Welcome back to another fantasy hockey week in review. Here, we will cover the week in fantasy hockey, including the latest streaks, trends, and anything else that catches my attention.
Let’s dig in.
Fantasy Hockey Week in Review
NHL Three Stars of the Week
First Star: Sam Reinhart, C, Florida Panthers
Reinhart just keeps rolling. His five goals last week give him 29 on the year, in 40 games. That’s a 60-goal pace folks. He’s still shooting a ridiculous 27.9%, an unsustainable percentage. His career high is 19.2% and his career average is 15%, regardless of regression, Reinhart has elevated himself to a new level this year. Even in the face of regression, he should break 90 points and is on pace to crack 100.
Reinhart also has 12 goals in his last 10 games and his 29 total goals puts him one behind Austin Matthews for the league lead.
Martin Jones, G, Toronto Maple Leafs
Did anyone see this coming? In three games he shut out the Los Angeles Kings and only gave up two goals on 83 shots in total. Sure, the Leafs played Anaheim and San Jose, two of the worst teams in the League, in two of those games. Remember though, the Leafs had, and still have, a losing record against the worst teams in the league. His 0.66 goals against and .976 save percentage in those three games are incredible numbers, regardless of opponent.
With Joseph Woll out for several more weeks and Ilya Samsonov in the minors, the sky was falling on the Maple Leafs. A lot of credit should go to the team in front of him. For the first time all year, they have played responsible, smothering defense in back-to-back games.
He’s now 8-3-0 in thirteen games, and rocking a cool 1.98 goals against average, and a .934 save percentage, along with two shutouts.
Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets
Not to be outdone, Hellebuyck posted his own 3-0-0 week with a 1.69 goals-against average and .937 save percentage. He’s now riding a personal 11-0-2 streak and has lifted the Jets into first place in the NHL.
In his last nine games, he’s 9-0-2 with a shutout (last night) a 1.90 goals-against average, and a .933 save percentage. This recent run has pushed him deep into the Vezina Trophy conversation. No one should be trading Hellebuyck away this year.
William Nylander, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
Is going to be a Toronto Maple Leafs player for a very long time. He signed an 8-year deal with 92 million dollars on Monday. It carries a cap hit of $11.5M per season. It also contains a full no-movement clause for the duration of the contract.
The direct comparable here is David Pastrnak. Last year Pastrnak put up 113 points in his contract year, and Nylander is on pace to best that with, 123 points. In the two years before 2022-23, Pastrnak averaged 1.07 and 1.00 points per game. Comparatively, in Nylander’s last two years, he produced 1.06 and.99 points per game.
It’s a fair-value contract. No one should be expecting Nylander to have taken a ‘home-town’ discount on this one. I mean, he’s just coming off of a massive value deal in the Leafs’ favor.
Jamie Drysdale, D, Philadelphia Flyers
Fantasy hockey owners take note – this is how you make a trade involving prospects. From the Anaheim Ducks side of the deal anyway. They lacked a player like Cutter Gauthier (coming up next) in their system, and have high-end, blue-chip prospects for days on defense. They could afford to move one to fill a need. They wouldn’t make this trade if Drysdale were their only offensive-minded defenseman in the system.
Drysdale goes to a team that has a little less competition for the coveted power-play spots. Sure they have Cam York, Emil Andrae, Egor Zamula, and Helge Grans in the system. Outside of perhaps York, they don’t provide the same upside as Pavel Mintyukov, Tristan Luneau, and Ollen Zellweger. It gives Drysdale more opportunity
Cutter Gauthier, LW, Anaheim Ducks
It’s rumored Gauthier was not going to sign in Philadelphia. There is a more direct route to the Ducks top-six than would have been in Philadelphia. Safe to say, this is a trade that benefits both teams.
The Ducks now boast their own core four of, Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Trevor Zegras, and Cutter Gauthier.
Gauthier was always a must-own prospect. He’s now a must-own prospect with a clearer path to a top-six role.
Jonathan Drouin, C/LW, Colorado Avalanche
The 21 points in 39 games don’t look very impressive at first glance. When you realize 13 of them have come in the last 14 games, including five on the power play, you should take a second look.
In the last five games, Drouin has broken the 20-minute barrier for ice time. In fact, on Monday versus Boston, Drouin played 28:16. This included a whopping 8:04 on the power play.
With Lehktonen about to return (more below), this could be short-lived. He has built strong chemistry on the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, they may not want to rock the boat.
Drouin on the top line is one to watch.
Mike McLeod, C, New Jersey Devils
No, he’s not an offensive juggernaut. He plays in a depth, third-line role for the Devils and sees very little time on the power play. I’m bringing attention to him because his face-off stats are rather incredible. In his last 13 games, McLeod has been winning faceoffs at a 72.3% clip. That stretch includes nights where he went 17-3, 16-2, 12-0, and 11-2.
I know it’s a specialty stat that affects a small percentage of hockey pools. Finding a player who wins 66% of his face-offs every night can win you that category on his own.
He isn’t entirely deficient in offense either. He has 10 goals, and 18 points in 38 games to go along with a cool 70 hits.
He’s played 280 games in a very limited role for the Devils. Technically, he has surpassed his breakout threshold. you have to think, there’s a bit more there if he could ever find himself with more offensive opportunities.
Arturri Lehkonen, LW, Colorado Avalanche
Has been on injured reserve since November 9th. Lehkonen has been practicing with the team in a non-contact jersey and will travel with the team on their current road trip. They play at home against the Vegas Golden Knights, so we shouldn’t expect him to play until Saturday in Toronto at the earliest.
Don’t expect to see Lehkonen in-game action until he is a full participant in practice, wearing a regular jersey. That should happen later this week.
Elias Pettersson, C, Vancouver Canucks
He now has 20 goals and 53 points in 41 games. He is also an unrestricted free agent. He’s also on pace for his second consecutive 100-point season.
He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, he is going to get paid. You have to believe his agent will make an argument he is as valuable to the Canucks as Auston Matthews is to the Maple Leafs. If his AAV starts with anything below 13, I’ll be shocked.
Matthew Tkachuk, LW/RW, Florida Panthers
He’s heating up. After a slow start, returning from a broken sternum, Tkachuk has 16 points and 35 shots over his last 13 games. He’s thrown in 14 hits and 16 penalty minutes for good measure.
A full-strength Tkachuk makes the Panthers even more dangerous.
Pyotr Kochetkov, G, Carolina Hurricanes
It’s no surprise the Hurricanes started winning when Kochetkov started providing reliable goaltending.
He’s been more than reliable. He is 4-0-0 in his last four starts with a .937 save percentage. With Freddy Andersen always injured and Antti Raanta an unrestricted free agent this summer, the starting goaltending job is up for grabs. Kochetkov is starting to reel it in.
There will be bumps along the way but he’s starting to display why the Hurricanes were so high on him, drafting him 36th overall in 2019.
If you own him, don’t let him go.
That will do it for this week. Thanks for reading.
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