Every week, theScore offers a fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This edition focuses on Week 5. Roster percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.
Trade Jonathan Huberdeau
Team: Panthers
Position: LW
Rostered: 99%
The basic stats don't look bad for Huberdeau, as he's tallied 15 points in 12 games this season. However, a deeper look into the numbers suggests he's lucky to have that many points. Trade Huberdeau immediately while his value is still high.
The Panthers winger has been one of the most productive fantasy players over the last couple of seasons, recording 170 points in 151 games. But during that span, he averaged 18:49 per game and 2.5 shots per contest. Those marks are down to 16:36 and 1.17 this season, respectively, and his unsustainable 28.6% shooting percentage is more than double the 14% it was the last two years.
Huberdeau is also no longer playing with Aleksander Barkov at five-on-five, and his production has suffered as a result. Over half his points this campaign have come on the power play, which is not sustainable moving forward, and getting his top-line role back also won't be easy with the way Carter Verhaeghe is performing.
Add Jeff Skinner
Team: Sabres
Position: LW
Rostered: 15%
Skinner has been a punchline in Buffalo this season with zero goals and just one assist in 10 games - and he makes $9 million per year.
However, the club has promoted the winger to the top line alongside Jack Eichel and Victor Olofsson. Skinner's career-best 40-goal season in 2018-19 came alongside Eichel, but he hasn't received the opportunity to play with him very often since.
The Sabres are scheduled to have four games this week, too, so even if Skinner doesn't set the world on fire, you're getting volume at the very least.
Add Joe Thornton
Team: Maple Leafs
Position: C/LW
Rostered: 10%
Thornton missed the last 10 games with a rib injury, but he'll return to the Maple Leafs' lineup on Monday against the Ottawa Senators. Thornton's also returning to his role alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on the team's top line.
The 41-year-old didn't make the most of his opportunity before the injury, registering just a goal and an assist in five games. His underlying numbers were strong, though, as he still leads the Leafs with a career-best 61.4% expected goals.
Thornton does not have long-term value, but the Leafs have four games this week, and three of them are against the lowly Senators.
Add Devan Dubnyk
Team: Sharks
Position: G
Rostered: 14%
If you're experiencing deja vu while reading this, don't be alarmed - I did recommend adding Dubnyk last week as well. But repeating the recommendation feels warranted because he didn't play any contests this past week due to a lower-body injury.
Dubnyk is still listed as day-to-day. If possible, wait until he's cleared before adding him. If he's healthy enough to play by Monday, he could get all three of the Sharks' matchups this week.
Martin Jones has further played himself out of the starter's role, now owning an .867 save percentage and a 3.96 goals-against average in nine games this season. Dubnyk, who's posted a .917 save percentage and a 2.71 goals-against average in six appearances, will get a chance to claim the No. 1 job when he's healthy.
Add Tanner Pearson
Team: Canucks
Position: LW
Rostered: 17%
Vancouver plays four times this week, and only one of its tilts - Monday vs. the Calgary Flames - comes on a busy game night. The Canucks have endured a miserable start to their season, but they appear to be coming around. Vancouver has outshot its opponents 140-95 and outchanced them 119-105 over the last four games - but the club has also been outscored 12-6.
The Canucks are due for some luck to fall their way this week, and Pearson - who ranks fourth on the team with 42 shots - is the best streaming option. The winger plays on the second line with Bo Horvat and Nils Hoglander and sees time on the second power-play unit. The rookie Hoglander (11%) is also worth adding if Pearson has already been scooped up.
(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)
Josh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on Twitter @JoshWegman_.
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