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: Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
It’s becoming a theme. Kucherov isn’t just on a hot streak. He is pacing the league and putting up numbers that perhaps, only Connor McDavid can chase down. With four goals and three assists in four games, the numbers aren’t standout-ish. That is until you realize three of the four goals were game-winners. Add in 20 shots and you. have an impressive week.
Averaging 4.89 shots on goal per game, Kucherov is on pace for 401 shots. He’s never had a season with even 280 shots. He’s an early favorite and likely finalist for the Art Ross and Hart Trophy.
Second Star: Tomas Hertl, C, San Jose Sharks
Five goals and an assist for Hertl in three games, including a hat-trick to lead a comeback against the New York Islanders on December 5th. He followed it up with two more goals against Detroit. Also in those two games, Hertl dropped 17 shots (nine and eight). In most formats,
Up to 24 points in 27 games, Hertl is putting together a solid season on a dreadful team. Hertl is a safe start. If you use plus-minus, Hertl’s main wart comes through.
Third Star: Sam Reinhart, RW, Florida Panthers
His goal-scoring was the story earlier in the year. Last week though, Reinhart’s table-setting abilities were on full display. Seven of his eight points were assists. He’s up to 13 multi-point games on the year, which has boosted him into the top ten in NHL scoring with 37 points (17 goals and 20 assists).
His shooting percentage sits at 25.8%, 11.1% above his career average. His goal-scoring will cool off significantly. He is a very strong passer, this should mitigate the impact on his point production.
Alexander Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals
It is almost mid-December and this is the first I have written about Ovechkin. That tells a story all on its own.
We’re used to double-digit goals after twenty-five games. It hasn’t happened. I don’t think Ovechkin has just fallen off a cliff though. His career shooting percentage is 12.8%. Over the last six years, it has been over 14%. This year, 5.6%. If we just take his career average, Ovechkin would have 11 goals, not five.
If you’re competing for a title, right now is a good time to try and buy Ovechkin. At 38, some may think this is it. With one goal on 17 high-danger chances, 5.9%, Ovechkin has been bitten by some bad luck. Last year, on 75 high-danger chances, Ovechkin had 13 goals, 17.3%.
I would worry a bit about the reduction in high-danger scoring chances this year (17 in 25 games – .68 per game), compared to last (75 in 73 – 1.03 per game). His goal totals and shooting percentage will balance out in time.
Kyle Connor, LW, Winnipeg Jets
Is out 6-8 weeks. This is a huge blow for the Jets. They’ve lost their leading scorer likely until February 1st.
If there was ever a time for Nicolas Ehlers to step up and step forward into the spotlight, it’s now.
Mikael Granlund, C/RW, San Jose Sharks
He hasn’t been a reliable fantasy hockey option since he was traded from the Minnesota Wild in 2018-19. Yet, here we are five seasons later and Granlund sits with 18 points in 21 games.
Look, it wasn’t just Granlund that stumbled in Nashville, Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen led the disappointment march for years.
With only three goals and 43 shots in those 21 games, Granlund’s multi-cat value is limited. He does have 21 hits, so he’s not a complete multi-cat write-off. If you’ve been struck by the injury bug he is chewing up over 20 minutes per game and three minutes per game on the power play.
Blake Coleman, LW/RW Calgary Flames
Has two goals and six points in his last four games. He is up to eight goals and 19 points in his first 29 games. He is currently on pace to set a new career high in points with 53 (Current career high, 38).
He isn’t receiving any power-play time. He never has. One has to wonder what he could do if he did.
Nick Bjugstad, C/RW, Arizona Coyotes
He is quietly having a very strong first third of the season. With 10 shots and 13 hits in his last four games, Bjugstad is contributing across the board in multi-cat pools. His 52-point pace won’t move him to the top of any fantasy hockey roster, but his 28 penalty minutes and 41 hits in 28 games make him a valuable depth option.
Lawson Crouse, LW/RW, Arizona Coyotes
He passed his big-man breakout threshold at the end of the third quarter of the 2022-23 season. The theory appears to have held for the 6’4″ Crouse. To some, his 45-point season won’t seem like a breakout. It was a 33% increase in production from his previous career high.
A year later, Crouse is on pace to obliterate his career-high of 24 goals. In 27 games, he already has 13. Don’t look now but Crouse is quietly on pace for 39 goals. At 20%, his shooting percentage is 4-5% higher than his last two seasons. There should be some mild regression here.
There are a couple of things to consider here. Why don’t we unpack it Friday in the next ‘Sleepers and Bangers’ article and do a deeper dive on what to expect from Crouse.
Auston Matthew, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
With two goals last night, Matthews now has 21 in 25 games and sole possession of the NHL goal-scoring lead. His two assists gave him four points on the night. That’s seven goals in his last five games. We’ve seen these goal-scoring stretches before, they can go on for 2o or more games.
Joseph Woll, G, Toronto Maple Leafs
Just as he started to stake his claim on the starting goalie job in Toronto he suffered a high ankle sprain and is out ‘longer term.’ There hasn’t been a specific timetable provided, but high ankle sprains for goalies are not a quick recovery injury.
Currently listed week to week. I don’t expect to see him before February. This opens the door for Ilya Samsonov to bounce back from his rough start and stake his claim.
Justin Faulk, D, St. Louis Blues
His 19 shots in the last seven days tie him with Austin Matthews for the most in the NHL over that span.
He’s now up to 64 shots on the season and still awaiting his first goal. Faulk is a fairly consistent goal scorer, four times he’s eclipsed 16 in a season. He should still hit double digits in goals, but getting back to 15 is a quickly fading prospect if he isn’t the recipient of positive regression.
In a multi-cat pool, Faulk is a prized commodity. Few defencemen give you 45 points, 200 shots 150 blocks. and 100 hits.
Patrick Kane, RW, Detroit Red Wings
Last week I highlighted his return to the NHL.
This week we can highlight his first goal in a Red Wings uniform. Through four games he has 14 shots and averaging just under 20 minutes per game.
He is also a minus-five in those four games. Sure, plus-minus isn’t reliable, but the Red Wings have also lost four of those five games.
Ville Husso, Alex Lyon, James Reimer, G, Detroit Red Wings
I could have just as easily written Detroit Red Wings goalies. I know Reimer is on injured reserve and this isn’t his fault, but he’s included nonetheless.
In the last four games, coincidentally the four Kane has played, the Red Wings have given up 21 goals. Yikes.
In pools that count goals against average and save percentage, staple all Red Wings goalies to the bench for the foreseeable future. They’ll eventually come around. Until they do, you risk blowing your goalie cats with every start.
Brock Boeser, RW, Vancouver Canucks
While writing this, he scored his 19th and 20th goals of the season.
He’s this year’s Kuzmenko for the Canucks. With a career shooting percentage of 13.5%, his current 25% is not sustainable.
There will be a goal-scoring drought Boeser will fall back to earth. Regardless, he is on pace to easily smash his previous career highs in goals, 29 and points 56. He will fall off his 53-goal, 93-point pace. Something in the 40-goal, 75-point range seems more likely.
Well, that’s all for this week. Thanks for reading.
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