Cutter Gauthier – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Fantasy playoffs are upon us, the Blackhawks bring in another top prospect, Marco Rossi, Anthony Cirelli, and Quinton Byfield are producing in the middle of the ice as Troy Terry and Zach Benson are working the wings.

Scott Cullen — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:27:53 +0000

VANCOUVER, BC - MARCH 24: Vancouver Canucks center Marco Rossi (93) vies for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. (Photo by Ethan Cairns/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, as fantasy playoffs are upon us, the Blackhawks bring in another top prospect, Marco Rossi, Anthony Cirelli, and Quinton Byfield are producing in the middle of the ice as Troy Terry and Zach Benson are working the wings.

#1 While it has been another tough season for the Chicago Blackhawks, they are getting a nice boost late in the season with the arrival of Anton Frondell, the third pick in last summer’s draft, who tallied 20 goals and eight assists for 28 points in 43 games for Djurgardens in the SHL. Frondell has arrived in Chicago, registered two assists in his first three NHL games, and is skating on the top line with Connor Bedard and Ryan Greene in addition to getting first unit power play time. He’s 18, so expectations need to be kept in check, but he’s also getting enough of an opportunity to make him immediately interesting for those in deep leagues.

#2 There may be some fantasy value to be found in players that are playing for teams out of the playoff picture. For example, it’s easy enough to dismiss the Vancouver Canucks as they have endured a brutal season, but centre Marco Rossi has produced 10 points (3 G, 7 A) in his past eight games, is getting first unit power play time and is thriving with linemates Liam Ohgren and Brock Boeser.

#3 With an established reputation as a strong two-way player, Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli is getting a shot at an expanded offensive role, skating on the top line between Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel. In his past 12 games, Cirelli has produced 14 points (5 G, 9 A) and 21 shots on goal, with 13 of those 14 points coming at even strength. With 2.51 points per 60 minutes during five-on-five play this season, Cirelli ranks 22nd in the league. Not bad for a checking centre.

#4 He has missed some time with injuries, but Anaheim Ducks right winger Troy Terry has been on a good run since Christmas, producing 17 points (7 G, 10 A) with 29 shots on goal in 15 games. He is scoring better than a point per game this season, a feat he has not been able to accomplish in a full season. He was scratched from Thursday’s game at Calgary, so his reliability remains an issue but his productivity makes him a valuable player whenever he is in the lineup.

#5 There are so many great stories on the Buffalo Sabres this season, as the team is poised to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2010-2011 season, and one of those great stories is the play of 20-year-old winger Zach Benson. In his past six games, Benson has seven points (3 G, 4 A) with seven shots on goal. That shot rate needs improvement, but Benson is thriving on a line with Josh Norris and Josh Doan. When Benson is on the ice at five-on-five, the Sabres are outscoring opponents 39-22.

#6 As the Los Angeles Kings push for a playoff spot, centre Quinton Byfield has stepped up his game, with nine points (5 G, 4 A) and 20 shots on goal in his past seven contests. Consistency has been elusive for Byfield, as he had five points (4 G, 1 A) in the previous 17 games, but when he’s going, Byfield can be a physical force. He is currently skating on a line with Trevor Moore and Alex Laferriere while getting second-unit power play time.

#7 The Ottawa Senators are in a competitive battle for a playoff spot but they are dealing with serious injuries on the blueline. Jake Sanderson was already out of the lineup with an upper-body injury when Thomas Chabot suffered a broken arm that will keep him out for 4-to-8 weeks. Add in injuries to Nick Jensen and Dennis Gilbert and the Sens were forced to make changes, which included calling up 2024 first-round pick Carter Yakeumchuk from Belleville of the American Hockey League, where he had 36 points (10 G, 26 A) in 50 games. Yakemchuk has two points (1 G, 1 A) with four shots on goal in his first three NHL games and the injuries on Ottawa’s blueline may prompt the Sens to keep Yakemchuk and his offensive skills in the lineup. Some D to consider from the waiver wire: Damon Severson, who has 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in 14 games this month, Rasmus Sandin, who has five points (2 G, 3 A) in his past seven games, and even Sens defenders Tyler Kleven and Jordan Spence, who have combined for 12 points in the past eight games.

#8 In the past month, New Jersey Devils right winger Connor Brown has been moved into a more offensive role and has delivered 14 points (4 G, 10 A) and 24 shots on goal in 13 games. He has been a reliable middle six winger in his NHL career, but he’s skating on a line with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, while also getting top-unit power play time. He is up to 36 points (14 G, 22 A) on the season, within striking distance of his career high of 43 points, set during the 2019-2020 season when he was with the Ottawa Senators.

#9 It has not been an easy season for Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault, but he has recorded 10 assists in his past 11 games, a veritable surge in production for a player who has just 28 points (11 G, 17 A) in 53 games. The veteran winger is playing on PP1 for the Predators and is skating on a line with Matthew Wood and Filip Forsberg, so he’s in a decent situation to produce late in the season.

#10 It’s been a similar situation for Anaheim Ducks veteran winger Alex Killorn, who has eight points (4 G, 4 A) with 17 shots on goal in his past 10 games, which is a significant improvement for a player who had 20 points in 63 games before that. The 36-year-old winger is skating on a line with veteran pivot Mikael Granlund and rookie right winger Bennett Sennecke, which is a strong enough situation to consider Killorn for some late-season value.

#11 As the Seattle Kraken try to stay in the playoff hunt, captain Jordan Eberle has contributed seven points (1 G, 6 A) in his past seven games. He is up to 23 goals on the season, which is his most in a season since 2017-2018, when he scored 25, so he is within range of that total. He has consistently been playing on Seattle’s top line with Matty Beniers at centre and there have been several wingers rotating through. Right now, it’s rookie Berkly Catton getting a shot on the left side.

#12 Staying in Seattle, right winger Kaapo Kakko is delivering quality results late in the season. In his past seven games, Kakko has 10 points (3 G, 7 A) with seven shots on goal. That shot rate is not enough to sustain that level of offensive production, but he provides useful secondary scoring, skating on a line with Chandler Stephenson and Bobby McMann.

#13 Early this season, the Utah Grizzlies winger Lawson Crouse was not playing a big part and his production was modest, managing nine points (4 G, 5 A) through his first 26 games. It’s gotten better throughout the season, and in his past seven games, he has six points (4 G, 2 A) and 24 hits, which is really where Crouse brings his most reliable value for fantasy managers. He has scored 20 goals for the fourth time in his career and it’s the fifth time in his career that he has recorded at least 190 hits. If you have a need on the wing at this point in the fantasy season, you could do worse than adding Crouse.

#14 There have been reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs are not inclined to give a qualifying offer to right winger Matias Maccelli this summer, but Maccelli has been one of the few Maple Leafs contributing consistently. Since the beginning of February, Maccelli has 16 points (7 G, 9 A) with 33 shots on goal in 20 games. He is tied with John Tavares for second on the team in scoring over that span, three points behind William Nylander and one point ahead of Matthew Knies. Most recently, he’s been skating on a line with Dakota Joshua and Bo Groulx, but that hasn’t deterred him.

#15 Although the wins aren’t coming easily, Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll has been playing well late in the season while facing a heavy workload. In his past eight starts, Woll has a 2-4-2 record, but he has a .910 save percentage while facing an average of around 35 shots per game. The Leafs’ lack of success doesn’t help Woll’s value, but it is part of the reason that he’s still available in a decent percentage of leagues and he’s playing well enough that he could help a fantasy manager who needs a late-season upgrade between the pipes.

#16 While we’re considering goaltenders on teams that are out of the playoff race, look at St. Louis Blues netminder Joel Hofer, who has been unbeatable since the Olympic break. In nine games since the break, Hofer has a 7-0-2 record with a .955 save percentage! He has a .911 save percentage on the season and has recently overtaken Jordan Binnington in terms of starts, with Hofer at 36 and Binnington at 35. Perhaps this is the changing of the guard for the Blues, as Hofer has 13.44 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) and Binnington has -20.01 (GSAx), a stark difference in performance.

#17 There was some suspicion around the Olympic break that the Florida Panthers could be on the verge of shutting down a bunch of players with injuries because the playoffs were looking less and less likely, so there was not as much incentive for players to play through the injuries that they might when the team is mounting a Stanley Cup run. Aleksander Barkov has been out all season of course, but Brad Marchand is out, Anton Lundell will miss 2-6 weeks with an upper body injury, Evan Rodrigues is out 4-6 weeks with a broken finger, and Mackie Samoskevich is due to return soon, but he’s still out. That leaves forwards like Jesper Boqvist and Tomas Nosek playing bigger roles than would typically be expected of them.

#18 Philadelphia Flyers centre Christian Dvorak has six points (2 G, 4 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past seven games, and he really has the trust of Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet. In the past 22 games, Dvorak has played more than 20 minutes 12 times, including a season-high 25:32 last week at San Jose. He is now averaging 18:28 of ice time per game, a career high, and his 44 points (15 G, 29 A) is also the high-water mark for his career. All of this is to suggest that, in a pinch, Dvorak could have late-season value for fantasy managers.

#19 It’s a little troubling for the Vegas Golden Knights, as they scramble for a playoff spot, that star centre Jack Eichel has hit a slump. They are hoping he has broken out of it with a three-point game last night against Washington. In his previous seven games, Eichel has generated 22 shots on goal while averaging more than 21 minutes of ice time per game, and yet he has managed just one assist. It would be a tad aggressive to go cutting Eichel at this stage of the season, especially when he’s generating shots at this rate, but it’s also possible that he doesn’t need to be in your fantasy lineup automatically. It’s not much better for Golden Knights right winger Mitch Marner, who has two assists and 19 shots on goal in the past eight games.

#20 Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier is tied for the league lead with 11 goals in March, tied with Pavel Zacha. Gauthier ranks second in expected goals with 7.61 ixG, barely trailing Brady Tkachuk at 7.69. Other forwards that have been around the net, rounding out the top ten when it comes to individual expected goals: Zach Hyman (7.09), Brock Nelson (6.98), Alex DeBrincat (6.93). Beckett Sennecke (6.85), Bryan Rust (6.68), Rickard Rakell (6.60), Alexis Lafreniere (6.49), and Timo Meier (6.49).

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 17:20:41 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 24: Anaheim Ducks Defenceman Jackson LaCombe (60) warms up before a game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings on February 24, 2024 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Rob Curtis/Icon Sportswire)

It was an unexpected rise out of the depths of the Pacific Division last season as they improved to 80 points in 2024-2025 up from 59 in 2023-2024. Their overall improvement got them into the race for the wild card for the first time in years, yet ultimately still led to the dismissal of coach Greg Cronin. Now with the controversial hiring of Joel Quenneville behind the bench, expectations are much higher. If they’re going to be serious about making the playoffs, their special teams must improve. The Ducks had the league’s worst power play (11.8 percent) and the 29th ranked penalty kill (74.2 percent), but with the talent they have that can change quickly.

What’s Changed?

Despite the improvements, there’s a lot of change in Anaheim. Along with Quenneville taking over as coach, years of trade rumours finally proved out with goalie John Gibson going to Detroit for Petr Mrazek and forward Trevor Zegras off to Philadelphia for Ryan Poehling. The Ducks also added veteran forward Chris Kreider from the New York Rangers for prospect Carey Terrance and signed free agent Mikael Granlund to a three-year, $21 million contract. That kind of infusion of veteran talent signals the rebuild is officially over in Anaheim and that reaching the postseason is the goal.

What Would Success Look Like?

The Ducks haven’t been to the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2018 and after picking in the top 10 of the NHL Draft for the past few years, drafting and developing young talent, reaching the postseason, or at the very least being in the hunt until the end of the season, is the goal. The Western Conference is difficult, but there are inroads to be made. While Anaheim’s forward group was made to be more battle-tested and experienced, their defence is highly talented but still young. If the growth seen from Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, and Drew Helleson continue and goalie Lukas Dostal picks up where he left off last season, they can be one of the more entertaining and frustrating teams to play against.

What Could Go Wrong?

The catch with adding veteran players is that sometimes they’re closer to the end of the road than they’re perceived to be. If Kreider’s downturn in production last season was a signal and not a blip and Granlund can’t have the same success he had with San Jose and Dallas, it’ll make things a lot more difficult up front. Their young defence corps and goaltender are going to have a lot of pressure on them right away and if the weight of expectations is too heavy, that could send the Ducks back to the lottery yet again.

Top Breakout Candidate

Cutter Gauthier’s rookie season saw him put up 20 goals and 24 assists and that was enough to put him on the NHL All-Rookie Team. You could say that it's a breakout on its own, but when you’re taken with the fifth pick in the 2022 draft, expectations are set a fair bit higher, especially after being acquired in a trade. With a full season under his belt, Gauthier getting to learn some tricks of the trade from Kreider and having the green light to go from the new coaching staff, that could lead to a monster season and more reasons for Flyers fans to grump about losing him.

FORWARDS

Troy Terry

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	19	31	50	0.64

A consistent performer who has recorded more than 20 goals and 50 points in each of the past four seasons, Terry erupted for 37 goals in 2021-2022, but that appears to have been an aberration because he scored on 19.2 percent of his shots that season and more typically hovers in the 11-12 percent range. Terry plays a solid two-way game, though he is more effective offensively, and his reliability makes him valuable on a team with promising young talent still trying to find its way. Last season, Terry’s most common linemates were Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano, so that is obviously a veteran trio, but Terry has the skill to play on Anaheim’s top line and it’s getting to the point that he could be alongside their younger forwards. Terry is a competitive enough player but does not play a physical game. In the past four seasons, he has recorded a total of 42 hits, which is a shockingly low total, ranking 245th out of 246 forwards to appear in at least 250 games over that span. One of Terry’s strongest traits is his confidence with the puck which allows him to make creative plays to generate scoring chances, particularly when controlling play in the offensive zone. There is potential for Terry to break through offensively, but the most reasonable expectation would be for 20-plus goals and 55-60 points.

Mason McTavish

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	26	38	64	0.78

After hitting career highs with 22 goals and 52 points in 2024-2025, McTavish is a promising young player who can be a leader in Anaheim’s attack. He was the third pick in the 2021 Draft and is a physically strong player who can win board battles and create space in the offensive zone. He has a strong skating stride that helps him move through the neutral zone in transition. McTavish is still early in his career and like many of his young teammates has room to improve without the puck. Even though the Ducks outscored opponents 52-43 during five-on-five play with McTavish on the ice last season, a lot of that was due to favorable percentages – an 11.1 percent on-ice shooting percentage and on-ice save percentage of .924 – because the Ducks only controlled 45.3 percent of shot attempts and 45.9 percent of expected goals with McTavish on the ice. His most common linemates last season were Cutter Gauthier and Robby Fabbri but, as the Ducks roster improves, there could be a chance for McTavish to get a bit of an upgrade on the wings. He also plays on the power play, where he can launch one-timers from the right face-off circle. All of this is to suggest that McTavish should continue his offensive development in 2025-2026 and should be expected to surpass 20 goals and 50 points but he is in the age bracket in which he could have a breakout season and take those totals to a new level.

Leo Carlsson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	24	37	61	0.77

A two-way center with great potential, Carlsson was the second pick in the 2023 Draft and has made steady progress in his first two seasons. He elevated his play in the second half of last season, putting up 29 points (11 G, 18 A) in his last 31 games. He is still young, and his game is evolving, but Carlsson’s size, strong skating, and quality defensive play give him a strong foundation upon which to build his game and if he can become a point-per-game player at some point, then he will be an extremely valuable player. His soft hands and growing confidence should make Carlsson the focal point of the Ducks attack but, this early in his career, he has room to improve. For instance, he has won 38.5 percent of his faceoffs through his first two seasons and while that improved from 34.8 percent as a rookie to 41.4 percent last season, he needs to be much more effective on the dot. That improvement should come, however. Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier started to find their footing alongside Alex Killorn last season and progress should continue in 2025-2026. Carlsson should be expected to score 20-plus goals and 50 points but, like Gauthier, it’s possible that Carlsson breaks through for even more in his third NHL season.

Chris Kreider

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	19	17	36	0.47

Following the three most productive goal-scoring campaigns of his career, Kreider’s production fell off in 2024-2025. He still scored more than 20 goals for the seventh straight season and 10th time in his career, but he also did not record an assist until his 22nd game of the season and finished with just eight helpers. Kreider missed 14 games, and his ice time was down to 16:45 per game, his lowest since 2017-2018. While there had been rumours that the Rangers were looking to move Kreider last summer, they were certainly ready to move on from him this offseason, and he was a decent buy-low option for Anaheim. Even if his production slipped last season, and he was a poor puck possession player for essentially the first time in his career, Kreider is still a big strong winger who can skate and use his body as an effective net-front presence on the power play. Fantasy managers will note that Kreider managed 79 hits last season, his lowest since recording 36 hits in 23 games when he first joined the Rangers in 2012-2013. It’s not unreasonable to believe that Kreider can deliver more than he did last season in New York, but he’s also a 34-year-old winger who has played a physical game throughout his career, so there is a ceiling to what should be expected of him. He could score 25 goals and 45 points, which would be a valuable contribution to a Ducks squad that is hoping to be more competitive this season.

Mikael Granlund

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	17	39	56	0.74

Although Granlund’s underlying numbers were nothing to write home about in a 2024-2025 season that he split between the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars, he also finished the season with 66 points (22 G, 44 A), his highest total since 2017-2018. Last season was decidedly different for Granlund based on which team he was skating with. When he was on the Sharks, he played more than 20 minutes per game and was a top line point producer and first unit power play fixture. After his trade to Dallas, Granlund was still a contributor, but his ice time dropped by more than three minutes per game and he was not a prime power play threat. With Anaheim, Granlund should have the opportunity to again play a significant role, and he has the ability to play center and wing, which will give the Ducks some flexibility when it comes to setting their lines. Granlund’s defensive play is not his strong suit but with the puck on his stick he is a creative player with excellent vision and that should allow him to facilitate offense for his linemates. With the expectation that Granlund is not likely to play as much in Anaheim as he did in San Jose last season, it is probably more reasonable to expect 50-55 points from the veteran forward.

Cutter Gauthier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	33	27	60	0.73

It took some time for Gauthier to get going in his rookie season, not finding the net until his 16th game, but he turned into a bona fide threat down the stretch, tallying 22 points (11 G, 11 A) with 77 shots on goal in 28 games after the Four Nations Face-Off break. He finished with 15 goals during 5-on-5 play to lead the Ducks. Gauthier has good size, which he uses to effectively protect the puck, and he is excellent in transition, with a strong stride and quick release when bursting down the left wing. In his first season, Gauthier’s most common linemates were Mason McTavish and Robby Fabbri, but he found more success skating with Leo Carlsson and Alex Killorn. For all of his promise Gauthier is still a young player and there is naturally room for him to improve as he grows into the pro game. He can be more consistent without the puck, and it’s possible – maybe even expected – that he will have a more significant role on the power play in his second season. He should play more than the 14:09 per game that he did as a rookie and that would provide him with the opportunity to generate more offense, so 25 goals and 50 points in a fair starting point, but he does have potential to score more than that.

Frank Vatrano

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	18	19	37	0.45

A veteran winger who has been a consistent shot generator throughout his career, Vatrano busted out for a career-high 37 goals during the 2023-2024 season and has recorded more than 18 goals in six of his past seven seasons. He has a quick release and is both quick and efficient at putting shots on goal from a variety of spots. The sturdy skater recorded a career-high 169 hits last season and has played a more prominent role in Anaheim compared to previous stops with the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, and Boston Bruins. Although he has proven to be a solid complementary scorer, the unfortunate part is that Vatrano is not very effective defensively and the Ducks have been outscored 179-131 during five-on-five play across the past three seasons with Vatrano on the ice. Vatrano plays primarily with Ryan Strome and Troy Terry, a veteran trio on this young squad. Despite his flaws, considering his prominent role, Vatrano does hold appeal for fantasy managers because his combination of goal-scoring, shot generation, and hits tends to make him relatively useful. His power play role was reduced last season, and it seems likely that he will remain in a secondary offensive role on this team, but he should be able to produce at least 20 goals and 45 points during the 2025-2026 season.

Ryan Strome

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	8	27	35	0.46

Having just completed his third straight 41-point season, Strome also scored just 10 goals, his fewest since the 2015-2016 season. He plays center but can slide to right wing if need be, and his experience and talent allow him to move up and down the lineup depending on what the Ducks need. Like many Ducks, he could stand to improve his defensive play, but after three seasons in Anaheim, during which they have been outscored 174-133 during five-on-five play with Strome on the ice, that is not the most likely scenario. He also struggled on the power play, so the value proposition for the Ducks may be to improve their team depth so that they don’t need to lean on Strome quite so much. He took more than 1,200 faceoffs last season, winning just 41.7 percent, which is a shockingly poor percentage for someone who takes that many draws. There were 53 players who took at least 1,000 draws last season and Strome ranked 52nd in faceoff winning percentage. That should be at least part of the reason that he might spend more time on the wing, depending on who else is available to fill those minutes down the middle of the ice. Considering that he has landed on exactly 41 points for three consecutive seasons, that’s a pretty fair expectation for Strome’s production in the 2025-2026 season.

Alex Killorn

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	18	22	40	0.49

A consistent and hard-working veteran winger, Killorn has been a strong secondary scorer for a long time, first in Tampa Bay and now Anaheim, but last season’s 37 points in 82 games represented the second lowest points per game rate (0.45) of his career. That is not to say that Killorn’s game has dramatically dropped off, because it hasn’t, but he was 35 years old last season and anyone whose age climbs beyond that is obviously getting closer to the end of their career. Nevertheless, Killorn was the only Ducks forward to finish above 50 percent in terms of Corsi and expected goals and his steady two-way play was undeniably helpful to a team still trying to find its way. Killorn remains an excellent penalty killer and ranked second among Ducks forwards in time on ice during four-on-five situations. While he ranked sixth among Ducks forwards in five-on-four ice time, Killorn was not nearly as effective with the man advantage. Among 10 Ducks players to play at least 100 minutes at five-on-four, Killorn ranked last in on-ice expected goals per 60 minutes and ninth in on-ice goals for per 60 minutes. It would come as no surprise if Ducks newcomers like Chris Kreider or Mikael Granlund see more power play time and that aspect of the game gets reduced for Killorn. Even so, given his consistency and ability to drive play, there is a path to Killorn putting up close to 20 goals and 40 points in 2025-2026.

DEFENSE

Jackson LaCombe

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	12	33	45	0.56

One of last season’s breakout stars, LaCombe was a second-round pick in 2019, and he turned into a No. 1 defenceman in his second NHL season. Lacombe shows outstanding poise with the puck, both retrieving it in the defensive zone and running the point on the Ducks’ power play. It’s not like LaCombe was gifted a prominent role on the Anaheim blueline last season, so it took some time before he hit his stride. From December 1 through April 1, however, LaCombe contributed 39 points (12 G, 27 A) in 51 games before going scoreless in his last eight games of the season. He is excellent at getting pucks on net from the point, especially on the power play. Out of 55 defencemen that played at least 100 five-on-four minutes, LaCombe ranked sixth with 11.11 shots on goal per 60 minutes. LaCombe’s emergence ought to ease the pressure on the other young defenders in Anaheim because his production already makes him a worthy No. 1 option on the blueline and the rest can continue to develop without feeling that pressure. From LaCombe’s perspective, it will be up to him to prove that his breakthrough season wasn’t a fluke, that he is capable of playing big minutes and generating offense for an improving Ducks squad. It may be optimistic to expect LaCombe to score on more than 10 percent of his shots again, but he should at least be able to put up 40 points and, like many of his young teammates, there is certainly a chance that he goes above and beyond.

Olen Zellweger

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	9	19	28	0.36

An undersized puck-moving blueliner, Zellweger established his place as an NHL regular last season and while there is naturally room for improvement, he showed plenty of potential in his age 21 season. Zellweger has excellent agility which serves him well in the offensive zone, allowing him to move along the blueline and generate offensive opportunities. He has been wildly productive in previous stops. In his last two WHL seasons, he put up 158 points (46 G, 112 A) in 110 games, capped off by 29 points (11 G, 18 A) in 14 playoff games during his final season. He then contributed 37 points (12 G, 25 A) in 44 games as an AHL rookie in 2023-2024. While Zellweger has delivered just 29 points in 88 NHL games thus far, his pedigree is such that he has untapped offensive potential, and it is going to be dependent on his role and the quality of the team around him to determine if he is going to be an offensive threat at this level. He did lead Ducks defenders in shot attempts per 60 minutes and shots on goal per 60 minutes last season, so he’s not afraid to send pucks to the opposing net. While he does have potential to turn into a strong point producer, Zellweger is still quite young and more likely to fill a supporting role on the Ducks blueline, so he may contribute 25-30 points next season and like many Ducks, he is young enough that there is potential for more under the right circumstances. His name has popped up in trade rumours this summer, so that could affect his deployment if he lands with a new team.

Jacob Trouba

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	3	16	19	0.25

After spending much of last summer shopping Trouba around the league and practically blaming him for the Rangers getting ousted from the 2024 playoffs, only to have Trouba exercise his no-move clause, the Rangers finally got what they wanted when they traded Trouba to Anaheim in December. He did not thrive under those circumstances, and it’s fair to wonder if a hard-hitting defenceman like Trouba was maybe a little less invested in playing for a team with little hope of making the playoffs. He ended up averaging a career-low 20:31 of ice time per game and did record a career-high 208 blocked shots, though his 164 hits in 77 games counted as his lowest hits-per-game average since 2018-2019, his last season in Winnipeg. It’s also fair to wonder if Trouba’s physical style of play is starting to take its toll, as his possession numbers have slipped in the past two seasons and now that he’s 31, it could be more difficult for him to get back on top of those numbers. At his best, Trouba is a solid puck mover who is one of the most feared hitters in the league. He’s a legitimately punishing physical presence and should have a better impact with the Ducks likely to be an improved team this season. He may contribute 25-30 points but will add hits, blocked shots, and penalty minutes that should make him notably more valuable in banger-style leagues.

Radko Gudas

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	1	13	14	0.18

The Ducks’ captain is a thundering hitter who has spent his entire career walking a fine line between what is and isn’t suspendable when it comes to hits. Part of the equation is that he just has such a high volume of hits that he has more opportunity to deliver objectionable checks. Since the start of the 2021-2022 season, Gudas has recorded 1,160 hits, tops in the NHL. That is 67 hits ahead of Luke Schenn and Schenn is the only other defenceman within 175 hits of Gudas’ total. Having acknowledged his questionable hitting history, it should be noted, loudly, that Gudas is a very effective player and his borderline hitting practices should not take away from that legitimate on-ice success. Across his past seven seasons, with four different franchises, Gudas has been on the ice for 41 more goals for than against during five-on-five play, which is remarkable for a defender who does not generate a lot of offense and tends to start more of his shifts in the defensive zone. Gudas played a career-high 19:52 per game last season and that’s probably around the high end of how much he should play. A quirk to his game is that Gudas is also uninhibited when it comes to launching shots from the blueline. There are 184 defencemen that have played at least 2,000 five-on-five minutes across the past three seasons and Gudas ranks 47th with 11.75 shot attempts per 60 minutes over that span, just behind Mikhail Sergachev and ahead of the likes of Devon Toews, Luke Hughes, and Jake Sanderson. Despite his eagerness to shoot the puck, Gudas should only be expected to contribute 15-20 points, but he should also put up 250-plus hits 150-plus blocked shots and more than 80 penalty minutes, so he doesn’t help offensively, but the peripheral categories are where he shines for fantasy managers.

GOAL

Lukas Dostal

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
53	26	19	6	3	.905	2.78

For the first time since 2013, the Anaheim Ducks will start their season without John Gibson factoring into their goaltending plans for the upcoming year. It feels like a breath of fresh air for both parties, but perhaps for none more than for newly minted star starter Lukas Dostal. The Czech-born goaltender has officially been given Anaheim's vote of confidence this summer, as they brought in a veteran backup in Petr Mrazek and a reclamation project in Ville Husso as the only really challengers to his gig heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

The move doesn't come unwarranted, of course. Dostal has been proving for the last handful of seasons that his particular brand of competency, which combined the positional acuity of Gibson before him with an extra little flash of speed and skating prowess, is more than enough to pull Anaheim out of their free-fall into rebuild territory. The Southern California former powerhouse finished just two games shy of hitting .500 on the season, pulling themselves up from the bottom two in their division for the first time since before the pandemic. That was due largely to Dostal, who finished with above-league average goals saved metrics on a tough team despite shouldering his first real starting workload. With Calle Clang eagerly waiting in the wings, Anaheim would be smart to control Dostal's starts, keeping him to just over half the games played for the year when they're clearly not ready to contend. But for a team that's been scrambling in net this long, that might feel hard to do - so it will be hard to blame Anaheim if they get excited and ride Dostal's performances to a position where, while still unlikely to contend for the cup, the Ducks could at the very least make life difficult for the others in the Wild Card race.

NHL: 20 FANTASY POINTS – The NHL season is winding down, some players that are finishing strong, like rookies Will Smith, Cutter Gauthier, Jackson Blake, as well as veterans Duchene and Gallagher.

Scott Cullen — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 17:15:05 +0000

CALGARY, AB - FEBRUARY 23: San Jose Sharks Center William Smith (2) skates with the puck during the first period of an NHL game between the Calgary Flames and the San Jose Sharks on February 23, 2025, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, with the NHL season winding down, some players that are finishing strong, like Sharks rookie Will Smith, Ducks rookie Cutter Gauthier, and Hurricanes rookie Jackson Blake, as well as veterans like Matt Duchene, Brendan Gallagher.

#1 San Jose Sharks rookie Will Smith was brought along slowly at the start of the season, with limited ice time and healthy scratched for some games, but he has really hit his stride in the second half of the season. In his first 40 games, Smith had 15 points (6 G, 9 A) with 56 shots on goal while playing a little more than 14 minutes per game. In 30 games since then, Smith has 29 points (11 G, 18 A) with 65 shots on goal while averaging 17:30 of ice time per game. He had a goal and three assists in Wednesday’s 8-7 overtime loss at Minnesota, playing more than 20 minutes for the third time in his past five games.

#2 It’s not as if he is unknown, but the season that 34-year-old Dallas Stars centre Matt Duchene has put together has probably flown under the radar a bit. He was held off the scoresheet Thursday night, snapping a seven-game point streak, during which he had 10 points (3 G, 7 A), lifting him to 81 points (30 G, 51 A) for the season. It is the second time in his career that Duchene has surpassed 80 points. The first was in 2021-2022 when he was with Nashville.

#3 Buffalo Sabres centre Peyton Krebs has turned into an unlikely source of offensive production late in the season. In his past nine games, Krebs has eight points (3 G, 5 A), albeit with just 13 shots on goal, so maybe not the most sustainable production. Nevertheless, he has tied career highs with nine goals and 26 points and has been a solid two-way centre for the Sabres and Buffalo has outscored the opposition 40-35 with Krebs on the ice during five-on-five situations.

#4 Veteran Montreal Canadiens right winger Brendan Gallagher has stepped up his game as the Habs make a strong late push for a playoff spot. In his past dozen games, Gallagher has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) with 26 shots on goal. He had just five points in his previous 18 games, so this rise in production has come at just the right time and the crease-crashing winger is up to 21 goals and 38 points on the season, his most in both categories since the 2019-2020 season.

#5 The Anaheim Ducks are not in contention for a playoff spot, but they are getting to see what their future could look like, and they are getting some quality production out of second-year centre Leo Carlsson and rookie left winger Cutter Gauthier late in the season. Since the beginning of February, Carlsson has contributed 28 points (11 G, 17 A) with 43 shots on goal in 28 games. Gauthier scored his 20th goal of the season Thursday at Los Angeles, and since the 4 Nations Face-Off, he has 21 points (11 G, 10 A) with 70 shots on goal in 25 games.

#6 Carolina Hurricanes rookie right winger Jackson Blake continues to make great progress and is finishing his first NHL season skating on the Hurricanes’ top line, alongside Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis as well as getting first unit power play time for the ‘Canes. Since the trade deadline, Blake has 10 points (5 G, 5 A) with 37 shots on goal in 15 games.

#7 Second year Philadelphia Flyers left winger Tyson Foerster is playing hard even as the Flyers have fallen out of playoff contention. In his past eight games, Foerster has contributed nine points (6 G, 3 A) with 20 shots on goal. He recorded the first hat trick of his career on Wednesday against the New York Rangers and is up to 22 goals for the season. He is skating on a line with Noah Cates and Bobby Brink in addition to getting first unit power play time for the Flyers.

#8 Ottawa Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot has had an excellent all-around season and is finishing the season in fine form. In his past eight games, Chabot has seven points (2 G, 5 A) with 12 shots on goal and 22 blocked shots. Jake Sanderson is the quarterback on Ottawa’s top power play, so Chabot has only managed seven power play points this season, but his 40 points represents the third time that he has hit that threshold in his NHL career. Moreover, the Senators have outshot, out-chanced, and outscored the opposition with Chabot on the ice.

#9 When the Colorado Avalanche acquired Charlie Coyle at the trade deadline, it was not exactly an earth-shattering deal. Coyle had struggled in Boston this season, putting up 22 points (15 G, 7 A) in 61 games. He didn’t do much upon first arriving in Colorado, managing two assists in 13 games, but Coyle has started to turn things around, with seven points (1 G, 6 A) during a four-game point streak. While he is centering Miles Wood and Jimmy Vesey at even strength, Coyle is getting first unit power play time with Nathan MacKinnon nursing an injury.

#10 This has been a forgettable season for the New York Islanders, but they have seen quality development from right winger Simon Holmstrom, who has seven points (3 G, 4 A) during a four-game point streak. After scoring 25 points as a rookie last season, Holmstrom has produced 45 points (20 G, 25 A) this season and is holding a regular top six spot in the lineup, skating on a line with Maxim Tsyplakov and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.

#11 Joel Eriksson Ek returned to the Minnesota Wild lineup for the first time in more than six weeks and he buried four goals on eight shots in Minnesota’s 8-7 overtime win against San Jose. Eriksson Ek has 54 shots on goal in his past 13 games and that kind of shot generation does offer more support for his point production. Eriksson Ek gets first unit power play time in Minnesota and skates between wingers Marcus Johansson and Matt Boldy at even strength.

#12 Winnipeg Jets defenceman Neal Pionk returned to action Thursday after missing almost a month with a lower-body injury. Despite missing that time, Pionk has enjoyed a strong season, and his 37 points (9 G, 28 A) is his highest point total since 2019-2020. Pionk tends to offer value for fantasy managers because he delivers hits and blocked shots – he is two blocks away from his third straight season with at least 100 in both categories.

#13 Moving to the Calgary Flames from the Philadelphia Flyers has not brought immediate results for winger Joel Farabee, who is in the midst of a 14-game stretch without a goal, and he only has three assists in that span. Farabee is skating on a line with Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman, two veterans who have shown that they can consistently control play, but Farabee also has an on-ice shooting percentage of 4.4 percent in Calgary, and that has to improve.

#14 It is understandable that a winger like the Oilers’ Zach Hyman will see his production fall off when Connor McDavid is out with an injury, so maybe he will be rejuvenated now that No. 97 has returned to action. Hyman has gone six games without a point, recording a dozen shots on goal. Hyman’s goal production has been cut in half, from 54 last year to 27 this season, but this late slump is difficult for fantasy managers, especially now that McDavid is back in the lineup.

#15 There is a similar situation in Colorado, except going in the other direction, as Avalanche left winger Artturi Lehkonen has just one assist in his past nine games. It could be encouraging that Lehkonen has 21 shots on goal in his past five games – he’s getting chances – but there is also the possibility that Nathan MacKinnon will be held out of the Avs lineup late in the season as they try to ensure that their superstar forward is healthy for the playoffs, and that makes it less likely that Lehkonen will bounce back too much before the postseason.

#16 It’s not just MacKinnon that could be done for the regular season as there are other stars that are dealing with injuries and may not return during the regular season. That includes Leon Draisaitl, Jack Eichel, Sam Bennett, Dylan Holloway, Elias Pettersson, Filip Chytil, Aliaksei Protas, and Gabriel Vilardi, all of whom offer value to fantasy managers.

#17 Chicago Blackhawks left winger Teuvo Teravainen has had a relatively productive season, tallying 57 points (15 G, 42 A), but his shot rate is declining, and he is slumping because of it. He has just one assist in his past seven games but also has just six shots on goal, and that is more consistent with his shot rate this season, which is down from 1.87 per game last season to 1.37 per game this season. He is skating on a line with rookie Frank Nazar and Tyler Bertuzzi, which should be competent enough to generate some offence, but Teravainen isn’t right now.

#18 Since March 20, the leading goaltenders in terms of save percentage (minimum five appearances): Darcy Kuemper (.942), Jake Oettinger (.942), Anthony Stolarz (.936), Anton Forsberg (.935), Andrei Vasilevskiy (.934), Connor Hellebuyck (.930), Casey DeSmith (.922), Sergei Bobrovsky (.921), Jordan Binnington (.920), and James Reimer (.920). While there are plenty of expected names – the top goaltenders in the league continue to play well – backups like Forsberg and DeSmith have value when they play, and Reimer has backstopped Buffalo’s late-season surge. Reimer is perhaps the most surprising and thus more available for fantasy managers.

#19 Since the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, Artemi Panarin and Tage Thompson are tied for the league lead with 13 five-on-five goals, ahead of David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie (both Bruins have 11), Jason Robertson and John Tavares, who both have 10. Cutter Gauthier, Jordan Kyrou, Kyle Connor, and Kirill Marchenko are next with nine. In terms of total goals, Thompson leads with 18, ahead of Alex Ovechkin (16), Tavares (16), Wyatt Johnston (15), and Tuch (15). Pastrnak, Panarin, Robertson, Geekie and Sidney Crosby all have 14 and Nick Suzuki has 13. The leader when it comes to individual expected goals in that time is Auston Matthews, with 13.44 and he has scored 10 goals in 23 games.

#20 With a nod to the future, the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes have both signed top prospects from the KHL. Montreal inked Ivan Demidov, the fifth pick in the 2024 Draft, after he had an exceptional season with St. Petersburg SKA, producing 49 points (19 G, 30 A) in 65 regular-season games before adding five points in six playoff games. Demidov is expected to make his Habs debut on Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks and he will do so with great expectations from a fanbase that has been enjoying his development from afar all season. Carolina signed defenceman Alexander Nikishin, a third-round pick in 2020 who has turned into one of the premier defence prospects in the league. Nikishin is 6-foot-4 and has put up 157 points (45 G, 112 A) in 193 games across the past three seasons in the KHL. The Hurricanes have a solid veteran group on the blueline, so they don’t need to rush Nikishin into the lineup, but he will likely bring a higher upside and could prove to be good enough right away that he can’t be denied a spot.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

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 – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Zegras scoring again, Sharangovich finding his form, Valeri Nichushkin is a difference maker again, a closer look at some of the top rookies, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 15:58:22 +0000

Calgary Flames center Yegor Sharangovich (17) (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I’ll dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Trevor Zegras is scoring again, Yegor Sharangovich is finding his form, Valeri Nichushkin is a difference maker again, a closer look at some of the top rookies, and much more!

#1 Anaheim Ducks centre Trevor Zegras had two 60-point seasons to his credit before managing just 15 points in 31 games last season when his campaign was shortened by injuries including a broken ankle. It wasn’t getting any better early in 2024-2025 either, as Zegras had just three points (1 G, 2 A) through his first 15 games. There have been some recent signs of progress, however, as Zegras has produced seven points (3 G, 4 A) with 16 shots on goal in the past six games. It is still ridiculous that he is skating at centre while winning 39.4 percent of his faceoffs, but if that is the best spot for his playmaking ability to shine, then that is what the Ducks need to do. With Leo Carlsson suffering an upper-body injury earlier this week, the Ducks need Zegras to continue delivering offensive production.

#2 A pleasant surprise for the Calgary Flames last season when he hit career highs with 31 goals and 59 points after he was acquired from New Jersey, Yegor Sharangovich suffered a lower-body injury in the preseason and started slowly once he rejoined the lineup. He had just two goals in 12 games, despite playing more than 18 minutes per game, but he has picked up five points (3 G, 2 A) in his past four games while recording 20 shots on goal and averaging 19:50 of ice time per game. Of his seven points on the season, four have come via the power play, so there is room for much improvement during five-on-five play.

#3 Returning to the Colorado Avalanche lineup after serving a six-month suspension for violating the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program policy, Valeri Nichushkin had no points and just four shots on goal in his first three games but appears to be back on track. In the past three games, Nichushkin has contributed five points (2 G, 3 A) with eight shots on goal and he played a season-high 22:47 in Wednesday’s win over Vegas.

#4 Anaheim Ducks rookie winger Cutter Gauthier came into the season with some expectations. He was the fifth pick in the 2022 Draft, scored 102 points (54 G, 48 A) in 73 games in two seasons at Boston College and was productive in international play, too, producing 22 points (6 G, 16 A) in 14 games across two years at the World Juniors, plus he had nine points (7 G, 2 A) in 10 games at the 2023 World Championships. All of this indicated that he should be able to contribute quickly in the NHL. He did not record a point in his first five games, but since then has 10 points (3 G, 7 A) and 38 shots on goal in 16 games. There is also a stat that is quite encouraging about Gauthier’s potential ability to sustain his production. Among players that have played at least 200 five-on-five minutes, Nashville’s Filip Forsberg (24.82) is the only one with a higher rate of individual shot attempts per 60 minutes, as Gauthier has 21.95, putting him ahead of Owen Tippett, Brady Tkachuk, and Jeff Skinner.

#5 The leading point producer among rookies is Philadelphia Flyers right winger Matvei Michkov, who has 17 points (8 G, 9 A) in 21 games, despite being a healthy scratch for two games. Michkov has an on-ice shooting percentage of 7.0 percent during five-on-five play, which is quite low for an offensive forward, so he should be able to find his way to more assists, but he is also scoring on 20.0 percent of his shots on goal, so there could very well be some regression on that side of the ledger, too.

#6 The first pick in the 2024 Draft, San Jose Sharks centre Macklin Celebrini may very well be the best of the rookie class. He missed some time due to injury, but he has 11 points (7 G, 4 A) in 13 games. He has 43 shots on goal, and is averaging 20:15 of ice time per game, both of which are great indications that his production should continue at a high level. To temper some of the enthusiasm, it should be noted that Celebrini has an individual points percentage of 100.0 percent and that is not likely to last an entire season. To be fair, however, last season’s top rookie, Conor Bedard finished with a league-leading IPP for 91.89 percent (minimum 1000 five-on-five minutes).

#7 Second-year Anaheim Ducks defenceman Olen Zellweger is on the smaller side of things, listed at 5-foot-9, 182 pounds, but he is such a nimble skater with a flair for offensive production that there is clearly a role for him in the Ducks’ plans. In his past six games, Zellweger has six points (2 G, 4 A) with 13 shots on goal. Zellweger is quarterbacking the Ducks’ top power play unit and four of his 10 points this season have come with the man advantage.

#8 Dallas Stars centre Tyler Seguin is playing 16:15 per game, his lowest average time on ice since his rookie season 2010-2011. Nevertheless, he is also averaging better than a point per game with 18 points (8 G, 10 A) in 17 games. That is built on some high percentages, including an individual shooting percentage of 19.0 percent and an on-ice shooting percentage of 13.0 percent during five-on-five play. Both of those marks would be career highs for Seguin, so regression is probably coming, but he may offer some short-term value before those percentages start to level out.

#9 The third pick in the 2022 Draft, Utah Hockey Club centre Logan Cooley continues to make progress in his second NHL season. Cooley has six points (2 G, 4 A) and 14 shots on goal, while averaging more than 18 minutes of ice time per game, across his past six games. He is playing on Utah’s top power play unit while centering Jack McBain and Dylan Guenther at even strength.

#10 Vancouver Canucks right winger Kiefer Sherwood has climbed the depth chart and is skating on Vancouver’s top line, alongside Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk. Sherwood has five points (3 G, 2 A) and 14 shots on goal in his past six games and is far and away the leading hitter in the NHL, with 137 hits in 21 games. He is 34 hits ahead of Nashville defenceman Jeremy Lauzon and 43 hits ahead of the second-ranked forward, Brady Tkachuk. Sherwood’s outrageous hit totals give him fantasy value anyway, but with an increasing offensive role, his appeal is growing by the game.

#11 Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere is a power play specialist this season, recording 12 of his 17 points (70.6 percent) this season with the man advantage. The only defenceman in the league with a higher ratio of power play points is Ottawa Senators blueliner Jake Sanderson, who has registered 14 points, with 11 (78.6 percent) on the power play. Among defencemen with at least five power play points, the top five gets rounded out by the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Morgan Rielly and Montreal Canadiens’ Mike Matheson, who both have seven of 13 points on the power play, as well as Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi, who has half of his 18 points on the power play.

#12 While Gostisbehere is pumping up his point totals on the power play, his teammate, Dmitry Orlov, is busy getting his production at even strength. Orlov has recorded an assist in six straight games and has zero power play points among his 14 points this season. The highest scoring defencemen who have yet to record a power play point this season: Buffalo’s Owen Power and Vegas’ Alex Pietrangelo, who both have 15 points, one more than Orlov. Buffalo’s Bowen Byram has 13 and three defencemen – St. Louis’ Colton Parayko, Minnesota’s Jake Middleton and Colorado’s Samuel Girard – have a dozen points without any on the power play.

#13 Shuffled into the background in Nashville, defenceman Dante Fabbro has thrived since he was acquired off waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets. In seven games since joining Columbus, Fabbro has four points (2 G, 2 A), while playing 21:42 per game as a partner for Zach Werenski. It is probably too soon to go after Fabbro, save for the deepest of leagues, but he is worth keeping tabs on in his new location.

#14 Veteran Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland has been a consistent source of secondary scoring throughout his career, but the Canucks are giving him more responsibility this season and he is responding favorably. He has seven points (2 G, 5 A) with 16 shots on goal in his past six games, giving him 18 points (6 G, 12 A) in 21 games, leading Vancouver’s forwards in scoring. Garland is averaging a career-high 19:13 of ice time per game, which includes time on the first power play unit, and he has six power play points this season surpassing last season’s total of five power play points.

#15 Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier may not get back to the offensive production that marked the peak of his career, but he is still delivering quality results for his team. Couturier has goals in three straight games, recording 10 shots on goal in the process, lifting him to 13 points (6 G, 7 A) in 22 games, but the Flyers are also controlling 56.9 percent of shot attempts and 55.2 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play with Couturier on the ice. He is also winning 58.0 percent of his faceoffs, which ranks 11th among players that have taken at least 200 faceoffs.

#16 The St. Louis Blues reacted quickly when Jim Montgomery was fired by the Boston Bruins, hiring him to replace Drew Bannister. Dylan Holloway and Zack Bolduc have been early beneficiaries of the change. Holloway has produced four points (2 G, 2 A) and eight shots on goal while playing 16:55 per game since Montgomery took over on the Blues bench. Bolduc does not play as much, but still scored two goals with seven shots on goal in Montgomery’s first game.

#17 Maybe wins don’t come too easily for Chicago Blackhawks netminder Petr Mrazek, but he is giving his team a chance to win most nights. Mrazek was mediocre in his first handful of starts, posting a save percentage of .887, but since then has a .923 save percentage with a 5-5-1 record in 11 starts. His overall save percentage of .912 ranks 12th among goaltenders that have appeared in at least 10 games.

#18 With Lukas Dostal posting a .922 save percentage in 14 games, ranking fourth among goalies to play at least 10 games, it has been challenging for veteran John Gibson to reclaim his role in the crease for the Anaheim Ducks. Gibson has been playing well since returning from injury, though, putting up a 4-0-1 record with a .919 save percentage in five starts. If Gibson is playing at a high level, that could increase his likelihood of finally getting traded and there are teams that might be ready to pull the trigger for a veteran goaltender who could use a fresh start with a team that has better defensive structure.

#19 Speaking of teams that might have goaltending concerns, the Carolina Hurricanes have Pyotr Kochetkov in concussion protocol and Frederik Andersen is out long-term following knee surgery. That leaves Spencer Martin and Yaniv Perets in net for the ‘Canes. Martin has a .856 save percentage in seven games for Carolina this season while Perets has 13 minutes of NHL experience and had a .825 save percentage in three AHL games when he was called up. If Kochetkov recovers quickly, the Hurricanes may be able to survive, because they are the best puck possession team in the league, but if he is out long-term, the Hurricanes may need to look for an external solution to their goaltending problem.

#20 Through 360 games in this season, there is an average of 6.13 goals per game, but there has not been a huge advantage for being the home side, with home teams averaging 3.125 goals per game while road teams have 3.008. For fantasy managers, particularly those making daily roster decisions, this suggests not to be overly discouraged if a player happens to be on the road, because it should not have a significant effect on a player’s likely production.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Young Players Getting Exciting Opportunities

Scott Cullen — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 18:42:36 +0000

_{PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 28:Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich (20) skates with the puck during the second period in the NHL preseason game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres on September 28, 2023, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)}

Each week, I’ll dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. With so few games played, this week will look at some players getting exciting opportunities to start the year, including Dylan Guenther, Alex Laferriere, Matvei Michkov, and more!

Here is this season’s first edition of 20 Fantasy Points:

#1 Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov was helped off the ice after suffering an apparent injury in Ottawa on Thursday night. If Barkov misses any time, Anton Lundell could be an intriguing addition for fantasy managers. Lundell is in his fourth NHL season and while he has not yet matched the 44 points that he had as a rookie, he did have 17 points in 24 playoff games last season. Lundell has one assist and nine shots on goal through the Panthers’ first two games.

#2 It has been a whirlwind year for Utah Hockey Club right winger Dylan Guenther, who finished last season with a flourish, putting up 23 points (12 G, 11 A) in his last 23 games. That earned him a contract extension in the summer. The 8-year, $57.14 million contract seemed like a lot given his lack of NHL experience, but it might already be a bargain. Teammates gush about Guenther’s shot and he has started this season with four goals in his first two games. As great as Guenther’s shot is, he is not going to keep scoring on 50 percent of his shots on goal, but there are early indications that Guenther and centre Logan Cooley are poised to have breakthrough seasons for Utah, with both skating on the second line and getting top unit power play time.

#3 Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov is the betting favorite to win the Calder Trophy, and it’s not merely based on his track record in Russia, which is admittedly excellent. Michkov had 41 points in 48 KHL games last season and the 19-year-old is starting his NHL career on Philadelphia’s top line and first power play unit. The Flyers are opening the season with Ducks defenseman Jamie Drysdale getting first crack at quarterbacking the Flyers’ power play. Drysdale is a smooth skater who has tallied 15 of his 50 career points on the power play.

#4 Former Flyers prospect Cutter Gauthier was traded to Anaheim last season and the Ducks are putting Gauthier in position to succeed, giving him time on the first line (with Leo Carlsson and Alex Killorn) and top power play right out of the gate. Gauthier had 65 points (38 G, 27 A) in 41 games as a sophomore at Boston College last season and he has impressive international credentials too, scoring nine points (7 G, 2 A) in 10 games at the 2023 World Championships and 12 points (2 G, 10 A) in seven games at the 2024 World Juniors.

#5 Second-year Los Angeles Kings left winger Alex Laferriere is starting the season on the Kings’ No. 1 line and top power play unit. Laferriere had 23 points (12 G, 11 A) as a rookie. He produced 73 points (35 G, 38 A) in 69 games in two seasons at Harvard, so there could be some offensive upside there, but with limited pedigree, he may be in a precarious position if he hits a slump.

#6 Kings defenseman Drew Doughty is out month-to-month after breaking his ankle in the preseason, so the expectation was that Brandt Clarke would move up to play on the Kings’ top power play unit. In Los Angeles’ first game, however, Jordan Spence played 4:26 on the power play for the Kings, compared to Brandt’s 3:34, so that is a situation worth keeping an eye on to see how it shakes out.

#7 With winger J.J. Peterka getting hurt in Prague, the Sabres have inserted top prospect Jiri Kulich into the lineup, taking Peterka’s place on Buffalo’s top line. Kulich was a first-round pick in 2022, and the 20-year-old winger has already played two seasons in the AHL, putting up 91 points (51 G, 40 A) in 119 games for Rochester.

#8 Montreal Canadiens rookie defenceman Lane Hutson is not quarterbacking Montreal’s top power play, but it may only be a matter of time. Hutson had a pair of assists against Boston on Thursday, giving him four assists in his first four NHL games, going back to last season. He produced 97 points (30 G, 67 A) in 77 games across two seasons at Boston University.

#9 A late summer free agent signing, Jack Roslovic is getting a chance to play on Carolina’s top line, with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis. Roslovic set career highs of 22 goals and 45 points in 2021-2022, but if he is playing on Carolina’s top line, he could challenge those numbers.

#10 The Calgary Flames are entering a rebuilding process and part of that is giving young players significant opportunities. Samuel Honzek, a 2023 first-round pick has not only made the team, but he is getting a look on Calgary’s top line, alongside Nazem Kadri and Andrei Kuzmenko. Honzek, a 6-foot-4 winger, does not have a power play role yet, so his fantasy appeal is limited, but is very interesting as a long-term prospect. Connor Zary, a 2022 first-round pick, is taking on a bigger role in his second NHL season. Zary had 34 points (14 G, 20 A) in 63 games as a rookie last season and is getting first unit power play time to start this season. He scored a beauty in overtime to help the Flames to a win in Calgary on opening night and that should only fuel his confidence.

#11 There are times that it seems like there is a revolving door on Sidney Crosby’s wings in Pittsburgh, so don’t necessarily dive head-first into supporting these players, but Anthony Beauvillier and Drew O’Connor are skating on Sidney Crosby’s wings, at least while Bryan Rust remains out of the Penguins lineup. Beauvillier is coming off a down season, in which he scored just 17 points (5 G, 12 A) in 60 games, but he did net a pair of goals in Thursday’s win at Detroit. O’Connor had 33 points (16 G, 17 A) in 79 games last season and added a goal against Detroit.

#12 Opportunity is knocking in St. Louis for Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours, who are skating on a line with Robert Thomas, the Blues’ brilliant playmaking center. Holloway, who was signed to an offer sheet to lure him away from Edmonton in the summer, has one assist while averaging 15:02 ice time per game in his first two games with St. Louis. He averaged 10:21 of ice time per game in 89 games with the Oilers over the past two seasons. Neighbours broke through with a 27-goal season, including eight on the power play in 2023-2024 and should continue to play an even more prominent role in the Blues’ attack.

#13 Still eligible for the Calder Trophy after scoring 14 points (8 G, 6 A) in 24 games for the Dallas Stars last season, Logan Stankoven is starting the 2024-2025 season on Dallas’ top line, skating on the right side with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. Stankoven only played 12:29 in a season-opening win at Nashville on Thursday, but he also put up three assists, so that should keep him in a prime position.

#14 The New York Islanders signed Russian winger Maxim Tsyplakov as a free agent after he had 47 points (31 G, 16 A) in 65 games for Moscow Spartak in the KHL last season. The 26-year-old forward scored in his NHL debut against Utah on Thursday, and played an eye-popping 20:46, including 7:38 on the power play. Getting first unit power play time with the Islanders is a great opportunity for Tsyplakov to build on last season’s career-best results in the KHL.

#15 After scoring 40 points (21 G, 19 A) in 82 games as a rookie last season, Marco Rossi is centering Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello on Minnesota’s top line to start the 2024-2025 season. He is not getting first unit power play time – that goes to Kaprizov, Zuccarello, Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy, and Brock Faber – but if Rossi can stick alongside Kaprizov long-term, that will raise his offensive ceiling.

#16 Oft-injured Ottawa Senators centre Josh Norris is healthy to start the season and getting a prime opportunity to skate on the Sens’ to power play, ahead of veteran Claude Giroux. Norris had 55 points (35 G, 20 A) in 66 games in 2021-2022, but has managed 33 points (18 G, 15 A) in 55 games across the past two seasons since then while dealing with persistent shoulder problems. Norris played more than 18 minutes in Ottawa’s season-opening win against Florida, recording an assist while skating on a line with Ridly Greig and Drake Batherson. If he’s healthy, Norris could offer quality fantasy value.

#17 With Florida Panthers defenceman Adam Boqvist out of the lineup after taking a puck in the face during the Panthers’ opening game, Aaron Ekblad is listed on Florida’s top power play unit, though Uvis Balinskis saw more power play time in Thursday’s loss at Ottawa. Ekblad is likely to play a big role on the Panthers’ blueline and has frequently been a contributor on the power play, with 111 of his 348 career points coming via the man advantage. Last season, he had just four power play points while delivering 18 points (4 G, 14 A) in 51 games, but with Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson departing via free agency, there are minutes to be earned on the Panthers power play. A healthy Boqvist might have the inside track, but Ekblad’s experience should not be overlooked.

#18 The Nashville Predators were movers and shakers in free agency and the arrival of 40-goal scorers Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault bumped Gustav Nyquist off Nashville’s top power play unit. Nyquist recorded a career-high 75 points last season, including 24 points on the power play, but he is not the same kind of proven scoring option, so that leaves Nyquist on the second power play unit in Nashville.

#19 Stamkos’ old team, the Tampa Bay Lightning are sorting out their own power play set up in his absence. To start the season, the Lightning are running two defencemen – Victor Hedman and Darren Raddysh – on their top power play unit, which is very unusual these days. Hedman has been a power play threat throughout his career, including last season when 31 of his 76 points were accrued with the man advantage. Raddysh, the 28-year-old blueliner, is something of a late bloomer, but he did have 33 points, including 11 on the power play, last season, which was his first full NHL campaign. It will be interesting to see how the Lightning play this going forward, whether they stick with the two defencemen or whether someone like Brandon Hagel or Nick Paul finds a spot on the top power play unit.

#20 After going through some tough seasons, including spending time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, Jakub Vrana has returned to Washington, where his NHL career began, and earned a contract with the Capitals. Vrana, 28, has been an outstanding five-on-five scorer. Sincer 2018-2019, Vrana has scored 1.41 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play. Among players that have played more than 50 games, there are only two – Auston Matthews (1.66) and David Pastrnak (1.41) – who rank higher than Vrana in that metric, and Pastrnak and Vrana are virtually tied. This doesn’t mean that Vrana is automatically going to provide fantasy value, as he has rarely been a power play performer, but for a player who was on the verge of washing out of the league, he is getting a fresh start and has the track record to suggest that he could be a productive secondary scorer for the Capitals.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #4

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Brock Otten — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 13:00:10 +0000

_{LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger (51) skates with the puck during an NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings on April 13, 2024 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire)}

Prospect System Ranking – 4th (Previous Rank - 7th)
GM: Pat Verbeek Hired: February 2022
COACH: Greg Cronin Hired: June 2023

It’s been seven years since the people of Anaheim have experienced playoff hockey. While this drought may be frustrating, the silver lining is the organization has now churned out one of the more potent prospect pipelines in the entire NHL.

The Ducks have elevated their prospect pool significantly, now boasting three players in McKeen’s top 30 rankings. Leading the charge is Olen Zellweger (ranked 22nd), who made waves in his rookie campaign on the San Diego Gulls’ blueline. GM Pat Verbeek continued to stockpile talent by acquiring high-pedigree names such as Cutter Gauthier (ranked 6th) via the Jamie Drysdale trade and drafting Beckett Sennecke (ranked 28th) with the third overall pick at the 2024 NHL Draft.

Zellweger, who split time between Anaheim and San Diego last season, is now competing with fellow rising star and 2023-24 graduate Pavel Mintyukov for a top four spot on the Ducks’ roating six. Gauthier, a Hobey Baker Finalist, joins the Ducks full-time after an impressive NCAA career, tallying 102 points in 73 games. He’s already made his presence felt by picking up an assist in his first NHL game. Meanwhile, Sennecke will continue his development with the Oshawa Generals in the OHL.

On the farm, prospects such as Sasha Pastujov (244th), Jan Myšák, Tyson Hinds (254th), Nathan Gaucher (201st), and Tristan Luneau (84th) are either starting or continuing to build their AHL careers with an eye on future NHL opportunities. Verbeek also added some intriguing talent to the pipeline through the draft, including defencemen Stian Solberg (88th) and Tarin Smith (269th). Both bring contrasting styles of play but add intriguing depth and versatility to the Ducks’ future defensive core.

As the team explores potential trade options for longtime goaltender John Gibson, Lukas Dostal has officially staked his claim as the NHL backup. Meanwhile, Damian Clara, the club’s 2023 second-round pick, continues to shine overseas. As a rookie goaltender in the Allsvenskan, Clara posted an incredible 25-8-0 record and went 10-1-0 in the playoffs, securing a championship and promotion to the SHL. He was named Rookie of the Year for his efforts.

The Ducks now boast one of the top prospect systems in the NHL, and their youthful core is already showing great promise. With Leo Carlsson (19), Mason McTavish (21), Pavel Mintyukov (20), Troy Terry (26), and Trevor Zegras (23) leading the charge—Zegras’s situation still to be determined—the Ducks are set for a bright future filled with skill, youth, and excitement.

Anaheim Ducks Top-15 Prospects

1. Cutter Gauthier

The Ducks and Flyers shocked the hockey world when they pulled off a blockbuster at the beginning of January. Anaheim sent often injured younger defender Jamie Drysdale to Philadelphia and Philadelphia sent top prospect Cutter Gauthier to Anaheim. Gauthier was coming off a gold medal victory with Team USA at the IIHF World Juniors, a tournament where he was named the best forward and an all-star. As one of the top young players outside of the NHL, Gauthier has vaulted to the top of Anaheim’s star-studded prospect pool. He had a remarkable sophomore season for Boston College and was a Hobey Baker candidate. His 37 goals were the second most scored in the NCAA in the last 25 years. He excels as a North/South attacker because of his strong skating ability, coupled with his dynamic goal scoring ability. Whether he plays center or wing at the pro level remains to be seen, but his two-way ability also shows significant potential. Gauthier has signed with Anaheim and has a good chance of earning a top nine role this season; he is a preseason Calder favourite.

2. Olen Zellweger

Zellweger’s transition to the pro level was pretty seamless. He really gained confidence through a late season callup to Anaheim. An AHL all-star last season, Anaheim was able to be patient with Olen given their depth and position in the standings. This really helped him gain confidence in his ability to defend at the pro level, which was the only truly questionable part of his game coming into the year. There was no question that the offensive ability would translate, but could he excel in the defensive end? The answer to that question was yes…at least at the AHL level. The late season callup to the NHL proved he still has work to do to defend at that level. A tremendous four-way mover, Zellweger rarely gets boxed in the defensive zone and is a breakout machine. He also uses said mobility to quarterback the powerplay with remarkably efficiency. A heads-up passer and high IQ player, it seems inevitable at this point that Zellweger will become a high-end offensive defender at the NHL level…perhaps as early as next season. His ability to add strength and improve his physical intensity will dictate his ultimate ceiling as a two-way player.

3. Beckett Sennecke

The Ducks shocked the hockey world (and Sennecke himself) when they selected him at third overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. The lanky winger oozes upside due to his athleticism and rare combination of size and skill. On the back of a tremendous second half performance (including the playoffs), Sennecke rocketed up draft boards late in the year. The Oshawa Generals forward is the complete package as a potential power winger. He is explosive on his edges and moves well for a bigger player who has recently undergone a massive growth spurt. He is creative and skilled with the puck, capable of consistently escaping pressure. He shows well as both a goal scorer and a playmaker, exhibiting better vision and passing ability than your average bigger winger. The key for Sennecke is to bulk up to add strength to his frame, helping him be a more consistent off puck player. He will most certainly return to Oshawa this year in hopes of becoming one of the league’s elite players. He has the upside to be a longtime top six forward for Anaheim.

4. Tristan Luneau

Last season was a bit of a year to forget for Luneau. The former QMJHL defender of the year started the year well and even earned ice time in Anaheim. He was then loaned to Team Canada for the World Junior Championships and that’s when things went downhill. Luneau contracted the flu, then acquired a serious knee infection that saw him hospitalized. This effectively ended his season. But such a flukey thing does not tarnish Luneau’s upside or his likelihood of becoming a high-end NHL defender. The strong skating, two-way defender is a high-end processor whose offensive game and puck carrying ability have improved greatly since being selected by Anaheim in the second round. He will never be confused for a physical stalwart, but he uses his mobility and defensive awareness to keep the play in front of him. Hopefully Luneau can come to camp healthy this year and battle for a roster spot again. Although last year’s issues may cause Anaheim to be patient with Luneau, meaning that an AHL stint may be in store for him just as it was for Zellweger last season.

5. Stian Solberg

Whenever a team trades up to secure a player’s rights, it’s an indication of how greatly said team coveted said player. Insert physical Norwegian defender Stian Solberg, who the Ducks moved up to 23rd to select. Much like third overall pick Beckett Sennecke, Solberg was a late riser thanks to his strong performance at the World Championships for Norway. Solberg is a modern-day shutdown defender thanks to his size, mobility, and physical approach. He flashes greater upside as an offensive player and that will be the focus for him this coming season as he leaves Norway for Sweden; he has signed to play with Farjestad of the SHL. Solberg had struggles with his decision making with the puck at times this year and will need to work to make quicker decisions under pressure. Anaheim is hoping that Solberg can grow in Sweden the same way Moritz Seider did when he left Germany to aid in his development.

6. Damian Clara

The Big Italian netminder had an excellent draft plus one year in Sweden playing for Brynas of the Allsvenskan. Despite being only 19, he established himself as one of the top netminders in the league and was subsequently named the league’s top junior (or new player/ROY). An excellent athlete for his size, Clara has terrific upside as an NHL netminder, a reason why he was selected in the second round by the Ducks last year. Next year, Clara will take his talents to the SHL with Farjestad (playing along with recent first rounder Stian Solberg); a logical stepping stone to one day playing in the NHL. Clara is an impressive athlete for a bigger netminder, but the focus will be on refining that athleticism to make him a more consistent stopper. If he can replicate his success in the SHL, he’ll push his way to the top of many goaltending prospect lists.

7. Sam Colangelo

Lots of discussion about the NCAA’s transfer portal in recent months, but it’s designed to help players like Colangelo. It was obvious that his game had plateaued at Northeastern, and a move to Western Michigan helped to truly unlock Colangelo's potential as a power forward. He led WMU in goal scoring last year and has worked hard to put himself back on the map as a potential middle six player for the Ducks in the future. After a late season signing, Colangelo actually scored his first career NHL goal and proved that he might just be ready to battle for a roster spot this coming season. His transition to the pro level should be pretty seamless given his strength, strong two-way ability, and high IQ. However, there’s also a chance that Anaheim would prefer to see him play out some time in the AHL with more offensive responsibility, rather than have him see limited minutes with the big club.

8. Nathan Gaucher

Last season was Gaucher’s first as a pro with San Diego of the AHL and the offensive numbers don’t jump off the page at you. That said, Gaucher was never drafted to be an offensive juggernaut. With terrific speed, strength, and two-way awareness, the plan all along was for him to develop into a versatile middle six player for Anaheim who could help shut down the opposition’s best. While the offensive game was inconsistent as a rookie pro, the defensive and physical components of his game still earned praise and that’s what is most important. Anaheim is likely to let Gaucher repeat in the AHL this season, with the goal of improving his offensive production. Then they can ease him into the big club’s lineup slowly in a bottom six role in the future when his offensive confidence is at its highest.

9. Rodwin Dionicio

The selection of Dionicio as a draft re-entry in 2023 is bearing some pretty spectacular fruit early on. Dionicio emerged as one of the OHL’s top defenders last year and won a Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit later in May. Dionicio is an electrifying offensive talent. He routinely carries the puck from end to end, showcasing his high-end puck skill and creativity. As a powerplay quarterback, he consistently helps to breakdown coverage with his ability to work inside, beating pressure at the point. Dionicio is also a highly physical player who has a penchant for the big hit and who makes opposing players earn touches and open space when he is on the ice. The decision making still wavers; he is and can be a high risk/high reward player. As such, the transition to the pro level could be challenging for him. However, with patience, he could become a very productive and entertaining NHL player.

10. Lucas Pettersson

A strong skating, two-way pivot, Pettersson was the 35th overall pick by the Ducks in the most recent NHL draft. He excels on both sides of the puck thanks to a high IQ. Offensively, Pettersson is equal parts goal scorer and playmaker and he has a terrific understanding of how to leverage his speed to create chances. Defensively, he competes hard in puck pursuit and can be counted upon in all situations. Despite being recently selected by Saginaw in the CHL’s Import Draft, the expectation is still that Pettersson returns to Sweden to make MoDo full time in the SHL. Even if it’s in a limited role, earning full time minutes in the SHL would be crucial for Pettersson’s development as he learns to adjust to the speed and strength of the pro game. He looks to have upside as a potential middle six contributor for Anaheim in the future.

11. Carey Terrance

Terrance is a speedy and versatile two-way forward. Moving forward, the key for Terrance is finding consistency offensively. If he can find a way to truly unlock his speed and improve his puck skill and carrying ability, Terrance could end up improving his outlook and upside as a pro. If not, he could still end up a very valuable bottom six player and penalty killer ala Paul Byron.

12. Yegor Sidorov

Sidorov just keeps getting better and it’s improving his outlook and progression as an NHL player. He upped his physical intensity level and it resulted in greater consistency as a scorer and play driver. Sidorov is highly creative with the puck and his quick release gives him great upside as a scorer at the pro level. Sidorov will turn pro next year, likely playing in the AHL in order to adjust to the pace of the pro game and the size/strength of pro level players.

13. Sasha Pastujov

His transition to the pro level has definitely been a bit of a bumpy ride. However, Pastujov closed out last year on a major high and that’s provided a lot of optimism about his future. Pastujov is still such a dangerous player in small spaces because of his quick hands and quick release. Ultimately, how much he can improve his skating and off-puck play will be the key to him becoming an NHL player in the future for the Ducks.

14. Tyson Hinds

Much to the surprise of no one, Hinds, the former winner of the QMJHL’s Kevin Lowe trophy (as the QMJHL’s top defensive defender), was an immediately impactful player on the defensive side of things at the pro level last year. However, his offensive game showed some growing pains and that will be the focus in his second pro year, to improve his decision making and confidence with the puck.

15. Maxim Masse

An early third round selection by Anaheim in 2024, Masse was originally thought to be the top player eligible from the QMJHL, but he slipped to 66th due to concerns over his pace and skating ability. A confident goal scorer, Masse will look to round out his game and improve his quickness in the QMJHL this coming season. Similar to the chance Anaheim took on Sasha Pastujov, the Ducks will be hoping Masse can eventually contribute as a middle six winger.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #7 Anaheim Ducks – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Player Profiles - Brock Otten, Team Overview - Robert Howard — Sat, 08 Jun 2024 15:04:53 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger (51) skates with the puck during an NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings on April 13, 2024 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire)

The Anaheim Ducks have now missed the playoffs for six straight years, never finishing higher than sixth in their division. In the second season under GM Pat Verbeek, he continued much as he did in his first, moving out veterans at the deadline for picks and prospects. This year saw Sam Carrick and Adam Henrique end up on the Oilers for a first-round pick and a fifth. The years of futility have returned high draft pick after high draft pick and 2024 will be no different with the third overall pick. They have now picked second overall (2023 – Leo Carlsson), 10th (2022 – Pavel Mintyukov), third (2021 – Mason McTavish), sixth (2020 – Jamie Drysdale) and ninth (2019 – Trevor Zegras). All of those picks have graduated to the NHL, yet the organization ranks seventh among NHL teams in prospect strength, leaving arguably the deepest group of young potential stars in the league. Drysdale (along with a second-round pick) was moved for the 4th overall ranked affiliated prospect in Cutter Gauthier, and he is expected to make an impact in the NHL as soon as next season. A second-round pick in 2021, Olen Zellweger (ranked 15th by McKeens), is also on the cusp of making the team after appearing in 26 games last year.

The Ducks have the most graduations in the last five drafts in the NHL. That will not change anytime soon, as next year’s third overall pick will be a high-end player that should see the NHL before too long joining Gauthier and Zellweger. They are also in no danger of falling out of the rankings for the best prospect pool with seven picks in the first three rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft. They also have a deep pool to draw on with nine of their top ten prospects ranked with our top 200.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Cutter Gauthier	LW	20	6-2/190	Boston College (HE)	T(Phi-1/24)	41	38	27	65	18
2	Olen Zellweger	D	20	5-9/180	San Diego (AHL)	`21(34th)	44	12	25	37	16
					Anaheim (NHL)	`21(34th)	26	2	7	9	4
3	Tristan Luneau	D	20	6-1/195	Anaheim (NHL)	`22(53rd)	7	1	2	3	4
					San Diego (AHL)	`22(53rd)	6	0	2	2	2
4	Nathan Gaucher	C	20	6-3/207	San Diego (AHL)	`22(22nd)	72	10	15	25	68
5	Rodwin Dionicio	D	20	6-2/207	Wsr-Sag (OHL)	`23(129th)	60	25	48	73	108
6	Damian Clara	G	19	6-6/214	Brynas (HockeyAllsvenskan)	`23(60th)	34	25	8	2.23	0.913
7	Yegor Sidorov	RW	19	6-0/180	Saskatoon (WHL)	`23(85th)	66	50	38	88	66
8	Carey Terrance	C	18	6-1/175	Erie (OHL)	`23(59th)	56	29	23	52	25
9	Sam Colangelo	RW	21	6-2/205	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`20(36th)	38	24	19	43	23
10	Sasha Pastujov	RW	20	6-0/187	San Diego (AHL)	`21(66th)	46	10	13	23	14
11	Tyson Hinds	D	21	6-3/188	San Diego (AHL)	`21(76th)	71	2	8	10	42
12	Nico Myatovic	LW	19	6-2/180	Seattle (WHL)	`23(33rd)	34	9	21	30	20
13	Coulson Pitre	RW	19	6-1/170	Flint (OHL)	`23(65th)	55	27	28	55	41
14	Noah Warren	D	19	6-4/216	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	`22(42nd)	50	6	7	13	35
15	Drew Helleson	D	23	6-3/205	San Diego (AHL)	T(Col-3/22)	59	4	14	18	44

1. Cutter Gauthier, LW, Boston College (NCAA)

The Ducks and Flyers shocked the hockey world when they pulled off a blockbuster at the beginning of January. Anaheim sent often injured young defender Jamie Drysdale to Philadelphia in return for top prospect Cutter Gauthier. Coming off a gold medal victory with Team USA at the IIHF World Juniors, and named the best forward and an all-star, he has vaulted to the top of Anaheim’s star-studded prospect pool. He’s had a remarkable sophomore season for Boston College and is a Hobey Baker candidate. His 37 goals are the second most scored in the NCAA in the last 25 years. He excels as a North/South attacker because of his strong skating ability, coupled with his dynamic goal scoring ability. Whether he plays center or wing at the pro level remains to be seen, regardless where he plays, his two-way ability shows significant potential. Unquestionably turning pro at the conclusion of this season, he could be an impact player as early as next year.

2. Olen Zellweger, D, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Zellweger’s transition to the pro level has been pretty seamless and it resulted in a late season call up. An AHL all-star this season, Anaheim was able to be patient with Olen given their depth and position in the standings. This has helped him gain confidence in his ability to defend at the pro level, which was the only truly questionable part of his game coming into the year. There was no question about his offensive ability, but could he excel in the defensive end? The answer to that question has been yes…at least at the AHL level. A tremendous four-way mover, Zellweger rarely gets boxed in the defensive zone and is a breakout machine. He also uses said mobility to quarterback the powerplay with remarkably efficiency. A heads-up passer and high IQ player, it seems inevitable he will become a high-end offensive defender at the NHL level…perhaps as early as next season. His ability to add strength and improve his physical intensity will dictate his ultimate ceiling as a two-way player.

3. Tristan Luneau, D, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

It’s been a bit of a year to forget for Luneau. The former QMJHL defender of the year started well and even earned ice time in Anaheim. He was then loaned to Team Canada for the World Junior Championships and that’s when things went downhill. Luneau contracted the flu, then acquired a serious knee infection that saw him hospitalized. This effectively ended his season. But such a flukey thing does not tarnish Luneau’s upside or his likelihood of becoming a high-end NHL defender. The strong skating, two-way defender is a high-end processor whose offensive game and puck carrying ability have improved greatly since being selected in the second round. He will never be confused for a physical stalwart, but he uses his mobility and defensive awareness to keep the play in front of him. While there is hope he can battle for a roster spot, this year’s issues may cause Anaheim to be patient, meaning that an AHL stint may be in store just as it was for Zellweger this season.

4. Nathan Gaucher, C, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Gaucher is finishing up his first season as a pro with San Diego of the AHL and the offensive numbers don’t jump off the page at you. That said, Gaucher was never drafted to be an offensive juggernaut. With terrific speed, strength, and two-way awareness, the plan all along was for him to develop into a versatile middle six player for Anaheim who could help shut down the opposition’s best. While the offensive game has been inconsistent as a rookie pro, the defensive and physical components of his game have still earned praise and that’s what is most important. Anaheim is likely to let Gaucher repeat in the AHL next season, with the goal of improving his offensive production. Then they can ease him into the big club’s lineup slowly in a bottom six role in the future when his offensive confidence is at its highest.

5. Rodwin Dionicio, D, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

The selection of Dionicio as a draft re-entry last year is bearing some pretty spectacular fruit early on. Dionicio has emerged as one of the OHL’s top defenders and will be playing for a Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit later in May. Dionicio is an electrifying offensive talent. He routinely carries the puck from end to end, showcasing his high-end puck skill and creativity. As a powerplay quarterback, he consistently helps to breakdown coverage with his ability to work inside, beating pressure at the point. Dionicio is also a highly physical player who has a penchant for the big hit and who makes opposing players earn touches and open space when he is on the ice. The decision making still wavers; he is and can be a high risk/high reward player. As such, the transition to the pro level could be challenging for him. However, with patience, he could become a very productive and entertaining NHL player.

6. Damian Clara, G, Brynas IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)

The Big Italian netminder has had an excellent draft plus one year in Sweden playing for Brynas of the Allsvenskan. Despite being only 19, he established himself as one of the top netminders in the league and was subsequently named the league’s top junior (or new player/ROY). He also helped Brynas get promoted to the SHL after posting a .931 SV% and a 1.68 GAA in the Allsvenskan playoffs. An excellent athlete for his size, Clara has terrific upside as an NHL netminder, a reason why he was selected in the second round by the Ducks last year. Next year, Clara will take his talents to the SHL with Farjestad; a logical stepping stone to one day playing in the NHL. If he can replicate his success in the SHL, he’ll push his way to the top of many goaltending prospect lists.

7. Yegor Sidorov, RW, Saskatoon Blades (WHL)

Sidorov just keeps getting better and it’s improving his outlook and progression as an NHL player. His 50 goals this year for Saskatoon put him in a tie for fourth in the WHL. Sidorov also currently leads the WHL playoffs in goal scoring, as of writing this profile. He upped his physical intensity level and it resulted in greater consistency as a scorer and play driver. Sidorov is highly creative with the puck and his quick release gives him great upside as a scorer at the pro level. Recently signed by the Ducks, Sidorov will turn pro next year, likely playing in the AHL in order to adjust to the pace of the pro game and the size/strength of pro level players. Realistically, Sidorov is a bit of a boom or bust prospect. His goal scoring prowess will either translate to the NHL level and he'll end up as a top six forward and powerplay option, or he'll end up overseas as a scoring option in a Euro league.

8. Carey Terrance, C, Erie Otters (OHL)

One of the OHL’s most underrated players, Terrance had a good year for the Erie Otters even if he failed to hit the point per game mark. Because of his speed and strong two-way commitment level, he brings such versatility to his coaches. Offensively, his best asset is his shot, something that helped him score 29 goals and lead Erie in goal scoring this year. Terrance also was a member of the U.S.’ gold medal winning WJC squad, but he did not see game action. Moving forward, the key for Terrance is finding consistency offensively. If he can find a way to truly unlock his speed and improve his puck skill and carrying ability, Terrance could end up improving his outlook and upside as a pro. If not, he could still end up a very valuable bottom six player and penalty killer ala Paul Byron.

9. Sam Colangelo, RW, Western Michigan University (NCAA)

Lots of discussion about the NCAA’s transfer portal in recent months, but it’s designed to help players like Colangelo. It was obvious that his game had plateaued at Northeastern, and a move to Western Michigan helped to truly unlock Colangelo's potential as a power forward. He led WMU in goal scoring this year and has worked hard to put himself back on the map as a potential middle six player for the Ducks in the future. Recently signed, Colangelo finished out the year at the pro level with Anaheim and San Diego, even scoring his first NHL goal. He did not look out of place, which should come as no surprise given that his transition to the pro level should be pretty seamless because of his strength, strong two-way ability, and high IQ.

10. Sasha Pastujov, RW, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Given Pastujov’s lack of dynamic skating ability, there was certainly some concern heading into his first pro season this year. Just how well would he transition to the AHL? It’s definitely been a bit of a bumpy ride. The first half was mired with inconsistency and a lower body injury, but he actually closed out the year on a major high and that’s provided a lot of optimism about his future. Pastujov is still such a dangerous player in small spaces because of his quick hands and quick release. He’s active in puck pursuit in the offensive end and continues to work hard to improve his quickness. Ultimately, how much he can improve his skating and off puck play will be the key to him becoming an NHL player in the future for the Ducks.

PROSPECT CRITERIA: Players under 26 years of age as of 9/15/2024 who have appeared in less than 60 games (30 for goalies) and less than 25 in one season (25 for goalies).

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: TOP 30 NHL PROSPECTS

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 12:22:26 +0000

At McKeen’s Hockey we do a ranked affiliated prospect list twice a season. Our first, this ranking, follows the end of the regular season for most prospects but does not include the playoffs. It is a ranking of the top 200, plus the top 15 by team, prior to the NHL Draft. Once the NHL Draft is complete, we begin the process of updating the organizational ranking to a top 20, and then rank the top 300. That is completed in August, once the dust has settled on free agency, and any trades that are made in the meantime. We include that ranking in our McKeen’s NHL Yearbook, published in late August, Early September.

Our team of 16 scouts are based in key markets around the world, in the rinks, supported by video scouting. They utilize some terrific tools from Hudl/InStat, which can isolate so many aspects of a player’s game, along with proprietary statistics. They spend countless hours in rinks and in front of screens and are deeply familiar with these players and their progression. Our management team of Brock Otten (Director of Scouting) and Derek Neumeier (Assistant Director of Scouting/Senior Western Regional Scout), along with Video Scouting Coordinator, Josh Bell, will take the teams input and finalize the list you see below. Brock, Derek and Josh are responsible for the player write-ups in the Prospect Guide.

The organizational rankings are based on an algorithm that takes into account how many prospects are ranked within the top 200. The teams are broken down by the number of prospects in our top 1 -25, 26 - 50, 51 - 100, and 101 - 200. A weight is attached to each group and then some subjective tweaking is done based on our knowledge of the players. There can be a wider discrepancy in the top 25 group than the latter groupings that needs to be taken into account.

Here is our definition of an NHL prospect: Players under 26 years of age as of 9/15/2024 who have appeared in less than 60 NHL games (30 for goalies) and less than 35 in one season (25 for goalies).

Check back in with us in the fall to see how things change following the draft. We are releasing out top 30 NHL Prospects free to non-subscribers. If you want to learn more, link here.

Subscribers can link to the full top 200 listing here

Here is an excerpt of Brock Otten's Risers and Fallers article from the magazine to give you more perspective and a little taste of our content.

The best part of scouting is the somewhat unpredictable nature of human development. Some players improve dramatically from one year to the next…others do not. When we compare the rankings from our 2023-24 NHL Yearbook (where we did a Top 300 prospect ranking) to now, these are the players who have risen/fallen the most.

Risers

DALLAS, TX - APRIL 22: Dallas Stars center Logan Stankoven (11) reacts to a goal score during game one of the Western Conference First Round between the Dallas Stars and the Vegas Golden Knights on April 22, 2024 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire)

Logan Stankoven (27 to 5) - Dallas Stars

Stankoven’s jump from one of the best players in the WHL to one of the best players in the AHL has been impressive. So has his quick start in the NHL.

Ryan Leonard (32 to 6) – Washington Capitals

Leonard is returning to Boston College after a Championship barely eluded him this year. However, he has proven to be an elite play driver to go with his strong off puck play.

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 11: Look on Montreal Canadiens right wing Joshua Roy (89) during warm-up before the St. Louis Blues versus the Montreal Canadiens game on February 11, 2024, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Josh Roy (63 to 35) – Montreal Canadiens

Roy continues to prove doubters wrong after a terrific AHL season with Laval. His skill set has become so well rounded since being drafted.

Conor Geekie (68 to 18) – Utah

Geekie’s power game from the middle of the ice makes him such an interesting prospect for today’s NHL. His skating continues to improve.

Mavrik Bourque (79 to 23) – Dallas Stars

Bourque emerged as one of the best players in the AHL this season as a sophomore professional. He’s ready to take that next step with the Stars.

Gabe Perreault (86 to 19) – New York Rangers

Once thought to be the third wheel on the talented Will Smith/Ryan Leonard threesome, Perreault’s progression as a play driver at Boston College this season has altered the perception that he can be a front-line NHL player.

Bradly Nadeau (109 to 34) – Carolina Hurricanes

Drafting early out of the BCHL has yielded inconsistent results, however Nadeau was exceptional as a freshman at Maine. Did he leave school too early though?

Jagger Firkus (112 to 47) – Seattle Kraken

Firkus took his game to another level this year in his final WHL season, leading the league in scoring. He’s ready to be a pro.

Gavin Brindley (122 to 66) – Columbus Blue Jackets

One of the most improved players in the NCAA this year, Brindley emerged as a star for the University of Michigan and really altered his projection as a potential top six forward.

Quentin Musty (125 to 51) – San Jose Sharks

The dynamic American winger worked hard to fine tune components of his game in Sudbury this year and deserves a bump for improving his consistency.

Jani Nyman (135 to 81) – Seattle Kraken

Nyman emerged as one of the top goal scorers in Finland this season as a U20 player. This, combined with his strong WJC performance, has helped push him up our board north.

Logan Mailloux (145 to 45) – Montreal Canadiens

Mailloux proved to be way more refined at the AHL level than previously perceived. Simply put, he was one of the best defensive prospects in the AHL this year.

Josh Doan (153 to 55) - Utah

What a terrific story to the end of the Coyotes franchise. Doan emerged as a potential star this season and finished the year strong in the NHL, scoring in his debut.

Riley Heidt (157 to 44) – Minnesota Wild

We still don’t understand how Heidt fell as far as he did in the 2023 draft, however he is proving NHL scouts wrong thus far after a remarkable year with Prince George.

Ville Koivunen (165 to 71) – Pittsburgh Penguins

The main piece of the Jake Guentzel to Carolina deal, Koivunen emerged as one of the top players in Liiga this year.

Ethan Del Mastro (169 to 73) – Chicago Blackhawks

There was little doubt that Del Mastro’s strong defensive ability would translate to the AHL level well, but he continues to improve offensively and that has altered his projection.

Theo Lindstein (185 to 91) – St. Louis Blues

Lindstein’s strong year for Brynas has helped to elevate his upside as a two-way defender. We may have ranked him too low in our 2023 Draft Rankings.

Carson Rehkopf (201 to 69) – Seattle Kraken

Consistency off the puck and a lack of engagement held Rehkopf back last year. This year marked improvement in those areas helped him emerge as a top offensive talent in the OHL.

Easton Cowan (204 to 67) – Toronto Maple Leafs

One of the surprises of the 2023 draft, Cowan set a new OHL record with a 42-game point streak. More than just a high energy guy now, he can be a difference maker offensively.

Seamus Casey (214 to 63) – New Jersey Devils

Casey continues to improve in the NCAA. He may not have elite size, but he has everything else, and it has the Devils excited about his future.

Jacob Fowler (222 to 52) – Montreal Canadiens

Fowler compiled a list of accolades as a freshman this year at Boston College, emerging as one of the top goaltending prospects in the game.

Fraser Minten (226 to 84) – Toronto Maple Leafs

After starting the year with the Leafs, Minten returned to the WHL and ended up captaining Canada at the World Juniors.

Jackson Blake (277 to 117) – Carolina Hurricanes

A finalist for the Hobey Baker this year, Blake became an NCAA star for North Dakota, and he now turns pro.

Erik Portillo (Unranked to 118) – Los Angeles Kings

Acquired by the Kings, Portillo turned pro after three years at Michigan and he was one of the best goaltenders in the AHL as a first-year pro.

Rodwin Dionicio (Unranked to 139) – Anaheim Ducks

Dionicio still plays a high risk, high reward game from the back end, but his offensive upside has become too large to ignore.

Fallers

EDM - Xavier Bourgault

Xavier Bourgault (from 48 to 113) – Edmonton Oilers

After a mediocre first professional year last season, Bourgault was even more disappointing as a sophomore with Bakersfield. The Oilers just haven’t been developing prospects well in recent years.

Eduard Sale (72 to 140) – Seattle Kraken

Sale’s first year in North America did not go according to plan as he struggled to be a consistent impact player in the OHL.

Jack Rathbone (96 to not ranked) – Pittsburgh Penguins

Perhaps we ranked Rathbone too aggressively this summer, but not only did he fail to earn a spot on Vancouver, but he’s now an NHL after thought after entering Pittsburgh’s organization via trade.

Jacob Perreault (127 to not ranked) – Montreal Canadiens

Perreault’s off puck play and skating just haven’t improved to the point where he can be a consistent pro and it caused the Ducks to move on from him, trading him to Montreal.

Jan Jenik (156 to not ranked) - Utah

Once a highly ranked prospect, Jenik continues to fall. He just hasn’t been able to take that next step and even passed through waivers this year unclaimed.

RNK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Will Smith	SJ	C	19	6-0/175	Boston College (HE)	41	25	46	71	14
2	Matvei Michkov	Phi	RW	19	5-10/170	SKA St. Petersburg-HK Sochi (KHL)	48	19	22	41	26
3	Brandt Clarke	LA	D	21	6-2/185	Los Angeles (NHL)	16	2	4	6	10
4	Cutter Gauthier	Ana	LW	20	6-2/190	Boston College (HE)	41	38	27	65	18
5	Logan Stankoven	Dal	C	21	5-8/170	Dallas (NHL)	24	6	8	14	4
6	Ryan Leonard	Wsh	RW	19	5-11/190	Boston College (HE)	41	31	29	60	38
7	Alexander Nikishin	Car	D	22	6-3/195	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	67	17	39	56	39
8	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	21	6-3/175	Milwaukee (AHL)	44	30	13	2.39	0.911
9	Jesper Wallstedt	Min	G	21	6-3/215	Iowa (AHL)	45	22	19	2.70	0.910
10	Matthew Savoie	Buf	C	20	5-9/179	Wen-MJ (WHL)	34	30	41	71	10
11	Simon Edvinsson	Det	D	21	6-6/215	Detroit (NHL)	16	1	1	2	4
12	Jonathan Lekkerimaki	Van	RW	19	5-11/170	Orebro (SHL)	46	19	12	31	10
13	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	23	6-0/166	Calgary (AHL)	36	20	12	2.45	0.922
14	Devon Levi	Buf	G	21	6-0/192	Rochester (AHL)	26	16	6	2.42	0.927
15	Olen Zellweger	Ana	D	20	5-9/180	Anaheim (NHL)	26	2	7	9	4
16	Dmitri Simashev	Ari	D	19	6-4/198	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	63	4	6	10	18
17	David Reinbacher	Mtl	D	19	6-2/185	Kloten (Sui-NL)	35	1	10	11	18
18	Conor Geekie	Ari	C	19	6-3/193	Wen-SC (WHL)	55	43	56	99	66
19	Gabe Perreault	NYR	RW	18	5-11/165	Boston College (HE)	36	19	41	60	29
20	Daniil But	Ari	LW	19	6-5/203	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	55	10	11	21	10
21	Shane Wright	Sea	C	20	6-0/200	Coachella Valley (AHL)	59	22	25	47	18
22	Jiri Kulich	Buf	C	20	6-1/186	Rochester (AHL)	57	27	18	45	26
23	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	22	5-10/190	Texas (AHL)	71	26	51	77	32
24	Nate Danielson	Det	C	19	6-2/185	Bdn-Por (WHL)	54	24	43	67	42
25	Danila Yurov	Min	RW	19	6-1/175	Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)	62	21	28	49	35
26	Brennan Othmann	NYR	LW	21	6-0/175	Hartford (AHL)	67	21	28	49	65
27	Lane Hutson	Mtl	D	20	5-10/160	Boston University (HE)	38	15	34	49	24
28	Tom Willander	Van	D	19	6-1/180	Boston University (HE)	38	4	21	25	12
29	Marco Kasper	Det	C	20	6-1/185	Grand Rapids (AHL)	71	14	21	35	30
30	Dalibor Dvorsky	StL	C	18	6-1/200	Sudbury (OHL)	52	45	43	88	17