Pius Suter – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – ST. LOUIS BLUES – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 16:21:05 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO -APRIL 03: St. Louis Blues center Dylan Holloway (81) as seen during a NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the St. Louis Blues on April 03, 2025, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire)

The Blues replaced head coach Drew Banniser with Jim Montgomery, who had been fired by the Boston Bruins, and the team improved dramatically, going 35-18-7 under Montgomery on the way to finishing the season with 96 points (44-30-8). It was enough to qualify for the playoffs and then they pushed the Winnipeg Jets to seven games before ultimately falling short in the first round series. The Blues were on the wrong side of the possession game, ranking 21st in Corsi percentage (48.6) and 20th in expected goals percentage (49.5). Their power play ranked 17th with 7.45 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play but their penalty killing was a problem, allowing 9.45 goals against per 60 minutes of four-on-five play, which ranked 29th. The Blues’ goaltending tandem of Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer was better than average and all of this combines to make a team that was very much middle of the pack and managed to squeak into the postseason but a bounce or two in the wrong direction could have been enough to keep them out.

What’s Changed?

Although scoring right winger Jordan Kyrou has popped up in trade rumours this summer, the Blues maintained some continuity in their forward core but signed free agents Pius Suter from the Vancouver Canucks and Nick Bjugstad from the Utah Mammoth to improve the team’s top nine. Jimmy Snuggerud, who jumped from college hockey to the Blues lineup at the end of last season will have a significant role right from the start of the season. On defence, the Blues acquired defenceman Logan Mailloux, a quality right-shot defence prospect who will have an opportunity to play regularly with the Blues, but it cost the Blues forward Zach Bolduc, who had shown promise as a rookie, tying for the team lead with seven power play goals on his way to producing 36 points (19 G, 17 A) in 72 games. The Blues are getting younger on defence, it appears, as they traded Nick Leddy to the San Jose Sharks and 40-year-old Ryan Suter is without a contract after logging 19:28 of ice time per game for the Blues in 2024-2025, so that creates potential room for Mailloux, Tyler Tucker, and Matthew Kessel on the blueline.

What would success look like?

Returning to the playoffs is the first level of success. As noted, the Blues just squeaked into the last spot in the Western Conference, but they played to a 105-point pace under Montgomery. However, there is room to improve if they are going to move up to the tier with more serious Stanley Cup contenders. This team doesn’t look like a Stanley Cup contender but winning a round or two in the playoffs should not be out of the question.

What could go wrong?

Improvement is necessary if the Blues are going to get off the playoff bubble. They have young players who could all develop and help raise the bar, but if there isn’t enough improvement there, and the goaltending slips a little, that could be all it takes for a team on the wrong side of the possession ledger to miss the postseason.

Top Breakout Candidate

After scoring 51 points (24 G, 27 A) in 40 games as a junior at the University of Minnesota last season, Snuggerud joined the Blues and chipped in four points (1 G, 3 A) in seven regular-season games before adding four points (2 G, 2 A) against the Jets in the playoffs. The 2022 first-round pick is poised to have a big role as a rookie this season, possibly even skating on the Blues’ top line. If so, he may have a chance to score enough that he can contend for the Calder Trophy.

FORWARDS

Robert Thomas

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	28	67	95	1.16

There is a class of players who are rarely classified in that elite tier even if they have all of the qualifications. Robert Thomas definitely fits that description. He is coming off his best season from a points-per-game perspective and would have shattered his career highs if he didn’t miss 12 games with an injury. He was sixth in the league in assists at five-on-five and in the top 20 for overall points. Combine that with him recording another 20+ goal season and Thomas is running out of things to prove to be considered among the league’s best. Those who follow St. Louis know all about this, as he is the engine of that team. His small form doesn’t prevent him from winning pucks in all three zone sand his deadeye-like accuracy with hitting teammates in stride is almost a cheat code for offence. There are few players better right now at breaking down coverage and moving the puck east-west to setup dangerous chances and it’s a big part of the Blues DNA. While those are nice, Thomas’ ability to draw defenders in and hit teammates in stride is his best asset, setting up numerous breakaways and chances with space. The Blues usually have an automatic zone entry whenever he is on the ice because of how quickly he gets through the defence and how accurate he is with feeding teammates into the zone. There isn’t much more for him to prove except to keep up this high level of play and he is a major reason why the Blues made a run to the playoffs.

Jordan Kyrou

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	39	35	74	0.90

Kyrou still finds himself playing second-line minutes despite posting his third 30+ goal season in a row. There was a desire to spread the wealth among the Blues top six and that left Kyrou playing alongside Brayden Schenn instead of his usual running mate in Robert Thomas. While his defensive play has improved leaps and bounds from a few years ago, his reputation as a liability away from the puck has left coaches reluctant to play Kyrou like he is a game-breaking forward. His performance last year suggests that it’s time to take the training wheels off because he did just about everything you can ask from a first line winger except play the minutes. He gives the Blues a dimension they don’t have much of in their forward corps as a volume shooter and someone who can finish his chances at a high rate. He’s versatile with how he creates his chances, although last season was all about the rush game for him, leading the Blues in zone entries leading to scoring chances and overall controlled entries. This has always been his calling card, as he’s naturally gifted with the puck and blessed with great skating. He had a tendency to be a little too patient with creating his offence, but there has been a more direct nature to his game the past couple of years, taking more shots and making more of a beeline to the net instead of waiting for another play to develop. It’s made him one of the Blues best goal-scorers and a driver of their success.

Dylan Holloway

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	32	42	74	0.95

The first half of Dylan Holloway’s season was all about letting him play and figuring out where he fits. Even after acquiring him through an offer sheet, there was a lot that wasn’t known about him as an NHL-er playing only sparingly in Edmonton. St. Louis immediately fed him minutes and let him play through his struggles in the first couple months of the year, reaping the benefits around December where Holloway scored at nearly a point-per-game pace for the rest of the year. He was an excellent swiss army knife type player on the Blues second line, doing a little of everything to give some stability there. Taking over center duties for Brayden Schenn and providing a complement to Kyrou’s speed and puck-handling. He is an ideal player for the middle of your roster, mastering the art of being a contributor while not needing to be “the guy” on his line. He will make the simple play more times than not, mastering the art of making the simple 5–10-foot pass to keep the pace going rather than trying to thread the needle or try to skate through traffic. His chemistry was lethal with Kyrou, as there was a lot of open ice for Holloway to explore and his heavy shot became more of a weapon, especially off the rush. A late season injury unfortunately kept him out of the playoffs and the “what if” factor is looming there with how close their first round loss to Winnipeg was. The offer sheet was a coup, and we will see after next year if the Blues plan to make Holloway a long-term piece.

Pavel Buchnevich

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	24	35	59	0.79

The Blues decision not to trade Buchnevich at the 2024 deadline and instead re-sign him for six years was a little surprising. He is 30 years old, and the Blues appeared to be entering a re-tool type of situation missing the playoffs for two years in a row. He is an excellent player, but this was a risky contract with his age and the number of cross-checks he eats every game from driving to the middle of the ice. If you only look at point production, last season looks like the beginning of a decline for Buchnevich, scoring at his lowest point-per-game pace since 2020 and this is while getting fed prime minutes on the top line. There is always more than meets the eye in these situations and Buchnevich did a lot that didn’t show up on the scoresheet. Thomas brings the game-breaking skill, but Buchnevich is why they stay a positive line territorially. He fights hard for pucks to get second and third chance opportunities and is very strong on the wall in the defensive zone to kill plays. He might not be the one scoring on the initial chances, but he helps create rebounds and space for everyone else on his line. The one area that has been declining for the last few years is Buchnevich’s individual scoring chance rate, which is something worth keeping the eye on as he goes through his 30’s. His poor finishing season should correct itself, but there might be a cap on how many goals to expect from him going forward if his chance creation continues to decline.

Jake Neighbours

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	20	24	44	0.56

Some players do two or three things at a high level and do enough to get by with everything else. In the case of Neighbours, his hands in tight situations and his shot cover up a lot of his flaws and make him an excellent third wheel on the top line. The Blues like to pair him with Thomas, which makes his struggles to skate with the puck not as much of a factor and his ability to corral loose pucks and find the soft spot in the defence more of a weapon. He has ridden this role to back-to-back 20+ goal seasons and last year we got to see more of the playmaking that got him drafted in the first round. He has slowly climbed the ladder in the Blues depth chart, and he seemed to earn more of a solid trust in the coaching staff with how he is regularly deployed on the top line. When Neighbours is playing away from Thomas is when the issues start to creep in, although the emergence of Dylan Holloway gives St. Louis more options if they want a puck-carrier to pair him with. He isn’t someone who can drive his own line, but his goal-scoring and skillset around the net make him one of the better secondary scoring options in the league.

Brayden Schenn

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	16	30	46	0.56

It was another year at the office for Schenn, scoring 50 points for the eighth time in his career and maintaining his regular spot as the Blues 2C. The road to get there wasn’t smooth, though as Schenn struggled mightily to start the season. Still getting on the scoresheet, but his lines were on the wrong side of both the goal and scoring chance battle for the first three months of the season. It wasn’t until they put Dylan Holloway on his line that Schenn began to play like a top sixer again and it gave the veteran a second wind. Holloway moved Schenn over to the wing and the game became somewhat easier, as he didn’t have to cover as much ground as he would playing center and the Blues could conserve his energy by playing him less on the penalty kill. The question with Schenn is how much longer he can keep this up now that he’s 34. The Blues still play him like he’s one of their best offensive players, which includes time on the power play and while Schenn is still smart and skilled enough to contribute, the legs to keep up might not be there anymore. Holloway’s emergence was a lifeline for him staying a positive player in the top six and we will see how this setup works for a full year.

Nick Bjugstad

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	9	11	20	0.27

The trip from Arizona to Utah changed a lot of things for Nick Bjugstad. He posted some of the best numbers of his career with the Coyotes while playing in the top six and followed it up with a 19-point season struggling to get more than 13 minutes a night. Part of this was the youth influx in Utah, with the likes of Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther becoming more regular players and others like Jack McBain and Josh Doan getting regular minutes. It became a situation where you can only play so many guys and Bjugstad became more of a depth player. It’s a role he’s accustomed to, and some coaches think suit him best because of his size and dog-on-a-bone mentality when going after pucks. He can still give you something if you play him in offensive minutes, though. He loves shooting the puck and can weave away from defenders to create his own shot, not being too reliant on his linemates. Skilled enough to play on a scoring line, although probably not a game-breaker. St. Louis was an interesting landing spot for him because their top six is pretty set with rookie Jimmy Snuggerud likely taking one of the top wing spots. This puts Bjugstad at the 4C spot, which he can play but limits what he can do, especially with the Blues preferring to play physical forecheckers on the wings there. You shouldn’t expect much offence from Bjugstad if that’s the role he gets, but he is someone that could get power play time on the second unit and maybe spell in a top line winger spot in the event of injuries.

Pius Suter

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	20	22	42	0.53

Players like Suter are a testament to how you don’t always need the puck on your stick to be effective. He doesn’t take a lot of shots, but when he does, they’re from right in front of the goaltender because of how good he is at getting to rebounds. If he’s not shooting for a rebound, he’s shooting into an open net because of how good he is at breaking down coverages and getting to where the defence isn’t. He’s very responsible defensively and it makes a guy you can use all over the lineup. If your top line is struggling to keep the puck out of their own end, Suter is a guy you can put there for a few games to calm things down and get everyone playing a simpler game. He’s also someone who meshes with elite skill because of his strong off-puck play and how he prefers to play that way rather than being the quarterback. He also doesn’t need to play with elite linemates to produce, as we saw in Vancouver where he formed a great line with Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua, Garland doing most of the puck-handling on that unit. He’s someone every team should have, and the Blues are a nice spot for him as at least they don’t have to worry about their 3C spot while Suter is on the roster. They also have a lot of decent to strong puck-handlers that complement his offensive game well and he will make everyone around him better defensively.

Alex Texier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
65	12	16	28	0.43

It’s hard to believe Texier is only 25 years old considering he made his debut for the Blue Jackets in their historic playoff sweep over Tampa all the way back in 2019. The young Frenchman has traveled a lot of miles in his career and his first season outside of Columbus was a bit of rocky tenure. He only played 33 games, and they struggled to find a spot for him. He got a brief run alongside Pavel Buchnevich early in the season and became more of a part-time player shortly afterwards. Even as one of the more expensive depth players, Texier is somewhat of an awkward fit on the lower lines. He might provide more of a spark than Oskar Sundqvist, but the Blues prefer his size, he doesn’t have the same level of speed as Mathieu Joseph, and he doesn’t play with the same motor as a Nathan Walker or Alexey Toropchenko. Therefore, he got pigeonholed into the “top six or nothing” mindset and it was tough for the Blues to fit him in the lineup. He did see the ice in the playoffs, though and he showed he can fit into the checking style game even if scoring off the rush is his calling card. Still on the roster with a $2.1 million cap hit, the Blues will have to find a way to work him into a crowded roster or find him a home elsewhere. Texier has shown enough potential to be worth keeping around on the depth lines.

DEFENCE

Cam Fowler

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	10	36	46	0.58

The mid-season trade for Cam Fowler was a perfect marriage of a player looking for a change of scenery and a team needing a player like him. The longtime workhorse of the Anaheim blue line still has the cardio to play 25+ minutes a night, but the Ducks were looking to shift some of his responsibilities to their younger players and Fowler himself probably welcomed the reduced penalty killing duties and getting to play alongside a veteran in Colton Parayko. It was always hard to gauge his numbers in Anaheim, as they were one of the worst teams in the league for the past decade and they regularly bled chances and goals against while he was on the ice. This is despite Fowler being one of their most reliable breakout options, but his strength on zone exits would often lead to empty calorie plays, as they came at the end of long shifts. With the Blues, his on-ice stats did a complete 180 degree turn, as St. Louis owned over 60% of the five-on-five goals with him on the ice and his skillset proved to be complementary to their forward corps that looked to push the pace forward. You saw bits of the old Cam Fowler with him leading the rush, jumping into the play and hitting long stretch passes. The slight reduction in minutes combined with a better supporting cast helped out both parties. The question now is if this is the new normal or just the honeymoon phase after the trade.

Colton Parayko

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	12	29	41	0.51

Four years after lingering back issues had some questioning his career, Parayko has stayed mostly healthy since then. This year’s knee procedure being the first case of him missing time due to an injury. His size and mobility make him a favorite among coaches and scouts, a main reason why he is always on Team Canada’s tournament rosters. It wasn’t that long ago when you could consider him one of the league’s top defenceman, but that isn’t so much the case now that he’s 32. He’s still a heavy minute player for the Blues and holds his own in the defensive zone. Quick enough to keep up with top line forwards and he’s excellent at disrupting chances. Uses his stick well on the puck and keeps the front of the net clear incredibly well. Last season was somewhat of a turning point for him changing his defending style, no longer playing aggressive in the neutral zone and waiting for the puck carrier to come to him so he can kill the play along the wall rather than go for the big hit at the blue line. Getting Cam Fowler as his defence partner helped matters here, as Parayko had a more reliable option with getting the puck out of the zone and he could focus more on sealing plays along the wall with the breakout being taken care of. The one thing that could be considered a drawback to Parayko’s game is he likes to do everything, which includes carrying the puck and taking all the shots when he’s on the ice. He might not have the skillset to do the former, but he did get the results he wanted as a shooter, scoring a career high 16 goals, all but two of them coming at even strength. Repeating that will obviously be a challenge, but it’s also not what he’s primarily relied on for.

Philip Broberg

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	9	26	35	0.45

Broberg was the riskier of the two players St. Louis acquired from Edmonton via a double offer sheet. His first three years in Edmonton were spent with training wheels latched on whenever he got NHL action. You saw glimpses of what he could do in the Oilers first playoff run, but it was only a brief period, and he was still unproven as an NHLer. The bet St. Louis made paid off, as they immediately put Broberg in the top four and he didn’t look out of place all season. Where he shined the most was in the breakout game, excellent at using his skating to avoid pressure to get easy breakouts for the Blues to move the play forward. They let him play through his mistakes and he became the player they needed to become a staple in their top four. He also offered a bit of game-breaking skill with his ability to go coast-to-coast and while he’s not expected to score much, it’s a huge relief to their forwards who do most of the work in transition. It’s almost a perfect setup for the Blues offence because they’re a team that wants the forward taking most of the shots from close-range, so Broberg only has to be the guy to get them the puck in some way rather than taking 40-foot shots with no traffic in front. He doesn’t miss the net much either, generating a rebound or a scramble in front when he gets a shot through. The next step for him is seeing if he can break into the top pair, but the Blues have gotten plus value out of Broberg as it is.

Justin Faulk

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	6	26	32	0.42

Faulk is one of those players who sees his role change seemingly every year. Sometimes he’s your power play quarterback, other times he’s a defensive specialist who eats all the penalty kill minutes. You can argue that he’s miscast in this role because he also eats a lot of chances and goals against while he’s on the ice. He is one of those players who can play 20+ minutes without getting tired, but how effective they are in the role is up for debate. With Faulk it’s a quandary because he has a bomb of a shot from the point and he fills that rover role of a defenceman well with how he likes to creep in to get chances. His passing and erratic play with the puck, however, makes him an awkward fit there and it’s made the Blues second defence pair a revolving door forever. He found somewhat of a niche as Broberg’s partner, as a guy who can take hits and get the puck to his more skilled partner, but even that had shelf life as teams started zeroing in on him to throw the puck up the wall for turnovers. Teaming with Broberg did help somewhat clean up Faulk’s defensive play, as the two were able to keep their heads above water territorially when they were paired together. There isn’t a real challenger for Faulk’s spot yet, so he will remain in the top four until that changes.

GOAL

Joel Hofer

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
42	19	18	4	2	.902	2.72

It felt like old times to look at the St. Louis Blues depth chart and see the statistical similarities boasted last season by Joel Hofer and Jordan Binnington. As one of the league's early adopters of the true tandem, St. Louis has always seemed to thrive when they have two clear-cut options that give them a similar chance of winning night after night. And perhaps best of all, Hofer - one of the team's slightly overbaked success stories in their goaltending prospect history - was the slightly more reliable of the two, boding well for the team's future success when Binnington's current deal expires in 2027.

Hofer was the bright, shiny new addition during the 2023-24 season, when he and Binnington first burst onto the scene as the league's most 'Perfectly Serviceable Tandem' during a heartbreaking postseason miss for the Blues. It felt like a relief, then, to see him maintain his good performance this past year as well, particularly when the Blues managed to convert what he and Binnington had to offer into a surprise last-second playoff berth; it didn't yield a particularly deep postseason appearance, but it implies there's optimism to be had in the Midwest. Expect to see Hofer take on a little more responsibility this season, but don't expect him to take over completely; the Blues love a good partnership, and he and Binnington seem to complement one another perfectly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: CULLEN- 20 FANTASY POINTS – Protas’ breakout season, injury to McDavid, Nichushkin emerging, Cozens thriving in Ottawa, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 20:44:45 +0000

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Aliaksei Protas’ breakout season, an injury to Connor McDavid, Valeri Nichushkin emerging, Dylan Cozens thriving in Ottawa, and much more!

#1 Massive Washington Capitals winger Aliaksei Protas has exploded offensively this season, going from 29 points in 2023-2024 to 62 points (29 G, 33 A) in 69 games this season. He has 11 points (6 G, 5 A) in his past seven games and has recorded 57 of his 62 points at even strength. That ranks seventh in the entire league, putting him between sixth-place Nikita Kucherov and eighth-place Kyle Connor. Sidney Crosby ranks ninth. At even strength, Protas is skating on the top line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Alex Ovechkin, and while regression may be due for a player scoring on 22.5 percent of his shots and whose team scores on 14.7 percent of its shots at five-on-five when he is on the ice, that good fortune has been working in Protas’ favor all season.

#2 The Edmonton Oilers will be treading carefully following a possible lower-body injury to Connor McDavid, suffered Thursday night against Winnipeg. McDavid’s absence would obviously be a big deal for the Oilers, but especially in the short term as Leon Draisaitl did not play Thursday and is considered day-to-day as well. The best case for the Oilers is that, in the event that McDavid needs to miss some time, Draisaitl will soon be ready to return to action. If not, then the Oilers will likely need to run Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Adam Henrique in their top two centre slots while their superstars are on the mend.

#3 Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin has had issues staying in the lineup, whether due to injury or suspension, in recent years, but he has also established that he can be a force to be reckoned with when he plays. In his past seven games, Nichushkin has nine points (6 G, 3 A) with 18 shots on goal. He is getting first unit power play time and skates alongside Brock Nelson and Jonathan Drouin at even strength.

#4 The past couple of seasons had been relatively difficult for Dylan Cozens, who had busted out with 68 points (31 G, 37 A) during the 2022-2023 season, but he dropped to 47 points (18 G, 29 A) in 68 games last season and had 31 points (11 G, 20 A) in 61 games with the Sabres this season before he was traded to the Ottawa Senators. Since joining the Sens, Cozens has six points (3 G, 3 A) with 20 shots on goal in seven games. His production is improving despite playing less – his ice time dropping from 17:13 to 15:23 per game – thanks in part to better percentages, scoring on 15.0 percent of his shots and 14.0 percent on-ice shooting percentage.

#5 Top scorers since the trade deadline among those players who changed teams: Brandon Saad (3 G, 3 A in 7 GP), Cody Glass (2 G, 3 A in 6 GP), Dylan Cozens (2 G, 3 A in 6 GP), Mark Jankowski (4 G, 0 A, in 5 GP), Mikael Granlund (3 G, 1 A in 6 GP), Mikko Rantanen (2 G, 2 A in 6 GP), Brock Nelson (2 G, 2 A in 7 GP), Martin Necas (2 G, 2 A in 7 GP), Connor Timmins (1 G, 3 A in 5 GP), Yanni Gourde (0 G, 4 A in 6 GP), Cody Ceci (0 G, 4 A in 6 GP), J.T. Miller (0 G, 4 A in 8 GP); Marcus Pettersson (0 G, 4 A in 8 GP).

#6 San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini has enjoyed a fantastic first season, even if the Sharks’ season has still been a struggle. In his past 20 games, Celebrini has 18 points (8 G, 10 A) which is great, but it’s very encouraging that he has 76 shots on goal in that time. That shot rate practically ensures continued production. The only players averaging better than 3.80 shots on goal per game across the full season are David Pastrnak, Nathan MacKinnon, and Brady Tkachuk. One other statistical edge for Celebrini: he has blocked 19 shots on those 20 games. There are only a handful of centres (Elias Pettersson, Vincent Trocheck, Adam Henrique, Auston Matthews, and Ryan Poehling) who have blocked a shot per game across the full season, so Celebrini offers rare contributions at both ends of the rink.

#7 It is likely too soon for a full-throated recommendation of Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dylan Samberg, because he doesn’t have a power play role, but he does have 10 points (3 G, 7 A) and 46 blocked shots in his past 20 games while he is averaging more than 22 minutes of ice time per game. For a Jets team that leads the league with a goal differential of +78, merely playing a significant role on the blueline can offer potential value, at least for managers in deeper fantasy leagues.

#8 St. Louis Blues veteran defenceman Justin Faulk has seen his offensive production tick up recently, recording seven points (1 G, 6 A) in his past seven games. Faulk is quarterbacking the Blues’ second power play unit and 12 of his 29 points this season have come via the man advantage. That is his most power play points in a season since 2017-2018 when he was playing for the Carolina Hurricanes.

#9 The third pick in the 2021 Draft, Anaheim Ducks centre Mason McTavish has rounded into form in the second half of the season. He has put up 24 points (12 G, 12 A) in his past 23 games and is now skating between Trevor Zegras and Brett Leason. The Ducks have shuffled their lines over time, so this is a newer combination, but it has not mattered much to McTavish, as he has been in a scoring groove for a couple of months. Another promising development for the Ducks is that Leo Carlsson, the second pick in the 2023 Draft, has picked up his production, too. In 15 games since the 4 Nations Face Off, Carlsson has 14 points (7 G, 7 A). In addition to joining McTavish on the Ducks’ top power play, Carlsson is skating on a line at even strength with rookie Cutter Gauthier and veteran Alex Killorn.

#10 After all the hype around Mikko Rantanen’s arrival, and then departure, from Carolina, left winger Taylor Hall has been overshadowed, but he has started to find his footing. After a slow start when he joined the Hurricanes, Hall has started to rally, with six points (2 G, 4 A) in his past six games. He is getting a shot on the ‘Canes top power play unit but has just three power play points all season. Nevertheless, that is quality ice time and Hall is making the most of his time skating on a line with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jack Roslovic.

#11 There are three Vancouver Canucks with 20 or more goals this season: Jake DeBrusk, Brock Boeser, and…Pius Suter. Suter, the Swiss centre, has tallied eight points (6 G, 2 A) in his past 11 games, vaulting him to a new career high with 20 goals and, with 34 points, he is two points off of his previous career high. He is centering the Canucks’ second line, between DeBrusk and Kiefer Sherwood. Staying in Vancouver, winger Nils Hoglander has climbed the depth chart to skate on Elias Petterson’s wing and Hoglander has delivered seven points (1 G, 6 A) in his past seven games.

#12 Some hidden value for fantasy managers can be found with defensive defencemen who add some offense, in addition to their other statistical contributions. Seattle Kraken blueliner Adam Larsson, for example, has 10 points (3 G, 7 A) in his past 14 games and since Larsson also has consistently delivered hits (88) and blocked shots (126), he has value for fantasy managers.

#13 Utah Hockey Club netminder Karel Vejmelka has stepped up with his best season in his fourth NHL campaign. In his past 13 games, he has a record of 8-3-2 and has .909 save percentage. With Connor Ingram taking a leave from the team, the Utah Hockey Club’s push for the playoffs is going to depend heavily on Vejmelka.

#14 The Ottawa Senators have been the second highest scoring team in March, with 3.76 goals per 60 minutes (ranking only behind the Colorado Avalanche at 3.96 GF/60) and the Sens are now a rising tide that lifts all boats. While Jake Sanderson, Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, and Drake Batherson are leading the way offensively, there are others who are more widely available. In his past 10 games, Michael Amadio has eight points (5 G, 3 A) with 14 shots on goal and veteran winger David Perron has contributed six points (3 G, 3 A) with seven shots on goal in his past eight games. Neither one has a shot rate that suggests they can maintain this production, but it is worth keeping them on your fantasy radar.

#15 It has been a breakthrough season for Columbus Blue Jackets enforcer Mathieu Olivier, which earned him a contract extension. The 28-year-old winger has five points (4 G, 1 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past six games, giving him 26 points (16 G, 10 A) for the season. With 120 penalty minutes and 258 hits, Olivier is a banger league star and he’s playing top nine minutes, which makes it more likely that he will remain productive enough to hold that value.

#16 As the Buffalo Sabres have shuffled their lines, centre Ryan McLeod has moved into the second line centre role and is thriving with more offensive responsibility. In his past 16 games, McLeod has put up 12 points (5 G, 7 A) with 22 shots on goal while playing nearly 19 minutes per game. He has Jordan Greenway and Jason Zucker on his wings and McLeod has career highs in goals (16) and points (38).

#17 With Jack Hughes out for the rest of the season, the New Jersey Devils were looking for help down the middle of the ice and picked up Cody Glass from the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has had an immediate impact for the Devils, scoring five points (2 G, 3 A) in six games, logging nearly 15 minutes per game. He is centering a line with Erik Haula and Daniel Sprong on his wings. It’s an interesting line, with three players who have sufficient skill to score, but who have also bounced around the league quite a bit, so it will be interesting to see if Glass can maintain this level of production.

#18 Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev continues to make his mark as a finisher. In his past six games, Dorofeyev has put up eight points (6 G, 2 A) with 21 shots on goal. That shot rate is very encouraging and Dorofeyev is getting first unit power play time in addition to skating on a line with veterans Brandon Saad and Tomas Hertl. Dorofeyev ranks 12th (minimum 500 minutes) with 9.77 shots on goal per 60 minutes of five-on-five play.

#19 Colorado Avalanche winger Ross Colton had a 14-game scoring drought but has since snapped out of it in a big way, with 11 points (2 G, 9 A) and 21 shots on goal in his past 11 games. That flurry of assists has weakened Colton’s Cy Young case, as he now has 15 goals and 12 assists for the season but has 13 goals and three assists before suddenly turning playmaker.

#20 The leaders in five-on-five expected goals per 60 minutes (minimum 500 minutes): Zach Hyman (1.31), Auston Matthews (1.22), Barrett Hayton (1.17), Jeff Skinner (1.15), Brady Tkachuk (1.12), Anders Lee (1.11), Warren Foegele (1.06), Filip Chytil (1.05), Connor McMichael (1.05), Bryan Rust (1.05), and Sean Monahan (1.05). Some of these names are to be expected, because Matthews generates a lot of shots while Hyman, Tkachuk, and Lee tend to have a lot of in-close opportunities. It’s intriguing to see players like Hayton, Skinner, Foegele, and Chytil among the leaders because it does suggest that they could deliver more production at even strength. At the very least, maybe the Oilers could keep Skinner in the lineup to see if those scoring chances can eventually pay off.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Avalanche overhaul goaltending, Bedard heating up, Wright establishing himself, Montreal’s power play more dangerous with Hutson feeding Laine, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 17:05:50 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - DECEMBER 07: Patrik Laine (92) of the Montreal Canadiens skates during the third period of the NHL game between the Washington Capitals and the Montreal Canadiens on Dec 07 2024, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I’ll dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, the Avalanche have overhauled their goaltending, Connor Bedard is heating up, Shane Wright is establishing himself, Montreal’s power play is more dangerous with Lane Hutson feeding Patrik Laine, and much more!

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

#1 Give the Colorado Avalanche credit. They saw the direction that their goaltending was heading this season and decided that an abrupt change of course was necessary. In two separate deals, the Avs acquired Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators, and then landed Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks. Blackwood becomes immediately more intriguing from a fantasy perspective because he will play for an Avalanche team that is more likely to win than the Sharks squad from which he departs. Blackwood had a .909 save percentage and 5.10 Goals Saved Above Expected in 19 games for San Jose. His play has been uneven since a strong rookie campaign in 2019-2020, but playing for Colorado is a prime opportunity for 28-year-old Blackwood to achieve his potential.

#2 Going to San Jose as part of the deal, in addition to slumping goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, is rookie winger Nikolai Kovalenko. The 25-year-old’s ice time was dwindling in Colorado, where he had eight points (4 G, 4 A) in 29 games but, in his Sharks debut, Kovalenko was dropped onto the left side of San Jose’s top line, with Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli, and Kovalenko contributed three assists in Thursday’s 4-3 win at St. Louis. At this point, Kovalenko would only be a consideration in deep leagues, but if he can stick with Celebrini, he could become much more appealing in a hurry.

#3 It has been a trying season for Chicago Blackhawks centre Connor Bedard, the first pick in the 2023 Draft who had a stellar rookie campaign in 2023-2024. Through 21 games, he had 15 points, but just three goals and 55 shots on goal, which is not enough for a player with his considerable offensive gifts. In the past eight games, though, Bedard has contributed nine points (3 G, 6 A) with 18 shots on goal. Perhaps this is the beginning of a turnaround for Chicago’s franchise player, though more shots would still be ideal.

#4 Seattle Kraken centre Shane Wright has not had the easiest time since he was the fourth pick in the 2022 Draft, struggling just to get into the NHL lineup. He appears to be hitting his stride now, however. In his past 10 games, Wright has delivered 11 points (6 G, 5 A), though with just 14 shots on goal. Obviously, that shot rate is not high enough to sustain that kind of production, but as the points start to accumulate, Wright’s ice time goes up. He has played more than 14 minutes in six of those 10 games after crossing that threshold twice in his first 18 games.

#5 A healthy Patrik Laine has finally joined the Montreal Canadiens, and the early returns are encouraging. His all-around game still needs plenty of work to get up to speed, but he does one very important thing very well and that is shoot the puck. In five games, Laine has scored three goals, all on the power play, and added one assist at even strength. He is one of the rare players who can score clean goals from distance, so Montreal should give him linemates that are focused on getting Laine opportunities to shoot the puck. He has 12 shots on goal in five games, which is okay, but could be better.

#6 One of the players who is doing a fine job getting Laine the puck is Canadiens rookie defenceman Lane Hutson, who has assists on all three of Laine’s goals. Hutson did not find the scoresheet in Thursday’s 9-2 loss to Pittsburgh, snapping a seven-game point streak during which he contributed eight assists. He has played an average of 22:49 per game, which puts him more than three minutes per game ahead of any other rookie defenceman (Philadelphia’s Emil Andrae is averaging 19:26 time on ice per game). In any case, Hutson is playing a lot and with some accomplished shooters on the Canadiens roster, should be in position to keep producing points from the blueline.

#7 When the St. Louis Blues signed Dylan Holloway to an offer sheet in the offseason, it was with the expectation that the former Edmonton Oilers winger would have a bigger role with his new team. While that was indeed happening, Holloway’s production has been super-charged since the Blues made a coaching change, bringing in Jim Montgomery to replace Drew Bannister. In eight games with Montgomery behind the bench, Holloway has put up 11 points (6 G, 5 A) and 26 shots on goal while averaging 16:27 of ice time per game. For a player who had averaged just 10:21 of ice time in 89 games for the Oilers, this increase in role and production has been substantial.

#8 Utah Hockey club centre Logan Cooley is building on what was a promising rookie season in 2023-2024. In his past 10 games, Cooley has produced 12 points (4 G, 8 A) with 20 shots on goal. He forms a brilliant combination with Dylan Guenther, who has 14 points (5 G, 9 A) and 21 shots on goal in the past 10 games. Guenther is up to 28 points (12 G, 16 A) in 29 games for the season. Both young forwards have great potential and are already at the point of providing fantasy value.

#9 Although it seems that his career has been on a straight downward trajectory since arriving in Calgary, Flames left winger Jonathan Huberdeau is currently riding a six-game point streak, during which he has nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 14 shots on goal. Huberdeau has 11 goals and 10 assists for the season, which is a highly unusual goal-to-assist ratio. Last season, for example, he scored 12 goals and had 40 assists and 2017-2018 was the last season in which he had less than twice as many assists as goals.

#10 When the Chicago Blackhawks signed 6-foot-6 defenceman Alex Vlasic to a contract extension in the offseason, it was an indication that he would play a big role on the blueline for the foreseeable future. Vlasic can already play in a shutdown role, but he is starting to contribute offensively, too. With Seth Jones injured, Vlasic is quarterbacking the Blackhawks’ top power play unit and has six points (2 G, 4 A) with 20 shots on goal while playing more than 24 minutes per game in his past seven games.

#11 After tallying three points against the Blackhawks on Thursday, New York Islanders right winger Simon Holmstrom has continued to elevate his game in his third NHL season. Since Mathew Barzal was injured at the end of October, Holmstrom has seen his ice time go up and so has his production. In the past 21 games, Holmstrom has played more than 17 minutes per game, leading to him scoring 16 points (8 G, 8 A) with 29 shots on goal. In deep leagues, that just might be worth consideration.

#12 As mediocre as the Pittsburgh Penguins have been this season, there is some value to be found with their veteran wingers. Bryan Rust has been a reliable contributor for the Penguins over the years and in his past eight games, he has 12 points (7 G, 5 A) with 28 shots on goal. Skating on Sidney Crosby’s wing does tend to bring opportunities. Rickard Rakell is skating on the other wing of Pittsburgh’s top line, and in that eight-game span, Rakell has 10 points (6 G, 4 A) with 22 shots on goal. The Penguins have also won six of those eight games, so there are some signs of progress coinciding with more reliable production from some of their top players.

#13 A big offseason signing for the Seattle Kraken, centre Chandler Stephenson did not have a great start with his new team, managing one goal and 10 points in his first 19 games. In the past 11 games, he has 11 points (2 G, 9 A) but he also has just 10 shots on goal in that time and is getting buried during five-on-five play. Stephenson does have a spot on the Kraken’s top power play unit, though, and has scored 11 of his 21 points this season with the man advantage.

#14 Washington Capitals right winger Aliaksei Protas is really coming into his own. He scored 29 points last season but managed just six goals in 78 games, so his offensive contributions weren’t fully realized, but that’s changing. He has eight points (4 G, 4 A) in his past seven games, but it’s important to note that this production has been going on all season as he has 26 points (11 G, 15 A) in 28 games. The 6-foot-6 winger is proving to be more than merely a complementary piece.

#15 The leading goal scorer among defencemen, on a per-game basis (minimum 20 games played), is the Capitals’ Jakob Chychrun, who has eight goals (and 10 assists) in 23 games. This is not entirely unusual for Chychrun. Since 2019-2020, he ranks fifth in goals per game among defensemen (minimum 200 games), behind Cale Makar, Roman Josi, Zach Werenski, and Dougie Hamilton. The issue for Chychrun, frequently, has been staying healthy, as last season was the first time in his career that he played more than 70 games in a season.

#16 Vancouver Canucks centre Pius Suter has been a valuable complementary piece, particularly while the Canucks were missing J.T. Miller recently. Since the beginning of November, Suter has 14 points (9 G, 5 A) with 39 shots on goal in 19 games. Skating on a line with Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua, there is the chance for consistent even strength production to continue. Suter is tied for 16th in the league with 10 even strength goals.

#17 Coming off a career-best season, during which he scored 37 goals and 60 points, Anaheim Ducks winger Frank Vatrano has had a more difficult time of it this season. He has 14 points (7 G, 7 A) in 27 games but does have 93 shots on goal and that high shot rate is a reason for hope and it is trending in the right direction. In his past nine games, Vatrano has seven points (5 G, 2 A) with 37 shots on goal and players that are putting four shots on goal per game tend to find goals and points, too.

#18 Despite playing very little (11:21 ATOI per game) Penguins centre Blake Lizotte has been surprisingly productive, with 10 points (6 G, 4 A) in 15 games. He has scored on 35.3 percent of his shots, which is unsustainable for anyone, but especially a player who typically scores on 10 percent of his shots. Among players that have appeared in at least 10 games, Lizotte ranks 11th with 1.61 goals per game during five-on-five play. Skating on Lizotte’s wing, Michael Bunting is raising his level, too, putting up seven points (3 G, 4 A) with 15 shots on goal in the past six games.

#19 Pittsburgh’s improved play is bringing better results from goaltender Tristan Jarry, who has typically been an above average goaltender in his career, but not so much this season. In his first three games, Jarry had a .836 save percentage, which is virtually unplayable for a team with playoff aspirations, so the Penguins didn’t play him for a month, and since he has returned, he has a .896 save percentage in nine games. That’s not enough to get excited, but if the Penguins keep winning, their goaltender could still offer potential value.

#20 With Connor Ingram out with an upper-body injury, the Utah Hockey Club has been fortunate enough to have Karel Vejmelka step up his game. In his past 13 games, Vejmelka has a .923 save percentage, posting a 5-5-2 record. His track record does not necessarily track with this level of play, but fantasy managers could do worse than to take a shot on a goaltender that is running hot.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Team Preview

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 16:00:37 +0000

_{VANCOUVER, BC - NOVEMBER 06: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) waits for a face-off during an NHL game against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena on November 6, 2023 in Vancouver, B.C. (Photo by Ethan Cairns/Icon Sportswire)}

After managing just 83 points during the 2022-2023 season, the Canucks did not have great expectations going into the 2023-2024 campaign. However, the Canucks ultimately won the Pacific Division, accumulating 109 points (50-23-9). The Canucks were the beneficiaries of lofty percentages last season. During five-on-five play, Vancouver scored on 10.6% of its shots, the highest mark in the league. To their credit, the Canucks ranked seventh in both Corsi (52.8%) and expected goals percentage (53.2%), so the underlying numbers were positive indicators before the Canucks turned into such highly efficient finishers. The Vancouver power play ranked 12th with 8.18 goals per 60 minutes while the penalty killing unit ranked 19th with 7.64 goals against per 60 minutes. There is not much to be gained from those special teams results, so the Canucks enjoyed their success because of a strong possession game coupled with league-best finishing around the net.

WHAT’S CHANGED? The Canucks shuffled the deck this offseason, while keeping the core intact. They traded Ilya Mikheyev to Chicago to shed salary and moved the rights to Sam Lafferty in that same deal, though Lafferty ultimately signed with Buffalo. Players that the Canucks acquired last season moved on as free agents. Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm both landed in Boston and Anthony Beauvillier signed in Pittsburgh. Defenceman Ian Cole signed with Utah and goaltender Casey DeSmith landed in Dallas. With all those bodies leaving, the Canucks signed left wingers Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen from Boston, as well as right wingers Daniel Sprong from Detroit and Kiefer Sherwood from Nashville. On defence, the Canucks inked Derek Forbort from Boston and Vincent Desharnais from Edmonton.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? After finishing in first place in the Pacific Division and taking the Edmonton Oilers to seven games in the second round, success will look different for the Canucks in 2024-2025. While they are prime candidates to experience regression from that lofty shooting percentage, they are going to have expectations that they will not only make the playoffs but at least win a round and maybe more. To have that kind of success, they will likely need to have their stars play like stars – Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, and Thatcher Demko were all excellent last season, driving the team’s results.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? The most glaring concern for the Canucks could be that they just stop scoring so easily. The Canucks scored on 10.6% of their shots during five-on-five play which was about two percent higher than league average. That would have a ripple effect throughout the lineup as players like Miller, Hughes, and Pettersson would all face uphill fights to maintain the same level of production. An injury to Hughes would pose a problem on a Vancouver defence that is not long on puck-moving talent, but Hughes has also been very durable, so it’s not like he should be expected to miss time.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Even though he scored 24 goals last season, Nils Hoglander is still a bona fide breakout candidate for the Canucks. Hoglander had a strong season, which included scoring on 20% of his shots on goal, which is not likely to carry over to a new season. On the other hand, Hoglander played just over 12 minutes per game last season and appears to be ticketed for a bigger role in 2024-2025. He could very well start on the left side of a line with J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser, and while it’s easy to say that Hoglander’s shooting percentage will come down, it’s just as easy to say that he will play more than 12 minutes per game in 2024-25. Getting more minutes, potentially with more skilled linemates, opens up Hoglander to having a bigger impact this season.

Forwards

Elias Pettersson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	40	59	99	1.21

Across the past two seasons, Pettersson has accumulated 191 points, which ranks tenth in the National Hockey League. Pettersson is a cerebral player who does not depend on physicality but always knows where to be on the ice and is ready to shoot when the opportunity presents itself. Pettersson has a terrific shot and can score from distance using a wrist shot or a one-timer, particularly on the power play. It is not easy to beat NHL goaltenders cleanly on a shot from distance, but Pettersson can do it, so allowing him the time and space to unleash that cannon is a bad decision from those defending against the Canucks centre. Pettersson delivers consistently strong possession numbers, and the Canucks have outscored the opposition every season during five-on-five play with Pettersson on the ice. Last season, they outscored the opposition 67-47 with Pettersson on the ice. He also showed marked improvement in the faceoff circle, winning 50.8 percent of his draws. It was the first season of Pettersson’s career that he won more than 45.0 percent of his faceoffs. He also recorded a career-high 125 hits and can surprise opponents when he suddenly steps into them with more authority. That seems to indicate a little more edge to Pettersson’s play and that should serve him well. He’s a finesse player and a really good one, but it helps if he can carve out more space to maneuver on the ice. Petterson has been able to stay healthy, missing a total of four games across the past three seasons, and has established that he can produce at better than a point-per-game clip. Looking ahead to 2024-2025, Pettersson should be able to score 35 goals and 85-90 points.

J.T. Miller

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	34	64	98	1.20

After years of inconsistency, particularly on the defensive end, Miller set career highs with 37 goals and 103 points last season. He won 56.3 percent of his faceoffs and took 1,461 draws, the ninth-highest total in the league. Miller is a physically strong player who has grown increasingly comfortable using his size to add a physical presence. He has reached 200 hits in each of the past two seasons, and his 284 points across the past three seasons ranks tenth in the NHL, while his 108 power play points in that time ranks eighth. A centre that wins faceoffs, hits, and puts up elite point totals, Miller is one of the top players in the game when healthy. He has also not been caught dogging it on backchecks, an indiscretion that would creep into his game from time to time. Miller had an epic productive season in 2023-2024 while playing 19:29 per game, his lowest average time on ice since arriving in Vancouver for the 2019-2020 season. The 31-year-old is still going strong and should be counted on to score 30-35 goals and 90 points for Vancouver. On his way to a career-best scoring season in 2023-2024, Miller depended on a shooting percentage of 19.1 percent and an on-ice shooting percentage of 13.0 percent. It is highly unlikely that Miller can hit those thresholds again in 2024-2025.

Brock Boeser

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	35	30	65	0.81

As the 2022-2023 season concluded, it looked like Boeser might have played his last game for the Canucks. They stuck with him, though, and were rewarded in a big way last season, when he set career high with 40 goals and 73 points. He followed that up with seven goals and 12 points in a dozen playoff games. That was the best season of his career. Boeser scored on 19.6 percent of his shots, easily the best mark of his career, so regression on the goal-scoring front seems inevitable, but that is expected. He had never scored 30 goals in a season before busting out for 40 last season. Boeser has good hands and goal-scorers instincts, but he does not generate a ton of shots and that can cause his goal-scoring to fluctuate, depending on what percentage of his shots beat the goalie. Boeser spent most of last season skating alongside Miller but the third member of their line rotated. Pettersson, Phil Di Giuseppe, Pius Suter, and Nils Hoglander all played more than 200 five-on-five minutes with Boeser. While Boeser figures to remain with Miller, Hoglander might have the inside track to play with them in 2024-2025. No matter who ends up in that spot, Boeser should deliver offence, and it would be reasonable to expect 30 goals and 60 points.

Jake DeBrusk

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	32	28	60	0.73

Vancouver’s big free agent addition in the summer, DeBrusk has filled a complementary role in Boston for much of his career, finishing with between 40 and 50 points in five of his seven NHL seasons. In 2022-2023, DeBrusk set career highs with 27 goals and 50 points in just 64 games, and part of the reason for that success is that he was shooting the puck, finishing with a career-high 2.98 shots on goal per game. He is never going to be an intimidating presence like his father, but DeBrusk did record a career-high 107 hits last season. Goal scoring can be fickle, though. In DeBrusk’s case, he had one goal in his first 16 games last season, had one goal in another 15-game stretch, then had one goal in the last 10 games of the regular season. He then went on to tally five goals and 11 points in 13 playoff games. In Vancouver, the objective should be to get DeBrusk consistently into position to shoot and it looks like he could start the season skating with Elias Pettersson, who is more than capable of distributing the puck. That would give him a great chance to surpass his previous production. With skilled players around him, DeBrusk should have a chance to deliver 25 goals and 50 points in his first season with the Canucks.

Conor Garland

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	22	29	51	0.62

A small but scrappy winger, Garland has been very consistent, ranging between 39 and 52 points over the past five seasons. He uses his speed to drive play and, in three seasons with the Canucks, Garland’s team has outscored the opposition by 45 goals when he is on the ice during five-on-five play. Under the radar, Garland also had a terrific defensive season in 2023-2024. Among forwards who played at least 500 five-on-five minutes, only eight had a lower rate of shot attempts against per 60 minutes, and six of those eight were Carolina Hurricanes. It was really a superb season, and while Garland has typically had positive possession numbers and strong goal differentials, his 2023-2024 season was dominant, the kind of underlying numbers that a player should strive to achieve, because it makes the eventual on-ice results more sustainable. Full credit to Garland for putting this season together, skating primarily with Teddy Blueger and Dakota Joshua, on a third line that outscored opponents 21-10 during five-on-five play. With that trio still in the fold, the Canucks will likely let them carry on doing their thing. Garland has established what his baseline for production is and he should be able to continue at that level in 2024-2025, picking up 15-20 goals and 45-50 points.

Danton Heinen

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	18	17	35	0.45

Signed as a free agent from Boston, Heinen has bounced around quite a bit in his career. It seems that he ends up being an odd fit because he tends to play in the bottom six and does not offer the physicality that many coaches want out of a winger in the bottom six. Even so, Heinen finished last season with 17 goals and 36 points, his second highest totals in both categories. He also had 28 penalty minutes, the first time in his career that he finished a season with more than 16 penalty minutes. Heinen has good hands and does a nice job finding soft spots in the attacking zone. One of the benefits of having a player like Heinen playing lower on the depth chart is that he is entirely capable of moving up when needed, because he has the required skill to skate alongside talented linemates. Last season, in Boston, his most common linemates were David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha, but Trent Frederic, Charlie Coyle, Morgan Geekie, and Jake DeBrusk all played more than 150 minutes with Heinen, and three more forwards landed between 100 and 150 minutes. That versatility can help the team but may not set Heinen up for a lofty projection because it means uncertainty about the impact that his role is expected to have on the Canucks season. A reasonable projection for 2024-2025 would see Heinen notch 15 goals and 30-35 points.

Dakota Joshua

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	17	16	33	0.43

As a pending free agent last season, Joshua was starting to draw interest from other NHL teams and why not? The 6-foot-3 forward had already established his physical presence and had more than 200 hits for the second straight season, but he also set career highs with 18 goals and 32 points despite playing in just 63 games. He added another eight points in 13 playoff games, so it was no wonder that the Canucks did what they needed to do in order to keep Joshua. While there are plenty of positives to Joshua’s game, his statistical step forward was heavily dependent on lofty percentages. He scored on 21.4 percent of his shots on goal, after finishing on 13.5 percent of his shots in 121 games over the previous three seasons. He is a big-bodied forward who can be a net front presence, and those players tend to have higher shooting percentages, but he is still unlikely to duplicate 21 percent. He also had an on-ice shooting percentage of 10.1 percent, which is high, but six Canucks forwards had higher on-ice shooting percentages last season – that was part of the reason for Vancouver’s success. If Joshua can continue to have success with Blueger and Garland, that should include 15 goals and 30 points in 2024-2025.

Pius Suter

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	13	14	27	0.36

The Canucks signed Suter last August, so there were modest expectations placed upon him and he probably delivered about what they could have expected, scoring 14 goals and 29 points in 67 games. Suter had a spectacular defensive campaign, with solid defensive metrics, but he also had a .940 on-ice save percentage so the Canucks outscored opponents 39-20 with Suter on the ice. Even with that lopsided goal differential, Suter is generally a low-key player. He is on the smaller side and skates well enough but is not outstanding at any one thing. It’s more a case of him being solid at a variety of parts to his game and he happened to thrive on good fortune last season, with his PDO at 104.8. It does appear that Suter could be on the fourth line this season, though he will likely compete with Blueger for ice time in the bottom half of the Canucks’ depth chart at centre. Suter did have a handful of power play points last season which earns him some credit for his skill level. For the 2024-2025 season, it is fair to expect Suter to contribute 15 goals and 30 points, which is not going to get him much fantasy relevance, but he has had spurts that could make him a viable short-term pick during the season, especially if he lands on the power play.

Nils Hoglander

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	15	20	35	0.43

There have been ups and downs in the development path of Hoglander, a 23-year-old winger, but last season was a clear step up for him. He finished the season with career highs of 24 goals and 36 points, despite playing just 12:06 per game. How rare was that production? Auston Matthews and Zach Hyman were the only two players with a higher rate of goals per 60 minutes than Hoglander’s 1.58 last season. While Hoglander is not the biggest guy on the ice, he is solidly built and plays an aggressive physical style. He recorded 100 hits last season for the first time in his career and taking that aggressive approach on the forecheck helped to generate more chances. Like many Canucks forwards, Hoglander faces likely regression in 2024-2025 because it is so rare to carry a 104.8 PDO for more than one season. What he has going for him is that he could also add a decent amount of ice time to help offset the likely statistical settling. Hoglander has a chance to play at least in Vancouver’s top six, potentially even on the top line, so he should be looking at the most productive season of his career. Hoglander should be able to top the 20-goal mark again and could put up the first 40-point season of his career.

Daniel Sprong

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	15	20	35	0.45

A rare commodity, Sprong has found a niche as a fourth line scoring winger, finding the net with incredible efficiency last season in Detroit and the year before that in Seattle. Across the past two seasons, there have been 373 forwards who have played at least 1000 five-on-five minutes. Of that group, Sprong ranked ninth with 1.26 goals per 60 minutes. He is in great company, including Auston Matthews, David Pastrnak, Jared McCann, Nathan MacKinnon, Brayden Point, Filip Forsberg, Nils Hoglander, and Carter Verhaeghe are ahead of him, while Zach Hyman is one spot behind. Sprong has always had a dangerous shot, but the battle has been getting him to deliver a well-rounded game that can earn him more significant ice time. The interesting choice facing the Canucks is what to do with Sprong. Do they give him a chance to play more minutes higher up the depth chart? Probably, yes. But they might just be able to roll him out in a fourth line role and still get the kind of production that he has delivered for the past two seasons. It is fair to expect 15-20 goals and 35-40 points from Sprong, with the caveat that if his ice time gets a substantial boost, then his ceiling for offensive production will get higher.

DEFENCE

Quinn Hughes

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	15	75	90	1.13

The reigning Norris Trophy winner exploded for career highs of 17 goals, 75 assists, and 92 points last season. An exceptional skater, Hughes has always been an offensive threat, but his all-around game could be underrated, at least until he was named the league’s best defenceman. Among the 138 defencemen to play at least 1000 five-on-five minutes last season, only four had a lower rate of shot attempts against than Hughes. But Hughes really stands out as a puck moving defender who can turn a quick transition opportunity into an attack. While Hughes has acceleration and great edges that allow him to change direction quickly, the game also appears to have slowed down for him, so that he is processing it better than he did early in his career. Additionally, Hughes was more assertive offensively last season, taking more shots and generating more scoring chances than he ever had before. Essentially, he didn’t arrive at his career high in points by accident. Such is the natural evolution of an elite talent entering the prime of his career. Hughes is an excellent power play quarterback. Over the past three seasons, his 96 power play assists paced all defencemen and his 103 power play points left him tied with Cale Makar. It might be asking a lot for Hughes to duplicate his 2023-2024 production, especially considering he had a career-high on-ice shooting percentage of 12.1 percent last season, but he is probably not falling off a cliff in terms of productivity, either. He should still have a chance to push a point per game, with an 80-point season provided that he remains healthy, which has been a relative strength of his, not missing more than six games in any season.

Filip Hronek

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	8	37	45	0.56

Hronek had established his credentials as a top pair NHL defencemen in Detroit and yet the Red Wings still moved him to Vancouver before the 2023 trade deadline. Hronek only played four games for the Canucks that season before he needed shoulder surgery, so they didn’t really get a good look at him. Last season, Hronek paired frequently with Hughes and the duo excelled. Obviously, Hughes got the accolades, but Hronek put up a career-best 48 points along with excellent play driving numbers while logging more than 23 minutes per game. Hronek has excellent puck skills, can make a good pass and owns a rocket shot from the point. He also handles the puck well and it makes him a strong complement to Hughes. On this pairing, Hronek is also the one tasked with more stay-at-home responsibilities, and while he is not a devastating physical force, he is comfortable getting involved and has gone over 100 hits in back-to-back seasons. Signed to an eight-year contract, for $58 million, Hronek has long-term security in Vancouver and as the partner to the Norris Trophy winner, he is poised to be a valuable piece on the Vancouver blueline for years. So long as he stays healthy, Hronek should be able to contribute 45 points to the Vancouver attack in 2024-2025.

Tyler Myers

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	4	21	25	0.32

For many years, Myers took criticism for all of the things that he wasn’t, as he was not an effective play-driving defenceman making him big money, but the value in Myers now is based on a more reasonable contract that brings more reasonable expectations. At 6-foot-8, Myers is not a crushing physical presence, but skates extraordinarily well for a player of that size. That can get short-circuited by poor decision making at times and that’s why Myers had brought more appeal in a secondary role. He chipped in 29 points last season, his highest total since 2018-2019 and he did that while starting more of his shifts in the defensive zone. Now 34-years-old, Myers has finally reached the point of lower expectations. He played 18:57 per game in 2023-2024, the lowest average time on ice of his career, and it was only the second time in his career that he surpassed 100 his and 100 blocked shots in the same season. That does not put Myers in a very valuable place for fantasy managers but given the other alternatives in Vancouver, Myers picking up 20-25 points with triple digit hits and blocked shots might hold a little appeal in deep leagues.

GOAL

Thatcher Demko

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
56	33	16	6	4	0.915	2.51

It only took them the better part of a decade, but Canada's westernmost NHL club has finally seemed to have arrived - and leading the charge is none other than Thatcher Demko, who spent the 2023-24 season reminding the league that he belongs in the conversation with the Connor Hellebuycks and the Jeremy Swaymans, the Igor Shesterkins and the Andrei Vasilevskiys. His 0.918 unadjusted save percentage was bested only by Hellebuyck's own 0.921 among starters with more than 30 games last year, and his five shutouts helped a tumultuous Vancouver club finally start to find some even footing.

The real concern for Vancouver remains their number two spot; for yet another year they failed to see any other netminder post a save percentage topping the 0.900 threshold at the NHL level, and Demko remains a bit of a liability in the injury department. It's likely that their best option behind Demko is up-and-comer Arturs Silovs, but he has yet to prove himself at the NHL level and can suffer from bouts of inconsistent play and bad bounce-backs from tough goals against. That leaves Vancouver's goaltending in a position where it still doesn't inspire as much confidence as it deserves, even with a Vezina candidate manning the pipes the majority of the time. If Silovs can break onto the scene, though, and help stabilize the workload for Demko, the Canucks could become the most formidable team in the Pacific.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Trade season gets underway with some big names moving – Some teams and players to target in an uneven week

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 16:20:24 +0000

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 11: Vancouver Canucks right wing Andrei Kuzmenko (96) skates during the third period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vancouver Canucks on January 11, 2024, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Although the Vancouver Canucks acquiring Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames on Wednesday in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, two prospects (Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo) and two 2024 picks (a first rounder and a conditional fourth-round selection) wasn’t the first trade of the 2023-24 campaign, you could make the argument that the blockbuster marks the real beginning of what could be a very busy month and change of trades.

The Flames have to be really happy with the return they got for a player who might have left as an unrestricted free agent this summer anyway. Although Kuzmenko hasn’t fit in with Vancouver this season, recording just eight goals and 21 points after finishing 2022-23 with 39 goals and 74 points in 81 outings, he’ll be given a fresh start in Calgary. Kuzmenko shouldn’t be expected to bounce back to his level of production from last season, but he might prove to be a decent top-six forward and replace at least some of the offense lost from Lindholm.

In the long run, Brzustewicz has been looking fantastic in OHL Kitchener this campaign, posting eight goals, 69 points and a plus-30 rating through 47 contests. Jurmo, who is currently playing for KooKoo of the Finnish hockey league, also has the potential to eventually benefit the Flames’ defensive corps. Then, of course, there is the first-round pick, which gives Calgary an opportunity to further boost its prospect pool. Ultimately, it will be a long time before we’ll know definitively if this trade worked out for the Flames, but what we can say today is that Calgary set a high standard for this year’s rental market.

On the Canucks’ end, Lindholm should be a good fit. Although his scoring is a bit down this year at 32 points (nine goals) through 49 contests compared to 64 points (22 goals) and 82 points (42) in 2022-23 and 2021-22, respectively, Lindholm hasn’t had ideal linemates in Calgary this year and should have better forwards to play off in Vancouver, so his offensive production might increase thanks to this trade. It also helps that the 29-year-old is versatile and capable of playing a two-way game while serving either as a center or a right winger. Due in part to that versatility, there’s an argument to be made that he was the top candidate on this year’s rental market, so the Canucks scooping him up well before the deadline is a nice win on their part.

Vancouver already had the second-best offense in the league (3.80 goals per game), but an argument could be made that the forward corps was somewhat top-heavy with a huge drop after JT Miller, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser, who have 67, 64 and 52 points, respectively, and the Canucks’ next best forward in Conor Garland, who has just 24 points. It’s dangerous for a team to be that top heavy come playoff time, and Lindholm helps address that.

With there being no guarantee that Lindholm will stay with Vancouver after his six-year, $29.1 million contract expires this summer, it’s clear that the Canucks are betting heavily on the 2024 playoffs, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them make further additions before the deadline, and now that the Canucks have started the arms race with a bang, other contenders might feel eager to make splashes of their own. In fact, the acquisition of Lindholm might have been what influenced Winnipeg to pull the trigger on trading a 2024 first-round pick and 2027 conditional third-round selection to Montreal in exchange for Sean Monahan on Friday.

This should be the start of a fun trade season.

Boston Bruins – TUE VS CGY, THU VS VAN, SAT VS WAS

The Bruins will kick off their post-All-Star break schedule with a home stretch involving the Flames on Tuesday, the Canucks on Thursday and the Capitals on Saturday. The Canucks will be a tough adversary, but Calgary and Washington have been slipping out of the playoff picture.

Charlie Coyle will look to continue his fantastic run after contributing eight goals and 21 points over his past 17 contests, including 12 points (four goals) during his active eight-game scoring streak. After recording 44 and 45 points over the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns, respectively, Coyle has taken a huge leap forward with 42 points through 49 appearances this year, but that jump makes some sense given his increased responsibilities. He’s averaging a career-high 18:02 of ice time and is likely to remain in that top-center role.

Trent Frederic has taken a step forward this season as well. After setting career highs in 2022-23 with 17 goals and 31 points in 79 contests, he’s already collected 14 goals and 29 points across 49 outings this campaign. Frederic has been inconsistent but is enjoying a five-game scoring streak in which he’s supplied a goal and six points.

Speaking of inconsistent forwards, James van Riemsdyk has been a weird one. The 34-year-old has enjoyed some good stretches along with prolonged cold streaks, but he’s also had big nights that don’t seem to lead anywhere. Over his past 12 contests, he has a solid two goals and 10 points, but that production has come entirely due to four multi-point efforts sprinkled in amongst eight scoreless showings. It makes him a somewhat frustrating option, especially in daily leagues, but in standard season-long leagues, van Riemsdyk still has a bit of value as long as you’re willing to tolerate his day-to-day unpredictability.

Colorado Avalanche – MON @ NYR, TUE @ NJD (BTB), THU @ CAR, SAT @ FLA

The Avalanche are one of the few teams slated to play four games next week, although all their games will be on the road. They’ll face the Rangers on Monday, the Devils on Tuesday, the Hurricanes on Thursday and the Panthers on Saturday.

With three road games in the span of four nights, it seems reasonable to believe Ivan Prosvetov will soon get his first start since Jan. 6. However, Prosvetov has struggled this campaign with a 4-3-1 record, 3.16 GAA and .895 save percentage across 11 outings and all his potential adversaries (the Rangers, New Jersey and Carolina) are strong offensively, so don’t pick up the 24-year-old unless you’re desperate for starts.

If you’re looking for someone on the Avalanche to grab, you might want to consider Ross Colton instead. He’s done well recently, providing six assists over his last three contests while averaging 16:08 of ice time, which is up from his season average of 13:50. He’s been respectable in 2023-24 with 10 goals, 26 points, 45 PIM and 64 points, and the 27-year-old could see his production increase in the second half if he can hold onto his current top-six role.

Of course, Nathan MacKinnon will continue to be the Avalanche’s standout forward. He’s on a 13-game scoring streak in which he’s provided an incredible 12 goals and 28 points, bringing him up to 31 markers and 84 points through 49 appearances this season. Although it would be an oversimplification to suggest that the Hart Trophy race involves only MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov (85 points), they have certainly pushed themselves a step above the rest of the pack at this point.

Dallas Stars – TUE @ BUF, WED @ TOR (BTB), SAT @ MTL

The Stars will play in Buffalo on Tuesday, Toronto on Wednesday and Montreal on Saturday. A three-game all-road schedule might not be worthy of highlighting if this was a busier week, but part of the appeal of this stretch is that the Stars are facing two teams significantly outside of the playoff picture in the Sabres and the Canadiens.

Thomas Harley is worthy of selection if he’s still available in your league. The 22-year-old is having a breakout campaign with 12 goals and 29 points in 49 games this season and has been incredibly lately, providing three goals and eight points across his last five outings. The one downside is he doesn’t have much of a power-play role. When Miro Heiskanen missed 10 straight games from Jan. 6-23 because of a lower-body injury, Harley’s ice time with the man advantage jumped to an average of 2:15 compared to his 0:52 per contest overall this season. However, now that Heiskanen’s back, Harley’s work with the man advantage has dropped.

Speaking of Heiskanen, he’s hit the ground running since returning, supplying a goal and three points (one on the power play) over his past two games. The 24-year-old won’t replicate his 73-point 2022-23 campaign, but Heiskanen’s five goals and 30 points across 39 outings this season is still nothing to sneeze at. As long as he stays healthy, he should be among the most productive offensive defensemen in the second half.

Dallas’ defense has done great in its own end too, ranking sixth this season with a 2.82 xGA/60, but Jake Oettinger hasn’t fulfilled his side of the deal. The 25-year-old had an earned reputation as one of the league’s top goaltenders going into this season, but he’s floundered in 2023-24 with a 16-9-2 record, 3.04 GAA and .900 save percentage through 28 contests. His struggles have continued too with him allowing 16 goals on 126 shots (.873 save percentage) over his past four appearances.

At least Dallas’ strong offense allows Oettinger to often win regardless, but Dallas certainly needs more from the netminder. Given the strength of the team in front of him, there is an argument to be made that he’s a solid buy-low candidate in the hope that he’ll rebound in the second half, but you would be taking a risk.

Florida Panthers – TUE VS PHI, THU VS WAS, SAT VS COL

The Panthers will play at home versus the Flyers on Tuesday, the Capitals on Thursday and the Avalanche on Saturday. It’s a fairly tough series of games, though at least the Panthers will have the benefit of playing them in Amerant Bank Arena.

Sam Reinhart will be looking to extend his scoring streak beyond its current 13 games. During that stretch, he’s scored an incredible 14 goals, and he also has 20 markers over his past 19 outings. It’s hard to know what’s crazier, that the 28-year-old is on a roughly 62-goal pace (37 tallies through 49 contests) or the fact that’s good enough for only second place in the goal-scoring race.

Regardless, Reinhart will be one to watch once play resumes, as will his similarly hot teammate Matthew Tkachuk, who has contributed 11 goals and 27 points over his past 15 appearances. Tkachuk had a terrible stretch from Nov. 16-Dec. 14 in which he recorded two goals and three points across 14 outings, but slumps of that extent are rare for the 26-year-old, so it’s fair to expect that to be the only extreme drought he deals with this year.

Of course, Reinhart and Tkachuk are already taken in virtually every fantasy league. If you’re looking for a pickup from Florida because the team is somewhat top heavy offensively, but Sam Bennett is the exception. He’s not having an amazing campaign overall with 11 goals and 23 points through 37 contests, but he’s been great recently, providing six goals and 13 points over his last 14 appearances.

Toronto Maple Leafs – MON VS NYI, WED VS DAL, SAT @ OTT

Toronto has three reasonably spread-out games next week. The Maple Leafs will host the Islanders on Monday and the Stars on Wednesday before visiting Ottawa on Saturday.

It’s believed Joseph Woll (ankle) is close to practicing, but he likely won’t factor into any of those three games. Instead, Ilya Samsonov might get all the work for the coming week. Earlier this campaign, that would he been something for the Maple Leafs to fear, but Samsonov appears to have turned a corner, winning his last three games while saving 72 of 75 shots (.960 save percentage). It will be interesting to see if Samsonov can keep this up. If he does, then he might even be able to maintain the starting gig after Woll returns, which is something that appeared near impossible just a few weeks ago.

Up front, Toronto’s biggest story is, who else, Auston Matthews. He’s scored seven goals over his last six outings, bringing him up to 40 markers through 46 appearances in 2023-24. Earlier this year, I brought up the possibility of him reaching 50-in-50. The 26-year-old is almost certain to fall short of that mark, but his play in the first half is still nothing short of incredible. At this rate, he’ll become the first player of the salary cap era to reach the 60-goal milestone in two separate seasons.

Toronto’s scoring depth could use work, though, and it was hurt a little further by the loss of Calle Jarnkrok, who suffered a broken knuckle during practice last Friday and is consequently week-to-week. Nick Robertson is likely to play more consistently in Jarnkrok’s absence and might take advantage of the additional work. Robertson has seven goals and 14 points in 29 contests with the Maple Leafs this season as well as five goals and 11 points in nine outings with the AHL’s Marlies.

Vancouver Canucks – TUE @ CAR, THU @ BOS, SAT @ DET, SUN @ WAS

The Canucks are on the road next week and their overall competition is fierce, but at least they’ll be playing four games, so those with Vancouver players on their fantasy team will get plenty of opportunities to use them. The Canucks will travel for games in Carolina on Tuesday, Boston on Thursday, Detroit on Saturday and Washington on Sunday.

The big question is how Vancouver will deploy Lindholm. As mentioned up top, Lindholm is a versatile forward, who can play either center of the wing as well as up and down the lineup, so there are a lot of potential combinations the Canucks could go with.

One possibility is that Lindholm might skate alongside Elias Pettersson and Ilya Mikheyev. That’s a role Kuzmenko sometimes held before his departure, so it wouldn’t disrupt the Canucks’ lines too much. Alternatively, the Canucks might opt to load the top line with Miller, Pettersson and Boeser while having Lindholm headline the second unit as its center. Lindholm’s linemates in that scenario would likely be Pius Suter and Mikheyev, which would hurt Lindholm’s fantasy value compared to the opportunity to play alongside Miller or Pettersson. Still, any combination will likely involve Lindholm getting minutes on the top power-play unit, so he’ll at least get some time with Vancouver’s best forwards regardless.

Keep an eye on that situation during Vancouver’s practices immediately following the break to get some insight into how things might shake out.

One player who should benefit regardless is Thatcher Demko. He was already having a fantastic campaign with a 26-8-1 record, 2.44 GAA and .920 save percentage in 35 contests this season, and the team in front of him just got better offensively and defensively, so his job has been made proportionally easier. Naturally backup goaltender Casey DeSmith will get the same benefit when he’s between the pipes. DeSmith’s next opportunity to start will likely come over the weekend against either the Red Wings or the Capitals. If it’s against Washington, which ranks 30th offensively with 2.38 goals per game, then DeSmith will be a great pickup option for a situational start.

Washington Capitals – TUE VS MTL, THU @ FLA, SAT @ BOS, SUN VS VAN

Speaking of the Capitals, they also have a busy week ahead of them. They’ll host the Canadiens on Tuesday, then play in Florida on Thursday and Boston on Saturday before returning home for Sunday’s contest versus the Canucks. It’s not an easy schedule and worthy of note only because Washington is one of the few teams set to play four games.

Max Pacioretty left last Saturday’s contest because of a lower-body injury, but fortunately, it’s not related to his previous Achilles problems, per Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network. Perhaps he’ll even be available for Tuesday’s game, though that’s far from a certainty. Pacioretty had been doing decently with a goal and seven points through 12 outings, and Washington is hurting for offense, so the Capitals could certainly use him back as soon as possible.

The silver lining is Dylan Strome is hot going into the second half. He’s provided three goals over his last two games, bringing him up to 19 markers and 31 points across 47 appearances in 2023-24. T.J. Oshie is also enjoying a good run. The 37-year-old had just two goals and four points over his first 22 outings this year, but dating back to Jan. 13, he’s collected six goals and eight points in eight games.

Then there’s Alex Ovechkin, who the Capitals have to hope picks up the pace after the break. He’s disappointed this campaign with nine goals and 31 points through 44 appearances. Ovechkin seems to be heating up, though, with three goals and 11 points over his last 11 games, so maybe the worst is behind him.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Veterans Sean Monahan and Adam Henrique are boosting their potential trade value, Logan Couture returns to action, Olen Zellweger gets called up to Anaheim, the goalie carousel continues to turn, and much, much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:46:13 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 15: Sean Monahan (91) of the Montreal Canadiens looks on during the second period of the NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Montreal Canadiens on January 15 2024, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, veterans Sean Monahan and Adam Henrique are boosting their potential trade value, Logan Couture returns to action, Olen Zellweger gets called up to Anaheim, the goalie carousel continues to turn, and much, much more!

#1 After leading Montreal to victory, with two goals and an assist against the New York Islanders on Thursday, Habs centre Sean Monahan has produced 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in his past six games. A pending free agent, Monahan should be an attractive trade candidate if the Canadiens don’t sign him to a new deal before the deadline. Considering that he will be turning 30 early next season, it might make more sense for Montreal to bring in draft picks or prospects in exchange for Monahan, who is only increasing his value with his recent production.

#2 San Jose Sharks centre Logan Couture missed more than half of the season due to injury and has been thrust right back into a primary role with the Sharks. A player who is getting 19 minutes of ice time per game, including first unit power play time, is naturally very appealing for fantasy managers, but maybe pump the brakes a bit on Couture. In his first three games of the season, Couture has managed one assist and two shots on goal, which is understandable, given his layoff, but also does not indicate that urgency is required if you want to claim Couture on the waiver wire.

#3 When the Anaheim Ducks traded defenceman Jamie Drysdale to the Philadelphia Flyers to acquire prospect Cutter Gauthier, part of the reasoning for the Ducks was that they had quality young defencemen in their system. Enter Olen Zellweger, the Ducks’ second round pick in 2021, who had 25 points (8 G, 17 A) in 34 AHL games this season when he was called up by Anaheim. Zellweger is not being rushed into a big role with the Ducks, playing under 14 minutes in each of his first two games, but he is getting first unit power play time and has one assist with the man advantage. Long-term Zellweger could have significant fantasy appeal. Right now, he is a longshot play for those in deeper leagues.

#4 Ducks centre Adam Henrique is another veteran pivot who is on an expiring contract, making him a prime trade candidate. Henrique is heating up, too, contributing 11 points (5 G, 6 A) with 25 shots on goal in his past 10 games. That production is looking good already, but Henrique ought to spend the stretch run playing for a team with more talent than his current team in Anaheim, which should help Henrique maintain a quality level of production.

#5 Philadelphia Flyers right winger Cam Atkinson went more than two months without a goal, managing six assists in a 26-game span, but he has emerged from that lengthy slump. Atkinson has 10 points (5 G, 5 A) with 25 shots on goal in seven games since emerging from that scoring dry spell and once again looks like a viable fantasy performer.

#6 With Carter Hart taking a leave from the Flyers, rookie goaltender Samuel Ersson is going to see a much bigger role in the Philadelphia net. Ersson was lit up in his first three appearances of the season and then went on an 18-game run in which he posted a .930 save percentage. In his past three starts, Ersson has dipped again, recording a .841 save percentage in three straight losses. If he can snap out of it, Ersson has a chance to make a fantasy impact, depending on how long Hart will be absent from the Flyers.

#7 In December, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov suffered a crisis of confidence following a four-game stretch in which he had a .798 save percentage, allowing 21 goals on 104 shots. He was demoted to the American Hockey League and there was a portion of the Maple Leafs fan base that would have been happy to wipe their hands clean of him. However, with Joseph Woll injured and Martin Jones starting to wear down in the starter’s role, Samsonov has returned to the Maple Leafs lineup and has a .944 save percentage in three starts since rejoining the club. He is coming off a 32-save shutout against Winnipeg on Wednesday, the kind of performance that should alleviate any concerns about confidence for at least a little while.

#8 The Los Angeles Kings made a savvy move in the offseason when they signed goaltender David Rittich to be the No. 3 goalie in the organization. Once Pheonix Copley had his season ended by ACL surgery, the move looked even better. Rittich has appeared in eight games for the Kings and has a 4-1-2 record with a .930 save percentage. It is unlikely that he will maintain that level of play, but as long as he plays this well, Rittich is going to command more starts in the Los Angeles net. Fantasy managers that might be in deep leagues or just desperate for goaltending help might want to give Rittich a longer look.

#9 Veteran Washington Capitals right winger T.J. Oshie managed just one assist in his first 15 games this season. That is a troubling slump from a 37-year-old winger whose body might even feel a few years older than that because of Oshie’s rambunctious style of play throughout his career. However, Oshie has started to emerge from that funk. In his past 10 games, Oshie has put up nine points (7 G, 2 A) with 26 shots on goal. Four of those goals have come via the power play, where Oshie is still getting first unit time with the man advantage for Washington.

#10 St. Louis Blues centre Brayden Schenn endured a 16-game stretch from early December to early January in which he was held without a goal and managed a meagre two assists. In eight games since, Schenn has finally come alive, putting up eight points (4 G, 4 A) with 18 shots on goal. He is getting first unit power play time for the Blues and that has helped him escape that terrible slump.

#11 Returning to the league after a hiatus to sort out some personal issues that led to being released by the Chicago Blackhawks, right winger Corey Perry has signed with the Edmonton Oilers. The 38-year-old winger is a useful depth option who has thrived in a limited role with contenders in previous seasons before seeing an uptick of ice time in Chicago at the start of the season. In Edmonton, Perry is probably going to be in a depth role most of the time, and he has not scored more than half-a-point per game for a season since 2017-2018. That suggests that the real value for Perry when it comes to fantasy, is as something of a sleeper for the playoffs, because Perry has contributed 35 points (17 G, 18 A) in 78 games over the past four postseasons.

#12 Dallas Stars sophomore centre Wyatt Johnston had some trouble late in 2023, going through a 16-game stretch in which he failed to score a goal and added just five assists. The young forward has come out on the other side, however, putting up eight points (3 G, 5 A) with 19 shots on goal in his past eight games and he has moved up to join Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz on Dallas’ top line when they are playing five-on-five hockey.

#13 It may be too late to have an impact on the playoff race, but the Ottawa Senators are playing a more competitive brand of hockey, posting a 3-0-2 record in the past five games. The Sens are finally getting stronger down the middle of the ice. Josh Norris is healthy after missing some time and Shane Pinto has been activated since serving his gambling suspension. Pinto has two points (1 G, 1 A) and seven shots on goal in his first three games and played 19:40 in his third game of the season, Thursday against Boston.

#14 Last week, we focused on Chandler Stephenson with a bigger role down the middle of the ice for the Vegas Golden Knights in the aftermath of injuries to Jack Eichel and William Karlsson. The other Vegas centre who has seen his profile get a major boost is Nicolas Roy, the 26-year-old who has eight points (2 G, 6 A) in his past five games. Roy’s value may only last while Vegas is missing its top two centres, but short-term value is still more fantasy appeal than Roy has typically.

#15 It seems like Philadelphia Flyers centre Morgan Frost is often teetering on the edge of landing in John Tortorella’s doghouse, but Frost appears to have found the antidote, for now. If he is productive, that can keep Torts at bay, and in his past 11 games, Frost has accrued 11 points (2 G, 9 A) with 25 shots on goal. After scoring a career high 46 points (19 G, 27 A) in 81 games last season, Frost is scoring at a higher per-game rate this season, with 22 points (7 G, 15 A) in 38 games, good for 0.58 points per game.

#16 Detroit Red Wings right winger Lucas Raymond has continued to churn out points. He had a pair of assists in Thursday’s 3-0 win against Philadelphia, giving him 13 points (3 G, 10 A) in his past 13 games. He could be even more effective if he would shoot the puck more, but there is not much to complain about when the third year forward is scoring points (0.81 per game) at the highest rate of his career.

#17 Known for his defensive play and an ability to blend into the background in his firset three seasons in the league, Vancouver’s Pius Suter notched a hat trick against St. Louis on Wednesday, giving him 12 goals in 34 games. He has four goals and eight shots on goal in the past two games and is getting a look on the Canucks’ top power play unit. Given that he has never scored more than 36 points in a season, it is fair to wonder how long Suter’s offensive surge could last, but he is now among the players to consider adding in deep leagues.

#18 Boston Bruins centre Trent Frederic has emerged as an offensive contributor over the past month. Since December 31, Frederic has tallied 13 points (7 G, 6 A) with 26 shots on goal in 14 games. That shooting percentage is not going to last over the long haul, but Frederic is proving that he is more than just a banger who will drop the gloves if need be. As the 25-year-old is up to 28 points (14 G, 14 A) in 48 games, he is raising the bar for what might be expected of him for the rest of this season and beyond.

#19 While consistency remains a battle for New Jersey Devils right winger Alexander Holtz, the skilled forward has started 2024 off right, producing eight points (4 G, 4 A) with 24 shots on goal in 11 games since the calendar turned to January. His ice time is a concern, as Holtz played just 10:14 at Carolina on Thursday, but continued production does tend to have a way of bringing more ice time into the equation.

#20 When the Los Angeles Kings acquired Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets last summer, it was expected that the 25-year-old pivot would join Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault down the middle of the ice to give the Kings strength at centre. With Dubois putting up just 12 points (6 G, 6 A) with 60 shots on goal in his past 32 games, frustration is starting to set in among coaches and even Kings players. Dubois has been moved down the depth chart and is centering young wingers Alex Laferriere and Jaret Anderson-Dolan, who will presumably put in maximum effort, even if their results are not necessarily the strongest. Under these circumstances it would be entirely reasonable for fantasy managers to drop Dubois, at least in shallower leagues where it would be easy enough to find a better replacement on the waiver wire.

DADOUN: THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – January 8th to 14th, 2024 – Race for Hart Trophy a tight one at halfway point + Teams and players to target this week

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 16:28:17 +0000

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire)

We’re approaching the halfway point of the season and if I had to pick who will win the Hart Trophy at this stage, I would have a hard time doing so. There are several major candidates in the running.

Nikita Kucherov was an afterthought in last year’s voting despite finishing with 113 points in 82 contests, but he’s making a strong pitch this season with 27 goals and 64 points through 39 games. Although Tampa Bay has several other stars, Kucherov has also been instrumental to the Lightning’s offense, leading the team’s scoring race by 24 points. However, Tampa Bay with its 18-16-5 record is also not a safe bet to make the playoffs and voters tend to penalize players on teams that fall short of the postseason, so that might end up holding Kucherov back.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) Photo by Andrew Bershaw /Icon_Sportswire)

Instead, Nathan MacKinnon, who has 22 goals and 64 points in 39 appearances, is likely the favorite. MacKinnon is also the hotter of the two with 14 goals and 33 points over his last 15 contests. The 28-year-old has been a Hart Trophy finalist three times before (2018, 2020, 2021) and finished fifth in voting last campaign. After so many close calls, this might finally be his year.

However, the reigning Hart Trophy winner, Connor McDavid, might still challenge him. McDavid’s totals of 14 goals and 53 points in 33 games are a step behind Kucherov and MacKinnon, but the Oilers superstar was held back by a slow, injury-riddled start to the campaign. From Nov. 13 onward, McDavid has 12 goals and 43 points in 22 appearances, so he might still be able to close the gap. Voters might also give him extra credit for the Oilers’ revival following their 2-9-1 start to the campaign, provided Edmonton can keep climbing and make the playoffs.

Auston Matthews might also stay in the conversation. He just has 45 points through 35 games, but he has scored a league-leading 30 goals. His 60 goals in 2021-22 was enough to earn him the Hart Trophy that year and Matthews is a contender to reach that milestone again this year.

One final longer-shot contender is Quinn Hughes. The defenseman has 10 goals and 46 points through 38 contests. He ranks 10th in the scoring race, which is pretty good for a blueliner, but he’d probably need to do even better if he wants to claim the Hart Trophy. Blueliners rarely win the award -- the last was Chris Pronger in 2000.

Dallas Stars – MON @ MIN, WED VS MIN, FRI VS NSH, SAT @ CHI (BTB)

Dallas has a home-and-home series in Minnesota on Monday and versus the Wild on Wednesday. Minnesota had a strong run from Nov. 28-Dec. 27 with an 11-3-0 record, but the Wild have run into injury issues, which has led to them faltering, so Dallas has a chance here to take both contests. Afterward, Dallas will host the Predators on Friday before traveling to face the lowly Blackhawks on Saturday.

Jake Oettinger hasn’t played since Dec. 15 because of a lower-body injury, which has led to the Stars leaning heavily on Scott Wedgewood with mixed results. Wedgewood is 6-2-2 with a 3.01 GAA and an .891 save percentage in 10 contests since Oettinger got hurt. Oettinger is day-to-day, so he might return by the start of the week. If that’s the case, then he’ll likely get into three of Dallas’ four matches with Wedgewood picking up either Friday’s game versus Nashville or Saturday against Chicago.

The status of Miro Heiskanen is murkier. He suffered a lower-body injury Thursday after running into Wedgewood and there was no update on his status at the time of writing. The 24-year-old defenseman averages 25:03 of ice time, including 3:10 with the man advantage, so to say he’s an important part of the Stars’ blue line would be an understatement.

If Heiskanen misses time, then Nils Lundkvist will likely play regularly after being a healthy scratch in five of Dallas’ last eight contests. Lundkvist would likely only be on the third pairing, but he should also see time on the second power-play unit, so he might make some offensive contributions. The 23-year-old defenseman has 10 assists in 27 appearances in 2023-24.

Thomas Harley would likely also see a boost in ice time and might even fill in for Heiskanen on the top power-play unit. Harley has been solid offensively this year with nine goals and 17 points in 34 contests this season.

Regardless of what happens with Heiskanen’s injury, Dallas should continue to stay competitive thanks to its strong forward corps. Lately, Mason Marchment has highlighted that group with three goals and eight points over his last three contests, bringing him up to 13 goals and 29 points in 37 outings.

Minnesota Wild – MON VS DAL, WED @ DAL, FRI VS PHI, SAT VS ARI (BTB)

As noted above, Minnesota will start the week with a game in Dallas on Monday and then versus the Stars on Wednesday. That will likely be a tough series for the Wild, but afterward, they have two home games against more middling adversaries in the Flyers on Friday and the Coyotes on Saturday. It’s still not an easy set for the Wild, but with it being four contests in one week, it’s good enough to highlight.

Dallas’ injury issues are minor in comparison to Minnesota’s. The Wild are missing starting goaltender Filip Gustavsson, a pair of top-four defensemen in Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon and top-six forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. To make matters worse, it wouldn’t be surprising if none of them returned next week.

Marc-Andre Fleury will probably be relied upon in goal, but if Gustavsson doesn’t return in time for the back-to-back set on Friday and Saturday, then Zane McIntyre will likely get into one of those contests. McIntyre has a 3.54 GAA and an .884 save percentage in 12 games with AHL Iowa this season, though, so it’s probably better to avoid him, even if you need extra starts.

A better short-term pickup from Minnesota would be Nicolas Petan, who has two assists in three games since being recalled from Iowa on Sunday. With the Wild missing key players, Petan is serving in a middle-six capacity and seeing some power-play ice time. Although the 28-year-old isn’t likely to remain with Minnesota after the team starts getting its forwards back, Petan is a decent offensive force when given the opportunity, and he’s excelled in the minors with 10 goals and 28 points in 26 contests this campaign.

Montreal Canadiens – WED @ PHI, THU VS SJS (BTB), SAT VS EDM

Montreal will play just three games next week, but they’ll start against the slumping Flyers in Philadelphia on Wednesday and then host the lowly Sharks on Thursday. The Canadiens will conclude the week by hosting the Oilers.

The Canadiens have dropped four of their last five games, but not everyone on the team is struggling. Nick Suzuki has continued to excel, providing two goals and four points over his last four appearances, elevating him to 12 goals and 34 points in 38 contests this season. The 24-year-old hasn’t developed into a superstar, but he’s a solid top-line forward who is likely to surpass the 60-point mark for the third straight season.

By contrast, Juraj Slafkovsky still has lots of growing to do. The 19-year-old has four goals and 14 points in 38 contests this season. On the one hand, that’s at least a mild improvement over his 10 points in 39 games in 2022-23, but that’s a smaller jump than you’d hope for from the 2022 No. 1 overall pick, especially given that he’s averaging 16:24 of ice time this season, up from 12:13 in 2022-23, so he doesn’t even have the excuse of limited opportunities.

However, Slafkovsky has shown life recently, providing two goals and six points over his last seven contests, so perhaps he’s setting the stage for a stronger second half. He’s worth gambling on next week if he’s available in your league, especially given the quality of Montreal’s upcoming competition.

New York Rangers – MON VS VAN, THU @STL, SAT @ WAS, SUN VS WAS (BTB)

The Rangers have a full four-game set next week. They’ll get what should be their toughest matchup out of the way first when they host the Canucks on Monday. Afterward, the Rangers have a two-game road trip with contests in St. Louis on Thursday and Washington on Saturday, and they’ll finish the week with a home game versus the Capitals.

New York has continued to be led by Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, who have 11 and 12 points, respectively, over the Rangers’ last eight games. Panarin is having an especially remarkable season with 24 goals and 53 points in 37 outings. For all the 32-year-old’s accomplishments, he’s never reached the century mark in a single season, but that’s set to change this year if he stays healthy.

Alexis Lafreniere is a less consistent contributor but has done well lately, providing two goals and seven points over his last eight contests. That’s pushed him up to 10 goals and 23 points in 37 appearances in 2023-24 as he also chases career highs -- albeit less impressive ones than Panarin. Lafreniere’s 39 points in 81 contests from 2022-23 presently stand as his personal best.

Fantasy managers should also keep an eye on Kaapo Kakko (lower body), who started practicing in a non-contact capacity Thursday. He might not return next week, but he’s making progress. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs once healthy. Kakko had a respectable 18 goals and 40 points in 82 contests last year. However, he was off to a rough start in 2023-24 with two goals and three points in 20 outings. While getting hurt is never a good thing, the silver lining is it will allow him to start fresh once he’s healthy.

Philadelphia Flyers – MON VS PIT, WED VS MTL, FRI @ MIN, SAT @ WPG (BTB)

Philadelphia will host the rival Penguins on Monday and remain at home for the Penguins on Wednesday. The Flyers will then travel to Minnesota on Friday and Winnipeg on Saturday. Of that set, the Jets are the only adversary occupying a playoff position.

Cam Atkinson and Morgan Frost were both healthy scratches Thursday. Atkinson is a particularly interesting case. He started the campaign with eight goals and 12 points in 15 appearances, but he has just six points (all assists) over his last 22 outings. Maybe having a game to reset is what he needs. Atkinson is likely to draw back into the lineup soon and will probably serve in a top-six capacity while also being on the first power-play unit.

One player who doesn’t need time off is Travis Konecny. The 26-year-old forward is on a six-game scoring streak in which he’s contributed four goals and nine points. Konecny is up to 20 goals and 35 points in 38 outings this year and that’s despite getting just three points with the man advantage. He has a spot on the top power-play unit, so his offense on special teams might increase in the second half of the year.

Toronto Maple Leafs – TUE VS SJS, THU @ NYI, SAT VS COL, SUN VS DET

The Maple Leafs will have three home games next week against the Sharks on Tuesday, the Avalanche on Saturday and the Red Wings on Sunday. They also have a one-game road trip against the Islanders on Thursday.

With Joseph Woll (ankle) still hurt and Ilya Samsonov struggling to the point where he’s been sent to AHL Toronto, 22-year-old rookie Dennis Hildeby is with the team. Rather than allow him to make his NHL debut Wednesday versus Anaheim, the Maple Leafs opted to use Martin Jones in both halves of their back-to-back. That paid off, though, with Jones saving 58 of 59 shots over those two outings.

Jones has been stunning with Toronto, posting a 6-3-0 record, 2.21 GAA and .930 save percentage in 10 contests. I’m hesitant to get too excited about him, though. Jones has had an interesting career, but it’s involved a lot of rough patches -- there's a reason he went unclaimed on waivers back in October, allowing him to start the season in the minors -- and what we’re seeing now might be more of a hot streak than a resurgence. Regardless, Jones is expected to continue to be leaned on heavily during Woll’s absence.

I would still expect Hildeby to make at least one start next week, likely against Colorado on Saturday or Detroit on Sunday. It seems like a waste to summon the prospect if all he’s going to do is practice with the team and warm the bench. If that was the extent of the assignment, the Maple Leafs could have brought up Keith Petruzzelli from the Marlies instead, allowing Hildeby to continue to get work uninterrupted.

That aside, this might be another good week for Max Domi, who has four assists over his last four games. He’s been a steady presence lately, supplying three goals and 11 points over his last 15 contests to provide the Maple Leafs with some scoring depth.

Vancouver Canucks – MON @ NYR, TUE @ NYI (BTB), THU @ PIT, SAT @ BUF

Vancouver arguably has the most borderline schedule to be highlighted on this list. On the one hand, the Canucks will play four games, which is always desirable for getting the most out of players in fantasy formats, but the downside is they’ll be traveling for the full duration with games against the Rangers on Monday, the Islanders on Tuesday, the Penguins on Thursday and the Sabres on Saturday.

If Pius Suter is still available in your league, he’s worthy of selection. The 27-year-old has just 11 points in 24 contests this season, but over his last seven appearances, he’s supplied four goals and seven points. He has a position on Vancouver’s second line and second power-play unit, so while he’s not going to continue to produce at a point per game in the long run, he might be good for 25-30 points over Vancouver’s final 45 contests if he maintains his current role.

Teddy Blueger is another red-hot member of the Canucks, providing three goals and 10 points over his last nine outings. I don’t expect the 29-year-old’s offensive run to last much longer, though. He’s never recorded more than 28 points in a single season and doesn’t have a stable role on the power play, so if you’ve been enjoying Blueger’s recent success, just be prepared to move on without much hesitation when he shows signs of faltering.

Similarly, I’m not confident the good times will last much longer for Dakota Joshua, who has five goals and nine points over his last nine contests. The silver lining with Joshua is he’s a great source of hits with 113 in 37 appearances this season, and he should continue to help in that regard even after his offense fizzles out.

Winnipeg Jets – TUE VS CBJ, THU VS CHI, SAT VS PHI

In contrast to Vancouver, the Jets will play in just three games, but they’re all home games and feature weak to middling adversaries. Winnipeg will host the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, the Blackhawks on Thursday and the Flyers on Saturday.

The quality of Winnipeg’s opponents might allow Morgan Barron to continue his hot stretch after providing three goals and five points over his last five contests. Just keep in mind that Barron is serving primarily as a fourth liner, so he’s worth considering only as a short-term pickup.

Vladislav Namestnikov has a substantially bigger role with the Jets, averaging 15:10 of ice time, including 1:24 with the man advantage. He’s up to four goals and 20 points in 34 contests this season and has been especially effective recently, supplying a goal and five points over his last four outings.

Of course, the Jets’ MVP is still goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. He’s won his last three starts while saving 93 of 98 shots (.949 save percentage), giving him a 19-6-3 record, 2.28 GAA and .921 save percentage in 28 outings this year. Hellebuyck might start in all three games this week, and he should continue to excel.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Coyle thriving in Boston – Rakell emerging from brutal slump – Lyon is king of the crease in Detroit – Kings call up their top prospect and much, much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 20:51:03 +0000

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 04: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) starts up ice during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins on January 4, 2024, at TD garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, Charlie Coyle is thriving in Boston, Rickard Rakell is emerging from a brutal slump, Alex Lyon is king of the crease in Detroit, the Kings call up their top prospect and much, much more!

#1 One of the more surprising developments of this season has been the production that the Boston Bruins have received from their centres in the wake of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retiring. Charlie Coyle, for example, has exceeded 50 points in a season once in his career and it happened in 2016-2017 when he played for the Minnesota Wild. He has seven points (3 G, 4 A) during a five-game point streak, giving him 28 points (134 G, 15 A) in 37 games. Coyle has a good thing going with linemates Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk. DeBrusk also has a five-game point streak, during which he has scored seven points (3 G, 4 A) and Marchand has eight points (2 G, 6 A) in his past six contests.

#2 Pittsburgh Penguins winger Rickard Rakell endured a miserable start to the season, going 19 games without a goal, despite putting 48 shots on net. Since then, Rakell has started to come around, putting up seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 18 shots on goal in the past six games. He has been moved up to the top line, with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel, as well as holding down a spot on Pittsburgh’s top power play unit.

#3 When the Detroit Red Wings signed Alex Lyon as a free agent, it appeared that he would be a strong No. 3 option behind Ville Husso and James Reimer. Given the performance of Husso and Reimer, however, Lyon has now claimed the starting job. After stopping 40 of 43 shots in Thursday’s 4-3 shootout win at Los Angeles, Lyon has a .919 save percentage in 11 games. A 31-year-old who had made 31 career NHL starts prior to this season Lyon’s performance has earned him his place in the Red Wings crease. His track record can make it uneasy to put too much weight on Lyon’s performance, but if you need a goaltender, adding one that has performed well in a small sample is preferable to those that have struggled in a larger sample and it seems that there are a lot of candidates from the latter category.

#4 Veteran winger Gustav Nyquist remains quietly productive. Now on his fifth team, the Nashville Predators, Nyquist has 10 points (4 G, 6 A) during a seven-game point streak, making the most of his opportunity to skate on the top line with Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly. Since the start of last season, Nyquist has 57 points in 90 games. His 0.63 points per game in that time is the same as Matty Beniers, Phillip Danault, David Perron, and more.

#5 After putting up a goal and an assist in Thursday’s 6-1 rout at Montreal, Buffalo Sabres centre Casey Mittelstadt is riding a hot streak. In his past nine games, the 25-year-old pivot has produced 11 points (5 G, 6 A) with 16 shots on goal. Although he is skating between Jordan Greenway and rookie Zach Benson at even strength, Mittelstadt is still getting top unit power play time and has scored 30 of his 33 points this season at even strength.

#6 The Los Angeles Kings have called up defenceman Brandt Clarke from Ontario of the American Hockey League. Clarke was the eighth overall pick in the 2021 Draft and played nine games for the Kings in 2022-2023 before he was returned to junior. That season, between regular season and playoffs, he compiled 84 points (30 G, 54 A) in just 43 games for Barrie. The 20-year-old right shot defenceman has put up 32 points (7 G, 25 A) in 30 games in the AHL this season, so he is one of the most exciting prospects in the game and it looks like he is going to get his chance soon with the Kings. In dynasty leagues, he is already super valuable, but Clarke might be worth a look in deeper redraft leagues, too. It will depend on how big his role is on the Los Angeles power play.

#7 Clarke’s U16 AAA teammate with the Don Mills Flyers (where they played with Seattle Kraken prospect Shayne Wright), Brennan Othmann, has just been promoted to the NHL by the New York Rangers. Othmann was the 16^th pick in the 2021 Draft and the rangy winger produced 23 points (9 G, 14 A) in 28 games for Hartford in the AHL to earn his call up. With injuries hitting the Rangers forward ranks – Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko, and Tyler Pitlick are all out of the lineup – the door was opened for Othmann to make his NHL debut, skating on the fourth line with Nick Bonino and Jonny Brodzinski. Othmann does not have as much immediate appeal as Clarke, so he is more a player to keep an eye on for the future, when he might find a spot higher on the depth chart.

#8 A 27-year-old winger who has never recorded more than 30 points in an NHL season, Warren Foegele has moved up to play with Leon Draisaitl and he dropped a five-point game on the Anaheim Ducks on New Year’s Eve. Foegele has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and, importantly, 17 shots on goal in his past five games. As long as he is getting ice time in Edmonton’s top six, Foegele has fantasy value, but it is also a precarious situation – the moment that Kris Knoblauch removes Foegele from that spot, his fantasy appeal becomes very limited.

#9 Moving up to left wing with Draisaitl, Ryan McLeod has typically been a checking centre for most of his time in Edmonton, but is getting a greater offensive opportunity and has suddenly produced eight points (5 G, 3 A) with 11 shots on goal in his past six games. Like Foegele, McLeod’s value may be closely tied to his role, and having the chance to play with a premier playmaker like Draisaitl, but in the short term it does give him more fantasy value than he has had to this point in his career.

#10 Known more for his sound defensive play, Vancouver Canucks centre Pius Suter is adding some offensive pop to his play, contributing seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 13 shots on goal in his past seven games. The recent opportunity to slide up the depth chart and skate on the wing with highly-skilled forwards like J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser raises Suter’s offensive ceiling and should put him on the radar for fantasy managers.

#11 After struggling in 2022-2023, his first season in Dallas, power forward Mason Marchment has found his form this season while skating on a line with veterans Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin. Marchment had a hat trick against the Chicago Blackhawks on New Year’s Eve and has eight points (4 G, 4 A) in the past three games. It is remarkable that Marchment is producing more this season because he is playing a minute per game less than last season and his shot rate is down from 2.18 per game to 1.89 per game. The big difference is that Marchment is scoring on 18.6 percent of his shots after scoring on just 8.1 percent last season.

#12 While his name has landed in recent trade rumors, Carolina Hurricanes winger Michael Bunting has not been hurting his value any, contributing nine points (3 G, 6 A) with 20 shots on goal in his past nine games. While he is skating with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Martin Necas at even strength, Bunting is on Carolina’s top power play unit, so six of those nine points have come via the power play. If he does get traded, that may not hurt Bunting’s value too much, as any team that acquires him would presumably like him to do what he does best, agitate the opposition and get to the front of the net as often as possible.

#13 Although he does not score a ton, New York Islanders defenceman Alexander Romanov is contributing in peripheral fantasy categories, especially as he takes on more ice time while several of his fellow Islanders defencemen are injured. In the past 10 games, Romanov has four points (2 G, 2 A) but also has 16 hits and 29 blocked shots while playing more than 23 minutes per game. That is not going to give him universal appeal, but to fill hits, blocked shots, and time on ice categories, Romanov has worked his way into fantasy relevance.

#14 San Jose Sharks defenceman Mario Ferraro brings similar value. He does have six assists in his past seven games, which is a sudden offensive surge, but he has 19 blocked shots in those seven games. Ferraro played more than 21 minutes in six of those seven games, with the only exception coming against Colorado on New Year’s Eve when he suffered an upper-body injury after getting hit by Nathan MacKinnon and left the game early. Even so, Ferraro was recovered enough to eat minutes and block shots in San Jose’s next game.

#15 Known more for his physical play, which includes leading his team with 15 fights over the past three seasons, Bruins centre Trent Frederic is starting to contribute on the scoreboard, too. Frederic has six points (3 G, 3 A) in his past six games. While he only has nine shots on goal in that time, Frederic has recorded 12 hits, which elevates him into being worthy of fantasy consideration in deep or banger leagues. His offensive upside is not huge, but he is scoring enough right now to at least warrant fantasy consideration.

#16 Versatile veteran forward Vladislav Namestnikov started the season on Winnipeg’s fourth line but has found himself playing higher on the depth chart, often centering the Jets’ second line. In his past 21 games, Namestnikov has quietly produced 16 points (3 G, 13 A), though it has come with just 20 shots on goal. Nevertheless, in deep leagues that production makes Namestnikov intriguing, especially if he can fill a position on the wing for fantasy managers.

#17 With Wild starting goaltender Filip Gustavsson sidelined week-to-week with a lower-body injury, 39-year-old Marc-Andre Fleury is going to see more consistent action in the Minnesota net. Fleury has a .896 save percentage in 15 games this season. That would match his 21-game stint in 2003-2004 for his lowest save percentage in an NHL season. He does have a .918 save percentage in his eight appearances since the beginning of December, so that is moving in the right direction, and getting more consistent starts will at least offer value for fantasy managers.

#18 Having demoted Akira Schmid to the American Hockey League, the New Jersey Devils have turned to 23-year-old netminder Nico Daws in goal. He has won his first two starts of the season for the Devils, managing a respectable .906 save percentage. Daws had offseason hip surgery so he only appeared in three games for the Utica Devils, posting a .929 save percentage, before he got the call to the NHL. That was probably not the original plan for the young goaltender’s development but the struggles of Schmid and Vitek Vanecek forced the Devils to be more aggressive about trying to solve their goaltending woes.

#19 Buffalo Sabres winger J.J. Peterka might be an interesting buy-low candidate as he has gone 10 games without a goal. He does have five assists and 26 shots on goal in that stretch, though, so the 21-year-old is still creating chances and is likely to break through soon. Even though he fills a secondary scoring role in Buffalo, Peterka is on a line with Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn, a line of talented young players that should not be held down for long.

#20 On the other hand, it might be time to let Pierre-Luc Dubois, so that he can experience the fantasy waiver wire. Even after chipping in a couple of helpers for the Los Angeles Kings in Thursday’s win over Detroit, Dubois has just five points (2 G, 3 A) in his past 16 games, which is abysmal fantasy production, particularly from a player who tallied a career-high 63 points (27 G, 36 A) in Winnipeg last season. The Kings have put Adrian Kempe on the wing with Dubois, and maybe that will jumpstart the centre’s offensive production, but it is getting surprisingly easy to find more productive options on the waiver wire.