Dawson Mercer – McKeen's Hockey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 15:47:56 +0000

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 27: New Jersey Devils left wing Jesper Bratt (63) waits for play to begin during the game between the New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia Flyers on January 27, 2025, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire)

The Devils managed to get back into the playoffs, finishing the season with 91 points (42-33-7), but they lost in five games to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. Star centre Jack Hughes was injured and did not play after March 2nd and Luke Hughes was injured in the first game against Carolina in the playoffs, missing the rest of the series. The Devils were a quality puck possession team, ranking eighth in Corsi percentage (51.8) and 10th in expected goals percentage (51.7). Their power play ranked third in the league with 9.66 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play and their penalty killing ranked fourth with 5.70 goals against per 60 minutes of four-on-five play. That is a solid statistical profile and with Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen representing a significant improvement in goal, the Devils were a playoff team despite dealing with some major injuries.

What’s Changed?

The Devils were not overly active in the offseason, doing some tinkering, but keeping their core intact. New Jersey signed Edmonton Oilers right winger Connor Brown and Dallas Stars winger Evgenii Dadonov as free agents, and it appears that Russian winger Arseni Gritsyuk is going to make the move to New Jersey after scoring 44 points (17 G, 27 A) in 49 KHL games for SKA St. Petersburg last season. Centre Erik Haula was traded to the Nashville Predators, right winger Nathan Bastian signed a deal with the Dallas Stars, and left winger Tomas Tatar signed with EV Zug in Switzerland. Defenceman Brian Dumoulin inked a free agent deal with the Los Angeles Kings and checking centre Curtis Lazar signed with the Edmonton Oilers. Defenceman Johnathan Kovacevic is recovering from knee surgery and may not be ready for the start of the season, but the Devils are relatively deep on the blueline and should be able to handle his absence.

What would success look like?

The Devils have the makings of a legitimate contender, especially now that they have a strong goaltending tandem, but the key is keeping Jack Hughes healthy. Hughes is a game-breaking talent and, while the Devils returning to the postseason would be a baseline for success, if they have Hughes, there is a chance that they can go on a deeper run. As it is, they have won one playoff round since they reached the Stanley Cup Final against the Los Angeles Kings in 2012.

What could go wrong?

Injuries have been a problem for the Devils, and Jack Hughes and defenceman Dougie Hamilton missed significant time last season, and yet the team was still good enough to reach the playoffs. On one hand, that should show how they can overcome adversity, but it also reveals, through a 91-point season, that they were fortunate to get into the playoffs, so they are still dealing with a small margin between making and not making the postseason.

Top Breakout Candidate

A 24-year-old winger who has steadily improved throughout his career in Russia, Arseni Gritsyuk should have a legitimate chance to play in a top nine role with the Devils, with some power play time sprinkled in as well. He may not have an enormous impact, but on a veteran team with hopes of contending, there are not a lot of unproven options looking for the chance to break out with a big season.

FORWARDS

Jack Hughes

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	32	60	92	1.19

When healthy, Hughes is one of the few players in the league with legitimate MVP hopes. Across the past four seasons, he has accumulated 299 points (123 G, 176 A) in 251 games and his 1.19 points per game ranks 12th – behind Mikko Rantanen and ahead of Sidney Crosby – among skaters to appear in at least 200 games. On top of that, he is an excellent play driver who has a 55.8 percent Corsi in the past three seasons. While he may not be the picture of the prototypical checking center, Hughes is very effective defensively. He is a brilliant and creative offensive player who, at his best, can generate scoring chances like few others in the league. The elephant in the room is that he has been unable to stay healthy. He played 78 games in 2022-2023, recording a career high 99 points (43 G, 56 A), but he has missed 20 games in each of the past two seasons and missed 33 games in 2021-2022. He is still just 24-years-old, but that is a lot of missed time early in his career. He is also abysmal on faceoffs, winning a career best 37.6 percent of his draws last season. All told, Hughes is a very dynamic player who gives the Devils a chance to be a contender, provided he is in the lineup. The uncertainty in that regard requires tempered optimism when it comes to his projections for 2025-2026, Hughes could miss significant time, say 15 games, and still produce 30 goals and 80 points.

Jesper Bratt

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	25	62	87	1.06

A premier offensive threat on the wing, Bratt recorded a career-high 88 points (21 G, 67 A) last season and has 317 points (106 G, 211 A) in 321 games across the past four seasons. He has game-breaking speed that allows him to quickly attack in transition, and he uses a wide base to effectively protect the puck, especially in the offensive zone. Bratt’s shot rate dropped from 3.02 shots per game in 2023-2024 to 2.22 shots per game in 2024-2025, which is not ideal because he has a legitimately quick release that can allow him to score from distance, but he was distributing the puck enough to finish fifth in the league with 67 assists, behind only Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon, Mitch Marner, and Connor McDavid. He ended up getting one fifth-place Hart Trophy vote and while that might be a tad optimistic, in terms of evaluating his play, it does reflect a player who has become a star with the Devils. While Bratt had a few strong defensive seasons earlier in his career, his recent defensive play has been less effective, allowing more chances against, but his offensive game has exploded so much that it more than overcomes the decline in his defensive effectiveness. It is reasonable to expect something in the range of a point per game for Bratt, so 80-plus points is a possibility again in 2025-2026.

Nico Hischier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	34	42	76	0.99

New Jersey’s captain continues to deliver reliable results and Hischier scored a career-high 35 goals while playing a career-high 20:23 per game last season. He finished fourth in Selke voting, marking the second time in the past three seasons that he has earned a top five finish. He has the credentials as a top two-way center, who gives the Devils an elite 1-2 combination down the middle of the ice when Hughes is healthy. Across the past three seasons, Hischier has taken 4,818 faceoffs, ranking second in the NHL, behind only Sidney Crosby (5,500) and he has won 55.3 percent of those draws, ranking 18th out of the 88 centers to take at least 2,000 faceoffs in that time. Hischier’s most common linemates last season were Timo Meier, Stefan Noesen, and Dawson Mercer, and he controlled better than 55 percent of the expected goals during five-on-five play with the first two. Hischier is a play driver so his line combination should not play a huge part in the direction that the puck is moving, but if Meier is a sure thing on the left side, the right winger can help determine how much offensive upside the line will have. With at least 60 points in four straight seasons, Hischier seems a good bet to score 30 goals and 70 points in 2025-2026.

Timo Meier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	30	26	56	0.73

A physically strong winger who can play a power game, Meier has surpassed 25 goals in each of the past four seasons. He has also recorded at least 140 hits in three of the past four seasons, and he tends to have success along the boards because of how strong he is on the puck. As a result, Meier is an excellent shot generator, even if not quite at the same level in New Jersey as he was during his peak seasons in San Jose. Meier is especially effective during five-on-five play. In the past three seasons, he has generated 1.09 individual expected goals per 60 minutes, which ranks sixth among the 302 forwards that have played at least 2,000 five-on-five minutes in those three seasons. Despite consistently generating high-quality scoring chances, Meier has only scored on 9.15 percent of his shots in those three seasons, which ranks 211th, so there is room for improvement if his finishing ability catches up to his ability to get into scoring position. Playing with Hischier is a good place for Meier, skating alongside a productive center who can drive play and that ensures that Meier is often in position to score. Even taking into account his less than stellar finish around the net, 30 goals and 55-60 points should be within Meier’s grasp in 2025-2026.

Dawson Mercer

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	23	19	42	0.51

Mercer has played every game in his four NHL seasons, but his offensive production has tailed off in the past two seasons. He had career highs of 27 goals and 56 points in 2022-2023 and managed 19 goals and 36 points last season. That’s not exactly the ideal trend for the now 23-year-old forward who does have the courage to get to the net in an effort to score. He doesn’t generate shots at a high enough rate, and his defensive results have been mixed, but he does have enough offensive ability and the versatility to move up and down the lineup and even capable of playing center and wing. Mercer’s most common linemate last season was Timo Meier and they were on the right side of shots and chances, and downright dominant in goal differential, with 24 goals for and nine goals against (72.7 GF%) during five-on-five play. The next two most common were Erik Haula and Nico Hischier, and forecasting Mercer’s future production tends to depend on which linemates he has in 2025-2026. The risk that Mercer might be outside of New Jersey’s top six forwards, potentially centering the third line, does put a possible limit on his scoring upside, but 20 goals and 40 points should be a reasonable expected range.

Ondrej Palat

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	12	16	28	0.37

A reliable veteran winger, Palat played in 77 games last season. The last season in which he played more games was his rookie season in 2013-2014. At the same time, he averaged just 13:45 of ice time per game, his lowest average time on ice since playing 11:44 per game while playing 14 games in 2012-2013. For years, Palat was a strong two-way winger, but last season showed statistical decline at both ends of the rink. Last season was the first time in his career that Palat was outscored during five-on-five play and his 0.36 points per game was his lowest since 2012-2013. While his individual production is not impressive, that’s also not primarily what the Devils are looking for from Palat. He played mostly with Hughes and Bratt, two of the most dangerous offensive forwards on the roster and Palat provides a defensive conscience for that line. He’s also a quality penalty killer but does not get enough time to make a real impact in those situations. Nevertheless, Palat is likely to see a regular role in New Jersey’s top six, playing a complementary role, and can be expected to contribute maybe a dozen goals and 30 points during the 2025-2026 season.

Evgeni Dadonov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
71	15	17	32	0.45

A 36-year-old winger, Dadonov hit the 20-goal threshold last season for the fifth time in his career; this despite averaging 13:32 of ice time per game, his lowest since averaging 10:03 per game for Florida in 2011-2012. Even in what was a relative depth role with the Dallas Stars last season, Dadonov used his skills and offensive instincts to generate chances. He’s older now, so maybe not quite as dynamic as he was during his best seasons with Florida, but Dadonov has a refined game that allows him to contribute at both ends of the rink, even if it’s in a lesser role. This makes him an interesting addition for the Devils because Dadonov might be a player who contributes while playing a limited role near the bottom of the depth chart, but he also could slide into a role in the top six, even if just for short bursts, because he has the skill level to fit alongside the more gifted players on the roster. Given his age and where he is in his career, expectations should be modest, so maybe Dadonov could add a dozen goals and 30 points to the Devils in 2025-2026.

Stefan Noesen

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	17	21	38	0.48

After so many years of battling just to stay in the lineup or, in some cases, in the NHL, Noesen landed some security when he signed as a free agent with the Devils last summer. He responded by putting up career highs in goal (22) and points (41) while playing a career high 15:56 per game. He is not the strongest skater, but Noesen plays hard, going to the net without fear and battling effectively in corners. His blue-collar game has earned Noesen some respect but also landed him a net-front position on the Devils power play and he tallied 11 goals with the man advantage last season. Noesen is a relative late bloomer but has established that he can be a strong puck possession player and that can play no matter where Noesen is skating in the lineup. His most common linemates last season were Nico Hischier and Timo Meier, followed by Paul Cotter and Erik Haula. Naturally, he was more successful with Hischier and Meier, so it would be ideal to stay in that spot, but if he gets supplanted there, Noesen can still be a contributor even if he is in the lower half of the depth chart. As such, a reasonable expectation for Noesen this season could be around 15 goals and 35 points.

Paul Cotter

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	12	7	19	0.25

Acquired from Vegas last summer, in a deal that sent Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid to the Golden Knights, Cotter had career highs with 16 goals and 245 hits in his first season for the Devils. That is the best version of Cotter, an active physical presence who can add a little offensively. Among the 378 forwards to play at least 500 five-on-five minutes last season, Cotter ranked 69th with 0.93 goals per game. With NHL teams getting more interested in stockpiling physical players who can handle the rough going, especially in the playoffs, Cotter does appear to fit that mold, even if it’s in a lesser role. While Cotter clearly has offensive limitations, and was not a big scorer in junior with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, where he had 26 points (9 G, 17 A) in 48 games, or even with Henderson in the American Hockey League, where he had 50 points (24 G, 26 A) in 97 games, he does have soft hands and has scored some highlight-reel goals in transition. The Devils have better forward depth and that could allow Cotter to remain relatively productive. It’s fair to expect Cotter to contribute at least a dozen goals and 25 points, along with 200-plus hits during the 2025-2026 season.

DEFENSE

Dougie Hamilton

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
65	8	35	43	0.66

A smooth-skating 6-foot-6 defenceman that can handle the puck is a rare commodity, and Hamilton brings all of those assets to the Devils. When he’s healthy, he is very effective, moves the puck well, and excels at getting shots on net, but injuries have plagued him, with significant time missed in four of his past six seasons. Hamilton’s defensive play has slipped in recent years, which cuts into his overall effectiveness, but he’s so outstanding offensively that his offensive impacts outweigh his defensive impacts, sometimes by a large margin. Across the past three seasons, Hamilton ranks ninth among defencemen with 1.41 points per 60 minutes during five-on-five play, second in shot attempts per 60 minutes (17.92), and first in shots on goal per 60 minutes (8.24). During five-on-four play, he ranked third in shots on goal per 60 minutes (12.63), so it doesn’t really matter what the situation is, Hamilton is ready to shoot. Those credentials make him a valuable defenceman, yet also one whose name is starting to get brought up in potential trades, even though he has a no-movement clause, because there are rumblings about the Devils trying to acquire Quinn Hughes from Vancouver to complete their set of Hughes brothers. In any case, until that time comes, Hamilton will be a major part of the Devils’ attack and even if he was to miss around 20 games this season, he could still produce a dozen goals and 45-50 points. If Hamilton happens to stay healthy, 60-plus points remains possible for him.

Luke Hughes

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	8	44	52	0.68

Even though his 2024-2025 season started late while he recovered from a shoulder injury, and he managed just a couple of assists in his first 13 games, Hughes had a strong finish to end the season with 44 points (7 G, 37 A) in 71 games. When Hamilton was injured late in the season, Hughes stepped up and contributed 16 points (2 G, 14 A) in 16 games then suffered another shoulder injury in the playoffs. Through two-plus seasons, Hughes has shown plenty of potential, but is also not a finished product, either. He can handle the puck and skates well, but even though he has good size, listed at 6-foot-2, 198 pounds, Hughes does not play a physical brand of hockey. In the past two seasons, there are 268 defencemen that have played at least 500 minutes in all situations and only five defencemen (one of whom is his brother, Quinn Hughes) have averaged fewer hits per 60 minutes than Luke Hughes’ 0.79 hits per 60. While he is still early in what figures to be a long and productive NHL career, Hughes’ offensive upside is limited by Hamilton’s presence, because he will quarterback the top power play unit. He also has room to improve his defensive game, but he’s young enough that he can reasonably be expected to get better. Nevertheless, Hughes has surpassed 40 points in each of his first two NHL seasons and should be able to do it again this season.

Brett Pesce

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
73	3	13	16	0.22

A veteran blueliner who has a greater real-world impact compared to his fantasy impact on the game, Pesce had four seasons in Carolina in which he finished with 25-30 points. However, his last season in Carolina brought 13 points and last season, his first in New Jersey, brought 17 points (3 G, 14 A). Pesce is a steady top four defender who has averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time per game for nine consecutive seasons. He’s a strong skater who uses excellent positioning to control the game when he’s on the ice. Pesce had a Corsi percentage of 52.3 percent last season and that was his lowest since his rookie season in 2015-2016, so the puck tends to move the right way when he is on the ice, and he recorded 138 blocked shots last season, his most since 2016-2017. Pesce played most often with Luke Hughes last season, providing the defensive backbone that freed Hughes up to take more chances offensively. Since the Devils have several options ahead of Pesce to handle the more offensive aspects, it’s fair to expect maybe 20 points from him during the 2025-2026 season.

Simon Nemec

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
33	3	9	12	0.36

The second pick in the 2022 Draft, Nemec endured a difficult 2024-2025 season, playing just 27 games for the Devils during the regular season, spending more time in the American Hockey League, where he accrued 23 points (5 G, 18 A) in 34 games. After showing potential as a rookie in 2023-2024, Nemec got off to a slow start last season, resulting in his demotion to the AHL, but he played well there and returned just before the break for the Four Nations Face-Off. Even upon returning to the Devils, Nemec struggled on his way to a 44.2 percent Corsi while getting outscored 17-8 during five-on-five play. Inserted into the playoff lineup after Luke Hughes was injured in Game 1 against Carolina, Nemec was more effective in the four games that he played and scored the game-winning goal in double overtime of Game 3. Nemec has offensive potential just waiting to be tapped but is going to have to earn his way into the lineup to even get that chance. The Devils have a lot of proven NHL veterans ready to go, so Nemec is not going to be gifted his spot. He has the chance to be a quality NHL defencemen, but after some struggles, Nemec is now in a position where he is going to have to prove that he belongs and while that’s possible, it does acknowledge that he has some hurdles to overcome. If he is in the NHL for a full season, 25-30 points would be a reasonable expectation, and if he plays most of the games, that alone would count as progress.

Goal

Jacob Markstrom

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
50	27	16	4	5	.905	2.55

The New Jersey Devils haven't strung together two consecutive playoff berths since 2010 - which, coincidentally, marked the end of their thirteen-year postseason streak at the hands (or goaltending glove) of Martin Brodeur. It makes sense, then, that the team took a look at the trio they brought to the crease last year - veteran starter Jacob Markström, veteran tandem/backup Jake Allen, and newly graduated prospect Nico Daws - and decided they weren't going to change a thing.

They'll have some tough decisions to make in the crease next offseason, with Daws due for a contract extension in the offseason and 2021 draftee Jakub Malek finally making his way to North America this year. Their minor league crease was already a bit crowded this year, with prospect Tyler Brennan spending his entire year in the ECHL, and neither Allen nor Markström will see their contracts up for at least a few more years. But for the upcoming season, at least, they'll have the reliability of Markström - who proved last year that he's still capable of getting the job done - and the veteran presence of Allen, both of whom have plenty of playoff experience and time spent around far tougher fanbases. The only question, at this point, is how many NHL games Daws gets to experience before the year is up.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Team Preview

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 16:00:56 +0000

_{NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 08: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) warms up before a game between the Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils on February 08, 2024 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)}

A season that started with high expectations went down the tubes rather quickly and the Devils finished the season with 81 points (38-39-5). Travis Green replaced Lindy Ruff behind the bench for the last 21 games and New Jersey’s record got worse. The Devils ranked 10th in Corsi (51.7%) and 12th in expected goals percentage (51.6%), which is better than average. It’s not where the Devils were in previous seasons, but still better than average. New Jersey’s power play ranked 11th with 8.22 goals per 60 minutes while the penalty kill ranked 10th with 6.94 goals against per 60 minutes. Considering these rankings, how did the Devils not make the playoffs? Their goaltenders combined to give them a .886 save percentage, ranking 30th. That can undo a lot of good happening elsewhere on the ice. The Devils also had some major injuries to key players. Dougie Hamilton played 20 games and Jack Hughes missed 20, but played hurt late in the season, too.

What’s Changed? Former Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe takes over behind the bench for the Devils and he takes over a team that was busy trying to solve its problems. Intent on fixing their goaltending issues, the Devils acquired Jacob Markstrom from Calgary, then stabilized their defence by signing Brett Pesce from Carolina and Brenden Dillon from Winnipeg. The Devils couldn’t wait any longer on right winger Alexander Holtz, so they traded him along with goaltender Akira Schmid to Vegas for hard-hitting winger Paul Cotter. They dealt defenceman John Marino to Utah and Kevin Bahl to Calgary in the Markstrom deal after acquiring defenceman Johnathan Kovacevic in a trade with Montreal. The Devils also dipped into their past by signing wingers Stefan Noesen and Tomas Tatar as free agents.

What would success look like? There is more than enough talent on hand for the Devils to make the playoffs, but it would not be unreasonable for expectations to be higher than merely making the postseason. That would be one step of success, but the Devils are built to be a Stanley Cup contender so that would be the real success. On an individual level, it would be ideal if young defencemen Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec continue to develop because they should be cornerstone pieces for this franchise for a long time.

What could go wrong? If Markstrom does not fix what ails the Devils in net, then the season could go sideways again. Certainly, major injuries to players like Jack Hughes or Dougie Hamilton – who have both missed some time in recent seasons – would be problems, but this team, as constructed, should be deep enough to handle an injury or two, even to key players. The underlying numbers were still solid last season so it would be a real surprise if the Devils made all these moves and still ended up missing the playoffs again.

Top Breakout Candidate: This is not really a team with openings for young players to get quality ice time, but defenceman Simon Nemec is an exception. The second pick in the 2022 Draft, Nemec contributed 19 points in 60 games as a rookie. He did put up 14 goals and 42 points in 78 AHL games, so he can make a difference offensively, and there may come a day when he is put into a more offensive role on the Devils blueline. Right now, it appears that Hamilton and Luke Hughes are the first two options to quarterback the Devils power play, but Nemec should not be discounted and even if his point totals might not explode this season, he is likely to take a step forward in his development anyway, playing with a steady veteran like Brenden Dillon.

Forwards

Jack Hughes

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	41	61	102	1.32

There is no denying the level of skill with which Hughes plays. He is averaging 1.21 points per game across the past three seasons, which ranks 12th in the league. The issue that does hang over Hughes, however, is that he has had trouble staying healthy. He missed 20 games last season and was playing through a shoulder injury that ultimately required surgery. He is not exactly the biggest and strongest out on the ice, so it is reasonable to have concern about his durability until he shows that it is not an issue. One other issue for Hughes is that he has yet to prove he can have success in the face-off circle. Injuries may play a part, but he won just 37.2 percent of his draws last season and that was a career-high rate! When he is on the ice, He is a sublime talent, one of the best puck-handlers in the entire league. He plays with audacious creativity which makes him a crowd-pleasing performer and Hughes is adept at creating chances for himself as well as for his linemates. Hughes’ ability to attack in transition plays a big part in his ability to generate shots and he put up a career-high 4.42 shots per game in 2023-2024. Hughes played a career-high 20:58 per game last season, a minute higher than the previous season, so he is starting to hit his peak in terms of usage. For the 2024-2025 season, it is reasonable to count on something like 35 goals and 85 points from Hughes, but that comes with the expectation that he will miss some games. If Hughes stays healthy, a 100-point season is within his grasp.

Jesper Bratt

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	32	48	80	0.98

Bratt has climbed to join the ranks of the best offensive wingers in the game and scored a career-high 83 points last season even while the Devils struggled as a team. He roared out of the gate to start the season, much like he did the year before, tallying 18 points in his first nine games. Bratt generated a career-high 3.02 shots on goal per game while playing a career-high 19:18 per game. He earned that ice time with his production. In the past three seasons, Bratt has compiled 229 points, which ranks 20th among wingers in that time. He has breakaway speed and attacks in transition frequently. The 26-year-old winger uses his wide base to shield the puck very effectively, which allows him to buy time in order to make a more dangerous play. When he is playing with confidence, he is frequently putting the defense on its heels because of his speed. Bratt’s increased shot output makes him a greater threat offensively because he has a quick release and if the defence gives him time, he can fire the puck to beat the goaltender from distance. Playing with Hischier and Palat, Bratt should be in position for another productive campaign. Considering his recent production, he could be expected to contribute 30 goals and 75-80 points.

Nico Hischier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	29	52	81	0.99

The Devils’ captain has established his credentials as a premier two-way centre but has added to his defensive reputation with more consistent offensive production. In the past two seasons, he has tallied 58 goals and 147 points in 152 games. While Hughes struggles at the face-off dot, Hischier has continued to improve in that aspect of the game and won a career-best 56.6% of his draws last season. A heady player who can modify his contributions based on what is needed, Hischier has not only generated more points in the past two seasons, but that has been supported by underlying numbers, with higher on-ice expected goal rates and yet he has achieved that through different paths. In 2022-2023, his shot rate spiked to 3.16 per game, nearly an extra shot per game compared to the previous season. Then, last season, it dropped to 2.56 shots per game, even though the Devils generated even more shots with Hischier on the ice. His most common linemates are Jesper Bratt and Ondrej Palat, which is a quality trio to be sure. Among lines that played at least 200 five-on-five minutes last season, they ranked second with 4.66 expected goals per 60 minutes and fourth with an expected goals percentage of 63.8. Considering that efficiency and looking ahead to the 2024-2025 season, it is reasonable to expect 25-30 goals and 70-plus points from Hischier.

Timo Meier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	39	34	73	0.97

After mediocre production when he first joined the Devils in the 2022-2023 season, Meier still landed a big contract, but he struggled for quite a while last season, and it looked like the contract could be a disaster in the making. However, even as the Devils’ season went off the rails, Meier started to put it together late in the season and he scored 18 goals and 30 points in his last 26 games. That followed 10 goals and 22 points in his first 43 games. The three-time 30-goal scorer finished with 28 goals last season, but his overall impact is not like it was in his last couple of seasons in San Jose when he was one of the premier shot generators in the entire league. Among forwards that have played at least 2000 five-on-five minutes across the past three seasons, Bratt ranks seventh with 1.11 individual expected goals per 60 minutes. This should make Meier one of the primary projects of new head coach Sheldon Keefe, because if he can get Meier back on top of his game, that will give the Devils more options when trying to set their scoring lines. With even a little movement in the right direction, Meier could deliver 30 goals and 60 points.

Dawson Mercer

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	28	30	58	0.71

When Mercer scored 11 goals during an 11-game flurry in the 2022-2023 season, it may have set the bar too high to be sustainable and he saw his 56-point season plummet to a 33-point season in 2023-2024. Mercer did record his second straight 20-goal season but since he has yet to average two shots on goal per game in any of his first three NHL seasons, that should be a primary objective if he is going to have goal-scoring production that lasts. To Mercer’s credit, he has scored 40 even-strength goals across the past two seasons, which ranks fourth on the team behind Hughes, Bratt, and Hischier. Mercer is not shy about getting to the front of the net, and that’s where the goals are scored. What could work in his favour for a bounce-back season is that his most frequent centre last season was Erik Haula and, based on the Devils’ personnel, it looks like Mercer should have a chance to skate more consistently with Jack Hughes, which naturally raises offensive expectations. A 22-year-old (mostly) winger, Mercer has not missed a game in his first three NHL seasons and should be able to produce 25 goals and 50 points in 2024-2025, but he’ll have to shoot the puck to do it!

Ondrej Palat

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	12	27	39	0.56

Even if the veteran winger only managed 31 points for the Devils last season, Palat continues to be an excellent two-way forward who continues to push play in the right direction when he is on the ice. He thrived playing alongside Bratt and Hischier, which should be who he lines up with this season. One interesting, yet under-utilized, aspect of Palat’s game is that he was a highly effective penalty killer but ranked 10th among Devils forwards in four-on-five ice time per game despite having the lowest rates of shot attempts against and expected goals against per 60 minutes. Given all the team success he experienced in Tampa Bay, Palat has playoff experience that sets his apart from his Devils teammates. He has accrued 150 playoff games in his career, with four separate playoff runs of more than 20 games. Beyond the experience and strong defensive play that Palat brings to the table, it is apparent that he is losing effectiveness offensively. He last surpassed 50 points in a season in 2016-2017 but has managed 54 points in 120 games since joining the Devils. Given that recent track record, and the fact that he is now 33-years old, it is probably more reasonable to expect 30-35 points from Palat in 2024-2025.

Erik Haula

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	15	20	35	0.44

Moving to New Jersey has brought an element of stability to Haula’s career. He has played 156 games for the Devils over the past two seasons, the first time in his career that he logged that many games for the same team across back-to-back seasons. That’s in large part because he has been moving between teams so frequently. More importantly, Haula was excellent in a two-way role for the Devils last season, anchoring the third line and delivering positive results at both ends of the rink. The Devils controlled 55.5 percent of expected goals when Haula was on the ice during five-on-five play. He has won 54.5 percent of his faceoffs since joining the Devils and tends to play with a bit of an edge. He recorded a career-high 54 penalty minutes last season. Considering what the Devils have down the middle of the ice, with Hughes and Hischier at the top of the depth chart, getting such reliable performance from Haula is what is needed for this team to be a contender. The 33-year-old pivot should be expected to continue what he has been doing for the Devils in the past couple of seasons. That means that he could produce 15 goals and 35 points this season.

Stefan Noesen

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	15	21	36	0.45

A late bloomer who set career highs with 14 goals and 37 points for the Carolina Hurricanes last season, Noesen signed with the Devils as a free agent. He previously played with the Devils from 2016-2017 through the 2018-2019 season. The 31-year-old winger has played 366 games in his NHL career, and it might have taken awhile for him to establish that he is a legit NHL player, because he is not necessarily the most graceful skater, but he thrived in Carolina. With Noesen on the ice across the past two seasons, the Hurricanes controlled 61.8 percent of expected goals with Carolina outscoring the opposition 71-37 with Noesen on the ice. In addition to those positive results, Noesen plays with a physical edge and goes hard to the net, which helps to make him a useful contributor in a depth role because he is hard to play against and has been an efficient scorer even when he receives little ice time. In New Jersey, there is a fair chance that Noesen will have an opportunity to play in the top nine, which means more ice time and, perhaps, more opportunities for him to score. If Noesen keeps playing a physical game and contributes 35 points, the Devils ought to be happy with their offseason addition to the lineup.

Tomas Tatar

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	13	19	32	0.41

The veteran winger returns to New Jersey after splitting last season between Seattle and Colorado, finishing with 24 points in 70 games, his lowest offensive output since 2012-2013, when he had seven points in 18 games. It makes sense for the Devils to bring Tatar back on a bargain deal because the 33-year-old had a strong season in 2022-2023 when he was last with New Jersey. Tatar is a finesse player who has had seven seasons with at least 20 goals. While he does not play an overly physical game, he is at least a competent defensive player, sometimes even better than that. He offers the Devils another secondary scoring option and some veteran savvy. If Tatar can help the Devils get back into the playoffs, then he had better figure out how to show up for the postseason. In 52 career playoff games, Tatar has just seven goals and 13 points, so while that might be a point of concern, the priority for New Jersey is to get back into the playoffs and having a skilled winger who can move around the lineup ought to help with that pursuit. At this stage of his career, 33-year-old Tatar could contribute 12-15 goals and 30 points.

Paul Cotter

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	9	18	27	0.35

Looking for a bit of a roster shakeup, the Devils traded right winger Alexander Holtz and goaltender Akira Schmid to the Vegas Golden Knights to acquire a 2025 third-round pick along with Cotter, a hard-driving fourth-line winger who brings a consistent physical presence to the lineup. Cotter, 24, produced seven goals and 25 points for the Golden Knights last season and ranked second on the team with 233 hits. No one on the Devils was within 50 hits of Cotter’s total. He has worked his way through the ranks as a fourth-round pick in 2018 and he has had to battle to make his way into the league. Now, Cotter has some specific appeal related to the style of game that he plays. The Devils appear intent on adding some bite to their forward depth chart and he is front and centre in that approach. He is likely to start the season on a line with Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian, a group that should not recoil at the thought of physical contact. While Cotter has a modest 22 goals and 45 points in 138 career games, he has decent hands and can chip in a little offensively. A reasonable expectation would be to match last season’s total of 25 points, with potential for more if he somehow earns a role higher on the depth chart.

DEFENCE

Dougie Hamilton

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	18	40	58	0.83

A torn pectoral muscle limited Hamilton to just 20 games in the 2023-2024 season, but he still produced five goals and 16 points, with half of those points coming on the power play. A smooth skater standing 6-foot-6, Hamilton can swallow up so much space on the ice, either jumping into the rush, or getting back to handle an attacking opponent. His defensive play has dipped in recent seasons, but it helps to generate even more chances offensively. While it occurred in a relatively small sample of games, Hamilton had a Corsi percentage of 59.7 last season, the highest mark of his career. It was the fourth season of his career in which his expected goal percentage was better than 57 percent, so this is a player who typically has a significant positive impact. One of the things that makes Hamilton such a consistent threat is his ability to put pucks on net. He has averaged more than three shots on goal per game for seven straight seasons. With the expectation that Hamilton will be ready to go at the start of the 2024-2025 season, he should continue to be one of the most productive defencemen in the league. Health will obviously be a factor, but he should be able to produce 15 goals and somewhere between 45-50 points. While Hamilton went for a career-high 74 points in 2022-2023, that was the only season of his career in which he finished with more than 50 points. He certainly has that capability, but it has not been typical for him to pass that threshold.

Luke Hughes

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	10	41	51	0.62

The fourth pick in the 2021 Draft, Hughes endured some growing pains as a rookie and still accrued 47 points, tying Minnesota’s Brock Faber for second in rookie scoring behind Chicago Blackhawks centre Connor Bedard. With Hamilton injured, Hughes took over on the Devils’ top power play unit and finished with 25 power play points. The puck was moving the right way with Hughes on the ice, too, with the Devils getting 54.5 percent of shot attempts and 52.5 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play when Hughes was on the ice. Coming from a family that includes his brothers, Devils centre Jack Hughes and Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes, it should come as no surprise that Luke Hughes is a strong skater. He is also bigger than his brothers. On the other hand, Jack and Quinn are both incredibly dynamic players with the puck and it would be too soon to suggest that Luke is on that level. At the same time, Luke was 20-years old last season, so there is time for him to mature and grow into a role as a legitimate top pair defenceman. With the Devils improving their supporting cast on the blueline, bringing in Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon as free agents, their young defenceman should have much better support in 2024-2025. Hamilton returning to action, and quarterbacking the top power play, should mean fewer points for Hughes, but he could very well have a better all-around impact because of the cast of characters around him. It would be fair to expect Hughes to put up 35-40 points in his second NHL season.

Simon Nemec

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	5	23	28	0.37

Drafted second overall in 2022, Nemec started last season in the American Hockey League, where he produced eight points in 13 games for Utica before getting called up to New Jersey. He showed plenty of potential, with 19 points in 60 games. Nemec didn’t get the luxury of a big role on the power play, chipping in just two points with the man advantage. He has shown that he is not afraid to join the attack, and he is an excellent skater who plays an intelligent game. He makes an efficient first pass that tends to help get the puck moving in the right direction and can carry the puck through the neutral zone to challenge opposing defenders. Nemec has the upside to become a top pair defenceman and that makes him a valuable commodity heading into the 2024-2025 season. Much like Hughes, Nemec is sure to benefit from New Jersey’s offseason upgrades on the blueline. That stability should play well for the Devils’ young defencemen and Nemec has been making such rapid progress that he could take a big leap forward this season. What does that mean for his production? It would be reasonable to expect 25-30 points out of Nemec in a full season. While he could put up more with a bigger power play role, it seems that Hamilton and Hughes will be ahead of Nemec on the power play depth chart.

GOAL

Jacob Markstrom

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
53	30	17	6	3	0.908	2.65

Jake Allen

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
28	16	9	3	1	0.902	2.93

The 2023-24 New Jersey Devils weren't the league's worst team, but they did boast arguably the league's worst three-player goaltending tandem - so they spent their offseason cleaning house, albeit in a somewhat risky way. Out for next season are Vitek Vanecek (dealt mid-season last year to the San Jose Sharks) and Akira Schmid, who was dealt to Vegas at the end of June. In their places, the Devils held on to struggling mid-season acquisition Jake Allen and sent a first-round pick to Calgary for struggling Jacob Markström - who will start the year as one of the league's oldest tandems and both coming off historically poor years in 2023. They'll hope to hold down the fort while Nico Daws is given a chance to continue developing at the AHL level, although some might raise their eyebrows at the idea of New Jersey spending yet another year working with other teams' aging reclamation projects.

Markström is, on paper, the best chance for success for New Jersey. While he struggled as much as the rest of Calgary did last season, leaving surprising holes along the ice and lagging on recoveries from his knees during rebound attempts, his overall tracking and decision-making still looked strong enough to lend credence to the possibility that he's still got some game left in the tank. Allen is a less-promising entity, struggling with depth management during his tenure in Montreal and seeming to get rattled by bad goals in a way veteran goaltenders shouldn't, but it's hard to deny that New Jersey should be a lower-pressure environment than Montreal for him to hopefully get his game back on track. Ultimately, though, this tandem likely doesn't have a ton of staying power in Jersey - so don't be surprised if Daws is back up in Newark before the year is up.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Devils dealing with injuries at centre – the Sharks finally add a puck-moving defenceman, Hronek, Schwartz, and E. Kane are among the players heating up + much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 19:08:09 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 12: New Jersey Devils center Dawson Mercer (91) looks on during a game between the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils on October 12, 2023 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey.(Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, the Devils dealing with injuries at centre, the Sharks finally add a puck-moving defenceman, an injury to Jordan Eberle, while Filip Hronek, Jaden Schwartz, and Evander Kane are among the players heating up.

#1 One of the main reasons to like the chances of the New Jersey Devils is their 1-2 combination down the middle of the ice. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier provide the Devils with top-end talent at important positions and, at the moment, both are out of the lineup. Hughes got off to a phenomenal start, with 20 points (5 G, 15 A) in 10 games before suffering an upper-body injury. Hischier struggled early, managing two goals in seven games then suffering his own upper-body injury. With Hughes and Hischier out, Dawson Mercer has moved back to the middle of the ice and Michael McLeod is taking on a bigger role. Mercer has one goal and zero assists in a dozen games. McLeod has three points (1 G, 2 A) while averaging more than 16 minutes of ice time per game in the past four games.

#2 The San Jose Sharks are off to a miserable start, posting a 2-10-1 record, but they are taking a worthwhile shot on a young defenceman, acquiring Calen Addison from the Minnesota Wild for winger Adam Raska and a fifth-round pick in 2026. Addison is a puck-moving defenceman and power play quarterback who is suspect defensively, but his ability to work the power play fills a glaring hole on the Sharks’ roster. Since the start of last season, Addison has 34 points (3 G, 31 A) in 76 games, with 21 of those 34 points coming with the man advantage. In San Jose, he ought to be the first unit power play quarterback very soon, if not immediately.

#3 Seattle Kraken right winger Jordan Eberle suffered a leg injury when he was gashed by a skate in practice. The 33-year-old Eberle has four points (1 G, 3 A) in 13 games and is replaced on the top line, with Matty Beniers and Jared McCann, by Kailer Yamamoto, who has four points (2 G, 2 A) in 14 games.

#4 While the hype has been following Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes – and deservedly so – his partner, Filip Hronek is having a great start to the season. An assist in Thursday’s 5-2 win at Ottawa ran Hronek’s scoring streak to eight games, during which he has recorded 11 assists. The 26-year-old blueliner has recorded 39 points and 38 points, respectively, in the past two seasons, but has 14 assists in 13 games to open this season.

#5 Staying healthy can be a challenge for Seattle Kraken left winger Jaden Schwartz, but he is healthy and thriving right now. With a goal and an assist at Colorado on Thursday, Schwartz picked up a goal and an assist, running his point streak to eight games, during which Schwartz has produced 11 points (5 G, 6 A).

#6 The Edmonton Oilers have stumbled out of the gate and winger Evander Kane had just one assist and 11 shots on goal in the first five games. Since then, however, Kane’s production is much more typical. He has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 23 shots on goal in his past seven games.

#7 Calgary Flames centre Nazem Kadri was terrible to start the season, recording one assist through his first eight games, and he was even shifted to the wing as the Flames were left looking for answers. They are still looking but Kadri has returned to centre and has a four-game point streak during which he has tallied six points (2 G, 4 A) and 18 shots on goal.

#8 A reliable, if unheralded, forward Calle Jarnkrok has been doing his part to help the Maple Leafs emerge from their early-season doldrums. He is riding a four-game point streak, during which he has five points (2 G, 3 A) and nine shots on goal. He has been skating on a line with Max Domi and Nick Robertson, the latter recently promoted from the American Hockey League.

#9 After battling injuries in recent seasons, Montreal Canadiens centre Sean Monahan is healthy and in prime form this season. He recorded an assist in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime win at Detroit, running his point streak to seven games. Monahan has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 20 shots on goal in those seven games, and he is anchoring a veteran line with Tanner Pearson and Brendan Gallagher on the wings.

#10 It seems like every week the unpredictability of goaltending raises its ugly head but sometimes, that unpredictability can work in a positive fashion. Take the case of Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cam Talbot, a 36-year-old coming off a season in which he had a .898 save percentage in 36 games for Ottawa but in his first 10 starts for the Kings, he has delivered a .930 save percentage. With Pheonix Copley struggling (he has a .792 save percentage through four games), there could be a temptation for the Kings to lean heavily on Talbot, but that might not be ideal for his long-term performance.

#11 More teams are getting into the plan of having three goaltenders available and the Carolina Hurricanes seem to be at the forefront of that plan. It makes sense because their veteran goaltenders are not especially durable and with Frederik Andersen landing on the injured list, the Hurricanes can bring in Pyotr Kochetkov and not miss a beat. At least that is the theory. Kochetkov will see more action with Andersen injured, but has a .836 save percentage in his first three starts for the Hurricanes.

#12 Injuries are also forcing some teams to turn to their third goaltenders. For the Rangers, Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick are dealing with lingering injuries, prompting the recall of Louis Domingue from the American Hockey League. He stopped 25 of 26 shots in Thursday’s win against Minnesota. The 31-year-old has a .905 save percentage in 143 career NHL games, so he is capable of providing competent goaltending in a pinch and it appears that the Rangers need that right now. Pittsburgh is in a similar situation with Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic out, leading to Magnus Hellberg getting recalled. Hellberg does not have the same track record – a .890 save percentage in 26 games – but the 32-year-old netminder might be in line to see more action than expected.

#13 There may be no team facing a more difficult goaltending situation than the Edmonton Oilers. They have waived Jack Campbell to the AHL, recalling Chet Pickard, leaving Stuart Skinner as the No. 1 option for now. Skinner was the runner-up in voting for the Calder Trophy last season but has a .854 save percentage in eight appearances this season. For an Oilers team that had plans on contending to start the year, that isn’t going to cut it, and Edmonton might have to explore the trade market if they can’t get more saves.

#14 Talk about the nick of time, there are three productive Nicks that are widely available in fantasy. Start with Arizona’s Nick Bjugstad, the towering veteran centre who has seven points (1 G, 6 A) in his past eight games, playing more than 17 minutes per game over that stretch. His teammate, Nick Schmaltz, comes with more of an offensive pedigree. Not only does Schmaltz have 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in 13 games, but he is playing more than 20 minutes per game and is averaging a career-high 2.46 shots on goal per game. The third Nick for consideration is Nick Paul in Tampa Bay. Paul has scored seven goals in 14 games, including four goals on the power play, which increases the fantasy relevance of a player who is normally known for his work in a checking role.

#15 Earlier in the season, the Seattle Kraken weren’t getting production from their centres but as that has changed, a few more wins are finding their way to the Kraken. Yanni Gourde, who had one goal and zero assists in the first eight games, has bounced back with six points (1 G, 5 A) in the past six games. Matty Beniers, who had just three assists in his first 11 games, has four points (1 G, 3 A) during a three-game point streak.

#16 Another slow starter, Arizona winger Lawson Crouse had zero points in the first five games of the season but has put up eight points (5 G, 3 A) and 17 shots on goal in the seven games since. Because of his physical play, Crouse has value in banger leagues, but when he’s cooking, he scores enough to have value in deeper standard leagues, too.

#17 While Connor Bedard is deservedly drawing the most interest among the rookie class, especially after a four-point game against Tampa Bay on Thursday, there are some other freshman forwards making a mark, too. Philadelphia’s Bobby Brink, a second-round pick in 2019, has been held off the scoresheet in four of the past five games, but also has three multi-point games this season on his way to eight points (3 G, 5 A) in 12 games. Minnesota’s Marco Rossi had just one assist in 19 games for the Wild last season but has started to find his range. Rossi has six points (4 G, 2 A) while averaging more than 17 minutes of ice time in the past eight games. Nashville’s Luke Evangelista remains Calder Trophy eligible after playing 24 games, and scoring 15 points (7 G, 8 A) last season. He started slowly, but has eight points (1 G, 7 A) in the past nine games and is getting first unit power play time. Calgary’s Connor Zary was called up after scoring 10 points (1 G, 9 A) in six AHL games. Zary is skating on Nazem Kadri’s wing and has produced three points (1 G, 2 A) in his first three games for the Flames.

#18 A few sophomores of note, too: Arizona’s Matias Maccelli has 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in his past 10 games, building on a rookie season that saw him finish fourth in Calder Trophy voting. Winnipeg’s Cole Perfetti had his rookie season shortened by injury but is asserting himself in his second season. He has six points (2 G, 4 A) during a five-game point streak. Buffalo’s JJ Peterka is heating up, with six points (3 G, 3 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past six games. Peterka was named best forward at the World Championships, and could be primed for a breakout season.

#19 Tampa Bay’s Alex Barré-Boulet has been hovering on the fringes of the NHL for a while, managing eight points (6 G, 2 A) in 32 games over the previous three seasons, but the 26-year-old might be finally ready to hold a regular spot. He has seven points (4 G, 3 A) in his past nine games and while his ice time remains inconsistent, continued production could help solve that issue, and he is getting a chance on a line with Nick Paul and Steven Stamkos.

#20 One of the most puzzling players early in the season has to be the Islanders’ Anders Lee. His ice time is down to 15:49 per game, his lowest since 2016-2017, and he has just two points (1 G, 1 A) in 12 games. He has 26 shots on goal and, as a net-front force, he is among the leaders in individual expected goals during five-on-five play. That might suggest he is a buy-low option because it’s hard to imagine him continuing at this pace.

FANTASY: The Week Ahead – October 30th – November 6th

Ryan Dadoun — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 19:58:30 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 13: Arizona Coyotes defenseman Sean Durzi (50) skates with the puck during a game between the Arizona Coyotes and New Jersey Devils on October 13, 2023 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey.(Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

By NHL standards, the San Jose Sharks are very bad at playing hockey. That’s among the least controversial takes I could possibly have, and had I made the same statement back in September, I wouldn’t have gotten much pushback. They were 22-44-16 last year even with Norris Trophy-winner Erik Karlsson, so unsurprisingly, they’re even worse after trading him.

So, of course, they’re bad, but is it possible this is the worst NHL team ever? The fact that they’re 0-8-1 is dreadful, but that alone isn’t unprecedented. The 1993-94 Sharks also had just one point through nine contests before salvaging the campaign with a so-so 33-35-16 record.

Still, it’s not just that they’re winless, it’s that their offense is non-existent with nine goals in nine games. At least in 1993-94, the Sharks had some ability to find the back of the net even during their opening struggles, managing 13 goals.

Let’s give some context for how bad San Jose’s woes are: The all-time worst offense was the 1928-29 Chicago Blackhawks, which finished with an average of 0.75 goals per game. The second worst is the 2023-24 Sharks -- at least so far, and that is the silver lining because there is reason to believe the Sharks might improve.

Logan Couture (lower body) hasn’t played yet this season, but he has been skating, and once he returns, he should play a big role in guiding the offense. The Sharks also got Mikael Granlund (lower body) back Sunday after a seven-game absence, so that helps too.

Plus, San Jose has arguably been suffering from bad puck luck. Going into Sunday’s contest, its Expected Goals For stood at 17.43, per Moneypuck, which isn’t good (it was 31st in the league), but it’s far better than the eight markers the Sharks had to that point. In fact, their Goals For Above Expected of -9.43 was the worst in the league, so an argument could be made that they are due for a break and might see improvement even if they just continue playing as they have been.

The Sharks have also finished their grueling five-game road trip, so now they can rest and practice until Thursday’s contest versus Vancouver.

Anaheim Ducks

Many teams have light schedules this week, which made it a bit hard to find squads to highlight. Because of that, Anaheim made the cut despite playing in Pittsburgh on Monday and hosting the Golden Knights on Sunday. At least the Ducks get a home game versus Arizona on Wednesday. Additionally, the Penguins are off to a 3-5-0 start, so Karlsson’s new team isn’t faring especially well either.

The Ducks are also on a roll, having won three straight games to improve to 4-4-0. Frank Vatrano had a hat trick Saturday, giving him an incredible eight goals and nine points in eight contests. The 29-year-old has never recorded over 24 goals in a single season, and his 27.6 shooting percentage in 2023-24 seems unsustainable, especially when measured against his career average of 10.6. Still, there might be more left in this hot streak.

If you want someone with staying power though, Mason McTavish is the real deal. While he might not maintain his current point-per-game pace (three goals and eight points in eight appearances), the 20-year-old does have tremendous offensive upside and is logging big minutes, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him finish with 60-plus points.

Speaking of Anaheim’s young core, I wouldn’t worry too much about Trevor Zegras, who has just two points through eight contests. He’s averaging 3.00 shots per game, which is above his career average of 2.35, and it’s just a matter of time before he starts to heat up. He did score a goal Saturday, so perhaps that’s the start of his turnaround.

Arizona Coyotes

Wednesday’s game against Anaheim is the Coyotes’ only road contest of the week. Outside of that, Arizona will host Chicago, Montreal and Winnipeg on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, respectively. None of those teams entered the campaign with high expectations, though it is worth noting that the Canadiens have started hot with a 5-2-1 record.

Defenseman Sean Durzi will be one to watch this week. He has three goals and two assists through seven contests, including four points over his last four outings. This could be a big campaign for him. He had nine goals and 38 points in 72 outings with Los Angeles while averaging 19:47 of ice time last season. Now with Arizona, he’s averaging 23:23, including 4:41 with the man advantage.

Matias Maccelli is another young player looking to take a step up this year. He had 11 goals and 49 points in 64 appearances in 2022-23, which was good for fourth place in Calder Trophy voting. After a quiet start to the campaign, he’s entering Monday’s contest on a four-game point streak, during which he’s contributed a goal and four assists.

If you want a higher-risk play, there’s a good chance you could scoop up Alex Kerfoot for this week, especially after he went scoreless over the first seven games of the campaign. The reason why Kerfoot is worthy of consideration is because since Jason Zucker sustained a lower-body injury, Kerfoot has gained a spot on Arizona’s second power-play unit. It hasn’t led to production yet, but the 29-year-old forward did have 51 points in 82 contests with Toronto in 2021-22, and he’s surpassed the 40-point mark on three separate occasions, so he can contribute offensively.

Dallas Stars

The Stars have a full schedule this week. They’ll host Columbus on Monday, before starting a road trip that will take them to Calgary on Wednesday, Edmonton on Thursday and Vancouver on Saturday. The Oilers (2-5-1) and Flames (2-6-1) have gotten off to dreadful starts this season, so perhaps Dallas will be able to take advantage. In terms of goals allowed per game, Calgary ranks 28th (3.67) and Edmonton’s 31st (4.00), so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Stars’ forwards shine during those outings.

Keep an eye on Matt Duchene this week. The 32-year-old was held off the scoresheet over his first two contests with the Predators, but he’s starting to heat up, having registered an assist in each of his last two contests. Duchene should be plenty motivated while playing on a one-year, $3 million contract after being bought out by Nashville, and the Stars are putting him in a position to succeed by giving him an average of 17:52 of ice per game.

I’m less optimistic about Evgenii Dadonov -- at least in the short term. He did find the back of the net Tuesday, ending his season-opening four-game point drought, but it wasn’t enough to impress coach Peter DeBoer, who deployed him for just 13:37 versus Toronto on Thursday. Dadonov also hasn’t seen any power-play ice time over the last two contests, and until that changes, I don’t recommend using him.

Instead, Mason Marchment might surprise this week. He inherited Dadonov’s spot on the second power-play unit, and Marchment scored his first goal of the season while firing seven shots Thursday.

Nashville Predators

The Predators are on the road this week with games against Vancouver on Tuesday, Seattle on Thursday and Edmonton on Saturday. While a set of road contests is never ideal, there is an opportunity here for Nashville given struggles plaguing the Oilers and Kraken.

Luke Evangelista in particular might take advantage of Nashville’s cold competition. The 21-year-old forward has a goal and five points over his last four contests. He’s averaged just 14:57 of ice time this season, but that’s ballooned to 17:47 over his last three outings.

Evangelista’s linemate, Thomas Novak, is also clicking, with three goals and five points over his last five games. Novak recorded 17 goals and 43 points in 51 outings last year and might be able to flirt with the 60-point mark in 2023-24 if he stays healthy.

In net, it wouldn’t be surprising if Kevin Lankinen gets into a game. Sure, the schedule is spread out enough that it isn’t strictly necessary, but Juuse Saros has already started in eight straight contests, so it might be time to give him a breather. Lankinen has made one relief appearance, stopping just 17 of 19 shots, but he was solid when called upon last year with a 9-8-1 record, 2.75 GAA and .916 save percentage in 19 outings.

New Jersey Devils

Like Nashville, New Jersey is on the road this week with games in Minnesota on Thursday, St. Louis on Friday and Chicago on Sunday. None of those adversaries have won a majority of their games, though the Blues at least have an even points percentage at 3-3-1.

Jack Hughes saw his season-opening seven-game point streak come to an end Sunday, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he bounces right back. He’s been dominant thus far with five goals and 18 points through eight appearances. Meanwhile, his teammate and brother Luke Hughes is starting to get comfortable in the NHL, collecting five assists over his last three outings to bring him up to six points overall. Luke’s role on the power play is a huge part of his value -- four of his points have come with the man advantage.

Tyler Toffoli had an amazing week, scoring a hat trick versus Montreal and totaling six goals and seven points over his last four contests. The Flames dealt him to New Jersey over the summer because he was entering the final year of his contract, but given their offensive woes this year, you’d have to think there is a wish there that things could have ended differently.

One Devils forward who isn’t hot, but worth keeping an eye on is Dawson Mercer. He has no points and just six shots through eight outings, but the 22-year-old forward should bounce back. With Nico Hischier (upper body) day-to-day, Mercer is getting a big role, logging a season-high 21:03 of ice time Sunday.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers have a busy week, hosting Carolina and Buffalo on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, before visiting the Sabres on Friday and promptly returning home to host the Kings on Saturday. None of those figure to be easy games, though the Flyers have defied expectations with their 4-3-1 record.

Bobby Brink is part of the reason why Philadelphia has done alright. He has two goals and four points over his last two contests, bringing him up to six points through seven outings. That offensive outburst has propelled him into a tie with Luke Hughes for second place on the rookie scoring list (Ottawa’s Ridly Greig leads the chart with seven points in eight games). Like a lot of young players, it wouldn’t be surprising if Brink is streaky this season, but he’s worth grabbing while he’s hot.

Another youngster, Owen Tippett, is also worth taking if available. After setting career highs in 2022-23 with 27 goals and 49 points in 77 outings, Tippett was held off the scoresheet for his first three contests this season before scoring a goal and five points over his last five outings. The 24-year-old has a top-six role and is seeing time on the power play.

Philadelphia’s busy schedule likely means Carter Hart will need a breather at some point this week, but it might not be Samuel Ersson who gets the start. Ersson’s been dreadful, stopping just 38 of 50 shots (.760 save percentage) over his first two appearances. Instead, it might be time to let Felix Sandstrom make his season debut. Sandstrom didn’t exactly wow in 2022-23 with a 3.72 GAA and an .880 save percentage in 20 outings, but at this point, he deserves a chance.

The Flyers also have Cal Petersen waiting in the AHL. However, the former Kings goaltender, who fell from grace last year with a 3.75 GAA and an .868 save percentage in 10 NHL appearances, hasn’t done well with AHL Lehigh Valley, recording a 3.76 GAA and an .884 save percentage in four contests, so he hasn’t put himself in a position to take advantage of Ersson’s struggles.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning will host the struggling Kraken on Monday before going on the road to face Columbus on Thursday and Ottawa on Saturday. All of those are winnable games for Tampa Bay.

The Lightning did struggle early on, in no small part because Jonas Johansson struggled early as Andrei Vasilevskiy’s (back) temporary replacement. Recently though, a switch has been flipped. Johansson has posted back-to-back shutouts while saving 55 shots over that stretch. It won’t last, but Seattle has averaged just 2.22 goals per game this year, so Johansson’s hot streak might extend at least one more game.

Nick Paul might be enjoying more than just a hot streak after contributing five goals and seven points through eight games. The 28-year-old’s career highs are 17 goals and 32 points, so some caution is needed when evaluating Paul, but this campaign does have the potential to be different. He’s carved out a spot on the top power-play unit, which has accounted for three of his goals as well as an assist thus far. Before this season, Paul had never averaged more than 1:12 per game with the man advantage, so keeping his current special team role would be a huge boost for him.

Vegas Golden Knights

At 8-0-1, Vegas still hasn’t lost in regulation. The Golden Knights will seek to keep the good times rolling as they host Montreal, Winnipeg and Colorado on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Vegas will conclude the week with a road contest versus Anaheim on Sunday.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Adin Hill and Logan Thompson each take two of those starts. They’ve combined for a 2.18 GAA and a .923 save percentage through nine contests, so coach Bruce Cassidy has no reason to disrupt the goalie rotation. It’s worth noting that Vegas ranks 31st in 5v5 expected goals against with 20.43, ahead of only the horrific Sharks, so if not for some stunning play from the netminders, the Golden Knights wouldn’t look nearly as good.

Then again, they’d still have William Karlsson, who is on a six-game point streak, providing three goals and five assists in that span. They’d also have Jack Eichel, who is having another strong campaign with three goals and nine points through nine outings.

One lower-profile player who is quietly doing his part is Michael Amadio. The 27-year-old has never recorded more than 27 points in a single season and is serving in a bottom-six capacity, so he’s not expected to have a big offensive season. That said, he might be worth a short-term pickup after scoring a goal and four points over his last four outings.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Oilers missing McDavid – Woll pushing for playing time – McTavish and Sandheim stepping up – Plus much, much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:39:45 +0000

DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 26: Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) blocks a shot during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 26, 2023 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, the Oilers are reeling and are now missing McDavid. Shane Pinto’s suspension, Joseph Woll pushing for playing time, Mason McTavish ready to make the leap in his second season, Travis Sanheim stepping up for the Flyers and more.

#1 The season could not have started much worse for the Edmonton Oilers, preseason Stanley Cup favourites who have a 1-5-1 record and are missing superstar centre Connor McDavid for 1-2 weeks due to an upper-body injury. McDavid had eight points (2 G, 6 A) in five games before getting hurt and the Oilers have had to juggle lines, moving Ryan Nugent-Hopkins into the second line centre spot while Leon Draisaitl fills in for McDavid as the first line centre. The Oilers have been outscored 10-4 in two losses without McDavid and will hope to get on the right track with the season’s first installment of the Battle of Alberta, the Heritage Classic outdoor game, which goes Sunday in Edmonton.

#2 Ottawa Senators centre Shane Pinto, still without a contract as a restricted free agent, was suspended for 41 games due to activities related to sports betting. That would appear to solidify Ridly Greig’s position as the third-line centre behind Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris. Greig, who is eligible for the Calder Trophy, has five points (1 G, 4 A) with 16 shots on goal in seven games. Another player whose future in Ottawa should be more secure is winger Mathieu Joseph, who had been rumoured to be on the trade block at times – ostensibly in order to clear cap space to sign Pinto – but Joseph has started the season with six points (3 G, 3 A) and 13 shots on goal in seven games.

#3 It has not taken long, but Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Joseph Woll is challenging Ilya Samsonov for time in Toronto’s crease. Woll, the 25-year-old netminder, has a .961 save percentage in four appearances and that will get anyone a longer look in net, but with Samsonov delivering a meagre .831 save percentage, it is an easy choice for the Maple Leafs to give Woll more opportunities. Samsonov played well for Toronto last season, but the unpredictable nature of the position means that, unless a team has a surefire No. 1, the job should be up for grabs so that the goaltender that is playing best can earn more playing time.

#4 Second-year Anaheim Ducks centre Mason McTavish scored in overtime Thursday to cap Anaheim’s surprising late comeback win in Boston, handing the Bruins their first loss of the season. The 20-year-old now has six points (3 G, 3 A) with 16 shots on goal in seven games and with the Ducks playing more competitively than might have been anticipated, it’s all the more reason to expect McTavish to obliterate his rookie season production of 43 points (17 G, 26 A).

#5 While there has been plenty of early season fanfare for Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat in Detroit – and deservedly so as they rank second and third, respectively, in the league scoring race – the third member of Detroit’s top line, Lucas Raymond, should not be overlooked. The third-year winger has six points (2 G, 4 A) and 18 shots on goal in eight games, and if he’s riding shotgun with Larkin and DeBrincat, that is an opportunity for Raymond to continue producing at a high level.

#6 Entering the season, there appeared to be plenty of holes in the Philadelphia Flyers lineup, not the least of which was a defencemen that would be able to contribute offensively. The early answer to that question is apparently Travis Sanheim, who had a career-high 35 points (9 G, 26 A) in 82 games in 2018-2019, but has busted out of the gate to start the season, producing eight points (1 G, 7 A) and 16 shots on goal in seven games. He is quarterbacking Philadelphia’s first power play unit and that should be enough reason to believe that the 27-year-old at least has a shot at the most productive offensive season of his career.

#7 The Colorado Avalanche took a chance on centre Ryan Johansen, acquiring him from the Nashville Predators in the offseason, and the early returns have been positive. Johansen has five points (4 G, 1 A) in seven games, but what is notable is that he also has 17 shots on goal. That rate of 2.43 shots on goal per game would be Johansen’s highest per-game rate since the 2014-2015 season. He has shown little interest in shooting the puck in recent seasons but if the Avalanche can change that approach, then the veteran pivot becomes a lot more interesting because he has the talent to score. Johansen has three seasons in his career with at least 25 goals, though only one since 2014-2015.

#8 Although he does not seem to be an ideal fit as a first line centre for the Minnesota Wild, Ryan Hartman does have seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 18 shots on goal in the first seven games of the season. Hartman had a career-high 65 points (34 G, 31 A) during the 2021-2022 season but that was the only season of his career in which he scored more than 40 points, so expectations for his production tend to be low enough that he could exceed them. The opportunity to play with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello can drag many players into fantasy relevance.

#9 Veteran centre Sean Monahan has been a valuable contributor for the Montreal Canadiens early in the season. After groin surgery ended his 2022-2023 season prematurely, the 29-year-old was facing an uncertain future. He re-signed in Montreal and has been excellent early in the season, producing six points (3 G, 3 A) and 16 shots on goal in seven games. For a relatively young Canadiens team, having Monahan’s experience and production helps to insulate their emerging players.

#10 When Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy required back surgery, the immediate question was how would the Lightning address this issue so that they did not have to ride with Jonas Johansson as their starting netminder for more than two months. The Lightning have not brought in a proven NHL goaltender, instead giving Johansson the opportunity and he has a .925 save percentage in seven starts. Given his mediocre track record, seven games are not nearly enough time to declare that Johansson is now an elite goaltender, but he offers potential for fantasy managers as what looks like a secure No. 1 goaltender until the Lightning make a move.

#11 Los Angeles Kings left winger Trevor Moore has found a comfortable home on Phillip Danault’s wing and Moore has opened this season with six points, including five goals, in his first six games. Moore has 16 shots on goal and that has been one of his strengths since arriving in Los Angeles – he uses his speed to consistently generate shots – and while he is obviously not going to keep scoring on 31% of his shots, Moore could certainly surpass his career high of 17 goals, set in 2021-2022.

#12 While the Boston Bruins might have had modest expectations for 34-year-old left winger James van Riemsdyk coming into the season, he has contributed five points (3 G, 2 A) with 16 shots on goal in seven games, with three of those points coming with the man advantage. Even if he is not terribly fleet afoot at this stage of his career, JvR has always had excellent hands around the net, and he still makes sense as a net-front presence for Boston.

#13 It appeared that the Edmonton Oilers secured outstanding value when they signed right winger Connor Brown coming off a season in which he was limited to just four games before tearing his ACL. Brown had established his credentials as a winger who could play in all situations before that and had played with Connor McDavid in junior hockey, so this was a great chance for Brown to re-establish his value, but that has not been the case thus far. Through seven games, Brown has failed to record a point and has just eight shots on goal. He has fallen to the third line on the Edmonton depth chart and, according to Cap Friendly, is due a performance bonus of $3,225,000 after he plays in 10 games. Would the Oilers abandon Brown this quickly in order to save the cap space?

#14 Seattle Kraken sophomore centre Matty Beniers is off to a tough start to the campaign. The 2022-2023 Calder Trophy winner, Beniers has yet to score a goal and has three assists and 13 shots on goal in the first eight games of the season. Shot generation has not been a Beniers strength to this point in his NHL career, but he has to be able to produce more. Right now, he has rookie Tye Kartye and veteran Jordan Eberle on his wings, which is not exactly driving the Kraken attack, but Beniers is capable of more and probably counts as a buy-low candidate for fantasy managers.

#15 In the second half of last season, New Jersey Devils winger Dawson Mercer erupted for 20 points (11 G, 9 A) during a 12-game span, on his way to a 27-goal season. He has been out of sorts this season, however, still looking for his first point after six games. Even more troubling is that Mercer has been held without a shot on goal in four straight games. He has been buried in shifts when he has been skating with rookie Alexander Holtz, with the duo managing a 34.5% Corsi in the 28 minutes of five-on-five play that they have been together.

#16 The Arizona Coyotes made several moves to bolster their forward talent in the offseason and one of the results of those acquisitions has been that Lawson Crouse’s role has been decreased. Coming off back-to-back seasons with 20 or more goals, Crouse had fantasy value because of his high hit totals to accompany his goal-scoring numbers. His ice time is down 2:42 per game from last season and Crouse has managed just one assist and eight shots on goal in six games.

#17 The Calgary Flames have staggered out of the starting blocks this season and centre Nazem Kadri is one Flames skater who could produce a lot more than he has to this point in the season. In eight games, Kadri has one assist and 23 shots on goal. Flames head coach Ryan Huska tried to shake things up by moving Kadri to right wing on the top line, with Jonathan Huberdeau and Elias Lindholm, but that has not snapped Kadri from his early-season funk.

#18 Chicago Blackhawks left winger Taylor Hall has landed on the injured list, forcing another change on the wing for rookie centre Connor Bedard. With Tyler Johnson on right wing, the Blackhawks have Nick Foligno stepping into Hall’s spot. With all due respect to Foligno, this is not an ideal situation for Bedard, who could use more offensively gifted linemates If he is going to maximize his production. Through seven games, Bedard has four points (2 G, 2 A) and 22 shots on goal.

#19 Columbus Blue Jackets centre – yes, centre – Patrik Laine suffered an injury when Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson unloaded on him with a high hit late in a Flames loss to Columbus. Laine has not returned to action yet, missing three games since the incident. Boone Jenner and Jack Roslovic have joined Johnny Gaudreau on Columbus’ top line in Laine’s absence. Andersson was suspended for four games and MacKenzie Weegar has moved into the quarterback role on Calgary’s first unit power play.

#20 The Buffalo Sabres entered the season with hopes the rookie goaltender Devon Levi would be the one to carry the starter’s load between the pipes. Levi had a mediocre .892 save percentage in the first four games of the season before a nagging lower-body injury sidelined him. That has allowed Eric Comrie and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to see some action. As noted earlier, riding the hot hand in net is becoming a way of life for NHL teams and it has helped the Sabres pick up a couple of wins.

FANTASY: The Weekly Look Ahead – Week 1 – October 10 – 15 – Teams with a favourable schedule and players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 14:18:21 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 24: Look on Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha (18) during the Boston Bruins versus the Montreal Canadiens game on January 24, 2023, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Welcome to the first edition of my weekly look ahead. In this column, I’m going to highlight teams I believe have a particularly favorable schedule for the upcoming week and zero in on some potentially undervalued/underappreciated players on those squads who might be in line for a strong week. Going forward I’m also going to highlight hot players on those teams, but of course given that the regular season hasn’t started yet, I can’t really do that justice. I will make mention of preseason standouts instead this week, but please keep in mind that exhibition stats need to be taken with a large helping of salt.

Boston Bruins

The Bruins might not be the team they were a year ago, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see them start the season 2-0-0. They’ll begin the campaign with two home games, first against the rebuilding Blackhawks on Wednesday, then Saturday they’ll host Nashville, which is likely to be a middle-of-the-pack team.

Chicago’s offense is now led by Taylor Hall and Connor Bedard, so it will be interesting if nothing else, but Petr Mrazek and Arvid Soderblom is a pretty sorry goaltending duo that the Bruins should be able to take advantage of.

I’m particularly interested to see how Charlie Coyle does this week. The 31-year-old had 44 and 45 points in each of his last two campaigns, so he hasn’t been a major part of Boston’s attack, but there is the potential for him to play a bigger role in the post-Patrice Bergeron/David Krejci era. He’s gotten a chance to work alongside Brad Marchand during the preseason, which is a great opportunity for him. We might also see the NHL debut of Matthew Poitras. He has plenty of offensive upside and could begin the campaign in a middle-six role, so keep an eye out for that.

Boston was just 2-2-2 in the preseason, but David Pastrnak did stand out with two goals and four points in three appearances. Pavel Zacha, who might start the campaign on a line with Pastrnak, recorded three assists in three games.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have three games slated for their opening week. They’ll first host Ottawa on Wednesday, then play road contests versus Los Angeles and Anaheim on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The Kings and Senators are projected to be playoff contenders, but not the cream of the crop, while Anaheim is still looking to the future.

The Kings were also the only one of those three opponents to finish in the upper half of teams in terms of goals allowed per game last year and even then, just barely – LA ranked 16th. To be fair, Ottawa did sign Joonas Korpisalo over the summer while the Kings scooped up Cam Talbot, so there has been turnover in net, but this still looks like a potentially favorable grouping for the Hurricanes’ forwards.

Perhaps we’ll see Jesperi Kotkaniemi get off to a strong start. The 23-year-old set career highs last year with 18 goals and 43 points in 82 contests, but the 2018 third overall pick still has room to grow. That’s especially true when you consider he averaged just 14:44 of ice time in 2022-23. He might start this campaign on the second line with Teuvo Teravainen and Martin Necas. Speaking of Teravainen, he had just 37 points last season, but is a huge bounce back candidate.

Carolina went 3-3-0 during the preseason with Michael Bunting doing particularly well, providing three goals and four points in three contests. Bunting, signed from Toronto, might end up playing a pretty big role with the Hurricanes. He’s been seeing time alongside Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis on the top line and crucially has also slotted into the first power-play unit.

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers have only two games this week, but it’s an away-and-home series against Vancouver on Wednesday and Saturday. The Canucks are a weird team. They clearly have some star talent and goaltender Thatcher Demko might have a comeback season if he stays healthy, but they seem caught in that weird middle ground between building for the future and focusing on the present, with the outcome that they look mediocre on paper.

The player I’ll be most interested in during those two games will be Connor Brown. He didn’t record a point in four contests last season and the 29-year-old has never contributed more than 43 points in a single campaign – and even then, it was back in 2019-20 – but Brown has been seeing time on the top line with Evander Kane and Connor McDavid.

Brown is new to the Oilers, but not new to McDavid. The duo spent two years together with the OHL’s Erie Otters where they were two of the main driving forces of that squad’s attack. It’s been a while since Brown was that kind of offensive leader, but playing with McDavid should help.

Brown had two goals and three points in four preseason contests, which is solid, but it’s nothing compared to McDavid’s four goals and seven points in four exhibition games. Defenseman Evan Bouchard was also a preseason standout with six assists in five outings.

New Jersey Devils

The Devils will start the campaign with home games against Detroit and Arizona on Thursday and Friday, respectively. The Red Wings are a team on the rise, but they’re still questionable to even make the playoffs while Arizona likely still needs significantly more work.

Luke Hughes will be fun to watch as he begins his rookie campaign. While Bedard is understandably seen as the favorite for the Calder Trophy going into this campaign, Hughes is very much in the conversation too. The 20-year-old defenseman had 10 goals and 48 points in 39 NCAA games with the University of Michigan last season followed by a goal and four points in five appearances with New Jersey between the regular season and playoffs.

The big X-Factor is how much of a role will Hughes play off the bat. It’s hard to say what his even-strength role will be initially, but there’s a strong chance he’ll serve on the second power-play unit.

Also, while it must be said over and over again that preseason stats don’t mean much, it will be interesting to see if the Devils are able to carry any momentum from their 7-0-0 exhibition run into the regular season. In particular, Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes and Dawson Mercer dominated with nine, eight and five points, respectively – each in four preseason contests.

Pittsburgh Penguins

After falling short of the playoffs last year, the Penguins made significant changes over the summer to try to push back into contention with their most notable addition being defenseman Erik Karlsson. With their aged roster, a lot is on the line in 2023-24, and Pittsburgh has a golden opportunity to start off on the right foot. The Penguins will host Chicago on Tuesday, play in Washington on Friday and then host Calgary on Saturday. All those three teams joined the Penguins in the most recent draft lottery.

Between that favorable schedule and the absence of Jake Guentzel (ankle), Drew O'Connor might hit the ground running. O'Connor had four goals and five points in four exhibition games and while, yes, it’s preseason stats, it also seemed to be enough to demonstrate to the Penguins that he’s deserving of temporarily playing alongside Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust while Guentzel recovers.

If you want a real stretch, I have a little interest in Jeff Carter. He had just 29 points in 79 contests last season and is inching towards his 39th birthday on Jan. 1, so not much is expected of him. That said, he’s projected to start the campaign on the Penguins’ second power-play unit, which is an underrated assignment. Obviously, the top unit should do better, but getting anyone from that group is naturally costly. Meanwhile, the second unit is (due to the acquisition of Karlsson) now headlined by Kris Letang, who is immensely overqualified for his new role. This could be a pretty effective unit and Carter is one of the easiest to obtain from it.

As already noted, O’Connor was a preseason standout for Pittsburgh, but Marcus Pettersson and Rickard Rakell did well too, each recording three points in three games.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay will begin the campaign at home Tuesday versus Nashville before facing Detroit and Ottawa on the road Saturday and Sunday, respectively. None of those three teams made the playoffs last year, though to be fair, all three of them should be in the mix in 2023-24. Still, the Lightning should be looking to take at least two of three against those middle-of-the-road squads.

The big X-Factor is goaltending. The Lightning won’t have Andrei Vasilevskiy (back), so they’ll probably have to rely on Jonas Johansson for two of those three starts. With how strong of an offensive team Tampa Bay is, Johansson seems like a strong pickup for the duration of Vasilevskiy’s absence.

Outside of Johansson, Conor Sheary is worthy of consideration. After signing a three-year, $6 million contract with the Lightning over the summer, Sheary seems to be settling in on a line with Steven Stamkos. That could be a significant boost for Sheary, who had 53 points in 61 contests with Pittsburgh in 2016-17, but has struggled to replicate that success since, most recently recording 15 goals and 37 points in 82 contests with Washington.

Steven Stamkos is also worth keeping an eye on. Obviously, he’s a star and is expected to put up big numbers regardless, but even by his standards, he might have a big start to the campaign. Stamkos expressed disappointment with the lack of offseason discussion about a contract extension, and he could make the Lightning literally pay for waiting by coming out strong this campaign.

During the preseason, Brandon Hagel and Sheary were two of the Lightning’s best performers, each recording four points (Hagel in four games, Sheary in five). Johansson saved 94 of 96 shots during exhibition play.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights will start their defense of the Stanley Cup with a difficult home game versus Seattle on Tuesday. However, they’ll follow it up with what should be a pair of comparatively easy contests: one in San Jose on Thursday and a contest back in Vegas versus Anaheim on Saturday.

Vegas won’t have defensemen Alec Martinez (upper body) or Zach Whitecloud (upper body) this week, which opens the door to both Brayden Pachal and Ben Hutton dressing in the Golden Knights’ opener. Neither player is a significant offensive threat, but if you’re in the market for blocks, hits or penalty minutes, then Pachal is worth taking in the short-term. Pachal had eight PIM, 12 blocks and 27 hits in 10 contests with Vegas last season. He also had 90 PIM in 55 contests with AHL Henderson – his second straight 90 PIM campaign at the AHL level.

Adin Hill and Logan Thompson should also be good for some situational starts this week. It might be best to avoid going with Vegas goaltending Tuesday if you can, but Hill and Thompson are likely to split the San Jose/Anaheim contests. The Sharks and Ducks ranked 25th and 31st, respectively, in terms of goals per game in 2022-23 and neither is likely to be a major offensive threat this year.

Vegas was a mediocre 3-3-1 in the preseason, but Jack Eichel managed to score two goals and eight points in four contests while Jonathan Marchessault finished with three goals and seven points in three appearances.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 18:33:53 +0000

SAINT PAUL, MN - FEBRUARY 11: New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton (7) skates with the puck during the NHL game between the New Jersey Devils and the Minnesota Wild, on February 11th, 2023, at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

Review: After years of hardship, the Devils’ ship has been righted. New Jersey grew from the draft with home grown forwards Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Dawson Mercer combining for 133 markers to help the Devils tie for fourth in the league with 3.52 goals per game. The successful rebuild wasn’t just about developing prospects though. They’ve been proactive, snagging defenseman Dougie Hamilton as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2021, who then came up big for the Devils last season with 22 goals and 74 points in 82 outings. New Jersey also acquired Timo Meier from San Jose on Feb. 26, adding to an already stacked offense. The one big potential issue the Devils still have is goaltending. Mackenzie Blackwood struggled while Vitek Vanecek started hot but slowed as the campaign dragged on. Rookie Akira Schmid emerged as the potential solution though. After the Devils earned a 52-22-8 record in the regular season, Schmid outplayed Vanecek in the playoffs, though neither goalie could stop Carolina from ousting New Jersey in five games in the second round.

What’s Changed? New Jersey lost some scoring depth when Tomas Tatar walked as a free agent, but having Meier for a full campaign should more than make up for that. The Devils further enhanced their already strong offense by acquiring Tyler Toffoli, coming off his career-high 73-point performance, from Calgary in exchange for Yegor Sharangovich.

What would success look like? The good news for the Devils is last year’s success was largely thanks to a young core that’s not only talented, but deep. Even if one or two key forwards struggle or are hurt for stretches, there are enough alternative scoring threats on the team to power through it. New Jersey didn’t tweak its goaltending, but Vanek has shown he can be solid at times, and if Schmid, who is still just 23, is able to build off his strong 2022-23 campaign, then the Devils will be set for a deep playoff run.

What could go wrong? With so much promise though, it’s a little concerning how heavily their fate is tied to two relatively unproven goaltenders. Schmid still has just 33 games worth of NHL experience, even after including the playoffs. Vanecek at least has 141 regular season and playoff contests under his belt, but he hasn’t shown he can be a sustained presence, and worryingly, he’s fallen apart in the postseason with a career 4.52 GAA and .834 save percentage.

Top Breakout Candidate: The promise of the Devils’ forward group has been realized, but New Jersey has a lot of untapped potential remaining on the blue line, especially with regards to Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec. Hughes in particular seems primed for a breakout campaign. This will be his first full NHL season after getting a taste last year, recording a goal and an assist in two regular-season games followed by two helpers in three playoff outings. He was also amazing with the University of Michigan, contributing 10 goals and 48 points in 39 outings. Although Hughes is still just 20 years old, he has the potential to serve in a top-four capacity this year while also receiving some power-play ice time.

Forwards

Jack Hughes

After erupting for 99 points in 78 games in his fourth NHL season, the 22-year-old playmaking center is ready to join the ranks of the elite. Hughes has great awareness of where everyone else is on the ice and has the confidence to create chances even when it looks like there is nothing available. Hughes scored a career high 43 goals even though his shooting percentage dropped from 15.8% the previous season to 12.8% last season, but he generated nearly an extra shot per game, going from 3.37 shots per game to 4.31 shots per game. That ability to generate shots and scoring chances at an elite level is why Hughes should be expected to keep scoring at such a high level. In his first 50 games of the season, Hughes recorded 67 points (35 G, 32 A), with 229 shots on goal, but then he suffered an upper-body injury which kept him out less than two weeks, but his production was not the same after that, as he put up 32 points (8 G, 24 A) in 28 games to finish the regular season. For all of his wonderful attributes, Hughes is laughably poor on faceoffs, winning 35.4% for his career, and he has shown no improvement, winning 35.3% of his draws last season. Maybe the biggest challenge when it comes to projecting Hughes’ scoring this season is related to his durability, or lack thereof. He has played an average of 61 games in four NHL seasons. While some of those seasons were shortened by the league, Hughes has still missed significant playing time. Healthy for a full season, Hughes has the upside to be a 120-point player, and there are not many of those, but taking injuries into account, it might be more reasonable to count on something closer to 90 points.

Nico Hischier

With Patrice Bergeron retiring, there may be an opening for someone new to take home the Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward and Hischier is right at the top of the list of contenders after he finished as runner-up in 2022-2023. He also produced career highs of 31 goals and 80 points, increasing his shot output from 2.19 per game to 3.16 per game year over year. He started the season with 22 points (9 G, 13 A) in his first 18 games and finished the season with 19 points (3 G, 16 A) in his last 16 games. Hischier’s ability to take on more defensive responsibility helps free up Hughes to unleash his offensive game, so they really work well as a tandem down the middle of the ice for New Jersey. Hischier’s emergence offensively should only be enhanced by New Jersey keeping Meier and adding Tyler Toffoli because it gives the Devils more weapons up front. Considering his increased shot rate and significant role in the Devils lineup, Hischier should be in line for at least 75 points, with a chance to challenge or even exceed last season’s career-best output.

Timo Meier

A shot generating monster in San Jose, Meier was not as productive in New Jersey, with his shot rate dropping by more than one per game, and even though Meier struggled in the postseason, the Devils committed to signing him to a long-term contract extension. That seems more of a show of faith based on Meier’s previous performance in San Jose rather than what he did for New Jersey, when he contributed 14 points (9 G, 5 A) in 21 games, but he is a play-driving winger who is not afraid to use his size to create room in the offensive zone. Starting last season in San Jose, Meier did not score a goal in his first nine games, then tallied 27 goals in his next 38 games. Such is the power of shot generation – keep getting those shots and, eventually, they start to go in the net. Over the past two seasons, Meier has generated 1.20 expected goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, ranking second behind only Toronto’s Auston Matthews. When trying to project Meier’s production, consider that he will probably play less for a strong New Jersey team than he did in San Jose, and his teammates should still allow him to generate a high rate of shots. That would make 35 goals and 65 points a reasonable target for Meier, but he has a higher ceiling, too. If everything goes well, a point per game is not out of the question.

Jesper Bratt

The 25-year-old winger scored a career high 32 goals and tied his career high with 73 points last season and he is one of 27 forwards league-wide to have recorded at least 70 points in each of the past two seasons. Bratt has explosive speed and excellent puck protection skills. He has become increasingly comfortable as a finisher, which makes him a more serious threat overall. His defensive impact has been slipping in recent seasons. Not enough to be a major problem, because Bratt led the Devils with a Corsi percentage of 58.4%, but if his defensive play gets tidied up, he would be an even stronger all-around player. Bratt opened last season with 24 points (8 G, 16 A) in 19 games and it’s not like he collapsed after that, but it was tough to maintain that level. Even so, after back-to-back 73-point seasons, that remains a reasonable ballpark for this season, too.

Tyler Toffoli

A veteran who has excelled at every stop, Toffoli was a brilliant addition by the Devils. The 31-year-old right winger tallied career highs of 34 goals and 73 points for the Flames last season, with Calgary dominating play when Toffoli was on the ice, outscoring, out-shooting, and out-chancing the opposition. He is not the most graceful skater but has learned enough positional play over the years that he does not have to rely on speed to be in the right place to make things happen. Controlling play has been routine for Toffoli throughout his career, and moving to a Devils team that tends to push the puck in the right direction should allow him to thrive on a Stanley Cup contender. With the Flames striving, unsuccessfully, to reach the postseason, Toffoli finished the year with 17 points (8 G, 9 A) and 54 shots on goal in the last 14 games. Joining a Devils squad that controls play will not be an adjustment for Toffoli, who almost always has the puck moving in the right direction, but it should give him plenty of chances to score. He may not match his career-best numbers, set in Calgary last season, but it would not be a surprise to see 65 points from Toffoli. Last season’s 73 points was easily his career high, but as recently as 2020-2021, he tallied 28 goals and 44 points in just 52 games for Montreal. With high-end centers in New Jersey, Toffoli is again in position to be a very productive scoring winger.

Dawson Mercer

After starting his NHL career as a center who could not win faceoffs, Mercer spent most of his second season on the wing and turned into a strong finisher. There is some risk that his goal scoring will not be sustainable, because his shooting percentage jumped to 16.8% last season, but he had a phenomenal run starting in mid-February when he scored 11 goals and 20 points with 43 shots on goal in a 12-game span. Suddenly, he was a game-breaking offensive threat and while that was not going to last, it helped secure Mercer a spot in a scoring role with the Devils. Since he is still just 21, that offensive development offers a glimpse of what Mercer might be able to accomplish in the future. When it comes to projections, then, Mercer ought to keep making progress, but with last season’s goal-scoring surge lifting his shooting percentage to 16.8%, it’s fair to expect some regression. A 25-goal, 50-point season is well within Mercer’s grasp, with room to climb higher if, for example, he ended up on Hughes’ wing on a regular basis.

Ondrej Palat

Although his first season in New Jersey was marred by injury, missing 33 games due to groin surgery, Palat remained an excellent defensive presence. While he is well compensated relative to his limited offensive output, Palat also brings 150 games of playoff experience, including having played an integral role on two Stanley Cup winners in Tampa Bay. In the past four seasons, Palat has skated in 83 playoff games to lead the National Hockey League. His 30 playoff goals in that time ranks third, behind Nathan MacKinnon and Brayden Point. For a Devils team that has rising young stars in the middle of the ice, bringing in veterans like Toffoli and Palat in recent seasons adds a measure of stability that can help this team reach the next level. Palat’s only 20-goal season was as a rookie, in 2013-2014, and he probably won’t get there in 2023-2024, but he could score 15 goals and 45 points in a full season.

Erik Haula

Acquired in a trade for Pavel Zacha, Haula had bounced around quite a bit before landing in New Jersey with his seventh NHL team. Following a strong season, in which he surpassed 40 points for the third time in his career, Haula earned a three-year contract with the Devils, which might offer a dose of stability. The 32-year-old has versatility in that he plays mostly at center but can shift to the wing as well and he can be used in a checking role or can contribute secondary scoring. He is not a star, but a quality complementary piece for a contending team. Haula started last season with one goal in the first 30 games, which was not sustainable, given the chances he was getting. He finished the season on a high, however. In 20 games after the trade deadline, Haula contributed nine goals and 14 points. That early-season slump contributed to Haula finishing with an 8.5% shooting percentage, notably below his career mark of 11.8%, which should limit any potential regression, so a 15-goal, 40-point season should still be within Haula’s range in 2023-2024.

Michael McLeod

While he is offensively limited for a player who was drafted 12^th overall in 2016, McLeod is establishing himself as a fast and physical checking center. He has scored just 10 goals in 157 games over the past two seasons but has delivered 272 hits while winning 58.9% of his faceoffs. If he could finish at a higher rate, then maybe he would have a chance to climb in the lineup but until then the 25-year-old is a reliable depth option. Although McLeod did score a couple of goals and had six points in the playoffs, his last regular season goal was on January 4th, and after the trade deadline, he had no goals and three assists in 20 games. Given his spot in the lineup, expectations are modest, but surely McLeod can give the Devils more than that. It would be hard for him to score on just 4.4% of his shots again, so some positive regression could be coming in McLeod’s direction. A few more goals and a point total in the 25-30 range is a fair expectation.

Nathan Bastian

A 25-year-old depth winger who has never had 20 points in an NHL season, Bastian could possibly offer more than what he has provided to this point in his career. He has the size of a legitimate power forward and plays a sound defensive game while also showing some capability in the offensive zone. He has played more than 50 games once in his career and has mostly been used in a limited fourth-line role, but there are some intriguing signs related to goal-scoring and physical play. With his physical presence, Bastian could carve out a more significant role. If he does that, maybe double-digit goals and 200-plus hits could be part of his contribution.

Defense

Dougie Hamilton

A rare talent on the blueline, Hamilton has finished in the top seven in Norris Trophy voting in three of the past four seasons, and he burst through for career highs of 22 goals and 74 points last season. A smooth skater at 6’ 6”, Hamilton covers so much space on the ice that he frequently jumps into the attack to give his team an advantage. His play away from the puck has slipped in recent seasons but not to the degree that it overshadows his significant offensive contributions. Since 2015-2016, Hamilton has scored 115 goals, ranking third among defensemen, behind Brent Burns and Roman Josi. While Hamilton was fine early in the season, in his last 57 games, he tallied 58 points (16 G, 42 A) with 188 shots on goal. He can be a difference maker, and even though Hamilton had never scored more than 50 points in a season prior to 2022-2023, he should have a reasonable shot at exceeding 60 points this season. The Devils have a lot of talent and Hamilton has found his groove in terms of style, being able to attack and take advantage of his considerable offensive gifts.

John Marino

Even though he managed a modest 18 points (4 G, 14 A) in 64 games during his first season with the Devils, after being acquired from Pittsburgh, Marino established himself as an excellent top-four right-shot defender. A graceful skater, Marino might have more offensive upside, but is not likely to get significant offensive opportunities on a Devils blueline that boasts Hamilton and top prospects Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec. As excellent as Marino was defensively last season, he was a liability offensively, which is fine. Not everybody has to be a scorer. But that means that Marino might contribute 20-25 points in a full season and that is not going to move the needle very much.

Jonas Siegenthaler

The Devils invested in Siegenthaler when they acquired him from Washington, and he has rewarded them by filling a top-four role on defense. He produced a career high 21 points last season, logging more than 20 minutes per game while recording more than 100 hits and 100 blocked shots. While Marino is more about finesse, Siegenthaler brings a sturdy presence, and his no-frills game has value even if it can get overlooked in the presence of flashier teammates. Like Marino, Siegenthaler’s value is more tied to his defensive contributions. Not only did Siegenthaler have an expected goals percentage of 55.2%, but the Devils outscored opponents by 20 goals (78-58) with Siegenthaler on the ice during five-on-five play. With his track record showing minimal offensive output and a relatively high on-ice shooting percentage (10.0 OiSH%) last season, it would be a little surprising if Siegenthaler even matched last season’s total of 21 points.

Goaltending

Vitek Vanecek

The New Jersey Devils have finally parted ways with MacKenzie Blackwood, with the relationship between Blackwood’s rookie performances and the remainder of his time between the pipes never quite lining up. But while Devils fans have become a bit gun-shy about jumping headfirst into their enthusiasm for goaltenders, Blackwood’s departure leaves the team with a goaltender in Vitek Vanecek that should soothe at least some skittish supporters for the coming year.

Vanecek had arrived in New Jersey as one-half of the prospect pairing that the Washington Capitals moved on from wholesale last summer, heading in-division following two years of inconsistent performances and battles for the number one gig with fellow prospect Ilya Samsonov. Vanecek, who had been the ‘spare’ to Samsonov’s heir apparent role in Washington, proved almost immediately that Devils fans are in good hands moving forward – so he’ll kick off the upcoming season as the consensus starter, likely shouldering the majority of the workload with Akira Schmid serving as his number two. Vanecek’s game had previously been characterized by concerns over his game reads and depth management, but he adopted a more conservative approach for the Devils that helped the Metro Division club make their triumphant return to the postseason. The incremental positioning errors he seemed to make in Washington looked to be all cleaned up last year – and if he can prove that wasn’t a fluke, he’ll be a valuable piece for the Devils in the coming years as they attempt to hold their championship window open.

Projected starts: 55-60

NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: NEW YORK RANGERS VS. NEW JERSEY DEVILS – The team that controls the rush will win the series

Jesse Marshall — Sat, 15 Apr 2023 16:07:57 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 30: New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller (79) skates with the puck during the National Hockey League game between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils on March 30, 2023 at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

For the first time since 2012, the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils will re-ignite their post-season animosities. That Eastern Conference Finals matchup seems like a lifetime ago, it's close to one. In this dance, it's the Rangers with the edge in experience as they look to forge their way further than they made it last season when the Tampa Bay Lightning knocked them off in six games, one step away from the Stanley Cup Final. On the other hand, the Devils are led by a group of core players that will be making their post-season debut. While the playoffs are certainly a different beast, you can't discount the dominance that some of the younger Devil forwards exhibited throughout the course of the year.

Let's jump into a few of the finer points of this matchup before making a series prediction.

Offensive Breakdown

Both of these teams can effectively attack off of the rush, but the Devils have made it a core tenet of what they do offensively. In fact, in the data Corey Sznajder has tracked in his All Three Zones project, no forward in the league has taken more shots off of the rush than the Devils' Jack Hughes, leading the way behind the philosophy boasted by the entire forward core. That, combined with the off-the-rush efficacy of the Devils top line featuring Tomas Tatar, Nico Hischier, and Dawson Mercer, means the Devils take a significantly larger portion of their shots off of zone entry rushes than the Rangers do. This enables them to move the puck laterally in dangerous fashions that get talented goaltenders moving side-to-side and the puck moving into high-danger scoring chances. The Devils breakout is so often bolstered by their mobile defense that can get the puck up-ice quickly and join in the rush as a bit of a fourth forward. Defending those breaks are difficult and lead to a good amount of entries with possession per the data Corey is tracking.

The Rangers do most of their work off of the rush as well, but it hasn't born out the same kind of fruit as the Devils have experienced. Most notably, the Rangers have struggled to consistently find the net-front area in the offensive zone. As a result of those struggles, they grade out 22nd in the league with regards to their ability to generate quality scoring chances. The good news for the Rangers is the Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad combination has been wonderful regardless of who the third wheel is, and the third wheel just so happens to be Patrick Kane in this instance. The aforementioned duo of forwards spend upwards of 60-percent of their time in the offensive zone. Keep an eye on the Rangers stretch pass. With a quick group of forwards, they're able to break off of puck battles quickly to gain an edge on the opponent and sprint behind them for a deep bomb through the neutral zone that sends them off to the races.

The biggest mismatch here is the Devils 2nd line of newly acquired Timo Meier, Hughes, and Jesper Bratt versus the Rangers 2nd line of Artemi Panarin, Vince Trocheck, and Vladimir Tarasenko.

Defensive Breakdown - A Series Full of Puck Movers

These teams are a lot more even defensively than they are offensively, but I am still giving the advantage to the Devils here based on the quality of their depth.

On the Rangers side, Adam Fox is so good, teams are avoiding his side of the ice entirely when attempting to enter the offensive zone. In the games tracked via the All Three Zones project, Fox has been supremely successful at controlling zone entries from opponents in the limited opportunities he does see at even-strength. That means a great deal of testing has befallen his parter, Ryan Lindgren, and Lindgren has not found the same amount of success his partner has at preventing zone entries. The Fox and Lindgren pairing is the only pairing for the Rangers with more than 200 minutes at even-strength that has been able to keep its head above the 50% mark on expected-goal generation.

The Devils have a bit more of an even contribution with regards to quelling zone entries across the board. Kevin Bahl, John Marino, and Jonas Siegenthaler lead the way with regards to putting a stop to the opponents offensive attacks before they get started. The Devils overload approach to playing defense and their overall team speed give them a much better set of results in defending the net front area than the Rangers can boast. It's not by a significant margin, but it's one worth mentioning in this preview.

I mentioned that offensively both of these teams like to attack using the rush and, unfortunately, that isn't an area where the Rangers have been able to keep up with the Devils this year. I look for the Devils forwards to find space on zone entries and force some difficult situations as a result. The Rangers best bet will be to try and elongate their offensive zone possessions and keep the rush chances to a minimum.

Special Teams

I mentioned team speed as an important element of the Devils game and it drives their power-kill style of penalty-killing. That aggressive, up-tempo approach to annoying the opposing power-play quarterback into coughing the puck up as given them an 82.6-precent success rate this season, good for fourth in the NHL.That fourth-best ranking also extends to their ability to prevent shot-attempts and scoring chances as well. The Rangers trail that at 81.2-percent and play a much softer penalty-kill strategy than the Devils do, thusly allowing more in the way of zone entries and quality scoring chances. Keep an eye on Jacob Trouba for the Rangers penalty-kill, he is an underrated presence in preventing puck carriers the opportunity to enter the zone with possession of the puck.

On the power-play side, the Rangers boast the advantage at a 24.1-percent success rate. On the man-advantage, it's all about the work of Zibanejad. His cross-ice presence and roaming ability for the Rangers power-play has netted him 39 total power-play points this season as a complement to the great work Fox is doing carrying the mail. The Devils have only converted 21.9% and have scored just 49 power-play goals all season. That's the 12th lowest total in the league. They lack the ability to get to the front of the net that the Rangers boast, generating a great bit of their shot-attempts from the exterior of the offensive zone.

Goaltending

This is the area where the Rangers boast a distinct advantage, but is it enough to overcome all of the other advantages we've said the Devils hold in this series? The Devils haven't gotten poor goaltending from Vitek Vanecek this season. He turned in an 82 goals-against performance on 92.6 expected goals-against this season. It was a performance slightly better than expected. Igor Shesterkin allowed 102 goals, but it was on an 126.4 expected goals-against performance. He was significantly above the line with his results.

We also can't ignore the fact that Shesterkin is battle tested in the playoffs. This proves to be a huge advantage for the Rangers as he has the experience and ability to pull off another strong run this season, starting with this very series.

Prediction

I'm saying this will go seven games right out of the gate. Despite the advantages the Devils hold at even-strength, the Rangers are opportunistic, have a great power-play, and a distinct advantage in goaltending. That being said, there's a speed element here at work for the Devils in how they attack that I can't move beyond. I am taking the young, inexperienced Devils team to surprise the Rangers and create a number of systemic issues for them between the blue lines. Devils win this series in an arduous but entertaining seven games.

Data for this piece was obtained by:

Corey Sznajder - All Three Zones

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Key trade deadline moves with fantasy impact

Scott Cullen — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 23:17:52 +0000

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 02: New York Rangers Left Wing Artemi Panarin (10) and New York Rangers Right Wing Patrick Kane (88) talk during the National Hockey League game between the Ottawa Senators and the New York Rangers on March 2, 2023 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week brought a flurry of trades even before Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline and then not so much on deadline day. Nevertheless, here is a look at the potential impact of the most significant moves, including Patrick Kane, Timo Meier, Jakob Chychrun, Shayne Gostisbehere, Tyler Bertuzzi and many more.

#1 When the New York Rangers traded for Vladimir Tarasenko, it looked like Patrick Kane might not get his wish to end up on Broadway. Kane re-ignited trade interest by putting up 10 points (7 G, 3 A) in his last four games with the Blackhawks and he should be productive in New York, where he will have a stronger supporting cast and is re-united with former Blackhawks linemate Artemi Panarin. Overall, this probably improves Kane’s value down the stretch but his strong finish in Chicago ensures that he won’t be any kind of buy-low bargain for fantasy managers.

#2 A shot generating beast, Timo Meier was acquired by the New Jersey Devils from the San Jose Sharks and while he is recovering from an upper-body injury, there is an excellent opportunity awaiting him with the Devils. Whether he ends up with either Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes as his center, Meier is going to be in position to keep producing at an elite level. He had 31 goals in 57 games with San Jose, averaging a career-high 4.47 shots on goal per game. As for the Sharks, they will offer a bigger role for Fabian Zetterlund, who had 20 points (6 G, 14 A) in 46 games for New Jersey and Andreas Johnsson, who has been stuck in the minors for most of the season and had 30 points (9 G, 21 A) in 36 AHL games, but they would only hold appeal in the deepest of leagues.

#3 The Ottawa Senators landed one of the most sought-after defensemen with the addition of Jakob Chychrun from the Arizona Coyotes. Chychrun has had trouble staying healthy throughout his career but has also been very productive when he is on the ice. Since 2018-2019, among defensemen that have played at least 200 games, Chychrun ranks sixth with 0.19 goals per game (49 goals in 256 games) and seventh with 2.73 shots on goal per game. The question is whether Chychrun has a chance to supplant Thomas Chabot on Ottawa’s top power play unit. In Arizona, Juuso Valimaki is set to take over as the full-time quarterback on the Coyotes power play. He has 10 assists, including five with the man advantage, in the past 11 games.

#4 One of the reasons that Valimaki is the new No. 1 option on the Arizona blueline is that, in addition to trading Chychrun, the Coyotes dealt puck-moving defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere to Carolina. Gostisbehere will get regular power play time with the Hurricanes and given Carolina’s five-on-five dominance, he should see an uptick in production at even strength, too. The Hurricanes also acquired right winger Jesse Puljujarvi from Edmonton. While Puljujarvi is probably more of a long-term project, who arrives with 14 points (5 G, 9 A) in 58 games, he did score 29 goals in 120 games over the previous two seasons. He has been a strong play-driving winger, which fits in Carolina, but Puljujarvi may also have some untapped offensive potential, too.

#5 With long-term injuries hitting wingers Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno, the Boston Bruins wasted no time in dealing for Tyler Bertuzzi from the Detroit Red Wings. Bertuzzi was an attractive commodity on the trade market even though he had just 14 points (4 G, 10 A) in 29 games for Detroit. He was scoring on a career-low 6.5% of his shots, with a 7.8% on-ice shooting percentage, so he is probably due for some positive regression when it comes to his percentages. With Bertuzzi departing Detroit, Dominik Kubalik moved back up to the Wings’ top line.

#6 Power forward Nino Niederreiter landed with the Winnipeg Jets after scoring 28 points (18 G, 10 A) in 56 games for the Nashville Predators. Niederreiter is a six-time 20-goal scorer and should have a good opportunity to produce down the stretch for Winnipeg. He played more than 18 minutes in his first game for the Jets, something Niederreiter did in 11 of 56 games for the Predators. While Nashville has made several changes, one of the more notable moves was to call John Leonard up from the AHL, where he had 32 points (11 G, 21 A) in 52 games for Milwaukee. Leonard scored in his first game for the Preds, skating on a line with Cody Glass and Matt Duchene.

#7 After scoring 24 goals as a rookie last season, Tanner Jeannot was snakebit for most of this season in Nashville, scoring just five goals and 14 points in 56 games. He also had 213 hits and can drop the gloves, if need be, so he can have an impact without scoring, but the Tampa Bay Lightning will try to rekindle Jeannot’s touch around the net. He is skating on the third line with Ross Colton and Nick Paul, a line that should be tough to play against. With Jeannot gone, Cole Smith has joined Colton Sissons and Yakov Trenin on Nashville’s checking line.

#8 One more deal for Nashville, as they sent Mikael Granlund to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Granlund had 36 points (9 G, 27 A) in 58 games for the Preds, and has three seasons in his career with more than 60 points, so he has the skill to be a productive contributor. At the same time, it is not like he is stepping into a big role with the Penguins. In his first game for Pittsburgh, Granlund played mostly with Jeff Carter and Danton Heinen, which is not the best spot for putting up points. Granlund’s departure from Nashville does open up room for a scoring winger and recently called up right winger Philip Tomasino has a chance to take advantage of that situation. Tomasino had 32 points (12 G, 20 A) in 38 AHL games before getting called up and has five points (1 G, 4 A) in nine games since his promotion.

#9 The Vancouver Canucks made one trade with an eye to the future and one that is more geared to the present. First, they sent checking winger William Lockwood to the New York Rangers for Vitali Kravtsov, a 23-year-old winger who had fallen out of favor with the Blueshirts after managing six points (3 G, 3 A) in 28 games. Kravtsov might have some long-term upside but is not likely to offer fantasy value this season. Vancouver’s other major deal involved the addition of Filip Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings. Hronek is a 25-year-old right shot defenseman who has already tied his career high with 38 points (9 G, 29 A) in 60 games. However, 16 of those 38 points have come on the power play and it would seem unlikely that Hronek would get first unit power play time ahead of Quinn Hughes in Vancouver. Hronek’s departure does open up more of an opportunity on the power play for Detroit’s sophomore blueliner Moritz Seider, who started slowly, but has 18 points (2 G, 16 A) in his past 23 games.

#10 The St. Louis Blues continued to sell off veteran talent, dealing versatile forward Ivan Barbashev to the Vegas Golden Knights. Barbashev had a career-high 60 points in 2021-2022 and is not likely to get to that level again, but had 29 points (10 G, 19 A) in 59 games for St. Louis before the trade. Barbashev is getting an excellent opportunity in Vegas, skating on the top line with Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault, so Barbashev is worth tracking in his new location. St. Louis has overhauled a lot of their forward group, but waiver pickup Kasperi Kapanen is looking at a better role than he had in Pittsburgh. Kapanen had 20 points (7 G, 13 A) in 43 games for the Penguins, but was playing just 12 minutes per game. He will play more than that in St. Louis and is getting a look alongside Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich.

The Blues picked up a winger desperately in need of a fresh start. Jakub Vrana was traded from Detroit to St. Louis and the 27-year-old winger spent some time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program this season. He had just two points (1 G, 1 A) in five games for the Red Wings as well as 11 points (6 G, 5 A) in 17 AHL games. However, when he was not injured or otherwise out of the lineup Vrana did score 22 goals in 42 games with Detroit, so there is obvious upside for a team like St. Louis, that is not looking for a full rebuild, but a quick turnaround instead. Tread cautiously with adding Vrana for this season but see what kind of opportunity he gets with the Blues and expect that he will have sleeper value next season.

#11 The Edmonton Oilers bolstered their roster with the additions of defenseman Mattias Ekholm from Nashville and center Nick Bjugstad from Arizona. Ekholm is a defensive standout, but is a capable puck mover, too, and has recorded more than 30 points in five different NHL seasons. Tyson Barrie went to Nashville in the Ekholm deal and going from Edmonton’s power play to Nashville’s power play is going to be a shock to the system. Edmonton has scored 12.50 goals per 60 during five-on-four play, easily the best in the league, while Nashville has scored 6.34 goals per 60, ranking 24^th. Barrie scored 28 of his 43 points with the man advantage and will be replaced on the Oilers power play by Evan Bouchard, who has been able to generate points at evens, but has 14 of his 70 career points on the power play. Since the Oilers’ power play is driven more by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Bouchard should benefit from the new role. Bjugstad had 13 goals and 23 points in 59 games for Arizona, but he is likely to fill a bottom six role with the Oilers, so should not bring much fantasy value.

#12 The Los Angeles Kings, feeling like contenders, upgraded their defense and goaltending in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, acquiring blueliner Vladislav Gavrikov and netminder Joonas Korpisalo, while sending goalie Jonathan Quick to Columbus. Gavrikov tallied a career-high 33 points last season but has just 10 points (3 G, 7 A) in 52 games this season, so he does not offer much fantasy appeal. Korpisalo, however, is looking at the opportunity to start for a team that is headed to the playoffs. Over the course of his career, Korpisalo has mostly been a below average goaltender, but he had a .919 save percentage in his last 17 games for Columbus and that is good enough for him to count as an upgrade for a Kings team that needed AHL call-up Pheonix Copley to save their season. Quick was reportedly not happy about the deal to Columbus and was then flipped to the Vegas Golden Knights. With Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit injured, Vegas could use someone to back up behind Adin Hill. Quick had a .876 save percentage in 31 games for the Kings, which would be a career-low mark for the 37-year-old goaltender. All of this is to say that Quick does not offer much for fantasy managers at this stage of his career.

#13 The Toronto Maple Leafs continued their active ways, dealing defenseman Rasmus Sandin to the Washington Capitals for Erik Gustafsson and a first-round pick. Sandin has a chance to play a substantial role in Washington for the rest of this season and beyond. With John Carlson injured, and Gustafsson heading to Toronto, Sandin is looking at a prime situation in which he can quarterback Washington’s first power play unit. Gustafsson, who had scored 11 of his 38 points with Washington while on the man advantage, is tied for 15^th among defensemen with 27 even-strength points. However, Toronto’s blueline looks awfully crowded so, barring a sudden change, Gustafsson is likely to fall into a depth role, virtually eliminating his fantasy appeal. Toronto also added defensemen Jake McCabe and Luke Schenn, as well as center Sam Lafferty, any of whom might help Toronto’s plans to add grit for the postseason, but none of them look like fantasy contributors.

#14 The Dallas Stars acquired Evgeni Dadonov from the Montreal Canadiens, sending Denis Gurianov the other way. The Stars also brought in center Max Domi from the Chicago Blackhawks. Dadonov is a skilled veteran winger who had a shooting percentage of 5.6% and on-ice shooting percentage of 6.6% for the Habs, both of which are likely to get a natural lift – he’s due! Dadonov has three points (1 G, 2 A) and eight shots on goal in three games for the Stars, skating on a line with Jamie Benn and Wyatt Johnston. Gurianov had just two goals in 43 games for Dallas, but he scored 20 goals in 2019-2020, so there is some upside there and the Habs have the time to draw it out of him. Gurianov scored a goal in his second game for Montreal and played more than 17 minutes in his first two games for the Canadiens, a threshold he had not hit this season in Dallas. Domi wrapped up his tenure with the Blackhawks by scoring 14 points (4 G, 10 A) with 29 shots on goal in his last eight games. He has 49 points, his most in a season since scoring 72 points in 2018-2019. He will be in more of a supporting role with Dallas, so while he may contribute in Dallas, his fantasy value has probably peaked already. With Domi gone, 2020 first-round pick Lukas Reichel has been promoted from the AHL, where he had 46 points (17 G, 29 A) in 51 games for Rockford. Reichel has stepped into Domi’s spot, centering Chicago’s top line between Andreas Athanasiou and Philipp Kurashev.

#15 The Minnesota Wild made some modest deals to improve their forward depth before making bigger deals at the deadine. First, they added Gustav Nyquist from the Columbus Blue Jackets and Marcus Johansson from the Washington Capitals. Nyquist is injured, but should be healthy by the time the playoffs roll around and he is a competent scoring middle six winger. Johansson could have a little fantasy sleeper value. He had 28 points (13 G, 15 A) in 60 games for Washington, but started his second stint with the Wild by playing more than 16 minutes while skating on a line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy.

The Wild then added defenseman John Klingberg from Anaheim, where he had 24 points (8 G, 16 A) in 50 games, and just going to a better team ought to help Klingberg’s production. Will he step into the Wild’s top power play unit? The Wild rank 10^th with 8.18 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play, but rookie defenseman Calen Addison is the top-scoring power play defenseman for the Wild and he has been a healthy scratch recently.

Minnesota also shipped winger Jordan Greenway to Buffalo, but he had just seven points (2 G, 5 A) in 45 games. Greenway produced a career-high 32 points (6 G, 26 A) in 56 games in 2020-2021, but has typically not scored enough to matter for fantasy purposes. The Wild replaced Greenway on the roster with Oskar Sundqvist, who had 21 points (7 G, 14 A) in 52 games for Detroit. Of all these additions by the Wild, Klingberg is the only one with widespread fantasy appeal.

#16 Although he played just 13 minutes per game for the Toronto Maple Leafs, lanky winger Pierre Engvall could have a better situation waiting for him with the New York Islanders, at least in the short term. With injuries up front, the Isles have Engvall starting out with Anders Lee and Bo Horvat on the top line. It’s worth giving him a look. In 21 games this season in which Engvall played more than 14 minutes, he contributed seven goals and four assists.

#17 With the deals covered, there are still some players that are heating up and worth adding, starting with the Devils’ Dawson Mercer. The second year forward has scored a goal in seven straight games, putting up 14 points (9 G, 5 A) with 22 shots on goal. He has a good thing going on a line with Nico Hischier and Tomas Tatar.

#18 Carolina’s second year right winger Seth Jarvis has returned to the top line, alongside Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen. He has seven points (5 G, 2 A) and 20 shots on goal in his past six games and his increased shot rate makes it easier to buy him as a scoring threat down the stretch.

#19 Trying to recapture last season’s magic, when Ryan Hartman had a career high 34 goals and 65 points the Minnesota Wild have re-united Hartman with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello on the top line. Hartman has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 20 shots on goal in his past seven games.

#20 Scoring Buffalo’s only goal in Thursday’s 7-1 loss at Boston, Casey Mittelstadt is on a tear, with 10 points (3 G, 7 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past 10 games. That shot rate is concerning when it comes to sustaining his offensive production, but Mittelstadt is up to a career high 38 points (10 G, 28 A) in 60 games and that warrants consideration in deeper leagues.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.