Frozen Fantasy: Plot Twists

It's been a bizarre two weeks (apologies for the missing last week). Seven days ago, I thought the crazy was because of the full moon. But it's just kept going on.

The plot twists are incredible.

Buckle up, Calgary – Darryl Sutter is back in town. The switch from friendly Geoff Ward to that no-nonsense frown will definitely light a spark. It'll be fun to watch the boom (look, I'm not talking to you directly, Johnny Gaudreau – I'm just buying the iso feed to watch for cracks in your poker face).

The Habs fired Carey Price's goalie coach in the middle of game last week. The same goalie coach that helped Price rise to stardom and earn a Hart-Vezina-Lindsay trifecta in 2015. The same coach that turned Jake Allen's game around this year.

Before that, Price got Claude Julien fired.

Maybe it should have been the other way around. Price isn't old by goaltending standards, but this is the third queasy season in the last four.

I just hope he's not the next Braden Holtby, the man exposed in a new setting after three-to-four years of declining numbers.

Coaching can't halt a decline. Only mask it.

The turmoil in the North is truly fun to watch. And it's clear there's not much margin for error for teams in a shortened NHL season.

From a fantasy view, it's all good news. Talented, yet inconsistent Flames suddenly getting into a groove? On board with that. Carey Price's game improving? Perfect! The Habs gaining confidence because their blue paint settles down? Bring it on.

If it was only that simple for fantasy managers. We can't fire ourselves, even though there are days it crosses our minds.

I'm going to go get some popcorn and enjoy where this show goes. Good movies are filled with plot twists and never foreshadow the climax. And there's always danger, suspense and a whole lot of action.

I need a little entertainment. You?

Let's take a look at who caught my eye this week.

Pavel Buchnevich, RW, NY Rangers (26 percent Yahoo!) – Buchnevich is a classic afterthought in fantasy. He was hyped when he first entered the league and hasn't been able to take that big step forward. Now 25, Buchnevich was passed by in many drafts, especially with people scooping up shiny, unproven kids – he just hadn't shown himself to be a reliable top-six forward. But look at him now. Buch is on the top trio and heading into Saturday's game with four points in his last two games and nine in his last eight. The giant leap forward is happening now, so its arc will be shorter just because of his age. But Buchnevich needs to be rostered now. Or at least until Artemi Panarin returns and takes all the opportunities away.

Mattias Ekholm D, Nashville (33 percent Yahoo!) – Ekholm returned from injury with a bang – in four games heading into Saturday, he's put up four goals and six points on 18 shots. Ryan Ellis is gone four-to-six, so Ekholm will get plenty of ice. He won't score like this for the rest of the season, but he is going to pound some pucks. I've already dropped Ellis for him and since then, he's been grabbed in a lot more leagues. Get in before it's too late.

Timo Meier, LW/RW, San Jose (68 percent Yahoo!) – Meier looks every part a young stud when he moves his feet and uses his body to protect the puck. When he doesn't, he seems overpaid. In the four games heading into Saturday, Meier put up seven points, including two, three-point games. I'm not keen on the Sharks, especially with their atrocious minus-18 goal differential. But good players are good players. He may have been jettisoned because of his slow start. Check.

Martin Necas, RW, Carolina (32 percent Yahoo!) – Andrei Svechnikov (99 percent Yahoo!) and Sebastian Aho (99 percent Yahoo!) get more attention in Raleigh, but it's Necas who deserves the praise right now. Well, at least over the last couple weeks. He has 10 points, including seven helpers, in his last nine games and a three-game, six-point streak (two goals, four assists) heading into Sunday. Svechnikov blossomed into a star after a strong rookie year. Necas may be on his way to doing the same.

Rickard Rakell, LW/RW, Anaheim (23 percent Yahoo!) – Rakell's queasy production this season mirrors that of his team. The Ducks are struggling. And while the quacks really haven't woken up in the last week, Rakell has and he's back to being roster worthy. He's on a four-game point streak heading into Saturday night that includes six points, and he's fired 14 shots and laid eight hits in that same span. Rakell's 69-point career high is truly the exception, not the rule. But hot is hot, and hot can help.

Zach Sanford, LW, St. Louis (11 percent Yahoo!) – Sanford played like a man possessed this week. He rolled into the Kings' game Friday on a three-game goal-scoring streak (four goals, six points) with 12 shots and eight hits. The streak was stopped, but his confidence wasn't. Sanford's breakout last season appears to be real and he's cemented his role on the Blues' top line. His confidence is sky-high and he's a menace around the net. Don't let the opportunity pass to get him on your roster.

Juuse Saros, G, Nashville (40 percent Yahoo!) – Snag him if you have an open IR spot and some roster flexibility. Saros is only out until Mar. 9 and his game was taking off right before the injury. There are no guarantees, but he will help if he picks up right where he left off. And everyone that dropped Saros will be cursing their move.

Back to plot twists.

The previous week started with the Artemi Panarin news. The allegations, if true, are disgusting. The Putin rumors, if true, are bone chilling.

The world we're in right now has gotten very strange. There is so much fear and too much finger pointing.

I thank the hockey gods every day I have the game to distract me and to drive home some perspective.

This is entertainment. And it's bloody fun, especially north of the 49th. There's drama, intrigue and action.

It's almost as good as Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron and a bunch of mini Coopers. Sure the original might have been better, but it still grabs me every time it's on.

Just like our beloved game.

Until next week.