Andrei Svechnikov – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Veterans who are elevating their play, including Zach Hyman, Steven Stamkos, Ryan O’Reilly, Ryan Hartman, Claude Giroux, David Perron, and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 16:22:00 +0000

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, veterans who are elevating their play, including Zach Hyman, Steven Stamkos, Ryan O’Reilly, Ryan Hartman, Claude Giroux, David Perron, and so much more!

#1 Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman was not ready to start the season, as he recovered from wrist surgery, so he didn’t get into the lineup until mid-November and even then it took him some time to get up to speed. It does appear that he’s starting to cook. In his past 11 games, Hyman has 15 points (9 G, 6 A) and 34 shots on goal. He’s getting first unit power play time and skating on the Oilers’ top line with Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, so Hyman should be in a prime position for the rest of the season.

#2 In his first 29 games this season, Nashville Predators right winger Steven Stamkos had 11 points (8 G, 3 A) and when that happens to a player in his mid-30s, it can look like the end is near. He has turned back the clock recently, however, putting up 11 points (7 G, 4 A) with 29 shots on goal in his past seven games. He’s skating on a veteran line with Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg and the key is that Stamkos is generating shots on goal. In his first 29 games, he had just 58 shots on goal, so to go from two shots per game to more than four shots per game in this recent uptick in his performance shows that he can still be a legitimate offensive threat.

#3 Ryan O’Reilly has been a huge part of the Predators’ resurgence. In the past 14 games, the Preds are 10-4 and O’Reilly has 19 points (5 G, 14 A) in those 14 games. He has just 23 shots on goal, and a low shot rate is a concern for offensive sustainability, but O’Reilly is a consistent play driver year after year and that has continued this season in Nashville, with a 55.8 CF%, which would represent the best Corsi percentage of his career.

#4 Although he moves around the Minnesota Wild lineup quite a bit, there is usually reason to like when Ryan Hartman gets his turn playing on the top line. With Marco Rossi dealt to Vancouver in the Quinn Hughes trade, Hartman has moved in between Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello, with Hartman putting up seven points (5 G, 2 A) and 20 shots on goal in his past seven games, after he had eight points (4 G, 4 A) through his first 29 games this season.

#5 The Ottawa Senators are getting quality production from veteran wingers Claude Giroux and David Perron. Giroux has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 11 shots on goal in his past seven games while Perron has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past seven games. They are getting second unit power play time and, for a pair of 37-year-olds, they are still providing reliable secondary scoring for the Sens. As with many of the veterans in this week’s article, they are not producing at the level of their best career performance but in their mid-30s that’s not a reasonable expectation and it is part of the reason that these players are more widely available.

#6 When he was acquired by the Ottawa Senators from the San Jose Sharks last season, Fabian Zetterlund responded with a meagre five points (3 G, 2 A) and 40 shots on goal in 20 games. He followed that up by starting this season with four points (1 G, 3 A) and 28 shots on goal in his first 20 games, but he has turned the corner and is now a solid offensive contributor on a talented Senators squad. In his past 16 games, Zetterlund has 12 points (8 G, 4 A) and 38 shots on goal, and appears to have secured a regular spot on the top line alongside Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk.

#7 With injuries decimating the Tampa Bay Lightning blueline, Darren Raddysh has been the primary beneficiary from an offensive standpoint, as he is quarterbacking the top power play unit and producing at an elite level. His partner, J.J. Moser, has been making inroads recently, with five points and 16 shots on goal while averaging 23:32 of ice time in his past six games. Moser only had seven points (1 G, 6 A) and 34 shots on goal in his previous 28 games, but he does seem equipped to provide more offense than that.

#8 Although he is getting surpassed by his younger teammates in San Jose, Sharks right winger Tyler Toffoli has put up 13 points (5 G, 8 A) and 38 shots on goal in his past 13 games, recording two four-point games in the process. Toffoli is skating on San Jose’s second line, alongside William Eklund and Alexander Wennberg, while also getting time with the top power play unit.

#9 At this stage of his career, 40-year-old Colorado Avalanche defenceman Brent Burns is not the focal point for offense on the blueline, but he hasn’t abandoned those parts of his game, either. In his past 12 games, he has delivered eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 26 shots on goal, while averaging 19:44 of ice time per game. Only one of Burns’ 19 points this season have come on the power play, so there is a limit to his offensive contribution, but he remains a contributor for an Avalanche team that is steamrolling the rest of the league.

#10 Staying on the Colorado blueline, Samuel Girard has suddenly started to provide offense. In his past six games, Girard has six points (2 G, 4 A) and eight shots on goal, but he had just two assists in the 15 games that he played before that. Like Burns, Girard is not getting power play time in Colorado, but the Avs are so good that it could be worth considering these guys in deeper leagues.

#11 Winnipeg Jets forward Morgan Barron has never scored more than 21 points in an NHL season, but that could change this season. He has found a role on Winnipeg’s third line, alongside Adam Lowry and Alex Iafallo, and in his past six games, Barron has five points (4 G, 1 A) and a dozen shots on goal. He is up to 12 points (7 G, 5 A) in 29 games this season, so he has a real chance to set a career high in point production. For fantasy managers, his appeal is mostly in very deep leagues, though his offensive surge coupled with 67 hits in 29 games does give him some added fantasy value.

#12 It seems as though Oliver Bjorkstrand has been underutilized in Tampa Bay, as he is playing just 14:23 per game, which would be his lowest average time on ice since 2018-2019. However, in his past seven games, Bjorkstrand does have seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 12 shots on goal while playing 15:32 per game. He is currently on the Lightning’s second line, with Nick Paul and Jake Guentzel.

#13 Buffalo Sabres left winger Zach Benson was having a hard time finding the back of the net, going without a goal in his first 17 games of this season, but he has started to put it together recently. In his past six games, Benson has five points (3 g, 2 A) and 12 shots on goal, As the Sabres are making a concerted effort to turn their season around, Benson is getting first unit power play time while skating on a line with Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn at even strength.

#14 After a slow start to the season that saw him demoted to the fourth line, Carolina Hurricanes left winger Andrei Svechnikov does seem to be back on track. In his past nine games, Svechnikov has 10 points (2 G, 8 A) and 20 shots on goal. He’s now skating on a line with Jordan Staal and Jackson Blake, which is more of a two-way line than usual, but Svechnikov is delivering results.

#15 The Columbus Blue Jackets acquired left winger Mason Marchment from the Seattle Kraken after the consensus was that Marchment’s time in Seattle was just not a good fit. After he had 13 points (4 G, 9 A) with 46 shots on goal in 29 games, which was not the kind of production that he was providing in his previous seasons with Dallas. Early returns in Columbus are more promising, as he has been playing with Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko and Marchment has three goals and seven shots on goal in his first two games with Columbus. He is still more of a deep league option for fantasy managers, but he has a chance to provide value.

#16 The Buffalo Sabres are turning around their season and goaltender Alex Lyon is putting up great results. He has won each of his past six starts, posting a .922 save percentage. When the Sabres’ season looked like it was getting away from them, it was looking more likely that Lyon or Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen could get traded, but now that the Sabres have moved to within two points of a Wild Card playoff spot, they are more likely to stick with their tandem.

#17 While the Seattle Kraken are battling to stay in the playoff hunt, currently three points back of the second Wild Card spot, they are getting quality play from goaltender Joey Daccord. In his past five starts, Daccord has won three while posting a .934 save percentage. On the season, Daccord has 4.14 Goals Saved Above Expected, which is the kind of goaltending that can keep a team in the playoff race and it might make him a viable fantasy option.

#18 When looking for players who might be ready to bust out offensively, consider those that have not been living up to their underlying numbers. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, for example, has just one goal in 11 games this month, despite having 5.70 individual expected goals in all situations. Some other players whose goal numbers have been below expected goals in December: William Eklund (-4.25), Anthony Cirelli (-4.04), Chris Kreider (-3.88), John Tavares (-3.61), Rickard Rakell (-3.36), Logan Stankoven (-3.21), Jake DeBrusk (-3.20), Nico Hischier (-3.12), Tom Wilson (-3.11), and Jake Guentzel (-2.83).

#19 With Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar injured, the Chicago Blackhawks have veterans Jason Dickinson and Ryan Donato holding down their top two centre spots. Donato played a season-high 21:35 in the last game before the break and does have a goal and an assist in his past two games, so he may have some short-term appeal while the Blackhawks are in the tough situation of missing their top two centres.

#20 Newly acquired Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry suffered a lower-body injury that should keep him out for a couple of weeks and that has opened the door for Connor Ingram, who has won his first couple of starts with Edmonton, stopping 92.0 percent of the shots that he faced in the first two games. He had a .856 save percentage in 11 AHL appearances, so it’s not like he was forcing his way back into the NHL with his play, but the Oilers are playing better and if it means that Ingram can get comfortable in the NHL again, he could at least have short term appeal for fantasy managers.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – A Blueshirts winger making his mark, another young star for the Ducks, some good news in Nashville, a young defenceman stepping up in New Jersey and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 20:55:43 +0000

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 23: Beckett Sennecke #45 of the Anaheim Ducks gains the blue line during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Anaheim Ducks on October 23, 2025, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, a Blueshirts winger making his mark, another young star for the Ducks, some good news in Nashville, a young defenceman stepping up in New Jersey and much more!

#1 In his first two NHL seasons, New York Rangers left winger Will Cuylle made major progress, jumping from 21 points as a rookie to 45 points last season. His ice time went up, he delivered more than 300 hits, and suddenly this blue-collar winger was starting to look like he could be a major contributor. He started this season slowly, with one goal and zero assists in nine games, but in the past nine games, he has nine points (5 G, 4 A) with 23 shots on goal and 27 hits. That’s the kind of production that will make Cuylle very valuable for fantasy managers. He moves around the lineup, and with Gabriel Perreault called up from the AHL, Cuylle is skating on the Blueshirts’ third line, but he is getting first unit power play time, so he should be able to remain productive.

#2 One of the best draft day reactions ever belongs to Anaheim Ducks right winger Beckett Sennecke, who was shocked when the Ducks selected him with the third overall pick in the 2024 Draft. The 6-foot-3 winger is finding his way in the league in his rookie season, but he’s not struggling to keep up. In November, he has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 13 shots on goal in seven games, while receiving more than 15 minutes of ice time per game. He is skating on a line with Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier, which is an excellent opportunity to build something with two more skilled young forwards.

#3 While not a lot has gone right for the Nashville Predators this season, they are finding out that their 2023 first-round pick, Matthew Wood, could be a strong addition to the lineup. Wood was injured in the preseason, so he didn’t start the season on time, but in 11 games, he has produced 10 points (6 G, 4 A), recording a hat trick in Monday’s 6-3 loss to the Rangers. He played 17:09 in that game, the high-water mark in his career. Wood is skating on a line with Fedor Svechkov and Michael Bunting, but if he continues to generate offense, he will force his way into more ice time.

#4 The second overall pick in the 2022 Draft, New Jersey Devils defenceman Simon Nemec was not in a great place last season, managing four points (2 G, 2 A) in 27 games for the Devils while playing 34 games in the American Hockey League. He only got into the playoff lineup once Luke Hughes was injured, but Nemec showed well enough in the Devils’ first-round loss to Carolina that there was reason to be hopeful for him this season. The Devils have a deep core of defenders, which could have made it challenging for Nemec to earn regular playing time, but injuries to Johnathan Kovacevic, Brett Pesce, and most recently, Dougie Hamilton, have opened the door for Nemec, and he has burst right through it. He recorded a hat trick in Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime win against Chicago, giving Nemec eight points (4 G, 4 A) with 15 shots on goal and nearly 22 minutes of ice time per game in his past nine games.

#5 A five-time 20-goal scorer, Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi can run hot and cold sometimes, and when he’s not producing, it can feel glaring because on this roster, he is supposed to be a major player. Right now, he’s cooking, with nine points (7 G, 2 A) and 16 shots on goal in six games this month, and they’re not all pretty. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of Bertuzzi planting himself at the back post and letting pucks bounce off him into the net, but they all count and Bertuzzi making it work on Chicago’s top line alongside Connor Bedard.

#6 After a slow start, during which he managed just three points (1 G, 2 A) through the first 10 games, Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere has found his stride again, and has nine points (3 G, 6 A) with 14 shots on goal in his past eight games. His shot volume is still not ideal, and his ice time can be shaky, but if he contributes offensively and adds to it with 100-plus hits, which he has in three of the past four seasons, then there is potential fantasy value in the 2020 No. 1 overall pick. With Vincent Trocheck recently returning from injury, Lafreniere is skating in a familiar place alongside Trocheck and Artemi Panarin.

#7 After a tough 2024-2025 season, when he finished with 48 points (20 G, 28 A) in 72 games, Carolina Hurricanes left winger Andrei Svechnikov failed to record a point in his first eight games of this season and he was demoted to the fourth line. It appears that he is starting to find his way out of it, and in the past eight games, Svechnikov has seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 29 shots on goal. He has returned to the top line, alongside Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, so Svechnikov is regaining some of the fantasy value that he squandered early in this season.

#8 When the Columbus Blue Jackets shuffled lines earlier this month, they put centre Adam Fantilli in between Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov. After starting the season with five points (2 G, 3 A) in 11 games, 21-year-old Fantilli has seven points (3 G, 4 A) with 19 shots on goal and 19:31 average time on ice in the past six games. That’s more like what is expected from the No. 3 pick in the 2023 Draft who had 54 points last season.

#9 For several seasons, there has been some level of expectation that Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Cam York would occupy the quarterback position on the team’s top power play unit. That has never really stuck before, but it might be now. York has 10 points (1 G, 9 A) in 13 games this season, with six of those points coming via the power play. That total of six power play points ties a career high for York, so he may be poised for improved offensive output. He is playing a career high 24:48 per game, so the opportunities should be there, but he does have just eight shots on goal in 13 games, so that is one factor to keep an eye on but, overall, York appears to be realizing some of his offensive potential.

#10 The 11th pick in the 2025 Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ben Kindel has surprisingly made it through 15 NHL games and isn’t looking out of place despite being just 18 years old. Kindel had 99 points (34 G, 65 A) in 65 games for Calgary in the Western Hockey League last season, so he knows what he’s doing with the puck on his stick, but he has also managed to provide solid two-way results as well, with the Penguins outshooting opponents with Kindel on the ice. He has seven points (5 G, 2 A) in 15 games, but injuries in Pittsburgh have presented greater opportunities and Kindel has four points (2 G, 2 A) with 12 shots on goal and 20:12 of ice time per game in the past four games. He has moved to left wing on Sidney Crosby’s line, which isn’t a bad spot to be for an 18-year-old who was supposed to be heading back to junior.

#11 Calgary Flames right winger Matt Coronato broke through with 23 goals and 47 points last season, earning a seven-year, $45.5 million contract extension, but then he struggled out of the gate this season, managing three points (2 G, 1 A) and 20 shots on goal in his first 10 games. He was even a healthy scratch for a game and while his production is still not where it needs to be – he has four points (2 G, 2 A) in his past eight games, but he does have 32 shots on goal, and that increasing shot rate is an encouraging sign.

#12 When Philadelphia Flyers right winger Matvei Michkov got off to a slow start, there were accusations that he was out of shape after suffering an injury in the offseason. How else to explain that he had just three points (1 G, 2 A) in his first nine games? Michkov is starting to snap out of it and has goals in three straight games, giving him six points (3 G, 3 A) with 12 shots on goal in his past seven games. The shot rate needs to get better, but at least there are some positive signs. It’s a little troubling that he is averaging less than 15 minutes of ice time per game, after playing 16:41 per game as a rookie last season, so keep tabs on how he is deployed by head coach Rick Tocchet.

#13 Although left winger Eetu Luostarinen failed to record a point in his first seven games this season, he has bounced back from that slow start to deliver 10 points (3 G, 7 A) with 24 shots on goal and 27 hits in his past 10 games. He is skating with Anton Lundell and Brad Marchand, a line that was a big part of Florida’s playoff success last season, but they are effectively the Panthers’ top line right now and Luostarinen’s improved offensive output is part of the reason for that.

#14 Veteran Ottawa Senators winger Michael Amadio has recorded 27 points in three straight seasons, and that is a career high for him, so expectations for his offensive contributions need to be modest, but with Brady Tkachuk injured, there has been a chance for Amadio to move up the Senators’ depth chart. He has six points (4 G, 2 A) and nine shots on goal during a six-game point streak and while he may not offer great long-term value, Amadio is producing enough now to have appeal in deeper leagues.

#15 One of the top free agent signings in the offseason, Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers went five games without a point and didn’t score his first goal until his 12th game with the Hurricanes. One of the expectations with Ehlers moving to Carolina is that he would finally get more ice time after it appeared he was underused in Winnipeg, but Ehlers’ production has started to take off this season only after his ice time went down. He has six points (3 G, 3 A) during a five-game point streak, a stretch during which he has played just over 14 minutes per game. He is now skating on a line with Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, younger players who may be a better match for Ehlers’ speed.

#16 Nashville Predators defenceman Nick Blankenburg is 27 years old and hit career highs with 16 points and 60 games played for Nashville last season. With Roman Josi out of action early in this season, Blankenburg is making the most of his opportunity. He has six points (1 G, 5 A) and 16 shots on goal in eight games, averaging 20:17 of ice time per game. Blankenburg is probably not a long-term answer on defence, but as a short-term fill-in, he’s getting enough ice time, which includes second unit PP time, to make himself useful.

#17 A top goaltending prospect since he was the 11th pick in the 2020 Draft, Yaroslav Askarov has had some ups and down along his development path but is in position to share the crease with Alex Nedeljkovic for the San Jose Sharks this season. In his first half dozen starts this season, Askarov had a brutal .844 save percentage and looked lost. Then the calendar flipped to November and in five starts he has a .965 save percentage with 12.87 Goals Saved Above Expected. With the Sharks playing an exciting offensive game, Askarov’s emergence as a quality goaltender could go a long way to help the team.

#18 Seattle Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen had just one assist through nine games but is starting to snap out of it with seven points (2 G, 5 A) in his past eight games. He only has 11 shots on goal in those eight games, which is a red flag, but he’s skating with youngers Shane Wright and Berkly Catton at even strength while getting first unit power play time.

#19 One of the premier scoring centres in the league, Tampa Bay Lightning pivot Brayden Point has scored 139 goals in the past three seasons, but he’s having trouble finding the net this season. In his past 12 games, Point has four points (1 G, 3 A) and 27 shots on goal. He is scoring on just 8.8 percent of his shots this season, which is low, but it’s especially low for Point, who has scored on 21.4 percent of his shots in the past three seasons. Is it possible that regression is hitting him after a three-year run?

#20 The Utah Mammoth have been an exciting team early in the season and two of the reasons for their success now and optimism for the future are right winger Dylan Guenther and centre Logan Cooley. In November, Guenther has one goal and zero assists with 18 shots on goal in six games. The shot rate is encouraging, given Guenther’s reputation as one of the game’s elite shooters, but he’s hit a dry spell. Cooley had 12 points (8 G, 4 A) and 26 shots on goal in 11 games in October but has just two assists and eight shots on goal in six games this month.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Slow starters and potential turnarounds – Good starts worth tracking

Scott Cullen — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:40:55 +0000

Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov (39) (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, a look at slow starters, like Matvei Michkov, Sam Reinhart, Evan Bouchard, and Nikolaj Ehlers. Also, players to track including Cutter Gauthier, Emmitt Finnie, Josh Doan and more!

#1 After a strong showing as a rookie, when he produced 63 points (26 G, 37 A) in 80 games, Flyers right winger Matvei Michkov has crashed early in this season. Head coach Rick Tocchet has brought up Michkov’s conditioning as an issue, and he has seen his ice time drop from 16:48 per game to 15:02 per game. Michkov has just two points (1 G, 1 A) with 13 shots on goal in seven games. With reduced ice time and a poor first impression on the new head coach, Michkov might be a prime wait-and-see candidate. He is going to get better, but fantasy managers can wait to see some progress before diving in to get him. While Michkov struggles, there is some upside to be found with Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster, solid secondary scorers. Cates is an excellent two-way player who has five points (3 G, 2 A) and 15 shots on goal in seven games and Foerster is continuing to make progress. He has six points (3 G, 3 A) and 13 shots on goal through seven games.

#2 The Tampa Bay Lightning have staggered out of the gate, managing a 1-4-2 record through seven games, and while goaltending might be a greater concern, left winger Brandon Hagel is having trouble generating offence, with zero goals, one assist, and 18 shots on goal through those seven games. Hagel is coming off a career-high 90 points (35 G, 55 A) last season when he had an on-ice shooting percentage of 11.1 percent, which was also his career high. Regression has come for him early in this season, with an on-ice shooting percentage of 2.1 percent. What is encouraging about Hagel is that he does have 14 shots on goal in his past four games, so it appears that he is still getting chances and ought to break out of this early season slump.

#3 With Aleksander Barkov injured, it has been a difficult start to the season for Florida Panthers right winger Sam Reinhart, who has four points (3 G, 1 A) through nine games, but only one of those four points has come during five-on-five play, so it’s tough to be too optimistic about his production going forward. With the Panthers juggling lines early in the season, Reinhart has had several linemates but is currently skating on a line with Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe. In 39 minutes with Bennett as his centre, Reinhart has a 45.3 percent Corsi, so there are still some things to work out if he is going to get back on track.

#4 Even though he has put 27 shots on goal in eight games, Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard has contributed just two assists through eight games. The shot rate, along with his position as the quarterback on the Oilers’ vaunted power play, history does suggest that Bouchard’s offensive production should pick up, but this is a slow start for a player who ranked third among defencemen in scoring over the previous two seasons, when he had 149 points (32 G, 117 A) in 163 games.

#5 The Calgary Flames are winless in their past seven games and star blueliner Mackenzie Weegar has just two assists and 13 shots on goal in eight games. Even though he has positive shot differentials, the Flames have been outscored 10-4 with Weegar on the ice for five-on-five play. He is playing a career-high 24:50 per game so the opportunities should be there, but it’s worth keeping tabs on Weegar’s shot rate as he is averaging 1.63 shots on goal per game, compared to 2.27 shots per game last season. It’s not just Weegar, either. Nazem Kadri is playing 20:33 per game, which would be 1:12 over his previous career high, set last season, and has zero goals and four assists with 20 shots on goal in eight games. His possession game has been solid and getting Jonathan Huberdeau back recently should help, so Kadri might be a buy-low style option right now.

#6 Thought to be a free agent prize for the Carolina Hurricanes in the summer, Nikolaj Ehlers has stumbled early, recording two assists in seven games. He has 22 shots, so his shot rate is strong, and he is playing more than he did in Winnipeg while controlling 56.9 percent of expected goals at five on five, so it should get better for Ehlers. Like, he probably won’t continue at a 20-point pace, but he is still waiting to break out. Given the strength of the Hurricanes as a team, they should be able to drag Ehlers back into a more typically productive spot.

#7 New Jersey Devils defenceman Dougie Hamilton has just one assist through seven games, and while he does have 18 shots on goal, that would be his lowest per-game shot rate since 2016-2017. This doesn’t mean that he’s cooked for fantasy managers, necessarily, because he is still playing more than 21 minutes per game and quarterbacking the Devils’ top power play unit, but it’s fair to have some concerns about his early results and if he continues to struggle, Luke Hughes could start getting more power play time.

#8 One of the best breakout stories last season, when he scored 26 goals and 63 points, St. Louis Blues left winger Dylan Holloway is playing a couple more minutes per game this season – up over 19 minutes per game – but has just two points (1 G, 1 A) and 14 shots on goal through seven games. He is still a fixture on the top power play unit and most recently has moved to the second line with Brayden Schenn and Jake Neighbours, but Holloway bears watching because that line isn’t a sure thing and if he continues to slump, his ice time could start to slip, too.

#9 When Carolina Hurricanes left winger Andrei Svechnikov finished with 48 points (20 G, 28 A) in 72 games last season, it was his lowest points per game since his rookie season in 2018-2019. That put him in the position to have a bounce-back season in 2025-2026 but that is not off to a great start. He has zero points with 14 shots on goal in seven games and is averaging 14:38 of ice time per game, which would be a career low for him. He has been demoted to the fourth line so he is in Rod Brind’Amour’s doghouse, but with William Carrier and Eric Robinson getting hurt in Colorado on Thursday, there might be a chance for Svechnikov to move back up the depth chart, despite his miserable start to the season.

#10 After setting career highs with 37 goals and 60 points a couple of years ago, Frank Vatrano had 21 goals and 45 points last season but has fallen off a proverbial cliff to start this season. His ice time has dropped from 17:33 per game to 13:08 per game and he has just one assist through seven games. He is currently skating with Mason McTavish and Beckett Sennecke on the Ducks’ second line, but in their 16 minutes of five-on-five play the trio has been crushed, getting out-Corsi’d 30-4 (11.8 CF%).

#11 Following a solid rookie season when he finished fifth in Calder Trophy voting, scoring 20 goals and 44 points, Anaheim Ducks left winger Cutter Gauthier looks like he is ready to take a step forward this season. He has six points (5 G, 1 A) and 31 shots on goal in his first seven games, and that shot rate is very enticing. He is on the top line with Leo Carlsson and Alex Killorn and getting second unit power play time, but Gauthier has a higher offensive ceiling than many of the forwards in Anaheim and his role should ultimately reflect that.

#12 The Ottawa Senators need some answers in goal. Linus Ullmark, who has been excellent across the past four seasons, is struggling early, with a .867 save percentage and -5.36 Goals Saved Above Expected in seven starts. It’s early and considering his track record, he should recover, but the Senators need it. Rookie Leevi Merilainen was awesome in a dozen games last season but had a disastrous first start of this season, allowing seven goals on 26 shots. For a team with playoff expectations, they can’t get by with this kind of play between the pipes.

#13 The Senators aren’t the only team with goaltending concerns, in fact not even the only team in the Atlantic Division. Samuel Montembeault had an impressive 2024-2025 season for the Montreal Canadiens, but has a miserable .842 save percentage, with -6.79 Goals Saved Above Expected, in five starts and with that kind of play could be losing time to Jakub Dobes. In his first four starts, Dobes has a .950 save percentage and 8.33 Goals Saved Above Expected. Small samples, sure, but if Montembeault doesn’t improve quickly, Dobes is going to force his way into more starts.

#14 Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone has landed on long-term injured reserve with a wrist injury and while Stone being on LTIR is not a surprise – he has missed 126 games in the past four seasons – it’s taking a player with 13 points (2 G, 11 A) in six games this season out of the lineup. Brandon Saad has moved to the top line, alongside Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev, and will that help get him back on track? He has one assist in seven games, but it happened in Vegas’ last game when he played a season-high 16:32 in the Golden Knights’ first game this season without Stone.

#15 Okay, there has been enough negativity, or at least concern, this week. Let’s look at an unheralded rookie who is showing up for the Detroit Red Wings. Emmitt Finnie was a seventh-round pick in 2023 and not only has he made the roster to start the season, but he’s producing while skating at left wing on the first line alongside Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat. Finnie had 84 points (37 G, 47 A) in 55 games for Kamloops in the WHL last season before finishing the year in the AHL, where he had five points (1 G, 4 A) in 13 (regular season plus playoff) games. That late-season audition seems to have helped him adjust to the pro game and he does have seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 15 shots on goal in eight games. One area of concern is that the Red Wings are on the wrong side of the possession game, with 45.8 CF% and 47.5 xGF%, when Finnie is on the ice.

#16 A strong complementary piece in New Jersey, Dawson Mercer probably has more value when he is on the wing, skating with their premier centres, but is getting first unit power play time and has recently shifted into a third-line centre role with Cody Glass injured. Mercer has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 13 shots on goal in seven games and is playing a career-high 18:05 per game.

#17 Last season, Vancouver Canucks right winger Conor Garland saw his ice time jump by more than four minutes per game to 18:39 per game and he had the second 50-point season of his career. This season, his ice time is up to 20:36 per game and he’s making a bigger impact with seven points (2 G, 5 A) and 22 shots on goal in eight games. He’s landed on the top line with Elias Pettersson and Evander Kane, which requires dragging them forward to some degree right now, but the Canucks are giving Garland a good opportunity.

#18 Perhaps considered the second asset, behind defenceman Michael Kesselring, in the J.J. Peterka trade to Utah, Josh Doan is making his case that he can be a significant player for the Sabres. He has six points (3 G, 3 A) and 13 shots on goal in his past four games and is getting first unit power play time in addition to his regular second-line role with Ryan McLeod and Alex Tuch. If he sticks in that spot, then Doan’s production can continue.

#19 After missing most of last season with a torn ACL, Anthony Mantha was an inexpensive free agent signing by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer. He has stepped into a top six role and delivered six points (3 G, 3 A) with 16 shots on goal in his first eight games with the Penguins and has joined Evgeni Malkin and Justin Brazeau on a towering second line in Pittsburgh. Mantha is a three-time 20-goal scorer who has the skill to do it again and is getting the right opportunity with the Penguins.

#20 Ryan Donato erupted for career highs with 31 goals and 62 points last season with the Chicago Blackhawks and while he failed to register a point in the first three games this season, he has since picked up the pace, putting up seven points (5 G, 2 A) with 13 shots on goal during a five-game point streak. Donato’s most common linemates have been Ilya Mikheyev and Jason Dickinson, but he has moved around the lineup quite a bit, with seven different Blackhawks forwards combining for points with Donato already this season.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

McKeen’s 2025-26 All-Star Fantasy Team

Scott Cullen — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 19:19:05 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 04: Los Angeles Kings right wing Quinton Byfield (55) skates during an NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings on January 4, 2024 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire)

Value is the name of the game when drafting or auctioning your fantasy hockey roster.

At the top end of the draft, the familiar names will go because every team needs the foundation that can be provided by superstars – Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, David Pastrnak, Cale Makar, Connor Hellebuyck etc. – but after a few rounds, there is more often a determination to be made about whether the juice is worth the squeeze when picking some players.

Finding players who can exceed their expected value is a great way to thrive in fantasy hockey, so finding players who have a higher ceiling can be worthwhile. It might mean missing on a few picks, because there is risk involved, so it’s unlikely that you will hit on every value selection but hitting on Martin Necas when his scoring jumped by 30 points last season was great value if you got it.

The objective is to find players who will surpass expectations and sometimes that process can be assisted by expectations being lowered for whatever reason.

Where does one look to find players that have the value of fantasy all-stars?

Good Health

Injuries have an element of bad luck to them and there is no way to know who is and isn’t going to be injured. However, if a player has a track record of having injury problems, that must be taken into account when evaluating their range of outcomes for the upcoming season. The Devils’ Jack Hughes is a prime example. He is good for more than a point-per-game when he plays but has a tendency to get hurt. If you’re picking a player who gets hurt frequently, you have added an extra element of risk where it did not need to exist. There will come a point, however, at which the risk is worth the reward.

New Opportunities

Fantasy hockey value can be found when production meets opportunity and one of the ways for a player to make a big leap forward in his production is to land somewhere with more ice time available to them. It could still be on their same team, or maybe they need to move to another club, but 2-3 more minutes of ice time per game is a good launching pad for more production.

Elevated Play

Progress is not linear, so it can’t be assumed that every young player will continue to score more and more all the way throughout their careers. At the same time, it tends to be players in their second, third, and fourth years in the league that are the prime candidates to elevate their play and become straight-up better than they were the year before.

Track Record

When seeking players who will provide more value, don’t shy away from players who have proven their level of play, but maybe ran into a down season. Maybe it was a low shooting percentage or low on-ice shooting percentage, or injuries or the wrong linemates or a bad coach to blame for whatever went wrong last season. If the player has been productive in the past, it’s easier to give them the benefit of the doubt when faced with some statistical complications.

Last season’s best hits on the Fantasy All-Stars included Tomas Hertl, Logan Cooley, Tom Wilson, Matthew Knies, Marco Rossi and Mikhail Sergachev, all of whom increased their scoring by at least 20 points compared to the previous season. Here is the 2025-2026 edition of McKeen’s Fantasy All-Stars.

FORWARDS

Quinton Byfield, C, Los Angeles

After breaking through with 55 points (20 G, 35 A) primarily as a winger during the 2023-2024 season, Byfield saw his ice time climb more than two minutes per game primarily at center last season, but he finished with 54 points (23 G, 31 A). That might be seen as a little disappointing, but it provides a prime opportunity for the 23-year-old to bust out this season. He offers a rare combination of size, speed, and skill, and Byfield should be ready to take his game to a new level in his third full NHL season.

Matias Maccelli, RW, Toronto

The skilled winger had a career-high 57 points (17 G, 40 A) in 2023-2024 before completely falling out of favour in Utah last season. His ice time dropped 2:30 per game and he managed just 18 points (8 G, 10 A) in 55 games before getting traded to Toronto this summer. This presents a fantastic opportunity for Maccelli, because with Mitch Marner leaving for Las Vegas, there is a spot available for Maccelli to step in and fill the vacated first-line right wing role. Maccelli is a quality playmaker and if he gets the chance to skate regularly with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, Maccelli’s production could soar.

Andrei Svechnikov, LW, Carolina

A talented power forward, Svechnikov suffered with a low (7.5 percent) on-ice shooting percentage on his way to scoring 48 points (20 G, 28 A) in 72 games last season. That was his lowest points per game since his rookie season in 2018-2019. It was undeniably a down season for Svechnikov, but that’s what makes him more readily available for fantasy managers this season and it is still entirely reasonable to expect 60-plus points and at least 140 hits out of Svechnikov, which makes him quite valuable.

Nikolaj Ehlers, RW, Carolina

There has been little dispute about whether Ehlers was a good player in Winnipeg. He was an excellent player who drove play consistently and has had four seasons with at least 60 points, including last season, when he had 63 points (24 G, 39 A) in 69 games. The more difficult part is that he has played fewer than 16 minutes per game for each of the past three seasons and the opportunity could be there for Ehlers to play on Carolina’s first line and first power play, which could boost his ice time, raising the bar for his potential production.

Marco Kasper, C, Detroit

After a strong finish to his rookie season, which included 14 points (9 G, 5 A) and 44 shots on goal in his last 18 games, Kasper is looking to play a much bigger role in his second campaign. Kasper averaged 17:43 of ice time per game in that 18-game stretch, which is a couple of minutes more than he did before that, so if he maintains that kind of role, playing 17-18 minutes per game, then Kasper is likely set to increase his production this year. Making the jump to 50-plus points is a fair expectation and Kasper had 156 hits last season, so he offers well-rounded fantasy value.

Mathew Barzal, C, N.Y. Islanders

An injury-plagued 2024-2025 season saw Barzal manage just 20 points (6 G, 14 A) in 30 games, one season after putting up 80 points (23 G, 57 A) in 80 games for the Islanders. Barzal’s underlying numbers were still excellent, with the Islanders controlling 61.6 percent of expected goals with Barzal on the ice during five-on-five play. What undermined his production last season was the Islanders’ terrible power play, so if Barzal can stay reasonably healthy, there should be some regression on the power play, and his point totals could push a point-per-game once again.

Will Cuylle, LW, N.Y. Rangers

Cuylle saw his point total jump from 21 points in 2023-2024 to 45 points (20 G, 256 A) last season, with his ice time climbing by nearly four minutes per game. He is a hard-working physical winger who delivered 301 hits last season and, even if he might not have the highest offensive ceiling, it appears that he should have a shot to play in the Rangers’ top six right from the start of this season. That is an opportunity to play with skilled players who can complement Cuylle’s gritty game. If he continues to improve, and keeps playing the body, Cuylle has a chance to be very valuable for fantasy managers.

Cole Perfetti, RW, Winnipeg

A 23-year-old winger who put up a career-high 50 points (18 G, 32 A) last season, his third season in the National Hockey League, Perfetti has been showing steady improvement in his career, and the arrow appears to be moving up in all areas. His ice time was up, his point production was up, his hits climbed from 26 to 71, and that should all indicate a greater level of trust under head coach Scott Arniel. Let that continue and a smart competitive player like Perfetti will find a way to produce even more.

Ville Koivunen, RW, Pittsburgh

A second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers, Koivunen was acquired as part of the trade for Jake Guentzel in 2024 and Koivunen responded with 56 points (21 G, 35 A) in 63 AHL games last season, earning a promotion to Pittsburgh, where he added seven assists in eight games. While those are encouraging numbers, it’s even more positive that Koivunen looks like he will be in Pittsburgh’s top six and that’s even with Rickard Rakell and Bryant Rust on the roster, and both veterans have been on the trade block for quite some time. If they get moved, that could mean even more playing time for Koivunen.

Boone Jenner, LW, Columbus

A veteran winger who plays hard and fills a lot of categories, Jenner has had some injury issues in recent seasons, including 2024-2025 when he was recovering from shoulder surgery. But, with more time between that surgery and the new season, Jenner should fill a strong complementary role in Columbus, playing in the top six and on the Blue Jacket’s No. 1 power play unit. He had 19 points (7 G, 12 A) with 70 shots on goal in 26 games last season, an effective performance when returning from injury, and he contributes hits and blocked shots, too, so Jenner is a well-rounded contributor when he’s in the lineup.

Connor Zary, RW, Calgary

A first-round pick in 2020, Zary produced 27 points (13 G, 14 A) in 54 games last season, his second season in the NHL, but he has potential for much more. Nine of Zary’s points came on the power play, so he does have a role with the man advantage and that raises his offensive potential, The first reason to be more optimistic about Zary is that he has a chance to play in a prominent role, potentially on a line with veterans Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau. Another reason to like Zary to score more this season is that, like many Flames players, he had a low on-ice shooting percentage (6.0 percent) last season and that is a number that is ripe for regression.

Jiri Kulich, C, Buffalo

A 21-year-old who has already played two AHL seasons, Kulich contributed 24 points (15 G, 9 A) in 62 games for the Sabres last season. He is a talented player with strong puck skills, which is fine, there are lots of young players who can claim that, but Kulich is looking at an opportunity to possibly play with Tage Thompson on the Sabres’ top line and Thompson is a two-time 40-goal scorer, so if Kulich gets that spot, and finds a place on Buffalo’s top power play unit, then there is a chance for his numbers to jump significantly this season.

DEFENSE

Sam Rinzel, D, Chicago

A 2022 first-round pick, Rinzel is a 6-foot-4, puck-moving defenceman who is set to take on a huge role for the Blackhawks. In two seasons at the University of Minnesota, he had 60 points (12 G, 48 A) in 79 games and when his sophomore season ended, he jumped straight into the Blackhawks lineup. He contributed five assists and 22 shots on goal with 12 hits in nine games for Chicago, with three of those points coming on the power play and, going into the 2025-2026 season, Rinzel would be the leading candidate to quarterback the Blackhawks’ power play this season.

Rasmus Andersson, D, Calgary

A steady veteran blueliner who is heading for unrestricted free agency next summer, Andersson will be highly motivated to perform, and he was another Flames player undermined by a low on-ice shooting percentage last season. There were 138 defencemen that played at least 1,000 five-on-five minutes last season and none of them had a lower on-ice shooting percentage than Andersson’s 5.7 percent. Not only that, but the player ranked 137, Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson, was at 6.2 percent, so it wasn’t close. Anyway, regression should work in Andersson’s favour and he should soar past last season’s 31 points (11 G, 20 A).

Olen Zellweger, D, Anaheim

A nimble puck-moving defenceman, Zellweger has great instincts and the confidence to make plays, which could make him the primary quarterback on the Ducks’ power play this season. He has 29 points (9 G, 20 A) in 88 games for the Ducks across the past two seasons, but his track record, from dominating in the Western Hockey League to putting up 37 points (12 G, 25 A) in 44 AHL games for San Diego in 2023-2024, there is a path to him being a quality point producer in the NHL.

Kris Letang, D, Pittsburgh

It’s not often that a 38-year-old defenceman might be a valuable fantasy pick, but Letang has a chance, in part because he’s one of the few proven performers on the Penguins blueline and if Erik Karlsson gets moved, as has been rumoured for a while, then Letang could return to Pittsburgh’s top power play unit. Even without that hypothetical, he has recorded at least 100 hits and 100 blocked shots in each of the past four seasons, so he offers well-rounded value, especially if he puts up more than last season’s total of 30 points, his lowest since 2013-2014.

John Klingberg, D, San Jose

Having played a total of 25 regular-season games over the past two seasons, it looked like Klingberg’s days of being a productive NHL defencemen were coming to an end, but he had a good opportunity to play for the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs and secured a contract with the San Jose Sharks. It’s a good landing spot for Klingberg because he’s the best option on the blueline in San Jose to run the power play and with skilled young players up front, it might even be a productive unit.

Travis Sanheim, D, Philadelphia

A veteran blueliner who played a career-high 24:30 per game last season and earned a spot on Team Canada at the Four Nations Face-Off, Sanheim is the most reliable defender on the Flyers blueline and that includes being able to stay in the lineup, as he has missed five games in the past five seasons. This is relevant because Sanheim is slated to quarterback Philadelphia’s second power play unit, with Jamie Drysdale running the No. 1 unit for the Flyers. Drysdale has had more trouble staying healthy, and Sanheim could step into that PP1 role at some point.

GOAL

Jeremy Swayman, G, Boston

The Bruins may not have a great squad in front of him this season, but Swayman had a down season in 2024-2025, arriving in camp late after an extended contract negotiation, but the Bruins also lost defencemen Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy, their two best defenders by a healthy margin, to significant injuries. If the defence is healthy in front of him, and Swayman bounces back to his previous level of play, he can be a valuable starting netminder.

Karel Vejmelka, G, Utah

With turmoil in Utah’s crease last season, Vejmelka stepped up and played at a high level while appearing in a career-high 58 games. If he can merely duplicate that season, he should be very valuable because the Mammoth have a strong enough team that they should be in the playoff mix, which means that Vejmelka will have the chance to put up quality fantasy numbers.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 19:16:32 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - MAY 07: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) looks on during Game 3 of an Eastern Conference Second Round playoff game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New Jersey Devils on May 7, 2023, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

After a few seasons of coming up short in the playoffs, the Hurricanes were able to finally get back to the Eastern Conference Final last year. The pressure has been on Carolina to get further and while the stress on them isn’t as high as it is in other cities, internally the knowledge they can be so much better dictated they had to get beyond the second round. Carolina finished with 99 points and landed in second place in the Metropolitan Division behind the Washington Capitals. They continued to be a headache on ice for opponents with the way they’re able to dominate in shot attempts and scoring chances. They were the best team in the league at five-on-five in CorsiFor percentage (59.1) and expected goals for percentage (55.9). Playing against Carolina means having to weather the storm of pucks they send to the net and doing the best you can to counterattack. The science used to build the roster, and their game plan hasn’t gotten them to the Stanley Cup Final yet, but piece by piece they’re figuring out how to do it.

What’s Changed?

When the Hurricanes had to move on from Mikko Rantanen last season 13 games after they acquired him from Colorado, it reopened their desire for a top-flight scoring winger. They found him in free agency with Nikolaj Ehlers. Carolina signed Ehlers, arguably the top free agent available, to a six-year, $51.5 million contract and will most likely slot the 29-year-old Dane next to Sebastian Aho on the top line. They also bolstered their blue line acquiring K’Andre Miller from the New York Rangers for prospect Scott Morrow and 2026 first and second-round picks. Miller signed an eight-year, $60 million extension with the Rangers as part of the sign-and-trade deal and he figures to partner up with Jaccob Slavin. They added further defensive depth with a one-year deal for Mike Reilly.

What Would Success Look Like?

The goal for Carolina is to win the Stanley Cup. Although getting to the Stanley Cup Final would be the right gradual step forward after reaching the East Final last season, this is a team designed to win it all. The days of being satisfied making the postseason and winning a round or two are long gone and after years of sustained success, anything less than winning it all is a disappointment. Adding Ehlers and Miller are meant to make them better and more stout in their own end and the addition of Logan Stankoven in the Rantanen trade with Dallas also gave them more young talent to work with.

What Could Go Wrong?

Although one of the areas that’s appeared to hold them back the past few years has been goaltending, whether it was health or performance, Carolina is running it back again with Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov. Andersen played well in the playoffs last year until they ran into Florida. If their goaltending duo can’t help them get over the hump, something would have to give, right? The Hurricanes are built well and slow starts the past two seasons allowed other teams in the Metropolitan Division to get out ahead of them to stay. Getting home ice throughout the postseason should be a priority, but if they have to play from behind again, it could feed back into the mental loop that they can’t get it done. Their time to win is now and has been.

Top Breakout Candidate

While K’Andre Miller will get a lot of attention on defence for Carolina, the player to keep an eye on is Alexander Nikishin. He was their third-round pick in 2020 and came over from Russia late last season in time to join the Hurricanes for the playoffs. He got four games in the postseason and is poised to be a key member of the defence corps this season. He was a big-time offensive weapon on the blue line for St. Petersburg SKA in the KHL. In 193 games with SKA, he had 45 goals and 112 assists (157 points). He skates well with the puck and at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he’s got plenty of size to handle the NHL.

FORWARDS

Sebastian Aho

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	33	51	84	1.06

“What about Sebastian Aho?” should be the reply to anyone asking when the Hurricanes are going to add an elite goal scorer. Carolina’s start player has never scored fewer than 24 goals in a season over his entire career, finding sneaky ways to get himself open around the net both at even strength and the power play. He also carries the team’s shoot-first mindset with him, always looking at the net first to see if he can get the puck there before deferring to someone else. It’s not the main thing he’s known for because he does so many other things well, but if the Canes need a goal, he’s usually the first one to step up. Last year was somewhat of a down season due to a shooting percentage dip and power play production. Aho also acted as more of a playmaker with his linemates starting to find the back of the net more. Helping Seth Jarvis have a career season, Jack Roslovic scoring 20 goals and setting up Mikko Rantanen during his brief spell with the team. He’s also one of the most dangerous players in the league shorthanded; he and Jarvis are always looking to break the other way when they’re on the penalty kill. The potential fit with newcomer Nikolaj Ehlers is exciting to think about, as that’s another top caliber linemate for the Hurricanes star forward and could be enough to get him back over the point-per-game hump. There is always the question of what he can do to break into that elite category of centers because he’s always considered just in the tier below. Some are still waiting for him to have that one truly elite season where he puts up close to 100 points. That day may not ever come, but the Hurricanes will go as far as Aho can take them.

Nikolaj Ehlers

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	27	35	62	0.84

Ehlers’ career in Winnipeg can be summed up as “great but could have been more.” You could argue he was the most talented player on the roster during his run there and had stretches where he was the best player on the ice. He just never produced at a superstar level and while that’s an arbitrary definition, the Jets never played Ehlers like he was one of their best players. He was always on the second line, separate from Mark Scheifele, while also playing on the second power play unit. Scheifele’s chemistry with Kyle Connor, Winnipeg’s desire to spread the wealth and the lack of trust in Ehlers to play 20+ minutes a night being the main reasons. Only used on the first line in a “break glass in case of emergency” situation. It’s not automatic that Carolina will play him like a superstar, but he does check a lot of the boxes they need. Ehlers is an electrifying talent, effortlessly gains the zone to back the defence up, creates high danger chances by dominating the perimeter, getting the defence to breakdown by cycling them to death and, most importantly, he can score. His sneaky wrist shot is dangerous from all over the offensive zone, mostly because of his release and how much traffic the other forwards create from Ehlers keeping the defence focused on him patrolling the outside. It’s an ideal fit for a Carolina club looking for more game-breakers. They’re taking a risk on elite production following Ehlers if he gets the ice time, neither is a sure thing. If he isn’t, he adds to Carolina’s assortment of great players who are just shy of being considered elite.

Andrei Svechnikov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	31	35	66	0.86

Last season was Svechnikov’s first true down season. He produced at his lowest rate since his rookie season with half of his 20 goals coming on the power play and another four being empty net goals. It’s not what you want to see from a player touted for his goal-scoring prowess going back to his draft year. It’s the one area where he’s really stagnated the last few seasons, his goal scoring rate steadily declining since his 30-goal season in 2022. He was on the scoresheet more often for taking penalties than anything else. Svechnikov salvaged this with a remarkable playoff run, where he scored eight goals and was team’s best player through the first two rounds. It was there you saw him look like the sniper and the power forward the team has been waiting to show up for almost six years now. He is a talent you keep betting on because even in a down season you saw what makes him a difference maker. He is a scoring chance machine with a hard shot who can win a few games for you on his own when he’s dialed in. Also, very lethal as a playmaker, as teams caught onto his shot early and he had to add more of a passing dimension to his game. The issue is Carolina doesn’t see this version of him often enough. It keeps him from breaking into that upper echelon of players but he’s still young enough to not assume his best days are behind him. Svechnikov has everything it takes to be the Hurricanes best player, he just needs to show it more often.

Seth Jarvis

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	36	41	77	0.94

While Necas carried the Hurricanes offence in the first half with his torrid start, Jarvis was not far behind. He was arguably the team’s best player in the second half of the season, kicking things off strong with 11 goals in the month of January and recording back-to-back 30 goal seasons. The ideal Carolina forward, Jarvis brings a lethal combination of skill and grit, always playing with a high level of intensity and his offence has reached another level the last couple of seasons. His game is all about hustle, but what’s made him more dangerous now is the level of detail in his skill game, always buying himself an extra second or two with the puck to get more on his shot or pick a corner. He’s also more comfortable with commanding the offence, using his teammates better and improving his playmaking game, whereas in previous seasons he was more of a straight-line player who would always take the puck to the net on first instinct. That is still a huge part of his game, as he’s incredibly strong on his skates while battling for position and he’s one of the team’s best finishers on breakaways. It helps him on both sides of the puck, as Jarvis excels at the keep-away style of defence with constantly chipping pucks out of the zone and disrupting plays to the point. It is also a reason his penalty killing unit with Aho is one of the most dangerous in the league, frequently creating more scoring chances shorthanded than the power plays they go up against. He might be the one Hurricanes forward who is closest to breaking into that elite tier.

Logan Stankoven

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	21	27	48	0.59

It is hard to not notice Stankoven’s size, or lack thereof. It’s usually the first thing anyone points out with him looking every bit of 5-foot-8, 170 pounds. He is also quick to make it an afterthought with how relentless he plays the game. Stankoven is a dog on a bone when going after pucks, using that lower center of gravity to get the inside track on defencemen and he’s also a lot stronger than he looks, as he’s very hard to get off the puck. It made him a valuable player to have in front of the net both in Dallas and Carolina, being able to locate loose pucks and take a beating from defencemen despite being undersized. The finishing he showed in juniors and the AHL hasn’t quite blossomed in the big league yet, effective at getting to the net but struggling to score from distance. Some parts of Stankoven’s offensive game are a bit rushed, as he’s very quick to get his shot off with the defensive pressure ramped up. Figuring out how to add that finesse he showed at the lower level is the key to unlocking his next level. Although his current track record is fantastic as a play-driving forward with a lot of upside, which the Hurricanes certainly believe in as they signed him to a six-year deal in the off-season. We saw glimpses of how high his potential is in the post-season, especially as a goal-scorer so they’re expecting this deal to become a bargain very soon.

Jackson Blake

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	22	25	47	0.57

As a smaller forward, Blake has done nothing but shatter expectations in his young career. Completely bypassing the AHL after a superstar season at North Dakota, he made the Hurricanes roster out of camp, starting on the fourth line with limited power play time and becoming a regular player on the first line with Sebastian Aho by the end of the year. Blake’s relentless pursuit of the puck on the forecheck made him a natural fit on the Hurricanes and he is fearless with cutting to the middle of the ice with the puck. Not the fastest player but can weave through traffic better than most when he gets the motor going. This is especially noticeable in the neutral zone, where he adds another dimension to how the Hurricanes zone entry scheme as a grittier player who can also make plays with the puck at the blue line. The learning process was tough for Blake, going through a mid-season scoring drought but finishing on a strong note with five goals in his last seven games. Blake’s stick-handling ability made him a great fit on the top line but did get outmatched by stronger defenders when trying to take it to the net. This led to him frequently deferring to his linemates when he had shooting opportunities and limiting some of his game. All part of the process in your first NHL season. The Hurricanes saw enough to make him part of their core long-term with a six-year extension.

Taylor Hall

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	16	22	38	0.51

At this point in his career, having a player like Taylor Hall on your top line isn’t ideal but he’s a luxury in the middle of your lineup. Transitioning into more of a role player, Hall can still have the odd game where he’s the best player on the ice. His puck-carrying skill is still unmatched, being able to find lanes through defensive coverage and setup shop in the offensive zone. The speed might not be there anymore, but his skating is still fluid and effortless. He can flip possession without needing to move his feet much and it takes some pressure off his linemates. His offensive game has shifted from where it used to be, no longer a pure playmaker and taking on more of a shooting role after joining the Hurricanes. He didn’t score as much as you’d hope with how impressive he was by the eye test, having most of the offence go through him on cycles and helping his lines heavily tilt the ice in Carolina’s favor. This might be the new normal for him as a highly skilled second liner who is more known for setting the table rather than scoring the goals himself. An interesting player for Carolina to build their depth around as he gets older. They have some intriguing prospects knocking on the door and Hall is a good player to help them get acclimated to the NHL game.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	13	26	39	0.48

Stuck in neutral is the best way to describe Kotkaniemi’s career with the Hurricanes. The last few years he began the roster as the team’s second line center, mainly played an off-puck support role with Martin Necas. He’s a reliable enough player to help set the table for high-skilled linemates, making small connecting plays up the ice and sometimes making that one final pass to set up a scoring chance. He is just overly reliant on his linemates to see any production for how he plays, and sometimes it’s not always the case with how points are rewarded. The lack of assertiveness in Kotkaniemi’s game is the main thing that holds him back. He waits too often for the perfect shot to develop, doesn’t trust himself with carrying the puck up the ice and will defer to someone else quickly if there’s any pressure. He might start as the 2C in October, but he is usually shuffled onto the fourth line when the playoffs roll around. His strengths are somewhat redundant with Jordan Staal still on the team and his offensive game developing to the point where he’s a 2C hasn’t blossomed like the Hurricanes had hoped. If he was the third line center, it’s a moot point but Kotkaniemi is regularly slotted higher in the lineup in hopes that he can at least hold the fort down in a top six spot. With off-season rumors swirling about wingers Seth Jarvis or Logan Stankoven moving over to center, Kotkaniemi’s days of playing in the top six might be numbered.

Jordan Staal

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	10	25	35	0.49

Even at his age, Jordan Staal is still somewhat of a pillar for the Hurricanes. He can go long stretches without getting on the scoresheet, but it’s never part of his job description holding the team’s defensive structure in place as the shutdown center. Last year was one of his better recent ones in terms of point production, partially thanks to linemate Jordan Martinook having a career season. Staal defends best in the offensive zone, using that big body to jam up opponents breakout attempts and keep everything along the wall. Built like an NFL linebacker with a condor wingspan, Staal is going to stay an effective NHLer as long as his legs still work. He doesn’t need to take many strides to catch up to forwards or get a stick on a puck to deflect a pass. This is why he still gets heavy minutes despite his weak offensive production, sometimes leading forwards in ice time if the Canes have to defend a lead. His presence is both a positive and a negative because his defensive game is part of the team’s identity but it becomes noticeable how much of a drain on the offence he is when his ice time gets bumped into the 17-18 minute range. The third line center spot is his to lose, even at 37 years old.

DEFENCE

Jaccob Slavin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	4	20	24	0.20

Every year the Norris gets awarded, there becomes a side conversation for “best defensive defenceman” and Jaccob Slavin’s name is usually first on the list. Known for having the best defensive stick in the game, Slavin holds the Carolina defence corps together. Playing an ultra-aggressive style with his shifty footwork bailing him out of most tough situations. His style of defending is somewhat unorthodox, using all parts of his body to block shots, often sprawling onto the ice to block passing lanes and attacking forwards from an angle rather than head-on in a defensive posture. It doesn’t work for everyone, but Slavin has mastered his craft of being the Hurricanes “problem solver” in the defensive zone. He has the skillset to be a contribute offensively, but it’s where his game lacks some dynamic ability. He has an explosive first stride and is sneaky with getting his shot through but very deliberate with his decision-making, so it doesn’t make him the best offensive blue liner. This year will be a little different, with his defence partner from the last three seasons leaving in free agency and the team short on right-handed options, it’s been reported that Slavin could be playing his off-side next season. He has experience doing this, but you have to go all the way to his brief AHL stint in 2014 to find the last time he played this role regularly. Slavin is no stranger to having the pieces around him changing, but shifting to his off side will be a new challenge for him and the Hurricanes overall team defence hinges on his performance.

K'Andre Miller

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	8	28	36	0.47

Looking to fill a long-term hole, Carolina made one of the biggest trades of the off-season, acquiring K’Andre Miller in a sign-and-trade deal with the Rangers. They paid heavily for the defenceman and are paying him like a top-pair guy, so one would think he is going to be penciled into that role opening night. Miller is the complete package in terms of raw skill. He’s a very tall, mobile defenceman with a long reach and great instincts with the puck. Spending the last few years patrolling the Rangers shutdown pair alongside Jacob Trouba, it’s been somewhat of trial by fire, as he had to be the safety valve for Trouba’s aggressive play. He got a brief run with Adam Fox at the start of last season before being stapled to physical defenceman Will Borgen for rest of the year and Miller continued to play the safety valve role. Excellent at leading breakouts but not carrying the puck much and his offensive contributions took a dip, playing heavy minutes on the penalty kill with minimal usage on the power play. Also had his worst season at defending entries, giving up more chances off controlled entries than any other Rangers defenceman. Carolina has a good recent track record of getting the most out of skilled defenceman and Miller is going to be a major project for them. There’s a natural home for him alongside Slavin if the Canes veteran blue liner moves to his off side. Power play time is also open for him as the longtime Ranger has a fresh start in Raleigh.

Sean Walker

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	6	13	19	0.23

The combination of moving to a new team and having a clean bill of health did wonders for Sean Walker’s career. His first season in Carolina was mostly spent on the third pair with not much defensive trust placed in him. Whether that’s from being paired with offensive defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere or the coaches being worried about his size is up for debate, but something changed late in the season and carried into the playoffs. Walker became a regular 20+ minute defenceman by the end of the season and even got spot duty alongside Slavin in the Washington series. Walker was arguably the fastest and most explosive defenceman on the roster last season, not afraid to carry the puck and one of the best at generating controlled zone exits. Used his smaller height well to negate entries with his stick and lower body. Not having him available for most of the Florida series was more of a blow than it appeared from the outside. Even if you think he’s just a third pair guy, Walker dominated those minutes and that’s nothing to scoff at. He is someone who could ascend in the lineup next season depending. He got a brief audition with Slavin and the two looked like they had natural chemistry, but it’s likely some of the more higher profile pieces like Miller and Nikishin get first crack at trying out for the top pair.

Shayne Gostisbehere

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	7	37	44	0.58

The one pure offensive defenceman on the Hurricanes blue line, Gostisbehere feasted on the power play early in the season but saw his production dwindle as the year went on. Losing his top power play spot to Brent Burns in the middle of the season while the team was struggling. The Canes used him well at five-on-five, forming a dominant third pair with Sean Walker with heavy offensive zone deployment. Gostisbehere could play his game and attack the zone on resets and reloads in the neutral zone and quarterbacked the offence from the blue line well. He’s excellent at getting the high forward to miss and get a better shot from closer to the faceoff circle or find a pass from the middle of the ice. There isn’t much that has changed about his game going back to rookie season in Philadelphia, his feet are quick, and his offensive skillset is dynamic. Not the most physical player in the world, but the Hurricanes have no shortage of penalty killers on their roster. The full-time addition of Alexander Nikishin could impact Gostisbehere’s production depending on who wins the top power play spot. Gostisbehere has somewhat of an edge because of seniority but if Nikishin is all he is hyped to be, there will be some pressure for him to take that spot.

Goal

Frederik Andersen

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
36	22	9	2	2	.902	2.42

There are plenty of exciting names sitting in the wings for the Carolina Hurricanes in net. But for at least one more year, expect the coastal team to hold the course and run it back with what they already know; for better or for worse, Carolina will start the 2025-26 season with both Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov as their tandem once again. It's an intriguing choice, given that neither goaltender was particularly stellar last year - but interestingly enough, despite neither Kochetkov nor Andersen surpassing league-average performances on the year, the team ended up looking on paper like one of the most dominant forces in the East. And given that the roster has grown so accustomed to Andersen and Kochetkov over the last few seasons, it actually might not be a bad tactic on the team's part. It should prevent the coach staff from needing to adjust any defensive strategies to accommodate for a new goaltender in the building, while running out the last year of Andersen's contract and potentially even evaluating which of Cayden Primeau or Amir Miftakhov could be his successor. The only minor concern is how Kochetkov performed with a fairly heavy workload last year - but if Primeau is able to shoulder some of the workload that Andersen can't, it could be a best-case situation for Carolina as they continue to fight for a cup during their prime window.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Team Preview

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 20:00:50 +0000

_{PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 26: Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (20) skates during the third period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes on March 26, 2024, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)}

After making the playoffs for the past five campaigns and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals twice, Carolina entered 2023-24 as potential contenders for the Cup. The regular season largely went as planned with the Hurricanes posting a 52-23-7 record on the strength of a balanced offence and a stellar defence -- Carolina led the league with a xGA/60 of just 2.65. To bolster the Hurricanes’ Cup chances, they acquired high-end forward Jake Guentzel from Pittsburgh and took a chance by acquiring the struggling Evgeny Kuznetsov from Washington. Kuznetsov ended up holding his own with Carolina, and Guentzel was his usual dominant self, but even that wasn’t enough. Carolina bested the Islanders in the first round but couldn’t overcome the Rangers in the second.

WHAT’S CHANGED? The Hurricanes were unable to sign Guentzel to a long-term deal, and ultimately cut their losses by trading his negotiating rights to Tampa Bay in exchange for a 2025 third-round selection before he became an unrestricted free agent. Kuznetsov then mutually agreed with Carolina to terminate his contract so he could play in the KHL, so both of Carolina’s additions during the 2023-24 campaign are gone. The Hurricanes also lost top-six forward Teuvo Teravainen as well as defencemen Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, and Tony DeAngelo as unrestricted free agents. In an attempt to offset those blueline losses, Carolina inked free agents Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker. Carolina also signed bottom-six forward William Carrier.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? After six years of being good, but not good enough, anything short of a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals would probably be seen as a disappointment. The Hurricanes certainly might accomplish that feat. Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas are in their respective primes while Seth Jarvis is fast becoming a star. If Pyotr Kochetkov builds off his strong 2023-24 campaign, and Frederik Andersen stays relatively healthy, Carolina will have a solid goaltending duo. Plus, Gostisbehere is a nice power-play specialist, making the Hurricanes even stronger in that regard.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? Although Carolina has plenty of different strengths, it would be argued that sound defensive play has been the secret sauce to the Hurricanes’ dominance. Carolina has finished in the top five in xGA/60 in each of the past four campaigns and led the league in that category for each of the last two years. With that in mind, losing two of the squad’s top-four defencemen in Skjei and Pesce might hurt the team’s dynamics more than it initially seems. Gostisbehere is an offensive-minded blueliner and Walker is primarily a third-pairing guy, so neither of them are pure replacements for what Carolina lost. Another member of Carolina’s top-four blueline, Brent Burns, is also in danger of regressing at the age of 39. None of that would make the Hurricanes bad, but perhaps they won’t be quite as good as they have been in recent years.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Then again, the loss of Skjei and Pesce coupled with the possible regression of Burns has created an opportunity for rookie Scott Morrow. The rookie blueliner was strong with UMass-Amherst last year, scoring six goals and 30 points in 37 contests. Morrow has the potential to be a great two-way defenceman, and he’s one of the Hurricanes’ best prospects.

FORWARD

Sebastian Aho

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	42	56	98	1.20

2023 was just another year at the office for the Hurricanes star forward. It was his most productive season in the NHL, recording a career-high 89 points and he maintained his consistent scoring pace with another 35+ goal season. He does everything for the team, thriving as a center who can handle the offence and the tough matchups on the top line and is an integral part of their aggressive penalty kill. His work on the power play is what stood out this year, recording a career-high 32 points with the man advantage, running the power play from the left wall and also playing the bumper position depending on the situation. His versatile approach to goal-scoring makes him a weapon in all situations, possessing a great shot with good speed to get open looks off the rush and finding sneaky ways to get himself open in front of the net. With Carolina always searching for a goal-scorer, Aho eventually has to be the guy to pick up the slack. He’s one of their best playmakers and doesn’t have the best shot, but he is the best at knowing what you need to do to score goals. On a team that loves to possess the puck, someone has to make it count for something and Aho is the best at it. It’s a part of his game that has yet to tail off and makes him the heartbeat of this Carolina team. Is this the season he surpasses 40 goals and flirts with 100 points?

Andrei Svechnikov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
71	24	38	62	0.87

Recovering from knee surgery, Svechnikov’s season didn’t start until late October, and it took him until mid-December to start getting back into form. After that, his season mirrored most of his NHL career. He was among the team leaders in shot volume and most offensive categories but didn’t score as many goals as fans or the team had hoped. Svechnikov looks like an unstoppable force at times, playing a power forward type game with deceptively good playmaking skills thrown in. The latter part of his game is always going to be unappreciated because he’s topped out as a 20-25 goal-guy instead of the 30+ guy most were hoping he would be. That and it’s easier for forgive the high number of penalties he takes when he’s more consistent with scoring goals rather than being a setup guy. His NHL track record isn’t bad, last year being one of his best with a 72-point pace, but the Hurricanes are hoping he can take the next step to become a superstar. Which is ultimately going to come down to if he can find the back of the net more often. He had the toolset to do it, the heavy wristshot combined with that powerful skating stride and playmaking skills should make him one of the more feared forwards in the NHL even if the results haven’t followed just yet. There is considerable upside but better to play it safe and draft for 70 games and 25 goals and 30 – 35 assists.

Seth Jarvis

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	40	38	78	0.98

Jarvis is the epitome of a Hurricanes forward in a lot of ways. He’s undersized, but strong as an ox. He’s a high-motor player who battles hard to get to the front of the net and creates a lot of offence from around the blue paint. Last year was the first time he saw a reward for it on the scoresheet with a 33-goal season and finding a permanent home in Carolina’s top six. The high-effort game takes a toll on his body and leads to some streaky production, but after three years in the league he’s starting to learn some of the tools to become a more consistent player. He still forechecks hard but doesn’t always go in at full speed for every loose puck, finding more creative ways to win battles and get himself open in front of the net instead. He can still pick a corner and be the lethal sniper off the rush but being a net-front menace has more of a reward in the Canes system. His breakout season filled a major void in Carolina’s forward corps, and he became one of the team’s cornerstones by the end of the year, playing on both special teams units by the end of the season. With still a relatively small NHL track record, Jarvis still has to prove if he can produce like this on a yearly basis, but he has established himself as a key part of Carolina’s future. He finished last year on a point per game pace and firing 14 goals in his last 18 games. Entering his fourth season he is capable of 40 goals and a point-per-game.

Martin Necas

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	31	37	68	0.83

Necas somewhat fell back to earth after a breakout season where it looked like he was on the path to stardom. A strong start was followed by a winter slump where he scored only five goals in 27 games through November and December. He began to return to form in mid-January after a brief stint on the IR, scoring at almost a point-per-game pace for three months before ending the season on a slow note that carried over into the playoffs. Finding linemates for him was an issue and the numbers game forced Necas off the top power play unit, so he didn’t have the same opportunities he did in 2022-23 when he was one of the few guys on the team who could produce offence. His talent is undeniable, but his preference for the one-man cycle game and tendency to make things happen on his own made him an awkward fit on most lines, although the Canes lack of a true second line pivot also contributed to that. Necas often had to play the one-man game because his linemates didn’t know what he was going to do, and the safer option was to just go to the net so he could do whatever he wanted high in the zone. Sometimes it worked, but he didn’t have enough players working with him last year. Even with his name being in trade rumors all summer, he’s slated to return to the Hurricanes for another year and should be back in a top six role with the Hurricanes losing a few forwards through free agency. Whether in Carolina or elsewhere he can produce 25 – 30 goals and 65 – 70 points with upside if he can find chemistry.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	16	22	38	0.50

At the start of the year, there were reasons to be optimistic about Kotkaniemi’s progression with Carolina. He began the season with 10 points in his first 10 games and was reliable as a pivot who could take advantage of playing with some of the team’s higher end skill guys like Martin Necas. Unfortunately, it was short lived as Kotkaniemi ended the season with only 27 points which included a three-month drought where he didn’t score a single goal. He went from centering the second line to playing regularly on the fourth line, even finding himself in the press box for a couple games. He is the negative side of the coin of a player with a ‘Jack of All Trades’ skillset, because he’s above average in most areas but not great at anything. The only exception being his heavy shot, which he needs a lot of time and space to release. One of the few skilled puck carriers on a forecheck-heavy team, Kotkaniemi’s skillset is needed but it comes back to him finding his confidence and the coaching staff trusting him again. Even when he was playing better, neither he nor his linemates could find the back of the net so it was hard for him to find any rhythm. With the roster currently loaded with middle-six players, Kotkaniemi needs to show some improvement to stand out from the pack. Now in his seventh season, and while young, a breakout is looking unlikely and should draft for around 15 goals and 30 – 40 points.

Jack Roslovic

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	18	19	37	0.49

Roslovic’s season was hampered by injuries, but he was trusted with some good linemates in both Columbus and New York, spending time on the Johnny Gaudreau line in Columbus and with Mika Zibanejad on the Rangers second line in the playoffs. His speed, lanky frame and occasional highlight reel play make him a desirable candidate for that role, but the results have been scattered over his career. Prone to both cold spells in goal-scoring and driving play. Last year being one of his stronger seasons in the play-driving department. As a pass-first player, it’s expected for his results to be more linemate driven, but Roslovic’s strength in the transition game gives him some quick-strike ability that every team can use. He’s an interesting fit in Carolina on a one-year ticket. His versatility will be nice, but it’s tough to say if his love for carrying the puck will fill a need or be an awkward fit in their forecheck-heavy system. There’s potential for him to be the center who can mesh with Necas’ skill, but his inconsistent play-driving could make the Canes pull the plug on that line before it has a chance to gel. He has skills they can use but could be short on linemates on a roster lacking top-end talent. He has only hit 20 goals once and risky to project at much more than that with an equal amount of assists.

Jordan Martinook

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	16	22	38	0.46

Best suited for a checking role, Martinook is usually the first one to get promoted to the top six whenever the Canes need a spark. He plays a straight-forward game with a lot of energy, so it’s easy to see why he’s been a favourite of Rod Brind’Amour since his arrival in Raleigh. His last two seasons have been his most productive, despite him being in his early 30’s. Although a career high of 34 points isn’t going to land you in a lot of record books. Point production is usually secondary when it comes to him, as Martinook is a key cog in their checking line and penalty kill. There’s more skill to his game than meets the eye, as Martinook has decent wheels and a deceptively good shot that makes him dangerous on breakaways. His knack for getting deflections on point shots also makes him a player you have to watch for sometimes. There isn’t much creativity in his game, but it’s not expected given his normal role. He’s the modern-day checking line forward who plays with a lot of tenacity but hasn’t lost the skill he had in juniors. Martinook finally earned a raise this off-season, signing a three-year deal after a couple years of team-friendly contracts with the Hurricanes. He will continue to be one of the team’s sparkplugs provided he stays healthy. Expect similar production.

William Carrier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
64	12	17	29	0.45

Carrier wasn’t the most well-known member of the inaugural Vegas squad, but he was an underrated part of their core. He played a fourth line role but on a higher end in the 11–13-minute range, often used in their starting lineup to help set the tone. He plays super aggressive on the forecheck and brings more skill than you’d expect, surprisingly one of the Vegas leaders in shot and scoring chance setups per 60 minutes during his time there. Most of those are meat and potatoes plays, getting the puck back to the point and crashing the net, but that’s a welcome addition on the Hurricanes. So much so that they opted to sign him to a six-year deal. Carrier isn’t the player you expect to have under contract until he’s 35 years old, but in the immediate he provides help to a Carolina team that was looking to add size and physicality in the off-season. His love for crashing the net and setting up point shots should give his assist total a boost. A nice player to have, but definitely the contract was definitely a head-scratcher for someone who plays lower in the lineup, although he does fill a need with Jesper Fast’s future in jeopardy.

Jack Drury

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	11	23	34	0.43

In search of some form of reliability at the 2C spot, Jack Drury emerged as the guy in the playoffs. Spending most of the season in the bottom-six, Drury found his way as a regular NHLer and the challenge was finding some kind of niche. He hasn’t quite found his game offensively just yet, as his scoring touch isn’t there and he wastes controlled entries with perimeter shots off the rush. Where his game has come along is being a stabilizer and defensive presence alongside Martin Necas. If there was one thing you could count on with Drury, it’s that he could keep play out of the Hurricanes end and be a support valve to help keep possessions alive. He always knows where to be and was a good linemate to deter some of the erratic play of Necas and their defence that loves to pinch at every opportunity. The question is if you want more out of him if he's going to be your second line center. As of now, he’s an excellent fourth or third liner but it’s tough to say if he’ll be a guy who can step up if the Hurricanes need more scoring. He’s also part of a very crowded center corps with no clear number two behind Sebastian Aho. His reliability and potential to do more could give them to edge for that spot, should things break that way.

DEFENCE

Jaccob Slavin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	7	32	39	0.48

A defensive stalwart with incredible endurance, Slavin might be the face of this era of Hurricanes hockey. Last year was his ninth season with the team and he will likely finish his career in Raleigh after signing an eight-year extension over the summer. How that contract ages is a conversation for another day, but he has held up better than most shutdown defencemen through his late 20’s, still posting excellent defensive numbers and remaining one of the league’s best at denying zone entries. Carolina’s quick, but conservative zone exit strategy has helped with some of the wear and tear, as he doesn’t take a lot of hits and is good at avoiding contact in general. Offence isn’t a big part of his game, although he did see an uptick in point production last season despite no power play time. The Hurricanes love of point shots and defencemen pinching make all of their blue liners a threat to get on the scoresheet in some way and Slavin is no different. He has some of the better puck skills among their defence corps, although it’s not something you see from him every game. This year will be a big test for him because he’s always been part of a great collective unit and now, he’s the centerpiece. It shouldn’t be that much of an adjustment since he was always the de facto top guy, but he doesn’t have the same rapport he did with the pieces around him and sometimes it takes time to get new roster additions, especially this many at the top of the lineup.

Brent Burns

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	8	30	38	0.46

Turning 40 years old in March, the only question with Burns is when Father Time will claim him like he does to most players once they reach the back end of their career. Burns has avoided hitting this wall thanks to his freak-like athleticism and training regimen, but you saw hints of it in the playoffs when the game appeared too fast for him. Quicker passing plays would avoid him, and he would be slower to react than usual. His regular season numbers are slightly more optimistic, as the Hurricanes were on the positive side of the shot, goal and scoring chance ledger with him on the ice, although getting deployed with the top line and Jaccob Slavin helps with that. His own game hasn’t changed much late in his career, he will fire everything at the net, and he can still be a force when jumping in from the point. He was also one of the team’s better blue liners at leading breakouts, both with relieving pressure and kickstarting the transition game, which is needed in the Hurricanes rigid system. With one year left on his deal, Carolina is hoping his body can hold up to at least hold the fort down in a top four role, as he doesn’t need to play the big minutes he used to command. He should at least see a reduction in minutes on the power play with more options brought in.

Shayne Gostisbehere

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	11	40	51	0.64

Betting on himself with a one-year deal in Detroit, the veteran defenceman earned himself a nice free agency payday thanks to a monster performance on the power play with 29 points. Returning to Carolina on a three-year deal, he fills a void on a blue line that lost both Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce in free agency, although he’s a different mold than both of those players. A pure power play specialist, Gostisbehere can handle the minutes of what they lost but probably not the assignments against top lines. How much they can shelter him will depend on how the rest of the defence plays, but they’re still going to try to get Ghost out in the offensive zone as much as possible. The Hurricanes foundation is built on a heavy cycle game and point shots, which Gostisbehere can take advantage of with how good he is at creating offence from up high. He’s also not a stranger to playing a simpler game in the defensive zone, even as a puck-mover. He had to do this in Detroit with their system, using the glass for most of his exits and is already familiar with what the Canes system is like. He is a welcome addition to both the Canes power play and five-on-five game, as he will get plenty of pucks thrown his way and his penchant for slipping past forwards for a better shot, will give Carolina a different dynamic high in the zone.

Dmitry Orlov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	6	26	32	0.41

The first season of Dmitry Orlov’s three-year deal was a bumpy ride. Blocked by Slavin and Skjei in the top four, Orlov had to make do with third-pair minutes for most of the year. In theory, he should have crushed these assignments, as he’s used to playing top-pair assignments on good teams. In practice, he struggled to find chemistry with lesser partners and didn’t find his groove until the middle of the year when he was teamed with Jalen Chatfield. The two were arguably the team’s best defence pair in the back half of the season and began playing top-pair minutes at even strength while the rest of the defence corps soaked up the power play time. This year, the training wheels are gone, and Orlov is one of the guys expected to slide up in the lineup to replace what they had in Skjei. Again, this transition shouldn’t be a problem for him in theory but at 33-years old he doesn’t have the same explosiveness as he did in his prime and was on the wrong end of some brutal puck-handling mistakes. Carolina is hoping year two is more of a smooth transition. The prior experience in the top four and chemistry with Chatfield should make the jump easier for him, though.

GOAL

Frederik Andersen

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
39	24	11	3	3	0.914	2.39

Pyotr Kochetkov

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
43	27	13	4	4	0.908	2.49

The Carolina Hurricanes are presumably down to their last season with Frederik Andersen. Unless the now-34-year-old Andersen re-signs on another one or two-year deal with the team at the end of this upcoming campaign, this will be his farewell tour - and that makes this season particularly crucial for the Metropolitan Division franchise, since he's remained their go-to when healthy even after yet another lengthy absence from the lineup. Andersen missed almost the entirety of the 2023-24 season with a blood clot health scare, leaving the Hurricanes to split the net between fellow veteran Antti Raanta and up-and-comer Pyotr Kochetkov. Once he returned, though, Andersen was who the team turned to both down the back stretch and into the postseason. He looked good, but he'll be 35 by the time this year wraps up; it's clear that he's nearing the final few seasons of his NHL career, and Carolina will need to prove that the team's coaching staff feels just as confident relying on Kochetkov in their most crucial games moving into a new era.

Most of Kochetkov's poor performances last season looked simply like a young goaltender learning what it takes to hack it over the long haul in the big leagues, and a concussion forced him to miss a chunk of time in the middle of the year - far from what Hurricanes fans would hope to see after spending the last few seasons forced to sit through a never-ending laundry list of bumps and bruises for both Andersen and Raanta. But while Kochetkov's inexperience made itself known in a handful of games, his overall instincts looked sharp, and his technique looked fluid. His skating ability makes it tough for shooters to take advantage of any decision-making tweaks he still needs; so long as the Hurricanes give him a slightly longer leash to learn the ropes, they should be in good hands.

2024 NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW- New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes

Corey Sznajder — Sat, 04 May 2024 13:40:37 +0000

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 02: New York Rangers Center Mika Zibanejad (93) in action during the National Hockey League game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers on November 2, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire)

While not considered fierce rivals, there is no love lost between the Hurricanes and Rangers. They’ve had their battles over the years, meeting in the playoffs for the second time in three years with no shortage of ex-teammates on both rosters. The Rangers got the better of the matchup in their last playoff meeting, blowing out Carolina 6-2 on the road in Game 7. The series followed a familiar script of the Hurricanes owning the shot clock but being unable to score on the power play or finish their chances at even strength, a problem that was magnified when they had to play from behind.

Two years have gone by and there’s been some changes on both sides. Vincent Trocheck has gone from Carolina’s second line to the Rangers top line, The Hurricanes presumably have their starting goaltender Frederik Andersen healthy, Brent Burns is on their top pair instead of Tony DeAngelo and both teams are bringing deeper rosters to the table bolstered by the trade deadline. The main players are still here, though and the CliffNotes summary of both teams is similar to what it was then.

Carolina is still that heavy shot volume team that is going to wear you down on the forecheck and struggle to finish while the Rangers still rely on some quick-strike offense backed by a lethal power play and lean on goaltender Igor Shesterkin when they need to. Both clubs have made some improvements since 2021, though. Peter Laviolette has cleaned up the Rangers defensive play so they’re less reliant on their goaltending to steal games and their offense is more versatile compared to the counter-attack dependent team they were under Gerard Gallant. Carolina is also less of a one-trick pony with how they create their offense, showing some more patience with letting plays develop off the rush instead of firing every puck at the net. They also have a new toy in winger Jake Guentzel, who gives them a top line that can potentially matchup with the Rangers firepower.

Both made quick work of their first-round matchups, so what’s new about the Rangers and Carolina in 2023?

The Matchup:

Again, the look of these teams is similar to what it was in 2022, except Laviolette has cleaned up the Rangers play in the defensive zone, as they’re a much better team at getting through an aggressive forecheck now. It’s an interesting style matchup at even strength because Carolina doesn’t give up much off the rush and it’s borderline impossible to create anything against them on the forecheck. They aren’t the cleanest team with exiting the zone and will blindly throw the puck into the neutral zone at times, but they’re still one of the best teams at recovering the puck and at least making things a deadlock at even strength.

How this plays out in a series will depend on the sequence of a game. If Carolina gets a lead, they should be set (although their Game 5 against the Islanders suggests otherwise) while the Rangers can do enough things to frustrate them if the Canes are playing from behind. The one area off the rush where they’re the most prone is counterattacks from the defensive zone, which usually happens when Carolina is pushing for offense late and the Rangers are good enough off the rush to capitalize on these opportunities.

Both teams scored at a similar rate at five-on-five during the regular season (2.56 goals per 60 for Carolina vs. 2.5 for NYR), even though most would consider the Rangers the better finishing team. They have the best forward between both teams (Artemi Panarin) and their passing gives them an edge in all situations, but some of the plays that Panarin and Zibanejad like to create aren’t going to be open unless Carolina gets really careless with the puck or their defensive coverage, so this could be a tight series at five-on-five. That said, Rangers are setup to be a tough team to come back against because they can either force Carolina into playing more of a rush game, which they are excellent at countering against, or forcing them to play a safer, dump-and-chase style of game where they get 30+ shots with 90% of them being of the low-percentage variety.

Why The Rangers Will Win

The easiest way to pick the Rangers is to go down the three major positions and choose who the best player is. Most are probably picking Panarin, Adam Fox and Shesterkin for forward, defenseman and goalie respectively and it’s hard to argue against that. Panarin didn’t exactly light up the scoresheet in the first round against the Caps, but it’s hard to say that he didn’t look dangerous whenever he was out there. It’s hard for any stars to dominate in the playoffs, especially this season, so you just need them to have enough shifts where they can takeover a game. Panarin did that enough against Washington to put the Caps away and he’s still one of the best passers in the league, arguably the best at threading the needle to go east-west with the puck. You could have the best game plan in the world and Panarin is good enough to make that irrelevant in two seconds.

Fox is in a similar boat to Panarin, as he didn’t have his usual star-level production, but he’s still an auto-breakout for the Rangers and will be a thorn in the Hurricanes side when they try to get their forecheck going. Despite the two points, he was impactful in the Washington series, leading the team in zone exits with nine and only turning the puck over once. The Rangers also successfully exited the zone on 16 of his 23 retrievals, which puts him at an elite level when it comes to starting exits. What helps this year is he’s not on an island anymore. New York switching Braden Schneider to the second pair in place of Jacob Trouba really helped stabilize some of the Ranger’s issues with turnovers. Scheider is still young and has issues with dealing with forecheck pressure, but the Rangers are getting the puck out more than they give it away.

The defensive style they played under Gallant was frustrating for the Hurricanes to deal with even if it wasn’t pretty. They didn’t advance a lot of pucks and instead basically gave it back to Carolina where they were immediately pressured into a bad shot that Shesterkin could easily handle or moved the play along the wall where another puck battle would start. Under Laviolette, they’re doing a better job of moving the puck forward and pushing the play from the defensive zone. This could turn some 2-1 games into 3-1 or make Carolina’s aggressive defense back off at the line if they get burned. They can still play the new style, but they’ve learned some new tricks and can try things out until Carolina proves they can score at five-on-five.

This is where the other advantage is on paper, or at least in theory. Shesterkin was a major problem for Carolina two years ago and has given them trouble this year, shutting the Canes out in their last meeting back in March. He is coming off a down season for his standards, but he’s still the type you would expect to turn it on when the games get tougher. His playing style is also a nightmare for the Hurricanes because of how much they normally rely on rebounds, deflections and close-range changes. He’s very quick to drop down and take away anything that you can’t elevate, and it usually takes a great shot, a lucky bounce or perfect timing to beat him. This is where you’d hope the investment in Jake Guentzel pays off if you’re Carolina, as he’s someone who can elevate the puck from close range, but even he scored only one goal in the first round, and it was into an empty net. There’s a lot Carolina needs to go right for them to advance in this series.

This isn’t even getting into the home ice advantage factor. Madison Square Garden has been a house of horrors for the Canes in recent history, they’ve won only four out of their last 23 games there, which includes a 16-game losing streak that lasted over the span of seven seasons. Carolina has moved on from that, winning their last game at MSG 6-1, but home ice played a role in their last series with both teams taking the first three games on their turf until New York won Game 7 in Raleigh. We’ll see if the MSG hex plays a factor again.

Why The Hurricanes Will Win

The Hurricanes’ success will depend on if their forwards can make their shots, if their power play clicks and if Freddie Andersen holds strong in net. They had some of that going for them in their series against the Islanders. Their power play struck in four out of five games and has a lot of different weapons they can turn to. Guentzel might not be making an impact on the scoresheet, but him in the bumper spot is what makes it go. Whether it’s directing traffic or drawing defenders in front of the net, he makes Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis’ lives a whole lot easier. Carolina is hoping he will see more of a reward for it on the scoresheet this round, as converting on those close-range chances is going to be key. Their second unit isn’t too bad either and could play a factor as they start to eat into some of the Rangers more tired skaters on the second half of the penalty kill.

If Carolina has a depth advantage, it’s on the wings. They split up their top line of Guentzel-Aho-Jarvis in Game 2, replacing Jarvis with Andrei Svechnikov and it helped both parties. Svechnikov and Jarvis are their best bet to have one of their forwards breakout against Shesterkin. Jarvis can pick a corner if he gets room and Svechnikov brings a dual threat that most of their other forwards don’t have, showing off some terrific playmaking skill in the opening round. The defense probably shouldn’t be overlooked here either, as Burns, Skjei, Orlov and even Chatfield are always a threat to contribute offensively. All four have heavy shots and will jump into the play if the opportunity presents itself. Washington had to activate their defense to get anything off the rush against the Rangers and the script will probably be similar for Carolina.

The Canes defense is the bedrock of their team after all. As stated earlier, they don’t give up a lot and this is the deepest they’ve ever been, especially if they get Brett Pesce back. Dmitry Orlov on your third pair is a luxury most teams would kill to have and Jalen Chatfield’s going to a more known player in a couple months when he hits free agency. His mobility is a great asset to have with how much man-to-man defending Carolina does and it should limit how much the Rangers can create off the cycle. If Carolina can limit the rush play and shutdown the Rangers when they try to regroup on entries, they should be in good shape because New York is very deliberate with how they play off the cycle. Carolina’s aggressive defensive zone coverage makes that a tough matchup, so there’s the potential for them to make the Rangers dependent on special teams if they can’t make any adjustments. Getting Pesce back for the series would make this easier for Carolina, though.

Special teams are going to be the ultimate struggle in this series. Carolina’s power play is running hot and so is the Rangers penalty kill, even scoring a shorthanded goal against the Caps. Carolina also has a top ranked penalty kill and the Rangers power play is going to be a huge test for them. They threw a few different looks against the Caps, moving Trocheck around the zone to get him open in the slot while Washington’s PK sold out to block the cross-seam pass. Carolina’s penalty kill isn’t going to let Panarin and Fox dance around the zone as easily, but it only takes one misread for them to make you look silly. Still, the Hurricanes penalty killers are a disciplined group. They like to pressure you, but their main job is to give the goaltender just the shooter to worry about instead of a screen, a rebound or an extra pass.

Of course, some of this comes down to the star players, namely Sebastian Aho. He’s never had a bad playoff series objectively and he is Mr. Do-It All for Carolina. There is just another level you expect him to reach if he’s going to carry the Hurricanes through a playoff series where the other team has more “star” players. He does a lot for the team, playing on both special teams units and is the catalyst for most of their offense. You just want to see him (or anyone) take over a game when they need a spark. We’ve seen it in the first round plenty of times, including this year, now he just needs to get over the hump.

McKeen’s 2024 NHL Playoff Pool Picklist

Robert Howard — Sat, 20 Apr 2024 17:01:11 +0000

COLUMBUS, OH - FEBRUARY 25: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid #97 prior to the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Edmonton Oilers at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on February 25, 2023. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire)

In kicking off our 2024 NHL Playoff Pool coverage, Scott Cullen did an excellent breakdown of how to strategize for your pool. We recommend you give it a read and can link here.

The picklist below largely follows the strategy laid out in his article focusing on these broad categories – 1) Diversify 2) Stacking 3) First Round Winners 4) Power Play 5) Late Season Production 6) Injuries 7) Targeting playoff performers. Every playoff season will be different, of course, and simply following the Stanley Cup odds laid in many places including BetGM will provide a picture of which teams you should focus on with your picks to make the final, but the path to that result will vary. They currently have the Carolina Hurricanes (650) and the Colorado Avalanche (700) as odds on favourites to meet in the Stanley Cup Final, followed closely by Florida Panthers (700), Dallas Stars (800), Edmonton Oilers (800) and the New York Rangers (900).

If we look at McKeen’s team predictions for each of the first round series it becomes clear some teams have an easier path and their players will provide the best odds to play the most games. Lets look at how the brackets might shake out.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas Vs. Vegas – We have Dallas winning in seven in a very hard-fought battle. A deep Dallas team versus the defending Champion who boasts several high-profile additions to end the season.

Winnipeg Vs. Colorado – This should be another war with the potential of a Winnipeg upset if Connor Hellebuyck rises to the occasion and Georgiev continues his late season struggles. Colorado should triumph in seven games.

Second Round Matchup: Colorado vs Dallas - The winner of these two close series meet and it means one of the highly ranked Colorado or Dallas will eliminate each other in the second round, assuming no upset in the first.

Edmonton Vs. Los Angeles – Edmonton should have the depth and firepower to take Los Angeles in six as we have predicted.

Vancouver Vs. Nashville – We hesitate to underestimate Nashville again, and this could be a close contest, but feel confident Vancouver will take it in six.

Second Round Matchup: Edmonton vs Vancouver – This should make for a thrilling series, but McDavid and company looked on a mission in the second half and should proceed to the conference final in six.

Therefore, the conference final in the west is projected to be Edmonton versus Colorado or Dallas (two very closely matched teams).

EASTERN CONFRENCE

Florida Vs. Tampa Bay – The recent two-time Stanley Cup champion meets last year’s finalist in the first round. While Tampa’s core may be aging, they are still a real threat if they get rolling. Florida showed they know how to win in the playoffs last year as well. Two goaltenders who can steal a series may make this a potential upset, but Florida should prevail in six.

Boston Vs. Toronto – Old nemesis meet again in the first round. Boston has beaten Toronto consistently in the playoffs in recent years and won all head-to-head matchups this season. There are questions about both teams, but the series should go seven and really could go either way.

Second Round Matchup: Boston Vs. Florida – with both series offering potential upsets, Florida players are ranked higher than Boston, and have ranked some high scoring Leafs and reasonable picks given they could well make it to the second round and can provide a challenge for both teams.

Carolina Vs. New York Islanders – A deep Carolina team adding some significant pieces at the deadline and should beat the Islanders here in five games.

New York Rangers Vs. Washington – The Rangers should be heavy favourites in this series and should beat the Capital in five or six games.

Second Round Matchup: - Carolina vs New York Rangers – of the second-round matchups this is the one we are most comfortable predicting. It should be a close series with the Hurricanes moving on to the Conference Final against Florida.

The following picklist is based on those possible outcomes. The first round offers some interesting matchups that could leave a favourite or two on the outside looking in early. Stack up on the teams you feel have the best odds of taking the cup but understand there are always upsets. Looking at the above, the teams with the easiest path to the conference final are Edmonton and Carolina. Colorado and Dallas are favourites of both the oddsmakers and ourselves to win a cup, but one of them will bow out by the second round. Florida has depth but will have to go through Tampa and either Boston or Toronto.

Good luck whichever strategy you choose.

Subscribers can download an excel version of this list in subscriber downloads

RANK	Player	Team	Pos	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	P/GP	EVG	EVP	PPG	PPP
1	Connor McDavid	EDM	C	76	32	100	132	35	30	1.74	24	87	7	44
2	Nathan MacKinnon	COL	C	82	51	89	140	35	42	1.71	41	92	10	48
3	Sebastian Aho	CAR	C	78	36	53	89	34	36	1.14	24	55	11	32
4	Jake Guentzel	CAR	C	67	30	47	77	25	22	1.15	25	55	5	22
5	Leon Draisaitl	EDM	C	81	41	65	106	26	76	1.31	20	65	21	39
6	Mikko Rantanen	COL	R	80	42	62	104	19	50	1.3	28	64	14	40
7	Cale Makar	COL	D	77	21	69	90	15	16	1.17	13	47	7	39
8	Sam Reinhart	FLA	C	82	57	37	94	29	31	1.15	25	55	27	34
9	Matthew Tkachuk	FLA	L	80	26	62	88	19	88	1.1	19	55	6	32
10	Aleksander Barkov	FLA	C	73	23	57	80	33	24	1.1	18	49	5	29
11	Artemi Panarin	NYR	L	82	49	71	120	18	24	1.46	38	75	11	44
12	Jason Robertson	DAL	L	82	29	51	80	19	22	0.98	20	52	9	28
13	Roope Hintz	DAL	C	80	30	35	65	26	22	0.81	19	42	8	19
14	Seth Jarvis	CAR	C	81	33	34	67	23	14	0.83	18	44	13	20
15	Andrei Svechnikov	CAR	R	59	19	33	52	13	58	0.88	14	35	5	17
16	Evan Bouchard	EDM	D	81	18	64	82	34	32	1.01	10	47	8	35
17	Zach Hyman	EDM	L	80	54	23	77	36	48	0.96	39	57	15	20
18	Valeri Nichushkin	COL	R	54	28	25	53	5	22	0.98	12	30	16	21
19	Nikita Kucherov	TBL	R	81	44	100	144	8	22	1.78	31	91	13	53
20	Auston Matthews	TOR	C	81	69	38	107	31	20	1.32	51	77	18	29
21	David Pastrnak	BOS	R	82	47	63	110	21	47	1.34	35	75	12	35
22	Jack Eichel	VGK	C	63	31	37	68	4	27	1.08	20	44	11	22
23	Ryan Nugent-Hopkins	EDM	C	80	18	49	67	10	36	0.84	14	38	4	26
24	Joe Pavelski	DAL	C	82	27	40	67	12	20	0.82	16	46	11	21
25	Matt Duchene	DAL	C	80	25	40	65	15	20	0.81	19	49	6	16
26	Mika Zibanejad	NYR	C	81	26	46	72	15	30	0.89	12	35	12	31
27	Martin Necas	CAR	C	77	24	29	53	-9	42	0.69	16	40	8	13
28	Vincent Trocheck	NYR	C	82	25	52	77	16	55	0.94	13	52	11	24
29	Chris Kreider	NYR	L	82	39	36	75	19	26	0.91	19	41	18	29
30	William Nylander	TOR	R	82	40	58	98	1	24	1.2	26	59	11	35
31	Mitch Marner	TOR	R	69	26	59	85	21	18	1.23	17	57	8	27
32	Adam Fox	NYR	D	72	17	56	73	21	36	1.01	10	38	6	33
33	Miro Heiskanen	DAL	D	71	9	45	54	8	36	0.76	7	33	2	21
34	Carter Verhaeghe	FLA	C	76	34	38	72	17	36	0.95	26	51	8	21
35	Mark Stone	VGK	R	56	16	37	53	1	22	0.95	10	35	4	14
36	Wyatt Johnston	DAL	C	82	32	33	65	14	38	0.79	26	52	3	10
37	Casey Mittelstadt	COL	C	80	18	39	57	10	32	0.71	15	48	3	9
38	Jonathan Drouin	COL	L	79	19	37	56	12	28	0.71	14	37	5	19
39	Artturi Lehkonen	COL	L	45	16	18	34	11	14	0.76	9	22	7	12
40	Sam Bennett	FLA	C	69	20	21	41	17	100	0.59	15	29	5	12
41	Vladimir Tarasenko	FLA	R	76	23	32	55	13	12	0.72	20	46	3	9
42	Jamie Benn	DAL	L	82	21	39	60	8	41	0.73	13	35	7	22
43	Tyler Seguin	DAL	C	68	25	27	52	10	26	0.76	22	42	3	8
44	J.T. Miller	VAN	C	81	37	66	103	32	58	1.27	25	61	10	40
45	Quinn Hughes	VAN	D	82	17	75	92	38	38	1.12	12	54	5	38
46	Elias Pettersson	VAN	C	82	34	55	89	20	12	1.09	21	56	13	31
47	Brad Marchand	BOS	L	82	29	38	67	2	78	0.82	19	37	7	26
48	Charlie Coyle	BOS	C	82	25	35	60	-2	38	0.73	17	44	7	11
49	Jonathan Marchessault	VGK	R	82	42	27	69	-2	40	0.84	34	52	8	17
50	Tomas Hertl	VGK	C	54	17	21	38	-28	22	0.7	10	26	6	11
51	Teuvo Teravainen	CAR	L	76	25	28	53	15	10	0.7	15	32	9	17
52	Mason Marchment	DAL	L	81	22	31	53	22	54	0.65	16	42	6	11
53	Thomas Harley	DAL	D	79	15	32	47	28	18	0.59	13	37	1	9
54	John Tavares	TOR	C	80	29	36	65	2	30	0.81	20	45	9	20
55	Pavel Zacha	BOS	C	78	21	38	59	12	18	0.76	15	44	6	15
56	Brayden Point	TBL	C	81	46	44	90	-16	14	1.11	31	58	15	32
57	Steven Stamkos	TBL	C	79	40	41	81	-21	34	1.03	21	42	19	39
58	Victor Hedman	TBL	D	78	13	63	76	18	76	0.97	9	45	4	31
59	Brandon Hagel	TBL	L	82	26	49	75	1	79	0.91	24	66	2	7
60	Evander Kane	EDM	L	77	24	20	44	-4	85	0.57	21	36	2	7
61	Logan Stankoven	DAL	C	24	6	8	14	10	4	0.58	5	12	1	2
62	Devon Toews	COL	D	82	12	38	50	28	18	0.61	12	43	0	5
63	Charlie McAvoy	BOS	D	74	12	35	47	4	86	0.64	11	34	1	13
64	Morgan Rielly	TOR	D	72	7	51	58	7	27	0.81	6	38	1	20
65	Brock Boeser	VAN	R	81	40	33	73	23	14	0.9	24	48	16	25
66	Alexis Lafrenière	NYR	L	82	28	29	57	2	40	0.7	26	51	2	6
67	Mark Scheifele	WPG	C	74	25	47	72	19	57	0.97	19	54	6	18
68	Kyle Connor	WPG	L	65	34	27	61	-6	6	0.94	29	42	5	19
69	Chandler Stephenson	VGK	C	75	16	35	51	-9	25	0.68	10	35	4	13
70	Mattias Ekholm	EDM	D	79	11	34	45	44	47	0.57	8	41	2	3
71	Josh Morrissey	WPG	D	81	10	59	69	34	44	0.85	8	50	2	19
72	Ross Colton	COL	C	80	17	23	40	-8	61	0.5	14	35	3	5
73	Warren Foegele	EDM	L	82	20	21	41	3	47	0.5	18	38	1	1
74	Brady Skjei	CAR	D	80	13	34	47	15	40	0.59	11	31	1	12
75	Brent Burns	CAR	D	82	10	33	43	19	20	0.52	5	22	4	20
76	William Karlsson	VGK	C	70	30	30	60	15	22	0.86	22	43	7	15
77	Shea Theodore	VGK	D	47	5	37	42	4	6	0.89	3	27	2	15
78	Filip Forsberg	NSH	L	82	48	46	94	16	43	1.15	35	62	13	32
79	Roman Josi	NSH	D	82	23	62	85	12	45	1.04	14	51	9	33
80	Sean Monahan	WPG	C	83	26	33	59	-1	12	0.71	15	36	9	21
81	Gustav Forsling	FLA	D	79	10	29	39	56	43	0.49	9	37	1	2
82	Brandon Montour	FLA	D	66	8	25	33	1	46	0.5	7	16	1	17
83	Mathew Barzal	NYI	C	80	23	57	80	-4	34	1	18	55	5	25
84	Noah Dobson	NYI	D	79	10	60	70	12	36	0.89	9	45	1	24
85	Nikolaj Ehlers	WPG	L	82	25	36	61	27	29	0.74	25	54	0	7
86	Tyler Toffoli	WPG	C	79	33	22	55	-6	14	0.7	22	37	11	18
87	Cole Perfetti	WPG	C	71	19	19	38	13	12	0.54	14	27	5	11
88	Gabriel Vilardi	WPG	C	47	22	14	36	11	14	0.77	13	22	9	14
89	Anthony Duclair	TBL	L	73	24	18	42	-8	34	0.58	19	30	5	12
90	Brock Nelson	NYI	C	82	34	35	69	-5	28	0.84	24	48	9	19
91	Bo Horvat	NYI	C	81	33	35	68	-1	39	0.84	22	48	10	18
92	Adrian Kempe	LAK	R	77	28	47	75	13	72	0.97	20	44	5	27
93	Kevin Fiala	LAK	L	82	29	44	73	1	62	0.89	18	43	11	30
94	Anze Kopitar	LAK	C	81	26	44	70	11	22	0.86	16	44	9	23
95	Jake DeBrusk	BOS	L	80	19	21	40	4	18	0.5	15	28	2	10
96	Tyler Bertuzzi	TOR	L	80	21	22	43	2	53	0.54	16	37	5	6
97	Ivan Barbashev	VGK	C	82	19	26	45	15	42	0.55	16	40	3	5
98	Gustav Nyquist	NSH	C	81	23	52	75	7	8	0.93	17	49	5	24
99	Ryan O'Reilly	NSH	C	82	26	43	69	6	18	0.84	12	41	14	28
100	Max Domi	TOR	C	80	9	38	47	10	118	0.59	8	45	1	2

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Fantilli takes on more responsibility – Rasmussen stepping up – Zary providing scoring punch – plus much more ..

Scott Cullen — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 21:07:45 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 26: Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (11) waits for a face-off during the Columbus Blue Jackets versus the Montreal Canadiens game on October 26, 2023, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help make decisions when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, Adam Fantilli takes on more responsibility in Columbus, Michael Rasmussen is stepping up in Detroit, Connor Zary is providing scoring punch for Calgary, and Edmonton has a goaltender offering fantasy value once again.

#1 It can be difficult to make the jump straight from college hockey to the NHL and it’s even more challenging when the player is asked to handle major responsibility at the NHL level. Columbus’ Adam Fantilli has recorded six points (4 G, 2 A) and 17 shots on goal in his past seven games and with Boone Jenner injured, Fantilli has now been thrust into the role of top line centre, skating with Johnny Gaudreau. Patrik Laine has also been recently injured and that has opened up a spot for Justin Danforth to play right wing on that line. Fantilli played a career high 19:29 in Thursday’s win at Toronto and he is looking at significant ice time for at least the next few months, as long as he can handle it.

#2 At the start of the season, Michael Rasmussen was languishing on the bottom half of the Red Wings depth chart, managing just five points (2 G, 3 A) in 19 games. December has brought more production from the 6-foot-6 centre, as Rasmussen has eight points (5 G, 3 A) and 15 shots on goal in seven games this month. With Dylan Larkin and J.T. Compher injured and David Perron appealing his six-game suspension, there is more ice time available in Detroit and Rasmussen is doing his part to earn it.

#3 Calgary Flames rookie winger Connor Zary has produced 15 points (6 G, 9 A) in 20 games since getting called up from the American Hockey League early in the season. His 0.75 points per game ranks second among rookies, behind some character named Bedard, and is skating on a line with Nazem Kadri and fellow rookie Martin Pospisil. There is a warning sign, however. Zary has failed to record a shot on goal in three of his past four games and has a total of 24 shots on goal in 20 games. That is not the ideal path to sustainable offensive production.

#4 Surrendering five goals on 22 shots in Thursday’s loss to Tampa Bay put a damper on the recently improved play of Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner. The Calder Trophy runner-up last season, Skinner started poorly this year and, with Jack Campbell demoted to the AHL, the Oilers were still pushing Skinner out there, hoping for better results. Before Thursday’s loss, they were getting those better results, as Skinner had seven straight wins with a .935 save percentage in his previous seven starts.

#5 Arizona Coyotes winger Matias Maccelli continues to produce. He had 49 points in 64 games last season and is up to 21 points (5 G, 16 A) in 28 games this season after scoring five points (2 G, 3 A) in his past six games. What is more compelling about Maccelli’s production is that he is shooting the puck a lot more. HE has 22 shots on goal in his past six contests, which is a substantial upgrade over his 36 shots on goal in 22 games before that.

#6 With Winnipeg Jets sniper Kyle Connor out 6-8 weeks after taking a knee-on-knee hit from Ryan Strome, the Jets will need Nikolaj Ehlers to handle more of the offensive load. He has tended to be underused in the past couple of seasons but does have 15 points (7 G, 8 A) and 38 shots on goal in his past 15 games. Now, the challenge will be maintaining that kind of production with Gabe Vilardi moving up to the top line to fill in for Connor.

#7 It is fair to say that Mason Marchment’s first season in Dallas did not go according to plan, as he finished with 31 points (12 G, 19 A) in 68 games. He scored on just 8.1 percent of his shots on goal, which contributed to his lower than anticipated output. This season, Marchment has scored on 16.1 percent of his shots on goal and has put up 12 points (6 G, 6 A) and 30 shots on goal in his past 12 games. It’s amazing what a difference it makes to score at nearly double the rate of shots on goal! Nevertheless, Marchment has found a good fit alongside veterans Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin in Big D.

#8 New York Islanders captain Anders Lee got off to an abysmal start this season, managing just two points (1 G, 1 A) through his first 15 games. For a player who lives at the top of the crease, that’s not making the most of his opportunities. Lee’s production is starting to improve, though, as he has eight points (6 G, 2 A) and 34 shots on goal in his past 13 games. Lee is back on the Islanders’ top line, with Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, so that should provide more consistent scoring opportunities.

#9 Coming off a career high 27 points last season, Vancouver Canucks winger Sam Lafferty is getting a great opportunity to skate on Vancouver’s top line with Elias Pettersson and Ilya Mikheyev. Lafferty has contributed five points (3 G, 2 A) in his past six games, and his situation makes him appealing in the short term but his track record and the possibility that he could easily get bumped down the depth chart does put a limit on his appeal in this scoring role.

#10 With Philipp Grubauer injured, Joey Daccord is looking at his best opportunity to establish himself in net for the Seattle Kraken. Daccord, 27, does have a .912 save percentage in his past eight appearances, so he could be an upgrade on the underachieving Grubauer. If Daccord falters, Chris Driedger might get some time, too. The 29-year-old missed all of last season after suffering a torn ACL at the 2022 World Championships. Driedger was squeezed out of Seattle at the start of the season but had a .916 save percentage in 15 games for Coachella Valley in the AHL at the time of his recall.

#11 The Carolina Hurricanes are not scoring enough and one of the reasons is that Andrei Svechnikov had managed just one goal on 41 shots in 16 games. He is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury, so Stefan Noesen has moved up the Carolina depth chart. Noesen has six points (3 G, 3 A) and 14 shots on goal in his past eight games and played a season-high 16:38 in Thursday’s win at Detroit.

#12 A top checking centre for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Anthony Cirelli is at his best when he is contributing at both ends of the rink. He is having a good run recently with seven points (5 G, 2 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past 6 games. Cirelli is playing with Tanner Jeannot and Brandon Hagel, a trio that is giving the Lightning legitimate secondary scoring behind their powerful top line.

#13 Detroit’s injuries have provided not only an opportunity for the aforementioned Michael Rasmussen, but also for Joe Veleno, a 23-year-old centre who has mostly been a fourth liner to this point in his career. In his past four games, Veleno has contributed three points (1 G, 2 A) while playing more than 21 minutes in every contest. He is centering Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane, while also getting first unit power play time. That may not last, especially once the Wings get healthy, but in the short term, Veleno suddenly finds himself offering potential value for fantasy managers.

#14 Boston Bruins centre Pavel Zacha is injured and that has opened the door for Morgan Geekie to take on a bigger role, skating on Boston’s top line with wingers Jake DeBrusk and David Pastrnak. Geekie had a career high 28 points (9 G, 19 A) in Seattle last season, so his offensive track record is limited, but he has played more than 17 minutes in back-to-back games contributed goal and an assist in those two contests.

#15 A big hit from Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon has landed Buffalo Sabres left winger Jeff Skinner on the injured list with an upper-body injury. That does create an opportunity for rookie Zach Benson who has shown flashes of skill on his way to a modest eight points (3 G, 5 A) in 20 games, but Benson is on a line with Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens, along with second unit power play time so, at the very least, it is worth monitoring his progress.

#16 Ottawa Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot is out for at least four weeks with a leg injury, which comes on the heels of a broken hand that cost him time earlier in the season. He has appeared in just nine games as a result, and his current injury opens the door for Jake Sanderson to step up as Ottawa’s No. 1 defenceman. Sanderson opened the season with 12 points (4 G, 8 A) in 14 games but has managed just two points (1 G, 1 A) in 10 games since. However, with the chance to quarterback the Sens’ top power play, Sanderson becomes more valuable for fantasy managers.

#17 Among players that have played at least 50 minutes in December, the leaders in individual expected goals per 60 minutes: Kyle Connor (2.81), John Tavares (2.67), Zach Hyman (2.30), Anders Lee (2.09), Quinton Byfield (2.03), Dylan Larkin (2.02), Austin Matthews (2.01), Colton Sissons (2.01), and Carter Verhaeghe (2.00). While there are familiar and expected names in that list, it should be an encouraging sign for the likes of Lee and Byfield, that their production could be sustained, while Sissons could be worth watching in deeper leagues as he has five points (3 G, 2 A) and 13 shots on goal in seven games this month.

#18 It has been a running theme here this season how unpredictable goaltenders can be. Among the 27 goaltenders that have appeared in at least four games this month, here are the leaders in save percentage: Juuse Saros (.953), Filip Gustavsson (.944), Connor Hellebuyck (.939), Petr Mrazek (.938), and Joey Daccord (.934). You will be forgiven for doing a double take at the last two names on that list. Then take a look at the other end. Here are the bottom five goaltenders for save percentage in December, minimum four games: Arvid Soderblom (.844), Igor Shesterkin (.865), Jake Oettinger (.868), Sergei Bobrovsky (.878), and Joonas Korpisalo (.884). Shesterkin and Oettinger are unexpected entries but consider that this is a very small sample size and not representative of a goalie’s overall value.

#19 Among defenceman to play at least 50 minutes this month, the leaders in individual expected goals per 60 minutes: Jacob MacDonald (0.93), Charlie McAvoy (0.61), Darnell Nurse (0.57), K’Andre Miller (0.55), and Drew Doughty (0.54). Leaders in shots on goal per 60 minutes: Mike Reilly (11.73), Justin Faulk (11.27), Jacob MacDonald (10.24), Rasmus Dahlin (9.47), and Morgan Rielly (8.90). MacDonald does have three goals in five games in December, but it is still tough to trust that he will have regular ice time in San Jose. Reilly is making the most of his opportunity with the Islanders. He has four points (1 G, 3 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past five games and played a season high 20:37 in Wednesdays win over Anaheim.

#20 Forwards who have yet to score in December with the highest total of shots on goal: Cole Caufield (29), Dylan Cozens (22), Yanni Gourde (22), Carl Grundstrom (18), Timo Meier (18), and Cam Atkinson (18). This should be encouraging, that these players are still generating shots on goal and that eventually leads to actual goals. In the case of someone like Caufield, who has established his credentials as a finisher, it would seem to be just a matter of time before he breaks through.

DADOUN: THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Sharks show some bite in tough season – Coyotes, Hurricanes, Avalanche, Devils, Islanders, Maple Leafs, Canucks and Golden Knights – Players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 16:09:54 +0000

BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 30: San Jose Sharks left wing Fabian Zetterlund (20) takes a shot in warm up before a game between the Boston Bruins and the San Jose Sharks on November 30, 2023, at TD garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

This column was previously getting released at the start of the week, but starting today, it will come out Saturdays instead. It’ll still preview the upcoming week, but now you’ll have more time to plan your strategy. Please bear in mind that the information provided is reflective of the time of writing (in this case, the morning of Dec. 8).

That aside, I wanted to cast a light on San Jose, which has won five of its last seven games. The Sharks have been fun to watch recently with them overcoming a 4-1 deficit against the Islanders on Tuesday and a 4-0 deficit to the Red Wings on Thursday. After a 0-10-1 start to the campaign that included back-to-back games in which they surrendered 10 goals, the Sharks are now 8-17-2. Still not good, but given where they came from, that’s impressive.

Looking at their last seven games specifically, the big change for San Jose has been its offense. The Sharks have scored 4.00 goals per game over that span, compared to 1.09 over their first 11 outings. Tomas Hertl has been an important factor in their recent surge, providing five goals and nine points over his last six appearances, but the real standout performer has been Mikael Granlund, who went from recording four assists over his first 13 contests to contributing three goals and 12 points over his last seven outings.

The Sharks have gotten some support team-wide too. Seven different players have supplied at least two goals over the past seven games, including three markers from defenseman Jacob MacDonald, who had just three goals over 101 career NHL games going into this campaign.

Is this sustainable, though? Probably not. The Sharks don’t have a particularly good team. Goaltenders Mackenzie Blackwood and Kaapo Kahkonen are still struggling, so if the offense cools from its unreal pace, then the whole house of cards will likely crumble again. Plus overcoming three- or four-goal deficits is fun to watch, but not something that can be counted on to happen routinely.

It is encouraging to see youngsters William Eklund, who has two goals and five points over his last four contests, and Fabian Zetterlund, who has four goals and five points over his last seven games, do well though. They’re the future of the franchise, so strong performances from them matter much more to San Jose than whether the squad is winning or losing today.

Arizona Coyotes - MON @ BUF, TUE @ PIT (BTB), FRI VS. SJS, SAT VS. BUF (BTB)

The Coyotes enjoyed a five-game winning streak from Nov. 25-Dec. 4, bringing them up to 13-9-2 by the end of that run. After spending a few years rebuilding, Arizona has a real shot of making the playoffs this year.

Of course, the Coyotes still have a lot of work ahead of them, which they’ll continue next week with games in Buffalo on Monday and Pittsburgh on Tuesday, followed by home contests versus the Sharks on Friday and Sabres on Saturday. Those adversaries range from bad to middling this campaign, so the Coyotes should do well.

With two back-to-back sets, Karel Vejmelka should get some work for the first time since Nov. 22. He’s struggled this campaign with a 2-6-2 record, 3.45 GAA and .892 save percentage in 11 contests, so he’s not an ideal option for a situational pickup. That said, if he draws the Sharks, then it might be worth considering him (provided San Jose has cooled by that point).

If Alex Kerfoot is still available in your league, he’d be a good pickup. He’s one of the hottest players in the league with a goal and nine points over his last five contests. Part of that surge is thanks to him getting an increased role. Over his first 15 contests this campaign, he had a goal and four points while averaging 15:01 of ice time, including just 0:18 with the man advantage, but that’s jumped to 18:57 over his last 10 contests, including 2:21 on the power play. So, while he obviously can’t maintain the offensive pace of his last five games, as long as Arizona keeps deploying him like it has recently, Kerfoot should continue to be a valuable forward in most fantasy leagues.

Someone else to consider in the short-term but is less likely to have long-term success is Michael Carcone. He has five goals over his last five contests, but his shooting percentage has climbed to an unsustainable 32.4 and he serves in a bottom-six role, so expect him to crash completely once the hot streak is over.

Carolina Hurricanes – TUE @ OTT, THU @DET, FRI VS NSH (BTB), SUN VS WAS

The Hurricanes will start the week by completing their six-game road trip with games in Ottawa on Tuesday and Detroit on Thursday. They’ll then get an opportunity to defend PNC Arena when they host the Predators on Friday and the Capitals on Sunday. Detroit’s been pretty good this campaign, but Nashville is the only other opponent currently in a playoff position, and even then, just barely.

Andrei Svechnikov couldn’t play Thursday due to an upper-body injury. If it turns out he won’t be available for some or all of next week’s games, then that will have a significant impact on Carolina’s lineup. In particular, Michael Bunting could play a major role during Svechnikov’s absence. When Svechnikov missed the first eight contests of the campaign because of a knee injury, Bunting had two goals and six points in eight contests while averaging 18:12 of ice time. Since then, Bunting has dropped to 13:45 while providing four goals and 10 points over 17 games.

We also might see Brendan Lemieux playing consistently during Svechnikov’s absence. Lemieux isn’t much of a factor offensively, but if you’re in a position where you’re looking for penalty minutes, he can help you there. Through 10 appearances this season, he’s accumulated 33 PIM and the 27-year-old has 517 PIM in 285 career games.

On the power play, there might be an opportunity for Brady Skjei to assume a second-line role. He has four goals and 15 points in 29 contests this season, which is great for a defenseman who is averaging just 0:13 with the man advantage. Even a second unit power-play role would be a potentially meaningful boost for him.

Colorado Avalanche – MON VS CGY, WED VS BUG, SAT @ WPG, SUN VS SJS (BTB)

The Avalanche will play four games next week, including home contests against the Flames on Monday, the Sabes on Wednesday and the Sharks on Sunday. Sprinkled in there will also be a road outing in Winnipeg on Saturday. Of those opponents, just Winnipeg is in a playoff position. The Sharks have won five of their last seven games, though, so it’ll be interesting to see if they’re still hot by the time that contest happens.

Speaking of hot players, Nathan MacKinnon is on a 10-game scoring streak, providing four goals and 16 points over that stretch, including two goals and five points over his last two contests alone. Through Thursday’s action, MacKinnon has moved into a three-way tie for fourth in the scoring race with 36 points in 26 outings.

The Avalanche don’t have any other players who are currently excelling, though. Bowen Byram is interesting with two goals and three points over his last four contests. He might be worth some short-term consideration, but the lack of a consistent power-play role is a significant negative.

We also should see Ivan Prosvetov start this week, likely Sunday versus San Jose. He’s been decent when utilized, posting a 2-1-1 record, 2.45 GAA and .919 save percentage in six contests this season, so if you’re looking for a situational pickup in goal, then Prosvetov is a good option.

New Jersey Devils – WED VS BOS, SAT @ CBJ, SUN VS ANA (BTB)

The Devils are a borderline selection because they have just three games this week and their first contest is a home game versus the mighty Bruins on Wednesday. However, New Jersey will then face two of the worst teams in the league with matches in Columbus on Saturday and against the Ducks on Sunday.

If you look at the league leader in terms of points per game, it isn’t Nikita Kucherov, Artemi Panarin or Connor McDavid. That honor instead belongs to Jack Hughes, who has 10 goals and 33 points in just 19 contests. Hughes missed five straight games from Nov. 5-16 due to a shoulder injury but has bounced right back. In particular, he scored four goals and 10 points over a four-game stretch from Nov. 28-Dec. 5. Provided he stays healthy the rest of the way, Hughes is a good bet to surpass his career high of 99 points.

Hughes is far from New Jersey’s sole offensive threat with the team averaging 3.63 goals per game -- fourth in the NHL. However, that’s been counterbalanced by the Devils allowing 3.67 goals per contest, which is the second worst in the league. Their expected goals against per 60 is 3.27, which suggests that part of the problem is New Jersey’s defense, but its goaltending has been lacking too.

Vitek Vanecek is having a disastrous campaign with a 3.60 GAA and an .877 save percentage in 16 contests. The fact that he has a 9-5-0 record despite that is a testament to the Devils’ amazing offense, but for a team with playoff aspirations, Vanecek isn’t looking like an acceptable option. Lately, that’s led to New Jersey pivoting more toward Akira Schmid.

Schmid struggled initially with a 3.46 GAA and an .885 save percentage through his first six appearances in 2023-24, but since then he’s rebounded with a 3-2-0 record, 2.53 GAA and .920 save percentage in five outings. With the 23-year-old outplaying Vanecek, Schmid has a real opportunity to steal the No. 1 gig, which could lead to him accumulating a lot of wins given the offensive support New Jersey can provide.

New York Islanders – MON VS TOR, FRI VS ANA, SAT @BOS (BTB)

The Islanders will start the week with home games versus the Maple Leafs, Ducks and Bruins on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, respectively, before visiting Montreal on Saturday. Toronto and Boston are tough adversaries, but Anaheim and Montreal rank near the bottom of the league, and it helps that the Islanders will be playing mostly at home next week.

Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat have been playing some of the best hockey of their lives recently. Barzal has four goals and 11 points over his last four games, propelling him to nine goals and 27 points in 24 outings this year. Meanwhile, Horvat is on a five-game scoring streak in which he’s scored four goals and nine points, bringing him up to nine markers and 23 points through 24 appearances in 2023-24.

The Islanders have been getting offensive help from less common sources too. Julien Gauthier has two goals and five points in five contests this year. You can consider taking him in the short term, but keep in mind that he’s a depth forward, so once his hot streak ends, he won’t have value in anything but the absolute deepest of leagues.

Similarly, Simon Holmstrom is averaging just 13:38 of ice time this year, so he hasn’t been getting a big enough role to warrant holding him in standard fantasy leagues. However, Holmstrom is an interesting short-term option after scoring two goals and four points over his last four contests.

Toronto Maple Leafs – MON @ NYI, TUE @ NYR (BTB), THU VS CBJ, SAT VS PIT

The Maple Leafs’ schedule isn’t necessarily easy, but it is full with four games ahead of them. They’ll start the week with games in New York versus the Islanders on Monday and the Rangers on Tuesday. Afterwards, the Leafs will return home to host the Blue Jackets on Thursday and Penguins on Saturday.

Goaltender Joseph Woll sustained a leg injury during Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Ottawa and is expected to miss time. He had been serving as the Leafs’ top goaltender, but the injury will at least temporarily force Toronto to pivot back to Ilya Samsonov, who has missed the last two games due to an illness but will presumably be fine by next week. Samsonov has a 3.58 GAA and an .878 save percentage in 10 contests, so he’s been far from ideal, but he shouldn’t be dismissed after recording a 2.33 GAA and a .919 save percentage in 42 outings last season.

Martin Jones might also get a start next week depending on how long Woll is out for. Don’t expect too much out of Jones, though. He had a 3.09 GAA and an .895 save percentage in 220 NHL games from 2018-19 through 2022-23 and more recently has posted a 3.37 GAA and an .870 save percentage in five outings with AHL Toronto. Simply put, he’s not a good option. You might want to keep Dennis Hildeby in the back of your mind, though. The 22-year-old excelled in the Swedish Hockey League and has looked dominant in the AHL this campaign with a 1.89 GAA and a .925 save percentage in nine contests.

Putting the Maple Leafs’ goaltending aside, the team has been led by the usual suspects recently, which is to say that Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and William Nylander have combined for seven goals and 12 points over Toronto’s last three games. Meanwhile, Max Domi has provided a goal and an assist over his last two contests. He’s been inconsistent offensively, which is unlikely to change so long as he’s averaging just 12:54 of ice time, but he’s an interesting short-term pickup while he’s hot, especially if you’re in a position to benefit from the penalty minutes he can provide.

Vancouver Canucks – TUE VS TBL, THU VS FLA, SAT @ MIN, SUN @ CHI (BTB)

The Canucks will kick off the week by hosting the Lightning on Tuesday and the Panthers on Thursday. They’ll then travel to Minnesota for a contest Saturday and face the Blackhawks in Chicago on Sunday. Those later two games are of particular interest given that they’re against teams not in playoff spots.

Sam Lafferty has bounced around the lineup this campaign, but lately, he’s been playing alongside Elias Pettersson and Ilya Mikheyev. That’s a golden opportunity for the 28-year-old, who has seven goals and 13 points in 27 contests this year. He’s also doing well at the moment with two goals and three points over his last three games. Be careful not to get too excited about Lafferty, whose career high in points is just 27, but his fantasy value will increase meaningfully if his current top-six role proves to be more than just a temporary assignment.

One Canucks player who has trended in the other direction recently is Andrei Kuzmenko. After scoring 39 goals and 74 points in 81 contests last year, the 27-year-old has been limited to four goals and 15 points over 24 outings in 2023-24, including just one point (a goal) over his last eight appearances. Things got so bad that he was even a healthy scratch for two straight games from Nov. 24-25 and he logged just 12:15 of ice time Thursday, his second-lowest total of the season.

While I don’t expect Kuzmenko to repeat his 2022-23 heights, he certainly can do better than he has lately. Given his recent play and his diminished role (which I believe to be temporary), he’s a solid buy-low candidate.

Vegas Golden Knights – TUE VS CGY, FRI VS BUF, SUN VS OTT

Vegas has just three games scheduled next week, but they’re all home contests against teams not in a playoff position. Specifically, the Golden Knights will host the Flames on Tuesday, the Sabres on Friday and the Senators on Sunday.

Jack Eichel is easily the hottest member of the Golden Knights with four goals and nine points over his last four contests, pushing him up to 12 goals and 30 points in 27 contests in 2023-24. Alex Tuch has already worked out great for Buffalo while Peyton Krebs and Noah Ostlund still might be good for the Sabres in the long run, so it’d be overly simplistic to call Vegas the winners of the Eichel trade, but the Golden Knights nevertheless must be thrilled with how that move has worked out.

Ben Hutton has been a bit of a disappointment, though, at least from a fantasy perspective. With Shea Theodore (upper body) unavailable, Hutton has averaged 2:17 of power-play ice time over the last seven contests, up from an average of just 0:25 over his first 14 outings. However, Hutton has just a goal and an assist over his last seven games and neither of those points came with the man advantage. Hutton’s never been much of an offensive force anyway, but it is a shame that he hasn’t gotten any production out of that power-play role.

If Daniil Miromanov (undisclosed) returns before Theodore, then he might take that power-play spot from Hutton. In that scenario, Miromanov would have some fantasy value.

*(BTB) – Denotes the second of a back-to-back series