Week 4 of Fantasy Hockey: Weekly Wrap

Welcome back to the Weekly Wrap, where we’ll review the top stories and movers and shakers from week four of fantasy hockey.

Rather than rehashing top performers from the previous week. We’re going to focus more on players moving up and down line-ups and changing roles. Players you should keep an eye on moving forward.

I’m sure it will burn some that I’m starting with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it can’t be helped. So, let’s get to it.

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Week 4 of Fantasy Hockey

Nick Robertson, LW/RW, Toronto Maple Leafs

Seven. That is the number of games in which Robertson played 15 minutes or more of ice time in his career before the start of the 2025-26 season. Coming into last night’s game, he surpassed this threshold in three straight games. Those three games saw him move between John Tavares, C, line and Auston Matthews, C. He didn’t get there last night, but only five Leafs forwards did.

There is a big hole, multiple, in Toronto’s top six. There’s never been a better opportunity for him in Toronto. At 168 career games, Robertson is poised to surpass his breakout threshold in early January. Sitting with seven points entering his 12th game of the season, he is poised to shatter his career high in points (28).

Rostered in only 21% of Fantrax pools, it’s well worth keeping an eye on Robertson’s continued deployment.

Benjamin Kindel, C/RW Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins raised some eyebrows when they drafted him 11th overall in the 2025 NHL entry draft. Kindel raised more eyebrows when he made the team out of training camp. He raised my eyebrows Monday night, playing 22:23, with 4:46 on the power play. He made the most of it, scoring two goals and adding seven shots.

Don’t expect him to continue receiving this kind of deployment. Monday was a combination of him feeling it, and Rickard Rakell, RW, and Justin Brazzeau, RW, being banged up and out of the lineup. With this kind of strong play, he will see increased ice time, just don’t expect 20 minutes a night. 15-17 is more likely while Rakell and Brazzeau recover.

Injuries in week four have opened the door of opportunity for Kindel. Look at him as a short-term value, especially getting first power play time with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Victor Arvidsson, LW/RW, Boston Bruins

Tuesday night saw Arvidsson play a season high of 18:31, a full four minutes more than his season average of 14:22. This bump was in large part to being moved onto the first power play unit (4:05), due to Elias Lindholm’s injury.

I’ve been a begrudging Arvidsson fan for years. Only in 2022-23, with Los Angeles, did he have a great year on the power play. Outside of that one season, Arvidsson has struggled to produce on the power play. This isn’t due to a lack of opportunity. He just never clicks.

With six points in his last eight games, he seems to be settling into his middle-six role in Boston. There’s value to be had with Arvidsson ‘IF’ he remains healthy and ‘IF’ he can carve out a larger role for himself, primarily by securing a regular spot in Boston’s top six.

Cutter Gauthier, LW, Anaheim Ducks

This guy is on a heater. He owned week four of fantasy hockey. It was a huge week for Gauthier, with eight points in his last four games and 11 in the last eight. It is still early, but holy moly, does the Gauthier for Jamie Drysdale, D, Philadelphia Flyers trade look lopsided today. Gauthier is currently tied for the league lead in goals. He also has 58 shots in 12 games, just three shots behind the league leader, Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche. His ice time is also up over three minutes per game. Gauthier is breaking out in a big way.

Alex Laferriere, LW/RW, Los Angeles Kings

Laferriere started the season ice cold and saw his ice time drop from 17:26 on opening night to 12:16. In the last week, Laferriere picked up a single point in four straight.

Things are starting to click, and the ice time is reflecting that with 3:22 and 3:06 on the power player in his last two games. Sitting on 172 career games, he is set to surpass his breakout threshold around Christmas. With a career high of 45 points, Laferriere could push 55-60 by season’s end, especially if he can lock down a permanent spot on the first power play. He’ll need to usurp Corey Perry to do so…

Thanks for reading. We’ll see you next week.