It was a unique week in the NHL with 30 games this weekend, including 21 teams playing a back-to-back set Saturday. There’s a lot to unravel, and the Week 8 Fantasy Hockey Stock Report is the place to do it.
Week 8 Fantasy Hockey Stock Report:
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Risers
C Matt Duchene, OTT: Dating back to last season, the 27-year-old center has recorded 30 goals and 42 assists through his past 67 games. It took some time for Duchene to settle in with the Sens, but this is a large enough sample size to view him as a go-to scorer moving forward. It’s also worth noting that he has 21 multi-point showings during that span.
LW Tanner Pearson, PIT: The winger has collected three goals and an assist through his past four contests, and he’s clicked with frequent linemates Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel for a respectable 3.76 goals per 60 minutes at even strength. Pearson is positioned to provide solid secondary scoring in the majority of formats moving forward.
LW Chris Kreider, NYR: A blood clot in his right arm limited Kreider to just 58 games last season and interrupted his streak of three consecutive 20-goal campaigns. He’s proven to be right back in form to start 2018-19, though, and despite being held off the scoresheet Saturday has already collected 12 tallies, eight helpers, seven power-play points, and 68 shots through 24 games.
LW Kyle Connor, WPG: With six goals and 13 assists through his past 15 games, Connor is proving to be a high-end scorer after recording 57 points — 31 tallies — in his first full season last year. It’s also encouraging that his production hasn’t dipped despite being shuffled between the top two lines numerous times this season. He could be undervalued in some fantasy circles.
D Erik Karlsson, SJ: It’s no longer looking bleak for Karlsson in teal. He’s picked up two goals, six assists, and five power-play points through his past six contests, and considering his 1.95 points per 60 minutes over the past three years rank fourth among all regular defensemen, the veteran’s silenced the early-season concerns surrounding his fantasy stock.
D Colin Miller, VGK: Before exploding for 41 points last year, Miller was a proven offensive defenseman in the lower levels, and he’s now recorded 10 points — two goals — through his past 10 games. While skating on the No. 1 power-play unit is a huge boon for his value, he’s also been on the ice for more high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes than any other Golden Knight defenseman the past two seasons.
G Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK: The veteran shut down two strong offenses this weekend with back-to-back shutouts over the Flames and Sharks. He’s now up to five wins and three shutouts with impressive ratios — .950 save percentage and 1.49 GAA — through his past six starts, so everything appears to be trending in the right direction for Fleury.
G David Rittich, CGY: The Flames have playoff aspirations, and Rittich has outplayed Mike Smith to date. The Czech’s .930 save percentage and 2.04 GAA are high-end marks, and his grasp on the No. 1 gig becomes tighter with every strong start.
Fallers
LW Brad Marchand, BOS: The complete impact of losing long-time linemate Patrice Bergeron (ribs) won’t be felt for a few more weeks, and Marchand is talented enough to provide solid offensive numbers without Bergeron. However, the go-to winger has recorded just a single assist through his past six contests, so there should definitely be concerns for the immediate future.
C/LW/RW Rickard Rakell, ANA: After burying 30 in consecutive seasons, it’s hard to ignore Rakell’s underwhelming four goals through 24 games to start the 2018-19 campaign. The Swede’s 5.5 shooting percentage is unsustainably low, and he’s also attempting a career-high 10.43 shots per 60 minutes. Unfortunately, the statistical correction might not happen overnight, though.
RW Jakub Voracek, PHI: The veteran hasn’t registered a multi-point showing since Oct. 20, is currently mired in a six-five game point drought and owns a mediocre 2.43 points per 60 minutes. The points per 60 mark mirrors his 2016-17 number, and Voracek was held to just 20 goals and 41 assists that season.
LW/RW Ilya Kovalchuk, LA: Not only has Kovalchuk gone eight consecutive games without a point, he’s also averaged just 14:04 of ice time through his past three outings. Additionally, his 1.37 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five rank 96th among the 108 forwards who’ve logged 300 minutes this season.
G Mike Smith, CGY: As noted, David Rittich has stolen the No. 1 role from Smith, as the veteran has just two wins through his past eight starts and posted a disastrous .867 save percentage and 3.64 GAA during that stretch. The veteran could earn the job back, but he’s also now watched from the bench for four consecutive games.
For more great fantasy hockey talk, listen in on Chris Meaney and Neil Parker on the Fantrax Fantasy Hockey Podcast, as they hit on all the injuries, streamers, and recent trends you need to know to stay on top of the fantasy ice.
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