smart second-line pivot on the Bruins. He gets second-unit power-play time, too.

Kevin Labanc, LW/RW, San Jose (15 percent Yahoo! owned) – Can Labanc hit the 55-point mark? He's the second-line right winger on a powerhouse team that's favored to emerge from the West. Labanc will be fed pucks by Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns. Bam! Add on second-unit power-play time and I'm buying. I'm already counting on him in two different leagues.

Craig Smith, RW, Nashville (25 percent Yahoo! owned) – Smith has scored at least 20 goals in four of his last five seasons. And he has topped 50 points twice during the same span. Nashville's Cup window has closed, but they'll still make the postseason. And Smith will once again deliver fantasy value thanks to his role on the first power-play unit. He could be a cheap fit for a deep league.

Paul Stastny, C, Vegas (34 percent Yahoo! owned) – Stastny joined the Golden Knights this summer after his best season in a long time. He is a strong, two-way pivot who can keep up with skilled wingers. And his wingers are skilled. Stastny will set up Max Pacioretty and Erik Haula on the second line and second power-play unit. He needs to be owned more.

Tomas Tatar, LW/RW, Montreal (13 percent Yahoo! owned) – Tatar struggled last season, but he still delivered his fourth-consecutive 20-goal season. Now in Montreal, Tatar is slotted onto the first line and first power-play unit. Fifty-point, multi-category wingers are valuable in most formats. Just beware his plus-minus. He is on the Habs after all.

Jakub Vrana, LW/RW, Washington (14 percent Yahoo! owned) – Vrana had an up-and-down season last year, but he showed his mettle in the postseason alongside T.J. Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom. He's back with them for 2018-19 and his speed will be a difference maker there and on the second power-play unit. Vrana could be a 45-50 point winger, as long as his well-publicized post-Cup partying is behind him.

Justin Williams, RW, Carolina (14 percent Yahoo! owned) – Williams has averaged more than 50 points for the last three seasons. He's smart and settled on the Canes' first line. And their top power-play unit. Williams isn't sexy, but he sure is stable. I'd take him over a high-risk rookie anytime.

Back to recalibration.

Now is the time to fix those autodraft rosters and all of those oops picks. You know, the ones picked off your queue while you were frantically trying to get someone else.

It happens to the best of us.

A lot of owners will give themselves a few games to see where their guys sit. Or maybe even a week. But a few will be busily turning over chunks of their rosters, just so they can take advantage of the best of the wire.

It's already happening in the Yahoo! Friends and Family League. Smart owners have already scooped Max Domi, Thomas Greiss, Keith Kinkaid and Noah Hanifin up.

I missed them all. Don't be me. Take the talent and run.

Until next week.