We’ve now surpassed the mid-way point of the Conference Finals. Low and behold both series are tied at two. This should surprise no one as the pre-playoff favorite of each division made the final four.
At this point, some fantasy hockey playoff pools may have already been decided.
What is mildly surprising is some of the early series point producers. Let’s take a look.
Fantasy Hockey Playoff Week in Review
Barclay Goodrow, LW/RW, New York Rangers
Goodrow has three goals in the first four games of the series. This includes a game-winning goal in game two. Likely, he was drafted in only the deepest of fantasy hockey playoff pools. Goodrow now has six goals and eight points in 14 games. No, he didn’t magically turn into a 47-point player. Don’t acquire him for next season based on this playoff performance. He’s a great story and boosting the few teams that bravely drafted him in their playoff pool.
Alexis Lafreniere, LW/RW, New York Rangers
He was quiet in the first two games of the series. That changed in the last two, with three goals over nine shots. He continues to build on his breakout season with 13 points through 14 playoff games. Each year he gets better and better.
Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers
This is not the Fox folks expected when they drafted him. With two points in four games against the Washington Capitals, two points in six games versus the Carolina Hurricanes, and now, three points through the first four games against the Florida Panthers, Fox has been a disappointment. Game four resulted in his first two-point game of the playoffs. No one could have predicted Goodrow would have more points than Fox through 14 playoff games.
Vincent Trocheck, C, New York Rangers
Right now, Trocheck has been the Rangers’ best player their in-house Conn Smythe choice. He’s tied for fourth in playoff scoring with 19 points and has five points through four games in the conference finals.
Gustav Forsling, D, Florida Panthers
Forsling just keeps quietly producing. He’s picked up a goal and two assists so far against the Panthers. He now has ten points through 15 playoff games Those ten points lead the Panthers’ defense in scoring.
Brandon Montour is an unrestricted free agent this summer. Keep an eye on where he decides to sign. If he leaves, Forsling may finally receive regular time on the power play. With almost no power play exposure over the last three seasons, he has still produced 39, 41, and 37 points. A potential 50-point sleeper in 2024-25?
Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, Florida Panthers
This hasn’t gone as expected for the Panthers. Tarasenko only has five points in the playoffs and none through the first four games of the conference finals. The regular season went well, with 14 points in 19 games after the Panthers acquired him. Tarasenko just can’t find the score sheet in the post-season.
Sam Reinhart, C/LW, Florida Panthers
He keeps scoring, with eight goals in 15 games, that’s a 43-goal pace. Compared to the regular season he’s taking an extra shot per game. His shooting percentage though, is 10% lower than the regular season, 13.3%. This is actually 2.3% below his career average of 15.6%. We’re seeing a little bit of an over-correction to this point in the playoffs.
If he goes to free agency, his cap hit could very easily surpass $10 million.
Zach Hyman, LW, Edmonton Oilers
He leads the playoffs in goals scored, with 13. Only two so far in the four games against the Dallas Stars. On the bright side, he has 12 shots in the last two games. He could be in for a big game five.
Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
It took a while but McDavid now leads the NHL playoffs in scoring, with 28 points in 16 games. The only surprising statistic is that he only has four goals to this point. That’s a 20-goal pace over 82 games. With Hyman scoring at will on his wing, how he’s getting his points doesn’t matter, 28 points equals 28 goals.
Evander Kane, LW, Edmonton Oilers
Zero points through four conference finals games and seven through sixteen games. I doubt anyone expected Kane to be a point-per-game player in the playoffs. However, I doubt anyone expected him to be throwing up a donut in the conference finals. The playoffs play to Kane’s strengths. I suspect he’ll find the score sheet in the next two games.
Jason Robertson, LW, Dallas Stars
He had a hat trick in game three against the Oilers. Outside of that game, Robertson has been rather quiet, with only one other point, an assist, in the series. You have to think this will need to change if the Stars are to win the series.
Jamie Benn, LW, Dallas Stars
Benn is having a series. His seven points lead the Stars in conference finals scoring. The Stars’ captain is leading his team in every way imaginable.
Miro Heiskanen, D, Dallas Stars
He just keeps plugging along. Heiskanen has three points in the four games and 16 through 17 playoff games. It’s pretty close to a mirror image of the 2019-20 playoffs where he had 26 points in 27 games.
While it doesn’t matter to fantasy hockey playoff pools, Heiskanen is averaging 3:34 more ice time per game than in the regular season. It’s an interesting observation. Simply put, he’s a playoff monster.
That’ll do it for this week. This time next week, we should be in the Stanley Cup Finals.
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