PHF Fantasy Trends: Week 13
Find out who did well in fantasy last weekend, and who you should consider adding for this weekend.
By J Gray
With only three games played last week in the PHF, GMs with Canadian players were in the best position to win. This weekend, there will be a lot more points to go around.
Last week’s stars
Montréal players came out on top last week, as their rescheduled game versus Minnesota counted alongside their two-game series with Toronto.
With three games started, Force netminder Tricia Deguire was the top scorer for the week. Allowing only 5 goals on 94 shots for an overall save percentage of .940, 1 penalty shot save, and 1 shutout, the McGill University alumna earned her fantasy managers 28.68 points.
Not too far behind, Toronto goaltender Elaine Chuli was worth 20.48 points in her two starts. She had 1 win, only 3 goals allowed on 57 shots for an overall save percentage of .949.
Toronto’s captain Shiann Darkangelo had herself a fantastic weekend as well. She had 1 goal, 8 SOG, and she went 34-18 in the faceoff circle on the weekend, with a win percentage over .600 in both games. That adds up to 13 points for her fantasy GMs.
La Force’s Alexandra Labelle also stood out. The former Carabin had 1 goal, 1 assist, and 4 SOG for 12.5 fantasy points.
On defense, Christine Deaudelin took the top spot. Returned and apparently recovered from her scary injury during Montréal’s game against Boston, the team’s top-scoring defender added 2 assists and 8 SOG to her season total, and 7.5 points for her fantasy teams.
Toronto’s Kati Tabin scored 4.5 fantasy points in two games, which tied her with Minnesota’s Amanda Boulier who performed the same feat in only one game. Tabin’s points came from 9 SOG, while Boulier tallied 2 assists.
Sleeper picks
Another reminder that faceoff success is nearly as valuable as scoring in the She Plays Fantasy app, a good player to have on your roster this week was Montréal forward Catherine Dubois. Dubois had an even or winning faceoff percentage in each of her three games and was worth 5.75 points last week. She plays on Montréal’s second or third line, and at wing as often as center, and has only 4 assists in 18 games, but that doesn’t mean she can’t be a valuable addition on a fantasy team.
Along similar lines, Minnesota forward Ashleigh Brykaliuk brought in 5.5 points for her fantasy managers. Usually playing in the middle six, Brykaliuk centered Sydney Brodt and Denisa Křížová against Montréal. During Monday’s game, she scored her first goal of the season and went 8-6 at the dot.
Waiver wire
There are six games in the PHF this weekend, with every team except for the Metropolitan Riveters in action. This is your notice to move your Rivs to the bench! But who should you make sure to have on your roster, or pick up from the free agent pool?
The Minnesota Whitecaps will be hosting the Buffalo Beauts this weekend, with the puck dropping at 7pm ET on Saturday. Minnesota’s workhorse goalie Amanda Leveille has become injured during the home stretch for the second year in a row, leading the Caps to once again sign a third goalie in a hurry. Backup Jenna Brenneman will almost certainly have both starts for Minnesota, while the newly signed Chantal Burke will likely only come out in case of emergency.
For Buffalo, I expect we’ll see Lovisa Berndtsson in net on Saturday, but beyond that, it’s a little hard to predict what the Beauts coaching staff will do next. Any one of their three netminders could be between the pipes on Sunday.
Also kicking off at 7pm ET on Saturday, the Connecticut Whale will be hosting the Toronto Six. I expect this will be the weekend’s hardest-fought matchup, with both teams jockeying for standings spots. That means both teams will want to play their best goaltender. For Toronto, Elaine Chuli clearly has the coaches’ confidence, and I expect we’ll see her in net both days. Meanwhile, Connecticut has shown a willingness to start either or both of their goalies against tough competition. My guess is that Abbie Ives will take the first game, but Meeri Räisänen could certainly draw in as well.
Starting an hour later than previously advertised due to local broadcasting needs, the Boston Pride will be visited by La Force de Montréal, with the new puck-drop time of 8pm ET. The Force are not out of playoff contention yet, but they’ll seek to scrape points off the stingiest team in the league to hold on. Undoubtedly we’ll see Corinne Schroeder in net for Boston, but both of Montréal’s goaltenders have shown success of late. Either Tricia Deguire or Marie-Soleil Deschênes could have the dubious pleasure of facing the Pride’s firepower.
The best bet for skater adds this week may be from Minnesota. Although the Beauts have shown a lot of spirit this season, that energy has not translated into scoring or defending. I would definitely keep an eye out for rookie Brittyn Fleming, who scored her second and third goals of the season last weekend against Montréal and had 8 SOG on the weekend. Ashleigh Brykaliuk may look to repeat last week’s success, particularly if she remains on the same line. On defense, Amanda Boulier has been a good scorer in previous years, and while her production has suffered this season, her two assists last week may be a sign of things to come.
The Toronto Six have what I would call the deepest team in the league right now, scoring-wise, with nine players in double digits for points. Combine that with the fact that they’ve shuffled their lines the last several weekends to compensate for Brittany Howard’s injury and the addition of Daryl Watts, and it’s very hard to predict which of their weapons will do damage on a given day. Depending on the size of your league, some of the Six’s valuable forwards may still be available. Michaela Cava, Leah Lum, and Breann Wilson-Bennet are the players I’d keep an eye out for.
On the Connecticut Whale, I would target Justine Reyes. After a slow start to the season, the Californian forward went on a six-game scoring streak. Although that streak has ended, she’s still getting a good amount of SOG. Reyes’ linemate, veteran Melissa Samoskevich, is also worth consideration if she’s available in your league.
The Boston Pride are in a unique situation. While only six of their skaters have scored in the double digits, three of those players have 20 points or more. For fantasy managers, it’s unlikely that those top three players are still available on the free agent market, so keep an eye out for players like defender Olivia Zafuto, who had 5 points in her last 7 games, or forward Christina Putigna, with 6 points in her last 8 games.
On the Force, Alexandra Labelle has the hot stick right now. With a three-game point streak and four in her last five, she also has a .536 win percentage on faceoffs this season. Though her wingers have been shuffled every week, Labelle is a lock at the center spot on the second line and should be a fairly reliable depth piece.
Vibe of the Week
Pardon the repeat, but what can I say, she’s got the vibes.
She Plays has announced that Carly Jackson, goaltender for the Toronto Six, will be one of our athlete ambassadors! Alongside Helen Eifert, who plays for the Arizona Sidewinders of the Western Ultimate League, CJ will continue to push toward equity in women’s sports and allow She Plays fans insight into the life of a pro hockey player. Check out her podcast, More Than 5%, to hear more from them, and our She Plays Squad to learn more about the new role!
