oliver ekman-larsson – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – A look to the future with Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini then turn back the clock for Taylor and Taylor, and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:26:51 +0000

CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 18: Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks looks on during the second period against the Calgary Flames on November 18, 2025 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, look to the future with Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini then turn back the clock for Taylor and Taylor, and so much more!

#1 It’s not as if Chicago Blackhawks centre Connor Bedard is flying under the radar. He was the first overall pick in the 2023 Draft and won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie for the 2023-2024 season. Last season was not as productive as hoped, though most of the blame seemed to fall on the lack of quality in his supporting cast, and that did create some questions heading into this, his third season in the NHL. Bedard has silenced any critics with 29 points (13 G, 16 A) in 20 games. After scoring on 11.2 percent of his shots in his first two seasons, Bedard has scored his 13 goals on 70 shots, a shooting percentage of 18.6 percent, which is high, but not outrageously so, particularly for someone with Bedard’s release. His on-ice shooting percentage is 13.0 percent, which again is high, but not outrageously high. The early indications are that Bedard’s improvement is at least somewhat for real, in part because he has increased his shot rate to 3.5 per game, after averaging 2.38 per game last season. His percentages will probably come down, so maybe he won’t continue at 1.45 points per game – almost a 119-point pace in 82 games – but a 100-point season is not out of the question.

#2 The first pick in the 2024 Draft, San Jose Sharks centre Macklin Celebrini has produced 31 points (13 G, 18 A) in his first 21 games and to see this kind of production in just his second season portends potential superstardom for the 19-year-old skater. The percentages would suggest exercising some caution with Celebrini’s projections over the rest of the season because he is scoring on 21.7 percent of his shots, after scoring on 10.6 percent as a rookie last season, and his on-ice shooting percentage is nearly 17 percent, a number that will not last for an entire season. Both players are outstanding and should be marquee players in the league for a long time, so there should be no reason to move them out in keeper formats, but given the statistics to this point, it appears that Celebrini’s hot start could be more likely to run into regression this season.

#3 At 34-years-old, Carolina Hurricanes left winger Taylor Hall has hit the stage of his career where he is filling a complementary role as a scoring forward, but that doesn’t mean he has ceased to provide value. In his past seven games, Hall has six points (3 G, 3 A) with 18 shots on goal while playing 15:45 per game. This comes on the heels of his managing just two assists in his previous 10 games, so he’s not easy to trust as a point producer. Some of that is because he has not recorded a power play point all season, with all 12 of his points this season coming at even strength. It might be difficult to believe in Hall at this point, but if he continues like this, belief will follow.

#4 Taken with the second pick in the 2010 Draft, one spot behind Hall, Tyler Seguin has enjoyed a productive career with fewer injuries. Seguin started slowly this season but, after he produced seven points (4 G, 3 A) in his past eight games, Seguin has climbed to 12 points (7 G, 5 A) in 21 games this season. He only has nine shots on goal in those eight games, which is troublingly low, but also has the benefit of quality linemates, as he is currently skating on a line with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz.

#5 Acquired from Montreal as part of the Noah Dobson trade, Emil Heineman has turned into such an offensive threat that he is getting time on the first line. With an assist in Thursday’s 5-0 win at Detroit, Heineman has contributed a point in eight (4 G, 4 A) of his past nine games. He only has 17 shots on goal in that time, so the point-per-game pace is likely to fade, but Heineman is making a case to play a bigger role for the Islanders and if he can stick in this spot in the lineup, he will be a valuable fantasy contributor.

#6 When Aleskander Barkov got injured, the Florida Panthers knew that they had a prime young player who could step into a bigger role. While no one is going to completely make up for Barkov’s absence, it did appear that Anton Lundell could handle more responsibility. He has stepped up all season, but in the past 12 games, Lundell has averaged 21:36 of ice time per game, contributing 11 points (3 G, 8 A) with 22 shots on goal. The Panthers have done a lot of line juggling this season due to injuries, and Lundell has most recently been skating on a line with Mackie Samoskevich and Brad Marchand.

#7 Veteran Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson has not been a major offensive contributor in recent seasons, but he was a PP1 quarterback during his prime years in Arizona, so there is some offensive skill there, even if it has been suppressed. In his past nine games, Ekman-Larsson has contributed eight points (1 G, 7 A) while averaging more than 23 minutes of ice time per game. Ekman-Larsson is getting second unit power play time and is up to 15 points (2 G, 13 A) in 21 games this season, giving him a chance to surpass 40 points for the first time since 2018-2019.

#8 Philadelphia Flyers centre Christian Dvorak showed some offensive flashes in Montreal last season after battling injuries in the previous few seasons. He is playing significant minutes for Philadelphia this season and has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past six games. He may not sustain that kind of scoring surge over the long haul, but he played 17:59 at even strength on Thursday against St. Louis, leading all Philadelphia forwards in even-strength ice time, so that does make him a more compelling case, as is any player who has earned that kind of trust from his coach.

#9 One of the hottest names on the trade market is Calgary Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson, who is ramping up his productivity, even in the midst of the Flames’ struggles, which should only enhance his value. Andersson has six points (2 G, 4 A) and eight shots on goal during a three-game point streak, and he is averaging 25:20 of ice time per game in his past seven games – apparently the Flames want to get the most out of him before sending him to a new location.

#10 Although his consistently low shot rates can be a reason for concern, and he’s never been confused with the most durable players in the league, New York Islanders left winger Jonathan Drouin is still a productive playmaking winger. Drouin has seven points (2 G, 5 A) with eight shots on goal in his past seven games and even when he was held off the scoresheet during the Islanders’ 5-0 win at Detroit on Thursday, he ranked second among Islanders forwards in ice time, behind only Mathew Barzal. It’s enough to make him appealing to managers in deeper leagues, so long as he is healthy and getting this much ice time.

#11 Taken with the 19th pick in the 2023 Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, Oliver Moore played for two seasons at the University of Minnesota and started this season in the American Hockey League, where he tallied nine points (6 G, 3 A) in nine games. He has been promoted to Chicago, where he has contributed five points (2 G, 3 A) in nine games and is skating on the Blackhawks’ second line with Frank Nazar and Tyler Bertuzzi. He is more long-term potential than immediate value, but Moore might have enough upside for deeper league interest now.

#12 It’s looking like rookie Jesper Wallstedt is pushing Filip Gustavsson in the Minnesota Wild crease. Gustavsson has been great and not-so-great in recent seasons and has a .897 save percentage in 14 games this season, a level of play that opens the door for a challenger. Wallstedt has delivered a .926 save percentage in seven starts and that includes one disastrous start at San Jose when he allowed six goals on 25 shots. Every other start has been in the range of good to great.

#13 The Columbus Blue Jackets have been patient with goaltender Jet Greaves, a 24-year-old who was undrafted coming out of the Ontario Hockey League. After 158 games in the American Hockey League, during which he recorded a .909 save percentage, Greaves put himself in position to have a job in Columbus this season and now the question is how much of a workload should he be asked to handle? In his past five starts, Greaves has a .925 save percentage, lifting his season save percentage to .906 in 13 starts.

#14 With Thatcher Demko injured once again, opportunity knocks for Vancouver Canucks netminder Kevin Lankinen, who is admittedly not easy to recommend at the moment. Through a dozen appearances this season, Lankinen has a .886 save percentage, which is not good enough, but he had a .907 save percentage over the previous three seasons combined, and that level is typically good enough to hold a starting job in the league.

#15 The Colorado Avalanche have been easing Mackenzie Blackwood back into action following his recovery from a lower-body injury. Blackwood has appeared in three games this month and somehow has a 2-0-1 record with a .870 save percentage in those three contests. In the long run, he should regain the Avalanche net, but Scott Wedgewood has a .913 save percentage in 16 starts, so the Avs can afford to be patient with Blackwood.

#16 While the decline of the Nashville Predators doesn’t fall entirely on the goaltending, it’s worth pointing out that veteran netminder Juuse Saros had positive Goals Saved Above Average for every season of his career until last season and he’s underwater again this season. A save percentage of .892 isn’t going to cut it behind a team that ranks 21st with an Expected Goals Against Average of 3.13.

#17 The New York Rangers are getting the full J.T. Miller experience it appears. After trading to acquire the centre from the Vancouver Canucks last season, the Blueshirts named Miller their captain for this season, and they are not getting the kind of leadership that they might have hoped for. This week he was roundly criticized for an abysmal shift against Vegas that ultimately turned into a goal against the Rangers, and he was in a slump, scoring two points (1 G, 1 A) with 12 shots on goal in an eight-game span. On Thursday night, he scored a pair of goals in a 6-3 loss at Colorado and still found his way to a minus-4 by the end of the game when the Avalanche scored two goals into the empty Rangers net. Miller is a talented player who, when motivated, can take over games, but he also has a habit of checking out defensively in some of the most egregious displays. That probably makes him worth considering as a buy-low option right now, but that does come with a level of risk.

#18 In the past couple of seasons, Mackenzie Weegar has been a standout on the Calgary Flames blueline, producing 99 points (28 G, 71 A) in 163 games to go with stellar possession numbers. He has managed just four assists in 22 games this season and what’s wild about Weegar’s struggles is that his possession game remains excellent, with the Flames controlling 57 percent of five-on-five shot attempts with Weegar on the ice. However, he is getting killed by low percentages, including an on-ice shooting percentage of 4.0 percent and an on-ice save percentage of .869, which has contributed greatly to the Flames getting outscored 21-8 with Weegar on the ice at five-on-five. With the Flames giving Rasmus Andersson first-unit power play time, Weegar could be the likely beneficiary following an Andersson trade, presuming that Weegar would return to the top power play unit. In the meantime, he should at least be able to count on some positive regression in those percentages.

#19 It has been a tough time for NHL players and social occasions. New Jersey Devils standout centre Jack Hughes will miss eight weeks after requiring surgery on his finger following an incident at a rookie dinner. The Devils will continue to lean on Nico Hischier down the middle, with Dawson Mercer handling the second line centre role with Hughes out of the lineup. In Florida, left winger Eetu Luostarinen is out on a week-to-week basis after suffering burns in a barbecue incident. Luostarinen had eight points (2 G, 6 A) with 15 shots on goal in his last eight games before the injury. Both Mackie Samoskevich and Jesper Boqvist are looking at bigger roles on the left flank amid a run of injuries in South Florida.

#20 The Boston Bruins will be without top defenceman Charlie McAvoy indefinitely when he required facial surgery after a slapshot from Montreal Canadiens defenceman Noah Dobson hit him in the face. With McAvoy out, Hampus Lindholm becomes even more important for the Bruins, and he does have five points (1 G, 4 A) in his past six games. Dallas defenceman Thomas Harley is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury, which means Miro Heiskanen will get PP1 time at the point in Dallas. The Stars’ second unit sees Esa Lindell and journeyman Kyle Capobianco playing defence, though neither has much offensive value at this point.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Team Preview

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 18:10:10 +0000

TORONTO, ON - April 17: Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) is seen before an NHL game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 17, 2025, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Mathew Tsang/Icon Sportswire)

After finishing with 108 points (52-26-4) and winning the Atlantic Division, the Maple Leafs took out the Ottawa Senators in six games to get through the first round of the playoffs before coming up short in Game 7 on home ice against the Florida Panthers in the second round. Even on the rare occasions that the Maple Leafs get past the first round, they have found ways to leave with such disappointment in the second round. The Leafs had poor underlying numbers, ranking 24th with 47.7 percent Corsi and 23rd with 48.8 percent of expected goals. Their power play ranked fifth, with 8.82 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play, and the Leafs’ penalty killing was less effective, ranking 21st with 7.78 goals against per 60 minutes of four-on-five play. What really made the difference? Goaltending. Anthony Stolarz was great, and Joseph Woll was very good and Stolarz getting injured against Florida could very well have been the difference in a seven-game series.

What’s Changed?

Mitch Marner headed for Vegas, with the Maple Leafs orchestrating a sign-and-trade that brought centre Nicolas Roy to Toronto. The Leafs traded to acquire right winger Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth, and he might be the replacement for Marner on the top line. The Leafs also added winger Dakota Joshua from the Vancouver Canucks. Depth forward Pontus Holmberg did not receive a qualifying offer and ended up signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, veteran winger Max Pacioretty is still unsigned at the time of this writing, and enforcer Ryan Reaves was dealt to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenceman Henry Thrun, who is probably a depth option on the Toronto blueline.

What would success look like?

It’s to the point now that winning a first-round series is not enough to satisfy Toronto’s long-suffering fans and winning a second-round series might only get begrudging acceptance from Leafs Nation. Ending their Stanley Cup drought, 58 years and counting, would be the ultimate, but it’s difficult to look at this club and think that they have the firepower to get there. The Leafs have come up short so often in the playoffs that they will hope that a new mix, with more grit and maybe not quite as much skill, is the way to get through, and if they can reach the Eastern Conference Final that would have to be viewed as a successful season.

What could go wrong?

There are a couple of primary issues facing the Maple Leafs for the 2025-2026 season. The first is what if they end up missing the 102-point right winger who they traded to Vegas? For all of Marner’s inconsistency in the playoffs, if the Maple Leafs can’t adequately replace Marner’s production during the regular season, then the playoffs can’t just be assumed. The other concern is what if the goaltenders are merely average? Stolarz and Woll were an excellent tandem last season, and they papered over some of the Leafs’ play driving shortcomings. If that possession game doesn’t improve and the goaltending is just so-so, then there’s another path to the Leafs scrambling for a playoff spot.

Top Breakout Candidate

He had 57 points (17 G, 40 A) in 2023-2024, so it might not be a pure breakout season for him, but Matias Maccelli recorded just 18 points (8 G, 10 A) in 55 games for Utah last season. He is a skilled playmaker and looks like he should have an opportunity to play on the top line alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, which is a great spot for a player who knows how to distribute the puck.

FORWARDS

Auston Matthews

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	50	52	102	1.26

In his first season as captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Auston Matthews was injured in training camp and had that unknown injury plague him throughout the year. While he played all 11 of the teams’ games in October, he went on to play 13 of the teams’ next 27 games through November and December. Once 2025 hit, though, he missed only one game the rest of the way and played in the Four Nations tournament where he captained USA. Matthews was productive, with 78 points in 67 games (1.16 points per game), but his goal scoring was well below his standards. His 33 goals in those 67 games tied for his lowest goals per game output (.49) of his career, which came in his rookie season. He had the second lowest shooting percentage of his career, and it was the first time since the 2018-2019 season that he averaged less than four shots on net per game. On the flip side, Matthews did have the highest assists per game rate of his career this season and more than doubled his career shorthanded time on ice, establishing himself as a solid penalty killer in the process. Matthews lost his regular linemate in Mitch Marner this offseason, but he has actually been more productive at five-on-five away from Marner than with him. His production hinges pretty well entirely on his health status. If he shows up at camp healthy, he will be one of the best players in the league that is easily capable of winning the Rocket Richard Trophy. If his injury continues to linger, he will clearly still be productive, but not to the dominant standard that he has established for himself.

William Nylander

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	44	47	91	1.11

In the first season of his eight-year, $92 million deal, William Nylander put together another massive season, finishing second in the league in goals with 45. The 2024-2025 campaign was the third season in a row Nylander played in all 82 games, and the season before that he played 81 games. It was also the third straight season that he hit the 40-goal mark; over those three years, Nylander is tied for seventh league-wide in goals with 125 in 246 games. Nylander has established himself as a durable winger that’s one of the best goal scorers in the league. In the playoffs, he continued to produce as he led the Leafs in goals (6) and points (15) in 13 playoff games. Nylander spent the majority of the season alongside John Tavares, just as he has in previous years, as the Leafs have primarily used him to drive the proverbial “second line.” The left wing spot on that line has been a revolving door for years, including Bobby McMann, Pontus Holmberg and Max Pacioretty this past season. Without Marner, it’s possible Nylander moves up as a staple on the Leafs top line alongside Knies and Matthews, or that he continues to drive the second line in a more offensive role. Either way, he’s 29 and has been a consistent producer for years, and that should be expected to continue this upcoming season.

John Tavares

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	30	34	64	0.81

In the final year of his seven-year, $77 million contract, John Tavares put together a monster offensive season at the age of 34. He scored the second most goals in a season in his career with 38 and played to just about a point per game pace with 74 points in 75 games. This followed off of a season where he scored 29 goals on a career low 10.4 shooting percentage. He flipped the switch a year later and shot a career high of 19 percent. Part of what played into that is Tavares shot a lot less than usual - his 2.67 shot per game rate was the second lowest of his career - his lowest was in his rookie season - and it was only the third time in his career he took less than three shots on net per game. Some of that is due to his usage, as Tavares, for the first time in his entire career, started more of his shifts in the defensive zone than the offensive zone. With the addition of Nic Roy in the offseason as well as a full season with Scott Laughton, some of that should change next season as GM Brad Treliving has already indicated as much. While it would be a stretch to think a turning 35-year-old Tavares is going to put up 38 goals again, he should remain productive with his heavy shot and nose for the net.

Matthew Knies

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	33	40	73	0.92

In his second full year in the league, Matthew Knies enjoyed a breakout season with 29 goals and 58 points in 78 games and was rewarded with a six-year deal worth $46.5 million ($7.75 million annual average). In his rookie season, Knies worked his way up the lineup, eventually landing on the top line. This past season, he picked up right from that spot and played on the top line all season, and his ice time shot up accordingly. He played 13:41 per game as a rookie, and 18:31 per game in his breakout campaign, which included carving out a role as a regular penalty killer and top power play unit player. Knies scored his 29 goals off a high 19.1 percent shooting percentage. While it’s a big number, it’s important to note that a lot of his goals come right in front of the net given his role as a net-front player. Even if that number normalizes, Knies should see his ice time and role continue to grow, and he’ll be on the top power play unit from the start of the season. Knies is expected to continue playing alongside Matthews and while their right winger remains to be seen, he’s playing with a superstar center and that will keep him productive.

Bobby McMann

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	18	20	38	0.49

In Bobby McMann’s first full season in the league, he hit the 20-goal mark and showed signs of being a productive middle six forward. McMann established himself in the NHL in 56 games the year prior and jumped up to 74 games played this past season. Accordingly, his production declined as the grind of the season took its toll. McMann had 17 goals and 25 points in 47 games before the all-star break, but just three goals and nine points in 27 games after the all-star break. Between the regular season and the playoffs, he ended his season on a 24-game goalless drought. At his best, McMann uses his speed to beat defenders wide, get in on the forecheck, and get to his spots to use his shot. After starting the season as a healthy scratch, he worked his way into the lineup and spent a good chunk of time on the second line with Tavares and Nylander. When his offence dried up, he continued getting ice time because the Leafs simply lacked depth. Now that they have spread out their money more with the additions of Roy, Maccelli and Joshua, McMann is going to need to win and keep his spot to play up the lineup if he wants to score 20 goals again.

Scott Laughton

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	9	17	26	0.33

It was an up and down season for Scott Laughton as seemingly years of being in trade rumours culminated in a move that saw him go back home to Toronto. In Philadelphia, he played at roughly his usual pace, putting up 11 goals and 27 points in 60 games as he bounced around the lineup, playing center and wing. When he arrived in Toronto, they moved him around the lineup, starting him at center, moving him to wing and eventually back to center. He ended up with just four points in 20 regular season games with the Leafs, followed by two points in 13 playoff games. In total, he scored just twice in 33 games. Some of that was the result of his eventual linemates, as Laughton was used in a checking role between Lorentz and Jarnkrok. That is naturally going to limit his ability to produce offensively but in the playoffs, he did average the sixth most ice time per game among all Leafs forwards, as he regularly moved up the lineup to close out games defensively as a winger. If he can win a spot up the lineup his production should bounce back to his usual .40+ points per game pace. Or he could end up on the fourth line as a checker, in which case he’ll be in tough to produce much offence.

Nicolas Roy

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	18	22	40	0.53

On a Vegas team that is deep up the middle with Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl and William Karlsson, Nic Roy still managed to be an integral piece to their forward group and contribute. Roy still managed to rank seventh among all Vegas forwards in time on ice per game, in part because he plays on both the power play and penalty kill regularly as well. He started the season off well with seven points in his first 11 games, but from December to January he scored just two goals in 23 games. Roy’s overall production was slightly below his pace over the past three seasons as his regular linemates for the season were Keegan Kolesar and Tanner Pearson. Now in Toronto, Roy slots in comfortably at the 3C spot and is likely going to play with players that have more offensive upside than his regular Vegas linemates. The Leafs have already stated they want to use him in a checking/matchup role, similar to how the Jets use Adam Lowry, to help free up players like Matthews, Nylander and Tavares above him. Roy has proven he can capably handle tough minutes, and the Leafs have a good defence and goaltenders to support him in that role. That might not translate into a big season of production but Roy is going to play a critical role in winning hockey games.

Matias Maccelli

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	16	32	48	0.64

Following two productive seasons in the NHL to start his career, Maccelli had a tough third season that saw his role, ice time and spot in the lineup reduced. Coming off a season where he played in all 82 games with 17 goals and 57 points, Maccelli had just eight goals and 18 points in 55 games, in a season where he saw himself get healthy scratched down the stretch. His regular linemates from his 57-point season, Nick Bjugstad and Lawson Crouse, also had poor seasons that impacted him. Bjugstad was hurt to start the season and never truly got rolling, while Crouse had arguably the worst season of his career and was also healthy scratched once - Maccelli isn’t without fault, but it was truly a lost year for not just him, but his entire line. Maccelli has a decent track record with two productive seasons - out of three - in the league and he’s going to get opportunity after the Leafs traded for him. Whether his center is Matthews, Tavares or even Roy, it should be an improvement over the version of Nick Bjugstad he played with last season. How high his ceiling is depends on whether he can work his way to the top power play unit but Maccelli is a good bet to find his production again in Toronto.

Max Domi

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	15	28	43	0.56

Fresh off signing a four-year, $15 million deal, Max Domi had an up and down campaign. Domi started off well with six points his first six games, then he went pointless over his 13 games, including all eight he played in November as he battled through an injury. From there his production normalized to some degree with 27 points in his final 55 games, but he was primarily used in a third line role centering a soft matchup scoring line between Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson. That contributed to Domi producing the second lowest points per game rate of his career. At times he was moved up to the top six, but he couldn’t stick due to either a lack of production, struggling to defend in a top six role, or both. In the playoffs, he remained in the bottom six and his ice time dropped over a minute per game compared to the regular season. He did have some big moments offensively though, including an overtime winner and setting up the series winning goal in round one, finishing with seven points in 13 games. Without Marner, offensive opportunities are going to open up, and if Domi can seize one, he is an easy bet for a bounceback to his career .61 point per game output.

Defence

Morgan Rielly

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	9	37	46	0.56

It was a trying first season for Morgan Rielly under Craig Berube. He started on the top power play unit, they got off to a poor start, and he got pushed down to PP2 as Mitch Marner took over quarterback duties. Rielly ended with his lowest points per game total in eight years as a result. He also had his second lowest time on ice per game since his second year in the league. Part of the issue was that Rielly never really settled in with a partner until the trade deadline. His most common partner last season was OEL on his off side, and his second most common partner was Philippe Myers, who didn’t touch the ice in the playoffs for the Leafs and will be in a training camp battle to make the team this season. In the playoffs, Rielly did have four goals in 13 games. Even in a down year without top unit power play time, Rielly still had 41 points and was second among their defencemen in time on ice per game. Without Marner moving forward, he has a clear path to get back to the top power play unit and he goes into the season with a more suitable and established partner in Brandon Carlo. That stability and opportunity makes him a decent bounce back candidate coming off a down year.

Chris Tanev

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	2	16	18	0.24

In the first year of a six-year deal, Chris Tanev came exactly as advertised as a high end defensive defenceman. While it was expected that Tanev would pair up with Morgan Rielly heading into the season, he ended up pairing up with Jake McCabe and forming an elite shutdown pairing. He played some of the toughest minutes in the league among all defencemen, and he won those minutes handily, outscoring opponents 55-34 at five-on-five on the season. That was the highest goals for percentage at five-on-five of Tanev’s entire career. As usual, Tanev was among the league leaders in blocked shots, ranking sixth in the NHL. For the season, he ranked fourth among all Leafs defencemen in time on ice per game, mainly because the Leafs tried to manage the 35-year old’s minutes as best as possible throughout the season. At the trade deadline, the Leafs acquired Brandon Carlo, another right-handed defensive defenceman. That could ease the workload on Tanev, who turns 36 in December, and has clearly established what he is in the league at this pont: A high end matchup defenceman that makes a good first pass and is a fearless shot-blocker.

Jake McCabe

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	3	20	23	0.31

Jake McCabe built off a strong first full season with the Leafs by establishing a new career high in time on ice per game averaging 21:31. Not only was that a personal best, but it led all Leafs skaters, which speaks to his overall importance to the team and their success as they won the Atlantic Division. His pairing with Chris Tanev was one of the best shutdown pairings in the league last season, and similar to Tanev, he set a career best in goal differential at five-on-five, as he was on for 59 goals for to just 41 against (59%). In the previous season, he played on the right side regularly with Simon Benoit but pairing him with Tanev allowed him to move back to his strong side where he excelled. Unfortunately for McCabe, he did miss time on three separate occasions, the first after taking a puck to the head, the second after a fight with Garnett Hathaway and in April he played only one game after colliding with a linesman against Florida. In total, McCabe played 66 games, his lowest total since he played just 13 games in the 56-game bubble season. McCabe is slated to be a big minute eater on the Leafs defence corp and play prime shutdown minutes at five-on-five, as well as on the top penalty killing unit, as long as he can stay healthy.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	5	25	30	0.38

Fresh off winning a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers, Oliver Ekman-Larsson signed a four-year deal with the division rival Maple Leafs and had a solid first outing. OEL was used in every situation and regularly bounced between playing the left and right side, as he was asked to do a bit of everything for the Leafs in a top four role. He was third among all Leafs defencemen in time on ice per game, playing over 21 minutes a night for the first time in three seasons. OEL has steadily seen his production go down over the years as he’s a career .48 points per game player right now, but his .38 rate this past season was in line with his past few years (.4 and .41 the two years prior). Part of that is due to playing only 1:26 per game on the power play; in Florida, he averaged 1:57 per night there and had double the power play points with the Panthers than he did with the Leafs. Without Mitch Marner he should get more looks on the power play and have a chance to increase his production next season. With Brandon Carlo in the mix all season and a defence unit that has more defensive defenceman than offensive defenceman, the Leafs will likely look to optimize OEL more offensively next season.

Goal

Joseph Woll

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
42	22	15	4	3	.910	2.65

The Toronto Maple Leafs finally stepped away from the Matt Murray project this past season, and they appear to be moving full steam ahead into their Joseph Woll era. Woll, who took on just over half of Toronto's workload last year, has finally reached the point where he'll likely be the team's go-to for at least the next handful of seasons.

The real surprise for the Maple Leafs last season, though, was how crucial a healthy Anthony Stolarz was for the team - and that will likely impact their plans this year, as well. While Woll is likely the future of the Toronto starting gig, Stolarz's consistency defined the team's late season push to be a postseason contender and helped them navigate their first round against Ottawa before getting hit in the head against Florida. He might have been less of a presence for the Panthers during their postseason run the year prior, but he has made it clear during his last handful of seasons that he's one of the most steadying veteran backup presences in the league at the moment. This is huge for Toronto; they likely want to see what an enterprising, up-and-coming Artur Akhtyamov can do in limited NHL action, and Stolarz combines well with Woll to serve as a tandem that preaches consistent, defensively reliable in-net action. Akhtyamov will eventually bring top-tier skating and a fun, creative spark to Toronto's crease in a full-time role, but Stolarz -- should he stay healthy -- remains the best bet to tandem with Woll for at least the next full year.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Colton, Stolarz, Wolf, and More

Scott Cullen — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 13:00:21 +0000

_{CALGARY, AB - FEBRUARY 20: Calgary Flames Right Wing Jonathan Huberdeau (10) looks on during the second period of an NHL game between the Calgary Flames and the Philadelphia Flyers on February 20, 2023, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire)}

Each week, I’ll dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. Injuries are forcing changes early in the NHL season, and our sights are set on Ross Colton, Anthony Stolarz, the surprising Calgary Flames and more!

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

#1 With injuries decimating Colorado’s forward lines, the Avalanche have moved Ross Colton up to play on the left wing on Colorado’s top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Colton’s ice time is up nearly five minutes per game compared to last season, which was his career high, and he has five points (4 G, 1 A) with 18 shots on goal and 18 hits in five games. When the Avalanche get players back from injury, it is more likely that Colton will slide back to a third-line centre role, but with the Avs missing Jonathan Drouin short term and Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen, and Gabriel Landeskog long term, the opportunity is there for Colton to have a bigger impact than he has to this point in his career.

#2 When Joseph Woll landed on the injured list to start the season, Anthony Stolarz was thrust into the No. 1 goaltending job for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the 6-foot-6 netminder is thriving in the early going. Stolarz has a .940 save percentage in three starts and that is just picking up where he left off last season, when he had a .925 save percentage in 27 games for Florida. Stolarz, 30, has never played more than 28 NHL games in a season, so it remains to be seen if he can handle a starter’s workload, but it’s safe to expect that he will see more action in Toronto this season than in any of his previous NHL seasons.

#3 Entering this season, Calgary Flames left winger Jonathan Huberdeau was practically considered a lost cause, with a massive long-term contract and declining production since arriving in Calgary. But what if the 31-year-old Huberdeau isn’t cooked just yet? Skating on a line with Martin Pospisil and Anthony Mantha, the trio has helped Calgary to a 4-0 start, while Huberdeau has scored three goals at even strength and added three assists on the power play.

#4 Avalanche centre Casey Mittelstadt is getting pushed into a bigger role in Colorado. He has five points (4 G, 1 A) and 17 shots on goal in five games, which is solid, but he is averaging more than 21 minutes of ice time per game, an increase of more than five minutes per game compared to his ice time with the Avs after he was acquired from Buffalo last season. Mittelstadt has produced 59 and 57 points in the past two seasons, respectively, and could very well exceed those totals this season.

#5 After dominating in the American Hockey League, Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf got called up last season and finished with a .893 save percentage in 17 games for the Flames – not exactly making his case to be the franchise goaltender of the future. When the Flames dealt Jacob Markstrom in the offseason, though, the door was opened for Wolf to step through and he has stopped 68 of 72 shots in his first two starts this season. If the Flames are going to get top-tier goaltending, that does have the potential to change expectations but, for now, it’s just encouraging to see Wolf performing this way at the highest level.

#6 Former Flames centre Sean Monahan signed in Columbus as a free agent, with hopes of re-connecting with Johnny Gaudreau. This summer’s tragedy halted those plans, but the veteran Monahan has stepped into a leadership role for the Blue Jackets, producing four points (2 G, 2 A) and 12 shots on goal in his first four games. His primary linemates have been Kirill Marchenko and Yegor Chinakhov and the trio has been outrageously dominant in the early going, controlling 79.7 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play.

#7 The No. 1 pick in the 2024 Draft, Macklin Celebrini put up a goal and an assist in his NHL debut then immediately landed on the injured list due to a lower-body injury. With Celebrini out, Mikael Granlund has moved back to the middle, centering William Eklund and Tyler Toffoli on the top line. That shuffle has also opened up a spot for Klim Kostin in San Jose’s top six. Granlund does have five assists in five games and is playing more than 21 minutes per game.

#8 Seattle Kraken left winger Jared McCann has scored 69 goals across the past two seasons and yet was still available in quite a few leagues early in the season. He has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 11 shots on goal in five games and McCann and Jordan Eberle had a productive game Thursday night against Philadelphia with Shane Wright skating at centre between the two veteran wingers.

#9 Two thirds of the Utah Hockey Club’s top line is sitting out there, waiting to be scooped up on fantasy waivers. Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz are productive, and it doesn’t hurt that they get to play with a skilled winger like Clayton Keller. Hayton has six points (4 G, 2 A) in five games, already exceeding his goal total from last season when he was limited to just 33 games. Schmaltz has six assists in five games and, in this small sample, has averaged 2.60 shots on goal per game, which would represent a career high.

#10 Utah defenceman Sean Durzi is going to be out 4-5 months after surgery was required for an upper-body injury that he suffered Monday at New Jersey. Durzi had played more than 25 minutes per game through the first three games of the season before getting hurt in Game No. 4. His absence will offer an opportunity for Juuso Valimaki to get a chance on Utah’s second power play unit. Valimaki is still looking for his first points of the season and he only had 17 points (2 G, 15 A) in 68 games last season, but the year before that, he contributed 11 power play points among his 34 points overall, so there is a chance for Valimaki to recapture some of that offensive part of his game.

#11 Chicago Blackhawks winger Teuvo Teravainen returned to the team that drafted him and where he started his NHL career when he signed as a free agent in the summer. He has been a good fit on Connor Bedard’s wing, which should be expected, given Teravainen’s playmaking ability and Bedard’s ever-dangerous shot. Teravainen has seven points (3 G, 4 A) in five games and is skating on Chicago’s top line with Bedard and Nick Foligno while also getting first unit power play time. Teravainen has topped 60 points four times in his career, hitting a career high of 76 points in 2018-2019.

#12 Penguins rookie goaltender Joel Blomqvist is challenging Tristan Jarry for a bigger share of playing time in the Pittsburgh crease. The 22-year-old was a second-round pick in 2020 and has a .908 save percentage in his first four games. He had a .919 in 47 AHL games and with Jarry struggling (.836 save percentage through three games), opportunity is knocking for Blomqvist.

#13 When the Toronto Maple Leafs remodeled their blueline in the offseason, Chris Tanev was the defender that drew the most attention. Fresh off a Stanley Cup in Florida, Oliver Ekman-Larsson has moved into a prime role on the Maple Leafs blueline, quarterbacking the top power play and playing nearly 22 minutes per game. Ekman-Larsson has three assists and 15 shots on goal in four games, which is very encouraging production, particularly that shot rate, which is far higher than Ekman-Larsson has produced previously.

#14 A lower-body injury kept veteran Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust out of the lineup for the first couple of games this season, but he has returned to action and has been thrust into a big role, skating on the right side with Sidney Crosby and Anthony Beauvillier. In his first three games, Rust has two points (1 G, 1 A) and 13 shots on goal while averaging 20:31 of ice time per game. He has scored at least 20 goals in five consecutive seasons, recording more than 55 points in three of those five seasons. In the three seasons that he has finished with at least 55 points, Rust missed at least 20 games, so there is still potential for him to produce more over a full season merely by staying healthy.

#15 Drafted with the 21st pick in 2020, Yegor Chinakhov displayed his potential last season, scoring 29 points (16 G, 13 A) in 53 games, a sign that he was going to be able to contribute at this level. In the early going this season, he is taking it to another level, producing six points (2 G, 4 A) with 13 shots on goal in his first four games. Not only is he skating on the top line with Monahan and Marchenko, but Chinakhov is getting first unit power play time, too, so a breakthrough season could be on the way.

#16 The New Jersey Devils went out in the offseason and added some grit to their forward ranks, acquiring Paul Cotter in a trade with Vegas and signing Stefan Noesen, a former Devil who had been playing in Carolina. Cotter had 25 points (7 G, 18 A) in 76 games last season for the Golden Knights, but already has six points (5 G, 1 A) in seven games for the Devils. He has 15 shots on goal and 20 hits, too, which can make him a more valuable fantasy contributor and he has moved up the depth chart to skate with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt at even strength. Noesen had a career-high 37 points in 81 games for the Hurricanes last season and has started this season with six points (2 G, 4 A) in seven games and is working on a line with veterans Tomas Tatar and Erik Haula.

#17 The leading rookie goal scorer early in the season is Devils defenceman Seamus Casey, who has three goals in his first seven NHL games. Montreal’s Emil Heineman and Philadelphia’s Matvei Michkov are tied for second with two goals. Casey is a smallish defender who was a second-round pick in 2022. He played two seasons at the University of Michigan, and had 45 points (7 G, 38 A) in 40 games as a sophomore last season. Casey might owe his opportunity to another former Wolverine, as Luke Hughes is recovering from shoulder surgery, opening up a spot on the New Jersey blueline to start the season.

#18 John Beecher, a first-round pick of the Bruins in 2019, has jumped out to a hot start with five points (2 G, 3 A) in five games. Beecher’s ice time is up to 13:35 per game, but he is likely still a risky player for fantasy managers. He had just 10 points (7 G, 3 A) in 52 games last season and only had 36 points in 87 AHL games, so it is difficult to project big things offensively over the long haul. As a short-term option in deep banger leagues, maybe he could have some value for fantasy managers.

#19 Seattle Kraken centre Matty Beniers saw his production fall off dramatically last season and one of the main concerns when it comes to sustainable production is that Beniers had a very low shot rate, averaging just 1.73 shots per game last season. While Beniers has just one assist through five games this season, there might be a slight reason for optimism in that he is averaging 2.60 shots on goal per game. In most leagues, it’s probably worth waiting to see some production start to materialize before assigning too much value to Beniers, but he could be a viable buy-low or waiver wire option.

#20 Blue Jackets winger Kent Johnson suffered an upper-body injury against Buffalo on Thursday, but it is worth noting that an injury to Johnson would not have caused a ripple in the hockey universe. He had just 16 points (6 G, 10 A) in 42 games for the Blue Jackets and was demoted to the AHL, where he did put up 15 points (5 G, 10 A) in 10 games. Nevertheless, with a new coach and a fresh start in Columbus, Johnson has responded with five points (2 G, 3 A) in four games and had logged more than 21 minutes in the second and third games of the season before playing just six minutes against the Sabres before getting hurt. Track Johnson’s health, though, because he is a skilled player and if he is getting a legit opportunity to shine in Columbus, then he could be a fantasy sleeper.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD (February 26th to March 3rd) – Matthews at the center of Maple Leafs run – Favourable schedules and players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 15:00:03 +0000

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 26: Toronto Maple Leafs Center Auston Matthews (34) chases the play during the regular season NHL game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs on April 26, 2022 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON.(Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire)

The Maple Leafs haven’t just won their last six games, they’ve outscored their competition an incredible 33-14 over that span. At the center of that run has been Auston Matthews, who’s provided 10 goals and 13 points over his past five contests. That gives him 52 goals and 76 points through 55 outings in 2023-24.

There was a time when Sam Reinhart was challenging Matthews for the goal-scoring lead, but Matthews’ edge in that battle has jumped to 13 goals. Not only did Matthews reach the 50-goal milestone before any other player hit 40, but there are still just 10 other skaters with at least 30 tallies this year.

Even after factoring in the Toronto game Matthews was unavailable for, the star forward is on pace for 76 markers. If he could actually do that, it would leave him in a four-way tie for fifth in the all-time single-season goal-scoring list. Along the way, he would also become the first player to reach the 70-goal mark since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny in 1992-93.

Of course, his pace has been skewed by his recent hot streak, but part of what makes Matthews impressive is how consistent he is. Dating back to Dec. 2, Matthews hasn’t had a goal drought last longer than two games (Dec. 30-Jan. 2, Jan. 13-14), and he’s provided at least one marker in 12 of his last 15 appearances.

It'll be exciting to see what he can do over the final weeks of the campaign and his pursuit of the 70-goal milestone adds an interesting wrinkle to a Hart Trophy conversation that’s been largely dominated by Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon, who are leading the Art Trophy race with 95 points (36 goals) and 93 points (34), respectively.

Arizona Coyotes - TUE @ MTL, THU @ TOR, FRI @ OTT (BTB), SUN @ WSH

The Coyotes are on the road next week and are set to play in Montreal on Tuesday, Toronto on Thursday, Ottawa on Friday and Washington on Sunday. Although an extended road trip is far from ideal, three of those four adversaries are well outside a playoff spot.

Arizona has lost 11 straight games, so it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that there aren’t many Coyotes players who have looked great recently. That said, it’s worth keeping an eye on Dylan Guenther. With the team focused on the future, the 20-year-old is serving on the first line and top power-play unit, leading to him averaging 18:17 of ice time, including 4:39 with the man advantage, over his past four contests. He hasn’t been good, but not great so far, providing six goals and 11 points across 19 outings this season, but given his high-end offensive upside, and the choice minutes he’s been receiving, Guenther has the potential to finish the campaign on a high note.

At the other end of the spectrum, veteran forward Jason Zucker has seen his role fade, to the point where he’s logged just 10:47 per game over his last three appearances, compared to his season average of 14:06. Although the Coyotes are likely to shop him ahead of the deadline, his $5.3 million cap hit might scare off contenders, and even if he does get moved, his new team likely wouldn’t use him as more than a third liner. Zucker has had periods this campaign where he’s performed well enough to be worth utilizing in fantasy, but only managers in particularly deep leagues should be using him at this time.

On the goaltending front, Connor Ingram has been dealing with an undisclosed injury, but based on his original 7-10 day timetable from Feb. 14, he should be about ready to return. The 26-year-old goaltender has been one of the bright spots for Arizona this campaign with a 17-13-2 record, 2.76 GAA and .912 save percentage across 35 outings. He’d be worth starting in fantasy on any night next week except for Thursday versus Toronto.

Dallas Stars - MON VS NYI, TUE @ COL (BTB), THU VS WPG, SAT VS SJS

The Stars will play in Colorado on Tuesday, but outside of that, they’ll be at home, hosting matches against the Islanders on Monday, the Jets on Thursday and the Sharks on Saturday. It’s one of the tougher schedules I’m highlighting, but Stars players will at least get plenty of opportunities to make an impact next week with four games ahead of them.

This hasn’t been a great campaign for Jake Oettinger, who has a 20-10-4 record, 2.98 GAA and .902 save percentage through 35 contests and he’s been particularly rough recently, allowing 10 goals on 65 shots (.846 save percentage) over his past three games. Scott Wedgewood, who has a 13-6-4 record, 2.97 GAA and .899 save percentage in 13 outings, isn’t an ideal alternative, but perhaps the backup goaltender will get some additional work next week so Oettinger can rest and regroup. If nothing else, Wedgewood should start either Monday or Tuesday. If he gets the Avalanche assignment, then it would be best to avoid him, but the Islanders are in a three-way tie for 21st offensively with 2.93 goals per game, so that would be a favorable adversary for the backup goaltender.

Goaltending hasn’t been Dallas’ only problem. The Stars have also been held to just two goals over their last two contests. Joe Pavelski has done alright in that span, providing a goal and an assist. He went through a slump from Jan. 23-Feb. 19 in which he was limited to four assists across 10 games, but the veteran forward seems to be heating up again. Even at the age of 39, he’s one of Dallas’ top performers with 20 goals and 48 points in 58 appearances.

Jamie Benn has also managed to stand out during the Stars’ recent struggles, supplying an assist in each of his last three games. He has just nine goals and 33 points through 58 outings this season, which is a major step down from his 78-point 2022-23 campaign. However, he’s been playing alongside Pavelski at even strength and serves on the top power-play unit, so Benn is in a position to be productive down the stretch.

Edmonton Oilers - MON VS LAK, WED VS STL, SAT @ SEA, SUN @ PIT (BTB)

Edmonton will host the Kings and the Blues on Monday and Wednesday, respectively. After that, the Oilers will travel to Seattle on Saturday and Pittsburgh on Sunday. LA and St. Louis are having decent, but not amazing campaigns while Seattle and Pittsburgh are behind in the battle for a wild-card spot.

The good times for Stuart Skinner appear to be behind him. He’s posted a 2-2-1 record, 4.20 GAA and .863 save percentage over his past five games, making this his worst stretch since his early season struggles. While Skinner still might shake this off and get hot again, this might create an opening for Jack Campbell, who has been paying his dues with AHL Bakersfield, to get a fresh opportunity. The veteran netminder has a .919 save percentage over his last 12 AHL appearances, so he’s settled down and would be worth keeping a close eye on if Edmonton calls him up.

While goaltending is something of a question mark for the Oilers, their offense is as strong as ever. Connor McDavid has been leading the charge as usual, providing an unreal 14 assists over his last five games alone. Meanwhile, Corey Perry seems to be fitting in with the Oilers, supplying three goals and four points over his past four contests. He hasn’t seen much power-play ice time, but he has shared the ice with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at even strength.

Perry should be a good pickup for as long as he’s seeing time on either of the top two lines, but you’ll want to continue to monitor that situation. Edmonton might still add another skilled forward before the March 8 deadline, and if they do, then Perry might shift to serving primarily on the third unit, which would significantly hurt his fantasy value.

Florida Panthers - TUE VS BUF, THU VS MTL, SAT @ DET

The Panthers are one of the rare teams I’m covering with just three scheduled games, but they’re well-positioned to win all three contests. They’ll host the Sabres and the Canadiens on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, before heading to Detroit for a match on Saturday. Of those adversaries, the Red Wings are the only ones still with playoff aspirations.

Florida has won 10 of its last 12 games, but the Panthers were dealt a potentially massive blow Thursday when Gustav Forsling and Matthew Tkachuk were forced to exit the match due to undisclosed injuries. At the time of writing, it’s not clear how significant those injuries are, but those are two key players for the Panthers.

If Tkachuk, who has 20 goals and 65 points through 57 games, is forced to miss time then William Lockwood will likely draw into the lineup for the first time since Jan. 19 and play regularly. The 25-year-old would serve primarily on the fourth line, so he wouldn’t at all be directly replacing Tkachuk, but Lockwood is a good source of hits when he is in the lineup, so he’s worthy of note in very specific fantasy circumstances.

We might also see Evan Rodrigues shift into a top-six role and move up to the first power-play unit if Tkachuk is unavailable. That would be a meaningful boost for Rodrigues, who has eight goals and 33 points through 57 appearances in 2023-24.

Forsling has eight goals and 27 points in 56 contests this season, but he’s only used sparingly with the man advantage, so his absence wouldn’t meaningfully impact the Panthers in that regard. In terms of even-strength minutes, though, we might see Oliver Ekman-Larsson asked to do significantly more. Josh Mahura would also likely start playing regularly after spending Florida’s past two contests as a healthy scratch.

Minnesota Wild - TUE VS CAR, THU @ NSH, SAT @ STL, SUN VS SJS (BTB)

Minnesota will host the Hurricanes on Tuesday, and then the Wild will have a two-game road trip with games in Nashville on Thursday and St. Louis on Saturday. They’ll conclude the week with a home contest versus the Sharks. Carolina is a tough opponent, but the Predators and the Blues are middle-of-the-road squads while San Jose is near the bottom of the pack.

With a 26-24-6 record, the Wild are running out of time to prove to management that they shouldn’t be sellers at the deadline. If they’re able to convince the front office of that, it will be thanks in large part to the efforts of their top line.

Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy are three of the hottest forwards in the league. Kaprizov is on a six-game scoring streak in which he’s provided five goals and 14 points. Over the same span, Eriksson Ek has supplied seven goals and 13 points while Boldy has contributed four goals and 11 points. Minnesota has gone from 17-20-5 on Jan. 13 to 26-24-6 at the time of writing, which is a significant climb, but the Wild are still on the outside looking in on the wild-card race. The Wild have little margin for error, which might serve to further motivate that star trio.

If Minnesota does start selling, though, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will likely be among those moved. The 39-year-old is having a rough campaign with an 11-10-3 record, 2.96 GAA and .897 save percentage across 27 contests, but contenders will appreciate the added goaltending depth he can provide coupled with the wealth of playoff experience he brings to the table. It’s worth monitoring the situation because, with a strong team playing in front of him, Fleury might have some use down the stretch, although his playing time will likely be limited.

Should the Wild deal Fleury and write off this campaign, it will be interesting to see if they give Jesper Wallstedt another shot. He had a disastrous introduction to the NHL, allowing seven goals on 34 shots to Dallas on Jan. 10, but that’s obviously a small sample size and the 21-year-old is a highly regarded goaltending prospect, so it might be worth it to give him some starts down the stretch to provide him with more NHL experience. Alternatively, if the Wild believe his development is better served remaining with AHL Iowa, then veteran journeyman Zane McIntyre might finish the campaign with Minnesota. In that scenario, Filip Gustavsson would likely be leaned on massively down the stretch, as would McIntyre in Iowa.

New Jersey Devils - TUE @ SJS, FRI @ ARI, SUN @ LAK

The Devils will spend the week on the road, playing against the Sharks on Tuesday, the Coyotes on Friday and the Kings on Sunday. Although they’re playing in just three games, Anaheim and San Jose rank 30th and 31st, respectively, in the standings, which makes Devils players especially appealing next week.

Nico Daws has allowed 11 goals over his past two games, bringing him down to 6-8-0 with a 3.32 GAA and .895 save percentage through 14 appearances this season. Vitek Vanecek (lower body) might return soon, but he has a 17-9-3 record, 3.18 GAA and .890 save percentage in 32 contests, so he’s hardly an ideal alternative.

New Jersey will likely make a strong push to get a goaltender before the deadline. Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom seems like one possibility, provided he’s willing to waive his no-movement clause to facilitate a trade. If they get him or another netminder, then Daws will likely be sent to the minors while Vanecek, who is in the second season of his three-year, $10.2 million contract, would be relegated to the backup role.

At least the Devils have a strong forward corps. Tyler Toffoli isn’t the headliner of it, but he’s certainly a noteworthy component. The 31-year-old is on a four-game scoring streak (two goals, four points), which brings him up to 24 goals and 39 points in 55 contests this season. Jack Hughes is also dialled in with three goals and six points over his past six appearances.

Ottawa Senators - MON @ WSH, TUE @ NSH (BTB), FRI VS ARI, SAT @ PHI (BTB)

Ottawa will open the week with road contests versus the Capitals on Monday and the Predators on Tuesday. The Senators will then host the Coyotes on Friday before playing in Philadelphia on Saturday. None of those opponents is high-end, though Nashville still has playoff aspirations while Philadelphia is currently in a reasonably secure position in the battle for a postseason berth.

The Senators won’t make the playoffs, but that won’t be for lack of trying on the part of Claude Giroux. The 36-year-old forward is on a seven-game scoring streak in which he’s collected three goals and nine points. That gives him 18 goals and 51 points through 54 outings in 2023-24. Giroux’s three-year, $19.5 million contract runs through 2024-25, and he has a no-movement clause, so he’s unlikely to be traded before the deadline, but I can’t help but wonder if there’s any temptation there for him to reevaluate his plans. He’s never won a Cup, and Ottawa might not be able to provide him with a great shot at a serious playoff run before his contract is up.

Still, that’s a decision Giroux is more likely to make next season. Instead, Vladimir Tarasenko, who is playing through a one-year, $5 million deal, is far more likely to be moved in the coming weeks. It is worth noting that he has a full no-trade clause, so Tarasenko will have a lot of sway over where he goes. The 32-year-old winger has 15 goals and 37 points over 52 contests this season and would be a great middle-six forward for most contenders.

As Ottawa sells and looks toward the future, Ridly Greig might also start playing an expanded role. The 21-year-old has nine goals and 21 points in 44 outings while averaging 14:27 of ice time, including a modest 0:43 with the man advantage. In particular, that power-play time might expand down the stretch, which could aid Greig in finishing the campaign on a positive note.

Washington Capitals - MON VS OTT, TUE @ DET (BTB), FRI VS PHI, SUN VS ARI

The Capitals will spend most of the week at home, hosting Ottawa on Monday, Philadelphia on Friday and Arizona on Sunday. The Capitals will also have a brief excursion to Detroit for a contest Tuesday. The Senators and the Coyotes are set to be sellers at the deadline, making them the more vulnerable of the Capitals’ upcoming adversaries.

Alex Ovechkin was limited to just six goals and 20 points across his first 33 games in 2023-24, but that rough stretch is well behind him. First, he provided an impressive two goals and seven points through six games from Dec. 30-Jan. 11, then the 38-year-old truly caught fire starting on Jan. 24, contributing eight goals and 14 points over his past 10 appearances.

Ovechkin’s resurgence isn’t shocking -- he always seems to find a way to bounce back when people start writing him off -- but Connor McMichael’s recent success is eyebrow-raising. The 23-year-old has supplied four tallies over his last two games and five goals in his past four appearances. That brings him up to 12 goals and 22 points through 53 contests this campaign. It helps that he’s been playing in a somewhat expanded role recently, averaging 16:11 of ice time over his past eight contests compared to 15:07 prior to that point. Keep an eye on him because while McMichael has been somewhat slow to establish himself in the NHL, he does have serious potential.

It's not all good news for Washington, though. T.J. Oshie sustained a lower-body injury Thursday. If he ends up missing time, then Sonny Milano might serve in an expanded role. Milano has five goals and 10 points in 26 contests, including two points over three games since returning from his own injury.

FANTASY: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Farabee stepping up for Flyers – Injuries open door to opportunity – Goalies bouncing back – Early-season underachievers that might offer potential buy-low value + much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 19:43:45 +0000

ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 10: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Joel Farabee (86) with the puck during an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks played on November 10, 2023 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, Joel Farabee is stepping up for the Flyers, injuries open the door for opportunities, goalies bouncing back, and early-season underachievers that might offer potential buy-low value.

#1 Although Philadelphia Flyers winger Joel Farabee hit a career high with 39 points (15 G, 24 A) last season, it was widely regarded as a disappointing campaign. He was recovering from disc replacement surgery in his neck and both his shot rate and shooting percentage declined. This season, however, Farabee is a vital part of the Flyers’ ability to exceed expectations. He has 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in 16 games and all 12 points have come during five-on-five play; his 3.52 points per 60 ranks ninth in the league and while his lack of power play production does put a ceiling on Farabee’s potential production, he has already taken steps forward from last season.

#2 Buffalo Sabres star centre Tage Thompson has been lost for “less than a couple of months” with a wrist injury. His absence will require Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt to anchor the top two centre spots on the Sabres depth chart. Cozens has one assist in his past six games and is averaging less ice time per game than he did last season, so this will provide ample opportunity for him to get back on track. Mittelstadt has 13 points (3 G, 10 A) in 16 games, though with just 21 shots, he does have room to increase his offensive impact.

#3 The Anaheim Ducks placed centre Trevor Zegras on the injured list with a groin injury and he had just two points (1 G, 1 A) in 12 games when they decided that he needed a break. That theoretically could open the door for more ice time for rookie centre Leo Carlsson, who has eight points (6 G, 2 A) in 11 games, but he’s already averaging 18:18 of ice time per game when he plays, so it is difficult to expect and 18-year-old to get much more ice time. Maybe it’s more reasonable to expect Mason McTavish to take on a little more, as the 20-year-old has 16 points (7 G, 9 A) in 16 games while logging 17:32 of ice time per game.

#4 A neck injury has put Avalanche left winger Artturi Lehkonen on the shelf, creating an opportunity for Valeri Nichushkin to skate with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen on Colorado’s top line. MacKinnon has been Nichushkin’s most common linemate this season already, but adding Rantanen does spice things up a bit. Nichushkin has produced five points (4 G, 1 A) and 18 shots on goal in the past five games.

#5 Florida Panthers defencemen Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad are both nearing returns to action, on the precipice of making their seasons debuts for last season’s Stanley Cup finalists. The most intriguing effect will likely fall on Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the 32-year-old defender whose play has been in decline for several seasons. Given a new lease on life in Florida, he has 10 points (4 G, 6 A) in 16 games, but half of those points have come on the power play and Montour’s return could take away Ekman-Larsson’s top unit power play role.

#6 An upper-body injury has landed Nashville Predators centre Tommy Novak on injured reserve for the next four-to-six weeks. With 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in 14 games, he is ranked third in scoring on the Predators and half of those points have come on the power play. Cody Glass gets first crack at Novak’s ice time, but he had better pick up the pace as he has yet to record a point in seven games this season.

#7 New Jersey Devils centre Jack Hughes appears to be on the verge of returning from his upper-body injury. The Devils’ playmaking centre has 20 points (5 G, 15 A) in 10 games, outrageous production and, given the landscape among the league’s top scorers, Hughes has a legitimate case to at least be in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. Michael McLeod, who has three points (1 G, 2 A) in the past five games, is likely to slide back down the depth chart when Hughes is ready to return.

#8 It seems that nearly every week there is some example of how unpredictable goaltending can be from one season to the next, never mind smaller samples like one week to the next or one game to the next. Consider the case of St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington, who had a .897 save percentage in 98 games over the previous two seasons. This season, his save percentage is up to XXXX and, at least before the Blues were blown out by the San Jose Sharks Thursday night (in a game started by Joel Hofer), goaltending had been helping the Blues get back to a more competitive level.

#9 Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson was an elite performer early in his career, posting a .921 save percentage from 2013-2014 through 2018-2019, but then the burden of playing behind a suspect Ducks defence started to catch up to him and from 2019-2020 through 2022-2023, his save percentage had fallen to .902. This season, however, Gibson has a .927 save percentage in nine starts. With the Ducks more competitive than expected, Gibson is once again a valuable commodity for fantasy managers.

#10 In the previous two seasons, with the Maple Leafs and Blackhawks, Petr Mrazek had a .893 save percentage. In eight games this season, he is rocking a .921 save percentage. The wins don’t come easily in the Windy City, but if Mrazek is going to play at this above-average level, he is going to be fantasy relevant, which was not a widely held expectation for him at the start of the season.

#11 Edmonton Oilers left winger Evander Kane erupted for a hat trick in Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime win against Seattle. Following a slow start, Kane has produced 14 points (7 G, 7 A) and 34 shots on goal in the past 10 games, which puts him up among the top wingers because when the scoring is there, he also generates shots and provides a physical presence (56 hits in 15 games).

#12 Matt Duchene did not record a point in his first four games for the Dallas Stars, which saw him get waived in many fantasy hockey leagues, but the trend has reversed in a hurry. In 10 games since, Duchene has produced 13 points (6 G, 7 A) and 25 shots on goal, thriving on a line with Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment.

#13 Part of Winnipeg’s return in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, Alex Iafallo has been a quality supporting winger for the Jets. He could stand to shoot the puck more, but Iafallo has nine points (1 G, 8 A) in his past six games, and he is riding shotgun with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele on the Jets’ top line as well as holding down a spot on Winnipeg’s top power play unit.

#14 After a brilliant performance at the World Championships, 21-year-old Buffalo Sabres winger J.J. Peterka entered this season with some expectations. He started slowly, but has now delivered nine points (4 G, 5 A) in the past nine games, a sign that he could be ready to make a leap in only his second NHL campaign.

#15 A couple of early AHL call-ups have made an instant impact in the NHL. Calgary’s Connor Zary, a first-round pick in 2020, has six points (3 G, 3 A) in seven games, though he has just one shot on goal in the past three, leaving him with 11 shots on goal in those seven games. That needs to bounce back up for his production to have a higher likelihood of sustainability. Zary and fellow rookie Martin Pospisil have been flanking Nazem Kadri on the Flames’ second line. Toronto’s Nick Robertson is no longer Calder Trophy eligible after various stints with the Maple Leafs in the past three seasons, but the 22-year-old does have four points (2 G, 2 A) in four games since getting promoted from the AHL, where he had 11 points (5 G, 6 A) in nine games. Robertson is skating with Max Domi and Calle Jarnkrok in a third line that suddenly has some offensive pop to it.

#16 The leader in expected goals per 60 minutes (minimum 50 minutes of ice time) during the month of November is Bruins left winger Brad Marchand (2.09), ahead of Alex Tuch (2.06), Timo Meier (2.04), Connor McMichael (2.02), and Kevin Fiala (2.00). McMichael stands out of that group as he is not nearly as established as an offensive force. With Nicklas Backstrom stepping away from the Capitals, McMichael is looking at a bigger role and has four points (2 G, 2 A) with 12 shots on goal in the past four games and could be a buy-low option in deep leagues. At the other end of the spectrum, there are some forwards who have not been generating chances and it is no surprise if fourth liners have a low rate of expected goals, but Alex Newhook (0.19), Kaapo Kakko (0.21), Matthew Poitras (0.33), and Pavel Zacha (0.36) – all of whom have some expectation of offensive production - are among the forwards in the bottom 20 when it comes to individual expected goals in November.

#17 Looking specifically at five-on-four power play situations, which players are being put in position to score with the man advantage? The leader in individual expected goals per 60 minutes (minimum 40 five-on-four minutes this season) is Florida’s Sam Reinhart (4.05), ahead of Joe Pavelski (3.67), Sidney Crosby (3.53), Drake Batherson (3.35), Vincent Trocheck (3.31), and Tommy Novak (3.28).

#18 While there are some players scoring on a ridiculously high percentage of shots, that likely won’t be sustainable – looking at you, Alexis Lafreniere (29.2%) and Brock Boeser (27.1%) – there are players at the other end who are generating shots on goal and not finding the net. Pittsburgh’s Rickard Rakell has zero goals on 40 shots. He has had some seasons in which his shooting percentages are terrible, but zero for forty is a real struggle, especially for a player who is skating on a line with Reilly Smith and Evgeni Malkin, two skilled linemates. Others that might be buy-low considerations with zero goals: Josh Anderson (38 shots) and T.J. Oshie (28 shots).

#19 Spinning this to the players that have underachieved the most relative to their expected goals thus far, Oshie (-5.54) and Anderson (-5.31) have fallen shortest of their expected goals totals, followed by Matthew Tkachuk (-5.00), Anders Lee (-4.64), and Rakell (-4.31). These guys are getting chances but can’t finish. On the other hand, the players exceeding their expected goals by the widest margin thus far are: Kyle Connor (6.29), Alex DeBrincat (6.07), Frank Vatrano (5.96), Teuvo Teravainen (5.48), and Chris Kreider (5.08). These are players off to great starts, but sustainability could be a challenge.

#20 One of the bigger tests of any buy-low theory is Columbus Blue Jackets left winger Johnny Gaudreau. He and Patrick Laine were benched in Thursday’s 3-2 loss to Arizona, and Gaudreau has a paltry six points (1 G, 5 A) and 40 shots on goal through 17 games. Gaudreau’s shot rate is down to 2.35 per game and if he can’t make it work with a shooter like Laine, then the Blue Jackets need to make some changes because it makes no sense to invest so much in Gaudreau, only to let him wither on the vine with a line that isn’t working. Gaudreau and Laine have controlled the flow of play to some degree at five-on-five, with 57.3% Corsi, but they are pulling just 40.9% of expected goals and that isn’t going to cut it. It’s notable that Gaudreau has had more success with his most common linemate, Boone Jenner, with a 58.5% Corsi and 58.0% of expected goals. Somehow, some way, the Blue Jackets need to find the right fit for Gaudreau and fantasy managers can lurk and wait for the answer because Gaudreau’s value right now is about as low as it could get.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 14:10:09 +0000

TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 01: Florida Panthers Right Wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) skates down ice during an NHL game between the Arizona Coyotes and the Florida Panthers on November 1, 2022, at Mullett Arena in Tempe, AZ. (Photo by Zac BonDurant/Icon Sportswire)

Review: A year after the Panthers cruised to a 58-18-6 record with the league’s top offense only to be swept in second round by Tampa Bay, Florida struggled to even make the playoffs in 2022-23. The offense, now led by Matthew Tkachuk instead of Jonathan Huberdeau, was still great, but slightly less dominant, which would have been fine if the goaltending wasn’t such a disaster. Sergei Bobrovsky had a 24-20-3 record, 3.07 GAA and .901 save percentage in 2022-23 and Spencer Knight wasn’t any better, finishing with a 9-8-3 record, 3.18 GAA and .901 save percentage. The Panthers’ five-on-five expected goals against was 173.16, which put them right in the middle of the pack, so the defense was doing Bobrovsky and Knight any favors, but it wasn’t responsible for the goaltending woes either. Still, Florida squeaked into the playoffs and Bobrovsky caught fire at the right time, guiding them into the Stanley Cup Final with a 2.21 GAA and a .935 save percentage through 14 playoffs outings. The Panthers’ magic ultimately ended with the Golden Knights claiming the Cup in a five-game series.

What’s Changed? Florida scooped up two defensemen looking to bounce back after Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Mike Reilly were bought out by Vancouver and Boston, respectively. Niko Mikkola also signed with the Panthers to further bolster the blue line. Up front the biggest change will be middle-six forward Evan Rodrigues, who inked a four-year, $12 million contract.

What would success look like? The Panthers’ last two years have had some extreme ups and downs, but the foundation for success is there. The offense is deep and led by a strong playoff performer in Tkachuk. When their defense clicks, it’s solid too, and while Bobrovsky is inconsistent, he’s also a two-time Vezina Trophy winner and served as the backbone of Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals. The decision to keep this group intact makes a certain amount of sense.

What could go wrong? Goaltending is of course the biggest X-Factor, given the roller coaster that is Bobrovsky. He’s not Florida’s sole concern though. Defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour both underwent shoulder surgery over the summer, so it’s not clear if they’ll be ready for the start of the campaign and even if they are, being denied a proper offseason due to injuries might lead to them underperforming. Ekman-Larsson and Reilly were brought in to help fill the void, but they’re far from safe bets either. The Panthers might once again be a team that scores and concedes a lot of goals in the regular season and given the level of competition in the Atlantic Division, that might not be good enough to make the playoffs this year.

Top Breakout Candidate: With two NHL seasons under his belt, Anton Lundell might be primed for a breakout. He’s got the potential after being selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and is projected to serve in a top-six role, so he’s in a position to succeed. The Lundell had 12 goals and 33 points in 73 contests last season, down from 44 points in 65 outings in 2021-22, but it’s entirely possible that he’ll bounce back and exceed the 50-point milestone.

Forwards

Aleksander Barkov - C

The reputation that precedes Aleksander Barkov as a top defensive forward became quite clear why it was earned during the Panthers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last season. What else was apparent was how good of a two-way player he is as well. Barkov was second on the team in scoring to Matthew Tkachuk (by 31 points) despite playing 11 fewer games. He scored at more than a point-per-game pace and he had the second best 5-on-5 puck possession numbers on the team behind Tkachuk. What’s more impressive is that he spent most of the season playing on a separate line from Tkachuk. Most of his 5-on-5 ice time was played with Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe. Having multiple lines that could own the puck and score goals were both major contributing reasons why the Panthers were able to make the playoffs. Barkov has been a paragon of consistency. In four of the past five seasons, he’s scored at more than a point per game pace, and he’s been above 0.9 points per game in the last six consecutive seasons. For all of those reasons, Barkov remains a steady in Selke Trophy voting and still, somehow, one of the more underrated centers in the NHL. After helping lead the Panthers to the Cup final last year, however, we can probably stop referring to him that way.

Matthew Tkachuk - RW

There wasn’t much question about how well Matthew Tkachuk would play in Florida, the only thing left to be answered was how good he would be and did he ever answer that emphatically. He tied for sixth in the NHL in scoring with Dallas’ Jason Robertson with 109 points and led the Panthers in points and assists and was second to Carter Verhaeghe in goals with 40 (Verhaeghe had 42). He accomplished this in his first season with the Panthers and a year after he put up 104 with Calgary. His back-to-back 40-goal seasons helped him finish third in voting for the Hart Trophy. He also received votes for the Selke Trophy as one of the league’s best defensive forwards and finished 19th in voting. Tkachuk’s style of play provided a new dimension to a Panthers team that wasn’t lacking in talent nor ability after winning the Presidents’ Trophy two years ago. Tkachuk’s physical play and ability to upset opponents in myriad ways gave them an edge in the playoffs in which many Eastern Conference teams don’t necessarily play that way. Given Tkachuk joined a team that did as well as it did last season and was able to be such a difference maker for them come postseason time explained exactly why they acquired him from Calgary. Although he put his body through the wringer in the playoffs and played through a broken sternum, he should be ready to go for the regular season.

Sam Reinhart - RW

Reinhart’s second season with Florida showed even more how valuable of a player he’s become as he’s gotten further into his career. He was fifth on the team in scoring with 67 points including 31 goals. After two straight 30-goal seasons, Reinhart showed well what made him the No. 2 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft by Buffalo. Reinhart was once again a force on the power play with 16 power play goals for the second straight season and 27 total power play points, fourth most on the team. They didn’t need him to play first line minutes, but he produces at a first line-like level giving Florida the kind of scoring depth that makes them a dangerous all-around team. Reinhart was a strong 5-on-5 possession player and his expected goal numbers were also strong. At 27 years old, Reinhart is headed into the final year of his contract which should make it fascinating to see both how well he plays and what the Panthers will do with him. An extension would make a lot of sense, but they’ll also have to consider what they’ll pay to upcoming UFA Brandon Montour as well. Reinhart could be a trade candidate come deadline time, but if he continues to score the way he has while with the Panthers, a long-term extension might prove to be the wisest move.

Carter Verhaeghe - LW

The evolution Carter Verhaeghe has made to become one of the more dangerous offensive weapons since he joined the Florida Panthers continues to show that sometimes even great franchises can make mistakes. Even since Verhaeghe wasn’t qualified by the Tampa Bay Lightning, his skills and the added earned ice time he’s gotten in Sunrise have allowed him to score 0.81 points per game with the Panthers. Last season, he scored a team-high and career-high 42 goals and was third on the team in points with 73. More vitally, 35 of his goals came at even strength, fourth most in the NHL behind David Pastrnak, Mikko Rantanen, and Connor McDavid. Verhaeghe played most of the season on a line with Matthew Tkachuk and that’s a good way to earn points, but he also saw a lot of time with Aleksander Barkov and Sam Bennett. His ability to fit in well with top talent and then also become the top talent with them showed how vital he’s become to the Panthers and how he can easily fly under the radar of opponents. Last season was his best in the NHL offensively, but he’s consistently played top-six minutes for the Panthers. What made the biggest difference? He started to shoot the puck a lot more. His 275 shots on goal were a career high by more than 100 shots. If it was coach Paul Maurice’s idea to get him to shoot it more, the advice paid off in a big way.

Sam Bennett - C

Since joining Florida, Sam Bennett hasn’t just embraced the role of a grinder, he’s embodied it wholeheartedly. After shaking off the expectations that come with being the No. 3 pick in 2014, Bennett has become a physical force for the Panthers, and it’s helped him unlock more of his offensive game. Bennett had a career high 49 points two seasons ago and followed it up with his second 40-point season. His goal numbers dropped, but he missed 19 games with injury and his shooting percentage was down from the previous year. As it was, he still averaged better than a half-point per game (0.63) and he had a career high 150 hits. Bennett’s value in all facets was obvious from 5-on-5 to power play to shorthanded as well. Bennett anchoring Florida’s second line and providing an added physical element between scoring wingers like Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk makes them the kind of line that can score goals and wear out opponents with the body. It took Bennett almost no time at all to not just fit in with Florida but also embody the spirit the team plays with. He’s relentless on the forecheck and along the boards and corners, he plays with enough skill to keep opponents on their toes, and he can help turn a game on its head with the body or the puck on his stick.

Anton Lundell - C

Since Lundell became a fixture in the Panthers lineup after being a first-round pick in 2020, he’s given them the kind of solid all-around play teams look for in the middle of the forward group. Lundell has been a solid possession player at 5-on-5 as well as an on-the-puck defender. After he debuted in 2021-2022 with 18 goals and 44 points in 65 games, his scoring came down a little with 12 goals and 33 points in 73 games last season. A key factor there was his shooting percentage dropped from 14.4 percent to 7.9. He shot about as much and often as his rookie season, so it will be interesting to see which shooting percentage shakes out as regular in his third season. Given he’s Florida’s third line center, the stress on offense doesn’t need to be so high, but anything more is a big help. Lundell played most of his 5-on-5 minutes with Sam Reinhart on his wing and while they produced strong advanced numbers, Florida scored 19 goals and allowed 28 when they were together. Lundell’s bad luck shooting played a part in that because his defensive numbers were strong otherwise. Lundell has earned a lot of trust from the coaches and he’s a key player in all situations playing on the power play and the penalty kill alike. The way he plays hints that an offensive breakout could come at any moment.

Evan Rodrigues - LW

After making his way around the NHL the past few seasons from Buffalo to Pittsburgh and Colorado, Evan Rodrigues at last landed a multi-year contract with the Panthers this summer. Rodrigues has proven to be a valuable depth player capable of playing up in the lineup as well. He put up 43 points with Pittsburgh two seasons ago and 39 with Colorado last season in 13 fewer games. Those kinds of numbers make him a solid second- or third-line player but it’s possible he could join Aleksander Barkov and former Sabres teammate Sam Reinhart at the top of the lineup. Rodrigues’ skill set leans strongly offensive with good possession stats (only Cale Makar had a better 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage) as well as expected goals. Rodrigues may not be a household name, but he’s shown he can play very well with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Jack Eichel in past years and if he should wind up with Barkov or even Matthew Tkachuk the adjustment period should be relatively short for him. His offensive instincts are strong and any talent he might lack in physical play or foot speed is made up by his intelligence within the game. He’s usually in the right place and that’s what makes him even more valuable to his teammates. The Panthers picking him up relatively inexpensively for a few years will pay off well with victories.

Eetu Luostarinen - LW

After two seasons of being a depth forward in the Panthers lineup, Eetu Luostarinen broke out last year to be one of their secret weapons. Luostarinen posted career highs in goals (17), assists (26), and points (43). His production earned him a boost in ice time as well as power play time to go along with his extensive penalty kill work. Luostarinen evolving into a solid two-way forward has allowed the Panthers to organically deepen their roster. It was unknown what kind of player Luostarinen would turn out to be when Florida acquired him and three other players from Carolina for Vincent Trocheck, but that he’s not only carved his way into the lineup and stuck but also become a player opponents must be wary of speaks volumes to his ability. They’ll need him to continue his upward trajectory to maneuver through the Eastern Conference for a return to the Stanley Cup Final. With 34 of his 43 points coming during 5-on-5 play, it bodes well for him and the team to see continued success.

Nick Cousins - RW

After bouncing around to five other teams during his NHL career, Nick Cousins found a home with the Panthers last season and made the most of it. He posted his best offensive numbers since 2018-2019 with Arizona, matching a career high in points with 27 including nine goals. As solid as he played in a third- and fourth-line role for Florida during the regular season, he was a clutch player in the postseason putting up seven points including scoring the series-clinching goal against Toronto in the second round. Throughout his career he’s had positive numbers regarding puck possession and his performance with Florida, while below his career average (53.2), was still a net positive at more than 51 percent in shots attempted at 5-on-5. Cousins’ aggressive forecheck and willingness to play the body and irritate foes worked well for Florida and he maximized his output while averaging a little more than 11 minutes of ice time per game. Cousins enters the 2023-2024 season in the final year of his contract and if he’s able to continue how he played last season, an extended stay in Sunrise wouldn’t be out of the question. While fourth line players are in abundance, finding ones that work well with the system and the rest of the roster can be a volatile experiment year to year. If Cousins has a repeat performance, Florida will be more than happy to keep him.

Defense

Aaron Ekblad - D

It’s kind of fascinating how Aaron Ekblad was able to fly under the radar for the Panthers last season. He’s perhaps the main name player opponents would zero in on in game planning because they know he’ll play a ton of minutes (averaged 23:24 per game last season) and he has the reputation for being an extremely good player all-around on the blue line. He had 38 points last season including 14 goals, a down year compared to two seasons ago when he had 57 points and 15 goals in 10 fewer games played. He had similar success on the power play with 19 points last season after 20 two years ago and he was paired up almost exclusively with Gustav Forsling at 5-on-5 with more than 910 minutes played together. Ekblad’s possession and expected goal percentages were strong, just not quite as good as a handful of his defensive teammates. That he had the third most points among defensemen says more about how good his teammates were and not so much that he performed poorly. Florida’s top four on defense were outstanding and Ekblad was vital to that end. He’s a leader of this group and because he’s been there the longest that carries a lot of weight. That he’ll miss the early part of the season because of offseason shoulder surgery from injuries sustained in the run to the Cup final will hurt, particularly with Brandon Montour also out.

Brandon Montour - D

Seeing Erik Karlsson put up 100 points as a defenseman was stunning, but that performance overshadowed the legendary work from Brandon Montour during the regular season and playoffs. He had 16 goals and 73 points during the season (tied for fifth with Rasmus Dahlin and Miro Heiskanen) and another eight goals and 13 points in the postseason (tied for second-most among defensemen with Shea Theodore and trailing Evan Bouchard). Montour’s regular season point total nearly doubled his previous career high of 37 set two years ago and his 16 goals set a new personal high mark. Montour’s explosion as an offensive force helped unleash the Panthers offense in full because he provided a consistent threat to score from the blue line. No longer were their blue liners there mostly to maintain possession and occasionally shoot from the point, Montour would drive the net and work all around the attack zone to drive the offense. How he follows up this season will be interesting given that it’s a contract season for him and he’ll miss the early part of the season recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. When he’s back in November or December, expect him to pick up right where he left off.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson - D

Injuries to Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour created a massive hole in the Panthers defense to start this season and while that will create opportunities for some, it opened the door for Florida to bring Oliver Ekman-Larsson who’s looking to prove he’s still got it. Ekman-Larsson was bought out of his contract by the Vancouver Canucks after another subpar season in which he had two goals and 22 points in 54 games while also posting a minus-24 rating. In each of his two seasons with the Canucks he produced less than a half point per game and maxed out last season with 0.41 points per game. He averaged 0.5 per game throughout his career in Arizona so the downturn he made the moment he turned 30 was alarming to say the least. But he joins the Panthers who are in desperate need of help on a one-year contract. Without Ekblad and Montour, Ekman-Larsson likely slides in on the second pairing where he should get power play time and ample opportunity to show if he’s still got it or not. If he’s unable to find a spark with a talented Florida group, it may prove to be difficult for him to latch on elsewhere in the years to come.

Gustav Forsling - D

The evolution in Gustav Forsling’s game since he arrived in Florida in 2021 off waivers from Carolina has been remarkable. In three seasons with Florida, he’s piled up 95 points (in 196 games) and is coming off a career year in 2022-2023 in which he set personal highs in goals (13) assists (28) and points (41) and this came on the heels of putting up 37 points the previous year. Forsling has become a steady blue liner capable of playing first or second pairing minutes with a responsible defensive game to go with his solid offensive contributions. Forsling has chipped in on the power play but has been more of a fixture on the team’s penalty kill. When you factor in his advanced numbers, he has some of the best on the team in terms of possession and expected goals. All of this coming from a player whom Carolina didn’t have room for, and Chicago traded before that makes Forsling a great example of what it means to take advantage of an opportunity. It will be worth watching to see who Forsling will pair with to start the season as he was almost exclusively Aaron Ekblad’s partner last season. With Ekblad out for the first couple months of the season, he may wind up with any of Josh Mahura, Dmitry Kulikov, Mike Reilly, or a dark horse contender. One thing’s for sure, Florida will need him to be a rock while Ekblad and Montour miss the first part of the regular season.

Goaltending

Sergei Bobrovsky - G

Just when everyone thought Sergei Bobrovsky would be the downfall of the Florida Panthers, he brought them - with a little help from his surprising tandem partner - to the brink of a championship. Long considered a perennial playoff choker, Bobrovsky trotted out his best postseason performance to date during Florida’s darling run to the Stanley Cup Final in the spring, holding steady through a 19-game stretch and helping get his team just three wins from the coveted trophy. That was no small feat, either; Florida ran into a series of Eastern Conference powerhouses en route to their matchup with Las Vegas, all done with Bobrovsky and Alex Lyon as their options while newcomer Spencer Knight was away from the team as a part of the NHL Player Assistance Program.

Bobrovsky, at this point, is entering the years of his contract that were expected to be value lost for the Panthers - which puts both him and the team in a fairly unique position. He underwhelmed during the first half of his contract, trotting out one of his worst seasons in the league his first year with Florida before getting himself back to good – but still never as great as he was in Columbus – form in net. And while the expectation was likely that the team would heavily rely upon him during his ‘strong’ first few years and slowly transition the team over to Spencer Knight’s hands, the former first-round pick put up mediocre numbers during his first NHL appearances and spent the final half of last season away from the team as a part of the league’s assistance program. He’s returned to the team, practicing with their development camp in mid-July, but it remains to be seen just how many starts he’ll get – putting more of the pressure back onto Bobrovsky to spend an extra year at the helm before the transition is able to really get under way. And as always, that comes with an interesting set of hypotheticals. When he was turning away every advance against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, he looked like the goaltender everyone envied on the Blue Jackets a few short years ago. His speed, agility, and game reads were as good as ever, with his ability to utilize a well-above average level of flexibility to reach impossible shots and his ability to remain engaged even after allowing a rebound into traffic both looking like he never saw any game regression. But every year since joining the Panthers, Bobrovksy has been plagued with inconsistency in his form. When he’s off his game, the entire game falls apart - and he’s experienced that for enough stretches over enough seasons (and during the final game against Vegas this June) that it’s impossible to write off the possibility that Florida will get that version of him next year. He remains a frustrating roll of the dice every time he steps out onto the ice, which leaves Florida unable to point to any single part of their goaltending tandem as a sure thing.

Projected starts: 50-55

Spencer Knight - G

Six months away from the game can be tough on any NHLer. For goaltender Spencer Knight, though, it could be especially tough.

The Panthers now have 57 games worth of film footage with Knight in net to evaluate his play, which looked promising but inconsistent over the course of his first two years in the league. The hope, though, is that Knight will see his time in the NHL’s Player Assistance Program – where he spent nearly six months after leaving the team in February of this past campaign – benefit his on-ice play as much as it benefitted him in his everyday life. He wouldn’t be the first player to take time away from the game to receive counseling and stage an easy to root for comeback; goaltenders Robin Lehner and Conor Ingram have both become success stories after their own times stepping away from the game, and the hope is that Knight will also be able to see the benefits of newfound clarity and health.

At the moment, though, Panthers fans likely need to temper their expectations for him – at least at the start of the season. Luckily, it appears the team has prepared for that by bringing in veteran NHL-AHL tweener Anthony Stolarz on a one-year deal. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Stolarz make some appearances during the year as well before Knight finds his stride.

If he’s able to get back to where he was when he was drafted, though, the Panthers could be a formidable option to return the center stage this upcoming June. If they were able to push through the East with Bobrovsky and Alex Lyon, it’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t be able to do even better with a healthy and confident Knight.

Projected starts: 25-30

CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Klingberg getting a big shot, players due for regression from high percentages last season, rising young players like J.J. Peterka, Seth Jarvis, Oliver Wahlstrom, and more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 16:24:40 +0000

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 10: Buffalo Sabres Left Wing JJ Peterka (77) celebrates a goal during the first period of the National Hockey League game between the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Rangers on April 10, 2023/ at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, John Klingberg getting a big shot, players due for regression from high percentages last season, plus rising young players like J.J. Peterka, Seth Jarvis, Oliver Wahlstrom, and more.

#1 Early returns from Maple Leafs training camp have John Klingberg working the point on Toronto’s top power play unit. This is not a huge surprise, as Klingberg has recorded 146 power play points since 2015-2016, which ranks 11th among defensemen in that time. If Klingberg stays in that spot, Morgan Rielly is the one to lose out and he has scored 48 of his 109 points in the past two seasons on the power play.

#2 Acquired from the Los Angeles Kings as part of the return in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, Gabe Vilardi is getting a look on Winnipeg’s top line with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. Vilardi ranked 20^th in the league last season with 1.33 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, and if he is going to get reps with Winnipeg’s top playmakers, he could be primed for a big season.

#3 There may not be a player getting targeted for shooting percentage regression like Vancouver’s Andrei Kuzmenko who scored 39 goals in his first NHL season, finishing on a league-high 27.3% of his shots. From 2000-2001 through 2021-2022, there were 50 seasons in which a player scored at least 20 goals and had a shooting percentage of at least 20%. What happened the following season? Just two of those players had a higher shooting percentage the following season. The average decline in shooting percentage was 6.5 percent. If Kuzmenko’s season is the same as his rookie campaign, but he has a shooting percentage that is 6.5 percent lower, he would drop from 39 to 30 goals.

#4 In addition to Kuzmenko, Brayden Point, Pavel Buchnevich, Leon Draisaitl, Mark Scheifele, and Roope Hintz all scored at least 20 goals while scoring on more than 20 percent of their shots in 2022-2023. While they are likely to experience regression in 2023-2024, Draisaitl might be the least likely to experience a drop off – he has scored on 20.2 percent of his shots over the past five seasons.

#5 While we’re raining on parades before the season even begins, there are players that are likely to see some regression in scoring because last season’s numbers were inflated by a high on-ice shooting percentage. Kuzmenko was at 13.1 percent, slightly lower than Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn, who was also at 13.1 percent. Seattle’s Jared McCann (12.7 percent) and Vince Dunn (12.4 percent), St. Louis’ Pavel Buchnevich (12.4 percent), and Boston’s Pavel Zacha (12.2 percent) were among the full-time players with the highest on-ice shooting percentages. Players that played partial seasons like Ilya Mikheyev (13.8 percent), Alex Belzile (13.8 percent), Rafael Harvey-Pinard (13.6 percent), and Luke Evangelista (12.5 percent) also had inflated percentages in their smaller samples.

#6 On a more optimistic slant, there are also going to be players that are due for an uptick in the percentages, players with low on-ice shooting percentages last season. That group includes Montreal’s Juraj Slafkovsky (5.5 percent), Los Angeles’ Trevor Moore (5.7 percent) and Phillip Danault (6.4 percent), Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom (6.2 percent), Florida’s Sam Reinhart (6.6 percent), and Ottawa’s Drake Batherson (6.6 percent).

#7 Goaltenders are unpredictable, and this should not be overlooked or forgotten when it comes time to make fantasy picks. Sure, it would be great to secure the most reliable netminders in the league for your team, but it’s so hard to know who that will be from one season to the next. Two seasons ago, when Igor Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy, Jacob Markstrom was the runner up and Frederik Andersen finished fourth. Thatcher Demko, Ville Husso, and Tristan Jarry received votes. All of this is to say that there are not many sure things between the pipes.

#8 Having noted that, these goaltenders have been the most reliable options in net over the past three seasons, based on Goals Saved Above Expected per 60 Minutes (minimum 2000 minutes): Ilya Sorokin (0.49), Igor Shesterkin (0.47), Juuse Saros (0.33), Linus Ullmark (0.30), and Connor Hellebuyck (0.29). Four of them have roles as clearcut No. 1 starters on their teams while Ullmark, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, has more of a challenge for playing time from his backup, Jeremy Swayman.

#9 Obviously Connor Bedard is the headliner of the rookie class, and he is the one that is most reliably ready to contribute in standard fantasy leagues. The others are more suited for deep or dynasty leagues. Logan Cooley and Adam Fantilli look like they will have good opportunities to play prominent roles with Arizona and Columbus, respectively, but it is asking a lot for a player to jump from the NCAA after one season and immediately become a productive scorer in the NHL. Beyond them, Nashville’s Luke Evangelista is still Calder eligible after tallying 15 points (7 G, 8 A) in 24 games last season. Ottawa’s Ridly Greig picked up nine points (2 G, 7 A) in 20 games last season. There are defensemen who could have an immediate impact, though they may not score enough for standard fantasy leagues. New Jersey’s Luke Hughes did not look out of place in his late season and playoff audition with the Devils last season and could get second unit power play time this season. Hughes’ teammate, Simon Nemec was the second pick in the 2022 Draft and is probably NHL ready, too, if the Devils can find room for him. Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke got a taste of NHL action last season but should play a more significant role this time around. As intriguing as any of these rookies might be, odds are that they will not have an immediate fantasy impact.

#10 Over the past three seasons, the players that consistently generate scoring chances during five-on-five play are those with the highest ixG/60 (minimum 2000 minutes): Auston Matthews (1.27), Timo Meier (1.12), Brady Tkachuk (1.09), Anders Lee (1.08), Zach Hyman (1.07), Jeff Skinner (1.06), Michael Bunting (1.05), John Tavares (1.04), Patrice Bergeron (1.02), and then three tied at 1.00 – Matthew Tkachuk, Tage Thompson, and Sam Bennett. Not huge surprises there, but Bunting and Bennett are a couple of gritty forwards hanging in nice company.

#11 With Jack Quinn injured, there may be a little more opportunity for Buffalo Sabres sophomore winger J.J. Peterka, who finished last season with 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in his last 18 games. He then went to the World Championships, where he put up 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in 10 games for Germany, earning the award as the tournament’s top forward. There is a chance for Peterka to skate with Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt on Buffalo’s second line and that is a young skilled trio, a line that could help to elevate Peterka’s production as he begins his career ascent.

#12 While his 2022-2023 season might have been somewhat disappointing, scoring one less point in much more ice time than he had as a rookie the year before, Carolina Hurricanes right winger Seth Jarvis also saw his on-ice shooting percentage dip from 10.1 percent to 7.1 percent, so there is good reason to expect that number to bounce back in his favor. If he skates with Sebastian Aho and Michael Bunting on Carolina’s top line, there is a good chance for Jarvis’ percentages to bounce back and his scoring output can take off.

#13 As the Chicago Blackhawks attempt to provide sufficient support for Connor Bedard on their top line, it looks like Taylor Hall will be on one wing and, after Chicago returned Lukas Reichel to center, veteran Tyler Johnson could get his shot on the Blackhawks’ top line. Johnson had 32 points (12 G, 20 A) in 56 games last season when his most common linemates were Taylor Raddysh and Jason Dickinson, so there is certainly room to upgrade the quality of scoring options skating with Johnson.

#14 He was just coming into form last season, scoring 12 points in his last 17 games, when 6-foot-6 Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen suffered a season-ending knee injury. He delivered 119 hits to go with a career-high 29 points (10 G, 19 A) in 56 games last season and while his offensive upside is going to put a limit on his fantasy appeal, 24-year-old Rasmussen is now contributing enough that he does warrant consideration in deep leagues. Keep an eye on where he is playing in Detroit, because he can move around that lineup, either in checking roles or in a supporting offensive role and obviously the latter would be more appealing for fantasy managers.

#15 With Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad recovering from surgeries, it appears that Oliver Ekman-Larsson is going to get a chance to quarterback the Florida Panthers power play. The 32-year-old blueliner has seen his play decline in recent seasons, but he has run many power plays in his career. From 2013-2014 through 2018-2019, while playing for the Coyotes, he tallied 122 of his 267 points on the power play. Ekman-Larsson’s declining performance should help lower his draft day value and he almost certainly will get replaced by Montour when he is healthy, but as a short-term option, Ekman-Larsson just might have a shot at a rebound season.

#16 Injuries have hampered Montreal Canadiens forward Sean Monahan in the past three seasons, but he performed well before getting shut down last season, putting up 17 points (6 G, 11 A) in 25 games for the Habs. On a team with few established scoring threats, Monahan could have a chance to skate on the wing with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki on Montreal’s top line and while the injuries are a concern, the opportunity that could be out there for Monahan would make him worth a late-round flier.

#17 A knee injury sidelined Islanders winger Oliver Wahlstrom for more than half of last season but he is an intriguing option entering this season because the 23-year-old could get a legitimate shot to play in a scoring role. Although he has 61 points (32 G, 29 A) in 161 career games, Wahlstrom has been playing just 12 minutes per game, so there is untapped offensive upside. Over the past three seasons, among players to skate in at least 1000 five-on-five minutes, Wahlstrom leads the Islanders in shots per 60 minutes (8.95) and ranks fourth in both goals (0.83) and expected goals (0.83).

#18 While scoring is a driving feature for fantasy performance, there are peripheral stats that can make a difference, too. Depending on the league, hit totals can add serious value for a player and one place to find them will be on Tampa Bay’s third line, where Tanner Jeannot and Michael Eyssimont bring a physical presence to the wings. Eyssimont bounced around to three NHL teams last season, but he had 34 hits in 15 games with Tampa Bay, while playing just 11:25 per game. Goals were hard for Jeannot to come by last season, as he scored just six times on 107 shots, but he has 608 hits in the past two seasons, most among all forwards.

#19 After trading reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson in the offseason, the San Jose Sharks may be entering the season with one of the worst defense groups ever. As a result, journeyman blueliner Jacob MacDonald could very well find his way to power play time in San Jose. MacDonald is a 30-year-old who played a career-high 58 games last season and has skated in a total of 101 career games, producing just one power play point in the NHL. However, in his past four American Hockey League seasons he has produced 60 goals and 165 points in 236 games, with 30 of those goals coming via the power play, so maybe gets a shot with the Sharks. Another consideration for the Sharks might be rookie Henry Thrun, a 22-year-old who played eight games for the Sharks last season and had produced 63 points (14 G, 49 A) in 68 games during his sophomore and junior seasons at Harvard.

#20 It is unusual for a rookie goaltender to make a major impact, but that possibility exists for Devon Levi of the Buffalo Sabres, who figures to be the No. 1 netminder right out of the gate. Other rookie goalies like Pyotr Kochetkov in Carolina, Dustin Wolf in Calgary, and Joel Hofer in St. Louis could all find their way to significant roles this season. New Jersey’s Akira Schmid is not Calder eligible, but it another up-and-coming goaltender with a shot of playing a big role in 2023-2024.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – NHL Player Profiles

Scott Cullen – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 21:57:43 +0000

VANCOUVER, BC - APRIL 03: Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (9) skates up ice during their NHL game against the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Arena on April 3, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

J.T. Miller

It is unusual for a player to have his best season when he is in his late twenties, but 29-year-old J.T. Miller delivered a monster season for the Canucks in 2021-2022, recording 32 goals and 99 points while the Canucks outshot opponents with Miller on the ice and struggled to do so when he was off the ice. Not only does Miller have skill and playmaking ability, but he is a strong physical player who recorded 172 hits, making him the only player in the league to have that many hits while recording more than a point per game. It would be asking a lot for Miller to duplicate the best season of his career, and there is some likelihood of percentages declining, but he also generated a career-best 2.58 shots per game last season and his high percentages, both in terms of his own shooting percentage and 5-on-5 on-ice shooting percentage have been above average every year that he has been in Vancouver. That would seem to indicate that he is still capable of producing in the range of a point per game, maybe a little more.

Elias Pettersson

Following an injury-shortened 2020-2021 season, Pettersson got off to a terrible start and by mid-January had just 17 points in 37 games. He looked lost and his confidence was fading fast. At his low point, he looked nothing like the slick playmaker that he had been for most of his first three seasons in the league, when he earned a reputation for making smart and creative plays in the offensive zone, providing surprisingly effective defensive play, and then ripping wrist shots to the top shelf. That player returned for the second half of last season, as Pettersson finished the season with 26 goals and 51 points in his last 43 games. He moved to left wing to play with Miller and that seemed to bring out the best in both. It also appeared to bring back Pettersson’s confidence and while his finish to the season would suggest that the 23-year-old could go for more than a point per game over a full season, that might be a bit optimistic. He has never scored more than 70 points in a season but that could happen this season.

Bo Horvat

The Canucks captain brings his hard hat to work and scored a career-high 31 goals last season. He does a lot of his damage on the power play. In the past five seasons, Horvat has scored 49 goals with the man advantage, tied with Brayden Point for 13^th in the league over that time. Horvat has played a significant role with the Canucks in those five seasons, averaging 19:54 of ice time per game and winning 54.9% of his faceoffs. In his eight-year NHL career, he has five 20-goal seasons and four seasons with at least 50 points, so he has established a baseline for what he might be able to produce. If he stays reasonably healthy, a point total in the mid-50s would be a fair expectation for a 27-year-old who, barring a new contract, is set to be a free agent at the end of next season.

Brock Boeser

Since scoring 29 goals as a rookie in 2017-2018, Boeser has not been able to get back to that level of production. He has a good shot but could always be more aggressive about using it. While Boeser’s all-around game looks like it could use some improvement, it’s worth observing that he always has better shot differentials relative to the rest of the team. Some of that might be due to more offensive zone starts, but those results have held long enough that he does deserve some credit. Boeser did have his fourth 20-goal campaign last season, so the goal-scoring ought to continue, but he had a low on-ice shooting percentage, which suggests that regression could bring a few more assists his way, which should put him in the 55-to-60-point range.

Conor Garland

An undersized winger who was acquired from Arizona, Garland had a brilliant start to his Canucks career, scoring eight points in his first six games, then finished his first season with 16 points in his last 12 games. In between, the production was a little spotty, but in total, Garland finished with a career-high 52 points to go with excellent puck possession numbers. Even though the 26-year-old is on the smaller side, he has a relentless style of play that earned him a place in the league and coupled with his offensive production, Garland is now a primary scorer. He produced a career-high 52 points last season and should be able to surpass 50 points again this season.

Ilya Mikheyev

In his first couple of seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mikheyev established that he could control play and generate shots, but had trouble finishing, tallying 15 goals in 93 games, scoring on just 7.3% of his shots. Last season, the puck started to find the net and Mikheyev scored 21 goals in 53 games, burying 14.3% of his shots. Tthat helped increase his demand in the free agent market. At 6-foot-3, Mikheyev has the size to cycle the puck in the offensive zone but he is an excellent skater so he can use that both in transition or on the forecheck to create chances. Now that he has shown some touch around the net, he ought to be able to contribute in a middle six role for Vancouver. The question about Mikheyev is whether he can stay healthy – in two of his three seasons he has missed substantial time with injuries – so in terms of projecting his offense going forward, it might be most reasonable to say that Mikheyev could surpass last season’s 32 points, his career high, and potentially by a wide margin if he plays something close to a full schedule.

Nils Hoglander

Although he went through some offensive dry spells and managed just 18 points in 60 games last season, there is still plenty of reason to like Hoglander’s contributions. The 21-year-old winger drives play consistently and can generate shots. It just so happened that pucks were not going in and he went through a horrid slump in the middle of the season. From mid-December through the end of February, Hoglander played in 26 games and managed one goal and four points. He is an easy candidate for a bounce-back season but where he plays in the lineup will have some say in just how big of a bounce-back is possible. Hoglander should be able to score 15 goals and 30 points, as a starting point, but has potential for more depending on how high he fits on the depth chart.

Vasily Podkolzin

The 21-year-old got off to a relatively slow start to his rookie campaign last season, scoring three goals with no assists in his first 15 games, but he got more comfortable as the season progressed and finished the year with nine points in his last 11 games. Podkolzin has good size and has power forward potential. He plays a reliable enough game without the puck so that should help secure a spot in the lineup, but if he is going to grow into possibly become a star quality player, Podkolzin will need to generate more shots but if he can pick up where he left off at the end of last season, Podkolzin’s second season could be exciting. The Canucks are deep on the wings, so optimism around Podkolzin ought to be cautious, but he could challenge for 20 goals if he can get enough ice time.

Tanner Pearson

The 30-year-old winger has two 20-goal and three 40-point seasons to his credit. He has decent size and speed, enough skill to fit in a middle six role but, as noted, the Canucks have a lot of bodies competing for playing time on the wings and it’s possible that Pearson could find it challenging to earn a regular spot in the top nine. Nevertheless, he has been able to produce more than 30 points five times in his career, including last season, and that’s probably a reasonable expectation for what he could score this season.

DEFENSE

Quinn Hughes

Any concern about Hughes’ play without the puck tends to be overblown because he is such an elite creator of offense that he tends to generate more shots and chances than he gives up. He is also not a terrible defender, as some other puck-moving defensemen might get classified. Hughes will turn 23 early in the season and he is a fantastic skater who plays with confidence and creativity. He is every bit the kind of player that a team should seek to build their defense around and, while there is obviously strong competition, a Norris Trophy at some point in his career is not out of the question for Hughes. As for his point production, Hughes finished with a career-high 68 points last season but going for 70-plus points this season would still be a fair expectation.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson

While there is little chance that Ekman-Larsson’s production will match his lofty contract, the 31-year-old delivered a solid first season in Vancouver after spending the first 11 years of his career in Arizona. He played more than 22 minutes per game for the 10^th time in the past 11 seasons and his per-game shot rate improved over the previous season. He might be a fringy top-pair defenseman at this stage of his career, but Ekman-Larsson could still be a strong top-four option. His percentages were relatively low last season so a little favorable regression could push him over 30 points this season.

Tyler Myers

Even at 6-foot-8 Myers is a smooth skater and while he will have moments in which his reads or positioning can get him into trouble, he is still a viable top-four defenseman. His relative possession numbers are a small negative and the Canucks have been outscored by 12 goals over three seasons with Myers on the ice during 5-on-5 play. It’s not great, and probably not worth his salary cap hit, but it’s not as terrible as critics would suggest. The 32-year-old is not asked to contribute as much offensively as he did earlier in his career, so he may score 20-25 points but he was also one of 11 defensemen to have at least 140 hits and 140 blocked shots last season so he can fill the stat sheet in other ways.

Luke Schenn

At 32-years-old, the veteran blueliner seemed to find his niche as a partner to Hughes. Schenn’s 17 points last season was his most since 2011-2012, and his average ice time of 17:13 was his highest since 2016-2017. Schenn is not good with the puck on his stick, so he is a good partner for Hughes, in that he Schenn offers complementary skills that Hughes does not typically bring to the game. While his puck skills may be limited, Schenn is not shy about bringing a physical presence to the game. He recorded 273 hits last season, the fifth time in his career that he surpassed 250 hits in a season, and Schenn will drop the gloves when needed. A 15-point season is about all that can be reasonably expected from Schenn offensively.

GOALTENDING

Thatcher Demko

It’s finally looking like Vancouver is ready for the Thatcher Demko show. After a handful of seasons in which the Pacific Division club kept the American-born netminder splitting his net with veteran mentors, Demko made his starter debut in the 2021-22 season with a 64-game campaign. He held his own, too; while the Canucks are still desperately working their way out from under some truly ill-advised contracts and roster transactions, his numbers were good enough to rise up above the Western Conference’s glut of rebuilding rosters and return to the Wild Card chase.

Much of that is thanks to the fact that Demko has continued to fine-tune the more controlled elements of his game without losing the creative spark that made him look so attractive as a prospect; he’s eliminated a lot of unnecessary extra movement as he learns to read shooters and systems at the NHL level, but has kept that wide-ranging toolkit of unexpected stop selections in his arsenal that make him so hard for offensive systems to read in return. Add in some smart depth management to go with intimidating size, and Demko shines as an example of a goaltender who can both close off holes in his net from a sightline perspective and react effectively to the high-danger chances that teams create for themselves when the defense in front of him struggles a bit. Now, the only thing that lacks certainty in Vancouver’s crease is who will emerge as his second-in-command; with both Mikey DiPietro and Spencer Martin hovering at the door to the NHL in the team’s depth chart and Jaroslav Halak departing for the New York Rangers in the off-season, the Canucks will have to determine who provides the club with their best chances for success moving forward.

Projected starts: 60-65

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS -Tarasenko and Ovechkin look like their old selves plus much more.

Scott Cullen — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 22:21:43 +0000

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

In this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points, Vladimir Tarasenko looks like his old self. Same goes for Alex Ovechkin. Points on Sam Bennett, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrei Svechnikov, Yanni Gourde and much more.

#1 While he apparently still wants to be traded, St. Louis Blues right winger Vladimir Tarasenko is doing his part to create a market for his services. After playing less than 13 minutes per game in the first game of the season, Tarasenko has six points (3 G, 3 A) and 22 shots on goal in the past four games. He obviously has a strong track record, as a five-time 30-goal scorer, but there have been concerns about his surgically repaired shoulder, but the way that Tarasenko is playing now – leading the league with 5.20 shots on goal per game, the shoulder does not appear to be a problem.

#2 The Washington Capitals have this winger who it turns out knows how to score a little bit. Alex Ovechkin is 36 years old and is off to the best start of his career. In six games, Ovi has 12 points (7 G, 5 A) and is still generating more than four shots on goal per game. His pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record is starting to heat up, even if it’s going to be years away, and part of the reason to believe is that 36-year-old Ovechkin is still hugely productive.

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 16: Detroit Red Wings Right Wing Lucas Raymond (23) prepares to shoot during the second period of a game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Vancouver Canucks on October 16, 2021 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire)

#3 Coming into the season, there were not a lot of rookies who looked like they would score at a huge rate as rookies. That might still be case in the end but, right now, Detroit Red Wings right winger Lucas Raymond has started his NHL career with seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 16 shots on goal in six games. After scoring 18 points (6 G, 12 A) in 34 games in the Swedish Hockey League last season, this has been an accelerated timeline on Raymond being a big NHL scorer but he is getting a first line shot alongside Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi, which is a pretty solid opportunity.

#4 When the Florida Panthers acquired Sam Bennett from the Calgary Flames, Bennett showed up in South Florida as a different player. He produced 15 points (6 G, 9 A) in 10 games for the Panthers, but it was a small sample, and it would have been fair to expect him to fall of that pace. Early in this season, Bennett has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 22 shots on goal in six games.

#5 Anaheim Ducks defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk has been productive offensively early in this season, scoring three even-strength goals and adding three power-play assists in seven games. He is also getting caved in, with a 31.1 CF%, so he is riding some high percentage good fortune to that early point production but being on the wrong end of shot share to that degree should be alarming.

#6 The Winnipeg Jets did not get the best version of Pierre-Luc Dubois when they acquired him from Columbus last season, as Dubois stumbled his way to 20 points (8 G, 12 A) in 41 games. After a full offseason to prepare, Dubois has arrived ready to contribute and has seven points (4 G, 3 A) during a five-game point streak. He has scored on half of his shots so far this season, and that obviously won’t continue, but Dubois has stepped up with Mark Scheifele out and when Scheifele returns, Dubois figures to be the second line centre that the Jets thought they were getting last season.

#7 Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner scored 30 goals in 2015-2016 but has not approached that level since and his fantasy value, if any, has been more closely aligned with hits and blocked shots. However, he is playing net front on the Columbus power play this season and has scored three of his four goals this season with the man advantage. Jenner is playing a career-high 20:20 per game so his role might be significant enough to give him fantasy relevance in 2021-2022.

(Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire)

#8 Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov did not break out he might have been expected to last season, but we might be a year late on the breakout season. The 21-year-old, who was the second pick in the 2018 Draft, Svechnikov has points in all five Hurricanes games this season, on his way to nine points (5 G, 4 A) and 24 shots on goal in those five games for a Carolina team that has won all five.

#9 Puck-moving defenceman Nate Schmidt had a disappointing season for the Vancouver Canucks last season, his only season with the team, but he appears to be responding well to a fresh start in Winnipeg. Schmidt has six assists in the past four games, so there is reason to be encouraged, but he is still on the wrong end of the shot battle (46.9 CF%) which should temper some expectations for continued success. So maybe the reasonable position to take is that Schmidt will be better than last season in Vancouver, when he had 15 points (5 G, 10 A) in 54 games, but probably not continue at his current pace of six points in six games.

#10 Seattle Kraken centre Yanni Gourde made a relatively quick return from offseason shoulder surgery, and not only does he have three points (1 G, 2 A) in his first three games, but he has nine shots on goal and is playing 21:57 per game, a pretty big increase over the 17:04 per game that he played in Tampa Bay last season – his previous career high.

#11 Now that Carter Hutton is injured, and out for the next 2-4 weeks, Karel Vejmelka has an opportunity to prove he is a legitimate NHL goaltender. The 25-year-old has an .899 save percentage in five appearances for the Coyotes this season after posting a .913 save percentage in 163 games in the Czech League. Ivan Prosvetov has been called up from the AHL, and he will see some action, too, but the Coyotes are not especially interested in winning this season so if their goaltending ends up being subpar, it really does not interfere with their main objectives.

#12 Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane is currently out of the lineup while in Covid-19 protocol and will face scrutiny in the wake of the investigation into the Blackhawks scandal, but there has been a relentless pace to his production, even as the team around him has crumbled. Kane has five points (1 G, 4 A) with 24 shots on goal in five games.

#13 Notable forwards that have played at least five games and are still seeking their first point of the season: Tampa Bay’s Corey Perry, Toronto’s Nick Ritchie, the Islanders’ Zach Parise, San Jose’s Nick Bonino, Detroit’s Pius Suter, New Jersey’s Jesper Bratt, and Edmonton’s Kailer Yamamoto. From that group, Bratt was one of my favourite value picks coming into the season and he would still have a higher ceiling than some of those veteran options. Interesting to note that several of these players have changed teams and have struggled to produce early with their new teams.

#14 Forwards with the most shots on goal without a goal yet: Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf, Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher, Toronto’s Mitch Marner, Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov, Montreal’s Josh Anderson, Vancouver’s Nils Hoglander, Montreal’s Cole Caufield, Philadelphia’s James van Riemsdyk, the Islanders’ Kyle Palmieri, Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau and Dillon Dube, Detroit’s Pius Suter, and Los Angeles’ Arthur Kaliyev. It is not hard to figure out why the Canadiens are struggling when Gallagher, Anderson and Caufield have combined for zero goals on 49 shots.

#15 While his early production has not been anything special, managing two points (1 G, 1 A) in seven games, Vancouver Canucks defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson has put 28 shots on goal. Four shots on goal per game leads defencemen (minimum five games played) and would easily be a career-high for Ekman-Larsson, who has not recorded 2.50 shots on goal per game since 2015-2016. That shot rate is enough reason to hold out hope for Ekman-Larsson this season.

#16 Seattle Kraken winger Brandon Tanev has scored five goals in his first seven games with the expansion team but while the goals have been welcome, it is not coming from a sustainable place. Tanev has scored on 38.5% of his shots and, on top of that, has not picked up any assists. He could still have the first 30-point season of his career, but this early-season burst is not something to expect from Tanev in the long run.

#17 Minnesota Wild defenceman Matt Dumba is producing early in the season, with four points (1 G, 3 A) in six games and all of those points coming at evens. Dumba is generating 3.67 shots per game, a massive increase on his 1.75 shots per game last season, so he could be more of an offensive weapon for the Wild this season after a couple of seasons with relatively mediocre production.

#18 One of my sleeper candidates coming into the season was Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Erik Cernak, who had 18 points (5 G, 13 A) and 98 hits in 46 games last season. Those numbers get him into the fantasy discussion for deeper leagues, but Cernak might have another category that gives him an advantage. While he has two assists in seven games this season, he also has 25 shots on goal, a massive jump after averaging 1.86 shots on goal per game through the first three seasons of his NHL career. If his shot rate stays high, even if not at its current lofty rate, Cernak can have stealth fantasy value.

#19 There have been some outstanding goaltending performances early in the season, from Columbus’ Elvis Merzlikins, Carolina’s Frederik Andersen, Buffalo’s Craig Anderson, Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky, to Dallas’ Braden Holtby. All of those goaltenders have a save percentage of .939 or better in the very early going this season and all of them would have been relatively suspect entering the season.

Merzlikins’ main concern was not having the strongest team in front of him.

Andersen had struggled with performance and injuries in the previous two seasons with Toronto.

Anderson is a 40-year-old who played four games for Washington last season.

Bobrovsky’s past two seasons in Florida have been well-documented and it looked like rookie Spencer Knight could steal the starting job.

Holtby has been in decline for four seasons and in the past two seasons has finished with a save percentage under .900. Mix that in with a crowded Stars crease and it did not look like a great time to be optimistic about the performance of Braden Holtby.

A couple of things: 1. Goaltenders are voodoo. 2. This is a very small sample of games for each of these goalies. 3. There is nothing wrong with grabbing the hot goaltender for a little while until that heat cools off.

#20 At the other end of the goaltending spectrum is Chicago’s Marc-Andre Fleury. He was not sure that he wanted to join the Blackhawks after he was traded from the Vegas Golden Knights in the offseason and has lost his first four games while posting a .839 save percentage. Combine that with the team’s problems on and off the ice and it has been a rather dramatic shift in fortunes for the 2021 Vezina Trophy winner.