Devin Cooley – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – The aftermath of the trade deadline, including deals for John Carlson, Brayden Schenn, Conor Garland, Bobby Brink, and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:44:59 +0000

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, the aftermath of the trade deadline, including deals for John Carlson, Brayden Schenn, Conor Garland, Bobby Brink, and so much more!

#1 After playing more than 1,100 regular-season games for the Washington Capitals, defenceman John Carlson was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. The 36-year-old blueliner remains highly productive, ranking 11th among defencemen with 46 points (10 G, 36 A) in 55 games this season. He’s been a prolific force on the power play throughout his career but has been doing more damage at even strength this season, with just nine assists on the power play and 37 points at even strength, which ranks fifth among NHL defencemen. In Anaheim, Carlson should get power play time ahead of Jacob Trouba but maybe not ahead of Jackson LaCombe.

#2 The New York Islanders made a big commitment to acquire St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn, who has a relatively modest 28 points (12 G, 16A) in 61 games. He may do a little better with an Islanders team that is having more success, but the value for the Islanders could come from Schenn’s ability to play centre which could help to free up Mathew Barzal, who can move to right wing. Meanwhile, in St. Louis, Schenn’s departure could open up ice time down the middle of the ice, so rookie Dalibor Dvorsky might be worth keeping tabs on in deeper leagues.

#3 Ever since the Columbus Blue Jackets hired Rick Bowness as head coach, they have been making a concerted push for the playoffs, going 13-2-1 in 16 games under Bowness. Because of that surge, the Blue Jackets were buyers at the deadline and acquired right winger Conor Garland from the Vancouver Canucks. Garland has been a reliable secondary scorer throughout his career and has been a solid defensive contributor, too, though he had been struggling in the midst of the Canucks’ awful season, managing 26 points (7 G, 19 A) in 50 games. He should be a second-line winger in Columbus and with Garland moving on, the Canucks can give ice time to players in need of the experience, including Nils Hoglander, Liam Ohgren, and Linus Karlsson. Karlsson is probably the most appealing of those three.

#4 Veteran winger Michael Bunting was traded from the Nashville Predators to the Dallas Stars, and it should be a good opportunity for him to fill a middle six role on a strong Stars squad. Bunting has scored at least 19 goals in each of the past four seasons and had 31 points (13 G, 18 A) in 61 games for Nashville this season. With Bunting gone, perhaps look to Joakim Kemell in Nashville. The 2022 first-round pick had 29 points (10 G, 19 A) in 46 AHL games though he has failed to record a point in five career NHL games.

#5 The Minnesota Wild brought Minnesota native Bobby Brink home via a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. Brink, 24, had 26 points (13 G, 13 A) in 55 games for the Flyers this season and should fit into Minnesota’s middle six with some second unit power play time. If he lands on Minnesota’s second line, with Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek, that would be an outstanding opportunity for Brink to elevate his production.

#6 Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has been in fine form since returning from the Olympics, putting up six points (2 G, 4 A) and 15 shots on goal in five games. With Artturi Lehkonen considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury, Landeskog is even more important for the Avs and is skating on the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas.

#7 It took some time for Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene to get back up to speed after he missed more than six weeks with an upper-body injury, but he has been cooking lately. In his past 10 games, Duchene has accumulated 17 points (8 G, 9 A) with 19 shots on goal. He is skating with Jamie Benn and Sam Steel on the Stars’ second line but is also getting first unit power play time, which gives him a better shot at sustaining this offensive surge. Steel has elevated his play, too, putting up 10 points (3 G, 7 A) and 18 shots on goal in his past nine games. He is up to a career-high 29 points (10 G, 19 A) in 61 games.

#8 Columbus Blue Jackets centre Charlie Coyle has been on a tear ever since the Blue Jackets hired Bowness. In 16 games under the new bench boss, Coyle has delivered 21 points (9 G, 12 A) with 48 shots on goal. He’s been dominating at even strength, scoring 17 of those 21 points at evens. While he is getting first unit power play time, Coyle’s current linemates are Cole Sillinger and enforcer Mathieu Olivier.

#9 It has not been an easy season in Winnipeg, so the Jets need to take the good news where they can get it. Winger Cole Perfetti is starting to heat up as he takes on a bigger role. In his past eight games, Perfetti has seven points (3 G, 4 A) with 29 shots on goal while averaging 18:32 of ice time per game. That shot rate is very encouraging and he’s not only playing first unit power play time, but Perfetti is skating on a line with Adam Lowry and Gabriel Vilardi at even strength.

#10 Carolina Hurricanes left winger Taylor Hall has been a solid secondary scorer for the ‘Canes this season and he has six points (2 G, 4 A) in his past four games, but he is also consistently generating shots. In his past seven games, Hall has 19 shots on goal and seems to have a good thing going on a line with younger players Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake.

#11 New York Islanders captain Anders Lee plays more of a supporting role for the team than he did in his prime years, but he can still be a force in front of the net. In his past five games, Lee has scored four goals with 16 shots on goal. He is skating on a line with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom at even strength and he’s a second unit power play guy, with only six of his 35 points this season coming via the man advantage.

#12 The Winnipeg Jets have activated defenceman Josh Morrissey so he should be available for Saturday’s game against Vancouver. It isn’t a moment too soon, either, after the Jets traded Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn to Buffalo, the Jets were looking rather lean on the blueline. Morrissey has 42 points (10 G, 32 A) in 56 games this season, despite being held off the scoresheet in seven straight games prior to the Olympic break.

#13 The San Jose Sharks have been very prudent in their deployment of rookie centre Michael Misa this season, perhaps even conservative, but it’s starting to look like the freshman pivot is ready to play a bigger role down the stretch as the Sharks push for a playoff spot. In four games since the Olympic break, Misa has contributed five points (2 G, 3 A) with seven shots on goal. He is in a good situation with the Sharks now, skating on a line between William Eklund and Tyler Toffoli, so it should come as no surprise if Misa, the second pick in last summer’s draft, continues to ascend late in the season.

#14 It is practically impossible to trust that Buffalo Sabres centre Josh Norris will stay healthy – he has played more than 56 games in a season once in his career – but when he’s in the lineup, he can make a difference. Norris has five points (3 G, 2 A) and 10 shots on goal in five games since the Olympic break and has 22 points (9 G, 13 A) in 24 games this season. On a strong Sabres team, Norris is getting first unit power play time and skating between Noah Ostlund and Josh Doan at even strength.

#15 It is probably too soon to give out a recommendation for St. Louis Blues rookie defenceman Logan Mailloux, but he’s worth keeping an eye on, especially after Justin Faulk was traded to the Detroit Red wings. Mailloux only has five points (3 G, 2 A) in 46 games this season, but he has goals in back-to-back games and has 13 shots on goal. He has gone over 20 minutes of ice time in each of the past three games, the first times that he has crossed that threshold with the Blues. Faulk figures to be a solid addition in Detroit. The veteran blueliner had nine assists and 20 shots on goal in his last 10 games for St. Louis. In Detroit, he should continue to play 20+ minutes per game and have a role on the second power play.

#16 It shouldn’t move the needle that much when a 40-year-old right winger is traded, but Corey Perry had been having a strong season when the Los Angeles Kings traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Perry had zero points and 12 shots on goal in his last eight games for the Kings, but he still has 28 points (11 G, 17 A) in 50 games. If he can continue at that rate, it would be his best points per game since 2017-2018. Perry is likely to have a fourth line role in Tampa Bay, with some second unit power play time sprinkled in for good measure.

#17 This year’s trade deadline was decidedly underwhelming, with few big names moving, there were a bunch of veteran forwards on the move. Nick Foligno joining his brother in Minnesota, David Perron back to Detroit, Warren Foegele to Ottawa, Nicolas Roy to Colorado, Nic Dowd to Vegas, Andrew Mangiapane to Chicago with Colton Dach and Jason Dickinson going to Edmonton. It’s entirely possible that none of those players will have fantasy value for the rest of this season.

#18 It has been a difficult season for defenceman Mackenzie Weegar, who had been one of the league’s most reliable blueliners over the previous five years. The Utah Mammoth acquired Weegar from the Calgary Flames, where he had 21 points (3 g, 18 A) in 60 games, but he had 99 points (28 G, 71 A) in 163 games across the previous two seasons, so he does have more offensive potential than he has shown this year. He’s not a sure thing for power play time in Utah, especially if Mikhail Sergachev and Sean Durzi are healthy, but it will be worth monitoring Weegar in his new home.

#19 One of the more surprising stories of the season is that of Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley. The 28-year-old netminder had played a total of six NHL games prior to this season and it was a couple of years ago when he had a .870 save percentage for the San Jose Sharks, so expectations for Cooley were not high coming into the season. In 22 games, however, Cooley has a sparkling .923 save percentage, and he’s earning more action in the Flames crease. There may not be a lot of wins for Flames goalies over the rest of this season, but Cooley is changing the trajectory of his career and could have some value late in the season, at least when the Flames have more favorable matchups.

#20 As the New York Rangers’ season circles the drain, captain J.T. Miller has landed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. With Vincent Trocheck also out, the Rangers have Mika Zibanejad followed by journeyman Jonny Brodzinski, rookie Noah Laba, and Juuso Parssinen, who was just called up from the AHL. That’s an uphill fight down the middle of the ice every night so the Blueshirts might be in full tank mode. Just something to keep in mind for a rebuilding team that may not be offering a whole lot of support to its best players down the stretch.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Ryan O’Reilly is having himself a season, Mattias Ekholm is chipping in offensively, Marco Kasper is breaking out of a season-long slump, the Artemi Panarin situation, Mikael Granlund, Mats Zuccarello, and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:41:19 +0000

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Ryan O’Reilly is having himself a season, Mattias Ekholm is chipping in offensively, Marco Kasper is breaking out of a season-long slump, the Artemi Panarin situation, Mikael Granlund, Mats Zuccarello, and so much more!

#1 A veteran centre who is highly regarded for his two-way play, Nashville Predators pivot Ryan O’Reilly is having one of the most productive seasons of his career at age 34. O’Reilly has erupted for 38 points (12 G, 26 A) in his past 31 games and is up to 51 points (18 G, 33 A) in 53 games. For a player that has never scored a point per game over an NHL season, this is outstanding production. Right now, O’Reilly is skating on Nashville’s top line with Filip Forsberg and Luke Evangelista, but there is the possibility that if the Predators are sellers at the trade deadline that O’Reilly could be one of the most appealing players on the market.

DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 14: Detroit Red Wings center Marco Kasper (92) during the game between the Detroit Red Wings and the San Jose Sharks Tuesday January 14, 2025 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire)

#2 Veteran Edmonton Oilers defenceman Mattias Ekholm recorded the first hat trick of his career in Monday’s 7-4 win over Anaheim and while he’s known for his two-way play rather than his offensive prowess, Ekholm does have eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 10 shots on goal in his past six games. There are benefits to partnering with Evan Bouchard on the Oilers’ top defence pairing and Ekholm is getting second-unit power play time.

#3 Detroit Red Wings forward Marco Kasper had a strong finish to his rookie season in 2024-2025, producing 14 points (9 G, 5 A) in his last 18 games, so there was some reason to be optimistic about his chances this season, but that was not materializing for him. Through his first 47 games, Kasper managed just six points (3 G, 3 A) with 67 shots on goal. He has recently been moved to Detroit’s top line, skating with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, and suddenly Kasper has put up six points (2 G, 4 A) with 17 shots on goal in his past seven games, with his ice time spiking by more than three minutes per game compared to his first 47 games of the season.

#4 The New York Rangers appear to have decided that they are going to trade left winger Artemi Panarin and they are keeping him out of the lineup so that he does not get injured while the Rangers seek a trade for their leading scorer. Panarin’s absence will have a ripple effect throughout the Rangers lineup. Rookie Gabe Perreault is joining J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad on the Rangers’ top line, and Perreault has eight points (3 G, 5 A) in 21 games for the Rangers this season. The 2023 first-round pick had 17 points (10 G, 7 A) in 20 AHL games, so he’s probably ready for a good look in Manhattan and, at least in the short term, he’s got a good situation. Once Panarin gets moved, the lines could be due for another shuffle, depending on what the Rangers get in return.

#5 Anaheim Ducks veteran Mikael Granlund recorded the fourth hat trick of his career during Monday’s loss at Edmonton and with the Ducks’ forward lines getting depleted by injuries, they need Granlund to play a big offensive role. Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Troy Terry, and Frank Vatrano are all out due to injuries and Granlund has recorded 10 points (5 G, 5 A) with 28 shots on goal in his past 11 games. That shot rate is an encouraging sign because Granlund does have a tendency to focus on distributing the puck, sometimes to the detriment of his shot generation.

#6 Injuries have impacted Minnesota Wild veteran right winger Mats Zuccarello but he’s heating up. Since Christmas, Zuccarello has played 17 games and delivered 16 points (6 G, 10 A) with 35 shots on goal. He does have the benefit of playing with Kirill Kaprizov on Minnesota’s top line. Right now, Ryan Hartman is centering the duo, but there has been plenty of movement in that spot, especially since Marco Rossi was injured then traded.

#7 One of the bigger surprises this season is the offensive emergence of Buffalo Sabres defenceman Mattias Samuelsson. Last season, he scored a career high of 14 points (4 G, 10 A) in 62 games. The Sabres fired GM Kevyn Adams in December, replacing him with Jarmo Kekalainen, and there is no reason to believe that a GM change suddenly caused the Sabres to play better, but there’s no denying the results and it applies to Samuelsson. In 21 games since Kekalainen took over, Samuelsson has 20 points (4 G, 16 A) with 27 shots on goal. He is up to 32 points for the season, with zero points on the power play, which is the most points for any skater that has not recorded at least one point on the power play.

#8 An undrafted 27-year-old goaltender who had never played in the NHL before this season, Carolina’s Brandon Bussi is having an amazing impact in his first NHL season. Even though he did not have his best performance Thursday, allowing four goals on 25 shots against Utah, Bussi still got the win, and he has a record of 20-3-1, to go with a .908 save percentage in 24 starts. With Pyotr Kochetkov out for the season and Frederik Andersen struggling, Bussi is making the most of his chance in the National Hockey League.

#9 When the Edmonton Oilers came up short in the Stanley Cup Finals, followed by a slow start to this season, a lot of the blame got pinned on goaltender Stuart Skinner. To be fair, some of that was earned, but it paved the way for the Oilers to trade Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a deal to acquire Tristan Jarry. Jarry has not been great in Edmonton, posting a .884 save percentage in nine games, though he does have a 6-2-1 record. On the other hand, Skinner has a .906 save percentage in 11 starts for Pittsburgh, posting a 7-4 record as the Penguins have been one of the bigger surprise teams in the NHL this season. All of this is to say that there may be some value in Stuart Skinner after it looked like his career was in purgatory.

#10 With the Buffalo Sabres one of the hottest teams in the NHL, the results have improved for individual Sabres, too. Veteran winger Jason Zucker has battled through some injuries this season, but he has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past eight games, a solid source of secondary scoring for the surging Sabres while skating on a line with Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn. While his 197 hits in 2022-2023 stands out as an aberration for his career, Zucker does add about a hit per game, sitting on exactly that number with 34 hits in 34 games this season.

#11 The return of Evgeni Malkin to the Penguins lineup is having a positive impact on Tommy Novak, who is still holding the second line centre spot with Malkin skating on right wing. Novak is no prize in the faceoff dot, winning 40 percent of his draws, but in his past seven games, Novak has seven points (1 G, 6 A) and 12 shots on goal for a Penguins team that is surprisingly in the playoff mix.

#12 While Brayden Point is injured, the Tampa Bay Lightning have moved Anthony Cirelli up the depth chart to skate at centre on the top line between Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov. In 13 games this month, Cirelli has 13 points (5 G, 8 A) with 21 shots on goal. Cirelli does not have a major impact on the power play, with only four of his 35 points this season coming with the man advantage, but as a short-term fix, he has value because of his outstanding linemates.

#13 Since the Columbus Blue Jackets made a change behind the bench, replacing Dean Evason with Rick Bowness, they are starting to see better results from centre Adam Fantilli, who was underperforming under Evason. Through 45 games before Evason was let go, Fantilli managed 28 points (12 G, 16 A) with 120 shots on goal. In seven games under Bowness, Fantilli has six points (1 G, 5 A) with 34 shots on goal, improving both his per game point and shot rates. It’s a small sample, but an encouraging sign for a player that the Blue Jackets tend to lean on for offensive production.

#14 Veteran Montreal Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson can get overshadowed by Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson, who get the power play time on the Montreal blueline, but there’s plenty to like about a defenceman who is riding a six-game point streak, during which he has six assists and 14 shots on goal. With 27 points (5 G, 22 A) in 51 games, Matheson is primed to have the second-best offensive output of his career this season, and he already has 106 blocked shots which makes him worthwhile for fantasy managers, especially those in deeper leagues.

#15 Second-year San Jose Sharks winger Will Smith has been on a tear since returning to the lineup after missing more than a month of action. In six games since returning, Smith has eight points (3 G, 5 A) with 13 shots on goal and now that he’s back on the top line with Macklin Celebrini and Collin Graf, the Sharks are looking more and more like viable playoff contenders.

#16 It’s looking rather bleak for the Toronto Maple Leafs lately, as the team is winless in six, but veteran forward Max Domi is making the most of his opportunity to skate on the top line with Auston Matthews. In his past seven games, Domi has nine points (3 G, 6 A) with 14 shots on goal while averaging more than 17 minutes of ice time per game. That’s significantly more ice time than Domi has typically received in Toronto and while he is delivering offensive production, it’s also notable that the team isn’t winning even with his uptick in scoring.

#17 One of the more underrated players in the league this season is Nashville Predators right winger Luke Evangelista, who has exceptional play-driving numbers (59.8 CF%, +10.6 CFRel%) thanks to strong performance at both ends of the rink. He only has seven goals, which is part of the reason that he might be overlooked, but in his past 16 games, Evangelista has 13 points (2 G, 11 A) with 29 shots on goal and the Preds outscored opponents 13-8 at 5-on-5 with Evangelista on the ice during that stretch.

#18 Second year Carolina Hurricanes right winger Jackson Blake continues to provide secondary offence, producing six points (2 G, 4 A) and 13 shots on goal in his past six games. Blake is skating on a line with Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven and when that trio is together, the Hurricanes are outscoring opponents 15-10 during 5-on-5 play. It’s even better when Blake and Stankoven are without Hall, as they are outscoring opponents 12-5.

#19 Boston Bruins rookie centre Fraser Minten continues to get better and he’s taking advantage of the opportunities presented on a Bruins team with a need for more offense down the middle of the ice. In his past 15 games, Minten has put up 16 points (8 G, 8 A) with 26 shots on goal. He’s not going to continue scoring on more than 30 percent of his shots over the long haul, but Minten is giving the Bruins options. With Elias Lindholm out, Minten is centering an effective line with Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson on his wings and if Minten continues to score, he’s going to force his way into more ice time. That’s usually how it works.

#20 There are a few backup goaltenders who could be threatening to earn more playing time with their strong play this month. Calgary’s Devin Cooley has a 2-2-1 record with a .937 save percentage in January. The Kings’ Anton Forsberg is 3-0-1 with a .941 save percentage, and San Jose’s Alex Nedeljkovic is 5-1 with a .913 save percentage in January and Boston’s Joonas Korpisalo is 4-0-1 with a .931 save percentage, so there are some goalies out there trying to earn more playing time. The challenge for most of them is that their starters are well entrenched in their positions, but for fantasy managers that can make daily moves, knowing which backups are delivering results can help make lineup decisions.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD (March 11th to 17th) – Post-NHL Trade Deadline Impact – Favourable schedules and players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 18:06:59 +0000

_{OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 14: Ottawa Senators Right Wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) after a whistle during second period National Hockey League action between the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators on October 14, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)}

The trade deadline is behind us and it certainly was eventful. Although we didn’t get a lot of trades in the leadup to the final week -- just four deals in all of February -- general managers made up for lost time with six trades on Wednesday, 10 on Thursday and 23 on the final day.

This isn’t a winners and losers column, but if it was, Vegas would naturally be at the top of the winners list. The rest of the league might be annoyed at the Golden Knights’ seemingly unending ability to make blockbusters, but as a fan of one of the other 31 franchises, I suspect a lot of that is just because we collectively wish that our general manager had a bit more of Kelly McCrimmon’s boldness and the ownership for the teams we rooted for were a bit more willing to green-light whatever it takes to win.

Vegas added forwards Anthony Mantha and Tomas Hertl as well as Noah Hanifin on Friday. Clearly, the Golden Knights are gearing up for a defence of their Stanley Cup championships -- despite some lacklustre play of late -- but these aren’t exclusively win-now moves. Hertl is signed through 2029-30 and with the Sharks retaining part of his contract, he comes at a reasonable $6.75 million annually for the Golden Knights over that span. Mantha and Hanifin are on expiring contracts, but it is possible Vegas will be able to retain Hanifin’s services long-term.

Carolina also had a pretty interesting trade season with the additions of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jake Guentzel. Kuznetsov, who has just six goals and 17 points through 43 games this season, is definitely a risk, but it will be interesting to see if a fresh start does him any good. If nothing else, the addition of Guentzel should bolster what was already a pretty solid offense.

Florida also upgraded its forward corps by adding Vladimir Tarasenko. After falling just short of the Cup last year, I’d at the very least say that the Panthers are the team to beat in the East. The only reason why I hesitate to call the Panthers the outright Cup favourites is that I love Vancouver and Colorado in the west.

The Avalanche in particular are looking strong after grabbing Casey Mittelstadt, albeit at the high price of Bowen Byram. Colorado’s offense is the best in the league at 3.70 goals per game, but the Avalanche have been extremely reliant on Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and defenseman Cale Makar to drive that scoring. If you were to have judged the Avalanche from their second line down, then you would have found a team that was wanting. Adding Mittelstadt does a lot to address that shortcoming, though Alexandar Georgiev’s less-than-stellar play is still a concern. The Avalanche might wish they had acquired a veteran backup come playoff time.

Of course, that’s all just scratching the surface of how the trade deadline has changed things. Let’s do a deeper dive while highlighting some of the best teams to utilize this coming week.

Anaheim Ducks - TUE @ CHI, THU @ MIN, FRI @ WPG (BTB), SUN @ STL

The Ducks don’t have much left to play for, but at least their upcoming schedule isn’t too bad. They’ll be on the road next week, playing in Chicago on Tuesday, Minnesota on Thursday, Winnipeg on Friday and St. Louis on Sunday. The Jets are the only of those adversaries in a playoff position.

Anaheim dealt away forwards Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick to Edmonton on Wednesday and acquired Ben Meyers from the Avalanche on Friday.

Meyers was in the minors before the trade, but he’s likely to remain with the Ducks for the remainder of the campaign. Don’t expect too much from him, though. He had six goals in 53 career contests over parts of three seasons with Colorado and is likely to serve primarily on the third line in Anaheim.

The loss of Henrique will be felt, though. He had 18 goals and 42 points in 60 contests with the Ducks this season, which was good for third in the team’s scoring race at the time of his trade. His departure might increase how much Mason McTavish is leaned on. We’ve also started to see a significant spike in Max Jones’ playing time recently -- logging over 15 minutes in each of his past three contests compared to his average of 11:43 over his first 44 outings -- and that’s likely to persist for the remainder of the season.

With the Ducks looking toward the future, Olen Zellweger is likely to stay in the NHL for the rest of the season. Although he has just two assists through his first eight contests with Anaheim, the 20-year-old defenseman has offensive upside and is getting power-play ice time, so he’d be an interesting pickup for the upcoming week given the competition.

Columbus Blue Jackets - TUE @ MTL, THU VS OTT, SAT VS SJS, SUN VS WPG (BTB)

Like Anaheim, Columbus doesn’t have any hope of making the playoffs, but next week’s schedule is still a favourable one for the Blue Jackets. They’ll play in Montreal on Tuesday before hosting the Senators on Thursday, the Sharks on Saturday and the Jets on Sunday. While Winnipeg is having a strong campaign, those other three teams are among the worst in the league.

Columbus was somewhat quiet at the deadline, but the Blue Jackets did part ways with Jack Roslovic and Andrew Peeke.

Their biggest move came earlier when they acquired Alexander Nylander from Pittsburgh on Feb. 22 in exchange for Emil Bemstrom. That wasn’t expected to be a noteworthy move, but Nylander has provided an incredible five goals and seven points in seven contests with the Blue Jackets. Nylander is likely to remain in a top-six role for the remainder of the season, so while he’s unlikely to maintain his point-per-game pace, the 26-year-old should continue to have fantasy relevance.

Roslovic was red hot too with four goals and 13 points in his last 12 games prior to the trade. He was serving primarily on the top line with Boone Jenner and Johnny Gaudreau, but now that he’s gone, Kirill Marchenko might be put in that role. Marchenko has 17 goals and 32 points in 60 contests this season, and the 23-year-old might see his offensive pace increase if he does lockdown that first-line assignment.

One player who didn’t move is goaltender Elvis Merzlikins. There was some suggestion back in January that he would welcome a trade because he was unhappy with his workload. Maybe that issue will get resolved over the summer, but Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov are likely to share the netminding duties fairly evenly for what’s left of the season.

Detroit Red Wings - TUE @ BUF, THU VS ARI, SAT VS BUF, SUN @ PIT (BTB)

Detroit will continue its fight for a wild-card berth next week. The Red Wings will start by playing in Buffalo on Tuesday before returning home to face the Coyotes on Thursday and the Sabres on Saturday. They’ll complete the week with a game in Pittsburgh on Sunday. None of those opponents are in a playoff position, so it’s important that the Red Wings take advantage by picking up at least six points.

The Red Wings were quiet at the deadline, though to be fair, they made their major move back in November when they signed Patrick Kane. The 35-year-old has gone on to provide 13 goals and 31 points through 31 games, so they have to be happy with that addition.

They’ll need to lean on Kane even more in the short term because Dylan Larkin suffered a lower-body injury Monday that’s expected to cost him at least one more week. While Larkin’s unavailable, Joe Veleno might see his workload increase and consequently should have more short-term value in fantasy leagues.

This could also be a good week for David Perron, who is on a roll with a goal and four points over his past four games. He’s up to 13 goals and 32 points in 56 contests in 2023-24. Defenseman Olli Maatta has looked good recently too, supplying two goals and four points across his last four outings. Maatta typically isn’t a significant offensive contributor, though, so he would be at best a short-term pickup option.

Los Angeles Kings - MON VS NYI, WED @ STL, FRI @ CHI, SAT @ DAL (BTB)

The Kings hold a playoff position, but their postseason berth is far from secure. They’ll need to play next week while hosting the Islanders on Monday and then playing on the road against St. Louis, Chicago and Dallas on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, respectively.

LA didn’t add anyone at the deadline, so if the Kings are going to get into the playoffs, it’ll have to be with basically the same group they’ve had for the entire year. However, injuries have made their task even harder. Viktor Arvidsson (lower body) has played just four games in 2023-24 while Mikey Anderson (upper body) and Adrian Kempe (upper body) also might not be available next week.

At least Kevin Fiala has been doing his part. The 27-year-old forward has a superb seven goals and 13 points over his last nine games. With his marker Thursday, Fiala reached the 20-goal milestone for the fifth consecutive campaign, but he’s also exceeded 25 tallies just once in his career (2021-22). In other words, don’t count on him providing goals at his recent rate for much longer, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he still ended up having a strong finish to the season offensively.

Drew Doughty has looked good lately too, providing three goals and 12 points over his last 11 outings. Six of those points came with the man advantage, which is noteworthy because LA’s power play has been middling this season with a 22.6 percent success rate. However, the Kings have converted on 32.0 percent of their power plays over their past 11 games, and if they can keep that up, it will do wonders for Doughty’s fantasy value.

It wouldn’t mean much to Matt Roy -- he isn’t typically used with the man advantage -- but the 29-year-old blueliner has three even-strength assists across his past three games. That has brought Roy up to 20 points (three goals) through 61 contests -- this is his third straight campaign with at least 20 points.

Ottawa Senators - TUE VS PIT, THUS @ CBJ, SAT @ NYI, SUN VS CAR (BTB)

Ottawa has a relatively easy start to the week with a home contest against the Penguins and then a road match versus Columbus on Thursday. Things do pick up after that, though. The Senators will play on the road against the Islanders on Saturday in a contest that matters for the Islanders in their pursuit of a wild-card spot. Ottawa will conclude the week by hosting the Hurricanes on Sunday.

The Senators made just one trade in the leadup to the deadline, shipping Vladimir Tarasenko to Florida in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick and a 2025 third-round selection. That’s a minimal return for a top-six forward, but Tarasenko’s full no-trade clause tied the Senators’ hands.

Either way, Ottawa’s offense is looking a little thinner between the loss of Tarasenko and Josh Norris potentially missing the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. The top two lines going forward will be combinations of Brady Tkachuk, Shane Pinto, Drake Batherson, Mathieu Joseph, Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux. That will work fine, but the bottom six will be a collection of whatever Ottawa can cobble together.

For example, Boris Katchouk, who was claimed off waivers from Chicago on Friday, is likely to be a regular on the third unit going forward. The 25-year-old has five goals and nine points in 38 contests this season, so he’s not exactly expected to be a scoring threat in that role. Dominik Kubalik, who has averaged 12:30 of ice time this season while providing 10 goals and 14 points across 57 contests, might see his playing time increase too. Ridly Greig might round out that third unit despite recording just three goals and four points over his past 21 appearances.

For what it’s worth, Ottawa also has the option of calling up Angus Crookshank, who has 22 goals and 43 points in 47 contests with AHL Belleville this season. He was limited to a goal and an assist during a seven-game stint with Ottawa earlier in the campaign, but the 24-year-old averaged just 8:50 of ice time. He’d almost certainly get a bigger role if Ottawa promoted him now, so keep an eye out for that.

Pittsburgh Penguins - TUE @ OTT, THU VS SJS, SAT VS NYR, SUN VS DET (BTB)

Although the Penguins’ playoff hopes are all but gone, they still have an opportunity to at least make their final weeks of the campaign interesting. Pittsburgh will play in Ottawa on Tuesday before heading home to host the Sharks on Thursday, the Rangers on Saturday and the Red Wings on Sunday.

As already noted, the Penguins traded star forward Jake Guentzel on Thursday. Pittsburgh also shipped away defenseman Chad Ruhwedel, though the club did add Michael Bunting.

Bunting is an interesting option the rest of the way. He had 13 goals and 36 points in 60 games with Carolina before the trade, which is nothing special, but with Guentzel gone, Bunting might play alongside Sidney Crosby going forward. That’s an ideal assignment that should boost Bunting’s fantasy value.

John Ludvig is the other Pittsburgh player who was significantly impacted by the trade deadline. With Ruhwedel gone, there’s an opportunity for Ludvig, who was last in the lineup on Feb. 18, to play regularly for the remainder of the season. Ludvig isn’t much of an offensive threat with just a goal and an assist through 23 games, but he’s a physical force. The 23-year-old has 23 PIM and 51 hits in 2023-24, so he might have some value to certain fantasy managers now that he’s projected to remain in the lineup.

Beyond that, I’m really interested to see how Crosby performs for the remainder of the campaign. He’s been fantastic with 32 goals and 63 points in 61 outings but has supplied only one helper across his past five appearances. It’s probably just a slump that will end soon, but this is also a new position for the 36-year-old. Crosby is used to playing on a contender. Even last year when the Penguins failed to make the playoffs, they missed by just one point.

Personally, I expect Crosby to bounce back shortly and have a solid finish to the season, but we’ll have to wait and see if being out of contention impacts his motivation more than I suspect.

San Jose Sharks - TUE @ PHI, THUS @ PIT, SAT @ CBJ, SUN @ CHI (BTB)

The Sharks will play in Philadelphia on Tuesday, but that will be their only game next week against a team in a playoff position. After that, San Jose will continue its road trip with stops in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Columbus on Saturday and Chicago on Sunday.

San Jose traded away forwards Anthony Duclair and Tomas Hertl, defenseman Nikita Okhotyuk and goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen at the deadline. The Sharks did get Vitek Vanecek from New Jersey, but the goaltender might be done for the season due to a lower-body injury. Keep in mind, the Sharks were 15-40-7 even before those trades, so to say the squad is in a sad state now would be an understatement.

With Vanecek unavailable, Mackenzie Blackwood will likely be leaned on heavily for what’s left of the season…or at least he will be once he’s recovered from a groin injury. In the meantime, San Jose’s goaltending duo are Magnus Chrona and Devin Cooley. When Blackwood is healthy, Cooley might be sent to the minors. Regardless, none of them are good options in fantasy circles given the team in front of them.

Klim Kostin might have a little bit of value, though, to fantasy managers. The Sharks acquired him from the Red Wings on Friday. He was frequently a healthy scratch in Detroit and averaged just 8:43 when he did play, but in San Jose, Kostin might be a mainstay on the third line. That likely won’t lead to him getting much offense, but Kostin could be a good source of PIM and hits -- he has 38 and 60, respectively, through 33 appearances.

William Eklund might also be able to provide a bit of a silver lining. The 21-year-old hasn’t been as productive as hoped this campaign with 10 goals and 29 points through 60 contests, but he does have two goals and four points over his last four games, so perhaps he’ll end the season on a positive note. Certainly, the Sharks will give him plenty of opportunities at both even strength and on the power play.

Winnipeg Jets - MON VS WSH, WED VS NSH, FRI VS ANA, SUN @ CBJ

The Jets will start the week at home, hosting the Capitals on Monday, the Predators on Wednesday and the Ducks on Friday. They’ll conclude the week with a road game versus the lowly Blue Jackets on Sunday.

Winnipeg added Colin Miller and Tyler Toffoli in separate trades with New Jersey on Friday, which compliments the Jets’ addition of Sean Monahan on Feb. 2. The Jets have enjoyed an effective forward trio of Mark Scheifele (19 goals and 56 points in 56 contests), Kyle Connor (26 goals and 44 points in 46 outings) and Nikolaj Ehlers (19 goals and 44 points in 62 appearances), but the team’s scoring depth up front was lacking. With Monahan and Toffoli in the mix, Winnipeg can now roll two dangerous lines with ease.

This isn’t good news for everyone, though. Cole Perfetti has a respectable 14 goals and 31 points in 61 contests this season, but the 22-year-old has been cold for a while, providing just two assists over his last 21 games. With Winnipeg’s recent upgrades, Perfetti is projected to serve strictly in a bottom-six capacity without much, if any, power-play ice time. He might even be a healthy scratch in situations where everyone is healthy.

Vladislav Namestnikov has averaged 15:04 of ice time this season, but he might see work primarily on the third line going forward. He has been effective recently, though, with two goals and five points across his last five contests while seeing time with Connor and Scheifele, so perhaps the 31-year-old will be able to avoid that demotion in the short term.

Mason Appleton has done well lately too, collecting four assists over his last three contests, but the Jets’ additions will likely push him down in the depth charts too. Although he’s averaged 16:05 in 2023-24, he might play mostly in a bottom-six capacity going forward.

NCAA Playoffs (Pt.2) – St. Cloud State (top national seed) vs (4) American International College – West Regional, Denver vs (3) Ohio State – West Regional, Notre Dame vs (2) Clarkson – Northeast Regional

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 14:04:24 +0000

As the NCAA rudely does not split the regional tournaments based on geographic point of origin, while Russ and I cover the various conferences according to geography, our previews are based on matchups instead of isolated regional looks. No matter, it should make for a better Frozen Four.

St. Cloud State (top national seed) vs (4) American International College – West Regional

Ryan Poehling (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

Last year, the St Cloud State Huskies entered the NCAA tournament as the top seed in the nation, with the reward of a soft entry into the one-and-done hunt for glory against Air Force, the Atlantic Hockey champions. It was a rout. The Falcons shocked the college hockey world, taking out the Huskies with a 4-1 scoreline, a final punctuated by two late empty netters. So SCSU fans must currently be experiencing a rotten sense of deja-vu as they once again enter the tournament as the top seed in the nation, and for their trouble, get to kick things off against the Atlantic Hockey champs from AIC.

For the underdog Yellow Jackets, 2018-19 was not only the college’s first AH title, but also their first season with a winning record since 193-94, back when they were a DIII school. Swedish junior netminder Zacharias Skog has been a workhorse for AIC, with solid if not stellar numbers (2.75 GAA, .896 SV% in 33 games). The Yellow Jackets spread the offensive attack around, with seven skaters contributing at least 20 points, led by junior Blake Christensen, whose 46 points (sixth nationally) are AIC’s best single season total since entering DI.

As lovely a story as American International have, and as neat a storyline as a repeat first round upset for St. Cloud State would be, who are we kidding? AIC is an offensive team, and their 3.26 goals per game average was ninth nationally. No matter, as the Huskies finished second with 4.08 per match. You want defense? St. Cloud State allowed only 2.18 goals against per game (11^th nationally), while AIC surrendered 2.95 per game (37^th in DI). The Huskies were also significantly better on both special teams units. And of course the top seed in the land played in the NCHC, a traditional powerhouse, while I can’t remember when (if ever) Atlantic Hockey placed more than the obligatory conference tournament winner in the NCAA national tournament.

Kings’ draft pick David Hrenak should play in net, as he typically played in three quarters of his team’s games as a sophomore. The Huskies had ten players put up at least 20 points on the season. Leading scorer Patrick Newell is a natural playmaker with a good first few steps who might have just enough skill to entice an NHL team to give him a contract despite his lack of size. Blueliner Jimmy Schuldt is also expected to receive an NHL offer and has been tied to Montreal already. He doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, but does everything well enough to work in a whole-greater-than-the sum-of-its-parts sort of way. Everyone knows Ryan Poehling, former Montreal first rounder and multiple time member of the American WJC squad. His collegiate numbers don’t pop, but his hands are NHL ready. An X-factor for the Huskies could be freshman Nick Perbix, a former Tampa Bay sixth rounder. The big blueliner uses his frame and long reach well along the board and throughout the defensive zone, while being pleasantly surprising in the offensive end.

Prediction – St. Cloud State erases some demons and wipes the floor with AIC. The Yellow Jackets score twice (once after the game has been effectively decided) to keep some sense of pride.

Denver vs (3) Ohio State – West Regional

While 2017 champs Denver are the two seed, 2018 Frozen Four participant Ohio State likely would have had the honors if they had only made it to the Big 10 Finals, instead of being knocked out in the semis by Penn State. Denver, on the other hand, ended their conference tournament with a nice consolation match, beating Colorado College in the third place match, after being eliminated by Minnesota-Duluth.

This game has the potential to be a very low scoring affair, as both institutions finished the year in the top 14 nationally in goals allowed per game, at 2.08 (Denver) and 2.31 (Ohio State). The Buckeyes were the better offensive team though, outscoring the Pioneers on a per-game average by 0.27 goals per game (3.09-2.82).

If OSU wasn’t dissuaded by his rough Big10 tournament showing, big Tommy Nappier should get the nod in net as his fantastic .934 save percentage far overshadowed crease-mate Sean Romeo’s .902, as the latter’s play seemed to regress this year after a solid junior campaign.

The Buckeyes have a multi-faceted attack, blending big, powerful skaters (Dakota Joshua) with small waterbugs (Mason Jobst, Carson Meyer) and one of the top playmakers in college hockey in Tanner Laczynski to blend it all together. They feature one of the deeper lineups in college hockey, with talented players at all positions. The aforementioned Jobst and Nappier are both free agent candidates.

Moving to Denver, former championship hero Jarid Lukosevicius is joined by the likes of Mathias Emilio Pettersen, Liam Finlay, and Cole Guttman up front, while Ian Mitchell leads the charge from behind. The latter may be ready to turn pro after the tournament, as the former Chicago second rounder has been a consistent producer throughout his two years on campus.

What the Pioneers lack in terms of scoring depth (only five 20 point producers on the roster), they make up for in net, now that former Detroit draftee Filip Larsson is back and healthy after missing the early part of the year to injury. Then again, Denver could turn to Devin Cooley, a lanky sophomore who held down the fort while Larsson and who actually put up better numbers, although the latter point is only marginal. Either could lock down the crease and the difference would be minimal.

Ohio State plays with a full rink press and should have the edge on the shot counter, but volume will not be enough as they will need to generate quality, high-danger scoring chances to beat Denver, no matter which netminder gets the nod. To their credit, they have the playmakers to make it happen.

Prediction – Ohio State wins in a terse, one-goal game.

Notre Dame vs (2) Clarkson – Northeast Regional

But for the vagaries of single elimination hockey, Notre Dame, who made it to the Frozen Four finals last year, would not have made the tournament at all, despite a reasonable full season record, had they not won the Big10 conference tournament, conveniently located in their home rink. Clarkson, on the other hand, ended a good year on a high note, winning the ECAC tournament title in a thrilling overtime finish against Cornell.

For as much as Notre Dame is clearly the higher profile hockey club, the Fighting Irish enter the tournament as a nominal underdog against the higher ranked Golden Knights. While ND is still able to keep the puck out of their own end, thanks largely to star netminder Cale Morris, an athletic goalie who tracks very well and could be convinced to leave campus one year early, their ability to light the lamp at the other end has not recovered from the graduation of Jake Evans after last year. Big winger Joe Wegwerth, long the butt of my criticism in years past, was actually leading the offensive attack in the first third of the season, before his year, and collegiate career, were ended due to a knee injury.

Notre Dame has relied on an offense by committee, and the team’s leading scorer – and two of the top four – have actually come from the blueline. Undersized Bobby Nardella has always had more offensive flair than defensive and has developed into a top collegiate player, even if his pro prospects are more likely to peak in the AHL than the AHL. Blueline mate Andrew Peeke, a Columbus pick, better combines offensive and defensive play as he has a big body, covers in his own end, and has developed his instincts for jumping into the rush rather nicely. The team has some nice forwards such as free agents Dylan Malmquist and Cal Burke, but the forward corps is more notable for Colorado pick Cam Morrison’s failure to take steps forward beyond solid.

German center Nico Sturm is the man for Clarkson and, along with second line pivot Devin Brosseau, are the main scouting draws for the Golden Knights. Both players combine offensive ability with good size, and Sturm in particular has demonstrated two-way reliability in the recent past. Netminder Jake Kielly is also a likely future pro and is coming off his second straight season with a 0.929 save percentage and a GAA in the 1.80-1.90 range. He is a technically strong netminder with plus athleticism. Both teams in this matchup are defensively strong, but Clarkson is fourth nationally with a GAA more than 0.25 goals per game stingier than Notre Dame’s. The Fighting Irish will need to be beneficiaries of more than their fair share of power play opportunities to tilt the odds in their favor, even while acknowledging that the reverse (more PP opportunities for Clarkson) would be fateful as the ND PK is middle of the pack.

Prediction – Clarkson makes it past the first round for the first time in eleven years

Minnesota-Duluth (2^nd seed nationally) vs (4) Bowling Green State – Midwest Regional

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 28: Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs defenseman Scott Perunovich (7) takes a shot during the college hockey game between the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs and the Minnesota State Mavericks on December 28, 2018 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire)

No matter how this matchup ends (you can probably guess), this season is a big success for Bowling Green State, as they had not appeared in the NCAA tournament since 1989-90 and are a long ways removed since their championship team in 1983-84. On the other hand, we have the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, who are in their fifth straight tournament, a stretch which includes last year’s title run and narrowly misses an additional championship, way back in 2010-11. History is clearly on the side of the Bulldogs. The numbers are not as clear.

Bear in mind for a moment that it is difficult to fairly compare team-wide stats across different teams from different conferences. The competition is vastly different. While UMD was regularly squaring off against the likes of St. Cloud State, Denver, North Dakota, Western Michigan, and Colorado College, outside of Minnesota State, Bowling Green got to feed off of the Alaska schools, Alabama-Huntsville, Michigan Tech, Ferris State and other undermanned teams. But the numbers are fun to look at. UMD finished 11^th nationwide, scoring 3.11 goals per game. BGSU finished 8^th at 3.30. On the other side of the ledger, UMD was sixth nationally in goals allowed per game at 2.00, while the Falcons were second only to Minnesota State, surrendering a paltry 1.82 per contest. The two teams split the special teams battle, with Duluth having the more potent power play and Bowling Green the stingier penalty kill.

Minnesota-Duluth is the more prospect laden team and most prospect hounds are familiar with former Dallas first rounder Riley Tufte and former second round blueliners Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg) and Scott Perunovich (St. Louis). Perunovich tied for the team scoring lead with unheralded sophomore center Justin Richards, the latter of whom played a depth role in last year’s title run. Perunovich can be a bit of a one-way defender, but he goes that well (offense, clearly) well. Another fun bulldog to watch for is Minnesota draft pick Nick Swaney, whose tenacious play belies his lean frame. The puck skills also give him a fun factor. Philadelphia pick Noah Cates may have had a greater impact in Team USA at the las WJC than he typically does for UMD, but he grinds and plays with strong pace.

On the other hand, the Bowling Green lineup is relatively anonymous on the national level, but both Max Johnson and Brandon Kruse, the latter a Vegas draft pick, exceeded 40 points this year, and the lack of star power is not an indication of a lack of talent. Defender Alec Rauhauser has a long history of starting the attack from the blueline and his offensive knowhow and extra-large frame could lead to NHL offers, while netminder Ryan Bednard was spectacular as a junior and may be coerced to leave school early to sign with Florida, which drafted towards the end of the 2015 draft. No disrespect to UMD goalie Hunter Shepard, who too the reins on last year’s title run, and was recently named MVP of the Bulldogs charge to the NCHC tournament title, but BGSU might have a slight edge between the pipes.

Prediction: I smell an upset here. There always seems to be one fourth seed which eliminates a regional first seed. There is no reason why it shouldn’t be Bowling Green State knocking off the defending champs from Minnesota-Duluth.

As we do not know which schools will go on from the first round of the NCAA tournament to the regional finals and the Frozen Four after that, we have provided predictions of the first round, so know is the time to double down and see the tournament through to the, at least for one school, glorious finish.

Presented without comment:

West Regional Final: St. Cloud State over Ohio State

Northeast Regional Final: Clarkson over UMass (Amherst)

East Regional Final: Northeastern over Minnesota State (Mankato)

Midwest Regional Final: Quinnipiac over Bowling Green State

Frozen Four Semifinals: St. Cloud State over Clarkson

Frozen Four Semifinals: Northeastern over Quinnipiac

NCAA Championship: NORTHEASTERN over ST. CLOUD STATE

NCAA: NCHC Playoff Preview – Small but mighty, three national champions in three years and the nations top ranked St. Cloud make this a division to watch

Ryan Wagman — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 15:39:24 +0000

Small, but mighty, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference has only eight teams, but three of them won national championships in the last three years (North Dakota, Denver, Minnesota-Duluth, from first to most recent) and another, St. Cloud State, carried the top ranking in the nation pretty much from end to end this year. Western Michigan is pretty good, too. Colorado College is no great shakes today, but won a pair of national titles in the 1950s. Even the two bottom feeders, Nebraska-Omaha and Miami (OH) have a few players of note each, making every team a potential winner.

After finishing the regular season schedule last week, the NCHC tournament begins this weekend. With an even eight teams in the conference, the tournament is fairly straightforward, with the top team playing the eighth seed, the runners-up playing the seventh seed, three playing six, and four facing off against five, with the higher ranked seeds getting home ice advantage throughout. The first round, running from Friday through Sunday (Mar. 15-17) is a best of three series, with Sunday’s games only necessary if the teams split the Friday-Saturday matchups.

Let’s have a look.

#1 St. Cloud State vs #8 Miami

Despite playing two fewer games on the year, the nation’s highest ranked team St. Cloud State, scored 55 more goals than Miami did this year. Miami allowed 38 more into their own nets. The SCSU Huskies were also substantially better on both the power play and the penalty kill. They lost only four times in regulation all year (at Northeastern, at Union, at Minnesota-Duluth, and at North Dakota), although they did tie both games in Miami in Late November/early December. Then again, in the two games the teams played in St. Cloud State this year were both won by the Huskies, by identical 5-1 scores.

The Miami RedHawks have only two drafted players in their lineup, but through three seasons, Karch Bachman has yet to turn his blazing speed into production and freshman Jon Gruden is still feeling his way through the collegiate game. Wingers Josh Melnick and Gordie Green were the only two players on Miami to eclipse ten goals and neither are high end NHL prospects. Keep an eye on blueliners Derek Daschke and Grant Hutton, the former a freshman and the latter a senior, as they can contribute to the attack from the back and Hutton may have NHL scouts sniffing around his big frame and right-handed shot.

Ryan Poehling (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

St. Cloud State is not the most prospect-laden team in college hockey, but they do not lack for future NHLers, and they play wonderfully as a team. The most well-known name on the team is former Montreal first rounder Ryan Poehling, a future third line center with second line aspirations, if there ever was one. The junior starred for Team USA at the most recent WJC, but was only fifth in team scoring for the Huskies. He is an exemplary 200 foot center with skills and finishing ability but lacking the instincts to play a top line role at the highest level. Also keep an eye on senior blueliner Jimmy Schuldt, a high scoring two-way defender who is likely to receive an NHL contract after the SCSU season ends.

Another player on the Huskies who has impressed me is freshman defender Nick Perbix, a former Tampa pick, who came on as the year advanced and might be a late bloomer to watch. He was recently name to the NCHC All-Rookie team. Patrick Newell is an undersized senior forward who has good offensive instincts while lacking in tools.

Prediction: St. Cloud State sweep

#2 Minnesota-Duluth vs #7 Nebraska-Omaha

The defending national champions did not dominate the NCHC this year, but the UMD Bulldogs are still a high-end college hockey team. The only two games between these two teams took place in late January in Duluth and the home team swept by a combined score of 10-3. Minnesota-Duluth plays a very stingy defensive game, finishing tenth in the county in gals allowed, at just 72, a touch over two allowed per game. As Omaha was in the bottom ten in goals allowed (126) and did not make up for it with a a big offensive attack, this looks like a mismatch close to the spread between St. Cloud State and Miami, above.

The UNO Mavericks have a few drafted players on the roster, with the most prominent among them being blueliner Dean Stewart (Arizona), who added an offensive element to his game this year, scoring five times after failing to get the red light going in either of his underclass year. He is still a shut-down defender at heart. Tyler Weiss (Colorado) struggled some as a freshman, but has a game full of skill and I expect his contributions to grow given full health (he missed ten games) and more physical maturity. Although undrafted, keep an eye on power winger Zach Jordan, who brings a good combination of NHL size (1980s style), good speed, and some finishing ability.

The two most well known names on the Bulldogs roster are former USA WJC team members Riley Tufte (Dallas) and Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg). Other former WJC participants here include Scott Perunovich (St Louis), Noah Cates (Philadelphia) and Michael Anderson (Los Angeles). Although Tufte is a former first rounder now finishing up his junior season, he has been underwhelming in the college game. Cates brings grit and fine hands to the ice and the most fun player to watch on UMD, for my money, is Minnesota pick Nick Swaney, who is small, but tenacious and with impressive puck skills. This series should be a mismatch.

Prediction – Minnesota-Duluth in a sweep.

#3 Western Michigan vs #6 Colorado College

Until ending strong against Miami last weekend, Western Michigan was limping to the finish. That poor end run included a split at Colorado College, winning the first game on overtime before getting run out of the Rockies by an 8-2 score. Although separated by 11 points in the NCHC standings both teams had goal differentials close to even, with WMU being the more high-event team.

This series has the makings of an upset, especially if Broncos’ netminder Trevor Gorsuch cannot turn around his late season malaise. Their most likely sources of offense are the undersized Hugh McGing (St. Louis) and senior Colt Conrad, playing for a contract. Wade Allison (Philadelphia) has the most breakout potential on the squad, but has had a very difficult season coming off a serious knee injury. A season ending hat trick may be a turning of the corner, but it has been so long since he powered WMU through the first half last season that we have to assume it was only a flash against an overmatched opponent until he proves us all wrong.

On the other side, we have a team in Colorado College that plays a fast paced game and in almost entirely made up of free agents, with only bottom six winger Christopher Wilkie (Florida) having an NHL team control his rights. Small winger Trey Bradley, son of Brian, has a high IQ, plays with pace, and has a fine offensive tool kit. They also have a talented all-situations defender in Bryan Yoon, who helps keep the puck moving in the right direction. Netminder Alex Leclerc is also worthy of a shout-out. At 5-10”, he is almost certain never to play at the highest levels in North America, but he does just fine at the collegiate level.

Prediction: Colorado College in three

#4 Denver vs #5 North Dakota

In the final matchup, featuring two recent national titlists, we have two teams who have struggled this year, but still have enough talent on hand to make a long run, both in the NCHC tournament, and at the NCAA tournament.

Both teams have experienced goaltending shakeups this year, with Denver’s top recruit Filip Larsson (Detroit) missing much of the early part of the year before returning to health and taking over the crease from Devin Cooley, who held his own during Larsson’s absence. North Dakota’s crease was also best by injuries. First, Peter Thome (Columbus) was hurt in the early going. Later, potential draftee Adam Scheel was hurt, likely for the remainder of the season, just as Thome was returning to health.

Among skaters, Denver was expecting to be led by its blueliners, including Ian Mitchell (Chicago), and Slava Demin (Vegas), but they will need strong performances up front by the likes of Lima Finlay, Mathias Emilio Pettersen (Calgary), Jarid Lukosevicius, and Cole Guttman (Tampa Bay). None of the four have much in the way of size, but they are opportunistic and can do some damage.

While Denver had five players with over 20 points, only Jordan Kawaguchi surpassed that mark for North Dakota. A number of the Fighting Hawks’ most highly touted recruits up front, including Gavin Hain (Philadelphia), Grant Mismash (Nashville), and Jasper Weatherby (San Jose) struggled, leaving the blueline to take up the slack, as three of the team’s top five scorers were defenders, including Matt Kiersted, Colton Poolman (Tucker’s brother and a very similar player), and Jacob Bernard-Docker (Ottawa). The last of those three has the makings of a future star at the collegiate level, even if his freshman year was already quite good.

Of the four games between these two teams this year, Denver won twice, North Dakota once and the teams tied in the other game. Considering that Denver’s goalies are now both healthy, while North Dakota will be without their more effective netminder, I give the Pioneers the edge, albeit in a low scoring fashion.

Prediction: Denver in three games

If the first round plays out as projected here, I would expect St. Cloud State to knock off Colorado College in the semifinals, while Denver enacts a mild upset of defending champs UMD. There will be no upset in the final as, unlike last year, when the Huskies fumbled a top seed in the conference tourney and then again in the NCAA tournament, SCSU will win the conference handily.

Dropping the puck on the 2018-19 NCAA season – Part 2 – Hockey East, NCHC, Big 10

Ryan Wagman — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 17:54:50 +0000

In yesterday’s look at the NCAA season that is slowly cracking open. We touched upon the Atlantic 10, WCHA, and ECAC conferences. While national champions have come from the latter two conferences in recent years, there is no doubting that the strength of the collegiate game lies in the three conferences discussed here.

Hockey East

While some of the more well-known traditional powerhouses are based in the northeast, the vaunted Hockey east conference had a down year last season and seem to be in line for a repeat (in relative terms) this year. There are teams that were also-rans last year and who will likely continue to be league doormats this year. Chief among those is Vermont. Outside of leading scorer, who left school early to sign an ELC with Tampa, the majority of last year’s roster has returned, but the roster was not a strong one. There are three players who have been drafted by NHL clubs on the roster, but none has yet made a strong case that they are worthy of high-level professional careers after leaving the Catamounts. If there is a player to watch, it is junior captain Matt Alvaro, the leading returning scorer. Despite their conference schedule opener, in which they shut out Boston University by a 4-0 total, Merrimack will be in tough to be a factor as the year draws out. Defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic, a Winnipeg draft pick, plays a strong two-way game, but each of the top four point getters from last year have moved on and the team will need younger players to step up and contribute in ways they never have. The early season results are promising, but it is far too early to assume the growth is real. That said, netminder Craig Pantano was strong in partial duty last year and may be the type of unsung hero the Warriors need to stay competitive. New Hampshire used to be a staple at the NCAA conference, but they have been on the outside looking in for each of the last five years. Unlike the other bottom feeding systems, the Wildcats have a few impressive players available to them. Sharks’ pick Mike Robinson barely played last year as a freshman, but he seems to have a grip on the job early on and has performed well so far. Athletic Panthers’ prospect Max Gildon leads the blueline, and senior captain Marcus Vela (San Jose) is the center-piece of the offensive attack. Joining the attack will be veterans Ara Nazarian, Liam Blackburn, and Charlie Kelleher.

In the next rung of teams in Hockey East, we can look at UConn. Still a relative neophyte to the upper rungs, the Huskies are only in their fifth season in the conference, after migrating from the Atlantic. They are an interesting team in that the majority of their players of note are European-raised players, including their top two netminders, Adam Huska (NYR) and Tomas Vomacka (Nsh), blueliner Philip Nyberg (Buf), and forwards Ruslan Iskhakov (NYI) and Jachym Kondelik (Nsh). A few scoring forwards of note who have not been drafted include a pair of juniors in big Benjamin Freeman and Alexandre Payusov. A seeming concussion sustained by Iskhakov in the season’s second game could be a big setback to the team if he is unable to recover in a speedy fashion. The Maine Black Bears were seemingly ready to get back on the upswing, if not quite reach the heights that the program has in the past thirty years, which has seen them crowned NCAA champs twice, and reach seven other Frozen Fours. Unfortunately, days before the opening game, defender Patrick Holway, a Detroit pick, left the team due to unstated personal issues. In his absence, the team will lean more heavily on senior Rob Michel, the team captain, and sophomore Brady Keeper, both of whom have two-way bonafides. Up front, the team will rely on Detroit pick Chase Pearson to generate offense, and he will be joined by freshman Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup, one of the top scorers in the USHL last year. More than anything, though, Maine’s hopes will rest on the crease work on Boston pick Jeremy Swayman, who was stellar as a freshman, earning Hockey East All-Rookie team honors and playing for Team USA in the WJC. He needs to be at least as good again for the school to have designs on a Tournament berth.

Next up are a couple of Massachusetts schools in UMass and UMass-Lowell. The UMass-Lowell River Hawks have been a solid contender ever since Norm Bazin took over the head coaching duties of a floundering program in 2011-12. They rarely get the press they deserve as they tend to lack in high profile, drafted players. With only four drafted players at present – only one of whom was taken before the sixth round, expect the team to be a sleeper again. Most of their top scorers return, led by Kenneth Hausinger, Ryan Dmowski, and Ryan Lohin (TB). The team has seen more turnover at the blueline, but Croix Evingson (Wpg) is slated to take a step forward, while Detroit pick Seth Barton has gotten his collegiate career off to a good start. Swedish puck mover Mattias Goransson could also garner NHL looks. Also, while Christoffer Hernberg had the lion’s share of the goaltending workload last year, Rangers pick Tyler Wall seems to have the coaches’ trust this time around. UMass Amherst does not have the recent success of Lowell to look back to, but they do have one of the top prospects in the collegiate game on the roster in Cale Makar (Col). The talented blueliner was strong last year, both as a freshman for the Minutemen as well as for Team Canada in the WJC, and should be even better this year, in what is likely his final season on campus. He is joined on the blueline by Mario Ferraro (SJ) and Marc Del Gaizo, both skilled puck movers. The forwards are less imposing as a group, but most of the big producers return from last year, led by Mitchell Chaffee, John Leonard (SJ), and Oliver Chau, who has missed the start of the season due to illness. A couple of exciting freshmen in Bobby Trivigno and Anthony Del Gaizo (Marc’s older brother), coming off strong USHL campaigns, make the team more of a scoring threat. Incumbent starting netminder Matt Murray returns, and he will be challenged by Finnish freshman Filip Lindberg.

Staying in the state of Massachusetts, powerhouses BC and BU have both gotten off to lousy starts to their respective seasons, but both have far too much talent up and down the roster not to expect brighter days ahead. Boston College may have the most deserved pessimism among the two, having scored only five goals in their first three games. Toronto pick Joseph Woll has as much talent as any collegiate netminder and he should keep the Eagles in most games, but he will need help. The most likely offensive presence is in the form of freshman Oliver Wahlstrom, a top draft pick of the Islanders and a pure sniper if such a beast exists. Another freshman with the burden of great expectations is Minnesota pick Jack McBain. Among returning forwards, Logan Hutsko (Fla), David Cotton (Car) and Graham McPhee (Edm) are the most consistent offensive threats. The talented and undersized Jacob Tortora could also take a step forward. The blueline lacks a true dynamic two-way threat, but Michael Karow (Ari) and Casey Fitzgerald (Buf) can both hold their own and Michael Kim is a good college player. Boston University also has a star between the pipes in Jake Oettinger, a former Dallas first rounder, who has been inconsistent, but with high end flashes in his collegiate career. The Terriers are deepest along the blueline, with five drafted players, all of whom deserve their high press. They are led by co-captain Dante Fabbro (Nsh), and supplemented by skill in David Farrance (Nsh) and Chad Krys (Chi), and more defensively centered defensemen, such as Cam Crotty (Ari) and Kasper Kotkansalo (Det). Up front, there are former first rounders including Shane Bowers (Col) and Joel Farabee (Phi) and later picks who are almost as talented in Patrick Harper (Nsh) and Jake Wise (Chi). Co-Captain Bobo Carpenter, a senior, has long been rumored to be a free agent contract beneficiary after graduation. While they have not done so yet, this team is chock full of players who can beat you on any given night.

Although Northeastern will no longer be able to rely on NCAA superstars Dylan Sikura or Adam Gaudette, they are still loaded with talent up and down the lineup and feature a stud netminder in Cayden Primeau (Mtl). An offensively inclined team, the attack includes assistance from the blueline in the form of Jeremy Davies (NJ), Ryan Shea (Chi), Eric Williams, and freshman Jordan Harris (Mtl). Even absent Gaudette and Sikura, the Huskies feature freshman Tyler Madden (Vancouver) and Matt Filipe (Car) up front, in addition to proven producers including Zach Solow, Brandon Hawkins, Grant Jozefek, and many more. In a conference full of outstanding goaltenders, it should be no surprise that our top ranked team, Providence, has one of their own in Hayden Hawkey (Edm), who is more than just a fantastic hockey name. Like with Northeastern, the Friars get a lot of offense from the blueline, led in their case by Jacob Bryson (Buf), Ben Mirageas (NYI) and Spenser Young. The Friars can also roll three solid scoring lines if everyone performs up to expectations. Philadelphia first rounder Jay O’Brien has been slow to start, but he should acclimate from the prep ranks to Hockey East in short order to take a place of prominence alongside player including Kasper Bjorkqvist (Pit), Brandon Duhaime (Min), Jack Dugan (Veg), Josh Wilkins, and Scott Conway. Any of the last four teams mentioned could feasibly end the year as Hockey East champions and pose legitimate title hopes. But if the last two seasons are any indication, they will have to prove they can hang with the titans from the Midwest.

National Collegiate Hockey Conference

For each of the past three seasons, when it came time to crown a national champion, the last team standing was a member of the NCHC conference. To give an idea at the depth of strength in this conference, the threepeat of sorts was accomplished by three different schools. One of those schools was not Miami University, although RedHawks were a finalist in 2009, their best ever finish. After three losing seasons, for them to threaten the powerhouses atop the conference once league play begins would be a shocker. Florida prospect Karch Bachman, one of the speedier players in the college ranks, may finally be ready to be a legitimate offensive contributor if his first few games are an indication. The team has some talent from the blueline as well, namely Grant Hutton, who is expected to have a few NHL options to choose from at the end of his senior season, and freshman Derek Daschke. The top new recruit though, and Miami’s big hope for the future, is Johnny Gruden, a top line player with the USNTDP last year and a fourth round pick by Ottawa. The team has a number of other solid players dotting the roster, but lacks much in the way of dynamic skill. A team with more higher end talent on the roster but a less cohesive team game is Nebraska-Omaha. Up front, there are offensively inclined forwards sch as Frederik Olofsson (Chicago), Steven Spinner (Washington) and Zach Jordan (watch out for this guy). Colorado pick Tyler Weiss should also be fun to watch, as he was often pigeon-holed into a bottom six role last year in the USNTDP, but his inherent skills suggest a higher ceiling. Pittsburgh draft pick Ryan Jones and Arizona pick Dean Stewart lead the blueline. Incumbent netminder Evan Weninger returns, but his position is not entrenched and Philadelphia prospect Matej Tomek will challenge after leaving North Dakota, where he never got a chance to play.

At this point, Western Michigan is probably also an underdog. Flyers’ prospect Wade Allison has dynamic scoring potential, and is one of, if not my absolute favorite player to watch in the college game, but he has not played since last January due to a lower body injury, and there are only rumors about the imminence of his eventual return. In his absence, St. Louis pick Hugh McGing will play a prominent role in the attack along with free agent Dawson DiPietro and Vegas pick Paul Cotter. Senior Colt Conrad is also auditioning for an NHL contract, after scoring at a point per game pace last year. From the blueline, the player to watch is Mattias Samuelsson, recently a second round pick of Buffalo’s. As he is more of a defensive defenseman, watch for smaller Cam Lee to add to the offense from behind. The squad will need more steadiness in net than they have received of late to launch a strong challenge for postseason play. Colorado College is a team on the rise, but it may be a year too soon to put them near the top. After four seasons with no more than eight victories, they took off with 15 wins last year, and should breach a .500 record this year with continued development from some of their key contributors. Netminder Alex Leclerc is too small to garner NHL interest, but is a very good collegiate goalie. Up front, Florida pick Chris Wilkie is ready to contribute after sitting out last season as a transfer. He joins a quarter of talented upperclassmen in Nicholas Halloran, Mason Bergh, Trey Bradley, and Westin Michaud. I also have my eyes on freshmen Benjamin Copeland and Erik Middendorf, both of whom were overlooked at the draft last year after strong seasons in the USHL. Although the forwards drive the Tigers’ attack, the defensive corps is not without talent, particularly in the forms of Kristian Blumenschein, and Benjamin Israel.

Three years removed from a championship, the North Dakota team that takes the ice today bears little resemblance to the title team. The only players of note with ties to the title are Dallas pick Rhett Gardner, a beefy two-way forward, and Hayden Shaw, a smaller, reliable and non-flashy defender. Hope and indeed expectations for continued contention is drawn from the Fighting Hawks’ recent recruiting classes. The blueline is receiving a talent injection from freshmen Jacob Bernard-Docker and Jonny Tychonick, who were ironically both drafted early by Ottawa last June. They join Colton Poolman, whose game is very reminiscent of brother Tucker’s. Versatile forward Grant Mismash, a Nashville pick, is expected to take his game up a notch up front. The team also needs to figure out which of Adam Scheel or Peter Thome (Clb) will take over as the starter from the departed Cam Johnson. Denver has more connections to their recent title, but now that Dylan Gambrell and Henrik Borgstrom have both turned pro, the core has changed. The team still has the makings of a contender though, with dynamic defender Ian Mitchell (Chi) set to be the main attraction. He is joined by a couple of freshmen blueliners of whom greatness is expected in Slava Demin (Veg) and Sean Comrie. Up front, the team will have to take a committee approach to scoring, as there is skill, but little of it is truly high end. There is a trio of drafted freshmen who could be better than anticipated in Cole Guttman (TB), Mathias Emilio Pettersen (Cgy), and Brett Stapley (Mtl). They join big game hero Jarid Lukosevicius. As with North Dakota, the Pioneers have to answers questions in net, as heralded recruit Filip Larsson is out indefinitely and Devin Cooley, who has taken the reins to start the season, is largely unproven.

The best hope for a fourth different NCHC championship in four seasons is St. Cloud State, which was actually the top ranked team in the country heading into the playoffs last year. There are teams in this conference with more NHL-bound talent than at St. Cloud State, but the Huskies do not lack in that regards either, while they fill in at the edges with a high caliber of support player. Former Montreal first rounder Ryan Poehling is ready to take the next step offensively and breach one point per game. Helping him to fill the nets are Patrick Newell, Robby Jackson, Blake Lizotte, and Easton Brodzinski. The blueline is similarly deep and skilled, led by tiny Jack Ahcan, Nick Perbix (TB), Jon Lizotte (no relation to Blake) and Jimmy Schuldt, who surprised many by ignoring the lure of the NHL after his junior season. Finally, in net, the team is equally comfortable going with David Hrenak (LA) or Jeffrey Smith, both of whom have displayed the ability to stop pucks at an above average rate in the NCAA. Of course, the NCHC could easily claim another title from a repeat champion. Last year’s champions, Minnesota-Duluth, were not expected to make a strong push, as they had a very young roster and were widely thought to be a season or two way from their “window”. Amazingly, only three of their top ten scorers from last year are gone. The blueline returns three sophomores who both spent time on the American WJC squad in Scott Perunovich (StL), Mikey Anderson (LA), and Dylan Samberg (Wpg). Netminder Hunter Shepard is still anonymous, despite his workhorse status on last year’s title run. Up front, former Dallas first rounder Riley Tufte is overdue to breakthrough, as he has been slowly refining his game to the point where he is nearly unstoppable down low. Helping out with the attack will be Peter Krieger, Nick Swaney (Min), and freshman Noah Cates (Phi). This year’s Bulldogs may be even better than last year’s champs.

Big 10

While last season saw the NCHC claim the crown for the third year in a row, it should not be forgotten that each of the other three teams in the Frozen Four came out of the Big 10. Of course, Michigan State was not one of those teams. The Spartans are now 11 years removed from their most recent title. They should see their wins total grow for the third year running, but are still not quite a challenger. They return nine of their top ten scorers from last year and Taro Hirose, Mitch Lewandowski, and Patrick Khodorenko are expected to lead the team once again. As promising as that trio is, it is unclear where the secondary scoring will come from. Starting netminder John Lethemon is good enough to keep MSU in games, but should not be expected to steal too many. After the Spartans, any team could reasonably reach the NCAA tournament, but some are less likely than others. Next up would probably have to be Penn State. It is easy to forget that the Nittany Lions have only been back in the NCAA for six seasons. Most of their top scorers from last year are returning, but the talent level is still something short of dynamic. Chicago pick Evan Barratt could be ready for the next step and Colorado pick Denis Smirnov is probably the most talented of the bunch. Upperclassmen Chase Berger, Brandon Biro, and Nathan Sucese are auditioning for NHL scouts and are productive, if not necessarily exciting players. The blueline is a relative weakspot, led as it is by Cole Hults (LA) and Kris Myllari. In net, Peyton Jones has had a nice career thus far, but it is unclear that he can be anything more than adequate at this level.

Since a pair of Frozen Four appearances earlier in the decade, Minnesota has been a bit of a hit-or-miss team. Last year saw a bit of both, but without second leading scorer Casey Mittelstadt on the team, the Golden Gophers could struggle once again to get back to the top. As always, they are exceptional recruiters, with this year’s star freshmen including Blake McLaughlin (Ana), Sampo Ranta (Col), and the draft eligible blueliner Benjamin Brinkman. Some of the returning players who could be critical include forwards Rem Pitlick (Nsh), Scott Reedy (SJ), Thomas Novak (Nsh), Brent Gates (Ana), and Tyler Sheehy along with blueliners Clayton Phillips (Pit), Ryan Zuhlsdorf (TB), and Tyler Nanne (NYR). In the early going it seems that last year’s backup netminder, Mat Robson, has surpassed former starter Eric Schierhorn. If Robson can maintain his performance over the full season such as he has in a part time role, the Gophers could be better than expected. The talent is here, but it needs to come together. Put anther way, Minnesota’s talent with Penn State’s structure could be a front runner. Wisconsin won 20 games in 2016-17 after combining for 12 victories in the two seasons prior, eliciting visions of grandeur. Unfortunately, the team sunk back down to 14 wins last year, prompting a rethink of the team’s standing. The Badgers are a team whose strength is on the blueline with five drafted players – all underclassmen - taking charge. Returning from last year are the physical Tyler Inamoto (Fla), the quiet puck mover Josh Ess (Chi), and offensively inclined puck rusher Wyatt Kalynuk (Phi). Joining them this season are a pair of USNTDP grads in checker Ty Emberson (Ari) and the dynamic K’Andre Miller (NYR), who has superstar potential. Veteran Peter Tischke rounds out the blueline corps. Up front, Wisconsin is not as exciting, but Sean Dhooghe, among the smallest high level players I have ever watched is a joy. Linus Weissbach (Buf) and Max Zimmer (Car) look like they will contribute and I have reasonably optimistic expectations of Tarek Baker as well. Like much of the conference, the Badgers are unsettled in net.

Notre Dame has been to the Frozen Four for both of the last two seasons, but the graduation of Jake Evans, the school’s number three scorer since the turn of the century, will have an impact. That said, the Fighting Irish are constantly restocking, so the team should be a strong competitor once more. Cale Morris was exception in net last year, winning the Mike Richter Award as the top goalie in the nation and will still be very good even if he takes a step back. Big Andrew Peeke (Clb) and mobile Matthew Hellickson (NJ) make a strong start to the blueline while veteran Bobby Nardella along with new recruit Spencer Stastney (Nsh) look like a good second pairing with two way capability. The top players up front include Callahan Burke, Cam Morrison (Col), and Dylan Malmquist. Even big Joe Wegwerth can overcome his stiff hands by being a tank in the opposing crease. Freshmen Jacob Pivonka (NYI), Graham Slaggert, and Alex Steeves could also go a long way to giving the Irish attack the needed depth to succeed. Ohio State does not have the flashy names that dot the rosters of most of the rest of the Big 10, but they have talent up and down the team and can win in many ways. They seem to be using a rotation in net, with both incumbent starter Sean Romeo and the younger Tommy Nappier in line to play a good amount. None of their key blueliners have been drafted, but any of Wyatt Ege, Grant Gabriele, Matt Miller, Gordi Myer, or Sasha Larocque can hurt you. There is a smattering of NHL interest up front, such as power forward Dakota Joshua (Tor), playmaker Carson Meyer (Clb) who transferred from Miami, smaller dynamo Mason Jobst and Hobey Baker candidate Tanner Taczynski (Phi). I could go on, but that might be enough to get back to the Frozen Four.

As good as Notre Dame and Ohio State are, not to mention Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Penn State, if the Michigan Wolverines get even halfway decent work in net, they could be the best team in the country. Quinn Hughes was a top ten pick last year by Vancouver and is as dynamic as blueliners get. This will be his last tune-up before moving to the NHL. First line center Josh Norris had a fine freshman season and then was one of the main pieces moving from San Jose to Ottawa in the Erik Karlsson trade. Will Lockwood (Van) is healthy again and provides an agitating, skilled presence. The Pastujov brothers, Nick (NYI) and Michael, provide strength and skill up front. Minnesota pick Nicholas Boka is a talented puck mover from the blueliner who can get the puck moving in the right direction when Hughes is catching his breath. Luke Martin (Car) and Joseph Cecconi (Dal) has shutdown qualities. Brendan Warren (Phi) can contribute offense while playing the tough minutes up front. Moving down the lineup there are other surprises in store as well. Ohio State may be a safer bet, but Michigan has the best chance among any team in the nation, to dominate any given night.