Roto Exclusive : Guest Contributions and Featured Articles

y Tyler Kerdman
Following a disappointing end to the 2011-12 NHL season, the expectations for the Toronto Maple Leafs
in the standings aren’t all too high. However, a lack of wins does not consequently make players on the
Buds statistically worthless. In fact, many players on the Leafs are intriguing options for any fantasy
hockey team in 2012/13. Let’s look at the which Toronto Maple Leafs you should look towards heading
into the new season. One is fairly obvious, one is a risk, and the two others are perfect candidates to
acquire before they bounce back to form:
Count on Kessel
Despite receiving an unhealthy amount of criticism last season for no apparent reason, Phil Kessel is
without a doubt Toronto’s top player and fantasy contributor. Kessel has scored 30 goals in each of his 3
years in the blue and white, and broke the elusive 80-point mark late last season. For the upcoming
season, Kessel should score goals at just under a 0.5 ppg mark, and should record points at an average
of about 1 every game.
However, Kessel is not a dynamite player in all fantasy situations. Aside from his awful +/- (due to
playing in Toronto), Kessel never hits and barely takes penalties. He also can go on cold streaks with few
goals in few games, which can be very infuriating to fantasy owners in head-to-head leagues. Aside from
that, Kessel is a reliable fantasy option who can help even the smallest of teams in the smallest of
leagues.
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