Another week of fantasy hockey means another week of fantasy hockey to review.
With the trade deadline only six days away, speculation is rampant across the NHL. Not only that, but fantasy hockey trade deadlines are upon us. Some have already passed us by. Few dates on the fantasy hockey calendar bring as much excitement as the NHL trade deadline day.
This week we’ll tour the league and cover Anthony Mantha, Nathan MacKinnon, Roman Josi, Jack Eichel, Sean Monahan, and more.
Let’s dig in…
Fantasy Hockey Week In Review
NHL Three Stars of the Week
It’s a clean sweep in the three stars for defencemen this week. Defencemen have been underrepresented in the three stars this year. Not that these players aren’t deserving, but it seems like the NHL has noticed this too.
First Star: Roman Josi, D, Nashville Predators
Josi had an impressive week. He had seven points in three games (three goals, four assists), including back-to-back three-point games. His performance helped the Predators extend their winning streak to eight games. Josi was also an impressive plus-seven last week. Plus-minus might be meaningless to most, but Josi likely led teams to victory in that category single-handedly.
Second Star: Brandon Montour, D, Florida Panthers
Montour’s impressive run continues. In three games he had two goals, and four assists, for six points. He now has 13 points in his last nine games. After a slow start, 11 points in his first 33 games, Montour is firing on all cylinders. He might have been in the Panthers lineup in November and December but it is clear he wasn’t operating at 100%. It would seem as though he is 100% now. Just in time for the playoffs.
Third Star, Josh Morrissey, D, Winnipeg Jets
Morrissey had one goal and six assists over four games for the Jets last week. He now has sixteen points in his last nine games. If you want to talk about impressive runs, in those nine games, Morrissey has had six multi-point games. With a goal and an assist against Buffalo on Sunday, he surpassed the 50-point mark for the second consecutive year. He is well on his way to proving last year’s 76-point breakout season wasn’t a complete fluke. Barring injury, he should pass 60 points and could flirt with a second straight 70-point season.
More Fantasy Hockey Happenings
Anthony Mantha, RW, Washington Capitals Vegas Golden Knights
Last night the Capitals traded Mantha to the Golden Knights for a 2024 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick. Washington also retained 50% of his salary (2.85 million).
I have mixed feelings about this deal. Mantha was quietly having a solid season. He’s finally healthy. In just over 14 minutes of ice time per game, Mantha has scored 20 goals for the third time in his career, and his first 20-goal season since 2018-19.
This could be a huge boost for Mantha, moving to a deep team amid a playoff run. Or, he could find himself buried in the depth charts of this deep team and send his solid season into the shadows.
He’s an unrestricted free agent this summer, depending on where he signs he could make for a really solid late-round sleeper option.
Timo Meier, LW/RW, New Jersey Devils
Meier is showing signs of life of late. He is currently on a mini four-game point streak and a three-game goal streak. With eight points, 26 shots, and 13 hits in his last nine games, Meier is moving toward the player New Jersey thought they were getting at last year’s deadline.
It might be too little too late for the Devils, but it is just in time for our fantasy hockey playoffs.
Kyle Palmieri, RW, New York Islanders
His strong season continues. On Saturday, Palmieri notched his first multi-goal game of the season in style, with a hattrick. With 19 goals and 39 points, Palmieri is on pace for a solid, if unspectacular 25 goals and 53 points. He’s also firing the puck at a rate of 3.43 per game, over his last 23 games. That’s a 281-shot pace over a full season.
If you need a depth option, Palmieri is only rostered in 29% of Fantrax pools.
Sean Monahan, C, Winnipeg Jets
After a cold start in Winnipeg (pardon the pun), Monahan now has eight goals in 13 games. With four power-play points and a 56% faceoff percentage, Monahan hasn’t missed a beat.
Jack Eichel, C, Vegas Golden Knights
He played his first game in almost two months Monday night. Even though he went pointless, he did collect five shots in 19:55 of ice time.
Expect him to settle back into his point-per-game pace for the last 20 games of the season.
Nazem Kadri, C, Calgary Flames
Kadri hasn’t just settled in well with Calgary, he is excelling. On Saturday night he made his ‘goal of the year’ submission, undressing four Penguins. Over his last twelve games, he has six goals and nine assists on 37 shots.
He is now up to 54 points in 61 games and is closing in on a point per game season. It’s hard to believe this would only be the third time he has eclipsed 60 points in his career.
Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche
MacKinnon has seven goals, and 13 assists, over his current 10-game point streak. He’s solidifying his place as a Hart Trophy finalist and strengthening his case to win it each game.
What might be more incredible is the fact he has 65 points in 30 home games this year. With 11 of the Avalanches’ final 19 games at home, MacKinnon becomes an elite playoff option for fantasy hockey teams.
Jason Zucker, LW/RW, Arizona Coyotes
The Coyotes sat Zucker last night with the expectation they would trade him in the next couple of days. Last year, Zucker had 197 shots and 197 hits, on top of his 27 goals. With 9 goals through 51 games in Arizona, Zucker hasn’t fully met expectations.
However, anyone signing a one-year contract with Arizona in recent years should expect to be dealt at the trade deadline.
Watch his landing spot carefully. There are a few contenders that desperately need a Zucker-type player in their top six.
Jake Guentzel, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins
A trade seems imminent. It could happen today. Several teams are still in the mix. There is no question, that Guentzel is the price acquisition of the 2024 trade deadline.
Wherever he lands, expect him to snag a spot on the top power-play unit and likely a spot on the top line.
This is what I love about the trade deadline. Rumors such as the Canucks trading Elias Lindholm to the Bruins so they can acquire Jake Guentzel. Yes, they acquired Elias Lindholm a few weeks ago. To entertain this, it is clear Lindholm hasn’t settled in with the Canucks as seamlessly as hoped.
That’s all for this week. I’ll see you next week after all the trade dust has settled. Enjoy the mayhem.
Thanks for reading,
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