Ryan Hartman – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – With the final week of the regular season approaching, here is a look at some players offering late-season value as well as a look at some players that might be worth targeting for next season

Scott Cullen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:10:16 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: Flyers right wing Porter Martone (94) waits for a face-off during his first NHL debut game during the Philadelphia Flyers versus Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on March 31, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. With the final week of the regular season approaching, here is a look at some players offering late-season value as well as a look at some players that might be worth targeting for next season.

#1 The Philadelphia Flyers have surprisingly vaulted into the playoff picture with a strong April, and they received a significant boost to their lineup when they signed 2025 No. 6 overall pick Porter Martone once his college season was completed at Michigan State. Martone had 5 0points (25 G, 25 A) in 35 games at Michigan State and contributed nine points (6 G, 3 A) as the captain of Team Canada at the World Juniors. A 6-foot-3 power forward, Martone has hit the ice in the NHL going at full speed, delivering six points (2 G, 4 A) with 25 shots on goal and 10 hits in his first six games. He is getting second unit power play time and skating on a line with veterans Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny at even strength and the Flyers are controlling nearly 62 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play with Martone on the ice. For fantasy managers and the Flyers alike, Martone appears to be an instant star.

#2 The New York Islanders made a surprise late-season coaching change, dismissing Patrick Roy and replacing him with Peter DeBoer. The Islanders have slipped out of a playoff spot but are still within striking distance, so DeBoer will need to make a difference quickly. Working in the Islanders’ favour is that they are getting strong play from rookie Calum Ritchie late in the season. Ritchie, who was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in last year’s Brock Nelson trade, has produced 14 points (6 G, 8 A) with 21 shots on goal in 16 games since the trade deadline and seems to have a good thing going on a line with Mathew Barzal at centre and Brayden Schenn on left wing, a trio that also skates on the Islanders’ top power play.

#3 Utah Mammoth centre Logan Cooley missed more than a couple of months due to a lower-body injury and that absence, combined with a slump in March, probably contributed to his being more available than he should be in fantasy leagues. Right now, he is cooking, with 11 points (6 G, 5 A) and 14 shots on goal during a six-game point streak. It’s obviously not sustainable to keep scoring on more than 40 percent of his shots, and he is scoring on a league-leading 24.0 percent of his shots for the season, but Cooley’s speed does allow him to create chances and he is working well with wingers Kailer Yamamoto and Dylan Guenther in addition to getting first unit power play time for the Mammoth.

#4 While he has been maligned recently for taking a terrible penalty in a loss to the Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings veteran right winger Patrick Kane has been turning back the clock in terms of point production. Even as the Red Wings have been struggling, falling outside the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, Kane has put up 23 points (6 G, 17 A) with 50 shots on goal in 16 games since the trade deadline.

#5 The Minnesota Wild have been a strong team all season and after trading for defenceman Quinn Hughes, it seems that their championship expectations had elevated. While Hughes and star forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Matthew Boldy have been the obvious leaders, players in the supporting cast have been valuable, too. The Wild keep trying other options at centre on the top line, but they keep coming back to Ryan Hartman, the veteran agitator who is sizzling hot right now, with 12 points (7 G, 5 A) and 22 shots on goal during an eight-game point streak. Similarly, veteran Wild playmaker Mats Zuccarello just keeps putting up numbers. He is 38 years old and has 15 points (3 G, 12 A) with 26 shots on goal in his past 12 games, skating on a line with Hartman and Kaprizov in addition to getting top unit power play time.

#6 It appears that the San Jose Sharks’ push for the playoffs is going to fall short, but they have received a strong contribution from veteran centre Alexander Wennberg down the stretch. Wennberg has been a reliable two-way centre throughout his career, though one whose skill level would suggest he could provide more offence, and that’s what has happened this season. In his past 16 games, Wennberg has 15 points (6 G, 9 A) with 20 shots on goal, lifting him to 54 points, his highest point total since 2016-2017.

#7 One of the most frequently mentioned players in 20 Fantasy Points this season, Pittsburgh Penguins winger Anthony Mantha has had the best season of his career yet remains available in a decent percentage of leagues. Since the trade deadline, Mantha has 16 points (10 G, 6 A) and 34 shots on goal in 18 games, bumping him up to career highs of 31 goals and 61 points. In addition to second unit power play time, Mantha is skating on a line with rookie Ben Kindel at centre and Justin Brazeau on right wing.

#8 The Carolina Hurricanes have a relentless approach and part of the reason for success is that they get contributions throughout the lineup. Logan Stankoven, who was acquired from Dallas in the Mikko Rantanen trade last season, transitioned to centre this year and he is finishing this season strong, with nine points (7 G, 2 A) during a six-game point streak. On Stankoven’s left side, veteran winger Taylor Hall has 10 points (3 G, 76 A) with 16 shots on goal in his past eight games. Hall is up to 48 points on the season, his highest total since 2021-2022.

#9 It has been a challenging second season for Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov and while it’s been a rocky road for much of the season, he does appear to be contributing to the Flyers’ playoff push. In his past 13 games, Michkov has 12 points (1 G, 11 A) with 19 shots on goal. That’s not an ideal shot rate and Michkov scoring one goal in a 16-game span is hardly the ideal scenario, it’s better than the sporadic production that he has had in 2025-2026. He is getting first unit PP time while skating on a line with Noah Cates and rookie Alex Bump at even strength.

#10 An underrated development for the Edmonton Oilers this season has been the progress shown by left winger Vasily Podkolzin, who has six points (3 G, 3 A) in his past seven games, lifting him to career highs of 19 goals and 37 points. Even though he is not a factor on the power play – 34 of his 37 points have come at even strength – Podkolzin is getting time on the top line with Connor McDavid and that’s not a bad place to play.

#11 Montreal Canadiens rookie right winger Ivan Demidov does not look like he will win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year because Islanders defenceman Matthew Schaefer has had an historically great freshman campaign, but Demidov is living up to all of the hype that surrounded him entering the season. In his past 10 games, Demidov has recorded nine points (4 G, 5 A) with 17 shots on goal, and while that shot rate could use a little boost, he has been such a creative force that the Habs will expect even more in the future. One caveat there: Demidov has an on-ice shooting percentage of 14.9 percent which ranks third behind only Gage Goncalves and Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning, among skaters to play at least 500 five-on-five minutes this season. Demidov is likely going to have a higher on-ice shooting percentage throughout his career, but pushing 15 percent is unsustainable for even the most dangerous offensive players. Just for comparison, the players with the highest on-ice shooting percentage across the past three seasons, minimum 1500 five-on-five minutes: Goncalves (13.7%), Nikita Kucherov (12.6%), Point (12.5%), Mantha (12.2%), Lane Hutson (12.0%).

#12 Getting traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets marked a massive turnaround for left winger Mason Marchment, who started the season with a modest 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in 29 games for the Seattle Kraken. Since arriving in Columbus, though, Marchment has 29 points (13 G, 16 A) in 36 games, including eight points (2 G, 6 A) with 17 shots on goal in his past eight games. He is playing with Boone Jenner and Danton Heinen at even strength, but Marchment is also getting time on PP1.

#13 As the Washington Capitals make a final push for the playoffs, rookie winger Ryan Leonard is stepping up his game, putting up six points (3 G, 3 A) with 18 shots on goal in his past six games. That gives him 42 points (18 G, 24 A) in 72 games, which is a solid rookie season, but also feels like it’s just scratching the surface on what he will be able to contribute as he grows into a bigger role with the Capitals. Leonard is enjoying this late-season success skating on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Connor McMichael in addition to getting top unit power play time.

#14 With an early look ahead to next season, don’t forget about Los Angeles Kings right winger Kevin Fiala, who broke his leg at the Olympics. He had 40 points (18 G, 22 A) in 56 games before getting hurt and this while managing an on-ice shooting percentage of 6.5 percent, his lowest since his rookie season in 2016-2017. The Kings aren’t exactly known for their high-scoring ways, but Fiala should expect a better on-ice shooting percentage since his career mark is around 8.3 percent.

#15 The Calgary Flames have been low shooting percentage team this season, ranking 31st with a five-on-five shooting percentage of 7.8 percent, so several Flames could reasonably expect to receive better puck luck next season. Matt Coronato might be a good one to target as he has scored on 8.9 percent of his shots this season, after scoring on 13.3 percent last season, and Coronato’s on-ice shooting percentage is just 6.8 percent this season. For a player who leads the Flames with an extremely modest 42 points, Coronato should have the opportunity to play a big part in the Flames’ rebuilding effort.

#16 If the Flames rank 31st in five-on-five shooting percentage, which team has been worse? The New Jersey Devils. Thus, there may be some value to be found in targeting the likes of Jesper Bratt, whose on-ice shooting percentage is below 7.3 percent, down more than three percent from last season. Following back-to-back seasons with more than 80 points, Bratt has 68 points (20 G, 48 A) in 79 games this season, despite generating shots and expected goals at a higher rate this season.

#17 Another Los Angeles Kings forward to consider for a bounce back next season is centre Quinton Byfield, who has 44 points (20 G, 24 A) in 75 games, his production down even though he is playing a career-high 20 minutes per game. Last season, Byfield’s on-ice shooting percentage is 7.9 percent this season, compared to 10.7 percent last season. With Anze Kopitar heading into retirement, there should be prime opportunity for Byfield to play with skilled linemates who can raise his offensive ceiling.

#18 While Nashville Predators right winger Luke Evangelista has a reasonable on-ice shooting percentage (8.9 percent) this season, his own shooting percentage, in all situations, is a paltry 6.0 percent, with just 10 goals on 168 shots. His ice time has jumped 2:45 per game from last season, up to 16:37 per game and he has set career highs with 41 assists and 51 points, but he has been underperforming as a shooter. Prior to this season, Evangelista scored on 9.2 percent of his shots, which is still not amazing for a skilled winger, but it’s more than 50 percent better than what he has delivered this season.

#19 One more potential Devils bounce-back note, sort of. Devils defenceman Dougie Hamilton has an on-ice shooting percentage of 6.9 percent this season. Among the 138 defencemen that have played at least 1,000 five-on-five minutes, that ranks 136th, so even if Hamilton has tended towards lower on-ice shooting percentages (and higher volumes), it doesn’t have to rank at the bottom of the pile either. Of course, if the rumour mill is to be believed, Hamilton might be plying his trade with a new team in 2026-2027, and a fresh start could help bring along better percentages for the veteran blueliner.

#20 Finally, some players that have increased their production since the Olympic break: After scoring the gold-medal winning goal, Devils centre Jack Hughes has 35 points (14 G, 21 A) in 20 games since the break to lead all scorers. Penguins defenceman Erik Karlsson has 31 points (11 G, 20 A) in his past 22 games. Bruins centre Pavel Zacha has 27 points (15 G, 12 A) in 21 games, Blues centre Robert Thomas has 25 points (11 G, 14 A) in 18 games, Penguins winger Rickard Rakell has 24 points (14 G, 10 A) in 22 games, Rangers centre Mika Zibanejad has 24 points (10 G, 14 A) in 21 games, Rangers defenceman Adam Fox also has 24 points (5 G, 19 A) in 21 games, Blues left winger Dylan Holloway has 24 points (9 G, 15 A) in 20 games, Bruins winger Viktor Arvidsson has 23 points (8 G, 15 A) in 21 games, Penguins winger Egor Chinakhov has 23 points (9 G, 14 A) in 22 games, Red Wings defenceman Moritz Seider has 21 points (3 G, 18 A) in his past 20 games, and Bruins defenceman Charlie McAvoy has 20 points (7 G, 13 A) in 21 games. This is not an all-encompassing list, obviously, but some interesting players who have picked up their production either while their teams are battling for playoff spots or, for others, while the season slips away from them.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Veterans who are elevating their play, including Zach Hyman, Steven Stamkos, Ryan O’Reilly, Ryan Hartman, Claude Giroux, David Perron, and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 16:22:00 +0000

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, veterans who are elevating their play, including Zach Hyman, Steven Stamkos, Ryan O’Reilly, Ryan Hartman, Claude Giroux, David Perron, and so much more!

#1 Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman was not ready to start the season, as he recovered from wrist surgery, so he didn’t get into the lineup until mid-November and even then it took him some time to get up to speed. It does appear that he’s starting to cook. In his past 11 games, Hyman has 15 points (9 G, 6 A) and 34 shots on goal. He’s getting first unit power play time and skating on the Oilers’ top line with Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, so Hyman should be in a prime position for the rest of the season.

#2 In his first 29 games this season, Nashville Predators right winger Steven Stamkos had 11 points (8 G, 3 A) and when that happens to a player in his mid-30s, it can look like the end is near. He has turned back the clock recently, however, putting up 11 points (7 G, 4 A) with 29 shots on goal in his past seven games. He’s skating on a veteran line with Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg and the key is that Stamkos is generating shots on goal. In his first 29 games, he had just 58 shots on goal, so to go from two shots per game to more than four shots per game in this recent uptick in his performance shows that he can still be a legitimate offensive threat.

#3 Ryan O’Reilly has been a huge part of the Predators’ resurgence. In the past 14 games, the Preds are 10-4 and O’Reilly has 19 points (5 G, 14 A) in those 14 games. He has just 23 shots on goal, and a low shot rate is a concern for offensive sustainability, but O’Reilly is a consistent play driver year after year and that has continued this season in Nashville, with a 55.8 CF%, which would represent the best Corsi percentage of his career.

#4 Although he moves around the Minnesota Wild lineup quite a bit, there is usually reason to like when Ryan Hartman gets his turn playing on the top line. With Marco Rossi dealt to Vancouver in the Quinn Hughes trade, Hartman has moved in between Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello, with Hartman putting up seven points (5 G, 2 A) and 20 shots on goal in his past seven games, after he had eight points (4 G, 4 A) through his first 29 games this season.

#5 The Ottawa Senators are getting quality production from veteran wingers Claude Giroux and David Perron. Giroux has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 11 shots on goal in his past seven games while Perron has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past seven games. They are getting second unit power play time and, for a pair of 37-year-olds, they are still providing reliable secondary scoring for the Sens. As with many of the veterans in this week’s article, they are not producing at the level of their best career performance but in their mid-30s that’s not a reasonable expectation and it is part of the reason that these players are more widely available.

#6 When he was acquired by the Ottawa Senators from the San Jose Sharks last season, Fabian Zetterlund responded with a meagre five points (3 G, 2 A) and 40 shots on goal in 20 games. He followed that up by starting this season with four points (1 G, 3 A) and 28 shots on goal in his first 20 games, but he has turned the corner and is now a solid offensive contributor on a talented Senators squad. In his past 16 games, Zetterlund has 12 points (8 G, 4 A) and 38 shots on goal, and appears to have secured a regular spot on the top line alongside Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk.

#7 With injuries decimating the Tampa Bay Lightning blueline, Darren Raddysh has been the primary beneficiary from an offensive standpoint, as he is quarterbacking the top power play unit and producing at an elite level. His partner, J.J. Moser, has been making inroads recently, with five points and 16 shots on goal while averaging 23:32 of ice time in his past six games. Moser only had seven points (1 G, 6 A) and 34 shots on goal in his previous 28 games, but he does seem equipped to provide more offense than that.

#8 Although he is getting surpassed by his younger teammates in San Jose, Sharks right winger Tyler Toffoli has put up 13 points (5 G, 8 A) and 38 shots on goal in his past 13 games, recording two four-point games in the process. Toffoli is skating on San Jose’s second line, alongside William Eklund and Alexander Wennberg, while also getting time with the top power play unit.

#9 At this stage of his career, 40-year-old Colorado Avalanche defenceman Brent Burns is not the focal point for offense on the blueline, but he hasn’t abandoned those parts of his game, either. In his past 12 games, he has delivered eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 26 shots on goal, while averaging 19:44 of ice time per game. Only one of Burns’ 19 points this season have come on the power play, so there is a limit to his offensive contribution, but he remains a contributor for an Avalanche team that is steamrolling the rest of the league.

#10 Staying on the Colorado blueline, Samuel Girard has suddenly started to provide offense. In his past six games, Girard has six points (2 G, 4 A) and eight shots on goal, but he had just two assists in the 15 games that he played before that. Like Burns, Girard is not getting power play time in Colorado, but the Avs are so good that it could be worth considering these guys in deeper leagues.

#11 Winnipeg Jets forward Morgan Barron has never scored more than 21 points in an NHL season, but that could change this season. He has found a role on Winnipeg’s third line, alongside Adam Lowry and Alex Iafallo, and in his past six games, Barron has five points (4 G, 1 A) and a dozen shots on goal. He is up to 12 points (7 G, 5 A) in 29 games this season, so he has a real chance to set a career high in point production. For fantasy managers, his appeal is mostly in very deep leagues, though his offensive surge coupled with 67 hits in 29 games does give him some added fantasy value.

#12 It seems as though Oliver Bjorkstrand has been underutilized in Tampa Bay, as he is playing just 14:23 per game, which would be his lowest average time on ice since 2018-2019. However, in his past seven games, Bjorkstrand does have seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 12 shots on goal while playing 15:32 per game. He is currently on the Lightning’s second line, with Nick Paul and Jake Guentzel.

#13 Buffalo Sabres left winger Zach Benson was having a hard time finding the back of the net, going without a goal in his first 17 games of this season, but he has started to put it together recently. In his past six games, Benson has five points (3 g, 2 A) and 12 shots on goal, As the Sabres are making a concerted effort to turn their season around, Benson is getting first unit power play time while skating on a line with Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn at even strength.

#14 After a slow start to the season that saw him demoted to the fourth line, Carolina Hurricanes left winger Andrei Svechnikov does seem to be back on track. In his past nine games, Svechnikov has 10 points (2 G, 8 A) and 20 shots on goal. He’s now skating on a line with Jordan Staal and Jackson Blake, which is more of a two-way line than usual, but Svechnikov is delivering results.

#15 The Columbus Blue Jackets acquired left winger Mason Marchment from the Seattle Kraken after the consensus was that Marchment’s time in Seattle was just not a good fit. After he had 13 points (4 G, 9 A) with 46 shots on goal in 29 games, which was not the kind of production that he was providing in his previous seasons with Dallas. Early returns in Columbus are more promising, as he has been playing with Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko and Marchment has three goals and seven shots on goal in his first two games with Columbus. He is still more of a deep league option for fantasy managers, but he has a chance to provide value.

#16 The Buffalo Sabres are turning around their season and goaltender Alex Lyon is putting up great results. He has won each of his past six starts, posting a .922 save percentage. When the Sabres’ season looked like it was getting away from them, it was looking more likely that Lyon or Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen could get traded, but now that the Sabres have moved to within two points of a Wild Card playoff spot, they are more likely to stick with their tandem.

#17 While the Seattle Kraken are battling to stay in the playoff hunt, currently three points back of the second Wild Card spot, they are getting quality play from goaltender Joey Daccord. In his past five starts, Daccord has won three while posting a .934 save percentage. On the season, Daccord has 4.14 Goals Saved Above Expected, which is the kind of goaltending that can keep a team in the playoff race and it might make him a viable fantasy option.

#18 When looking for players who might be ready to bust out offensively, consider those that have not been living up to their underlying numbers. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, for example, has just one goal in 11 games this month, despite having 5.70 individual expected goals in all situations. Some other players whose goal numbers have been below expected goals in December: William Eklund (-4.25), Anthony Cirelli (-4.04), Chris Kreider (-3.88), John Tavares (-3.61), Rickard Rakell (-3.36), Logan Stankoven (-3.21), Jake DeBrusk (-3.20), Nico Hischier (-3.12), Tom Wilson (-3.11), and Jake Guentzel (-2.83).

#19 With Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar injured, the Chicago Blackhawks have veterans Jason Dickinson and Ryan Donato holding down their top two centre spots. Donato played a season-high 21:35 in the last game before the break and does have a goal and an assist in his past two games, so he may have some short-term appeal while the Blackhawks are in the tough situation of missing their top two centres.

#20 Newly acquired Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry suffered a lower-body injury that should keep him out for a couple of weeks and that has opened the door for Connor Ingram, who has won his first couple of starts with Edmonton, stopping 92.0 percent of the shots that he faced in the first two games. He had a .856 save percentage in 11 AHL appearances, so it’s not like he was forcing his way back into the NHL with his play, but the Oilers are playing better and if it means that Ingram can get comfortable in the NHL again, he could at least have short term appeal for fantasy managers.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

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

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

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

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

What’s Changed?

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

What Would Success Look Like?

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

What Could Go Wrong?

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

Top Breakout Candidate

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

FORWARDS

Kirill Kaprizov

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

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

Matt Boldy

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

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

Marco Rossi

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

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

Mats Zuccarello

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

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

Joel Eriksson Ek

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

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

Vladimir Tarasenko

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

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

Marcus Foligno

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

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

Marcus Johansson

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

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

Ryan Hartman

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

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

DEFENCE

Jared Spurgeon

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

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

Jonas Brodin

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

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

Brock Faber

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

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

Jacob Middleton

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

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

Goal

Filip Gustavsson

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

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

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

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – San Jose rebuild on track – Favourable schedules and players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 12:54:26 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 11: San Jose Sharks left wing William Eklund (72) (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

There are a number of teams that have effectively lost all hope of making the playoffs, but at the time of writing, only one team has been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention: The San Jose Sharks.

It’s the sixth straight year without a playoff berth for San Jose, which is by far the largest stretch of failure in the franchise’s history -- from the inaugural season in 1991-92 through 2018-19, the Sharks had missed the playoffs just six times in total -- and yet there’s a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

Macklin Celebrini has lived up to the hype in his rookie campaign with 21 goals and 50 points through 57 appearances, and the 22-year-old William Eklund is shaping up to be another strong member of the Sharks’ future with 15 goals and 50 points in 64 outings. They’re also seeing some preliminary success from 19-year-old Will Smith, who has provided 13 goals and 35 points in 61 appearances. We should also soon see Cameron Lund make his NHL debut after signing an entry-level contract with the Sharks on Friday. Perhaps the Sharks will try pairing Lund up with Eklund after the 20-year-old Lund supplied 18 goals and 40 points in 37 outings with Northeastern University this year.

In the long run, that young core of forwards might be backed up by 22-year-old netminder Yaroslav Askarov, who has struggled with the rebuilding Sharks (3.10 GAA, .896 save percentage in 13 outings), but has looked solid at the AHL level this campaign (2.52 GAA, .922 save percentage in 19 games).

If some of their other top prospects like Quentin Musty and Sam Dickinson work out, and the Sharks get value out of their four picks in the top two rounds of the 2025 and 2026 drafts, then San Jose could start moving in an upward trajectory quickly.

The only issue is that they have a lot of ground to gain. There’s a good chance the Sharks will finish with 60 or lower points for a third straight campaign. On the one hand, it’s a stretch that’s allowed them to put their full force into rebuilding, but there’s always the danger of falling into the Buffalo Sabres trap, where success always seems to be just around the corner.

An eventful summer might be the key for the Sharks, especially because the Sharks are currently swimming in cap space. They do need to be mindful of the big raises that Eklund, Celebrini and Smith will be due if all goes as hoped, but Celebrini and Smith won’t test the market for the first time until the summer of 2027, while Eklund will remain on his entry-level contract for the 2025-26 campaign, so there is a window here for the Sharks to spend. Their cap flexibility is also made a little easier by the fact that Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s $7 million contract comes off the books in the summer of 2026 and Couture’s $8 million cap hit ends after 2026-27, which will help offset some of those raises.

That will allow them to be aggressive on the UFA market, and it also opens the door for San Jose to potentially leverage some of its picks for veteran players. So, while the Sharks have some largely meaningless games ahead of them, this might end up being the summer of GM Mike Grier.

Buffalo Sabres (Tue vs OTT, Thu vs PIT, Sat @ PHI, Sun @ WAS)

It seems cruel to cite the Sabres as a cautionary tale whenever teams like the Sharks are in the midst of a rebuild, but that’s what they are. With a 27-34-6 record through Thursday’s action, Buffalo sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and is on course to miss the playoffs for a 14th straight season. That’s the longest postseason drought in the history of the league.

The Sabres will at least attempt to finish the season on a somewhat positive note. They’ll host Ottawa and Pittsburgh on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, before heading on the road to visit Philadelphia on Saturday and Washington on Sunday.

Buffalo’s single biggest issue this campaign has been an inability to keep the puck out of the net. The Sabres rank 29th in goals allowed per game with 3.52. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who managed a solid 2.57 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 54 appearances in 2023-24, hasn’t looked nearly as impressive this campaign, going 23-21-4 with a 3.16 GAA and an .888 save percentage.

It's tempting to say that the team in front of him has been the source of Luukkonen’s woes, and there’s certainly some backing for that assumption. The Sabres rank 29th in xGA/60 at 3.35, per Moneypuck, which implies that the defense has been making life miserable for the goaltenders. However, Luukkonen can’t completely escape blame. He also has a minus-4.6 goals saved above expected, which suggests that he’s been putting forth below average performances, and that’s compounded Buffalo’s already significant defensive issues. That’s also in contrast to 2023-24 when Luukkonen finished with a plus-9.4 goals saved above expected.

Buffalo has already made a long-term commitment to Luukkonen, albeit with a $4.75 million cap hit through 2028-29, which is on the low end for a veteran starter and is expected to get even more reasonable as the cap goes up. If he ends up needing to slide into a backup role, that contract will look like an overpay, but not to the point where it’s an anchor on Buffalo’s cap situation.

The ideal would be if Devon Levi lives up to the promise he showed in the NCAA, but so far the 23-year-old has left plenty to be desired in the NHL, posting a 3.29 GAA and an .894 save percentage through 39 appearances. Goaltenders tend to take longer to develop than any other NHL position, so it would be premature to write him off, but Buffalo assuming that a Luukkonen-Levi duo will eventually lead the franchise to the playoffs might be dangerous -- the potential is there, but it’s far from a sure thing.

That’s a long-term concern for Buffalo. In the short run, the Sabres can at least enjoy Ryan McLeod’s hot streak. He’s recorded a point in five straight games and has been held off the scoresheet just once over his last seven appearances, giving him two goals and seven points in that span. He’s set career highs in goals (16) and points (38) in his first campaign with Buffalo after being acquired from Edmonton, and the 25-year-old should be a solid presence for years to come while primarily centering the third line under ideal circumstances.

Detroit Red Wings (Mon @ UTA, Tue @ COL, Thu vs OTT, Sat vs BOS)

Detroit has won just two of its past 10 games, putting the Red Wings playoff hopes in serious jeopardy. They’ll need to do well next week to avoid slipping out of the postseason picture. The Red Wings will start on the road, facing Utah on Monday and Colorado on Tuesday. Detroit will then return home to host the Senators on Thursday and the Bruins on Saturday.

Buffalo’s postseason drought is the one that get the most attention, but Detroit hasn’t been to the postseason since 2016, so there are significant stakes to the Red Wings’ playoff run, especially because they’re not exactly a rebuilding squad anymore. Lucas Raymond (23 goals, 69 points) is still just 22 years old, while Dylan Larkin (28, 60) and Alex DeBrincat (31, 58) are in their late 20s, so Detroit’s core forwards aren’t old, but they’re not emerging prospects either. Two of Detroit’s top four defensemen (Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson) are under 25, but they are supplemented by aging veterans (Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry).

Detroit does still have players that will get better with time. I’m very interested to see what the future holds for 20-year-old rookie Marco Kasper, who has 13 goals, 27 points, 30 PIM and 123 hits in 63 appearances this campaign, but Detroit is beyond the point where it can just shrug and say that short-term losing is a byproduct of the process.

Patrick Kane should be in no mood to be patient at the age of 36. He exploded with a five-point effort March 12 to lead Detroit past Buffalo. Kane also had a three-point showing March 1 versus Columbus, but he’s been inconsistent recently, so don’t look at his 11 points (three goals) in nine games this month and assume he’s red hot. The truth is more nuanced. Unfortunately, Detroit has lacked a steady hand on offense recently, which is a reflection of the team’s recent struggles overall.

Petr Mrazek, who was acquired from Chicago, has been given the opportunity to take over as Detroit’s starter. He’s got the nod in each of Detroit’s past four games, but the results have been mixed. He did post an 18-save shutout over Vegas on Sunday, but he also allowed at least three goals in each of the other three starts. Overall, he has a 2-2-0 record, 2.51 GAA and .901 save percentage in four appearances since joining Detroit. Still, Cam Talbot (2.96 GAA, .900 save percentage) and Alex Lyon (2.77 GAA, .900 save percentage) haven’t given Detroit much to be happy about this campaign, so Mrazek might continue to act as the Red Wings’ primary choice going forward.

Los Angeles Kings (Tue vs NYR, Thu @ COL, Sat vs TOR, Sun vs SJS)

The Kings sit third in the Pacific Division with a 37-21-9 record, but they still have a shot at catching Edmonton (40-24-5) and maybe even Vegas (40-20-8). The Kings will need a solid week to keep those prospects healthy. They’ll start by hosting the Rangers on Tuesday before playing in Colorado on Thursday. Afterward, the Kings will return home to face the Maple Leafs on Saturday and the Sharks on Sunday.

The Kings managed just four goals across eight games from March 13-20, so they don’t have any hot forwards. Kevin Fiala is about as close as you can find with a goal and three points over that four-game stretch, but he’s also been held off the scoresheet in seven of his past 12 contests, so his recent play is nothing to get excited over.

Meanwhile, Phillip Danault has just a goal and four points across his past 13. This is shaping up to be a disappointing campaign for him overall. He has just six goals in 66 games with a shooting percentage of 5.5, which is on course to be his lowest ever, excluding the two games he played in 2014-15. He also has no power-play points after recording 20 in 2022-23 and nine in 2023-24. On the one hand, he’s averaging 1:20 with the man advantage, the lowest of his four seasons with LA, which limits his chances, but Danault also hasn’t given the Kings much reason to use him more on the power play, so it’s a bit of a chicken and the egg issue. Either way, this campaign is looking like it’ll go down as a wash for Danault, and he certainly has been part of the issue for the Kings’ recent offensive drought, recording no points over the past four games.

This would be a bad stretch for the Kings, except Darcy Kuemper stopped 81 of 84 shots (.964 save percentage) while starting in those four games, and LA won three of those outings as a result. The 34-year-old goaltender is now 23-9-7 with a 2.13 GAA and a .918 save percentage in 40 appearances. In terms of GAA, this could be the best campaign of his career, excluding 2012-13 when he appeared in just six games. That’s quite a turnaround from 2023-24 (3.31 GAA, .890 save percentage), and it has to be said that Kuemper has a plus-15 goals saved above expected, which ranks 13th in the league, so this isn’t exclusively a case of him benefiting from strong defensively play in front of him -- though, the Kings do have a league-best 2.61 xGA/60, so the defense has been doing its part too.

Minnesota Wild (Mon @ DAL, Tue vs VGK, Thu vs WAS, Sat vs NJD)

Minnesota has a healthy edge in the battle for a wild-card spot, especially after winning its past two games. The Wild will look to build on their recent momentum when they play in Dallas on Monday. Minnesota will also host Vegas, Washington and New Jersey on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

Although Minnesota is likely to make the playoffs, the extended absence of Kirill Kaprizov (lower body) has been felt. He’s appeared in just three games dating back to Dec. 27, and Minnesota is a mediocre 18-15-1 over that span while averaging just 2.50 goals per game. By contrast, the Wild went 21-10-4 while averaging 2.94 goals per game over their first 35 contests, which is a stretch when Kaprizov provided 23 goals and 50 points in 34 appearances (missing one game).

To make matters worse, Joel Eriksson Ek hasn’t played since Feb. 22 due to a lower-body injury. Coach John Hynes said Monday that Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek were progressing off ice, per Dylan Loucks of The Hockey News, which is mixed news. Any progress is good progress, but if they’re not skating yet, then they’re probably not close to returning. With so little time left in the campaign, I have to wonder if Minnesota is now simply looking ahead to the playoffs when it comes to Kaprizov. Maybe he’ll get into a few games toward the end of the regular season just to shake off the rust, but that might be all we can hope for.

At least Ryan Hartman is back from his eight-game suspension. He’s recorded three goals and six points in eight appearances since returning from his punishment. He also averaged 16:31 of ice time in that span, up from 15:00, as the Wild deal with injuries.

Minnesota also attempted to get help by acquiring Gustav Nyquist from Nashville on March 1, but that hasn’t moved the needle. Nyquist has registered just two assists in nine outings with Minnesota despite averaging 16:02 since the trade. He might see his role reduced once Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov are ready to return, especially if Nyquist doesn’t start heating up.

To wrap up on a somber note, we’re likely watching the final games of Marc-Andre Fleury. He hasn’t played much recently -- his last start was March 9 -- but the Wild do have a back-to-back coming Monday and Tuesday, so he’ll likely make his 885th career start and 1,048th appearance on one of those two nights. Fleury has solid backup at the age of 40, posting a 12-8-1 record, 2.73 GAA and .904 save percentage in 22 outings this campaign.

New Jersey Devils (Mon vs VAN, Wed @ CHI, Thu @ WPG, Sat @ MIN)

The Devils have been treading water lately, winning four of their past nine games. At this point, they’re unlikely to catch Carolina for the second seed in the Metropolitan Division, but the Devils are still likely to secure the third seed. In the meantime, they’ll start next week at home against Vancouver. The Devils will then hit the road, playing in Chicago on Wednesday, Winnipeg on Friday and Minnesota on Saturday.

Like Minnesota, New Jersey is dealing with some major injuries. Dougie Hamilton (lower body) hasn’t played since March 4 (he logged just 5:15 before exiting that March 4th game), and Jack Hughes (shoulder) was last in the lineup March 2.

New Jersey has gone 4-4-0 without Hamilton and Hughes, including the contest Hamilton was only briefly a part of in contrast to the Devils’ 33-23-6 record across their first 62 games. It’d be natural to assume their middling play lately has been as a result of a drop in offense, similar to what Minnesota has experienced, but the Devils have managed 2.88 goals per game over their last eight games, which isn’t much of a decline from their 2.98 before Hughes’ injury.

Instead, the problem has been at their own end. Jacob Markstrom has a 4.67 GAA and an .817 save percentage across his past five appearances. That leaky play has taken some of the shine out of the heroics from Jesper Bratt (three goals, 10 points in his past five games) and Luke Hughes (one goal, seven points in his past eight appearances).

Jake Allen has looked good, though, winning his past three starts while saving 99 of 103 shots (.961 save percentage). That contrast between New Jersey’s two goaltenders has resulted in Markstrom shifting from being the clear starter to serving in a rotation. I don’t expect that arrangement to persist for the remainder of the campaign, but it’ll probably last until Markstrom finds his footing again.

The Devils certainly have to hope Markstrom comes out of this cold patch sooner rather than later. While there is light at the end of the tunnel for Minnesota on the injury front -- albeit a distance light -- Jack Hughes isn’t expected back until training camp, and Hamilton probably won’t return until the second round at the earliest, provided the Devils make it that far. What they have now is all they can count on. Fortunately for New Jersey, Bratt, Nico Hischier and Timo Meier is still a solid forward core, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see that trio do well down the stretch, and Luke Hughes is a great alternative to Hamilton on the top power-play unit, which should result in Luke having a strong finish offensively.

New York Islanders (Mon vs CBJ, Wed vs VAN, Sat @ TBL, Sun @ CAR)

The Islanders have won their past three games, pushing them within striking distance of a wild-card spot. New York needs to stay hot next week to close the gap. They’ll start with a home game against Columbus, which is another team in the hunt for an Eastern Conference wild-card position. The Blue Jackets will also play at home against Vancouver on Wednesday before traveling to Tampa Bay on Saturday and Carolina on Sunday.

New York squeaking into the playoffs would be particularly impressive after they traded Brock Nelson to Colorado on March 6 in a where the key pieces back were prospect Calum Ritchie and a first-round pick. It’s not like the Islanders had offense to spare…or so you’d assume, but they’ve been getting help from unexpected sources lately.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau has a goal and six points while Simon Holmstrom has three goals and five points across the Islanders’ seven games since the trade. Both players are usually more complementary pieces when it comes to offense, but they do get on these kinds of hot streaks, making them nice situational pickups during times such as this.

Defensemen Noah Dobson and Anthony DeAngelo have also been major contributors during the same stretch, recording seven and six points, respectively. It’s been interesting that Dobson’s return from injury Feb. 27 hasn’t marginalized DeAngelo’s contributions. Rather than shift DeAngelo to the second power-play unit to make room for Dobson, the Islanders seem comfortable having two defensemen on their top group with the man advantage. DeAngelo has also continued to be used at even strength, averaging 22:18 of ice time in all situations since the return of Dobson.

DeAngelo’s always been a lightning rod for controversy, but it seems he’s found a good spot with the Islanders, and he should continue to be a meaningful contributor for the remainder of the campaign.

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

The Senators put themselves in a good spot by winning six straight from March 5-15, but they’ve hit a rough patch with back-to-back losses. The Senators still hold the first wild-card spot, but they can’t afford to relax. They have an opportunity to collect some key points next week against teams not currently in a playoff position. Ottawa will play in Buffalo on Tuesday, Detroit on Thursday and Pittsburgh on Sunday. The Senators will also host the Blue Jackets on Saturday.

Dylan Cozens has worked out pretty nicely in Ottawa since being acquired from Buffalo on March 7. He has three goals and six points in seven appearances with the Senators despite seeing his average playing time drop from 17:13 before the trade to 15:23 since joining the Ottawa. Cozens seems to be settling into a second-line center role with Ottawa, which isn’t surprising. He should get most of his minutes alongside Drake Batherson and David Perron for the remainder of the campaign, though Cozens is also getting work on the top power-play unit and has already provided two goals with the man advantage for Ottawa.

Batherson has been a good player to skate alongside recently. He enjoyed a four-game scoring streak from March 11-18 in which he supplied three goals and six points, but that run was snapped Thursday. The 26-year-old is up to 19 goals and 55 points in 68 outings overall, making it very likely that he’ll reach the 20-goal and 60-point marks for the third straight campaign. In fact, he still has a solid chance of besting his career high of 66 points, which he set last year.

Perron also has been solid recently with four goals and seven points in his past 10 appearances. The 36-year-old missed significant chunks of the campaign, so it’s not too surprising that he was limited to a goal and four points in 11 outings from Jan. 11 (when he returned from a 27-game absence due to back problem) through Feb. 26. Now that the veteran has been able to string together a significant number of games for the first time all season, we’re seeing steady production out of him, and there’s a good chance that’ll continue for the rest of the season, barring another exit from the lineup.

Ottawa’s top line, headlined by Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle, will be the main drivers of the Senators’ offense, but don’t underestimate that second unit of Perron, Cozens and Batherson.

Toronto Maple Leafs (Tue vs PHI, Thu @ SJS, Sat @ NYR, Sun @ LAK)

Toronto has won its past three games, putting behind a rough stretch in which the Maple Leafs won just one of six contests. The Maple Leafs are competing with Florida for the Atlantic Division title. Toronto will look for an edge in that battle next week, beginning with a home game against the Flyers on Tuesday. Toronto will then go on the road, playing in San Jose on Thursday, Los Angeles on Saturday and Anaheim on Sunday.

Even after a run of four goals from March 15-19, Auston Matthews is still on course for career lows with his goal total of 27 and his shooting percentage of 12.4. He’s been limited to 54 games this campaign, and it seems probable he’s playing through something even now, but even Matthews at less than 100 percent is still a high-end option. It helps that he’s pivoted to setting up his teammates a little more to make up for the reduced goal scoring -- he has 34 assists, so in terms of points per 60 minutes, his 3.3 this year is a touch low by his standards, but still well within the range of what’d you’d expect from him.

There’s a good chance he’ll come back strong next season with another 40-plus campaign, and he might even hit 60 for the third time in his career in 2025-26. However, the 27-year-old has run into more injuries problems than one would like over the first half of his career, which makes projecting him somewhat difficult.

Mitch Marner has been the steadier hand in Toronto in terms of season-by-season production. This will be his fourth straight campaign with over 20 goals and 80 points. One thing he’s never managed is reaching the 100-point mark, though he came close in 2021-22 (97) and 2022-23 (99). He might be able to just barely hit it this season after supplying 21 goals and 83 points through 68 appearances.

Marner needs to get hot again to hit the century mark, but right now, he’s not the hottest member of the Leafs. Neither is Matthews, for that matter. That distinction belongs to William Nylander, who has five goals and 15 points in his last 11 appearances. That brings him up to 38 markers and 73 points in 69 outings overall.

Nylander also reached the 600-point career milestone Thursday when he assisted on a goal by John Tavares. That was career point 1,098 for Tavares, and the 34-year-old center went on to collect two more points, making it a milestone night for him as well. Tavares has 29 goals and 60 points in 62 appearances in 2024-25, bringing him up to 213 goals and 479 points in 502 games. If you had told someone immediately after Tavares signed a seven-year, $77 million contract with Toronto that he would decline over the final couple of years, they would have likely believed you. However, while Tavares did show his age somewhat in 2023-24, he’s continuing to produce at a high level even in the final campaign of that deal. It’ll be very interesting to see what kind of contract he commands over the summer, because he still seems to have good hockey left in him.

Toronto’s offense revolves around that core, and unfortunately no one outside of it steps up for more than brief periods. Matthew Knies is Toronto’s next best producer with 25 goals and 45 points, but he’s going through a mediocre stretch in which he’s supplied a goal and four points over his past eight games. Max Domi and Bobby McMann have been similarly meh lately, each contributing two goals and four points over the same eight-game span. All three are worth monitoring as pickup options during hot streaks, but they can’t be counted on to put up strong numbers over a longer period.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Goaltending issues – Favourable schedules and players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 16:22:53 +0000

DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 14: San Jose Sharks goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (40) doesn’t see a rebound in front of him during the game between the Detroit Red Wings and the San Jose Sharks Tuesday January 14, 2025 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire)

When you’re early in a season, there is always the fear of overreacting to small sample sizes, but sometimes early success or failure really is an indication of what’s to come. That holds true when it comes to two goaltenders who struggled in the opening weeks of the 2024-25 campaign -- Tristan Jarry and Alexandar Georgiev.

Jarry and Georgiev started in the Penguins’ and Avalanche’s season opener, respectively, but neither is even on that team anymore and a failure in between the pipes is the cause in both cases. Georgiev had a disastrous start, going 0-3-0 with a 5.79 GAA and an .802 save percentage across his first four games. He didn’t even post a start in which he allowed fewer than three goals until Nov. 7. In the end, he had an 8-7-0 record, 3.38 GAA and .874 save percentage in 18 outings before the Avalanche cut him loose, packaging him with Nikolai Kovalenko and two picks to get Mackenzie Blackwood from San Jose.

We can’t fully judge the trade yet until we know what becomes of those draft picks -- it will take a while because it’s a 2025 fifth-round selection and a 2026 second-round pick that went San Jose’s way -- but Colorado has plenty of reason to be happy. Blackwood has been brilliant between the pipes for the Avalanche, while Georgiev has done no better in San Jose than he had for Colorado in 2024-25.

Colorado’s situation can be considered lucky compared to Pittsburgh’s. Georgiev is in the final season of his three-year, $10.2 million contract anyway, so putting together an offering with some sweeteners to a rebuilding squad was perfectly feasible. Jarry is in just the second season of his five-year, $26.88 million contract, so finding a taker for him would be far more difficult.

No one wants that contract, and I can say that without any reservation because it’s been proven. Jarry was put on waivers Wednesday, giving the other 31 teams to take over his contract without giving up any assets and every squad passed on the offer. With that, Pittsburgh sent Jarry to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Similar to Georgiev, Jarry had a terrible start to the 2024-25 campaign, allowing 12 goals on 73 shots (.836 save percentage) over his first three appearances. Jarry then spent time in the minors on a conditioning stint and seemed to stabilize, posting a 2.16 GAA and a .926 save percentage in five AHL outings, but that didn’t translate into NHL success. After rejoining the Penguins, he allowed five goals on 38 shots to Columbus in his first start back and has continued to struggle, posting an 8-8-4 record, 3.31 GAA and .884 save percentage through 22 NHL outings this campaign.

Given that Jarry floundered even after a strong showing in the minors, it’d be hard to trust him even if he shows promise again in the AHL, especially because the 18-20-8 Penguins have very little margin for error left in their fight to stay in the Wild Card picture. There’s always the chance that injuries or a trade will change things, but for now, Pittsburgh seems set to spend the final months of the season with the goaltending duo of Alex Nedeljkovic and Joel Blomqvist, the latter of whom was called up in a move corresponding with Jarry’s demotion. Blomqvist is just 23 and someone the Penguins hope will be a significant part of the team long-term.

Speaking of the future, there are likely no good solutions when it comes to Jarry. Barring a comeback for the ages, the Penguins will likely look to part ways with him over the summer. They could try bundling draft picks to trade him but at $5.375 million through 2027-28 for a goaltender struggling to stay in the NHL, finding a suitor would be a challenge. Maybe a combination of the Penguins’ offering a really nice sweetener -- Penguins GM Kyle Dubas showed during his time in Toronto that he’d willingly sacrifice a first-round pick in exchange for cap savings -- and retaining some of his remaining salary would be enough to make it happen, but the Penguins would have to decide if they’re really that desperate to move him.

An alternative would be to buy out his remaining term, which would leave Pittsburgh with a cap hit of roughly $1.75 million in 2025-26 for a saving of roughly $3.63 million, but the dead cap would increase to $5.05 million in 2026-27 and be $4.55 million in 2027-28. The Penguins would then have $797,222 of dead cap space in each campaign from 2028-29 through 2030-31. In other words, they’d have a meaningful amount of extra wiggle room next season, but after that, any benefit to buying him out is basically over.

Still, the Penguins might be uniquely positioned for that arrangement to make sense. Erik Karlsson is 34, Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang are 37 and Evgeni Malkin is 38. Realistically, Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup window has already closed, but the franchise is reluctant to start a rebuild while the old guard is still playing good hockey. So how about this: The Penguins make the 2025-26 the last dance with this group and then embrace the rebuild. Yes, Crosby and Karlsson are signed through 2026-27 and Letang through 2027-28, but by that point, Crosby and Letang will be approaching 40 while Malkin, whose contract expires after 2025-26, might be gone. Unless something major changes, it seems hard to see how the Penguins will be competitive by that point anyway, so they’ll likely be in rebuild mode regardless of what they want.

So perhaps that’s what will end up happening. In the meantime, though, Jarry will report to the minors while Crosby and Co. will chase a return to the playoffs.

Boston Bruins (Mon vs SJS, Wed @ NJD, Thu vs OTT, Sat vs COL)

The Bruins stopped a six-game losing streak with a 4-3 overtime victory over Florida on Jan. 11 and put more distance on that slump by besting Tampa Bay 6-2 on Jan. 14. Still, the Bruins have no breathing room in the battle for a Wild Card spot, so they need to stay strong. They’ll host the Sharks on Monday, play in New Jersey on Wednesday and then spend their final two games of the week at home, facing Ottawa and Colorado on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

With over half the campaign in the bank, Boston is still searching for offense up the middle. Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha kept the Bruins afloat in that regard last season, providing 60 and 59 points, respectively, but Boston believed it could do even better by signing Elias Lindholm to a massive seven-year, $54.25 million contract.

That hasn’t worked out. Lindholm has just seven goals and 22 points in 46 appearances this year. What makes that more troubling is it comes after he was limited to 15 goals and 44 points in 75 outings in 2023-24. Boston clearly felt that down campaign was an anomaly for Lindholm, who has surpassed the 60-point milestone on three occasions, but perhaps the back half of his career won’t be filled with offensive accomplishments.

Making matters worse is the lackluster production from Zacha (10 goals, 24 points) and Coyle (10 goals, 15 points) this campaign. At least Brad Marchand (16 goals, 35 points) and David Pastrnak (20 goals, 48 points) are still doing well, but the Bruins’ scoring depth beyond that is looking rather bad.

Although it would be awkward to add yet another center when Coyle, Zacha and Lindholm consume a collective $17.75 million in cap space, that might be the play that would improve the Bruins the most. Then again, perhaps the Bruins won’t be buyers at the deadline.

“We’ll see where we’re at,” Bruins president Cam Neely recently said, per Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com. “I think right now, we’ve got to look at two paths: one that we’re buying and one that we may be retooling a little bit.”

In other words, these next few weeks are all the more important. Perhaps that will provide Boston with extra motivation, especially from the team’s core.

Carolina Hurricanes (Mon @ CHI, Tue @ DAL, Thu vs CBJ, Sat @ NYI)

The Hurricanes got off to a 20-10-1 start but went just 6-6-2 from Dec. 20-Jan. 15, so they have some work to do. They’ll start on the road next week with matches in Chicago on Monday and Dallas on Tuesday before returning home to host the Blue Jackets on Thursday. The Hurricanes will conclude the week with a road tilt versus the Islanders.

Carolina got some good news with the activation of Frederik Andersen (knee) off injured reserve. Although Andersen started the campaign with a 3-1-0 record, 1.49 GAA and .941 save percentage in four outings, he hasn’t played since Oct. 26. Rust might be a factor, but he still should have the edge for the starting gig ahead of Pyotr Kochetkov, who has a 16-9-2 record, 2.54 GAA and .901 save percentage in 28 appearances. It seems extremely likely that Kochetkov will see his workload diminish but given Andersen’s age (35) and injury history, Carolina might hesitate to lean on him too much even if he produces good results. Despite the Hurricanes’ mediocre play of late, Carolina’s position is still strong enough to prioritize making sure Andersen will be optimal for the playoffs.

Andersen isn’t the only veteran of importance for the team. The 36-year-old Jordan Staal is a valued member too, though the team captain’s contributions typically aren’t in the offensive zone. One notable exception to that was from Jan. 5-10 -- a stretch in which Staal collected five goals and eight points over four games. That stretch included a hat trick on Jan. 9, the fifth of his career and second since joining Carolina in 2012.

The good times are probably over, though. He had no points and no shots for Carolina on Jan. 12 and Jan. 15, so if you picked him up for the hot streak, it’s time to move on. On the plus side, Brent Burns is still hot. He has five assists over his past five appearances and nine points (two goals) across his last 11 outings. Burns has taken a step back offensively in 2024-25, largely due to his diminished power-play role, but his recent success has pushed him up to four goals and 18 points in 45 outings in 2024-25. Who knows, maybe he’ll have a strong second half, though I’d feel more confident about suggesting that if he was on the top power-play unit. As it is, Burns has just one assist with the man advantage this season, down from 20 power-play points in 2023-24.

Minnesota Wild (Mon @ COL, Thu vs UTA, Sat vs CGY, Sun @ CHI)

The Wild are enduring about as close as they get to a cold spell with three defeats over their past four games, dropping them to 27-14-4. Things won’t get any easier Monday in Colorado, but the rest of the week looks favorable. Minnesota will host Utah on Thursday, Calgary on Saturday and play in Chicago on Sunday.

The Wild's biggest issue is the absence of star forward Kirill Kaprizov (lower body). He was moved to long-term injured reserve Thursday, and although it’s retroactive to Dec. 23, they probably wouldn’t have done that if he was expected back soon. Minnesota will also miss Marcus Johansson (head) next week after sustaining the injury Wednesday.

Those absences have opened the door for Liam Ohgren, who was recalled from AHL Iowa on Thursday and will presumably play regularly next week. The 20-year-old was taken with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and has shown promise in the AHL, supplying 12 goals and 23 points in 25 outings this season. He hasn’t recorded a point in eight games with Minnesota in 2024-25, but he’s also averaged just 9:53 of ice time over that stretch. It’ll be interesting to see if he plays a bigger role than he did during his stint in October, both because he’s gotten some seasoning in the minors and the fact that Kaprizov and Johansson were eating big minutes.

Then again, Jakub Lauko is also in the mix. He hasn’t played since Dec. 14 due to a lower-body injury, but he’s off IR now, setting the stage for his return. Before the injury, he had two goals and four points across 24 appearances with the Wild in 2024-25 while averaging just 10:00. Lauko is more of a gritty forward without Ohgren’s offensive upside, but perhaps that’s what the Wild want to help fill out the minutes lost, especially given Lauko’s edge in NHL experience.

That aside, Minnesota has to be happy that Ryan Hartman has stepped up in the face of those injuries, providing three goals and seven points across his past eight appearances, especially after struggling up to that point with four goals and seven points across his past 32 outings. Hartman hasn’t seen consistent use on the power play in 2024-25, but his recent play might lead to Minnesota reevaluating that. Although he hasn’t come close to replicating his 34-goal, 65-point showing in 2021-22 since that campaign, Hartman can still be an effective secondary scorer under the right circumstances and did provide 10 power-play points -- 45 overall -- in 2023-24.

Nashville Predators (Tue vs SJS, Thu @ SJS, Sat @ ANA)

This has been a miserable season for the Predators, but they’ve won their last two games and do have some favorable matchups ahead. They’ll play a home-and-away series against San Jose on Tuesday and Thursday before facing the Ducks in Anaheim on Saturday.

There’s not much in the way of silver linings for Nashville this campaign, but at least Steven Stamkos has gotten better as he’s settled in with the club. He has an impressive 11 goals and 21 points across his past 26 appearances, a stark change from his opening eight games in which he was limited to just one point (a goal). There were plenty of assessments that Tampa Bay was right to cut him loose when the squad did, and while the Lightning certainly have to be happy with how things are working out with Jake Guentzel, it seems Stamkos has something left in the tank.

Jonathan Marchessault has also hit his stride. He had five goals and 13 points over his first 28 outings with the Predators, but he’s been one of the league’s top players dating back to Dec. 10 with nine goals and 20 points across 16 games.

That begs the question, though: If Nashville’s big free-agent signings are paying off after all, then why is Nashville still just 15-22-7? Sure, the Predators have looked better from Dec. 12 onward with an 8-6-1 record, but even that stretch doesn’t align with the team’s high offseason expectations.

Part of the problem is secondary scoring. In addition to Stamkos and Marchessault, the Predators do have Filip Forsberg (13 goals, 38 points), Ryan O’Reilly (13 goals, 26 points) and defenseman Roman Josi (eight goals, 30 points), but no one else has reached the 20-point mark. That gives Nashville five players who have passed that milestone while the average team has 7.17. The average team also has 5.56 players with at least 10 goals while Nashville has four.

The fall of Gustav Nyquist, who recorded 75 points last campaign but has just 18 points (seven goals) in 43 appearances in 2024-25, is a big factor in that, and unlike Stamkos and Marchessault, Nyquist doesn’t seem to be getting meaningfully better as the campaign progresses. It’d also have been nice if the 22-year-old Luke Evangelista built off his 2023-24 39-point showing, but instead, he has four goals and 14 points in 39 appearances this season.

The other factor is the defense. Nashville is tied for 21st in xGA/60 with 3.07, per Moneypuck. Juuse Saros has held his own with a plus-2.5 goals saved above expected, but that just suggests he’s been average rather than exceptional and on a team with as leaky a defense as the Predators’, they really do need the Saros of old. Instead, the current version is 10-18-6 with a 2.75 GAA and a .903 save percentage. He continues to be consistent too, supplying a 4-5-1 record, 2.80 GAA and .889 save percentage across his past 10 games.

Ottawa Senators (Tue @ NYR, Thu @ BOS, Sat vs TOR, Sun vs UTA)

Ottawa is 22-18-4 and in the mix for a playoff spot, but the Senators have to be nervous given the recent success enjoyed by Detroit and Montreal. The pressure is on Ottawa going into its road tilts against the Rangers on Tuesday and the Bruins on Thursday. The Senators will then play in Toronto on Saturday and Utah on Sunday.

Ottawa’s forwards have been going through a quiet stretch with Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson and Brady Tkachuk each recording three or fewer points over Ottawa’s past four games. Shane Pinto is enjoying some success, though, supplying two goals and four points over his past four games.

Pinto hasn’t been great overall in 2024-25 with eight goals and 14 points in 36 appearances. He showed offensive potential over his previous two campaigns with 29 goals and 62 points across 123 outings, but the 24-year-old hasn’t taken the next step yet, despite averaging a healthy 17:40 of ice time in 2024-25.

It’d help if he shot the puck more. He’s averaging just 6.1 shots/60, down from 8.9 last year, which is why he’s been limited to eight markers despite a healthy 12.3 shooting percentage (his career average is 10.9). He’s showing no signs of doing that, though, managing just six shots over his past four games. Unless that changes, Pinto likely won’t be a long-term play.

Things have looked better in goal, though. Linus Ullmark (back) is still out and probably won’t return next week, but his continued absence has been made tolerable by the rise of Leevi Merilainen. The 22-year-old rookie has a 5-2-1 record, 1.84 GAA and .930 save percentage in eight outings in 2024-25. He’s made four consecutive starts for Ottawa, allowing a mere three goals on 106 shots (.972 save percentage).

It’s inevitable that he’s going to have bad games, but if his overall level of play remains high, then Ottawa will have a near impossible time justifying sending him down after Ullmark returns. Instead, Anton Forsberg, who is 4-8-1 with a 3.10 GAA and an .883 save percentage, might find himself on waivers, which would allow Ottawa to go with an Ullmark-Merilainen combo. There’s also a chance that Forsberg might be traded or even claimed because he’s in the final season of a three-year, $8.25 million deal, which makes him a tolerable rental from a cap perspective but given his lackluster play over the past three years (30-31-3, 3.21 GAA, .894 save percentage), the other team would need to be fairly desperate.

Tampa Bay Lightning (Mon @ TOR, Tue @ MTL, Fri @ CHI, Sat @ DET)

Tampa Bay has played in just 43 games through Friday’s action, the second least in the league, so the Lightning are going to have a bit of a busier schedule than most for the remainder of the campaign. The Lightning will experience that in the upcoming week during their four-game road trip with stops in Toronto on Monday, Montreal on Tuesday, Chicago on Friday and Detroit on Saturday.

The Lightning are fortunate to be healthy in goal and up front, but blueliner Erik Cernak did sustain an undisclosed injury Thursday and is day-to-day as of the time of writing. Tampa Bay was already missing J.J. Moser (lower body), so that brings Tampa Bay down to five healthy blueliners if Cernak is unavailable.

Nick Perbix might see an increase in playing time from his season average of 15:28. He has four goals, 11 points, 14 PIM, 28 hits and 40 blocks in 38 appearances in 2024-25, so he’s only a factor in the deepest of fantasy leagues. The 23-year-old Emil Lilleberg getting a bigger role would be more interesting. Lilleberg ranks second among all defensemen with 72 PIM, and he has 71 hits. If an increase in playing time leads to even a modest uptick in offensive production -- he has nine assists in 40 appearances while averaging 15:43 of ice time -- then that would be interesting in leagues that also use penalty minutes.

Regardless of what happens on defense, though, Tampa Bay has a forward group to be envious of. The Lightning have five forwards with 37 or more points compared to the league average of 1.59. There’s also Nick Paul, who is a solid secondary scorer with 11 goals and 25 points in 37 appearances. He’s on a bit of a roll right now with two goals and five points over his past six games, so he’s worth consideration as a short-term grab, especially given Tampa Bay’s packed upcoming lineup.

Meanwhile, Nikita Kucherov remains as dominant as ever. He’s on a seven-game scoring streak in which he’s provided three goals and 11 points, giving him 20 markers and 65 points in 41 outings overall. He ranks third in the scoring race behind Nathan MacKinnon (17 goals, 72 points) and Leon Draisaitl (31 goals, 67 points) and just ahead of Connor McDavid (20 goals, 64 points). It wouldn’t be surprising to see those four compete for the Art Ross Trophy for the remainder of the season.

Vegas Golden Knights (Mon vs STL, Thu @ STL, Fri @ DAL, Sun vs FLA)

Vegas is cruising towards the playoffs with its 29-12-3 record, though it has hit a speed bump, dropping three of its past four games. It wouldn’t be surprising to see better results next week, though. The Golden Knights will start with a home-and-away series against St. Louis on Monday and Thursday. Vegas will then play in Dallas on Friday and host the Panthers on Sunday.

I’m so used to the Golden Knights having injury problems, that it’s weird to see the team basically healthy. Lukas Cormier is on the season-opening injured reserve list, but he’ll probably be sent to the minors once he’s ready to return.

That gives us a glimpse of how this team assembles at full strength. Presently, the forward talent is spread out nicely. Ivan Barbashev, Jack Eichel and Mark Stone make for a strong first line while Tomas Hertl and William Karlsson each center one of the other two scoring lines -- it's debatable which of those is second and which is third. Presently, Karlsson has Brett Howden on his wing while Hertl has Pavel Dorofeyev.

Then there’s the 23-year-old Cole Schwindt, who doesn’t have much of a role when everyone is healthy. He averaged just 8:24 of ice time from Dec. 19-Jan. 12 and typically doesn’t get consistent linemates. He was then a healthy scratch Tuesday but is projected to draw back into the lineup Friday with the 22-year-old Alexander Holtz resting instead. Holtz also doesn’t have a consistent role when the team is at full strength.

Nicolas Roy is technically the fourth center, but he’s playing more than that role implies, averaging 15:59 per game. He also brings more to the table offensively than someone with the “fourth-line center” label. He had 13 goals and 41 points in 70 outings in 2023-24 and is at six goals and 14 points across 33 appearances this season.

Combine that with the ability to utilize Noah Hanifin, Brayden McNabb, Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore as the squad’s top-four defensemen, and it’s not hard to see why this group is enjoying so much success. There aren’t any glaring needs that they even have going into the playoffs, though it can usually never hurt to have too much depth, so maybe Vegas will look to add a complementary piece or two as some injury insurance.

Winnipeg Jets (Mon @ UTA, Wed @ COL, Fri vs UTA, Sun vs CGY)

Winnipeg has won its past three games, bringing it up to 31-12-3 in 2024-25. That puts them on a 55-win pace, which would be the most in franchise history -- the Jets’ previous best was 52 in 2017-18 and 2023-24. We’ll see if the Jets can continue their smooth performance this campaign next week. They’ll play in Utah on Monday and Colorado on Wednesday before returning home to host Utah on Friday and the Flames on Sunday.

Connor Hellebuyck remains the backbone of their success. He’s allowed just four goals on 93 shots (.957 save percentage) over his past four starts and now has a 28-6-2 record, 1.97 GAA and .929 save percentage in 36 outings. Like the Jets, it’s entirely feasible that he’ll surpass his career high in wins. His current best is 44, which he set in 2017-18. Assumingly, that wasn’t one of the two times he won the Vezina Trophy, finishing second that year to Pekka Rinne with both of those netminders getting similar results -- Hellebuyck was 44-11-9 with a 2.36 GAA and a .924 save percentage in 67 appearances while Rinne was 42-13-4 with a 2.31 GAA and a .927 save percentage in 59 starts.

This season, Hellebuyck is looking like a heavy favorite in the Vezina Trophy race. In addition to dominating the win category (the next best goaltender is Jake Oettinger with 22), he also leads in save percentage (Hellebuyck’s .929 narrowly beats Anthony Stolarz’s .927, though Stolarz has been limited to 17 starts due to injury) and GAA (his 1.97 tops Darcy Kuemper’s 2.06, and again, Hellebuyck has a huge edge in starts compared to Kuemper’s 22) among those with at least 10 appearances.

In a different year, I think there’d be a strong Hart argument to be made for Hellebuyck too, but that would require the top of the scoring leaderboard to be less impressive. We’re probably going to see one or more forwards top 120 points, so odds are one of them will get the Hart. Still, Hellebuyck’s dominance this campaign is remarkable.

We shouldn’t sell the offense short, though. The Jets do rank second in goals per game with 3.57. The top line of Kyle Connor (26 goals, 60 points), Mark Scheifele (27 goals, 53 points) and Gabriel Vilardi (19 goals, 41 points) have led the charge in that regard, but Nikolaj Ehlers’ contributions shouldn’t be overlooked either. He has 14 goals and 38 points across 37 outings in 2024-25, including five goals and 13 points in 13 games since returning from a lower-body injury. Ehlers numbers become more impressive when you consider he’s averaging a somewhat modest 15:37. No player has more points than Ehlers while averaging under 16 minutes (Jason Zucker is next with 33 points), and that’s despite Ehlers missing nine games due to his injury.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Werenski pushing Norris Trophy candidacy, Stamkos heating up, Cirelli more than a checking centre, Dorofeyev is a finisher, Kakko making most of fresh start, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 19:51:37 +0000

VANCOUVER, BC - JANUARY 27: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) skates with the puck during an NHL game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, January 27, 2024 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. (Photo by Ethan Cairns/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski is pushing his Norris Trophy candidacy, Steven Stamkos is heating up, Anthony Cirelli is more than a checking centre, Pavel Dorofeyev is a finisher, Kaapo Kakko is making the most of his fresh start, and much more!

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

#1 Many of the players that get addressed in 20 Fantasy Points are players that are available in most leagues, but sometimes players who are rostered are doing noteworthy things. Enter Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski, who had a career-high 57 points last season, but has taken his game to a new level in 2024-2025. Werenski had an assist in Thursday’s 4-1 win over San Jose, giving him 51 points (15 G, 36 A) in 45 games to lead NHL defencemen in scoring. Since 2021-2022, Werenski has 40 goals in 196 games, his 0.20 goals per game ranking third among defencemen, behind only Cale Makar and Roman Josi. Werenski has always been a strong shot generator, but this season he has taken it to a new level, leading all defencemen with 3.96 shots on goal per game. He has 19 points on the power play, one behind Makar who leads all defencemen. All of this is to say that 27-year-old Werenski is performing at the peak of his abilities, and he probably warrants Norris Trophy consideration. He may not be easy to acquire in fantasy leagues, but if you have him, understand that his underlying numbers suggest that his production isn’t likely to go away, so he is a sell-high commodity, if he is going to be sold at all.

#2 After a shockingly slow start to the season, the Nashville Predators have started to turn the corner, though it may be too late to salvage the season. Nevertheless, Steven Stamkos has started to find his range and after scoring a goal against Chicago on Thursday, he has 16 points (8 G, 8 A) in his past 16 games. Only three of those 16 points have come via the power play, so Stamkos is making hay at even strength, centering a line with Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault on his wings.

#3 A former teammate of Stamkos, Tampa Bay’s Anthony Cirelli is enjoying his best offensive season. He scored his 18th goal of the season Thursday, which puts him only two behind the career-high 20 goals that he scored in 79 games last season. Cirelli is skating with Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul on his wings and getting power play time, leading to Cirelli playing a career-high 18:41 per game.

#4 Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev has sniped five goals in his past two games, vaulting into the team lead with 19 goals. Since the holiday break, Dorofeyev has scored seven goals on 32 shots while averaging more than 16 minutes of ice time per game in 10 games. He may not continue at the same goal-scoring rate, but if he can continue to produce at least three shots per game and hold down his spot on the Vegas power play, Dorofeyev should continue to be a legitimate offensive threat.

#5 Getting a fresh start in Seattle, right winger Kaapo Kakko is thriving with the Kraken, even while the team has been delivering uneven performances. In his past nine games, Kakko has nine points (3 G, 6 A) and is averaging 17:22 of ice time per game. Sometimes all it takes is an opportunity and Kakko was playing 13:17 per game with the Rangers this season so getting a boost in ice time while skating on a line with Matty Beniers and Jaden Schwartz seems to be working for him.

#6 Detroit Red Wings rookie winger Marco Kasper picked up a goal and an assist in Thursday’s win at Florida, giving him six points (3 G, 3 A) in his past four games. He had seven points in 35 games before this scoring surge and he’s making the most of his opportunity to play on Detroit’s top line, alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. It might be too soon to give a strong recommendation for Kasper, but if he is going to keep playing on the first line, he might offer some short-term value for as long as that continues.

#7 Chicago Blackhawks winger Teuvo Teravainen had a slow start to the season, producing 13 points (6 G, 7 A) in 30 games, but he has taken on more offensive responsibility since then, contributing 18 points (4 G, 14 A) in 15 games. His shot rates are low, so he is more dependent on assists to maintain his production, but he is also on the Blackhawks’ top power play unit, so chances are there for him to make the most of his playmaking ability.

#8 San Jose Sharks left winger William Eklund saw his production slow down in December, but he has bounced back recently. He has eight points (4 G, 4 A) and 19 shots on goal in his past seven games. Eklund is in a quality situation with the Sharks, playing on a line with sensational rookie Macklin Celebrini and veteran right winger Tyler Toffoli.

#9 Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello obviously benefits from playing on a line with Kirill Kaprizov, but with Kaprizov injured, Zuccarello has continued to produce. In 10 games since Kaprizov was injured, Zuccarello has 13 points (4 G, 9 A) with 23 shots on goal, playing nearly 21 minutes per game. Skating with Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi is still a pretty good place to be, it seems. Zuccarello’s Wild teammate Ryan Hartman has emerged from a long offensive slump to deliver seven points (3 G, 4 A) in his past eight games. That followed a stretch of 18 games without a point, which pretty much eliminated his fantasy appeal, so maybe he is rediscovering some value.

#10 Healthy and scoring, veteran Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust has tallied 26 points (12 G, 14 A) in his past 23 games, adding 66 shots on goal while playing more than 20 minutes per game. While the Penguins continue to stumble along, Rust’s production is still high level and since he and Rickard Rakell are holding the wing positions on Sidney Crosby’s line, Rust is likely to continue his high level of productivity.

#11 He seems to move in and out of the doghouse in Philadelphia, but Flyers centre Morgan Frost is cooking lately. He is riding a five-game point streak, during which he has six points (2 G, 4 A) with 18 shots on goal. There is no question that Frost is skilled enough to be a productive scorer in the NHL, but he is constantly in a battle to prove his all-around game to head coach John Tortorella. With his current spot skating between Owen Tippett and Travis Konecny, Frost is being put in a position to succeed and seems to be making the most of it.

#12 Injuries have taken their toll on Edmonton Oilers winger Viktor Arvidsson, making it difficult for him to transition to his new team this season, but he does seem to be finding his spot now. In his past dozen games, Arvidsson has 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 31 shots on goal. He is only averaging 14:24 of ice time in that span, but he is getting reps with Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin at even strength, so there is good opportunity for Arvidsson to score like he has in the past as a five-time 20-goal scorer.

#13 There have been so many positive stories out of Columbus when it comes to player production. Even veteran winger James van Riemsdyk is providing secondary scoring. Across his past seven games, van Riemsdyk has contributed eight points (4 G, 4 A) and the 35-year-old with soft hands and a big frame is fitting nicely alongside Cole Sillinger and Kent Johnson. At the other end of the experience spectrum for the Blue Jackets, they have called up Luca Del Bel Belluz, a second-round pick from 2022 and he has chipped in three points (1 G, 2 A) in his four NHL games this season after scoring in his NHL debut last season. Del Bel Belluz had 37 points (17 G, 20 A) in 34 AHL games to earn his promotion and it looks like he has no intention of going back.

#14 As the Ottawa Senators try to remain in the playoff hunt while starting goaltender Linus Ullmark is injured, the bulk of the goaltending responsibility has fallen to 22-year-old netminder Leevi Merilainen. He was a third-round pick in 2020 and played for the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL in 2021-2022 before returning to Finland. He split last season between the AHL and ECHL and had a .901 save percentage in 13 games for Belleville of the AHL. That might not seem like a player ready to solve the goaltending problems of an NHL club, but Merilainen has been stellar since getting called up, going 5-2-1 with a .930 save percentage in eight games for Ottawa.

#15 Since the holiday break, Detroit Red Wings centre Dylan Larkin is the leader in individual expected goals in all-situations, with 8.00. What makes that even more impressive is how much better it is than the rest of the league. The rest of the top ten is: Zach Hyman (6.15), Mikko Rantanen (6.01), Dmitri Voronkov (5.51), Brandon Hagel (5.44), Nico Hischier (5.28), Tom Wilson (5.16), Alex Ovechkin (5.14), Leon Draisaitl (5.11), and Tomas Hertl (4.93).

#16 New York Islanders captain Anders Lee has moved back up the depth chart and is producing at a high level once again. Last season, he had 37 points (20 G, 17 A) in 81 games for the Isles, but he has 36 points (20 G, 16 A) through 44 games this season. The 34-year-old left winger is still difficult to contain in front of the net and in his past 11 games, Lee has 11 points (7 G, 4 A) and 31 shots on goal. He is playing with Brock Nelson and Mathew Barzal, which is a good combination for Lee, who is not going to carry the puck a lot, but he’s good at getting body position in the offensive zone.

#17 Not everything is working for the Islanders, however. Veteran right winger Kyle Palmieri has two assists and just eight shots on goal in his past eight games, which is not nearly enough for a player who is averaging 17:28 of ice time per game. Palmieri is currently on a line with Bo Horvat and Maxim Tsyplakov, but they need to get more from a player who tied his career high with 30 goals last season and surely can be expected to generate more than a single shot per game.

#18 Veteran St. Louis Blues centre Brayden Schenn did not have a great start to this season, but he has been picking up the pace under new head coach Jim Montgomery. Schenn managed just nine points (3 G, 6 A) in 22 games before the Blues fired head coach Drew Bannister, but has produced 18 points (7 G, 11 A) in 24 games under Montgomery. Centering a line with Dylan Holloway and Jordan Kyrou, Schenn is productive once again and could challenge for the ninth 20-goal season of his career.

#19 Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk tends to have an impact on the game whether he is scoring or not, thanks to his physical style of play. That doesn’t mean that the Sens are cool with him not providing offensive contributions and he has failed to register a point in five straight games. Tkachuk has 15 shots on goal and 15 hits in those five games, so it’s not like he is invisible out there, but this is the first stretch of the season that he has gone longer than two games without a point. That probably means that he will find the scoresheet again soon.

#20 Although he continues to be a dominant possession player, with a Corsi better than 55 percent, Vegas Golden Knights centre William Karlsson has hit an offensive slump. In his past nine games, Karlsson has no goals, one assist, and 15 shots on goal. For a player averaging more than 17 minutes of ice time per game over that time. At even strength, Karlsson is skating between Brett Howden and Alexander Holtz, which could play a part in his lack of recent production.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – MINNESOTA WILD – Team Preview

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:00:41 +0000

_{ST. PAUL, MN - APRIL 18: Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy (12) lines up during an NHL game between the Minnesota Wild and Seattle Kraken on April 18, 2024, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)}

The Wild missed the playoffs, but they weren’t too far out from a berth, finishing 2023-24 with a 39-34-9 record. For a squad with roughly $15 million in dead cap space because of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter’s bought-out contracts, it’s impressive they could even get close. Kirill Kaprizov (46 goals, 96 points) was phenomenal, but Minnesota still averaged just 3.02 goals per game, putting the squad 21st offensively, and the goaltending duo of Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury floundered despite the Wild’s overall strong defence (the squad tied for seventh defensively with a 2.87 xGA/60). The bigger problem was that Minnesota was simply meh, and that seems to be all the Wild ever are. They’ve had a PTS% above .500 for 12 straight years and have made the playoffs 10 years in that span, but they’ve never gone farther than the second round. They’ve been directionless, neither a major Cup contender nor a team that seems to be making strides towards Cup contention.

WHAT’S CHANGED? Minnesota added bottom-six forward Yakov Trenin. That’s about it. To be fair, defenceman Brock Faber did sign an eight-year, $68 million extension after a fantastic rookie campaign, and veteran defenceman Jacob Middleton was inked to a four-year, $17.4 million contract that will begin in 2025-26, so Minnesota wasn’t quiet even if there wasn’t much roster turnover.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? Part of the reason why the Wild were signing those long-term deals that come into effect in 2025-26 while simultaneously staying largely out of this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market is because Suter and Parise will still cost a combined $14.7 million against the cap this year. The good news is this is the last season where the Wild have to endure that level of dead-cap space, but it does mean one more year where there isn’t much hope of being anything better than a middle-of-the-pack team. However, a rebound from Gustavsson, who looked great in 2022-23 before faltering last season, would at least make things interesting.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? Would squeaking into the playoffs really be a good thing? Dating back to 2013, Minnesota has had just one top 10 pick (Marco Rossi at No. 9). Credit where it’s due, the Wild did manage to snag Kaprizov in the fifth round in 2015, but maybe it would be better if Minnesota could secure a high pick in the 2025 draft, giving them a valuable piece to the puzzle or trade chip to utilize just as the Wild’s cap situation opens up again. Minnesota isn’t built like a team likely to draft early, but the Wild aren’t built like a contender either.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: The Wild don’t have any ideal players to put in this category for the 2024-25 campaign, but Marat Khusnutdinov is worth watching. He had six goals and 20 points across 55 KHL contests as well as a goal and four points in 16 outings with Minnesota last season. The 22-year-old might start the year as the Wild’s third-line center, which is probably a good role for him because he competes in all three zones, but he doesn’t have high-end offensive upside.

FORWARD

Kirill Kaprizov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	52	56	108	1.35

There is no player more electrifying to watch in Minnesota than Kirill Kaprizov and the kinds of numbers he produces makes him even more exciting. Kaprizov had his third straight 40-goal season and put up 46 goals in 75 games for the Wild. His 96 points were best on the team and the second most he’s had in a season since coming over from Russia in 2020-2021. He had an astounding 41 points on the power play (fifth most in the NHL) including 19 goals (tied for third most with Steven Stamkos). Ever since Marian Gaborik departed Minnesota the Wild sought out a player with the raw ability to fill the net at will and Kaprizov is that guy, only he’s better than Gaborik was. Last season, Kaprizov took on an even bigger role regarding ice time and averaged 21:35 per game, up from 21:07 the previous year. He teamed up with Marco Rossi and Mats Zuccarello to give them a fun trio to watch. With Rossi growing into his role as a center in the league between Kaprizov and Zuccarello, it was a group with high potency. Kaprizov also played a lot of minutes with Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek which created a different kind of wrinkle for how to attack teams. Regardless of who Kaprizov plays with, he’s worth taking time out to watch because anyone that can score with skill and flair the way he can makes it worthwhile.

Matt Boldy

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	32	46	78	0.98

When it comes to breakout players in Minnesota, Matt Boldy is one that’s sure to stand out at forward. A year after he put up 31 goals and 63 points, he posted 29 goals and 69 points to set a new career high in just his third season in the league. All Boldy has done since breaking into the NHL is become an immediate impact player for the Wild and it earned him a seven-year, $49 million extension in January 2023 that kicks in this season. Even though that might be reason to be stressed, the unflappable Boldy will take it all in stride. What’s incredible about his 29-goal output last season is if it wasn’t for an early season injury that cost him seven games in October, he could’ve easily bettered his career high. After he returned to action, he went 10 consecutive games without a goal and scored just once in his first 12 games. That kind of drought can happen to anyone, especially after dealing with an injury, but if he can avoid that the Wild will benefit from his regular output. An encouraging aspect to Boldy’s goal scoring is how he upped his power play scoring going from eight goals two years ago to 10 last season and added 15 assists. Making teams pay for taking penalties is vital to swing games and if Boldy and Kaprizov can each pile up goals, it’ll make opponents dread going to the box.

Mats Zuccarello

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	15	49	64	0.86

Given the number of younger offensive players in key roles at forward, having a veteran like Mats Zuccarello is beyond important. It’s even better when he can produce like he was still a young guy, too. Zuccarello had 63 points in 69 games with 51 of those being assists and 28 of them coming on the power play. On a team that has net-fillers like Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, having a distributor like Zuccarello does everyone a world of good and that he did all of that at age 36 is outstanding. The biggest thing for Zuccarello and the Wild is that he stays healthy and on the ice. He produced at nearly a point per-game pace last season but missed 13 games. In the grand scheme of things, that’s not too bad, but with how inconsistent the Wild were last season and the changes they made at coach going from Dean Evason to John Hynes halfway through, even missing that many games make it a lot harder to keep up. Minnesota has a good thing in place with Zuccarello playing with Kaprizov and potentially Marco Rossi on their top line and if things fall into place that’s a trio that could lead them back to the playoffs.

Ryan Hartman

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	22	27	49	0.64

Very few players in the NHL play with the kind of ferocious edge Ryan Hartman does and can still put up big offensive numbers. Over the past three seasons with the Wild, Hartman has been a dynamic physical forward capable of playing center or on the wing. Three years ago, he scored 34 goals almost out of nowhere. From that moment on with the newfound offensive confidence, he continued to lean into that role. While injury caused him to miss 23 games two seasons ago, a return to better health last season led him to scoring 21 goals with 24 assists last season in 74 games. He toned down his penchant for taking penalties and increased his proficiency at faceoffs as well to make him a more effective two-way player. Hartman isn’t needed to be part of their top six forward group, instead his set of skills works better in concert with the fierce physical nature of Marcus Foligno to wreak havoc. Although Hartman doesn’t deliver a ton of hits, the ones he makes instantly draw the ire of opponents. For him to be most effective, his line must play straight line, hard hockey and crash the net with impunity to force the issue the way a third line ought to. Expecting another 30-plus goal season out of him might be asking too much, but if he continues to score 20-to-25 and drive opponents mad, it’s exactly what they need.

Joel Eriksson Ek

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	27	33	60	0.76

One of the more unheralded two-way centers in the NHL is Joel Eriksson Ek and it’s about time that changed. Eriksson Ek scored 30 goals last season, the first time he’s reached that mark. He added 34 assists on his way to setting a new career-high in points with 64, breaking his mark of 61 from the previous season. Each season he’s been in the NHL, Eriksson Ek has improved his offensive output either by scoring goals himself or setting up his teammates. His defensive game has always been mindful and strong throughout his career, but watching his offensive game grow over the past few seasons has helped strengthen Minnesota up the middle dramatically. Now that the Wild have worked in some of their top prospects to the NHL, Eriksson Ek has more skill to work with along his wings. Matt Boldy has benefited greatly from having a heady linemate in Eriksson Ek to play off and with a veteran like Marcus Johansson or the electrifying Kirill Kaprizov on the other wing, it gives the Wild a lot of ways to alter their looks up front. What’s more important with Eriksson Ek’s game is that he’s a major contributor in all facets. He’s a vital cog on the power play and is an outstanding penalty killer as well. With that kind of ability, it’s no wonder the Wild value him as much as they do.

Marcus Foligno

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	11	17	28	0.38

Ever since Marcus Foligno joined the Minnesota Wild, he’s embraced what it means to be a leader on and off the ice. He doesn’t wear the captain’s “C” for the Wild, that belongs to Jared Spurgeon, but the way Foligno plays he does it in the way a classic movie hero would lead the charge into battle. Using his size, physicality, and the force he skates with, Foligno can set the tone on every shift. In 55 games last season he had 10 goals and 12 assists to go with 59 penalty minutes. He led the team with 179 hits and considering he missed 27 games, that’s genuinely astounding but was the first time in the past three years he had fewer than 230 hits. His role is clear as a forechecker and shift disturber and he played it to the hilt. Unfortunately, that style of play comes at a price. It was the second straight year Foligno missed significant time because of injury. Two years ago, he missed 17 games and had one fewer point than he did last season with 10 fewer games played. His value to the Wild comes from being in the lineup and playing like a leader on the ice and not having him out there hurts. It’s perhaps not a coincidence that two of the Wild’s acquisitions this summer were hard-hitting, physical players (Jakub Lauko and Yakov Trenin). If Foligno can stay healthy, the Wild will be better for it.

Marco Rossi

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	24	36	60	0.73

Wild fans have waited somewhat patiently for 2020 first round pick Marco Rossi to arrive and stick in the NHL and good things have come to those who waited. Rossi had 21 goals and 19 assists in 82 games last season, his first full one in the NHL, as he graduated out of the AHL and put the hard road since he was drafted behind him. After injuries and a brutal bout with illness, his presence in Minnesota last season injected more excitement to the lineup. He eventually teamed up with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello on the top line and that trio was able to click and produce scoring chances and goals by the bunch. Rossi’s explosion on the scene was a welcome sight given that in his prior 21 NHL games played in the previous two seasons he had just one assist and only 18 shots on goal. While those situations were different, the lack of production then was enough to cast doubt on him even despite the success he had in the AHL. Those fears were allayed quickly once the points happened with regularity. It may have been one season, but this kind of ability is what made Rossi a top pick in 2020, and he’ll be expected to build on that this season. With linemates like he will have, a big year is possible.

Marcus Johansson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	9	22	31	0.41

If one thing’s been proven over the past few seasons, it’s that when Marcus Johansson is healthy, he’s a solid and capable contributor down the lineup. Although he’s not the kind of scorer he was in his younger years with the Washington Capitals, he can help the offence in ways that don’t show up on the score sheet. Last season, the 33-year-old had 11 goals and 19 assists (30 points) in 78 games with a goal and five assists on the power play. Those are not positively eye-popping numbers, but at five-on-five, Johansson was north of 50 percent when it came to shot attempts (50.5) and shot quality for (51.5). Given how Johansson was used in a utility way in the lineup, he was able to keep up with essentially three different lines. He spent virtually equal amounts of five-on-five ice time with Joel Eriksson Ek and Marco Rossi (more than 300 minutes) and nearly 150 minutes with Frederick Gaudreau. Having a versatile style to be able to work with three distinctly different centers is commendable. What would help the Wild and Johansson, however, is a steady spot on a line where they can find chemistry and gel throughout the season. No player is going to be at their best if they’re being shuffled around the lineup and if Johansson is going to produce more offence, finding a group to click with as soon as possible in camp would go a long way to helping that.

Frederick Gaudreau

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	9	11	20	0.25

An area the Wild will need to strengthen if they’re going to push for a return to the playoffs will be their bottom six forward group. While their third line is relatively strong, the fourth line needs some players to step forward to surround center Frederick Gaudreau. Last season, Gaudreau had five goals and 10 assists in 67 games in was strictly a fourth line role. Those lower lines aren’t meant to be havens for offence and those players aren’t generally lynchpins to ensure success, but they’ve still got to positively contribute. Gaudreau had a host of different linemates ranging from Marcus Foligno to Marcus Johansson to Pat Maroon to Ryan Hartman and Brandon Duhaime. With guys constantly shifting around in the lines it’s tough to build chemistry. Fortunately for Gaudreau, he was also on special teams, particularly the penalty kill unit. Unfortunately, Gaudreau was a witness to how much the Wild’s penalty kill struggled as they had the third worst unit in the NHL, only beating out Anaheim and the New York Islanders. Lots of things could’ve gone better for him and the rest of the team, but a new season means a chance to write a new script.

DEFENCE

Jonas Brodin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
68	4	24	28	0.41

It was an exceptionally frustrating season for Jonas Brodin. The Wild’s No. 1 defenceman missed 20 games due to injury and it was a crucial blow to the team as they fell short of the postseason. In 62 games, Brodin had seven goals and 20 assists and averaged 23:22 per game in ice time, second only to rookie Brock Faber. It was the second straight season that injuries prevented him from playing a full season and now at the age of 30 he’ll be looking to put that all behind him and push to get the Wild back to the playoffs. Brodin has never been a big point producer from the blue line, rather his specialty comes from how he handles the defensive part of the game. His way of controlling his area of the ice, denying passes and entries and having spot-on gap control makes him one of the top defensive defencemen in the league, albeit without much fanfare. He’s been excellent at controlling the puck and generating more shot attempts than opponents while also helping to generate a higher quality of scoring chances for his own team. It’s necessary for him to stay healthy for the Wild to get back to the postseason. Even though Faber stepped up far beyond what anyone dreamed, if he must try and take it all on himself again, it’s a lot to ask of a guy that young.

Brock Faber

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	13	43	56	0.68

If it wasn’t for Connor Bedard in Chicago, Brock Faber would’ve won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in a landslide. Faber’s first NHL season was a revelation in Minnesota. In 82 games he had eight goals and 39 assists and averaged an unbelievable 24:58 time on-ice per game as a 21-year-old essentially fresh out of college. From the season opener until the end of the year in April, Faber earned big ice time and even bigger responsibilities. Among defencemen, he played the most minutes on the power play and the penalty kill on top of carrying the load at even strength. Although a lot of that burden was added when Jonas Brodin missed 20 games due to injury, it doesn’t take away from the fact that he had to do it and prior to this season he played all of two NHL games after he signed out of the University of Minnesota in the spring of 2023. It’s virtually unheard of for rookie defencemen to play that many minutes so soon into their career. Defence is an exceedingly difficult position to adapt to in the NHL after coming out of any lower level, be it junior hockey or college. Faber not only jumped in right away, but he was also one of the best in the league instantly. Where he goes from here will be exciting to watch. Sophomore seasons can be tough on young defenders. If he can match last seasons output and grow as a player, that would be a successful season.

Jared Spurgeon

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
68	6	22	28	0.41

A reoccurring theme on the Minnesota Wild blue line was injuries and how they decimated their best players and Jared Spurgeon was hit the hardest. The Wild captain was held to just 16 games because of injuries to his hip and his back that each required surgery. In those games, he had no goals and five assists and still managed to play 23:20 per game. At 34 years old, dealing with damage like that meant he needed to make sure he did the right thing lest he wind up being worse off. He’s expected to be ready for training camp and should all go well he’ll be in the lineup on opening night. Spurgeon’s ability to move the puck well through all three zones and provide an offensive spark from the blue line was very much missed. In his previous two seasons he put up 40 and 34 points respectively and was a vital part of the Wild power play as a setup man from the blue line. He was also a key player on their penalty kill as well and given how poorly that unit performed all season, getting him back in the fold would provide a huge lift. In the few games he played last season, Spurgeon paired up with Jacob Middleton for most of his five-on-five minutes while Jonas Brodin worked with Brock Faber. Getting Spurgeon back with Middleton makes most sense and will provide him with a boost in performance. Here’s to hoping good health finds him and remains.

Jacob Middleton

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	5	19	24	0.30

Two years ago, when the Wild acquired Jacob Middleton from San Jose they nabbed a depth player who made a name for himself after he paired up with and played well alongside Erik Karlsson. Adding anyone who can play off an elite puck mover and scorer like him has inherently good abilities themselves and when he landed in Minnesota he immediately went to work next to Jared Spurgeon. But when Spurgeon missed most of last season and Jonas Brodin was sidelined for 20 games, Middleton was pressed into duty on the Wild’s top pairing with rookie Brock Faber. On the upside, Middleton had a career year with seven goals and 18 assists (25 points). He had only scored seven goals in his career before last season and had a total of 32 points in the five previous seasons he appeared in the NHL. It’s encouraging to see a player make the most of added responsibility and Middleton was able to do that. There was a downside, however, as Middleton and Faber did not work as well defensively as Faber did with Brodin or even as well as Middleton did with Spurgeon. At five-on-five, the pairing was outshot heavily and the two of them were better away from each other than together. In a crisis you make the best of things and that’s what they did, but with Brodin and Spurgeon returning from injury, the pairings should return to what they were before, and everyone should benefit from it.

GOAL

Marc-Andre Fleury

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
28	15	10	3	1	0.902	2.92

Filip Gustavsson

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
51	27	19	6	4	0.908	2.62

It feels like no one could have predicted that of the great goaltending giants of the early aughts, Marc-Andre Fleury would be the longest-standing starter. But two months shy of his fortieth birthday, Fleury is poised to spend at least one more year between the pipes for the rebuilding Minnesota Wild, saving heir apparent Jesper Wallstedt from being brought up to the big leagues too early and providing a lighthearted tandem for Filip Gustavsson as he prepares to be the new veteran in next year's tandem. Fleury's age finally started to show this past season, with the bulk of his goals against coming when he seemed a little too gassed to make the high-flying saves he's always been known for. Always a goaltender who thrives best when playing a rhythm-based game full of fluid movement and smooth, quick skating, Fleury struggled to transition out of butterfly when faced with defensive breakdowns and cross-ice playmaking from his opponents.

Jesper Wallstedt has been quietly tearing up the AHL, though, and it does the Wild no good to bring him up early and shatter his confidence. So, expect Gustavsson - who quietly put up decent numbers last year as a true tandem with Fleury - to start to shoulder more of the workload, expect Fleury to serve as a guiding voice for the two up-and-comers, and expect to see a new face in net by the time the 2025 season kicks off 12 months down the road.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Sharangovich, Zacha, DeSmith, Andersen, Benn, Guenther, Duclair and much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 18:53:00 +0000

SAINT PAUL, MN - DECEMBER 14: Calgary Flames center Yegor Sharangovich (17) skates with the puck during the NHL game between the Calgary Flames and Minnesota Wild on December 14th, 2023, at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, Yegor Sharangovich is heating up again for the Flames, Pavel Zacha is streaking in Boston, Casey DeSmith gets very important in Vancouver, Frederik Andersen returns in fine form, Jamie Benn is thriving with young linemates and much, much more!

#1 It is not the first time this season that Yegor Sharangovich of the Calgary Flames has deserved the interest of fantasy managers. He scored his 28th goal of the season against Vegas on Thursday, his eighth goal in as many games. He is centering a line with journeyman Dryden Hunt on the left side and rookie Matt Coronato on the other, which does not seem like an ideal situation for elevated scoring numbers, but Sharangovich continues to produce, with 11 points (8 G, 3 A) in the past eight games.

#2 Boston Bruins centre Pavel Zacha assisted on Danton Heinen’s goal in Thursday’s 2-1 overtime win at Montreal, extending his point streak to six games. He has nine points (5 G, 4 A) during that stretch and is centering a line with Heinen and David Pastrnak, which is at least a halfway exciting path to production. In deeper leagues, this makes Zacha a viable fantasy option. The Bruins have patched together a productive centre ice group this season, with Zacha, Charlie Coyle, and Morgan Geekie, and Zacha is making the most of his opportunity.

#3 Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. That is going to thrust Casey DeSmith into an important role in the meantime and it’s coming at a time when DeSmith has been struggling. In nine appearances since the Christmas break, DeSmith has a .864 save percentage, which is obviously not going to cut it getting regular starts for a contending team. Arturs Silovs has been called up to be DeSmith’s backup but he should not be needed if DeSmith is playing well.

#4 In Carolina, goaltender Frederik Andersen has been stellar in three starts since missing four months of action. Admittedly, Carolina’s team defence is rock solid in front of him but, after shutting out the Florida Panthers on Thursday, Andersen has stopped 63 of 66 shots in those three starts, which is good for a .955 save percentage. If Andersen can just be steady in Carolina’s net, there will likely be less of an urgent need for Pyotr Kochetkov, though the Hurricanes have proved in recent years that they can never have enough healthy bodies between the pipes.

#5 Sometimes a veteran player can use a shot of energy and that appears to be the case with Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn. The 34-year-old left winger has been playing with second-year centre Wyatt Johnston and rookie right winger Logan Stankoven and it’s working for them. In his past seven games, Benn has 10 points (2 G, 8 A) and 18 shots on goal. He’s not quite vintage Jamie Benn, but well worth considering for fantasy managers.

#6 It can be easy for a young winger to get overlooked when he plays for the Arizona Coyotes, but Dylan Guenther is scoring enough to generate interest. In the month of March, the 20-year-old winger has delivered seven points (3 G, 4 A) with 23 shots on goal in eight games. He is playing with Lawson Crouse and Logan Cooley as well as playing on Arizona’s top power play unit. Guenther has already established a reputation for the release on his shot so it’s a good thing that he is using it, recording at least three shots on goal in seven of his past 10 games.

#7 Moving to Tampa Bay sure appears to have been a positive experience for Anthony Duclair, who was hot in his final days with San Jose and has continued to score after getting traded to the Lightning. Duclair has two goals, one assist, and six shots on goal in his first two games for Tampa Bay, giving him 11 points (6 G, 5 A) in his past seven games overall. He is playing with Steven Stamkos and Anthony Cirelli, which is a quality situation, setting up the well-traveled winger for a strong finish to the season.

#8 Veteran playmaking winger Teuvo Teravainen has had some ups and downs along the way with the Carolina Hurricanes, but when he’s healthy, he has shown that he can score. The Hurricanes have him on the top line with Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov and Teravainen has 11 points (4 G, 7 A) and 22 shots on goal in his past nine games. With 21 goals this season, he is two away from matching his career high of 23, set during the 2017-2018 season. Teravainen is averaging under two shots on goal per game, which would be his first time since 2015-2016 under that threshold, but he does have 16 shots on goal in his past five games, so that could be moving in the right direction.

#9 With the Buffalo Sabres suddenly proving to be a competent team in front of goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the Sabres netminder is providing big value down the stretch. After his 21-save shutout against the Islanders on Thursday, Luukkonen has a .931 save percentage across his past 22 starts. From a fantasy perspective, that is already great, but the fact that he has 13 wins in those starts raises Luukkonen’s ceiling. Incidentally, with Luukkonen crushing it in the NHL, Devon Levi is getting a chance to find his game in the AHL and he is rocking a .926 save percentage in 18 games for Rochester. That bodes well for Buffalo’s future in net.

#10 As the Minnesota Wild try to chase down a playoff spot, and with Filip Gustavsson going through a tough season (posting a .894 save percentage after he had a .931 mark in 2022-2023), 39-year-old Marc-Andre Fleury has been stepping up his game. Fleury only needed to make 16 saves in Thursday’s shutout win against Anaheim and has a .934 save percentage to go with five wins in his past six starts.

#11 It has been a difficult season for Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk, the 27-year-old forward who has an expiring contract which will take him to unrestricted free agency in the summer. He had two points in a 15-game span from late January through early March, but DeBrusk is busting that slump. In six games since then, he has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 17 shots on goal. He is skating with Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle and DeBrusk buried the overtime winner against Montreal on Thursday.

#12 His offensive output probably limits his appeal to deeper leagues, but St. Louis Blues veteran left winger Brandon Saad has hit the 20-goal threshold for the seventh time in his career. In his past dozen games, Saad has 10 points (6 G, 4 A) and 22 shots on goal. He plays with Kevin Hayes and Kasperi Kapanen at even strength, which may not necessarily be a recipe for ongoing success, but Saad is forcing fantasy managers to pay attention.

#13 There have not been a lot of positives to take away from this San Jose Sharks season, but it does appear that the Sharks are finding out that right winger Fabian Zetterlund can legitimately fill a role as a scoring winger. In his past eight games, Zetterlund has eight points (2 G, 6 A) and 21 shots on goal. He is skating on San Jose’s top line as well as its No. 1 power play unit. Even on a team as weak as the Sharks, that makes Zetterlund worth considering.

#14 After he scored 40 goals last season, New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier is a far cry from that pace this season, but he is doing his best to salvage the season with his improving production. In his past 10 games, Meier has 14 points (9 G, 5 A) and 36 shots on goal. That’s more like it.

#15 Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault has been a productive scoring winger for years, this being the seventh season in which he topped 20 goals and the third time in his career that he scored 30. But Marchessault is on a tear that he has not ventured near in his previous NHL seasons. In the past two months, he has scored 20 goals in the past 23 games, giving him a career-high 37 goals in 66 games. While Jack Eichel has assisted four of those goals since recently returning to the lineup, Nicolas Roy had 10 assists on the most recent 20 Marchessault goals.

#16 Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Cam York is taking on a bigger role, averaging 23:31 of ice time per game in the past nine contests. In those nine games, he has produced seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 18 shots on goal. He is anchoring Philadelphia’s top power play unit, and the 23-year-old appears to be successfully handling the greater responsibility.

#17 Minnesta Wild centre Joel Eriksson Ek has been having an outstanding season, already scoring a career-high 29 goals, but he has suffered a lower-body injury and will be out of the lineup. While he’s out, Ryan Hartman should return to centre the Wild’s top line and Hartman does have 10 points (2 G, 8 A) and 25 shots on goal in his past 11 games. That has moved Hartman to 38 points (17 G, 21 A), the second highest total of his career, though still far behind his 65-point season in 2021-2022.

#18 While the Buffalo Sabres are playing competitive hockey recently, right winger Alex Tuch has mustered just one goal and zero assists in his past seven games. Do not lose the faith, Tuch managers, because even if he has been slumping, Tuch still has 23 shots on goal in those seven games and first line forwards who are generating more than three shots on goal per game are going to find ways to put up points. It is interesting that Tuch’s shot rate this season has been lower – 2.57 per game is his lowest per-game rate since 2019-2020 – back when he was playing less than 15 minutes per game for Vegas, as opposed to the 19-plus minutes per game that he plays now.

#19 As the Detroit Red Wings’ season is spinning out of control, losing seven straight games, scoring winger Alex DeBrincat is mired in a slump, too, with zero goals and one assist in those seven games. Not having Dylan Larkin in the lineup is surely a factor, but this is a bad time for a slump. It’s also worth noting that he had a 10-game goalless drought early in 2024. Goal scorers are streaky but it’s also tough to see DeBrincat’s even-strength scoring in decline. He had 27 even-strength goals with Chicago in 2021-2022 and now has 13 even-strength goals in 66 games for Detroit this season.

#20 The leaders in all-situations individual expected goals in the month of March: Kirill Kaprizov (4.70), Alexander Nylander (4.57), John Tavares (4.43), Wyatt Johnston (4.36), Sam Reinhart (4.31), Andrei Svechnikov (4.22), Connor Bedard (3.99), Nico Hischier (3.75), Jake DeBrusk (3.68), Zach Hyman (3.63), Sidney Crosby (3.60), and Marco Rossi (3.56). Crosby and Rossi have zero goals while Hischier has one, so those players are coming up short relative to their expected goals. Kaprizov has buried eight goals while Wyatt Johnston or Zach Hyman have both scored six.

Perhaps the most interesting name here is Alexander Nylander, a player who has been bouncing around trying to earn a regular spot in the league and, at the very least, he is getting ample opportunity in Columbus and he does have eight points (6 G, 2 A) in 10 games for the Blue Jackets.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Boldy is back on track – Devils turn to their young defencemen – Granlund lifting the Sharks – Healthy Fabbri on a tear for the Wings

Scott Cullen — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 16:20:59 +0000

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (43) (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, Matt Boldy is back on track, the Devils turn to their young defencemen, Mikael Granlund is lifting the Sharks, and a healthy Robby Fabbri is on a tear for the Red Wings.

#1 Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy had shown lots promise entering this season but then started this season with one goal (and seven assists) in his first 12 games. A new coach seems to have helped Boldy get back on track as he has rallied to score four goals in the past five games, though that may just be a case of the percentages starting to swing back in Boldy’s favour after he was having trouble finishing early in the campaign. He is getting ample opportunity with the man advantage. Among players with at least 50 minutes of five-on-four play, Boldy ranks fourth with 3.62 expected goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play. He is behind Vincent Trocheck (3.91), Joe Pavelski (3.82), Zach Hyman (3.78), and ahead of Quinton Byfield (3.57) and Sam Reinhart (3.39).

#2 With Dougie Hamilton out long term due to a torn pectoral muscle, the New Jersey Devils have a hole on the blueline and the first place to look for solutions may be internally, as rookie Luke Hughes will continue to play a big role and Simon Nemec has been called up from the American Hockey League. Hughes has five points (3 G, 2 A) and 12 shots on goal in his past six games, playing more than 20 minutes in five of those contests. Nemec, the second pick in the 2022 Draft, has started his NHL career with three points (1 G, 2 A) in his first three games after producing eight points (2 G, 6 A) in 13 AHL games to earn his promotion. Hughes and Nemec are playing the point on New Jersey’s top two power play units, so they will have opportunities to produce.

#3 As the San Jose Sharks are starting to show signs of life, going 8-7-1 after a 0-10-1 start, veteran centre Mikael Granlund has picked up his offensive production. In his past dozen games, Granlund has 15 points (3 G, 12 A) while averaging 21:53 minutes of ice time per game. A player that can sometimes be a reluctant shooter, Granlund has also put 29 shots on goal in those 12 games so that shows more offensive drive.

#4 Injuries always seem to be lurking around the corner for Red Wings winger Robby Fabbri, but he has been very productive when healthy this season and has landed a spot on Detroit’s top line, alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. Fabbri has produced 13 points (8 G, 5 A) in 13 games this season, though he has just 20 shots on goal, so it is obvious that he will not continue to score on 40% of his shots, but playing with high quality linemates is a good way to maintain production.

#5 Through his first 16 games this season, Arizona Coyotes forward Alexander Kerfoot contributed just four points (1 G, 3 A). In his past nine games, he has 11 points (1 G, 10 A) and is averaging more than 19 minutes per game. While Kerfoot is generally skating on the third line, with Michael Carcone and Jason Zucker, he is also getting first unit power play time and that gives him a higher offensive ceiling than he might have otherwise.

#6 Ottawa Senators right winger Drake Batherson has turned up the heat offensively. In his past 10 games, the 25-year-old has produced 13 points (6 G, 7A) with 26 shots on goal while playing nearly 18 minutes per game. Skating on a line with Tim Stutzle and Vladimir Tarasenko seems to agree with Batherson.

#7 Florida Panthers late bloomer Evan Rodrigues has seven points (3 G, 4 A) during a three-game point streak and with the opportunity to play with Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart, the 30-year-old winger is poised to have his most productive season. Rodrigues has been a consistent shot generator in previous stops but the chance to play with top players raises the bar for what point totals he might be able to achieve. He tallied a career high 43 points (19 G, 24 A) in 2021-2022 and already has 20 points (6 G, 14 A) in 25 games this season.

#8 With Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish out of the lineup, the Anaheim Ducks pretty much have to lean on rookie centre Leo Carlsson and the 18-year-old pivot has nine points (5 G, 4 A) and 27 shots on goal in his past 10 games, averaging more than 18 minutes of ice time per game. The Ducks have made it clear that they would prefer to ease Carlsson into his NHL career but circumstances may dictate that he just play more because he can. With 0.72 points per game, Carlsson ranks third among rookies, behind Connor Bedard (0.81) and Connor Zary (0.75).

#9 Philadelphia Flyers rookie right winger Tyson Foerster is starting to find his range as a scorer. He has produced six points (4 G, 2 A) with 13 shots on goal in his past five games. The 21-year-old winger is skating on Philadelphia’s top line alongside Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny, and as long as that is the case, Foerster should hold some appeal for fantasy managers.

#10 The seventh overall pick in the 2021 Draft, William Eklund is working his way into a bigger role for the San Jose Sharks, as he has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past eight games. He is also playing nearly 19 minutes per game in that stretch and it’s encouraging for a rebuilding team to see their 21-year-old prospect taking advantage of the opportunity to play a significant role. Eklund has landed on San Jose’s top line, skating with Tomas Hertl and Alexander Barabanov, as well as playing on the Sharks’ top power play unit.

#11 Playing just 11 minutes per game for the Arizona Coyotes, Michael Carcone has nevertheless been the most efficient five-on-five goal scorer in the league. Carcone is a 27-year-old who had played a total of 30 NHL games before this season and his good fortune in the offensive zone is keeping him in the Coyotes lineup. He is scoring on 32.4 percent of his shots on goal, which is not sustainable, but Carcone has scored 2.71 goals per 60 minutes, which is the best rate in the league among players that have skated at least 200 five-on-five minutes. He is followed by Trevor Moore (2.09), Nils Hoglander (2.04), Zach Hyman (2.00), Artemi Panarin (1.86), and Jake Neighbours (1.86).

#12 Hoglander has had a meteoric rise for the Canucks this season. After an extended stay in the American Hockey League last season, Hoglander started this season in a very limited role with the Canucks, playing less than 10 minutes six times in his first 11 games. The ice time is still inconsistent, but he has scored seven points (6 G, 1 A) in his past 11 games and his highest ice time this season has come in each of his last two games. He has found a spot on the wing with J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser, and that is a real chance for Hoglander to prove that he can be a top six forward in the NHL.

#13 Over the past month, among players to skate in at least 100 minutes in all situations, here are the ixG leaders per 60 minutes: Zach Hyman (2.50), Evander Kane (1.93), Brady Tkachuk (1.92), Quinton Byfield (1.77), Anders Lee (1.66), Matt Boldy (1.65), Jake Guentzel (1.58), Robby Fabbri (1.57), Lawson Crouse (1.57), Joel Eriksson Ek (1.56), and Nils Hoglander (1.54). Many of those players are already established fantasy performers, but it supports the production of players like Fabbri, Crouse, and Hoglander, who are getting the chances that lead to scoring more goals.

#14 Even after surrendering four goals against Philadelphia on Thursday, Arizona Coyotes netminder Connor Ingram has forced his way into a much bigger role between the pipes. In 16 games, Ingram has a .925 save percentage and with Karel Vejmelka struggling (.892 save percentage in 11 games), Ingram has been the natural choice for the suddenly competitive Coyotes.

#15 After a breakout season last year, Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson had serious difficulty stopping pucks early this season, posting a .872 save percentage in his first eight games. He is rounding into form, it appears, as Gustavsson has a .926 save percentage over his past seven starts. For a Wild team that struggled to the point that they felt the need to fire head coach Dean Evason, improved play from their starting goaltender can make a world of difference.

#16 Detroit has some tough decisions to make in goal as starter Ville Husso continues to have difficulty. He has a .886 save percentage in 14 starts and that opens the door for backups to earn a bigger role. Veteran James Reimer has a .917 save percentage in six starts while Alex Lyon has a .947 save percentage in his first five appearances for Detroit. The Red Wings are competitive this season, but it might be time for Lyon to get more action. The Red Wings have held three goaltenders in the NHL, presumably because they did not want to lose Lyon on waivers and now it looks like they might want to consider giving him a bigger piece of the goaltending pie.

#17 Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom is out for a couple of weeks with a broken finger, offering a prime opportunity for top prospect Dustin Wolf. Wolf has a .927 save percentage in 118 AHL games, so he has proven everything he can at that level, but he has had difficulty working his way into the Flames’ crease. Dan Vladar has posted a .877 save percentage in eight starts this season, so the Flames can give Wolf more action while Markstrom is out. In four career games (three starts) for the Flames, Wolf has a .914 save percentage, which is good enough to finally earn him a legitimate look.

#18 A handful of notable slumping forwards over the past month: Chandler Stephenson (one assist in 10 games), Ryan Hartman (one assist in nine games), Reilly Smith (two assists in 14 games), Nick Paul (one goal, one assist in 15 games), and Kasperi Kapanen (one goal, one assist in 14 games). Of course, there are others, but these are players that have had quality playing time and their production has hit a dry patch. Stephenson is centering Brett Howden and Michael Amadio right now, which is not necessarily conducive to big scoring numbers. Hartman’s fantasy appeal was largely tied to playing centre on Minnesota’s top line but now that Marco Rossi is in that spot, Hartman has fallen down the depth chart. Smith has played most of this season on Evgeni Malkin’s wing, so it is hard to imagine how he has gone 15 games without a goal. He has been moved to play with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel and that duo remains dominant at five-on-five, so maybe they can sprinkle some of their magic on Smith. After some early season scoring success, including scoring five of his eight goals on the power play, Paul has gone nine straight games without a point. He is a fringy fantasy player at best, and this is not his best. Not only does Kapanen have just two points in the past 14 games, but he has just 16 shots on goal. He’s barely giving himself a chance.

#19 Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll was in the midst of an outstanding performance against the Ottawa Senators Thursday when he was forced to leave the game with a lower-body injury. With a .916 save percentage in 15 games, Woll had claimed the Leafs’ No. 1 job, but if he is going to miss some time, the responsibility will fall to the tandem of Ilya Samsonov and Martin Jones. Samsonov was excellent for the Leafs last season, but has a .878 save percentage in 10 games this season. That is decidedly not excellent. Jones had some moments with Seattle last season but the 33-year-old netminder had a .895 save percentage in the five NHL seasons that preceded the 2023-2024 season. Samsonov is the one to back, but that’s not easy given his performance thus far.

#20 It’s not like Patrick Kane is flying under the radar, but it’s worth keeping tabs on him to see what kind of residual effects could hit the Detroit lineup. Kane skated on a line with Alex DeBrincat and Joe Veleno while getting first unit power play time in his Red Wings debut. J.T. Compher did not play because he was nursing some nagging injuries, but it’s possible that Compher, who has 15 points (5 G, 10 A) in his past 15 games, is the more likely centre for that line when he is healthy.