Montreal Overcomes Miller Magic

It’s not too often that a player scores four points in a game.  It’s even less often that it happens in a losing effort.  On Monday, J.T. Miller scored two goals and two assists with three shots, only for the Canucks to lose to the red hot Canadiens 5-4 in overtime.  The ongoing speculation around Miller and Pettersson is rampant, and you have to think it’s taking a toll on both of them.  Reports are that the Rangers were interested in getting him back, but it never reached the point where Zibanejad was asked to waive his no trade because the Canucks didn’t want to make a move around those two.  At the end of the day, it hasn’t been Miller’s best season, but he’s sitting at a point per game.  That shows how high his floor is, despite his shot rate really dropping.  Perhaps we see a surge from him now that Quinn Hughes (2A, SOG) is back as well.  I was asked about Miller in the comments recently, and I didn’t think perception was that Miller’s value is down quite a bit.  I’d certainly lean towards the buy low side than trading to move Miller if I owned him.  Let’s take a look at what else happened over the last two nights:

Jonathan Lekkermaki – Goal and an assist with three shots.  Lekkermaki has a lot of long term upside for dynasties, but in redrafts, I don’t see much value unless his role changes.  The minutes are too low.

Nick Suzuki – Goal and two assists with four shots.  Suzuki is really shaping up to be an Aho type where he just quietly puts up a point per game and is good at both ends.

Lane Hutson – Goal and two assists with three shots.  And just like that, Hutson has the most points for any rookie in the league.  His defense is offensively bad, but the offensive talent is through the roof.

Cole Caufield – Goal and an assist with three shots and two PIM.  Caufield should blow his previous career highs out of the water, although his shot rate is down quite a bit to a very good level instead of elite.

Devon Toews – Two goals and an assist with four shots.  Toews is really starting to turn it around.

MacKenzie Blackwood – 26 saves on 27 shots in the 3-1 win over the Panthers.  Blackwood has been fantastic since moving to the Avalanche.  He could easily be a top five goalie the rest of the way, but I’d bet on the 6-10 range.

Dawson Mercer – Goal and an assist with three shots.  Mercer looked destined for fantasy stardom after his sophomore season, but the jump just hasn’t happened.  He’s a middling streamer at best in his current role.

Tom Wilson – Two goals on four shots.  Wilson having 18 goals already is stunning.  He’s been a monster across the board with no signs of slowing down.

John Carlson – Two assists with a shot.  Carlson was arguably the best player on the ice in this game.  Carlson has gone to a different stage in his career, but he’s still a borderline #1 in 12’ers.

Aliaksei Protas – Goal and an assist with four shots and two PIM.  I might have the hardest time remembering how to spell Aliaksei compared to any first or last name in the league.  He’s on the fringe with a lean towards holding despite a porous shot rate.

Alex Tuch – Two goals on three shots.  Tuch has been a bit worse than last season, but there’s enough across the board to be a bottom end hold.

J.J. Peterka – Two assists with four shots.  This was the best Peterka has looked in a while.  He’s an elite streamer arguably on the fringe, but there’s not quite enough for a clear hold anymore.

Jordan Staal – Goal and an assist with three shots.  Staal still provides his defensive role in real life, but there’s little to no fantasy value here.

Darren Raddysh – Two assists with a shot.  There’s some deeper league value here, but not enough for 12’ers.

Dimtry Voronkov – Two goals on three shots with two PIM, both assisted by Kirill Marchenko.  The top line has been unstoppable for Columbus, with Voronkov a clear hold now and Marchenko a top 20 forward.

Rickard Rakell – Two goals on four shots.  Rakell is on the fringe depending on team needs.

Sidney Crosby – Two assists with a shot.  It’s shocking to see Crosby at -13, but he’s still over a point per game pushing towards three shots per game.  That rating says more about his linemates more than anything.

Erik Karlsson – Two assists with four shots and two PIM.  Karlsson has 11 points in his last ten games as he’s quietly been a top 20 defenseman.

Thomas Harley – Goal and two assists with six shots and two PIM.  Harley has taken a fairly big step back from last season when I assumed he would take a jump.  He’s a hold regardless, but it’s slightly disappointing.

Evgenii Dadonov – Goal and an assist with two shots.  Bottom end streamer now that his role has increased.

Jason Robertson – Goal and an assist with five shots.  We’re starting to see the Robertson we became accustomed to come back with four multi-point games in his last five.  The injuries have helped the Dallas studs get more minutes.

Vincent Trocheck – Two goals and an assist.  Artemi Panarin dished three assists, while Alexis Lafreniere scored twice on six shots.  All three of these guys have been disappointing on differing levels.  I’m still holding the first two, although it’s debatable with Trocheck.  Lafreniere is a solid streamer.

Dylan Larkin – Goal and an assist with four shots.  The Red Wings have gotten the new coach boost, with Larkin playing his best hockey in a while.  He’s currently on a six game point streak.

Stuart Skinner – 26 save shutout in the 4-0 win over the Bruins.  Skinner had to leave the game after a collision, but he came back to start the second period, missing only 5 minutes of game time.  Skinner has been a #2 solely for wins, but the upside of him catching fire is undeniable.

Adam Henrique – Two goals.  Henrique’s days of fantasy value are over.

Brett Kulak – Two assists with a shot.  I’d like to see what Kulak would do in a bigger role on a bad team, but there’s nothing fantasy wise while he’s in Edmonton.

Auston Matthews – Goal and an assist.  John Tavares also had a goal and an assist, while Mitch Marner dished two assists.  Somehow, Tavares has managed to bounce back to his previous levels after he started to decline last season.  I’m not sure he lasts as a top 50 player, but he’s been that in the first half.

Travis Konecny – Two goals on six shots.  Konecny has turned into a true fantasy superstar.

Justin Faulk – Two assists with three shots.  Even with six points in the last four games, I have no interest in Faulk.

Dylan Holloway – Two assists with a shot.  Holloway has twelve points in his last seven games, putting him in elite streamer range while he’s this hot.  He’s starting to approach the fringe as well.

Marcus Johansson – Goal and an assist with two shots.  A bottom to middling streamer through and through.

Mats Zuccarello – Two assists with three shots.  More of the same for Zucc.

Ryan Hartman – Two assists.  Hartman’s offense has completely dried up to the point where he has little fantasy value.

Jacob Middleton – Goal and an assist with three shots.  A solid defensive defenseman, Middleton actually has big value in deep leagues.  He’s crushing in blocks, very good in hits and PIM, and putting up decent enough points.

Roman Josi – Goal and an assist with five shots.  Josi’s plus-minus is atrocious, and everything else is pacing behind his usual levels.  There’s nothing you can really do but hold him and hope for a turnaround.

Mark Scheifele – Two assists with three shots.  Scheifele always has a high shooting percentage, but 25% is still ridiculous.  Even with that, he’s been fantastic and should remain a top 50 player at the very least.

Adam Lowry – Two assists with a shot.  Lowry is a bottom end streamer in 12’ers, although there’s some good deep league value.

MacKenzie Weegar – Goal and an assist with five shots.  There’s enough to be a bottom end hold even in non-banger leagues, but it is getting a bit fringy.

Joel Hanley – Two assists with a shot.  Hanley had managed to stick around for a long time as a depth defenseman.  Credit to players like him who are still playing at 33 going between the NHL and AHL.  These were his first two points of the season, so nothing at all for fantasy.

Mark Stone – Goal and an assist with six shots.  Stone’s shot rate is poor, but he’s absolutely crushing everything else.  He’s playing at well over a one hundred point pace per 82 games.

Shea Theodore – Two assists with two shots.  I’d like to see Theodore unleashed by Vegas instead of in his middling role, but even with that, he’s been a top 12 defenseman.

William Eklund – Goal and an assist with five shots.  Eklund is an elite streamer now, with the expectation that he plays his way into being a hold next season and for the foreseeable future beyond that.

Three Point Challenge:  We will do Thursday’s games per usual.  You can’t select MacKinnon, Draisaitl, Rantanen, Marner, Kucherov, McDavid, Eichel, Connor, Kaprizov, or Makar.  I’ll go with Robert Thomas against the Ducks.