Hey everyone, welcome back to another fantasy hockey week in review. Last week was a busy one with 13 teams playing four games. This week we’ve got notes on Alexander Ovechkin, Alexis Lafreniere, Timo Meier, Jamie Benn, Mitch Marner, Alex Tuch, and more.
Let’s dive in.
Fantasy Hockey Week in Review
NHL Three Stars of the Week
First Star: Alexander Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals
The real Ovechkin has arrived just in time for the playoffs. In four games, Ovie scored seven goals and added one assist, with four of those goals coming on the power play. With 26 goals on the season, reaching 30 is firmly within his grasp. I said it last week, and I’ll repeat it: Ovechkin is a player to buy this summer, especially if you’re making a run.
Second Star: Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
This is the first time Matthews has landed in the three stars with more assists than goals. In four games, he only had three goals, but it’s the seven assists he tacked on that bring him back here. His performance was anchored by a five-point night against the Capitals. Seventy goals seem like a long shot, but Matthews is capable of multiple multi-goal games in a row.
Third Star: Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
The goals aren’t there this year, with just 26, yet he’s on pace for 139 points. With two assists last night, McDavid is now six assists away from becoming the first player since Wayne Gretzky in 1990-91 to have 100 assists in a single NHL season. It makes one wonder if McDavid can put it all together in a single season: you know, 60-plus goals and 100-plus points.
Fantasy Hockey Standouts
Timo Meier, LW/RW, New Jersey Devils
With 11 goals in his last 12 games, Meier is delivering in a big way for your playoff run. I traded for him just as he started to take off six weeks ago. I also traded him away in November. I’m happy with both deals. I acquired Owen Tippett and Mike Matheson in the deal I gave him up. I am a big believer in Tippett. He could be producing Meier numbers as soon as next year. Matheson is one of the top-ranked defensemen in my pool’s format.
Alexis Lafreniere, LW/RW, New York Rangers
With eight points in his last seven games, Lafreniere is on the cusp of breaking 50 points in a season for the first time in his career. He still isn’t receiving much in the way of time on the power play, and only a rare sniff on the first unit. Until his power play share doubles from its current 27.9%, Lafreniere might as well have a glass ceiling above his head. With a 20.5% increase in points (47 from 3), Lafreniere has done enough for most owners to believe big things lie ahead. This is not the buy-low option you are looking for.
Tage Thompson, C/RW, Buffalo Sabres
Like Meier, Thompson has sprung to life over the last month. Over his last seven games, Thompson has nine points and 25 shots. This is what we expected all season long. The great thing about slumps that last 55 games; a lot of owners jump ship. Stars seem to always put it together by the end of the year. A cold start equates to a hot finish. Tage owners are enjoying the end-of-year bump in production.
Alex Tuch, RW, Buffalo Sabres
We might as well stick with the Sabres a moment longer. Tuch has also found his game in March. He finds himself on a mini five-game point streak (1 goal, six assists). I had several teams lowball me at the trade deadline to acquire him. When I say lowball, I mean, 3rd and 4th round picks in the upcoming prospect draft. No one should be trading a 27-year-old forward for late picks, especially one fresh off a season where they produced 1.07 points per game.
Trevor Zegras, C, Anaheim Ducks
After missing 38 games, Zegras returned to action last night. This has been a season to forget for Zegras. It will likely take Zegras a game or two to find his game legs. It would be great to see Zegras put together a solid final four weeks of the season. If he doesn’t, it could open a small buy-low window. Fantasy owners can be fickle. Get ready to kick some tires this summer.
Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
Crosby has two goals and five assists in his last two games. He’s up to 76 points in 71 games and has a shot at 90 points. At 36, he shows no signs of slowing down. I own him in two pools and he’ll retire on those rosters. I could never trade a fellow ‘Bluenoser’.
Owen Tippett, LW/RW, Philadelphia Flyers
Seems only fitting I swing around and comment on the player I acquired for Meier a few months ago. With nine points in his last seven games and 12 points in his last 14, Tippett is now one goal and one point away from tying his career highs in both (27 goals, 49 points) and has tied his career high in assists (22). He already has 27 more shots than his previous career high of 231 (258).
Tippett was the main piece the Flyers acquired when they traded Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers. This is the player the Panthers thought they were drafting in 2017, not the player they thought they were trading in 2021-22. I can’t help but think of what he could produce if he gains John Tortorella’s full trust and locks down a spot on the first power play unit.
Jamie Benn, C/LW, Dallas Stars
Here’s another player who produced at a subpar level over the first 50 games, only to bust out when it matters the most. He has seven goals and seven assists in his last ten games, including six power-play points. He’s also rocking a faceoff percentage of over 60% during that stretch.
Mitch Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
He’s skating but on his own. Marner will need to return to practice before he’s cleared to play. The Leafs have little to play for right now so there is no reason to rush him back. That could all change if they lose a couple more games and the Tampa Bay Lightning win a couple more games. They’re creeping up on the Leafs for third. Still, though, the Leafs won’t risk losing Marner long-term by bringing him back before he’s ready.
Braydon Point, C, Tampa Bay Lightning
Point has been on fire lately. In his last three games, he has produced seven points, including five goals. This doesn’t even bring us back to his six-point game two weeks ago against the New York Rangers. He’s currently day-to-day, which is poor timing for owners. Tampa Bay only plays two games this week so the impact should be minimal.
That’ll do it for this week. Thanks for reading
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