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          Fantasy Hockey

          Who to pick up now that Sidney Crosby is back

          Sidney Crosby is back, which is great news for his fantasy owners. What should the rest of us do to make the most of his return to action? Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images
          • Tim Kavanagh, ESPN.comOct 26, 2016, 01:17 PM ET
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              Tim Kavanagh is a senior editor for ESPN digital editorial. He's a native of upstate New York.
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          The Pittsburgh Penguins got their franchise center back on Tuesday night, as Sidney Crosby returned from a concussion after missing the first six games of the season. Crosby's fantasy owners breathed a sign of relief, as they get their star back pretty quickly -- and that power-play goal sure helps soothe wounds, too -- but what are the real actionables here, given that he's universally owned?

          The primary data we got on Tuesday night was Crosby's linemates, aka the players who are first up in the stars-by-association sweepstakes. The identity of those two:

          The 24-year-old Wilson is the obvious add here, even if it's just a short-term assignment. In 55 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL, Wilson tallied 41 points (19 goals, 22 assists) and added six points in 24 games with the NHL side. While those numbers don't scream out "Superstar!" at the same volume as other young players, this line will be putting up points at a healthy rate, and Wilson will get the runoff.

          There's always the risk of a line shakeup -- Chris Kunitz was Crosby's most frequent linemate last season, and Mike Sullivan moved guys around quite a bit after taking over -- but this is a cheap and easy way to squeeze some collateral goodness out of Crosby without having to pay up in trade to get him. And if Wilson is moved off of the line (as is reasonably likely at some point down the line)? Simply cut him and pick up his replacement.

          As for Hornqvist, you might be wondering whether to trade for him, given the plum assignment now that Crosby is back. During the 2015-16 season, Hornqvist's Corsi for percentage rose just a few percentage points when skating with Crosby compared to not (53.8 to 57.4), but his goals for percentage rose significantly between those two scenarios (42.1 to 66.7). So while Hornqvist can generate shot attempts regardless of his linemate, having Sid involved means that many more of the things that actually count in fantasy leagues (goals, assists, etc.) are set to rise. Don't give up the farm, but check in with Hornqvist's owner to see what it'll take to get him.