Damon Severson – 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: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – This week, more young talent in San Jose, Canada passes on Sam Bennett, goaltending situations to monitor in Carolina and Ottawa, plus Mikael Backlund, Noah Hanifin, Eeli Tolvanen, and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 14:58:24 +0000

SAN JOSE, CA - DECEMBER 31: San Jose Sharks left wing Igor Chernyshov (92) skates with the puck during the NHL game between the Minnesota Wild and the San Jose Sharks on December 31, 2025 at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Scott Dinn/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, more young talent in San Jose, Canada passes on Sam Bennett, goaltending situations to monitor in Carolina and Ottawa, plus Mikael Backlund, Noah Hanifin, Eeli Tolvanen, and so much more!

#1 Drafted by the San Jose Sharks with the 33rd pick in the 2024 Draft, winger Igor Chernyshov had 55 points (19 G, 36 A) in 23 games for Saginaw in the OHL last season and started this season in the American Hockey League, where he put up 23 points (11 G, 12 A) in 25 games for the San Jose Barracuda to earn his promotion to the NHL. With these outstanding scoring credentials, it’s no surprise that the Sharks are giving Chernyshov a real shot to produce at the NHL level and he’s skating on the Sharks’ top line with Macklin Celebrini and Collin Graf. In his first seven games for the Sharks, Chernyshov has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 16 shots on goal and that kind of production is going to keep him in a prime spot alongside Celebrini, one of the preeminent stars in the game.

#2 One of the surprising omissions from Team Canada’s Olympic Men’s Hockey Team was Florida Panthers centre Sam Bennett, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP last season, and he played a key role for Canada in the Four Nations Faceoff. Bennett did get off to a relatively slow start this season but he has picked up the pace lately. He is riding a seven-game point streak and has 17 points (7 G, 10 A) with 44 shots on goal in his past 14 games. He’s skating on a line with veterans Carter Verhaeghe and Brad Marchand on his wings, so Bennett is in a good spot to keep producing and it appears that he will get a long break in February while others head to the Olympics.

#3 Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is out for the rest of the season after requiring surgery for a lower-body injury. With Frederik Andersen struggling, this could be a prime opportunity for 27-year-old Brandon Bussi, who had a .912 save percentage in 15 games for the Hurricanes this season before getting lit up for six goals on just 22 shots against Montreal on Thursday.

#4 The Ottawa Senators have a goaltending situation in flux as well, as Linus Ullmark has taken a leave from the team for personal reasons. The vague nature of his absence makes it difficult to forecast a return date, so expect Leevi Merilainen to get the starter’s workload for as long as Ullmark is away from the Sens. That’s a dicey situation for Ottawa, as Merilainen has managed a .869 save percentage in 11 games this season, which is not nearly good enough if he’s going to be playing as the Sens’ starter. Merilainen did have a .925 save percentage in a dozen games for Ottawa last season, so if he could get back to that level, that would be ideal.

#5 Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund has never been a huge scorer, topping out with 56 points during the 2022-2023 season, but he has always been a reliable two-way performer, finishing in the Top 10 of Selke Trophy voting three times in his career. He is on a great offensive run right now, though, with nine points (5 G, 4 A) and 23 shots on goal during a six-game point streak. The Flames have a 5-1 record during that streak, and Backlund has a good thing going with linemates Blake Coleman and Matt Coronato.

#6 Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Shea Theodore is out of the lineup with an upper-body injury and while it’s not considered a long-term injury, the Golden Knights can afford to be patient. Veteran blueliner Noah Hanifin has stepped up with eight assists and 16 shots on goal in his past six games. Five of those eight assists have come on the power play, so Hanifin is handling the quarterbacking duties just fine.

#7 Seattle Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen has always been able to fire the puck, and it’s part of the reason that the Kraken claimed him off waivers from the Nashville Predators in December of 2022. In his past eight games, Tolvanen has 10 points (3 G, 7 A) and 19 shots on goal. He is skating with Chandler Stephenson and Frederick Gaudreau at evens, but Tolvanen is also getting first unit power play time, so he has a chance to remain a quality scoring option. On top of that, Tolvanen has 102 hits and 41 blocked shots in 38 games, making him one of three forwards (Will Cuylle and Beck Malenstyn are the others) with at least 40 blocked shots and 100 hits.

#8 The Buffalo Sabres have won 10 straight games and, not surprisingly, that has made Sabres players more appealing for fantasy managers. Defenceman Bowen Byram has elevated his game and in the past five games, he has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and six shots on goal while averaging more than 24 minutes of ice time per game. Byram isn’t the only Sabres blueliner bringing more offence to the table. Mattias Samuelsson has put up seven points (1 G, 6 A) with 11 shots on goal while averaging 24:50 of ice time per game in his past seven games. For added fantasy appeal, Samuelsson has 15 hits and 13 blocked shots in those seven contests, too.

#9 While Ivan Demidov gets a lot of the fanfare as a top rookie for the Montreal Canadiens, don’t sleep on Oliver Kapanen, who is proving to be a reliable contributor. He has five points (2 G, 3 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past six games, and he is tied with Anaheim’s Beckett Sennecke for the rookie goal-scoring lead with 12. Kapanen is in a good spot right now, skating between Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky.

#10 While there has been some frustration with the inconsistent production from star players for the Toronto Maple Leafs, they are getting production from the supporting cast. Bobby McMann has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 23 shots on goal in his past seven games. Nicholas Robertson also has seven points (2 G, 5 A) and 14 shots on goal in his past seven games. Robertson doesn’t get as much ice time as McMann, but Robertson has shown that when he is given the chance to play, he can produce. Since the start of the 2023-2024 season, Robertson has 1.13 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, which ranks 17th out of the 391 forwards that have played at least 1,000 five-on-five minutes in that time frame.

#11 The Nashville Predators have been a more competitive squad, winning 12 of their past 18 games and right winger Luke Evangelista has been a playmaking force in that time. In his past 19 games, Evangelista has delivered 20 points (4 G, 16 A) and 45 shots on goal. He is skating on a line with Erik Haula and Michael Bunting at even strength, but Evangelista does get first unit power play time for the Preds and 11 of his 30 points this season have come via the power play.

#12 Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin had a modest start to the season, with 14 points in 22 games, but the powerful winger has started to heat up lately. In his past nine games, Nichushkin has 12 points (4 G, 8 A) and 33 shots on goal, while playing 19:42 per game. Nichushkin is playing with Brock Nelson and Artturi Lehkonen at even strength and getting first unit power play time for the Avs.

#13 Anaheim Ducks centre Mason McTavish went through a tough stretch in early December, managing one point in an eight-game span, but he has pulled it back on track with five points (3 G, 2 A) and 22 shots on goal in his past six games. McTavish is currently skating on a line with rookie Beckett Sennecke and veteran Chris Kreider in addition to having a spot on the Ducks’ top power play unit.

#14 The Vancouver Canucks are in a tough spot right now with Marco Rossi and Conor Garland both out with injuries. Rossi’s absence leaves the second line centre spot for Max Sasson, the 25-year-old rookie who does have five points (4 G, 1 A) in the dozen games in which he has played at least 12 minutes. Garland’s injury opens the door for Linus Karlsson to play on the Canucks’ top line with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk. Karlsson has five points (4 G, 1 A) with six shots on goal in his past five games and, again, that shot rate is too low to be very exciting, but Karlsson is starting to earn additional ice time and the injuries are just providing him with an even better opportunity. He has five points (4 G, 1 A) in the nine games in which he has played at least 12 minutes this season.

#15 This is not the first time this season that Pittsburgh Penguins right winger Justin Brazeau has been highlighted, but it has been a remarkable season for a player who had 22 points (11 G, 11 A) in 76 games last season. Brazeau missed some time with an injury but has produced 20 points (12 G, 8 A) in 25 games for the Penguins, including six points (4 G, 2 A) and 11 shots on goal in his past four games. Brazeau is playing on a line with Anthony Mantha and Tommy Novak as well as getting time on the Penguins’ second power play unit.

#16 Although Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Zack Werenski is expected to return to action this weekend, the Blue Jackets have been getting some nice production from others on the blueline. Veteran Damon Severson has contributed six points (1 G, 5 A) and 10 shots on goal in his past five games while second-year defenceman Denton Mateychuk has five points (1 G, 4 A) and seven shots on goal, while averaging a whopping 25:29 of ice time per game, in his past five contests. Werenski’s return will limit their offensive upside, but Mateychuk could still hold some appeal in deeper leagues.

#17 Maybe wins don’t always come so easily in Columbus, but Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves is still widely available for fantasy managers despite posting a .909 save percentage in 26 games. His 8.33 Goals Saved Above Expected in all situations ranks 21st among goaltenders and it’s notably better than Elvis Merzlikins, his competition in the Columbus crease, who has -6.10 Goals Saved Above Expected. Greaves’ increasingly strong hold on the starting job for the Blue Jackets does give him some appeal for fantasy managers.

#18 Buffalo’s winning streak has been the tide to lift all of the Sabres’ ships and that includes goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who become increasingly important with Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis both injured. Luukkonen has stopped 76 of 79 shots (.962 SV%) in his three starts during the 10-game winning streak, and that followed some uneven performances on his way to a .884 save percentage through his first 10 appearances of the season.

#19 More from the Maple Leafs’ supporting cast: Max Domi is not especially consistent in his offensive production and some if it has to do with where he is in the lineup, so it’s noteworthy that he’s getting a chance on the top line, skating with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. Domi has six points (1 G, 5 A) and 10 shots on goal in his past five games after he had 12 points (3 G, 9 A) and 50 shots on goal in his first 33 games. A player who was considered an option for that first-line right wing spot when he was acquired in the offseason, Matias Maccelli has contributed six points (2 G, 4 A) and eight shots on goal in his past seven games as he skates on a line with Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton.

#20 Keep an eye on Dallas Stars rookie left winger Justin Hryckowian, who has five points (3 G, 2 A) with eight shots on goal in his past seven games. That shot rate is far too low to have real sustainable value, but Hryckowian is on a line with veterans Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn, and this looks like progress after he started the season with eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 33 shots on goal through his first 33 games of the season.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Team Preview

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 20:00:59 +0000

_{VANCOUVER, BC - JANUARY 27: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) skates with the puck during an NHL game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, January 27, 2024 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. (Photo by Ethan Cairns/Icon Sportswire)}

IN MEMORIAM – JOHNNY GAUDREAU – 1993 - 2024
The hockey world was sent into shock and mourning when Matthew and Johnny Gaudreau’s lives were tragically cut short this summer at the hands of an impaired driver. Johnny Gaudreau defied the odds at every level of hockey he played at. Affectionately known as “Johnny Hockey” – the nickname was appropriate not only because of Gaudreau’s skill level, but because he was also an amazing steward of the game throughout his time in it. From the New Jersey area, to Boston, to Calgary, to Columbus, Gaudreau left a tangible, positive impact in each city he called home as evidenced by the outpouring of love and memorials outside all the arenas he’s played in. Consistently written off due to his size, Gaudreau entered the NHL in his first season and posted 64 points in 80 games, putting the world on notice that size was no longer a valid concern in analysis of his game.

Gaudreau used his speed in combination with his slick hands and puck manipulation techniques to consis- tently find open space for himself and turn that open space into high-quality scoring chances. His heads- up style of play and elite understanding of the game allowed him to consistently elevate the play of his teammates and serve them quality looks, evidenced by his average of 50 assists per season and 500 overall for his career. Aside from setting his career high in points in 2017-18, he also won the Lady Byng trophy. We join the entire hockey community in honouring the life and careers of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau and the passion and joy they brought to the game we all love.

TEAM OVERVIEW The shock and loss of their best player, for an organization that is no stranger to tragedy after losing goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks in the summer of 2021, will be a tremendous challenge for the team. New management and a new head coach in Dean Evason will have to pull together a very talented group of young players. Denton Mateychuk, Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli, Yegor Chinakhov, Kirill Marchenko, Cole Sillinger, Dmitri Voronkov and David Jiricek all have tremendous promise and are currently developing in the NHL. Chinakhov, Marchenko and Voronkov all made some noise last season, at times uniting on an all-Russian line. There are some reasons for optimism, but it was going to be another year of development for their youngsters and the playoffs were not likely in the cards.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Adam Fantilli missed 33 games last campaign with a lacerated calf. That ended what had been an encouraging rookie campaign - the 19-year-old (20 on Oct. 12) scored 12 goals and 27 points through 49 contests. He’s healthy now and primed to play on the top six and first power-play unit this season. Although Columbus probably will finish toward the bottom of the league in goals scored, Fantilli should be an offensive leader for the Blue Jackets this year.

FORWARD

Sean Monahan

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	22	35	57	0.70

Monahan arrives to the Blue Jackets via free agency having signed a five-year contract at $5.5 million AAV per year. Monahan put some of the concerns about his lengthy injury history in the rearview by playing a full season last year split between the Montreal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets and continued into the Jets brief spell into the playoffs. Monahan is still a handful in the faceoff dot, where he posted over a 55 percent win rate last year and was well into the top third of centers with regards to faceoff wins. Monahan posted modest point totals but showcased an ability to support the play in the offensive zone via rush and forecheck as well as showcase puck distribution abilities that created shot-attempts for his teammates in the offensive zone. The expectation is that Monahan will inherit the top center role alongside his former teammate Johnny Gaudreau but expect pressure through the year from the likes of Adam Fantilli to steal that spot away from him. Monahan’s shot rates in his short time with Winnipeg were good for third on the team, and the hope is his supporting play and elevation of shot rates can put Gaudreau back on the map from a goal scoring perspective. Assuming Monahan stays healthy again, he should provide a good boost to the output of his linemates.

Kirill Marchenko

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	25	21	46	0.58

Marchenko had a good bit of focus on him heading into the year coming off of a strong 21-goal campaign as a rookie. His sophomore year, usually a challenging one for forwards, didn’t feature a massive regression in any one area. In fact, Marchenko’s peripheral statistics, especially defensively, saw improvements year over year. There’s an argument to be made that his overall goal scoring was not as impactful as the prior year as he only had 23 total goals in 78 games. Marchenko’s lack of boost in goal scoring was an effect felt across the entire Blue Jacket’s top line last season. His even-strength goal scoring output was good for the 60^th percentile of NHL forwards. Marchenko did not experience a dip in shot-attempts and still put up totals that place him well within the top third of NHL forwards with regards to putting pucks on net. His passing statistics and play support statistics put him in the bottom third of NHL forwards even though he saw an increase in assists last year. Marchenko’s best work comes off of the rush where he has the ability to use his size and speed to surprise NHL defenders. With a new look top line for Columbus, the hope is that Marchenko will find himself in more of those situations in the year to come.

Adam Fantilli

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	23	30	53	0.67

Fantilli’s rookie season came with a great level of expectation that was largely unrealized, but that may be because of elements outside of his control. From a linemates perspective, Fantilli’s start to the year saw him playing deep in the bottom-six for Columbus alongside players that don’t quite think the game on the same level as him. As his ice time increased north of the 12:00 mark and he began moving up the depth chart, his performance, unsurprisingly, improved along with the increase in quality of teammate. Additionally, the Columbus power-play struggled throughout the course of the year and as a result, Fantilli never had a chance to truly make his mark on that side of the puck. Offensively speaking, he was in the top third of the league’s forward group in shots, shots off the rush, and goals-scored at even-strength. He also showed a good bit of competency at carrying the puck across the blueline with possession and creating elongated offensive possession as a result of his puck-moving ability. I think there’s room for him to continue to improve on the forecheck and in the defensive zone. Expect Fantilli to make marked improvements in his off-puck habits and ultimately pressure for a role on the Blue Jacket’s top line before the season is over. There is a lot of skill here still left to showcase.

Yegor Chinakhov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	23	19	42	0.57

Despite missing a large chunk of time to injury, Yegor Chinakhov’s 2023-24 campaign is one that you can file under him cementing himself as a verifiable scoring threat and graduated NHL talent. I don’t believe there’s anything left for him to learn at the AHL level. He tortured goaltenders with his wrist shot last year, showcasing his ability to gain significant velocity from short, hard to predict releases. By the end of the season, the only forward with a higher goal scoring rate than Chinakhov was Johnny Gaudreau. One of the biggest criticisms you can make of him is that, given the value of his shot, he doesn’t use it enough. Chinakhov was in the sixth percentile of NHL forwards regarding shot-attempts at even-strength. Something that hasn’t gotten enough discussion is the reliability he showcased off-puck last season. He was on the ice for the second lowest total of shot-attempts against per 60 minutes of even-strength ice time. His overall even-strength defensive returns put him in the 82^nd percentile of forwards. Chinakhov has the ability to develop into a serious shooting threat and could get a decent boost in goals if he sees more power-play time this season. He spent time towards the end of the season with fellow countrymen Kirill Marchenko and Dimitri Voronkov. I expect that line to get more looks in the coming season and Chinakhov to see an improvement on his 16 goals from the year prior.

Kent Johnson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	18	20	38	0.53

Kent Johnson’s sophomore season was a disappointment from almost any angle you view it from. Johnson was hoping to build off a solid rookie campaign that saw him end with 16 goals and 24 assists in 79 games. However, when training camp ended for the 2023-24 season, Johnson was not a part of the roster. His camp performance was sub-par, and he never re-discovered the game that put him on the map the year prior. By the end of the season, Johnson finished with just six goals and 10 assists in 42 games played. His defensive game suffered a regression and his forechecking and engagement in the battle areas of the ice left something to be desired. After moving up and down the lineup and battling healthy scratches, Johnson was eventually injured for the final weeks of the regular season, adding extra bitterness to his sophomore slump. Johnson’s goal last year was to come into camp bigger, stronger, and more influential on the puck. That same goal needs to apply to this season if Johnson is going to put any stretch of relevant time together in the Blue Jackets forward group. Johnson is coming into his final season under his Restricted Free Agency deal. This season is tantamount to him finding a permanent place in the NHL.

Dmitri Voronkov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	21	16	37	0.47

Jackets’ fans had to wait a long time for Dmitri Voronkov, four years to be exact, but the KHL regular impressed just about everyone in his first foray onto a North American ice surface this season. Voronkov did not make the team straight out of camp but was recalled late October and went on an immediate run here he piled up goals and assists through his first fifteen games and stayed relatively consistent thereafter, earning more and more ice time as the year went on, culminating in a top six performance alongside fellow Russians Yegor Chinakhov and Kirill Marchenko, forming an All-Russian line for Columbus. Voronkov’s game is predicated on using his size, reach, and physical prowess. He was a force in front of the net during his time in the KHL and that was no different in Columbus. Voronkov’s first year offensive output’s at even-strength put him in the 80^th percentile of NHL forwards, a great debut for the big talent. One area he will need to work on is his puck distribution abilities and passing in the offensive zone. He was only in the sixth percentile of NHL forwards for offensive-zone shot assists. Voronkov has the size and skating to be a continued menace in front of the net and in the battle areas of the ice. He showcased enough with puck control and puck handling that he is not a one-trick pony. It will be interesting to see how his game continues to develop in the coming years.

Boone Jenner

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
63	18	17	35	0.56

The big questions surrounding Jenner coming into this season are focused on the best suited deployment for the veteran center. It’s still evident that he can have a positive effect on the lineup given his puck-possession results and overall goal totals. While still effective, especially in the battle areas in the boards and net-front, Jenner does clash stylistically with some of the wingers in the Blue Jacket’s top six. Despite missing chunks of time to injury and personal reasons, Jenner still ended the year with 22 goals, his third straight 20+ goal campaign. Given his age and mileage, much of the discussion has shifted to his making a full switch to the bottom six forward group for Columbus. Given the signing of Sean Monahan and the rise of Adam Fantilli, that may just be where Jenner ends up. His game is still suited for a bottom-six checking role and his goal scoring rates at even-strength could provide a much needed scoring boost to the bottom-six forward group. Jenner is still an effective player on the forecheck and in front of the net but has struggled in recent years to impact transition play and assist his teammates in puck distribution efforts. Regardless of the mileage and offensive limitations, he can still score goals and remains an extremely valuable faceoff man. Expect Jenner to continue to be a force in front of the net this season and can still expect some power play time as a result

Cole Sillinger

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	15	19	34	0.43

Cole Sillinger’s 2023-24 season was about as rollercoaster of a performance as you can get. In fact, that truly summarizes his entire three-year journey through the NHL at this juncture. After a promising rookie season, Sillinger crashed out in a sophomore slump where he netted three goals and 11 points in 64 games. This season’s start, while bolstered by strong underlying numbers, was just as drought-like with regards to goals. Sillinger had one goal through his first 27 games in 2023-24 but burst onto the scoresheet after the drought to end his third professional season with 13 goals and 19 assists in 77 games. Sillinger was significantly snake-bit with his finishing ability last season. He posted returns in the 80^th plus percentile in raw shots, shots off of high-danger passes, and shots off of the rush. His finishing found its level a handful of times in the season, but always in short, sporadic bursts. Whatever the case, Sillinger didn’t pose a lot of risk defensively and was generally a low-event player on both sides of the puck. He saw a steady increase in ice time throughout the year and in a variety of deployments, a testament to his versatility as a center. Sillinger posted his highest faceoff percentage of his young career at just over 46%, but still has room for improvement in the circle. Overall, consistency will be the name of the game for Sillinger moving forward as he looks to play a critical role in the Bluejackets bottom six forward group.

DEFENCE

Zach Werenski

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	15	48	63	0.84

Werenski took the role of top defenceman for Columbus last year and was deployed in virtually every situation imaginable. From power-play to penalty kill to the biggest five on five minutes, Werenski put his best foot forward to impact the Blue Jackets outcomes as much as he possibly could. Unfortunately, it takes more than one solid performer to round out a defence and Columbus was not deep enough defensively to make Werenski’s statistics look attractive. Overall, he led the Blue Jackets in just about every statistical bucket and set a franchise record for points by a defenceman. The offensive side of Werenski’s work was great, but his even-strength results from a defensive perspective put him in the sixth percentile of NHL defencemen. Werenski’s best impacts are in puck movement and shot support. From the perspective of denying zone entries defensively or retrieving dumped pucks, Werenski found himself in the bottom third of the league. Despite the less-than-attractive results, he posted a goals-for percentage at even-strength that was seven percent higher than any of his defensive peers. He also paced at or near the top of the team in shot-attempt and scoring chance mitigation. Overall, expect Werenski to continue to play a variety of roles as the defensive leader of the Blue Jackets, his best work coming in shot-attempt boosts and help in gaining possession in the offensive zone.

Damon Severson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	6	18	24	0.30

Severson’s first season in Columbus wasn’t poor, but it also likely failed to live up to the lofty expectation garnered by the eight-year contract he signed. Severson finished his first campaign in Columbus with nine goals and 19 assists in 67 games and actually finished the year with some decent defensive numbers and paced the Columbus blue line in a number of defensive metrics. He was the only blueliner on the Columbus roster to finish with a positive result in puck-possession metrics (plus-four percent relative to teammates) and had the highest expected-goal for percentage on the team at 49 percent. His overall defensive metrics put him in the 67^th percentile of NHL defencemen. His rate at denying possession zone entries put him in the 80^th percentile of league defencemen, an oasis in a desert of poor defensive performances in Columbus. Some of his best work came in terms of shot-support in the offensive zone and working the puck out of the defensive zone via his passing skill. This wasn’t a poor debut performance by any stretch and is head and shoulders above most of his peers on the team, but with a cap hit of over six million dollars per year, the expectations were simply a little bit higher. Severson will once again be called upon in a variety of minutes to support the team as a jack-of-all-trades defenceman.

Ivan Provorov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	5	24	29	0.35

For the second year in a row, Ivan Provorov played in every single regular season game for the Columbus Blue Jackets and posted respectable numbers in doing so. The biggest boost came to his offensive game this season. He scored five more points than the previous year, but it’s the supporting metrics around his puck support and shot contributions that increased his overall offensive output from a Wins Above Replacement perspective from the 22^nd percentile for defencemen to the 41^st percentile. Provorov’s best work this season came via retrieving pucks in the defensive zone and exiting the defensive zone with possession, both areas he graded out in the top third of NHL defencemen. His returns in defending the blueline and breaking up plays as they enter the defensive zone regressed a bit year over year. Provorov is heading into the final year of his contract. Depending on his performance there may be some trade discussions around his skill set as we get closer to the trade deadline. He has weathered the overall poor defensive presence in Columbus fairly well and is a reliable middle pairing player that plays relatively low-event hockey. While there may be a ceiling to his deployment as his statistics do suffer from elevated minutes, with the right partner in the right circumstances he can be effective.

David Jiricek

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	6	18	24	0.32

Jiricek earned valuable experience last year at both the AHL and the NHL level, experiencing a bit of a baptism by fire for his rookie campaign. While the returns were likely considered disappointing, he’s only 20 years old and still developing into a professional player. Additionally, as discussed, the environment in Columbus was volatile at best defensively. Jiricek found himself in many challenging situations throughout the course of the year. When faced with odd man breaks or one-on-one situations, Jiricek’s decision making process showed room for improvement as he continues to adapt to the pro-style game. That being said, it’s also clear why he comes with the degree of pedigree he does. He is an effortless skater, and his movement will be one of the foundational aspects of his game throughout his career. Jiricek should find himself in a more stable environment this year with less back-and-forth to the AHL and healthy scratches. There’s potential for him to see an increase in power-play minutes and more time with the Blue Jackets top forwards, who will further complement his skill set. Patience is key to the development of young defencemen and Jiricek is no exception to that rule. Expect more solid returns this year with a refined sense of decision making with the puck. Hopefully, Columbus can get him into more positions to utilize some of his offensive skillset.

GOAL

Elvis Merzlikins

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
51	16	29	6	2	0.901	3.29

Daniil Tarasov

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
22	7	13	2	1	0.904	3.38

From a raw numbers perspective, Blue Jackets starter Elvis Merzlikins - once touted as the team's heir apparent before stumbling in tandem with the team's seeming free-fall to the bottom of the standings - struggled as much last season as he had the year before. He once again failed to hit even league-average numbers in his fifth NHL season, a far cry from the rookie debut season that earned him fifth-place spots in both Vezina and Calder voting back in 2020. And from a visual perspective, the 29-year-old Latvian netminder still looks like he's lost that extra spark that gave him a competitive edge over his opponents. He still has plenty of agility and speed, his lateral movements look fluid and strong, and he's got fast hands that he's unafraid to use; his positioning always seemed just a little off, though, and he had trouble recovering from rebounds in a way that suggested he was reading the play as well as he's shown capable of doing in the past.

That being said, the advanced data for the 2023-24 campaign suggested that Merzlikins isn't a complete write-off. He pulled out of the nosedive that saw him record quality starts in just eight of his 30 games in 2022-23, putting up league average or better performances in just around half of his games last year. And in theory, the Blue Jackets should continue to take steps to improve this year - which puts him in a good position to continue to level his game back out again as well. And in even better news, his backup Daniil Tarasov showed proficiency in stopping sharp-angle shots and in avoiding being goaded into bad positioning. Both goaltenders will likely still face a barrage of shots in each game this year, but things are starting to level out; hopefully, that should give Merzlikins the confidence he needs to take the reins back and Tarasov the right environment to continue to develop and thrive.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:26:20 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - JANUARY 03: Columbus Blue Jackets Left Wing Johnny Gaudreau (13) before a face-off during second period National Hockey League action between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators on January 3, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

Review: Columbus made a huge free agent splash in the summer of 2022 when they inked Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year, $68.25 million contract and…then they got worse, dropping from a 37-38-7 record in 2021-22 to 25-48-9 last year. To be fair, that wasn’t Gaudreau’s fault. He did regress significantly from his 115-point showing in 2021-22 to 74 points, but he still served his role as the team’s offensive leader. There wasn’t much backing him though. Patrik Laine was the only other player to even hit the 50-point mark, and Columbus ranked 30th in goals per game with 2.60. The Blue Jackets also had the second-worst five-on-five expected goals against (213.18), which indicates that their defense was horrendous. Even still, goaltender Elvis Merzlikins shouldn’t escape blame for his 4.23 GAA and .876 save percentage in 30 contests, not that the alternatives in net other than Joonas Korpisalo (who was dealt to the Kings on March 1) were much better. In the end, it was a miserable season for Columbus.

What’s Changed? Not a change, but Zach Werenski is expected to be ready for training camp after missing almost the entire 2022-23 campaign because of a shoulder injury, so that will substantially bolster the blue line. He’ll be joined by defensemen Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson, who were acquired from Philadelphia and New Jersey, respectively. Columbus also selected center Adam Fantilli with the third overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and he might make an immediate impact.

What would success look like? Making the playoffs is probably too much to hope for, but the Blue Jackets might be a bit of an underrated team. Their defense should be substantially better thanks to their summer additions and the anticipated return of Werenski. If they could get a solid rookie season out of Fantilli, who might get a serious look as the team’s second-line center, and some progression from sophomores Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko, then their offense will take a meaningful step forward too.

What could go wrong? Even if their defense improves, it won’t be enough if Merzlikins plays like he did last year. With Korpisalo gone, Daniil Tarasov is penciled in to be the backup, but his 4-11-1 record, 3.91 GAA and .892 save percentage in 17 contests with Columbus in 2022-23 did nothing to inspire confidence. The Blue Jackets might have the worst goaltending duo in the league this year. Combine that with the fact that their second line might cons

Forwards

Johnny Gaudreau – LW

Gaudreau’s first season with Columbus may not have led to a high impact in the league standings, but from a personal output perspective, Gaudreau’s offensive outputs eclipsed his peers on the team by significant totals. Most of his damage was done off of the rush, where he also led the Jackets in both controlled entries and shots off of those controlled entries. Gaudreau’s passing also helped to elevate his teammates as only Jakub Voracek had more high danger passes at even-strength last season. Gaudreau’s elite skating and hockey sense enabled him to consistently find time and space for himself throughout the course of the year. As Columbus continues their rebuild, finding top line talent that can provide a set-up element to Gaudreau’s game will be crucial. A lot of the creating that Gaudreau did was independent of a high-level of passes to the danger areas of the offensive zone. Given that he was a mere 13 points away from the Jackets franchise record for points, it’s not unreasonable to assume he could break that record if given a stronger supporting cast of characters in the near future.

Patrik Laine – RW

Laine again struggled with injuries and availability in an otherwise strong campaign. His production was down by three points in one less game than the previous season, but he saw increased returns in his defensive performance and his passing distribution in the offensive zone, giving a much more complete picture of what Laine can do when he’s available and showing engagement throughout the ice. He did a surprising, volunteer stint as a center last season and held his own in the process. He led all Blue Jacket forwards in shot-attempts by a wide margin and was just behind Johnny Gaudreau in quality scoring chance production by a tenth of a percentage point. Laine’s puck handling was also on display in a prominent fashion last year as he was second among Blue Jacket forwards in both chances created off the rush and shots created off of the rush. Laine remains a pure sniper with a high-velocity shot and above-average finishing ability. If he can continue to round out his game as he has the last two seasons, the only thing stopping him from being an impact player is his health and availability. His peripherals outside of scoring getting a bump last season has people interested in whether or not that trend can continue.

Boone Jenner - C

The Blue Jacket’s Captain saw a 2022-23 campaign where, despite a recurring bout of injuries to his hand and back, he was able to post high water marks in goals (26) and points (45) that he had not achieved since the 2015-16 season. Jenner was cemented as Columbus’ top line center and posted those totals in the face of some difficult deployments. The aforementioned injuries seemed to hit Jenner at the worst times and during periods of strong play. Only Patrik Laine attempted more shots than Jenner at even-strength last season. In addition, Jenner’s expected goal shares were a net positive relative to his teammates. As evidenced by his assist totals, play making and passes that created a shot-attempt were not a part of his strong suit last season. Jenner has some youthful challengers around him that can push for the top center spot for the Blue Jackets as the year progresses. Whether or not Jenner can stay healthy and maintain his place in the lineup will be the biggest question of the upcoming season.

Kent Johnson – LW

Johnson’s rookie season needs to be ingested with a heavy dose of perspective. This young member of the Blue Jackets ended his first full professional season on an echelon that he simply wasn’t close to when the year began. When it was all said and done, Johnson was a routine member of the Jackets top six forward group and he carved out 16 goals and 40 points in 79 games despite some raw youthfulness behind his performances. As his game became more refined, so did his ice time. Johnson was deployed heavily in offensive situations and started a higher percentage of his shifts in the offensive zone than any other Blue Jackets forward. Johnson’s finishing ability was on display throughout the year, and he showcased a wrist shot that possessed several deceptive elements. That being said, his ability to control the play at even-strength and contribute to longer offensive shifts will need to improve. Johnson’s share of expected goals was second to last on the team at just 41 percent. Moving into next year, Johnson will need to continue to refine his game and become more involved away from the puck. Drafted as a center, there’s a question as to whether he will remain on the wing or return to his natural position.

Kirill Marchenko – RW

Marchenko was called up in December and scored 13 goals in the first two months of the season before leveling out and cooling off later in the year. He finished the season with a total of 21 goals and had the fourth highest rate of scoring-chance generation on the team. Marchenko also posted some of the stronger defensive returns on a Blue Jackets team that struggled overall from a defensive perspective. Marchenko didn’t do a ton of heavy lifting with regards to zone entries, but he was a volume shooter, generating the fourth highest rate of even-strength shots among Blue Jacket forwards. Marchenko has shown a deep, unique set of offensive skills that he isn’t afraid to utilize. He’s very bullish with the puck on his stick and sometimes holds it to a detriment. He had the lowest number of high danger passes on the Blue Jackets roster and had none attributed to his name in the games tracked by the All Three Zones project. As Marchenko evolves, puck distribution will be a critical element of his game as he looks to further cement his spot in the top six.

Jack Roslovic – C

Roslovic’s season had a mix of successes and struggles but ultimately ended with a performance that is likely a little below the line of where he was deployed. With his time on ice reflective firmly of a second line player, Roslovic finished the season with just 11 goals and the worst share of expected goals among any Blue Jacket forward at this season with just 40.6 percent of the quality shots to his name at five-on-five. These results are perplexing when you consider that Roslovic led the Blue Jackets in zone entries per 60 and created more shots off of the forecheck than any forward on the team per the All Three Zones project. These loose ends make a little more sense when you also consider Roslovic had the second highest rate of giveaways on the team and generally made some low-percentage plays from the exterior of the high-danger areas with those possessions. Additionally, Roslovic’s defensive returns were in the 6th percentile among NHL forwards. The wow-factor that Roslovic can provide hasn’t been consistent enough or developed beyond what fans saw upon his arrival in Columbus. There is a large question around where his best deployment is moving into this upcoming season.

Emil Bemstrom – LW

Bemstrom played 55 games for the Blue Jackets last year as he spent a chunk of time in the AHL with Cleveland. The sheen of an exciting, sniper-based prospect has quickly dissolved off of Bemstrom’s game and there’s some question about where he projects for the current state of the Blue Jackets makeup. His defensive work has been his best attribute so far. While he exhibited an ability to take defensive zone deployments and flourish, he struggled in some critical areas of offensive support. Per the All Three Zones data, Bemstrom put had the lowest total of shots off the forecheck and the second lowest total of zone entries per 60 among Blue Jacket forwards. Bemstrom’s shot, arguably his best asset, hasn’t been used in enough high-danger areas to make an impact. As a result, Bemstrom had the second lowest even-strength shooting percentage on the team at just over four percent. Tying this back into Bemstrom’s lack of shots on the forecheck, and it’s clear that the challenge for him is to find ways to get to the front of the net and generate scoring chances from in tight on goal. There will be a battle for him to carve out his place in the bottom six for Columbus this season.

Cole Sillinger - C

Sillinger hit a lot of struggles in his second year in the league, including a run where he went on a nearly 50 game goal-scoring drought in the middle of the season before ultimately being sent down to the American Hockey League. That sophomore slump, combined with an average-at-best performance in the AHL, raises legitimate questions about where Sillinger will start the year for Columbus in 2023-24. A big problem for Sillinger comes from the results outside of his goal scoring. Goal scoring slumps can be tolerable when players are driving play and generating chances, but that truly was not the case here. Sillinger’s game seemed to develop a vanilla element and appeared to lack confidence. Sillinger’s hallmark in his rookie season was creating space and participating in zone entries. This season, he had the second lowest carry-in percentage of any forward on the Blue Jackets. I’d argue Sillinger’s path to returning to impactful hockey is centric towards putting the puck on his stick more this season. His confidence in carrying the puck and pushing the play forward garnered him a load of shots and chances in his rookie season that were simply missing from his game entirely last year.

Alexandre Texier – RW

Texier returns to the NHL for 2023-24 after playing in Switzerland last year. In dealing with a personal issue, Texier opted to be closer to his family in France. He returns to the NHL with 49 points to his name in 129 career games. Texier’s returns defensively make him a good bet to feature as a winger on the third line. His penalty killing impacts have traditionally been strong as a direct link to his defensive performances at even-strength and it’s expected he’ll make a significant impact in that area as well. He’s coming off of a productive season in Zurich where he scored 35 points in 46 games and played a significant role on special teams. Hearkening back to his last time in the NHL, Texier played a massive role in forechecking per the All Three Zones data from that season. He recovered the third most dump-ins among team forwards that season. The expectation is that he’ll have a continued impact in that area as well as the other traditionally difficult areas of the ice. Expect Texier to be present in front of the net and creating issues for opposing defensemen with his forechecking ability.

Defense

Zach Werenski – D

Werenski’s campaign was cut drastically short after just 13 games last season. Werenski landed awkwardly on his elbow and ended up requiring surgery that would cut his season short. While there isn’t enough of a body of work to make any drastic evaluations from his prior year, what we can acknowledge is how strong he started the year offensively speaking. Through the first 13 games of the year, Werenski registered three goals and five points in that small sample, putting him well on his way to pacing towards a career high in points. With his health back, Werenski will be looked upon as the champion of the Blue Jackets backline. From taking on the most difficult minutes Mike Babcock and the coaching staff can drum up to being looked at to help drive zone entries and offensive contributions. Looking back at the All Three Zone data from 2021-22, Werenski averaged seven more successful zone exits per 60 than his next closest peer, further evidence of the massive role he plays in the Jackets ability to navigate out of the defensive zone successfully. For this year, Werenski will be looking for a continuation of his hot start from the previous year and a clean bill of health.

Ivan Provorov – D

Provorov arrived in Columbus from Philadelphia via a three-team trade. Coming off of a season where his offensive numbers plummeted and he was embroiled in controversy around his vocal decisions to opt-out of team-based social causes, he’ll move to the Jacket’s where his responsibilities in deployment should drastically change. In Philadelphia, he was deployed and used as a number one overall defenseman and the results were, quite frankly, disastrous. Provorov tied a career low in goals (6) despite playing in all 82 games and seeing an increase in minutes. His offensive outputs regarding shot and chance creation dropped to the 29th percentile in the NHL among defensemen. Provorov also struggled defensively and exhibited a few steps back in his decision-making processes. One strength he will certainly bring to the Jacket’s defensive unit is a strong ability to retrieve pucks and get them to safety. He led the Flyers last season and in previous seasons for defensive zone retrievals per hour of even-strength ice time. Overall, a change of scenery was necessary for both player and team in the case of Provorov. With Columbus having a new look, revamped blue line, it may allow him to take on a more friendly deployment that re-centers his performances both offensively and defensively.

Damon Severson – D

Severson arrives in Columbus via a sign-and-trade deal that will keep him with the Blue Jackets for a total of eight years. Severson is expected to be paired on the top pairing alongside offensive defenseman Zach Werenski. This duo should have no issue moving the puck up ice as both defenders have developed a strong reputation for doing so. Per the All Three Zones data, Severson had the second highest average of zone exits with possession per hour of even-strength ice time among Devil defenders. His offensive impacts last season with regards to driving shots and scoring chances put him in an elite company. At even-strength last season, Severson controlled 60% of the expected goals while he was on the ice, a gaudy number that should have Jackets fans excited for his debut. Severson’s performance defensively, while unremarkable, is notably consistent and reliable. The biggest question for this season is how his performance will handle a stark increase in quality of competition. His minutes are sure to grow, and his responsibilities are sure to increase. His mobility and vision should aid him in navigating that new environment with few issues.

Andrew Peeke - D

Peeke once again eclipsed the 80-game mark for the second season in a row. He’s evolved into a one-way, stay-at-home style defenseman who posted extremely respectable results in defensive buckets last season. For instance, among Blue Jacket defenders with at least 500 minutes played, Peeke had the lowest expected-goals against per hour of even-strength hockey on the team. The issue for Peeke is that despite his performance defensively, he’s a detriment to offensive performance. The All Three Zones data reveals a lot of failed zone exits and entries that lead to a scoring chance. Peeke’s skating can be an issue in situations where the game quickly transitions from offensive to defense or vice versa. As a result of some of these limitations, only Erik Gudbranson posted worse puck-possession and expected-goal share numbers than Peeke’s 43 percent in both buckets. His time on ice leads to a lot of low event hockey, but a new potential partner along his flank could assist in some of the heavy lifting around zone exits and offensive contributions to help level out what he does defensively. While the discussion around Peeke’s ceiling as changed, he still has utility when deployed correctly.

ist entirely of rookies and sophomores in Fantilli, Johnson and Marchenko while two of the three forwards on their projected first line – Boone Jenner and Laine – have significant injury histories, and there’s a lot that could go wrong up front too.

Top Breakout Candidate: At the same time, there is plenty of reason to be hopeful about Johnson. The 20-year-old had 16 goals and 40 points in 79 contests last season despite averaging a modest 14:31 of ice time. Selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, he’s got tons of upside and should play a bigger role this season. A 60-point showing in 2023-24 is far from guaranteed, but not out of the question.

Goaltending

Elvis Merzlikins - G

Few goaltenders have come onto the scene looking brighter – and with better fanfare – before falling as spectacularly from grace as Columbus Blue Jackets starter Elvis Merzlikins. Of all goaltenders in the NHL last season, no one struggled more than the Latvian netminder – who will turn 30 at the end of this upcoming season, making it harder and harder to imagine that his regression is something he can definitively bounce back from.

Merzlikins still boasts a lot of the characteristics in his game that made him so easy to root for when he first hit the ice in Columbus. He’s a lower-body powerhouse who plays using his skating and his edgework as a weapon, consistently capitalizing on needing less time to get from point A to point B than even the average NHL starter. He still has an arsenal of ‘fun’ saves to choose from that he’ll break out when fans least expect it, and he’s still capable of showcasing impressive depth management through stretches of mundane saves. That, when he was at the top of his game, set him apart from so many of the league’s other ‘athletic’ goaltenders; while he was capable of playing a fun and free-wheeling game, he could keep things under control in order to avoid being drawn away from his crease and opening up unnecessary holes. In theory, he has one of the best styles to plonk in net behind a transitioning Columbus roster – but even though he was able to deliver for his first few years in the league, he’s been an Achilles heel for Columbus for going on three seasons now and counting. Last year, his goals saved above expected was the worst in the entire NHL, his quality start percentage was below 30 percent, and he failed to record a shutout for the first time over a full season since he came to the NHL in 2019. It was more than just a smattering of really bad games that dragged his numbers down, too; he was only able to string together eight games with a save percentage above league average eight times all season. Game film makes it hard to figure out why, too; while his reads still looked good and his technique didn’t look like he was slipping, he just kept missing stops that he had gotten well into position for. It looked like a struggle defined in millimeters, making it that much harder to diagnose just why exactly he can’t put it all together anymore. That’s hardly a comfort for the Blue Jackets, who have to hope he’s able to finally return to his old form next year without throwing the younger Daniil Tarasov to the wolves as the team’s only clear-cut starting option. But without fellow tandem partner Joonas Korpisalo around anymore, maybe Merzlikins will finally be able to shake off the seemingly jinxed game he’s been playing for the last few years and reset his game as the team’s lone vet in net.

Projected starts: 50-55

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – NHL Player Profiles

Scott Cullen – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 20:15:27 +0000

VANCOUVER, BC - MARCH 15: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) looks up ice during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on March 15, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Jack Hughes

A rising star, the first pick in the 2019 Draft, has been rapidly improving and busted out for 56 points in 49 games last season. Hughes had started generating chances but could not finish early in his career and as his shot improved, the point production followed. Extraordinary confidence is part of what makes Hughes special and is what should drive him to greater heights, but he also needs to get more durable as he matures. A dislocated shoulder and a knee injury contributed to Hughes missing 33 games last season, but the 21-year-old came out of the Christmas break and produced 48 points in his last 36 games. If the Devils are going to be a competitive team, some of that will come from riding Hughes’ development to stardom. A point-per-game over a full season is an entirely reasonable expectation and Hughes if one of the rare players who has 100-point upside.

Jesper Bratt

A 24-year-old who has provided phenomenal value as a sixth-round pick, busting out offensively last season for 73 points in 76 games. Bratt is a consistent offensive threat, and his results last season were outstanding – his 2.90 points per 60 minutes ranked 17^th and his 1.22 goals per 60 minutes ranked 39^th. This production does not come by accident. Bratt has excellent anticipation and is strong on the puck in the offensive zone, equally adept at setting up plays or burying the puck in the back of the net. Bratt’s shooting percentage has varied significantly (13.0%, 8.8.%, 15.8%, 6.9%, 13.2% in his five NHL seasons) so that will play a role in setting expectations for his 2022-2023 season. The trend would be for it to fall this season so 60 points would be a reasonable low-end but a point per game over a full season is not out of range, either.

Nico Hischier

The Devils’ 23-year-old captain broke through for a career high 60 points last season, but he is known as much for his strong two-way play and that reliability makes him a strong complement to Hughes down the middle of the ice. Hischier could be more aggressive as a shooter, but his overall skill and defensive conscience makes him more valuable than might be widely known and his confidence with the puck is growing, which allows him to control the puck more effectively in traffic. That defensive conscience means that Hischier will get more difficult checking assignments and start more shifts in the defensive zone, so he is not deployed as favorably as Hughes, but that makes sense. Hughes has the higher offensive ceiling and Hischier can play the 200-foot game. Staying healthy has been an issue for Hischier, as he has missed at least a dozen games in each of the past four seasons. He might be able to match or surpass last season’s 60 points but that will be dependent on whether he can stay in the lineup.

Ondrej Palat

Consistent and dependable throughout his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning, which included playing a prominent role on two Stanley Cup champions, the 31-year-old winger has finished with at least 40 points in seven of his nine NHL seasons. As a proven performer who has played tough minutes, Palat will be a big help to the Devils’ young forward core. He won’t be fazed by any high-pressure situations and if he plays with Hughes, a 50-point season would be within Palat’s grasp, maybe a little lower if he skates on Hischier’s wing. While Palat was overshadowed at times by the stars in Tampa Bay, he also rose to the occasion in the playoffs, scoring 27 goals in 71 playoff games over the past three seasons. If the Devils can get to the postseason, it would be nice to have someone like Palat, who knows what to do when they get there.

Dawson Mercer

A promising rookie season ended with Mercer tallying 42 points in 82 games, though he managed just one goal in the last 11 games of the season. Mercer played a good portion of his rookie season at center, and won just 35.4% of his faceoffs, but moved to the wing and, despite his late-season slump, that should allow him more offensive freedom because he has good vision and should thrive with skilled linemates. If that means skating on Jack Hughes’ wing, that’s a pretty good place for a second year forward looking to break out offensively. As a young player, Mercer offers a higher degree of potential variance when forecasting his point totals for this season. Some improvement on his rookie season, maybe to around 50 points, would be a quality step forward, but if he is a really good fit in that spot, maybe he could score even more.

Yegor Sharangovich

After a strong finish to his rookie season and a quality sophomore campaign, the 23-year-old winger has put up 31 goals in his past 90 games, and his 1.11 goals per 60 minutes of even-strength ice time last season had him scoring at the same rate as Evgeni Malkin and Tomas Hertl. Sharangovich has a quick release and goes hard to the net, so his opportunities to score are based on positioning, anticipation, and then linemates that do a good job feeding him the puck in scoring position. Sharangovich deserves credit for putting himself in good positions to score and the 24-year-old should be expected to contribute 25 goals and 45-50 points.

Tomas Tatar

A heady veteran winger, Tatar struggled in his first season with the Devils, producing 30 points in 76 games, the lowest per-game scoring rate of his career, thanks in part to an 11-game scoreless drought in the middle of the season. The 31-year-old is still a solid play driving winger, and that can’t be ignored, but for a Devils team that sorely needed contributions from skilled wingers, Tatar’s performance was disappointing. He can still fill a complementary role and the opportunity should still be there for him to produce, maybe not like his best years in Montreal, but better than last season. Taking into account that Tatar has recorded three seasons with more than 55 points, counting on more than 40 points this season would appear to be entirely reasonable.

Erik Haula

Getting traded to New Jersey lands Haula with the seventh team of his career and comes after he scored 18 goals and 44 points for the Bruins last season, both the second highest totals of his career. He had a strong finish to the season, with 10 goals and 19 points in his last 19 games. Haula also recorded a career-high 129 hits, and the ability to provide secondary scoring as well as play with a bit of an edge makes him a nice fit in a third-line center role for the Devils. Last season was one of Haula’s best seasons so it would be optimistic to count on that production again. If he stays healthy, though, 35 points would be an achievable target for the veteran forward.

Andreas Johnsson

Although the 27-year-old winger contributed 35 points last season and it seems like he is still going to be battling for ice tme, Johnsson has enough speed and skill to play a complementary role on a scoring line. His instincts are decent but his play without the puck needs improvement and that could prevent him from handling a bigger role, especially now that the Devils have improved forward depth. That uncertainty over Johnsson’s role on the team tempers any expectations for his production, so a total around the 35 points that he produced last season should be a fair baseline for expectations, with room for variance in either direction.

DEFENSE

Dougie Hamilton

A prized free agent signing a year ago, Hamilton is a rare talent, a smooth skating 6-foot-6 right shot defenseman. Although he had just nine goals last season, Hamilton averaged more than three shots on goal per game for the fifth straight season. He gets hammered by accusations of being soft and it doesn’t help matters if his defensive performance slips, as it did in his first season with the Devils, but Hamilton is typically an elite offensive defenseman whose puck-moving ability tends to offset anything that he gives back on the defensive end. Injuries have caught up to Hamilton in two of the past three seasons, but he was very durable before that, so if he is relatively healthy this season, he should be relied upon to score at least a dozen goals and 45-50 points, with potential to go significantly higher. In his last two seasons with Carolina, for example, Hamilton put up 82 points in 102 games.

Damon Severson

A 28-year-old right shot defenseman who just put up a career-high 46 points last season, Severson is a potential free agent in the summer of 2023. The Devils typically get better results with Severson on the ice, at least in terms of shots, but he has yet to have a season in the NHL in which his team outscores the opposition during 5-on-5 play. Severson has been very durable, and in a contract year should be poised for significant production, in the range of 40 points, maybe a little more.

Ryan Graves

Even though Graves is 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, he is not an especially physical option on the blueline, but he is a steady top-four defenseman and that matters a lot for a team that is seeking a path to credibility. His ice time has climbed steadily since he arrived in the league, reaching a career-high 20:43 time on ice per game last season. Graves recorded a career-high 28 points last season and with 135 hits, he did fill the stat sheet a little bit. Scoring is not necessarily going to drive Graves’ value, but he ought to be capable of 25 points and then add to that with hits and blocked shots to make him worth considering in deep leagues.

John Marino

Acquired in a trade that sent Ty Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Marino is a strong skater and capable puck handler who gets the breakout started with a quality first pass but is not much of a factor in terms of physical play. At the same time, he is particularly adept at defending the blueline, and that reliability should make him a valuable contributor in New Jersey. Unless he seizes a bigger role than anticipated, Marino will likely produce 25-30 points this season and without significant peripheral stats, that will serve to limit his fantasy appeal.

GOALTENDING

Mackenzie Blackwood

The New Jersey Devils are growing dangerously close to turning Mackenzie Blackwood into the next John Gibson; after debuting at the NHL level with an impressive game and an admirable confidence level, he’s struggled more and more behind the lottery-dwelling New Jersey lineup each season. This past year was perhaps the worst of all; plagued by a lingering heel injury that left him ginger in the crease and slow to move, Blackwood was limited to just 25 games all year and spent months at a stretch on the team’s long-term injured reserve list.

The club gave very little information regarding what exactly was nagging at Blackwood, so it’s hard to get a read on just what kind of a timetable he’ll need to return to full form. With everything from calcaneal fractures to achilles damage and plantar fasciitis up for grabs as possible problems the goaltender could have faced, the Devils could have Blackwood back at his best as soon as the year begins, or they could be looking at a lengthy return-to-form timeline for the formerly-established number one. The good news is that the team brought Vitek Vanecek in to ease the workload, offering both a younger source of reinforcement (therefore one less likely to get hampered by wear and tear issues) and a goaltender who has more promise to remain a legitimate tandem option than some of the major-minor tweeners the team has tried to deploy in the last few years. There’s less pressure for Blackwood to play through health-related troubles with Vanecek sitting on the bench than there was with backups like Keith Kinkaid and Jon Gillies, which should hopefully ease some of the pressure he faced and allow him to perform at peak capacity. That’s good news for fans – because when he was at full strength, Blackwood’s game forced shooters to show their hands and come to him in a way that made him hard to trick and overthrow.

Projected starts: 55-60

Vitek Vanecek

Washington fans likely hadn’t predicted that they’d spend their 2021-22 season hotly debating whether the team was in better hands with heir apparent Ilya Samsonov or fellow draft-and-developee Vitek Vanecek. And worse, they likely hadn’t predicted that they’d be debating it so hotly not because both goaltenders were doing so well, but because both were continuing to struggle so consistently.

The lukewarm outcome of their year left the Capitals opting to cut ties with both of their starters this summer, though, and New Jersey was one of the two teams that decided to step in and offer their services to attempt a reclamation project. They’ll enter their 2022-23 campaign hoping that Vanecek, who fell shy of recording quality starts in over half his games last year, can bounce back and offer some consistent support behind MacKenzie Blackwood. There’s a hope that the addition of some experience in Blackwood will give Vanecek some direction, and that taking some of the pressure off should enable him to take a step back and tighten back up some of his game moving forward. But it’s hard to really figure out just how much of Vanecek’s game was growing pains, and how much was struggles to read the plays happening in front of him; while he didn’t get quite as goaded into oversliding and shifting out of the net as Samsonov did behind the Washington defense, his issues in coverage had more to do with missed positioning and inconsistent work with his hands. His missed goals came in inches, which make it harder to discern how many were mistakes and how many were simply the result of getting set and positioned off-angle from where he really needed to be.

Projected starts: 25-30

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – A new shooter for the Toronto Maple Leafs, changes on the benches in Edmonton and Montreal, Patrik Laine finding his form, Damon Severson, Connor McDavid and more.

Scott Cullen — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 18:31:38 +0000

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

In this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points, a new shooter for the Toronto Maple Leafs, changes on the benches in Edmonton and Montreal, Patrik Laine finding his form, Damon Severson, Connor McDavid and more.

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 26: Toronto Maple Leafs Right Wing Mitchell Marner (16) skates with the puck during the NHL regular season game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 26, 2022, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire)

#1 Toronto Maple Leafs right winger Mitch Marner had his eight-game goal-scoring streak snapped in Calgary Thursday night, but it was not for a lack of trying as Marner recorded a season-high 10 shots on goal in Toronto’s 5-2 loss. Marner’s sudden desire to shoot the puck more frequently has paid off as he has 10 goals and 42 shots on goal in the past nine games. Before this nine-game stretch, Marner was averaging 2.42 shots on goal per game. In the past nine games, that average is up to 4.67 shots per game.

#2 The Edmonton Oilers fired head coach Dave Tippett and replaced him with Jay Woodcroft, who had been an assistant in Edmonton earlier in his career but had been the head coach for Bakersfield of the AHL since 2018-2019. With the coach coming from the American Hockey League, is there a chance that some younger Oilers might be given more of an opportunity to play significant roles in the team’s desperate push for a playoff spot? Goaltender Stuart Skinner, who has a .908 SV% in a dozen games for the Oilers, probably should get a chance but the Oilers might have to bite the bullet and look for an external solution to their goaltending issues because Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen have not fared well. Defenseman Evan Bouchard, wingers Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto, plus center Ryan McLeod are relatively young Oilers that played for Woodcroft in the AHL so it will be worth keeping an eye on how he chooses to deploy them with the Oilers.

#3 The Oilers were not the only team making a change behind the bench. The Montreal Canadiens fired head coach Dominique Ducharme, replacing him with Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis. With zero pro coaching experience, St. Louis does not have a history with any of the players on his new team, but there might be some inspiration for Cole Caufield, the 21-year-old rookie who has not come close to the lofty expectations that were placed on him coming into the season, but he is an undersized scoring winger, and few filled that role more effectively than St. Louis. Caufield had one goal in 30 games before scoring in St. Louis’ first game on the bench Thursday, a 5-2 loss to Washington.

#4 Veteran Canadiens winger Tyler Toffoli got off to a slow start this season, like many of his teammates but unlike many of his teammates, Toffoli has emerged from that slow start and is producing at a high level once again. He has missed some time with injuries, but Toffoli has 14 points (5 G, 9 A) and 37 shots on goal in his past 13 games. The question for a Canadiens team that is looking for a rebuild, is whether to keep Toffoli or move him to a contender, because he would surely draw interest.

#5 A few weeks ago, Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter called out center Mikael Backlund for his lack of production and the veteran pivot responded with nine points (3 G, 6 A) and 38 shots on goal in the past eight games. Naturally, there is a lot of attention paid to Calgary’s top line, but Backlund has long been a difference maker with strong two-way play and secondary scoring.

#6 It has not been an easy season for Columbus Blue Jackets sniper Patrik Laine, who missed time due to injury and to deal with the death of his father, but he is heating up now. In his past nine games, Laine has produced 12 points (7 G, 5 A) and 27 shots on goal. Given his outstanding release, it is of utmost importance for Laine to get enough opportunities to shoot the puck and he is up by nearly a full shot per game over last season.

#7 Blue collar Chicago Blackhawks winger Brandon Hagel is playing a bigger role in his second season and has put up 10 points (5 G, 5 A) with 22 shots on goal in his past 11 games. Hagel was a sixth-round pick of the Sabres in 2016 and showed well as a rookie for Chicago last season but, powered by a shooting percentage of 18.3%, he is not only playing a top-six role but is also getting time on the top power play unit, too.

#8 As the Vegas Golden Knights prepare for the impending debut of Jack Eichel, who appears to be nearly ready to return from his disc replacement surgery. The challenge for the Golden Knights is how to fit Eichel under the salary cap, and the solution may be that team captain Mark Stone could be headed for LTIR with a back injury. If Stone, who has 28 points (8 G, 20 A) in 28 games, is out of the lineup for an extended period, would the Golden Knights consider keeping Chandler Stephenson on the top line, even if he has to slide to the wing?

#9 New Jersey Devils defenseman Damon Severson has been sizzling, with 17 points (3 G, 14 A) and 32 shots on goal in his past 16 games. He might lose some power play time to Dougie Hamilton when Hamilton returns to= action, but Severson has been a major contributor for the Devils.

#10 Edmonton Oilers superstar center Connor McDavid is tied for third in league scoring with 61 points (23 G, 38 A) in 43 games, but he has reached those heights despite an on-ice shooting percentage of 7.3%, easily the lowest mark of his career. McDavid is averaging 3.77 shots on goal per game, a career high, and the Oilers are generating a higher rate of shot attempts, shots, and expected goals with McDavid on the ice this season compared to any of his previous seasons. Under other circumstances, that would seem like a player that could be a buy-low opportunity, but it might be tough to pry McDavid away from another fantasy manager.

#11 With Bruins left winger Brad Marchand suspended, more responsibility falls to Taylor Hall in Boston. Since January 1, Hall has contributed 17 points (5 G, 12 A) and 45 shots on goal in 19 games and is skating with Erik Haula and David Pastrnak on what is suddenly the Bruins’ top line.

#12 Injuries have hindered the production of Ottawa Senators right winger Connor Brown, who has nine points (2 G 7 A) in his past eight games, but that eight-game sample runs all the way back to mid-December. However, an injury to Drake Batherson creates an even better opportunity for Brown to play a big role in the Senators offense.

#13 The Nashville Predators have been something of a surprise this season and one of the players that has had an integral role in those positive results has been Mikael Granlund, who is playing a career-high 20:53 per game and has produced 38 points (6 G, 32 A) in 45 games, his best per-game point production since 2017-2018 when he was with the Minnesota Wild.

#14 When mining the waiver wire, sometimes value can be found near the bottom of the standings. Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Schmaltz, who has been skating more on the wing this season, scored a pair of goals at Seattle Tuesday, giving him 11 points (6 G, 5 A) in his past 11 games.

#15 The Vegas Golden Knights have done a fine job resurrecting the careers of some players and it looks like they might be on to something with Brett Howden, who was much maligned by the time he was done with the New York Rangers. The 23-year-old still plays a fourth-line role for Vegas, for the most part, but has contributed seven points (4 G, 3 A) in the past six games and that kind of production can help a player earn more opportunities.

#16 San Jose Sharks winger Rudolfs Balcers has flashed his offensive skill from time to time and while he has missed some games with injuries this season, he also has five points (4 G, 1 A) and 12 shots on goal in his past five games. In deep leagues, he is worth considering.

#17 A defenseman who does not score much can still offer fantasy value, depending on league categories. A case in point is Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Calvin de Haan, who has just four points (1 G, 3 A) in 43 games this season, but he is an ace shot blocker. In his past 13 games, de Haan has blocked 58 shots, so if you need category-specific help, de Haan might fill that need.

#18 I have written before about how St. Louis Blues goaltender Ville Husso is pushing for more time in the Blues crease, because he has a .941 save percentage in 15 games this season, but the bigger reason for Husso to take a bigger role for the Blues is that Jordan Binnington is falling apart. Binnington has a .862 save percentage in six starts since January 1, allowing 18 goals against in his past three starts.

#19 With Boston Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask choosing to retire rather than continue his attempt to come back from hip surgery, Jeremy Swayman returns to the Bruins lineup and the rookie might be able to earn a bigger role down the stretch if he plays well. Swayman has a .914 save percentage with Boston this season and forms a reasonably effective tandem with Linus Ullmark.

#20 Since NHL teams returned from the December schedule pause, the leading scorer on a points-per-game basis (minimum 10 games played) has been Pittsburgh Penguins right winger Bryan Rust, who has 26 points (14 G, 12 A) and 54 shots on goal in 14 games, good for 1.86 points per game. Coming in next behind Rust are Mitch Marner, Jonathan Huberdeau, Johnny Gaudreau, and Matthew Tkachuk.

Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick.

By Hall Means – New Jersey Devils 2018-19 Season Preview

Robert Howard — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 18:09:45 +0000

REVIEW/STATE OF PLAY - After a season that delivered a playoff berth after five years in the wilderness, the Hart Trophy winner in Taylor Hall, breakout young talent In Nico Hischier and Will Butcher, the feeling of optimism in New Jersey heading into 2018-19 is palpable. Forwards Patrick Maroon, Brian Gibbons and Michael Grabner departed in the offseason from the forward group while John Moore is gone from the defense. The team made no major additions or changes in the off-season and are counting on their young players to take a step forward while continuing their commitment to youth and the rebuild

Nico Hischier and Taylor Hall

A HALL OF A SEASON - It is hard to come up with enough superlatives to describe Hall’s season. 41 points higher that the next Devil in scoring, 19-year-old Nico Hischier, who made an immediate impact in the NHL as his centerman. They both played through injuries. Hall was revealed to be playing with torn ligaments in his hand while Hischier dealt with a chronic wrist/hand injury throughout the season. Kyle Palmieri was a frequent third member, particularly down the stretch, scoring 15 points in 19 games as their running mate. He scored 24 goals in 62 games last season after years of 26 and 30 respectively.

The other breakout rookie sensation was Will Butcher signed as a free agent out of Denver University. He established himself as their power play quarterback now and in the future. He led all rookie defenseman with 44 points and 23 power play points (second among NHL defenders). An uneven season with a blistering first (16 points in 20 games) and final (14 points in 20 games) quarters representing the bulk of his production. The strong finish along with 4 points in 5 playoff games bode well for next season.

A repeat performance from the two sophomores may be a reach and Hall’s heroics may be hard to duplicate. They will get some help with some players coming back from injury. They will hope for a full season from Marcus Johansson whom they acquired for picks but suffered two concussions, in addition to other injuries. He will line up with Travis Zajac who had a challenging season after returning early from pectoral surgery. Clearly not the same player labouring through the year .. He is 33-years-old and questions will linger until he puts them to rest but this combo on the second line could provide Hischier and Hall breathing room

BUILDING FROM WITHIN - Pavel Zacha has not broken out in his first two seasons, and even found himself scratched at times last year. He remains a talented prospect at 21-years-old and too early to write off, but Devils management will be looking for a meaningful step forward in the coming season. Speedy Miles Wood (22-years-old) made nice progress in his sophomore campaign from 17 to 32 points. And can be expected to continue to develop in the bottom six. 19-year-old Jesper Bratt made a notable first impression with a strong start to his rookie year, even with playing time on the top line. He was also a healthy scratch in seven of the final 17 games. He will be given a shot in the top six again but not a guarantee by any means. 22-year-old John Quenneville will be given a shot at making the team after two seasons of development in the AHL. A versatile, smart and skilled forward and can play both center and wing.

Aside from a well sheltered rookie season from Will Butcher the New Jersey defense is led by veteran warrior Andy Greene. He averaged 21:47 minutes per game, leading the team in total ice time, and still handling the tough matchups at 35-years-old. Sami Vatanen was acquired from Anaheim after a late start to the season recovering from shoulder injury. It took him a while to acclimatize to his new team. He had a streaky season with some strong production. Traded for Adam Henrique he is expected to be an important element on the blueline. 23-year-old Damon Severson was locked up to a long-term deal after a breakout season in 2016-17 and followed up with a very uneven seasonthat saw him as a healthy scratch on multiple occasion. He needs to find a balanced game and show better defending as his power play time has been usurped by Butcher and Vatanen.

A long-standing strength in new Jersey has always been in the crease. Corey Schneider turned in an uncharacteristically bad season. He did not win a game from the new year on. He was hampered by a groin injury missing much of February. He underwent hip surgery in May that will keep him out of the lineup to start the season. 29-year-old Keith Kinkaid filled in admirably in Schneider’s absence and he will start the season as number one. A return to form as an elite puckstopper for Schneider, will be the biggest boost to a repeat appearance in the playoffs.

OUTLOOK - Youth will be served here and the optimism from last season may be a challenge to maintain at times as a young club develops. They are on the right path and not far away from more playoff success. Whether it is this season or not will be a challenge for a young squad that will not surprise anyone next season.

Fantasy Hockey Mailbag — November Begins

Chris Wassel — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 19:14:56 +0000

October has come and gone. It is hard to believe but Daylight Savings Time is a thing of the past too. We will not look back at October for now but there are a few questions that have come via social media err Twitter. It is a time of year where teams start to play more games and this is about the time of year where injuries and frustrations really begin to mount.

Also, fantasy owners begin to notice rookies that have performed well about this time of season. Then there is inevitably questions on when they will hit the wall or if they hit it. Some rookies just do not at all. Then there are the hot and cold starts from some of the more well established names and of course there are always trade and waiver wire questions.

Now we bring you a few of those questions. It is time for the mailbag.

Fantasy Hockey Mailbag

Who do you think has been the most surprising rookie so far?

You can make a case for quite a few players in October but for me, Filip Forsberg has topped them all. The young Swede is the real pivot on that James Neal line and has been quite a godsend for fantasy hockey owners. This 20 year old has a goal and seven assists for the Nashville Predators and is a rookie leading +11. I will never understand why Washington gave up on him so quickly just for a fix but Forsberg just has an eye for setting up players. There were people that thought the youngster could be good but not this good, this fast. Yes, he did have a solid 34 points campaign in 47 games for the Milwaukee Admirals but the NHL is a different game and in a very tough division.

https://twitter.com/gSchroedes16/status/526913295052472320

Again, that says it all for Nashville and Washington. Although the trade did allow the Capitals to make room for a couple rookies of their own. Either way, will Forsberg be this hot going forward? That is unknown. However, so far he has been so good. The bottom line is if he continues to get ice time with James Neal along with first line ice time, I say why not.

Do you ever remember this many key defensemen going down to injury this early in the season? Are there options out there?

Honestly, 2010 was a pretty high event year as far as injuries and looking back that year saw some huge losses among defensive corps. This year has been tougher in some ways because the fantasy hockey options that are "Plan B's" seem to be getting hurt also. The three biggest losses in October and November 1st have been Victor Hedman, Zdeno Chara, and Ryan McDonagh. Those would be a hand, knee, and shoulder injuries respectively. Each one is or will be out almost a month when all is said and done. The blessing is at least it happened now and not later. No one in fantasy hockey says that however.

Then most people scrambled to their Plan B's and they picked up Torey Krug or tried to trade for him in a lot of leagues. They even picked up Dougie Hamilton. Obviously Krug had his finger nearly slashed off by Zach Parise and Hamilton has had mixed results so far in Chara and now Krug's absence. It is tough to lose that big a chunk of your defense. Just ask Tuukka Rask how it feels right now. I also know that people tried to sneak James Wisniewski off the waiver wire or acquire him. That did not work either as he broke a finger last week. Even Jare Spurgeon was looking promising when even he succumbed to a trip to the IR.

There were others but I will spare you the gory details. If you still find a league that has Damon Severson on the waiver wire, go pick him up. Look at Ryan Ellis in Nashville if you have to. The options are there but honestly if you do not have a Plan C, D, or even E, there may be trouble on your fantasy hockey horizon. We have time for one more.

Are you going to be answering more daily fantasy hockey questions for the mailbag?

Yes I am! If you have the questions, I will answer them. Like I said in the beginning, I don't hide! Now DFS has been quite the challenge this year. October has been filled with more trap doors and pitfalls than I can count. However, I have pulled in a decent amount of money. Honestly, my money put out is not huge but occasionally I pick my spots in bigger cash or GPP tourneys. Conventional stack plays have not been working and on Sunday a lot of people had an early Los Angeles-Detroit stack of players that largely came up producing less than expected.

Whether it is a short (2-5 games), medium (6-9), or large slate (10+) of games, we will try to have plays from a variety of daily sites. Every site has different scoring rules so if you do have a question then please include the platform. There are lots of nuances to learn and over the next five months, we will try to answer those questions as well. Expect at least one DFS question per week here on the mailbag. One of the side questions I did get is which nights do you prefer playing?

Generally, I like playing on nights where there are few or a lot of games. Everyone is different but that medium slate of games fouls me up most of the time or I second guess myself.

Good luck this week and keep those questions coming. Thanks for reading!

Fantasy Hockey Mailbag — A Scary Monday

Chris Wassel — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 13:09:42 +0000

This week is Halloween. Granted, it is not until Friday but you get the idea. It has been a scary week for fantasy hockey owners yet again. There will probably be one question about an injury from now until the playoffs and maybe beyond.

It is time to dig into the mailbag and pull out three questions. That sounds like a nice, round number. Hopefully I can help you this week and maybe hey, I can learn a few things too. Humble pie never hurt anyone at all. Let's dig in!

Fantasy Hockey Mailbag Time

1. It was one thing for Victor Hedman to go down with an injury but now Zdeno Chara is out 4-6 weeks with a knee injury. What in the heck do I do?

This one admittedly hit a lot of us in the gut but if you were unlucky enough to have both of these guys then ouch does not do this justice. Sometimes the fantasy sports world can be so cruel and there is little left to do but find a way around it. However, an owner should be thankful that the early portion of the season is a bit spread out. November does start to get congested for some teams (New Jersey has five back to backs) but at least the injuries are not worse. Chara was feared to have multiple torn ligaments. Fortunately, it was only the PCL. That is not so bad.

So knowing that Zdeno Chara might be back before Thanksgiving is a glimmer of hope. In the meantime, what do you do? First of all, see if T.J. Brodie is available from the Calgary Flames. He is paired with Mark Giordano and that means not only possession goodness but points. I am also seeing if Damon Severson of New Jersey is available anywhere or hell, I am making a trade for him. Then why not look right up to Boston and see if maybe Torey Krug or Dougie Hamilton is on the wire.

Again if this was a season long injury, the players you would try to pick up would be different. Keep that in mind when a more dire malady occurs because they surely will at some juncture.

2. Who do I keep between David Backes, Tyler Toffoli, and Patric Hornqvist? (I get to choose two of the three).

Hey, this is like multiple choice where you can fill in two bubbles. Thanks to Kenny Mulligan for the question by the way. Here is the problem. I know that David Backes has dual position eligibility and that is a good thing (C/RW). However, is his upside enough to offset the potential of Tyler Toffoli and Patric Hornqvist? That is an excellent question.

My problem is this. Patric Hornqvist is a high volume shooter playing with a high volume play maker(s). When you can be flanked with Sidney Crosby and/or Evgeni Malkin, that has to help, right? Exactly! Hornqvist will stay right around a point a game as long as he stays healthy. Tyler Toffoli plays on "That 70's line" which accounts for 16 of the 21 Kings goals on the season. Yes they will slow down eventually but will that be enough to make Backes viable? I am not so sure of that.

Also, David Backes can be prone to a calamity as well. St. Louis plays a very grinding style and the points are spread all around. That is another strike against Backes. Even though he may possess more value in other categories, his limits on durability could come into question. His knack for power play goals intrigues me but the fact that he has stayed healthy for so long hits the pessimist side of me.

If it is a non-keeper league, I actually hold on to Backes and Hornqvist. For one year I can live with Backes running wild and doing his thing. However, in keeper leagues, I keep Toffoli and Hornqvist because of the years of prosperity ahead. Give me serenity now!

3. Do I play Ondrec Pavelec against New Jersey this week?

This one almost had to come from a New Jersey fan. It had to, didn't it? Whenever the Winnipeg Jets play New Jersey, they seem to look like playoff perennials. Pavelec has a sub 2.00 GAA and a save percentage near .940 in his last four starts against the Devils (3-0-1 record). I had to look this up three times to even remotely believe it.

Yes we can spin small sample sizes until we are blue in the face but Winnipeg has this weird effect against New Jersey. They just play better. Evander Kane often looks like the fantasy hockey stud he should be. Magically, the puck finds its way past New Jersey goaltenders and not past Pavelec quite as often. Now, Ondrej Pavelec has also altered between good and bad starts so if the theory holds true, then Thursday should be a good start. Personally, the Jets play a style that often frustrates New Jersey much like how Buffalo plays San Jose for whatever, strange reason.

It sounds crazy but I actually play Pavelec on Thursday. Now, let me have it New Jersey and fantasy hockey fans!

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That is enough for now. See you next Monday with more of your questions. As always, you can fire off comments, questions, and more on Twitter @ChrisWasselTHW or right here on the site. Bring the heat hockey fans!

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Watch

Peter Harling — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 00:52:23 +0000

By now your fantasy hockey draft is done and you are feeling good about your team. No doubt you used the McKeens yearbook to find great value picks and stat stuffing players. Now it is time to move into the second stage of your plan to win the fantasy hockey championship.

While the 2014-15 NHL season is still in its infant stages, it is time to evaluate the reality of some of your draft picks in comparison to the reality of their performance and opportunity. Chances are, prior to your draft all you had to go on in later rounds were preseason performances, hype and prognostication. Some of those late risky picks may have panned out, some may have not. Perhaps you gambled and lost on players who were returned to junior and are gone for the year. Perhaps they were merely sent to the AHL, they may be back, but when?

Bottom line is if you have a player on your roster who is underperforming, injured or not in the league, don’t wait too long to replace him because it may be too late. If your league has a waiver wire or free agency option here are some players you need to consider adding to your team.

Brock Nelson – New York Islanders, LW 59% Fantrax owned

The Islanders are off to a hot start and Nelson is red hot with four goals and three assists for seven points in his first four games. What is even more promising about his great start is his line mates are Mikhail Grabovski and Ryan Strome, good line mates but safe to say he is not riding the coat tails of super star John Tavares. The former 30^th overall first round pick from 2010 is in his second season showing no signs of the dreaded sophomore slump.

Johnny Boychuck – New York Islanders, D 62.5% owned

The new addition to the Islandres has seen an increased role and increase in power play minutes since leaving Boston and getting out from behind the big shadow of Zdeno Chara. Boychuck has a heavy shot and is now getting prime power play opportunities and playing over 22 minutes a game with six points in four games and a plus -5.

Damon Severson – New Jersey, D 28.3% Owned

Severson has jumped from the WHL straight into the NHL with aplomb. The big 20 year old rookie has three goals and four points in his first four games as a Devil. Paired with Andy Greene, he is logging 19:43 minutes per game and has a plus -5 rating with 15 shots on goal.

Andre Burakovsky – Washington, LW 54.6% Owned

Still may yet see time in the AHL this season, but after four games he has five points including two goals. Last season on the power house Erie Otters he scored an impressive 87 points in 41 games. He has tremendous fantasy value and should be considered a keeper.

Leo Komarov – Toronto, LW 21.7% owned

Komarov makes his return to the NHL on an impressive third line with David Clarkson and Mike Santorelli. Komarov has more value in leagues with hits and penalty minute categories as he is the hit seeking missile. However in the KHL he was a scorer and after four games he has three assists, seven shots and 14 hits.

Simon Gagne – Boston, LW 7.2% Owned

At 34 years of age he was given a PTO during training camp and has earned a contract. He has only been in two games early in this season but has made an impact so far scoring a goal and seeing some time on a line with David Krejci and Milan Lucic. If he continues to line up with those two, he will have fantasy value and in capped leagues, he is very affordable at $600,000

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