Marco Rossi – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Fantasy playoffs are upon us, the Blackhawks bring in another top prospect, Marco Rossi, Anthony Cirelli, and Quinton Byfield are producing in the middle of the ice as Troy Terry and Zach Benson are working the wings.

Scott Cullen — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:27:53 +0000

VANCOUVER, BC - MARCH 24: Vancouver Canucks center Marco Rossi (93) vies for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. (Photo by Ethan Cairns/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, as fantasy playoffs are upon us, the Blackhawks bring in another top prospect, Marco Rossi, Anthony Cirelli, and Quinton Byfield are producing in the middle of the ice as Troy Terry and Zach Benson are working the wings.

#1 While it has been another tough season for the Chicago Blackhawks, they are getting a nice boost late in the season with the arrival of Anton Frondell, the third pick in last summer’s draft, who tallied 20 goals and eight assists for 28 points in 43 games for Djurgardens in the SHL. Frondell has arrived in Chicago, registered two assists in his first three NHL games, and is skating on the top line with Connor Bedard and Ryan Greene in addition to getting first unit power play time. He’s 18, so expectations need to be kept in check, but he’s also getting enough of an opportunity to make him immediately interesting for those in deep leagues.

#2 There may be some fantasy value to be found in players that are playing for teams out of the playoff picture. For example, it’s easy enough to dismiss the Vancouver Canucks as they have endured a brutal season, but centre Marco Rossi has produced 10 points (3 G, 7 A) in his past eight games, is getting first unit power play time and is thriving with linemates Liam Ohgren and Brock Boeser.

#3 With an established reputation as a strong two-way player, Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli is getting a shot at an expanded offensive role, skating on the top line between Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel. In his past 12 games, Cirelli has produced 14 points (5 G, 9 A) and 21 shots on goal, with 13 of those 14 points coming at even strength. With 2.51 points per 60 minutes during five-on-five play this season, Cirelli ranks 22nd in the league. Not bad for a checking centre.

#4 He has missed some time with injuries, but Anaheim Ducks right winger Troy Terry has been on a good run since Christmas, producing 17 points (7 G, 10 A) with 29 shots on goal in 15 games. He is scoring better than a point per game this season, a feat he has not been able to accomplish in a full season. He was scratched from Thursday’s game at Calgary, so his reliability remains an issue but his productivity makes him a valuable player whenever he is in the lineup.

#5 There are so many great stories on the Buffalo Sabres this season, as the team is poised to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2010-2011 season, and one of those great stories is the play of 20-year-old winger Zach Benson. In his past six games, Benson has seven points (3 G, 4 A) with seven shots on goal. That shot rate needs improvement, but Benson is thriving on a line with Josh Norris and Josh Doan. When Benson is on the ice at five-on-five, the Sabres are outscoring opponents 39-22.

#6 As the Los Angeles Kings push for a playoff spot, centre Quinton Byfield has stepped up his game, with nine points (5 G, 4 A) and 20 shots on goal in his past seven contests. Consistency has been elusive for Byfield, as he had five points (4 G, 1 A) in the previous 17 games, but when he’s going, Byfield can be a physical force. He is currently skating on a line with Trevor Moore and Alex Laferriere while getting second-unit power play time.

#7 The Ottawa Senators are in a competitive battle for a playoff spot but they are dealing with serious injuries on the blueline. Jake Sanderson was already out of the lineup with an upper-body injury when Thomas Chabot suffered a broken arm that will keep him out for 4-to-8 weeks. Add in injuries to Nick Jensen and Dennis Gilbert and the Sens were forced to make changes, which included calling up 2024 first-round pick Carter Yakeumchuk from Belleville of the American Hockey League, where he had 36 points (10 G, 26 A) in 50 games. Yakemchuk has two points (1 G, 1 A) with four shots on goal in his first three NHL games and the injuries on Ottawa’s blueline may prompt the Sens to keep Yakemchuk and his offensive skills in the lineup. Some D to consider from the waiver wire: Damon Severson, who has 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in 14 games this month, Rasmus Sandin, who has five points (2 G, 3 A) in his past seven games, and even Sens defenders Tyler Kleven and Jordan Spence, who have combined for 12 points in the past eight games.

#8 In the past month, New Jersey Devils right winger Connor Brown has been moved into a more offensive role and has delivered 14 points (4 G, 10 A) and 24 shots on goal in 13 games. He has been a reliable middle six winger in his NHL career, but he’s skating on a line with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, while also getting top-unit power play time. He is up to 36 points (14 G, 22 A) on the season, within striking distance of his career high of 43 points, set during the 2019-2020 season when he was with the Ottawa Senators.

#9 It has not been an easy season for Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault, but he has recorded 10 assists in his past 11 games, a veritable surge in production for a player who has just 28 points (11 G, 17 A) in 53 games. The veteran winger is playing on PP1 for the Predators and is skating on a line with Matthew Wood and Filip Forsberg, so he’s in a decent situation to produce late in the season.

#10 It’s been a similar situation for Anaheim Ducks veteran winger Alex Killorn, who has eight points (4 G, 4 A) with 17 shots on goal in his past 10 games, which is a significant improvement for a player who had 20 points in 63 games before that. The 36-year-old winger is skating on a line with veteran pivot Mikael Granlund and rookie right winger Bennett Sennecke, which is a strong enough situation to consider Killorn for some late-season value.

#11 As the Seattle Kraken try to stay in the playoff hunt, captain Jordan Eberle has contributed seven points (1 G, 6 A) in his past seven games. He is up to 23 goals on the season, which is his most in a season since 2017-2018, when he scored 25, so he is within range of that total. He has consistently been playing on Seattle’s top line with Matty Beniers at centre and there have been several wingers rotating through. Right now, it’s rookie Berkly Catton getting a shot on the left side.

#12 Staying in Seattle, right winger Kaapo Kakko is delivering quality results late in the season. In his past seven games, Kakko has 10 points (3 G, 7 A) with seven shots on goal. That shot rate is not enough to sustain that level of offensive production, but he provides useful secondary scoring, skating on a line with Chandler Stephenson and Bobby McMann.

#13 Early this season, the Utah Grizzlies winger Lawson Crouse was not playing a big part and his production was modest, managing nine points (4 G, 5 A) through his first 26 games. It’s gotten better throughout the season, and in his past seven games, he has six points (4 G, 2 A) and 24 hits, which is really where Crouse brings his most reliable value for fantasy managers. He has scored 20 goals for the fourth time in his career and it’s the fifth time in his career that he has recorded at least 190 hits. If you have a need on the wing at this point in the fantasy season, you could do worse than adding Crouse.

#14 There have been reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs are not inclined to give a qualifying offer to right winger Matias Maccelli this summer, but Maccelli has been one of the few Maple Leafs contributing consistently. Since the beginning of February, Maccelli has 16 points (7 G, 9 A) with 33 shots on goal in 20 games. He is tied with John Tavares for second on the team in scoring over that span, three points behind William Nylander and one point ahead of Matthew Knies. Most recently, he’s been skating on a line with Dakota Joshua and Bo Groulx, but that hasn’t deterred him.

#15 Although the wins aren’t coming easily, Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll has been playing well late in the season while facing a heavy workload. In his past eight starts, Woll has a 2-4-2 record, but he has a .910 save percentage while facing an average of around 35 shots per game. The Leafs’ lack of success doesn’t help Woll’s value, but it is part of the reason that he’s still available in a decent percentage of leagues and he’s playing well enough that he could help a fantasy manager who needs a late-season upgrade between the pipes.

#16 While we’re considering goaltenders on teams that are out of the playoff race, look at St. Louis Blues netminder Joel Hofer, who has been unbeatable since the Olympic break. In nine games since the break, Hofer has a 7-0-2 record with a .955 save percentage! He has a .911 save percentage on the season and has recently overtaken Jordan Binnington in terms of starts, with Hofer at 36 and Binnington at 35. Perhaps this is the changing of the guard for the Blues, as Hofer has 13.44 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) and Binnington has -20.01 (GSAx), a stark difference in performance.

#17 There was some suspicion around the Olympic break that the Florida Panthers could be on the verge of shutting down a bunch of players with injuries because the playoffs were looking less and less likely, so there was not as much incentive for players to play through the injuries that they might when the team is mounting a Stanley Cup run. Aleksander Barkov has been out all season of course, but Brad Marchand is out, Anton Lundell will miss 2-6 weeks with an upper body injury, Evan Rodrigues is out 4-6 weeks with a broken finger, and Mackie Samoskevich is due to return soon, but he’s still out. That leaves forwards like Jesper Boqvist and Tomas Nosek playing bigger roles than would typically be expected of them.

#18 Philadelphia Flyers centre Christian Dvorak has six points (2 G, 4 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past seven games, and he really has the trust of Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet. In the past 22 games, Dvorak has played more than 20 minutes 12 times, including a season-high 25:32 last week at San Jose. He is now averaging 18:28 of ice time per game, a career high, and his 44 points (15 G, 29 A) is also the high-water mark for his career. All of this is to suggest that, in a pinch, Dvorak could have late-season value for fantasy managers.

#19 It’s a little troubling for the Vegas Golden Knights, as they scramble for a playoff spot, that star centre Jack Eichel has hit a slump. They are hoping he has broken out of it with a three-point game last night against Washington. In his previous seven games, Eichel has generated 22 shots on goal while averaging more than 21 minutes of ice time per game, and yet he has managed just one assist. It would be a tad aggressive to go cutting Eichel at this stage of the season, especially when he’s generating shots at this rate, but it’s also possible that he doesn’t need to be in your fantasy lineup automatically. It’s not much better for Golden Knights right winger Mitch Marner, who has two assists and 19 shots on goal in the past eight games.

#20 Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier is tied for the league lead with 11 goals in March, tied with Pavel Zacha. Gauthier ranks second in expected goals with 7.61 ixG, barely trailing Brady Tkachuk at 7.69. Other forwards that have been around the net, rounding out the top ten when it comes to individual expected goals: Zach Hyman (7.09), Brock Nelson (6.98), Alex DeBrincat (6.93). Beckett Sennecke (6.85), Bryan Rust (6.68), Rickard Rakell (6.60), Alexis Lafreniere (6.49), and Timo Meier (6.49).

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Young players who could have surprising value late in the season like Alexis Lafreniere, Gabe Perreault, Jimmy Snuggerud, Michael Misa, Marco Rossi and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 20:37:53 +0000

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, young players who could have surprising value late in the season like Alexis Lafreniere, Gabe Perreault, Jimmy Snuggerud, Michael Misa, Marco Rossi and so much more!

#1 Even though the New York Rangers’ season has gone sideways, they are potentially a very interesting team down the stretch, as new players get better opportunities to play big roles. One of the players who is heating up is Alexis Lafreniere, who has 11 points (6 G, 5 A) and 16 shots on goal while averaging more than 19 minutes per game in his past six games. The first overall pick in the 2020 Draft is up to 44 points (19 G, 25 A) in 65 games, giving him a chance to surpass his career high of 57 points, set in 2023-2024. Not only is Lafreniere playing on the top power play unit, but he’s on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and…

#2 Rangers rookie Gabe Perreault, who was a first-round pick in 2023, has spent time in the American Hockey League during his first pro season. He had 17 points (10 G, 7 A) in 20 games with Hartford and Perreault managed a modest eight points in his first 26 games for the Rangers but has started to step into a bigger offensive role, especially once Artemi Panarin was removed from the Rangers lineup. In his past six games, Perreault has nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 15 shots on goal while playing first line and first unit power play for the Blueshirts. This is how it’s supposed to go for a team that is out of the race – they should use the rest of the season to give their skilled young players better offensive opportunities, and it appears that Perreault is ready to make the most of his opportunity.

#3 That’s not unlike what is happening with St. Louis Blues rookie winger Jimmy Snuggerud. The 2022 first-round pick has been with the Blues all season, but he is now riding shotgun with Robert Thomas on both the top line and first unit power play. In his past 14 games, Snuggerud has 19 points (8 G, 11 A) and 37 shots on goal and has moved up to fifth in rookie scoring with 34 points (15 G, 19 A) in 53 games. Considering who is available to fill the prime roles in St. Louis, Snuggerud looks like he should stay on the top line for the rest of the season.

#4 The San Jose Sharks have been patient with rookie Michael Misa, the second pick in the 2025 Draft, but as the team continues to push for a playoff spot, the 19-year-old centre is turning into a big contributor. In eight games since the Olympic break, Misa has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 10 shots on goal. Certainly, the scoring would be more sustainable with a higher shot rate, but he is starting to become a factor while skating on a line with William Eklund and Tyler Toffoli and Misa is a highly skilled player who is going to thrive as he gets more ice time with quality linemates.

#5 Coming into season, Matias Maccelli looked like he was getting a good opportunity in Toronto and might have had the chance to play on the top line as a lower-cost replacement for Mitch Marner. While that hasn’t happened as often as might have been hoped, Maccelli has stepped up lately. Since the beginning of February, he has 11 points (7 G, 4 A) with 22 shots on goal in 11 games and he gets second unit power play time while currently skating on a line with Nicholas Robertson and AHL call-up Bo Groulx.

#6 There is a bit of a run of injuries hitting teams late in the season and it could provide opportunities to find value. In Colorado, captain Gabriel Landeskog is out week to week with a lower-body injury after taking a shot in a tender spot from teammate Cale Makar. With Landeskog and Artturi Lehkonen out, it appears that the Avs are going to slide Nazem Kadri to left wing on the top line, which is a prime opportunity for Kadri to get going offensively. He had a little slump at the end of his tenure in Calgary, so Kadri has just two points (1 G, 1 A) despite recording 23 shots on goal in his past seven games.

#7 Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews took a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks defenceman Radko Gudas on Thursday night and Matthews is going to be out for at least a couple of weeks before his status is re-evaluated. The Leafs are 11 points out of a playoff spot, so there is zero incentive to rush Matthews back into the lineup. John Tavares will naturally move up the depth chart, but Max Domi probably needs to slide into the second-line centre role. This shuffling could mean an opening in Toronto’s top six for someone like Nicholas Robertson or Matias Maccelli.

#8 The Ottawa Senators lost defenceman Jake Sanderson on a week-to-week basis after suffering an upper-body injury from a hit by Seattle Kraken defenceman Brandon Montour. Sanderson has been a standout performer on the Senators blueline this season, so it’s going to be a big loss to have him out of the lineup while the Sens are trying to rally for a playoff spot but with Sanderson out, veteran Thomas Chabot will take over the quarterback role on Ottawa’s No. 1 power play. Chabot has six points (1 G, 5 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past six games and played a season-high 28:32 against Montreal on Wednesday.

#9 No team has seen their season crash harder than the Vancouver Canucks, but centre Marco Rossi is getting acclimated to his new squad. He does have six points (2 G, 4 A) in his past five games, but that also comes with just four shots on goal. Even if Rossi isn’t a high-volume shooter, he needs to generate more than that. He gets first unit play time for the Canucks and is skating on a line with Liam Ohgren and Brock Boeser. Given the struggles of Elias Pettersson, the Canucks need a centre to generate offence and Rossi is at least a viable answer to that problem.

#10 Continuing the theme of young players on teams outside the playoff picture, consider Chicago Blackhawks centre Frank Nazar, who has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 12 shots on goal during a five-game point streak. Nazar gets time on PP1 in Chicago while skating between veteran wingers Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen, so he is going to get his chances to continue scoring. Nazar is up to 32 points (10 G, 22 A) in 49 games this season, despite scoring on 9.5 percent of his shots on goal, a relatively low rate for a skilled player in a top six role.

#11 As the Columbus Blue Jackets continue to hunt down a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, centre Adam Fantilli is elevating his production. In his past 10 games, he has 11 points (6 G, 5 A) with 25 shots on goal while averaging 19:53 of ice time per game. He has ascended to the role of first line centre in Columbus and currently has Cole Sillinger and Kirill Marchenko on his wings at even strength. For a little extra fantasy appeal, Fantilli has recorded 20 hits in those 10 games, giving him 105 hits in 65 games this season.

#12 Moving to a veteran winger on a top team, the Buffalo Sabres’ Jason Zucker continues to fly under the radar – available in many leagues – largely because he’s in a secondary role with the Sabres, but he’s crushing it. In his past six games, Zucker has seven points (5 G, 2 A) with 18 shots on goal. He has hit 20 goals for the eighth time in his career, and he has a good thing going on a line with Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn.

#13 New Jersey Devils winger Connor Brown is getting a fantastic opportunity late in the season, skating on right wing of a line with Jack Hughes at centre and Jesper Bratt at left wing. In his past six games, Brown has six points (1 G, 5 A) and 11 shots on goal and he’s playing nearly 19 minutes per game, so the opportunities are there for Brown to have a bigger impact down the stretch.

#14 As the Boston Bruins continue to battle for a playoff spot, veteran winger Viktor Arvidsson has shown that he can be a valuable contributor. In his past eight games, he has eight points (4 G, 4 A) with 18 shots on goal. He’s skating on a line with Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt, a veteran trio that might not attract a lot of attention, but they have been getting the job done. Among lines that have played at least 300 five-on-five minutes, the Bruins’ trio ranks fourth with 69.7 GF%, ranking fifth in both goals for and goals against per 60 minutes.

#15 Getting a shot on the Dallas Stars’ top line, Mavrik Bourque is starting to show that he can be a bona fide scorer in the NHL. Bourque has 12 points (5 G, 7 A) and 31 shots on goal in his past 12 games and getting the chance to skate alongside Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson is a prime opportunity for Bourque to deliver in a primary role that can benefit both the player and team in the long run. With Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz out of the lineup with injuries, the Stars needed someone to step up and Bourque has done it.

#16 The Penguins seem to have found something with their acquisition of Yegor Chinakhov, who they acquired from Columbus for Danton Heinen and a second-round pick. In his past 17 games, Chinakhov has put up 15 points (8 G, 7 A) and 48 shots on goal, which is very encouraging for him being able to contribute long-term for the Penguins. Right now, he’s on a line with Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, but the Penguins are still missing an injured Sidney Crosby and suspended Evgeni Malkin.

#17 Back to the theory of young players on non-playoff teams, Matthew Wood is showing some intriguing upside for the Nashville Predators. In his past 11 games, Wood has nine points (6 G, 3 A) and 20 shots on goal. He has moved around the lineup in his first NHL season, including time on the Predators’ top line but, right now, he is working on a line with fellow youngsters Reid Schaefer and Zachary L’Heroux.

#18 Even though he is not the primary scoring option on the blueline for the Buffalo Sabres, a role that is occupied by Rasmus Dahlin, defenceman Bowen Byram continues to provide value for fantasy managers. In his past 10 games, Byram has eight assists and 20 shots on goal and is playing nearly 24 minutes per game, which is not exactly the profile of a second-tier defender.

#19 The New York Rangers were missing Adam Fox for a while – he has since returned to the lineup – but Vladislav Gavrikov moved into a more offensive role, scoring 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 19 shots on goal in a dozen games. With Fox active again, Gavrikov may not hold quite as much value, but he’s playing 23 minutes a game for a Rangers team that is still relatively productive.

#20 Former Calgary Flames defencemen are struggling. Rasmus Andersson has just a couple of points and 11 shots on goal in his past 10 games and he’s not the primary option on the blueline in Vegas the same way that he was in Calgary. Mackenzie Weegar has been struggling, too. He has just one assist and six shots on goal in his past seven games, the past four of which have been with the Utah Mammoth since he was acquired at the trade deadline. Neither of these ex-Flames defenders is the primary blueline option on their new teams, so their fantasy appeal is not nearly as solid as it was during their best days with the Flames.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Fallout from the Quinn Hughes trade, Connor Bedard’s injury, the Maple Leafs’ stars are slumping, and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:50:22 +0000

SAINT PAUL, MN - DECEMBER 16: Minnesota Wild defensemen Quinn Hughes (43) back-checks during a NHL game between the Minnesota Wild and Washington Capitals on December 16, 2025, at Grand Casino Arena in Saint Paul, MN. (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, the fallout from the Quinn Hughes trade, Connor Bedard’s injury, the Maple Leafs’ stars are slumping, and so much more!

#1 The Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild made a monstrous trade last week with the Wild acquiring standout defenceman Quinn Hughes, sending centre Marco Rossi, defender Zeev Buium, left winger Liam Ohgren, and a first-round pick to Vancouver. Hughes has 25 points (3 G, 22 A) in 29 games, his 0.86 points per game ranking ninth among defencemen. He is also being thrust into a big role with the Wild. He played a career-high 32:02 in Thursday’s win at Columbus, the most by an NHL player in a game decided in regulation this season.

#2 One of the things that the Canucks needed in a Hughes deal was to upgrade their centre position. With Elias Pettersson and Filip Chytil injured, the Canucks did not have much firepower down the middle of the ice and even if they were healthy, Pettersson has not been delivering peak performance and Chytil was still trying to establish that he could be a bona fide second-line centre. Marco Rossi at least has the credentials to fit in a team’s top six. He has been hurt this season and has been held off the scoresheet in his first two games for the Canucks, but he does have 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in 19 games and he had a career-high 60 points (24 G, 36 A) last season. With Petterson out, Rossi is centering Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser on Vancouver’s top line. It’s not as good as centering Kirill Kaprizov, but still a decent opportunity to generate offense.

#3 Perhaps the most intriguing piece going to Vancouver is that of 2024 first-round pick Zeev Buium. He had 98 points (24 G, 74 A) in 83 games across two seasons at the University of Denver before joining the Wild late last season and he played in four playoff games for Minnesota. As a rookie, he has 16 points (4 G, 12 A) in 33 games, including two points in two games with Vancouver, and he is effectively taking over from Hughes on the Canucks’ top power play unit, so there is an excellent chance for Buium to step into a bigger role and thrive. It’s a super small sample, but his average ice time has increased two-and-a-half minutes per game in Vancouver compared to Minnesota.

#4 The upshot of the trade for Minnesota, when it comes to centre ice, is that Joel Eriksson Ek resumes his position of primary importance for the Wild. Eriksson Ek has 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 17 shots on goal during a six-game point streak. Rookie Danila Yurov is showing that he can handle more responsibility, too, contributing 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in his past 14 games, so the Wild can run those two in the top two centre spots while continuing to look for potential upgrades.

#5 Chicago Blackhawks centre Connor Bedard has been on a tear in his third NHL campaign, putting up 44 points (19 G, 25 A) in 31 games, but he is on the shelf for a bit after suffering a shoulder injury in the final second of last week’s loss at St. Louis. Bedard is out for the rest of the month, to be re-evaluated in January. He obviously would like to be ready to go for the Winter Olympics, but in the meantime, the Blackhawks will try to fill that gaping hole in their lineup. Frank Nazar has moved up to the top line, skating between Tyler Bertuzzi and Andre Burakovsky, with veteran Jason Dickinson moving into the second-line centre role. Nazar had been slumping, with zero points in six games, before scoring in Thursday’s loss at Montreal.

#6 Trouble appears to be hovering around the Toronto Maple Leafs, as they have two wins in their past six games. Auston Matthews has nine points (5 G, 4 A) in his past 10 games, which is far better than the Leafs’ other big guns. William Nylander has zero goals, four assists, and 11 shots on goal in eight games this month. John Tavares has one assist and 12 shots on goal in his past seven games. Matthew Knies has one assist and 11 shots on goal in his past six games. When the stars are struggling like this, there may not be any coach that can have success, but it’s going to be worth keeping an eye on Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube because if he can’t get this fixed, a new voice could be on the way.

#7 It has been a real season for growth for Florida Panthers centre Anton Lundell, thrust into a bigger role when Aleksander Barkov was injured in the preseason. Lundell has seen his ice time climb from 16:43 per game last season to over 19 minutes per game this season and while there have been some ebbs and flows in terms of productivity, he does have seven points (5 G, 2 A) and 20 shots on goal in his past seven games, giving him 27 points (11 G, 16 A) in 33 games this season.

#8 San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini is enjoying a spectacular sophomore season, with 53 points (18 G, 35 A) in 35 games but he’s not available, certainly on the waiver wire and not under many trade circumstances, either, but it could be worth tracking his wingers. With Will Smith injured, Collin Graf is skating on Celebrini’s right wing and Graf has eight points (5 G, 3 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past seven games. On the left wing is Igor Chernyshov, a second-round pick in 2024 who had 23 points (11 G, 12 A) in 25 AHL games to earn his promotion to the big club and has chipped in a couple of assists and four shots on goal in his first two games. Both Graf and Chernyshov are worth a look, depending on how deep your league runs.

#9 When the Carolina Hurricanes signed Nikolaj Ehlers as a free agent in the offseason, it seemed like it would be a good fit, between a player who drives play and a team that has excelled in terms of outshooting opponents. Then the season started and Ehlers had no points through five games, and didn’t score his first goal until Game 12, but he has found his groove. He has 19 points (8 G, 11 A) with 58 shots on goal in his past 22 games. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis are the only Hurricanes forwards with more points and both play more than 19 minutes per game while Ehlers is averaging 16:27 of ice time per game.

#10 Seattle Kraken centre Chandler Stephenson got off to a slow start this season, managing a dozen points (4 G, 8 A) and 33 shots on goal in his first 25 games. Even as the season is slipping away from the Kraken, Stephenson has seven points (3 G, 4 A) with 20 shots on goal during a seven-game point streak. He is getting first unit power play time in Seattle, though his current wingers are Eeli Tolvanen and Frederick Gaudreau.

#11 Following a lukewarm start to his time with the Detroit Red Wings, goaltender John Gibson looks like he’s rounding into form. In his past five starts, all wins, he has a couple of shutouts and a .946 save percentage, giving him a slight statistical edge over Cam Talbot in the Red Wings’ timeshare in the crease.

#12 Veteran centre Alexander Wennberg is filling a big role for the Sharks. With some injuries up front, the 31-year-old pivot who is known for his solid two-way play, is handling more offensive responsibilities. In his past six games, Wennberg has nine points (2 G, 7 A) with 13 shots on goal, while averaging 20:30 of ice time per game. With William Eklund and Tyler Toffoli on his wings, Wennberg has more skilled linemates than he usually has and, with 22 points (7 G, 15 A) in 35 games, he has a shot at his first 40-point season since 2016-2017.

#13 Ottawa Senators centre Dylan Cozens has had some bad luck on his way to getting outscored 21-14 during five-on-five play. The Senators carry play with him on the ice (53.7 CF%), but he has a .879 on-ice save percentage and that’s difficult to overcome. In his past five games, Cozens has produced seven points (1 G, 6 A) with 16 shots on goal while playing nearly 19 minutes per game, so he’s a valuable player for the Sens, even if goal differential is not working in his favour right now.

#14 Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Erik Karlsson appears to be gearing up for the Winter Olympics. Since the calendar flipped to December, Karlsson has delivered 10 points (2 G, 8 A) with 31 shots on goal in nine games. He has also played 26:42 per game in that span, vintage ice time numbers for a 35-year-old defender on a team that is sitting outside the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.

#15 One of the relative success stories in Pittsburgh this season has been Anthony Mantha, the towering winger who was signed as a free agent in the summer after he missed most of last season in Calgary with a torn ACL. Mantha has eight points (2 G, 6 A) and 22 shots on goal in his past nine games, giving him 22 points (11 G, 11 A) in 33 games. The last time he finished a season with a rate of two points every three games was in 2019-2020, so the Penguins have to be pleased with how their low-risk investment has turned out.

#16 Expectations are understandably modest for a 20-year-old rookie defenceman, just trying to get established in the league, so it’s not like Detroit Red Wings blueliner Axel Sandin-Pellikka is a high recommendation for fantasy managers. It’s more like keep an eye on this guy because this 2023 first-round pick might have a bright future. In his past eight games, he has seven points (2 G, 5 A) with nine shots on goal. A couple of those points have come via the power play, and he is getting time on PP2, so he's just scratching the surface.

#17 The all-time goal scoring leader in the National Hockey League is in a slump. Alex Ovechkin has no goals and two assists in his past six games, with 17 shots on goal in that time. That shot rate isn’t bad for most players, but it’s down for a noted volume shooter like Ovechkin. He is 40 years old, so there is plenty of reason to believe that he’s declining, but before this slump he had 14 goals in 28 games, so this decline is more recent. This slump has affected Dylan Strome, too, as the playmaking centre has just three points (1 G, 2 A) and 18 shot on goal in his past 13 games.

#18 New York Islanders centre Bo Horvat is week-to-week with a lower-body injury, a big loss to the Islanders as he leads the Islanders with 19 goals and 31 points. Mathew Barzal moves up the depth chart to fill the top line centre spot with Horvat out, but the bigger jump is that rookie Calum Ritchie is centering the second line, between Anthony Duclair and Maxim Shabanov. Ritchie has four points (2 G, 2 A) and seven shots on goal in his past eight games. He’s still trying to establish solid footing in the league, but this could be a good opportunity for him.

#19 Los Angeles Kings netminder Darcy Kuemper suffered an injury in a collision with Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen and that’s big deal because Kuemper has been excellent this season. His .917 save percentage ranks fourth among goaltenders with at least 20 starts. In his absence Anton Forsberg should get most of the starts, and the Kings have called up veteran Pheonix Copley, who had a .885 save percentage in 13 AHL games.

#20 Injuries continue to pile up in St. Louis, where Dylan Holloway is now out for six weeks with a lower-body injury, joining Jordan Kyrou, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Nick Bjugstad on the injured list. That has brought some new faces into the Blues’ top nine. Robby Fabbri isn’t exactly a new face, having played for the Blues from 2015-2016 through 2019-2020, but he’s back after not having an NHL job at the start of the season. The Blues called up 2023 first-round pick Otto Stenberg from the AHL and claimed Jonatan Berggren off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings. None of those players is worth of much fantasy love at the moment but they’re getting chances that they weren’t before all of these injuries hit the Blues.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – MINNESOTA WILD – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 20:37:34 +0000

ST. PAUL, MN - APRIL 24: Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) looks on during the first period in Game Three of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild on April 24th, 2025, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

What started off looking like a massive year for the Wild turned into a scratch-and-claw season to make the playoffs. Injuries crushed Minnesota throughout the year. Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, Mats Zuccarello, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon each missed significant time and the fact they finished in the first wild card spot with 97 points and held off the St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames is a credit to them and coach John Hynes. Kaprizov had an MVP-like start to the season and had the Wild off and running to start the season while goalie Filip Gustavsson rounded into form, but as injuries piled up, so did the losses. The Wild’s five-on-five numbers were mediocre all-around and as much as their power play struggled (20th best in the NHL) their penalty kill was a nightmare (30th). It’s difficult to judge the team overall given the spate of injuries compared to their numbers, but the talent level on the team is strong enough to carry them into competing again this season.

What’s Changed?

The biggest addition for the Wild came late last season when 2024 12th overall pick defenceman Zeev Buium signed his entry-level deal out of the University of Denver. He made his Wild debut in the playoffs playing four games and had one assist in 13:36 average time on-ice. He’ll be a fixture in the lineup for years to come as their next puck-carrying offensive defenceman. Re-signing center Marco Rossi (three years, $15 million) took care of what was shaping up to be a potential headache and gives him the chance to prove himself further. Minnesota also added veteran winger Vladimir Tarasenko from the Detroit Red Wings for the low cost of future considerations and brought back center Nico Sturm fresh off winning the Stanley Cup in Florida. They also shipped center Frederick Gaudreau to Seattle and defenceman Declan Chisholm to Washington as well.

What Would Success Look Like?

A return to the playoffs with a healthy lineup would be a fascinating success for the Wild. Their parts with Kaprizov, Rossi, Matt Boldy, Zuccarello, Eriksson Ek, Buium, Brodin, and Gustavsson are very good and with role players like Marcus Foligno, Ryan Hartman and Jacob Middleton able to grind teams up, they could be a deeply frustrating team in the playoffs. They showed that to a degree in the first round against Vegas last season and you can’t help but wonder how things would’ve gone if they hadn’t gone through the wringer all season. Still, a trip back to the postseason and a first-round series win would go a long way in Minnesota for fans who’ve been desperate for success for years. Doing so in a brutally competitive division again would be a big accomplishment.

What Could Go Wrong?

A repeat of the injury luck from last season would be a way to make life a lot harder. They’re getting a taste of that already with Brodin coming off surgery for an upper-body injury that got to him last season. That he’ll likely miss the start of the season is not the way anyone in Minnesota envisioned the year starting. Any kind of bad luck physically could be what determines their playoff fate and with how good and competitive St. Louis, Calgary and Utah were and with Vancouver and Seattle having designs on getting back into the mix, it’s going to be a difficult battle.

Top Breakout Candidate

It’s impossible not to focus all the attention on Buium this season. He’s got the electrifying skill set to make people think of Cale Makar when he came out of Massachusetts years ago and with his affable personality to match his exciting style of hockey, he’ll get the opportunity to pile up points with the Wild. In two seasons with Denver, Buium had 98 points in 83 games including 24 goals. Minnesota has desperately needed a defenceman capable of leading the rush up the ice for years and Buium’s smooth skating and skills will make him an instant fan favourite.

FORWARDS

Kirill Kaprizov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	45	58	103	1.34

When last season began, all signs pointed toward a potential MVP campaign for Kirill Kaprizov. A lower-body injury just before the holiday break in December interrupted a season that began with 50 points in 34 games that included 23 goals. He missed a month of action and returned for three games before going out again to undergo surgery that kept him off the ice until April. In the end, Kaprizov’s regular season finished with 41 games played and 56 points with 25 goals. The Wild finished fourth in the Central Division with only half a season of his brilliance but did get him back for the playoffs as they secured the first wild card. There he had five goals and four assists in their six-game series loss to Vegas. It’s very difficult not to look back on how he played and wonder what might’ve been, but as he enters a contract season and the (long) possibility of hitting unrestricted free agency next summer, the mind boggles wondering what he could do on top of his effort from last year to boost his asking price. There’s little doubt that a healthy Kaprizov makes the Wild a much, much more dangerous (and fun to watch) team. A repeat performance like that without injury would make Minnesota a true wild card kind of team in the West.

Matt Boldy

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	31	50	81	0.99

For all the brilliance we saw from Kirill Kaprizov, it can’t take away from just how good Matt Boldy was as well for the Wild. Boldy had a career high 73 points in 82 games and put up 27 goals to go with it. He again proved to be a strong performer on the power play with 21 points, and his 10 game-winning goals tied him with Sidney Crosby for second most in the league. Not bad for a 24-year-old in his fourth season. What will be interesting to watch with Boldy this season is how his line shapes up. Last season, he was with Marco Rossi most often and he is an unsigned restricted free agent. Rossi has had trade rumors swirling around him throughout the offseason. With additions like Danila Yurov, Nico Sturm and Vladimir Tarasenko, some of the lines will be in flux, but with Boldy firmly locked into a wing spot in the top six, if he loses his centerman that creates a big hole. Fortunately, Boldy’s abilities make it easier for any center to slide in next to him and make them look good because of how well he handles the puck and uses his size to create opportunities. With the Olympics coming in February and the strong possibility he’ll play for the United States, expect Boldy to have a strong season no matter who he skates with.

Marco Rossi

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	21	38	59	0.79

The situation with restricted free agent Marco Rossi remains up in the air as of this writing. He is unsigned following a career-best 60-point season that included a career-high 24 goals. There have been trade rumors bandied about all offseason long and questions raised about whether the team sees Rossi as a fit for them long term or not. Fans waited not so patiently for Rossi to arrive full-time after the team drafted him ninth overall in 2020, and when he scored 21 goals with 40 points as a rookie two years ago, the collective feeling was his time had arrived. That sensation only increased with his performance last season although it could be argued he didn’t take enough of a big step to necessitate a massive raise on a new contract. Public negotiations are tricky that way. Despite Rossi’s size (5-foot-9, 185 pounds), he plays hard, skates fast and is strong on his feet. He’s a creative player and can get into tight areas to score as well. He’s a supremely talented player, but teams do worry about size despite the history of players who have had great success at that stature. Should Rossi stay with the Wild, it would seem likely he’ll reunite with Matt Boldy with a linemate to be determined (Vladimir Tarasenko, Liam Ohgren). If there’s a trade yet to come, the return will be interesting because the Wild want to win now.

Mats Zuccarello

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
71	17	34	51	0.72

Nothing ages fans harder than seeing their favorite players get older, and it’s part of what makes what we see from Mats Zuccarello so impressive. The Norwegian star will be 38 as the new season starts and he’s been nothing but the picture of consistency throughout his NHL career. Last season, he had 19 goals and 35 assists (54 points) and it marked the fourth straight year he had 50-or-more points and the ninth time he’s done it in his 15-year career. In six seasons with the Wild he averaged nearly 56 points per season, and he joined them at 32 years old. Some players see their production fall through the floor when they go beyond the age of 30, but Zuccarello has excelled when he’s stayed in the lineup. While he’s always capable of scoring goals, he’s been an outstanding setup man and the chemistry he’s developed in Minnesota with Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek over the years has turned that trio into an a highly entertaining and exciting line to watch. Despite how well Zuccarello scored, you have to wonder how much better his numbers would’ve been had Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek not struggled with injury. As it is, he missed 13 games of his own, but with his linemates each missing half of the season, it’s no wonder Zuccarello’s power play numbers dipped so hard. His three power play goals and 16 points were the fewest he had since the shortened 2020-2021 season.

Joel Eriksson Ek

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	24	34	58	0.73

The role injuries played in fouling up what could’ve been a very good season for the Minnesota Wild also wreaked havoc on Joel Eriksson Ek’s season. The Swedish two-way centerman was held to 46 games last season and had 14 goals and 15 assists (29 points). A broken nose and various lower-body injuries forced him out of the lineup numerous times throughout the year and although he was able to play in the Four Nations Face-Off, he was out of the lineup shortly after coming back from the tournament and was out until early April. Although he was back in time for the playoffs, he wasn’t able to have the same kind of immediate success Kirill Kaprizov had. Losing Eriksson Ek for roughly half the season because of all the injuries made navigating the season a lot more difficult for the Wild. The various roles he plays in all situations makes him a vital cog in their operation and going without him shortened everything up throughout the lineup. Provided the lower-body issues are behind him now and can focus on the season, it’ll prove to be a huge benefit for the team, particularly if there’s a move yet to come with the rest of the lineup or Marco Rossi remains unsigned into the season. The Wild had the third worst penalty kill in the NHL last season and although they had an assortment of injuries, going without Eriksson Ek for a lot of it contributed to the poor kill. His work as a defensive center cannot be understated no matter how good he is offensively as well.

Vladimir Tarasenko

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	15	26	41	0.54

Last season wasn’t the happiest of times in Detroit for Vladimir Tarasenko. In 80 games, Tarasenko scored 11 goals and had 22 assists, the worst full season he’s had in the NHL in his career. Although he signed a two-year contract with the Red Wings, the Wild sent Detroit future considerations to take the player and his $4.75 million cap hit off their hands and potentially give him the change of scenery he needs to regain his form. Working in Tarasenko’s favor in Minnesota is the opportunity he’ll have to jump right into action on the wings. The Wild needed more skilled depth there and Tarasenko can provide that even at age 33. He’ll also have a handful of Russians to work with including Kirill Kaprizov and Yakov Trenin. Tarasenko is a few years removed from being one of the most dangerous snipers in the NHL that could put up 30 to 40 goals. Two years ago, he had 23 goals split between time with Ottawa and Florida and that’s the kind of player the Wild would like to see return for them. The big question, however, is where he will fit into the lineup. He could play on the wing opposite Matt Boldy and if Marco Rossi happens to center them, that could be a lot of fun. He’s essentially found money for the Wild, they just need to figure out the best way to make it work with him.

Marcus Foligno

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	13	16	29	0.39

Trying to qualify what makes a player a “throwback style” in the NHL is tough to do because you’re busy thinking about which era of the league are they a throwback to. In Marcus Foligno’s case, he’s an amalgam of the era his father Mike played in the 80s and 90s and what he grew up watching as a kid in the late 90s. Foligno has become a heart-and-soul checking forward for the Wild that provides leadership through action. Whether it’s through delivering big hits, big goals, or fighting opponents, the 34-year-old lays it all on the line. Last season, he had 14 goals and 15 assists in 77 games including 75 penalty minutes. Where Foligno makes a point is his physical play. He led the wild with 253 hits credited and with that kind of game, it’s no wonder that fights happen occasionally. Getting in on the forecheck and hammering defensemen who take too much time to make a pass allows him to change the tone and temperature of any game. As a leader on and off the ice, Foligno does so by example and for the guys that play in the bottom six of the lineup, they follow his lead closely. Yakov Trenin and Ryan Hartman play similar types of games and rolling that group out to change the mood has often benefited the Wild.

Marcus Johansson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
73	12	21	33	0.45

At 35 years old, Marcus Johansson is one of the more senior members on the Wild roster this season. Last year, he had 11 goals and 23 assists in 72 games with 27 of his 34 points coming at even strength. Johansson’s role as a veteran on the team allows him to fit into any situation and while he’s primarily a winger he spent most of last season on the third or fourth line with Frederick Gaudreau and Ryan Hartman. That trio was a bit of a mishmash of styles with Gaudreau being a solid defensive forward, Hartman a bit of physical loose cannon with some touch around the net and Johansson a playmaker and puck possession style player. At this point in his career, the Wild aren’t asking a lot out of Johansson other than playing consistently strong hockey. His smarts for the game and ability to work in the offensive zone gives him an edge against more reckless defenders, but he may be competing for regular ice time against some of Minnesota’s additions and younger players. How coach John Hynes works things out will be something to keep an eye on.

Ryan Hartman

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	16	18	34	0.45

For physical players in the NHL, there’s always a line for what’s a good play to make to deliver a hit and what crosses the line. For Ryan Hartman, crossing that line has become a bit too regular of an occurrence. Last season, Hartman had solid numbers with 11 goals and 15 assists in 69 games with 75 penalty minutes. While he did miss a few games with injury, he also had to serve a 10-game suspension (that was later reduced to eight games) for using his forearm to drive the head of Ottawa Senators star forward Tim Stützle into the ice in February. He’s been suspended numerous times in his career but got the book thrown at him at a time when the Wild were fighting hard in the playoff race. Part of what makes Hartman valuable is his physical play and ability to upset opponents by delivering hits and when he’s focused on his game, the Wild are better for it. Last season he played most often with Marcus Johansson and Marcus Foligno that gave the Wild a group that could deliver heavy physical punishment and contribute occasional offense. For Hartman, that’s all you can ask for. That and staying of NHL Players’ Safety’s radar.

DEFENCE

Jared Spurgeon

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
68	5	27	32	0.47

Wild captain Jared Spurgeon’s return to action last season was one of the season highlights. Two years ago, he was held to just 16 games due to hip and back injuries. Last season, he led Wild defensemen in scoring with 32 points in 66 games. He still missed 16 games after he was injured being slew-footed by Nashville’s Zachary L’Heureux. Spurgeon’s leadership with the Wild can’t be understated. The hard work he put into returning to action after injuries and how he’s been such an outstanding puck mover and defender throughout his career despite being undersized compared to most defensemen shows how tough he is. Throughout last season, Spurgeon was paired with Jonas Brodin and Declan Chisholm although he spent most of his five-on-five minutes with Chisholm due to Brodin’s own injury issues. That pairing performed well together in regard to shot attempts taken and allowed and scoring chance quality generated and allowed. It wasn’t the ideal situation for anyone to navigate, but it’s a compliment to both players that they did well together in a tough situation. Brodin and Spurgeon figure to be reunited this season, although if Brodin does miss the start of the season, it could be Jacob Middleton or Zeev Buium who skates with Spurgeon.

Jonas Brodin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
65	3	19	22	0.34

Part of what helped the Wild navigate through all the injuries and constant changes to the lineup was the steady play on the blue line from Jonas Brodin. Unfortunately for him and the team, he also had to deal with injuries of his own. Injuries kept Brodin in and out of the lineup throughout the year although he was able to play for Sweden at the Four Nations Face-Off in February. His influence on the Wild blue line this season will again be affected by his health as he had offseason upper-body surgery to repair what nagged at him last season and it may prevent him from being ready for the start of the season. Brodin’s defensive brilliance gets lost in the mix in Minnesota thanks to having a young star like Brock Faber and soon-to-be young star defenseman Zeev Buium. Brodin’s quiet confidence in his own zone and ability to eliminate plays before they can start makes him an invaluable player. Last season, Brodin had four goals and 16 assists in 50 games. Injuries have nagged at Brodin throughout his career, which is deeply unfortunate given how solid of a defender he is. However, if surgery can keep him on the ice for most of the season upon his return, it’s a net benefit for the Wild.

Brock Faber

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	9	26	35	0.43

One of the better trades in Minnesota Wild history continues to pay dividends as Brock Faber’s brilliant play continued for the second straight year. Faber had 10 goals and 19 assists in 78 games last season which was an increase in goals, but a sizable dip in assists after he put up 47 points with 39 helpers in his rookie season and was a Norris Trophy finalist. The drop in points is understandable given all the turnover that occurred on the Minnesota blue line because of injuries. It’s also natural that he’d have a bit of a letdown in his second season in the league as the rest of the NHL adjusted to him. That said, Faber’s outstanding play was still there even without the robust point total. Without Jonas Brodin for 32 games, Faber paired with Jacob Middleton for a large part of the season as they played nearly 950 minutes together at five-on-five. The advanced stats didn’t favour that pairing very well as opponents were able to generate more shot attempts and better quality scoring chances than they were while out there. Faber is young and still figuring out what he can and cannot do in the NHL, but he was also a solid player for the United States at the Four Nations Face-Off and seeing his poise and playmaking in a best-on-best tournament like that was impressive.

Jacob Middleton

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	7	17	24	0.31

With some of the names on the Wild blue line like Jonas Brodin, Brock Faber and Jared Spurgeon it’s easy to get lost in the mix, but Jacob Middleton was able to carve his way into the picture taking advantage of injuries and earning a spot on a pair with Faber. In his fourth season with the Wild, Middleton picked up where he left off the year before and scored a career-high eight goals with 13 assists. His 21 points followed up his career-high 25 from the year before as his straight forward play has earned him coach John Hynes’s trust along the blue line to the point where he averaged more than 21 minutes per game last season. Middleton has helped earn his ice time by laying out for pucks. He blocked more than 100 shots for the fourth time in his career and for the third season in a row (155, 161, 157). He’s also been more than willing to throw the body around as well, something that ideally allowed Faber more of a chance to move the puck freely. If the Wild have to go without Brodin to start the season, Middleton may very well start on the top pairing with Faber again. Experience and chemistry go a long way when it comes to defense and that kind of shared ice time is hard to ignore even if the results last season weren’t totally ideal. Perhaps with better health for the entire lineup those stats will improve naturally.

Goal

Filip Gustavsson

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
54	26	18	6	4	.910	2.64

While it might be tempting to wax poetic about the legacy Marc-Andre Fleury leaves in net in Minnesota - the surprise team where he wrapped up his career years after most of his contemporaries had played their last NHL games - the real story of the 2025-26 Minnesota Wild is that of hopeful optimism and youth. Filip Gustavsson, who had followed up a highly impressive rookie campaign with a lackluster sophomore season in 2023-24, showed he could step up when it counted last year as Minnesota's best NHL goaltender by a mile. Now 27-years old and nearly 170 games into his NHL career, he'll serve as the stabilizing presence Minnesota needs as they look to prove they're ready to challenge in the Central Division long term.

Gustavsson made waves around the NHL at the start of last season for his first career NHL goal, but for Wild fans, he's the perfect positionally sound mainstay who doesn't often get goaded out of position (and proved with his goalie goal that he isn't afraid to have a little fun, too). And his arrival as a featured player on the main stage couldn't have come at a more perfect time for the Wild. With top-ranked prospect Jesper Wallstedt struggling last season both due to a small smattering of injuries and some not-so-minor regression in his game, Gustavsson's reliable play gives Wallstedt the opportunity to ease his way into play without being considered the team's only future hope.

NHL: THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – 4 Nations Wrap – Trade Deadline speculation edition – Favourable schedules and players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 17:20:17 +0000

BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 20: Team Canada forward Connor McDavid (97) drills a shot during the Championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off between Team United States and Team Canada on February 20, 2025, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

I have to give the league credit. I did not go into this season with a lot of confidence or excitement about the 4 Nations Face-Off. Sure, it’s always fun to see best-on-best play, but with the tournament being limited to just four countries and without any pre-existing prestige/history behind the tournament name, I was among those worried that it might end up looking like a series of glorified All-Star games and not attract any non-hockey fans. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

ESPN saw an average viewership of 9.252 million for the Final between Canada and the United States, making it the most-watched non-Olympic hockey game on record in US viewership history. Including Canadians, that rating increased to 16.1 million viewers (6.9 million between Sportsnet, Sportsnet+ and TVA Sports), which was on par for a Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final (16.3 million), per Braylon Breeze of Sports Media Watch.

The Final even took a political angle. I won’t stress people looking for an escape with the details, but the current climate between the United States and Canada was an undercurrent throughout this tournament and in the Final especially, only adding to the enthusiasm for this match.

When all that noise ended, and the puck dropped, the players didn’t disappoint. This was not a glorified All-Star Game. The players took the opportunity to represent their country seriously, and after the United States earned a 3-1 victory over Canada during the round robin, the Canadians got their revenge Thursday in a 3-2 overtime win over the States.

The winning goal was appropriately scored by Connor McDavid, who was left wide open due to a defensive breakdown by the Americans, took advantage of a nice pass from Mitch Marner to fire a wrist shot past Connor Hellebuyck.

Marner getting the primary assist on that marker and Sam Bennett’s game-tying goal at 14:00 of the second period -- the last goal before McDavid found the back of the net -- was a bit of a redemption story for the 27-year-old winger. Marner and McDavid didn’t seem to gel earlier in the tournament, resulting in the duo being separated for Canada’s 5-3 win over Finland on Monday and Marner logging just 12:46 of ice time. Had that been the end of the story, it would have been about Marner vanishing when things got tough, a story that would have added to the frustrations of Maple Leafs fans, who have seen Toronto flounder in the playoffs throughout Marner’s tenure. Instead, he added another chapter to the tale.

It was also a great showing for Jordan Binnington. Goaltending was the main question mark for Canada going into this tournament, and while Binnington certainly had some bad moments, in the end, he did step up for Canada, turning side 31 of 33 shots in the Final.

Of course, Nathan MacKinnon was also deserving of his MVP title. He scored a tournament-best four goals, including the overtime winner against Team Sweden and two markers versus Finland. Without MacKinnon’s efforts, Canada might not have made it to the final match. He also got Canada on the board first against Team USA on Thursday with his marker at 4:48 of the first period.

It needs to be acknowledged how well America played in this tournament. Both games between these two countries were intense, and not much would have had to change for Team USA to have emerged as the winner. In particular, Zach Werenski (six assists), Jake Guentzel (three goals, four points) and the Tkachuk brothers were fantastic in this tournament. Connor Hellebuyck also did his part in the 4 Nations Face-Off, largely proving his status as the league’s best goaltender, even if his team finished just shy of the title.

Canada can celebrate today, but they have every reason to be concerned about Team USA going into the Olympics. What a fun tournament that should be.

Boston Bruins

Boston will start next week at home, hosting the Maple Leafs on Tuesday and the Islanders on Thursday. The Bruins will then travel to Pittsburgh on Saturday and Minnesota on Sunday.

It seems unbelievable to even suggest it, but those games might be among Brad Marchand’s last in a Bruins jersey. Boston is 27-24-7, which puts the Bruins a point behind the Senators for the final wild-card spot despite having played in one extra game. To be clear, Boston still very much has a chance of making the playoffs, but the fact that it's now a borderline team is cause for retrospection.

There were tempered expectations for the Bruins going into 2023-24 after losing David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron. The squad managed to prove the rumors of their death were exaggerated with a 47-20-15 showing, but that success was led by elite goaltending, something the Bruins haven’t enjoyed this season. Linus Ullmark is gone and -- perhaps due to the pressures of his new contract, missing training camp or some combination of the two -- has underwhelmed with an 18-18-4 record, 2.98 GAA and .898 save percentage. Couple that with free-agent signing Elias Lindholm putting up mild numbers (11 goals, 30 points) as well as Charlie McAvoy (shoulder) getting hurt in the 4 Nations Face-Off, and it’s looking more and more like this isn’t a squad setup for a playoff run even if it does squeak in.

With all that considered, maybe it really is time to move on from Marchand. He’s 36 and in the final campaign of what’s proven to be an extremely team-friendly eight-year, $49 million deal. He is allowed to submit a list of up to eight teams he’d veto a trade from, so he does have some influence over his situation, but the return the Bruins could potentially get from him would still be significant. There are a lot of teams out there who would be happy to take a former Stanley Cup winner with a reputation for getting under opponents' skin. Especially given that Marchand is still performing at a high level offensively with 20 goals and 45 points through 58 appearances in 2024-25. His cap hit ($6.125 million) is also reasonable enough to make it feasible for most contenders to maneuver him below the ceiling, especially if Boston retains part of what’s left of his salary.

There’s a certain logic to trading Marchand while his value is still high and at the end of that contract, but there’s also a strong argument against it. He’s the Bruins captain and a fan favorite. Trading him away, especially after a summer that didn’t go Boston’s way, would likely result in strong pushback against GM Don Sweeney and president Cam Neely, even if the return is significant. It’d be one thing if Marchand wanted to go for the sake of chasing the Cup, but in his own words, his “goal is to play here forever,” per NBC Sports Boston. True, players will usually speak highly of whoever their current employer is, but in the case of Marchand, who has dedicated his entire NHL career to Boston, it seems reasonable to believe him and assume he wants to re-sign with the team.

Plus, even if he is getting up there in age, Boston might still enjoy another serious run with him. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Jeremy Swayman rebound next season. Hampus Lindholm (lower body) might have better luck on the injury front in 2025-26, which would go a long way towards stabilizing the blue line. The team would still have secondary scoring concerns that would need to be addressed over the summer, but this is far from a franchise that’s without hope in the mid-term.

In the end, I expect Marchand rumors to persist up until the trade deadline but for him to ultimately remain with Boston.

Los Angeles Kings

Los Angeles will open the week by hosting Vegas on Monday followed by Vancouver on Wednesday. The Kings will then hit the road with games in Dallas and St. Louis on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

The Kings hold a 30-17-7 record going, which gives them a decent cushion in the battle for a playoff spot, though they’ll have a difficult time catching up to Edmonton (34-19-4) or Vegas (34-17-6), which would be necessary in order to secure home-ice advantage in the first round.

Still, with the trade deadline approaching, the Kings are likely to be buyers if they do anything. They have all their draft picks over the next three years with the exception of their 2025 second-round selection (surrendered in the Tanner Jeannot trade) and a decent amount of cap flexibility (PuckPedia puts the squad’s deadline space at just under $4.5 million), so there is room here to get something done.

Los Angeles is rumored to be targeting Buffalo’s Alex Tuch, according to Russell Morgan of Hockey Royalty. Even if that doesn’t specifically happen, it does suggest that LA is in the market for a top six winger, which would make some sense.

Los Angeles is fine up the middle. Anze Kopitar is still performing well at 37 (13 goals, 46 points). Neither Phillip Danault (five goals, 230 points) and Quinton Byfield (11 goals, 29 points) has done enough offensively to be an ideal second-line center, but either one is serviceable in the middle six. Besides, with the Pierre-Luc Dubois experiment still fresh in the Kings’ mind, Los Angeles might be reluctant to take another swing at filling that role. Instead, the hope is probably for Byfield to grow into that job and push Danault to the third unit.

The defense looks solid now that Drew Doughty is back from his ankle injury. We haven’t seen much from him offensively yet -- just one assist in six appearances with the Kings and one helper in four outings with Canada -- but he’s averaged 26:57 of ice time with Los Angeles since returning, so he’s helped stabilize the blue line.

In goal, Darcy Kuemper has been a pleasant surprise, providing a 17-6-6 record, 2.22 GAA and .918 save percentage in 30 appearances, firmly putting his 2023-24 showing with Washington -- a 13-14-3 record with a 3.31 GAA and an .890 save percentage in 33 outings -- behind him. Maybe the Kings will seek an alternate to David Rittich, who has a 12-11-1 record, 2.59 GAA and .890 save percentage in 25 appearances, but that seems unlikely.

That mostly just leaves help on the wings, especially from someone who can find the back of the net. Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala are the only Kings players with at least 15 markers -- 25 and 21, respectively -- while 3.7 players per team have hit the 15-goal milestone, so it’s fair to say that’s an area of need for the Kings.

Los Angeles is also an underwhelming 20th in goals per game with 2.83 and has instead relied on its fifth-ranked 2.53 goals allowed per game for its success.

If the Kings do add a top six forward, then Trevor Moore could see his playing time meaningfully diminish. Moore was great in 2023-24 with 31 goals and 57 points in 82 regular-season games, but he’s dropped to eight goals and 23 points in 45 appearances this season, making his average ice time of 17:05 less than ideal. Any addition up front might also push Moore off the power play entirely. As it is, he’s averaging just 1:11 with the man advantage, which has resulted in only one assist for the 29-year-old this season.

Minnesota Wild

The Wild have a full week, starting at home against Detroit on Tuesday before a back-to-back in Utah and Colorado on Thursday and Friday, respectively. The squad will then return to Minnesota to host the Bruins on Sunday.

Minnesota has a strong 34-19-4 record (72 points), but with the Jets’ dominance (39-14-3), finishing first in the Central Division still looks like a longshot. Instead, the Wild are battling with Dallas (37-18-2) and Colorado (33-24-2) for the second and third seeds in the division with the bottom of the three likely entering the playoffs as a wild-card club.

The big question for the Wild is when Kirill Kaprizov (lower body) will be back. When he underwent surgery in late January, we were told that he’d miss a minimum of four weeks, so while a return this week seems unlikely, seeing Kaprizov by mid-March isn’t out of the question. Minnesota deserves credit for managing a 4-2-0 record since Kaprizov was put on the shelf, but that stretch also included back-to-back shutout losses and an underwhelming 2.50 goals per game, so the Wild have shown some vulnerability.

Getting strong performances out of Matt Boldy, Marco Rossi and Mats Zuccarello during Kaprizov’s absence will be critical. Boldy had a poorly timed five-game scoring drought from Jan. 29-Feb. 6, but he bounced back with two goals and three points in the Wild’s final game before the break and held his own during the 4 Nations Face-Off, supplying a goal and three points in four outings with Team USA, so he might hit the ground running for Minnesota when play resumes.

Rossi has two goals and seven points across his past 10 appearances with the Wild, but he’s also been inconsistent during that stretch, going without a point in five of those outings. Meanwhile, Zuccarello hadn’t scored a point in five straight games before the break. Maybe the break -- Zuccarello wasn’t involved in the tournament -- has allowed him to reset and put that slump behind him.

That trio is likely to play together while Kaprizov remains out, though once Kaprizov returns, Boldy might shift off that unit to make room for the Wild’s star forward.

Nashville Predators

Nashville will open the week with a pair of difficult opponents at home, hosting Florida and Winnipeg on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. The Predators will then travel to New York to face the Islanders on Saturday and the Rangers on Sunday.

Nashville showed some hope from Jan. 3-23, winning seven of nine games, but the Predators followed that with a six-game losing streak they couldn’t afford. Nashville now has a 20-29-7 record, putting the team 15 points out of a playoff spot. The team isn’t mathematically eliminated, but there is no longer a realistic path to the postseason for Nashville. To hit 94 points, Nashville would need to go 23-4-1 the rest of the way. That’s simply not happening.

That makes the Predators obvious sellers going into the deadline. Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Roman Josi and Brady Skjei all have no-movement clauses and significant term left on their contracts, so I wouldn’t expect any kind of blockbuster involving any of them.

Interestingly, Juuse Saros’ new contract, and thus his no-movement clause, doesn’t begin until the 2025-26 campaign, so technically the Predators could trade the goaltender, but I doubt they will. Saros’ eight-year, $61.92 million deal looked good when he inked it, but the 29-year-old has struggled this campaign with an 11-23-6 record, 2.95 GAA and .898 save percentage in 41 appearances prior to the tournament. He had a minus-3.5 goals saved above expected, per Moneypuck, which suggests he’s been below average even after considering the poor play in front of him. Teams might be hesitant to take on that big contract given his recent performance, and Nashville might be equally reluctant to trade him at a time when his value is down.

Still, Nashville should be active at the deadline. Gustav Nyquist, who is playing the final season of his two-year, $6.37 million contract, is likely gone. His 20 points in 55 appearances this campaign is a far cry from his 75-point showing in 2023-24, but the 35-year-old should still be a capable middle-six forward for a contender and, frankly, a move away from the Predators’ struggles should do him some good.

Perhaps Ryan O'Reilly will be moved as well. He’s signed through 2026-27, but his $4.5 million cap hit is fair for the two-way center who has 14 goals, 34 points and a 56.6 faceoff percentage in 53 outings this season. The 34-year-old is a former Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe winner, which is sure to appeal to contenders, and the fact that he’s got term left on his deal means that he would command more than a rental price. He also lacks a no-trade clause, making a potential move that much easier. That said, it really depends on how bad the Predators see their situation. Nashville still has a veteran core, and with so many players locked to NMCs, the franchise is unlikely to embrace a rebuild at this time. If that’s the case, then Nashville might prefer to keep O’Reilly under the belief that the team will bounce back over the next two years. At the least, the Predators likely aren’t motivated sellers when it comes to him, so they would need to be offered a very appealing return.

It'd be much cheaper for teams to pry Luke Schenn from the Predators. He’s in the middle season of a three-year, $8.25 million contract, so he’s not a rental either, but the 35-year-old defenseman is presumably not as big of a part of Nashville’s plans. For a team looking to win now, though, Schenn provides some value. He is a physical force with 41 PIM and 207 hits through 56 outings and would be a solid third-pairing option on a playoff squad. His cap hit might be a touch high for what he brings to the table, but at $2.75 million, it’s workable.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Moving from one seller to another, the Penguins aren’t quite out of the playoff race, but they probably won’t make it. At the least, Pittsburgh needs to be great down the stretch to close the gap, which means the Penguins need a big week. They’ll play in Philadelphia on Tuesday before returning home to host the Flyers, the Bruins and the Maple Leafs on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Sidney Crosby looked great in the 4 Nations Face-Off, contributing a goal and five points across four games for Team Canada. The 37-year-old should be expected to continue to perform for the Penguins down the stretch after supplying 17 goals and 58 points across 55 appearances with Pittsburgh leading up to the tournament. Unfortunately, it’s already well established that the current Penguins can lose even with Crosby keeping up his end of the bargain.

Even if the Penguins are sellers, Crosby is unsurprisingly going nowhere. He has a no-movement clause, and it’s doubtful that either Pittsburgh or Crosby have interest in parting ways. He is the face of the franchise and will likely remain in that position until he hangs up his skates.

The same goes for Evgeni Malkin. The Russian star made his intentions clear in an interview with The Athletic’s Rob Rossi: “I not retire. I know what some people say -- like, I go back to Russia and play for my home team. But I never say it, you know? I retire with Pittsburgh. The Penguins are my team. I love this team. When I retire it’s here.”

So yeah, take him off the list, especially because his no-movement clause gives him final say over his status.

Still, the Penguins are likely to make some moves. Perhaps Matt Grzelcyk, who is playing on a one-year, $2.75 million contract, will be traded. He has a goal and 28 points in 59 appearances while averaging 20:18 of ice time, though he might see his power-play role decline with a new team, which would hurt his fantasy value. He has 10 power-play assists and has logged 2:11 per game with the man advantage this season.

Cody Glass might also be shipped to a team looking for forward depth, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the same happen to Anthony Beauvillier. Neither has term left on his contract, though Glass has one season remaining of RFA eligibility.

If Pittsburgh is in the mood for something bigger, the team could take a hard look at moving Rickard Rakell. He’s having a strong campaign with 25 goals and 49 points in 58 appearances. He’s signed through 2027-28 with a $5 million cap hit, so I don’t think the Penguins will move him, but his trade value is good, so it would be a way to shake things up without touching the core. However, the Penguins aren’t expected to enter a full rebuild until after Crosby retires, so rather than move Rakell for picks or long-term prospects, Pittsburgh would presumably want at least one player who is NHL-ready in any Rakell trade.

St. Louis Blues

The Blues will alternate between home and away games next week. They’ll start by hosting Seattle on Tuesday before playing in Washington on Thursday, returning home to face the Kings on Saturday and finally traveling to Dallas for a clash Sunday.

St. Louis is in a similar position to Pittsburgh. It’d be wrong to say all hope for a playoff berth is lost, but with a 26-26-6 (58 points) record, squeaking into the playoffs seems improbable. Perhaps Jordan Binnington can ride the high of backstopping Team Canada to victory in the 4 Nations Face-Off to lead the Blues on a run after the break. It’s certainly something to keep an eye on because he’s a great netminder when he’s at his best, but the problem is that the 31-year-old can end up all over the place. Not to take away from what he just accomplished, but that inconsistency makes it hard for me to count on him to continue at that high level of performance for a sustained period of time.

If he can’t lead St. Louis on a run in the near term, then the Blues are likely to be another seller at the trade deadline. Radek Faksa, who is in the final season of his five-year, $16.25 million contract, would be the most likely player to be dealt under those circumstances. He has three goals, 10 points, 83 hits and 31 blocks in 46 appearances in 2024-25. Those aren’t standout numbers, but Faksa would likely have a market among contenders looking to add to their bottom six.

Maybe trade offers involving Cam Fowler or Nick Leddy will be entertained too. Leddy has a full no-trade clause, while Fowler can limit his options to a four-team trade list, so the two blueliners have considerable control over their respective situations, but they’re also 33 years old and might be interested in the opportunity to play for a contender. Fowler and Leddy are signed through 2025-26, so each of them would come with a bit of term, which adds to their value, especially given that they also come with a reasonable cap hit of roughly $4 million (in Fowler’s case, that’s excluding the $2.5 million Anaheim has retained).

Fowler and Leddy are each capable of serving in a top four capacity. Fowler was already involved in a trade from Anaheim to St. Louis in December, so moving him again is a bit awkward, but given the Blues’ situation, it would make some sense to flip him to a team doing better. As for Leddy, he’s healthy after missing most of the campaign due to a lower-body injury. There seems to be a bit of load management going on given that he averaged just 17:21 of ice time over his first three games back -- his 2023-24 average was 22:22 -- but as he puts some distance between him and his time on the shelf, his workload should increase.

Ryan Suter will also probably get traded if there is interest in him. The 40-year-old isn’t the defenseman he once was, but he would be a nice veteran presence for a contender. Just don’t expect him to average anywhere close to his 20:29 in 2024-25 if he moves away from St. Louis.

If one or more of those blueliners do get traded, then Tyler Tucker will likely see an increase in playing time. We might also see Samuel Johannesson get called up from AHL Springfield to make his NHL debut. The 24-year-old has shown some offensive potential in the minors, providing three goals and 23 points in 46 appearances, so maybe he’d get a trial on the second power-play unit depending on who St. Louis parts with.

If the Blues make some moves up front, then Dalibor Dvorsky would likely get summoned from Springfield. The 19-year-old has looked good with 15 goals and 35 points in 44 AHL outings. It’s also worth keeping Jimmy Snuggerud in the back of your mind. He has 20 goals and 42 points in 32 games with the University of Minnesota as a junior. If he opts to go pro after the NCAA season, it’s feasible that he’ll immediately jump into a middle-six spot with the Blues.

So even if St. Louis misses the playoffs, there are some young players who might make those final weeks worth watching.

Washington Capitals

The Capitals will be at home next week and won’t have to deal with a back-to-back set. Washington will host Calgary on Tuesday, St. Louis on Thursday and Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Washington went into the break with a dominant lead in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals had 80 points (36-11-8) through 55 appearances, putting them nine points ahead of the second-rank Panthers despite Florida having played in two extra games. Although it’s too early for Washington’s spot atop the conference standings to be assured, we’re quickly approaching a point where the Capitals will have to resist the temptation to go onto cruise control until the playoffs.

While there are obvious benefits to the Capitals’ position, resting on your laurels down the stretch can make it hard to get serious again once the playoffs start. Fortunately, even if Washington soon finds itself in a position where wins feel optional, there will still be something to play for: Alex Ovechkin. The 39-year-old entered the 4 Nations break just 15 goals behind Wayne Gretzky and delivered a hat trick in his second game upon return to close the gap to 12 goals in the remaining 25 games. He’s scored at a pace of 0.67 goals per game this campaign, so becoming the all-time goal scorer by the end of the campaign looks attainable, should he stay healthy.

However, it has to be said that using that as the team’s motivation might be a double-edged sword. Getting the puck to Ovechkin is usually the right call -- he's converting on 18.4 percent of his shots after all -- but if the team puts all its focus into securing the record for Ovechkin, even at the cost of the fundamentals, then it might create bad habits. That’s potentially especially dangerous should the act of winning or losing become secondary.

Either way, he’s the best offensive weapon the Capitals have and should be well-rested after the break. He’s not the only one either -- no Washington player was included in the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Although Jordan Binnington got the job done, Logan Thompson would have also been a fantastic option for Team Canada after posting a 24-2-5 record, 2.23 GAA and .921 save percentage through 31 appearances with Washington this season, but he wasn’t included on the roster. The silver lining is that the time off should have given him a chance to reset -- he was working through a slump right before the break, posting a 1-0-2 record, 3.88 GAA and .867 save percentage across three outings.

That’s in contrast to Tom Wilson, who had four goals and six points across his final four outings before the break and has added three points in two games since returning. The 30-year-old has already suprassed his career high in goals with 26 and is on course to surpass his personal best of 52 points -- he has 45 through 57 contests this campaign.

Winnipeg Jets

The Jets will open the week by hosting the Sharks, and they’ll follow that up with a two-game road trip to Ottawa and Nashville on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. The Jets will conclude the week back home with a clash against the Flyers on Saturday.

Like the Capitals, Winnipeg’s biggest challenge going forward might be finding ways to stay motivated down the stretch as games potentially mean progressively less. The Jets already have 81 points (39-14-3) after just 56 appearances, so their playoff position is fairly secure. They’ve even opened up a nine-point lead in the battle for the Western Conference’s top seed thanks to their active eight-game winning streak.

One benefit of that time off will be the ability to manage Connor Hellebuyck’s workload down the stretch. The 31-year-old netminder should still be counted on to play regularly, but we might see Eric Comrie move up to playing once every third game to make sure Hellebuyck isn’t burnt out by the time the playoffs start. It’s a situation worth monitoring closely if you have Hellebuyck on your fantasy team. Adding Comrie would be a good hedge, especially given that he’s been a fine backup with a 2.57 GAA and a .912 save percentage in 13 appearances.

On the trade front, Winnipeg is projected to have $11.2 million worth of deadline cap space, per Puckpedia, but the Jets are missing their 2025 second and fourth-round selections due to trades before this season, so Winnipeg has a little less to work with when it comes to acquiring players.

Another tricky thing is that…they play in Winnipeg. That’s not me trying to throw shade at the city, that’s me acknowledging a genuine challenge that the franchise has to constantly overcome because of player perceptions. The Athletic recently polled 111 players and granted them anonymity so that they could speak freely. When asked what the first team on their hypothetical no-trade list would be, 48.78 percent picked Winnipeg.

As one player put it: “There’s not much to do out there. It’s (censored) cold. I haven’t heard a guy go to Winnipeg and be like, 'This is going to be my forever home.’”

The second-place Sabres weren’t even close at 19.51 percent despite the Jets being a dominant club while Buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs since 2011. It’s not fair, but if a player has a partial no-trade list, then you have to consider the probability that Winnipeg is on it. Even still, Winnipeg might be able to bolster its blue line or add a middle-six forward before the deadline.

Seth Jones has interest in leaving Chicago, and Winnipeg was mentioned as a potential destination by The Athletic. He’d help solidify the Jets’ top four and maybe serve on the second power-play unit. His $9.5 million cap hit is a bit rich, but the cap is going up, and the Blackhawks might be willing to retain part of that salary. However, Jones has a no-movement clause, and given what we’ve already discussed when it comes to players' feelings for Winnipeg, he might not be willing to waive it for the Jets.

Getting Ryan Donato from Chicago might be more viable. It’s a far less splashy move, but Donato would be a nice third-line option. He has 19 goals and 38 points in 55 appearances this season. Connor Murphy would also be a solid add for Winnipeg in a trade with the Blackhawks. After supplying a goal, 13 points, 38 PIM, 72 hits and 100 blocks in 44 appearances with Chicago this campaign, he’d look nice on Winnipeg’s third pairing. Like Jones, though, Winnipeg would have to overcome the NTC problem -- Murphy has a 10-team no-trade list.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Rossi stepping up, Kane thriving on the power play, Fantilli gets new opportunity, Knies back on track now that Mattews has returned and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:06:16 +0000

Minnesota Wild Center Marco Rossi (23). (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Marco Rossi has stepped up in his second season, Patrick Kane is thriving on the power play, Adam Fantilli gets a new opportunity in Columbus, Matthew Knies is back on track now that Auston Mattews has returned and much more!

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

#1 Although his role as a top line centre in Minnesota has more value when Kirill Kaprizov is healthy, Marco Rossi is enjoying an excellent second season in the National Hockey League. Across his past 20 games, Rossi has delivered 20 points (9 G, 11 A) with 37 shots on goal and even with Kaprizov out, Rossi still has Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello skating on his wings, so there is sufficient skill on his flanks to keep the points coming.

#2 It’s not like Showtime Patrick Kane flies under the radar, but after a slow start to the season, the veteran right winger had tended to fall out of favour with fantasy managers. Since the Red Wings changed coaches however, going from Derek Lalonde to Todd McLellan, Kane has produced eight points (4 G, 4 A) and 17 shots on goal in six games. Five of those eight points have come on the power play, which has dramatically improved since the coaching change.

#3 Second year Blue Jackets centre Adam Fantilli has struggled to find his footing this season, making his return from a calf laceration that ended his 2023-2024 season prematurely. Fantilli does have five points (2 G, 3 A) during a four-game point streak and with Sean Monahan out of the lineup due to an upper-body injury, Fantilli is getting first crack at centering Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov on Columbus’ top line.

#4 Toronto Maple Leafs sophomore left winger Matthew Knies had just one assist in his past eight games when Auston Matthews returned from injury. Since Matthews’ return, Knies has produced eight points (5 G, 3 A) during a four-game point streak. He has also hit extremes on the plus-minus front just in that four-game span, going +6 in a win over Boston and -5 in a loss at Carolina. With 16 goals, Knies ranks third on the Maple Leafs and his 22 even-strength points is tied for 63rd in the entire league. Skating on a line with Matthews and Mitch Marner is certainly a prime position for Knies to generate more offence

#5 Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn plays more of a supporting role at this stage of his career, but the 35-year-old left winger continues to deliver. In his past 19 games, Benn has produced 18 points (7 G, 11 A) with 43 shots on goal. With 57 hits in 40 games, Benn continues to provide value for fantasy managers. He is not the dominant force that he was during his peak years but remains a valuable commodity when he is scoring like he has over the past couple of months.

#6 Some lineup shuffling in Dallas has resulted in right winger Evgeni Dadonov moving up the depth chart to skate alongside Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz on the Stars’ top line. In his past 10 games, Dadonov has contributed 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 20 shots on goal. He is a four-time 20-goal scorer, so Dadonov has shown that he is a legitimate scoring winger, but at 35 years old, it’s fair to wonder whether his recent uptick in production can continue over the long run. As long as he is playing with Robertson and Hintz, Dadonov should generate interest from fantasy managers.

#7 After managing just 40 points in 82 games for the Kings last season, Pierre-Luc Dubois needed a big bounce-back season and his arrival in Washington has provided him with a fresh start. In his past 18 games, Dubois has 19 points (5 G, 14 A) with 39 shots on goal. Dubois is thriving on a line between Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson, though Dubois has also had success with Aliaksei Protas in McMichael’s place, too.

#8 Injuries tend to be part of the package for Colorado Avalanche left winger Jonathan Drouin, but he is productive when healthy and had a career-high 56 points (19 G, 37 A) in 79 games last season. Since returning from injury this season, he has put up six points (1 G, 5 A) in five games, giving him 10 points in 10 games this season. Drouin has landed on the Avs’ top line, with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, which is one of the premier opportunities afforded to any point-producing forward.

#9 With a hat trick against Toronto on Thursday, Carolina Hurricanes centre Jordan Staal is up to 12 points (5 G, 7 A) and 26 shots on goal in his past 13 games. Staal is an elite checking centre, who has been criminally underrated in Selke Trophy voting, though he was runner-up last season and fourth the year before. Nevertheless, the 36-year-old pivot is on pace for more than 40 points, which would be the first time since 2017-2018 that he surpassed that threshold. He has had a couple of seasons in that time in which he scored at a higher per-game rate but missed time due to injury (2018-2019) and a shortened season (2020-2021).

#10 Staal’s teammate Eric Robinson is not really one for fantasy managers except in the deepest of leagues, but the 29-year-old winger also scored against Toronto, and he has 21 points (10 G, 11 A) in 42 games, moving him to within six points of his career high of 27 points. Robinson is lunch-box-and-hard-hat type of player who gives an honest effort and plays a physical game. He had some modest success in Columbus but could not settle into a consistent role in Buffalo last season. His move to Carolina this season has brought a fresh start and improved production. Robinson does not play a lot – about 12 minutes per game – but has recently moved up the depth chart to join Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Martin Necas on Carolina’s second line.

#11 Veteran Anaheim Ducks centre Ryan Strome has started to pick up his production after a slow start to the campaign. He has eight points (2 G, 6 A) in his past seven games, and while it’s not unusual that he has Frank Vatrano skating on his left side, the veteran duo had rookie Sam Colangelo on the right wing for Tuesday’s game against Calgary. However, that was due to Troy Terry missing the game for the birth of his child, so when Terry returns, that is an established and proven trio of forwards that can help steer the Ducks in the right direction.

#12 It would be fair to characterize Erik Karlsson’s tenure with the Pittsburgh Penguins as underwhelming, but it should still be noted that he can deliver points. In his past 11 games, he has a dozen points (2 G, 10 A) and is averaging 23:43 of ice time per game. He is back on Pittsburgh’s top power play unit and, considering his pedigree, Karlsson might be a decent buy-low candidate for fantasy managers because there just aren’t that many defencemen who have 100-point seasons in their history.

#13 Penguins left winger Michael Bunting has become a reliable contributor. He has been on a point-per-game pace over his past 18 games, with 18 points (9 G, 9 A), including 10 points on the power play. Bunting has recorded 48 percent of his points on the power play this season, the same as Steven Stamkos. Among players with at least 20 points, these are the only players with a higher percentage of points on the power play: Shayne Gostisbehere (66.7 percent), Jake Sanderson (63.6 percent), Kevin Fiala (50 percent), Teuvo Teravainen (50 percent), Drake Batherson (50 percent), Gabriel Vilardi (48.7 percent), and Chandler Stephenson (48.1 percent),

#14 The Washington Capitals have been one of the great surprises in the NHL this season and part of the reason is their addition of defenceman Jakob Chychrun, who has always been a capable scorer, but injuries have prevented him from maximizing his potential. This season, though, he has stayed healthy and is piling up points. In the past 21 games, Chychrun has 20 points (6 G, 14 A). Among defencemen, since 2019-2020, only Cale Makar (99) and Roman Josi (96) have scored more goals than Chychrun’s 71 goals.

#15 With Jared Spurgeon and Brock Faber injured, Minnesota Wild defenceman Jonas Brodin has become an unexpected offensive contributor. In his past seven games, Brodin has seven points (2 G, 5 A) while playing a whopping 26:35 per game. Brodin scored a career-high 30 points in 2021-2022 but has largely been a standout defensive presence in his career. With 16 points in 31 games this season, Brodin could set a new career high for points, but the moment that Faber and Spurgeon return, Brodin will likely return to his defensive focus.

#16 An unlikely source of offence lately, Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist has eight points (5 G, 3 A) in his past eight games. He has been skating at right wing on the third line with Anton Lundell and Carter Verhaeghe, which does offer some upside. He doesn’t play enough to have wide fantasy appeal, averaging 12:38 time on ice per game in the past eight, but as a short-term fix, Boqvist might have a little bit of unexpected value.

#17 When the San Jose Sharks traded for goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, acquiring him from the Nashville Predators, it was easy to view him as the Sharks’ goaltender of the future. He has played seven games for the Sharks this season, posting a .923 save percentage, and the 22-year-old has done nothing to dispel the notion that he will not only be the Sharks’ starting goaltender, but he might be a very good one, at that. In the short term, Askarov may not play enough to have huge fantasy value, but that day is coming.

#18 Ottawa Senators centre Tim Stutzle has been enjoying a bounce-back season and has 41 points in 40 games, but he has it a dry spell lately, managing one assist in his past five games. While a small sample of games like that should not hold great sway on his fantasy value but it is at least a little concerning that of the six games that Stutzle has failed to record a shot this season, three of them have come in the past five games. He is skating with Claude Giroux and Drake Batherson at evens, certainly a skilled enough line to put up some points, but it will be worth keeping an eye on the Sens’ rising star.

#19 Philadelpia Flyers rookie right winger Matvei Michkov got off to a blazing start in his first NHL season, scoring 27 points (11 G, 16 A) in his first 27 games. In the past month, though, he has just two points (1 G, 1 A) in 13 games. He does have 33 shots on goal in that time, so it’s not like he isn’t getting chances, but this slump has been carrying on for quite a while. Right now, he is skating on a line with Scott Laughton and Morgan Frost, and is on Philadelphia’s second power play unit, which isn’t exactly going to drag him back into a more productive place. He might be a buy-low target at this point.

#20 It has not been an easy season for the Boston Bruins, as they are clinging to a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, after typically battling for the best record year after year. The Bruins are winless in six straight games and team captain Brad Marchand has no goals and two assists in his past seven games. If there is reason to be hopeful about Marchand, it is that the has generated 26 shots on goal in those seven games and has been a high percentage finisher throughout his career, scoring n 15.1 percent of his shots for his whole career, but what would be a career low of 11.4 percent this season. Marchand is playing with Elias Lindholm and Charlie Coyle right now, but if the winless streak continues, there could be more line shuffling in Boston.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Examining offseason moves – Oilers thriving ex-RFA’s versus UFA signings – Teams with favourable schedules

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 16:15:29 +0000

DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 14: St Louis Blue defenseman Philip Broberg skates with the puck down the ice during an NHL game between the St Louis Blues and the Dallas Stars on December 14, 2024, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. (Photo by Steve Nurenberg/Icon Sportswire)

Going into 2024-25, it looked like the Oilers had a great summer. Sure, they lost restricted free agents Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to St. Louis, but only because the Blues overpaid for them. Meanwhile, Edmonton was crafty, snagging Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson at bargain bin prices, while also re-signing Adam Henrique to a reasonable contract. The goaltending was still in a risky state given the reliance on the streaky Stuart Skinner and the defense looked thin, but up front, Edmonton seemed deeper than it had ever been in the Connor McDavid-era.

Reality has played out differently. Edmonton has a 23-12-3 record, so they don’t have much to complain about on that front. However, Skinner hasn’t been the bargain that they thought. Instead, the six-time 30-plus goal scorer has just six markers and 13 points through 37 appearances. He’s been so underwhelming that he’s been largely relegated to the fourth line and was even a healthy scratch Sunday.

Arvidsson hasn’t been much help either. Granted, injuries have been part of the issue, but even when healthy, he’s underwhelmed with four goals and nine points through 23 outings. Meanwhile, Henrique has three goals and 10 points in 38 games after finishing the 2023-24 regular season with 51 points.

With the benefit of hindsight, Edmonton should have prioritized its restricted free agents. Broberg has three goals and 14 points in 27 outings while managing a top four role. Holloway has looked even better, collecting 14 goals and 27 points in 40 appearances.

As for Skinner and Arvidsson being bargains while Broberg and Holloway were overpaid, the former duo costs $7 million combined for 2024-25 while the latter comes in at roughly $6.9. Oops.

To be fair, this isn’t what many would have predicted going into the campaign, and there’s still time for Skinner and Arvidsson to make their marks, especially come the playoffs. However, it does highlight how plans can go awry, and with nearly half the campaign now in the books, this seems like a good time to take stock of how teams did in the offseason.

That’ll be the theme of this week’s article: For every team I highlight below, I’m going focus on the players who were brought in over the summer and reevaluate whether it’s worked out.

Carolina Hurricanes (Tue @ TBL, Thu @ TOR, Fri vs VAN, Sun vs ANA)

Carolina has been middling recently, posting a 7-8-1 record over its past 16 games, though the Hurricanes are still 23-13-2 overall thanks to their commanding start. Next week is packed for Carolina and primarily at home, though the opponents will be difficult. The Hurricanes will play in Tampa Bay on Tuesday before hosting Toronto, Vancouver and Anaheim on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, respectively.

Even after factoring in Carolina’s recent underwhelming play, the Hurricanes are still well on their way to making the playoffs for the seventh straight campaign despite significant turnover. They lost two top-four defensemen -- Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce -- and top-six forward Teuvo Teravainen. Jake Guentzel also parted ways with Carolina, but he was a midseason rental, so he was less ingrained into the team.

Carolina led the league in xGA/60 in 2023-24 (2.65), but the team has dipped to 11th (2.90) this year. That’s not bad, but it does suggest that the losses of Skjei and Pesce have been felt.

Carolina did ink Shayne Gostisbehere to a three-year, $9.6 million contract over the summer, but the 31-year-old defenseman was brought in as more of a power-play specialist than a two-way option. He has served well in that role, supplying six goals and 27 points through 35 appearances, but unfortunately, he’s out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

Interestingly, Brent Burns appears to be staying on the second power-play unit despite Gostisbehere’s injury. Burns is hot with two goals and four points over his past four appearances, but he has just one point with the man advantage this year, and unless he moves up to the top power-play grouping, it’s hard to see him having a strong second half.

Ty Smith seems to have gotten the special-teams assignment instead of Burns. The 24-year-old has averaged just 14:02 of ice time in Carolina’s three games without Gostisbehere, but 4:05 per contest has come with the man advantage. Smith has a goal (provided on the power play) in those three appearances after supplying three goals and 10 points in 13 outings with AHL Chicago. He’s worth a short-term pickup.

Moving back to the Hurricanes’ summer acquisitions, Carolina also inked Jack Roslovic to a one-year, $2.8 million deal. He’s worked out well in Carolina, collecting 17 goals and 25 points through 38 outings, which puts the 27-year-old on track to surpass his career high of 45 points. I’m not confident he’ll get there, though. His 22.4 shooting percentage doesn’t look sustainable and his role with the team hasn’t been consistent, resulting in him averaging a modest 14:00, including 1:15 on the power play. It’s hard to trust him unless he starts getting bigger minutes consistently, so there’s a risk of him slowing meaningfully in the second half.

Detroit Red Wings (Tue vs OTT, Fri vs CHI, Sun vs SEA)

The Red Wings are showing some life under new bench boss Todd McLellan, winning each of their past three games. Still, they have a lot of ground to make up given their 16-18-4 record. Fortunately, their upcoming competition is favorable -- they'll spend next week at home, hosting Ottawa on Tuesday, Chicago on Friday and Seattle on Sunday.

Detroit lost Gostisbehere and veteran forward David Perron over the summer, which threatened to hurt the team’s scoring, but the Red Wings hoped to mitigate that by bringing in Vladimir Tarasenko on a two-year, $9.5 million contract. Tarasenko isn’t the same player he was when he provided over 30 goals on six occasions from 2014-15 through 2021-22, but he still figured to be a valuable middle-six option after providing 23 goals and 55 points over 76 outings between Ottawa and Florida in 2023-24.

It hasn’t worked out like that, though. Tarasenko has just four goals and 14 points through 37 appearances and isn’t giving Red Wings fans much hope that he’ll have a strong second half. The veteran has no goals and three assists across his past 14 games. While Detroit has won its last three games by scoring at least four goals in each contest, Tarasenko has managed a single shot on net over that stretch.

Detroit re-signed Patrick Kane to a one-year, $4 million deal over the summer. Initially, Kane’s story this season looked a lot like Tarasenko -- Kane had just three goals and 10 points over his first 24 appearances of 2024-25 -- but he’s hit his stride, providing five goals and nine points across his past nine outings.

Detroit ranks 25th in goals per game with 2.68, which is a collapse compared to the Red Wings’ 3.35 last campaign. That’s in large part due to a decline in secondary scoring. Detroit had eight players with at least 15 goals. Just five are scoring at a pace to reach that mark this campaign. If Tarasenko could get going, that would certainly help, but it would be wrong to put the blame solely on him when the team as a whole has declined that much.

Minnesota Wild (Tue vs STL, Thu vs COL, Sat @ SJS, Sun @VGK)

The Wild have won four of their past five games, bringing their record up to 24-11-4 this campaign. They’ll look to continue the good times next week, starting with a home game against the Blues on Tuesday. After that, the Wild will host Colorado on Thursday before hitting the road for contests in San Jose on Saturday and Vegas on Sunday.

In contrast to their dominance this season, the Wild missed the playoffs in 2023-24 with a 39-34-9 record, so you’d think they had a successful summer, but this is largely the same team that fell short last campaign. The big difference has been Filip Gustavsson. He struggled in 2023-24 with a 20-18-4 record, 3.06 GAA and .899 save percentage but has rebounded this time, posting a 17-6-3 record, 2.28 GAA and .924 save percentage across 26 starts.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Gustavsson continue his dominance through the second half of the campaign. While it’s in contrast to last season, he has demonstrated this level of success before -- he was 22-9-7 with a 2.10 GAA and a .931 save percentage in 39 outings in 2022-23 -- so this isn’t coming out of nowhere.

Marco Rossi has also taken a step up. The 23-year-old finished 2023-24 with 21 goals and 40 points and is well on his way to shattering those totals this season, collecting 15 goals and 33 points through 39 outings so far. For the second straight campaign, Rossi has the distinction of getting plenty of ice time with Kirill Kaprizov, but the duo seems to be meshing better this year. Kaprizov showed up on the scoresheet for 16 of Rossi’s 40 points last season but has already featured on 21 of Rossi’s 33 points in 2024-25.

While Minnesota didn’t make any significant additions last summer, it is worth noting that the Wild signed Brock Faber to an eight-year, $68 million contract extension back in July. Faber was one of the few positives for the Wild in 2023-24, supplying eight goals, 47 points, 65 hits and 150 blocks in 82 appearances as a rookie. Locking him up long-term was a bit of a risk given his small sample size, but it’s looking like it was a great call. He has five goals, 20 points, 15 hits and 51 blocks through 39 outings in 2024-25.

Faber didn’t look ideal analytically last campaign with a relative 5v5 CF%/FF% of minus-2.8/minus-3.5, which suggests that the team performed worse from a puck possession perspective when he was on the ice, but the 22-year-old has shown some growth in that regard as a sophomore, posting a minus-1.7/minus-2.9 relative 5v5 CF%/FF%.

Ottawa Senators (Tue @ DET, Thu @ BUF, Sat @ PIT, Sun vs DAL)

Minnesota is enjoying a great campaign after a rough one, but the Senators are still floundering in mediocrity. Ottawa finished 37-41-4 in 2023-24, missing the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year. The Senators are a more respectable, but still not great 19-17-2 this year.

Ottawa does have a shot at ending its postseason drought, but every point will be critical. Next week, the Senators will play in Detroit on Tuesday, host the Sabres on Thursday, play in Pittsburgh on Saturday and then head back home to face the Stars on Sunday.

There was some reason for cautious optimism going into this campaign. Joonas Korpisalo had been a big problem for the Senators in 2023-24, posting a 21-26-4 record, 3.27 GAA and .890 save percentage in 55 outings while finishing minus-16.1 in terms of goals saved above expected. To exchange him with Linus Ullmark in a trade with Boston over the summer seemed like a huge win, and it has been.

Ullmark did initially struggle in Ottawa and is presently dealing with a back injury, but he’s still been strong overall with a 12-7-2 record, 2.38 GAA and .915 save percentage across 23 games with the Senators. Unfortunately, Ottawa’s holdover goaltender, Anton Forsberg, has continued to struggle with a 3.04 GAA and an .885 save percentage in 12 outings, so Ottawa has to hope that Ullmark returns soon.

Even when he is playing, though, Ottawa is still limited by its offense, ranking 20th in goals per game with 2.95. Trading offensive defenseman Jakob Chychrun to Washington didn’t help. The Senators did receive Nick Jensen in the trade, but Jensen is more of a defensive option, contributing two goals, 13 points, 37 hits and 44 blocks in 38 contests with Ottawa this campaign.

The Senators also attempted to boost its secondary scoring by inking David Perron to a two-year, $8 million contract. Perron had recorded at least 36 points in each of his past eight campaigns, so he seemed like a reasonable bet, but the 36-year-old has been no help. Part of that is due to injuries, but even in the nine games he’s logged with Ottawa, Perron has no points.

To make matters worse, Claude Giroux is showing his age, collecting nine goals and 24 points through 38 appearances in 2024-25, putting the 36-year-old on pace to finish well below his totals of 79 and 64 points in 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively.

If Ottawa is to miss the playoffs this year, a lack of scoring will likely be the reason.

Pittsburgh Penguins (Tue vs CBJ, Thu vs EDM, Sat vs OTT, Sun vs TBL)

Pittsburgh was aggressive in the summer of 2023, bringing offensive defenseman Erik Karlsson into the fold, but that proved to be not enough for the 2023-24 Penguins, who missed the playoffs due to a 38-32-12 record. The Penguins didn’t make as big a splash this summer, and the results remain mixed with the Penguins sitting at 17-17-6. They are in the mix for a playoff spot, so their upcoming homestand will be important -- Pittsburgh will host Columbus on Tuesday, Edmonton on Thursday, Ottawa on Saturday and Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Goaltending was a weakness for Pittsburgh in 2023-24, but the Penguins didn’t change its duo, so Alex Nedeljkovic and Tristan Jarry are paired together for the second straight campaign. The results have been bad, Pittsburgh ranks last in goals allowed per game (3.63), though the defense in front of them is at least partially to blame given the team’s xGA/60 of 3.34, which ranks 29th in the NHL.

At least Rickard Rakell is having a good year. He dropped from 60 points in 2022-23 to just 37 last year, but he’s bounced back to 18 goals and 32 points through 40 appearances this campaign. One factor in that is likely the loss of Jake Guentzel, who the Penguins traded during 2023-24 to avoid potentially losing for nothing as an unrestricted free agent. With Guentzel gone, Rakell has taken his old spot on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby, and that seems to have benefited Rakell quite a bit.

Of course, that’s only because Crosby is defying Father Time with 11 goals and 42 points through 40 games at the age of 37. Malkin, 38, is showing his age more, but he’s still more than holding his own with eight goals and 32 points across 40 outings.

Without much cap space, the Penguins did attempt to supplement its offense on a budget by signing Anthony Beauvillier (one-year, $1.25 million) and Blake Lizotte (two-year, $3.7 million), which has worked out okay. Beauvillier has nine goals and 12 points through 39 appearances while Lizotte has eight goals and 12 points in 24 outings. They add a bit of skill to the bottom six, which is not nothing, but it’s not a lot.

Seattle Kraken (Mon vs NJD, Thu @ CBJ, Sat @ BUF, Sun @DET)

Seattle has been a mixed bag this campaign with a 17-19-3 record, but the Kraken have a somewhat favorable schedule next week. They’ll start by hosting the Devils and then go on the road to play in Columbus on Thursday, in Buffalo on Saturday and in Detroit on Sunday. New Jersey is the only adversary in that batch currently occupying a playoff position.

Although Seattle is still a fairly new franchise, there was some significant turnover during the summer. The biggest change came behind the bench rather than on the ice: Dave Hakstol was replaced by Dan Bylsma as the new bench boss. Under Bylsma, Seattle’s scoring has ticked up somewhat, going from 2.61 goals per game in 2023-24 to 2.90 this campaign, but that’s been undermined by the goals allowed per game increasing to 3.10 compared to 2.83 last year.

Jaden Schwartz has been one of the bigger winners under Bylsma. After collecting 13 goals and 30 points in 62 appearances while averaging 16:22 of ice time last season, Schwartz already has 12 goals and 25 points in 39 games in 2024-25, and he’s seen his playing time tick up to 17:41.

Bylsma has also been making good use of newcomer Chandler Stephenson. Like the coach, Stephenson was an offseason addition, signing a seven-year, $43.75 million deal. That’s a significant commitment to the 30-year-old, but so far, he’s fulfilled his top six duties about as well as expected, supplying four goals and 24 points through 38 appearances. He also has 12 power-play assists, quadrupling that of any other Seattle player.

Brandon Montour was Seattle’s other major free-agent splash, inking a seven-year contract worth one dollar shy of $50 million. Montour missed out on that buck because he was limited to 33 points in 66 regular-season outings with Florida in 2023-24 after setting a career high with 73 points in 2022-23, but he’s done well in his new environment, supplying eight goals and 22 points across 38 outings.

He has gone through something of a cold patch recently with three points (one goal) over his last 10 contests, but it’s not to the point yet where I’m too worried. Even in his amazing 2022-23 campaign, you can find an example of a quiet stretch from Feb. 9-28 in which he had four assists in nine appearances. To be clear, I’m not suggesting that this season will parallel 2022-23, merely stating that slower stretches happen, and the 30-year-old should start picking up the pace again before too long.

Vegas Golden Knights (Tue @ SJS, Thu vs NYI, Sat vs NYR, Sun vs MIN)

While Seattle hasn’t had much playoff success yet, the NHL’s other young franchise, Vegas, has already made the playoffs six times and won the Cup in 2023. The Golden Knights had a down year in 2023-24, posting a 45-29-8 record followed by a first-round exit, but they’re back in business this campaign at 26-9-3. The Golden Knights will start next week with a road match against the rebuilding Sharks before hosting two struggling teams in the Islanders on Thursday and the Rangers on Saturday. Finally, Vegas will be up against a tough contender when they play at home against Minnesota on Sunday.

The Golden Knights more than any other franchise in the NHL is known for making bold trades and constantly having to maneuver to stay under the salary cap. The ceiling forced the Golden Knights to watch forwards Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson walk as free agents over the summer. Vegas also traded Logan Thompson to Washington and Paul Cotter to New Jersey.

With those losses, how have the Golden Knights done so well? For starters, Vegas has an economical replacement for Thompson in Ilya Samsonov, who inked a one-year, $1.8 million deal with the Golden Knights. The 27-year-old Samsonov has been a nice backup in Vegas, providing a 10-3-1 record, 2.69 GAA and .907 save percentage in 14 outings. To some extent, he’s even outperformed starter Adin Hill, who is 16-6-2 with a 2.65 GAA and a .902 save percentage through 24 appearances.

You might look at those solid GAAs and middling save percentages and conclude that Vegas’ secret sauce is the defense in front of its netminders, but that’s not entirely the case. In terms of shots allowed per game, Vegas has been relatively good, ranking 12th with 27.9, but the team is also tied for 21st in xGA/60 (3.10) because the Golden Knights tend to give up a ton of high-danger shots, tying for eighth in that category with 142.

As a result, Vegas’ goaltenders don’t necessarily need to work a ton, but they do need to be at the top of their game, and they’ve done just that. Hill has a goals saved above expected of 8.4 and Samsonov is at 6.1, putting them in 14th and 18th, respectively, among all goaltenders, per Moneypuck.

Vegas has also received good value out of Tanner Pearson and Victor Olofsson, who each inked one-year contracts and combine for less than $2 million in cap space. Pearson has eight goals and 16 points through 38 outings, providing some nice scoring depth in a bottom-six capacity. Meanwhile, Olofsson did miss 20 straight games from Oct. 17-Nov. 29 because of a lower-body injury, but he’s been a great middle-six option when healthy, contributing eight goals and 13 points through 18 appearances.

Health in general has really been the key, though. In 2023-24, Vegas finished with just three players who logged the full 82 games while Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo were among those who endured significant absences. Vegas hasn’t been the poster child for health this year, but the situation hasn’t been nearly as bad. That’s helped Eichel especially, who leads the team with 50 points (10 goals) through 38 appearances in 2024-25.

Vegas also made midseason trades during 2023-24 that are paying off now. This is the team’s first full season with defenseman Noah Hanifin, who has six goals and 20 points in 38 outings while serving in a top-four capacity, and forward Tomas Hertl, who has 10 goals and 25 points in 38 games. The result is Vegas is a deep team both up front and on the blue line, even after watching some notable players go over the summer.

Washington Capitals (Mon @ BUF, Wed vs VAN, Fri vs MTL, Sat @ NSH)

The Capitals barely made the playoffs in 2023-24, finishing the regular season with a 40-31-11 record before being swept in the first round. They look very different this year, though, as demonstrated by their 25-10-3 record. Washington will start next week by playing in Buffalo on Monday before returning home to host the Canucks on Wednesday and the Canadiens on Friday. They’ll wrap things up with a game in Nashville on Saturday.

While some of the teams above have made major strides this campaign despite minimal changes over the summer, that doesn’t describe the Capitals. Washington was aggressive in addition pieces, acquiring Jakob Chychrun from Ottawa, Pierre-Luc Dubois from LA and Logan Thompson from Vegas in trades. Washington also made a big splash by signing Matt Roy to a six-year, $34.5 million contract.

Those additions have paid off superbly for Washington. Darcy Kuemper left plenty to be desired with the Capitals last season, posting a 3.31 GAA and an .890 save percentage in 33 starts, but Washington was able to part with him in the Dubois trade, and Thompson has been so much better, recording a 15-2-2 record, 2.30 GAA and .918 save percentage across 19 appearances this season. That upgrade in goaltending has been a critical factor in Washington’s success, especially because it has gone a long way toward counteracting the decline of Charlie Lindgren, who has a 10-8-1 record, 2.70 GAA and .898 save percentage in 19 outings in 2024-25, down from 25-16-7 with a 2.67 GAA and .911 save percentage in 50 appearances last year.

The Capitals were able to snag Dubois from LA for the low cost of Kuemper because the 26-year-old Dubois comes with an $8.5 million cap hit through 2030-31, but he had an underwhelming 16 goals, 40 points and 70 PIM in 82 regular-season outings with the Kings last season. LA had a logjam up the middle, though, contributing to Dubois averaging just 15:42 in 2024-25. By contrast, Washington had a clear second-line opening for him, which he has settled into nicely, providing five goals, 29 points and 22 PIM in 38 games. You’d still like more from a player with his contract, but there’s no question that he’s added to the team’s scoring depth.

If Dubois has worked out with an asterisk because of his price point, then Chychrun has been a clearer win. He is on the final campaign of his contract, but his $4.6 million cap hit is superb value for the 26-year-old defenseman, who has 11 goals and 25 points this campaign. Washington already had John Carlson has a high-end offensive option on the blue line, and now Chychrun is providing Washington with another big weapon to either send out with Carlson or spread out across the top two pairings.

When it comes to the signings, Matt Roy was the major splash. The defenseman has a goal, eight points, 63 hits and 45 blocks in 28 appearances while averaging 19:24 of ice time. He’s never been a major offensive threat, but Washington already has that role well covered with Chychrun and Carlson. Roy is there to help in Washington’s end, which is why 55.4 percent of his 5v5 zone starts have been defensive.

All that has played a role in the Capitals’ success, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Alex Ovechkin’s role in all this. He has an incredible 18 goals and 28 points in 22 appearances. That said, Washington was still a strong 10-5-1 during the 16-game absence of Ovechkin from Nov. 21-Dec. 23 due to a fractured fibula, so clearly this team is more than just the byproduct of its superstar.

NHL: DADOUN – FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Washington powers on with Ovechkin, Chicago looks for change – Teams and players to target this week

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 16:07:18 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - NOVEMBER 30: Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) scores a goal during a NHL game between the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on November 30, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

Washington had an incredible 13-4-1 record through Nov. 18 thanks in large part to its league-leading 4.33 goals per game. However, that offensive success was built around Alex Ovechkin, who had 15 goals and 25 points through 18 appearances, so when he suffered a fractured left fibula, it was reasonable to wonder how much his absence would impact the Capitals. Going into Friday’s action, Washington seemed to largely be managing the injury well, posting a 4-2-1 record in its first seven games without Ovechkin.

The Capitals offense has certainly taken a hit, but they’ve still managed an impressive 3.43 goals per game since Ovechkin was sidelined. Tom Wilson (three goals, six points), Dylan Strome (two goals, six points) and Connor McMichael (two goals, five points) have been of particular importance over that seven-game stretch.

However, none of those forwards are actually the Capitals’ scoring leader over the stretch without Ovechkin. That honor belongs to Jakob Chychrun, who has three goals and seven points across his past seven outings. Chychrun, who was acquired from Ottawa over the summer, has been a fantastic addition, collecting eight goals and 15 points through 20 appearances. Keep in mind, though, that his 19.0 shooting percentage is far ahead of his career average of 7.2, so we’ll probably eventually see a drop off.

Still, this stretch has shown that Washington is a team with some decent depth and might prove to be a serious contender come playoff time.

One team that almost certainly won’t be playing come the postseason is Chicago. There’s still plenty of hockey left, of course, but with an 8-16-2 record, the Blackhawks seem set to miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year.

Connor Bedard has been fine with five goals and 19 points in 26 outings, but for a player who has as much promise as him, even more is hoped for. Still, it would help if he had more support. Ryan Donato is the only other Chicago player with at least 15 points (10 goals, five assists). To put that into context, 160 players at reached the 15-point mark through Thursday’s action, so an average team should have five players who have reached that milestone.

Goaltender Petr Mrazek has been alright, but he’s not getting much support on offense or defense, which has left him with a 7-11-1 record, 2.86 GAA and .905 save percentage across 19 outings. Chicago fired head coach Luke Richardson after Chicago suffered its fourth straight loss Wednesday and appointed Anders Sorensen as the interim bench boss. Richardson finished his Blackhawks tenure with a 57-118-15 record, so by that measure his departure isn’t surprising, but given that Chicago has been in the midst of a rebuild, it’s hard to be too critical of him.

Still, perhaps Sorensen, who spent the previous seven campaigns coaching for AHL Rockford, including three years as the head coach going into 2024-25, can help accelerate the rebuild somewhat by guiding the team’s young players. He already has familiarity with many of the club’s prospects thanks to his previous role. A fresh perspective might also be good for Bedard, who is naturally critical to Chicago’s long-term goals.

It will be a while before we know if the change to Sorensen was the right move, and success, at least in the short term, won’t necessarily be measured in wins and losses, but the Blackhawks will be an interesting team to monitor.

Buffalo Sabres (Mon vs DET, Wed vs NYR, Sat @ WAS, Sun @ TOR)

The Sabres have hit a rough patch, dropping their last five games to fall to 11-12-3 on the campaign. To be fair, most of those games were against tough opponents (Minnesota, Vancouver, Colorado and Winnipeg handed out four of the five defeats), but Buffalo has more difficult matchups on the horizon. The Sabres will host the Red Wings and the Rangers on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, before taking to the road to face Washington on Saturday and Toronto on Sunday.

Rasmus Dahlin left Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to Colorado because of back spasms and missed Thursday’s 3-2 overtime defeat to the Jets because of the issue. Coach Lindy Ruff described the situation like this via Buffalo’s Twitter account, “It should be short-term, but you never know.” In other words, Dahlin might be fine to play in all four of next week’s games.

He’s a vital part of the Sabres’ blue line, so no one defenseman can fill in for him when he’s not available. That said, Henri Jokiharju should see an increase in even-strength ice time -- Jokiharju logged 20:23 of ice time Thursday, his most since Oct. 16 -- and Owen Power should serve on the first power play unit for however long Dahlin’s out.

Jokiharju doesn’t have much fantasy value regardless, but Power has three goals and 15 points in 26 appearances in 2024-25 despite recording no points with the man advantage, so if he’s given an opportunity to play on the top power-play unit for any extended stretch, that’d be rather interesting.

Regardless of which defensemen dress, Buffalo needs them to help make life easier on the goaltenders. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen could certainly have done more recently -- he posted a record of 0-2-2 with a 3.20 GAA and an .895 save percentage across his past four starts -- but he also faced at least 30 shots in three of those four games, including 41 shots in Tuesday’s tilt.

James Reimer has been used sparingly, posting a 1-1-0 record, 2.05 GAA and .923 save percentage in two starts since being claimed by Buffalo off waivers Nov. 13, but the Sabres’ busy schedule means that he should play in at least one game next week.

Carolina Hurricanes ( Tue vs SJS, Fri vs OTT, Sun vs CBJ)

The Hurricanes are playing in just three games next week, but I still wanted to feature them because those matchups are favorable. All three of the matches will be in Carolina. The Hurricanes will host San Jose on Tuesday, Ottawa on Friday and Columbus on Sunday.

None of those opponents are good defensively -- Ottawa ranks 25th in goals allowed per game (3.20), which is the best of the three -- so this should be a good stretch for the Blue Jackets’ scorers. Perhaps Martin Necas can build some breathing room in the Art Ross Trophy fight. At the time of writing, he’s in first place with 41 points (14 goals), narrowly edging out Nathan MacKinnon (40 points), Kirill Kaprizov (39), Jack Eichel (38) and Sam Reinhart (37).

Necas was held off the scoresheet in back-to-back games from Nov. 29-30 for the first time this season, but he’s responded by scoring two goals and four points across his past two outings.

One lower profile Hurricanes who’s hot is Eric Robinson. The 29-year-old has never recorded more than 27 points in a single season, but he’s well on his way to shattering that record after recording eight goals and 17 points across 26 appearances. Exercise some caution here: His shooting percentage is an unreasonably high 25.0, and he’s still averaging just 12:15 of ice time with no power-play role, so it’s hard to imagine him keeping up this pace. Still, he’s hot at the moment with three goals and four points across his past five appearances, and when coupled with the Blue Jackets’ upcoming scheduled, there’s reason to hope that the good times aren’t over yet.

We should also see continued production out of defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. He’s fitting in nicely with Carolina, scoring five goals and 21 points in 26 outings, including a goal and seven points over his past six games. Gostisbehere’s success is largely tethered to the power play, which accounts for 15 of his points.

His presence has corresponded with Brent Burns shifting to the second power-play unit this year, which has led to Burns recording no points with the man advantage so far in 2024-25. Burns has a goal and seven points in 26 outings overall, which puts him on track to finish below the 40-point mark for just the second time in 12 seasons (the last time was the shortened 2020-21 campaign).

Columbus Blue Jackets (Tue vs PHI, Thu vs WAS, Sat vs ANA, Sun @ CAR)

The Blue Jackets are 11-11-3, which isn’t great, but they have done better than many projected going into the campaign. Columbus will see if it can maintain that level next week when it hosts Philadelphia, Washington and Anaheim on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, respectively. The Blue Jackets will then travel to Carolina for a game Sunday.

Kirill Marchenko has played a big role in Columbus’ better than expected results. The 24-year-old has 10 goals and 24 points in 25 games this season, putting him well on his way to shattering his mark of 42 points in 2023-24. You’ll usually see him sharing the ice with Sean Monahan, who has fit in nicely with Columbus, providing eight goals and 22 points through 25 appearances.

For the last few weeks, Dmitri Voronkov has typically been the third member of that line. He missed the start of the campaign with an upper-body injury and registered just one point (a goal) across his first six games of 2024-25, but the 24-year-old sophomore has hit his stride, supplying five goals and 10 points over his past 10 outings. He’s still on just 17 percent of Yahoo rosters, so he might be a nice pickup if he’s still available in your league.

On the blue line, Zach Werenski has been a standout performer for the Blue Jackets with eight goals and 27 points through 25 appearances. He’s one of the hottest defensemen in the entire league, recording five goals and 17 points across his past 10 outings.

Minnesota Wild (Tue vs UTA, Thu vs EDM, Sat vs PHI, Sun vs VGK)

The Wild have won their past four games to improve to 17-4-4. Minnesota will try to keep the good times rolling next week, which will begin with a road game against Utah on Tuesday. After that match, Minnesota will spend the rest of the week at home, playing against Edmonton, Philadelphia and Vegas on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Joel Eriksson Ek sustained an injury Tuesday and is week-to-week, and there’s no indication that Mats Zuccarello is close to returning from the lower-body issue that’s kept him out of the lineup since Nov. 14.

If Zuccarello were healthy, he’d almost certainly be playing alongside Kirill Kaprizov and Marco Rossi. His absence led to the lines being shaken up, and Eriksson Ek did skate on the top line with Kaprizov on Tuesday before he got hurt. With Zuccarello and Eriksson Ek both out, Matt Boldy will likely play regularly alongside Kaprizov and Rossi. Boldy has 11 goals and 24 points in 25 appearances, so that’s a strong trio. The forward corps after that, though, looks thin due to the injuries.

Marcus Johansson, Ryan Hartman and Marcus Foligno currently comprise the second line, but none of them have even reached double digits in points. The third unit is Devin Shore, Frederick Gaudreau and Yakov Trenin, which has a combined 15 points this season -- 14 of them from Gaudreau.

Fortunately for the Wild, Filip Gustavsson hasn’t needed much offensive help this year. He’s 12-4-3 with a 2.04 GAA and a .929 save percentage in 19 appearances.

New York Islanders (Tue vs LAK, Thu vs CHI, Sun @ CHI)

The Islanders have three games on the schedule, but two of them are against the lowly Blackhawks -- New York will host them Thursday and play in Chicago on Sunday -- so the Islanders are in a good position there. New York will also host the Kings on Tuesday.

We just discussed how Minnesota’s offense looks thin due to injuries, and the Islanders are in a similar boat without Anthony Duclair (lower body) and Mathew Barzal (upper body), who have logged just five and 10 games, respective. Due to their absences, the Islanders have just two players with at least 20 points, and even then, just barely -- Anders Lee has 21 while Kyle Palmieri has 20. The result is no Islanders player is within the top 50 of the Art Ross Trophy race.

Andrew Gross of Newsday reported Friday that Duclair and Barzal are skating on their own, which is better than not skating at all, but there are several steps between that and playing, so I wouldn’t count on them returning during the upcoming week.

Lee has been one of the few recent bright spots, providing four goals and eight points across his past six games. He’s on a four-game scoring streak through Thursday’s action. Simon Holmstrom appears to have cooled, though. He had back-to-back multi-goal games from Nov. 29-30, but he hasn’t found the back of the net since. Holmstrom has done fine with seven goals and 15 points in 27 outings, but he’s not worth employing in most fantasy leagues except when he’s hot.

New York Rangers (Mon vs CHI, Wed @ BUF, Sat vs LAK, Sun @ STL)

New York is set to host Chicago on Monday, play in Buffalo on Wednesday, have a home game against the Kings on Saturday and conclude the week by playing in St. Louis on Sunday. Let’s not dwell on the schedule, though, the Rangers had an eventful Friday, and I want to dive right into it.

New York traded Jacob Trouba to Anaheim in exchange for a fourth-round pick and Urho Vaakanainen. Importantly, the Rangers didn’t retain any salary, so Trouba’s $8 million cap hit through 2025-26 is now off their books. New York then signed Igor Shesterkin to an eight-year, $92 million contract that will begin in 2025-26 after his current four-year, $22.67 million deal expires.

Let’s start with the defensive changes. Trouba had a fantastic eight goals and 50 points in 82 games with Winnipeg in 2018-19 and was then dealt to the Rangers in the summer of 2019 in exchange for a 2019 first-round selection (Ville Heinola) and Neal Pionk. The Rangers promptly signed Trouba to his current eight-year, $56 million contract.

Unfortunately for New York, the Rangers inked Trouba at the height of his offensive contributions. Over his five campaigns with the Rangers going into 2024-25, Trouba reached the 30-point mark twice, but never hit 40. To be fair, Trouba is a big body, plays a physical game and blocks a ton of shots, so he brings things to the table outside of offense. He also served as the team captain from 2022 until he was traded, highlighting his importance in the locker room. Still, his cap hit was too high for what he brought.

It's telling that the Rangers got very little in return for him, and even with that, some questioned if they won this trade simply by virtue of clearing that cap space. But what did they receive outside of that draft pick? Vaakanainen was taken with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, but he never developed as hoped. Instead, he should be regarded as a depth defenseman who will likely bounce between the third pairing and the press box. He is also on the injured reserve list due to an upper-body injury, so it might be a bit before he makes his Rangers debut.

Rather than Vaakanainen playing regularly, we might see the Rangers utilize Victor Mancini more with Trouba out. The 22-year-old Mancini has a goal, four points, seven hits and 12 blocks in 10 appearances with New York in 2024-25, and he’s also provided two goals and five points in six AHL outings. Don’t get too excited over Mancini’s offensive numbers, though. He wasn’t much of a producer in the NCAA, recording just four goals and 10 points across 40 outings with the University of Nebraska-Omaha as a Junior in 2023-24.

As for locking up Shesterkin, the cap hit is substantial, but not surprising. He’s proven himself to be a top-tier goaltender, and we’re in a period where the cap seems to be steadily climbing, so there’s logic behind the number. Shesterkin has struggled recently with a 2-7-0 record, 3.93 GAA and .882 save percentage across nine appearances, but he should rebound.

St. Louis Blues (Tue @ VAN, Thu vs SJS, Sat @ DAL, Sun vs NYR)

St. Louis has won four of its past five games, improving to 13-12-2 this season. That still puts the Blues outside of a playoff spot, but at least they’re trending in the right direction. The Blues will play in Vancouver on Tuesday, host the Sharks on Thursday, visit Dallas on Saturday and play at home Sunday versus the Rangers.

Dylan Holloway has been a major part of the Blues’ recent success, contributing four goals and eight points across his past five outings. That brings him up to eight goals and 16 points in 27 appearances this year, but he’s been inconsistent, so enjoy the good times while they last, but be prepared for the other shoe to eventually drop if you grab the 23-year-old during his hot streak.

Jordan Binnington is another extremely inconsistent play, but he has been more hit than miss lately, providing a 4-2-1 record, 2.10 GAA and .925 save percentage across his past seven appearances. He’s 8-9-2 with a 2.87 GAA and .900 save percentage in 20 outings overall and will probably average out as a low-to-mid tier starter this season.

Robert Thomas might still have a great campaign, though. He did miss 12 games from Oct. 24-Nov. 17 because of a fractured ankle, but with that injury now well behind him, Thomas seems to be heating up, providing three goals and six points across his past four games. This might just be the beginning of a longer hot streak for Thomas, who set a career high in 2023-24 with 86 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs (Tue @ NJD, Thu vs ANA, Sat @ DET, Sun vs BUF)

Toronto is having a fantastic campaign with a 16-7-2 record, and the Maple Leafs have won seven of their past eight games. They’ll look to maintain that momentum next week, starting with a road contest against New Jersey. The Maple Leafs will then host Anaheim on Thursday, play in Detroit on Saturday and return home to play against the Sabres on Sunday.

Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies returned from injury Nov. 30, adding to Toronto’s success. Matthews has been especially good since returning, supplying three goals and five points across three appearances, bringing him up to eight goals and 16 points through 16 outings. Matthews tends to score goals in bunches, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him continue to tickle the twine over the upcoming week.

Max Domi (lower body) and Max Pacioretty (lower body) have also been skating with the Maple Leafs recently, so they might be nearing a return too. Once they do, we might see Nicholas Robertson fall out of the lineup. Robertson has been the main disappointment in what has otherwise been a great campaign for Toronto. He has just two points (both goals) in 22 outings in 2024-25. Robertson did find the back of the net Nov. 30, but he was held off the scoresheet in two games since, so that marker didn’t seem to help spark him.

In net, Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz will probably each start in two games next week. Stolarz is 8-4-2 with a 2.23 GAA and .924 save percentage in 14 outings, while Woll is 7-2-0 with a 2.11 GAA and a .922 save percentage in nine appearances, so the Maple Leafs can happily treat them as a 1A-1B tandem.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – DeBrusk paying off for Canucks, Werenski having best season of his career, changes in Chicago, AHL rookies to watch, Seguin on the shelf, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 15:35:42 +0000

BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 26: Vancouver Canucks left wing Jake DeBrusk (74) plays the puck up ice during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks on November 26, 2024, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I’ll dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Jake DeBrusk is paying off in a big way for the Canucks, Zach Werenski is having the best season of his career, changes in Chicago, AHL rookies to watch, Tyler Seguin is on the shelf, and much more!

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

#1 After a slow start to his first season in Vancouver, Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk has picked up his scoring pace in a dramatic way. Since the beginning of November, he `has 16 points (11 G, 5 A) with 40 shots on goal in 15 games. Elias Pettersson has eight points on DeBrusk’s 16 points over that span while Quinn Hughes has seven points. In his first nine games, DeBrusk had just 13 shots on goal, just 1.44 per game, but that average has climbed to 2.67 per game since then.

#2 Usually, we focus on players that are available in more leagues, but sometimes it’s worth paying attention to the production of players that are widely rostered, too. Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski is having the best season of his career. Werenski had a career-high 57 points (11 G, 46 A) in 70 games last season, but he has taken it to another level this season. Through 24 games, Werenski has 26 points (8 G, 18 A) with 90 shots on goal while playing a career-high 26:06 per game. Durability has tended to be an issue for Werenski, who last played more than 70 games in a season in 2018-2019, but if he can stay relatively healthy this season, Werenski should have career-best production.

#3 The Chicago Blackhawks fired head coach Luke Richardson, replacing him with Anders Sorensen, who had been coaching for AHL Rockford. Connor Bedard has found it tough going in his second NHL season, with five goals in 26 games, and Chicago’s leading goal scorer has been journeyman Ryan Donato, who has 10 goals in 24 games. Those are the only two forwards on the Blackhawks roster averaging better than 0.50 points per game, which means the likes of Teuvo Teravainen, Tyler Bertuzzi, Taylor Hall, and Philipp Kurashev are not living up to expectations. Can Sorenson draw out better production from this group? If not, could top prospect Frank Nazar be on the verge of a call-up? The 13th pick in the 2022 Draft, Nazar is thriving in the AHL, with 24 points (11 G, 13 A) in 18 games as a rookie pro for Rockford.

#4 Some other rookie pros making an immediate impact in the AHL include defenceman Denton Mateychuk, who has 22 points (7 G, 15 A) in 21 games. He was taken by Columbus with the pick before Nazar in the 2022 Draft. Collin Graf is a 22-year-old who was signed by San Jose as a free agent out of Quinnipiac in the spring. Graf has 22 points (5 G, 17 A) in 19 games and could push for a spot with the improving Sharks later this season. Graf’s teammate, Luca Cagnoni, is undersized, but has delivered 18 points (7 G, 11 A) in 19 games and the 2023 fourth-round pick could force the Sharks to give him a look. Rounding out the top five rookie scorers in the AHL, Justin Hryckowian has 18 points (5 G, 13 A) in 19 games for the Texas Stars. Hryckowian finished last season in the AHL after he was signed as a free agent out of Northeastern University.

#5 Less than a week after noting how productive Tyler Seguin has been for the Dallas Stars, it was announced that the veteran forward needs hip surgery which will keep him sidelined for four-to-six months. If the Stars need an offensive boost in Seguin’s absence, perhaps Hryckowian will get a look in Dallas.

#6 Utah Hockey Club right winger Nick Schmaltz has always been an accomplished playmaker, but he was having a terrible time finding the net this season, going 23 games without a goal to start the 2024-2025 campaign. Schmaltz has scored three goals in the past two games – his first goals of the season – and he does have seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past six games. Even with his goal-scoring slump, Schmaltz still has 20 points (3 G, 17 A) in 25 games, and he continues to play on the top line with Clayton Keller and Barrett Hayton as well as holding a spot on Utah’s top power play unit.

#7 As the San Jose Sharks have become much more competitive over the past month – at least prior to Thursday’s 8-1 shellacking in Tampa Bay – defenceman Jake Walman has become increasingly productive. In his past 15 games, Walman has accumulated 17 points (4 G, 13 A) with 38 shots on goal while playing 22:35 per game. Given the direction Walman and the Sharks have been trending, it does not make sense for him to still be available on the fantasy waiver wire.

#8 Veteran Florida Panthers blueliner Aaron Ekblad is getting more time on the power play and his production is starting to take off. In his past eight games, Ekblad has seven points, including three on the power play, while playing nearly 25 minutes per game. Ekblad recorded a career-high 57 points (14 G, 43 A) in just 61 games in 2021-2022, and while he is not likely to get back to that level of production, a regular spot on the Panthers’ top power play unit could make him a valuable fantasy contributor in 2024-2025.

#9 Although his track record has been poor to inconsistent through much of his career, Boston Bruins netminder Joonas Korpisalo is making a push for more playing time, especially while starter Jeremy Swayman struggles to find his form. Korpisalo has a .909 save percentage in 10 games and has 1.11 Goals Saved Above Expected. In the long run, Swayman is clearly the guy for the Bruins but, in the short term, when the team needs wins, Korpisalo could see more action.

#10 With Darcy Kuemper injured, David Rittich is again getting a run of starts for the Los Angeles Kings. Rittich surrendered seven goals in a November 25 loss at San Jose, but in the 10 appearances around that disaster start, spread out over the past month, Rittich has a .932 save percentage. Playing behind a Kings team that is among the best in terms of shot suppression, Rittich holds decent value for fantasy managers that might need some short-term help between the pipes.

#11 With the New Jersey Devils upgrading their blueline in the offseason, Luke Hughes missed the start of the season as he recovered from shoulder surgery and, as a result, he is down 2:26 in ice time per game compared to last season. Hughes has six assists and 13 shots on goal in his past six games, suddenly thrusting himself into fantasy relevance after a terribly slow start to the season.

#12 Anaheim Ducks right winger Troy Terry has seven assists and 17 shots on goal in his past five games and has enjoyed success this season when skating with Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome at even strength. The trio has a Corsi percentage of 54.2 percent and expected goals percentage of 58.4 percent during five-on-five play. The veteran trio is Anaheim’s only line to have more than 50 minutes together and still be on the right side of those ledgers.

#13 The fourth pick in the 2023 Draft, Will Smith came into his rookie season with great expectations, but he managed just three points (2 G, 1 A) in his first 14 games. The Sharks made him a healthy scratch for some games and then moved him to right wing from centre. In 10 games since, Smith has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 17 shots on goal. That relatively low shot rate is enough reason to pause before adding Smith, but he is making rapid progress after a difficult start to his pro career, so he is worth having on your radar now.

#14 St. Louis Blues winger Jake Neighbours went through a lean period from late October through mid-November, managing just two assists in nine games, but he appears to be moving in the right direction once again. In his past nine games, Neighbours has six points (4 G, 2 A) and 23 shots on goal while playing 16:43 per game. As new head coach Jim Montgomery plays around with line combinations in St. Louis, Neighbours is skating on a line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, a solid opportunity to continue putting up points.

#15 A reliable play-driving winger, Oliver Bjorkstrand of the Seattle Kraken is riding a seven-game point streak, during which he has eight points (3 G, 5 A) with 17 shots on goal. It’s fair to be cautious about adding Bjorkstrand because he skates on Seattle’s second power play unit and at evens he is playing with Shane Wright and Eeli Tolvanen. He’s obviously making it work, but the sustainability of it all seems harder under those circumstances.

#16 Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon has missed some time with injuries, which is not uncommon for him, but the veteran blueliner has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 18 shots on goal in his past 10 games. He is quarterbacking Minnesota’s top power play unit, and as long as that is the case, Spurgeon has a chance to provide legitimate fantasy value.

#17 With Wild centre Joel Eriksson Ek considered week-to-week with an injury, opportunity knocks once again for Marco Rossi, who will move up to centre Minnesota’s top line while getting first unit power play time. In 18 games in which he has played at least 16 minutes, Rossi has produced 17 points (6 G, 11 A) and 27 shots on goal.

#18 Early in the season, New York Islanders captain Anders Lee was skating on the third line, playing in a supporting role and not producing much. Injuries forced the Islanders to turn to Lee again and he moved back up the depth chart. In his past 16 games, Lee has 17 points (8 G, 9 A) with 40 shots on goal. He is skating on the top line with Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom, but also in his familiar net front spot on the Islanders’ top power play unit.

#19 Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli was named to Canada’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off, and the noted checking centre is enjoying the best offensive season of his career. Through 24 games, Cirelli has 24 points (11 G, 13 A) with 51 shots on goal. In the past 10 games, Cirelli has 11 points (9 G, 2 A) with 31 shots on goal and while he is not going to keep scoring on 29 percent of his shots, if Cirelli is averaging more than three shots per game, he has a good chance to sustain his offensive production. Barring injury, Cirelli should obliterate his career high of 45 points, which was set last season.

#20 Veteran Calgary Flames centre Nazem Kadri is finding his name in trade rumours and he is not hurting his value with his production. In his past 10 games, Kadri has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 33 shots on goal. He is on a line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Martin Pospisil. Consistency remains elusive for Huberdeau, but he does have six points (2 G, 4 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past eight contests.

#21 Managers in deep leagues may want to keep tabs on Boston Bruins right winger Justin Brazeau, who is still on the lower end of the depth chart, but he is forcing his way into prominence. In his past seven games, Brazeau has five points (2 G, 3 A) and 14 shots on goal, while playing 13:41 per game. He has moved up the depth chart to the second line with second-unit power play time, so if the 6-foot-5 winger continues to produce, there ought to be more ice time available to him.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Annunen, Rossi, Strome, and Key Injury Updates

Scott Cullen — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 13:00:22 +0000

_{BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 06: Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi (23) skates with the puck during the NHL game between Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins on January 6, 2022, at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire)}

Each week, I’ll dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Colorado shakes up its goaltending, Dylan Strome, Marco Rossi, JJ Peterka, and a big injury in St. Louis.

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

#1 As much as the Colorado Avalanche might have wanted to give Alexandar Georgiev time to sort out his troubles, he did not give them nearly enough, managing a .810 save percentage in his first five games. Justus Annunen has stepped up, posting a 3-1 record with a .935 save percentage in four starts. The 24-year-old showed some promise last season, putting up a .928 save percentage in 14 games. If he gives the Avalanche a chance to win, Annunen is going to keep getting starts and Georgiev may want to look over his shoulder at Kaapo Kahkonen, who the Avs picked up off waivers a few weeks ago.

#2 After tallying a career-high 67 points (27 G, 40 A) last season, Washington Capitals centre Dylan Strome has started strong this season with nine points (3 G, 6 A) in six games. Strome does not generate a lot of shots and is scoring on 27.3 percent of his shots early in the season, so there is likely regression heading in his direction, but he has turned into a reliable point producer in Washington, and it appears that is going to continue.

#3 The Minnesota Wild have started the season on a hot streak, with a 5-0-2 record through seven games, and centre Marco Rossi looks like he is starting to fulfill his potential. The ninth pick in the 2020 Draft, Rossi finished sixth in Calder Trophy voting last season after scoring 40 points (21 G, 19 A) in 81 games. This season, he has spent most of his time between Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello on the Wild’s top line and has seven points (3 G, 4 A) during a six-game point streak. Rossi is also scoring on 23.1 percent of his shots, so that probably won’t continue, but it’s much more important that he continues to produce to hold his spot on that top line.

#4 The St. Louis Blues have lost their playmaking star centre Robert Thomas due to a broken ankle and he will be re-evaluated in six weeks. After scoring a career-high 86 points last season, Thomas has six points (1 G, 5 A) in seven games, but his absence will leave a hole in the Blues lineup. With Thomas out, Brayden Schenn moves into the middle with Brandon Saad and Jake Neighbours, the wingers with whom he has played second and third-most this season. Jordan Kyrou, Thomas’ most common linemate, has joined a line with Pavel Buchnevich and Alexandre Texier.

#5 Sidelined by a concussion early in the season, Buffalo Sabres left winger JJ Peterka has come back to the lineup with authority. He has six points (4 G, 2 A) in six games this season, but he played just 1:39 against New Jersey in the game that he suffered a concussion. He has landed on the Sabres’ top line, with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, a good spot for the promising young forward to fulfill his scoring potential.

#6 Power forward Mason Marchment had a tough time in his first season with Dallas, in 2022-2023, but delivered career highs of 22 goals and 53 points last season. He has picked up where he left off, with eight points (2 G, 6 A) and 18 hits in eight games to start this season. Marchment is getting first unit power play time, contributing three points with the man advantage, and skates with productive vets Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin at even strength.

#7 Los Angeles Kings winger Alex Laferriere is taking on a bigger role in his second season and has started the year with seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 17 shots on goal in eight games while playing 2:30 more per game compared to the 2023-2024 season. He has moved to play with Warren Foegele and Alex Turcotte at even strength, where he has scored all seven of his points, but Laferriere is also getting first unit power play time which raises his offensive ceiling.

#8 When Aleksander Barkov was injured in the second game of the season, it was natural for the Florida Panthers to move Anton Lundell into the first-line centre role, but they may not have expected him to thrive so thoroughly in the role. In the past seven games, Lundell has averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time per game and produced eight points (5 G, 3 A) with 15 shots on goal. With Barkov reportedly nearing a return, the challenge for the Panthers will be how to maximize Lundell’s contributions even if he doesn’t have the same role and expectations.

#9 Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli has opened the season with nine points (1 G, 8 A) in seven games, though beware of that production. He had four assists in a win over New Jersey and his on-ice shooting percentage is currently 14.6 percent, notably higher than his career mark of 9.3 percent. He is skating on a line with Brandon Hagel and rookie Connor Geekie but is probably only of value in deeper leagues.

#10 Although Vancouver Canucks right winger Conor Garland is riding some higher percentages early in the season, on his way to six points (3 G, 3 A) in six games, it is useful to note that he is on the Canucks’ top power play unit, and playing nearly four minutes more per game compared to last season. Garland has finished with between 46 and 52 points in three consecutive seasons, but if he is going to play 18-plus minutes per game this season, his output should go higher.

#11 It looks like it is going to be another long season in San Jose, but Sharks centre Mikael Granlund is making the most of his opportunity. It might be the equivalent of empty calories for the winless Sharks, but Granlund is playing a career-high 21:51 per game and has nine points (3 G, 6 A) and 29 shots on goal in eight games. That shot rate of 3.6 per game is very unusual, as Granlund last finished with more than 2.0 shots per game in 2019-2020, and that season finished with 2.06 shots per game. If he is going to keep shooting with this frequency, though, Granlund should be a safer bet to keep putting up points and he has four 60-point seasons to his credit.

#12 Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere is riding a five-game point streak, during which he has six points (4 G, 2 A). Three of those goals have come via the power play, and 2017-2018 was the last time that Gostisbere finished with more than five power play goals in a season, so he could thrive in something of a specialist’s role with Carolina. He has been playing 18:33 per game this season, which is th3 second-lowest average of his career and yet his 2.29 shots on goal per game is his highest rate since 2018-2019.

#13 He already has a couple of 20-goal seasons to his credit, but Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko could be poised for bigger things in his third NHL season. Skating on Columbus’ top line alongside Sean Monahan and Cole Sillinger and getting first unit power play time, Marchenko has eight points (3 G, 5 A) while averaging 19 minutes of ice time through six games. With expectations relatively low in Columbus, there are some players who are flying under the radar despite their production and Marchenko is one of them.

#14 It might be too soon to buy low on Buffalo Sabres centre Dylan Cozens, but at least put him on your radar. The 23-year-old has just two assists in eight games, which is far from useful for fantasy managers, but he is in a decent situation, getting first-unit power play time in Buffalo and skating on a line with rookie Jiri Kulich and Jack Quinn. Cozens has 27 shots on goal without a goal, which is the highest total in the league for players still seeking their first goal. Among forwards still seeking first red light of the season, Cozens is followed by Morgan Frost (24), Quinton Byfield (20), Brad Marchand (19), Nick Schmaltz (18) and A.J. Greer (18).

#15 Ottawa Senators centre Josh Norris is healthy to start the season and has delivered six points (3 G, 3 A) in six games. He is skating on a line with quality wingers, Claude Giroux and Drake Batherson, and is on the top power play unit, where he has produced half of his points. He erupted for 35 goals in 66 games during the 2021-2022 season but has battled shoulder injuries since and yet he still had 18 goals in 58 games over the past two seasons, so it’s not like his skill has disappeared. It’s all about whether he can stay healthy.

#16 Winnipeg Jets defenceman Neal Pionk has recorded between 32 and 34 points in four consecutive seasons, but he might be off to a start that is going to propel him past those numbers. He has eight points (1 G, 7 A) in seven games, with three points on the power play even though he is on Winnipeg’s second unit. His 2.57 shots on goal per game would be a career high and is reason to be encouraged for Pionk’s long-term production.

#17 It could be a good time to buy low on Steven Stamkos, who is off to a slow start in Nashville. He has just one goal and zero assists through six games, even though he has put 22 shots on goal. That shot rate (3.67 per game) would be his highest since 2011-2012. He has 0.56 individual expected goals per game which ranks tenth in the league and is an indication that more production really ought to be following. It’s just a matter of how soon it starts to happen for him.

#18 Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton apparently suffered an injury against Utah on Thursday night, so it remains to be seen how long it might keep him out of the lineup. He has been thriving, with eight points (7 G, 1 A) and 26 shots on goal in the past seven games. With so many injuries in Colorado, Colton found himself on the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. If Colton is out, Joel Kiviranta might be next in line to get a look there and he does have four goals in his past three games.

#19 Montreal Canadiens right winger Juraj Slafkovsky will be out for at least a week due to an upper-body injury, a tough break considering how productive he has been. He had six points (1 G, 5 A) in six games before getting hurt, picking up his production from last season, when he finished with 32 points (14 G, 18 A) in the last 35 games. With Slafkovsky out, Kirby Dach is getting a shot on Montreal’s top line, an opportunity to break out from his own slow start, as Dach has just two assists in seven games.

#20 The New York Islanders have lost winger Anthony Duclair for more than a month due to a lower-body injury. That leaves the Islanders in a tough spot, as they are now putting Simon Holmstrom on left wing with Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal on the top line. Holmstrom had 25 points (15 G, 10 A) in 75 games last season, so this is a big opportunity for him, but it might be more than he can handle, which would then leave the Islanders to look elsewhere. Rookie Maxim Tsyplakov is already playing more than 17 minutes per game, so the Isles could use another skilled forward.