Barrett Hayton – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – UTAH MAMMOTH – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 19:43:53 +0000

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 11: Utah Hockey Club Defensemen Mikhail Sergachev (98) as seen during an NHL game between The New York Islanders and The Utah Hockey Club on January 11, 2025 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, UT. (Photo by Aaron Baker/Icon Sportswire)

In the franchise’s first season in Utah, after moving the roster (if not the team, officially) from Arizona, Utah finished with 89 points (38-31-13), missing the playoffs, but there were some encouraging signs. The Utah Hockey Club had the underlying numbers of a contender, ranking sixth in Corsi percentage (53.5) and fifth in expected goals percentage (53.9). They ranked 13th with 8.06 goals per 60 minutes during five-on-four play, and 17th with 7.47 goals against per 60 minutes of four-on-five play. Unfortunately, they did not have the goaltending to reach the postseason. Karel Vejmelka appeared in 58 games, and played well, but Connor Ingram struggled before re-entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, and Utah didn’t have any great options otherwise, leading to Vejmelka handling a heavier-than-expected workload.

What’s Changed?

Utah got busy in the offseason, naming the team the Mammoth, and taking a big swing in the trade market, sending defenceman Michael Kesselring and right winger Josh Doan to the Buffalo Sabres for winger J.J. Peterka, who adds an up-and-coming scorer to the Mammoth roster. Utah signed free agent right winger Brandon Tanev as well as Stanley Cup champion defenceman Nate Schmidt. They also inked goaltender Vitek Vanecek, who provides insurance behind Vejmelka if Ingram is unable to return to action. Winger Matias Maccelli was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs and veteran centre Nick Bjugstad signed with the St. Louis Blues as a free agent. The move for Peterka was an indication that the Mammoth are not going to be shy about doing what it takes to make the team better.

What would success look like?

A playoff berth would have to count as success, since the previous iteration of the franchise, the Arizona Coyotes, reached the playoffs just once in their last 12 seasons in the desert. There is a quality core of forward talent that can take this team to the postseason, but the questions will land on defence and in goal, where depth could be an issue. It doesn’t appear as though the Coyotes are ready to be real contenders, but earning a playoff spot in that challenging Central Division would be a successful season and it’s not some ridiculous pipedream to believe that they can get there.

What could go wrong?

Last season could have gone much worse for Utah if Vejmelka had not played so well so, like most teams, the Mammoth can ill afford to have subpar goaltending. They do have a few stars that are probably harder to replace, like defenceman Mikhail Sergachev is hugely important and with the moderate level of blueline talent behind him, an injury to their top defenceman could be devastating. Utah’s improved depth could help them overcome an injury or two up front, but this team is still working on relatively thin margins, so a few bad bounces, unfortunate injuries, or subpar goaltending could be enough to keep them out of the playoffs yet again.

Top Breakout Candidate

Third-year centre Logan Cooley has to be the pick here, even after a relatively high on-ice shooting percentage last season, because he is poised to be the No. 1 centre for Utah, which would mean playing with left winger Clayton Keller, who just put up 90 points (30 G, 60 A) last season, so that kind of opportunity raises the ceiling for Cooley who, in his own right, is a dynamic offensive talent. If there is chemistry with Keller, Cooley may just continue his upward scoring trend.

FORWARDS

Clayton Keller

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	34	56	90	1.13

A talented playmaking winger, Keller put up a career-high 90 points (30 G, 60 A), continuing to provide offense at an elite level. In the past three seasons, he has 252 points (100 G, 152 A) in 241 games, ranking 16th in the league in that time. Keller is on the smaller side and plays according to his strengths. He only had 11 hits last season, his lowest total since his rookie season in 2017-2018, but he thrives in open space, whether it’s in transition or on the power play, where he can set up on the half wall and direct the play from there, either as a setup man or launching one-timers. His 37 power play points last season was tied for third, behind only Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon. Keller uses his quickness to create space from which he generates offensive opportunities, with the element of surprise working in his favour. Keller is a highly skilled player whose puckhandling makes him a challenge for defenders and goaltenders alike when left in a one-on-one situation. With Keller established as a legitimate star player for the newly named Mammoth, now is the time for the team to build a quality supporting cast around him, so that he can continue to deliver on the offensive end. While Keller is not necessarily noted for his defensive acumen, the puck was moving the right way when he was on the ice in 2024-2025; last season he had a 54 percent Corsi with 53.4 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play. If the supporting cast can continue to get better, then Keller should be a prime offensive threat in 2025-2026. It would be fair to expect 30-35 goals and 85-90 points, with a chance to challenge 100 points if he has good fortune in terms of percentages.

Logan Cooley

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	29	47	76	0.93

Drafted third overall in 2022, Cooley took a big step forward in his second NHL season, jumping from 44 points (20 G, 24 A) in 82 games in 2023-2024 to 65 points (25 G, 40 A) in 75 games last season. The name of the game for Cooley is speed, as he uses his acceleration to separate from defenders and create dangerous opportunities off the rush. He plays with an offensively aggressive mindset, so he’s not afraid to go to the net when the opportunity presents itself and seeing what he has accomplished through his first two seasons offers a tantalizing glimpse into his potential. At the same time, there is still room for improvement. While Cooley had a 50.4 percent Corsi in his sophomore season, up by three percent over his rookie campaign, his relative numbers were down 2.2 percent from the previous season. Some of that may be that Utah had more all-around talent so other lines also pushed play, but if he is going to be the star that he appears he can, he should not be trailing others when it comes to controlling play. Cooley remains a work in progress in the faceoff circle, but did improve, going from a winning percentage of 38.0 percent as a rookie to 44.7 percent last season. With an expectation that Cooley spends most of his time skating on a line with Keller, the young center’s production should continue to ascend but projections need to take into account that his on-ice shooting percentage last season was 11.7 percent, a mark that he is highly unlikely to duplicate in 2025-2026. As such, 25 goals and 65-70 points is a fair possibility and while it might not seem like much of an increase, he could use power play production to offset a likely five-on-five regression.

J.J. Peterka

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	30	34	64	0.78

Coming off a season in which he racked up a career-high 68 points (27 G, 41A) for the Buffalo Sabres, Peterka insisted on getting moved and was highly sought after as a 23-year-old winger just coming into his prime. Utah stepped up, sending Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring to the Sabres to complete the deal and then signed Peterka to a new five-year, $38.5 million contract. His arrival in Utah gives the Mammoth another legitimate high-end offensive talent and it could be the type of move that lifts them into postseason contention. Coming from Buffalo, Peterka does not have playoff experience, but he has shown well when playing for Germany at the World Championships. He compiled 21 points (11 G, 10 A) in 18 games during the 2023 and 2024 World Championships and was named the top forward at the 2023 event. While Peterka certainly appears to be on the upswing in his career, there should be some caution exercised because his on-ice shooting percentage last season was 14.2 percent, an unsustainably high number that was the highest in the league among forwards that played at least 200 five-on-five minutes. So, while the tendency might be to lean towards optimism for Peterka, it is going to be difficult to overcome that likely statistical regression. That being the case, it’s fair to expect him to challenge 30 goals and 65 points during the 2025-2026 season.

Dylan Guenther

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	32	35	67	0.85

Drafted ninth overall in 2021, Guenther signed an eight-year, $57.14 million contract prior to last season and while it seemed like a major commitment to a player who had played a total of 78 NHL games to that point, Guenther quickly showed that it could be money well spent as he busted out with 27 goals and 60 points last season, showcasing a lightning-quick release that figures to serve him well for many years. There are so many NHL players who can really shoot the puck with authority that for the rare ones to stand out in that crowd there must be something special there and listening to teammates talk about Guenther’s shot, it appears that he is on a rare tier. The next step is to take more advantage of his shot during five-on-five play because Guenther has scored 51 goals in his NHL career and 25 of them have come via the power play. There is the possibility now that Guenther has enough experience to slide up the depth chart so that he could play first line at even strength, which should help him increase his even-strength scoring, because if it means playing with Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley, those are two very skilled linemates. Expect Guenther to continue his career ascent in 2025-2026. It would be entirely fair to expect him to hit 30 goals and 65 points.

Nick Schmaltz

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	20	38	58	0.71

In the past four seasons, Schmaltz has ranked between 58 and last season’s career-high 63 points, producing at a consistent level, though there is an obvious argument that scoring 58 and 59 points in 63 games, as he did in 2022-2023 is better than 63 points in 82 games, as he did last season. Schmaltz is a talented playmaker who has gradually become more comfortable shooting the puck. He’s still not firing indiscriminately towards the opposing net, but 2.27 shots on goal per game last season got him to 20 goals even with a shooting percentage of 10.9 percent, which was well below his career mark, which was 14.2 percent going into last season. With sound offensive instincts and good puck skills, Schmaltz is a strong complementary player to Clayton Keller, though both of them are quite reluctant to get involved in physical play, as Schmaltz accrued just 14 hits last season. As the Mammoth improve their talent, Schmaltz could slide into a second line role, where he would still have plenty of opportunity to generate offense, but may also be split away from Keller. Knowing how consistently Schmaltz has contributed to the offense in recent seasons, it’s fair to expect something similar, maybe in the range of 20 goals and 55-60 points during the 2025-2026 season.

Barrett Hayton

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	18	28	46	0.56

It sure seemed like a reach when the Arizona Coyotes drafted Hayton fifth overall in 2018, but they gave him ample opportunity to prove that he could play in a scoring role and what ultimately appears to have happened is that he has shown he can be a capable second-line center. He hit career highs with 20 goals, 26 assists, and 46 points last season while playing a little over 16 minutes per game. That has Hayton fitting into the Utah lineup just behind Logan Cooley on the center depth chart. Hayton has good speed to create opportunities and will go the net to generate chances, but the lack of consistency in his career makes it difficult to expect him playing higher in the lineup if the team has more viable options. At the same time, while his offensive numbers have never really taken off, Hayton has turned into a puck possession monster the past couple of seasons, earning 57.9 percent Corsi and 57.9 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play over the past two seasons. So, on one hand, the point production isn’t quite what is needed from a first-line center, but his two-way play has evolved to the point that he is a strong option as a second-line center and with the Mammoth improving their team depth, that means that Hayton should have quality wingers to play with this season. He should be able to contribute 15-20 goals and 40 points.

Lawson Crouse

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	15	16	31	0.39

After three consecutive seasons with at least 20 goals, Crouse saw his role decrease dramatically as the team moved to Utah last season, with his average ice time per game falling from 16:49 in 2023-2024 to 13:44 per game last season. His production plummeted, too, and he managed a dozen goals and 18 points. The category that Crouse could trade on, in terms of fantasy value, has always been hits. He peaked at 288 hits in 2018-2019 and still registered 193 hits in his diminished role last season. When he was scoring 20 goals and recording 175 hits, there was clear fantasy value to Crouse’s production, but last season’s decline made it far less appealing. With his size and physical presence, Crouse should be valuable in the modern NHL, because he can battle the biggest defenders and handle himself if a fight is needed, but he has also grown as a player to fill a complementary role, capable of finishing chances around the net. His most common linemates last season were Jack McBain, Nick Bjugstad, and Josh Doan. Crouse had quite a bit of success with the since-traded Doan, controlling 62.7 percent of expected goals and outscoring opponents 16-10, but it should be an indication that Crouse is a strong complementary option alongside more skilled playmakers. That should give at least some hope that Crouse can bounce back in 2025-2026, so expect 15-20 goals and 30-plus points, along with 190 hits.

Jack McBain

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	12	17	29	0.35

A 6-foot-4 center who uses his size to be an effective physical presence, McBain has earned the respect of the Mammoth, which was shown by his new five-year, $21.25 million contract, an indication that they view him as more than a fourth-line center. McBain recorded career highs in goals (13) and points (27) to go along with 291 hits and 78 penalty minutes last season. The scoring numbers alone don’t generate fantasy interest, but 291 hits ranked sixth in the entire NHL and that holds value in banger leagues already, but if McBain can expand his offensive repertoire, then he would gain more widespread appeal. While McBain doesn’t have a huge offensive pedigree in the NHL, he did have productive senior season at Boston College in 2021-2022, scoring 33 points (19 G, 14 A) in just 24 games, so maybe there is a path to him producing more if he gets consistent ice time in Utah’s top nine. If McBain gets a little more ice time in 2025-2026, then he can fairly be expected to contribute 10-15 goals and 30 points, and if he puts up 250-plus hits, too, that will give him some fantasy value and if he could pop more offensively, that appeal would climb quickly.

Alex Kerfoot

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	12	20	32	0.40

A versatile veteran forward who has missed one game in the past five seasons, Kerfoot’s role was reduced last season, his ice time dropping more than two minutes per game and his point production dropped from 45 points in 2023-2024 to 28 points (11 G, 17 A) in 2024-2025. In addition to his ice time being cut, Kerfoot suffered from a dramatic swing in his on-ice shooting percentage, going from 10.1 percent two seasons ago to a career-low 6.6 percent last season. Kerfoot has established in Colorado, Toronto, and Arizona before the move to Utah that he is a reliable complementary forward who can play wing and center, moving around the lineup as needed. Last season, he won 52.5 percent of his draws, only the second season in his career in which he was the right side of the faceoff ledger. The main concern when it comes to Kerfoot’s offensive production is his reluctance to shoot the puck, recording 203 shots on goal in 163 games over the past two years. In a supporting role for the Mammoth, Kerfoot should still be counted on to play every game, and he should find his way to double-digit goals and 30-35 points.

DEFENCE

Mikhail Sergachev

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	12	40	52	0.67

Acquired from Tampa Bay following an injury-shortened 2023-2024 season, Sergachev provided Utah with the No. 1 defenceman that they needed. He sniped a career-high 15 goals and his 53 points was the second-highest total of his career. Sergachev averaged a career-high 25:07 of ice time per game and he brings a lot to the Utah defence. He is physically strong and can win puck battles, though he cut down on his hits last season compared to previous campaigns. Sergachev is also an excellent puck-handler who will use his wide base to protect the puck, taking the time necessary to make the best possible play. The smart move for the Mammoth to acquire Sergachev was that he was at a statistical buy-low point, coming off a season with a 95.1 PDO, and his percentages bounced back last season to 100.1 PDO, which is a little below his career mark, but much more in typical range. Sergachev did score on 11.4 percent of his shots on goal, which was more than double his career shooting percentage (5.6 percent) prior to last season, so that is a number likely to see some regression. Keeping in mind that he is playing 25 minutes per game for the Mammoth, Sergachev should still be able to hit double digits in goals and 50-plus points again.

Sean Durzi

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	12	17	29	0.37

An early season shoulder injury sabotaged Durzi’s 2025-2026 season, limiting him to just 30 games, and he produced 11 points (4 G, 7 A). With the acquisition of Sergachev, Durzi was not needed to quarterback the top power play unit and that will still be the case this season, but Durzi has established his ability as a right-shot puck-moving defenceman. He has confidence to make plays on the offensive blueline and has a hard and accurate shot. Durzi does not play an especially physical game, but he is quick to get in the path of opposing shooters, recording 475 blocked shots in 242 career games. As the Mammoth improved as a team, Durzi found his way to a career-high 53.6 percent Corsi, which is, at least in part, a product of his ability to move the puck up the ice. While Durzi falls behind Sergachev on the depth chart, on a relatively thin Mammoth blueline, Durzi is still the second-best fantasy option, since he will play more than 20 minutes per game and should at least quarterback the second power play unit. In 2025-2026, look for Durzi to rebound as he challenges double digit goals and 30-35 points while also recording 140 blocked shots.

John Marino

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
71	3	21	24	0.34

Acquired from the New Jersey Devils last summer, Marino missed half of the season while recovering from back surgery, so he didn’t get into the lineup until January, but the veteran blueliner was effective once he got back into his groove. Marino recorded 14 points (1 G, 13 A) in 35 games and all of those points were at even strength, so, among the 248 defencemen to play at least 200 five-on-five minutes, Marino ranked sixth in assists per 60 minutes (1.25) and 14th in points per 60 minutes (1.34). He is an excellent skater who makes good passes to exit the defensive zone, but last season’s scoring pace was unusual as he has yet to match the 26 points (6 G, 20 A) that he scored as a rookie in 2019-2020. He is also not a particularly strong presence when battling in the corners, so there is some vulnerability in that aspect of his game, but it gets offset by his positive attributes and he finished last season with a 53.6 percent Corsi, with the Mammoth outscoring opponents 30-25 with Marino on the ice. That fits into any lineup and on a Mammoth team that is light on defensive depth, Marino should play a big role in 2025-2026. He has recorded one power play point, total, in the past three seasons, so there is a limit to what Marino will provide offensively, but he should be expected to contribute 20-25 points and around 90 blocked shots which, generally, will not draw much fantasy interest.

Olli Maatta

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	2	15	17	0.22

A veteran blueliner who has been bouncing around quite a bit in recent seasons, Maatta made the most of his opportunity in Utah, earning a three-year, $10.5 million contract. While that might not sound like a huge deal, the Mammoth are Maatta’s fourth team since the 2019-2020 season and he was struggling on Detroit’s third pair before Utah traded a third-round pick to acquire him. Maatta averaged 19:55 of ice time per game in Utah, a mark that he last surpassed in 2015-2016, his third season in the NHL. Thrust into a top four role on a team that didn’t have John Marino and Sean Durzi for significant chunks of the season, Maatta was a positive possession player and the Mammoth outscored opponents 41-39 with him on the ice during five-on-five play. That’s not a game-breaking performance, rather it’s an indication that he could competently fill a spot in Utah’s top four on the blueline and that’s enough. Maatta is a competent puck-moving defenceman, though he rarely sees power play ice time and that means his scoring production will be modest. He’s also not a hitter, as last season’s total of 25 hits was his lowest since 2014-2015, when he had 18 hits in 20 games. With security and what should be a regular role on the Mammoth blueline, expect Maatta to chip in 15-20 points with 110 blocked shots. Like Marino, that’s probably not enough to generate fantasy interest, but the blueline options are limited in Utah.

GOAL

Karel Vejmelka

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
46	23	16	4	3	.906	2.72

The Utah Mammoth seem to be opting for a kitchen sink approach in net at the moment, following a year that saw Connor Ingram fail to live up to the future starter trajectory he seemed to be on when he arrived in Arizona. They'll start the 2025-26 season with Ingram and the surprisingly reliable Karel Vejmelka as their tandem pairing, but Vitek Vanecek sits waiting in the wings in case something goes awry - and Matt Villalta is hanging around in the depth chart too, along with former Providence College standout Jaxson Stauber. All five goaltenders in Utah's immediate depth chart have NHL experience, but none have a storied history as a team's relied-upon starter - which feels very Coyotes of the Mammoth, despite the expansion team's attempt to forge their own identity.

The Mammoth didn't completely flounder last season, but they failed to reach the postseason by a big enough margin that it's clear something will need to change this fall. And while Vejmelka was clearly the team's best chance of success last year, he has a shaky history when asked to shoulder too much of the workload. Ingram will need to bounce back after his tough campaign if Utah hopes to challenge, and they've got far more reliable goaltending tandems waiting across the ice from a handful of the Western Conference's Wild Card contenders.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Stamkos busts out of slump, Rakell is rolling, Hughes steps up for the Devils, lots of rookies are starting to make their mark, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 14:39:46 +0000

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Steven Stamkos busts out of his slump, Rickard Rakell is rolling, Luke Hughes steps up for the Devils, lots of rookies are starting to make their mark, and much more!

SUNRISE, FL - NOVEMBER 07: Nashville Predators Steven Stamkos (91) looks on during the game between the Nashville Predators and the Florida Panthers on Thursday November 07, 2024 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla.(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire)

#1 Coming out of a disastrous stretch during which he was held without a point for 13 straight games, Steven Stamkos has pulled out of that slump in a big way. He has nine points (5 G, 4 A) and 14 shots on goal in five games since that drought. He is skating on a line with Ryan O’Reilly and Luke Evangelista, which ought to be good enough to keep scoring more consistently down the stretch.

#2 It’s easy to overlook anything positive happening for a team whose season is going sideways, but it should be noted that Rickard Rakell is having a great season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 31-year-old forward is skating in a prime spot on Sidney Crosby’s wing, and has nine points (5 G, 4 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past seven games. He is up to 30 goals for the season, the first time that he has hit that mark since 2017-2018.

#3 Devils defenceman Dougie Hamilton is out for the rest of the regular season and that opens up a prime opportunity for Luke Hughes, who has nine points (1 G, 8 A) while averaging more than 23 minutes of ice time per game in his past nine games. He is going to quarterback the first power play in New Jersey and that should make Hughes a valuable commodity for fantasy managers the rest of the way. Hughes recorded 47 points as a rookie last season, with 25 on the power play. This season, he has 31 points, with nine points on the power play.

#4 The fifth pick in the 2022 Draft, Cutter Gauthier is hitting his groove while skating on a line with Mason McTavish and Sam Colangelo. Gauthier has put up 10 points (3 G, 7 A) with 25 shots on goal in his past 11 games even though he is averaging fewer than 13 minutes of ice time per game. Colangelo has 39 points (20 G, 19 A) in 42 AHL games since coming out of Western Michigan last year, and since he was called up to the Ducks in late February, he has delivered six points (5 G, 1 A) in eight games, though Colangelo missed Friday’s win over Nashville and is currently day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

#5 After a slow start to the season, San Jose Sharks rookie Will Smith has really come into his own in the second half of the season. In his past 20 games, Smith has 20 points (7 G, 13 A) with 38 shots on goal. He has played nearly 17 minutes per game over that span and is having success skating on a line with veteran centre Alexander Wennberg and rookie winger Collin Graf. Wennberg has eight assists in his past eight games and Graf has five points (3 G, 2 A) in his past five games.

#6 Florida Panthers rookie winger Mackie Samoskevich is making the most of the opportunity presented to him by injuries to Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand, a pair of star wingers who are out of the lineup and might be out until the start of the playoffs. Samoskevich has seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 22 shots on goal in his past eight games. He is averaging 15:35 of ice time per game, which is a significant bump from the 11:49 per game he had been averaging before that. Not only is Samoskevich skating with Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues at evens, but he is getting a shot on Florida’s first power play unit, so a prime opportunity for Samoskevich to show that he is a bona fide top six winger in the NHL.

#7 With Brock Nelson gone to Colorado, Jean-Gabriel Pageau figures to have a significant role for the Islanders for the rest of the season. It’s not like he has been buried on the depth chart this season anyway, but Pageau does have seven points (2 G, 5 A) while averaging 17:35 of ice time per game in his past seven games. Pageau also tends to offer more value for fantasy managers because he is a hitter – he is tied for 24th among centres with 130 hits this season. Pageau is skating on a line with Anders Lee and Simon Holmstrom, which is solid enough to continue his level of production.

#8 As the Vancouver Canucks battle for their playoff lives, they have been leaving heavily on blueliner Filip Hronek, who has seven points (1 G, 6 A) in his past five games and Hronek has been playing nearly 25 minutes per game, hitting a season high of 28:07 in Thursday’s 4-3 win at Calgary. Quinn Hughes returned to the Canucks lineup in that game, which cuts into Hronek’s time on the top power play unit, if not his overall ice time.

#9 Utah Hockey Club centre Barrett Hayton can get overlooked because he is not the driver on the top line, but that doesn’t mean his results should be ignored. Since the NHL has returned from the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, Hayton has produced nine points (5 G, 4 A) with 31 shots on goal in 10 games. That shot rate is encouraging, as if the fact that Hayton is averaging 18:45 of ice time per game in that stretch. He is up to 38 points (17 G, 21 A) for the season, putting him within five points of his career high.

#10 The Chicago Blackhawks have called up defenceman Artyom Levshunov, the second pick in last summer’s draft. The 19-year-old right shot blueliner had 22 points (5 G, 17 A) in 50 AHL games before getting promoted, and he is getting a prime opportunity in Chicago. Levshunov is averaging more than 20 minutes per game in his first two NHL contests and, with Seth Jones traded to Florida, the rookie is quarterbacking the Blackhawks’ first power play unit.

#11 St. Louis Blues rookie Zachary Bolduc is hitting his groove. In his past 12 games, Bolduc has produced 10 points (7 G, 3 A) with 23 shots on goal. He is skating on the third line with Mathieu Joseph and Oskar Sundqvist but is now getting first unit power play time so the 2021 first-round pick could be in decent position to produce down the stretch. Staying in St. Louis, left winger Jake Neighbours has eight points (3 G, 5 A) in his past eight games, but he also has just seven shots on goal in those eight games, so tread carefully. When players have offensive spikes that are not supported by shot production, it should offer some reason to be cautious, because it’s difficult to sustain production if the underlying numbers aren’t there. Neighbours does have the advantage of skating with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich at even strength.

#12 Before getting hurt in mid-December, Vegas Golden Knights winger Ivan Barbashev had 30 points (15 G, 15 A) in 31 games. He struggled to generate much offensively upon returning to action in mid-January but has rallied to put up seven points (4 G, 3 A) in his past eight games. He is currently on the fourth line, with Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar, so that puts a damper on offensive optimism, but the Golden Knights are not afraid to shuffle their wingers and Barbashev is still playing nearly 16 minutes per game.

#13 Offense comes and goes for Blackhawks winger Ilya Mikheyev, but he has hit a good stretch lately, putting up 10 points (6 G, 4 A) with 24 shots on goal in his past 12 games. Playing with Ryan Donato and Teuvo Teravainen is a quality opportunity for him, and with 26 points, he is within six points of his career high, so he should reach that.

#14 When the Penguins demoted Tristan Jarry to the American Hockey League in January, he had a .884 save percentage in 22 games. He played a dozen games in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and had a .908 save percentage, which wasn’t necessarily awe-inspiring, but enough to get called back up to the NHL and he has been in fine form, posting a .941 save percentage in his first three starts since returning. Six points out of a playoff spot, the Penguins are longshots for the postseason, but if Jarry is going to play like this, then maybe they have a chance.

#15 Ottawa Senators centre Shane Pinto is elevating his production in the second half of the season. In his past 13 games, Pinto has 12 points (8 G, 4 A) with 29 shots on goal. Of his 28 points this season, only two have come via the power play, so Pinto does his damage at even strength, and he has a good thing going with wingers Michael Amadio and Ridly Greig.

#16 With Mikael Backlund week-to-week with an upper-body injury, Yegor Sharangovich has moved the middle on the Flames’ second line. It has been a disappointing season for Sharangovich, who has 23 points (12 G, 11 A) and just one goal in his past eight games but skating on a line with Joel Farabee and Blake Coleman could be a better opportunity for him. Sharangovich had career highs with 31 goals and 59 points last season, so this dip in production is disappointing, but maybe a strong finish can set him up for better things next season.

#17 When star defencemen are injured, it can present an opportunity for players to step into a bigger role. The Rangers’ Adam Fox is out of the lineup with an upper-body injury and Zac Jones has moved to the Blueshirts’ top power play unit. Jones has three assists in his past six games. In Nashville, with Roman Josi out, Nick Blankenburg has taken on top power play responsibilities, and he also has three assists in his past six games. Neither Jones nor Blankenburg would be considered must add for fantasy managers, but anyone getting top unit power play time is worth tracking.

#18 After missing more than three months due to a pelvic injury, Seattle Kraken winger Jordan Eberle took a few games to get going, but has put up eight points (1 G, 7 A) in his past seven games. He is skating with Chandler Stephenson and Eeli Tolvanen at even strength and, probably more importantly, Eberle is also getting first unit power play time for the Kraken.

#19 Even with injuries hitting the Minnesota Wild lineup, team captain Jared Spurgeon has been quietly productive when he is in the game. In his past 18 games, Spurgeon has 13 points (3 G, 10 A) and 24 shots on goal. He has also blocked more than two shots per game in that span, so there is some peripheral statistical value to be had from the steady veteran who continues to deliver excellent play-driving numbers for the Wild.

#20 Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett has been struggling in March, managing just one goal in seven games. More troubling for Tippett, who has proven to be a quality shot generator, is that he has just 11 shots on goal in those seven games. He is still playing more than 16 minutes per game and is on a line with veteran centre Sean Couturier and star rookie Matvei Michkov, but it does not seem to be working right now. Other players struggling to score in March include Anthony Cirelli (0 points in 7 games), Logan Cooley (0 points in 6 games), Filip Chytil (1 point in 6 games), and Carter Verhaeghe (1 point in 6 games).

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: CULLEN – Laine making the most of his power play time, Schmaltz, Hertl and Nelson are hot, Jones thriving since returning to lineup, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 23:24:57 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - DECEMBER 07: Patrik Laine (92) of the Montreal Canadiens skates during the third period of the NHL game between the Washington Capitals and the Montreal Canadiens on Dec 07 2024, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Patrik Laine has made the most of his power play time in Montreal, Nick Schmaltz, Tomas Hertl and Brock Nelson are hot, Seth Jones is thriving since returning to the Chicago lineup, and much more!

Here is this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points:

#1 It is not like the hockey world forgot what Patrik Laine could do when the puck hit his stick, but he has been playing sporadically in recent seasons, so the evidence wasn’t quite so evident. After joining the Montreal Canadiens, however, Laine has shown that he is still a lethal shooter. In 20 games with the Habs, Laine has 18 points (12 G, 6 A) with 54 shots on goal. He is scoring on 22.2 percent of his shots, which is a higher rate than he has finished in any previous season, but he is also quite specifically a power play threat, with 10 of his 12 goals coming with the man advantage. Laine has 10.35 goals per 60 minutes of power play time, which ranks first among players that have played at least 30 minutes on the power play this season. Victor Olofsson (6.48), Pavel Dorofeyev (5.76), Michael Bunting (5.22), and Brayden Point (4.82) round out the top five in power play goal-scoring efficiency.

#2 Veteran Utah Hockey Club right winger Nick Schmaltz has established his credentials as a quality point producing forward but had been off to a relatively slow start prior to embarking on what is now a seven-game point streak, during which he has nine points (3 G, 6 A). Schmaltz has consistently played alongside Clayton Keller, but the duo has recently added second-year centre Logan Cooley to the top line and Cooley has been cooking, putting up 30 points (12 G. 18 A) in his past 28 games.

#3 Barrett Hayton, who has played quite a bit with Schmaltz and Keller in recent seasons, has moved to a line with Matias Maccelli and Josh Doan and continues to have success, tallying seven points (3 G, 4 A) in his past four games. Hayton’s ice time is down this season to 15:24 per game after playing more than 17 minutes per game in the previous two seasons, but he has also improved his work in the face-off circle, winning 54.2 percent of his draws. Given Cooley’s offensive upside, it probably makes more sense for Hayton to slot in as the No. 2 centre in Utah.

#4 Vegas Golden Knights centre Tomas Hertl had been relatively inconsistent early in the season, but he might be turning the corner. He is riding a seven-game point streak, putting up 11 points (6 G, 5 A) with 25 shots on goal in those seven games. That elevated shot rate is an important factor because Hertl was averaging 2.24 shots per game through the first 41 games of the season. Taking that up to 3.57 shots per game is a strong indicator for a player sustaining is production.

#5 New York Islanders centre Brock Nelson is finding his name in trade rumours as the Isles are sitting in last place in the Metropolitan Division. He is helping to keep his value high, scoring seven points (3 G, 4 A) with 18 shots on goal while playing more than 20 minutes per game in his past six games. A 6-foot-4 centre who has scored more than 30 goals in three straight seasons, Nelson is obviously appealing for a team looking to boost its offense.

#6 Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Seth Jones is starting to heat up. He had missed five weeks with a foot injury, but has delivered 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in 14 games since getting back into the lineup. Jones has recorded 10 of his 20 points on the power play, and with 7.87 points per 60 minutes on the power play, he ranks third among defencemen, behind only Zach Werenski (8.11) and Neal Pionk (7.91).

#7 Seattle Kraken centre Chandler Stephenson had been on a good run before getting injured Thursday night. In his past 11 games, including Thursday, Stephenson has contributed 10 points (5 G, 5 A) but there is a bona fide concern with his low shot rate. He has 46 shots on goal in 48 games, which is a shockingly low amount for a player who logs more than 19 minutes of ice time per game. With Yanni Gourde also injured, Stephenson’s absence could create more playing time for Shane Wright, who is making progress. In his first 23 games of the season, Wright had seven points (4 G, 11 A), but in the next 23 games, he has contributed 15 points (4 G, 11 A).

#8 Looking for a buy-low winger? Consider Kevin Fiala of the Los Angeles Kings. In 11 games since the holiday break, Fiala has a modest five points (2 G, 3 A) but he also has 40 shots on goal. That shot rate is encouraging, but there is also the matter of Fiala’s low on-ice shooting percentage this season. During five-on-five play, the Kings are scoring on just 5.8 percent of their shots when Fiala is on the ice, which is his lowest since his rookie season in 2016-2017.

#9 Calgary Flames winger Blake Coleman can fly under the radar a bit but when he is contributing offensively, that makes his fantasy contribution quite strong. In his past 17 games, Coleman has 15 points (5 G, 10 A) but he also has 36 hits and that combination makes him quite appealing for fantasy managers. Coleman is unlikely to match last season’s career highs of 30 goals and 54 points, but already has 92 hits in 46 games, so if the point production continues, Coleman’s all-around contribution is solid.

#10 On a similar level, Boston Bruins forward Morgan Geekie has picked up his production a bit, with eight points (5 G, 3 A) in his past 10 games, but he also has 25 hits in those 10 games. Be a little wary, though, since Geekie only has 16 shots on goal in those 10 games, his goal-scoring has been dependent on a high shooting percentage (31.3 percent in the past 10 games).

#11 Carolina Hurricanes rookie right winger Jackson Blake has found his way to the top line, skating with Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. Blake has played 15:27 per game over the past four, chipping in three points (1 G, 2 A) with nine shots on goal. It is probably too soon to jump on Blake in most fantasy leagues, but if he remains on that top line there is obvious scoring upside for a player who ranks third among rookies with 11 goals despite very limited ice time (12:02 ATOI). (Editors note – The Rantanen trade followed the publication of this article – the coach may want to spread the scoring around, but it is more likely Rantanen takes that spot on the top line)

#12 Toronto Maple Leafs centre John Tavares is out of the lineup due to a lower-body injury and for all of the criticism that Tavares takes, he remains a high-end point producer, with 42 points (20 G, 22 A) in 44 games before getting hurt. The challenge for the Maple Leafs is to get contributions down the middle of the ice behind Auston Matthews because, with Tavares out, the second line centre is Pontus Holmberg and the third line centre is rookie Fraser Minten. Holmberg has zero goals and one assist in his past 11 games while Minten has zero points in his past eight NHL games after starting with four points in his first five games.

#13 With the New York Islanders’ season teetering on the brink, they got bad news that standout defenceman Noah Dobson is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Dobson’s production has fallen off the pace he set last season, when he had a career-high 70 points (10 G, 60 A) in 79 games, as he has 24 points (6 G, 18 A) in 46 games this season, but the Islanders don’t have great options to replace him on the power play. Ryan Pulock has handled the role before and is noted for his heavy shot from the point, but has one power play point this season.

#14 New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom has suffered a sprained MCL, which will keep him out of the lineup for 4-6 weeks. Markstrom has been exactly what the Devils needed between the pipes, with a .912 save percentage and 10.0 goals saved above expectations in 36 games. With Markstrom out, Jake Allen will need to handle the starter’s role. Allen has a .901 save percentage and 4.04 goals saved above expected in 15 games this season, so he is a capable starting goaltender for the next month plus.

#15 The Boston Bruins are in a tough battle for a playoff spot, for the first time in a while, but that is made even more challenging when goaltender Jeremy Swayman and No. 1 defenceman Charlie McAvoy are sidelined with injuries. Defenceman Hampus Lindholm was already injured, so the current version of the Bruins is without its top two defencemen and top goaltender, and that is going to make it even more difficult. Swayman’s injury does not seem serious, so Joonas Korpisalo may only have short term value, but McAvoy has landed on injured reserve, which will keep him out for at least a week. This defensive weakening does make the Bruins more vulnerable, potentially worth targeting as opposition while the Bruins are missing Lindholm and McAvoy.

#16 Bruins defenceman Mason Lohrei has been making the most of his opportunity to quarterback the power play. He has six points (1 G, 5 A) in the past seven games and is up to 10 power play points. With 6.85 points per 60 minutes on the power play, Lohrei is tied for 15th (with Chicago’s Alex Vlasic) among NHL defencemen.

#17 Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin is considered week to week with a lower-body injury, and that leaves a large hole for the Avalanche. In 21 games, Nichushkin has 17 points (11 G, 6 A). His absence keeps Ross Colton in Colorado’s top six and while Colton has been held scoreless in his past four games, he is worth keeping tabs on as a player with potential upside because he thrived earlier in the season when given a big opportunity due to injuries.

#18 Ottawa Senators centre Josh Norris is out with an upper-body injury. Given his history with shoulder woes, Norris’ health is an area of concern, yet the thing is that he can still produce when healthy. In 47 games this season, Norris has produced 17 goals and 27 points. The Sens do get David Perron back in the lineup, so that should theoretically help alleviate Norris’ absence, but Perron has failed to record a point in 10 games this season, so expectations should be kept in check. Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson is out of the lineup with a lower-body injury, which elevates Thomas Chabot to the first power play unit.

#19 Norris’ absence from the Senators’ lineup should also open the door for Shane Pinto to step up. While Pinto has six points (2 G, 4 A) and 18 shots on goal in the past eight games, he is also averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game in that time, so it would be a prime opportunity for Pinto to lift his offensive production because with 16 points (8 G, 8 A) in 40 games, he has underachieved offensively.

#20 Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Darren Raddysh has elevated his game recently, producing six points (2 G, 4 A) with 13 shots on goal in the past five games, averaging 21:50 time on ice per game. With J.J. Moser and Erik Cernak injured, the Lightning certainly need Raddysh to take on more responsibility. In his first 18 games this season, Raddysh averaged 15:30 time on ice per game and in 20 games since then, has averaged 20:04 per game.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Colton, Stolarz, Wolf, and More

Scott Cullen — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 13:00:21 +0000

_{CALGARY, AB - FEBRUARY 20: Calgary Flames Right Wing Jonathan Huberdeau (10) looks on during the second period of an NHL game between the Calgary Flames and the Philadelphia Flyers on February 20, 2023, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire)}

Each week, I’ll dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. Injuries are forcing changes early in the NHL season, and our sights are set on Ross Colton, Anthony Stolarz, the surprising Calgary Flames and more!

Here is this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points:

#1 With injuries decimating Colorado’s forward lines, the Avalanche have moved Ross Colton up to play on the left wing on Colorado’s top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Colton’s ice time is up nearly five minutes per game compared to last season, which was his career high, and he has five points (4 G, 1 A) with 18 shots on goal and 18 hits in five games. When the Avalanche get players back from injury, it is more likely that Colton will slide back to a third-line centre role, but with the Avs missing Jonathan Drouin short term and Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen, and Gabriel Landeskog long term, the opportunity is there for Colton to have a bigger impact than he has to this point in his career.

#2 When Joseph Woll landed on the injured list to start the season, Anthony Stolarz was thrust into the No. 1 goaltending job for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the 6-foot-6 netminder is thriving in the early going. Stolarz has a .940 save percentage in three starts and that is just picking up where he left off last season, when he had a .925 save percentage in 27 games for Florida. Stolarz, 30, has never played more than 28 NHL games in a season, so it remains to be seen if he can handle a starter’s workload, but it’s safe to expect that he will see more action in Toronto this season than in any of his previous NHL seasons.

#3 Entering this season, Calgary Flames left winger Jonathan Huberdeau was practically considered a lost cause, with a massive long-term contract and declining production since arriving in Calgary. But what if the 31-year-old Huberdeau isn’t cooked just yet? Skating on a line with Martin Pospisil and Anthony Mantha, the trio has helped Calgary to a 4-0 start, while Huberdeau has scored three goals at even strength and added three assists on the power play.

#4 Avalanche centre Casey Mittelstadt is getting pushed into a bigger role in Colorado. He has five points (4 G, 1 A) and 17 shots on goal in five games, which is solid, but he is averaging more than 21 minutes of ice time per game, an increase of more than five minutes per game compared to his ice time with the Avs after he was acquired from Buffalo last season. Mittelstadt has produced 59 and 57 points in the past two seasons, respectively, and could very well exceed those totals this season.

#5 After dominating in the American Hockey League, Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf got called up last season and finished with a .893 save percentage in 17 games for the Flames – not exactly making his case to be the franchise goaltender of the future. When the Flames dealt Jacob Markstrom in the offseason, though, the door was opened for Wolf to step through and he has stopped 68 of 72 shots in his first two starts this season. If the Flames are going to get top-tier goaltending, that does have the potential to change expectations but, for now, it’s just encouraging to see Wolf performing this way at the highest level.

#6 Former Flames centre Sean Monahan signed in Columbus as a free agent, with hopes of re-connecting with Johnny Gaudreau. This summer’s tragedy halted those plans, but the veteran Monahan has stepped into a leadership role for the Blue Jackets, producing four points (2 G, 2 A) and 12 shots on goal in his first four games. His primary linemates have been Kirill Marchenko and Yegor Chinakhov and the trio has been outrageously dominant in the early going, controlling 79.7 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play.

#7 The No. 1 pick in the 2024 Draft, Macklin Celebrini put up a goal and an assist in his NHL debut then immediately landed on the injured list due to a lower-body injury. With Celebrini out, Mikael Granlund has moved back to the middle, centering William Eklund and Tyler Toffoli on the top line. That shuffle has also opened up a spot for Klim Kostin in San Jose’s top six. Granlund does have five assists in five games and is playing more than 21 minutes per game.

#8 Seattle Kraken left winger Jared McCann has scored 69 goals across the past two seasons and yet was still available in quite a few leagues early in the season. He has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 11 shots on goal in five games and McCann and Jordan Eberle had a productive game Thursday night against Philadelphia with Shane Wright skating at centre between the two veteran wingers.

#9 Two thirds of the Utah Hockey Club’s top line is sitting out there, waiting to be scooped up on fantasy waivers. Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz are productive, and it doesn’t hurt that they get to play with a skilled winger like Clayton Keller. Hayton has six points (4 G, 2 A) in five games, already exceeding his goal total from last season when he was limited to just 33 games. Schmaltz has six assists in five games and, in this small sample, has averaged 2.60 shots on goal per game, which would represent a career high.

#10 Utah defenceman Sean Durzi is going to be out 4-5 months after surgery was required for an upper-body injury that he suffered Monday at New Jersey. Durzi had played more than 25 minutes per game through the first three games of the season before getting hurt in Game No. 4. His absence will offer an opportunity for Juuso Valimaki to get a chance on Utah’s second power play unit. Valimaki is still looking for his first points of the season and he only had 17 points (2 G, 15 A) in 68 games last season, but the year before that, he contributed 11 power play points among his 34 points overall, so there is a chance for Valimaki to recapture some of that offensive part of his game.

#11 Chicago Blackhawks winger Teuvo Teravainen returned to the team that drafted him and where he started his NHL career when he signed as a free agent in the summer. He has been a good fit on Connor Bedard’s wing, which should be expected, given Teravainen’s playmaking ability and Bedard’s ever-dangerous shot. Teravainen has seven points (3 G, 4 A) in five games and is skating on Chicago’s top line with Bedard and Nick Foligno while also getting first unit power play time. Teravainen has topped 60 points four times in his career, hitting a career high of 76 points in 2018-2019.

#12 Penguins rookie goaltender Joel Blomqvist is challenging Tristan Jarry for a bigger share of playing time in the Pittsburgh crease. The 22-year-old was a second-round pick in 2020 and has a .908 save percentage in his first four games. He had a .919 in 47 AHL games and with Jarry struggling (.836 save percentage through three games), opportunity is knocking for Blomqvist.

#13 When the Toronto Maple Leafs remodeled their blueline in the offseason, Chris Tanev was the defender that drew the most attention. Fresh off a Stanley Cup in Florida, Oliver Ekman-Larsson has moved into a prime role on the Maple Leafs blueline, quarterbacking the top power play and playing nearly 22 minutes per game. Ekman-Larsson has three assists and 15 shots on goal in four games, which is very encouraging production, particularly that shot rate, which is far higher than Ekman-Larsson has produced previously.

#14 A lower-body injury kept veteran Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust out of the lineup for the first couple of games this season, but he has returned to action and has been thrust into a big role, skating on the right side with Sidney Crosby and Anthony Beauvillier. In his first three games, Rust has two points (1 G, 1 A) and 13 shots on goal while averaging 20:31 of ice time per game. He has scored at least 20 goals in five consecutive seasons, recording more than 55 points in three of those five seasons. In the three seasons that he has finished with at least 55 points, Rust missed at least 20 games, so there is still potential for him to produce more over a full season merely by staying healthy.

#15 Drafted with the 21st pick in 2020, Yegor Chinakhov displayed his potential last season, scoring 29 points (16 G, 13 A) in 53 games, a sign that he was going to be able to contribute at this level. In the early going this season, he is taking it to another level, producing six points (2 G, 4 A) with 13 shots on goal in his first four games. Not only is he skating on the top line with Monahan and Marchenko, but Chinakhov is getting first unit power play time, too, so a breakthrough season could be on the way.

#16 The New Jersey Devils went out in the offseason and added some grit to their forward ranks, acquiring Paul Cotter in a trade with Vegas and signing Stefan Noesen, a former Devil who had been playing in Carolina. Cotter had 25 points (7 G, 18 A) in 76 games last season for the Golden Knights, but already has six points (5 G, 1 A) in seven games for the Devils. He has 15 shots on goal and 20 hits, too, which can make him a more valuable fantasy contributor and he has moved up the depth chart to skate with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt at even strength. Noesen had a career-high 37 points in 81 games for the Hurricanes last season and has started this season with six points (2 G, 4 A) in seven games and is working on a line with veterans Tomas Tatar and Erik Haula.

#17 The leading rookie goal scorer early in the season is Devils defenceman Seamus Casey, who has three goals in his first seven NHL games. Montreal’s Emil Heineman and Philadelphia’s Matvei Michkov are tied for second with two goals. Casey is a smallish defender who was a second-round pick in 2022. He played two seasons at the University of Michigan, and had 45 points (7 G, 38 A) in 40 games as a sophomore last season. Casey might owe his opportunity to another former Wolverine, as Luke Hughes is recovering from shoulder surgery, opening up a spot on the New Jersey blueline to start the season.

#18 John Beecher, a first-round pick of the Bruins in 2019, has jumped out to a hot start with five points (2 G, 3 A) in five games. Beecher’s ice time is up to 13:35 per game, but he is likely still a risky player for fantasy managers. He had just 10 points (7 G, 3 A) in 52 games last season and only had 36 points in 87 AHL games, so it is difficult to project big things offensively over the long haul. As a short-term option in deep banger leagues, maybe he could have some value for fantasy managers.

#19 Seattle Kraken centre Matty Beniers saw his production fall off dramatically last season and one of the main concerns when it comes to sustainable production is that Beniers had a very low shot rate, averaging just 1.73 shots per game last season. While Beniers has just one assist through five games this season, there might be a slight reason for optimism in that he is averaging 2.60 shots on goal per game. In most leagues, it’s probably worth waiting to see some production start to materialize before assigning too much value to Beniers, but he could be a viable buy-low or waiver wire option.

#20 Blue Jackets winger Kent Johnson suffered an upper-body injury against Buffalo on Thursday, but it is worth noting that an injury to Johnson would not have caused a ripple in the hockey universe. He had just 16 points (6 G, 10 A) in 42 games for the Blue Jackets and was demoted to the AHL, where he did put up 15 points (5 G, 10 A) in 10 games. Nevertheless, with a new coach and a fresh start in Columbus, Johnson has responded with five points (2 G, 3 A) in four games and had logged more than 21 minutes in the second and third games of the season before playing just six minutes against the Sabres before getting hurt. Track Johnson’s health, though, because he is a skilled player and if he is getting a legit opportunity to shine in Columbus, then he could be a fantasy sleeper.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – UTAH HOCKEY CLUB – Team Preview

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 20:00:14 +0000

_{ST. LOUIS, MO - FEBRUARY 11: Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller (9) chews on his mouth guard while waiting for the face off during a game between the Arizona Coyotes and the St. Louis Blues on February 11 2023, at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis MO (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire)}

The last season in Arizona, before moving to Utah, was not successful as the Coyotes finished the season with 77 points (36-41-5), leaving them in sixth place in the Central Division. While they finished 21 points out of a playoff spot, the Coyotes did perform better than expected. Arizona ranked 23rd with 48.0% Corsi and 48.1% of expected goals. On the power play, the Coyotes ranked 16th with 7.96 goals per 60 minutes while the penalty killing ranked 27th with 8.94 goals against per 60 minutes. They did not have enough top-end talent to compete with the best teams in the league, but the Coyotes could have easily been one of the worst, so finishing in 27th place overall felt like a bit of a win. Things were not great in Arizona and should be better with the move to Utah, especially if it means that the team has the financial wherewithal to compete.

WHAT’S CHANGED? The big change is that the Arizona Coyotes moved to Utah, where they haven’t settled on a long-term team name, so they are going with Utah HC for the time being. Aside from the franchise moving to a new city, the hockey team stayed with a decent amount of continuity. The top 11 scorers from last year’s team remain with the club. The 12th was the defenceman J.J. Moser, who was traded to Tampa Bay as part of the deal for defenceman Mikhail Sergachev. Utah signed checking centre Kevin Stenlund who had just won a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers. Utah also bolstered its defence by trading to get John Marino from New Jersey and then signing Ian Cole, who played with Vancouver last season.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? Since the Arizona Coyotes finished 21 points out of the playoffs last season, it would be asking a lot for Utah to make up that deficit. The moves to acquire Sergachev and Marino should give their defence more consistency and if the goaltending is up to par, then there just might be a chance for the Coyotes to play meaningful games down the stretch. To get there, it will require Utah’s top players to remain at their best, but moreover the young players will need to take big steps forward. If, for example, Logan Cooley is a star in his second season, that development could help move the Coyotes into a more competitive tier.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? In relative terms, it would be difficult for Utah HC to have dramatically worse results, even though they may have overachieved somewhat last season. Even if the season went the wrong way, that could put Utah HC into position to earn a higher draft pick. With a new home and new ownership, they can continue to build the right way, and not rush into a misguided move to improve now. Additionally, there is a brighter future for the team in Arizona because the ownership appears committed to building a contender, something that was not happening in Arizona, where the Coyotes were playing home games in a college hockey rink.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: He has already been mentioned but Logan Cooley is a prime candidate to take a step forward in his second NHL season. Cooley is a creative offensive player who plays at a high speed. While he had some ups and downs as a rookie, it looked like he was finding his groove late in the season, which should set him up for a significant jump in Year two. If he gets the chance to play with Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz on the top line, Cooley could see a big boost in production.

FORWARD

Clayton Keller

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	35	45	80	0.99

A crafty playmaking winger, Keller has really come into his own in the past two seasons, tallying 70 goals and 162 points, one of 18 players across the league to hit those totals in those two years. He has grown comfortable launching one-timers from the right faceoff circle on power play and had 30 points with the man advantage in 2023-2024. He uses his quickness to dart in and out of openings before the defence knows what has happened. Because he is not a massive physical presence, Keller tends to do his best work when he can avoid traffic, either in transition or on the power play. That’s not to say that he can’t score otherwise, but he uses his savvy to find pockets of space where he can unleash his increasingly dangerous shot. Also, when he gets in alone on a goaltender, Keller has lightning quick hands that can leave goalies grasping for air. As the bona fide star of the Utah team, Keller needs to keep producing at this elite level and hope that he can get more support in the coming seasons. As it is, he has made a good connection with Nick Schmaltz on the opposite wing of the top line. Last season that duo had a rotating cast of centres including Barrett Hayton, Nick Bjugstad, Jack McBain, and Logan Cooley and it would figure that Keller’s production could get even better if one of those players, ideally Cooley, could stick in the role full-time. In any case, Keller should be looking at 30-35 goals and 75-80 points in the franchise’s first season in Utah.

Nick Schmaltz

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	24	36	60	0.74

Even though Schmaltz finished last season with a career-high 61 points, he was more productive on a per-game basis in the previous two campaigns, during which he played just 63 games. Schmaltz was a pass-first player when he started in the league but has grown into a more balanced offensive role, though he is not ever going to be a high-volume shooter. What hasn’t changed is that Schmaltz has always been a creative playmaker with soft hands, so it should come as little surprise that he has enjoyed his most success skating on a line with Keller in recent seasons. When they are cooking, they can really work some magic together. Schmaltz does not get terribly involved in physical play. Across the past five seasons, he has a total of 70 hits. There have been 527 players to skate in at least 200 games over that time and only nine – four of whom did not play in 2023-2024 – have fewer hits than Schmaltz. Even so, the puck does tend to move in the right direction when he is on the ice, so Schmaltz is a valuable contributor on this team. He should continue at a similar level of production which would mean 20-25 goals and 60 points in 2024-2025.

Logan Cooley

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	27	37	64	0.78

The third pick in the 2022 Draft, Cooley jumped to the NHL after spending one season at the University of Minnesota, where he shredded the competition, putting up 60 points in 39 games. Cooley plays the game at high speed and uses his acceleration to create chances but also just to go hard to the net because that’s where goals are scored. It’s not surprising that Cooley struggled on faceoffs as a rookie, winning just 38.0 percent because that’s fairly common. He also has room to improve his play-driving as the Coyotes were controlling 47.4 percent of shot attempts and 48.4 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play with Cooley on the ice. Despite those areas for improvement, Cooley was one of four rookies to score 20 goals last season and ranked fourth among rookies with 44 points, but he finished with a flourish to get there, putting up nine goals and 14 points in his last 16 games. That kind of production offers a glimpse into what could await Cooley in the future, because he has high-end offensive instincts and could be in position to jump higher on the Utah depth chart in 2024-2025. In his second NHL season, Cooley should see an increased offensive output, with 20-25 goals and 55 points a fair expectation, yet that could end up being low if Cooley picks up where he left off last season.

Dylan Guenther

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	29	27	56	0.74

The ninth pick in the 2021 Draft, Guenther has quickly established a reputation for his rocket shot, and it lifted him to 18 goals and 35 points in 45 games after he was called up from the American Hockey League, where he had 10 goals and 28 points in 29 games. Half of Guenther’s 18 goals were scored on the power play, the 21-year-old already making himself indispensable with the man advantage. Knowing that his shot is his calling card, Guenther does a fine job getting into soft spots in the defensive zone coverage and getting there ready to fire the puck at a moment’s notice. There were 375 forwards that played at least 500 five-on-five minutes last season. Of that group, Guenther ranked 71st in shots per 60 minutes (8.51). That should be on the low end of where he is headed in his career, because when you have a weapon like Guenther’s shot, there is little point in keeping it holstered. That doesn’t mean shooting for the sake of shooting, but when a player can bury the puck from distance, it becomes very important to provide consistent opportunities for that player to use that skill. For his first full season in the National Hockey League, Guenther should be able to contribute 25 goals and 50 points and that might even be on the low end if he happens to find a quality line for regular playing time. His most common linemates last season were Cooley and Crouse, which is not bad, but it looks like there should be some competition for scoring roles in Utah this season.

Lawson Crouse

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	22	21	43	0.54

A power forward who has scored at least 20 goals in three straight seasons, Crouse has also recorded more than 150 hits for six years running. Crouse is 6-foot-4 and skates with a powerful stride. He will bang bodies and, when needed, drop the gloves, but that is not a big feature to his game as he has had a dozen fights in his past five seasons. As his game has matured, he has improved his ability to get into scoring position and is ready to shoot the puck when he gets there. Having had some offensive success, there is greater confidence in Crouse’s game now, and while he is not the type of player to create a ton of chances, he is fine complement to players who can get the puck into the offensive zone and can use Crouse’s net-front presence to finish the play. Crouse’s most common linemates last season were Nick Bjugstad, a big centre, and Matias Maccelli, a playmaking winger who could benefit from those large linemates. The trio outscored opponents 23-16, controlling 55.0 percent of expected goals, during five-on-five play last season. Look for Crouse to continue providing complementary offence, including 20-plus goals and 40-plus points for Utah in 2024-2025.

Matias Maccelli

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	16	41	57	0.70

A smaller winger, Maccelli has still established that he can be a valuable playmaker, fitting in the middle six as well as adding skill to the power play. In the past two seasons, the Coyotes outscored opponents 87-73 with Maccelli on the ice during five-on-five play. His possession numbers have been okay, including 48.6 percent Corsi percentage and 51.2 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play. Maccelli is shifty and uses his edges to change direction and create space, which he tends to need, but once he gains that space, he has outstanding vision and finds his linemates for some of the easiest tap-ins around the net. While Maccelli is not big, he does use a wide base to protect the puck and that is a key part of his game in the offensive zone, because holding the puck longer allows him to generate better scoring chances, usually for his linemates. Last season, he was the playmaking force on a line with Bjugstad and Crouse, but if there is an upgrade on one of those spots, that could give Maccelli even more scoring upside. Heading into his third full season in the NHL, Maccelli should be able to score 15 goals and 55-60 points, which makes him a really valuable piece for the Utah Hockey Club.

Barrett Hayton

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	10	21	31	0.44

Following what amounted to a breakthrough season in 2022-2023, when he had career highs of 19 goals and 43 points, Hayton managed just 10 points in 33 games last season, his season upended by several injuries. Considering that his most common linemates were Schmaltz and Keller, that production was woefully insignificant. When he’s on his game, Hayton has good speed and can attack the net. There have been flashes, but it’s still a work in progress because he hasn’t truly done it for a full season. At the same time, Hayton has also delivered strong play-driving numbers, which at least offers some hope that there is more to the story than 84 points in 209 career games. It’s one thing to see Hayton manage just 10 points in 33 games last season, but then he had a Corsi percentage of 54.2 and an expected goals percentage of 55.1. Those are underlying numbers that suggest a quality player and it’s up to the team, and Hayton himself, to figure out how to translate that into production that can make the difference in games. At this point in his career, 24-year-old Hayton should be expected to put up 30 points, something he has only accomplished once, but there is room for him to score significantly more, depending on which linemates he skates with most frequently.

Nick Bjugstad

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	17	18	35	0.44

Returning to Arizona last season after finishing the previous year in Edmonton, 32-year-old centre Nick Bjugstad delivered one of his best seasons, ending up with 22 goals and 45 points. Those were the second highest totals for him in both categories in his entire career. Bjugstad also played a career-high 17:27 per game, so the opportunity was provided to him and he responded favourably. At 6-foot-6, Bjugstad has towering size, which serves him well both in a defensive role and when trying to carve out space in front of the opposing goal. He appears to have found a fit with this franchise. In 135 games with Bjugstad on the ice in the past two seasons, the Coyotes outscored opponents 85-65, and this while starting less than 40 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. He needed some lofty percentages (103.1 PDO) to get there, but Bjugstad has had a positive impact, and he has made the team more competitive. He is a useful option in the middle six and should fulfill that role again in Utah. While he could get overtaken by younger options, it would still be fair to expect 15 goals and 35 points from Bjugstad in 2024-2025.

Alex Kerfoot

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	12	29	41	0.50

A durable forward who has not missed a game in the past four seasons, Kerfoot played a career-high 17:26 per game last season and finished with 45 points, including 12 on the power play, his most power play points since the 2018-2019 season. While Kerfoot is a solid complementary contributor, and his playmaking skills allow him to put some points on the board, he is a downright reluctant shooter. Among the 375 forwards to play at least 500 minutes last season, Kerfoot’s 4.15 shots per 60 minutes at five-on-five ranked 363rd. His 0.88 primary assists per 60 minutes ranked 48th, so there are some numbers to back up the idea that he would much prefer to have his teammates do the scoring. After several seasons playing primarily on the wing, Kerfoot took 862 faceoffs last season, which ranked second on the Coyotes behind Nick Bjugstad. Of course, none of the Coyotes players that took even 100 draws finished on the right side of 50 percent at the dot. Kerfoot is a smart and versatile player, albeit one who is not overpowering and there may be a few too many forwards on this roster who find themselves at a disadvantage when the game gets more physical. The expectation for 2024-2025 should be that Kerfoot will play every game and contribute maybe a dozen goals and finish with 40-plus points, a threshold he has crossed four times in seven NHL seasons.

Jack McBain

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	9	15	24	0.31

A big, physical player, McBain is one of five forwards to accrue more than 500 hits across the past two seasons. He also has recorded eight fights, so the 6-foot-3 centre has established his path into the NHL with physical play. He is more than just a big body, however, as McBain’s possession stats improved notably last season, and his 49.4 percent Corsi and 50.3 percent expected goals percentage were respectable for a player who starts more of his shifts in the defensive zone and whose most common linemates were enforcer Liam O’Brien and Michael Carcone. Furthermore, the Coyotes outscored opponents by 38-31 during five-on-five play with McBain on the ice. Those results are fantastic from a fourth line forward so it is conceivable that McBain could climb into the middle six though, based on current personnel, he might not be able to do it at centre. A safe projection for McBain would be along the lines of double-digit goals and 30 points, but there is also a world in which he produces more than that. When that production gets paired with McBain’s lofty hit totals, it does give him a chance to have fantasy relevance. It takes a lot of hits to make up for such modest scoring numbers, but if McBain gets up to 35 points, that starts to open the door in more leagues.

Michael Carcone

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	16	10	26	0.33

A late bloomer who just played his first full NHL season, the 28-year-old Carcone did deliver 21 goals for Arizona in 2023-2024, with his 1.45 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play ranking sixth among forwards that played at least 500 minutes. That came on the heels of scoring 31 goals and 85 points in 65 AHL games the season before, so he knows what he is doing in the offensive zone, and he is excellent in transition going on the attack. Carcone will take the puck to the net and has a goal-scorer’s release. The other end of the rink, however, is a legitimate area of concern as Carcone had the highest rate of shot attempts against, shots against, and expected goals against among Arizona forwards. That suspect defensive play makes it more challenging for Carcone to secure his spot in the lineup, but if he does manage to find a regular role, he should be able to deliver some points along the way. As a 5-foot-9 winger, Carcone is facing an uphill fight to hold a regular spot on the lower half of the depth chart, but if he has a relatively regular spot in the Utah lineup, Carcone could chip in 15-20 goals and 30-plus points.

DEFENCE

Mikhail Sergachev

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	11	44	55	0.71

Coming off a broken leg last season, Sergachev had a career-best season in 2022-2023, recording 64 points, including 27 on the power play. He fell off that pace in 2023-2024 managing 19 points in 34 games but also getting outscored 33-17 during five-on-five play. He had horrific percentages, including an on-ice shooting percentage of 6.2 percent and an on-ice save percentage of .889, leaving him with a 95.1 PDO. There were 217 defencemen that played at least 500 five-on-five minutes last season and only three of them had a lower PDO than Sergachev, so it was certainly a buy-low situation for Utah when they acquired him from the Tampa Bay Lightning. In Arizona, Sergachev should continue to play a major role. He has averaged more than 22 minutes per game in each of the past three seasons and it would come as no surprise if he ended up adding a couple more minutes per game to his responsibilities on what is a relatively thin blueline group in Utah. Sergachev is physically strong and uses a wide base to effectively protect the puck. He can play a physical game and block shots but his greatest value for fantasy managers is if he is quarterbacking the top power play unit. If that’s the case, Sergachev ought to be able to produce 45-50 points, provided that he stays healthy. Before last season’s injury, his career had been marked by especially good health, so Sergachev should be counted on as a workhorse In 2024-2025.

Sean Durzi

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	8	32	40	0.51

Acquired from the Los Angeles Kings last summer, Durzi stepped into a big role for the Coyotes, playing 22:43 per game, the highest average in his three NHL seasons. He finished with a career-high 41 points and blocked a career-high 160 shots. A right-shot puck-moving defenceman, Durzi has averaged 4.82 points per 60 minutes through his first three NHL seasons. There were 57 defencemen that have played at least 300 five-on-four minutes in those seasons and Durzi ranks 18th in points per 60 minutes. It is worth noting that Sergachev, Utah’s high-profile acquisition, ranks seventh with 5.90 points per 60. Nevertheless, Durzi plays with legitimate confidence on the offensive blueline and has a hard and accurate shot that allows him to score goals from long range. He played 91 games in the AHL, spread across two-plus seasons, before making the jump the Kings in 2021-2022. He has made steady progress in his first three seasons and should be in his prime right now. Although Durzi could lose time on the top power play unit, he is still likely to play big minutes for Utah and could very well partner with Sergachev. While his hit totals are nothing to write home about, Durzi could deliver 40 points and 150 hits in 2024-2025, which would offer plenty of value for fantasy managers.

Juuso Valimaki

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	3	21	24	0.31

One of the better waiver acquisitions in recent seasons, Valimaki has shown that he is a legitimate NHL defenceman. He played a career-high 19:06 per game last season and was tops among Coyotes defencemen with Arizona controlling a team-high 52.5 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play with Valimaki on the ice. Valimaki had a dozen power play points in 2022-2023, but with Durzi rolling into town, he lost that power play role. He has good size and moves well, so it is easy to see how Valimaki fits on the Utah blueline, but it took some time before he could get a serious shot with regular minutes in the NHL. He is not especially physical, so that is always an area that could be improved upon, but the puck moves the right way when he is on the ice, at least relative to his teammates, and that is happening even though Valimaki starts more of his shifts in the defensive zone. It’s been a meteoric rise for Valimaki, who was claimed off waivers and by last season his most common defence partners were rookie Michael Kesselring and veteran Troy Stecher. With those partners, Valimaki is the one who would be considered the steady and reliable partner. It would be entirely reasonable for him to get more playing time, and could contribute about 25 points, but he is not likely to have a regular power play role and that puts a cap on his point projections.

GOAL

Connor Ingram

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
55	25	23	6	3	0.906	2.75

It feels like few goaltenders have been tested as much as Utah starter Connor Ingram. Despite performing as one of the most obvious minor-league standouts within the Tampa Bay system in his early career, he found himself shuttled between the AHL and ECHL before getting jettisoned for another franchise's system entirely. But after time spent in the league's Player Assistance Program for OCD, Ingram's career went on a steady rise; he moved from the minors in the Nashville depth chart to the Arizona Coyotes, where he earned a role as the team's best starter since the Antti Raanta-Darcy Kuemper tandem pre-pandemic. Just as he found his footing in the league, though, the team's relocation rumors finally came to a head - and he'll now have to prove that he can replicate his stellar numbers on a rebuilding squad in a brand-new town, absent the ever-swirling relocation and sale chatter but also absent the powerful underdog vibes that seemed to permeate Mullett Arena in Tempe.

Ingram was tied for the league lead in shutouts last season over his 50-game campaign, sitting above league average in every stat category despite playing for a team that went on a tumultuous ride on and off the ice. He showed a little bit of weakness from a technical standpoint when it came to his glove side, and his tendency to try to play it safe with conservative angles and flatter positioning didn't always pan out when the younger then-Coyotes defensive corps left him open to cross-ice challenges. But he looked far and away like the more consistent option for his team between himself and Karel Vejmelka, so expect to see the starts still heavily favoring Ingram up in the Utah snow.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Karlsson continues to shine in Vegas – Vatrano raising his game in Anaheim – Byfield picking up the pace in LA, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 13:42:42 +0000

20 FANTASY POINTS

Los Angeles Kings Quinton Byfield (55) l(Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help make better fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, Willam Karlsson continues to shine in Vegas, Frank Vatrano is raising his game in Anaheim, Quinton Byfield is picking up the pace in Los Angeles, and much more!

#1 William Karlsson was a standout on Vegas’ run to the Stanley Cup last season, scoring 11 goals in 22 playoff games, and he has continued to play at a high level early in the 2023-2024 season, putting up 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in his past 10 games. Karlsson does so much of his damage at even strength, with 10 of his 13 points this season coming at evens, and his most common linemates have been rookie winger Pavel Dorofeyev and Michael Amadio, so Karlsson is the one driving those results.

#2 Anaheim Ducks winger Frank Vatrano delivered 22 goals and a career-high 41 points last season, his first in Southern California, but has stepped into a bigger role this season. Vatrano’s ice time is up nearly two minutes per game compared to last season and he has scored nine goals while launching 35 shots on goal in 10 games. Vatrano has always been a quality shot generator, but often in a limited role. Now that he is playing more than 18 minutes per game, his per-game shot rate is soaring.

#3 Progress has been gradual for Quinton Byfield, the Kings winger who was the second overall pick in the 2020 Draft who had a modest career high of 22 points (3 G, 19 A) in 53 games last season. Byfield has suddenly picked up six points (1 G, 5 A) in his past five games and with a continued role on the Kings’ top line, alongside Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe, Byfield is getting the opportunity to develop his offensive game.

#4 Coming into the season, there were relatively high expectations for Pavel Zacha, the Boston Bruins centre who appeared to be due for a bigger role with Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retiring. He had just one assist in five games but has rebounded from that slow start, contributing six points (4 G, 2 A) with 14 shots on goal during a five-game point streak. David Pastrnak has been Zacha’s most common linemate, and that is obviously a good sign, but Zacha has also shifted to left wing, with rookie Matthew Poitras getting a look on Boston’s top line.

#5 Buffalo Sabres defenceman Owen Power, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 Draft, is starting to find his range offensively, riding a four-game point streak, during which he has produced four points (1 G, 3 A) and seven shots on goal. Power’s upside for fantasy managers runs into a ceiling because Rasmus Dahlin is the quarterback on Buffalo’s top power play unit and that doesn’t figure to change anytime soon, but Power has the offensive skills to be productive even as the No. 2 option on the Buffalo blueline.

#6 Veteran New York Islanders winger Kyle Palmieri has been a serviceable secondary scorer since he was acquired from the New Jersey Devils, but has taken on a bigger role this season, tallying eight points (3 G, 5 A) in his first nine games. He is skating with Pierre Engvall and Brock Nelson on the Islanders’ second line, but Palmieri does get first unit power play time, so there is an opportunity for him to hit 40 points for the first time since 2019-2020.

#7 Following a standout rookie season in which he tallied 24 goals, Dallas Stars centre Wyatt Johnston has continued his upward trajectory. In his past six games, Johnston has produced six points (3 G, 3 A) with a dozen shots on goal as Johnston maintains his familiar spot between Jamie Benn and Evgenii Dadonov.

#8 Seattle Kraken right winger Oliver Bjorkstrand got off to such a slow start last season, managing 14 points (3 G, 11 A) in his first 31 games and while his production got better, he was really chasing after such a poor start. The good news for Bjorkstrand and the Kraken is that it does not appear to be happening this season. With his goal Thursday night against Nashville, Bjorkstrand has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past seven games. After recording 10 power play points last season, Bjorkstrand already has four power play points this season.

#9 After missing all of last season while he recovered from neck and triceps injuries, Flyers right winger Cam Atkinson has already shown that he has not forgotten how to finish. In his past seven games, Atkinson has tallied eight points (5 G, 3 A) with 21 shots on goal. Getting that kind of production from a 34-year-old who just missed an entire season certainly helps lift the Flyers to a more competitive place and he has moved to play alongside Sean Couturier, the veteran centre who also missed all of last season. While the playoffs might still be a longshot, having Atkinson and Couturier healthy does change that calculation somewhat.

#10 Seattle Kraken left winger Jaden Schwartz has had an interesting career, with quality production mixed in with some injury-plagued seasons. He is off to a fine start this year, and has put up seven points (2 G, 5 A) with 19 shots on goal during a five-game point streak. Schwartz is skating on a line with Alexander Wennberg and Jordan Eberle, but has been a power play threat, with four of his nine points this season coming with the man advantage.

#11 New York Rangers star defenseman Adam Fox suffered an apparent leg injury Thursday after a leg-on-leg hit from Carolina Hurricanes centre Sebastian Aho. A Fox injury would leave a large hole on the Rangers blueline. He has 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in 10 games this season and has finished in the top five in Norris Trophy voting in each of the past three seasons, winning in 2020-2021. If Fox is going to be out of the lineup, Erik Gustafsson would be a logical replacement as the power play quarterback but K’Andre Miller might also be an option for more power play time, too.

#12 For managers in deep or banger leagues, Arizona Coyotes centre Jack McBain is producing enough to generate interest. In his second season, McBain has six points (4 G, 2 A) in the past five games, but that is also not likely to be sustainable since he is a fourth liner playing about 12 minutes per game. Nevertheless, McBain’s fantasy appeal is tied to his physical play as he had 304 hits last season and has 28 hits through 10 games this season. If he gets his offensive production to even passable levels, there is a path to fantasy value.

#13 It appears that the Winnipeg Jets have found something in their physical third line of Nino Niederreiter, Adam Lowry, and Mason Appleton. Appleton has five points (2 G, 3 A) in the past five games and the trio has controlled 62.7% of five-on-five shot attempts and 60.3% of expected goals this season. There may be an offensive ceiling for these players but dominating five-on-five play to this degree at least indicates that they will be getting scoring chances.

#14 There are a couple of rookie defencemen forcing their way into the fantasy conversation. New Jersey’s Luke Hughes has six assists and 12 shots on goal in the past four games, and four of those assists have come on the power play as Hughes is getting a look on the Devils’ top power play unit, with Dougie Hamilton sliding to the second unit. Across the country, in Anaheim, Ducks defenceman Pavel Mintyukov has five assists in the past five games and while he is getting a chance on the Ducks’ No. 1 power play unit, Mintyukov has just one power play point this season.

#15 The Philadelphia Flyers lost goaltender Carter Hart to a “mid-body” injury this week and it seems that they will be without him for a while. Samuel Ersson is next in line and the Flyers have recalled Cal Petersen from the American Hockey League, but none of this precludes Felix Sandstrom from potentially seeing action in the Flyers net as well. Ersson has had an incredibly poor start to the season, allowing 14 goals on 59 shots (a .763 save percentage!), while Petersen has a .884 save percentage in four AHL games this season. Although the goaltending could be a major question mark, the Flyers deserve credit for playing a stronger team game this season as they have earned 54.8% of score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals during five-on-five play, which puts them in the top ten in that category.

#16 Ottawa Senators rookie centre Ridly Greig was hurt early in Thursday’s defeat against the Los Angeles Kings and that is going to test the Senators for the time that Greig is out. With Shane Pinto suspended, Greig was an important part of the lineup, contributing seven points (2 G, 5 A) in eight games prior to Thursday as Ottawa’s third line centre. As a short-term fix, Rourke Chartier could move up the depth chart, but the journeyman pivot has two points (1 G, 1 A) in 28 career games, so he may not be a viable answer if Greig is going to miss significant time.

#17 Alexander Barabanov is out 4-6 weeks with a broken finger and that creates an opening on San Jose’s top line alongside Tomas Hertl and Anthony Duclair. San Jose is hardly the source for great fantasy production, as the Sharks are getting buried on a nightly basis, but in deep leagues keep tabs on Fabian Zetterlund, who is getting that chance and is averaging nearly 16 minutes per game over the past five.

#18 While it was understood that veteran right winger Blake Wheeler had seen his better days, the 37-year-old still had 55 points (16 G, 39 A) in 72 games for the Winnipeg Jets last season. He has started a new phase with the New York Rangers in the worst way, going without a point in his first 10 games, and he is playing just 12 minutes per game, his lowest time on ice average of his career. Without a role on the Blueshirts’ power play, Wheeler is going to be hard-pressed to get his production back to fantasy relevant levels unless there is a dramatic shift in the situation.

#19 After a strong finish to last season, when he was between Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz on Arizona’s top line, Barrett Hayton was in a good spot to continue his career ascent. He is still centering that top line, and getting power play time, but has yet to record a point through 10 games this season. Hayton has 25 shots on goal and is playing a career-high 19:31 per game, so he might be a decent buy-low candidate, but his value has taken an unexpected hit due to his lack of production.

#20 Ongoing health issues have forced Washington Capitals centre Nicklas Backstrom to step away from the game and while his announcement did not have a final decision, it appears that the 35-year-old could be headed for retirement. An elite player from 2007-2008 through 2020-2021, Backstrom has been hampered by hip issues and it has been a tough road coming back. Since returning last season, Backstrom has 22 points (7 G, 15 A) in 47 games and the Capitals have been outscored 31-16 with him on the ice during five-on-five play. He just isn’t the same player who was nearly a point-per-game scorer in his first 1,000 games in the league and, at his peak, was in the Selke Trophy discussion. With Backstrom out, that does provide more opportunity for Dylan Strome, whose ice time has been climbing and has six goals in his past six games.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – ARIZONA COYOTES – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:16:45 +0000

SAINT PAUL, MN - NOVEMBER 27: Arizona Coyotes center Barrett Hayton (29) skates with the puck during the NHL game between the Arizona Coyotes and the Minnesota Wild, on November 27th, 2022, at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

Review: After finishing with the second worst record in 2021-22 (25-50-7), no one was surprised when the Coyotes miss the playoffs again in 2022-23. Last year wasn’t devoid of silver linings though. Clayton Keller emerged as the offensive leader the Coyotes always hoped he could be, setting career highs with 37 goals and 86 points in 82 contests. Matias Maccelli also looked great in his first full NHL campaign, contributing 11 goals and 49 points in 64 outings. Arizona might also have a long-term solution in goal thanks to the emergence of Karel Vejmelka. While his 3.43 GAA and .899 save percentage in 50 games from 2022-23 don’t inspire confidence, his goals saved above expected was an impressive 11.1, which suggests that Vejmelka did well and was only held back by poor defense. The starting blocks of a competitive team have been assembled.

What’s Changed? Arizona got some much-needed help on the blueline when they acquired Sean Durzi from Los Angeles, and the Coyotes bolstered their defense further by signing Troy Stecher and Matt Dumba. They also inked Jason Zucker, who should serve in a top-six capacity and get some power-play ice time.

What would success look like? Making the playoffs is probably still too much to hope for, but the Coyotes could at least make it close. To accomplish that, they almost certainly need to play a stronger defensive game while Vejmelka continues to hold up his end of the bargain. If Logan Cooley, who was taken with the third overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, has a solid rookie campaign and Maccelli progresses as a sophomore, then Arizona’s offense can move from being near the bottom of the pack into mediocre territory.

What could go wrong? Their defense could certainly fail them again, even with all the turnover. Keller has had an up-and-down career, so while he finally seems to have emerged as a star, there is still a possibility that he falls back to Earth. Zucker could also prove not to be worth his one-year, $5.3 million contract. He was solid with Pittsburgh last season, providing 27 goals and 48 points in 78 contests, but he failed to reach the 20-point mark in either of the two campaigns preceding that, and he has a bit of an injury history to boot. Speaking of injury histories, Dumba’s is coming off a season-ending concussion, so it remains to be seen how he’ll do this year.

Top Breakout Candidate: Arizona has a few, but one to pay particular attention to is Barrett Hayton. Taken with the fifth overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, Hayton has 176 games worth of NHL experience under his belt at this point and has been making steady progress, setting career highs in 2022-23 with 19 goals and 43 points in 82 contests. He was particularly good down the stretch with 18 goals and 38 points over his final 49 outings. He averaged 19:10 of ice time during that span, which helps explain why he became so dominant, and he’s projected to enter the season on the top line and first power-play unit, setting him up for a big campaign.

Forwards

Clayton Keller - LW

Coming off a broken leg, Keller responded by playing in all 82 games and producing a career-high 37 goals and 86 points while playing a career-high 20:45 per game. After the All-Star break, Keller put up 45 points (19 G, 26 A) with 106 shots on goal in 32 games, superstar production when considering that the Coyotes ranked 27^th with 225 goals for the season. Keller, 25, has wonderful vision that he uses to set up his teammates but, with more confidence, he has been looking for his own shot more frequently in the past couple of seasons, establishing his credentials as a star scoring winger. He is not big and does not have blinding speed, so Keller relies on being shifty and darting in and out of openings in the offensive zone. As wonderful as Keller played last season, it may be difficult to duplicate that production, especially on the goal-scoring side, as he had a career-high shooting percentage of 16.6%. Nevertheless, Keller should still be able to produce 30 goals and 75 points, which is a strong season, if not quite as impressive as last season.

Nick Schmaltz - RW

While Schmaltz was much more of a pass-first performer early in his NHL career, he has become more balanced in his approach, and he had a career high 2.10 shots per game last season. That is still not a huge shot rate, but everything is relative. Schmaltz has tallied 45 goals and 117 points in 126 games over the past two seasons, a clear step forward in his production. Not only does Schmaltz have soft hands and strong offensive instincts, but his release has improved as he gets more opportunities to finish when playing alongside Clayton Keller. Schmaltz is decidedly not a physical player, accumulating a total of 54 hits in 248 games across the past four seasons. While his per-game point production in the past couple of seasons would suggest that Schmaltz has the potential to push for a point per game, it does need to be acknowledged that he has not been particularly durable. Schmaltz might produce 55-60 points, but that total would likely occur with him missing substantial time because he has missed 38 games over the past two seasons.

Barrett Hayton - C

It took some time, but the 23-year-old pivot emerged in the second half last season as a player that could fill a legitimate scoring role. That was hardly the expectation when he had zero goals and four assists through his first 28 games. After Christmas, though, Hayton played a lot with Keller and Schmaltz, producing 38 points (18 G, 20 A) in his last 50 games of the season. It is not like Hayton can be considered a sure thing, but his confidence appears to be climbing and if he can build on last season’s finish, he will be a legitimate scoring threat. He has a strong build, so Hayton can protect the puck and withstand the battles against the boards and around the net. So long as he holds that spot between Keller and Schmaltz, Hayton ought to be poised for the best season of his career. A 50-point season is easily within Hayton’s reach, with some upside beyond that if he can stay on Arizona’s top line.

Jason Zucker - LW

Following a few injury-plagued seasons, the 31-year-old winger was healthy in 2022-2023 and showed that he can still finish, scoring 27 goals, his most since tallying 33 for the Minnesota Wild in 2017-2018. Zucker has good speed and uses that speed to generate scoring chances. While he has typically been a tenacious checker, he was much more physical in 2022-2023, recording 197 hits, the first time in his career that he finished with more than 90 hits in a season. When he’s going well, Zucker can go on scoring binges, and he had an eight-game stretch in February and March in which he scored nine goals. A healthy Zucker gives the Coyotes legitimate scoring support, but he is also signed to a one-year contract, so if the Coyotes are not in the playoff picture, Zucker could very well be trade bait before the deadline. His health is a big factor when it comes to placing expectations on his 2023-2024 production. If he remains reasonably healthy, another 20-goal season ought to be within his grasp. He usually scores more goals than assists, so he may challenge for a 40-point campaign, but that is about as high as expectations should go, at least without knowing where Zucker will be playing to finish the season.

Matias Maccelli - LW

A sleeper candidate for the Calder Trophy, Maccelli finished fourth in the voting after producing 49 points (11 G, 38 A) in 64 games. Maccelli is another player who is hesitant to pull the trigger, managing 82 shots on goal in 87 career games even though he has played more than 15 minutes per game. What Maccelli does have going for him is excellent vision and creativity, and that can’t be taken for granted. He got better as the season went along and, even though he missed six weeks with a lower-body injury, he finished with 19 points (7 G, 12 A) in his last 20 games. Maccelli’s defensive play was surprisingly effective for a rookie, and that raises the bar for what might be expected from him in the future. He skates well, with a wide base that helps give him solid balance when he attacks in the offensive zone. While Maccelli was much of a setup man than finisher as a rookie, he did score on 18.0% of his shots last season and that should be difficult to maintain. Even so, provided he stays healthy, a 50-point season should be a realistic target for Maccelli in 2023-2024.

Lawson Crouse - RW

A power forward who scored a career high 24 goals and 45 points last season, Crouse is a 26-year-old who is one of four forwards who recorded at least 20 goals and 190 hits last season. Brady Tkachuk, J.T. Miller, and Jason Zucker are the others. Crouse has great size, which makes him a strong net front presence, but he also has a strong enough release that he can score from distance, too. Even though he is a strong skater for a big man, Crouse is best suited to filling a complementary role alongside playmakers, who can get him the puck in scoring position, rather than trying to maneuver there on his own because he is more of a straight-line player and not particularly deceptive in his approach. While Crouse is more suited to a supporting role, he did have an 11-game stretch in December last season in which he produced 10 points (4 G, 6 A) and played nearly 19 minutes per game. Crouse has scored on more than 15.0% of his shots in back-to-back seasons, and maybe that is his new level, but there is the possibility of experiencing some regression there. As a result, a 20-goal, 40-point season should still be within his reach.

Alexander Kerfoot - RW

A veteran forward who used to play center but has been spending more time on the wing, Kerfoot has been a reluctant shooter, generating a career high 1.62 shots per game last season. He has been more effective defensively and is a strong penalty killer, but he is also a capable playmaker on the offensive end. Kerfoot is not a great finisher, who scored on a career low 7.5% of his shots last season, so there might be some justification for him being hesitant to pull the trigger. Nevertheless, in Arizona he can fulfill a secondary offensive role and that will suit the 29-year-old’s skills just fine. One of the values that Kerfoot will provide in Arizona is his versatility, as he can play wing and center, but also move around the lineup to work in a scoring or checking role. That versatility does put a ceiling on what kind of offensive impact might be expected from Kerfoot because he could reasonably play on lines two through four. However, his track record suggests that 35 points is a fair estimate for what Kerfoot could deliver for the Coyotes.

Nick Bjugstad - C

The towering 6’ 6” center returns to Arizona after he was traded to Edmonton at the trade deadline. He finished last season with 17 goals and 29 points, both his high water marks since 2017-2018. The 31-year-old is a reliable defensive forward who is comfortable using his size to his advantage and that wasn’t always the case. Bjugstad is a solid veteran presence for the Coyotes, and while he offers more value defensively, his ability to chip in offensively makes him a quality third line forward. It’s fair to note, though, that the previous three seasons from Bjugstad had been relatively unimpressive so last season’s solid contribution is not necessarily his new level. If Bjugstad remains healthy, a 25-point season is a reasonable expectation, but while younger forwards might have upside, a player with injury issues like Bjugstad might come with more downside.

Travis Boyd - C

The summer signing of top prospect Logan Cooley could present a challenge for Boyd, who has played a much bigger role with Arizona in the past two seasons than he ever had previously in the NHL. He played a career high 16:32 per game while dressing for all 82 contests last season, finishing with 15 goals and 34 points. However, Boyd struggled away from the puck and the Coyotes were buried when he was on the ice, which makes him a prime candidate for a smaller role next season. After years of being an over-qualified fourth liner, he has probably been an under-qualified second liner for the past couple of seasons and may be moving towards that fourth line role once again. The relatively late signing of Cooley puts Boyd into an uncertain position, so it makes more sense to figure on 25-30 points for Boyd, a decline from his production in the past two seasons, just because he is less likely to see 16 minutes of ice time per game.

Jack McBain - LW

A 23-year-old center who played all 82 games as a rookie last season, McBain chipped in 26 points (12 G, 14 A) but his most noteworthy statistical contribution was 304 hits, which ranked second among all forwards. After the trade deadline last season, McBain contributed 14 points (4 G, 10 A) in 20 games, while playing more than 16 minutes per game, and while that might offer some hope for his future contributions, the Coyotes have added proven talent to the roster and that could make it difficult for McBain to secure enough playing time to build on his finish to last season. Since the Coyotes were so active this summer, adding more established NHL forwards, it could be a challenge for McBain to even match the 14 minutes per game that he had as a rookie, which means he could be hard-pressed to increase his production beyond the 26 points he had last season.

Defense

Sean Durzi - D

Acquired from the Los Angeles Kings, Durzi is looking at a great opportunity to move up Arizona’s depth chart, particularly on the power play, where he contributed 16 of his 38 points for the Kings last season. He had a six-game point streak in late November and early December, during which he scored nine points (1 G, 8 A), and he produced 11 points (2 G, 9A) in his first 14 games coming out of the All-Star break. Durzi is a right-shot defenseman with strong offensive instincts, though he could improve his passing in terms of creating chances, but his suspect defensive play is going to bear watching. If he can tidy up his play without the puck, Durzi could become a cornerstone piece on the Arizona blueline. If not, he may be more of a power play specialist and while still that has value, it is not the same as proving to be able to successfully handle a legit top-four role. If Durzi is on the first power-play unit for Arizona, that should help him score more than 40 points in a full season. If he can’t secure that spot ahead of the competition on his team, maybe he ends up in the range of 30-35 points.

Juuso Valimaki - D

Picked up off waivers from Calgary, Valimaki made the most of his opportunity, providing impressive defensive play and then landing a spot quarterbacking the power play once Jakob Chychrun and Shayne Gostisbehere were moved out. After the All-Star break, Valimaki averaged more than 22 minutes of ice time per game, contributing 22 points (2 G, 20 A) in 32 games. He may face a challenge from Durzi for the role at the point on the first power play unit, but Valimaki established last season that he should be a foundational piece for the Coyotes, or he will be if he can continue on the path that he started to blaze last season. Not only was he productive on the power play, but Valimaki was an excellent defender in Arizona. He was Arizona’s only regular to finish with better than 50% of expected goals during five-on-five play. Getting a legitimate top-four defenseman, possibly even a top-pair defenseman, on waivers is a gift. The competition for a spot on the top power play unit does cast some doubt on Valimaki’s offensive upside this season but, with more ice time, he should be able to surpass last season’s total of 34 points.

J.J. Moser - D

After playing more than 21 minutes per game while dressing in all 82 games in just his second season, Moser will naturally be expected to fill a big role on Arizona’s blueline. He is a smooth skater who is a competent puck mover but needs to continue developing his play away from the puck so that he can have a stronger defensive impact. The arrival of Durzi also has the potential impact of limiting Moser’s role on the power play where, last season, he scored 11 of his 31 points. With more competition for playing time, Moser could be hard-pressed to match his scoring total from last season, so it’s probably fair to expect production in the range of 25-30 points.

Matt Dumba - D

Dumba played more than 20 minutes per game in each of his last seven seasons with the Minnesota Wild, and his experience should bolster the Arizona blueline. The 29-year-old is a right-shot defender who plays bigger than his size but has seen his level of play slip in recent seasons, and he finished with a career low 14 points (4 G, 10 A) in 79 games last season. At his best, Dumba plays with confidence and aggressiveness, both with the puck and when it comes time to play the body. While it would seem likely that Sean Durzi and Juuso Valimaki would get power play preference in Arizona, Dumba has quarterbacked the Minnesota power play, with 74 of his 236 career points coming with the man advantage. Dumba had a career-high 14 goals and 50 points in 2017-2018, but that is far enough in the rearview mirror now that it is probably more reasonable to expect 25-30 points from him in 2023-2024.

Goaltending

Karel Vejmelka - G

Everyone expected the Arizona Coyotes, mired in controversy after dealing with more arena drama and ownership gossip, to strip down for parts and settle in last season as the NHL’s worst team in decades. Instead, they capitalized on the fun of playing in a college arena with a fiery fan atmosphere and played their way from the bottom of the barrel into upper-tier lottery territory; they posted the 19th-best record at home and went on both a nine-game point streak in February and an eight-game point streak in March that at one point made them the NHL’s hottest team. That success, surprising as it was, owed an even more surprising amount of credit to sophomore goaltender Karel Vejmelka – who followed up on a sneaky NHL debut season with proof that he could replicate those results. He outperformed goaltenders like Jordan Binnington, Philipp Grubauer, Jack Campbell, and Jacob Markstrom, backstopping a roster few expected to even survive en route to a season that wasn’t good, but was certainly fun.

It was clear that Vejmelka still prefers to play a more aggressive game, itching to come out and challenge opponents and show off his above-average speed in favor of sitting back and waiting for pucks to come to him. But it was clear that he started to settle in with regards to the North American game, remaining patient and picking up on reads from his team despite their disjointed defensive structure to continue serving as a reliable option for a team that’s clearly still building up a roster base. He’s likely not a long-term starting option for the team, but he doesn’t need to be anymore; the emergence of redemption story Connor Ingram as his tandem partner – and now the subsequent re-signing of Ingram to play with him next year – lend credence to the idea that the Coyotes are going to continue developing and taking steps forward in the 2023-24 season.

Projected starts: 40-45

Connor Ingram - G

If Coyotes fans weren’t sure what they were getting in Karel Vejmelka’s rookie season, they were even less sure what they were getting when the team placed a waiver claim for former Tampa Bay standout prospect Connor Ingram. Now long past the days of truly being a prospect, Ingram had gone from being a legitimate contender to come up alongside Andrei Vasilevskiy to being banished to the ECHL, jettisoned to Nashville, and ultimately sat out of the bulk of a season due to an entry into the NHL’s Player Assistance Program. The program graduate proved that it can do exactly what it’s designed to, though, as the Coyotes’ 2022-23 season went on; although Ingram stumbled a bit in his first few games with the team, he quickly found his legs and put up numbers that would have made him an enviable starter for nearly half the teams in the NHL. Even with his somewhat shaky start, Ingram finished last season with a .907 unadjusted save percentage, a .577 quality start percentage, and the league’s 30th-best goals saved above average among 75 goaltenders with qualifying start volumes. He was able to shoulder the workload for 27 games for Arizona – and after putting up sub-.900 performances in five of his first eight games, went on to only dip below that margin four more times in his final 19 games. Once he was able to get his rhythm back, he displayed the game characteristics that had made him so impressive to watch as a prospect; he was quick on his feet, effective with his hands, and hard to move away from his positioning with trick passes or deceptive shots. Arizona’s decision to lock him up as their number two for the 2023-24 season, in all likelihood, could be a big piece of the puzzle as they look to take a step forward.

Projected starts: 40-45

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK: A full roster of under the radar fantasy all stars – Pool winning picks!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 12:59:33 +0000

FANTASY ALL-STARS

Unearthing hidden treasures is the name of the game in fantasy hockey and if you hit on enough of them, that can make all the difference in your fantasy fortunes.

One of the staples of fantasy hockey is the quest to find relative value. That gets harder at the top of the board because those players are already valued so highly. The way to make a difference, then, is to capture a middle or late-round pick that can perform like a star.

Drafting stars is cool, and should be the focus early, but have you ever hit on a late-round pick? That is the big rush of fantasy hockey, right there.

There are a few paths to travel to find candidates for the Fantasy All-Star team.

Healthy Again

Injuries are a plague for fantasy hockey managers just as much as they are for real hockey general managers, but that can also be used to an advantage. Players coming back from injury will almost assuredly be underrated the following season, whether it is due to lingering uncertainty over their health or just poor counting stats from the previous season. With the miracles of modern medicine, players can come back from major injuries and produce at a high level, and there are several intriguing candidates that qualify this year.

Raising Their Game

With an average of 3.15 goals per game for each team, last season was the highest scoring season since 1993-1994. There were 61 players that played at least 50 games and scored more than 0.90 points per game in 2022-2023.

Among the players to cross that threshold last season were defensemen Dougie Hamilton, Brandon Montour, and Rasmus Dahlin, as well as forwards Brock Nelson, Clayton Keller, Zach Hyman, Tim Stützle, Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson, Elias Pettersson, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Finding the player who busts out is tons of fun, but it has the bonus of paying off in a big way for your fantasy squad.

Regression Comes for Everyone

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to percentages and sustainability, because while one might be inclined to say it’s impossible for a player to score on 20% of his shots over the long haul, Leon Draisaitl exists, having scored on 20.2% of his shots over a five-year period. It’s possible to do it, but Draisaitl is the only one doing it, so there can be a fine line between impossible and virtually impossible.

This is about playing the odds here, which means if a player has an established track record, that should hold more weight in the evaluation than one season’s fluctuating percentages, especially when they look like an aberration compared to previous seasons.

Opportunity Knocks

There are so many skilled players in the NHL that, sometimes, all it takes is a better opportunity to open the door to better results. Maybe that is moving to the top power play or getting bumped up the depth chart a line or two. Joining the right linemate can make a difference.

Last season, the Fantasy All-Stars hit on Jack Hughes, Tyler Toffoli, Casey Mittelstadt, Miro Heiskanen, Vince Dunn, and Alexandar Georgiev. Boone Jenner, Lawson Crouse, and Radko Gudas at least met expectations, and Logan Thompson was on his way to fulfilling his Fantasy All-Star status before suffering a season-ending injury.

Capturing a few of these players should increase your chances of winning a championship and make it more fun if you get there.

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 23: Ducks center Mason McTavish (37) stickhandles during the Anaheim Ducks versus Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on February 23, 2023 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Mason McTavish, C, Anaheim

This could very well be a season too soon for McTavish to have a breakout. After all, he is just 20 years old, but the third pick in the 2021 Draft flashed enough potential in his rookie season to believe that he is destined for bigger and better things. The most intriguing part of McTavish’s rookie campaign was his power play role, getting the chance to pull the trigger on one-timers from the right faceoff circle, on his way to scoring seven power play goals. Greg Cronin is the new bench boss for the Ducks, and it only makes sense for him to do everything he can to help McTavish develop into a star, which should mean more ice time and a chance to make a big leap in his sophomore season. Finally, McTavish also had an on-ice shooting percentage of 7.5%, which is relatively low, so he should be due for better luck in the offensive zone, too.

Connor Brown, RW, Edmonton

A reliable veteran winger who is a two-time 20-goal scorer, Brown was limited to just four games in Washington last season after tearing his ACL. The most appealing part of Brown’s equation is that he could get a shot on Connor McDavid’s right side, and that’s a new opportunity for a player whose career high is 43 points. Brown, who was McDavid’s junior teammate for one season with the Erie Otters, has averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time per game in two of his NHL seasons, so he is used to handling significant responsibility, but he could be looking at his best offensive opportunity as a pro.

Max Pacioretty, LW, Washington

After tearing his Achilles tendon twice last season, Pacioretty has had a long road of recovery. He is a 34-year-old winger who is coming off devastating injuries, but that is precisely why he offers potential value for fantasy managers. Injuries have dogged Pacioretty, as he has played just 92 total games over the past three seasons, but that has not diminished his ability to generate shots and put the puck in the net. He is a five-time 30-goal scorer who will have a chance to play a big role for the Capitals.

Yegor Sharangovich, RW, Calgary

Sharangovich faded out of the Devils lineup last season, scoring three goals in his last 41 regular-season games, and only dressing for three playoff contests before he was traded as part of the deal for Tyler Toffoli. Sharangovich did score 24 goals in 2021-2022, so he has already shown that he can put the puck in the net. As a big winger who can skate, he looks like he could have a new opportunity in Calgary, possibly getting a chance to skate on the top line, with Jonathan Huberdeau and Elias Lindholm, which would offer higher offensive upside and a consistent spot on a scoring line could turn Sharangovich loose.

Taylor Hall, LW, Chicago

Not only did Hall miss 21 games for Boston with injuries last season, but he also played less than 16 minutes per game for the first time in his career. Joining a Chicago team that is desperate for talent to support No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard, Hall should be in a great position to have a significant role on what will likely be a bad team. If only there was something in his past to suggest that he could be productive in such a role.

Pavel Zacha, C, Boston

Not many teams have a No. 1 center by default, but it looks like that will be the case with Zacha and the Bruins, after Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci both retired. Zacha jumped to a career-high 57 points last season, the first time in his career that he had more than 36 points, but if he ends up skating with David Pastrnak, or Brad Marchand, or both, and possibly getting first unit power play time, then Zacha will have the chance to produce even more.

Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, Toronto

The agitating winger played just 50 games last season and scored only eight goals, thanks to a career-low shooting percentage of 7.5%. He did rebound with five goals and 10 points in Boston’s seven-game first-round loss to Florida. Signing in Toronto as a free agent, Bertuzzi should have a shot to play on the top line, and if Michael Bunting could score skating alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, there is no reason to believe that Bertuzzi wouldn’t be able to fill the net, too.

Barrett Hayton, C, Arizona

Despite showing brief flashes of talent, Hayton has struggled to generate much offense since getting drafted fifth overall in 2018. It looked like more of the same last season but then he got his shot on the Coyotes’ top line, skating between Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. Suddenly Hayton was scoring to the tune of 29 points (14 G, 15 A) in his last 35 games, and should be ready to produce right from the start of the 2023-2024 season.

Anthony Duclair, RW, San Jose

Although he only scored two goals in 20 games after recovering from a torn Achilles last season, Duclair was still generating chances. Among players who skated at least 200 five-on-five minutes last season, Duclair ranked 25^th with 1.08 individual expected goals per 60 minutes, the same rate as Alex Ovechkin, Jeff Skinner, and Evander Kane, all of whom will go well before Duclair on draft day. Going to San Jose ought to give Duclair a chance to earn a prominent role, because the Sharks need to give serious ice time to anyone who shows that they can play.

Lucas Raymond, LW, Detroit

Although Raymond saw his point total drop from 57 as a rookie to 45 as a sophomore last season, he also had an on-ice shooting percentage of 7.7%, which is not typical of a player skating in the top six. In Detroit, there is a decent chance that 21-year-old Raymond could find himself playing with Dylan Larkin and offseason addition Alex DeBrincat, which gives Raymond highly skilled linemates who have the offensive pedigree to take their production to a higher level and drag Raymond along for the ride.

Arthur Kaliyev, RW, Los Angeles

A 22-year-old with a lethal shot, Kaliyev has been limited to an average time on ice of 12:16 per game in his first two seasons, scoring 27 goals in 137 games. However, that leaves plenty of room for improvement and he just might have a chance to skate on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kevin Fiala, which would be a massive upgrade in linemates for Kaliyev. Even in a depth role, Kaliyev had 1.10 individual expected goals per 60 minutes last season, which ranked 16^th among skaters to play at least 500 five-on-five minutes. Imagine what he could do if he gets to skate regularly with linemates as skilled as Dubois and Fiala.

Jonathan Drouin, LW, Colorado

While the 28-year-old has shown glimpses of potential throughout his career, he has not been very durable lately and is coming off a season in which he scored two goals in 58 games. This is why he should be available late in drafts, but there is also the possibility that, moving to Colorado, Drouin could play with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen on the top line, which is about as good as it gets. MacKinnon was the top point producer in the league at five-on-five last season and Drouin, his junior hockey teammate, could thrive in his new situation.

MONTREAL, QC - Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (75) (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

DEFENSE

Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton

Once Tyson Barrie was traded to Nashville last season, that opened the door for Bouchard to secure his spot with Edmonton’s top power play unit and that is a gold mine for point production. Following the trade deadline last season, Bouchard produced 19 points (5 G, 14 A) in 20 games, then added 17 points (4 G, 13 A) in 12 playoff games. Given a full season on the insanely productive Oilers power play, Bouchard is the defenseman most likely to see a massive scoring spike this season.

Shea Theodore, D, Vegas

While he could have an even higher ceiling with a bigger role on the Vegas power play, Theodore did produce 1.71 points per 60 during five-on-five play last season, to rank second among defensemen, behind only Erik Karlsson. Theodore has established his credentials as a high-end defenseman, but he also missed 27 games last season and is still second behind Alex Pietrangelo when it comes to quarterbacking the Golden Knights’ power play, so Theodore still might be a bit underrated.

Juuso Valimaki, D, Arizona

Arizona bringing in Sean Durzi and Matthew Dumba does mean that Valimaki is facing more competition for power play minutes in Arizona, but Valimaki was an outstanding performer when given the opportunity to play big minutes at evens last season. J.J. Moser ended up with more power play time than Valimaki, too, so the power play might be a tough situation but, with the Coyotes improving their roster, there should be more chances for Valimaki to contribute.

Gustav Forsling, D, Florida

With Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour both coming off shoulder surgery, Forsling may have an opportunity quarterback Florida’s top power play to start the season, to say nothing of the need for him to anchor the Panthers’ defense at even strength as well. Forsling has 59 five-on-five points in the past two seasons, which ranks 12^th among defensemen and is just one point behind Montour, so anything that would give him more offensive opportunities seems like a good idea.

Mike Matheson, D, Montreal

The veteran blueliner was excellent upon joining the Canadiens last season in a small sample, scoring a career high 34 points (8 G, 26 A) in just 48 games, while playing a career high 24:27 per game. It appears that Matheson should be Montreal’s top power play defenseman from the start of the season and that opportunity alone gives him the chance to provide fantasy value, significantly more than he has through his first seven NHL seasons.

Cam York, D, Philadelphia

There has been turnover on the Flyers blueline and with Ivan Provorov and Tony DeAngelo among those departing, there is an opening for a defenseman on Philadelphia’s top power play and York is as strong a candidate as any for the role. He has 30 points in 87 career games, with seven points coming on the power play, but someone must take a spot on the first unit and the Flyers don’t have a lot of great options, which opens the door for York to have a breakthrough season.

CALGARY, AB - Calgary Flames Goalie Jacob Markstrom (25) (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire)

GOALTENDERS

Vitek Vanecek, G, New Jersey

The Devils are going to be a great team and goaltenders that can reliably earn wins bring fantasy appeal. Backup goaltender Akira Schmid might have sleeper value, too, but Vanecek is the starting goaltender for a team that is among the Stanley Cup favorites. He also has a .909 save percentage in three seasons, ranking 14^th among goaltenders that played at least 100 games in that time. It is not the flashiest track record, but that is exactly why Vanecek has a chance to provide excess value.

Jacob Markstrom, G, Calgary

Markstrom has had ups and downs in his career and is familiar with rebounding after a tough season, which is good, because his 2022-2023 season was disastrous – his .892 save percentage was his lowest for any season in which he had played at least 20 games. Goaltending being what it is, though, there is no reason that Markstrom couldn’t regain his form and be the goaltender who was the runner-up in Vezina Trophy voting in 2021-2022. His value will be low based on last season’s results, but Markstrom’s potential gives him a chance to deliver positive value and earn a spot as a Fantasy All-Star.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Difference makers in the final week of the season

Scott Cullen — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 19:01:41 +0000

Each week I dive into the numbers and offer some insights that should help when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, players that might make a difference in the final week of the season, including Alex Lyon, David Perron, and Thomas Novak, plus some keeper league options to consider.

#1 In a season with some unexpected goaltending performances, Florida getting clutch performances out of 30-year-old Alex Lyon is one of the bigger surprises. With the Panthers pushing for a playoff spot, and Sergei Bobrovsky injured, the job has fallen to Lyon. He stopped 56 of 58 shots in Thursday’s 7-2 win over Ottawa, marking his fifth straight win, and he has a .961 save percentage in those five starts.

#2 Veteran winger David Perron is finishing strong for a Red Wings squad that has generally been fading down the stretch. Perron has put up 16 points (8 G, 8 A) with 36 shots on goal in his past 16 games. He is making the most of his opportunity on Detroit’s top line with Dylan Larkin and Dominik Kubalik. That trio has been excellent, capturing 59.2% of expected goals and 68.1% of goals during five-on-five play.

NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 19: Nashville Predators center Thomas Novak (82) is shown during the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers, held on December 19, 2022, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire)

#3 Nashville’s improbable push for a playoff spot has been due in no small part to the emergence of young players who have been thrust into bigger roles. Center Thomas Novak is still widely available in fantasy leagues, despite scoring 30 points (13 G, 17 A) in his past 26 games. The 25-year-old had seven points (1 G, 6 A) in 27 games as a rookie last season, and started this season in the American Hockey League, so maybe it should not be surprising that he is so readily available, but his production deserves respect.

#4 On a lesser scale, Predators center Cody Glass has at least established his credentials as an NHL player and has contributed six points (4 G, 2 A) and 17 shots on goal in his past seven games. He has been averaging more than 17 minutes of ice time per game since the trade deadline, and the Preds remain in the playoff hunt into the final week of the regular season.

#5 Although he was held off the scoresheet in Thursday’s 4-1 win against Minnesota, Penguins right winger Bryan Rust has finished strong in what has otherwise been a relatively disappointing season. The industrious winger has eight points (5 G, 3 A) and 30 shots on goal in his past nine games, giving him 20 goals for the fourth consecutive season. Rust has scored on just 9.6% of his shots this season, his lowest mark since 2015-2016.

#6 After erupting for a career-high 35 goals last season, Calgary Flames winger Andrew Mangiapane has 17 goals and 40 points heading into the final week of the regular season. However, he has been finding the scoresheet more frequently, putting up eight points (4 G, 4 A) in his past 11 games, as he continues to thrive on a line with Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman. That trio has controlled 66.8% of expected goals and 72.9% of goals during five-on-five play. If the Flames somehow manage to reach the postseason, a lot of credit will be due to that line.

#7 Last week, I hit on several St. Louis Blues players that are providing good value late in the season. Add one more this week: Alexei Toropchenko. The 23-year-old scored a goal in Thursday’s 3-2 win over the Rangers, giving him six points (4 G, 2 A) and 15 shots on goal while playing nearly 14 minutes per game in his past six games.

#8 Consistency is sometimes elusive for the Rangers’ Kid Line, but Alexis Lafreniere has delivered seven points (2 G, 5 A) in his past seven games. He has scored 35 of his 39 points at even strength, the same as Matt Boldy, Alex DeBrincat, and Brad Marchand, among others.

#9 The top five defensemen when it comes to goals this season are largely who one might expect to finish in that top tier – Erik Karlsson, Dougie Hamilton, Roman Josi, and Cale Makar hold down four of the top five spots. Tied with Josi, and one goal ahead of Makar, is Carolina Hurricanes blueliner Brady Skjei who has nine points (6 G, 3 A) with 38 shots on goal in his past 13 games.

#10 Frequently a reluctant shooter, Blue Jackets center Jack Roslovic has put up eight points (4 G, 4 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past seven games. He has 44 points (11 G, 33 A) on the season, one off the career-high 45 points that he produced last season. Roslovic is having some late season success with rookie Kent Johnson on his wing.

#11 The Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche are the only two teams that still have five games remaining on their respective regular-season schedules. For fantasy squads that need every possible edge, finding a few extra games can make a difference. A couple of Sabres worth considering:

Owen Power – Buffalo’s rookie defenseman has six assists in his past five games. There is a ceiling on his offensive upside as long as Rasmus Dahlin is quarterbacking the top power play unit, but five games from Power could offer more potential than three games from other defenders.

Casey Mittelstadt – With Tage Thompson working his way back from injury, the Sabres have kept Mittelstadt with Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch. Mittelstadt could stand to shoot more but has delivered nine assists in his past five games.

#12 And a couple of Avs that could offer a late season lift:

Samuel Girard – Although Devon Toews and Bowen Byram are even better options, especially when Cale Makar is missing games, Girard has four points (1 G, 3 A) in his past five games, giving him a career-high 35 points but he also has a career-high 111 blocked shots and his 64 hits is one away from his career best, set last season.

Evan Rodrigues – With Gabriel Landeskog and Artturi Lehkonen out, Rodrigues has the opportunity to skate on Colorado’s top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen – a good place to ride their coattails to more points. When Rodrigues gets more ice time, the points have followed. He has 26 points (10 G, 16 A) in the 39 games in which he has played more than 17 minutes.

#13 The Top 10 scorers since the March 3 trade deadline, among players that were traded before the deadline:

Sammy Blais, St. Louis – 16 points (6 G, 10 A) in 18 GP

Marcus Johansson, Minnesota – 14 points (4 G, 10 A) in 16 GP

Timo Meier, New Jersey – 13 points (9 G, 4 A) in 18 GP

Rasmus Sandin, Washington – 13 points (1 G, 12 A) in 15 GP

Jakub Vrana, St. Louis – 12 points (9 G, 3 A) in 17 GP

Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis – 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in 17 GP

Tyson Barrie, Nashville – 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in 19 GP

Patrick Kane, N.Y. Rangers – 10 points (5 G, 5 A) in 15 GP

Mattias Ekholm, Edmonton – 10 points (3 G, 7 A) in 17 GP

Nino Niederreiter, Winnipeg – 10 points (6 G, 4 A) in 17 GP

While players like Meier, Tarasenko, and Kane would have been rostered in most leagues, there was significant value to be found via unexpected sources. Blais is the most obvious, but Johansson, Sandin, and Vrana have seen a significant upgrade in their respective value since the deadline. Kane might have been the biggest name to move, but his production has been mediocre and he is nursing an injury, with an eye towards getting healthy for the postseason.

#14 If you’re looking for some keepers for next season, consider Nick Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton of the Arizona Coyotes. Schmaltz has 33 points (14 G, 19 A) in his past 30 games and while he is not going to keep scoring on more than 22% of his shots, as he has during that hot stretch, he has a good thing going with Clayton Keller. Hayton has had similar success, putting up 28 points (13 G, 15 A) in his past 32 games and he has been generating more shots on goal, so he has not been as dependent on an inflated shooting percentage. The Coyotes should have some new faces up front next season, but Schmaltz and Hayton have shown in the second half of this season that they can be reliable offensive contributors.

#15 He has missed time following sports hernia surgery and has bizarrely seen his ice time cut this season but hold on to Winnipeg Jets right winger Nikolaj Ehlers. He has 36 points (12 G, 24 A) in 42 games but has played just 15:49 per game, a significant drop from the career-high 18:04 per game that he played last season. There could be changes in Winnipeg in the offseason, but Ehlers should be considered part of the solution there, with a bigger role than he has had in 2022-2023.

#16 A deeper cut for potential keepers for next season is Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The 22-year-old pivot has scored 14 points (5 G, 9 A) in his past 18 games, lifting him to a modest career high of 39 points. This late surge does show some promise and Kotkaniemi should still be on his career ascent, even though he is wrapping up his fifth NHL season.

#17 While most fantasy managers would already be inclined to keep Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart, he is probably even more valuable than expected. Not only does Reinhart have 64 points (30 G, 34 A) in 79 games, but he has done this with a five-on-five on-ice shooting percentage of 6.5%, which is very low for a scoring forward. That is the first time since 2017-2018 that it has been under 8.0%, so he is likely due to pick up more assists next season.

#18 On the surface, Ottawa Senators winger Alex DeBrincat has had a disappointing season, going from 41 goals in 2021-2022 to 26 goals this season. That does not mean that the 25-year-old sniper is not worth keeping for next season. His shooting percentage dropped to 10.1% this season, the second lowest mark of his career, but he generated 3.27 shots on goal per game this season, compared to 3.29 per game last season. A simple boost in shooting percentage could be enough for DeBrincat to get back to pushing for 40 goals. There is, admittedly, some uncertainty in where DeBrincat could play next season, as he is a restricted free agent due a high qualifying offer, but he is a good bet to be more productive in the 2023-2024 season.

#19 Known more for his defensive acumen, Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek has still produced a career high 61 points (23 G, 38 A). The fascinating part is that Eriksson Ek is one of four players to have at least 10 fewer goals than their expected goals total on Natural Stat Trick. He has scored 23 goals with 34.45 expected goals, so it is reasonable to believe that there is even more offensive production possible. The other forwards to have missed their expected goals total by more than 10 are Carolina’s Stefan Noesen along with Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson.

#20 Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid has run away with the scoring race, currently leading teammate Leon Draisaitl by 25 points. The last time a player won the scoring race by that wide a margin was in 1990-1991, when Wayne Gretzky had 32 more points than Brett Hull. McDavid has done this with massive power play production (69 of 148 points with the man advantage), so he has not even needed a lofty on-ice shooting percentage during five-on-five play. His on-ice shooting percentage of 9.4% is higher than last season but is still the second lowest mark of his career. This is all to say that even if the Oilers power play is not quite as dominant next season that McDavid still has some statistical wiggle room in his quest for another huge scoring season.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Injuries provide opportunities – Blues resurrecting careers in Blais, Vrana and Kapanen

Scott Cullen — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:02:32 +0000

Each week I dive into the numbers and offer some insights that should help when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, the 2022-2023 NHL season is winding down and there are opportunities available for a rookie defenseman like Jake Sanderson to step up and the St. Louis Blues have been working quite successfully on resurrecting the careers of some forwards, including Sammy Blais, Jakub Vrana, and Kasperi Kapanen.

OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 22: Ottawa Senators Defenceman Jake Sanderson (85) before a face-off during third period National Hockey League action between the Arizona Coyotes and Ottawa Senators on October 22, 2022, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

#1 Ottawa Senators rookie blueliner Jake Sanderson has had an excellent first season in the NHL and looks like he should see a big role in the final few weeks of the season. Thomas Chabot and Jakob Chychrun are both out, which opens the door for Sanderson to see first unit power play time and extra ice time has resulted in more production for the freshman defenseman. Sanderson played a career high 27:49 against Philadelphia on Thursday and has played more than 23 minutes in 22 games this season, recording 11 assists in those games, including seven helpers with the man advantage.

ST. LOUIS, MO - FEBRUARY 28: St. Louis Blues left wing Sammy Blais (79) looks for a shooting lane during a game between the Seattle Kraken and the St. Louis Blues on February 28 2023, at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis MO (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire)

#2 Seeing what he has been able to accomplish since returning to St. Louis, it feels like the New York Rangers might have missed out on the best of Sammy Blais, who was primarily a spare part in his time with the Blueshirts. In his past 12 games, Blais has 15 points (6 G, 9 A) and 53 hits, making him a hugely valuable fantasy contributor and one that is widely available.

#3 Cast aside by the Detroit Red Wings, Jakub Vrana is quickly re-establishing his credentials as a top goal scorer. He scored a goal in Thursday’s 5-3 win at Chicago, making it nine goals and 43 shots on goal in 13 games since he was acquired by the Blues. He now has 23 goals in 44 games since the start of last season.

#4 While we’re hanging out praise in St. Louis, might as well include right winger Kasperi Kapanen, getting another chance to play up in the lineup after his progress stalled in Toronto and Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old speedster has nine points (5 G, 4 A), with 20 shots on goal while playing more than 17 minutes per game, in his past eight contests. With Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich injured, Kapanen has even moved to the middle, playing center between Blais and Jordan Kyrou.

#5 Although he is not as dangerous as he was during his prime years in New Jersey, the Islanders’ Kyle Palmieri is providing much-needed offense for a team making a push to the playoffs. Since the trade deadline, Palmieri has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) and 30 shots on goal in 12 games. He is up to 15 goals in 49 games and the last time he had more in a season was when he scored 25 in 2019-2020, his last full season with the Devils.

#6 The Nashville Predators remain in the playoff hunt, but they are missing star defenseman Roman Josi, who has an upper-body injury. Fortunately for the Preds, newly acquired Tyson Barrie is helping to fill the role of puck-moving blueliner, contributing seven points (2 G, 5 A) while averaging more than 21 minutes of ice time per game in his past eight games. Barrie’s ice time had dipped the past couple of seasons in Edmonton, but he has spent most of his career logging 21+ minutes of ice time per game, so he can handle this responsibility.

#7 In what has mostly been a lost season, the Philadelphia Flyers can take some solace in the development of young players. One of those players that is rising to the forefront is 23-year-old center Morgan Frost, who has nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 16 shots on goal in his pats eight games. He has landed in the middle of a line with Joel Farabee and Owen Tippett, players that should be part of the Flyers’ future, so it would make sense to feed them big minutes the rest of the way.

#8 Production tends to run hot and cold for Edmonton Oilers right winger Kailer Yamamoto, but he seems to have found his groove right now, skating on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane, which is admittedly a pretty good spot for point production. In his past seven games, Yamamoto has seven points (2 G, 5 A) and 12 shots on goal. While he has just 24 points in 52 games this season, he did have a career-high 41 points in 81 games last season, so there is some untapped offensive upside in the diminutive 24-year-old winger.

#9 Finding productive fourth line scoring is a rarity in the National Hockey League, but it appears that the Seattle Kraken have a reliable source in Daniel Sprong. In his past 11 games, the 26-year-old winger has 10 points (5 G, 5 A) and 25 shots on goal, while averaging just 10:38 of ice time per game. Among players that have played more than 500 five-on-five minutes, Kraken teammate Jared McCann and Montreal’s Cole Caufield are the only ones that have scored at a higher rate than Sprong’s 1.57 goals per 60 minutes.

#10 One of my favorite players to recommend late in the season has been Arizona Coyotes center Barrett Hayton, who is thriving on a line with Clayton Keller. In his past 12 games, Hayton has 16 points (7 G, 9 A) and 33 shots on goal while averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game. It has taken some time since he was drafted fifth overall in the 2018 Draft, but Hayton’s emergence in the second half of this season should give the Coyotes confidence that he the 22-year-old pivot can be a part of the long-term solution for the franchise.

#11 Injuries have taken their toll on Montreal Canadiens right winger Brendan Gallagher, not only keeping him out of the lineup for extended periods, but also diminishing what he can contribute when he is available to play. Since returning from his latest turn on the injured list, though, Gallagher is looking healthy and has produced four points (3 G, 1 A) and 16 shots on goal in six games. The Habs are cobbling together a functional lineup at this point, with so many players hurt, but Gallagher is getting first unit power play time in addition to skating on a line with Jake Evans and Sean Farrell, the 2020 fourth-round pick who was just signed out of Harvard.

#12 For a defenseman who has never had 25 points in a season, Florida Panthers blueliner Radko Gudas still has a measure of fantasy value because he is a man with a particular set of skills. He hits and hits a lot. In his past 17 games, Gudas has a modest total of four assists, but he also has 90 hits, which works out to 5.3 hits per game. With 280 hits, he ranks third, just behind Luke Schenn (283) and Tanner Jeannot (281).

#13 The season has been undeniably rough for the Anaheim Ducks, but it is not going to get any better with Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry out of the lineup. Zegras is injured and Terry is staying in Anaheim due to the premature birth of his child. Isaac Lundestrom is getting first line duty at center but has gone 14 games without a point. If there is fantasy value to be found in the Ducks lineup, look to Jakob Silfverberg, who has four assists in his past five games, or Derek Grant, who has six points (2 G, 4 A) in his past 10 games. Okay, those are really only options for the deepest of leagues.

#14 With Buffalo Sabres star center Tage Thompson dealing with an upper-body injury, Casey Mittelstadt is getting a shot on the top line between Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch. Mittelstadt could stand to shoot the puck more often but does have four assists in his past six games, giving him a career high 44 points (10 G, 34 A) for the season.

#15 Since Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart is dealing with a lower-body injury, that should mean more action for Felix Sandstrom and potentially Samuel Ersson, too. Sandstrom has not shown much in a backup role this season but does have a .900 save percentage in five starts since the trade deadline. Ersson has not played for the Flyers since allowing seven goals on 36 shots at New Jersey on February 25, but he had a few standout performances, too, including a 28-save shutout against Buffalo. Speaking of Buffalo, a better option for goaltending late in the season could be Devon Levi, who is set to make his debut for the Sabres on Friday. Levi was a seventh-round pick in 2020 but just wrapped up a college career in which he had a .942 save percentage in 66 games for Northeastern.

#16 Injuries have caught up to the San Jose Sharks, with Alexander Barbanov, Andreas Johnsson, and Evgeny Svechnikov all out of action. That has opened the door for Jacob Peterson, Martin Kaut, and Thomas Bordeleau to land top-six roles in the San Jose lineup. Peterson has three assists in four games since he was acquired from the Dallas Stars. Kaut, claimed off waivers from the Colorado Avalanche earlier in the season, has four points (2 G, 2 A) with 11 shots on goal in his past five games. Bordeleau recorded an assist in his first game of the season for the Sharks after tallying 41 points (22 G, 19 A) in 64 AHL games. None of these players look like stars, but they are getting a great opportunity at the end of this season to show that they belong in the league.

#17 The top two rookie scorers since the trade deadline play for the Arizona Coyotes. Matias Maccelli has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) and is followed by Jack McBain, who has 10 points (3 G, 7 A). They have most recently been skating with Lawson Crouse on the second line in addition to sharing second unit power play time. Maccelli now ranks second among all rookie scorers this season, with 43 points (10 G, 33 A) in 57 games.

#18 Another rookie forward contributing late in the season is Buffalo’s J.J. Peterka, who has nine points (2 G, 7 A) and 18 shots on goal in his past nine games. He has been skating on a line with Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn, with the 22-year-old Cozens counting as the old vet on the line.

#19 Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy leads the NHL with 12 goals in 13 games since the trade deadline. His 0.92 goals per game ranks first, ahead of Clayton Keller and Leon Draisaitl (0.79), Matthew Tkachuk (0.77), Auston Matthews and Alex Ovechkin (0.75). When it comes to points per game, Draisaitl leads with 1.93 points per game (11 G, 16 A in 14 GP), followed by Connor McDavid (1.86), Tkachuk (1.69), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (1.64), Cale Makar and J.T. Miller (1.62).

#20 Matthews has talked about how a hand injury had negatively impacted his production earlier in the season, but he sure seems to be firing on all cylinders now. Matthews has 67 shots on goal in 12 games since the deadline, an average of 5.58 per game, which leads the league. Before that, he was averaging 4.15 shots on goal per game, so that is a dramatic improvement, though it is admittedly skewed by his launching 15 shots on goal against Carolina on February 25. That is remarkable because the Hurricanes are, easily, the best team in the league when it comes to shot suppression, allowing an average of 25.7 shots against per 60 minutes. The rest of the shots per game leaders since the trade deadline: David Pastrnak (5.29), Viktor Arvidsson (4.75), Brady Tkachuk (4.71), Nathan MacKinnon (4.47), Jack Hughes (4.40), Matthew Tkachuk (4.38), Carter Verhaeghe (4.30), Sidney Crosby (4.21), and Jake Guentzel (4.14). Many of those names are to be expected, though Arvidsson and Verhaeghe are hanging in elite company. Crosby has clearly become more aggressive with his approach as the Penguins desperately cling to a playoff spot.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick.