Hey folks, welcome back. Between the holidays and a short fantasy week, I’ve combined weeks 11 and 12 of fantasy hockey into one article.
Once again we’ll review the hottest and coldest players over the last two weeks and any news and notes of significance.
Let’s dive in.
Weeks 11 and 12 of Fantasy Hockey: Western Conference
Pacific Division
Adin Hill, G, Vegas Golden Knights
Hill only started three games in the last two weeks. He made the most of each start, going 3-0 with 72 saves and a .935 save percentage.
Hill has distanced himself from the other goalies named to Team Canada. He’s your starting goalie.
Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks
The super rookie picked up seven points over his last six games. He sits with 27 points in 27 games. Barring a season-ending injury, he’s a lock as a Calder Trophy finalist. There are a couple of other rookies hanging around, so I’ll stop short of anointing him Rookie of the Year.
Logan Cooley, C, Utah Hockey Club
Cooley produced two goals and four assists in six games. Four of those points came on the power play. He’s amid his own breakout and now has 32 points in 36 games.
Quinton Byfield, C/LW, Los Angeles Kings
Byfield appears to be breaking out of his early-season slump. He has four goals and two assists over his last five games.
While Byfield’s production is improving, his power-play ice time has been reduced, averaging under 30 seconds a game over the past four. Something to keep an eye on. If he continues to produce he should resume his role on the power play.
Drew Doughty, D, Los Angeles Kings
All indications point to Doughty returning to the Kings lineup in early January. This is going to be a hit to Brandt Clarke’s production. There are 11 million reasons why Doughty would resume his spot on the first power-play unit.
Central Division
Cam Fowler, D, St. Louis Blues
In the last four games, Fowler has taken over the first power play, at least temporarily. This is the best spot for Fowler, at least for fantasy hockey owners. He offers next to nothing in peripherals. If he is going to have any fantasy value it has to be offensive. He’s rostered in 38% of fantasy leagues on Fantrax. If you’re desperate for offensive production, Fowler offers some hidden value.
Gabe Vilardi, LW/RW, Winnipeg Jets
Long ago, Vilardi was expected to become a perennial 30-goal scorer. That was seven years ago. He’s finally living up to those expectations. With two goals last night, Vilardi has 17 on the season. Well on his way to his first 30-goal season.
Mark Scheifele, C, Winnipeg Jets
Six goals and four assists in his last six games. It was only last year that people were writing off Scheifele. He’s on pace for his second career 40-goal season. He’s got a few vintage Scheifele years left in him.
Jaime Benn, C/LW, Dallas Stars
Two goals, and five assists in his last six games. Benn is on pace for 58 points and more than 100 penalty minutes and 100 hits. He’s also winning 58% of his faceoffs. He’s not an elite point producer but he is a very valuable multi-cat asset
Weeks 11 and 12 of Fantasy Hockey: Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
He’s back on the shelf and has missed the last four games. It’s the same injury that made him miss nine games in November. And it’s the same injury he sustained in training camp. Surmise to say, that Matthews has not been healthy all season.
The smart money is to rest Matthews further and nurse him back to health. It would be foolish for him to return this week. I’d much rather he miss the next 10 games and be healthy for both the fantasy and NHL playoffs.
William Nylander, LW/RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
In his last six games, Nylander has five goals and five assists on 21 shots. He is on track for his third straight 40-goal season. With 23 goals in 37 games, he has an outside shot at 50.
Anthony Cirelli, C, Tampa Bay Lightning
In his last six games, he has two goals and three assists. It’s the measly seven shots that is a flag for me. Cirelli is overperforming this year. Sure, the absence of Steven Stamkos, C/LW/RW, Nashville Predators, has opened up a lot of opportunities, but this many?
Cirelli set a career-high in points last year, his sixth NHL season, with 45. In 33 games so far this year, Cirelli has 32 points. He only has four power-play points on the season, which makes his breakout season even more improbable.
We all knew Cirelli had more offense than he had produced, but 80-point? I would prepare for second-half regression.
Jack Quinn, LW, Buffalo Sabres
Quinn has six points in his last three games. All three games were Sabres wins. Three of those six points have come on the power play. It has taken all my strength to hang onto Quinn in my limited keeper pool.
It’s a salary cap pool with three-year contracts. I took a chance on Quinn this summer and tagged him as one of my 12 keepers. It was looking like a disaster pick. This is what I expected of Quinn all season. Let’s hope he has finally shaken the slump for good and delivers on his upside.
Metropolitan Division
Kirill Marchenko, RW, Columbus Blue Jackets
He popped an impressive 11 points, three goals, and eight assists in weeks 11 and 12 of fantasy hockey. Marchenko has been a revelation this year. He is now on pace for 88 points. Owning Marchenko was a clear advantage for teams through weeks 11 and 12 of fantasy hockey. On top of averaging 1.83 points per game, he added five power-play points and 24 shots on goal.
Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
Crosby produced 10 points of his own over the last two weeks. Eight of them came in two games, with identical one-goal, and three-assist performances.
On Sunday, he picked up an assist in a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders. That assist broke Mario Lemieux’s franchise record for assists.
Jacob Markstrom, G, New Jersey Devils
Markstrom went 4-0 in weeks 11 and 12 of fantasy hockey, with two shutouts. The Devils finally have solid goaltending. He’s won six straight and is 9-0-1 in his last 10. Markstrom surely buoyed a few teams to victory last week. I know he tipped the scales against me in one pool last week.
Igor Shesterkin, G, New York Rangers
The struggles for Shesterkin and the Rangers continue. Shesterkin gave up 11 goals over his last three games, all losses. He’s 3-7 in his last 10 games. The Rangers are a mess and Shesterkin isn’t bailing them out.
This is why I will not draft a goalie in the first few rounds of a one-year draft. Goalies are voodoo. Right now, he might not be the best goalie on his team, let alone in the world.
In dynasties, you hope he gets his poop in a group in time for the playoffs. If he doesn’t, you can all but kiss your championship aspirations goodbye.
Pierre-Luc Dubois, C/LW, Columbus Blue Jackets
Dubois put up six points in seven games over the last two weeks. If you bought low on Dubois, it is paying dividends. He’s on pace for 61 points.
Imagine if he returned to his 2021-22 shooting form. In that season, for the Winnipeg Jets, Dubois fired 205 shots on net. This year, Dubois’s 54 shots have him on pace for 119 shots. Three times Dubois has scored 27 or more goals. Yet, he has only five this year.
Even in a bounce-back season, he remains frustrating. There’s more in there for him to give. Do you have the patience to wait for him to put it all together or the gumption to acquire him before he does?
Alexander Ovechkin Record Watch:
He’s back! Ovechkin has two goals and 11 shots in his first two games back from injury.
Career Goals: 870 (17 on the season)
Gretzky’s Record: 894
To Tie Record: 24 Goals
To Break Record: 25 Goals
That will do it for this week.
Thanks for reading.
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