Nazem Kadri – McKeen's Hockey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

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

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

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

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

What’s Changed?

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

What Would Success Look Like?

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

What Could Go Wrong?

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

Top Breakout Candidate

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

FORWARDS

Nazem Kadri

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

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

Jonathan Huberdeau

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

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

Joel Farabee

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

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

Mikael Backlund

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

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

Morgan Frost

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

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

Matt Coronato

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

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

Blake Coleman

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

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

Yegor Sharangovich

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

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

Connor Zary

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

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

DEFENCE

Mackenzie Weegar

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

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

Rasmus Andersson

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

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

Jake Bean

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

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

Kevin Bahl

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

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

Goal

Dustin Wolf

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

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

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

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Hot Russian scoring wingers Ovechkin, Kuzmenko to Michkov, plus Jackson LaCombe, Matthew Knies, Nazem Kadri and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 19:56:10 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 11: Los Angeles Kings Left Wing Andrei Kuzmenko (96) exchanges words with a Referee during a Los Angeles Kings game versus the New York Islanders on March 11th, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Rob Curtis/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Russian scoring wingers from Alex Ovechkin to Andrei Kuzmenko to Matvei Michkov, plus Jackson LaCombe, Matthew Knies, Nazem Kadri and much more!

#1 While he is obviously rostered in every fantasy league, it’s worth paying respect to Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin as he is on the cusp of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record. It’s well worth noting that Ovechkin scored 31 goals in 79 games last season and considering he would be 39 years old this season, it was reasonable to wonder if he might finally be slowing down. Despite averaging a career-low 17:46 of ice time per game, Ovechkin has scored 39 goals in just 59 games. He is scoring on a career-high 18.0 percent of his shots, which plays a big part, but he has also increased his per game shot rate despite his ice time going down by 87 seconds per game. He is skating on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson at even strength and holds down the same spot in the left-wing faceoff circle on the power play that he has forever. Can he get the three goals he needs in the final seven regular season games? It seems likely.

#2 The Philadelphia Flyers have only played three games under interim head coach Brad Shaw, but it does appear that the change behind the bench has been beneficial for star rookie Matvei Michkov, who has put up seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 13 shots on goal in those three games. He now has 11 points (4 G, 7 A) with 21 shots on goal during a six-game point streak. Michkov’s ice time per game has jumped to 19:10 per game under Shaw, after averaging 16:18 per game under John Tortorella. It’s a small sample, but the early returns are positive.

#3 Sticking with the theme of high-scoring Russian wingers, it looks like the Los Angeles Kings have unlocked the talents of Andrei Kuzmenko, who has 10 points (4 G, 6 A) in his past eight games, thriving on the top line with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe. Kuzmenko is also getting first unit power play time in Los Angeles, and he scored 39 goals in his first NHL season in 2022-2023, so he has shown that he has the skill, but now it looks like he’s getting a prime opportunity in Los Angeles.

#4 Anaheim Ducks defenceman Jackson LaCombe has emerged as a star this season. It might get overlooked because he is doing it for a young Ducks team that is on the outside looking in at the postseason, but LaCombe has taken on big minutes on the Ducks’ blueline and had eight points (3 G, 5 A) during a six-game point streak that was snapped in Thursday’s 4-1 loss at Calgary. LaCombe has 43 points (14 G, 29 A) in 68 games while averaging nearly 22 minutes of ice time per game. It has been a massive leap forward from his rookie season and the 24-year-old blueliner from the University of Minnesota is going to be a fixture on Anaheim’s defence for years to come.

#5 Second year Toronto Maple Leafs left winger Matthew Knies continues to improve and he makes the most of his excellent opportunity to skate on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Knies has seven points (2 G, 5 A) and 18 shots on goal in his past seven games. The sweetener for fantasy managers is that Knies has recognized the impact that he can bring with his physical play, and he has 23 hits in those seven games and 174 hits for the season, which adds to his appeal.

#6 As the Calgary Flames try to stay in the playoff hunt, veteran centre Nazem Kadri is leading the charge. In his past nine games, Kadri has 11 points (8 G, 3 A) with 35 shots on goal. He is skating on a line with Yegor Sharangovich and Martin Pospisil at even strength, but Kadri is a power play threat, producing 20 of his 59 points with the man advantage.

#7 Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe is not known as an offensive defenceman, having scored a career-high 28 points last season, but he has been playing with more confidence recently, and it has led him to record six assists in his past seven games. For a player who has 135 blocked shots and 118 hits, that bit of offensive production suddenly makes McCabe worth considering for fantasy managers.

#8 This has not been a banner season for the Nashville Predators in general, and for right winger Luke Evangelista, specifically. However, he is getting a decent shot to produce late in the season and has eight points (3 G, 5 A) with 13 shots on goal in his past eight games. He is playing on Nashville’s top line with Ryan O’Reilly and Michael Bunting, which is a good position with more ice time for him but also reflects the kind of lineup that the Predators are rolling out down the stretch.

#9 Although this has been yet another disappointing season for the Buffalo Sabres, they have been able to give Ryan McLeod a chance to handle more responsibility, and he has proven that he can handle it. In his past 14 games, McLeod has 17 points (5 G, 12 A) with 25 shots on goal. He has been averaging fewer than 16 minutes per game before seeing his ice time increase to over 20 minutes per game over that 14-game span. His linemates, Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka, are sufficiently skilled to bring out the best in McLeod and Quinn is finding his footing after an otherwise forgettable season. Quinn has nine points (4 G, 5 A) during a five-game point streak. Peterka has 19 points (8 G, 11 A) and 38 shots on goal in 17 games since the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

#10 Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann has not scored quite as much this season, tallying 18 goals for the Kraken after producing 96 goals in his first three seasons with Seattle, but he is picking up points down the stretch. In his past six games, McCann has delivered nine points (1 G, 8 A) with 20 shots on goal. McCann has helped to snap Andre Burakovsky out of a season-long slump. In his past eight games, Burakovsky has nine points (3 G, 6 A), which is a far cry from the 24 points (8 G, 16 A) in 65 games that he had before that point.

#11 When the Carolina Hurricanes traded Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars, it was somewhat forgotten that the ‘Canes had also acquired veteran winger Taylor Hall, and he would remain in Carolina. In 11 games since the trade deadline, Hall has contributed 12 points (7 G, 5 A) with 24 shots on goal and Hall has been in the position to shoot more on the power play and four of those seven goals have come on the PP. Staying in Carolina, but at the other end of the experience spectrum, rookie right winger Jackson Blake has taken on a bigger role and has eight points (3 G, 8 A) with 21 shots on goal in his past eight games. Blake has landed a spot on Carolina’s top line, skating with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, a real chance for Blake to finish the season strong.

#12 After missing much of the season, Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner has long been a productive player, contributing enough to have fantasy appeal even without elite scoring numbers. He had missed more than half of this season while recovering from shoulder surgery, but since returning to action, he has contributed 18 points (6 G, 12 A) with 47 shots on goal in 18 games. He also has 33 hits and 13 blocked shots, providing the peripheral statistical value that goes above and beyond point production.

#13 The story of this season for the Chicago Blackhawks is naturally one of disappointment, as they have 52 points in 75 games, putting them in 31st place. But there have been some silver linings, most notably the breakthrough season for veteran forward Ryan Donato. In his past 30 games, Donato has piled up 35 points (16 G, 19 A). For a player with a previous career high of 31 points, Donato has taken his game to a new level and some of that can be attributed to receiving extra ice time on a team that is lacking skilled forwards, but Donato’s 59-point season (so far) should change expectations for him moving forward.

#14 Veteran Philadelphia Flyers centre Ryan Poehling has established himself as a capable checking centre, but one with relatively low offensive output. He scored a career-high 28 points last season and after missing some time with injuries this year, it did not look like he would surpass that, but suddenly Poehling has 10 points (7 G, 3 A) in his past 10 games, which has lifted him to 25 points (11 G, 14 A) in 62 games. He does not have a significant power-play role but is getting more than 15 minutes of ice time per game now, so he may find his way to a new career high in points.

#15 With J.T. Miller traded and Elias Pettersson injured, the Vancouver Canucks have turned to Pius Suter as their No. 1 centre and even if that seems above and beyond his profile, Suter has stepped into that responsibility. In his past eight games, Suter has averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time per game, producing 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 16 shots on goal. He has set career highs with 22 goals and 42 points, which shows that he can be a useful source of complementary offense.

#16 Another player making the most of his opportunities in what is otherwise a disappointing season for his team is Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie, who has 10 points (5 G, 5 A) while averaging more than 19 minutes of ice time per game in his past eight games. He is playing on the Bruins’ top line, with Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak, as well as getting first unit power play time and has set career highs with 27 goals and 46 points.

#17 As a late-season addition, there might be value in Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Dante Fabbro. He does not have a significant power-play role but is paired with Zach Werenski on the Blue Jackets’ top pair. In his past four games, Fabbro has contributed seven points (2 G, 5 A) with eight shots on goal while playing more than 20 minutes per game. With 23 points (7 G, 16 A), Fabbro is one point away from matching his career high, set in 2021-2022 when he was with Nashville. The move to Columbus this season does seem to have rejuvenated his career.

#18 Every season, there is an influx of players coming out of college hockey and while they obviously provide great hope for the future, some might have an immediate impact down the stretch and into the playoffs. For example, Ryan Leonard has joined the Washington Capitals after accruing 49 points (30 G, 19 A) in 37 games for Boston College. He is starting on the Capitals’ second line with Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas and has averaged 15 minutes of ice time per game in his first two NHL contests. Some others to keep an eye on: Gabriel Perreault with the New York Rangers, Jimmy Snuggerud with the St. Louis Blues, and Oliver Moore of the Chicago Blackhawks.

#19 The Pittsburgh Penguins have recently called up Rutger McGroarty from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL, where he had 39 points (14 G, 25 A) in 60 games. The best part for McGroarty is that he has been slotted in at left wing alongside Sidney Crosby on Pittsburgh’s top line, so it’s hard to ask for a better situation as a 21-year-old winger trying to establish that he can play in a top six role in the NHL. In his first two games since rejoining the Penguins, McGroarty has picked up a couple of points with six shots on goal and six hits all while playing more than 17 minutes per game.

#20 Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord is coming off a 24-save shutout against Vancouver earlier this week, but he has hit a rough patch since the 4 Nations Face-Off. Prior to Wednesdays’ shutout against the Canucks, Daccord had started 13 games since the break, winning five while managing a save percentage of .882, which does not compare too favourably to the .915 save percentage that he had in his first 38 starts of the season. From the files of too little, too late: Philipp Grubauer does have a .925 save percentage for the Kraken in four starts since getting recalled from the AHL.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Holloway paying dividends for streaking in St. Louis – Teams and players to target this week

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 14:00:11 +0000

St. Louis Blues center Dylan Holloway (81) (Photo by Keith Gillett/IconSportswire)

Has a team ever benefited so greatly and immediately from a player they snagged away from an adversary via an offer sheet as St. Louis has with Dylan Holloway? The two-year contract worth roughly $4.58 million was too rich for the Oilers when the Blues made a move against the RFA this summer, and to be fair to Edmonton, Holloway had just nine goals and 18 points in 89 regular-season appearances as well as five goals and seven points in 26 playoff games at that point. For a team in a cap crunch, Edmonton didn’t feel comfortable offering that kind of salary to a player projected for its bottom six.

Whatever the rationale was, though, Holloway has thoroughly demonstrated that Edmonton could not have been more wrong in its decision. Holloway scored tow goals to lead St. Louis to a 3-2 victory over Nashville on Thursday, bringing him up to 26 goals and 62 points in 74 outings this campaign. What once looked like a rich contract is now unquestionably one of the league’s biggest value signings.

He's provided the Blues, who tied for 24th in goals per game (2.85) last year with some much needed offensive depth, and he’s stepped up down the stretch, providing 10 goals and 22 points across 18 appearances since the 4 Nations break. Though, he does have plenty of company in that regard.

St. Louis as a whole has excelled since the tournament. That win against Nashville was the squad’s eighth straight, and the Blues are 14-2-2 since the time off. That’s the best record in the NHL over that span, and they’ve led the league in goals per game with an eye-popping 4.00. In addition to Holloway, Robert Thomas (six goals, 25 points), Jordan Kyrou (eight, 18), Jake Neighbours (six, 17), Brayden Schenn (six, 16) and defenseman Cam Fowler (two, 14) have been major factors.

The goaltending has been there too. Since leading Canada to victory, Jordan Binnington has posted a 9-2-0 record, 2.19 GAA and .912 save percentage across 11 outings, while Joel Hofer is 5-0-2 with a 1.98 GAA and a .910 save percentage across his last nine appearances.

The result is St. Louis has gone for a team that was set to miss the playoffs to one that’s sitting in a wild-card spot. To an extent, there’s shades of 2018-19 when the Blues got off to a disastrous start only to get hot, make the playoffs and then battle all the way to a championship. The Blues even made a midseason coaching change this year, replacing Drew Bannister (9-12-1) with Jim Montgomery (30-16-6). Obviously, just because the Blues had a magical run in 2019 doesn’t mean history will repeat itself this year, but with the way St. Louis is playing, it will be a dangerous team to face in the postseason.

Boston Bruins (Tue vs WAS, Thu @ MTL, Sat vs CAR, Sun @ BUF)

While the Blues have surged, Boston has faded, making already long odds to secure a playoff berth now look all-but impossible. Boston had a 3-12-3 from Feb. 5-March 26 and suffered its seventh straight loss (0-6-1) against the Ducks on Wednesday. Will the freefall continue next week? Boston will start by hosting Washington before playing in Montreal on Thursday, returning home to face the Hurricanes on Saturday and then playing in Buffalo on Sunday.

Boston has managed just 2.22 goals per game over the aforementioned 18-game stretch, and that’s despite David Pastrnak still doing really well with eight goals and 19 points in that span. Pastrnak has 35 goals and 85 points in 73 appearances, giving him a shot of reaching the 40-goal and 100-point marks for the third straight campaign. He’s one of the few Bruins who has largely lived up to expectations in 2024-25.

Morgan Geekie has also been something of a silver lining during Boston’s dreadful stretch. He’s provided four goals and six points across his past five games. That brings him up to 26 goals in 68 appearances this season, shattering his previous career high of 17 from 2023-24. One word of warning, though: His shooting percentage of 19.7 is a substantial jump compared to his career average of 11.4 going into the campaign, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Geekie saw a decline in goal production next season.

On another team, Geekie’s strong showing this season would have been a pleasant surprise that might have elevated the squad, but Boston is so devoid of scoring options that it barely moves the needle. Aside from Geekie and Pastrnak, no other player has recorded even five goals for Boston over the past 18 games, and to put that into context, five goals in 18 outings would amount to only a 23-goal pace over 82 games. Looking at the Bruins’ season as a whole, Pastrnak and Geekie will probably be the only players to finish with at least 22 goals. Brad Marchand will almost certainly finish the campaign third in goals for Boston with 21 despite being traded. Charlie Coyle, who was also dealt, currently ranks fourth in goals with 15 during his time with the Bruins.

Boston did acquire Casey Mittelstadt from Colorado, but so far that hasn’t paid dividends. Mittelstadt has two goals and four points in nine appearances with the Bruins despite averaging a healthy 17:28 of ice time and seeing minutes alongside Pastrnak. Mittelstadt’s 5v5 CF% rel and 5v5 FF% rel are minus-8.4 and minus-5.6, which suggests that, for as bad as Boston has been recently, the Bruins have performed even worse when Mittelstadt is on the ice.

This is a season that can’t end soon enough for the Bruins, but maybe with the season already essentially lost, Boston will feel the pressure lift and settle into a spoiler role. The Bruins do have a chance to make things harder for Montreal, and Boston is 2-0-0 against the Canadiens this season, so if you’re looking for a game where the Bruins might pleasantly surprise, that seems like a good candidate.

Calgary Flames (Mon @ COL, Tue @ UTA, Thu vs ANA, Sat vs VGK)

For a time, it looked like Calgary might squeak into the playoffs despite its lack of offense, but the rise of the Blues has made that unlikely. Still, the Flames have an outside chance should they have a strong week. Calgary will start the week on the road in Colorado on Monday and Utah on Tuesday. The Flames will then return home to face the Ducks on Thursday and the Golden Knights on Saturday.

For much of the season, Calgary was competitive thanks in large part to rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf. Unfortunately, the 23-year-old has hit a rough patch, posting a 2-3-1 record, 3.65 GAA and .869 save percentage across his past six appearances. That’s reduced him to a 24-15-5 record, 2.67 GAA and .909 save percentage in 44 outings overall. It’s still been a good campaign for him, but I think his recent decline is likely enough to take him out of serious competition for the Calder Trophy, barring an unbelievable finish. Montreal’s Lane Hutson has a shot to reach 60 points as a defenseman, and San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini has been averaging near a point per game, so in my mind the competition is just too strong for Wolf to still grab the trophy.

Of course, it’d be unfair to suggest Wolf’s struggles down the stretch cost Calgary a potential playoff berth. Calgary ranks 31st in goals per game with 2.61, which is what the real problem is. If there is a silver lining to be found among the Flames forwards, though, it’s been Jonathan Huberdeau. The first two years of his tenure with the Flames looked like a disaster, but he’s been solid this campaign with 27 goals and 58 points through 71 appearances. He’s also red hot with five goals and 12 points over his past eight outings. He’s still not warranting his $10.5 million cap hit, but at least he’s not fading away.

Nazem Kadri is also doing his part, even at the age of 34. He’s on a five-game goal-scoring streak in which he’s found the back of the net seven times. That’s rocketed him to 30 markers, which is his most since 2017-18 with Toronto, and just two goals away from his career high. I wouldn’t count on that goal streak carrying into next week, but he’s certainly one of the Flames’ best forward options.

Matthew Coronato is also giving the Flames some hope that there are better days ahead on offense. The 22-year-old has four goals and six points across his past five appearances, bringing him up to 20 goals and 39 points through 66 games this season. He’s getting tons of playing time -- 19:36 per game, including 3:21 with the man advantage, over his past five outings -- which puts him in a solid position to finish the campaign on a high note. Just keep in mind that young players can be particularly streaking, and Coronato has shown that he’s no exception. He had just two goals and three points in 12 appearances from Feb. 8-March 17, just to cite the latest example of his offense drying up.

Colorado Avalanche (Mon vs CGY, Wed @ CHI, Thu @ CBJ, Sat @ STL)

Colorado is cruising toward the end of the campaign with a 12-1-1 record over its past 14 games. The Avalanche will attempt to maintain that level of extreme success next week, starting with a home game against the Flames. They’ll then hit the road to play in Chicago on Wednesday, Columbus on Thursday and St. Louis on Saturday.

The Avalanche have a 45-25-3 record, which gives them the third spot in the Central Division. Even with their recent success, Colorado is still five points shy of the second-place Dallas Stars despite Colorado having played in one extra game. The Avalanche also have a six-point lead on Minnesota, which is pretty healthy this late in the season. In other words, Colorado is unlikely to move up or down from its current third-place seed, and I do wonder if a sense that the stakes are low will cause Colorado to ease up on the gas a little over the final games off the season, potentially ending the hot streak.

Then again, it’s hard to envision Nathan MacKinnon or Cale Makar giving suboptimal performances for any meaningful length of time. They’re just so reliable. Plus, MacKinnon has some added personal motivation as he looks to win the Art Ross Trophy -- MacKinnon leads the pack with 108 points in 73 appearances, but Nikita Kucherov isn’t far behind with 105 points in 68 outings -- and bolster his bid for the Hart Trophy. Meanwhile, Makar would set a new career high of 91 points if he collects at least seven more in Colorado’s final nine games -- a very doable task for the elite blueliner.

MacKinnon and Makar have unsurprisingly led the charge during the Avalanche’s past 14 games, providing 21 points and 20 points, respectively, but Martin Necas hasn’t been that far behind with six goals and 16 points in 14 appearances. Necas has worked out superbly alongside MacKinnon, which has led to him recording 26 goals and 80 points across 73 outings between Carolina and Colorado this campaign. Given that I don’t think MacKinnon is likely to slow, Necas should have a strong end to the campaign too.

I’m more uncertain about the sustainability of Brock Nelson. He has three goals and six points across his past four appearances, but can be fairly streaky, and he doesn’t have the luxury of regularly playing with MacKinnon at even strength, so if Colorado slows a bit during its final games, Nelson might be part of that.

Regardless of what the Avalanche do collectively, Charlie Coyle probably won’t factor in much on offense. He has just two assists in 10 games since joining Colorado from Boston, but more importantly, he’s averaging just 13:32 of ice time. Unlike Boston, the Avalanche are deep up front, especially when it comes to centers, so Coyle seems stuck on the third line, barring an injury. There’s no reason to put much stock in Coyle, given that role.

Columbus Blue Jackets (Tue vs NAS, Thu vs COL, Sat @ TOR, Sun @ OTT)

Columbus battled to its second straight shootout win Friday, improving to 33-29-9 on the campaign. Through March 28, the Blue Jackets hold the second wild-card seed, but their position couldn’t be more precarious: Although Columbus has the edge in games left (11), Montreal and the Rangers are tied with the Blue Jackets in terms of total points (75). Every point is critical for Columbus, and in that context, the Blue Jackets have a huge week ahead of them. They’ll host Nashville on Tuesday and Colorado on Thursday before hitting the road to visit Toronto and Ottawa on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

The fact that Columbus even has a shot this deep into the season is a story that isn’t getting enough coverage nationally. This is a team that was projected to be closer to Chicago (21-43-9) and San Jose (20-42-9) than a playoff berth.

Getting Boone Jenner, Sean Monahan and Cole Sillinger back from injuries has given the Blue Jackets a huge boost that might push them over the edge. Since making his Feb. 22 season debut, Jenner has supplied four goals and 14 points in 15 appearances, and he’s only been getting better, supplying four goals and five points over his past three outings. Meanwhile, Monahan returned Monday after missing 28 games due to a wrist injury and went right back to work with three helpers over his past two outings, and Sillinger (shoulder) played Friday for the first time this month, contributing an assist in his return.

Monahan is centering the top line between Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko, while Boone Jenner is on the second unit with Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson. Sillinger helps round out the top nine by playing alongside Justin Danforth and Mathieu Olivier. Now that Columbus’ forward corps is relatively healthy, James van Riemsdyk was a healthy scratch Friday, and he’ll probably find himself moving in and out of the lineup the rest of the way. Olivier is also going to have a tougher time getting minutes, he averaged just 11:40 of ice time Friday despite recording a goal and an assist, which is a significant drop from his average of 14:58 from Feb. 22-March 24.

A healthy group also makes things better for defenseman Zach Werenski on offense. He’s having a career year with 20 goals and 70 points in 70 outings, but he went through a six-game scoring drought from March 13-24. Werenski collected a power-play assist on one of Jenner’s goals to end that slump Friday, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the 27-year-old defenseman end the campaign on a high note.

Dallas Stars ( Mon @ SEA, Thu vs NAS, Sat vs PIT, Sun @ MIN)

Dallas earned a 5-2 victory over Calgary on Thursday to improve to 4-1-1 over its past six games. The Stars seem secure as the Central Division’s second seed given their 47-21-4 record, and there’s still an outside shot of catching up to the 49-19-4 Jets to win the division. Dallas will attempt to pull that off with another strong week, starting in Seattle on Monday. The Stars will then host the Predators on Thursday and the Penguins on Saturday before playing in Minnesota on Sunday.

Defenseman Thomas Harley has found another gear lately, scoring five goals and 16 points across his past 14 appearances, rocketing him up to 15 goals and 47 points in 70 outings this campaign. The 23-year-old’s recent success is in part due to the power play -- he has eight points with the man advantage over his last 14 games, compared to just six power-play points across his first 56 outings in 2024-25. Miro Heiskanen (knee) hasn’t played since Jan. 28, which has resulted in Harley averaging 3:24 of power-play ice time since the injury compared to his season average of 2:11, which helps explain why Harley has see that spike in power-play success. Heiskanen is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season as well as the first round of the playoffs, so the current arrangement will persist for a while longer.

While Heiskanen won’t be back any time soon, Tyler Seguin might rejoin the team before the end of the regular season. Keep him in mind for playoff pools. He has nine goals and 20 points in 19 appearances before getting hurt, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him reunite with Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment when he’s healthy. Mikael Granlund will make that a difficult decision for the Avalanche, though. Granlund is their current linemate and has done well recently with four goals and eight points across his past 10 outings.

One alternative would be to keep Dallas’ current second line of Duchene, Marchment and Granlund intact, and instead have Seguin play alongside Jamie Benn. That might help the 34-year-old Benn, who has been good, but not great this campaign with 16 goals and 45 points in 72 outings this season. Benn has also been productive recently, supplying five assists in his past seven games despite averaging just 13:14 of ice time due to the Stars’ offensive depth.

Whatever happens, it’s a good problem for Dallas to have. The Stars already have a really strong top nine, and adding a healthy Seguin to that mix would make it truly special.

Montreal Canadiens (Tue vs FLA, Thu vs BOS, Sat vs PHI, Sun @ NAS)

The battle for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference might come down to the wire. Columbus won while Montreal suffered a loss Friday, leaving the Canadiens tied with Columbus in terms of points (75) for the second wild-card spot, but Montreal is at a disadvantage with one fewer game left on its schedule. The Rangers are also tied with 75 points while the Islanders are at 74. Montreal has been faltering lately, and the Canadiens need to stop the bleeding to stay in the mix. They’ll host the Panthers on Tuesday, the Bruins on Thursday and the Flyers on Saturday. Montreal will then conclude the week with a road match in Nashville on Sunday.

Sam Montembeault deserves some of the blame for Montreal’s recent struggles. He’s 0-2-2 across his past four outings while posting a 4.04 GAA and an .864 save percentage in four appearances. His overall numbers also don’t look great – he has a 25-23-6 record, 2.93 GAA and .898 save percentage through 54 appearances. However, there is a caveat to consider: His goals saved above expected is plus-14.5, per Moneypuck, which is actually the 14th best in the league. That’s because Montreal’s xGA/60 ranks 26th at 3.30. In other words, the Canadiens haven’t made things easy for him, and when it comes to this summer, adding players who could help shore up the defense should be a priority.

In meantime, Montreal’s best hope of making the playoffs might be through brute forcing with overwhelming offense. It helps that Patrik Laine has been clicking lately, supplying four goals and seven points over his past eight appearances, however, he’s been held off the scoresheet in two of his past three games, so it’s possible that run is petering out. Laine has traditionally had extreme hot and cold spells, so be weary of the other shoe dropping.

If he does fade, maybe that will be counterbalanced by Cole Caufield getting hot again. Caufield has been a touch quiet lately with a goal and two points across his past five appearances, but he’s having a great season overall with 34 goals and 63 points, and I don’t expect him to be held back for long.

Brendan Gallagher is also worthy of note. He’s enjoying one of his best stretches of the campaign with two goals and seven points in his last six outings. Just keep in mind that he’s still averaging a modest 13:55 of ice time, and he’s not going to be one of Montreal’s main scoring threats overall.

Ottawa Senators (Tue vs BUF, Thu vs TBL, Sat vs FLA, Sun vs CBJ)

Ottawa has merely treaded water recently, winning two of its past five games, but thanks to a 7-0-1 run from March 1-15, the Senators hold the first wild-card spot. Ottawa will look to maintain that lead this week and will have the benefit of remaining at home for the entire duration. The Senators will host Buffalo on Tuesday, Tampa Bay on Thursday, Florida on Saturday and Columbus on Sunday.

The Senators are 20-10-2 at home versus 18-18-3 on the road, so fantasy managers do tend to get a boost when deploying their players in Ottawa. That said, not all players have a dramatic home/road split. One who does is Tim Stutzle. He’s collected 13 goals and 43 points across 32 outings in Ottawa but is a less effective eight goals and 28 points in 39 appearances on the road. To put that in perspective, Stutzle’s home pace amounts to 33 goals and 110 points per 82 games, so that’s the kind of player you’d be deploying if you use him this week.

Drake Batherson is another player who tends to step up in front of the home crowd. He has 14 goals and 34 points in 32 outings at the Canadian Tire Centre this campaign versus six goals and 24 points in 39 games on the road. Batherson has also been hot lately, supplying four goals and nine points over his past eight appearances.

One more player who has a dramatic split is defenseman Jake Sanderson, who has supplied four goals and 30 points in 32 home games compared to three goals and 18 points on the road. However, not every player sees significant benefit from playing at home. Brady Tkachuk does have a higher point per game at home (26 points in 30 outings), but it’s a more muted jump compared to the road (29 points in 39 appearances) than we’ve seen with some other players. The same can be said for Claude Giroux (22 points in 32 games at home; 24 in 39 on the road). Meanwhile, Linus Ullmark actually seems to do a bit better away from Ottawa (2.68 GAA, .911 save percentage) than at home (2.91 GAA, .906 save percentage), so keep that in mind.

Washington Capitals (Tue @ BOS, Wed @ CAR, Fri vs CHI, Sun @ NYI)

The Capitals will spend most of the week on the road, playing in Boston on Tuesday, Carolina on Wednesday and the Islanders on Sunday. That leaves the Capitals with just one home game -- a match against Chicago on Friday. Washington was a borderline team to include because of that skew toward road games, but I couldn’t resist highlighting them given Alex Ovechkin’s chase of Wayne Gretzky’s record.

Ovechkin has 36 goals and 60 points in 56 appearances this campaign, putting him at 889 career goals, five shy of matching Gretzky and six away from beating him. Washington has 10 games left in the schedule for Ovechkin to accomplish that feat. In other words, it’s likely going to come down to the wire, but given Ovechkin’s recent pace of 14 goals in his past 22 games, it seems doable.

One x-factor is weather Ovechkin will get rested before the end of the season. To do so when he’s closing in on the record seems insane, but if you take a step back from that, he’s a 39-year-old on a team with Cup aspirations. Under normal circumstances, giving Ovechkin a game or more off at the end of the season would be a no brainer, and not doing so arguably could hurt Washington a bit in the playoffs. To some extent, it’s the same dilemma Toronto faced last year with Auston Matthews. Resting Matthews before Toronto’s first-round series against Boston might have been the smart play, but Matthews had a shot at a 70-goal season, so Toronto decided to keep him in the lineup and even log 21:03 of ice time against Tampa Bay in the season finale despite that game not even mattering from a playoff seeding perspective.

Still, Ovechkin didn’t play in the 4 Nations Face-Off, and he missed 16 games from Nov. 21-Dec. 23 due to a fractured fibula, so unlike Matthews, who logged 81 regular-season games last season, Ovechkin has already had time off, so perhaps he doesn’t need the break as much as you might assume. Either way, it seems unlikely that Washington will rest him unless Ovechkin has already secured the record -- and the plus side in all this is it gives the Capitals something to play for even at this stage when they’ve already basically secured the top spot in the Conference with their 47-16-9 record.

Ovechkin’s pursuit should also help Aliaksei Protas finish his breakout campaign on a strong note. Protas has six goals and 13 points across his past 10 outings, bringing him up to 29 goals and 64 points in 72 outings. It’s going to be challenging for Washington to maintain its current level once Ovechkin eventually retires, but the 24-year-old Protas does give the Capitals hope for the future as well as the present.

NHL: 20 FANTASY POINTS – 4 Nations fallout – Tkachuk, McAvoy, Harley, Bennett, Theodore plus Kadri, Danault, Donato and much more!

Scott Cullen — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:41:48 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 15: Team Canada forward Sam Bennett (9) plays the puck against Team USA defenseman Charlie McAvoy (25) during a 4 Nations Face-Off game between Team USA and Team Canada on February 15, 2025, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, fallout from the 4 Nations Face-Off, including Matthew Tkachuk, Charlie McAvoy, Thomas Harley, Sam Bennett, and Shea Theodore plus Nazem Kadri, Phillip Danault, Ryan Donato and much more!

#1 Coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off, Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk could be missing some time. He played just 6:46 against Canada in the final game of the tournament, and given the emotional stakes involved, it seems fair to expect that he will miss some NHL regular season action. In the weeks leading up to the tournament, Tkachuk had been playing his best hockey of the season, piling up 16 points (8 G, 8 A) in his last eight games before the 4 Nations. If Tkachuk is out, someone like Eetu Luostarinen could find his way up to the Panthers’ top six to fill in.

#2 The other issue related to a Tkachuk absence is that he typically skates on the wing of centre Sam Bennett, who had an excellent showing in the final games of the 4 Nations Face-Off, scoring a goal and leading Canada with six shots on goal. Bennett is a difficult player to project coming out of that tournament because he has established that he can turn up his game in the big moments, performing better in the playoffs than in the regular season, so it’s not like he can automatically be assumed to be ready to shred the NHL after his impressive play for Canada and even more so if Tkachuk is going to miss time. While Bennett had seven points (4 G, 3 A) in his last 12 games before the tourney, he also recorded 59 shots on goal in that time. If he is putting up nearly five shots on goal per game, production will follow.

#3 A pleasant surprise for Team Canada at the 4 Nations, Stars defenceman Thomas Harley was called to action when Shea Theodore was injured, and Cale Makar was sick. Prior to the tournament, Harley was already pushed into a bigger role on the Dallas blueline because of the lower-body injury suffered by Miro Heiskanen and Harley had six points (2 G, 4 A) in five games after Heiskanen was injured. Harley has 29 points this season, but only five points on the power play. With Heiskanen out, Harley does have a bigger role on the Dallas power play and the 23-year-old blueliner could be even more confident after his success playing in a best-on-best tournament.

#4 Boston Bruins defenceman Charlie McAvoy suffered a shoulder injury for Team USA at the tournament and the ensuing infection should keep him out on a week-to-week basis, which is a big loss for the Bruins, obviously. While McAvoy is the number one defenceman in Boston, he has not been the primary blueliner on the power play. That role has gone to Mason Lohrei, who does have 10 power play assists this season, but has just one goal and six shots on goal in his past nine games.

#5 Team Canada lost defenceman Shea Theodore to an injury in its first game against Sweden. Theodore will be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury and that should open the door for Alex Pietrangelo or Noah Hanifin to get more power play time. Hanifin may be the better option right now as Pietrangelo skipped the 4 Nations so that he could be healthy for the stretch run and has not recorded a power play point all season. With 25 points, Pietrangelo ranks second among defencemen for the most points without a power play point all season. Colorado’s Devon Toews has 27 points to lead, while Damon Severson (22), Gustav Forsling (21), and Simon Edvinsson (21) round out the top five.

#6 Even players who were not involved in the 4 Nations could bring injury news during the break and that happened with Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko, who is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Demko has not had a great season, even when healthy, managing a .891 save percentage in 17 games, but now the Canucks will lean on Kevin Lankinen, who has a .905 save percentage in 34 games. The workload could become an issue, as Lankinen has never played more than 37 games in an NHL season, but Vancouver doesn’t have much choice but to run with him and maybe spot in Arturs Silovs when they can.

#7 Journeyman Chicago Blackhawks winger Ryan Donato is enjoying the best season of his career, with career highs of 19 goals and 37 points in 53 games. He has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) while averaging more than 16 minutes of ice time per game in his past 10 games, finding a good groove on a line with Blackhawks star Connor Bedard. Tread carefully on adding Donato, though, because with an expiring contract, he is a prime candidate to get traded at the deadline and he almost certainly would not receive the same quality of ice time on a contending team. That could mean that Donato’s fantasy appeal is only for a couple more weeks, unless he signs a contract extension to stay in Chicago.

#8 Keeping the Calgary Flames in the playoff hunt, centre Nazem Kadri has produced 11 points (4 G, 7 A) and 30 shots on goal in his past 10 games. He ranks second on the Flames with 40 points, one behind Jonathan Huberdeau. Kadri has an on-ice shooting percentage of 5.5 percent, which ranks 304th out of 310 forwards that have played at least 500 five-on-five minutes. That would represent a career low percentage for Kadri, whose on-ice shooting percentage last season was 9.8 percent, so he could be a prime buy-low candidate who is due for positive regression. As a bit of an interesting statistical side note, Kadri has won 47.9 percent of his faceoffs in 219 games with the Flames, after winning 52.5 percent in 178 games for Colorado. Were his Avalanche wingers that much better at helping to gain possession off the draw?

#9 Skating on a line with Kadri and Huberdeau, second-year right winger Matt Coronato has been making the most of his opportunity. He has six points (3 G, 3 A) and 13 shots on goal in his past six games and has played more than 20 minutes twice in that six -game span. That’s a threshold that Coronato has crossed just five times all season, so he is ascending and playing with two proven performers does give him a better chance to keep this going through the end of the season.

#10 Although he has just five goals this season and his offensive production has not been up to previous levels, the Kings’ Phillip Danault does have five points (1 G, 4 A) in his past four games. He continues to be an excellent possession player, with a 57.4 percent Corsi, and the Kings are outscoring opponents 31-23 during five-on-five with Danault on the ice, so he is going to keep playing in the range of 18 minutes per game. He could present a bit of a buy-low option since he has scored on just 6.4 percent of his shots this season, which would be his lowest since his rookie season in 2015-2016.

#11 To be kind, it has been an uneven season for Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Newhook, who has just 18 points (10 G, 8 A) in 56 games after finishing last season with 34 points (15 G, 19 A) in 55 games. His ice time is down by 1:41 per game and he is a terrible shot generator, managing 74 shots on goal in 56 games. Newhook had five points (1 G, 4 A) in five games before the 4 Nations, but still only managed three shots on goal, so it’s difficult to get excited about his chances of sustaining his point production until his shot rate improves.

#12 Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kent Johnson has thrived during a breakout season, tallying 36 points (17 G, 19 A) in 42 games. He has 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in his past 12 games and has averaged 1.50 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, which ranks third among NHL players, behind only Buffalo’s Tage Thompson (1.77) and Colorado’s Artturi Lehkonen (1.51).

#13 Veteran Winnipeg Jets centre Vladislav Namestnikov can get taken for granted because he is a flexible player who can move around the roster as needed. Sometimes, he is on a scoring line, but at other times, he might even be on the fourth line, and he’s savvy enough to be effective in both roles. While the Jets might still be looking for an upgrade before the trade deadline, Namestnikov has been thriving as the second-line centre, skating between Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti. In his past eight games, Namestnikov has nine points (1 G, 8 A) with 18 shots on goal. The Jets have also outscored opponents by a margin of 27-17 with Namestnikov on the ice during five-on-five play.

#14 New York Islanders winger Maxim Tsyplakov has found his way into the top six and went into the break with six assists in his last six games and played 18:00 in his last game before the 4 Nations, his most ice time in a game in two months. For as long as he can keep a spot alongside Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, Tsyplakov might hold some fantasy appeal.

#15 Utah Hockey Club rookie right winger Josh Doan is pushing his way into a regular role. He put up 26 points (11 G, 15 A) in 28 AHL games and was recalled to the big club on January 10. He has four points (1 G, 3 A) in his past three games and has a solid opportunity in Utah’s top nine, skating with Jack McBain and Lawson Crouse both at even strength and on Utah’s second power play unit.

#16 Florida Panthers blueliner Aaron Ekblad has been quietly productive, contributing six points (1 g, 5 A) and 18 shots on goal while playing more than 23 minutes per game in his past eight games. Nine of his 26 points this season have come on the power play, and he is the Panthers’ top defence option with the man advantage, especially after they waived Adam Boqvist, who was claimed by the Islanders.

#17 A focal point on the Anaheim Ducks’ power play, defenceman Jackson LaCombe is quick to pull the trigger on point shots. Lacombe’s role was expanded earlier in the season and since the beginning of December he has 20 points (7 G, 13 A) with 77 shots on goal while playing more than 22 minutes per game in 31 games. There are 67 defencemen that have played at least 50 minutes with a five-on-four advantage this season and only the Islanders’ Noah Dobson (16.62) has a higher rate of five-on-four shots per 60 minutes. LaCombe is at 15.43, followed by Dougie Hamilton (15.24), Zach Werenski (14.18), Brent Burns (12.36), and Vince Dunn (12.33).

#18 Tampa Bay Lightning right winger Gage Goncalves watched linemates Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel play key roles for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, but Goncalves had five assists and 11 shots on goal in the last six games before the break in the schedule. He has toiled for quite a while in the American Hockey League, putting up 163 points (48 G, 115 A) in 226 games. The 24-year-old had just two points (1 G, 1 A) in his first 27 games for the Lightning this season, but his sudden scoring surge makes him worth keeping an eye on.

#19 Utah Hockey club defenceman Sean Durzi is set to make his return after suffering a shoulder injury on October 14. While Mikhail Sergachev remains the quarterback on Utah’s top power play unit, Durzi has established that he can run a power play, recording 41 power play assists in 216 career games, and he had two points in four games before getting hurt. Durzi’s return to action could cut into power play time for second-year blueliner Michael Kesselring, the second-year defender who ranks seventh on the team with 22 points (6 G, 16 A) in 56 games.

#20 Ottawa Senators right winger Drake Batherson has managed five points (2 G, 3 A) while registering 27 shots on goal in his past 11 games and three of those five points happened in a 6-0 rout over Minnesota. This relative slump highlights Batherson’s poor luck during five-on-five play as he has an on-ice shooting percentage of 5.4 percent, far below the 8.7 percent that he recorded during the 2023-2024 season. Batherson’s most common linemate this season has been Josh Norris, who is currently injured, so Batherson is lined up with Ridly Greig and David Perron while also holding a spot on the Senators’ top power play unit.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Tric

NHL: DADOUN – FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – What to make of the Buffalo Sabres – Teams and players to target this week

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 16:41:42 +0000

_{ST. LOUIS, MO - FEBRUARY 25: Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) during a NHL game between the Buffalo Sabres and the St. Louis Blues on February 25, 2022, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire),}

How should we define the 2024-25 Buffalo Sabres? On paper, they’re not a terrible team. Tage Thompson is an elite goal scorer, and Alex Tuch is a good first-line forward and well suited to being Thompson’s accomplish. Rasmus Dahlin, though currently out with a back injury, is a high-end offensive blueliner, and the Sabres also have two promising young defensemen on the rise in Owen Power and Bowen Byram. In net, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has shown that he can be a solid option.

This isn’t a good team either, though. The Sabres do have some offensive depth, especially with Jason Zucker enjoying a comeback campaign (seven goals and 20 points through 29 appearances), but their overall scoring still isn’t anything special. The blueliners do have a mixture of talent and promise, but as a squad, the Sabres have struggled on defense, as evidenced by the team ranking 22nd in xGA/60 (3.13) per Moneypuck. Those shortcomings have trickled down to Luukkonen, who has an 8-8-3 record, 2.79 GAA and .903 save percentage in 20 starts despite a passable plus-2.6 goals saved above expected.

More than anything, Buffalo is inconsistent. Sometimes this group can click, which led to Buffalo looking like a potential contender for a playoff spot earlier in the campaign, but other times they fall apart. Buffalo has lost its last eight games, dropping its record to 11-14-4.

That kind of inconsistency would be more forgivable if Buffalo was a rebuilding team, but is that still an appropriate definition for the Sabres? They certainly do still have younger players like defensemen Power and Byram, forwards Dylan Cozens and Zach Benson as well as goaltender Devon Levi honing his game in the minors. None of those five have celebrated their 24th birthday yet, so it’s reasonable to believe their game will continue to grow.

At the same time, Tuch and Thompson are already in their prime, albeit in the early stages at 28 and 27 years old, respectively. Dahlin is still young but also in his seventh campaign, so ideally this is a foundation that should have started to get results by now.

But those results never come. You could easily make an argument that this is a rebuilding team even with those three either in or approaching their prime, but you could have made the argument that basically every Sabres team over the last decade has been a rebuilding squad. At some point, you need to transition from rebuild.

It’s been nine years since Jack Eichel was selected as the No. 2 overall pick to be the Sabres’ future. It’s been six years since Dahlin was selected as the No. 1 overall pick to headline Buffalo’s defense. It’s been four years since Power was taken with the top pick, giving the Sabres a potentially amazing blue-line duo. It’s been three years since that relationship soured to the point where Buffalo traded him to Vegas.

Buffalo hasn’t participated in a single playoff game over that span. That’d be bad enough, but the drought dates back even further. When Buffalo was last a playoff team in 2011, Tomas Vanek was the Sabres’ leading scorer and Thompson’s age. Tyler Ennis was among the team’s promising young forwards while Tyler Myers was a sophomore coming off a Calder Trophy-winning campaign. Ryan Miller was in his prime, having won the Vezina Trophy the previous year. Lindy Ruff was the bench boss… well, actually, that’s true now too… but there were six bench bosses for Buffalo between Ruff’s tenure with the team that ended during the 2012-13 campaign and his current assignment with the team.

The Sabres’ playoff appearance drought is the longest in NHL history. That’s got to way on the team, and you have to wonder if it will eventually lead to talented players getting frustrated in Buffalo as it has for others in the past. Still, it’s not as if this is a doomed team.

As stated at the top, there are positives to be found in this roster, and the place we’re judging the Sabres from now might be at or near their low point. There’s still season enough for them to turn this thing around. If they don’t, there is still hope for the future with this young group…even if that promise feels a little hollow after so many other failed rebuild attempts.

Calgary Flames (Tue vs. BOS, Thu vs. OTT, Sat vs. CHI)

The Flames have just three games scheduled for next week, but all those contests are at home, and it’s a pretty favorable schedule. Boston, which the Flames will host Tuesday, did have a 7-2-0 stretch from Nov. 21-Dec. 7, but the Bruins’ have fallen back after big losses to Winnipeg and Seattle over their past two games. After facing the Bruins, Calgary will host Ottawa and Chicago on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Neither of those adversaries are in a playoff position.

Jonathan Huberdeau’s eight-year, $84 million contract is looking like it might go down as one of the worst contracts in recent memory, but he’s at least hot at the moment, providing four goals and nine points across his past six appearances. Will he keep that up? It’s possible, but it’s hard to get too excited. His 11 goals and 21 points through 30 outings overall still puts him on pace to get 57 points, which isn’t bad, but it’s well below the type of numbers he put up in Florida. Additionally, he has a 21.6 shooting percentage compared to his career average of 12.5, so if anything, Huberdeau’s benefited from some good puck luck and is more likely to slow as the campaign progresses than maintain that overall scoring pace.

If Huberdeau has potentially overperformed, would Andrei Kuzmenko be at the other end of the spectrum? No one expects him to repeat his 39-goal, 74-point performance from 2022-23, but is his goal and 10 points through 28 outings in 2024-25 simply the result of bad luck? His 3.3 shooting percentage is unusually low, but I’m more concerned about his decline in shots. He’s averaging just 4.1 shots/60, down from 6.8 last year.

Of his 30 shots this campaign, 19 have been fired from high-danger locations, which does put him ahead of the league average for forwards of 12.8, so that is a little bit of a silver lining. He’s on track for 52 high-danger shots this campaign, which would be down from 60 last year, a drop of 13.3 percent, whereas his overall shot total is on track to finish at 82, compared to 121 in 2023-24, a decline of 32.2 percent. So a deeper dive suggests things might not be quite as bad as they seem -- at least in terms of shot quality -- but it’s still not good, just less bad.

It's fair to believe that Kuzmenko’s shooting percentage will climb as the campaign progresses, but unless he starts getting a bit more aggressive with the puck, I wouldn’t count on him putting up numbers sufficient to give him relevance in the majority of fantasy leagues.

We might see better from Nazem Kadri, though, at least relative to his current point pace. He has 10 goals and 19 points in 30 appearances this campaign, which is a far cry from his 75-point showing in 2023-24. Kadri has been a steady contributor recently, though, supplying five goals and 11 points through his past 13 outings. He’s not a safe bet to reach the 70-point milestone again, but he was getting significantly fewer assists than is normal early in the campaign, and that seems to be balancing out and is likely to continue to do so. There’s a good chance he’ll finish the season as Calgary’s scoring leader.

Colorado Avalanche (Mon @ VAN, Thu @ SJS, FRI @ ANA, Sun vs. SEA)

The Avalanche will start next week on the road, playing in Vancouver on Monday, San Jose on Thursday and Anaheim on Friday. Colorado will then conclude the week by hosting the Kraken.

Colorado acquired Mackenzie Blackwood along with Givani Smith and a 2027 fifth-round pick from San Jose in exchange for Alexandar Georgiev, Nikolai Kovalenko, a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 second-round selection.

With Blackwood on side, the Avalanche have now completely changed their goaltending tandem. They started with Georgiev and Justus Annunen, and now have Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood. The 32-year-old Wedgewood started the campaign with Nashville, posting a 1-2-1 record, 3.69 GAA and .878 save percentage through five appearances, but he’s done far better since joining the Avalanche, going 3-2-0 with a 1.92 GAA and a .931 save percentage across five outings. Of course, that’s a small sample size, and Wedgewood typically hasn’t been more than an acceptable backup goaltender, so Blackwood will be needed too.

For his part, Blackwood had a 6-9-3 record, 3.00 GAA and .909 save percentage in 19 appearances with the Sharks before the trade. He has a plus-3.9 goals saved above expected this campaign, per Moneypuck, so he’s been solid when factoring out the Sharks’ defense. Speaking of that defense, San Jose ranks 29th in xGA/60 (3.36) while Colorado is 13th (2.95). That should lead to Blackwood putting up meaningfully better numbers post-trade, and naturally, his winning percentage should improve too now that he has the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and defenseman Cale Makar providing him with goal support.

Having Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen naturally helps too. That duo wasn’t available at the start of the campaign, but they’re in the lineup now, providing some critical secondary scoring. Nichushkin and Lehkonen have each supplied four goals through six games in December. They won’t match MacKinnon and Rantanen in terms of points, but they’re fantastic for Colorado to have on the top six.

Edmonton Oilers (Mon vs. FLA, Thu vs. BOS, Sat vs. SJS, Sun vs. OTT)

The Oilers will be at home next week, hosting the Panthers on Monday, the Bruins on Thursday, the Sharks on Saturday and the Senators on Sunday. Edmonton has been fantastic recently, winning seven of its past eight games to improve to 17-10-2 on the campaign, so the Oilers will be looking to stay hot.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have unsurprisingly been a major factor in Edmonton’s recent success, providing 15 points (five goals) and 14 points (six), respectively, over their past eight games. Vasily Podkolzin (three goals, five points) and Connor Brown (one goal, five points) have been less expected contributors. Podkolzin has benefited from playing in a top-six role, but he still might lose that job once Viktor Arvidsson (undisclosed) is available. It would be a little surprising if Arvidsson, who has been out since Nov. 12, returned next week, but he has resumed skating and might attend a team practice soon.

As for Brown, while there was some hope of him playing alongside his old OHL teammate, McDavid, when he first joined the Oilers, that’s never panned out. The 30-year-old has been playing strictly in a bottom-six capacity and has received almost no power-play time this campaign, so while his four goals and 10 points through 29 appearances aren’t bad under the circumstances, Brown isn’t in a position to increase that scoring pace.

In goal, Stuart Skinner has stabilized after a rough start to the campaign, posting a 4-1-0 record, 1.41 GAA and .947 save percentage across his past five starts. He had a similar track in 2023-24 with a rocky opening to the season followed by mostly strong play beyond that, so perhaps history is repeating.

Florida Panthers (Mon @ EDM, Wed @ MIN, Fri vs. STL, Sun vs. TBL)

Florida will open next week with road games against Edmonton and Minnesota on Monday and Wednesday, respectively. The Panthers will then host the Blues on Friday and play in Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Matthew Tkachuk was one of the hottest forwards in the league from Nov. 19-Dec. 7, supplying six goals and 19 points across 10 appearances. However, he’s been held off the scoresheet in each of his last two outings, so while he’s a fantastic forward regardless, his latest hot streak might be over.

To be fair, though, Florida as a squad has managed just one goal (excluding the shootout) over its past two games, so it’s not just Tkachuk who has cooled off. That’s just a mini-slump on the Panthers’ end, but Anton Lundell has been cold for longer. He hasn’t recorded a point across his past five appearances, leaving him at eight goals and 19 points through 29 outings in 2024-25.

Most of Lundell’s success came from an amazing start to the campaign in which he recorded six goals and 14 points in 14 appearances, but he was also averaging 18:49 of ice time. By contrast, he’s dropped to two goals and five points over his past 15 games and his average during that stretch is 15:39. The 23-year-old is capable, but when everyone is healthy, he typically serves on the third line, which limits his fantasy impact. If injuries result in him moving up to the top six, then he could be a great short-term play.

Los Angeles Kings (Tue @ PIT, Thu @ PHI, Sat @ NSH, Sun @ WSH)

The Kings have a full schedule with four games on the docket next week and just one of their upcoming opponents (the Capitals) occupy a playoff spot. The downside is the Kings will be on the road for the entire week. They’ll play in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Philadelphia on Thursday, Nashville on Saturday and Washington on Sunday.

When looking at the Kings’ campaign thus far, the player who has most impressed me is Anze Kopitar with his eight goals and 32 points through 29 appearances. We’re currently in a time where several forwards have excelled well past their prime -- Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby being the most obvious examples -- so Kopitar’s longevity has flown under the radar somewhat. The fact that he remains an effective playmaker at the age of 37, is still impressive, though. It wouldn’t be surprising at this point to see him reach the 70-point mark for the 10th time in his career.

Alex Laferriere was nearing his sixth birthday when Kopitar made his NHL debut, but the two are in their second campaign together and the sophomore Laferriere has been coming into his own with 12 goals and 22 points in 29 contests this season. Laferriere has continued to be a steady contributor lately, collecting three goals and seven points across his past seven games.

However, I am a little worried about Laferriere’s 20.0 shooting percentage. That seems rather high and his PDO of 1033 is a touch up there too, which suggests he has been getting a bit of puck luck. I don’t expect a crash, but his goal-scoring pace will likely decline somewhat.

Adrian Kempe’s shooting percentage of 17.9 is on the higher side too. Kempe did have a 16.4 shooting percentage in 2022-23 when he finished with 41 markers, so he’s not too far above his career high, but it’s still a notable step above his career average of 12.7. Like Laferriere, I don’t expect Kempe to collapse, but a small decline might be in his future. Kempe does have 14 goals and 28 points in 29 outings overall.

New Jersey Devils (Tue @ STL, Thu @ CBJ, Sat vs. PIT)

The Devils are set to play just three games next week, but the competition is favorable, so I decided to highlight them. New Jersey will play in St. Louis on Tuesday and Columbus on Thursday before hosting the Penguins on Saturday.

The Devils have a commanding 19-10-3 record compared to their mediocre 38-39-5 finish to 2023-24 and the difference is almost entirely at their end of the ice. New Jersey is allowing just 2.66 goals per game, which is a huge drop from 3.43 last year. But how much of that is thanks to Jacob Markstrom?

The Devils had an xGA/60 of 3.26 last campaign, which suggests that they were a poor defensive team independent of their goaltending. Kaapo Kahkonen and Jake Allen largely held their own with a plus-1.4 and minus-1.9 goals saved above expected, but when the defense is that bad, merely being okay leads to bad results. The Devils also employed Nico Daws, Akira Schmid and Vitek Vanecek, who did even worse by that metric.

Markstrom was brought in over the summer to stabilize the situation, but much like Kahkonen before him, he’s been acceptable, but not brilliant, posting a plus-1.5 goals saved above expected through 22 appearances. The difference is the Devils have burdened their goaltenders far less in 2024-25, as evidenced by their 2.70 xGA/60.

So, while Markstrom certainly hasn’t been a problem, he hasn’t necessarily been their savior. Either way, fantasy managers have can reap the benefits of Markstrom playing in a favorable situation, which has resulted in him posting a 14-6-2 record, 2.41 GAA and .906 save percentage. He’s also hot going into this week with a 3-0-1 record, 1.48 GAA and .933 save percentage over his past four outings.

Allen has been dealing with an upper-body injury, and the Devils’ schedule is spread out enough to allow Markstrom to start in all three games next week. Isaac Poulter will be with New Jersey for the duration of Allen’s injury, but Poulter is unlikely to get a start. The 23-year-old Poulter has struggled in the AHL this campaign with a 3.32 GAA and an .871 save percentage across nine appearances.

Poulter not getting playing time isn’t surprising, but it was a bit eyebrow-raising to see Tomas Tatar out of the lineup Thursday. Perhaps it shouldn’t be, though. Tatar has averaged just 10:41 of ice time this campaign, which is a far cry from even two seasons ago when he logged 15:07 per game. The Devils are a deep team, and it seems like there’s not much of a role for him. I’d be interested to see what would happen if the Devils traded the 34-year-old. He’s on a one-year, $1.8 million contract, so he’s movable, but New Jersey might ultimately decide that they’d rather have him on board as an insurance policy against injuries. If Tatar does find himself in a middle-six role, he might do enough offensively to have some fantasy relevance. As it is, he’s a non-factor in most leagues.

Seattle Kraken (Tue vs. OTT, Thu @ CHI, Sat @ VGK, Sun @ COL)

Seattle will host Ottawa on Tuesday, but the Kraken will spend the remainder of next week on the road, playing in Chicago on Thursday, Vegas on Saturday and Colorado on Sunday.

The Kraken have largely held their own this campaign without being anything special, posting a 15-14-2 record. Joey Daccord has been a major highlight with a 12-6-2 record, 2.42 GAA and .916 save percentage through 20 appearances. We just talked about how Markstrom is benefiting from plenty of support, but Daccord has had to do much more to keep the Kraken afloat. They are tied for 24th in xGA/60 (3.14) and are tied for 16th in goals per game (3.03). For his part, Daccord’s plus-9.2 in goals saved above expected ranks seventh in the league.

Seattle’s offense is mediocre in part because it lacks star power. Through Friday’s action, 48 players have scored at least 12 goals and none of them play for the Kraken. Seattle’s points leader, Jared McCann, (11 goals, 15 assists), is also outside of the top 47 in that category. The Kraken have nine players who have recorded at least five goals, which is respectable -- the league average is 7.7 per team -- but without a star leading the charge, the offense is still just okay.

Maybe Shane Wright will eventually fill that role. Taken with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Wright had just a goal and an assist through his first 18 appearances in 2024-25. Then he spent three games as a healthy scratch from Nov. 17-23, and that seemed to do him plenty of good. He’s managed six goals and 11 points across 10 outings since that stint in the press box.

The 22-year-old Matty Beniers has promise too. He had 24 goals and 57 points as a rookie in 2022-23 but took a step back in 2023-24 with 15 goals and 37 points. The 2024-25 campaign has been a mixed bag -- he has four goals and 17 points in 31 games -- but he’s done well recently with seven assists across his past seven appearances.

Vancouver Canucks (Mon @ COL, Wed @ UTA, Thu @ VGK, Say vs. OTT)

The Canucks will split next week between two games at home (Monday vs. the Avalanche and Saturday vs. the Senators) and two road tilts (Wednesday in Utah and Thursday in Vegas). The Canucks are 15-8-5, which is pretty good, but in a tough Pacific Division, that’s only good for fourth place.

Going into the campaign, it wasn’t clear if Vancouver would be able to hold its own without starting goaltender Thatcher Demko, who was dealing with a knee injury. Fortunately for the Canucks, Kevin Lankinen stepped up and now has a 14-4-3 record, 2.52 GAA and .912 save percentage across 21 outings.

Lankinen became the clear starter during Demko’s absence, but his role is less clear after Demko made his return. The 29-year-old Demko made his season debut Tuesday, though he left something to be desired, stopping 21 of 25 shots en route to a 4-3 overtime loss to St. Louis. That was followed by Lankinen posting a 27-save shutout Thursday.

We shouldn’t judge Demko based on only one start, but it might take him some time to shake off the rust. With Vancouver’s upcoming schedule relatively full, the Canucks will probably split the workload between Lankinen and Demko, which will give the latter more time to get eased in. If Lankinen keeps playing like he has been, and Demko eventually finds his rhythm, then Vancouver would have a great 1A/1B situation on its hands.

The Canucks also got J.T. Miller back, who was absent for 10 games due to personal reasons. He looked good in his return Thursday, providing two assists, including one on the power play. Now that he’s back, Pius Suter is likely to serve in a reduced capacity. During Miller’s 10-game absence, Suter had five goals and nine points while averaging 18:14 of ice time, but Suter dropped to 15:15 on Thursday and wasn’t used at all with the man advantage for the first time since Nov. 14. If you’ve been enjoying Suter’s recent success, now might be the time to explore your alternatives.

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: DADOUN – FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Nashville has a steep climb, Boston makes a coaching change, Winnipeg’s scoring slows down plus much, much more

Ryan Dadoun — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 16:46:42 +0000

We’re a little over a quarter of the way through the season, so we’re at the point where teams that have been doing poorly should be nervous and nowhere is that truer than Nashville. The Predators made a big push over the summer with the additions of forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, but the Predators are still just 7-12-6 and are tied for last offensively with 2.32 goals per game.

SUNRISE, FL - NOVEMBER 07: Nashville Predators Steven Stamkos (91) looks on during the game between the Nashville Predators and the Florida Panthers on Thursday November 07, 2024 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla.(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire)

At this point, the question isn’t if the situation is bad, it’s just how bad it is. The 2018-19 St. Louis Blues are the gold standard for hope. At their worst, they looked like a lottery team, but in the end, they won the Stanley Cup. So how was St. Louis after 25 games? 9-13-3, which amounts to nearly the same record from a points perspective.

So maybe there’s still hope for the Predators, but there’s also a reason why the Blues are such a memorable story: For every 18-19 Blues, there are countless teams that performed poorly over the first two months and simply continued to be bad for the rest of the campaign. Plus, it’s not just about rebounding, it’s the magnitude of the task ahead of Nashville.

In 2023-24, it took 98 points to get a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Let’s say for the sake of argument, 93 points will end up being good enough this year. That would amount to a 36-20-1 record the rest of the way. In terms of points percentage, that’s .640, which is a pace currently exceeded by only six teams. So doable, but it needs to start soon because the longer Nashville is even mediocre, let alone bad, the task only gets harder.

Stamkos spoke about the problem after Friday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Tampa Bay on Friday, arguing that the Predators have too many players who aren’t working hard enough to create offense.

"It's OK to be frustrated because we're not scoring. But you counter that by work ethic and getting into the game in different ways," Stamkos said, per The Tennessean. "If you're not scoring, what else are you doing out there? What else can you do to help your team win? I've just felt like, for whatever reason, in these stretches, we tend to go the other way."

Rather than use that as motivation, the Predators then suffered a 3-2 overtime loss to Minnesota on Saturday. To be fair, the Wild are a great team, it was a close game, and the Predators were playing for the third time in four days. Those are all factors to make the loss more understandable. The trouble is, Nashville isn’t in a position to be content with understandable losses.

Boston Bruins (Tue vs DET, Wed @ CHI. Sat vs PHI)

Replacing head coach Jim Montgomery with Joe Sacco hasn’t helped the Bruins so far. They’re an okay, but not great 3-2-0 with their new bench boss, giving them an 11-11-3 record overall. That might change next week, though, thanks to a favorable schedule. Boston will host the Red Wings on Tuesday, play in Chicago on Wednesday and then return home to face the Flyers on Saturday.

Whenever there’s a new coach, it’s always a good idea to look for which players have benefited from the change. In the case of the Bruins, though, it’s a bit hard to find offensive winners because the team has continued the offensive struggles that were present under Montgomery. Boston averaged just 2.40 goals per game with Montgomery, and that’s dropped to a mere 2.00 goals per game under Sacco.

Elias Lindholm does have four points across the Bruins’ past five games, which is a step up from his nine points in 20 outings before the Montgomery firing, but take that with a grain of salt because his recent success is propped up by a three-assist showing against the Islanders on Wednesday. Lindholm has also been held off the scoresheet in three of the last five contests, which isn’t exactly confidence inspiring.

Tyler Johnson has recorded his first two assists of the 2024-25 campaign under Sacco, which is interesting, but Sacco also made Johnson a healthy scratch twice across the past five games. Still, I think Johnson is worth keeping an eye on because Boston desperately needs secondary scoring, and that’s a role he can fill.

If there’s a silver lining, it’s that Boston seems to have at least tightened its game defensively under Sacco, allowing just 1.60 goals per game with the new bench boss compared to 3.45 with Montgomery.

Jeremy Swayman has had a rough campaign with a 6-9-2 record, 3.09 GAA and .892 save percentage in 17 appearances in 2024-25, but he may have turned a corner, stopping 66 of 70 shots (.943 save percentage) across his past three starts. He still won only one of those outings due to a lack of offensive support, but if he can continue to play like he has been recently, then the Bruins will be in a far better position.

Calgary Flames (Tue vs CBJ, Thu @ STL, Sun @ DAL)

The Flames have a respectable 12-9-4 record, but they’ve dropped their last four games, putting them in danger of ruining their relatively positive start to the campaign. The Flames will try to right the ship in home games against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday and the Blues on Thursday. Calgary will conclude the week with a challenging road tilt against the Stars.

Calgary’s recent losing skid has come on the road, which seems to be a theme for the Flames this year. They’re 9-3-0 at home and 3-6-4 outside of the Saddledome. It’s like looking at two different teams. In Calgary, the Flames have averaged 2.83 goals per game and have allowed 2.25 goals per game, but on the road that changes to 2.23 goals per game and 3.54 goals allowed per game.

Jonathan Huberdeau is one of the starkest examples of that home/road split. He leads the team offensively in Calgary with nine points (five goals) in 12 appearances and has just five points (three goals) in 13 road outings. Mikael Backlund is another forward who has fallen into that trap, supplying seven points (three goals) in 12 home games, but just three points (one goal) through 13 road appearances. Meanwhile, Andrei Kuzmenko has a goal and seven points at home, but just two assists on the road.

Nazem Kadri and Connor Zary are two exceptions who have done fine regardless. Kadri has a nine/eight home/road point split while Zary has supplied six points in each category. However, outside of rare cases like that, you might want to avoid using Calgary players on the road until the team shows it can travel better. Fortunately, that won’t be a concern for fantasy managers for the early stages of the upcoming week.

Colorado Avalanche (Tue @ BUF, Thu @ CAR, Sat @ DET, Sun @ NJD)

Colorado doesn’t have that stark contrast between home and away -- the Avalanche are mediocre in both cases, resulting in a 13-12-0 record. Colorado has lost its last two contests, but it will continue its quest to emerge from its early season inconsistency during a road stretch that will see the Avalanche in Buffalo on Tuesday, Carolina on Thursday, Detroit on Saturday and New Jersey on Sunday.

Injuries have been an ongoing story for the Avalanche this campaign, and I’ll discuss the latest on that front in a minute, but goaltending has also been part of the problem. Although Alexandar Georgiev has stabilized somewhat, he’s still left plenty to be desired with his 7-6-0 record, 3.33 GAA and .872 save percentage in 15 appearances in 2024-25. The problem Colorado faced was the 24-year-old Justus Annunen didn’t seem capable of stealing the job from him, posting a 6-4-0 record, 3.22 GAA and .872 save percentage across 11 outings.

As a result, Colorado packaged Annunen with a 2025 sixth-round pick Saturday to get Scott Wedgewood from Nashville. Wedgewood has a 1-2-1 record, 3.69 GAA and .878 save percentage in five appearances this year, so it’s not like anyone holds any illusion that he will enter Colorado and be its savor, but at least he’s a veteran goaltender who has been serviceable in the past in the backup role. If nothing else, Wedgewood has a bigger opportunity to get starts in Colorado behind Georgiev than he did in Nashville behind Juuse Saros.

On the injury front, Miles Wood suffered an upper-body injury recently and is now regarded as month-to-month. Meanwhile, Jonathan Drouin, who made his return from injury Nov. 15, logged just four games before coming back out of the lineup and is now regarded as week-to-week. Defenseman Josh Manson (upper body) is also week-to-week after suffering the injury Friday. The only real silver lining on the injury front is that Ross Colton (foot) has started to skate.

This isn’t the most injured Colorado has been this year, but it’s still not great that Colorado has four players on IR or LTIR (Wood, Colton, Tucker Poolman and Gabriel Landeskog) as well as three more on the sidelines (Mason, Drouin and Oliver Kylington).

John Ludvig, who has logged just five games this year, will probably start playing regularly because of Mason and Kylington’s absences on the blue line. Nikolai Kovalenko will also probably feature semi-regularly on the second line until Drouin is back. At the end of the day, though, not much should be expected of Ludvig or Kovalenko from a fantasy perspective.

Dallas Stars (Mon @ UTA, Wed @ LAK, Fri @ VGK, Sun vs CGY)

The Central Division has been dominated by Winnipeg and Minnesota, but Dallas has been strong too with a 14-8-0 record. The Stars will look to maintain that success next week. They’ll play in Utah on Monday, Los Angeles on Wednesday and Vegas on Friday before concluding the week with a home game against the Flames on Sunday.

Dallas is lucky to have Matt Duchene. After the final three campaigns of his seven-year, $56 million contract were bought out by Nashville (a team which, incidentally, could really use him right now), it made a certain amount of sense for him to ink a one-year, $3 million contract for the 2023-24 season so that he would have a chance to reestablish himself. However, after scoring 25 goals and 65 points across 80 regular-season outings with the Stars in 2023-24, he decided to ink another one-year, $3 million contract for this season.

I have a hard time believing that’s the best he could do, but Dallas is a team that’s capable of competing for the Cup, and signing that massively team-friendly contract has allowed the Stars to ice the best roster they could. For his part, Duchene is thriving in Dallas with 12 goals and 27 points through 22 outings. After registering an assist in a 5-3 win over Colorado on Friday, he’s on a four-game scoring streak (two goals, four assists).

In contrast to Duchene’s success, Roope Hintz has left something to be desired. The 28-year-old forward has nine goals and 14 points through 21 appearances in 2024-25. That puts him on pace to reach the 30-goal milestone for the fourth straight campaign, but Hintz collapse in terms of playmaking has been noticeable. That might be in part due to some bad luck, though. Hintz is on pace for 15 primary assists in 2024-25, which would actually be just a mild drop from his 17 in 2023-24. However, he has only one secondary assist this year after reaching the double digits in that category in each of the previous three campaigns.

Hintz is playing alongside Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston, so the assists should come. If his lower point total has led to fantasy managers in your league(s) undervaluing Hintz, then now would be a nice time to buy low.

Robertson is another good buy-low candidate. He has five goals and 13 points through 22 appearances, in large part because of a nine-game stretch from Oct. 26-Nov. 18 in which he had no goals and two assists. The 25-year-old has been inconsistent this campaign, but he has also supplied over 25 goals and 79 points in each of his previous three years, so I have faith that he’s going to start turning things around. One key area to monitor is his performance on the power play. He finished each of the past three campaigns with over 20 points with the man advantage, but he’s been limited to just a goal and three points in that category in 2024-25.

Keep in mind that Robertson missed a good chunk of training camp and didn’t play in the preseason because he was recovering from foot surgery. His old linemate Joe Pavelski is also gone after retiring over the summer. Those might be contributing factors for his sluggish start, but Robertson should still find his rhythm as the campaign progresses.

Florida Panthers (Tue @ PIT, Thu @ PHI, Sat vs SJS)

Florida has won its past three games decisively, outscoring the competition 17-4. The Panthers will take that momentum into Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Florida will then play in Philadelphia on Thursday and host the Sharks on Saturday.

Sam Bennett continues to be a pleasant surprise for the Panthers. He’s been a solid secondary scorer for years, but he’s found another level this season, supplying 12 goals and 23 points through 24 appearances. He’s showing no signs of slowing either, supplying three markers and four points over his past three outings. His 16.2 shooting percentage is a potential warning sign -- his career average is 10.6 -- but he’s also generating assists at a much better rate than normal, so his success might be more than just some good puck luck.

Bennett’s far from the only Panthers forward who has done well recently. Evan Rodrigues has been streaky this campaign and is going through one of his good patches, supplying a goal and three points across his past three games. That gives him six goals and 13 points through 25 outings in 2024-25.

The only major point of concern for Florida thus far has been Sergei Bobrovsky, who has a 3.04 GAA and an .890 save percentage through 17 appearances in 2024-25. While I wouldn’t write off a netminder as accomplished as Bobrovsky over a sluggish start, Spencer Knight has outperformed him thus far with a 2.31 GAA and .911 save percentage across nine outings, so it would be interesting to see if the Panthers shift to a 1A/1B arrangement. That would also help keep the 36-year-old veteran fresh for the playoffs, especially given Bobrovsky’s heavy workload in recent years due to Florida’s back-to-back trips to the finals.

New York Islanders (Tue @ MTL, Thu vs SEA, Sat vs CAR, Sun @ OTT)

The Panthers rank fifth in terms of goals per game (3.64) while the Islanders are 26th (2.56), but surprisingly, New York is the team with more players who have hit double digits in terms of goals. Sam Reinhart and Bennett have achieved that feat with the Panthers while Kyle Palmieri, Anders Lee and Brock Nelson have each provided 10 markers with the Islanders.

Will that trio be able to save the sinking Islanders, who have lost six of their past eight games? The squad will play in Montreal on Tuesday before returning home for contests against the Kraken on Thursday and the Hurricanes on Saturday. New York will round out the week with a road game in Ottawa on Sunday.

Nelson has been the Islanders’ most successful forward during the squad’s eight-game slump, providing four goals and eight points over that span. Lee and Palmieri have also held their own with six and five points, respectively -- each of them also supplied three markers during that stretch.

Still, the absence of Mathew Barzal (upper body) continues to be noticeable. He hasn’t played since Oct. 30 and isn’t expected to return this week. The other issue is Bo Horvat’s goal-scoring drought has reached 11 games (he has five assists in that span). Maybe Horvat will get better when his usual linemate, Barzal, is healthy. Either way, Horvat’s shooting percentage has dropped to 7.1, well below his career average of 13.4.

Toronto Maple Leafs (Mon vs CHI, Wed vs NAS, Fri vs WAS, Sat @ PIT)

Toronto got some good news Saturday with the return of Auston Matthews (upper body) and Matthew Knies (upper body). Both made their presence felt with Matthews supplying two assists while Knies recorded a goal and a helper. Getting Matthews back is especially big for the Maple Leafs, and the sniper will aim to make his presence felt next week with the Maple Leafs scheduled to play at home against Chicago on Monday, Nashville on Wednesday and Washington on Friday. The Maple Leafs will also face the Penguins on the road Saturday.

Getting Knies and Matthews back will likely result in a reduced role for rookie Fraser Minten. The 20-year-old averaged 15:11 of ice time, including 3:32 with the man advantage, over his first three outings from Nov. 20-27, but he dropped to 11:31 on Saturday and wasn’t deployed at all with the man advantage (though Toronto had just one power play in the match).

If Max Domi (lower body) and Bobby McMann (lower body) rejoin the lineup without any other Maple Leafs forwards going down, then Minten might find himself reassigned to the AHL where he can play a bigger role. Still, Minten has shown promise during this NHL stint, supplying a goal and three points across four appearances.

While Minten took advantage of the Maple Leafs’ stretch of injuries, Nicholas Robertson has left plenty to be desired. He did score Saturday, but it was just his second goal and point through 20 outings in 2024-25. Although Robertson reportedly requested a trade over the summer, nothing came of that, and he certainly hasn’t done anything to make himself more appealing to other clubs. He’s still just 23, so it’s too early to write him off, but even as a middle-six secondary scorer, he hasn’t looked great this year. If the Maple Leafs find themselves fully healthy, it’s not clear if there will even be a regular spot for him in the lineup anymore.

Winnipeg Jets (Tue vs STL, Thu @ BUF, Sat @ CHI, Sum vs CBJ)

Winnipeg enjoyed a stunning 15-1-0 start, but the Jets have perhaps shown some cracks lately, dropping five of their past eight games. We’ll see if they stabilize next week. They’ll play at home against the Blues on Tuesday, play in Buffalo on Thursday, and in Chicago on Saturday before hosting the Blue Jackets on Sunday.

What’s changed for the Jets recently? For starters, their stars haven’t been quite as effective. Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers each provided at least 1.25 points per game across Winnipeg’s opening 16 games and none of them have averaged a point per game since. Nikolaj Ehlers has seen the biggest decline, going from nine goals and 20 points through 16 appearances to five assists and a minus-7 rating over his past eight games.

It's not just the Jets’ top three forwards, though. Winnipeg’s offensive production has been down pretty much across the board. The Jets were averaging an unbelievable 4.56 goals per game through their first 16 games, but Winnipeg’s average has dropped to 2.50 over its past eight contests. We talked about the Jets’ success earlier this month, and at the time I briefly touched on this:

“It is worth noting that Moneypuck ranks Winnipeg 21st in xG/60 with 2.99, so there’s an argument to be made that the Jets have enjoyed good puck luck.”

If we look at where Winnipeg is today, its xG/60 is slightly higher at 3.08. That metric shouldn’t be taken as gospel, but it does suggest that the Jets were significantly overperforming offensively early in the campaign, which makes the fall less shocking. By the same token, Winnipeg is now underperforming, so there’s reason to believe that this will all balance out eventually, and the Jets will finish the campaign as an above average, but not phenomenal scoring team.

Which is okay because Winnipeg’s strength lies in its goaltending more than its forwards. Connor Hellebuyck did have a rough patch from Nov. 12-19 in which he allowed 11 goals on 90 shots (.878 save percentage), but he’s having a fantastic campaign overall with a 15-3-0 record, 2.11 GAA and .928 save percentage in 18 outings. The Jets offense might not be as good as initially advertised, but Hellebuyck should continue to have a season worthy of Vezina Trophy contention.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – CALGARY FLAMES – Team Preview

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 20:00:44 +0000

_{ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 28: Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (91) as seen during an NHL game between the Calgary Flames and the St. Louis Blues, on March 28, 2024, at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire)}

After failing to make the playoffs in 2022-23, the Flames changed coaches, but it didn’t reverse their fortunes. Calgary had a 38-39-5 record last season, and ultimately resigned to its fate by trading away veteran defencemen Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov as well as two-way center Elias Lindholm, primarily in exchange for a collection of picks, though the Flames did also pick up Andrei Kuzmenko in the Lindholm deal, which worked out nicely for Calgary with 14 goals and 25 points across 29 contests post-trade. The Flames also got a great campaign out of Nazem Kadri (29 goals, 75 points) while Yegor Sharangovich and Blake Coleman each hit the 30-goal mark for the first time in their careers, but Calgary’s offence was still mediocre due in no small part to lackluster production out of Jonathan Huberdeau (12 goals, 52 points), and those scoring woes were compounded by a leaky season from goaltender Jacob Markstrom (2.78 GAA, .905 save percentage).

WHAT’S CHANGED? Calgary continued to shed veterans during the summer, trading Markstrom to New Jersey in exchange for a 2025 first-round pick and 24-year-old defenceman Kevin Bahl, who might get a top-four role after Calgary dealt so many veteran blueliners during the 2023-24 campaign. The Flames also inked blueliner Jake Bean to a two-year contract after Columbus declined to present him with a qualifying offer and signed Anthony Mantha to a one-year deal to bolster the team’s secondary scoring.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? It would be shocking if the Flames make the playoffs, but stranger things have happened. Perhaps Dustin Wolf, who has struggled early in his NHL career but has looked great in the minors, might fill the void left by Markstrom. Maybe Kuzmenko’s first full campaign with the Flames will be a major success after he seemed to gel with the squad last year. Theoretically, Huberdeau might recapture some of his lost luster.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? Those are big asks, though, and even if all that happened, it’s not clear that Calgary has the depth necessary to go far. Keep in mind, Coleman and Sharangovich had basically ideal campaigns last season, so some regression should be expected there, and there’s no guarantee that Kadri, who will turn 34 on Oct. 6, will put forth another 75-point campaign. Wolf is the real x-factor, but even if he performs admirably, will he be able to overcome the Flames’ defence after they traded away their top blueliners?

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Calgary’s in that awkward phase where it’s not a contending team, but its roster is still comprised almost exclusively of veterans. Wolf is the most notable exception to that, and while he does have his work cut out for him, it should be interesting to see how he does. As touched on earlier, Wolf has excelled in the AHL. This will be a difficult campaign for him, but in the long run, the No. 214 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft might go down as a huge steal.

FORWARD

Nazem Kadri

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	26	42	68	0.83

A mid-season Elias Lindholm trade made Kadri “the guy” in Calgary, a position he hasn’t been in since pre-Auston Matthews years in Toronto. He was up to the task, as he had one of his best seasons from a point-production standpoint and he did while mostly playing with rookies instead of on Calgary’s top line. Kadri is a player you can count on to drive play regardless of where he is in the lineup, so he’s a nice luxury for the Flames to have while they’re in a transition period. He’s maybe one of the most underrated players in the league at leading the transition game, as he is usually among the league leaders in producing scoring chancers off zone entries. Finishing those chances is another story, because he takes a lot of shots from everywhere, but it has started to come around the last few seasons where he’s been above the 20-goal mark. His boxcar totals got a nice boost on the power play, where he was very good at getting tips from the slot and manipulating the penalty kill from the bumper position. The Flames don’t have a lot of insulation for him offensively this year, so he’s going to have to carry a heavy burden for the team offensively again. A slight step back might be expected as the team retools but a 25-goal, 40-point season should well be in reach.

Blake Coleman

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	24	20	44	0.54

Coleman had one of the more unnoticed 30-goal seasons in recent memory. His stats were a little inflated with six empty net goals, but it was still an impressive feat for someone who is primarily a checking line player. There was always more skill to Coleman’s game than that, as he has netted 20 before and he’s very quick to strike off the rush given the opportunity. That’s how he scored a majority of his goals last year, with a few of them coming shorthanded. He’s had wonderful chemistry with Mikael Backlund and the intensity he plays with gave that line some extra juice. Any production Calgary got out of them was secondary because they rarely lost any of their shifts. Whether it was flipping possession or generating chances, Coleman was as good of a utility player that you could ask for. With three years left on his contract and a lot of miles on his tires, it will be interesting to see how long the rugged winger can maintain this level of play. His shooting percentage jumped to 15.7 from a career average of 10.4 percent and should see a regression in goals. He remains a key contributor here and can hit 20 goals and 20 assists, closer to his career norms.

Jonathan Huberdeau

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	12	36	48	0.60

Huberdeau will be the victim of lofty expectations for the rest of his career. He was never going to be the 100+ point player the Flames traded for two years ago and living up to his $10.5 million AAV cap hit was going to be almost impossible. The hope was that his elite-level playmaking could add a boost to a Calgary lineup that has no shortage of play-drivers and shooters. Instead, they’ve gotten a good playmaker who is an awkward fit on almost every line, failing to develop any sort of long-term chemistry with anyone. It takes a certain level of rapport to blend with a more cerebral player like Huberdeau because he will usually look for the extra pass that a linemate might not be ready for. He had that for a stretch with Coleman and Backlund but ended up back in the line blender mid-season. Huberedau’s one-dimensional game puts a lot of the scoring burden on his linemates and that is something that has gotten worse since he arrived in Calgary. The high-level playmaking has also seen a dip in recent years, as he is still setting up chances at a decent rate, but not at the elite level he did with Florida. With Calgary’s lineup receiving another shake-up, a lot needs to go right for Huberdeau to get back to his old form, although at 31 years old this might be who he is now. While he saw a dip in his shooting percentage, his shot rate is still far too low for that to be a factor and expecting more than 15 – 20 goals would be a reach and with the current supporting cast he seems plateaued at 40 assists.

Mikael Backlund

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	13	27	40	0.49

Signing a two-year extension before last season even began, Backlund had another year where he was steady as ever. Holding the second/third line center spot down for the Flames with big penalty kill minutes thrown in on top of that. He plays the type of game where you’re happy with what you get from him even if he only puts up 20 points because he does so much outside of the scoresheet. At 35, he is still Calgary’s top defensive forward, always in the right spot to kill a play or find a route out of the zone to flip possession. Both him and Coleman were two of Calgary’s top forwards at generating controlled zone entries last year, doing so while starting most of their shifts in their own zone. The only downside is that his own offensive production is on the downward trend, which isn’t a big deal with the role he plays, but somewhat of a drag because they generated so much rush offence and Coleman was the only player who could score. This is something Calgary has to keep in mind when planning for the future. They know what they’re getting with Backlund, now it’s about planning for life after him as he enters the backend of his career.

Andrei Kuzmenko

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	30	29	59	0.74

A mid-season trade gave Kuzmenko a shot in the arm, scoring 14 goals in 25 games with the Flames after recording only seven with Vancouver. After being such a good goal-scorer in his first year, something didn’t click in his first season under Rick Tocchet, acting as more of a playmaker in between Pettersson and Mikheyev instead of a shooter. The switch to Calgary seemed to help, as he got back to what he does best, which was playing the net-front role and doing an excellent job of generating chances from close range. Showing great composure under pressure, he scored a lot of his goals from corralling loose pucks from awkward angles and getting deflections. His hands also make him a great playmaker from this area, and he can setup a lot of tap-in goals by making the extra pass from a typical shooting position. It was what Calgary needed in a lineup that has a lot of guys who can do the cycling and puck-handling along the perimeter. The honeymoon period couldn’t have worked out better for Calgary with Kuzmenko delivering 25 points in 29 games, so now it’s about getting the same level of play in a full season. He was helped by an inflated 24.1 shooting percentage while on the Flames but did see a similar spiked percentage as a rookie in Vancouver. He will be an intriguing trade deadline addition for a lot of teams around February with one year left on his deal. He has a prime offensive opportunity here, and a spot on the first power play is his to lose. 30 goals and 30 assists should be deliverable under these circumstances with potential for more.

Anthony Mantha

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	25	23	48	0.63

Solving the Anthony Mantha riddle has perplexed a few teams now. You see his big frame, strong play-driving numbers and how good his shot is at times and think there’s superstar potential, but he’s left teams frustrated more times than not. Last year in Washington might have been the first time a team was content with who he is, someone who uses his body to win puck battles and play a great possession game at five-on-five. Controlling the perimeter to eventually open up more offence for his linemates. He had consistent linemates for the first time during his stint with the Caps and scored 20 goals before getting dealt to Vegas at the deadline. Then the reset button happened. Mantha’s numbers at the end of the day were okay but they couldn’t find a spot for him and he was scratched after Game 3 in the first round. Now he’s onto Calgary where there’s a clear opportunity in their top six. Mantha still has a lot to offer even as someone who can play on the top-line, it’s just a matter of what teams expect out of him after years of similar results. Still only 29-years old, he should break 20 goals and 20 assists and is a UFA at the end of the season. Lots of motivation to put his career back on track.

Yegor Sharangovich

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	25	26	51	0.66

While not a breakout season for an established player, Sharangovich did enough for Calgary to make him part of their core going forward, earning a five-year extension after setting career highs in goals and points. His shot has always been a calling card, possessing a heavy wrister that makes him lethal when he gets the space. He was somewhat of a utility guy for the Flames last year, playing both forward positions and adding a game-breaking element to their aggressive penalty kill. He was among the league leaders in shorthanded points, only scoring three goals but always a threat to start a rush the other way. While the goals were nice, his all-around game was a mixed bag as Calgary was heavily outscored at five-on-five when his lines were on the ice, and it was a challenge to find the right spot for him in the lineup even if he was one of the team’s best shooters. He ended the season primarily playing as center with Jonathan Huberdeau, which was a line Calgary had to deploy almost exclusively in the offensive zone, so it’s unknown if it’s a long-term fit if Sharangovich’s shooting regresses. A return to 30 goals might be a challenge, but 25 to go along with 25 – 30 assists is a reasonable expectation.

Connor Zary

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	17	24	41	0.53

The youngest of Calgary’s Wranglers core ended up being one of the rookies who stuck with the big club. Riding a hot streak after getting called up in November, Zary’s Swiss Army Knife skillset made it tough for him to come out of the lineup even after the goals dried up. His strong play even earned him some modest recognition in a stacked Calder race. He’s a smaller guy, but willing to go to the net and it was easy for him to get lost in coverage. Also, he is very good at taking hits from pinching defencemen to help get pucks out of the zone, which is something young wingers always struggle with. Playmaking is where he shined, but the details of his game were ahead of where most 21-year-old rookies are. Becoming a more consistent shooting threat is the next step to his game, as his skillset as a netfront guy became somewhat redundant after the Kuzmenko trade and he is someone who will only shoot if he’s inches away from the blue paint. He figures to be a key piece for Calgary in what will be a transition year. Keeping fantasy expectations modest in his sophomore season, 15-20 goals and 20 -25 assists would be a good step next season.

Martin Pospisil

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	9	17	26	0.37

Arguably the most surprising rookie to crack Calgary’s roster, Pospisil proved to be a good running mate for Nazem Kadri. He could keep up with the better players in Calgary’s lineup and his hard-nosed style of play was a perfect complement in their top six. He didn’t have much production to show for it, and never has at any level, but he did a lot to help his lines drive play and keep opposing teams hemmed in their own zone. Always willing to go to the net, he generates a lot of high-quality chances and could be known as one of the more annoying guys to play against once he gets more experience. His downside is that he takes a lot of penalties due to the style of game that he plays, always looking to finish his check, and it even earned him a suspension late in the season. His hands aren’t bad, but he’s never been the best finisher at any level and that’s always a drawback if you’re on a top line. Still, his skillset fits the ideal model of a checking line player. Keep fantasy expectations modest as a result.

DEFENCE

Rasmus Andersson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	7	27	34	0.41

Andersson is the lone remaining member of Calgary’s old defence corps and last year was even an adjustment period for him after he was split from long-time partner Noah Hanifin. There was a lot of give and take with his new partnership with Mackenzie Weegar as the duo were on the ice for a high number of Flames goals and opposing goals to boot. This has been the case for Andersson for the majority of his career. He’s a very good passer who is an excellent complement to the forwards with seeing plays develop down low and he’s very good at getting his shot through. His game in the defensive zone, however, has always been best when it’s kept simple. When the pace of the game picks up, he’s better when he can stay home to protect the front instead of chasing a forward or a loose puck down. It’s what’s made him an awkward fit on the power play despite his great playmaking skills. Also, why he usually excels with a puck-mover instead of someone who plays a steadier game. He has the stamina to play big minutes, but maybe not the all-around game to be a true top-pair guy. Still, he will be a key cog on a Calgary blue line that is going through a major overhaul. Without consistent top power play time it is hard to see him reaching the 50-point level again and looks settled at 5 – 10 goals and 25 – 30 assists.

Mackenzie Weegar

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	11	34	45	0.56

One of only four defencemen to hit 20 goals last season, Weegar’s probably never going to get the credit he deserves as one of the league’s workhorses. Not only logging major minutes, but heavy minutes where he carries a huge burden as the guy retrieving most of the loose pucks and leading breakouts on his pair. One of the guys who makes his teammates job easier by doing the legwork with getting the puck out of the zone and continuing to support the play up the ice. There is some risk-reward to his game with how often he has the puck and how aggressive he is with joining the cycle in the offensive zone. Last year wasn’t one of his best in terms of preventing goals, as his pairing with Andersson gave up almost as much as they created, but it’s also part of the territory when someone is relied on to do most of the work on breakouts. Will be relied on heavily in Calgary again as their lone “do-it-all” defenceman on the roster. The goal scoring burst after never having exceeded 10 in past seasons was helped by an inflated shooting percentage of 9.6 versus a career average of 5.7 percent and can expect some regression. He did see an increase in power play time in the second half so will get the opportunity to match last season’s totals. However, dialing expectations back to closer to 10 goals and 30 – 35 assists is a safer bet.

Jake Bean

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	5	15	20	0.26

Looking for a fresh start, the former first-round pick of Carolina has a decent chance to find some kind of niche with the Flames. He showed promise in his first year with the Jackets, but a shoulder injury derailed his second season, and his third year was an attempt to get back on track. Paired with Erik Gudbranson, Bean still showed some of that offensive upside he had in both juniors and the AHL, but he was down in the pecking order as far as power play time goes and had to work hard to create any chances. His skillset is a little deceiving because he’s a very good skater with great offensive instincts, but not the best puck-mover under pressure. Pairing him with a stay-at-home guy sometimes compounds that problem instead of helping it, as he can get to a lot of pucks but not make the first pass if he has to deal with constant forecheck pressure. It’s uncertain if Calgary has the horses to utilize Bean’s skillset the right way, but it’s a chance for him to regain his form.

Kevin Bahl

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	2	10	12	0.15

After their top two defencemen, Calgary’s defence corps is basically an open competition. Bahl might not earn a regular top four spot, but his size and physical play could give him an inside edge on a full-time role. That and he’s a better puck-mover than what meets the eye. He’s not going to be a one-man breakout, but he can get the puck out of traffic and to the next layer of the exit well enough to be reliable in a high-leverage spot if you have to play him there. He’s also very good at shutting plays off at the blue line, not always looking for hits or standing guys up, but using his long reach to take away lanes on zone entries. He’s what you would call a “stabilizing presence,” as not much happens either way when he is on the ice. Will play heavy penalty kill minutes at the very least.

GOAL

Dan Vladar

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
32	12	16	3	1	0.898	3.28

Dustin Wolf

It's a new season, and the Calgary Flames are entering their New Goalie Era. After relying on proven veterans for their last handful of goaltender signings and trades, the Flames have moved on from Jacob Markstrom (and Cam Talbot, and Mike Smith, and Jonas Hiller) and are ready to debut a tandem with fewer than 100 games of NHL experience between the pair. Dan Vladar will be forced to sink or swim, following a mediocre year with limited starts, and Dustin Wolf - who has been dominating the AHL to an almost comical degree - will finally get his chance to shine in the big leagues as his partner.

The pair make for an interesting strategy in Calgary, serving as almost complete polar opposites in everything from style to stature. Dan Vladar tops out at 6-foot-5 and a whopping 210 pounds, playing a game reliant on loose movement and fluid lateral control. Dustin Wolf, on the other hand, almost missed out on being drafted altogether due to his small size; the 23-year-old California native is barely 6 feet even and doesn't crack 170 on the scale. He makes up for his more diminutive stature with superior depth management and game tracking, though. While Vladar brings more experience at the NHL level, Wolf is the goaltender many have higher hopes for when all is said and done. Calgary has made it clear they aren't exactly pushing for a Cup Final berth with this tandem, though, at least not immediately. Even Vladar, who has seen NHL action in each of the last seven seasons, made a career high in starts two years ago with a 27-game appearance. It's hard to tell just how the starts will end up breaking down this year, as a result - and if either Vladar or Wolf start to struggle, the Flames may be forced to make some changes before the year is up.