Sleeper Watch
Ryan Malone

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Those of you who have been around here a while, know that I might be the biggest Penguins homer one has ever seen. As a result of that, you may have heeded my advice and drafted Colby Armstrong in this year’s pool. Well, sorry about that. Nevertheless, I want to make another Penguin recommendation this week – Ryan Malone.

Malone is the constant target of criticism and the rumor of innumerable trade talks. However, since coming back from a broken wrist suffered during a fight, Malone has really picked up his game. Specifically, in the last two games the Penguins have scored fifteen goals. Four of them have been Malone’s, including a hat trick against the Islanders. You can also add three assists for seven total points. He is playing left wing with equally hot Mark Recchi and scorching hart trophy front runner Sidney Crosby. All in all, the veteran Recchi also has seven points in this span with Crosby tallying an unearthly nineteen points in his last seven games.

Malone, who is 27 and in his third season with the Penguins, has become synonymous with streaky and inconsistent play. Still, he tallied 20+ goals in each of his first two seasons with the then struggling team. Last season, he scored most of his twenty-two goals in the latter half of the season. He is a strong pickup in deeper leagues and a nice filler into your standard yahoo sixteen team roster. If you pick him up, keep him on a short leash though. If he begins to struggle, go ahead and drop him right away. Furthermore, Pens coach Michel Therrian is infamous for constant line-juggling. Obviously, Malone’s stock plummets if he is taken off of the top line. Still, if it’s any evidence about how I feel, I have picked this week’s sleeper up in both the Fantasy Hockey Classic and FHC Keeper II league.

Ryan Moorman
TheHammer24

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