Fantasy - Dump and Chase: 3 players to target in a trade

Every Thursday, we examine three players you should consider acquiring on the trade front in your pool.

With Halloween right around the corner, here are three players fantasy owners should target in a trade in an attempt to trick the competition and treat your squad to some fresh blood.

Tuukka Rask, G, Boston Bruins

Boston's defense is a tire fire burning on a pile of dirty diapers these days, and it appears to be reeking up Rask's game in unfortunate ways for fantasy owners.

With injuries to Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug, and with Johnny Boychuk now plying his trade on Long Island - quite successfully, we might add - the Bruins' blue line has a distinctly minor-league feel to it. 

Twenty-year-old Dougie Hamilton and veteran Dennis Seidenberg have been called upon to carry a massive load, but, as capable as they are, the team has too many defensive holes for them to cover up alone.

Even Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron is sitting on a minus-two rating at the moment, so you know things are off in Boston.

The top-ranked goalie heading into the season, Rask has won four games, with a save percentage of .899 and a goals-against average of 2.82 - far off his career averages of .927 and 2.14, respectively.

But here's the thing: Rask's track record suggests he'll be just fine and then some, and managers can expect his numbers to rise accordingly, especially as the Bruins figure things out and Chara makes his return in a month or so.

Look at the long game here, and realize Rask is likely to be at his very best towards the end of the season, when things get real in the fantasy playoffs. 

Based on his early numbers, there's really no better time to try and pry him from the opposition's grasp. 

Anze Kopitar, F, Los Angeles Kings

The exceptionally-skilled forward was ranked 18th overall in Yahoo leagues heading into the season, and sits at 472nd after eight games played.

Kopitar has recorded two goals, one assist and 16 shots to start the season, with an even more uncharacteristic minus-one rating. These numbers are a far cry from the 29 goals, 41 assists, 200 shots and plus-34 rating he posted last season.

If the lack of production wasn't enough to irritate owners who eagerly drafted Kopitar, he missed the team's last game with an upper-body injury. Listed as day-to-day, he's likely to make his return sooner than later, meaning prospective buyers should strike while the iron is hot and Kopitar is ice cold.

The Kings' offense won't be buoyed by That 70s Line forever, and others - Kopitar chief among them - will be called upon to pick up the slack as the season progresses.

Eric Staal, F, Carolina Hurricanes

Also highly ranked by Yahoo to open the year (36th), Staal was limited early on by injury, missing five of the winless Hurricanes' first eight games. As such, he's ranked 570th, even after recording an assist in his return to the ice Tuesday in Vancouver.

The average rankings, however, tell a different story. With 0.33 goals, 0.67 assists and 2.67 shots per game with an even plus-minus rating, Staal ranks 126th among all fantasy players, meaning there's still great value to be mined from this veteran forward.

Staal has already matched his power-play goal output from last season (one goal), and appears set to be featured prominently in new head coach Bill Peters' offense. There's also the off chance he could be traded at some point this season, potentially upping his value even further.

With a career average of 0.9 points per game, Staal should remain a productive forward this season. It's definitely worth catching an owner who's caught up on his early season ranking and not looking at the bigger picture.