We’re officially one month into the NHL season and four weeks into the fantasy season. With four matchups in the rearview mirror, some trends—both concerning and positive—have begun to form in fantasy. Every season, there are players who managers have invested valuable draft capital into only to see their value in fantasy plummet early into the season.
This opens up the door for some tough decisions on how long to wait for a player to turn it around before it’s time to cut bait. Let’s take a look at some players in fantasy who have passed their expiration date and are no longer worth owning in most leagues.
Alexandar Georgiev, G – Colorado Avalanche
Alexandar Georgiev has never been one to post sparking numbers, but playing behind a stacked Colorado Avalanche roster meant he was still able to rack up wins and hold value in fantasy. This year, however, he’s struggling in both departments.
Through six games played, the 28-year-old has posted a dreadful .847 save percentage, along with a 1–5–0 record. Through his seven appearances, he’s posted a single game above .900. He’s also already lost his starting role, splitting games with Justus Annunen, who has featured in eight games already.
There’s still time for Georgiev to turn things around, but the fact of the matter is the Avalanche are a mess right now, with half of their forward group out with injury. At this point, his spot on your roster is better used on Annunen or streaming options on the waiver wire.
Andrei Kuzmenko, F – Calgary
Coming into the season, Andrei Kuzmenko was gaining some attention in fantasy circles after his 0.86 points per game finish to the season as a member of the Calgary Flames last year. The hope was he could return to his 74-point form from the 2022–23 season in Vancouver.
So far in 2024–25, though, he looks more like the Kuzmenko that posted 21 points in 43 games with the Vancouver Canucks last year. He’s currently sitting on just one goal and seven points in 14 games. He’s also posted just 19 shots this season, well below his two shots per game from last year in Calgary.
On top of Kuzmenko’s struggles, he’s also playing for one of the worst offensive teams in hockey in the Flames. Calgary currently ranks in the bottom 10 in the league in goals for per game and shots per game. If you’re in need of help at forward, there are plenty of more reliable players in better situations available on the waiver wire.
Connor Ingram, G – Utah Hockey Club
There were high hopes for Connor Ingram coming into the season playing for what should’ve been a dark-horse Utah Hockey Club. However, just a month into the season, Ingram has struggled in a big way, and the UTC has lost multiple key defencemen long-term, which hasn’t helped. Through 11 games played, Ingram has posted a .880 save percentage and 3.42 goals against average, along with a pedestrian 6–2–3 record.
In his 11 games, he’s allowed at least four goals on six different occasions. Even when he’s winning, he’s getting lit up. Unless you’re desperate for starts in net, Ingram is better served as a streaming target over a long-term option in net.
Luke Hughes, D – New Jersey Devils
An early season injury seems to have taken Luke Hughes‘ season completely off the rails. After finally getting back into the lineup on October 24, the sophomore has posted a grand total of one assist and no goals in seven games. He’s also registered just five shots and has gone without a shot in three straight contests. This is after putting up 135 shots on net last year.
If Hughes isn’t producing points, he doesn’t have much value in fantasy, registering just three hits and six blocks on the season. Also, after averaging over 21 minutes a night last season, Hughes is sitting at just over 18 this season while playing on the New Jersey Devils’ third pairing and second power play unit. He’s very much still shaking off the rust and, for now, may be worth dropping.
