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: Sebastian Aho, C, Carolina Hurricanes
He makes his first appearance in the Three Stars to wrap up 2023. We haven’t talked a lot about Aho this year. Unless he’s on your fantasy hockey team, you likely don’t fully appreciate him. He’s one of the more unassuming superstars in the league. That all changed with a monster week. Aho scored two goals and added nine assists for 11 points in three games. After back-to-back four-point games, Aho put up three more versus the Leafs to close out the year.
Twice Aho has broken the 80-point mark. He has never had more than 83 points in a season. After 35 games, he has 43 points and is on pace for a career-high 100.
Second Star: Artemi Panarin, RW, New York Rangers
Panarin’s scoring bing continues. He ended the week in style, with a hat trick against the San Jose Sharks, giving him five goals and six points.
I’ve said it before, Panarin has never scored like this. He’s never shot the puck like this either. In only one other season has he come close to shooting like this, in 2019-20, he had 32 goals and 95 points on 209 shots in 69 games.
Barring an injury or a massive slump, Panarin looks to break 100 points for the first time in his career.
Third Star: Luke Hughes, D, New Jersey Devils
All three Hughes brothers have now made the NHL three stars of the week.
Hughes scored three goals and two assists for five points in three games.
The injury to Dougie Hamilton has forced the Devils into using Hughes more than anticipated. So far, he has been up to the task. He is now up to seven goals, 14 assists, and 21 points in 35 games.
A Calder Trophy challenger may be emerging. The play call of, “Hughes to Hughes” is something fans will need to get used to. He is going to share the score sheet with his big brother, Jack Hughes a lot over his career.
Ilya Samsonov, G, Toronto Maple Leafs
He cleared waivers yesterday and was sent to the Toronto Marlies. The Leafs will throw every resource they have at Samsonov to help him regain his confidence and rejoin the Leafs. Clearing waivers allow Samsonov to take as much time as needed to find his game.
Don’t expect this to be a two or three-game stint and for him to be recalled. He’ll need more time to re-establish himself. As bad as the Leafs need him to do so, they need a confident Samsonov when he does return.
Until then, Martin Jones is the number one goalie and Dennis Hildeby, a 22-year-old rookie will be the backup.
This isn’t even a good short-term solution for the Leafs. The Leafs will need to buckle down on defense to weather this storm, something that has not been a strong suit this year.
Joey Daccord, G, Seattle Kraken
He has been the best goalie in the league over his last four starts, going back two weeks. He is 4-0-0 with a .971 save percentage 0.99 goals against average and a shutout in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day.
When Philip Grubauer returns from injury, he will likely return as Daccord’s backup. Talk about seizing the day, Daccord has taken his opportunity and run with it.
He was a free agent in most leagues before the Grubauer injury. Finds like these are what dreams are made of.
Warren Foegele, RW, Edmonton Oilers
Has seen steady deployment on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Ryan McLeod since December 19th. The game on New Year’s Eve has solidified a longer look of Foegele with Draisaitl, a five-point night tends to do that.
In the time this trio has spent together they have enjoyed a 63.2% Corsi For.
Now with 18 points in 35 games, Foegele is 11 points away from a career high. Currently, he is on pace for 44 points, if he can remain with Draisaitle, expect his scoring pace to improve.
Right now, he is a fringe fantasy hockey claim. Watching a few more games could result in someone else scooping him first.
Kirill Kaprizov, LW, Minnesota Wild
Just as Kaprizov was heating up, he suffered an upper-body injury. Hopefully, this isn’t the type of injury that lingers upon return. Luckily, he is only expected to miss one to two weeks.
Filip Gustavsson, G, Minnesota Wild
He suffered a lower-body injury in the same game. The timeline for Kaprizov is expected to be longer. He is awaiting an MRI and is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks. Like Kaprizov, he had been playing his best hockey of the season, let’s hope it is nothing serious.
I also own him in four pools, selfishly, I need this to not be serious.
Andrei Svechnikov, LW/RW, Carolina Hurricanes
Playing on a line with Aho, it should be no surprise that Svechnikov is on his own little heater. In his last four games, he has six goals and three assists for nine points. After an injury and a slow start, Svechnikov is now up to a point a game (23 in 23).
Ryan O’Reilly, C, Nashville Predators
Last year folks were writing O’Reilly off. He had lost a step and was on the downside of his career.
Well, playing in Nashville appears good for the soul. With 32 points in 38 games, O’Reilly appears re-energized and back to his tenacious, passionate self.
His 15 goals to date, prorates to 32 goals over 82 games. This would be the first 30-goal season of his career. This sums up pretty well the year O’Reilly is having.
Well, folks, that’ll do it for this week. Thanks for reading.
Follow me on X (Twitter): @doylelb4