Welcome back to another week of fantasy hockey in review. Everyone is neck-deep in playoffs, stress, and excitement is building. Every move we made all season was in preparation for these final weeks. Did we do enough? Did we make the right moves? The joys of fantasy hockey playoffs.
This week, we discuss Alex Nedeljkovic, Frederik Andersen, Logan Thompson, Tyler Bertuzzi, JJ Peterka, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and more. Let’s get to it.
Fantasy Hockey Week in Review
NHL Three Stars
First Star: Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
Here we are again, McDavid back in the three stars. It was a pedestrian first star for the Oilers captain with three goals and five assists in three games. McDavid is creeping up on 100 assists and has three consecutive 120-point seasons.
Second Star: Logan Thompson, G, Vegas Golden Knights
No Adin Hill, no problem. Thompson went a perfect 3-0-0 with a 0.98 goals-against average (GAA) and a .971 save percentage (SVPct). Vegas is inching closer to securing a playoff spot and Thompson is inching closer to creating a full-fledged goalie controversy in 2024-25.
Third Star: Alex Lafreniere, LW, New York Rangers
Lafreniere’s appearance on the Three Stars is largely boosted by his monster game against the Arizona Coyotes. He recorded a hat-trick and two assists in an 8-5 victory. Lafreniere has now set career highs in goals, assists, points, and shots on goal. He’s still only seeing 1:18 on the power play. After four seasons, we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg.
Fantasy Hockey Standouts
Alex Nedeljkovic, G, Pittsburgh Penguins
Nedeljkovic has filled in admirably in Tristan Jarry’s absence. In his last five games, he is 4-0-1 and has brought the Penguins into the wildcard discussion. The Penguins now sit one point behind the Washington Capitals for the final wild card spot and two points back of the Philadelphia Flyers for third in the Metropolitan Division. If the Penguins play the hot hand, ‘Ned’ may hold some sneaky value over the final couple weeks of the season.
Jake Oettinger, G, Dallas Stars
Has been lights out of late. He is 5-0-0 in his last five starts, including a shutout. In the last couple of years, Oettinger heading into the playoffs. There’s a new level of confidence that has the Stars in the Presidents Trophy mix.
Frederik Andersen, G, Carolina Hurricanes
He’s now 7-0-0 with two shutouts since he returned from the injured reserve. He’s also 11-1-0 on the season. The most impressive stat is that after missing four months, Andersen hasn’t given up more than two goals in any game since returning.
He’s a plug-and-play for the rest of your playoffs. Outside of a back-to-back situation, I don’t see how Carolina plays anyone else.
Andersen is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. His injury history is a real concern, but he’s still a dominant goalie when healthy.
JJ Peterka, LW/RW, Buffalo Sabres
Had a big night last night. Peterka filled your stat sheets last night with two goals and an assist. Two of those points came on the power-play and he was also accredited with the game-winning goal.
He sits two goals from 30, and one point from 50. Of note, he’s played 155 career games, which means, he’ll hit his breakout threshold (200 games) midway through next season. Expect a big 2024-25.
Evgeni Malkin, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
By all accounts, it has been a down year for Malkin, yet he had a big night last night to keep the Penguins in the wild card hunt. Malkin scored one goal and added three assists against in a big 6-3 win against the New Jersey Devils.
Owners will write him off as done again next year. I’ll be bargain-hunting in his direction for a cheap roster boost.
Kris Letang, D, Pittsburgh Penguins
With five points (all assists) in his last four games, Letang sits with 46 points on the season. He’s closing in on another 50-point season with next to no power-play production.
See my comments on Malkin, Letang isn’t done yet.
Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton Oilers
I remember Bouchard’s draft year like it was yesterday. I entered into a debate on a website as to the better draft option, Bouchard, or Jesper Kotkaniemi. Bouchard was playing almost 30 minutes a night for a horrid London Knights team in the OHL. Considering he had no offensive help and he had to pace himself every game, he still produced 87 points. I was a huge Bouchard fan. He now sits with 76 points in 73 games (51 more than Kotkaniemi this season). The debate is over. End rant.
Bouchard’s defense isn’t strong enough, yet, to propel him into serious Norris Trophy consideration. Give him time.
MacKenzie Weegar, D, Calgary Flames
Weegar passed his 400-game breakout threshold for defensemen at the beginning of November. He is closing in on several single-season milestones. With eight games left, Weegar has an opportunity to achieve the rare feat of reaching 20 goals, 50 points, and 200 hits, blocks, and shots.
He currently needs two more goals and four more points to reach. He also has 186 shots, 177 hits, and 186 blocks. Neither Zdeno Chara, Dustin Byfuglien, nor Shea Weber achieved this feat.
Tyler Bertuzzi, LW/RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
He’s up to 19 goals and 19 assists on the season, and has seven goals in his last nine games. When Mitch Marner returns later this week, Sheldon Keefe will have an interesting decision to make. Bertuzzi and Max Domi have found real chemistry with Auston Matthews, yet Marner is his number one ‘wing-man.’
Likely, Domi would be the odd player out, but will that disrupt Bertuzzi’s chemistry on that line? If not, Bertuzzi’s stock goes up for the final eight games of the season.
Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panthers
With seven points in his last five games, Barkov’s consistency hasn’t been enough to propel the Panthers to victories. They have one win during his mini-five-game point streak.
The Panthers may have given up 20 goals during those 5 games, but Barkov is still a plus-five. Win or lose, Barkov is a positive in your lineup.
Other Fantasy Hockey Notes
Thomas Hertl, C, Vegas Golden Knights
He skated in a non-contact jersey for the first time yesterday. There’s a chance he gets into the last couple of games of the year for the Knights.
Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Colorado Avalanche
He skated in Colorado yesterday with Valeri Nichushkin and Nikolai Kovalenko. It’s a positive sign, but he has a long way to go before returning to an NHL game.
In my limited keeper, I didn’t make the playoffs. One of my final moves was to acquire Gabriel Landeskog from free agency with the hope that he will be ready to play on opening night of 2024-25.
Nikolai Kovalenko, LW, Colorado Avalanche
He’s joining the Avalanche a bit too late in the season to help any fantasy roster. Kovalenko’s value punts to 2024-25. Tag him as a potential sleeper for next season.
NCAA Prospects
It’s a busy time of year with the NCAA season coming to a close. Several notable prospects have already made the decision to turn pro and sign their entry-level contract, including Ryan Ufko, D, Nashville Predators, Scott Morrow, D, Carolina Hurricanes, Jack Peart, F, Seattle Kraken, and Lukas Dragicevic, D, Seattle Kraken.
It also means undrafted fourth-year college players become unrestricted free agents and have an opportunity to sign with NHL teams. We’ve seen a couple of notable signings already, including Justin Hryckowian, C, Dallas Stars, Jacob Quillan, C, Toronto Maple Leafs, Drew Bavaro, D, Boston Bruins, with more to come over the next couple of weeks.
While it’s easy to get excited over NCAA free agent signings, few undrafted college players become viable fantasy options.
That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading.
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