Jesse Puljujarvi – McKeen's Hockey

AHL: 2025 CALDER CUP FINAL PREVIEW – Seemingly unstoppable Checkers meet Canucks firing on all cylinders

Michael Moroz — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 11:25:03 +0000

The 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs have been nothing short of exceptional. The first round of the playoffs was filled with close games that often required overtime; the division semifinals featured teams that had to scratch and claw for every inch of the ice; three of the four division finals went to a maximum of five games; and we witnessed a fantastic series between the Abbotsford Canucks and the Texas Stars in the Western Conference Finals. Although there have been several standout performances from players and teams across these playoffs, we are now down to two teams that will be competing in the 2025 Calder Cup Final: the Charlotte Checkers and the Abbotsford Canucks.

The Charlotte Checkers have looked quite unstoppable throughout these playoffs. The Checkers swept the Hershey Bears and the Laval Rocket on the backs of strong goaltending from former NHL netminder Kaapo Kähkönen, who has gone 10-2 in these playoffs with a 1.73 GAA and a .927 SV%. The Checkers did have a bit of a scare against the Providence Bruins in the Atlantic Division Semifinals, however, where they prevailed with a 3-2 series win against their Atlantic division counterparts. Nevertheless, ever since their series against Providence came to an end, the Checkers have not lost a game; going 7-0 during that span. Add in strong performances from players like John Leonard, Trevor Carrick, Jesse Puljujärvi, and Tobias Björnfot, and you have a team that looks like an unstoppable force as they head to the 2025 Calder Cup Final.

The Abbotsford Canucks have played more hockey up to this point than the Charlotte Checkers, but they too look to be as though they are firing on all cylinders. The Canucks handled teams like the Tuscon Roadrunners and the Coachella Valley Firebirds with relative ease and played well in hard-fought series against the Colorado Eagles and the Texas Stars, ultimately earning their spot in the 2025 Calder Cup Final. The foundation of the Canucks’ run in these playoffs has been the exceptional play of Arturs Silovs, who has gone 12-5 with a 1.94 GAA and a .929 SV%. Beyond Silovs, players like Linus Karlsson, Kirill Kudryavtsev, Sammy Blais, and Victor Mancini have all played extremely well, and the Canucks look to be a formidable opponent for the Checkers in the 2025 Calder Cup Final. We can expect a close series between these two very strong teams.

The Charlotte Checkers appear to have a slight edge over the Abbotsford Canucks, both in terms of overall depth and being better rested but still expect a hard-fought series between both teams. For the Checkers to win, Kähkönen must continue to provide playoff MVP-level goaltending, while players like Puljujärvi and Leonard must continue their clutch scoring during key moments of the series. For the Canucks to win, the story looks very similar. Silovs must shut the door against the Checkers’ deep forward lineup, and players like Karlsson and Blais need to provide the bulk of the Canucks’ offense. Buckle up, everyone - we are in for a treat!

Prediction: Checkers in 6

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Value to be mined on the waiver wire in time for fantasy hockey playoffs

Scott Cullen — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 17:41:29 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - JANUARY 27: Carolina Hurricanes Center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) skates during the second period of the NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the Carolina Hurricanes on January 27, 2022 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/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, the fantasy playoffs are coming, or underway in some cases. There is still value to be mined from the waiver wire, especially if your team needs to adjust to late-season injury news, like the season-ending injury to Andrei Svechnikov. Barrett Hayton, Dylan Strome, Logan Couture, and Jason Zucker are some of the forwards worth a late season add.

#1 The worst of the injury news this week is the Carolina Hurricanes losing left winger Andrei Svechnikov to a season-ending knee injury. At the time of his injury, Svechnikov was one of six players to have at least 20 goals and 140 hits. Brady Tkachuk, Jason Zucker, Lawson Crouse, Alex Ovechkin, and J.T. Miller were the others. With Svechnikov out, opportunity knocks for Jesse Puljujarvi, who gets a shot on Carolina’s top line alongside Sebastian Aho, his former teammate from Karpat in Finland. It has been a disappointing season for Puljujarvi, as he has just 14 points (5 G, 9 A) in 61 games, but this could be a good opportunity to snap out of it.

#2 While we’re talking about Finnish forwards in Carolina, don’t overlook Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who has produced 16 points (7 G, 9 A) in his past 17 games. That does include a five-point game against Tampa Bay and he only has 23 shots in that time, but the increased offensive production is a welcome development from the third pick in the 2018 Draft. His next point will tie his career high of 34 points, set during his rookie season in 2018-2019.

#3 It has not necessarily been the smoothest development path for Arizona Coyotes center Barrett Hayton, who was drafted fifth overall in 2018, but it looks like he is starting to find his groove in the NHL. The 22-year-old has 11 points (3 G, 8 A) during a six-game point streak and is making the most out of his opportunity to center Arizona’s top line. Before the points picked up, Hayton had already started generating more shots and has 68 shots on goal in his past 22 games, which is an encouraging sign for his future production.

#4 The third pick in the 2015 Draft, Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome has had his share of ups and downs with previous stops in Arizona and Chicago but has shown that he can score when given the chance. Strome has 10 points (3 G, 7 A) during a six-game point streak and has hit the 50-point plateau for the second time in his career.

#5 He is older now and playing for a team at the bottom of the standings, but San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture has contributed 21 points (7 G, 14 A) in his past 19 games. That gives him 58 points (24 G, 34 A) in 69 games for the season and his 0.84 points per game is the second highest per-game rate of his career. He’s also widely available for fantasy managers, so worth considering for a late-season push.

#6 Pittsburgh Penguins left winger Jason Zucker has managed to stay relatively healthy and is once again a goal-scoring threat. In his past 10 games, the 31-year-old forward has scored nine goals and put 38 shots on goal, giving him 24 goals and 42 points. The last time he had more in either category was the 2017-2018 season. Zucker’s 20 even-strength goals ranks 20^th in the league.

#7 As one of the few regular forwards to remain healthy in Montreal, Josh Anderson is playing a big role late in the season. In the past 10 games, he has eight points (4 G, 4 A) and 23 shots on goal, while averaging more than 19 minutes of ice time per game. He is up to 21 goals on the season, the second time in his career that he has crossed the 20-goal threshold.

#8 Recently acquired from the Dallas Stars, winger Denis Gurianov is thriving in a bigger role with the Habs. After scoring two goals and nine points in 43 games for Dallas, Gurianov has contributed five points (4 G, 1 a) and 29 shots on goal in 10 games for Montreal. It’s not earth-shattering production, but he is getting more than 15 minutes of ice time per game and, on a depleted Canadiens roster, has a good chance to play a big role for the rest of the season.

#9 Playing a bigger role in Chicago, winger Taylor Raddysh has seven points (6 G, 1 A) in his past five games and has hit the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career. One of the encouraging signs for Raddysh is that he is shooting more – he has 21 shots on goal in the past eight games and this comes after he had recorded a total of five shots on goal in the previous eight games. It is a lot easier to buy Raddysh as a goal-scoring threat if he is averaging 2.5 to 3 shots per game.

#10 On rare occasions, the waiver wire can unearth a gem, and it looks like that could be the case for the Arizona Coyotes with defenseman Juuso Valimaki, the 24-year-old that they claimed from Calgary. Valimaki had 16 points (3 G, 13 A) in 82 games for the Flames before he was waived and has shown that he is not only a legitimate NHLer, but a legit top four, or even top pair, defenseman. In addition to providing sound defensive play, Valimaki has responded well to an elevated role, playing nearly 23 minutes per game since late January. In his past 21 games, Valimaki has earned 16 assists and is quarterbacking Arizona’s top power play unit.

#11 What a strange path it has been for Nashville Predators center Thomas Novak, a 25-year-old who had seven points (1 G, 6 A) in 27 games as a rookie last season and started this season in the American Hockey League. He is now Nashville’s most productive center, playing on the top power play. In his past 14 games, Novak has put up 17 points (9 G, 8 A) with 25 shots on goal. He is obviously not going to keep scoring at that rate without more shots, but Novak has gone rather quickly from fringe NHLer to significant offensive contributor.

#12 Although he is not finishing like he has in the past, Vancouver Canucks right winger Brock Boeser is contributing to the club’s improved play late in the season. Since Rick Tocchet took over behind the Canucks bench, Boeser has 18 points (3 G, 15 A) in 21 games and he is helping center J.T. Miller get back on top of his game, too. Boeser has 45 points, a level that he has hit in each of his six NHL seasons, but just 12 goals.

#13 Los Angeles Kings right winger Gabriel Vilardi had a strong start to the season before some lean times in the middle portion of the schedule, but he is picking up his production again. In his past 17 games, he has 14 points (6 G, 8 A), giving him 22 goals and 39 points, which are both career highs. Of course, given Vilardi’s injury history, the 59 games that he has played this season is also a career high.

#14 Banger league managers may want to have an eye on Blues winger Sammy Blais, who has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 69 hits in 16 games since returning to St. Louis. Philadelphia’s Nic Deslauriers is the leading forward in terms of hits per game (minimum 50 GP), averaging 3.89 hits per game. Blais is averaging 4.31 per game with the Blues. Arizona rookie Jack McBain is another to consider, though probably for deep leagues only. McBain has six points (3 G, 3 A) to go with 25 hits in his past seven games and the Coyotes are giving him plenty of reps – he is averaging nearly 18 minutes per game over the past seven.

#15 At this stage of the season, it is not easy to find goaltending help, so that help may have to come from unlikely sources. If Tristan Jarry continues to struggle for Pittsburgh, Casey DeSmith could see more action. DeSmith has a .932 save percentage in his past six appearances.

#16 Other goaltenders that are more readily available in fantasy are some of the guys getting action with the worst teams in the league. Alex Stalock and Petr Mrazek of the Chicago Blackhawks are both playing better than might be expected. Stalock has had trouble staying healthy but has a .922 save percentage to go with a 9-8-1 record in 19 games. Mrazek struggled for a good chunk of the season, but he has a .926 save percentage in his past eight games. Arizona’s Connor Ingram has a .927 save percentage in his past 10 games but, because it is with the Coyotes, he has a 3-2-5 record in those 10 games. These aren’t ideal options, obviously, but if you’re desperate enough to look for goaltending at this stage of the season, you might be desperate enough to take goalies that are playing on bad teams.

#17 Colorado lost left winger Artturi Lehkonen for 4-6 weeks with a broken finger, suffered in his return to Montreal. That has resulted in guys like Evan Rodrigues and Denis Malgin getting bumped up the depth chart. Rodrigues has five points (3 G, 2 A) and 20 shots on goal in his past eight games. Malgin has two goals in his past six games but is not getting enough ice time to generate serious fantasy interest.

#18 The Arizona Coyotes is missing Nick Schmaltz with a lower-body injury, which is unfortunate considering that he had 25 points (14 G, 11 A) in his last 20 games before getting hurt. Newly acquired Brett Ritchie has been plugged into Schmaltz’s spot on the top line and first power play unit, which is not typical deployment for Ritchie. He does have four points (2 G, 2 A) in five games for Arizona and has played more than 18 minutes in each of his past three games.

#19 A lower-body injury has kept Kings right winger Kevin Fiala out of the lineup for the past week. That takes the leading scorer, with 68 points (22 G, 46 A) in 66 games, out of the mix for Los Angeles. Trevor Moore has rejoined Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson on the second line with Fiala out of action and Moore has a goal and an assist in three games since his ice time was bumped up.

#20 Connor McDavid, Clayton Keller, and Cale Makar are tied for the scoring lead in the two weeks since the March 3 trade deadline, with 13 points. They are followed by Matthew Tkachuk, Nathan MacKinnon, Tim Stutzle, and Miro Heiskanen, at 12, with Leon Draisaitl, Barrett Hayton, Jamie Benn, and Vince Dunn coming in with 11. Hayton is obviously making the most of his chance to play with Keller, and the Stars getting big production out of Benn and Heiskanen is a little eye opening considering how dependent Dallas has been on production from the top line. Stutzle and Dunn have both taken a major step forward this season. Dunn is tied for 10^th among defensemen with 56 points (13 G, 43 A) in 68 games while Stutzle has erupted for a career-high 76 points (34 G, 42 A) in 64 games.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick.

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.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – EDMONTON OILERS – NHL Player Profiles

Corey Sznajder – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 16:11:28 +0000

EDMONTON, AB - MARCH 19: Edmonton Oilers Center Leon Draisaitl (29) uses his speed to track down a loose puck in the first period during the Edmonton Oilers game versus the New Jersy Devils on March 19, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Connor McDavid

The scary thing about McDavid’s 2021-22 season is that he was relatively unlucky when it came to shooting luck and he still finished with 123 points. The game comes so easy for him that it’s rare for the Oilers not to get at least one scoring chance per shift with him on the ice, so an average shooting year for him is a career season for most. It was an interesting season or him. He was still an elite player at creating off the rush but didn’t have the scale breaking stats like the previous year. Instead, he was deferring to teammates on entries and trailing the rush instead of leading it. Still having an elite impact on driving offense and making up for any lost ground on the power play, where his 44 points were more than some team’s entire goal total with the man advantage. There was also an effort to improve his play away from the puck, as he had the Oilers playing less run-and-gun and more of a full-rink press. Keeping play in the offensive zone and deferring to someone else or making the simple play instead of trying to force things. He could still break the game open if he needed to, as most saw in the playoffs where he dragged the Oilers to the Conference Finals on his own. That version of McDavid is still present, but the Oilers are getting to the point where they don’t need him to go into superstar mode every night to win.

Leon Draisaitl

Accuracy is the name of the game for Draisaitl regardless of he’s passing or shooting the puck. A selective but lethal shooter, Draisaitl’s 55 goals would have led the league most in most seasons and he matched it with 55 assists. He’s a selective, but lethal shooter who will turn low-percentage plays into high-danger plays. Most scorers will look to find the “soft” area in the defense and with Draisaitl, that area extends all the way to the boards, as he can beat goaltenders from some awkward and impossible angles. Arguably the best player in the league at doing this not named Sidney Crosby. His passing is just as good, excelling at pulling pucks off the boards, threading the needle between defenders and turning 50/50 puck battles into scoring chances. Style points don’t count but the degree of difficulty of Draisaitl’s playmaking is something to behold. He passes the puck off his backhand as hard as some players shoot it and he usually finds the tape. It’s how he’s been able to put up ridiculous scoring numbers every year despite his team getting outshot and outchanced while he is on the ice. The deceptive nature of his game also makes the Oilers power play click because he can score from just about anywhere in the zone and find someone open for a deflection chance even if they’re covered. Now that he's playing center full-time (when healthy), he gives Edmonton the most explosive one-two punch in the NHL.

Zach Hyman

The Oilers had certain expectations for Zach Hyman when they signed him to a seven-year contract. They wanted him to be McDavid’s wingman, score on a lot of rebounds and provide a forechecking presence to a team that lacked it. Hard to not be pleased with his first year. He scored 27 goals and was a great third wheel on McDavid’s line for most of the year and giving the Oilers penalty kill a counter-attacking dynamic with five shorthanded points. The calling card with Hyman has always been forechecking and scoring “ugly” goals, usually scoring by circumstance instead of getting to the net. It’s an important quality to have on your top line, as the Oilers found out in the playoffs where Hyman had 11 tallies, three of them coming on the power play. Finding a running mate for McDavid has been long-term problem for McDavid and while it cost them, Hyman filled this void in his rookie year. His play away from McDavid is a bit of a concern, as he was underwater in terms of scoring chance and goal differential when he wasn’t on a line with the Oilers captain. It’s not a surprise given the Oilers forward depth issues, but Hyman is a good forechecker with decent puck skills and should be able to drive his own line if push comes to shove. This will be more of a concern when he’s deeper into his contract but for now, he is set to have another good year as McDavid’s wingman.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

The remaining member of the Oilers old core, RNH is the most plug-and-play type of guy the Oilers have right now. Whether you put him in the middle, on the wing, with McDavid or in the middle-six, he’s going to play his role and give you a high floor with what he brings. That said, he spent most of the year on Draisaitl’s wing and the Oilers had a tough time keeping the puck out of their own net while that line was on the ice. A mid-season line switch moved RNH to essentially a third line center role and he excelled as a checker, providing a stabilizing presence in the Oilers bottom-six and keeping the team’s heads above water while their two money maker lines did their thing. It’s a tough way to use a center making over $5 mil., but RNH’s defensive game has value. He is one of their best forwards at retrieving pucks to exit the zone and the Oilers desperately need to win the minutes where their two stars aren’t on the ice. He made up for his lack of 5v5 offense on the power play, recording 22 assists with the man advantage and playing a variety of roles. His versatility makes him a valuable player but a tough one to project due to the volatile nature of the Oilers lineup. They will continue to feed him power play and penalty kill minutes, though.

Jesse Puljujarvi

It’s hard to believe how much of a lightning rod the former third overall pick was for Oilers discourse last year. Puljujarvi played a very similar game to Zach Hyman as a complementary player for McDavid, he just didn’t finish on as many of his chances, which unfortunately was his major drawback. No Oilers player was on the receiving end of more high danger passes than Puljujarvi and he scored only nine five-on-five goals on 140 scoring chances. Puck skill is one of the more frustrating parts of his game, as he will often skate himself out of room when he gets a good chance from close range or just mishit the puck, turning a high danger chance into one that’s easier to stop. It only takes one good year to change this narrative, though and it’s better to have a topliner who is producing chances and not finishing than doing neither. Aside from that, Puljujarvi is coming off a fantastic year, as the Oilers were a dominant team when he was on the ice. Part of it is the McDavid effect, but “JP” has come a long way as a defensive player, always in a good position to help retrieve pucks to get McDavid the puck in space or being a nuisance on the forecheck to keep their top line on the ice. If the goal-scoring ever comes around, the Oilers top-six will be a force.

Kailer Yamamoto

A high-motor player who will never cheat you on effort, Yamamoto had a decent bounce-back year after a disappointing sophomore campaign. He scored 20 goals for the first time in his career was a Swiss Army Knife type of winger for the Oilers, moving around the lineup filling whatever niche the coaching staff needed. While productive, his impact has been a little inconsistent, as he’s had a tough time driving play despite his strengths with recovering pucks and his willingness to go to the net. Part of that is because he doesn’t produce much offense in volume, posting one of the lowest shot rates on the Oilers and going stretches of games where he didn’t even test the goalie. Playing so much with McDavid and Draisaitl, he might have some hesitance to taking the reins on his line, deferring to the more talented players while assuming the worker bee role he’s had for most of his career. It’s tough to say if this is what was going on with Yamamoto, but he showed in the playoffs that he can drive a line, being a forechecking menace in the Calgary series and starting most of the plays with Nugent-Hopkins as his center. Seeing that reminds you that there is another level he can reach as a player even if he is in a pretty good spot now.

Ryan McLeod

Every prospect has different expectations. For Ryan McLeod, the Oilers only needed him to hold down a third- or fourth-line spot while being a neutral in terms of driving-play or suppressing goals. His impressive AHL production carrying over was secondary. His quickness gives the Oilers depth a different element from previous years, as it was rare for their third or fourth line to try and push the pace in past years. Also made him useful with covering up for the Oilers lack of mobility on their blue line, you would see him retrieve pucks for breakouts more often than their defense, even leading the rush on some shifts. The year was a grind for him, Edmonton struggled to find consistent linemates and McLeod would have to play a lot of one-man shifts where he would go from one end to the other without much payoff in the offensive zone. It was the role he needed to play, keeping the scoreboard from changing during stretches where the game becomes a slog. He is an example of how a skilled prospect can use those tools outside of creating offense because you still need to skate and connect the dots to keep the puck out of your own zone.

Evander Kane

Fresh off a buyout with the Sharks, Kane showed the Oilers that he can still score goals, tallying 22 in his 43-game stint and 13 more in 15 playoff games. Getting the “McDavid bump” on top of a career best shooting percentage, Edmonton re-signed him for four years in hopes that a full season can give McDavid a long-term solution on the wing. It’s tough to say if he can repeat this next year, as Kane has always been a shot-volume player who converts on a low percentage of his chances. The playmaking of McDavid might fix that, but line combos are always subject to change throughout the year. It’s a little concerning because 10 of his 5v5 12 five-on-five goals came while he was on a line with McDavid. By comparison, he scored only one five-on-five goal with Draisaitl centering him, which should give fantasy player some concern if the Oilers juggle their lines. His limited play-driving and passing skills make Kane a very one-dimensional player whose value is going to be determined by his goal-total, so this is a boom-or-bust signing for Edmonton.

Warren Foegele

The former Erie Otters star spent most of the year playing wing on the fourth line with his ex-Carolina teammate in Derek Ryan with some penalty killing duty thrown in. Last year was the first time it looked like he accepted his role as a grinder in the NHL, as he was still in the prospect mindset with Carolina. He had such a hot start to his NHL career that you would see him try to recapture that, making a lot of high-risk plays every shift and trying to make plays that he didn’t have the hands or precision to finish off at this level. With Edmonton, he looked a little more comfortable in his skin as a checking line player. Playing a straight-line game, not looking to carry the puck in much at all and relying more on his tenacity and forechecking to create an impact than making any plays. The result were decent impacts at five-on-five, but nothing spectacular. He also saw some power play time on the second unit, playing the netfront role and having a few pucks go off him for goals. There was more offense to Foegele’s game at one point, but this seems to be the role he has settled into for now.

DEFENSE

Evan Bouchard

Only 22 years old with the face of a grizzled veteran, Bouchard was a major lifeline for the Oilers defense. He is the prototype of what most teams look for in a young defenseman, standing over six feet tall with great puck skills and a big shot from the point, and Edmonton didn’t hold him back from showcasing this in his first full season. He carried most of the offensive load at five-on-five on their blue line, emerging as their best passer on breakout and when making plays in transition, and his shot gave defenders another thing to worry about when defending McDavid’s line. Edmonton is going to be a team that thrives on quick-strike offense, so Bouchard’s play in this area is a huge development for them, especially when it comes to leading counterattacks. His aggressive playing style did hurt him at times. He was very aggressive with stepping up at the blue line or going for a poke-check. It resulted in him negating some rushes, but he also got burned just as much. It’s an area of his game that’s fixable, especially if he’s paired with a reliable partner like Brett Kulak, and you want a guy like Bouchard to push the pace when he can. They will look to find a happy medium between the two extremes next year.

Tyson Barrie

Relegated to third pair duty, Barrie’s main purpose on the Oilers is to get the puck to McDavid or Draisaitl on the power play and not get destroyed at five-on-five. It’s easier said than done now that he’s not playing as many shifts behind the Oilers top line, which means he defends on more of his shifts and doesn’t get any opportunities to start the rush like in his Colorado days. It’s a tough game for a smaller defenseman like Barrie to play because offense is his calling card and playing more of a grinding style caters to his weakness. That said, players like Bouchard surpassed him in the lineup so this is the role he needs to play unless the Oilers deploy him differently. Which could happen if he starts the year paired with rookie Phillip Broberg. Barrie will continue to eat on the power play unless Bouchard or Darnell Nurse takes his spot. He has run the top of the umbrella on their league leading power play unit for a couple of years now, so it’s tough to see it changing for continuity purposes.

Darnell Nurse

It was a tale of two halves for the Oilers high-octane defenseman. He was paired with a similar player in Evan Bouchard, acting as both the aggressor and the fireman depending on the situation. They played behind the McDavid line, supplementing him on offense but getting burned for a lot of goals against. Once Jay Woodcroft took over, Nurse was switched to a shutdown role with Cody Ceci. Surprisingly, the two worked well and gave the Oilers blue line some stability, having one pair for offense and one for shutdown minutes. Nurse’s defensive play improved, giving up fewer chances off rushes and the Oilers played a more controlled game in front of him. He had to pick his spots on when to join the offense, but the Oilers were better off as a group. It’s an interesting way to use Nurse because his strengths are all from the red line in. He is very dangerous as the late man and can be lethal if he has any daylight with the puck but exiting the zone under pressure and shaking off forecheckers has never been his strong suit. Playing the shutdown role where he’s relied on for safe, responsible clears takes some workload off him and while he did well in that role, it’s a lot for someone carrying a $9.25 million cap hit for the next eight years. The 16-goal season where he was always pushing for offense made him one of the highest paid players in the league, even if it wasn’t the most optimal way to use him. Bouchard’s emergence took some of the burden off him and him switching roles so seamlessly is encouraging for the Oilers, even if his contract is going to be tough to deal going forward.

Brett Kulak

After exhausting most of their in-house options, the Oilers settled on trading for Kulak to round out their defense. The 28-year-old is a jack-of-all-trades defenseman can play most styles and found his niche in Edmonton as a penalty kill specialist who can help salt games away. He isn’t very big, but can skate with most top forwards, keeping them to the outside when defending entries and join the play if he needs to. He was a calming presence alongside Tyson Barrie on Edmonton’s third pair, with an elevated role late in games when the Oilers were defending a lead. Not much offense is expected of him, but he can pitch in here-and-there thanks to his great mobility and the Oilers could have him playing higher in the lineup with Duncan Keith’s old spot up for grabs. He was a reliable defender in Montreal with the only knock on his game being his play in front of the net, as his strong positioning and stickwork with defending entries doesn’t always translate to boxing out forwards. His strength with keeping play out of the defensive zone makes it not as big of a problem, though.

GOALTENDING

Jack Campbell

Edmonton has seemingly been trying to finally figure out what’s going on in their net for the last 15 years. Now, fresh off the heels of a two-year stretch under the microscope in Toronto, Jack Campbell is next up as a candidate to help the team right the ship. It’s another high-pressure situation for Campbell – but this time, he won’t be coming on board to be the team’s number two.

The once-highly-touted American netminder offers a sharp contrast to the goaltender he’ll be taking over for as the team’s clear-consensus starter. He lacks MIke Smith’s almost confrontational aura, instead opting for a “buds all day” approach that endears him to fans but can look a little less competitive overall. He plays differently, too; gone will be the days of a veteran giant manning the crease nearly from behind the goal line, replaced instead by a nimble and slightly more modern goaltender who plays a bit more centered in the blue paint and seems perfectly willing to let his defense control zone breakouts on their own. This could mean structural changes for the Edmonton blue line, although that was likely already on the horizon with Dave Tippett’s departure still fresh on the team’s mind.

The good news for Edmonton is that Campbell, who seems to thrive in a more team-oriented environment than Mike Smith ever did, shouldn’t need to worry about navigating a potentially tricky dynamic with Smith. The elder goaltender, while still under contract with the Oilers for the 2022-23 season, is expected to miss the season with a long-term injury – paving the way for Stuart Skinner to sit as the team’s number two and for Campbell to focus on his performance, not on losing starts to a hyper-competitive tandem partner. But the bad news is that Skinner remains relatively unproven on the NHL stage. This leaves Campbell without the lifeline that Smith’s experience likely would have afforded him should he find himself struggling consistency-wise during the season.

Projected starts: 60-65

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – The Arizona Coyotes are suddenly a source of scoring, Jakub Vrana and Anthony Mantha both return to action, Tim Stutzle, Calle Jarnkrok, Artturi Lehkonen and more.

Scott Cullen — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:20:51 +0000

20 FANTASY POINTS

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

In this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points, the Arizona Coyotes are suddenly a source of scoring, Jakub Vrana and Anthony Mantha both return to action, Tim Stutzle, Calle Jarnkrok, Artturi Lehkonen and more.

#1 A few weeks ago, I wrote about how Arizona Coyotes right winger Nick Schmaltz was on a pretty good run, starting to put up points on a consistent basis. Then he took his game to a new level. In his past 11 games, Schmaltz has put up 22 points (11 G, 11 A), though he has done this with just 25 shots on goal so there are some sustainability questions. To be fair, though, any player that is scoring at a two-points-per-game clip is going to have sustainability questions. The Coyotes are starting to score in bunches and Schmaltz is playing a prominent role in that attack.

#2 The trade rumblings have been hovering around Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun almost all season and he got off to such a terrible start – it was a far cry from his 2021 season when he scored 18 goals in 56 games. However, Chychrun appears to have found his range once again and in the past six games, he has 10 points (5 G, 5 A) and 21 shots on goal. A 23-year-old defenseman who can produce offensively and has years remaining on a team-friendly deal? The Coyotes should get a major haul in return if they are going to move Chychrun.

#3 Former Coyotes center Dylan Strome, now with the Chicago Blackhawks, was a healthy scratch and reportedly on the trade block early in the season but now he is just churning out points while centering Chicago’s top line between Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. Strome is on a 5-game point streak, putting up 10 points (6 G, 4 A) and 16 shots on goal. For a Blackhawks team that is getting ready to rebuild, they don’t necessarily need to hurry Strome out the door.

COLUMBUS, OH - MAY 08: Emil Bemstrom #52 of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Jakub Vrana #15 of the Detroit Red Wings battle for the puck during the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on May 8, 2021. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire)

#4 Out all season while recovering from shoulder surgery, Detroit Red Wings left winger Jakub Vrana has made an instant impact, scoring three goals, with seven shots on goal, in his first two games of the season. He is not going to keep scoring on 42.9% of his shots but Vrana has scored 11 goals in 13 games with the Red Wings, going back to when he was acquired at the trade deadline last season, making the most of his new opportunity.

#5 The player going the other way in the Vrana trade was Anthony Mantha, the towering winger who has also missed a bunch of time following shoulder surgery this season. Mantha has two points (1 G, 1 A) and nine shots on goal in four games since returning to action, and he is in a good spot, skating on a line with Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie.

#6 The third overall pick in the 2020 Draft, Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle is starting to reach some of his vast potential. Early in the season, Stutzle was creating chances, often with highlight-reel moves, but pucks weren’t going in the net, and he had a modest zero goals and five assists through 13 games. He has seven points (1 G, 6 A) and 11 shots on goal during his four-game point streak and is up to 34 points (13 G, 21 A) in 56 games in his sophomore season.

#7 With Mathew Barzal injured, the Islanders centers have moved up a slot on the depth chart, which means more opportunities for Brock Nelson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Nelson has four points (3 G, 1 A) and 14 shots on goal during a four-game point streak, while Pageau has seven points (3 G, 4 A) albeit with just 10 shots on goal in the past seven games.

#8 A versatile middle six forward, Calle Jarnkrok has been a solid contributor in the first season of the Seattle Kraken, but Jarnkrok also has an expiring contract, which should have him squarely on the trade block as the March 21 trade deadline approaches. Jarnkrok has produced 11 points (5 G, 6 A) and 24 shots on goal in the past 14 games and that’s likely helping to maximize his potential value in the trade market.

#9 A 26-year-old who has found his name in trade rumors, Montreal Canadiens winger Artturi Lehkonen has earned a reputation for solid all-around play, but he has also earned a reputation for not finishing his scoring chances. He has yet to match the 18 goals he scored as a rookie in 2016-2017. He is on a hot streak right now, with eight points (6 G, 2 A) and 13 shots on goal during a five-game point streak. That boosts him to 28 points (13 G, 15 A) in 54 games and Lehkonen is closing on his previous career high of 31 points.

#10 Although he left Thursday night’s loss at Florida with an apparent injury, Philadelphia Flyers center Scott Laughton is worth having on your fantasy radar. In his past 15 games, Laughton has delivered 13 points (5 G, 8 A) and 32 shots on goal. He is also good for more than two hits per game so if Laughton is producing offensively, there is a fair chance that his production will be worthy of fantasy interest. With Sean Couturier out for the season and more changes likely to come in Philadelphia, Laughton is also a reasonable bet to have a significant role with the Flyers for the rest of the season (provided that Thursday’s injury is not serious).

#11 Boston Bruins right winger Craig Smith had a relatively slow start to the season, but he has picked up the pace recently, providing secondary offense for a Bruins team that is starting to score more goals. Smith has nine points (5 G, 4 A) and 28 shots on goal in the past eight games.

#12 Among forward lines that have played at least 100 5v5 minutes together this season, the top three in terms of shot rates are all Boston Bruins. Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak have generated 50.9 shots on goal per 60 minutes, ranking ahead of Marchand, Bergeron, and Craig Smith (47.1), as well as Bergeron, Pastrnak, and Taylor Hall (45.3). The Los Angeles Kings trio of Viktor Arvidsson, Phillip Danault, and Trevor Moore (44.2) ranks fourth and the New Jersey Devils line of Andreas Johnsson, Dawson Mercer, and Jesper Bratt (44.1) ranks fifth.

#13 Bringing shot quality into the equation, these are the lines with the highest rate of expected goals per 60 minutes of 5v5 play: Edmonton’s Zach Hyman, Connor McDavid, and Jesse Puljujarvi (4.31 xGF/60), the Kings group of Arvidsson, Danault, and Moore (4.11), Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby, and Evan Rodrigues (4.02), New Jersey’s Pavel Zacha, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt (3.98), and Boston’s Hall, Bergeron, and Pastrnak (3.97).

#14 Dallas Stars blueliner Ryan Suter has started to produce more offensively, coming up with six points (1 G, 5 A) in the past six games, averaging 25:15 of ice time per game in that span. With Miro Heiskanen injured, the Stars have even more need for 37-year-old Suter to play at a high level as they continue to battle for a playoff spot.

#15 When it comes to defenseman and generating shots on goal, three of the top six pairs (minimum 100 5v5 minutes) include Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy. Surely this is a function of McAvoy spending significant time on the ice with the Bergeron line, but McAvoy on the ice with Mike Rielly, Urho Vaakanainen, or Matt Grzelcyk all end up firing pucks at the opposing goal. The top pairing in this regard is Vegas’ Nicolas Hague and Zach Whitecloud (46.4). The Kings’ Alexander Edler and Matt Roy (43.0) and Colorado’s Devon Toews and Samuel Girard (42.5) are the other pairings in the top six.

#16 Adding shot quality to the on-ice impacts of defense pairings, the top pairing is Vegas’ Brayden McNabb and Alex Pietrangelo (3.90 xGF/60), ahead of Hague and Whitecloud (3.85) and then two Toronto pairs featuring Rasmus Sandin, one with Timothy Liljegren (3.70) and one with Travis Dermott (3.60). Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin and Tony DeAngelo (3.47) rounds out the top five.

#17 Since the December schedule pause, there have been 13 goalies that have appeared in at least nine games while recording a save percentage of .919 or better. Some are obviously not going to be sitting on the waiver wire. Igor Shesterkin, Frederik Andersen, Darcy Kuemper, Juuse Saros, Ilya Sorokin, and Jacob Markstrom fall into that group. There are others, though, that remain available in more leagues. That group includes Jeremy Swayman, Anton Forsberg, Ville Husso, Vitek Vanecek, Pavel Francouz, Jake Oettinger, and Semyon Varlamov. Swayman, Vanecek, and Oettinger appear to have earned the starting jobs with their respective clubs.

#18 On the other hand, there are goaltenders in significant roles that have been struggling since the pause. That group includes a bunch that have a save percentage below .895 in at least 10 games played since the schedule pause: Jonathan Quick, Joonas Korpisalo, Chris Driedger, Alexandar Georgiev, Jack Campbell, Mike Smith, Alex Nedeljkovic, Petr Mrazek, Martin Jones, Jon Gillies, Cam Talbot, Philipp Grubauer, Jordan Binnington, Elvis Merzlikins, and Ilya Samsonov. Those are a lot of goaltending fires to put out.

#19 Colorado Avalanche superstar center Nathan MacKinnon has always been able to generate shots on goal, but he has taken his game to a new level since returning from injury in mid-February. In 13 games since, MacKinnon has recorded 79 shots on goal (6.08 per game), more than a full shot per game ahead of second-place Timo Meier (5.00). Alex DeBrincat (4.36), Connor McDavid (4.31), and Patrice Bergeron (4.27) round out the top five in shots on goal per game over the past four weeks.

#20 Since the December schedule pause, the leaders in primary points (goals plus primary assists) per 60 minutes in all situations: Johnny Gaudreau, Jonathan Huberdeau, Kirill Kaprizov, Mason Marchment, Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Filip Forsberg, Mitch Marner, Sam Reinhart, and Bryan Rust. Wait, Mason Marchment? It’s true and the 26-year-old is up to 34 points (13 G, 21 A) in 33 games this season.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Jake DeBrusk’s surprising emergence, Andrew Copp, Josh Anderson, Nico Hischier, and more.

Scott Cullen — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 15:40:49 +0000

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

In this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points, Jake DeBrusk’s surprising emergence, Andrew Copp, Josh Anderson, Nico Hischier, and more.

OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 19: Boston Bruins Left Wing Jake DeBrusk (74) skates during the third period of the NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins on February 19, 2022 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire)

#1 Early in the season, Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk seemed lost and, seeking a fresh start, requested a trade. He did not get the trade and now has landed a plum role playing on the right wing of the top line alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. DeBrusk is delivering results, too, putting up nine points (7 G, 2 A) and 22 shots on goal in the past seven games.

#2 One of the players getting a lot of buzz as the NHL Trade Deadline approaches, Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Copp recently returned from injury and has produced 30 points (13 G, 17 A) in 48 games. He has also generated a career high 2.75 shots on goal per game and that offensive activity, paired with Copp’s ability to play just about anywhere in the lineup – center, wing, scoring line, checking role – explains why the pending unrestricted free agent is drawing a lot of trade interest. For fantasy managers, it might be worth a speculative add of Copp now, before he lands in a new home where his offensive upside could get a boost.

#3 Sticking with Winnipeg, Jets center Adam Lowry is offering enough offense recently to have some fantasy appeal. In the past seven games, Lowry has six points (4 G, 2 A) and he has put up 157 hits in 54 games so if there is any kind of adequate scoring contributions, Lowry’s hit totals could make him appealing in deep leagues.

#4 Montreal Canadiens right winger Josh Anderson recorded a hat trick in Winnipeg Monday, giving the power horse seven points (6 G, 1 A) and 13 shots on goal in his past seven games. There has been some discussion about whether the soon-to-be-rebuilding Canadiens would move Anderson but if he is scoring, there is likely a spot for him in the Montreal lineup because his physical play serves as a strong complement to linemates Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.

#5 Columbus Blue Jackets right winger Oliver Bjorkstrand quietly goes about his business and, with nine points (6 G, 3 A) and 27 shots on goal in the past 11 games, Bjorkstrand is up to 18 goals in 52 games. For fantasy managers, Bjorkstrand adds value with his physical play, delivering 59 hits in 52 games. His career high is 64 hits in 82 games during the 2017-2018 season, so it seems very likely that Bjorkstrand will surpass that number while scoring 25+ goals by season’s end.

#6 While Jack Hughes gets more of the spotlight in New Jersey, Nico Hischier is giving the Devils another scoring option in the middle of the ice. In his past nine games, the Devils captain has produced 12 points (7 G, 5 A) and 23 shots on goal, thriving on a line with Pavel Zacha and Jesper Bratt.

#7 Devils rookie Dawson Mercer has recently been moved to right wing on the top line, skating with Jack Hughes and Yegor Sharangovich. Mercer has nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 13 shots on goal in his past eight games. That shot total is rather low, but Mercer is now tied with Nashville Predators winger Tanner Jeannot for sixth in rookie scoring with 32 points.

#8 A player for deep league managers to keep an eye on down the stretch could be Ottawa Senators center Colin White, who had missed most of this season after suffering a shoulder injury in the preseason. In his first three games after recovering from surgery, White has a couple of points but also has 12 shots on goal and has a role on Ottawa’s second power play unit.

#9 Anaheim Ducks veteran Adam Henrique is heating up, scoring six points (4 G, 2 A) with 12 shots on goal in the past five games. Skating on a line with Ryan Getzlaf and Troy Terry, the five-time 20-goal scorer is in a decent spot to provide offense for Anaheim.

#10 A four-point night against Toronto last Saturday lifted Detroit Red Wings defenseman Filip Hronek to 12 points (2 G, 10 A) in his past 17 games. With 28 points in 50 games, Hronek is now scoring at a career-best per-game rate (0.56 points per game).

#11 It is easy for rookie defensemen to get overlooked, especially if they are not Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings, because Seider is a leading contender for the Calder Trophy. However, there are other freshman defensemen that are contributing offensively, too. Anaheim’s Jamie Drysdale (3 G, 20 A in 56 GP), Nashville’s Alexandre Carrier (2 G, 18 A in 49 GP), Los Angeles’ Sean Durzi (2 G, 13 A in 37 GP), and Toronto’s Timothy Liljegren (1 G, 10 A in 37 GP) are chipping in. Colorado’s Bowen Byram (5 G, 6 A in 18 GP) was impressive before his season was derailed by concussions. Arizona’s J.J. Moser (3 G, 7 A in 27 GP) has had positive early results, too.

#12 Although he does not score nearly as much as he did during the seasons when he quarterbacked the Buffalo Sabres power play, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is a category monster. Since returning from the December schedule pause, Ristolainen has 81 hits in 20 games. The only defensemen with a higher hits-per-game average since the pause are Radko Gudas and Luke Schenn.

#13 Looking for a fresh start in Arizona, after a terrible start to the season in Toronto, Coyotes left winger Nick Ritchie has two points (1 G, 1 A), seven shots on goal and 12 hits in his first three games for the Coyotes. No need to race to the fantasy waiver wire for him just yet but Arizona should be invested in Ritchie having a role on their team next season so they might give him a good opportunity to play an important role down the stretch.

#14 With 14 goals in 53 games, Arizona Coyotes left winger Lawson Crouse is one away from matching his career high. He is also one of seven forwards to have more than 10 goals and more than 150 hits. The others are Nashville’s Tanner Jeannot, Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk, Washington’s Garnet Hathaway, Nashville’s Luke Kunin, Washington’s Tom Wilson, and Minnesota’s Marcus Foligno.

#15 In the history of the National Hockey League, there have been five seasons in which a forward has had less than five goals and more than 30 assists. One of those seasons is happening right now, as Blue Jackets winger Jakub Voracek has just two goals to go with 38 assists. That ratio is the highest of assists-to-goals for a forward ever (minimum 20 assists), surpassing Henrik Sedin’s 2017-2018 season when he had three goals and 47 assists.

#16 While the Boston Bruins have spent much of this season seeking a second line center to replace the departed David Krejci, they might have stumbled onto something recently with Erik Haula. The veteran forward has been skating between Taylor Hall and David Pastrnak and is on a five-game point streak, during which he has contributed seven points (2 G, 5 A).

#17 In his sixth NHL season, St. Louis Blues forward Ivan Barbashev has erupted, setting career highs in goals (17) and points (41). He has been a useful depth player for the Blues prior to this season but Barbashev’s ice time is up more than three-and-a-half minutes per game from last season and he has responded to the bigger role by producing. While Barbashev is not likely to keep scoring on 20.5% of his shots over the long haul, he also offers added fantasy value with 89 hits in 52 games.

#18 When looking at Natural Stat Trick’s expected goals for individual skaters, there are a dozen players that have exceeded their expected goals by more than six. That list includes Boston’s David Pastrnak, Columbus’ Patrik Laine, Nashville’s Filip Forsberg, Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog, St. Louis’ Brayden Schenn, Toronto’s Mitch Marner, Buffalo’s Tage Thompson, Toronto’s Auston Matthews, New Jersey’s Jesper Bratt, St. Louis’ Jordan Kyrou, Detroit’s Dylan Larkin, and the Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad. Some of these players are elite finishers, so they should be expected to outscore the expected goals model, but they also might be due for some statistical regression, too.

#19 On the other hand, there are some notable forwards that are well below their individual expected goals. That group includes Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk, Toronto’s John Tavares, Boston’s Patrice Bergeron, Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher, Arizona’s Phil Kessel, Los Angeles’ Trevor Moore, Seattle’s Jordan Eberle, Vancouver’s Nils Hoglander, Calgary’s Mikael Backlund, as well as Edmonton’s Jesse Puljujarvi and Warren Foegele.

#20 At this stage of the season it can be difficult to find goaltending value on the fantasy waiver wire, but there are some backups worth keeping on your radar. Since the December schedule pause, Boston’s Jeremy Swayman (.947 SV%), Washington’s Vitek Vanecek (.937 SV%), St. Louis’ Ville Husso (.934 SV%), Ottawa’s Anton Forsberg (.930 SV%), Colorado’s Pavel Francouz (.926 SV%), the Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov (.923 SV%), and Minnesota’s Kaapo Kahkonen (.923 SV%) have all had positive results. Some, like Swayman, might be taking the starting role but most are still trying to carve out any kind of bigger role with their respective teams.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Notable Early Season Performances

Scott Cullen — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 14:54:36 +0000

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

In this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points, some notable performance early in the season, including from veterans Anze Kopitar, Steven Stamkos, and Erik Karlsson. There are notes on Jesse Puljujarvi, Jordan Kyrou, Joel Farabee, Eeli Tolvanen, and more.

#1 The early scoring leader in the NHL is Anze Kopitar, and while he is not going to score at the same pace (eight points in three games) over the long haul, there are reasons to be optimistic about his production. For one, he has 13 shots on goal in three games (4.33 per game) and four of his five goals have been scored at even strength. In the past five seasons, Kopitar has averaged only 2.08 shots on goal per game so if he is going to increase his shot output (and it’s far too early to know if this increase is for real) then Kopitar could be much more dangerous offensively.

#2 No one is going to feel bad for the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team that has won back-to-back Stanley Cups, but with Nikita Kucherov likely out for a significant amount of time, they will once again have to generate offense while missing one of the premier scoring threats in the game. Fortunately, the Lightning do have Steven Stamkos, who has seven points (3 G, 4 A) in four games and has 16 shots on goal in those four games. It is well established that Stamkos is one of the premier shooters in the game but if he would keep the volume up and stay healthy, he could still be one of the top goal-scorers again. Stamkos is just two seasons removed from a 45-goal campaign in 2018-2019.

#3 The past couple of seasons in San Jose have been less than ideal for defenseman Erik Karlsson but his first couple of games this year have brought some interesting results. For one thing, he has four points (1 G, 3 A) but Karlsson also averaged 19:54 of ice time in those two games. He played 20:07 per game as a rookie, in 2008-2009, the only season in his career in which Karlsson has played less than 23 minutes per game.

#4 Early returns for the Detroit Red Wings have been more encouraging than might have been anticipated and part of the reason is that Tyler Bertuzzi has scored five goals in three games. It might be worth fantasy managers considering the idea of selling high on Bertuzzi because he has scored those five goals on eight shots, a sizzling 62.5% shooting percentage. There is also the matter of him missing the games in Canada because he is not vaccinated, a situation that will start this weekend when the Red Wings are in Montreal.

BOSTON, MA - MAY 19: Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) looks to the wing during Game 3 of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals on May 19, 2021, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

#5 With Washington star centre Nicklas Backstrom sidelined to start the season, the Capitals needed Evgeny Kuznetsov to step up as the number one centre and he has responded in a big way. Playing more than 20 minutes per game, Kuznetsov has six points (2 G, 4 A) and 11 shots on goal in three games. As long as Backstrom remains out of the lineup, Kuznetsov ought to be in the spotlight for the Capitals.

#6 There is always optimism for someone who is expected to skate alongside Connor McDavid and Jesse Puljujarvi is no different. He had a career-high 25 points (15 G, 10 A) in 55 games last season so while there is optimism it tends to come with some limits. Puljujarvi might be ready to push beyond those limits, though. His ice time is up to 17:40 per game and he has contributed six points (2 G, 4 A) and 10 shots on goal in three games.

#7 St. Louis Blues right winger Jordan Kyrou got off to a quick start last season, scoring 12 points (5 G, 7 A) in the first 10 games, and he has burst out of the gate this season, too, producing seven points (2 G, 5 A) and eight shots on goal in three games. The Blues have a lot of scoring depth, but Kyrou is pushing to secure a bigger role.

#8 Anaheim Ducks right winger Jakob Silfverberg had been a reliable second-line scorer for quite a while before he managed just 16 points in 47 games last season. He had ranged between 39 and 49 points in each of the previous six seasons. Silfverberg is off to a productive start this season, putting up six points (1 G, 5 A) and 13 shots on goal in the first four games, playing with Isac Lundestrom and Mason McTavish initially, Sam Steel has since stepped in for the injured McTavish.

#9 Philadelphia Flyers winger Joel Farabee is another player who had a fantastic start last season, producing four points (1 G, 3 A) on opening night and 19 points (10 G, 9 A) in his first 19 games. He is sizzling hot to start this season, too, with six points (3 G, 3 A) and eight shots on goal in the first three games.

CALGARY, AB - OCTOBER 24: Florida Panthers Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) skates to the bench between whistles during the third period of an NHL game where the Calgary Flames hosted the Florida Panthers on October 24, 2019, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire)

#10 When the Florida Panthers announced before the start of the season that Sergei Bobrovsky would be their No. 1 netminder, skepticism reigned and justifiably so. Bobrovsky signed a seven-year, $70 million contract in the summer of 2019 and followed that with a .902 save percentage in 81 games for the Panthers over the next two seasons. But in the seven seasons before signing that big ticket, when he was in Columbus, Bobrovsky had a .921 save percentage and won two Vezina Trophies, so he has some pedigree. He has also stopped 72 of 77 shots (.935 SV%) in two starts, but Bobrovsky may be looking over his shoulder at rookie Spencer Knight all season, or at least until Knight overtakes him for the starting job.

#11 Last season was a relative disappointment for San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier, who scored on just 7.7% of his shots on his way to 31 points (12 G, 19 A) in 54 games. The Sharks have only played two games this season but in those two games, Meier has four points (1 G, 3 A) and 15 shots on goal. Even among the small samples that we are dealing with this early in the season, the two-game samples are especially small, but it is encouraging if Meier is going to be generating shots at a high level, even if it is not going to be at the rate of 7.50 per game.

#12 One of the players that I liked for the Seattle Kraken coming into this season was Jared McCann, who rode some high percentages on his way to 32 points (14 G, 18 A) in 43 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins. While there is likely going to be some regression in his percentages, McCann is also looking at more ice time with the Kraken and he has produced five points (3 G, 2 A) in five games to start the season. He started the season centering Seattle’s first line but has moved to left wing on the second line since Yanni Gourde made his season debut in Tuesday’s loss at New Jersey.

#13 Injuries have hit the Vegas Golden Knights hard, especially on the top line, as wingers Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone are both injured. Enter Evgenii Dadonov, who had a rough time in Ottawa last season, but he is a three-time 25-goal scorer and he led Vegas forwards in even strength ice time (16:30) during Wednesday’s loss to St. Louis.

#14 While the Toronto Maple Leafs have not been scoring a lot as a team, right winger William Nylander has picked up where he left off in the playoffs last season. Through four games this season, Nylander has four points (2 G, 2 A) along with 18 shots on goal and he has been the Maple Leafs’ most consistently dangerous offensive player. Now that Auston Matthews has returned to the Toronto lineup, Nylander gets an upgrade at centre, with John Tavares moving back to his more familiar slot.

#15 Nashville Predators winger Eeli Tolvanen made his mark as a rookie last season, scoring 22 points (11 G, 11 A) in 40 games but there was reason to be suspicious about his production because he had managed a modest 65 shots on goal, not enough volume to expect him to be a consistent scoring threat. While Tolvanen has just one goal in three games to start this season, he has put 16 shots on goal in those three games. If he can improve his shot rate, even if it’s not going to continue at more than five per game, it would be easier to buy Tolvanen having sustainable production.

#16 Tyler Toffoli was the Montreal Canadiens most dangerous forward – possibly their best player – last season and he has been held without a point as Montreal has lost its first four games this season. Not all hope is lost, however, as Toffoli has generated 12 shots on goal and that is consistent with his shot rate (2.95 per game) across the past four seasons. Throughout his career, Toffoli has seen fluctuating shooting percentages, ranging from a career-low 5.8% in 2018-2019 to 17.7%, a career high that he set last season. The most reasonable outcome is for his shooting percentage to fall somewhere in the middle of that range.

#17 The Edmonton Oilers have put goaltender Mike Smith in the injured list, which suddenly makes Mikko Koskinen very important in the Oilers’ plans. Koskinen struggled last season, finishing with an .899 save percentage in 26 games, so the Oilers desperately needed Smith to play well. And he did. But now, Koskinen has an opportunity and if he could even play like he did in his first two seasons for the Oilers, when he had a .911 save percentage in 93 games, he could offer some value while Smith is on the shelf.

#18 Hopes are high for Anaheim Ducks centre Trevor Zegras, a leading candidate for the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie after scoring 13 points in 24 games for the Ducks last season. Zegras has just one assist and 10 shots on goal in four games this season but that might make him a decent buy-low candidate. The Ducks focus this season has to be on the development of young players and finding out if Zegras can become a No. 1 centre should be part of that process.

#19 As with any of these statistics, a super small sample size warning is assumed, but among forwards that have played at least 15 5-on-5 minutes, Calgary Flames centre Sean Monahan has the highest expected goals for per 60 minutes (5.88), which indicates that the Flames have at least been getting quality chances when Monahan has been on the ice. So, naturally, he was demoted to fourth line at Flames practice. Always remember, coaching decisions can alter a player’s outlook in an instant.

#20 I do not know just how much credence to put into the 3-0 start of the Buffalo Sabres – I suspect not much – but if the Sabres are going to be more competitive than expected, maybe there will be some potential fantasy value on that roster. Veteran wingers Kyle Okposo (2 G, 1 A) and Jeff Skinner (1 G, 2 A) are among the players contributing early and they might be worth considering, at least in deeper leagues.

Oh,Canada – A weekly look around the North Division

Jeff Veillette — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 18:15:13 +0000

Hello, all! I'm Jeff Veillette. You may have previously seen some of my contributions in this year's McKeen's Hockey Yearbook, checked out my articles on my blog, The Faceoff Circle, or found my shorter thoughts on Twitter. If not, it's nice to meet you! Every week, I'll be taking a look at a storyline I find interesting in the most microscopically watched land in the National Hockey League. Of course, I mean the Canadian-only North Division. Let's get to it!

Calgary Flames - A Changing of the Guard

CALGARY, AB - MARCH 11: Calgary Flames head coach Darryl discusses a play with assistant coach Ryan Huska during the first period of an NHL game where the Calgary Flames hosted the Montreal Canadiens on March 11, 2021, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire)

Perhaps the biggest story north of the border this past week was a coaching change in Calgary, as the Flames announced the firing of Geoff Ward and the appointment of Darryl Sutter as head coach. The news came as a bit of a multi-layered surprise.

The first layer was how quick Ward had been appointed and replaced. Though his original appointment was one of sudden circumstance to begin with, Calgary's 24-15-3 run last season seemed to secure him the role more permanently, losing his interim tag at the end of the year. Just 24 games later, he was gone as well. Many had expected more from the Flames this season, so that made him a target, but to go from interim to full-time to fired in just 76 regular season and playoff games is pretty special.

The second is the return of Sutter. A veteran of over 1400 regular season and playoff games as a coach (not to mention 451 as a player), Sutter had actually announced his retirement from the role in June 2018. The rush is hard to quit, though, as he returns for what he called "unfinished business". Prior to winning two Stanley Cups with the Kings, Sutter came within a game of winning his first with the Flames in 2004, and as a native of Viking, Alberta, I'm sure there's something special to the idea of winning close to home.

Sutter has been preaching a brand of hard nosed, tough hockey as the way to move forward with the team, which is on brand for him. It also worries some as the game moves to a faster, more possession-based style, but it is worth keeping in mind that his Kings teams dominated the shot shares as well as the bruise shares. It's also a wise thing to pitch while a team debates a rebuild - you can achieve a visible identity of grit with just about any level of talent on the roster if you have buy-in from the players, while more specific skill-based identities require a baseline to succeed. If a push back up the standings doesn't happen by the trade deadline and a rebuild is opted for instead, Sutter's identity works in a caretaker's role as much as it does a winner's one.

For now, he'll take the wins - the Flames defeated the Canadiens 2-1 in his first game back behind the bench on Thursday.

Edmonton Oilers - The Pool Party

Underdog story arcs come in many forms, and my absolute favourites are the ones of redemption. Jesse Puljujarvi has been an excellent example of a redemption arc with the Oilers this season.

The 22-year-old, who was once in the 2016 Draft's first overall conversation and eventually landed in the 4th slot, has returned to Edmonton after a season-and-change sabbatical with Karpat of the Finnish SM-liiga, and the result is a player who may not be quite at his peak pedigree, but looks vastly improved from the one who played his first three seasons split between the NHL and AHL.

Through 27 games, Puljujarvi has seven goals and 10 points - respectable complementary numbers. He's throwing more hits, taking more shots, and producing great play-driving results. Only Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have a higher shot attempt share among Edmonton forwards, and only #97 has a higher expected goal share, with both of them sitting in the high 58% range. Nugent-Hopkins, McDavid, and reigning MVP Leon Draisaitl have all seen their underlying numbers improve when Puljujarvi is on the ice with them, which is an incredible feat for a player who seemed to be playing himself out of the league a year and a half ago.

Most importantly, he had the quote of the week on Sunday, when asked about improvements in using his 6'4 frame: “I can be stronger in the corners and at the net. I can be more confident there and use my big butt". With lines like that and a nickname like Pool Party, it might be time for his agent to seek out a Speedo endorsement deal.

Montreal Canadiens - Danault Snaps The Donut

Heading into this season, a lot of people around the sport were picking Habs forward Phil Danault as a dark horse candidate to win this year's Selke Trophy. His exceptional two-way skill and incredible play-driving numbers to match have caught a lot of eyes in recent years and helped push the 28-year-old to back-to-back Top 10 finishes in voting in 2019 and 2020.

The reality of the award though is that it often requires offensive output just as much as defensive acumen, despite its official description as being for the best defensive forward. One can argue that not being a top-end offensive forward was what kept him from being a finalist in these last two years, as his totals hovered around the 50-per-82 mark. This year, he's continued to control about 59% of the shot attempts despite leaning towards defensive zone usage, which puts him in an elite class, but to say his puck luck has been lacking this year would be an understatement. Heading into Wednesday's game against Vancouver, Danault had 10 assists and, more shockingly, zero goals in 25 games and 32 shots.

With six minutes remaining in Montreal's 5-1 win, however, he finally re-opened his account. "There was more than one monkey," he told reporters of his goal after the game. "I threw a bunch of monkeys off my back." It's going to be a long road to catch up to if he wishes to get back into the award conversation, but with his full season shooting percentage still sitting at about a third of his career average, he might be a player to keep an eye on for an upcoming hot streak.

Ottawa Senators - Searching For Brannstrom

OTTAWA, ON - MARCH 14: Ottawa Senators Defenceman Erik Brannstrom (26) keeps eyes on the play during first period National Hockey League action between the St. Louis Blues and Ottawa Senators on March 14, 2019, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

When you're a team in the midst of a clear, publicly outlined rebuild like the Ottawa Senators, a great benefit that comes with that is that you can put your young players in positions that they might not necessarily pull from contending organizations. This is especially important for your top, pre-prime aged prospects, as it lets them get a feel for roles that you'll need them to play down the line when they're at their optimal age for growth.

It seems like DJ Smith and his coaching staff haven't quite gotten that memo with Erik Brannstrom, who was acquired as the prime acquisition in the Mark Stone trade of 2019. The 15th overall pick in 2017 has found himself back on the big club after splitting time between Ottawa and Belleville last year, and he's made some big strides - already driving eclipsing his point totals from the previous year while putting up impressive underlying shot metrics for his age. His 51.4% score-adjusted shot attempt share ranks first among all Ottawa defencemen, and his most common partner in Erik Gudbranson has significantly more success in that department with him than without him.

Despite this, Brannstrom has played in just 14 of Ottawa's 29 games, averaged just one second more nightly ice time than the year prior (14:52), and on Sunday, played just 5:19 in a Senators win against the Flames. Two games above the 18-minute mark have balanced that out to an extent this week, but these should be the rule rather than the exception. There is little point in using stop-gap veterans to fill out your lineup when the players you want to build around are starting to show their NHL potential.

Toronto Maple Leafs - Fred's Future

As the first-place Maple Leafs begin to figure out what needs to be improved upon if they'd like to make the proverbial next step, a lot of focus has been placed on their goaltending and, specifically, Frederik Andersen. The 31-year-old boasts an impressive 13-5-2 record through his first 20 games but has matched that with a save percentage of just 0.902 on 562 shots.

While the league average save percentage has seen a dip to 0.907 this year, he's still below it, and was below last year's average as well. This is of some concern to a team that looks to use him as a clear-cut starter, and of special concern given his age and need for a contract extension after next year. Frustration has been particularly high after his past three games, in which he allowed 11 goals and lost a pair.

It's a tough situation for Toronto to navigate, particularly with the recency bias behind those last few games, in which he was neither a cause for outright blame nor a shining light. "Unimpressive" might be a better term for him than "bad", not giving up meatballs but not stealing prime opportunities either. Teams that want to go on deep runs need to catch lightning in a bottle, and he's not providing that. A significant shakeup is unlikely before the deadline, but it would not surprise me if Jack Campbell started getting a larger workload once he returns in full from his leg injury.

Vancouver Canucks - The Press Conference

Last Friday, Canucks GM Jim Benning gave a roughly half-hour long media availability to address the team's disappointing start to their season and the road ahead, and one couldn't help but feel unaddressed by the end of it.

The best way to put it? It was a whole lot of punting. Suggesting that a team that was lauded internally and externally as a potential contender this year was now about two years away from contention, noting that they're not focused on contract extensions for their two best players (Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes) right now, using a question about Loui Eriksson's contract not as an opportunity to either accept blame or back his player, but to go the "every team has bad deals route".

These were just a few of the "highlights", but the whole thing reeked of someone who didn't have certainty what his own vision even was, let alone a plan to execute it. The description of the trade deadline gave an aura of "we'll see what happens" with the moment just weeks away, and a long grocery list of moves to be sorted out whether they decide to either bottom out or push upward.

Non-commitment and vague promises would be one thing if Benning was new to the dance, but at the seven-year mark, with little to show for his work, it's a major point of concern.

Winnipeg Jets - Overwriting History

My favourite stat of the week comes out of Winnipeg. Their Tuesday night win against the Maple Leafs provided them the points they needed to officially surpass the all-time total of their previous incarnation, the Atlanta Thrashers. Atlanta finished their run with a 342-437-45-78 record, good for 807 standings points in 902 games between 1999/00 and 2010/11. Meanwhile, the Jets got points 808 and 809 in 184 fewer games, posting a record of 368-277-73 since their debut in 2011/12.

One could make the argument that the Thrashers lost some potential ground with no extra-time shootout in the first five years of their existence, but even if all 45 ties turned into shootout wins for them, it seems likely that the Jets would still skate by their total sooner than later.

Perhaps the most impressive part? The Jets still have a Thrasher on their roster - Blake Wheeler was a deadline acquisition for Atlanta in their final season, posting 17 points in 23 games to really begin his ascension to stardom.

Finland: 2019-20 Season Preview

Marco Bombino — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 13:27:15 +0000

UMEA, SWEDEN - APRIL 18: Finland's Anton Lundell #20 stickhandles the puck against Canada's Peyton Krebs #19 during preliminary round action of the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at A3 Arena on Apirl 18, 2019 in Umea, Sweden. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Nowadays Finland is producing plenty of talented youngsters and it shows both in the senior and junior leagues. Here is a look into the Liiga contenders, the top NHL drafted prospects to watch from the Liiga and the top draft eligibles to watch across the Finnish leagues.

LIIGA CONTENDERS

Kärpät – The finalists from the past season lost quite a few key players, but also added a few top players to the roster, namely Jesse Puljujärvi, Juho Lammikko, Janne Pesonen and Jakub Krejcik. Kärpät plays a fast-paced game and has the depth necessary to win the championship this season. Their brightest youngsters include goalie Justus Annunen (COL), winger Aku Räty (ARI) and his younger brother Aatu Räty, a 16-year-old top forward prospect who won't be draft eligible until 2021.

Tappara – The team has been off to an excellent start and is looking to get back to the finals as they have done many times in the past few seasons. Tappara plays a structured defensive game but they also have a lot of skill and depth up front, as well as two solid goalies in Michal Garteig and Christian Heljanko. Defenseman Toni Utunen (VAN) has yet to play this season due to injury, but Patrik Puistola (CAR) has shown promise with limited ice-time.

Lukko – After reaching the quarterfinals last season, Lukko will look to improve with a much different roster. They acquired defenseman Robin Press and forwards Ponthus and Pathrik Westerholm from the Swedish SHL. Thus far each of them has proved to strengthen the team. Tarmo Reunanen (NYR) will lead the defense offensively. Lukko has two drafted defensemen in Miska Kukkonen (BUF) and Antti Palojärvi (PIT) but neither has yet to take a big role on the team. Two undrafted prospects to keep an eye on are winger Linus Nyman and goalie Lassi Lehtinen.

JYP – After a below-average past season for its standards, JYP is surely prepared to show that it belongs to the top-tier of the league. They have an experienced team with good depth at forward in particular. Forward Petrus Palmu (VAN) joined the team in early October and will add more to the depth and scoring. Anttoni Honka (CAR), Patrik Siikanen (EDM) and Jerry Turkulainen, a potential free agent signing, are the prospects of interest on the team.

Pelicans – The start to the season has been unspectacular for this Pelicans team, however there is potential for better results if they can put all the pieces together. Jesse Ylönen (MTL) is one of the most promising young players in the Liiga and defenseman Santtu Kinnunen (FLA) has shown solid long-term potential as well. There are also a few undrafted prospects to notice, such as forwards Aleks Haatanen, Samuel Salonen and goalie Jasper Patrikainen.

HPK – The reigning champions currently sit in the middle of the standings. They haven't been able to play a similar puck possession game as last season. Combined with several poor goaltending performances, the start of the season has been rough for HPK. That said, seventh rounder Valtteri Puustinen (PIT) has been very good, with 12 points in as many games. He is an energetic, quick forward with smarts and upside, but it remains to be seen whether he can maintain the offensive output.

TOP NHL PROSPECTS TO WATCH

Lassi Thomson, Ilves (Ottawa) – Thomson had a rough start to the season, just like the entire Ilves team, but he has elevated his game lately. His shot can be a real threat from the point due to the velocity and power on it. Thomson plays an ultra competitive game, has some snarl and a high work rate. He still needs time to adjust to the pro game, but the ceiling is very high with this defenseman.

Jesse Ylönen, Pelicans (Montreal) – Ylönen is a high-end skater with terrific stickhandling skills and boasts plenty of potential. However, the Pelicans winger has been ineffective and a bit of a perimeter player this season. He could be one of the best players in the entire league if he begins to play a more straight-forward game and generate more offense in the middle of the ice and inside the dots.

Lukas Dostal, Ilves (Anaheim) – Dostal joined Ilves in the midst of the last season from Kometa Brno and proved to be the cornerstone in net as the team reached the playoffs. A highly athletic goalie with very good reaction speed, he can make flashy saves and is tough to beat low. He still needs to refine a few parts of his game, but the Czech netminer has shown lots of potential during his time in Finland.

Matias Maccelli, Ilves (Arizona) – Maccelli had a great preseason with Ilves and has not failed to meet the expectations in the regular season. The winger is small but has lots of puck skill, can dangle and set up his teammates by using his vision and precise passing. His overall game requires work, though his defensive play has gotten better lately. Maccelli is very smart and generates offensive opportunities both for himself and his teammates.

Patrik Puistola, Tappara (Carolina) – Puistola's ice-time has been very limited in the Liiga but there is no doubting his offensive abilities. The winger can dangle, make smart passes and score goals from primary scoring areas. He shoots with a purpose. Skating has held him back at times, however if he gains the Tappara coaches' trust, expect him to contribute more offensively.

Tarmo Reunanen, Lukko (NY Rangers) – Reunanen was among the final cuts from the Rangers' training camp roster and thus returned to Lukko. He evolved into an on-ice leader last season. He can create a lot of offense with his vision, swift hands and smart, creative passing. Great on the power play. Reunanen has shown the potential to become an everyday NHL defenseman.

Oskari Laaksonen, Ilves (Buffalo) – Much like above-mentioned Thomson, Laaksonen's start to the Liiga season with Ilves was less than stellar. The right-shot defenseman hasn't shown similar ability to drive the play from the backend as he did last season and there have been some defensive issues as well. However, his offensive gifts haven't disappeared anywhere and I am certain that he will elevate his game as the season progressess.

Kim Nousiainen, KalPa (Los Angeles) – A small, skilled defenseman whom the Kings selected in the fourth round of this year's draft, Nousiainen is a skilled playmaker with quick feet and hands. However, I think his smarts make him such an interesting prospect. The KalPa blueliner makes calculated decisions with possession and shows noticeable composure for an 18-year-old defenseman.

Justus Annunen, Kärpät (Colorado) – Annunen is off to an impressive start with Kärpät and has already recorded three shutouts on the season. He continues to be difficult to beat low, he reads shooters effectively and remains square to the puck. He is calm and moves well in the crease showing strong overall skating ability.

Jakub Galvas, Jukurit (Chicago) – Galvas has impressed offensively for Jukurit in the early stages of the season and has recorded eight assists. He is a mobile defenseman with good playmaking skills and moves the puck into good spots. He can quarterback the power play. Galvas has made occasional mistakes both with and without puck, but he continues to play with confidence and poise. He looks like a solid find by the Blackhawks in the fifth round of the 2017 draft.

HM: Lenni Killinen (Carolina), Arttu Ruotsalainen (Buffalo), Daniil Tarasov (Columbus), Anttoni Honka (Carolina), Robin Salo (NY Islanders).

TOP 2020 NHL DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH

Anton Lundell, C/LW, HIFK – Lundell already spent the majority of the past season in the Liiga and has been getting quality ice-time this season. The smart center reads and anticipates the game extremely well and consistently puts himself in a good position to make plays. He has skill, protects the puck well, wins face-offs and can play in any situation. The main issue is his skating which lacks both power and speed, but he is a potential top 10 pick as he plays such an efficient game in all three zones.

Roni Hirvonen, C, Ässät – Hirvonen has impressed as a rookie in the Liiga, using his strengths, namely his offensive abilities, to his advantage. Although a natural center, he has been playing on the wing against men. A very smart playmaker who can finish, too, he has great vision, offensive instincts and can be creative with the puck. He is also good skater with quick feet, agility and nimble footwork. His style of play is reminiscent of Sebastian Aho.

Topi Niemelä, D, Kärpät – Niemelä is a mobile right-shot defenseman who has only begun to scratch the surface of his potential. He has a quick first step, great glide and moves well laterally. His puck handling skills are high end and he plays with plenty of poise. He has been able to hold his own defensively at the pro level. He could be a first rounder if his development keeps trending upwards.

Joel Blomqvist, G, Kärpät U20 – Blomqvist has been a standout ever since playing in the U16 league as an underager and currently excels with Kärpät U20. The 6-1" netminder is quick, flexible and shows calculated movements – he is constantly in control and remains calm regardless of the situation he is in. His technical skills are solid and he tracks pucks well.

Kasper Simontaival, C/RW, Tappara U20 – Simontaival's development has suffered from injuries over the past couple of seasons, but he remains one of the top Finnish prospects among 2002's. He is a precision shooter who can rifle the puck and has a good shot selection. He shows some flash with his puck skills and has nifty hands. His skating isn't high end and being a smaller forward, that could hurt his game in the future. However, because of his offensive abilities, he could be selected inside the top two rounds.

Roby Järventie, F, Ilves U20

Eemil Viro, D, TPS U20

Joni Jurmo, D, Jokerit U20

Veeti Miettinen, RW, Kiekko-Espoo U20

Juuso Mäenpää, F, Jokerit U20

Veeti Korkalainen, F, KooKoo U20

Rami Määttä, D, Ässät U20

Joonas Oden, LW, KooKoo

Oskari Luoto, F, Tappara U20

Peetro Seppälä, KooKoo

McFries – Edmonton Oilers 2018-19 Season Preview

Robert Howard — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 18:46:43 +0000

REVIEW/STATE OF PLAY - Hard to call last season anything other than an unmitigated disaster both in the standing, horrific enough in dropping 25 points to finish sixth in your division, 22^nd in the league - after finishing second in your division and winning a playoff round. The optics of Taylor Hall winning the Hart trophy and Matt Barzal (they traded the pick he was taken with along with the 33^rd overall for Griffin Reinhart) winning the Calder, were brutal. Questions surround GM Chiarelli’s big acquisitions including Milan Lucic, Cam Talbot and Adam Larsson (albeit with a difficult personal situation) had dismal seasons. He and coach Todd McLellan are on the hot seat entering their fourth season after an uncharacteristic quiet offseason.

Connor McDavid

MOVING FORWARDS - The season started with great excitement after their first playoff appearance in 10 seasons and a generational first line center in Connor McDavid, and his number two ‘the Messier-apparent’ amongst the fan base, Leon Draisaitl – both signed to monster contracts to start the season. Nobody can fault either for their performance, though some will try with Draisaitl (70 points in 80 games) by not ascending to superstar status.

Talbot should bounce back, and Larsson did what was expected of him when available. Solid but not an offensive juggernaut. Lucic with five years remaining on a healthy contract looked lost, slow and the game appears to be passing him by. His typical fiery, nasty, physical side seemed lost with one goal and eight assists in the last 46 games. It seems to be a long way back to be effective. A proud competitor he needs to find his spirit and game. He can add a dimension when he does.

Ryan Strome, the key piece added for Jordan Eberle struggled as well with his second worst showing in points-per-game in five seasons. The fifth overall pick just turned 25, so will be given the benefit of the doubt in his second season in Alberta, but window seems to be closing on whether this prospect will breakout. Questions about skating nag him in the modern NHL. He and Lucic were paired together last season and the great hope is they can anchor an effective third line with scoring potential. Anchor being perhaps a bad choice of word.

6’4, 215 pound Jujhar Khaira was one of very few pleasant surprises and a heavy presence on the boards and physically. He also boasts impressive skating and decent puck skills. Ready to take the fourth line center role and let the other pieces fall into place. Number four pick 20-year-old Jesse Puljujarvi may take some seasoning yet. Tried beside Lucic, even McDavid for a ten-game test, but eventually saw a myriad of wingers after that, but had settled in alongside Lucic by the end of the season.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins ended the season lining up beside Connor McDavid on the wing after a long trial with Lucic. Draisaitl played sporadically with Draisaitl as well, but clearly, they want the two to lead separate lines. Nugent-Hopkins as an effective centreman provides a plug and play option on the top two lines allowing the coach to play Draisaitl with McDavid when necessary.

DEFENSIVE CHALLENGES - The Oilers defense had its challenges last season, but a young group with some promise. Oscar Klefbom entered the season as a potential breakout candidate with an opportunity to seize the lead role on the back end of a potentially lethal offenSe. The result was a power play finishing dead last in the league, bookended with a woeful penalty kill (25^th). A combination of injuries, lost confidence contributed to a long season and a subject of trade rumours. A rebound season is possible and signed to a reasonable $4.167 million AAV for the next five years. A left-shot defenseman, they covet a right-hand shot, with Larsson and Matthew Benning the only options. Justin Faulk is available but there is scant left in the cupboard after Chiarelli used it up in the past two seasons.

The emergence of Darnell Nurse in 2018-19 was one of the bright spots. He was second on the team in TOI/GP including time on the penalty kill and in key situations. He saw little power play time but brings size and intensity to the blueline and an RFA this season

They received a blow when it was learnt that Andrej Sekera was sidelined indefinitely with a torn achilles heal after a shortened season last year. His absence leaves a void that will provide urgency to trade rumours.

Cam Talbot ranks amongst the most disappointing revelations of 17-18 after a terrific 16-17 and the apparent solution in the net. He struggled out of the gate last year and never quite found his form. In the final year of his contract at 31-years-old this remains an area of great exposure for the Oilers. He was a tower in 73 appearances in the previous season, and his regression showed how exposed the organization is in net. They signed Mikko Koskinen out of the KHL after a standout season for $2.5 million for one season.

OUTLOOK – They should be improved but questions on the back end and depending on a number of players to have bounce back season, most importantly Talbot. They will struggle to be competitive for a playoff spot.