Joel Farabee – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – A Golden Knights rookie making an instant impact, Cirelli and McMichael take on more responsibility, Coronato is back in fine form, and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 14:04:10 +0000

CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 18: Matt Coronato #27 of the Calgary Flames controls the puck during the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks on November 18, 2025 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, a Golden Knights rookie has made an instant impact, Anthony Cirelli and Connor McMichael take on more responsibility, Matt Coronato is back in fine form, and so much more!

#1 Undrafted out of the Ontario Hockey League, right winger Braeden Bowman made steady improvement throughout his junior career and was signed by the Vegas Golden Knights. As a rookie pro, he put up 36 points (14 G, 22 A) in 68 AHL games last season and he started this season in Henderson of the AHL, earning a promotion to Vegas after putting up 12 points (7 G, 5 A) in 12 games. In his first nine games with the Golden Knights, Bowman has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 19 shots on goal. He has found a spot on right wing on Vegas’ top line, alongside Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev, as well as getting second unit power play time.

#2 With Brayden Point injured recently, Anthony Cirelli has taken on a bigger offensive role for the Tampa Bay Lightning, but he has been a consistent offensive contributor for a while. In his past 13 games, Cirelli has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) and 18 shots on goal. That’s not the most inspiring shot volume, and he’s not going to keep scoring on 30 percent of his shots on goal, but when Cirelli is skating between Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov, he’s going to be an offensive threat.

#3 Washington Capitals centre Pierre-Luc Dubois is likely out until March due to abdominal surgery, so Connor McMichael is now much more important to the Capitals’ attack. In his past eight games, McMichael has 10 points (3 G, 7 A) and 26 shots on goal. He is skating between rookie Ryan Leonard and Brandon Duhaime during five-on-five play while getting second unit power play time, and McMichael played a season-high 21:04 on Wednesday against Winnipeg. After scoring 26 goals and 57 points last season, McMichael will quite reasonably face higher expectations, especially with more ice time going his way.

#4 A healthy scratch earlier in the season, Calgary Flames right winger Matt Coronato has found his way back to being a consistent offensive threat. In his past seven games, Coronato has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 24 shots on goal. That shot rate (3.43 per game) is the kind that can sustain consistent offensive production. Coronato is on the Flames’ top power play unit and skating with Morgan Frost and Jonathan Huberdeau at even strength.

#5 Known for being able to pull the trigger quickly, Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett has only scored one goal in his past 17 games, but he has become a playmaker more recently, accumulating seven assists in his past seven games. Tippett is skating with Christian Dvorak and Trevor Zegras at even strength, but he is not generating shots like he did a couple of years ago, when he finished with a career-high 289 shots on goal in 78 games (3.71 per game).

#6 After missing nearly three weeks due to illness, Buffalo Sabres left winger Jason Zucker has provided an immediate boost to the Sabres with six points (2 G, 4 A) and 10 shots on goal in the past four games. The veteran winger is skating on a line with Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn at evens while getting first-unit power play time. McLeod has five points (1 G, 4 A) in four games since Zucker returned and Quinn has five points (3 G, 2 A) with 12 shots on goal in those four games.

#7 Minnesota Wild right winger Mats Zuccarello was injured at the start of the season, as a lower-body injury kept him out of the lineup until early November. In three weeks since returning, the 38-year-old veteran has nine points (1 G, 8 A) and 16 shots on goal in nine games. He’s playing on the top line with Kirill Kaprizov and rookie Danila Yurov and getting first-unit power play time, so Zuccarello is going to get opportunities so long as he can remain healthy.

#8 On a Buffalo Sabres defense that has some players known for their offensive acumen, Mattias Samuelsson has become a surprising contributor. He doesn’t have a regular role on the power play and yet still has six points (3 G, 3 A) and 14 shots on goal in his past seven games. He is averaging more than 23 minutes of ice time per game in that span, so he’s been getting lots of time, even if not on the power play, but he is far more offensive this season than ever before, producing 12 points (5 G, 7 A) in 22 games after scoring a career-high 14 points (4 G, 10 A) in 62 games last season.

#9 Back in the Red Wings lineup after missing time with an upper-body injury, Patrick Kane continues to put up points. The 37-year-old playmaker has eight points (1 G, 7 A) and 28 shots on goal in his past nine games and is skating with rookie Nate Danielson and Andrew Copp at evens while, naturally, getting first-unit power play time. Kane is turning into more of a power-play specialist, with seven of his 13 points this season coming via the man advantage.

#10 Vancouver Canucks defenceman Filip Hronek has seven points (2 G, 5 A) and 13 shots on goal in his past six contests and the right-shot defender is in an interesting situation. He’s usually partnered with Quinn Hughes, one of the most dynamic defencemen in the league, so that tends to keep the puck moving in the right direction, but if trade rumours prove true and Hughes moves on, Hronek would presumably be the leading candidate for more time on the first power play unit. Ultimately, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic about a defenceman playing 24 minutes per game who has 16 points (3 G, 13 A) to go with 37 hits and 46 blocked shots in 25 games this season.

#11 Injuries have decimated the Tampa Bay Lightning blueline, notably taking out Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, and that has opened the door for Darren Raddysh to get more regular playing time. The way he has been producing offensively, Raddysh is proving his value. In his past seven games, Raddysh has piled up 10 points (2 G, 8 A) and 16 shots on goal while playing more than 23 minutes per game. Certainly, once the Lightning get healthier on the blueline, that will diminish Raddysh’s value, but right now, he is massively productive.

#12 When Florida Panthers centre Sam Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP for last season’s playoffs, scoring 15 goals and 22 points in 23 games, it should have been a cautionary tale heading into the 2025-2026 season because Playoff Sam Bennett has proven to be more reliable than Regular Season Sam Bennett. With Aleksander Barkov out, the Panthers need Bennett to contribute offensively, and he managed just five points (3 G, 2 A) and 34 shots on goal through his first 18 games. In the past six games, though, Bennett has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 19 shots on goal. He seems to have something good going with linemates Carter Verhaeghe and A.J. Greer.

#13 Philadelphia Flyers left winger Tyson Foerster has climbed into a first-line role, skating on a line with Noah Cates and Travis Konecny, and Foerster has delivered five goals and 11 shots on goal in his past five games. Foerster has two 20-goal seasons to his credit, scoring a career-high 25 last season, but he is a threat to score even more this season as the quality and quantity of his ice time increase.

#14 Former Flyers winger, now with the Calgary Flames, Joel Farabee also has five goals and an assist, with 15 shots on goal in his past five games, emerging from a slump that saw him produce just five points (2 G, 3 A) in his previous 18 games. He is on a line with Nazem Kadri and Yegor Sharangovich at evens but he doesn’t have a regular power play role, so maybe take a wait-and-see approach to see if Farabee’s offensive surge has more staying power.

#15 An underrated fantasy performer on defence is Carolina Hurricanes blueliner Sean Walker. While he has a modest eight points (4 G, 4 A) in 24 games, Walker has contributed seven of those points with 32 shots on goal while averaging more than 23 minutes of ice time per game in his past 13 games. He gets second-unit power play time, though seven of his eight points have come at even strength, and he has 34 blocks and 42 hits in 24 games, so fantasy managers can appreciate Walker’s contributions beyond his point totals.

#16 Sometimes playing on a loaded roster has its challenges and Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton is a prime example of a player who can produce more if given the opportunity. He has shown in the past that he can elevate his production with a bigger role and when Valeri Nichushkin was injured recently, Colton stepped up his game. In seven games since Nichushkin’s injury, Colton has four points (3 G, 1 A) and 23 shots on goal, all while playing nearly 16 minutes per game. Before that, he was averaging just 13:32 of ice time per game.

#17 Columbus Blue Jackets centre Adam Fantilli started the season slowly, but has turned it on lately, with 11 points (7 G, 4 A) and 36 shots on goal in his past 12 games, while playing more than 20 minutes per game, a jump of nearly four minutes per game over the first 13 games of the season when he only managed six points (2 G, 4 A). Was there a good reason for decreasing the ice time of the 21-year-old rising star at the start of the season? It certainly appears to make more sense to have Fantilli at the top of the depth chart, where he’s getting first unit power play time and skating with Dmitri Voronkov and Kent Johnson at even strength.

#18 The month of November has been tough for New Jersey Devils blueliner Dougie Hamilton, who has just one assist in nine games, though he does have 20 shots on goal in that span, so that’s a little encouraging. Hamilton did suffer an injury early in the month, so perhaps that’s been affecting him, or maybe it’s just a run of bad luck, but with Jack Hughes out of the lineup, it’s worth keeping an eye on Devils players to see how their production will fare without their most dynamic performer.

#19 Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Erik Karlsson has just three assists and 13 shots on goal in his past eight games, which is certainly not helping fantasy managers, but he is delivering quality all-around results for the Penguins, with a 51.1 percent Corsi and the Penguins outscoring opponents 17-10 with Karlsson on the ice during five-on-five play. Surely the Penguins wouldn’t mind more production from Karlsson, but it’s not a priority for a team that has been surprisingly competitive.

#20 As the Edmonton Oilers try to get their season on track, certainly goaltending has been a major issue, but they are also hoping for Zach Hyman to return to form. He was still recovering from wrist surgery at the start of the season and has played in six games, chipping in a couple of assists with a dozen shots on goal. Hyman is getting prime ice time, skating on a line with Connor McDavid and rookie Matthew Savoie at evens while also holding down a regular spot on PP1. The Oilers aren’t easing him into action, either, as Hyman is playing 20:28 per game, which would be a career high.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – CALGARY FLAMES – Team Preview/Player Preview/Predictions

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 20:41:59 +0000

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 01: Calgary Flames left wing Jonathan Huberdeau (10) as seen during an NHL game between the Calgary Flames and The Utah Hockey Club on April 1, 2025 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, UT. (Photo by Aaron Baker/Icon Sportswire)

Although expectations weren’t very high heading into last season, things changed as the games wore on and confidence grew. Calgary finished the season with 96 points and missed out on the postseason only because the St. Louis Blues edged them out with the tiebreaker. The 15-point improvement was impressive, and the outstanding consistent play of rookie goalie Dustin Wolf (29-16-8, .910 save percentage in 53 games) helped spur them on. They were also good at doing a lot of little things right. They had the seventh best CorsiFor percentage at five-on-five in the league (51.7) and yet didn’t have anyone on the team reach 70 points and just one 30 goal scorer (Nazem Kadri with 35). It might seem like the Flames succeeded with a lot of smoke and mirrors, and surely 14 overtime/shootout losses helped points-wise as did their 19-2-14 record in one-goal games, but the collective “click” that happened within the group is something for them to build on. With a solid puck possession foundation and a good, young goalie, anything can happen.

What’s Changed?

The offseason was virtually silent. Calgary had no coaching changes, no major trades nor signings, and did everything to retain their own players. Defenceman Kevin Bahl signed a six-year, $32.1 million extension and forward Matt Coronato inked a seven-year, $45.5 million extension in May. They lost backup goalie Dan Vladar to Philadelphia and signed Ivan Prosvetov, formerly of the Arizona Coyotes, out of the KHL. Anthony Mantha signed with Pittsburgh as well.

What Would Success Look Like?

If the Flames can recreate what they accomplished last season but come out on the right side of the tiebreaker, they’ll take it. You could argue they hit above their weight in the standings a year ago, but teams generally don’t always trip and fall into a near 100-point season. There are areas of growth to be had and big decisions to be made. Impending UFA Rasmus Andersson will be a big target at the trade deadline whether Calgary is in the playoff race or not and what they can pull from another team in a trade will be important to their short- and-long-term future. That said, with prospect Zayne Parekh on the near horizon, he’s enough reason to feel good about the future. If Connor Zary can take a big step forward and guys like Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee can get their games back in full, a playoff appearance isn’t an unreasonable expectation.

What Could Go Wrong?

The razor’s edge the Flames had success living on last season could work against them this time around. Getting games to overtime worked very well for them to at least get one point but if Kadri is unable to score prolifically again and Jonathan Huberdeau goes cold and aren’t able to provide the proper guiding hand for the rest of the forward group, that would force Wolf and Prosvetov to be near perfect too often to be reasonable to keep playoff hopes alive. If Andersson’s situation becomes a distraction, that could be the sort of thing that sends a team into a rut that’s hard to escape from until a move is made. Although they have to deal with Vegas, Edmonton and Los Angeles within the division, if Vancouver, Seattle, Anaheim and San Jose make their own progress, it would make things much more difficult.

Top Breakout Candidate

We’ve seen extended glimpses of how good Zary can be over his first two seasons. Injuries wreaked havoc on him in each of those seasons, but he scored 27 goals with 34 assists (61 points) in 117 games, and he’ll continue to get a long look in the Flames’ top six. If he’s able to steer clear of injuries and lean on Kadri and Huberdeau to help generate chances, he’ll be able to cash in much more often with his own speed and skill.

FORWARDS

Nazem Kadri

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	29	31	60	0.73

Kadri is the closest thing the Flames have to a star, and if he produces like he did the last two seasons you could do worse. He’s coming off a career high in goals and is Calgary’s go-to guy for all things concerning offence. Since joining the Flames, he has been among the league leaders in controlled zone entries, as he always wants the puck on his stick and embraces the role as the undisputed 1C. The play almost always goes through him and he’s still got the speed to be a threat on the rush. The drawback with Kadri’s offensive game is that he will sometimes sacrifice some quality for quantity, not looking to pass when someone is open or taking a lot of quick shots without any puck movement or deception. Last season, his shoot-heavy style paid off with 35 goals and forming some much-needed chemistry with Jonathan Huberdeau at even strength. Kadri’s best seasons have always come when he wasn’t his team’s top center and that isn’t the case in Calgary right now. He produces enough to make you happy, but there is always something missing that keeps him from being considered a true 1c. He is good enough at most things to play at that spot, but you always wish his shooting, playmaking and defensive play were about 10% better if he’s going to be one of your best players.

Jonathan Huberdeau

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	24	40	64	0.80

With the cap rising and Calgary going through a retool, using Huberdeau is becoming less about justifying his $10.5 mil. salary and more about getting him producing like a first liner again. While he’s an elite playmaker, Huberdeau was never the easiest guy to plug-and-play into a lineup. He plays at a slower pace and is always two or three steps ahead of the play, which can be a game-breaker but also a detriment if his linemates aren’t on the same page as him. It was the latter for his first two years in Calgary, but last year was a major step to getting him back on the right track. He began to play as more of a complementary piece rather than someone who needs the puck to go through him, going to the net to jump on rebounds and cheating a little bit in the defensive zone to get breakaway opportunities. Also posing as more of a shooting threat from the left circle on the power play, which caught some teams off-guard early on. Huberdeau’s always been a high-percentage shooter, but he was so one-dimensional in how he played that it didn’t yield many goals. His newfound willingness to shoot along with how selective he is in how he gets his shots helped Huberdeau have his best season with the Flames so far. Even without it, there is some increased trust in Huberdeau as a key piece of the roster, as he was added to the penalty kill along with playing top line minutes at even strength for the entire year.

Joel Farabee

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	12	16	28	0.36

Just a year ago, Farabee looked like a reliable second- or third-line option as a speedy winger who could pitch in with some offence. He was one of the Flyers consistent bright spots in what’s been a dismal stretch of hockey for the franchise. Unfortunately, last year was one to forget for him. There wasn’t much that changed as far as his process went. He still was one of the better players on the team at carrying the puck into the zone and did an excellent job of getting chances off the rush. Farabee just couldn’t find the back of the net to save his life, and it wasn’t from a lack of trying as he was second on the team in dividual scoring chances at five-on-five. It’s something most expected to get better and it never did, not even stints on the top line with Konecny and Couturier could solve it. He was ultimately traded to Calgary and things didn’t get better. They started him on the Kadri line but he was shifted all over the lineup with stints on a checking unit with Mikael Backlund before ultimately finishing the season on the fourth line. Farabee isn’t far removed from a 50-point season, so there is hope that he can turn the corner with some better shooting luck next year. How much of a leash Calgary gives him in the top six will likely decide how he does. He’s paid more than some of their options, so they will try to get him going and his quick-strike ability off the rush gives him an element some of their other wingers don’t have.

Mikael Backlund

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	14	24	38	0.46

Now one of the longest tenured players in the league, Backlund has been the Flames bedrock through numerous coaches and roster reconstructions. He is the ideal iteration of the modern shutdown center, as he excels at flipping possession on his own through strong zone exits, setting the table for the next line to play their shift in the offensive zone. He brings this same level of aggression on the penalty kill as well, he is routinely one of the league leaders in shorthanded shots and zone entries, combine that with how reliable he is on faceoffs, and it’s hard to ask for much more from your shutdown center. Finding a replacement will be incredibly difficult for the Flames and they are seeing some of these problems now. Backlund is now 36 years old and still plays high-end second line minutes and scores like a third liner now. He’s capable offensively, but his game is very simple and straight-forward, which can work on the third line but less so when you’re playing 18 minutes a night in addition to being on the power play. Calgary just doesn’t have any better options and Backlund’s game is likely going to stay where its at or decline as he gets closer to 40. These are problems for further down the road, as Backlund currently plays an important role as a steady presence and easing some of Calgary’s younger forwards into the NHL.

Morgan Frost

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	15	25	40	0.49

Frost had an interesting start to his Flames career with nine of his 12 points coming on the power play and when you look at the clips of the goals, only or two came off a direct play from him. This isn’t to say he didn’t earn those points, because he did a lot to set the table for those goals by either getting the puck into the zone cleanly or moving it from high to low as the quarterback from the left side. Frost brings a lot of raw skill to the table and it’s not always easy to point out because so much of what he does involves things like that, building the play up rather than making the highlight reel pass or goal. He did score a couple nice goals off the rush and has excellent hands, but you don’t see a lot of dazzling or high impact plays from him. It’s tough for a player to carve out a role like this because he’s probably not going to be a point-producer and it’s easier to stick on the third line if you’re a more physical player or a defensive specialist, something Frost isn’t. Frost does fill the type of niche that could work in Calgary, though. With Backlund soaking up the defensive minutes, there is room for more a scoring-focused third line that Frost could slide into. The problem is Frost excels at setting the table for higher skilled linemates who can take advantage of the open space, something that you don’t always get on the third line. He did enough last year to warrant more of a look and the door is open for him to step into some kind of scoring role, even if it’s only on the second power play unit.

Matt Coronato

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	28	27	55	0.69

You don’t have to watch Coronato for long to figure out what his game is all about. He is all offence all the time, always skating downhill and usually leaned over in a shooting posture. It’s easy for a smaller forward like him to get lost in the shuffle, but he found a lot of creative ways to make time and space for himself to get his shot off. Coronato had a knack for corralling inaccurate passes or getting his own rebound off a block to score on a turnaround shot. He did a marvelous job of creating chances you don’t typically see a lot of in the NHL with how he would pull away from the net to create more of a swooping wrist shot that caught more than a few goaltenders off-guard. It was impressive enough for the Flames to re-sign him for seven years, making him part of their core for the long haul. Coronato excelled when the play was moving downhill, creating most of his offence off the rush with a good majority of them coming off turnovers in the neutral zone. This speaks highly of his ability as a game-breaker but also shows where he can improve, as his linemates had to do most of the work with the puck for him in the other two zones. From the blue line in, he was dynamite, developing a more all-around game offensively is the next step.

Blake Coleman

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	14	24	38	0.46

Coleman repeating his 30-goal season was a longshot and the Flames probably knew that going into last season. His returning to being a 15 goal/39 point guy wasn’t a huge blow as some other wingers in Calgary picked up the slack and Coleman brings so much more to the table. He’s one of the least appreciated two-way wingers in the league, which feels silly to say about a two-time Cup winner but even then you never heard his name thrown around for the Selke despite him checking most of the boxes for the award. Like Backlund, he is one of the most trusted forwards on the team, excellent at flipping possession through good zone exits and he does very well with playing the keep-away game in the offensive zone. He can also strike on the rush when the opportunity is there, as he’s deceptively good with the puck when playing with speed. He keeps the Flames at a decent base level with his solid defensive play, especially on the penalty kill, and it’s why he usually plays top six minutes even though he has more of a third line skillset. Coleman pushed to the third line would be good news for Calgary because he is more properly slotted there and they do need more proven scorers. He is also reaching the end of his contract, so he’s an interesting trade piece if Calgary opts to go that route.

Yegor Sharangovich

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

Sharangovich’s second year in Calgary was tough out of the gate, missing almost all of October after suffering an injury in the final preseason game. He struggled to follow up his 30-goal season as he went through prolonged cold spells and was even healthy scratched for a couple games late in the year. Goal-scorers like him aren’t immune to struggles but the problem was he wasn’t even creating chances, seeing his shot rate dip from 9.03 shots per 60 minutes to 6.39, the lowest rate of his career. Sharangovich is usually more of a high quality/low quantity shooter, but he was struggling to even get the high danger scoring chances this past season, going from 4.40 chances per 60 minutes to 2.67. What’s even more alarming is that both his shot and chance production have been steadily declining since arriving in Calgary and he’s only one year into a five-year contract. It’s uncertain how much injuries affected him, but it would explain a lot of what went wrong. He’s someone who plays more off the puck, focusing more on getting open and letting the higher-skilled linemates find him, but he has enough skill to make the build-up plays to help connect the dots with his linemates. This past year, he was much less involved overall, and Calgary is hoping a clean bill of health will get Sharangovich back on track.

Connor Zary

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	16	23	39	0.54

One could argue that Zary has shown the most potential out of the Flames young corps. He already has an impressive collection of highlight reel goals and isn’t shy about trying to stick-handle through defenders. His all-around play has also come around nicely as Calgary is usually on the right side of the scoring chance battle when he’s on the ice. He’s also been able to mold his game to fit what his linemates need, acting as more of a playmaker alongside Kadri and Pospisal and playing more of a direct, shoot-first game with a revolving door of linemates this past season. Zary is still figuring out his game at the NHL level, so the instability with linemates didn’t do him any favors. He didn’t have a lot of help with guys setting him up, so he had to be a one-man show for most of his offence. While impressive, it’s not the most sustainable way to stick in the NHL unless you’re a superstar. Zary showed he could be a good playmaker in his rookie season but didn’t have anyone to setup this year, so it was on him to carry the production on his lines. He also suffered two knee injuries in the second half of the year, which derailed most of his momentum. The good news from the off-season was that he won’t require surgery and should be ready for training camp, so this year is another fresh start for the young winger to take things to the next level.

DEFENCE

Mackenzie Weegar

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	9	41	50	0.61

An interesting way to look at Weegar is asking what it will take for him to represent Team Canada at the Olympics instead of only the World Championships, because he checks most of the boxes to be on their roster. As a right-handed defenceman who skates well, he’s already a wanted commodity and he has an underrated dynamic offensive skillset. Great at walking the blue-line, anticipating where the puck is going and getting shots through, Weegar fits the mold of the modern NHL defenceman to a T. Complementary to the forwards while having the mobility to cover for his mistakes when they happen. His 20-goal season in 2024 was likely a result of him carrying the burden of the offence and some of that was lessened this past year, taking fewer shots and being less involved in general from that scope. He made up for it by carrying the defence on his back, playing mostly with guys looking to break into the top four and making their jobs easier. Weegar is one of the most heavily taxed defencemen in the league with how many pucks he has to retrieve and he is one of the best at turning them into clean exits, a master at bumping the puck to himself off the wall to create a lane for himself or subtly poking the puck away from a forward to start an exit. He is great at attacking from angles, recovering on plays where he’s beat wide and patrols the front of the net well despite being a smaller defender. He is still the Flames “do it all” player for the foreseeable future.

Rasmus Andersson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	8	26	34	0.45

Along with Weegar, Andersson is one of the Flames rocks on the blue line. He’s a slower skater but covers more ground with his long stride and uses his upper body well to pick up speed when he needs to. He spent most of last season alongside a more aggressive-minded defenceman in Kevin Bahl, so Andersson had to be more selective with jumping into the play, as he doesn’t have the footspeed to recover if he gets caught. He was effective when he got to join the offence, posting another double-digit goal season. His defensive play was somewhat of a mixed bag, as he played somewhat of a passive role there. Andersson uses his frame well to square up on puck-carriers entering the zone, but once the puck got into the zone is where his skills were limited. Wanting Bahl to play physical, Andersson spent most of his time patrolling the front of the net and had to deal with a lot of forecheck pressure if he got a chance to move the puck. It was normal for him to have periods or entire games where the only time he got to touch the puck was to move it along the wall. Sometimes it paid off, as he did well as the late guy coming on counter-attack chances, but those only happen so often and most of Andersson’s ice time was spent trying to put out fires in his own zone. He still had a solid offensive season despite this, but the heavy workload and responsibility appeared to be too much for Andersson to handle at times and it will be interesting to see how teams value him when he hits the free agent market next year.

Jake Bean

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	4	10	14	0.19

Calgary seemed like a good landing spot for the former first round pick, a high-end offensive defenceman in WHL and AHL. There was an open top four spot that he could feasibly jump into and he filled a void on a team looking for a puck-mover. The offence still hasn’t come around for him, but there is a spot for a puck-mover with some size on any NHL roster and Bean was still somewhat of an unknown commodity after an injury-riddled stint in Columbus. His first year with the Flames was spent primarily on the third pair with some penalty kill duty mixed in. With power play time being hard to come by with Weegar and Andersson ahead of him on the depth chart, Bean had to toe the line between playing safe to stay in the lineup or showing the aggressive offensive side of his game. He is the type that wants to look for the extra pass or make a 50-foot breakout to spring a breakaway if nothing is open. Those risks don’t come back to haunt if you’re playing sheltered minutes as he did, but they did when he got a brief audition on Weegar’s partner late in the season. Thus, Bean had to play a safe game most of the time, and he had a modest season with okay numbers.

Kevin Bahl

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	4	21	25	0.30

Making the jump to a full-time top four defenceman made Kevin Bahl a very rich man this summer. His five year, $32.1 million contract was somewhat of a shock to the hockey world because points are usually what gets you paid and Bahl set a career high with only 20. It was also only his second full year in the league, but he showed a lot of value as a defensive presence. He also fits the trend the league is going in as a massive, physical defenceman who isn’t a butcher with the puck. Will he make a lot highlight reel plays? Probably not, but he can make the 10-15 foot passes to kickstart the breakout or help you re-enter the zone. There are pros and cons to how aggressive he plays because while he can kill a lot of cycles, shiftier forwards know how to get around him and there is a feast-or-famine element to his game because of that. This is especially true with how he defends his blue line, always looking to square up on the puck-carrier or go for the big hit. When it works, it’s great, when it doesn’t, it’s a fire drill. The bigger, physical defensemen started to get phased out of the league a few years ago, but the newer breed of players like Bahl offer more versatility to their games rather than being out there to deliver hits and block shots. Not a lot of defencemen of Bahl’s stature or point production get the minutes or the contract he did, so it will be interesting to see which similar players emerge.

Goal

Dustin Wolf

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
57	25	22	6	3	.906	2.80

The Calgary Flames just barely missed the postseason last year, but it certainly wasn't for lack of a star-powered goaltender. So, it appears they entered the off-season with the logic that things shouldn't be fixed unless they're broken - and while they did make a slight change with their backup options in net, they've officially given up-and-comer Dustin Wolf their vote of confidence as the team's clear-cut number one. They'll enter the 2025-26 season with one of the most economically friendly goaltending tandems in the entire NHL, offering Wolf as their starter still on his first post-entry level deal for just $850,000, and then recent North American returnee Ivan Prosvetov for only $100,000 more than Wolf.

Like Dan Vladar before him, Prosvetov will serve as a fun foil for Wolf in net; he's as lanky and fluid with his movement as Wolf is short, compact, and precise. After a tough go with Colorado during the 2023-24 season, though, Prosvetov made an interesting move; instead of continuing to attempt fighting it out in an NHL depth chart to prove himself, the Russian-born former Coyotes prospect opted to sign a one-year deal in the KHL and head back home. His numbers with CSKA Moscow suggest it was the right move; he put up one of his best seasons since coming to North America as a teen, and his play looked like he regained his confidence and rhythm enough to make this a clever educated gamble for Calgary. As a bonus, if he doesn't work out, they have an eager Devin Cooley waiting in the wings - and with Wolf's inevitable contract extension coming up, they aren't going to be strapped to pay their star what he wants. Now, it's just a matter of seeing just how good he can be this year - and if Calgary can finally return to the postseason.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: DADOUN – FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Hellebuyck’s dominant season – More trade deadline discussion – Teams and Players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 18:04:23 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 26: Winnipeg Jets Goalie Connor Hellebuyck (37) looks to make a save during third period National Hockey League action between the Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators on February 26, 2025, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

Cole Perfetti and Mason Appleton each found the back of the net by 9:03 of the first period to give the Jets a 2-0 lead against the Senators on Wednesday. That’s all the offense Winnipeg ultimately required en route to a 4-1 victory. It was an efficient two points in the bank and wouldn’t stand out, except for the fact that it was Winnipeg’s 11th win in a row.

The Jets were already having a dominant season, but they’ve somehow found another gear. Even after seeing that winning streak end Thursday, Winnipeg has a superb 42-15-3 record. The only team that even comes close is Washington (38-13-8) in the Eastern Conference. In their own conference, Winnipeg has opened up an 11-point edge, giving them plenty of breathing room going down the stretch.

Winnipeg is averaging 3.53 goals per game, so it’s fair to say that the forwards have been doing their part, but the core ingredient of the Jets’ success has been Connor Hellebuyck. He’s the league leader in GAA (2.02) and save percentage (.926) among those who have appeared in at least 15 games, and no netminder comes even close to his 36 wins -- the next best is Andrei Vasilevskiy with 28. In fact, only five teams are above him in terms of wins, excluding Winnipeg (he’s earned 85.7 percent of the Jets’ victories), those are Washington, Dallas, Toronto and Florida.

Hellebuyck is the heavy favorite to repeat as the Vezina Trophy winner, and that’s putting it lightly. In fact, it’s gotten to the point where it’s fair to ask if he should be in the Hart Trophy conversation. Keep in mind, Hellebuyck is not merely the byproduct of a strong team. Those in front of him are certainly helping, especially where his record is concerned, but the 31-year-old also leads the league in Goals Saved Above Expected with 30.3, per Moneypuck, and he’s just one of three netminders above plus-20 in that category. That statistic suggests he’s a big factor in the Jets’ dominance, not just a benefactor of it.

Hellebuyck also has an outside chance of flirting with the all-time single season win record, which is currently shared by Martin Brodeur (2006-07) and Braden Holtby (2015-16) at 48. I don’t expect Hellebuyck to ultimately reach that level because the Jets, without much left to play for until the postseason, will probably start managing his workload down the stretch. Still, we’re talking about 12 more wins over the Jets’ final 23 games, so it’s at least within the realm of possibility.

When Brodeur set that record, he finished third in Hart Trophy voting and Holtby finished fourth that year -- both won the Vezina -- but Hellebuyck campaign might end up being arguably more impressive than either of them. Brodeur and Holtby didn’t lead the league in GAA or save percentage in their respective 48-win campaign, but there’s a good chance of Hellebuyck carrying both of those categories while simultaneously getting his win total well into the 40s.

Still, I think it would take a lack of impressive campaigns from forwards to convince the voters to select a goaltender, even one as dominant as Hellebuyck, as the top pick for the Hart. The last time a goaltender won the trophy was in 2014-15 (Carey Price) when no forward reached the 90-point mark. The time before that when Jose Theodore claimed the award in 2001-02, there was no player who hit 100 points. That won’t be the case this season. Nathan MacKinnion (23 goals, 90 points), Leon Draisaitl (44, 88) and Nikita Kucherov (27, 86) are all providing compelling cases for Hart consideration. If Hellebuyck stays strong down the stretch, then I believe he will be one of the finalists, but a forward is still more likely to ultimately win the award.

Anaheim Ducks

In all likelihood, this will be the seventh straight year without a playoff berth for Anaheim, but perhaps the Ducks can at least end the campaign on a positive note after going 8-2-1 dating back to Jan. 23. They’ll try to maintain that momentum next week, starting with a road game against Edmonton on Tuesday. The Ducks will then play in Vancouver on Wednesday before hosting the Blues and the Islanders on Friday and Sunday, respectfully.

Mason McTavish has been a major part of the Ducks’ recent string of success, supplying seven goals and 11 points over his past 11 outings. McTavish is up to 14 goals and 31 points in 52 appearances in 2024-25, giving the 22-year-old a chance to surpass his career high of 43 points. He has been somewhat inconsistent, so it wouldn’t be shocking if another cold stretch before the end of the campaign ruins that push, but this could very well just be the prelude to a breakout in 2025-26. Taken with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, McTavish could turn into a very valuable top six forward.

On the blue line, the Ducks also have been getting help from Jackson LaCombe, who scored a goal Thursday to extend his point streak to four games (one goal, four assists). The 24-year-old is now just one point shy of reaching 30 for the first time in his career. Although he’s gotten a healthy amount of power-play ice time (1:52 per game), LaCombe hasn’t quite clicked with the man advantage, providing just five points this season. The Ducks collectively have underwhelmed in that category with their 12.7 percent conversion rate, 31st in the league, but that’s a potential area of upside for both LaCombe and Anaheim, especially if you’re looking ahead to next season.

Leo Carlsson might be part of the solution on the power play once he’s had more time to develop. Taken with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the 20-year-old hasn’t made a big impact this season with 11 goals and 23 points through 52 outings, but he’s giving us a taste of what he’s capable of, providing two goals and seven points in his past seven games.

Ultimately, it’s encouraging to see the Ducks’ younger players playing key roles recently. Anaheim has been rough for years now, but the youth movement might be on the cusp of moving the Ducks back into playoff contention -- likely not this year, but they’re a squad you shouldn’t sleep on for 2025-26.

Dallas Stars

The Stars have a commanding 37-19-2 record, but they’re also in the same division as Winnipeg, so they’re unlikely to do better than the second seed. Even there, Dallas needs to stay sharp to stay ahead of Minnesota (34-21-4) and Colorado (34-24-2). The Stars will attempt to cushion their hold on the second seed next week, starting with home games against New Jersey and Calgary on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. The Stars will then play in Edmonton on Saturday and Vancouver on Sunday.

With the Stars battling in such a tough division, they decided they couldn’t wait until the trade deadline to make some moves. To that end, the Stars acquired Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci from San Jose on Feb. 1. Given that about a month has past, it seems like a good opportunity to take stock of how that trade is working out for Dallas.

Granlund has primarily been playing on the Stars’ second line alongside Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment, though he’s also gotten looks on the first unit with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. In either scenario, Granlund has helped out, providing six assists (five primary assists) in seven appearances since the trade. He’s also seen action on the first power-play unit, but he hasn’t gotten any production with the man advantage yet.

Eventually he should have some power-play production and will largely continue to be effective offensively. He’s a nice boost on a team that already featured some pretty solid forward depth.

In the case of Ceci, he has two assists, nine blocks and 14 hits while averaging 20:46 of ice time in seven outings with Dallas. He’s never been much of an offensive threat, so even those two helpers should be regarded as merely a bonus, but the move from San Jose to Dallas hasn’t cost him his top four role, which means that he should continue to be a reliable source of blocks and hits.

Dallas is in a tough position cap wise, so that might be it for the Stars in terms of additions -- unless Miro Heiskanen (knee) or Tyler Seguin (hip) are done until the playoffs. Seguin has resumed skating while Heiskanen hasn’t, per Sean Shapiro of DLLS Sports. Stars GM Jim Nill describe their situation as fluid, which to me suggests that it’s not clear if they’ll be ready before the playoffs or not. Still, if Dallas ends up making a big splash before the deadline, then that probably implies that one or both of them will remain on LTIR until the playoffs.

When they do return, it’ll be interesting to see how the Stars adjust their lines. Tyler Seguin saw success early in the campaign alongside Duchene and Marchment, so maybe he’ll resume that role, leaving Granlund to primarily play with Robertson and Hintz. That would likely result in Mavrik Bourque and Logan Stankoven seeing their playing time diminish. Whatever his role, don’t diminish Seguin when he returns. In part due to injuries, it’s been a while since he had a 60-plus point campaign, but he’s been effective while healthy, supplying 55 goals and 122 points in 163 outings across the past three years for an average of 61 points per 82 games.

In terms of a healthy Heiskanen, he might link up with Thomas Harley. That might in turn lead to Matt Dumba and Ilya Lyubushkin competing for the sixth blueliner role. We might also see Lian Bichsel return to AHL Texas once Heiskanen is healthy. That’d give Dallas a top four of Harley, Esa Lindell, Ceci and Heiskanen going into the playoffs.

Los Angeles Kings

At 31-17-8, the Kings are a good bet to make the playoffs and could still win the Pacific Division with a strong finish. That pursuit of the 35-18-6 Golden Knights will likely be a key motivator for them going into next week. The Kings will play in Chicago on Monday before hosting the Blues twice on Wednesday and Saturday. They’ll then travel to Vegas to play against the division rival Sunday.

To the surprise of no one, Quinton Byfield wasn’t part of Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off. He’s simply not good enough -- yet. Taken with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Byfield has plenty of upside, and the 22-year-old gave another taste of it Monday when he registered four assists to aid LA in its 5-2 victory over the Golden Knights. That’s the third time this campaign he’s provided at least three points in a game, but his offense hasn’t been consistent, which has limited him to 34 points (11 goals) in 56 appearances. At this rate, he’ll end up doing a little worse than his 55-point showing in 2023-24, which is disappointing, but not a disaster.

What would be a disaster for the Kings is another extended absence from Drew Doughty. While the Kings demonstrated during his 47-game absence to start the campaign that they can win without him, he certainly brings plenty to the table when healthy, supplying a goal, four points, 11 hits and 13 blocks while averaging 25:55 of ice time in his eight appearances with the Kings’ this campaign.

In that context, it was especially concerning when Doughty missed Wednesday’s clash against Vancouver due to a lower-body injury. He had missed the first half of the campaign with an ankle injury, so the location of his new problem was particularly concerning. Fortunately, it seems like the worst-case scenario isn’t likely. As Mayor’s Manor reported, Doughty is just dealing with soreness and swelling, which makes him day-to-day. Still, you have to wonder if maybe the Kings will manage his workload a little more or even consider making him a healthy scratch on occasion. LA still has four back-to-back sets remaining, so keep an eye on that situation.

Anze Kopitar is also worth monitoring. He had an excellent start to the campaign, providing 12 goals and 39 points in 36 outings, but Kopitar has just a goal and seven points across his last 20 games, including three points in his past 12 outings. At one time, he seemed like a lock to reach the 70-point mark for the third straight campaign, but that’s now in serious jeopardy for the 37-year-old.

Cold streaks aren’t new for Kopitar, but it is unusual for one to last this long, so it’s reached the point where his slump is cause for concern.

New York Islanders

The Islanders will spend next week primarily on the road with games against the Rangers on Monday, the Sharks on Saturday and the Ducks on Sunday. The lone exception is a home match against Winnipeg on Tuesday.

Signing Tony DeAngelo was a controversial decision given his history, but if there’s one positive to the game, it’s what he brings to the table offensively, and he’s largely delivered there, providing a goal and six points across 11 appearances since he made his Islanders debut Jan. 25. Interestingly, none of those points have come with the man advantage, which has traditionally been a key part of his production. If you want to take an optimistic look, that could mean that his scoring pace could be even better once he starts clicking on the power play.

It's also interesting that the return of Noah Dobson didn’t seem to meaningfully alter DeAngelo’s role. He was originally seen as a stopgap measure after Dobson suffered a lower-body injury, but DeAngelo still logged 21:20 of ice time, including 1:49 with the man advantage, in Dobson’s first game back Thursday. Granted, Dobson got just 18:54 himself, which suggests the Islanders were easing him back into the lineup a bit, but it still seems reasonable to believe DeAngelo will maintain his top four role going forward.

As for Dobson, he should see his playing time return to its average around 24 minutes within the next couple of games. He’ll also continue to feature on the power play, even with the presence of DeAngelo. Getting Dobson back will likely move Scott Perunovich back into a depth role, though. Perunovich had three assists while playing in nine straight games and saw some power-play time from Jan. 28-Feb. 25, but he was a healthy scratch Thursday and will likely spend additional time in the press box going forward.

New York Rangers

In contrast to the Islanders, the Rangers will spend most of next week at home. They’ll host the Islanders on Monday, the Capitals on Wednesday and the Blue Jackets on Sunday. The Rangers’ lone road game will be Wednesday in Washington.

New York has been all over the place this season. Despite a 12-4-1 start, the Rangers no longer occupy a playoff spot, though they have won five of their past seven games, bringing them up to 29-25-4 overall.

Igor Shesterkin has been part of the weirdness, posting a 20-20-2 record, 2.93 GAA and .906 save percentage. If the campaign ended after Thursday’s action, Shesterkin’s GAA and save percentage would both mark career worsts for him. He’s had some amazing starts, holding the competition to one or fewer goals in 10 outings, and he’s made at least 30 saves on 16 occasions. At the same time, there are nine instances of him surrendering at least five goals. To put that into context, from 2019-20 through 2022-23, he had eight total games in which he allowed five or more goals over a span of 158 regular-season appearances.

That inconsistency in net has been part of the problem for the Rangers, but New York has also seen its scoring tick down this campaign with 3.03 goals per game from 3.39 last year. The good news is that the Rangers offense has been clicking lately, averaging 3.50 goals since the start of February.

Acquiring J.T. Miller in a trade with Vancouver on Jan. 31 has helped with that. Miller has provided five goals and nine points in eight appearances since joining the Rangers, and he should average about a point per game throughout the remainder of the season.

We’ve also seen a resurgence of Mika Zibanejad. The 31-year-old had an uncharacteristically poor stretch from Dec. 14-Jan. 28 in which he had just three goals and eight points across 22 appearances. He’s put that behind him in February, though, scoring three goals and 11 points over an eight-game stretch. Zibanejad’s slump will keep him below his 2023-24 finish of 72 points (he has 40 points in 58 outings this year), but he is still capable of being a strong presence down the stretch.

Adam Fox was also looking good, going on a seven-game scoring streak (two goals, eight points) from Feb. 2-25, but unfortunately that was cut short by an upper-body injury. With a spot in the postseason not secure, this is a terrible time for the Rangers to lose a key defenseman, but it is an opportunity for Braden Schneider to play a bigger role, including the possibility of work with the man advantage.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers have four games on the docket next week, and they’re all at home. Philadelphia will host Calgary on Tuesday, Winnipeg on Thursday, Seattle on Saturday and New Jersey on Sunday.

The Flyers are 26-26-8 through Thursday’s action, putting them six points out of a wild-card spot, though Philadelphia has played one more game than the Red Wings and the Blue Jackets, which are currently tied at 66 and hold the first and second wild-card seeds, respectively. However, Philadelphia would need to leapfrog the Rangers, the Senators, the Bruins and the Canadiens in addition to surpassing one of Detroit or Columbus in order to make the playoffs, so the Flyers are facing long odds to say the least. Moneypuck puts Philadelphia’s playoff chances at just 2.2 percent and gives them better odds of securing the first overall pick, 5.9 percent.

The Flyers are seller at this point, though it might be that their trade sending Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Flames on Jan. 31 will go down as the only noteworthy move they make before the deadline. Andrei Kuzmenko and Erik Johnson are their only players of note who are set to become unrestricted free agents this summer. Kuzmenko might have value to a contender as a depth scorer, but his $5.5 million cap hit hurts his value, even if Philadelphia were willing to retain part of it.

Meanwhile, Johnson doesn’t seem to have much left at the age of 36. He’s appeared in just 22 games with Philadelphia this season, and a contender would presumably be looking at him as a seventh defenseman at best. I wouldn’t be shocked if he got picked up by someone, but probably just for a sixth or seventh-round pick.

They might trade someone with term, though. Rasmus Ristolainen has come up in the rumor mill. He’s a huge, physical right-hand defenseman, so it’s easy to imagine teams gunning for him, but because he’s signed through 2026-27, the Flyers are in the driver’s seat when it comes to negotiations. If they don’t get an offer they love, then they can just hold onto him for next season. With that in mind, it seems Philadelphia wants a first rounder plus an asset for him, and no team has come close to that yet, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. So don’t be surprised if he stays with the Flyers.

With the deadline looming, it can be easy to miss the fact that Matvei Michkov is having one of the best stretches of his rookie campaign. He has an incredible five goals and 10 points across his past five appearances, bringing him up to 19 goals and 44 points through 58 outings overall. The 20-year-old has been all over the place this year, even spending some time as a healthy scratch, but his offensive potential is without question. If he can find some degree of consistency, then 80-plus point campaigns might be in his future.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay will open next week with a road match against the Panthers on Monday, but they’ll spend the rest of the week at home. The Lightning will host the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, the Sabres on Thursday and the Bruins on Saturday.

Tampa Bay is third in the Atlantic Division, but after winning its past seven games, the Lightning have a 34-20-4 record and sit just three points behind the division-leading Panthers, which will make that Monday contest all the more important.

Look for Andrei Vasilevskiy to get the nod in that game. He’s played a vital role in the Lightning’s winning streak, being in net for all seven of those contests while posting a 1.72 GAA and a .944 save percentage. That gives him a 28-15-3 record, 2.21 GAA and .922 save percentage through 46 appearances in 2024-25, which is a nice return to form after a rough 2023-24 in which he had a 30-20-2 record, 2.90 GAA and .900 save percentage in 52 outings. If not for Connor Hellebuyck’s dazzling play, Vasilevskiy might have been in the conversation to win the Vezina for the first time since 2018-19.

Brandon Hagel has also been a major driver of Tampa Bay’s recent success. He has nine goals and 16 points across his past nine outings, giving him 29 goals and 67 points in 58 games this campaign. It’s not unusual for goals to come in bunches -- Hagel has a similar stretch of success from Oct. 15-24 in which he collected six goals and nine points in six outings -- so enjoy this while it lasts, but don’t be shocked if he then has another stretch similar to Jan. 14-28 (aka, no goals and three assists over eight games).

Nick Paul is a somewhat similar story. He found the back of the net for four straight games from Feb. 8-25 (keep in mind, the 4 Nations Face-Off break was in the middle of that), but he also has stretches of no production -- he had a six-game point drought from Jan. 25-Feb. 6. He averages out to be a decent secondary scorer (18 goals and 32 points in 52 outings this season), but not someone you can rely on regularly.

Nikita Kucherov tends to be a more consistent offensive force. Excluding games missed, he hasn’t been held off the scoresheet for more than back-to-back contests this season. That’s led to him supplying 27 goals and 86 points in 55 appearances, including four goals and 13 points across his last nine outings -- technically a nine-game scoring streak, but it’s not an official one because he didn’t play Feb. 9 due to an upper-body injury.

Washington Capitals

The Capitals will start the week by hosting the Senators on Monday before travelling to New York to face the Rangers on Wednesday. Washington will then play home games against the Red Wings on Friday and the Kraken on Sunday.

All eyes will remain on Alex Ovechkin as he continues his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin is 11 goals away from tying the record after finding the back of the net against Calgary on Tuesday. That gives him eight markers and 13 points across his past nine games, and 30 goals in 2024-25 despite being limited to 43 contests due to injury.

Speaking of, when Ovechkin suffered a fibula fracture back in November, it seemed like he would have to wait until at least the 2025-26 campaign to break the record, but with 23 games remaining on Washington’s schedule, it’s certainly possible for him to surpass the record before the playoffs. He’d have to stay hot, but with the way he’s played this year, it’s doable.

Dylan Strome has enjoyed sharing the ice with Ovechkin. While he’s not completely dependent on the Russian superstar, Ovechkin has appeared on the scoresheet for 32 of Strome’s 59 points. The 27-year-old Strome has six goals and 13 points across his past 10 appearances as he looks to reach the 70-point milestone for the first time in his career.

The only real blemish on Washington recently has been Logan Thompson. He’s still having a great campaign overall with a 25-3-5 record, 2.28 GAA and .919 save percentage in 33 appearances, but he has allowed at least three goals in each of his past five starts. Perhaps Thompson would benefit from a bit more rest down the stretch. After all, he’s never played in more then 50 regular-season plus playoff games in a single campaign, and the Capitals are hoping to lean on him heavily come the postseason.

Charlie Lindgren is 13-10-3 with a 2.70 GAA and an .896 save percentage in 27 outings, and he’s struggled recently too, allowing 15 goals on 99 shots (.848 save percentage) across his past four starts, so he’s not an ideal alternative. However, Washington is in a commanding position thanks to its 38-13-8 record, so the Capitals can afford to regularly rest Thompson down the stretch, even if it ends up costing them some wins. Keep that in mind when evaluating Lindgren and Thompson’s value for the remainder of 2024-25.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – What about the Maple Leafs is not working? – Favourable schedules and players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 01 Feb 2025 16:05:37 +0000

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 24: Toronto Maple Leafs Winger William Nylander (88) skates with the puck during the NHL regular season game between the Winnipeg Jets and the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 24, 2024, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire)

The Maple Leafs are going through a bit of a rough patch, losing their past three games and six of their last nine. Even after factoring in that slump, though, they have an impressive 30-19-2 record. This downturn is also coming at a time when they’re missing one of their top forwards in John Tavares (lower body) as well as the continued absence of Anthony Stolarz (knee).

Toronto seems to be a city of anxiety when it comes to the Leafs, brought on by years of playoff disappointments, so success seems to be treated with an asterisk whereas slumps come with an “Oh boy, here we go again” attitude, but given the overall success of this team thus far in 2024-25 and the recent injuries, would it be best to dismiss the recent struggles as just the type of stretch that every good team goes through, or is there really an underlining issue being exposed?

Certainly, this is still a good team, but when people express those doubts about Toronto, they’re not disputing that. Instead, they’re saying this team isn’t good enough to be regarded as a serious Stanley Cup contender, and by that standard, I do think this stretch highlights an area of real concern. Toronto has managed just one goal in each of its past three games and ranks 13th in goals per game this campaign with 3.04. For a team that’s built around four elite forwards, to have a lack of offense is rather discouraging.

In fact, 74.5 percent of Toronto’s cap is eaten by forwards compared to 54.3 percent for Winnipeg (3.58 goals per game) and 56.5 percent for Tampa Bay (3.48 goals per game). In fact, the only other team close to the Maple Leafs in terms of the percentage of their cap spent on forwards is Washington, but while the Capitals are at 74.7 percent, their situation is weird because Nicklas Backstrom ($9.2 million against the cap) and TJ Oshie ($5.75 million against the cap) are on LTIR. Even if we were talking apples to apples, though, at least Washington is getting value at 3.49 goals per game.

So, what is it about Toronto that isn’t working? You’ve probably already guessed because it is the common argument against the Maple Leafs’ way of doing things: If you spend $46.65 million on four forwards (Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Tavares and Mitch Marner), then you don’t have much left over for the rest of your forward corps.

On another team, that could be supplemented by young players on entry-level contracts or players locked to team-friendly contracts. Toronto doesn’t have much of either on the forward side of things. Part of that is because for years now, Toronto has been trading futures for playoff runs that didn’t materialize.

The notable exception is Matthew Knies, who has 18 goals and 31 points in 47 appearances this campaign, but even that is about to go away given that this is the last season of his entry-level contract. Outside of him and the Big Four, no Maple Leafs player has reached the 15-goal or 25-point mark.

That also makes them particularly vulnerable to absences, such as the current one by Tavares. It does have to be said that Toronto did fairly well without Matthews during stretches of the campaign, but that was due to strong goaltending rather than other forwards filling the void. In Toronto’s first stint without Matthews from Nov. 5-27, the team went 7-2-0 despite averaging just 2.89 goals per game. Toronto was a mixed 3-3-0 during Matthews second absence from Dec. 21-Jan. 2 and once again managed just 2.83 goals per game.

That strong goaltending has been the backbone of the Maple Leafs this campaign, but we’ve seen vulnerability there since Dec. 14 with Toronto allowing 3.32 goals per game. It’s not coincidental that the Maple Leafs’ dip in goaltending is what’s made Toronto’s underwhelming offense -- something that’s nothing new this campaign -- gain attention. A lot can be forgiven or ignored as long as the team collectively is winning. It’s also not coincidental that Dec. 14 to present covers Toronto’s span without Stolarz, who had been terrific before getting hurt with a 9-5-2 record, 2.15 GAA and .927 save percentage in 17 appearances.

When Stolarz comes back, perhaps he’ll resume his dominant play, and Toronto’s mediocre scoring will once again seem acceptable. Once thing this stretch has highlighted, though: The Maple Leafs need him. Unlike some older versions of the Maple Leafs who were driven by offense, this team hasn’t consistently shown an ability to impress when not backed up by great goaltending.

Calgary Flames (Tue vs TOR, Thu vs COL, Sat vs SEA)

The Flames will wrap up their schedule before the 4 Nations Face-Off with a trio of home games. They’ll host Toronto on Tuesday, Colorado on Thursday and Seattle on Saturday. It’s fairly tough competition, but I wanted to highlight them anyway to discuss the trade that sent Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier and two draft picks (2025 second rounder, 2028 seventh rounder) in exchange for Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee.

In terms of what Calgary gave up, the 23-year-old Pelletier is a former first-round pick, but hasn’t developed into a top six forward yet, supplying four goals and 11 points in 24 outings this season before the trade. Meanwhile, Kuzmenko is a former 39-goal scorer, but he’s struggled to do much of anything with the Flames in 2024-25, collecting four goals and 15 points in 37 outings. In other words, the Flyers got some interesting pieces in this trade, but Calgary isn’t losing assets that were likely to help the squad in the short term.

The best piece Calgary got in exchange for that was Frost, who has 11 goals and 25 points in 49 appearances in 2024-25 after recording 41 and 46 points in 2023-24 and 2022-23, respectively. He’s a solid third-line center who looks fine on the draw with a 51.6 winning percentage this year. Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund will probably play ahead of Frost up the middle, and when Connor Zary (knee) comes back, Zary might shift to the wing to play alongside the newly acquired Flyers center.

Frost isn’t likely to turn heads, but he should be a nice secondary scorer for a team struggling to find the back of the net (2.68 goals per game). The only potential sticking point is Frost couldn’t complete Wednesday’s 5-0 loss to New Jersey, which might indicate he’s dealing with an injury. It’s probably nothing serious if the Flames pulled the trigger on this trade, but perhaps it will delay his debut with the Flames.

When it comes to Farabee, he’s another middle-six forward. The 24-year-old did look like he was on track to become more than that last campaign when he supplied 22 goals and 50 points in 82 games, but he’s regressed this year with eight goals and 19 points in 50 outings. Perhaps a fresh start with Calgary will do him some good, but he’ll probably begin his stint with Calgary on the third line with Frost (assuming Frost is healthy).

For the 25-18-7 Flames, the question is if these moves are enough to win them a playoff spot. The team is still very dependent on Dustin Wolf to be stellar in goal -- his 19-8-2 record, 2.51 GAA and .917 save percentage in 29 appearances is a big part of the reason Calgary’s in this position -- but this should at least give him a bit more goal support.

Chicago Blackhawks (Wed vs EDM, Fri vs NSH, Sat @ STL)

The Blackhawks will get to rest up early this week before hosting the Oilers on Wednesday and Predators on Friday. Chicago will then travel to St. Louis for a clash Saturday.

In most cases, I’d label the 18-24-7 Predators and 23-24-4 Blues are favorable matchups, but we’re talking about Chicago…so that doesn’t really work. Chicago is 16-30-5, giving the franchise good odds of getting a top two pick for the third straight campaign. The silver lining is that sets the stage for the Blackhawks to have an amazing core to build around, but in the meantime, Connor Bedard is burning the second year of his entry-level contract on a team that’s not giving him much to work with.

Not that Bedard is putting up Connor McDavid-like numbers, but the Blackhawks sophomore is doing his part with 14 goals and 44 points in 50 games. There’s only so much he can do when only one other player on the team, Teuvo Teravainen, has more than 30 points. Chicago also recently dealt Taylor Hall to Carolina, and while he wasn’t living up to expectations with the Blackhawks, his nine goals and 24 points in 46 outings was still good enough to rank fifth among forwards in Chicago’s scoring race before the trade.

Ryan Donato, who ranks third with 29 points (15 goals) in 49 outings, might be gone soon too. The 28-year-old is in the final season of his two-year, $4 million contract, so it’s fair to believe Chicago will jump at the opportunity to move him for a pick or prospect.

Seth Jones, who is only in the third season of his eight-year, $76 million contract, is likely to stay, though. That contract hasn’t looked great for Chicago and with the benefit of hindsight, the timing was awkward given the Blackhawks’ performance over the life of it. However, Jones has his moments, and he’s going through one of them. The 30-year-old blueliner has recorded at least a point in each of his past seven appearances, giving him two goals and 10 points in that span. If you’re looking for someone who will provide value this week in Chicago outside of Bedard, Jones is your best bet.

Los Angeles Kings (Wed vs MTL, Fri vs DAL, Sat vs ANA)

The Kings will spend the week at home, facing Montreal, Dallas and Anaheim on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, respectively. They’ll try to enter the break on a positive note after going 2-7-1 from Jan. 11-30.

Los Angeles’ recent slump is due in large part to a lack of scoring. The Kings have managed three or more goals just once in that 10-game span. Anze Kopitar has been noticeably quiet. The 37-year-old is having a great campaign overall with 12 goals and 43 points through 49 appearances, but he’s supplied just four assists over his past 13 outings. It should just be a matter of time before the veteran gets going again, but perhaps fantasy managers should consider benching him until that time comes.

Phillip Danault has left plenty to be desired too after collecting only two points (one goal) across his last 11 games. He’s now on pace to record just 38 points this season, which would make it the first time he’s ever finished below the 40-point mark in a season where he’s logged at least 70 games.

Obviously, the slump has skewed the scoring pace downward, but there are areas of concern beyond that. Perhaps the most discouraging aspect of his game is his complete lack of power-play production. He had nine points with the man advantage last season and a career-high 20 in 2022-23, but he still hasn’t found the scoresheet on the power play this campaign. To make matters worse for him, with Drew Doughty back, Danault might find himself shifting out of the power-play makeup entirely.

Speaking of Doughty, he made his season debut following a knee injury without any sort of time management to ease him back in. He logged 23:51 of ice time Wednesday and another 27:43 the very next day. He didn’t get any points over his first two contests, but the Kings were shutout of back-to-back games, so that’s less of a Doughty thing and more of a byproduct of the team’s overall slump.

Los Angeles is a good enough team to overcome its recent struggles, and Doughty should be an effective defender the rest of the way. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him collect 15-20 points over what’s left of the campaign.

Montreal Canadiens (Tue @ SJS, Wed @ LAK, Sat vs NJD, Sun vs TBL)

The Canadiens are one of just a handful of squads set to play four games next week. They’ll start on the road with contests in San Jose on Tuesday and Los Angeles on Wednesday. Afterward, Montreal will host the Devils on Saturday and the Lightning on Sunday.

The Canadiens battled their way back in the playoff conversation by going 13-3-1 from Dec. 17-Jan. 21, but some of that momentum has been lost after dropping their past four games (0-3-1). Unfortunately, Jakub Dobes has lost some of his initial magic. He burst onto the scene by stopping 103 of 107 shots (.963 save percentage) across his first four starts -- all wins -- but he’s allowed at least three goals in each of his past three outings.

The 23-year-old is a promising netminder who has a 2.44 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 14 AHL appearances this season, but he’s not presently one of the best goaltenders in the world. A drop off from his hot start isn’t shocking and you similarly shouldn’t be surprised if he’s able to work his way back from it. He should average out to be a pretty decent rookie for the Canadiens in the second half of the campaign, but it would be too much to hope for Dobes to drag Montreal into the playoffs.

If the Canadiens are going to feature in the postseason, it will probably need to be the offense leading the charge. Patrik Laine has slumped recently too, though, being held off the scoresheet in each of his past three outings. Laine tends to be a very streaky scorer who sometimes seems unstoppable and on other occasions is a nonfactor. If he’s on your team, you have to work around these cold patches. Benching him wouldn’t be the worst idea in the short term but put him right back into the mix the second he finds the back of the net because one goal from him often kicks off a new hot streak.

When Laine starts going again, it should also help Lane Hutson, who is on a four-game scoring drought. Hutson isn’t solely dependent on Laine for offense, but it’s fair to say that the two have found chemistry, especially with the man advantage, so what’s good for one is often good for the other.

Hutson is also just one point shy of 40. The last time the Canadiens had a rookie defenseman hit that milestone was 1984-85 when Chris Chelios and Tom Kurvers surpassed that mark. The only other rookie blueliner to ever reach that milestone in franchise history was Guy Lapointe in 1970-71.

Ottawa Senators (Mon @ NSH, Tue @ TBL, Thu @ TBL, Sat @ FLA)

During a busier week, I wouldn’t be highlighting the Senators because they have a rather tough schedule, but because they’re one of the rare squads set to play in four games, I’ll feature them anyway. The Senators will be on the road all week, starting in Nashville on Monday before playing two games in Tampa Bay on Tuesday and Thursday. Ottawa will then conclude the week in Florida on Saturday.

In contrast to the Canadiens, Ottawa has won its last three games, bringing the Senators up to an 8-2-1 record dating back to Jan. 11. That’s propelled Ottawa to the third spot in the Atlantic Division, just four points behind Toronto and five shy of Florida.

If you had suggested at the beginning of the campaign that this would be the Senators’ position, many would have assumed that it was a sign that Linus Ullmark had worked out superbly, and while the goaltender does have an impressive 2.38 GAA and .915 save percentage, he’s been limited to 23 outings due to injury and hasn’t played since Dec. 22.

Even with him gone, though, goaltending hasn’t been an issue. Leevi Merilainen has looked fantastic, posting a 7-3-1 record, 2.19 GAA and .921 save percentage in 11 appearances. Although Anton Forsberg hasn’t been nearly as effective overall, he’s done his part recently too with a 3-1-0 record, 2.19 GAA and a .922 save percentage over his last five outings.

Ullmark is close to returning, so it will be interesting to see what Ottawa does next. The path of least resistance would be to send Merilainen back to the minors because he’s waiver-exempt. It feels wrong to demote a goaltender who has been doing this good, but you also need to keep in mind that he’s 22 years old. He might not get many starts in a scenario where all three goaltenders are healthy, so it’s probably better for his development if he’s with AHL Belleville and playing regularly.

That scenario assumes Forsberg can at least do adequately as the backup. He’s done well lately but still hasn’t been great overall, posting a 2.87 GAA and an .893 save percentage across 19 outings in 2024-25. If he starts struggling again, then Ottawa could push him to the side. At the very least, Forsberg has less job security now than he had at the beginning of the campaign.

Perhaps the Senators will consider seeing if there is a taker for Forsberg on the trade market. There might not be much demand for him, but it wouldn’t be surprising if that’s an avenue they’ve explored. Whatever consideration they gave to the possibility of trading Claude Giroux is probably over, though. The 37-year-old is in the final year of his contract, so it would have made sense to move him before the Senators got hot, but now that a playoff berth is looking realistic, there’s little reason to move one of their top six forwards, so fans of other contenders can likely cross him off their wish list.

Tampa Bay Lightning (Tue vs OTT, Thu vs OTT, Sat @ DET, Sun @ MTL)

Ottawa has surpassed Tampa Bay in the standing, but the Lightning will have an opportunity to reclaim their spot. As noted above, Tampa Bay is set to host the Senators on Tuesday and Thursday. After those two key games, Tampa Bay will hit the road, playing in Detroit on Saturday and Montreal on Sunday.

It might be a bit much to say Tampa Bay is slumping -- the Lightning earned a 3-0 win over LA on Thursday -- but at the least, the results have been mild recently. Dating back to Dec. 29, Tampa Bay has a record of 7-9-1.

The Lightning have scored just 2.47 goals per game during that 17-game stretch, so it’s fair to say offense has been at the heart of the problem. That’s despite Nikita Kucherov providing an impressive seven goals and 22 points in that span.

However, a lot of other players are a step below what they’re capable of producing. Kucherov’s typical linemates, Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point aren’t enduring a full-blown drought, but they’re usually better than the 13 and 10 points, respectively, they’ve collected over the past 17 games. Brandon Hagel (six goals, 14 points) and Victor Hedman (three goals, 12 points) have largely held their own over that stretch too, but their overall scoring pace has declined relative to what it was before Dec. 29.

Taken on their own, the dip of any of those four high-end producers wouldn’t be a big deal, but to have all four of them drop at the same time is noteworthy. That’s compounded by the more significant decline Anthony Cirelli has suffered. After averaging a point-per-game through his first 32 outings (14 goals, 18 assists), he’s managed just two goals and seven points across his past 17 appearances.

Let’s look at this another way: Of Tampa Bay’s top nine scorers through Dec. 28, only one, Darren Raddysh, has seen his point-per-game pace increase over Tampa Bay’s last 17 games. Meanwhile, seven of the nine have a point-per-game pace from Dec. 29-Jan. 30 that’s at least 26 basis points less than it was from the start of the campaign through Dec. 28. Even Kucherov, who as seen a significant decline between those two stretches -- 1.71 PPG compared to 1.29 PPG.

So, it’s not a one player problem. The team collectively has cooled, and there aren’t players outside of that core who have stepped up to fill the void.

Utah HC (Tue vs PHI, Thu @ CBJ, Sat @ CAR, Sun @ WSH)

Utah has a busy week ahead of it. The Hockey Club will host the Flyers on Tuesday before hitting the road with clashes in Columbus on Thursday, Carolina on Saturday and Washington on Sunday.

This has nothing to do with fantasy hockey, but I got to note that Utah will apparently not be able to use the nickname Yeti or Yetis, per The Salt Lake Tribune. That leaves the finalists as the Utah Mammoth, Utah Outlaws or sticking with Utah Hockey Club. I’ll be honest, I don’t like any of those options, but a good logo and time can cause branding to grow on people.

I just hope they don’t stick with Hockey Club. As a placeholder, I get it, and I understand it’s a perfectly common name in other sports -- as someone from Toronto, Toronto FC immediately jumps to mind, and that’s one of many MLS teams using FC. However, to me, Hockey Club feels like the absence of identity rather than an identity in and of itself. At the end of the day, though, it’s not for me to decide. The fans of the team are what matter here, but if I was picking, that would be last on my list.

Clayton Keller jerseys should sell regardless. He certainly is playing well enough to deserve it. He has 18 goals and 54 points in 49 appearances, and Keller’s been consistent too, not being held off the scoresheet for more than two games in a row this campaign.

Logan Cooley is sure to help define the Utah franchise too. The 20-year-old sophomore is enjoying a breakout campaign with 15 goals and 43 points in 50 appearances. However, Utah will have to get along without him for a while because he suffered a lower-body injury Wednesday and is regarded as being out indefinitely. That’s on top of the absence of Dylan Guenther (lower body), who has 16 goals and 34 points in 40 outings, but hasn’t played since Jan. 8.

With both of them gone, Josh Doan seems set to serve in a top six capacity and the first power-play unit. He hasn’t done much with his opportunities so far this campaign, collecting just two goals and five points in 19 outings, but he does still have upside and is worth keeping an eye on.

We might also see Matias Maccelli get a fresh opportunity. Maccelli has averaged just 13:58 of ice time this campaign and was even a healthy scratch Wednesday, but with Cooley out, Maccelli could find himself on the second unit. Maccelli has just 17 points (eight goals) in 48 outings this campaign, but he had 49 points in 2022-23 and 57 points last season, so a comeback isn’t out of the question.

Vegas Golden Knights (Tue @ NYI, Thu @ NJD, Sat 2 BOS)

Vegas will be on the road next week, playing against the Islanders on Tuesday, New Jersey on Thursday and Boston on Saturday. All of those adversaries are in the mix for a playoff spot, but only the Devils are a safe bet to make the postseason at this time.

Vegas seems all-but certain to make the playoffs too given its 31-15-6 record, but the Golden Knights have faltered recently, going 3-6-3 over their past 12 games. Vegas, which had been doing fairly well on the injury front, also got some bad news there. William Karlsson (lower body) has missed the past five games and isn’t close to returning. Cole Schwindt (lower body) will probably be out for a while too.

The Golden Knights attempted to help fill that void by inking Brandon Saad to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. Saad was an unrestricted free agent because he and the Blues mutually agreed to terminate what was left on his remaining on his five-year, $22.5 million contract, which would have run through 2025-26. Even after signing that deal with Vegas, Saad has cost himself millions of dollars by agreeing to walk away from his old deal, but that also highlights how much value he puts on playing in the NHL.

The Blues waived him Tuesday and he cleared because no team wanted his old $4.5 million cap hit. Saad could have simply reported to the minors and collected his paycheck, but the 32-year-old instead took this path, which led him to a fresh opportunity with Vegas.

Although he hasn’t been terribly productive this campaign, recording seven goals and 16 points in 43 outings with St. Louis, he can be an effective middle-six winger. Vegas will likely give him an opportunity to play on the third unit, perhaps alongside Raphael Lavoie and Nicolas Roy. Saad might also get a look on the second power-play unit, but that’s far from certain.

I wouldn’t expect big things from Saad, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if he proves to be serviceable with his new team. He also might end up doing a little better when Karlsson returns -- it's entirely feasible Saad and Karlsson will end up playing together when that happens with Roy shifting to the fourth line.

One player Saad is less likely to play with is Tomas Hertl, which is a shame for Saad because Hertl is red hot. The 31-year-old is on an 11-game scoring streak in which he’s provided nine goals and 15 points. Funny enough, he has a neutral plus/minus, even during that terrific stretch, keeping him at a team-worst minus-10 overall. Hertl looks more appealing in terms of possession stats -- his 5v5 relative Corsi and Fenwick are plus-1.8 and plus-4.0, respectively, which suggests the team performs better when he’s on the ice -- but it seems plus/minus is destined to be the one area where he underperforms.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Avalanche and Hurricanes make blockbuster deal, Flames and Flyers swing four-player swap, the Islanders renovate their blueline, McTavish, Smith, and Slafkovsky are some young forwards picking up steam and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 13:30:21 +0000

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 28: Carolina Hurricanes Right Wing Mikko Rantanen (96) in action prior to the National Hockey League game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers on January 28, 2025 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, the Avalanche and Hurricanes made a blockbuster deal, the Flames and Flyers swing a four-player swap, the Islanders renovate their blueline, and Mason McTavish, Will Smith, and Juraj Slafkovsky are some young forwards picking up steam and much more!

Here is this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points:

#1 The Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche made a massive trade last week, a rare in-season move involving star players. The Hurricanes landed Mikko Rantanen from the Avalanche and Taylor Hall from the Blackhawks in the three-team deal. Rantanen is one of the league’s premier forwards and since the 2020-2021 season, he has averaged 1.27 points per game, ranking seventh in the league. In his first three games with Carolina, Rantanen has a goal and an assist, but also has 13 shots on goal despite seeing his average time on ice drop to 19:06 per game after averaging 22:30 per game in Colorado. Hall’s ice time was reduced in Chicago this season but his 1.88 points per 60 minutes ranked second on the Blackhawks among forwards to play at least 500 five-on-five minutes (behind Ryan Donato). So, while Rantanen might play less after joining a team with Carolina’s depth of talent, Hall might actually find his way to more ice time with the Hurricanes.

#2 Colorado acquired right winger Martin Necas and centre Jack Drury from Carolina. Necas had 55 points in 49 games with Carolina before getting traded and he has put up four assists in three games. The Avalanche have also taken to giving Necas the same kind of role that Rantanen held, so Necas has averaged 23:08 of ice time per game in his first three games for the Avs after playing 18:05 per game in Carolina. Drury is more of a depth option, though he has scored two goals in his first three games for Colorado.

#3 The Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers are both in the hunt for playoff spots and the teams swapped players Thursday. Calgary acquired winger Joel Farabee and centre Morgan Frost, sending wingers Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier, along with a couple of draft picks, to Philadelphia. Farabee is a solid complementary winger who scored a career-high 50 points (22 G, 28 A) last season, but has just 19 points (8 G, 11 A) through 50 games this season. He could use the fresh start. Frost has had a bit of a tumultuous run in Philadelphia, especially with John Tortorella as head coach. Frost is a talented player but had one assist and seven shots on goal in his last seven games with the Flyers.

#4 Kuzmenko is a 28-year-old winger who tallied 39 goals and 74 points for Vancouver in 2022-2023, his first season in the NHL, but he has just four goals and 15 points in 37 games this season. He did cross paths with Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov back in the KHL, as Kuzmenko was the leading scorer for SKA St. Petersburg in 2022-2023 when Michkov was just getting his feet wet with that team in the KHL. Perhaps Kuzmenko can help shake Michkov from the slump that has seen him produce just seven points (3 G, 4 A) in his past 24 games. Pelletier was a first-round pick in 2019, but it has taken a while for him to show that he belongs in the NHL. He did have six points (3 G, 3 A) in his last nine games for the Flames and the small skilled winger can hope to secure more consistent playing time in Philadelphia.

#5 Injuries have forced the New York Islanders to address their blueline and they have signed Tony DeAngelo, who was playing in the KHL, and acquired Scott Perunovich in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. DeAngelo had 32 points (6 G, 26 A) in 34 games for St. Petersburg in the KHL but still fell out of favor. He has one assist in three games for the Islanders but has averaged more than 25 minutes of ice time per game and is quarterbacking the Islanders top power play unit. Perunovich has recorded an assist in both of his first two games for the Islanders.

#6 Anahiem Ducks centre Mason McTavish started relatively slowly this season, with 19 points (6 G, 13 A) through 40 games. He does have seven points (6 G, 1 A) and 14 shots on goal in his past five games, however, so it’s worth keeping tabs on the 22-year-old. He is skating with Cutter Gauthier and Robby Fabbri at even strength, but McTavish is also getting first-unit power play time.

#7 San Jose Sharks rookie Will Smith has taken some time to find his groove during his first NHL campaign, but it looks like the fourth pick in the 2023 Draft is getting comfortable. He is riding a six-game point streak, during which he has amassed seven points (2 G, 5 A) and is skating on a line with veteran Mikael Granlund and Fabian Zetterlund. Granlund has eight points (3 G, 5 A) in his past six games, and with 46 points on the season, he looks like a good bet to hit the 60-point plateau for the fifth time in his career.

#8 There have been some uneven moments in the development path for Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky, the first pick in the 2022 Draft. Despite enjoying great success with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield last season, Slafkovsky has been moved down the depth chart at times this season and he scored four goals (plus 19 assists) in the first 40 games of the season. Since then, Slafkovsky has six points (4 G, 2 A) in eight games and looks a lot more like the power forward who finished last season with 35 points (16 G, 19 A) in his last 40 games.

#9 When the Nashville Predators struggled early in the season, there was concern that centre Tommy Novak wasn’t up to the task of providing much-needed secondary scoring, and he managed just nine points (5 G, 4 A) in his first 35 games. After that inauspicious start to the season, Novak has contributed seven points (3 G, 4 A) in his past five games, and is having some success skating with rookies Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux.

#10 Buffalo Sabres left winger JJ Peterka enjoyed a terrific start to the season and then went through a slump in late November and early December, but he has rebounded with 21 points (6 G, 15 A) in his past 20 games, highlighted by his three-goal, one-assist performance in Tuesday’s win over Buffalo. More recently, the Sabres have been running Peterka on a line with rookie Jiri Kulich at centre and Tage Thompson on right wing. Kulich has nine points (5 G, 4 A) in his past 12 games. Thompson, who is more widely rostered than his linemates, has 26 points (14 G, 12 A) in his past 26 games.

#11 Marco Kasper was the eighth pick in the 2022 Draft by the Detroit Red Wings and he was offering an unremarkable rookie season, with seven points (2 G, 5 A) in his first 35 games. Moving up the depth chart has done wonders for the young skilled winger, and he has put up 12 points (7 G, 5 A) and 24 shots on goal in his past 11 games. With Patrick Kane injured, Kasper is skating on the Red Wings’ top line, with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, as well as playing on Detroit’s first power play unit. Given their success, the trio might need to stay together even when Kane returns.

#12 The Toronto Maple Leafs do not get great production out of their defencemen, as Morgan Rielly is Toronto’s highest scoring blueliner with 22 points (3 G, 19 A) in 51 games. Just behind him, though, is veteran Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who has six points (1 G, 5 A) in his past five games, giving him 21 points for the season. Just as importantly, Ekman-Larsson is averaging more than 23 minutes of ice time per game in that stretch. The Maple Leafs run five forwards on their top power play unit, with Rielly and Ekman-Larsson on the second unit.

#13 Chicago Blackhawks rookie Frank Nazar was the 13th pick in the 2022 Draft and was tearing up the AHL this season with 24 points (11 G, 13 A) in 21 games and when the Blackhawks made a coaching change, they promoted Nazar shortly thereafter. While he did not have immediate success, there have been signs of progress. He has five points (2 G, 3 A) in his past eight games and is now skating on Connor Bedard’s wing on Chicago’s top line.

#14 Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann has been one their most productive players since the expansion draft, scoring 110 goals and 221 points to lead the franchise. While McCann has been more of a goal scorer as he has emerged as a legitimate offensive threat, he has turned playmaker lately. In his past 13 games, McCann has 12 points (1 G, 11 A) and 17 shots on goal. That low shot total needs to improve because while McCann is not usually a high-volume shooter, 1.3 shots on goal per game is not the stuff of consistent top line scorers.

#15 As the Carolina Hurricanes appear to have pushed their chips all in for this season, there is an opportunity for centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi to fulfill a supporting role. Carolina’s addition of Taylor Hall offers the possibility that Kotkaniemi could have more skill on his wings and Kotkaniemi has produced six points (4 G, 2 A) in his past six games. After scoring 27 points in 79 games last season, Kotkaniemi has already chipped in 25 points (10 G, 15 A) in 52 games this season, so he is developing, even if it might be at a slower pace than the ‘Canes might have initially hoped.

#16 Mammoth Washington Capitals winger Aliaksei Protas is enjoying a breakthrough season and is thriving with a six-game point streak, during which he has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 11 shots on goal. Protas has not been a huge shot generator, so he has been dependent on a shooting percentage of 23.3 percent to score 21 goals in 51 games. His 20 even-strength goals is tied for fifth in the league, behind only Leon Draisaitl (26), Mark Scheifele (22), William Nylander (22), and Tage Thompson (21).

#17 Los Angeles Kings netminder Darcy Kuemper has enjoyed some excellent seasons in his career but he had injury problems when he was with Washington last season, and it was hard to know whether he would be able to bounce back as a 34-year-old goaltender. Saskatoon native Kuemper has been excellent for the Kings, and since the calendar turned to 2025, he has a .938 save percentage in 10 games. Kuemper has 9.65 goals saved above expected this season, which ranks 10th in the NHL, a level of play that the Kings did not have much right to expect.

#18 The Washington Capitals started the season with a goaltending tandem of Charles Lindgren and Logan Thompson and that duo has helped the Capitals to the league’s best record. While there was an even split in the crease for a good portion of the season, Lindgren missed some time with injury, and it allowed Thompson to emerge as the No. 1 option between the pipes for Washington. In his past dozen starts, Thompson has a record of 11-0-1 while posting a .949 save percentage. He earned a six-year, $35.1 million contract extension, nice work for the former USports goaltender.

#19 Veteran Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson is getting a steady diet of starts in the Anaheim net, perhaps showcasing him for a potential trade. Lukas Dostal has played well, establishing himself as the Ducks’ goaltender of the future, and possibly the present, but in his past 11 appearances, Gibson has a .922 save percentage. That kind of performance should help to make Gibson more appealing to a playoff contender that is looking for an upgrade in goal and a move to a team that is more likely to win would certainly improve Gibson’s fantasy value.

#20 Dallas Stars standout defenceman Miro Heiskanen is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, suffered following an unusual hit from Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone. Heiskanen will miss the 4 Nations Face-Off, and his absence from the Stars lineup will be every bit as challenging as it will be for Team Finland to be without the rock steady blueliner. With Heiskanen out, Thomas Harley should see more time on the power play. Only three of Harley’s 23 points this season have come via the man advantage.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Team Preview

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 16:00:56 +0000

_{MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 09: Owen Tippett (74) of the Philadelphia Flyers looks on during the third period of the NHL game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Montreal Canadiens on April 9, 2024, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)}

The Flyers were surprisingly competitive for the first two-thirds of the season, compiling a 29-19-7 record through 55 games. They faded down the stretch, going 9-14-4, leaving them with 87 points (38-33-11), four points behind the Washington Capitals for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. While expectations may not have been high entering the season, the Flyers deserve credit for playing a competitive game. They ranked 14th with a Corsi of 51.3% and ninth with an expected goals percentage of 52.3%. Those five-on-five numbers look solid, so what happened? The Flyers had the worst power play in the league, scoring 4.35 goals per 60 minutes. On the other hand, Philadelphia ranked fourth in penalty killing with 5.99 goals against per 60 minutes. That neutralized the special teams battle somewhat, so the determining factor was that the Flyers had a .884 save percentage, which ranked last in the league. With Carter Hart removed from the team due to legal issues, goaltender Samuel Ersson was pressed into the starter’s role, and he ended up playing in 51 games, which was a big jump in his workload. Head coach John Tortorella was still in the middle of controversy from time to time, notably when he made captain Sean Couturier a healthy scratch for several games.

WHAT’S CHANGED? The most exciting addition for the Flyers is 2023 first-round pick Matvei Michkov, who had 19 goals and 41 points in 47 KHL games last season. He is a dynamic offensive talent that the Flyers desperately need. Michkov effectively takes the place of veteran right winger Cam Atkinson, who signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent. Otherwise, there were not a lot of big moves. They kept defenceman Erik Johnson, who was added at the trade deadline last season. Russian goaltender Ivan Fedotov appeared in three games late last season but will figure to have the backup job behind Ersson.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? Considering the Flyers did not make any big splash moves in the offseason, there might be some indication that they think internal improvement can be enough to get them over the hump. Just coming up with a league-average power play would make a huge difference, but it looks like the Flyers are aiming for the playoffs, and if they are going to get there, they will need a lot of young players to continue to develop. Beyond Michkov, that includes Morgan Frost, Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink, and Joel Farabee up front, and defencemen Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, and Egor Zamula. If those players develop properly then the season is a success. If they also find their way to the playoffs, even better.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? It seems that there is always the risk of Tortorella pushing the wrong button and having his team go south on him. The Couturier situation last season sure didn’t seem to help a team that was sinking out of playoff contention, and it would surprise exactly no one if something like that happened again this season, and it doesn’t have to be Couturier. If the main point of the season is to see progress from their young players, then the sign that the season is going wrong is if Tortorella is making young players healthy scratches to make a point rather than to help the player.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: The Flyers have a bunch of young forwards who could be candidates for breakout seasons, but defenceman Cam York is an interesting option, too. He had 30 points last season, with only six on the power play, and it appears that York has a chance to play on the Flyers’ top power play unit this season. They have to be better than they were on the power play last season and if York is the one quarterbacking the power play, he should see continued growth in his point totals.

FORWARD

Owen Tippett

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	32	27	59	0.72

Even though he’s already broken out with back-to-back 20+ goal seasons, it still feels like Owen Tippett has only scratched the surface of what he can do. Stuck in prospect purgatory with the Panthers, the trade to Philly was perfect for him because they had nothing to lose and a lot of roster spots to fill. Thus, they could feed him prime offensive minutes and his career has taken off since then. He is one of the best in the league at creating off the rush, both in terms of scoring chances and goals, and his speed can be a nightmare to deal with at times. His all-around offensive game has also started to turn the corner, improving as a playmaker and using his linemates more instead of always trying to be a one-man show. There is still a lot he can improve at; he still hasn’t quite figured out how to be a power play guy and his playing style is almost too north-south with how dependent it is off the rush. He is also an inconsistent play-driver despite how great he is at generating offence, although the Flyers volatile lineup played a role in that. The Flyers are banking on him breaking into that next level, making him part of their core going forward after signing him to a long-term extension.

Sean Couturier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	13	33	46	0.59

The Flyers will often go as far as Sean Couturier takes them, which includes the nearly two full seasons he missed. Just getting him back on the ice was a feel-good story for the Flyers and it went beyond that as his play in the first half of the season was excellent. He returned to being the workhorse, tough minute centermen that he was for most of his career and being the catalyst of the team. Always in the right spot in the defensive zone and a menace on the forecheck, it’s easy for his teammates to feed off him and it makes life so much easier for the rest of the team. It’s a reason why he was named captain in the middle of the season, a no-brainer decision. Once the All-Star Break hit, things got sour. The Flyers couldn’t keep the puck out of their own net when Couturier’s lines were on the ice and his offensive production stagnated with two goals in his last 40 games. This culminated with him being a controversial healthy scratch for a game in mid-March. Couturier proved that there is still a good player in him after all the injuries, but his second half showed that there might be limitations on what to expect from him going forward. Perhaps he isn’t the 19-20 minute a night, all-situations player he was in his prime anymore.

Travis Konecny

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	32	42	74	0.96

Watching Travis Konecny and looking at the high volume of chances he creates, it might come as a surprise that his 33 goals and 68 points last year was a career high. Part of that is him missing 10-20 games a year to injury at various points and the other is the Flyers general inability to score on the power play. At even strength, he is breaking into the league’s elite and is in some pretty good company over the last two seasons in terms of goal-scoring, outscoring names such as Nikita Kucherov and Matthew Tkachuk at five-on-five. The Flyers shift to focus more on rush offence has served him well, as this has been his bread and butter for most of his career. His speed and ability to weave through traffic in the neutral zone is something a lot of players don’t have, and his playmaking has come a long way from his earlier days in the league. He was also a menace on the Flyers aggressive penalty kill, scoring more goals shorthanded than he did on the power play. An easy player to plug anywhere in the lineup because of the skill he brings combined with the high motor he plays with. He can also score while shouldering the burden of playing heavy matchups, producing with Scott Laughton centering his line early in the year before moving to Sean Couturier’s wing. Now a centerpiece for the Flyers next stage of their rebuild, signing a seven-year contract extension over the summer. 35 goals and 70 points is a safe bet but he can blow past those numbers if the power play comes to life.

Joel Farabee

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	18	24	42	0.51

Like most of the Flyers, Farabee started the season red hot and had a rough finish. He was flirting with a point-per-game pace around January, he scored only nine points in his last 32 which included a goal-scoring slump that lasted an entire month. When looking at the overall stats, he still had a pretty good year, setting career highs in most categories and he was on the positive side of things when it came to driving play despite no real consistent linemates. Slumps are expected with a player like Farabee who scores so many of his goals by capitalizing on great passes and poaching for breakaway opportunities. He’s improved when it comes to creating his opportunities and is a good passer, but he excels more as the finisher of his line rather than someone who drives the bus. Always the second one on pucks and the high forward on the forecheck, Farabee’s game is better when he’s paired with a good forecheck or elite passer, something the Flyers had in spurts but not consistently. Farabee’s strengths with generating controlled entries at a high rate give him some play-driving ability but even those usually come from him jumping on a turnover or a loose puck rather than creating from 200 feet. Still, a very useful player to have in the middle six.

Tyson Foerster

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	21	24	45	0.58

One of the hidden gems of the Flyers new wave of forward prospects. Foerster is a big body and made a name for himself as a dark horse Calder candidate. Finishing third in rookie scoring will do that, but what caught some folks’ attention was his defensive impact. The Flyers were excellent at preventing scoring chances while he was on the ice and while it’s debatable how much of a winger can influence that, he does a lot of things that helped the cause. His forechecking prowess being the main one. He was often the first player into the zone when the Flyers had to play dump-and-chase and it’s difficult to get the puck away from him when he gets it below the goal-line. He also caught teams off-guard with how good he can be off the rush. He’s got a great shot with a heavy release and showed off some slick puck-handling moves when getting a one-on-one matchup with defenders. He also wasn’t a one-trick pony when it came to goal-scoring, scoring in a variety of ways by getting to the net, following the play off the rush and getting himself open for one-timers. This earned him a spot on the top line for most of the year, although he did get lost in the shuffle late in the season when the Flyers were struggling. He could return back to his home with Konecny and Couturier at the start of the year, depending on where rookie Matvei Michkov slots. He figures to start in the top six and can build on his 20-goal season.

Noah Cates

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	9	18	27	0.35

Receiving votes for both the Calder and the Selke in his rookie season, most of the hype fell off this year for the young center. Not that there was anything wrong with his play, he is still one of the Flyers most reliable defensive forwards and took the brunt of tough draws in the second half of the year. He just missed a good chunk of the season and didn’t get the same minutes or linemates he did his rookie year. Couturier’s return was a big reason for that, as that’s where most of his tough, defensive minutes went. Cates also got a lot of minutes with Konecny the year before and going from that to Garnet Hathaway and Ryan Poehling is a bit of a downgrade in terms of scoring upside. Offence has also never been a major part of Cates game in the NHL, although he is very good at getting to the net and is one of the few Flyers forwards who creates most of his offence on the forecheck, which is part of the reason why he is such a strong play-driver even if he doesn’t have the high-end skillset. He was used on the Flyers second power play unit for his net front ability but was removed from the rotation after returning from injury and will have to fight for those minutes this year. Although will be more of a regular fixture on their penalty kill.

Morgan Frost

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	16	38	54	0.69

Every team has a “he will be special if he ever puts it together” guy. That is Morgan Frost on the Flyers. It’s been seven years since he was drafted, and he’s had only two full seasons on the team due to injuries and spending time in the AHL. What they’ve gotten out of him so far has been okay with a pair of 40+ point seasons while showing flashes of greatness in both. There’s obvious talent when watching him play. He is arguably the team’s best player at zone entries and one of the few potential weapons they have on the power play because of that. The Flyers have a few players who are strong on entries, but it’s heavily skewed on the wings with Frost being the one center who excels there. He is very shifty and deceptive with his skating in the neutral zone, which allows the likes of Tippett and Konecny to open themselves up for more shooting opportunities. Frost is also a very good passer, although sometimes he’s a little too patient when he has the puck and scoring opportunities go to waste when he waits too long for the perfect play. Still an effective player when it comes to setting the table for his linemates. This is somewhat of a “make or break” year for him even if he’s proven himself to be a solid NHL player. The Flyers just have to decide if he is part of their future or not.

Bobby Brink

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
68	14	18	32	0.47

One of the Flyers high-upside prospects, Brink had somewhat of a rocky first season in the NHL. He showed some of the offensive talent that he was drafted for, ranking among the Flyers best players in terms of setting up shots and scoring chances at even strength. He was also the subject of some fairly blunt comments from his coach about his play when he was a healthy scratch for a game in his home state and also spent some time in the AHL before returning. Brink’s offence is hard to replace, but the rest of his game is still a work in progress. Like a lot of rookies, when the game was easy and plays were open, he could capitalize. When games got tougher and he had to hold onto pucks longer, he struggled a little. The Flyers rush-focused attack made it a little easier for him to get his feet wet and show his game-breaking skillset but struggled when the game slowed down. Similarly, he showed the ability to create his own chances individually and set up teammates. It was a different story when it came to getting himself open for shots and being a passing option on breakouts. It will take some time for him to get used to the NHL pace but showed enough promise last year to be hopeful about his future.

Scott Laughton

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	15	24	39	0.51

Scott Laughton has been with the Flyers through a multitude of general managers and coaches. The former first round pick has carved out a nice career for himself as a middle-of-the-roster player where you know what you’re getting from him every night. Last year was a strange one for him, though. He was a permanent fixture in the lineup but didn’t have the same set of wingers for more than five games and had a very concerning season when it came to driving play, giving up a lot on the defensive end. On the other hand, he remained one of the Flyers top penalty killers and was a cornerstone of their “power kill” approach where they’re always looking to poach shorthanded. Laughton didn’t just become a terrible defensive player at even strength overnight, so his drop-off there could just be a fluke rather than a sign of things to come. The only concern that it might be is that Laughton’s never showed much high-end ability or be the guy who can drive a line on his own. He’s average to above average in just about every skill but has a tremendous motor and work ethic to make up for it and that is what makes him such a coveted player among the Flyers coaching staff. With the rest of the roster not changing much, it will be interesting to see if he rebounds at five-on-five next year.

DEFENCE

Travis Sanheim

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	10	30	40	0.49

This was Sanheim’s first season as “The Guy” on the Flyers blue line. He’s always logged a lot of minutes, but this was the first time he was undisputed in the number one role with Ivan Provorov now in Columbus. He took the ball and ran with it some aspects, having a career season in terms of boxcar stats and looking more active with the puck than he has ever been. Some of that was from necessity, as the Flyers needed someone who could handle the burden on breakouts and also control the play at the blue line. This has never been Sanheim’s forte, who is normally more of a support guy, but he had to take on more of a burden here this year. Results were mixed. Sanheim could handle the increase in puck touches and ice time. He’s a smooth-skating defenceman with great acceleration, so the puck-moving role suits him well. He even saw some major improvements with his own work on breakouts, always being more of a “glass and out” guy before last year when he started to make more plays out of the zone. The Flyers shift to more of a team that attacks in transition also plays to his strengths, as he can be very effective as the support guy joining the rush or even leading it. Sanheim could handle the extra minutes and responsibility, the burden of being the only proven veteran top four guy on the Flyers blue line is what eventually caught up to him by the end of the year. Cam York and Jamie Drysdale were given most of the power play time by the end of the season. That will keep a cap on his offensive upside.

Cam York

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	10	31	41	0.50

The Flyers wanted their young defenceman to sink or swim in what was essentially his first full season in the NHL. It made sense because they had high hopes for York and needed someone who could play alongside Sanheim on the top pair. York showed he had the endurance to do so and while they got off to a rough start, they eventually became a decent, stabilizing top-pair for the Flyers. York had his share of highlight reel plays, always looking to pinch down from that left wall to look for a seam pass or jump up in the play to start a give-and-go. He’s an effortless skater and a great complement for Sanheim on the as someone who can wheel the puck out of trouble. The offence hasn’t quite come around to where he’s a high-end player, but it’s enough to make him a threat whenever he is up in the play. His best asset on the top pair is how good he is at turning pucks over and killing other team’s rushes. It negates some of the defensive burden his pair has to take on and makes it easier for him to play his own game. He was given a very demanding, high-minute role and gave the Flyers passable results while showing signs that there is another level to his game. A role on the first power play is his to lose, and there is competition, but should be able to reach 40 points as his next step.

Rasmus Ristolainen

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	2	10	12	0.17

Brad Shaw is known as one of the league’s better assistant coaches and the work he did with Ristolainen might have been his biggest accomplishment. For his entire career, Ristolainen was a player with all the tools but no toolbox. A big, powerful skating defenceman who could put up points on the power play, deliver big hits but be a liability at five-on-five. He would chase hits, play too aggressively, make careless mistakes in coverage and turned the puck over countless times. Since Tortorella’s staff arrived in Philly, Ristolainen’s game has been cleaned up. He has a more defined role in the defensive zone, and they’ve modeled his game to be someone who takes hits to make plays in the defensive zone. Sometimes that means simply clearing the puck out, but the Flyers breakouts have a lot of support for him to make a quick play without having to think much. The other big thing was reducing his minutes from the low 20’s to the 17–18-minute range, which is where he is more properly slotted. It helped Ristolainen’s game, but it has also created a hole in the Flyers top-four that they have yet to fill.

Jamie Drysdale

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	7	27	34	0.47

The young defenceman is still a work in progress, if only because he’s only played one full season with the other three being interrupted by major injuries. The young man has already had two shoulder surgeries and suffered another injury there shortly after getting traded to the Flyers in January. He is an exciting player to watch when he is on. A dynamic skating defenceman who loves to rush the puck up the ice and walk the tight rope along the blue line to create his chances. It hasn’t resulted in anything tangible just yet, but it’s hard to make a judgment on him right now with so much of his career spent rehabbing injuries. However, that also means he doesn’t have a lot of game reps. He has an unorthodox style of defending the rush where he prefers to attack the puck carrier from an angle rather than squaring up and it’s been somewhat of a detriment to his overall game. He’s not strong enough on his stick to disrupt rushes against NHL forwards and sometimes it takes real game reps to figure out what works at this level. With spots 3-6 being an open competition for the Flyers, Drysdale should get a chance to prove he can stick provided he stays healthy, which has been his problem more than anything else.

GOAL

Samuel Ersson

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
44	18	22	4	2	0.901	2.92

Ivan Fedotov

Fewer teams have been dealt worse hands in net than the Philadelphia Flyers. That’s why there’s a well-above-average level of hope being placed upon the shoulders of newcomer Ivan Fedotov; in the wake of former starter Carter Hart’s departure from the team, the Flyers have suffered from a gaping void of consistency in net for a team that desperately needs even league-average numbers.

Fedotov looked technically elite during his tenure in Russia, but a delayed arrival in North America - complete with a stint in detainment by the Russian government for alleged military evasion - left his North American debut looking a little lackluster this past spring. He’ll aim to regain his structure and positioning behind a Flyers lineup that has been scrambling to finally hit their stride again. It’s not exactly a pressure-free environment for the newcomer, and things might be even more strained for fellow tandem partner Samuel Ersson. Ersson’s surprise promotion to team starter last season went about as poorly as it could have; the Swedish netminder struggled to recover from bad bounces and seemed to lag on reads during cross-ice movement by his opponents, leaving exploitable holes and a fairly abysmal stat line to end the year. The good news is that things can only go up for him - but if they don’t, the Flyers might need to seek additional help outside the organization to shore up their crease moving forward.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Lafreniere, Doan, Garland, Joshua, Zellweger, Cirelli, Mantha plus much, much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 16:10:31 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 22: New York Rangers left wing Alexis Lafreniere (13) skates with the puck during a game between the against the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils on February 22, 2024 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, with the NHL season winding down and fantasy titles on the line, a look at Alexis Lafreniere, Josh Doan, Conor Garland, Olen Zellweger, Anthony Cirelli and much, much more!

#1 There are challenges that come with being the first overall pick in the Draft and one of those is that if a player is not immediately successful, like Auston Matthews or Connor McDavid, there is a rush to describe the player as a bust and worry about what that player could possibly become. Throughout his first three seasons, Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere was a middle six winger who could score a bit, but not nearly enough to warrant being the first pick overall in 2020. In his fourth season, the 22-year-old has emerged as the kind of player who may not be Matthews or McDavid, but at least has the production to warrant a first-line role. He has 15 points (8 G, 7 A) and 31 shots on goal in his past 11 games and Lafreniere has scored 24 of his 26 goals at even strength. His 24 even-strength goals is tied with Dallas Stars centre Wyatt Johnston for 17th and puts Lafreniere ahead of the likes of Kirill Kaprizov, Sebastian Aho, J.T. Miller, Elias Petttersson, Sam Reinhart, Leon Draisaitl, and McDavid.

#2 It is something out of a fairytale – maybe an obscure fairytale, but a fairytale nonetheless – for the son of a franchise legend to grow up in Arizona, play college hockey at Arizona State and then land in the NHL with the Coyotes. Josh Doan has also contributed five points (2 G, 3 A) and 12 shots on goal in his first four games, which might make him worth a flier if you need instant offence at this late stage of the season. His shot rate is intriguing and while Doan does not have the same physical presence as his father Shane, the younger Doan did have 46 points (26 G, 20 A) in 62 AHL games to earn his late season promotion to The Show.

#3 Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland has been a quality contributor in a supporting role, especially late in the season. In his past dozen games, Garland has chipped in 11 points (4 G, 7 A) with 34 shots on goal. He has hit 40 points for a third consecutive season in Vancouver, though his ice time has dropped to 14:19 per game, his lowest average time on ice since 2019-2020. In addition to his place on Vancouver’s top power play unit, Garland is skating on the Canucks’ second line, with J.T. Miller and Dakota Joshua. While Miller has obvious fantasy appeal, after years of high-level production, Joshua is showing that he can be more than a depth forward. He has missed time due to injury, but Joshua does have five points (3 G, 2 A) while playing more than 16 minutes per game in his past five games.

#4 The Anaheim Ducks have a strong crop of young defencemen in the organization and they are giving 20-year-old Olen Zellweger a good look down the stretch. He has contributed five points (1 G, 4 A) in his past six games, scoring his first NHL goal in the process. This is the start of what should be a productive career. Zellweger had 37 points (12 G, 25 A) in 44 AHL games, a monster of a first pro season, to earn his shot with the Ducks.

#5 Although he is known more for his defensive acumen, Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli can contribute offensively, too. It certainly helps that he has Steven Stamkos and Brandon Hagel on his wings. Cirelli has seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 12 shots on goal in his past six games, giving him 43 points on the season, one off his career high, set in 2019-2020.

#6 After he was acquired from the Washington Capitals, towering winger Anthony Mantha managed a single point, a goal, with eight shots on goal in his first seven games for the Vegas Golden Knights. He has found his footing since that slow start, however, putting up seven points (1 G, 6 A) with 11 shots on goal in the past six games. Mantha fulfills a supporting role in Vegas, skating on a line with William Karlsson and Pavel Dorofeyev.

#7 When the Calgary Flames acquired winger Andrei Kuzmenko from the Vancouver Canucks earlier in the season, the hope was that the Flames could get Kuzmenko back to the form that saw him score 39 goals as a rookie last season. It has not been the smoothest process. He had eight points (5 G, 3 A) in his first 12 games for the Flames, followed by a six-game drought with zero points. He has seen his ice time tick up recently, skating on a line with Nazem Kadri and rookie Martin Pospisil, and has six points (2 G, 4 A) in his past three games.

#8 A valuable piayer in Vegas’ Stanley Cup run last season, Ivan Barbashev has had some ups and downs during this regular season. He does seem to be heating up, though, with six points (4 G, 2 A) in his past six games. He is one of 21 forwards to record at least 160 hits in each of the past two seasons and, of those 21, is one of just four to have produced more than 40 points in each of the past two seasons. Along with Barashev, that group includes Brady Tkachuk, J.T. Miller, and Vincent Trocheck.

#9 It has been a tale of two seasons for New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier, who had just 18 points (9 G, 9 A) with 98 shots on goal in 34 games going into the All-Star break. Since then, Meier has racked up 30 points (16 G, 14 A) with 90 shots on goal in 29 games. Despite his slow start it is the third straight season in which Meier has tallied at least 25 goals.

#10 Injuries have limited Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen to just 14 starts this season, but he has 11 wins and a .927 save percentage in those games. Among goaltenders to appear in at least 10 games, the only one with a higher save percentage is Colorado’s Justus Annunen (.930).

#11 The assists may be few and far between, but in his past 16 games, Anaheim Ducks left winger Alex Killorn has buried nine goals (with one assist). This has not been a banner season for Killorn, who has 33 points (17 G, 16 A) in 57 games in his first campaign with the Ducks. He is skating with rookie Leo Carlsson and veteran winger Troy Terry, giving him a good chance to finish the season on the right note.

#12 Arizona Coyotes rookie Logan Cooley has had a strong rookie season, albeit in relative obscurity. With nine points (6 G, 3 A) and 17 shots on goal in his past nine games, including his first hat trick, Cooley now ranks second among rookie forwards with 39 points (17 G, 22 A), leaving him behind only Connor Bedard. Cooley is skating on a line with Lawson Crouse and Dylan Guenther.

#13 While Cooley is the second highest scoring rookie forward, the second highest scoring rookie overall is New Jersey Devils defenceman Luke Hughes. He has 10 points (1 G, 9 A) and 26 shots on goal in his past eight games to give him 43 points (9 G, 34 A) in 76 games. In the past decade, the list of rookie defencemen to have more than 43 points is: Moritz Seider, Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar, Rasmus Dahlin, Will Butcher, Zach Werenski, and Shayne Gostisbehere. Aside from Butcher, that is rather strong company that Hughes is keeping.

#14 There may be a correlation between Fabian Zetterlund playing more than 18 minutes per game and the San Jose Sharks getting buried on a nightly basis, but the 24-year-old winger is establishing his credentials as an NHL player. Over the past month, he has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) with 42 shots on goal in 15 games. He is skating on San Jose’s top line with Klim Kostin and Mikael Granlund. Zetterlund isn’t the only Sharks player getting plenty of reps for his development this season. William Eklund, the seventh pick in the 2021 Draft, has similarly averaged more than 18 minutes per game and is finishing with a flourish, contributing seven points (2 G, 5 A) in his past seven games.

#15 If fantasy managers need a late scoring boost, perhaps Winnipeg Jets right winger Gabriel Vilardi is a player to target. He didn’t produce any points in his first two games back in the lineup following a month-long absence due to an upper-body injury then an enlarged spleen, but then he erupted for a hat trick, with nine shots on goal, in Thursday’s win over Calgary. The 24-year-old has produced 33 points (19 G, 14 A) in 41 games in his first season for the Jets and while the injuries seem to be part of the package, there is no denying his ability to contribute when he is in the lineup.

#16 Buffalo Sabres left winger Jeff Skinner reached the 1,000-game milestone for his career, a tremendous accomplishment. He is also fading late in the season. Since scoring a hat trick in Seattle on March 18, Skinner has zero points and 15 shots on goal in seven games. He is playing 13 minutes per game and is currently skating on a line with Peyton Krebs and Lukas Rousek, which is not exactly the same as riding shotgun with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch. This is the tenth season in which Skinner has scored at least 20 goals, and he has 357 goals in his career, but he may be one to avoid in the final few weeks of this campaign.

#17 While there has been plenty of focus in Philadelphia on the declining production, and healthy scratches, of captain Sean Couturier, who has just one assist and 18 shots on goal in his past 15 games, he is not the only Flyers forward whose offensive well has run dry. Joel Farabee has a career-high 21 goals and 49 points this season but has zero points in his past six games and has been dropped to the fourth line.

#18 Since the March 8 trade deadline, the leading scorer in terms of points per 60 minutes of five-on-five play is Mark Jankowski of the Nashville Predators, who has 11 points (5 G, 6 A) with 21 shots on goal in his past 11 games. Jankowski spent most of the season in the American Hockey League, where the 29-year-old put up 47 points (15 G, 32 A) in 40 games for Milwaukee, earning another look in the NHL. Jankowski’s 14 points in 26 games for the Predators is his most in an NHL season since 2018-2019. The rest of the five-on-five points per 60 leaders since the trade deadline (minimum 50 minutes): Josh Doan (4.52), Pavel Zacha (4.47), Auston Matthews (4.41), David Pastrnak (4.33), Connor McDavid (4.18), Artemi Panarin (4.07), John Tavares (3.91), Mattias Ekholm (3.91), and Nikita Kucherov (3.88). That is a fascinating mix of Hart Trophy candidates along with a rookie, Doan, and complementary players like Zacha, Ekholm, and Tavares.

#19 The most productive lines during five-on-five play this season (minimum 100 minutes), per Evolving Hockey: Owen Tippett-Morgan Frost-Travis Konecny (7.36 GF/60), Alex DeBrincat-Dylan Larkin-Patrick Kane (6.14), Danton Heinen-Pavel Zacha-David Pastrnak (6.06), J.T. Miller-Elias Pettersson-Brock Boeser (5.72), Zach Hyman-Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl (5.50), Warren Foegele-Leon Draisaitil-Ryan McLeod (5.27), Nikolaj Ehlers-Mark Scheifele-Gabriel Vilardi (5.04), Jason Robertson-Roope Hintz-Wyatt Johnston (4.95), J.J. Peterka-Dylan Cozens-Jack Quinn (4.91), and Jonathan Marchessault-Nicolas Roy-Ivan Barbashev (4.89). While there are some names that one might expect in that group, there are plenty of others there that are not exactly prime fantasy hockey draft picks, so offense can come from many places, especially in short spurts if a line is only together for a few weeks.

#20 Also per Evolving Hockey, here are the leaders in individual expected goals during five-on-four play (minimum 50 minutes), essentially, who is being put in position to score on the power play? Joel Eriksson Ek (4.35), Zach Hyman (4.10), John Tavares (3.97), Kyle Palmieri (3.76), Chris Kreider (3.69), Barrett Hayton (3.67), Gabriel Vilardi (3.46), Matthew Tkachuk (3.42), Sam Reinhart (3.38), and Shine Pinto (3.30). Columbus’ Alexander Nylander has only played 36 minutes at five-on-four, but has 4.50 ixG in that time, so he is getting great opportunities to score and while he has 10 goals in 18 games for Columbus, only two of those goals have been on the power play.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Sean Monahan moves to Winnipeg, Troy Terry is streaking, Jonathan Quick is earning more playing time, Nazem Kadri is leading the way for Calgary, Dylan Cozens is starting to heat up in Buffalo, and much, much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:21:44 +0000

Troy Terry (61) (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire),

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

This week, Sean Monahan moves to Winnipeg, Troy Terry is streaking, Jonathan Quick is earning more playing time, Nazem Kadri is leading the way for Calgary, Dylan Cozens is starting to heat up in Buffalo, and much, much more!

#1 The Winnipeg Jets dipped into the trade market to acquire centre Sean Monahan from the Montreal Canadiens. Monahan, healthy after years of having hip problems, has been enjoying a renaissance. He had put up 11 points (2 G, 9 A) in his last seven games with Montreal and while he has not recorded a point in his first two games with the Jets, Monahan does have six shots on goal and seems like he should be a reasonable option as the No. 2 centre in Winnipeg.

#2 With Monahan departing, Montreal is in dire straits down the middle of the ice behind captain Nick Suzuki. With Christian Dvorak and Kirby Dach out for the season and Alex Newhook still recovering from injury, Montreal has Jake Evans slotted into the second line centre spot, with AHL call-ups Brandon Gignac and Lucas Condotta filling out the bottom half of the centre depth chart. Evans has 14 points (2 G, 12 A) in 50 games, which is not exactly prime offensive production from a player who is already averaging a career high 15:45 of ice time per game.

#3 Anaheim Ducks right winger Troy Terry started slowly this season, scoring 13 points in his first 24 games, and that included a four-point game against Arizona on November 1. He has since picked up the pace and goes into Friday’s action riding a six-game point streak during which he has produced 10 points (4 G, 6 A) and 19 shots on goal. That’s a small sample, but the shot rate is encouraging. Terry averaged a career high 2.69 shots on goal per game last season and is sitting on 2.51 shots per game this season, so lifting his average up over three per game counts as progress and makes his production more sustainable.

#4 A bizarre goaltending season continues to wreak havoc for fantasy hockey managers. With Igor Shesterkin slumping, to the tune of a .863 save percentage in 10 games since the calendar flipped to 2024, the Rangers are now giving more starts to Jonathan Quick. For all of his career accolades, Quick is now 38 years old and had worse than average results in four of the previous five seasons. This season, he has a .919 save percentage and a 12-4-2 record in 19 appearances. With Shesterkin slumping, Quick is shockingly taking on a bigger role for the Blueshirts.

#5 While the season appears to be headed south for the Calgary Flames as a team, centre Nazem Kadri has picked up his production after a relatively slow start to the campaign. In his past 20 games, Kadri has 21 points (8 G, 13 A) and 67 shots on goal and with Elias Lindholm traded, Kadri becomes even more important as Calgary’s No. 1 centre.

#6 Following a breakthrough 2022-2023 season, Buffalo Sabres centre Dylan Cozens has not been as productive this season. However, with nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 23 shots on goal in his past eight games, Cozens is starting to look more like the rising star that he was a year ago. He is getting first unit power play time right now but has just five power play points this season, so that could be an area to increase potential point production.

#7 The goals are not coming as easily for Washington this season, but centre Dylan Strome remains a viable fantasy hockey option, at least for consideration in deeper leagues. Since December 30, he has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) and 34 shots on goal in 16 games. With Evgeny Kuznetsov in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, Strome is the most established scoring centre on the Capitals roster by a healthy margin and is naturally centering the top line between Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson.

#8 In his past 20 games, Philadelphia Flyers winger Joel Farabee has put up 21 points (6 G, 15 A) while registering 53 shots on goal. Skating on a line with Morgan Frost and Travis Konecny, in addition getting first unit power play time, is working for Farabee, who ranks 25th in the league with 35 even strength points. Farabee’s even strength production has been outstanding, but if he can become a factor on the power play, he could push towards a point per game scoring pace.

#9 Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Mikhail Sergachev suffered a broken leg in Wednesday’s loss at the New York Rangers, in his first game back after missing 17. Sergachev’s absence does open the door for Darren Raddysh to remain in a more significant role on the Lightning blueline. Raddysh has contributed eight points (4 G, 4 A) with 19 shots on goal in his past 12 games. He has played nearly 21 minutes per game over his past 20 games, the 27-year-old making himself a fixture on the Lightning blueline in his first full NHL season.

#10 While he could stand to put more pucks on net, Detroit Red Wings winger Lucas Raymond has contributed 15 points (3 G, 12 A) in his past 15 games, despite managing a modest 18 shots on goal. He is reaping the rewards of a high on-ice shooting percentage, 11.1 percent, and that is likely unsustainable, though riding with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin on Detroit’s top line should help to keep Raymond’s percentages at least above average.

#11 With Jack Eichel still out of the lineup for the Vegas Golden Knights, they can be thankful that other centres have stepped up to fill the void. Chandler Stephenson has contributed 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 22 shots on goal in the past 10 games and Nicolas Roy has 13 points (3 G, 10 A) in his past nine games. Since January 1, Roy is averaging 4.05 points per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, which is the best rate in the entire league for players that have played at least 100 five-on-five minutes. In Stephenson’s case, this re-emergence has come following a stretch during which he managed just two points (1 G, 1 A) in 12 games.

#12 Seattle Kraken right winger Jordan Eberle has had trouble getting on track this season but is making progress lately. In his past seven games, Eberle has put up nine points (4 G, 5 A) with 14 shots on goal. He is skating on a line with Tomas Tatar and Jared McCann and they have had some success. McCann has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) and 26 shots on goal in his past 10 games, while Tatar has four points (2 G, 2 A) in his past five games.

#13 In his second full season with the Buffalo Sabres, winger JJ Peterka has been the leading goal scorer for the team, which is a credit to Peterka, who has 18 goals after scoring seven points (5 G, 2 A) with 21 shots on goal in his past six games, but it’s also something of an indictment of more established scorers like Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson, and Alex Tuch, who have not produced to the levels that they have in previous seasons. Peterka is skating on a line with Dylan Cozens and rookie winger Zach Benson, a trio full of potential and a group that should get plenty of ice time for the rest of the season.

#14 There is not a lot to bring excitement to the San Jose Sharks’ season and it is rare to bring forth Sharks players for potential fantasy value. With that disclaimer out of the way, managers in deep leagues should keep tabs on William Eklund, the 21-year-old who was the seventh pick in the 2021 Draft. Eklund has six points (1 G, 5 A) in his past five games and is getting some reps at centre. He is also getting significant ice time, including first unit power play time, playing more than 20 minutes in four of his past seven contests.

#15 It has been a challenging season in Columbus, too. Johnny Gaudreau leads the Blue Jackets with just 32 points in 50 games. Patrik Laine is in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, and star rookie Adam Fantilli is out for two months with a lacerated calf. One bright spot has been the development of Yegor Chinakhov, the 23-year-old winger who was a surprise first-round pick in 2020. Chinakhov has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 19 shots on goal in his past seven games and is up to 14 goals on the season. Like Eklund, Chinakhov is more of a concern for those in deep or dynasty leagues.

#16 There are few players that are worthy of fantasy consideration that play as little as Detroit Red Wings right winger Daniel Sprong. He was one of the most efficient players in the league with Seattle last season, scoring 46 points (21 G, 25 A) in 66 games while playing just 11:25 per game. When he signed with Detroit, the expectation was that Sprong would see a bump in ice time but, for the most part that hasn’t materialized. Even so, he has put up 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 38 shots on goal in his past 13 games, while playing just 11:46 per game, since the calendar flipped to 2024.

#17 A defenceman who scored a career-high 20 points as a rookie in 2017-2018, Jan Rutta is suddenly contributing offensively for the San Jose Sharks. Not only does Rutta have six points (3 G, 3 A) in the past six games, but he is averaging 22:45 of ice time per game over that stretch. This is a more significant role for the veteran defender, but it’s also for a terrible team and he does not have a significant role on the power play, so maybe don’t rush to the waiver wire immediately, just consider him as a potential short-term option if injuries hit your blueline.

#18 The Jordan Binnington experience can be a bit of a roller coaster, with ups and downs, thrills, and spills, but when he is on, the St. Louis Blues netminder can be a difference maker. In 10 games since the Christmas break, for example, Binnington has a 6-3-1 record with a .928 save percentage. That will play in any league and makes Binnington a much more appealing fantasy option.

#19 Although it is difficult for any goaltender to put up great numbers in San Jose, Mackenzie Blackwood is doing his level best. In nine games since the Christmas break, the 27-year-old netminder has a 4-3-1 record with a .923 save percentage. It would be only the deepest of leagues that could justify taking a Sharks goaltender, but Blackwood is at least making himself a viable fantasy option and the way that goaltending has fluctuated throughout the league this season, it’s always worth considering one that is on a good run.

#20 Among players to play at least 150 minutes in all situations since January 1, the leaders for individual expected goals per 60 minutes are: Zach Hyman (2.64), Dmitri Voronkov (1.91), T.J. Oshie (1.89), Matthew Tkachuk (1.83), Chris Kreider (1.79), Kyle Palmieri (1.77), Yanni Gourde (1.71), John Tavares (1.64), David Pastrnak (1.62), and Joe Pavelski (1.62). A few things stand out. First, is that Hyman is getting way more chances than anyone else in the league but players like Voronkov, Oshie, Palmieri, and Gourde are all available in quite a few leagues. Fantasy hockey rewards actual goals rather than expected goals, but the process of generating expected goals should have a payoff with real goals at some point, too.

DADOUN: THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD (January 1st, 2024 to January 6th) – The Penguins complicated Guentzel situation – Flames, Hawks, Rangers, Flyers, Leafs, Canucks, Capitals, Jets to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 16:05:17 +0000

Pittsburgh Penguins Left Wing Jake Guentzel (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire)

The Penguins are a weird team. In their last five games, they’ve earned a 7-0 victory and suffered a 7-0 defeat. They have the seventh best xGoals Differential/60 at 0.33 and their actual differential is nothing to scoff at either at plus-10 goals, but they’re currently sitting outside of a playoff spot with a 16-13-4 record. No other team has a double-digit differential in the positives without being in a position to make the postseason.

That 7-0 loss aside, the Penguins’ main issue is holding it together when things are close. Pittsburgh is just 5-5-4 in one-goal games and 4-5 in contests decided by two goals. To put that into perspective, Washington, which has a three-point lead on Pittsburgh in the standings despite a minus-13 goal differential, is 10-1-5 in one-goal games.

So, have the Penguins just been unlucky or do they lack that extra something that allows certain teams to perform in clutch situations? The latter would be particularly troubling given that Pittsburgh has been set up for one last playoff push before age catches up to Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

Complicating this conversation is Jake Guentzel’s contract situation. He’s playing out the final season of his team-friendly five-year, $30 million contract. The 29-year-old, who has surpassed each of the 35-goal and 70-point milestones three times and might do so again this campaign is in line for a big payday. At the same time, I have to wonder if there’s a bit of hesitation on Guentzel’s part to re-sign with Pittsburgh.

If Pittsburgh is struggling to even make the playoffs now when their aged core is still relatively effective, what will the situation be like in a couple of years? Most likely, by that point, the Penguins will be paying the toll for the win-now moves they’ve made. If Guentzel signs an eight-year deal with Pittsburgh, a lot of that time might be as a member of a rebuilding squad. Is that a problem for him? I don’t know, but it’s a potential wrinkle.

Either way, all isn’t lost for the Penguins in the short term. We’ve seen signs that this team still has life. They just need to be able to find that little extra they too often lack.

Calgary Flames – TUE @ MIN, THU @ NSH, SAT@ PHI, SUN @ CHI (BTB)

The Flames will be on the road next week, but they do have a packed schedule with games in Minnesota on Tuesday, Nashville on Thursday, Philadelphia on Saturday and Chicago on Sunday. None of those adversaries have been especially good this year, though the Wild are one to watch out for after winning 11 of their last 14, bringing them up to 16-13-4.

As a team, Calgary can’t claim to be nearly as hot as Minnesota, but the Flames have seen some superb individual performances recently. Yegor Sharangovich is chief among them, supplying six goals and 11 points over his last 10 contests. He got off to such a slow start this year with two goals and five points through 16 games, but that’s in no small part because he was averaging just 13:42 of ice time, including 0:39 on the power play. By contrast, he’s averaged 20:00 over his last 10 appearances, including 3:23 with the man advantage. If he maintains his present role, which seems probable, then it’s reasonable to pencil the 25-year-old in for 30-40 points over Calgary’s final 47 contests.

Blake Coleman is another player taking advantage of an increased role, though to a lesser degree. He had two goals and three points through 11 games while averaging 15:02 of ice time -- almost none of that on the power play. He’s ballooned to 17:23 per game over his last 10 outings and has rewarded Calgary by contributing six goals and 11 points over that stretch. What’s most encouraging is the Flames have experimented with using him on the power play recently -- he's averaged 2:31 with the man advantage over the past six games -- and while that’s only resulted in one point (a goal) thus far, that position does increase his upside.

Unfortunately for the Flames, things are getting progressively worse for their most expensive player. Jonathan Huberdeau was a massive disappointment last year when he dropped from 115 points to 55, and he’s on pace to do even worse in 2023-24 with just four goals and 15 points through 34 contests. Huberdeau is marred in a 12-game scoring drought. If there’s any silver lining, it’s that he’s still serving in a top-six role, so the 30-year-old is at least being put in a position to rebound. Whether he’ll take advantage of it remains to be seen, but it’s getting increasingly difficult to remain optimistic.

Chicago Blackhawks – TUE @ NSH, THU @ NYR, FRI @ NJD (BTB), SUN VS CGY

The Blackhawks will start the week with road games against the Predators on Tuesday, the Rangers on Thursday and the Devils on Friday before hosting the Flames on Sunday. It’s not an easy schedule but having a full four-game schedule is handy, so it’s worth highlighting the Blackhawks.

In particular, it’s worth keeping Petr Mrazek in mind if you’re looking for starts. With an 8-11-0 record, 3.09 GAA and .907 save percentage in 21 contests, he hasn’t exactly wowed this year, but Mrazek has been quietly effective lately, posting a 2.21 GAA and a .933 save percentage over his last eight appearances. With Arvid Soderblom struggling (0-5-1, 4.71 GAA and .848 save percentage over his past six outings), Mrazek is likely to start in three of the four games next week.

Philipp Kurashev will also be looking to stay hot after supplying a goal and six points over his last seven appearances, including three helpers over his past two games. It helps that he’s playing alongside Connor Bedard, who has factored into 10 of Kurashev’s last 11 points.

Speaking of Bedard, he’s on a five-game scoring streak in which he’s collected three goals and eight points. That gives the 18-year-old rookie 13 goals and 30 points through 33 outings.

New York Rangers – TUE VS CAR, THU VS CHI, SAT @ MTL

The Rangers have just three contests next week, but they’re winnable games. They’ll start by hosting Carolina on Tuesday and Chicago on Thursday before playing in Montreal on Saturday. The Hurricanes are in a playoff spot, but the Rangers’ other adversaries aren’t.

It’ll give Mika Zibanejad to extend his amazing run. He’s recorded at least a point in eight straight games and 16 of his last 17 outings. He had a slump from Nov. 2-20 in which he was limited to an assist over seven outings, but from Nov. 22 onward, Zibanejad ranks fourth in the league with 25 points (11 goals) over 17 appearances.

Of course, the Rangers expected Zibanejad to respond going into the campaign, but what they were going to get out of the 37-year-old Blake Wheeler was less certain. After inking a one-year, $1.1 million deal over the summer following his buyout, Wheeler was initially a nonfactor, collecting just two goals and six points through 26 contests this season. Something’s clicked recently, though, allowing him to supply three goals and eight points over his last seven outings.

New York’s schedule is spread out enough that Igor Shesterkin might start in all three games, but Jonathan Quick has been seeing action around once every three contests, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the Rangers use him during this stretch. Keep an eye out for that because Quick’s been a fantastic backup this year with a 9-1-1 record, 2.27 GAA and .920 save percentage in 12 outings.

Philadelphia Flyers – TUE @ EDM, THU VS CBJ, SAT VS CGY

The Flyers will start the week with a challenging matchup in Edmonton on Tuesday, but then they have a pair of home games against the 11-18-7 Blue Jackets on Thursday and the 14-16-5 Flames on Saturday.

Those latter two contests should help Joel Farabee in his quest to surpass his career high of 39 points, which he set last year. The 23-year-old has made huge strides in 2023-24 with 12 goals and 24 points in 34 outings. He’s been particularly effective lately, providing a goal and four points over his past two outings.

Farabee’s linemate, Bobby Brink, is on a bit of a roll too, recording a point in each of his last three contests. The 22-year-old rookie is up to six goals and 17 points in 29 appearances. It’s not enough to put him in the conversation for the Calder Trophy, but it’s a solid start to what could be a good career. His playing time is somewhat modest at 14:50 per contest, which limits his production, but Brink is at least worth considering as a short-term pickup while he’s hot.

Owen Tippett isn’t getting a ton of playing time either -- just 15:15 per game -- but he has made the most of what he’s been given with 12 goals and 21 points through 33 outings. The 24-year-old has been especially productive recently, supplying at least a point in four straight outings and six of his last eight appearances.

Toronto Maple Leafs – TUE @ LAK, WED @ ANA (BTB), SAT @ SJS

The Maple Leafs will play in Los Angeles on Tuesday and Anaheim on Wednesday before hosting the Sharks on Saturday. While the Kings are a top-tier team, the Ducks and the Sharks sit in the NHL’s basement and rank 22nd and 32nd, respectively, in terms of goals allowed per game.

It’ll be an opportunity for Auston Matthews to pad his numbers. The superstar forward has 28 goals in 30 contests, including a stunning 14 tallies over his last 10 appearances. William Nylander can’t match Matthews in terms of goals, but he’s still having an amazing campaign in his own right with 16 markers and 45 points through 31 contests. Nylander is riding a 12-game scoring streak during which he’s provided four goals and 19 points -- and that’s on top of his season-opening 17-game point streak.

The rest of the Maple Leafs haven’t been nearly as impressive recently, though of course Mitchell Marner and John Tavares are still star forwards. Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi and Matthew Knies have their moments too. That trio of supporting forwards hasn’t been nearly as consistent as Toronto might like, but against competition like Anaheim and San Jose, any one of them is capable of excelling.

Vancouver Canucks – TUE VS OTT, THU @ STL, SAT @ NJD

Vancouver leads the league with 3.78 goals per game and its offense is likely to keep rolling given the state of its upcoming competition. The Canucks will host the Senators (28th defensively with 3.50 goals allowed per game) on Tuesday, play in St. Louis (19th, 3.26) on Thursday and conclude the week with a contest in New Jersey (29th, 3.55) on Saturday.

It might be a good time to pick up Teddy Blueger if he’s still available. That’s a sentence that hasn’t been written much over the course of the 29-year-old’s career -- after all, his career high in points stands at just 28 -- but he’s riding a seven-game point streak in which he’s supplied three goals and nine points.

Dakota Joshua is another middle-six forward who has caught fire with five goals and eight points over his last seven outings. Don’t expect him to keep this up -- the 27-year-old had just 23 points in 79 appearances last season -- but he’s a nice short-term option while he’s hot and Vancouver’s opponents feature leaky goaltending.

Of course, there are also the usual suspects too. Defenseman Quinn Hughes is having an amazing campaign with 10 goals and 45 points in 36 contests and is likely to take full advantage of the Canucks’ favorable upcoming schedule.

Washington Capitals – TUE @ PIT, WED VS NJD (BTB), FRI VS CAR, SUN VS LAK

The Capitals will start the week by visiting their main rival in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. From there, Washington will host the Devils on Wednesday, the Hurricanes on Friday, and the Kings on Sunday.

Washington has struggled offensively this year, averaging only 2.34 goals per game, and the Capitals have scored three or fewer goals in each of their last seven contests, so things don’t seem to be getting any better. Aliaksei Protas is one of the few forwards doing well recently. He’s on a four-game scoring streak and has six helpers over his last seven outings.

Anthony Mantha is also surging with four goals over his last three outings. That’s pushed him up to 10 markers through 32 contests, making him the third Capitals player to reach double digits in goals this year.

Charlie Lindgren and Darcy Kuemper might evenly split next week’s four-game set. Kuemper has been a mixed bag this campaign, but Lindgren has excelled with a 2.29 GAA and a .928 save percentage in 14 contests. He’s allowed just three goals on 56 shots (.946 save percentage) over his last two starts.

Winnipeg Jets – TUE VS TBL, THU @ SJS, FRI @ ANA, SUN @ ARI

The Jets have a full schedule of four games next week, though all those contests will be on the road. They’ll face the Lightning on Tuesday, the Sharks on Thursday, the Ducks on Friday and the Coyotes on Sunday. That set between San Jose and Anaheim in particular should be good for the Jets.

Winnipeg is still without Kyle Connor, who hasn’t played since Dec. 10 because of a knee injury. What partially compensates for that is that the Jets got Gabriel Vilardi back from a knee injury Nov. 30. It took him a few games to shake off the rust, but he has seven goals and 13 points over his last eight contests.

Nikolaj Ehlers has also stepped up during Connor’s absence. He averaged 15:47 of ice time before Connor’s injury and in the seven games Winnipeg has been without the star forward, Ehlers has supplied four goals and 10 points while logging 18:21 per contest.

Laurent Brossoit will probably start against either Anaheim or San Jose during that back-to-back set, so the Jets’ backup goaltender is slated to have a favorable matchup. Brossoit’s done well this year with a 2.49 GAA and a .911 save percentage in eight contests.