Travis Konecny – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 19:25:35 +0000

ELMONT, NY - JANUARY 16: Philadelphia Flyers Right Wing Travis Konecny (11) controls the puck during the first period of the National Hockey League game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Islanders on January 16, 2025, at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

The Flyers missed the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season in 2024-2025, managing 76 points (33-39-10). They fired head coach John Tortorella late in the season, replacing him with Brad Shaw on an interim basis. The Flyers ranked 26th with a 47.3 Corsi percentage though they fared better when it came to shot quality, capturing 51.5 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play, ranking 11th. Philadelphia’s power play was largely ineffective, generating 4.63 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play, which ranked 30th. They ranked 13th with 6.88 goals against per 60 minutes of four-on-five play, so penalty killing was at least solid. Goaltending was a huge problem for the Flyers, with the trio of Samuel Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov combining for a save percentage of .879.

What’s Changed?

The Flyers dipped into their past and hired former Flyers winger Rick Tocchet to be their head coach. Tocchet had a .608 points percentage in three seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, but he has coached a total of 22 playoff games in his career, so he is an experienced coach without a lot of postseason success. The Flyers made a big trade to acquire Trevor Zegras, a highly skilled forward who had fallen out of favor in Anaheim but has highlight-reel puck skills and he could be a big hit in Philadelphia if he and Tocchet can connect. The Flyers also signed veteran centre Christian Dvorak to add stability down the middle, defenceman Noah Juulsen who played for Tocchet in Vancouver, and goaltender Dan Vladar, who has a chance to earn a big role between the pipes.

What would success look like?

It’s a big ask for the Flyers to get to the playoffs, since it would take a 15-to-20-point improvement, but it’s a worthy objective, especially if the Flyers can sort out their goaltending issues. The moves they made this offseason were for a team that intends to get better now, and after five years of missing the playoffs, it’s understandable that they want to get back to the postseason. On the other hand, if the Flyers don’t make the playoffs, losing enough to secure a high lottery pick would be success, too. They could always use more high-end skill players, so a finish that would help in that regard could be deemed successful, too.

What could go wrong?

The worst-case scenario for the Flyers is that they end up stuck in the middle, not quite good enough to reach the playoffs and not bad enough to secure a valuable draft pick. The Flyers certainly have incentive to push hard for a playoff spot, with a veteran-laden team and a coach who will push them to get there, but if the team falls off the pace, then it’s important that Philadelphia stock up on future assets. That includes moving veterans for picks and, ideally, landing a high first-round pick in the 2026 Draft. Just missing the playoffs and landing a pick in the teens is not where this team should want to be when the season ends.

Top Breakout Candidate

There are a few other promising young players on the Flyers, but Matvei Michkov is the most likely player to become a star. The seventh pick in the 2023 Draft, Michkov finished fourth in Calder Trophy voting after tallying 63 points in 80 games. He had an outstanding finish to the season, putting up 16 points (6 G, 10 A), and 40 shots on goal in his last 12 games, and if he remains committed to generating shots like that, his point production could take off.

FORWARDS

Travis Konecny

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	27	45	72	0.91

The only player who resembled some form of consistency for the Flyers, Konecny is in it for the long-haul as he starts the first year of an eight-year contract. He is the longest tenured Flyer behind Couturier and has maintained a high level of play despite all the chaos and instability from the organization. The simplicity of his game helps matters, as Konecny’s a straight-line player who loves to shoot and is excellent at picking corners even when he’s forced to take quicker shots off the rush. While most forwards begin to plateau when they hit their late 20’s, Konecny has posted career highs in points each of the last three seasons, bringing an elite combination of speed, tenacity and stickhandling to the table. He showed some versatility last season as a playmaker, having to pass to create most of his scoring chances and getting the results with 52 assists. This should be exciting news for Michkov, as the two could form a potentially lethal combination if they get regular minutes together, as they did down the stretch last year. The Flyers didn’t like playing this line too much because it was feast-or-famine with the chances they gave up, but the rate the two were converting at was hard to ignore. The question with him is how long he can keep this up because the Flyers have played him regularly in the 20–21-minute range the last three years. They’ll look to do that again as he remains one of the team’s only reliable forward options on the roster.

Matvei Michkov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	30	46	76	0.94

It’s only a matter of time before Michkov is the Flyers best player. He already made a strong case for that title with the torrid pace he scored at down the stretch. A point-per-game player after the Four Nations break, Michkov gave the coaching staff no choice but to give him all the leeway he needed. If there was an opportunity to create offence, Michkov was going to milk every ounce of his shift length to get it. He spent a lot of his time in the defensive zone playing above the puck, looking for loose plays and turnovers so he could strike the other way. He had the skill to capitalize on them too as he didn’t just lead the Flyers in shots off the rush, he was one of the best players in the entire league. Up there with the likes of Martin Necas, Jack Hughes and Nikita Kucherov. His game is still a work in progress when he’s on the cycle in the offensive zone. He was always looking to make plays and trying to fit pucks through traffic. He trusts his skill level to a dangerous degree because while it led to some beautiful goals, it also led to turnovers and chances the other way. This is something that doesn’t necessarily need to be reined in but controlled to a degree because you still want him to do what got him drafted so high and look for the high-percentage play. He should get better at this with more experience, as he got a lot of it last year, and had an excellent season despite some growing pains. He’s shown game-breaking ability early and it should excite the Flyers about what’s to come.

Sean Couturier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	17	31	48	0.69

The Flyers captain can only hope for more stability with the coaching change. The longtime 1C of the Flyers started last season as the fourth line left wing and even after regaining his usual spot, his ice-time was limited in the middle of the season, being taken off both power play and penalty kill units for almost a month. While the days of Couturier producing like a first line center are likely over, the last two seasons should probably come with an asterisk, as he was returning from a two-year absence the first year and last season was marred by strange deployment to say the least. Couturier also had the worst two seasons of his career in terms of finishing chances and while the volume of chances he created last year also decreased, he’s always been an above-average shooter so there is hope for a bounce-back season. His ability to drive play, however, was very strong as he kept the Flyers defensive game in check whenever he was out there. How much he can drive the offence now is a fair question, but he should get some help if he continues to develop chemistry with the emerging star Matvei Michkov. Barring a major breakout from Trevor Zegras, Couturier is still the team’s best option at center, so he will have plenty of opportunities to put the last two years behind him.

Owen Tippett

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	27	25	52	0.66

It’s not often that a player scores eight fewer goals while shooting at a higher percentage than he did the previous year, but that was the case with Owen Tippett. The speedy forward is in the second year of an eight-year deal he earned after a breakout season and last year was a hard fall from grace after looking like a blossoming star for a couple years. His skillset is easy to notice to the naked eye because he’s very quick, gets a lot of puck touches per game and loves to shoot. His flaws are also easy to notice for the same reason because while the goals and his quick-strike offence will impress some, others might notice how often he misses the net or that he could use his linemates better rather than playing a one-man game all the time. The truth lies somewhere in the middle, as even in a down year Tippett will still get you solid secondary scoring and his ability to enter the zone frequently and get chances is still going to be something that other teams have to prepare for. The way he started and ended the year is concerning, though. He scored only one goal in 11 games in October and finished the season with only two goals in 22 games after February. Goal-scorers are streaky by nature and with Tippett being such a volume shooter, stretches like this get noticed more and why last year left such a sour note in Flyers fans mouths.

Trevor Zegras

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	16	37	53	0.72

Zegras spent more of the last two seasons either on injured reserve or in trade rumors than he did on the highlight reels. It was a steep decline from a player some saw as one of the future faces of the league. Some of that is valuing flash over substance with his knack for making ridiculous looking plays. Still, Zegras was someone who, at worst, was a lower-end first line player during his first couple years with the Ducks. He soon became someone they wanted to move on from and the Flyers made a good low-risk gamble to get him. There’s still a lot up in the air about the type of player he is. He’s been yo-yoed back and forth between center and wing, but the Flyers are likely to give him a run in the middle with the hole they have there. The one thing that’s stayed constant is that Zegras is an excellent playmaker. He reads plays from behind the net better than most and he’s excellent at getting the puck off the wall when playing on the cycle. The Flyers have the talent who can complement him well, with Michkov as an emerging star and a few wingers who love to shoot the puck in Tippett and Konecny. His defensive game has also come a long way from where it once was, so maintaining that while seeing if they can reignite what made him special in his rookie season will be a key factor for the Flyers this season. The question is whether that ability is still there or if Zegras is just a highly skilled middle six guy at his peak.

Christian Dvorak

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	16	25	41	0.51

Dvorak appears to be a stopgap to get the Flyers through the season, albeit an expensive one at $5.4 million. There was a premium on veteran centers in the market, so it’s understandable. He is now reunited with Rick Tocchet from his Arizona days where he played his best hockey and Dvorak always got the best results when paired with a puck-hog like a Taylor Hall or Conor Garland. The Flyers have a few players who fit that mold, but maybe not in the same role that Dvorak is slotted to play. If Zegras doesn’t work out at center, Dvorak's not a bad option in that spot to shore things up. He can do a lot of the little things like win faceoffs and kill penalties so the more skilled guy doesn’t have to absorb all the defensive minutes. His offensive production will hinge on who he plays with, although he did fairly well for his standards last year with 12 goals in a checking line role alongside Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson. He has great hands and can get to the net but needs someone to help him get the puck there, although the ship has likely sailed on him being a high-impact offensive player. He might be able to sneak on the Flyers second power play unit out of camp.

Tyson Foerster

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	23	20	43	0.52

One of the players sticking around from the Flyers ex-prospect core, Foerster found a niche for himself as an excellent two-way forward. He was a dark horse Calder pick his rookie year and could continue to get Selke votes as he progresses. He’s a big, powerful skater at 215 pounds and has great hands around the net. One of the few Flyers forwards who could create offence when the rush game wasn’t open, Foerster did an excellent job of working the cycle game in the offensive zone, knowing when to go to the front of the net and when to read off his teammates to keep the play going on. Watching him is a great way to learn how good defensive play can start in the offensive zone, as Foerster does an excellent job of staying above the puck at all times, making the right play and covering for pinching defencemen. He was someone the Flyers could count on to settle the play down when they needed to and provide some extra offence in their middle six. It earned him somewhat of an elevated role, playing more than your typical third liner. His playmaking could still improve, but he is set to be a mainstay on the Flyers roster for the time being.

Bobby Brink

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	14	31	45	0.57

This is somewhat of a “prove it” year for Brink with his RFA deal expiring and right now he’s somewhat in the middle of convincing the Flyers that he can be an impact player. A injury-riddled rookie season was followed up with a solid 41 points with Brink showing flashes of being a great playmaker. He’s smaller, but controls the perimeter game well, making great touch passes from the wall into traffic and excelling in the give-and-go game off the rush. He’s willing to go to the net but gets boxed out easily by bigger defencemen. An elite player in college, Brink has yet to show he can do the same in the NHL. The type of game he plays requires high-level linemates or a finisher to get the most out of hm, but you have to earn your way to those roles in the NHL and he’s on his way to at least getting a shot if he can progress. Being a dog on the forecheck, as he has shown he is willing to do, also helps. The two things working against him is the Flyers acquiring a similar player in Zegras, who could make Brink redundant if he moves to the wing (and takes his power play time) and Brink undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum, his second hip surgery in three years. Still, he showed enough in his sophomore season to make you believe.

Noah Cates

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	14	25	39	0.48

Cates emerged as an intriguing player a few years ago, receiving some Calder and Selke love from those who follow advanced stats, and it caught some people off-guard. Mostly because if you don’t watch the Flyers you have probably never heard of him before. While he didn’t follow it up in his sophomore season, he had saw a nice return to form last year and formed an excellent defensive line with Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink. Cates starts virtually every shift in the defensive zone, so adding Brink added a nice wrinkle to this line as someone who could spark the transition game. This isn’t Cates specialty, but he does a good job of complementing it with good positioning and helping start the rush from his own zone. He had the highest successful exit percentage on the Flyers and was their best forward at not turning the puck over on breakouts. It’s made him a go-to option for their penalty kill and he should be a favourite of the new coaching staff for that alone. The offence is gravy with him but having a third liner who can get you close to 40 points is always going to be valuable. Cates’ good hands and knack for deflecting pucks also helps with that, as this line feeds the point for a lot of their offence.

DEFENCE

Travis Sanheim

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	10	30	40	0.49

It took a while for Sanheim to really blossom as a top-tier defenceman. He was always someone who could play the big minutes and hold his own, but the dynamic playmaking ability didn’t start to show until a couple years ago. Having somewhat of a trial by fire introduction to the NHL paved the way for him, as he had to build his game from the defensive zone out, learning when to make safe plays and when to be aggressive. He always had the skillset in him but was never in the right situation to show it. That has changed the last couple of years, as he is one of the most active defenders in the league at leading zone entries and he’s been able to use his high-level passing ability for playmaking rather than moving the play forward. The area where it’s helped the most is when he can patrol the offensive zone to look for a deflection or go cross-ice. You might not expect him to be one of the league leaders in that category, but the stats back that up. As the Flyers forward corps continues to improve, he should see more of a reward for it on the scoresheet. Even without the offence, Sanheim has the raw skills of a top-pair defenceman. He skates laterally incredibly well, can keep up with top forwards and his rush defending has gotten better with age. The new wrinkle in his game could help propel him to the next level, although some of that might depend on if he gets power play time too.

Cam York

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
48	4	17	21	0.27

York’s profile and college stats suggest that he’s an offensive, puck-moving defenceman but if you watched him last year you might think he’s a shutdown defenceman. He didn’t get to play with the puck much and spent most of his shifts chasing forwards around the defensive zone. A product of a rough environment on a struggling Philly team but even when you consider that, York did an admirable job in this role. Defencemen who can skate are how the modern shutdown game is played, and York does a lot of the little things that mesh with it. He has an annoying presence in the defensive zone with how he stays with forwards or gets a stick on a puck to deflect it out of the way. Also not afraid to use his body to defend and kill the cycle even if he’s not the biggest guy. The common problem was that a lot of these positive plays from him went to waste often because the forwards couldn’t get the puck out after that. He still formed a solid pair with Sanheim, but there is more on the bone with York that the Flyers can unlock. It’s uncertain if the offence is still part of the package for him, as they’re likely giving the power play minutes to Drysdale and York has been transitioned to more of a heavy penalty killing duty. Finding your niche is what the NHL is all about and York seems to have done this well.

Jamie Drysdale

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	8	21	29	0.37

In the final year of his contract, this is likely Drysdale’s last chance to prove that he can be a long-term piece for the Flyers. Last year wasn’t exactly encouraging because they fed him top power play minutes only to be rewarded with two goals and seven points with the man advantage. Not exactly what you want to see when you’re known for quarterbacking a power play, especially when you have the reputation as a defensive liability on top of that. There was a grace period with evaluating Drysdale, as he dealt with major injuries for two years, but he was injury free last year and didn’t do much to set himself apart from the rest of the Flyers. There was also a level of diminishing returns when looking at what he provided while others like Sanheim got less power play time and roster hopefuls like Emil Andrae had to wait their turn to play after impressing in their initial NHL stints. There’s still some hope for Drysdale, as this year brings a fresh start (with an old teammate in Zegras) and he has shown he can be an impactful offensive player in the NHL before, albeit all the way back in 2022. He has the raw skills, is an excellent skater and can walk the blue line better than most but translating it to anything outside of overtime was a challenge.

Rasmus Ristolainen

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
65	3	16	19	0.29

One of the few players who has gotten better in a rough period of Flyers hockey, Ristolainen’s made the transition from being overplayed and unreliable to a solid middle-of-the-roster player. This started a few years ago when they had Ristolainen focus more on killing plays in the defensive zone through being less physical, acting more as a disrupter and getting pucks out instead of trying to go coast-to-coast. He adapted well, but he also saw his minutes cut back to 17-18 minutes a game while playing on the third pair. Last year, he got back into the 20–21-minute range and posted similar results which were solid, albeit nothing mind blowing. He also saw a return to being more involved in the play offensively, rating average in scoring chance creation for a defenceman and it led to him being used on the power play again, granted with only three assists to show for it. Much of the credit for his resurgence has been given to former Flyers assistant Brad Shaw, who has a reputation of getting the best results out of defencemen everywhere he’s coached. With him departing to New Jersey’s bench, it will be interesting to see if Ristolainen’s play holds up.

Goal

Samuel Ersson

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
49	19	22	5	3	.900	2.98

The Philadelphia Flyers were dealt a miserable hand in net when starter Carter Hart saw his contract terminated by the team during a highly publicized sexual assault trial and prospect Ivan Fedotov saw his arrival in North America delayed by a detainment by the Russian military. Although Fedotov finally made his way to North America last season, he and fellow tandem partner Samuel Ersson held the distinction of making up the league's worst pairing statistically. Among starters, only Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alexandar Georgiev had worse years than Ersson, and Fedotov couldn't seem to find his footing well enough to stem the bleeding; he fared better than Ersson, but not by much.

The pair might get some help this upcoming season in the form of former Calgary Flames backup Dan Vladar, who left after losing the starting gig in Calgary to wunderkind Dustin Wolf. Vladar's lanky stature and smooth, speedy skating make him great for last-second desperation saves and extra reach on a defensive breakdown, something that both Fedotov and Ersson mightily struggled with last season. But from a numbers standpoint, Vladar is as much a reclamation project as he is a form of reinforcement for the other two Philadelphia could ice next season. The Flyers seem to be struggling to attract free agents to fill their goaltending depth chart, and that could make for a painful few years until they can figure out their long-term plans and develop some new options to offer.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Nashville Resurgence, Rantanen traded to Carolina, plus much more – Favourable schedules and players to target

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 15:16:30 +0000

NASHVILLE, TN - JANUARY 16: Nashville Predators forward Jonathan Marchessault (81) is shown during the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks, held on January 16, 2025, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire)

The best stories in sports are the comebacks that happen after a team has been written off. Two examples that spring to mind from recent history are the 2014-15 Ottawa Senators, who were 22-23-10 after a loss Feb. 16, putting them 10 points behind in the playoff race, only to go 21-3-3 the rest of the way to narrowly secure a postseason berth. Another is the 2018-19 St. Louis Blues, who were 16-19-4 on Jan. 5, which placed them last in the Western Conference, before going 29-9-5 the rest of the way to not only make the playoffs but win the Stanley Cup.

Is it possible we’ll have another one of those stories this year? Those stories are memorable because they’re rare, and you only need to look at the absurd records they needed down the stretch to illustrate why. Due in no small part to the consolation point for overtime/shootout losses, the standings tend to look closer than they truly are because closing even a small point gap is difficult.

That said, I can’t help but look at the Nashville Predators and wonder if there is still some hope. It’s probably a foolish thing to think and a take that will age like milk, but after a 7-16-6 start, Nashville began to stabilize and now the team seems to have hit its stride with its current five-game winning streak. The Predators are still just 18-22-7, so they’d have basically have to go the rest of the season without any more noteworthy slumps, but part of the reason that such a feat even seems remotely possible is because the veteran leadership that seemed lost in the early part of the season has settled in.

Steven Stamkos has 10 goals and 19 points across his past 19 appearances while Jonathan Marchessault has 10 goals and 26 points over the same 19-game span. They were signed over the summer to provide that kind of offense but were initially written off as poor decisions by GM Barry Trotz due to their extremely poor start to the campaign. Now it seems they were judged too harshly.

When you couple their success with Filip Forsberg (18 goals, 47 points), elite defenseman Roman Josi (nine goals, 35 points) and veteran center Ryan O'Reilly (13 goals, 27 points), you have a fairly strong offense, especially if any of Gustav Nyquist, Tommy Novak or Luke Evangelista (lower body) start to hit their stride. As it is, Nashville has ranked second in goals per game (3.47) dating back to Dec. 10. That’s in stark contrast to the Predators’ first 28 games where they were last in the league in that scoring category (2.18).

You could call this just a hot streak for the offense, and there’s probably an element of that, but given that we’re talking about players of this caliber, it might be something at least somewhat sustainable.

It’s not all rosy, though. The X-Factor is surprisingly goaltending. Ottawa’s run involved journeyman goaltender Andrew Hammond standing on his head, and the Blues got a similar story out of rookie Jordan Binnington.

Nashville shouldn’t need someone to come out of nowhere to shut down the opposing offense. The Predators already have Juuse Saros, who not that long ago was seen as one of the best goaltenders of this generation. This campaign, though, he’s struggled with an 11-18-6 record, 2.81 GAA and .901 save percentage in 36 appearances. Unlike the offense, Saros hasn’t stepped up -- he's 2-2-0 with a 3.42 GAA and an .860 save percentage across his past five outings.

That’s led to Justus Annunen starting a bit more often lately, but while the backup netminder has won his past four starts, he’s been inconsistent, allowing 10 goals on 105 shots (.905 save percentage) over that span.

Let’s assume Nashville needs a 95-point season to make the playoffs. That wouldn’t have been good enough last year, but for the sake of argument, let’s just pretend that’s what’s needed. Nashville would need another 52 points across its final 35 games, so for example, 26-9-0, or say, 23-6-6. Even a top-tier offense is unlikely to get them that kind of record down the stretch. Some of that’s going to have to come from the goalies stealing games, so until Saros or Annunen start heating up, it’s hard to imagine the comeback happening.

That said, if Stamkos and Marchessault could find their way back from unflattering starts, perhaps Saros can too?

Calgary Flames (Tue vs WAS, Thu vs ANA, Sat vs DET, Sun @ SEA)

Calgary wasn’t seen as a major contender going into the campaign. In fact, there was an argument to be made that the Flames would regress from their 38-39-5 record last season after trading away goaltender Jacob Markstrom over the summer. However, we’re clear past the halfway point of 2024-25 now, and the Flames are very much in the playoff race. The weakness for the Flames is they’ve struggled on the road (8-10-4), but they won’t have to concern themselves with that in the upcoming week. They’ll host the Capitals, Ducks, Red Wings and Kraken on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

A big part of the reason why the Flames’ rebuild is ahead of schedule is 23-year-old goaltender Dustin Wolf. He got a taste of the NHL last year and was mixed at best, posting a 7-7-1 record, 3.16 GAA and .893 save percentage in 17 games. However, he’s filled the void left by Markstrom and then some in 2024-25 with his 17-7-2 record, 2.49 GAA and .918 save percentage in 26 starts. To put that into context, Wolf has already saved 13.3 goals above expected this season, per Moneypuck, which has almost caught up to the 13.7 goals saved above expected Markstrom provided for the Flames last campaign. Wolf also ranks eighth among goaltenders in that metric this season.

Wolf’s contributions are extra important because the rest of the team has underwhelmed. Calgary ranks 29th in goals per game (2.65) and 21st in xGA/60 (3.09). So, the team’s not generating much offense and the defense hasn’t been responsible enough to make an average goaltender look good -- just ask backup Dan Vladar, who is only slightly below average at minus-2.8 goals saved above expected, but due to the Flames’ defense has some rather unflattering numbers: a 3.03 GAA and an .889 save percentage.

Still, even if Wolf is the team’s clear MVP, it would be inaccurate to suggest that he’s the only player of value in Calgary. Jonathan Huberdeau might not be living up to his contract, but his 19 goals and 35 points through 46 outings make him the team’s offensive leader. Since a quiet stretch from Oct. 19-Nov. 29 in which Huberdeau had four goals and six points in 20 outings, the 31-year-old has been tremendous, supplying 12 goals and 23 points across 22 outings. If he can maintain anything close to that down the stretch, then there’s a decent chance he’ll be playing playoff hockey this year.

The 23-year-old Jakob Pelletier is also hot with three goals and six points across his past five appearances. It took him a while to get going -- he recorded a goal and five points over his first 15 games with Calgary this season -- but we’re getting a flash of what he’s capable of. He was selected with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and has been dominant offensively at the AHL level, including three goals and 19 points in 20 contests this season.

Maybe Rory Kerins will also help them down the stretch. He’s 23 as well and has provided an incredible 21 goals and 34 points in 34 AHL games in 2024-25. Unlike Pelletier, Kerins was a late-round pick and even logged 38 games with ECHL Rapid City back in 2022-23. Kerins has risen, making his NHL debut Jan. 13 and recording four assists in five outings with the Flames so far. That said, he’s averaging just 12:14 of ice time, including a mere 6:57 on Thursday, so his role with Calgary is far from secure despite those early results. Monitor him, but don’t get too excited yet.

Colorado Avalanche (Tue @ NYI, Fri vs STL, Sun vs PHI)

The Avalanche has a solid 28-19-2 record, but they’ve merely treaded water lately, going 5-4-1 across their past 10 games. They’ll see if they can do better next week with a favorable schedule. The Avalanche will visit the Islanders on Tuesday before returning home to host St. Louis on Friday and Philadelphia on Sunday. Those adversaries are well behind the Avalanche in terms of points percentage.

I wrote this whole thing about Colorado’s situation with regard to Mikko Rantanen’s contract, and then the Avalanche traded him to Carolina in a three-team deal that also involved Chicago, which was shocking, to say the least. To be fair, there is logic to be found here. My now outdated discussion of the topic still serves as a decent overview of the challenge the Avalanche were facing pre-trade, so I’ll show it here for that purpose:

“Like Edmonton with Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, Colorado also has the luxury of an elite one-two punch up front. The Avalanche version is headlined by Nathan MacKinnon, and the other half of the Avalanche’s duo is Mikko Rantanen, who has 25 goals and 64 points through 49 outings in 2024-25. Colorado has an issue that Edmonton recently went through, though: Rantanen is on the final season of his six-year, $55.5 million contract and can become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Rantanen has a real shot of reaching the 40-goal and 100-point milestones for the third consecutive year, so to say he’s due a big payday would be an understatement.

Finding a comparable is a little difficult. Draisaitl won the Hart Trophy in 2019-20, has collected at least 50 goals on three occasions and has also gotten at least 110 points three times, but Rantanen has never been a Hart finalist, has reached the 50-goal mark just once and he’s career high in points is 105, so it’s clear which one of them has a better resume. Still, if Draisaitl could ink an eight-year, $112 million ($14 million cap hit) contract back in September, perhaps Rantanen is thinking at least $12 million annually? Maybe even more? It might be awkward to give Rantanen something at or above Nathan MacKinnon’s eight-year, $100.8 million ($12.6 million cap hit) contract, but MacKinnon inked that back in 2022, and with the cap going up, so too will the payouts for top talent.”

So, you can see why the Avalanche might have opted to move Rantanen rather than lock him up, and there might even be more to this story that we’re not yet aware of. Perhaps the Avalanche presented Rantanen with a competitive offer, and he rejected that. To be clear, that’s purely just hypothetical, and I have no inside knowledge of the situation, so please take my wild speculation as fact, but in that scenario, this trade would make more sense from the Avalanche’s perspective.

That said, I don’t love the return from the Avalanche’s perspective. Colorado is getting Martin Necas and Jack Drury from the Avalanche, as well as some picks. Necas has never reached the 30-goal or 80-point marks, so he doesn’t have the same kind of resume as Rantanen, but Necas is younger at 26 and has done well this campaign with 16 goals and 55 points in 49 appearances. He’ll look good alongside Nathan MacKinnon. My problem with Necas as the return is his two-year, $13 million contract expires in 2026, and then Necas will be eligible for unrestricted free agency. So, if he performs over the next year and a half as the Avalanche hope, then to some extent they just kicked the problem down the road by a year. Granted, Necas probably won’t command what Rantanen did…but that’s only because he’s a downgrade. No offense to Necas -- 99.9 percent of the league is a downgrade to Rantanen -- but the Avalanche are in a win-now mode, so unless retaining Rantanen was completely off the table, this trade feels a little weird to me.

Perhaps I’m undervaluing Jack Drury, though. He has just nine points (three goals) in 39 appearances in 2024-25, but the 24-year-old probably has upside left in him, and the Avalanche will certainly benefit from the center depth. It would not be surprising to see Drury tried out on the third line behind MacKinnon and Casey Mittelstadt.

The Avalanche also got two picks out of the trade. Not a first-rounder, but maybe in five years or so, we’ll look at one of those draft picks as an underrated benefit of this deal.

Carolina Hurricanes (Tue @ NYR, Thu vs CHI, Sat vs. LAK)

The teams I highlight are based on a combination of how busy their schedule is for the upcoming week and how favorable those matchups are. Additionally, I will typically present the teams I’ve included in alphabetical order. I’m breaking both of those to include the Hurricanes. I think it’s worth discussing the fallout of the Rantanen trade from the Hurricanes’ perceptive, and it’s better to have that discussion after outlining what this deal means for Colorado. A little bit of housekeeping before we get into the trade talks: The Hurricanes will start next week with a road tilt against the Rangers on Tuesday before hosting the Blackhawks on Thursday and the Kings on Saturday. It’s not a bad schedule, it’s just not special either.

Now to the trade: In addition to Rantanen, the Hurricanes also acquired Taylor Hall from Chicago for the cost of Necas, Drury and draft picks. There was also retained salary in the deal to make the cap situation work.

It’ll be really interesting to see how this plays out for Carolina. Rantanen has never really been “the guy” before. He’s spent basically his entire NHL career to this point in MacKinnon’s shadow, but now Rantanen will be expected to drive the offense in Carolina. Not that he’ll have to do it alone. In fact, Rantanen is likely to get some great linemates in Sebastian Aho (15 goals, 49 points) and Andrei Svechnikov (15 goals, 34 points). There’s every reason to believe that trio will mesh together.

There’s also reason to be optimistic about Carolina retaining Rantanen beyond this campaign. Sure, the Hurricanes’ attempt to lock down Jake Guentzel after acquiring him from Pittsburgh during the 2023-24 campaign ultimately failed, leading to Guentzel instead signing with Tampa Bay over the summer, but Carolina is set to be in a fantastic cap position for 2025-26. Dmitry Orlov ($7.75 million cap hit) and Brent Burns ($5.28 million) are both set to come off the books. Orlov will likely take a big pay cut if he stays at all. It’s not clear if Burns will play beyond this season, but if he does, it’ll likely be at a reduced salary too.

Carolina also doesn’t have any expiring players due for big paydays beyond Rantanen himself. Meanwhile, Puck Pedia is projecting them with $31.2 million in cap space for next season, albeit with just 13 roster spots filled. There is reason to believe the Hurricanes can meet Rantanen’s demands, even if he’s eyeing something close to what Draisaitl got.

What happens with Rantanen will go a long way towards defining how this trade is viewed, but adding Hall as well in the trade is interesting. He’s been middling this campaign with nine goals and 24 points in 46 appearances with the Blackhawks while averaging a modest 14:59 of ice time. It’s a far cry from what the 33-year-old did in his prime, but he might do better now that he’s on a contender. Hall will probably end up serving on the second line alongside some combination of Seth Jarvis (18 goals, 38 points), Jesperi Kotkaniemi (10 goals, 23 points) and Jackson Blake (11 goals, 16 points).

The Hurricanes’ overall offense has been good -- they rank fifth with 3.37 goals per game – but their scoring depth does leave something to be desired, especially if Carolina does go with that stacked top line of Svechnikov-Aho-Rantanen, so even a decent showing out of Hall would be a big boost.

Carolina likely doesn’t have any room left to make anymore notable additions before the trade deadline, but as it is, the Hurricanes do look like serious contenders.

New York Islanders (Tue vs COL, Thu @ PHI, Sat @ TBL, Sun @ FLA)

It might be premature to assume that the Islanders will miss the playoffs in 2024-25 for just the second time in seven years, but the team certainly has a hole to dig out of. They’ll attempt to better their situation next week, which will start with a home game against the Avalanche on Tuesday. The Islanders will then hit the road to play in Philadelphia on Thursday, Tampa Bay on Saturday and Florida on Sunday. It’s a tough schedule to be sure, but the Islanders are running out of margin for error, so they need to find a way to win difficult matches.

The Islanders inked Tony DeAngelo to a one-year contract Friday, which is…a choice. He’s been bought out twice at the NHL level, which led to him joining the KHL, but DeAngelo only served in 34 games with St. Petersburg SKA before his contract was mutually terminated. He’s questionable in his own end and seems to be a lightning rod for controversy. Still, for as much as there’s a reason why teams keep souring on him, there is also a cause for the infinite number of “second” chances he’s gotten.

DeAngelo, under the right circumstances, can be very effective when the puck is on his stick. He has surpassed the 40-point mark three times at the NHL level and had six goals and 32 points in 34 KHL outings before parting ways with SKA. So, for all the negatives he comes with, at least the 29-year-old has that going for him.

A team in a good spot probably wouldn’t bother with DeAngelo given the baggage, but the Islanders are 28th in goals per game with 2.66 and have lost Noah Dobson to a lower-body injury. Dobson is week-to-week after sustaining the injury Monday. He’s a vital part of the Islanders, and while DeAngelo isn’t a good enough blueliner to fully replace Dobson, one part of that void that DeAngelo likely can fill is the offensive loss. DeAngelo might only serve on the third pairing, but he will likely feature on the top power-play unit and could have fantasy value if that’s his role. His fantasy value will be even higher in leagues that include PIM as a category because he tends to end up in the sin bin a fair amount.

Under ideal circumstances, DeAngelo’s inclusion might even offer a boost to Anders Lee, Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, who will presumably share the ice with him on the power play. The Islanders are dead last in power-play conversions at just 12.2 percent, which has been a drag on the overall offensive output of the Islanders’ top forwards. If DeAngelo can help make the Islanders’ power play even remotely close to average, then that would add up meaningfully for all involved.

Of course, all this is assuming a favorable outcome, which is always a risky thing to believe in when it comes to DeAngelo. At the time of writing, his inclusion on the Islanders isn’t guaranteed. Though the contract has been signed, he needs to clear waivers before he can play for the Islanders. I wouldn’t bet on another team claiming him, but then again, I didn’t anticipate this move from New York, and yet, here we are.

Philadelphia Flyers (Mon vs NJD, Wed @ NJD, Thu vs NYI, Sun @ COL)

The Flyers missed out on the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year in 2024, but at least they managed to stay in contention for most of the campaign. They’d like to do one better this year and secure a Wild Card spot, but there’s a lot of competition for those two seeds, so every game is that much more important. The Flyers will start the week with a home-and-away series against the Devils on Monday and Wednesday before hosting the Islanders on Thursday. Philadelphia will conclude its weekly schedule in Colorado on Sunday.

Goaltending has been a recurring issue for Philadelphia this season. Samuel Ersson is just too inconsistent, leading to a 14-8-2 record, 2.80 GAA and .891 save percentage in 26 appearances. Ivan Fedotov is no better, though, at 4-6-3 with a 3.25 GAA and an .880 save percentage in 14 starts.

The tragedy is that the Flyers are actually a really good defensive team, locked in a four-way tie for sixth in xGA/60 (2.85). The problem is purely the goaltenders. Ersson ranks 83rd among all netminders in goals allowed above expected at minus-8.8, per Moneypuck. The only netminders worse in that category with at least 20 games played are Petr Mrazek, Tristan Jarry, Alexandar Georgiev and Philipp Grubauer. One of those (Jarry) was sent to the minors due to his play while Mrazek and Georgiev are playing for rebuilding squads in Chicago and San Jose. In other words, it’s unflattering company for Ersson.

The Flyers offense isn’t great, but it’s decent. Travis Konecny (21 goals, 56 points) is doing his best to push the team into contention. He’s also been particularly productive recently, supplying five goals and 15 points across his past 13 appearances.

Owen Tippett is benefiting from playing alongside Konecny. The 25-year-old Tippett has three goals and six points over his last eight games, giving him 14 goals and 30 points in 50 outings overall. That duo doesn’t combine to create a top line that will turn heads, but it does the job well enough.

The Flyers are hoping that Matvei Michkov might eventually headline a unit of his own, but the rookie has been streaky. That’s pretty common for a young forward. You just need to keep an eye out and bench him during the down patches. We might be entering one right now -- he has been held off the scoresheet in each of his past two games after supplying two goals and five points across six outings from Jan. 11-21.

Pittsburgh Penguins (Mon @ SJS, Wed @ UTA, Sat vs NSH)

Like the Islanders and Flyers, Pittsburgh is on the outside looking in on the Wild Card race but is still in the running. The Penguins will play in San Jose on Monday and Utah on Wednesday before returning home to host the Predators on Saturday. The Sharks and Predators own two of the worst records in the league, so Pittsburgh needs to pick up points during that stretch if the Penguins are going to convince GM Kyle Dubas that this team can make a serious playoff push this year.

And make no mistake: Dubas likely needs some convincing. RG.org claims to have a source that Pittsburgh is willing to trade anyone other than Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Philip Tomasino and Owen Pickering. The source was also asked about Kris Letang, and they weren’t sure about him.

Erik Karlsson stands out as the biggest player not ruled out. The Penguins would likely need to retain salary -- his cap hit is $11.5 million annually through 2026-27, but the Sharks are already retaining $1.5 million, bringing the current hit to Pittsburgh down to $10 million -- but as long as Pittsburgh is willing to do that, the return could be fairly nice. Although he’s 34 years old, he’s been effective this campaign with four goals and 32 points in 50 outings.

One potential sticking point is that he has a no-movement clause. He already waived it once to move from San Jose to Pittsburgh, but presumably, there would only be certain teams he’d be willing to play for. The fun destination from a fan perspective would be a return to the Senators, but that would be difficult to make work from a cap perspective. Maybe Calgary or Columbus? The Flames and Blue Jackets are teams trending in the right direction who also have plenty of cap space. Perhaps they’d value his veteran leadership in addition to what he brings to the table on the ice. Columbus’ defense already looks fairly solid and is led by a phenomenal offensive defenseman in Zach Werenski, so I don’t know that the Blue Jackets are a great fit. Karlsson would likely provide a meaningful boost to the Flames, though.

Of course, if you're Crosby or Malkin, you’re still going to be clinging onto the hope of making the playoffs this year, so these upcoming games are extremely high stakes for them. Rust is dealing with a lower-body injury, which does complicate things, but if Rust ends up missing time, then you’ll probably see Anthony Beauvillier play with one of those highly motivated superstars.

Seattle Kraken (Mon @ EDM, Tue vs ANA, Thu vs SJS, Sun vs CGY)

Seattle will begin its weekly schedule with what’s likely to be a difficult matchup in Edmonton on Monday. However, the Kraken will then return home to host Anaheim on Tuesday, San Jose on Thursday and Calgary on Sunday. The Ducks and Sharks have struggled this campaign, so those are favorable matchups for the Kraken.

I briefly touched on Philip Grubauer above in the context of how bad he’s been this campaign -- and really for a while now. He has a 3.09 GAA and an .890 save percentage in 150 games since joining Seattle. His six-year, $35.4 million deal, which started in 2021-22, has been such a waste for the Kraken.

On the plus side, the Kraken have Joey Daccord, who has a 16-11-2 record, 2.47 GAA and .915 save percentage in 31 appearances in 2024-25. He could certainly use more offensive support, though.

Jared McCann leads the Kraken with 14 goals and 36 points in 49 appearances this season. That puts him outside of the NHL’s top 75 in the scoring race. Seattle also doesn’t employ any of the 32 players who have reached the 20-goal milestone. Jaden Schwartz is the closest at 16. A lack of big-name talent up front is really hurting this team.

Maybe Matty Beniers will still fill that void, but he’s been a mixed bag. He was Seattle’s first-ever draft pick -- the No. 2 overall selection in 2021 -- and he seemed to be on the fast track after supplying three goals and nine points in 10 NHL outings in 2021-22 followed by 24 goals and 57 points in 80 appearances last season. However, he took a big step back last year, dipping to 37 points, and he hasn’t rebounded much this campaign with 10 goals and 26 points in 49 appearances. He’s still just 22 years old, so there’s plenty of time for him to find his way, but it’s looking less and less likely that this year will be a positive for him.

Another former No. 2 pick seems to have found his way with Seattle, though. Since being acquired from the Rangers on Feb. 18, Kaapo Kakko has four goals and 13 points in 16 outings, giving the Kraken some of that offensive prowess they’ve desperately needed. He’s been averaging 16:50 of ice time in Seattle, which is up from 13:17 with the Rangers -- he had four goals and 14 points in 30 contests before the trade -- which goes a long way toward explaining his production jump.

There never seemed to be much of a role for Kakko in New York, so this change of scenery is probably exactly what he needed. Although his scoring pace might dip somewhat, he should continue to do well with Seattle.

Vancouver Canucks (Mon @ STL, Wed @ NSH, Fri @ DAL, Sun @ DET)

The Canucks have been a mess on and off the ice lately. Will things get any better for them or will the descent continue next week? They’ll start on the road with games in St. Louis on Monday, Nashville on Wednesday and Dallas on Friday. Vancouver will then host the Red Wings on Sunday.

There’s been plenty of speculation about the Canucks potentially moving one of Elias Pettersson or J.T. Miller for off-ice reasons. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Hurricanes were considering acquiring one of those star forwards before opting to instead get Rantanen from Colorado, per Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet 650. Carolina is likely out as a destination now, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Vancouver still trade one of Miller or Pettersson. The Rangers have been brought up before as a potential destination, so maybe there’s still something to be had there.

Perhaps because this has been distracting them, Vancouver has been in free fall, going 6-10-6 since Dec. 8. Miller had a five-game scoring drought from Jan. 8-16, but he’s otherwise remained effective, collecting eight goals and 33 points in 37 outings this campaign. It’s still far behind his regular-season production from 2023-24 (37 goals, 103 points), but at least he’s providing close to a point-per-game.

Pettersson hasn’t given anything close to that lately. He has just three goals and four points across his past 14 appearances. That slump has undermined a strong start to the campaign, leaving him with 11 goals and 30 points in 41 outings overall. He’ll probably bounce back eventually, but his slump is certainly part of the reason for the Canucks’ decline.

Thatcher Demko isn’t helping either, though. Since making his season debut Dec. 10 after returning from a knee injury, he has a 3-5-3 record, 3.47 GAA and .867 save percentage in 12 games. Some rust is to be expected after missing the opening months of the season, but he’s showing no signs of improvement, going 1-3-0 with a 4.03 GAA and an .833 save percentage across his past four outings. Kevin Lankinen is far from a sure thing either, but he’s been the better option with his 16-8-6 record, 2.63 GAA and .903 save percentage in 30 appearances.

It's unfortunate because Demko has shown in the past that he can be an elite netminder, and Vancouver could certainly use the help right now. As it is, though, about the only positive in Vancouver is that Quinn Hughes is still Quinn Hughes with 12 goals and 52 points in 43 appearances, including four goals and 10 points across his past nine outings.

Hughes just needs other stars to go back to living up to their names as well.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – A look at the rookie race at mid-season – Favourable schedules and player to target

Ryan Dadoun — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:20:08 +0000

I haven’t spent any time talking about the rookie race this campaign. Macklin Celebrini did miss 12 games early on due to a lower-body injury, which mitigated the early attention he might have otherwise had, but he’s been healthy for a while and has looked fantastic, providing 13 goals and 28 points through 32 appearances.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

At this stage, though, the reason why I haven’t dipped into the Calder Trophy race is because there’s not a lot to chew on there. Celebrini does have direct competition with Matvei Michkov, but Michkov is just one point ahead of Celebrini despite having played in eight more outings, so barring a change in the second half of the campaign, Celebrini seems like the clear favorite between them. Beyond that, the main competitors are defenseman Lane Hutson, who has three goals and 31 points in 41 outings, and goaltender Dustin Wolf, who is 13-6-2 with a 2.60 GAA and a .914 save percentage in 21 starts.

Comparing Celebrini, Hutson and Wolf is mostly subjective because they bring completely different things, so while a judgment call can and will be made by the end of the season which of them -- or Michkov if he does surprise me -- should get the trophy, comparing them in an article setting feels like evaluating apples and oranges.

Still, we might be able to glean something by evaluating how each of them compares to previous rookies at this stage of their careers. For Celebrini, we’ll compare his start against other forwards, and Hutson will be evaluated against defensemen. I’ll simplify things a little by making the comparisons based on games played (in other words, Connor Bedard’s first 32 games played will be measured against the Sharks rookie) to factor out Celebrini’s injury.

In the case of Wolf, I’m not going to break it down because the odds of him winning the Calder Trophy seem slim. While I think he deserves to be in the conversation to become one of the finalists, the last goaltender to take the trophy was Steve Mason back in 2008-09, and he was unreal that campaign with a 33-20-7 record, 2.29 GAA and .916 save percentage along with 10 shutouts. To put that into the context of that campaign, Mason also finished second in Vezina Trophy voting and fourth in the Hart race. With all due respect to Wolf, he’s not doing anything that measures up to that -- at least, he hasn’t yet.

With that in mind, let’s look at Celebrini’s recent comparables:

Alex Ovechkin, 2005-06, 19-19-38

Connor McDavid, 2016-17, 13-21-34

Sidney Crosby, 2005-06, 13-19-32

Patrick Kane, 2007-08, 8-23-31

Connor Bedard, 2023-24, 12-17-29

Macklin Celebrini, 2024-25, 13-15-28

Auston Matthews, 2016-17, 16-9-25

Paul Stastny, 2006-07, 8-14-22

You can see that his pace is a step below that of Ovechkin, McDavid, Crosby and Kane (note that McDavid missed roughly half of his rookie season and consequently missed out on the Calder), but he’s doing about as well as Bedard did last year.

Matthews and Stastny are there to remind us that we need to take these numbers with a grain of salt. Matthews is an amazing goal scorer who began his career with a four-goal game, but he had an extended quiet period from Oct. 27-Nov. 22 (0-3-3 in 13 games) during his rookie campaign, which diminished his early returns. In the case of Stastny, he finished with 28 goals and 78 points in 82 appearances in his first campaign, but he got off to a slow start.

These are ultimately still small sample sizes, but it does at least show that Celebrini is off to a respectable start when measured against the biggest stars of the salary cap era.

Still, Hutson looks even better:

Cale Makar*, 2019-20, 11-26-37

Shayne Gostisbehere*, 2015-16, 12-22-34

Lane Hutson*, 2024-25, 3-28-31

Quinn Hughes*, 2019-20, 4-26-30

Moritz Seider, 2021-22, 3-23-26

Zach Werenski, 2016-17, 6-20-26

Luke Hughes*, 2023-24, 7-16-23

Tyler Myers, 2009-10, 3-19-22

Brock Faber*, 2023-24, 2-18-20

You’ll notice a number of defensemen on this list with asterisks, which indicates that I took the first 41 games of their Calder season, not their first 41 games overall. For example, I didn’t count Makar’s 10 playoff appearances before 2019-20 or Quinn Hughes’ five regular-season outings in 2018-19. Hutson’s two appearances in 2023-24 weren’t factored in either, not that it would have hurt him -- he finished last season with a pair of assists.

That aside, Hutson is off to a remarkable start compared to other defensemen of the salary cap era. Faber did well enough to finish second in Calder Trophy voting last campaign with 47 points, and Hutson is well ahead of him. Moritz Seider is the last blueliner to win the award, and Hutson is outpacing the Red Wings defenseman as well.

Hutson is behind Makar and Gostisbehere, but Makar logged just 57 games as a rookie, consequently finishing with 50 points, and Gostisbehere didn’t play a full campaign either, finishing with 46 points in 66 outings. Hutson is currently on a 62-point pace. That would surpass Nicklas Lidstrom’s 60 points in 1991-92 and be the most since Brian Leetch’s 71 points in 1988-89.

Again, it’s apples and oranges between Celebrini and Hutson, but if you’re just talking about who is on track to leave the bigger mark on history for a rookie in their position, then so far that’s clearly Hutson.

Columbus Blue Jackets (Tue vs PHI, Thu vs SJS, Sat @ NYR)

At this point, it seems very likely Buffalo’s playoff drought, which dates back to 2011, will continue, but another franchise’s bid to re-enter the postseason might be successful. The Blue Jackets are in the mix for a Wild Card spot with some favorable games ahead of them. They’ll play in home against Philadelphia and San Jose on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, before visiting the Rangers on Saturday. At the time of writing, none of those three adversaries have a winning record.

The Blue Jackets are no strangers to injuries this campaign, but they are facing arguably their biggest challenge on that front with Sean Monahan on the injured reserve list due to a wrist issue. It’s not clear how long he’ll be out for, but he was placed on IR rather quickly after sustaining the injury Tuesday, which probably isn’t a great sign.

Before the injury, Monahan had 14 goals and 41 points through 41 appearances in 2024-25 while playing primarily on the Blue Jackets’ top line and first power-play unit. His loss will be felt, but if there is any silver lining at all, it’s that Columbus had a promising young forward waiting in the minors for his opportunity.

Luca Del Bel Belluz has excelled with AHL Cleveland in 2024-25, providing 17 goals and 37 points in 34 outings. The 21-year-old was summoned due to Monahan’s absence and was a standout performer in Thursday’s 6-2 victory over Seattle, collecting a goal and an assist in 11:16 of ice time. It’s reasonable to believe that his playing time will increase as he settles in, and he seems like a nice short-term grab to me -- short term because he might return to the minors once Monahan recovers.

Adam Fantilli is likely to be another player leaned on during Monahan’s absence. He logged 18:41, including 1:42 with the man advantage, Thursday and registered an assist to extend his scoring streak to four games. The 20-year-old’s nine goals and 20 points in 42 appearances in 2024-25 is nothing to write home about, but the 2023 No. 3 overall pick has tremendous upside that makes him worth keeping a very close eye on.

Dallas Stars (Tue @ TOR, Thu vs MTL, Sat @ COL, Sun vs DET)

Dallas has won its past six games, pushing its record to 26-13-1 in 2024-25. Although the Stars are having an incredible season, they’re still not in position to have the home-ice advantage in the first round because of the tough division they play in. Consequently, the Stars need every point they can get. They’ll try to stay strong in Toronto on Tuesday before hosting Montreal on Thursday. Dallas then has a back-to-back set over the weekend, playing in Colorado on Saturday and at home against Detroit on Sunday.

Jason Robertson’s resurgence has been a major part of the Stars’ winning streak. He was playing well below his potential early in the campaign, recording four goals and eight points across his opening 17 outings. Since then, he hasn’t been held off the scoresheet in consecutive games and has been especially effective recently, supplying three goals and 11 points over his past six outings. To put that into perspective, he leads all players in scoring from Dec. 29-Jan. 9 -- Zach Werenski and Mitch Marner are tied for second with nine points each.

Matt Duchene has also been on a roll. Although he’s having a strong campaign overall, Duchene had a slow stretch from Dec. 4-27 in which he was limited to a goal and an assist over 10 contests. He’s since rebounded with three goals and eight points across his past six outings.

The best part for Dallas is Duchene and Robertson typically play on separate lines, so this isn’t a case of one player’s hot streak simply feeding into the other’s, they’re both gelling at the same time independent of each other, which helps spread out the offense. That said, Duchene’s linemates Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn are looking good as well with eight and seven points, respectively, across Dallas’ past six games. Robertson’s linemates Evgenii Dadonov and Roope Hintz are also enjoying strong stretches with six and five points, respectively, over the same span.

The only downside is Logan Stankoven, who serves on the third line, hasn’t been doing much. He has the most offensive potential among the forwards outside of the top six, but the 21-year-old has been a mixed bag this campaign with four goals and 19 points in 38 outings, and that’s despite an amazing start of the season in which he had four goals and 14 points over his opening 15 games. He’s worth monitoring to see if he gets hot again, but he’s too streaky to be an everyday option in fantasy.

Florida Panthers (Mon @ PHI, Tue @NJD, Thu vs DET, Sat vs ANA)

The Panthers have a real shot of reaching the 100-point mark for the third time in four seasons -- and they played at a 100-point pace in the shortened 2021 campaign (37-14-5) -- but they’ve been going through something of a rough patch with a 3-4-0 record from Dec. 23-Jan. 8. Florida will attempt to correct course on the road against the Flyers on Monday and the Devils on Tuesday. The Panthers will then return home to host Detroit on Thursday and Anaheim on Saturday.

Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart typically drive Florida’s offense, but none of them have been especially noteworthy lately -- each of them has no more than one goal and three points across Florida’s past five outings. Instead, Jesper Boqvist has been the unlikely leader recently, collecting four goals and six points over that five-game span.

This won’t last -- the 26-year-old has never recorded more than 23 points in a single campaign -- but you can enjoy this while it lasts. If nothing else, the timing of it has taken a touch of pressure off the Panthers’ major forwards during one of their quieter stretches.

One forward who might be feeling the pressure regardless, though, is Sam Bennett. He was amazing at the start of the campaign, supplying 13 goals and 26 points across his opening 27 appearances, which made it look like he might earn a big payday in the final season of his four-year, $17.7 million contract. Some decline was likely inevitable, but rather than slow, he’s collapsed, recording just one assist over his past 13 outings.

If there is a silver lining, Bennett is still firing the puck at a decent rate, accounting for 25 shots in his past eight outings, and his role with the team alongside Tkachuk and Verhaeghe seems largely intact. It seems just a matter of time before he breaks out of his recent slump, but he probably won’t have another stretch like he did in the early portion of 2024-25.

Montreal Canadiens (Tue @ UTA, Thu @ DAL, Sat vs TOR, Sun vs NYR)

Montreal wasn’t terribly impressive early in the campaign, owning an 11-16-3 record through Dec. 14, but the Canadiens have gone on a 9-2-0 run since. That’s put them into the mix for a playoff spot going into next week’s action. Montreal will begin on the road with games in Utah on TuesdayJack Hughes, and Dallas on Thursday. The Canadiens will then host the Maple Leafs on Saturday and the Rangers on Sunday.

A key factor in Montreal’s recent success has been its offense. The Canadiens have averaged 3.82 goals per game across their past 11 contests, which is a huge spike from their 2.70 goals per game over their first 30 outings.

Interestingly, there’s very little overlap with Patrik Laine’s success after returning from a knee injury and Montreal’s run. He did have an incredible eight goals and nine points in nine outings, but that was from Dec. 3-21, so mostly before Montreal took off. He then had no goals and an assist in four appearances from Dec. 23-31 and has missed the Canadiens’ last four outings due to an illness. You could absolutely make an argument that his hot return helped get the ball rolling, but he’s not what’s sustained it.

Cole Caufield has been an offensive leader over that stretch with six goals and 13 points through 11 outings, but that’s nothing new for him -- he has 23 goals and 40 points in 41 games overall -- so while he’s an important part of the Canadiens’ offense, he’s not what changed. The same goes for Nick Suzuki, who has two goals and 12 points across his past 11 appearances, giving him 13 goals and 42 points in 2024-25.

If you want the secret sauce, it’s been depth players stepping up. Joel Armia, Juraj Slafkovsky, Emil Heineman and Jake Evans have each had 15 points or fewer over Montreal’s first 30 outings, but those four have each collected seven or more points over the past 11 games.

Meanwhile, we’ve seen some promise from Jakub Dobes. He’s made three starts so far and is 3-0-0 with a GAA and a save percentage of 0.97 and .959, respectively. Granted, that’s a small sample size, but those matches were against Florida, Colorado and Washington -- all on the road -- so the Canadiens have given him tough competition, and he’s risen to the occasion.

Sam Montembeault has been largely hit-and-miss this campaign, including from Dec. 17 onward. He does have a 6-2-0 record over that stretch, but he also has a 2.78 GAA and an .890 save percentage. With that in mind, there’s a chance Dobes could see his workload begin to increase.

New Jersey Devils (Tue vs FLA, Thu @ TOR, Sat vs PHI, Sun vs OTT)

The Devils recent mediocre play has been due to a cold spell offensively. New Jersey has been strong overall, ranking 11th in goals per game with 3.16 goals per game, but the Devils have averaged just 2 goals per game across their past seven outings.

Forwards Jack Hughes (two goals, six points), Jesper Bratt (one goal, five points) and Ondrej Palat (three goals, four points), as well as defenseman Dougie Hamilton (five assists), are the only players who have made notable contributions on offense during that seven-game stretch. Timo Meier (one goal, two points) and especially Nico Hischier (one goal, two points) stand out as having been unusually cold in that span.

It's just a matter of time before the Devils start scoring again, though, so I wouldn’t be overly worried. It’s also worth remembering that six of New Jersey’s past seven outings have been on the road, so perhaps that worked against the Devils.

For his part, Markstrom hasn’t been amazing recently, but he also hasn’t been the issue. He’s limited the competition to two or three goals in each of his past five starts, which would be good enough under normal circumstances. He’s also still putting up strong numbers overall with a 21-8-3 record, 2.19 GAA and .911 save percentage across his past 32 appearances.

So, if you have New Jersey players on your team, my recommendation would be to hold firm and anticipate better times ahead.

Ottawa Senators (Tue @ NYI, Thu vs WAS, Sat vs BOS, Sun @ NJD)

Ottawa is going through a four-game schedule in the week of Jan. 6-12, and it has another full slate ahead. The Senators will begin next week with a road matchup against the Islanders before hosting Washington and Boston on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. The Senators will then conclude the week in New Jersey on Sunday. With those final two games, the Senators will have played in five back-to-back sets, totaling 10 matches, in the span of 12 contests.

Ottawa has suffered four straight defeats to start January and is 1-5-1 across its past seven outings. With Montreal and Detroit both trending in the right direction, the Senators are in danger of slipping to seventh in the Atlantic Division and seeing their playoff chances fade further.

Brady Tkachuk, who is 25 and in his seventh NHL campaign without making his postseason debut, is doing his best to keep the Senators afloat, recording two goals, five points, 21 PIM and 20 hits over that seven-game span. He’s been Ottawa’s top offensive power during that stretch, but the other forwards the Senators typically rely on for offense -- Claude Giroux, Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson -- have each recorded two or fewer points over that stretch.

Though, perhaps it’s inaccurate to say that the Senators are relying on Giroux for offense, or at least they shouldn’t be at this point. Giroux was still a strong top-line scoring threat when he joined the Senators in 2022, but he seems to have declined substantially at the age of 36, supplying nine goals and 24 points through 40 appearances this campaign. Clearly, he still has something to offer, but those are numbers that would be more in line with a third line forward on a strong team.

Perhaps there’s a strong team out there that would want him in such a role. Giroux is in the final campaign of his three-year, $19.5 million contract, and if the Senators don’t rebuild soon, it would make sense for them to shop the veteran forward. He does have a no-movement clause, so Giroux has complete control over that situation, but his career is winding down, and he hasn’t won the Cup yet, so if presented with the opportunity to play for a serious contender, he’d likely take it.

He'd easily be the Senators’ biggest trade chip if it came to that. Travis Hamonic would also likely have appeal as a third-pairing blueliner, while Nick Cousins and Adam Gaudette might be grabbed to provide playoff-bound teams with forward depth, but if you’re a Senators fan and the team doesn’t turn things around soon, then Giroux rumors are the ones you’ll want to pay attention to.

Philadelphia Flyers (Mon vs FLA, Tue @ CBJ, Thu @ NYI, Sat @ NJD)

The Flyers endured a tough road stretch from Dec. 23-Jan. 5 in which they went 2-3-1. They’re back at home now, but rather than reverse the trend, they’ve dropped their past two games. Their home stint will conclude Monday against the Panthers. After that, they’ll go on a three-game trip involving games against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, the Islanders on Thursday and the Devils on Saturday. Philadelphia will look to do better in that stretch while attempting to make up ground in the hunt for a Wild Card spot.

Like Ottawa, Philadelphia’s recent struggles has caused its playoff hopes to drastically diminish, but with half the season left, a comeback can’t be ruled out. It’s unfair to put this on the rookie, but a stronger showing out of Matvei Michkov would go a long way toward making that happen.

I noted Michkov’s overall success this season up top, but what I didn’t mention is how cold he’s been recently, recording a goal, an assist and a minus-17 rating across his past 13 appearances. Plus/minus is always a stat that needs to be taken with a grain of salt, but his minus-17 rating from Dec. 14-Jan. 9 is by far the worst in the NHL. The next worst in the NHL during that time period are Brandon Montour and Mikhail Sergachev, who are tied at minus-12. Jamie Drysdale is the next worst member of the Flyers at minus-11 while the next worst Flyers forward is Morgan Frost at minus-9.

Michkov was a healthy scratch for two games from Nov. 7-9 and followed that with an amazing stretch from Nov. 11-Dec. 10 in which he had seven goals, 17 points and a plus-13 rating across 14 outings. I do wonder if maybe another scratch is in Michkov’s future to give him a chance to regroup. Either way, he’s a talented rookie, and it’s not uncommon for rookies to grow through stretches like this -- for one of countless examples, you might recall the Auston Matthews rookie slump I highlighted earlier -- so there’s not much cause for concern about Michkov’s future. In the long run, he should grow from this.

In contrast to his cold spell, Tyson Foerster had an incredible run of six goals and nine points in nine outings from Dec. 18-Jan. 5, but he was held off the scoresheet in Philadelphia’s past two games, so the good times might be over. He’s more of a streaming option given his streaky nature and middle-of-the-road stats (12 goals and 19 points in 41 games). For that reason, it’s best to move on when he shows signs of cooling.

If you’re looking for a hot member of the team, that’s Travis Konecny. He’s having an amazing campaign overall too with 20 goals and 46 points in 42 outings, but he’s been especially productive on the goal front recently with four markers across his last five appearances. His shooting percentage of 19.0 is well above his career average of 13.0, which is a potential warning sign, but that’s been skewed upwards by his power-play goals (a career-high eight). His 5-on-5 shooting percentage of 9.8 is actually a bit low for him (he finished with a 5-on-5 shooting percentage in the double digits in five of his previous seven campaigns), so there might still be some upside in that regard.

Utah HC (Tue vs MTL, Thu vs NYR, Sat vs STL)

Utah is having a streaky season, and lately, the squad has been trending in the wrong direction, going 2-6-2 from Dec. 22-Jan. 10. Fortunately, next week, the team will be at home against adversaries that presently don’t occupy a playoff position. Utah HC will face the Canadiens on Tuesday, the Rangers on Thursday and the Blues on Saturday.

Utah got Connor Ingram back from an upper-body injury, but at the time of writing, he hasn’t drawn into a game since returning, and it’s likely he’ll be used sparing. He didn’t impress before the injury, posting a 6-4-3 record, 3.61 GAA and .871 save percentage in 13 outings. Perhaps the time off has given him a chance to reset, but given Karel Vejmelka’s success -- although he has a 10-11-3 record, he’s stellar in terms of GAA (2.38) and save percentage (.916) -- so there isn’t much motivation to use Ingram except when Vejmelka could use a breather. Then again, the winds with this duo have changed before, so nothing is certain. Vejmelka was the starter in 2022-23, but that role was taken by Ingram last season. Ingram also entered 2024-25 with the No. 1 gig that now belongs to Vejmelka.

Neither has a track record of success long enough to be called a safe bet. The closest thing to that in Utah is Clayton Keller. The 26-year-old forward has been remarkably consistent this campaign, being held off the scoresheet in consecutive games just once in 2024-25 (Oct. 22-24). That steady stream of offense has resulted in him recording 14 goals and 41 points through 40 appearances, putting him well on his way toward reaching the 75-point mark for the third straight campaign.

It's just a shame that the forward corps around him is nothing special. Logan Cooley (11 goals, 35 points), Dylan Guenther (16 goals, 34 points) and Nick Schmaltz (seven goals, 30 points) have all been fine, but no other member of the squad has even reached the 20-point mark. In the long run, Utah does have Tij Iginla, Cole Beaudoin and Daniil But, who could make a significant impact in a couple of years, but none of those young forwards are in a position to help now.

Josh Doan is much closer, but after the 22-year-old turned heads by providing five goals and nine points in 11 games with Arizona in 2023-24, he was quiet during an NHL stint from Oct. 8-26 this campaign, supplying a goal and an assist across nine outings before being sent to AHL Tucson. He did seem to find his way in Tucson, though, contributing eight goals and 21 points over 25 contests, and was recalled Friday as a result. He had three shots in 14:18 of ice time during Utah’s 2-1 win over San Jose.

As already noted, Utah isn’t swimming in offensive depth, so with Keller, Cooley and Schmaltz sharing a line and Dylan Guenther (lower body) out indefinitely, Doan doesn’t have great linemates to play off. He’s at least worth keeping an eye on, but I wouldn’t jump to take him yet.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Team Preview

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 16:00:56 +0000

_{MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 09: Owen Tippett (74) of the Philadelphia Flyers looks on during the third period of the NHL game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Montreal Canadiens on April 9, 2024, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)}

The Flyers were surprisingly competitive for the first two-thirds of the season, compiling a 29-19-7 record through 55 games. They faded down the stretch, going 9-14-4, leaving them with 87 points (38-33-11), four points behind the Washington Capitals for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. While expectations may not have been high entering the season, the Flyers deserve credit for playing a competitive game. They ranked 14th with a Corsi of 51.3% and ninth with an expected goals percentage of 52.3%. Those five-on-five numbers look solid, so what happened? The Flyers had the worst power play in the league, scoring 4.35 goals per 60 minutes. On the other hand, Philadelphia ranked fourth in penalty killing with 5.99 goals against per 60 minutes. That neutralized the special teams battle somewhat, so the determining factor was that the Flyers had a .884 save percentage, which ranked last in the league. With Carter Hart removed from the team due to legal issues, goaltender Samuel Ersson was pressed into the starter’s role, and he ended up playing in 51 games, which was a big jump in his workload. Head coach John Tortorella was still in the middle of controversy from time to time, notably when he made captain Sean Couturier a healthy scratch for several games.

WHAT’S CHANGED? The most exciting addition for the Flyers is 2023 first-round pick Matvei Michkov, who had 19 goals and 41 points in 47 KHL games last season. He is a dynamic offensive talent that the Flyers desperately need. Michkov effectively takes the place of veteran right winger Cam Atkinson, who signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent. Otherwise, there were not a lot of big moves. They kept defenceman Erik Johnson, who was added at the trade deadline last season. Russian goaltender Ivan Fedotov appeared in three games late last season but will figure to have the backup job behind Ersson.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? Considering the Flyers did not make any big splash moves in the offseason, there might be some indication that they think internal improvement can be enough to get them over the hump. Just coming up with a league-average power play would make a huge difference, but it looks like the Flyers are aiming for the playoffs, and if they are going to get there, they will need a lot of young players to continue to develop. Beyond Michkov, that includes Morgan Frost, Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink, and Joel Farabee up front, and defencemen Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, and Egor Zamula. If those players develop properly then the season is a success. If they also find their way to the playoffs, even better.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? It seems that there is always the risk of Tortorella pushing the wrong button and having his team go south on him. The Couturier situation last season sure didn’t seem to help a team that was sinking out of playoff contention, and it would surprise exactly no one if something like that happened again this season, and it doesn’t have to be Couturier. If the main point of the season is to see progress from their young players, then the sign that the season is going wrong is if Tortorella is making young players healthy scratches to make a point rather than to help the player.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: The Flyers have a bunch of young forwards who could be candidates for breakout seasons, but defenceman Cam York is an interesting option, too. He had 30 points last season, with only six on the power play, and it appears that York has a chance to play on the Flyers’ top power play unit this season. They have to be better than they were on the power play last season and if York is the one quarterbacking the power play, he should see continued growth in his point totals.

FORWARD

Owen Tippett

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	32	27	59	0.72

Even though he’s already broken out with back-to-back 20+ goal seasons, it still feels like Owen Tippett has only scratched the surface of what he can do. Stuck in prospect purgatory with the Panthers, the trade to Philly was perfect for him because they had nothing to lose and a lot of roster spots to fill. Thus, they could feed him prime offensive minutes and his career has taken off since then. He is one of the best in the league at creating off the rush, both in terms of scoring chances and goals, and his speed can be a nightmare to deal with at times. His all-around offensive game has also started to turn the corner, improving as a playmaker and using his linemates more instead of always trying to be a one-man show. There is still a lot he can improve at; he still hasn’t quite figured out how to be a power play guy and his playing style is almost too north-south with how dependent it is off the rush. He is also an inconsistent play-driver despite how great he is at generating offence, although the Flyers volatile lineup played a role in that. The Flyers are banking on him breaking into that next level, making him part of their core going forward after signing him to a long-term extension.

Sean Couturier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	13	33	46	0.59

The Flyers will often go as far as Sean Couturier takes them, which includes the nearly two full seasons he missed. Just getting him back on the ice was a feel-good story for the Flyers and it went beyond that as his play in the first half of the season was excellent. He returned to being the workhorse, tough minute centermen that he was for most of his career and being the catalyst of the team. Always in the right spot in the defensive zone and a menace on the forecheck, it’s easy for his teammates to feed off him and it makes life so much easier for the rest of the team. It’s a reason why he was named captain in the middle of the season, a no-brainer decision. Once the All-Star Break hit, things got sour. The Flyers couldn’t keep the puck out of their own net when Couturier’s lines were on the ice and his offensive production stagnated with two goals in his last 40 games. This culminated with him being a controversial healthy scratch for a game in mid-March. Couturier proved that there is still a good player in him after all the injuries, but his second half showed that there might be limitations on what to expect from him going forward. Perhaps he isn’t the 19-20 minute a night, all-situations player he was in his prime anymore.

Travis Konecny

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	32	42	74	0.96

Watching Travis Konecny and looking at the high volume of chances he creates, it might come as a surprise that his 33 goals and 68 points last year was a career high. Part of that is him missing 10-20 games a year to injury at various points and the other is the Flyers general inability to score on the power play. At even strength, he is breaking into the league’s elite and is in some pretty good company over the last two seasons in terms of goal-scoring, outscoring names such as Nikita Kucherov and Matthew Tkachuk at five-on-five. The Flyers shift to focus more on rush offence has served him well, as this has been his bread and butter for most of his career. His speed and ability to weave through traffic in the neutral zone is something a lot of players don’t have, and his playmaking has come a long way from his earlier days in the league. He was also a menace on the Flyers aggressive penalty kill, scoring more goals shorthanded than he did on the power play. An easy player to plug anywhere in the lineup because of the skill he brings combined with the high motor he plays with. He can also score while shouldering the burden of playing heavy matchups, producing with Scott Laughton centering his line early in the year before moving to Sean Couturier’s wing. Now a centerpiece for the Flyers next stage of their rebuild, signing a seven-year contract extension over the summer. 35 goals and 70 points is a safe bet but he can blow past those numbers if the power play comes to life.

Joel Farabee

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	18	24	42	0.51

Like most of the Flyers, Farabee started the season red hot and had a rough finish. He was flirting with a point-per-game pace around January, he scored only nine points in his last 32 which included a goal-scoring slump that lasted an entire month. When looking at the overall stats, he still had a pretty good year, setting career highs in most categories and he was on the positive side of things when it came to driving play despite no real consistent linemates. Slumps are expected with a player like Farabee who scores so many of his goals by capitalizing on great passes and poaching for breakaway opportunities. He’s improved when it comes to creating his opportunities and is a good passer, but he excels more as the finisher of his line rather than someone who drives the bus. Always the second one on pucks and the high forward on the forecheck, Farabee’s game is better when he’s paired with a good forecheck or elite passer, something the Flyers had in spurts but not consistently. Farabee’s strengths with generating controlled entries at a high rate give him some play-driving ability but even those usually come from him jumping on a turnover or a loose puck rather than creating from 200 feet. Still, a very useful player to have in the middle six.

Tyson Foerster

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	21	24	45	0.58

One of the hidden gems of the Flyers new wave of forward prospects. Foerster is a big body and made a name for himself as a dark horse Calder candidate. Finishing third in rookie scoring will do that, but what caught some folks’ attention was his defensive impact. The Flyers were excellent at preventing scoring chances while he was on the ice and while it’s debatable how much of a winger can influence that, he does a lot of things that helped the cause. His forechecking prowess being the main one. He was often the first player into the zone when the Flyers had to play dump-and-chase and it’s difficult to get the puck away from him when he gets it below the goal-line. He also caught teams off-guard with how good he can be off the rush. He’s got a great shot with a heavy release and showed off some slick puck-handling moves when getting a one-on-one matchup with defenders. He also wasn’t a one-trick pony when it came to goal-scoring, scoring in a variety of ways by getting to the net, following the play off the rush and getting himself open for one-timers. This earned him a spot on the top line for most of the year, although he did get lost in the shuffle late in the season when the Flyers were struggling. He could return back to his home with Konecny and Couturier at the start of the year, depending on where rookie Matvei Michkov slots. He figures to start in the top six and can build on his 20-goal season.

Noah Cates

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	9	18	27	0.35

Receiving votes for both the Calder and the Selke in his rookie season, most of the hype fell off this year for the young center. Not that there was anything wrong with his play, he is still one of the Flyers most reliable defensive forwards and took the brunt of tough draws in the second half of the year. He just missed a good chunk of the season and didn’t get the same minutes or linemates he did his rookie year. Couturier’s return was a big reason for that, as that’s where most of his tough, defensive minutes went. Cates also got a lot of minutes with Konecny the year before and going from that to Garnet Hathaway and Ryan Poehling is a bit of a downgrade in terms of scoring upside. Offence has also never been a major part of Cates game in the NHL, although he is very good at getting to the net and is one of the few Flyers forwards who creates most of his offence on the forecheck, which is part of the reason why he is such a strong play-driver even if he doesn’t have the high-end skillset. He was used on the Flyers second power play unit for his net front ability but was removed from the rotation after returning from injury and will have to fight for those minutes this year. Although will be more of a regular fixture on their penalty kill.

Morgan Frost

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	16	38	54	0.69

Every team has a “he will be special if he ever puts it together” guy. That is Morgan Frost on the Flyers. It’s been seven years since he was drafted, and he’s had only two full seasons on the team due to injuries and spending time in the AHL. What they’ve gotten out of him so far has been okay with a pair of 40+ point seasons while showing flashes of greatness in both. There’s obvious talent when watching him play. He is arguably the team’s best player at zone entries and one of the few potential weapons they have on the power play because of that. The Flyers have a few players who are strong on entries, but it’s heavily skewed on the wings with Frost being the one center who excels there. He is very shifty and deceptive with his skating in the neutral zone, which allows the likes of Tippett and Konecny to open themselves up for more shooting opportunities. Frost is also a very good passer, although sometimes he’s a little too patient when he has the puck and scoring opportunities go to waste when he waits too long for the perfect play. Still an effective player when it comes to setting the table for his linemates. This is somewhat of a “make or break” year for him even if he’s proven himself to be a solid NHL player. The Flyers just have to decide if he is part of their future or not.

Bobby Brink

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
68	14	18	32	0.47

One of the Flyers high-upside prospects, Brink had somewhat of a rocky first season in the NHL. He showed some of the offensive talent that he was drafted for, ranking among the Flyers best players in terms of setting up shots and scoring chances at even strength. He was also the subject of some fairly blunt comments from his coach about his play when he was a healthy scratch for a game in his home state and also spent some time in the AHL before returning. Brink’s offence is hard to replace, but the rest of his game is still a work in progress. Like a lot of rookies, when the game was easy and plays were open, he could capitalize. When games got tougher and he had to hold onto pucks longer, he struggled a little. The Flyers rush-focused attack made it a little easier for him to get his feet wet and show his game-breaking skillset but struggled when the game slowed down. Similarly, he showed the ability to create his own chances individually and set up teammates. It was a different story when it came to getting himself open for shots and being a passing option on breakouts. It will take some time for him to get used to the NHL pace but showed enough promise last year to be hopeful about his future.

Scott Laughton

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	15	24	39	0.51

Scott Laughton has been with the Flyers through a multitude of general managers and coaches. The former first round pick has carved out a nice career for himself as a middle-of-the-roster player where you know what you’re getting from him every night. Last year was a strange one for him, though. He was a permanent fixture in the lineup but didn’t have the same set of wingers for more than five games and had a very concerning season when it came to driving play, giving up a lot on the defensive end. On the other hand, he remained one of the Flyers top penalty killers and was a cornerstone of their “power kill” approach where they’re always looking to poach shorthanded. Laughton didn’t just become a terrible defensive player at even strength overnight, so his drop-off there could just be a fluke rather than a sign of things to come. The only concern that it might be is that Laughton’s never showed much high-end ability or be the guy who can drive a line on his own. He’s average to above average in just about every skill but has a tremendous motor and work ethic to make up for it and that is what makes him such a coveted player among the Flyers coaching staff. With the rest of the roster not changing much, it will be interesting to see if he rebounds at five-on-five next year.

DEFENCE

Travis Sanheim

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	10	30	40	0.49

This was Sanheim’s first season as “The Guy” on the Flyers blue line. He’s always logged a lot of minutes, but this was the first time he was undisputed in the number one role with Ivan Provorov now in Columbus. He took the ball and ran with it some aspects, having a career season in terms of boxcar stats and looking more active with the puck than he has ever been. Some of that was from necessity, as the Flyers needed someone who could handle the burden on breakouts and also control the play at the blue line. This has never been Sanheim’s forte, who is normally more of a support guy, but he had to take on more of a burden here this year. Results were mixed. Sanheim could handle the increase in puck touches and ice time. He’s a smooth-skating defenceman with great acceleration, so the puck-moving role suits him well. He even saw some major improvements with his own work on breakouts, always being more of a “glass and out” guy before last year when he started to make more plays out of the zone. The Flyers shift to more of a team that attacks in transition also plays to his strengths, as he can be very effective as the support guy joining the rush or even leading it. Sanheim could handle the extra minutes and responsibility, the burden of being the only proven veteran top four guy on the Flyers blue line is what eventually caught up to him by the end of the year. Cam York and Jamie Drysdale were given most of the power play time by the end of the season. That will keep a cap on his offensive upside.

Cam York

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	10	31	41	0.50

The Flyers wanted their young defenceman to sink or swim in what was essentially his first full season in the NHL. It made sense because they had high hopes for York and needed someone who could play alongside Sanheim on the top pair. York showed he had the endurance to do so and while they got off to a rough start, they eventually became a decent, stabilizing top-pair for the Flyers. York had his share of highlight reel plays, always looking to pinch down from that left wall to look for a seam pass or jump up in the play to start a give-and-go. He’s an effortless skater and a great complement for Sanheim on the as someone who can wheel the puck out of trouble. The offence hasn’t quite come around to where he’s a high-end player, but it’s enough to make him a threat whenever he is up in the play. His best asset on the top pair is how good he is at turning pucks over and killing other team’s rushes. It negates some of the defensive burden his pair has to take on and makes it easier for him to play his own game. He was given a very demanding, high-minute role and gave the Flyers passable results while showing signs that there is another level to his game. A role on the first power play is his to lose, and there is competition, but should be able to reach 40 points as his next step.

Rasmus Ristolainen

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	2	10	12	0.17

Brad Shaw is known as one of the league’s better assistant coaches and the work he did with Ristolainen might have been his biggest accomplishment. For his entire career, Ristolainen was a player with all the tools but no toolbox. A big, powerful skating defenceman who could put up points on the power play, deliver big hits but be a liability at five-on-five. He would chase hits, play too aggressively, make careless mistakes in coverage and turned the puck over countless times. Since Tortorella’s staff arrived in Philly, Ristolainen’s game has been cleaned up. He has a more defined role in the defensive zone, and they’ve modeled his game to be someone who takes hits to make plays in the defensive zone. Sometimes that means simply clearing the puck out, but the Flyers breakouts have a lot of support for him to make a quick play without having to think much. The other big thing was reducing his minutes from the low 20’s to the 17–18-minute range, which is where he is more properly slotted. It helped Ristolainen’s game, but it has also created a hole in the Flyers top-four that they have yet to fill.

Jamie Drysdale

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	7	27	34	0.47

The young defenceman is still a work in progress, if only because he’s only played one full season with the other three being interrupted by major injuries. The young man has already had two shoulder surgeries and suffered another injury there shortly after getting traded to the Flyers in January. He is an exciting player to watch when he is on. A dynamic skating defenceman who loves to rush the puck up the ice and walk the tight rope along the blue line to create his chances. It hasn’t resulted in anything tangible just yet, but it’s hard to make a judgment on him right now with so much of his career spent rehabbing injuries. However, that also means he doesn’t have a lot of game reps. He has an unorthodox style of defending the rush where he prefers to attack the puck carrier from an angle rather than squaring up and it’s been somewhat of a detriment to his overall game. He’s not strong enough on his stick to disrupt rushes against NHL forwards and sometimes it takes real game reps to figure out what works at this level. With spots 3-6 being an open competition for the Flyers, Drysdale should get a chance to prove he can stick provided he stays healthy, which has been his problem more than anything else.

GOAL

Samuel Ersson

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
44	18	22	4	2	0.901	2.92

Ivan Fedotov

Fewer teams have been dealt worse hands in net than the Philadelphia Flyers. That’s why there’s a well-above-average level of hope being placed upon the shoulders of newcomer Ivan Fedotov; in the wake of former starter Carter Hart’s departure from the team, the Flyers have suffered from a gaping void of consistency in net for a team that desperately needs even league-average numbers.

Fedotov looked technically elite during his tenure in Russia, but a delayed arrival in North America - complete with a stint in detainment by the Russian government for alleged military evasion - left his North American debut looking a little lackluster this past spring. He’ll aim to regain his structure and positioning behind a Flyers lineup that has been scrambling to finally hit their stride again. It’s not exactly a pressure-free environment for the newcomer, and things might be even more strained for fellow tandem partner Samuel Ersson. Ersson’s surprise promotion to team starter last season went about as poorly as it could have; the Swedish netminder struggled to recover from bad bounces and seemed to lag on reads during cross-ice movement by his opponents, leaving exploitable holes and a fairly abysmal stat line to end the year. The good news is that things can only go up for him - but if they don’t, the Flyers might need to seek additional help outside the organization to shore up their crease moving forward.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Looking at teams with something to play for as season comes to close

Ryan Dadoun — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:30:02 +0000

Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex DeBrincat (93) (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

Barring any postponements, the final day of the 2023-24 regular season with be Thursday. There are just 26 total games remaining before the playoffs get underway, so naturally there aren’t many teams to highlight for the final week. With that in mind, instead of picking out the teams with the most favorable schedules, I’m going to focus on the teams who have something left to play for this week. So, let’s dive into what the final days of the campaign will look like.

Please note that this week’s article is heavily skewed toward the Eastern Conference because there are still two playoff spots open while there isn’t much left to be decided in the West.

New York Islanders – MON VS NJD, WED VS PIT

The Islanders haven’t punched their playoff ticket, but they’re very likely to advance to the postseason. They have a 30-27-16 record, which is good for third in the Metropolitan Division.

They’ll play in New Jersey on Monday and host the Penguins on Wednesday. The Islanders can guarantee their playoff spot by picking up two points over those two contests. However, New York has a three-point advantage over the next closest non-playoff adversary, so there are scenarios where the Islanders can make the playoffs even if they go 0-2-0.

The Islanders’ task will be made more difficult if Noah Dobson remains out of the lineup. The defenseman has 10 goals and 70 points in 79 outings, but he missed Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Rangers due to an upper-body injury. Robert Bortuzzo dressed Saturday as a result of Dobson’s absence, but he’s not a replacement for the star blueliner -- Bortuzzo has no points through 25 appearances between St. Louis and the Islanders this season.

On the bright side for the Islanders, Brock Nelson is ending the campaign on a positive note. He scored twice Saturday to extend his point streak to three games. That gives the 32-year-old forward 32 markers and 65 points across 80 outings in 2023-24. He’ll almost certainly finish behind his 2022-23 mark of 75 points, but this is still the second-best campaign of his career in terms of total points.

If goal, Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin will likely split the final two contests. Assuming the Islanders make the playoffs, it will be interesting to see who starts in Game 1. It’ll probably be Sorokin, but Varlamov has earned consideration thanks to his 2.66 GAA and .916 save percentage in 27 games, which tops Sorokin’s 2.99 GAA and .909 save percentage. The Islanders have also used Varlamov quite a bit recently, deploying him in seven of their past 11 games.

Washington Capitals – MON VS BOS, TUE @ PHI (BTB)

The Capitals made things tough for themselves by going 0-4-2 from March 28-April 7, but Washington might still be able to salvage the situation after winning its last three contests. The Capitals have 87 points (38-31-11), which puts them in the second wild-card seed. Detroit and Philadelphia are tied with Washington in points, but the Capitals have the edge in the tiebreaker over the Red Wings and a game in hand compared to Philadelphia. Additionally, Pittsburgh is one point shy of those three squads. All that is to say, Washington’s hold on its playoff spot is by the narrowest of margins.

The Capitals will host the Bruins on Monday and play in Philadelphia on Tuesday to conclude the season. Washington will make the playoffs if it wins both games. If the Capitals lose against the Bruins, then Tuesday’s season finale becomes a must-win and even then, it’s possible for the Capitals to miss the playoffs in the scenario where they lose Monday but beat the Flyers.

Alexander Ovechkin has been a major driver of the Capitals’ playoff push, scoring 22 goals and 35 points over his past 34 outings. However, he has slowed a little recently, providing a goal and an assist across Washington’s past four appearances, so his hot run might be over. The 38-year-old star has had a season of extreme highs and lows, but he’s done well overall, contributing 30 goals and 64 points in 77 outings.

Interestingly, it was Sonny Milano who served as Washington’s hero Saturday, providing two goals en route to a 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay. He has just 15 markers and 23 points in 47 appearances this season, but the 27-year-old also had a hat trick versus Carolina on March 22 and a four-game goal-scoring streak from March 1-9, so he can on occasion be a major factor and perhaps that will hold true during Washington’s final stretch. Still, his limited playing time puts a damper on his potential. Milano logged just 10:08 of ice time Saturday and has averaged 12:34 this season.

A safer bet for production over Washington’s last two games would be offensive defenseman John Carlson. This has been a strong season for him with nine goals and 51 points across 80 contests, and looked solid recently, supplying four goals and 13 points over his past 15 appearances.

Detroit Red Wings – MON VS MTL, TUE @ MTL

The Red Wings suffered critical losses to Washington and Pittsburgh, but Detroit still has an opportunity to make the playoffs after earning a 5-4 overtime victory over Toronto on Saturday. Detroit is at 87 points (39-32-9), which puts the Red Wings in a tie with Washington for the second wild-card spot, though the Capitals control the tiebreaker, so Detroit would need to finish one point ahead of them to make the postseason. The Red Wings are narrowly ahead of Philadelphia, which has 87 points but has played in one more game than Detroit, and the Penguins, who have 86 points in 80 contests (37-31-12).

The Red Wings will finish the campaign with a home-and-away back-to-back against Montreal on Monday and Tuesday. The upside is the Canadiens are wrapping up a difficult season in which they’ve gone 30-36-14, so Detroit has a good chance of winning both contests. The downside is the Red Wings’ fate itself isn’t entirely in their hands -- Detroit can still miss the playoffs even if it wins both contests. Additionally, because Washington and Philadelphia will play each other and both teams would control the tiebreaker over Detroit, the Red Wings need to claim at least three out of four points over their final two games to have a mathematical chance of reaching the postseason.

Lucas Raymond is doing everything in his power to thrust the Red Wings into the postseason. The 22-year-old has contributed four goals and eight points over his active four-game scoring streak. His linemate Dylan Larkin has been right there with him, providing five goals and 10 points over his last seven outings. Look for that duo to continue to shine when Detroit faces Montreal.

Detroit’s bigger question is in goal. James Reimer started Saturday for the first time since March 28. The Red Wings got the win, but it was a mixed bag for the netminder, who stopped 32 of 36 shots. Meanwhile, Alex Lyon allowed six goals on 27 shots in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Penguins on Thursday and has been inconsistent recently while posting a 2-2-2 record, 2.83 GAA and .915 save percentage over his last six outings.

Ville Husso (lower body) suffered a setback while on an AHL conditioning stint, so he probably won’t be an option for the remainder of the campaign. That leaves Reimer and Lyon to split the final two starts. On the plus side, Montreal ranks 27th offensively with 2.80 goals per game, so the back-to-back set will be a favorable series for the Red Wings goaltenders.

Philadelphia Flyers – TUE VS WAS

The Flyers were primed to make the playoffs before their 0-5-2 run from March 24-April 9. Philadelphia has rebounded by winning its last two games, though, leaving them with a 38-32-11 record. Philadelphia’s 87 points are tied with Washington and Detroit for the second wild-card seed, but the Flyers have played one more contest than either of them. The Flyers have also played one more game than Pittsburgh, which is trailing the main group by a point with a 37-31-12 record.

The Flyers’ final tilt is against Washington on Tuesday. They need to win against the Capitals to have a chance to make the playoffs, but even with a victory in that contest, Philadelphia will still miss the postseason if Detroit gets at least three points over its final two games or Pittsburgh wins its last two contests. Additionally, if Washington wins against Boston on Monday and then pushes the Flyers to overtime, then the Capitals would still finish ahead in the standings even if Philadelphia wins the outing.

Samuel Ersson is perhaps the biggest X-Factor going into Philadelphia’s final contest. He had a terrible stretch from March 14-April 9, posting a 2-5-2 record, 4.51 GAA and .829 save percentage in 10 outings, but he’s rebounded by stopping 44 of 45 shots over the Flyers’ last two outings. The Capitals aren’t a great team offensively, ranking 28th with 2.65 goals per game, so it’s plausible that Ersson will be able to extend his hot streak.

The Flyers will also be looking for Travis Konecny to continue his recent success. The 27-year-old has two goals and an assist over his past two outings and has set career highs this season with 33 goals and 68 points across 75 appearances. Noah Cates has done well too, collecting three goals and five points over his last six contests. He still has just 18 points in 58 appearances, which is down from 38 points in 2022-23, but at least the 25-year-old seems to be dialed in when it matters most.

Pittsburgh Penguins – MON VS NSH, WED @ NYI

The Penguins seemed destined to miss the playoffs when they dealt Jake Guentzel to Carolina on March 7, but Pittsburgh forced itself back into the postseason conversation with a 7-0-2 stretch from March 26-April 11. However, the Penguins suffered a setback Saturday with a 6-4 loss to the Bruins.

Pittsburgh is now 37-31-12, putting the Penguins one point behind Washington, Detroit and Philadelphia in the battle for the second wild-card position. The Penguins will host Nashville on Monday and finish the campaign with a road contest against the Islanders on Wednesday. With Philadelphia and Washington set to play Tuesday, the Penguins need at least three of four points over their final two contests to have a mathematical shot, and even then, they’d need help from the tiebreaker system. Realistically, Pittsburgh will likely need to win both of its last two games to get into the postseason.

Sidney Crosby is sure to do his best to push the Penguins the rest of the way. He’s been a huge factor in their surge, supplying eight goals and 21 points over his past 11 outings. Crosby is up to 41 goals and 90 points in 80 appearances, which is extremely impressive production for a player who is 36 years old. Evgeni Malkin, who is 37, hasn’t been quite as effective this campaign with 25 goals and 64 points through 80 games, but he’s also gotten hot down the stretch with seven goals and 12 points over his past nine outings, so look for him to also show up on the scoresheet over the Penguins’ last two games.

The question is who will start in net. The Penguins have used Alex Nedeljkovic in each of their last 12 games, but he’s posted a 4.21 GAA and an .854 save percentage over his past four outings. To be fair, Tristan Jarry didn’t look good when he stepped into Saturday’s 6-4 loss to Boston in relief of Nedeljkovic -- Jarry stopped 12 of 14 shots in 26:27 of ice time -- but it might be that Nedeljkovic is running on fumes at this point, so maybe Jarry is still the better option, at least for Pittsburgh’s next contest Monday.

Dallas Stars – WED VS STL

The Stars have secured home-ice advantage through the Western Conference Championship, but Dallas can still go one further by claiming the Presidents’ Trophy. Dallas has 11 points (51-21-9), putting the Stars one point behind the Rangers (54-23-4). Carolina and Boston are tied at 109 points over 80 contests, so either team has an outside chance of winning the Presidents’ Trophy by winning each of its last two games.

Dallas’ final contest will be a home match versus St. Louis on Wednesday. Note that the Rangers control the tiebreaker over Dallas in the Presidents’ Trophy battle, so Dallas only has a chance to claim the title if it earns a victory over the Blues.

Even though the Stars still have something to play for, it wouldn’t be shocking if they rest some players Wednesday. For example, backup Scott Wedgewood might get the nod, both to keep him fresh in case he’s needed during the playoffs and to give Jake Oettinger a breather after starting in four straight and seven of Dallas’ past eight. The Blues rank 24th offensively with 2.86 goals per game, so Wednesday’s tilt would be a favorable matchup for Wedgewood.

Tyler Seguin, who didn’t play April 6 because of workload management related to his lower-body injury, might also get the game off. It wouldn’t be shocking if others were rested too, but I don’t think Ryan Suter and Joe Pavelski will be among those who get the game off. It might seem logical to give the two 39-years-olds a breather before the playoffs, but Suter and Pavelski have active iron man streaks of 452 and 313 games, respectively. Perhaps they’ll get less ice time than usual, though. We also might see Dallas give significant minutes in its finale to Logan Stankoven, who has six goals and 14 points in 23 contests, so don’t be surprised if the 21-year-old rookie has a productive game.

New York Rangers – MON @ OTT

With a 54-23-4 record, the Rangers will secure the Presidents’ Trophy with a victory against Ottawa on Monday. If New York loses the contest, the Rangers will still claim the title if Dallas loses its season finale, Boston is held to three of four points over its last two outings and Carolina is limited to two of four points over its final two games. The reason why the Bruins would need to do better than Carolina, even though both squads have 109 points through 80 contests, is because Boston is in a worse position when it comes to the tiebreaker.

Like Dallas, New York might rest players despite its final game having some relevance. Jonathan Quick will probably get the nod against the Senators. Quick has done well this campaign with an 18-6-2 record, but he has struggled recently, allowing 12 goals on 92 shots over his past three starts. Meanwhile, Ottawa has won eight of its last 12 contests, so while the Senators won’t be making the playoffs, they might still give Quick some trouble.

Outside of starting Quick, some of the Rangers’ top players, such as Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox might be scratched. Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin have participated in 165 and 163 consecutive games, respectively, so both of them will probably be in the lineup. Panarin is also two goals away from hitting 50 for the first time in his career, so keep an eye out for that. Chris Kreider will also likely be in the lineup. He needs just one more goal to reach 40 and this would be his first 82-game campaign if he dresses.

Arizona Coyotes – WED VS EDM

I’m throwing the Coyotes in here even though they long since have been mathematically eliminated. Arizona did have a 23-19-3 record through Jan. 22, but a horrific 0-12-2 run from Jan. 24-Feb. 29 effectively ended any hope the Coyotes had of making the playoffs. Still, there is a grim reason to note them: When Arizona hosts Edmonton on Wednesday, it could very well be the franchise’s last game before moving to Salt Lake City (the move isn’t official as of the time of writing but seems all but certain).

To some extent, the Coyotes’ probable move felt inevitable. Since the then Phoenix Coyotes declared bankruptcy in May 2009, it’s been one saga after another with the team and never since that date, have they looked truly secure in their home in Arizona. The fact that the Coyotes have been playing in a college arena since 2022 has made the situation look particularly untenable unless a long-term solution was secured. Even still, this is a sad ending for the dedicated fanbase in Arizona. It might not be the end -- even now there’s talk that the NHL might put an expansion team in Arizona after the Coyotes move if Alex Meruelo, who will sell the Coyotes, can secure a new arena deal -- but it is the end of a chapter.

With that in mind, Wednesday’s otherwise meaningless game has taken on a new meaning. Barring one more twist in this saga that prevents the anticipated move from happening, the contest will stand as a chance for the players to say goodbye to a fanbase that has been with them through all the turmoil. I would expect the Coyotes to play with a lot of heart under the circumstances. In particular, I’m interested to see how Clayton Keller, who was drafted by Arizona in 2016 and now serves as the squad’s top forward, does. He has been held off the scoresheet for his past three games, but Keller has still contributed 33 goals and 73 points in 76 outings overall, and I think the odds are high he will make his presence felt in the finale.

Another player to watch will be Josh Doan. He’s the son of Shane Doan, who was the captain of the franchise from 2003-17 and remains the franchise’s career leader in games (1,540), goals (402), assists (570) and points (972), among other categories. The younger Doan has given Coyotes fans a taste of the future recently, scoring four goals and eight points over nine games. Given his deep family connection to this franchise, this might be an especially emotional goodbye for him. It is also worth noting the grim symmetry here. Like Josh, Shane Doan saw his franchise move, in his case from Winnipeg to Phoenix, after appearing in just one season.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 20:36:32 +0000

REVIEW: Philadelphia was a disaster in 2021-22, posting a 25-46-11 record, and not much was expected of them in 2022-23 either. Despite that, the Flyers got off to a strong start, going 5-2-0 through Oct. 27 and 7-3-2 through Nov. 8. Carter Hart was a big part of that initial success, posting a 6-0-2 record, 1.97 GAA and .946 save percentage through his first eight starts. The good times didn’t last though. Philadelphia ranked 23rd in expected goals against (182.51) in 2022-23, and Hart could only elevate the Flyers for so long. By the end of the season, the goaltender had a 2.94 GAA and .907 save percentage in 55 contests. The Flyers also didn’t have much going for it offensively, in no small part because Sean Couturier (back) and Cam Atkinson (neck) missed the entire campaign. Not that the Flyers would have been an elite offensive force even with them, but those key injuries contributed to Philadelphia ranking 29th in goals per game (2.68). The Flyers did have additional stretches where they were more than the sum of their parts, such as a 9-3-0 run from Dec. 29-Jan. 21 and a 5-0-1 stretch from March 17-30, but it was a mostly miserable season resulting in a 31-38-13 record.

What’s Changed? James van Riemsdyk left as a free agent and Tony DeAngelo was bought out but given van Riemsdyk’s former $7 million annual cap hit compared to his 29 points last year and DeAngelo’s horrendous defense, those moves feel like addition through subtraction. What’s more painful in the short-term is the loss of Ivan Provorov, who was traded to Columbus as part of a three-team deal that primarily brought picks and prospects to Philadelphia.

What would success look like? This isn’t a team built to compete yet. In an ideal scenario where Couturier and Atkinson return next season while young forwards Owen Tippett, Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee and Noah Cates make strides in their development then the Flyers’ offense will be…less bad.

What could go wrong? Yeah, even under optimal circumstances, there’s not a lot of hope for this team in 2023-24, and unfortunately things could end up far from the ideal. Most notably, Couturier hasn’t played since Dec. 18, 2021, so who knows if he’ll be available this year or what he’ll be like if he does play. Meanwhile, Hart is coming off an up-and-down campaign, and he’s had a hit-or-miss career. The Flyers have a poor track record with goaltenders, and as much as they want Hart to be the long-term solution in Philadelphia, they might have to go back to the drawing board.

Top Breakout Candidate: The fans in Philadelphia need someone to latch onto and give them hope for the future. Perhaps Tyson Foerster will fill that role. Taken with the 23rd overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, he’s coming off a superb campaign in which he had 48 points in 66 AHL contests along with three goals and seven points in eight games with the Flyers. Foerster will enter training camp in the mix for a middle-six spot, and it’s worth keeping an eye out how he does in that battle.

Forwards

Sean Couturier

Signing an eight-year contract extension before the start of the 2021 season, Sean Couturier hasn’t played a game for the Flyers since December of that year. He started the year on injured reserve after recovering from back surgery and a herniated disc pushed his timeline back even further. He began skating in October, but another setback led to his second back surgery that ultimately ended his season. Perhaps no news is good news as far as his availability goes for this upcoming season. It’s become less about what the Flyers will get out of Couturier when he comes back, but hoping they can get him back playing regularly again. It’s hard to believe he’s only 30-years-old because he was on the same 2011 team that Mike Richards and Chris Pronger were a part of. Playing an important defensive role on the Flyers since his rookie season, the wear-and-tear of the NHL has done a number on Couturier’s body and the hope is that a season of recovery will help him more in the second half of his career. The Couturier they get post-multiple surgeries might not be the same workhorse they’ve relied on for years, but this is something the Flyers should address in their rebuild.

Travis Konecny

John Tortorella is known for going to the extreme with how much he plays his top guys and Travis Konecny ended up being in that group. Playing more minutes per game than he ever had before, Konecny had every opportunity to show that he can be one of the best wingers in the league and while that’s a high bar to clear, he still had his best NHL season to date. Often the Flyers’ best option for offense, Konecny showed that his two previous seasons were a fluke and that he can produce if given the opportunity. He eclipsed his previous season’s goal total before New Year’s and finished at a rate closer to his career average. Enjoying time on both special teams’ units, he was a menace in front of the net and as a shorthanded threat on the Flyers new aggressive penalty kill. His speed is always going to make him a factor and even more on a Flyers team that spent a lot of time in their own zone. It opened the door for him to create more offense off counterattacks and it caught some teams off-guard, as he did have the green light to poach for more offense if he wanted to. Aside from missing 20 games with an injury, this is the season Philadelphia was hoping to get out of Konecny.

Owen Tippett

While Konecny was the Flyer’s best player, Tippett was their most exciting. Noticeable whenever he was on the ice, he finally got a consistent role in the top-six and had that breakout season. It was long awaited, as he could never really find a role with Florida and his ceiling looked like a guy who could provide some pop-gun offense off the rush once every few games. He’s still a shoot-first player, but he also had excellent chemistry with Philly’s more skilled players. Showing some major progress as far as his off puck play and looking for an extra play instead of just aimlessly firing blanks at the net. Benefitted from some of the same situations as Konecny where he scored off counterattacks after surviving defensive zone shifts, which is why the two were placed on different lines after connecting on some goals early. Tippett was one of the better players in the league in terms of turning zone entries into scoring chances. Still not a great finisher on his own despite scoring 27 goals, but makes up for it in volume, leading the Flyers in shots per 60 minutes. One of the few players on the team who shattered his expectations this year.

Morgan Frost

The Flyers had a few young players who were in the “prove it” bucket and Morgan Frost had maybe the highest ceiling of the bunch. A dynamic player in junior and an excellent playmaker, injuries and lack of ice time for him to make his mark so far. His game is more about precision than speed and it can be tough to work that in sometimes, especially on a rebuilding team. He is good at entering the zone through traffic but prefers setting up a cycle or dropping the puck off rather than attacking the net directly. The Flyers struggled to find any spot for him early in the year, playing him lower in the lineup and Frost obviously struggled to produce. Once December rolled around, Frost got more minutes and it became easier to play his game, forming some great chemistry with Owen Tippett. He finished the season on a strong note, but the Flyers are still left wondering what they have in him. He is a good, skilled player but there is always the question of “can we do better?” which is always a gamble with prospects. Right now, Frost proved that he is an NHLer, but more of a complementary piece.

Scott Laughton

Considered the heart and soul of the Flyers, Laughton had a career season in some ways, eclipsing the 40-point mark for the first time and playing the top line center role on some nights. A solid role player for most of his career, he had the trust of the Flyers coaching staff more than almost anybody. Not only was he the only player on the team to wear a letter, he was also used in all situations. He reaped the benefits, getting the opportunity to play with some better players and collecting more points in the process, most notably on special teams. He plays with a high motor, and it made him a great fit on the Flyers aggressive penalty kill, where he tallied seven shorthanded points. Lost minutes as the season went on as the Flyers were auditioning younger players and this season should follow a similar timeline. Depending on Couturier’s health, Laughton is more suited for a third line role, but he is still one of their more reliable options, especially at center, and could continue to play a big role on this rebuilding Flyers squad.

Cam Atkinson

Another player who was expected to miss time and ended up sidelined for the entire season, Atkinson will be an important piece for raising the tide in the Flyers lineup. A consistent scorer almost every year, he plays with a lot of energy and can fill a lot of different roles in the lineup. He’s a shoot-first player that can work with a finesse player like Morgan Frost and can play the tougher minutes with Cates or Couturier if he needs to. The Flyers also have a void of experience in their lineup with veteran James van Riemsdyk departing in free agency. Atkinson taking over his minutes should soften the blow. He was projected to play opening night until a nagging neck issue that eventually led to surgery in December ended his season. You never have to worry about effort with him, it’s just a matter of how effective he can be after not playing a game for a full year.

Joel Farabee

It’s a little surprising that Farabee didn’t miss a single game last season considering he was less than six months removed from disc replacement surgery. The aftereffects of it were noticeable on the ice rather than in his results. He ended the year with a career high in points, but it was also the first time in his career he played a full 82 games. Farabee was also one of Philly’s players they expected to take a step forward, but his play plateaued more than anything. He got consistent minutes in the top-six, although rarely with the same linemates and had bursts of production mixed with prolonged dry spells. The issue is that there’s not really one area of the game he is great at. He’s tenacious on the puck and creates most of his goals through steals and turnovers where he just needs to make a move or two to score. Outside of that, he had a lot of quiet shifts. He only shoots the puck at an average rate and is just an okay playmaker, so scoring is his one upside at the moment. This is where a full off-season where he’s not recovering from surgery might do him good. As one of the Flyers signed long-term, they are hoping he has another level to his game.

Noah Cates

Some fans might have said “who” when they saw Noah Cates on Selke ballots. The rookie surprised even some Flyers fans with how quick he ascended in the lineup, going from a fringe player to centering Travis Konecny’s line by the middle of the year. Known more for his defensive game in college, this is what kept him in the coach’s good graces through the first half of the season. He wasn’t scoring a lot of points or generating much offense, but he wasn’t making a lot of mistakes either. This was also while playing some tough minutes at a new position, as he was primarily a winger in college. He turned a corner in the second half of the year, scoring 24 of his 38 points after January, book-ended by a strong month of March where he had eight points in 13 games. Playing in the top-six will help that, but the promotion was well-earned. The Flyers were in dire straits for a defensive center in the absence of Sean Couturier and Cates gave them some hope that he might be one in the future. He had elite defensive results in terms of preventing scoring chances and shots. It might be tough for him to repeat that next season, but Cates should have the inside track for the 2C job in Philly next year.

Wade Allison

It’s hard to believe that Allison was drafted all the way back in 2016 because last year was technically his first full pro season. Injuries were an issue in college, and he played only 53 games over two seasons both in the AHL and NHL before making the Flyers out of camp this year. He still looked very raw to put it lightly. He was easy to notice during their games because he’s a big winger that plays a straight-line game, usually crashing the net, blocking a shot or laying a hit into somebody. There was a lot to like about him, but not much in the way of results. Allison struggled to produce consistently, and it was tough for him to make his mark otherwise, as he’s not a great passer or someone that can keep a cycle going. He’s mostly there to make the final shot or go to the net. It made his game one-dimensional but the saving grace for him is that he was creating chances, averaging more relative to his ice-time than any other Flyers forward. The downside is that he’s an older prospect and the Flyers will be looking to upgrade if this is as good as it gets with him. His size and tenacious approach to the game makes him an intriguing player to watch going forward, though.

Defense

Rasmus Ristolainen

Along with John Tortorella, his longtime defensive coach Brad Shaw arrived in Philadelphia this year and one of his tasks was rebuilding the game of Rasmus Ristolainen. An analytics punching bag for his entire career, Ristolainen typically had some of the worst on-ice stats in the league in terms of giving up goals and scoring chances against. Fixing this was one of their top priorities, as he is going to be a Flyer for a long time and has the physical tools to be a good defenseman, or at least not one of the worst in the league statistically. The solution was simplifying Ristolainen’s game, having him be less physical and using his reach more than his body to disrupt plays instead of hunting for hits. He still has limitations, especially with the puck, but it is less of a fire drill in the defensive zone when he is on the ice now compared to years past. He was also properly slotted in the lineup for the first time in his career, only playing 19-20 minutes a game instead of regularly leading the team in ice-time. In terms of building for the future, getting Ristolainen’s game pointed in the right direction is a good first step.

Travis Sanheim

A strange trend over the past couple of years has been Travis Sanheim not being on the ice for many even strength goals against despite the Flyers struggles. In the past two seasons, he has been either first or second in on-ice goals against per 60 despite posting some ugly possession numbers during those years. With Provorov traded to Columbus, he is the lone remaining member of the Flyers old defense corps and is in the first year of a long contract extension. The Flyers’ more talented defensemen have always been on the left side, so Sanheim’s had the burden of covering up for some flawed defense partners over the years. He has the most complete skillset to mesh with everyone, so he’s their best option for the job on the second pair. It makes it tough for him to play the puck-moving game he was drafted for, but he adapts well and can eat minutes while keeping things in check at five-on-five. Will show flashes of skill and can be a dynamic threat on offense when he gets to jump into the play. Flyers de facto No. 1 defenseman heading into next year.

Cam York

The 2019 first round pick had to wait his turn, spending the first half of the season in Lehigh Valley before getting the call-up. Wanting to see what he could do; he was immediately put on the Flyers top pair with Ivan Provorov in a sink or swim situation. Playing on his offside, some aspects of the game were tough for him. York didn’t get to show much of his puck-moving skill in the defensive zone because of this, as Provorov handled most of the workload there while York stayed in coverage or provided support on breakouts. From the red line in, things were a little easier. He got to play similar to how he did in college, always looking to jump in or activate from the point and there was some trial and error. Not creating much offense in volume but showing some of the flash that made him a first-round pick. He has excellent edgework and is a great passer who can thread the needle through coverage. The Flyers tried to optimize this skillset while protecting him in the defensive zone and it worked to a point. This year, the training wheels will be coming off with Provorov gone and the Flyers having in their top-four. York showed he can be a useful player in controlled situations, now it’s about thriving in all situations.

Sean Walker

One of two players coming back to the Flyers in the Ivan Provorov deal, Sean Walker is hoping a change of scenery can help extend his NHL career. Part of the Kings previous prospect core, he proved that he belonged in the NHL, but became redundant with the rest of LA’s defense corps. Losing an entire season to a knee injury did him no favors, but the Kings had a lot of players of a similar ilk; a mobile defenseman who fits into that 5/6 mold rather than a true top-four. His skating will be a welcome addition to the Flyers blue line, as he can get up into the play and give the team’s rush offense a different look. The downside is he isn’t that dynamic when joining the rush, making safe plays and doing more to maintain possession rather than breaking the game open. There’s a place for that in the lineup, especially on a Flyers team looking for NHL depth. Sometimes all you need from your third pair is a guy who can make a breakout pass consistently and Walker can certainly fill that role.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Konecny is the Hottest Player in the League – The Good and the Bad of Nashville Predators Prospects, The High-scoring Seattle Kraken – Kevin Hayes bounces back and much more.

Scott Cullen — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 15:51:27 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - NOVEMBER 05: Philadelphia Flyers Right Wing Travis Konecny (11) before a face-off during third period National Hockey League action between the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators on November 5, 2022, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, Travis Konecny of the Philadelphia Flyers is the hottest player in the league; the good and the bad of Nashville Predators prospects, the high-scoring Seattle Kraken, Kevin Hayes bounces back and much more.

#1 Philadelphia Flyers right winger Travis Konecny is busting out with the best season of his career. He has already tied his career high with 24 goals but has done so in just 36 games. Konecny scored a hat trick in Wednesday’s win over Washington, extending his point streak to 10 games, during which he has piled up 20 points (12 G, 8 A) and 32 shots on goal. For a Flyers team that is starting to show improvement since, especially since the holiday break, Konecny has emerged as a bona fide star.

#2 Nashville has done some remodeling to their forward group on the fly, and it has included calling up Thomas Novak and Juuso Parssinen from the American Hockey League. The two centers are also getting first unit power play time. Novak, 25, had 26 points (11 G, 15 A) in 25 AHL games and has been able to produce for the Preds too. He has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 25 shots on goal in 12 games for Nashville. Parssinen, 21, was called up sooner. He had a goal and an assist in Thursday’s loss at Montreal and now has seven points (1 G, 6 A) during a five-game point streak.

#3 Nashville’s handling of forward prospects has taken some heat, however, after they lost winger Eeli Tolvanen to Seattle on waivers. Tolvanen, 23, was a first-round pick in 2017. He scored a goal in Thursday’s win at Boston, giving him six points (4 G, 2 A) in seven games since he was grabbed off waivers by Seattle. Tolvanen has 14 shots on goal and 16 hits in those seven games, making an immediate impact in a depth role with the Kraken.

#4 Although he is not used in the role of a prime playmaking center, as might have been anticipated when he joined the Kraken via the expansion draft, Yanni Gourde is contributing. In his past 15 games, Gourde has put up 13 points (3 G, 10 A) and 27 shots on goal, and all of those points have come at even strength. The Kraken have scored 3.63 goals per 60 minutes, which ranks third, behind only the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins.

#5 One more to watch for the Kraken: defenseman Vince Dunn recorded an assist at Boston on Thursday, giving him 30 points (7 G, 23 A) in just 41 games. He is on a tear lately, producing 12 points (3 G, 9 A) and 16 shots on goal in the past eight games. Dunn tied his career high with 35 points last season, but it appears that he is well on his way to a new career high in point production this season.

#6 Although he was a healthy scratch recently, Philadelphia Flyers center Kevin Hayes has still been a productive playmaker. In the past five games, Hayes has six points (1 G, 5 A) and 17 shots on goal. The elevated shot rate is relatively new for Hayes. He has a career high 2.78 shots on goal per game, though he is scoring on just 8.8% of his shots, the second lowest shooting percentage of his career.

#7 While there are rumors about the Toronto Maple Leafs acquiring a forward to play in their top six, versatile veteran Calle Jarnkrok is making the most of his chance to play up in the lineup. Jarnkrok has 14 points (5 G, 9 A) in his past 15 games, and is skating on the left side with John Tavares and Mitch Marner, a line that is effectively Toronto’s top line while Auston Matthews remains out of the lineup. Jarnkrok, who scored a career high 35 points in 68 games in 2017-2018, has 20 points (9 G, 11 A) in 36 games for the Maple Leafs.

#8 Second year New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer scored a pair of goals in Tuesday’s big comeback win at Carolina, giving him seven points (2 G, 5 A) in the past six games. Consistency has been a little more challenging for Mercer, as this production followed a seven-game drought, during which he had zero points and 14 shots on goal. His role is suspect, too. He is most appealing when he ends up on the wing with emerging superstar Jack Hughes, but Mercer has moved to right wing on the third line, without a regular spot on the Devils power play now that Ondrej Palat has returned from injury.

#9 The Arizona Coyotes have been giving 22-year-old center Barrett Hayton, the fifth pick in the 2018 Draft, ample opportunity to prove that he belongs in the National Hockey League. With little competition in the middle of the ice, Hayton has recently been centering Arizona’s top line, with Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz on the wings. Hayton has produced nine points (4 G, 5 A) with 21 shots on goal in the past eight games, which is taking his game to a new level and might offer some hope for his role in the future.

#10 Scoring the tying goal against Dallas in the final second of regulation on Thursday, New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller has seven points (3 G, 4 A) in the past five games, and has a career high 23 points (5 G, 18 A) in 43 games. The smooth-skating 6-foot-5 blueliner has just two points on the power play, so his 19 even-strength points puts him in a tie with Quinn Hughes, Darnell Nurse, Erik Gustafsson, and Hampus Lindholm for ninth among defensemen. His offensive ceiling is going to remain limited because Adam Fox is going to be the No. 1 power play option for the Rangers, but Miller is improving dramatically in just his third NHL season.

#11 With injuries hitting the St. Louis Blues hard, veteran left winger Brandon Saad has stepped up. Although he was held off the scoresheet in two games against the Calgary Flames, he still has eight points (6 G, 2 A) and 18 shots on goal in the past eight games and is skating on a line with Brayden Schenn and Ivan Barbashev. That is a veteran trio that plays hard and in straight lines.

#12 He is not playing enough to get a standard fantasy recommendation just yet, but Columbus Blue Jackets rookie winger Kirill Marchenko had a hat trick against Carolina last Saturday and has scored nine goals in his first 18 NHL games. Of course, he is still seeking his first assist so there is room for improvement, but the 22-year-old also had 19 points (8 G, 11 A) in 16 AHL games to earn his promotion to Columbus. The Blue Jackets are obviously rebuilding so expect Marchenko and fellow rookie Kent Johnson to see plenty of ice time in the second half of the season.

#13 Injuries in Philadelphia prompted the call-up of 23-year-old goaltender Samuel Ersson from the AHL. He had a .910 save percentage in 18 AHL games, which is solid, but he has delivered a .924 save percentage in his first five NHL games, flashing talent that might make him a legitimate long-term asset for the Flyers. For fantasy purposes, Ersson has little value when Carter Hart is healthy, but is well worth a look in long-term dynasty leagues.

#14 Los Angeles Kings right winger Gabriel Vilardi got off to a great start to the season, staying healthy for once and showing the kind of offensive chops that made him the 11^th pick in the 2017 Draft. He then went through a dry spell, a 17-game span during which he had four points (3 G, 1 A) with three of those points coming on the power play. Vilardi has rebounded, however, and has 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in his past 12 games, making the most of his opportunity to skate on a line with Kevin Fiala and Blake Lizotte, in addition to getting first unit power play time for the Kings.

#15 With No. 1 center Roope Hintz out of the lineup, veteran Tyler Seguin has moved up the depth chart in Dallas to play with Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski on the Stars’ top line. Seguin has a goal and an assist in two games since making the move and is worth adding while Hintz is out. Really, anyone getting a chance to play with Robertson and Pavelski will have some value, and Seguin is the lucky one right now.

#16 The Chicago Blackhawks have placed Patrick Kane on the injured list due to a lower-body injury. While this season has been far from vintage Kane, the Blackhawks will have to find new sources of offense. Rookie Lukas Reichel has displayed some potential with three points (1 G, 2 A) and eight shots on goal in four games since getting called up from the American Hockey League. Taylor Raddysh might have more immediate appeal, as the 24-year-old tallied his 11th goal of the season in Thursday’s win over Colorado.

#17 An injury to Jake Allen could give Montreal Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault some regular starts, at least in the short term. Montembeault has a .902 save percentage in 15 games for the Habs this season, and while that might sound mediocre, he had a .892 save percentage in 63 NHL games prior to this season, so this is progress. Of course, wins are not coming easily in Montreal, but if Montembeault can continue to play at this level, he will solidify his spot in the league.

#18 New York Rangers left winger Chris Kreider is out of the lineup, dealing with an upper-body injury and that has opened the door for Alexis Lafreniere. The 2020 first overall pick was a healthy scratch recently and last scored a goal on December 7, but he played a career-high 21:21 in Thursday’s 2-1 overtime win against Dallas. He also recorded three shots on goal, something he had done just once in his previous 12 games.

#19 It is looking like 38-year-old Florida Panthers center Eric Staal still has some gas left in the tank. Since the beginning of December, Staal has contributed 13 points (6 G, 7 A) and 38 shots on goal in 20 games. He played more than 15 minutes in 13 of those 20 games, a significant role for a guy who did not play in the NHL last season. With Anton Lundell moving up the depth chart to play left wing on Aleksander Barkov’s line, Staal has stepped in to handle the third-line center role for the Panthers.

#20 Since the holiday break, Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers leads in all-situations points per 60 minutes (minimum 50 minutes played), followed by Travis Konecny, Kyle Connor, Filip Forsberg, Lucas Raymond, Matthew Tkachuk, Viktor Arvidsson, Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, and Kevin Fiala. Since returning from injury, Ehlers has changed the dynamic in Winnipeg, which is not unexpected – he is an elite play-driving winger who can create a ton of scoring chances. While most of those players are rostered already, Lucas Raymond and Viktor Arvidsson are more readily available to help your fantasy team.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick.

CULLEN: 20 Fantasy Points – Physical Forwards Providing Offense, More Players Landing Bigger Roles Early in the Season

Scott Cullen — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 19:28:40 +0000

20 FANTASY POINTS

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

This week, physical forwards like Nick Paul and Lawson Crouse who are scoring enough to offer fantasy value, smaller wingers like Jeff Skinner and Travis Konecny starting strong, and some more players landing bigger roles early in the season.

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 29: Tampa Bay Lightning Defenceman Mikhail Sergachev (98) and Left Wing Nicholas Paul (20) take positions shoulder to shoulder for a faceoff during the third period of a regular season NHL hockey game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the San Jose Sharks on October 29, 2022, at SAP Center, in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Tony Ding/Icon Sportswire)

#1 When the Tampa Bay Lightning traded for Nick Paul last season, he had proven himself to be a reliable checking forward, capable of playing both wing and center. He has started to produce more offensively in Tampa Bay. He scored 14 points (5 G, 9 A) in 21 regular-season games last season before adding nine points (5 G, 4 A) in 23 playoff games. With Anthony Cirelli out to start the season, Paul has responded to an increased role. He is playing more than 18 minutes per game and a goal against Carolina on Thursday was Paul’s seventh point (3 G, 4 A) in his past six games. Through 11 games, Paul also has 19 hits and 13 blocked shots, so he is a category stuffer.

#2 For all of the problems in Arizona, it does mean that left winger Lawson Crouse can count on playing a significant role for the Coyotes. The 6-foot-4 winger has 29 hits in 10 games, to go with five goals and seven points. Crouse had the first 20-goal season of his career last season but will need to increase his shot output if he is going to continue scoring at this rate because his 26.3% shooting percentage is not going to be sustainable over a full season.

#3 Consistency can be elusive for Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner, so it was not a huge surprise when, after he had zero goals and two assists in six games, he was more readily available on the waiver wire in fantasy leagues. In the past four games, Skinner has eight points (2 G, 6 A) and continues to have success skating on a line with Tage Thompson. One thing to watch, though: Skinner has just 2.50 shots on goal per game, which would be only the second time in the past 12 seasons that he has averaged less than three shots on goal per game.

#4 While he came into the spotlight this week for jousting with Toronto Maple Leafs sniper Auston Matthews, Philadelphia Flyers right winger Travis Konecny is taking a leadership role on a rebuilding Flyers team. Konecny has produced 11 points (4 G, 7 A) with 33 shots on goal through 10 games and he is playing a ton – more than 20 minutes per game is a significant jump from last season’s career high of 17:37 per game.

#5 With Aaron Ekblad out of the lineup for the Florida Panthers, there is going to be some expectation that others on the Panthers blueline can step up to fill the void. Gustav Forsling is one option and Brandon Montour is another. Montour is playing more than 26 minutes per game and has put up eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 30 shots on goal in nine games.

#6 An unheralded type on the Washington Capitals blueline, Nick Jensen has not only contributed seven points (1 G, 6 A) in 12 games, but he has17 hits and 21 blocked shots, which provides good value for fantasy purposes. Jensen had a career-high 21 points last season, so his offensive contributions are not likely to be significant, but he is averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game, a threshold he has not maintained over a full season in his NHL career.

#7 Seattle Kraken right winger Oliver Bjorkstrand scored in the first game of the season and has yet to light the lamp since. That does not mean that he is not contributing, however. After picking up an assist in Thursday’s 4-0 win at Minnesota, Bjorkstrand has seven points (1 G, 6 A) and 45 shots on goal in 12 games. The Kraken are getting 59.1% of 5v5 shot attempts when Bjorkstrand is on the ice, so he is probably a decent buy-low candidate for fantasy managers.

#8 In the summer, the Seattle Kraken did not give a qualifying offer to winger Daniel Sprong, a 25-year-old who has shown that he can put the puck in the net but has not had a well-rounded enough game to secure his spot in the lineup. Ultimately, Sprong re-signed in Seattle, and he has very effective in a limited role for the Kraken. In six games, while playing less than 11 minutes per game, Sprong has seven points (2 G, 5 A) and 13 shots on goal. He is still not getting enough ice time to like his long-term value but if Sprong continues to produce, he could start to earn a bigger role with the Kraken.

#9 New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored his first goal of the season in Thursday’s 5-2 win over the slumping St. Louis Blues. Pageau has six points (1 G, 5 A) in 11 games, but has fantasy appeal because he is a hitter. He has 38 hits in 11 games, which puts him in rare company. Noel Acciari, 4.0 hits per game, and Vincent Trocheck, with 3.5 hits per game, are the only centers with more hits per game than Pageau (3.45).

#10 Winnipeg Jets center Adam Lowry is more known for his physical play. After recording six hits against Montreal on Thursday, he now has 27 hits through 10 games. Lowry also has six points (2 G, 4 A) in 10 games. He has never had a 30-point season in his NHL career, so don’t bank on that production continuing, but it is worth keeping an eye on him.

#11 File this name away for a little later in the season. 23-year-old Devils winger Fabian Zetterlund has a couple of points (1 G, 1 A) in six games, but he is performing well alongside Nico Hischier and Tomas Tatar, controlling 66.7% of expected goals during 5-on-5 play. Zetterlund is a sturdy winger who had 52 points (24 G, 28 A) in 58 AHL games for Binghamton last season. Forwards with the highest rate of individual expected goals during 5-on-5 play (minimum 50 minutes): Stefan Noesen (2.11), Zach Parise (2.04), Zach Hyman (1.64), Auston Matthews (1.54), Dakota Joshua (1.52), and Fabian Zetterlund (1.46).

#12 While the players on the lowest end of individual expected goals are typically fourth liners, there are some more offensively inclined players hovering near the bottom. James van Riemsdyk, Max Domi, Ryan Strome, J.T. Miller, and Brayden Schenn are all among the Bottom 30.

#13 While the Edmonton Oilers are obviously invested in Jack Campbell as their starting goaltender after signing him as a free agent in the summer, rookie Stuart Skinner could force some difficult playing time decisions. Skinner has a .944 save percentage in five games, compared to Campbell’s .881 save percentage in seven games. This is a small sample of games for any player, but especially goaltenders, so Skinner’s early success does not mean that he will surely outplay Campbell this season. However, if Skinner continues to play at such a high level, he is going to warrant a role more substantial than that afforded to the typical backup goaltender.

#14 Skinner is not the only surprise backup goaltender early in the season. Among goalies who do not lead their team in starts, Vegas’ Adin Hill, Buffalo’s Craig Anderson, Chicago’s third-stringer Arvid Soderblom, Nashville’s Kevin Lankinen, Montreal’s Samuel Montembeault, and Washington’s Charlie Lindgren have all performed very well in a small sample of games to open the season. It will take more than a few games for any of them to push for playing time but a strong start to the season is the best way to force a change in goaltending plans.

#15 St. Louis Blues center Ryan O’Reilly is off to a terrible start in a contract year. The 31-year-old pivot has one point (1 G, 0 A) and 20 shots on goal in nine games. While his possession numbers are okay, the Blues have been outscored 10-2 during 5-on-5 play with O’Reilly on the ice. That is hardly typical performance from a center who has finished in the top five of Selke Trophy voting in four straight seasons, winning the award following the 2018-2019 season.

#16 Other prominent forwards that are starting slowly: Sam Reinhart, Teuvo Teravainen, Brendan Gallagher, Jordan Kyrou, and Kailer Yamamoto.

Reinhart has 31 shots on goal in 11 games, the highest per-game shot rate of his career and has yet to score.

Teravainen is still seeking his first goal despite putting 26 shots on net in 10 games. Carolina’s top line has had trouble finishing early in the season.

Kyrou has three goals in nine games but has zero assists and is minus-15. Relative to his teammates, the puck is moving the right way when Kyrou is on the ice, but his on-ice shooting percentage is 3.9% and his on-ice save percentage is .821, both ridiculously low.

Gallagher has three points (2 G, 1 A) in 11 games but his 2.36 shots on goal per game is a career low.

Yamamoto has never been a big shot generator, so even though he is playing a career-high 17:35 per game, his 1.40 shots per game is still around his career average. That leaves him with zero goals and three assists in 10 games.

From this group, Reinhart, Teravainen, and Kyrou look like good buy-low opportunities, while Gallagher and Yamamoto are riskier plays moving forward.

#17 The ninth pick in the 2021 Draft, Dylan Guenther is getting a quality opportunity to play with a rebuilding Coyotes team. He is getting buried in terms of shot quality, with the Coyotes getting 30.7% of expected goals while Guenther is on the ice during 5-on-5 play, but his Corsi percentage of 44.9% ranks third among Arizona forwards. Guenther has shown some of his skill around the net, contributing six points (2 G, 4 A) in nine games and given that this season is about development, Guenther should see his ice time increase as the year goes on.

#18 Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones has landed on the injured list with a fractured thumb, thinning out an already thin blueline crew. Caleb Jones is seeing more power play time and has six assists in his past six games. Jack Johnson led Chicago defensemen in ice time during Thursday’s 2-1 overtime win against Los Angeles.

#19 While Tampa Bay Lightning superstar defenseman Victor Hedman nurses an upper-body injury, Mikhail Sergachev is getting even more opportunity to step to the forefront. Sergachev has three points (1 G, 2 A) in two games that Hedman has missed, averaging more than 27 minutes of ice time per game.

#20 With Ryan Hartman suffering a shoulder injury in a fight with Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi, Minnesota is getting perilously thin down the middle of the ice. Joel Eriksson Ek is followed on the depth chart by Frederick Gaudreau, Marco Rossi, and Sam Steel. This would seem to be a prime opportunity for Rossi to step into a bigger role, and he did play a career-high 16:39 in Thursday’s 4-0 loss to Seattle, but the Wild ended up shifting Matt Boldy to play the middle between Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello on the top line.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Young Players Making a Mark, Significant Injuries and Impact

Scott Cullen — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 14:29:42 +0000

20 FANTASY POINTS

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

Although it is still quite early in the NHL season, there have been some developments worth tracking for fantasy managers. Nick Robertson, Cole Caufield, and Gabriel Vilardi are young players making a mark while Aaron Ekblad, Gabriel Landeskog, and Jakub Vrana are all going to miss significant time.

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 26: Toronto Maple Leafs Left Wing Nicholas Robertson (89) in action during the regular season NHL game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs on April 26, 2022 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON.(Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire)

#1 At the start of the season, the Toronto Maple Leafs demoted winger Nick Robertson to the American Hockey League, likely a victim of a salary cap crunch. The 2019 second-round pick has had some injuries, but he has also contributed 46 points (22 G, 24 A) in 51 AHL games, a strong indication that he should be able to produce in the NHL. Prior to this season, Robertson had a few stints with the Maple Leafs and had managed just one goal and one assist in 16 games, playing less than 10 minutes per game. That was his background before making his season debut for the Leafs against Dallas on Thursday night. Robertson skated on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander and scored a pair of goals, including the winner in overtime. He has a rocket shot and his speed stands out in the Maple Leafs lineup, so there is a real opportunity for Robertson to stick in a scoring role.

#2 Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield has been a different player since Martin St. Louis took over behind the Habs bench last season. In 42 games since St. Louis was hired, Caufield has scored 40 points (26 G, 14 A), finishing at better than a 50-goal pace over 82 games. One reason to be particularly encouraged about Caufield’s play this season is that he has recorded 20 shots on goal in five games and averaging 4.0 shots per game is a significant jump (in a small sample) from the 3.1 per game that he averaged even with St. Louis as head coach last season.

#3 The Philadelphia Flyers have been an early surprise, thanks in large part to goaltender Carter Hart, who has a .943 save percentage in three starts. Hart entered the league with significant hype and provided better than average results for his first couple of seasons before things went sideways the past couple of years. He may not have great support in front of him this season, but there is still a chance for Hart to fulfill his vast potential.

#4 The Florida Panthers were dealt potentially devastating news when Aaron Ekblad landed on long-term injured reserve with a groin injury. The Panthers insist that it is not a season-ending injury but for a team that traded MacKenzie Weegar to Calgary in the offseason, losing Ekblad for months is going to test Florida’s blueline talent. Gustav Forsling, who has four points (1 G, 3 A) and 15 shots on goal in four games this season, is likely to become the prime offensive threat on the Panthers blueline, followed by Brandon Montour, who is dealing with his own upper-body injury right now.

#5 Detroit Red Wings left winger Jakub Vrana has entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. Any time a player goes into this program, the well-being of the player takes precedence over any potential timeline for return, so his absence must be considered indefinite. Vrana being out does figure to create an opportunity for Filip Zadina, the 22-year-old winger who has already been a healthy scratch early in the season. Zadina has produced 61 points (25 G, 36 A) in 161 career games, underwhelming numbers from the sixth pick in the 2018 Draft.

#6 It was already understood that Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog would not be ready for the start of the season but now word has come that he will be out for three months following knee surgery. That long-term absence is going to test Colorado’s forwards. Valeri Nichushkin is a prime candidate to step up in Landeskog’s absence. Nichushkin had a breakthrough season for the Avs in 2021-2022, scoring 52 points (25 G, 27 A) in 62 games and adding 15 points (9 G, 6 A) in 20 playoff contests. He has carried that into this season, putting up eight points (5 G, 3 A) with 15 shots on goal in the first four games.

#7 The 11^th pick in the 2017 Draft, Los Angeles Kings forward Gabriel Vilardi was supposed to be a playmaking center that would complement Anze Kopitar down the middle of the ice. Injuries sidetracked his career and there were probably some doubts about whether he was going to be a productive NHLer. Vilardi has found early success playing the wing this season, scoring seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 14 shots on goal in six games. He has struggled to generate shots consistently in previous turns with the Kings, so that is a stat worth monitoring to see if his early scoring might continue.

#8 Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin had a breakthrough season in 2021-2022, scoring a career-high 53 points (15 G, 38 A) and that might just be scratching the surface of his vast potential. The first pick in the 2018 Draft, Dahlin has started this season with six points (4 G, 2 A) and 16 shots on goal in four games. He will not continue to score at a goal-per-game pace but generating four shots on goal per game is encouraging for Dahlin’s long-term scoring potential. Some players need to be turned loose to bring out their best and Dahlin appears to be one of those players.

#9 After notching a hat trick against the Edmonton Oilers Thursday, Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov is now tied for the goal-scoring lead, with six. Svechnikov also has 18 shots on goal in four games and putting up 4.5 shots per game would likely lead to the best goal-scoring output of his career. He scored a career high 30 goals last season when he averaged 3.2 shots on goal per game.

#10 Aside from changing their head coach, the Philadelphia Flyers did little to improve their team in the offseason, which meant that expectations were going to be higher for some players already on the roster. Travis Konecny might have been the poster boy for a skilled player from whom the Flyers needed more production, and he has responded early in this season. Through four games, Konecny is averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game and has six points (4 G, 2 A) and 15 shots on goal.

#11 It might be a good time to buy low on San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier, who has no goals and two assists through six games. Meier also has launched 26 shots on goal, the most among skaters that have yet to record a goal this season. Los Angeles Kings winger Trevor Moore and Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner, with 20 shots, are next in line among forwards still seeking their first goal of the season.

#12 25-year-old Boston Bruins left winger A.J. Greer has struggled to earn a regular spot in the league since he was a second-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2015. He is getting a chance to play with Boston this season and has five points (3 G, 2 A) and nine shots on goal in five games despite playing 10 minutes per game for the Bruins, ranking ahead of only Trent Frederic among Bruins skaters to appear in more than one game. Greer is not yet fantasy relevant but is worth watching to see if he can turn this into a longer stay in the National Hockey League.

#13 Although this season figures to be a painful one for the Arizona Coyotes, veteran defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere is getting ample opportunity to showcase his offensive skills. In four games, Gostisbehere has five points (2 G, 3 A) and 14 shots on goal. He is already minus-6 in four games, so he could be unplayable in leagues that count plus-minus but otherwise he ought to be a productive defenseman, even on a bad team.

#14 As the Florida Panthers remodeled their lineup in the offseason, it was easy enough to overlook their signing of Colin White, the 25-year-old who had his contract bought out by the Ottawa Senators. White is playing less than 12 minutes per game, almost exclusively with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, but has contributed four points (2 G, 2 A) and six shots on goal in four games. Early production could give White a shot at moving up the Florida depth chart.

#15 The early leader in the rookie scoring race is Minnesota Wild defenseman Calen Addison, who has six assists in four games. A second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2018, Addison was acquired in the deal that sent winger Jason Zucker to the Penguins. Addison had 58 points (13 G, 45 A) in 77 AHL games and four points in 18 games with the Wild prior to this season. When the Wild traded veteran Dmitry Kulikov to Anaheim in the offseason, that opened the door for Addison to stick in the NHL.

#16 Injuries tend to hamper Seattle Kraken left winger Jaden Schwartz, but he remains a productive player when heathy. He has three points (2 G, 1 A) and 16 shots on goal through five games this season and is a consistent play-driver. So long as he can stay healthy, Schwartz should have some fantasy appeal.

#17 Coming into the season, the Boston Bruins looked like they would have a strong tandem in goal with Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Ullmark has lived up to his end of the deal, posting a .938 save percentage in four games. Swayman has only played two games, but he has stopped just 40 of 49 shots in those two games, which is a .816 save percentage. Given those numbers, Ullmark would appear to have an early edge if the Bruins are going to lean towards the goaltender that is playing at a higher level.

#18 It is very early and even the best goalies can have down seasons, to say nothing of a few bad starts, but there are some goaltenders falling way short of their high expectations in the first few weeks of this season. Marc-Andre Fleury has a .813 save percentage, Thatcher Demko is at .861, Jacob Markstrom at .862, and Jack Campbell at .874. For fantasy managers, there is not much to be done with these goaltenders except to wait for better results because there is no value to be had in selling low at such an early stage of the season, especially on goaltenders that are going to hold No. 1 jobs.

#19 New York Islanders right winger Oliver Wahlstrom is still playing just 12 minutes per game, but the 11^th pick in the 2018 Draft has shown that he can put the puck in the net. In three games this season, he has four points (3 G, 1 A) and nine shots on goal. He is not going to keep scoring on one-third of his shots, but it would not be unreasonable to think that Wahlstrom is going to force his way into more playing time as the season goes along.

#20 Among players that have played at least 50 minutes this season, the leader in all-situations individual expected goals per 60 minutes is New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier at 2.71, ahead of Matthew Tkachuk (2.39), Mika Zibanejad (2.29), Erik Haula (2.17), and Andrei Kuzmenko (2.17).

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick.