Toronto Maple Leafs: Fantasy Hockey Tips and Advice for 2021-22

It feels like only yesterday we were watching the Toronto Maple Leafs fall to the Montreal Canadiens in the part 4 of the Leafs annual ‘Disappointing Dream-dashing Playoffs Palooza’ (DDPP, trademarked) but in reality we are barely a month away from the start of the 2021-2022 NHL season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Canadiens October 13 to begin their season and have a few things on their mind: Avenge their early playoff exit, find a suitable Zach Hyman replacement on the top-six and see if Auston Matthews can have a historic year.

But before that, many hockey fans will be sending e-transfers and trade proposals as fantasy hockey gears up for the upcoming year.

Unlike football fantasy and its multiple formats (head-to-head, survivor, pick-em/spread) most fantasy hockey leagues take a regular fantasy, team vs. team approach. And while fantasy for the NHL may be a bit more straight forward than for the NFL, which features many situational, matchup-predicated tactics involved in setting up your lineup, there are still some things to take into consideration in your upcoming hockey fantasy draft that some managers might overlook.

Here are a few quick tips and, considering the fantasy season ends during the regular season thus playoff performance is irrelevant, a look at some viable, later-round fantasy options on the Toronto Maple Leafs:

Pay Attention to Your League Settings

Depending on your league and what settings and scoring your commissioner has decided to enforce, certain players that are expert, consensus first-round picks might have less value. Some leagues have scoring for goals, assists AND points, which would offer more value for point-getters rather than pure goal-scorers.

Additionally, some leagues elect to track hits or penalty minutes which, in case of the former stat, would provide a big boost for a player like Alex Ovechkin, who already provides ample scoring and  power-play points. Someone like Brady Tkachuk would also thrive in a league that rewards hits and penalty-minutes and, as a young, talented player who can score and put up a few points, he would be a great asset in a keeper-league because he will be a juggernaut when that Sens team gets better and his plus-minus improves.

Finally, look at other settings such as moves allowed per week, goaltender starts, and goaltender losses. Leagues with limited moves allowed could be particularly tough if your goaltender misses a start or is being rested and moves only come into effect the following day.

Planning ahead of time is key in these leagues and not managing to adhere to the minimum G appearances can be very costly. Goalie losses add an interesting wrinkle and prevents someone from benefiting from having a goalie put up strong save % numbers on a weak team. Jack Campbell and his 17-3 record last year with a 2.15 GAA, .921 sv% and 2 SO in 22 games would have thrived in this league last year.

If you’re drafting on yahoo they have the expert rankings, the average draft pick of each player and the rankings based on your league settings. Make sure to put more emphasis on your league setting rankings and not get swayed by expert rankings and random mock drafts.

Draft With Your Head, Not Your Heart

You’ve been hearing about Nicholas Robertson for a few years now and love his skill, ceiling and tenacity. There’s a void on the LW and Robertson is in a prime position to sweep in and take that spot and provide some excitement, not to mention offer a nice reduction in payroll in relation to those ‘overpaid stiffs’ occupying the other top-six spots. You think he’s going to hit 30 goals this year and with your first or second pick you proudly select his name and click “draft player” on your computer screen. 

Please don’t do that. The ‘heart’ picks can all wait until the end of the draft. Or sometimes even on waivers afterwards. Fantasy is where loyalty and emotion have to completely go out the window. You don’t need to have Toronto Maple Leafs players on your team nor do you need to have your favorite or most likeable players.

Likewise for those that the heart does not take kindly to. If Brad Marchand is available in the second round you have to suck it up and take him, regardless of how much you can’t stand him, his punchable face, his antics, his team, the Boston Red Sox, Ben Affleck, Batman vs. Superman, Superman’s (Henry Cavill) digitally-removed moustache or Auston Matthews’ thin, creepy moustache (Whew, I eventually got there).

Stick to the stats and do not be swayed by team affiliation or personality traits. Keep your sleeper, young hot-shot picks for the mid-later rounds, depending on their hype and/or draft pedigree.

RASMUS SANDIN (D)

Sandin should be a lock to make the top-six this year after the departure of Zach Bogosian and with nothing but depth-signings on the back end this offseason. While he most likely plays with Travis Dermott on the 3rd-pairing, there is a chance that Sandin sees significant time on the power-play, an area that badly plagued the Leafs during the last few months last season.

Morgan Rielly is penciled in as the PP QB for now but he struggled in that position last year and Sandin could be primed to take over (he manned that spot at times during the playoffs against Montreal, too). There could be some fantasy value for points, PPP, +/- , as well as a decent amount of blocks and hits. A good late-round pick, if there aren’t too many Leaf fan-boys in your draft.

NICK RITCHIE (LW)

With Zack Hyman leaving and no real threat on LW, Ritchie will be given every opportunity to fill in for Hyman on one of the top-two lines.

That means there is a strong chance that Ritchie, with elite line-mates and ample ice-time, will rack up a fair amount of goals and points. He scored a career-high 15 goals in 56 games last year in 15:22 minutes of ice-time for Boston (all stats from hockey-reference.com) and his role in Toronto might be bigger, particularly if he is used like Hyman was. There may be a chance for plenty of power-play minutes as a bruising, net-crashing presence as well. 20 goals, 50 points, 150 hits with positive +/- and double-digits PPP is attainable.

MICHAEL BUNTING  (LW)

I’m not as high on him as Ritchie but as I said earlier, there is a big hole on LW and the Toronto Maple Leafs will probably give Bunting some time with the top-six to see if he’s a fit. Also, injuries could propel him into the role too.

He certainly isn’t going to maintain his 26.3 shooting percentage that saw him score 10 goals in 21 games last year but there is some offense in his game and a willingness to throw his body around, despite his average size (28 hits in 21 games last year). A good guy to take at the end of the draft, maybe. Low-risk with a high-upside and if he’s used all over the ice he may get a RW designation as well.

JACK CAMPBELL (G)

Campbell won’t be a late pick but he may fall a bit what with the Toronto Maple Leafs signing Petr Mrazek to a multi-year deal and giving him more than double Campbell’s cap hit. Mrazek will get a few starts but I think he’s mostly a back-up plan in case of injury and/or if Campbell falters. Injuries are a possibility but Campbell looked like the real deal last year.

His winning percentage was higher than the probable #1 goalie fantasy pick, Vasilevskiy, and he’s playing with a more capable back-up this year. The defense remains mostly intact and the Leafs have something to prove (again). Granted the divisions go back to normal and the competition gets tougher so I wouldn’t expect the same level of performance.

This really depends on where you take him and who’s available. He’s a great pick-up in a league that allows three goalies to be held and will get you wins with above average GAA and sv% with a few shutouts and should get the majority of the starts over Mrazek.