"Sin binners" who can lead you to the promised land

If you are link most fantasy GMs at this time of year you are having injury problems. However, if you have navigated the season so far and are still in contention congratulations are in order. If your players are now returning from injury you are in a good spot to make a run at your league title. However, if you are just now losing players and watching your lead dwindle day by day help is here. I have compiled a list of players how should be available in your league who can ease your pain, mostly by inflicted in on others. If your league scores PIMs, hits or rewards any kind of general thuggery or sinning I have some stats you will be interested in.

Misbehaving isn't such a bad thing in many pools. You probably think most of the valuable goons are already playing for your competition. However, I have a list of 25 guys who's combination of grit and goals could nab you some important points down the stretch. Many are available in standard leagues.

To decide who made the list I blindly gave two fantasy points per NHL point, awarded .25 of a point for PIM and divided it by games played. This gives you an idea of what you will be getting down the stretch in both daily, weekly and cumulative leagues. Here is what the numbers say.

(a better image of these bad guys is available here) 

Right off the bat you will see some guys who should not be available in your pool. Clarkson, Simmonds, and Downie, Steward just to name a few. If those guys are available in your pool, and your league is made up of more than six teams. Stop reading and go get them.

Assuming they are not, lets take a look at some of the other guys. Steve Ott has a nice balance of points, PIMs and top line minutes. He is netting about 1.6 fantasy points per game in the most basic of pools and this could increase as the season closes. 

Nick Foligno has had a great year with 31 points and is closing in on 100 PIMs. He could see his role increase at any time due to injury and his flexibility to play both centre and winger. Interestingly he is joined by fellow Sens Chris Neil, Zack Smith and Zenon Konopka. Neil is currently on both PP units, but with the current struggle in that department it isn't the boost one would expect.

Derek Dorsett is an interesting option. He is playing on Columbus' second line and has 130 PIMs to go with 14 points. I expect to see those points rise once the Blue Jackets get healthy and adapt to their role as playoff spoiler.

Derek Dorsett could be making some noise down the stretch.

Rene Bourque is interesting too. He seems to be adapting to Montreal well and is one of their "tougher" players. His second line minutes and is the lone Hab with the ability or at least interest to go into the dirty areas to get scoring chances. If other GMs bailed on him while he struggled in Calgary why not give him a shot and hope for one of his famous hot streaks.

As always keep an eye on the hockey markets other GMs tend to ignore. Nashville with Tootoo, Clutterbuck in Minny and Martin with the Islanders. Also keep in mind some contenders who will likely be engaging in some wars down the stretch to jostle for playoff positing. Shawn Thornton, Maxim Lapierre and Zac Rinaldo all fit that bill.

So if you had room for one of these miscreants on your team who would you pull from fantasy purgatory?