This Nashville Predators team plays nothing like the style we’ve come to expect from them over the years. They’re hemorrhaging chances left and right, especially against top competition. So needless to say, it was always going to be difficult for them to get a result in Carolina. Luckily for them, they have Juuse Saros. Saros had the second most saves in a non-OT game in NHL history on Thursday saving 64(!) shots in the 5-3 win over the Hurricanes. I bet over 30.5 saves for Saros, can I get paid double for him going over twice? Ha! It’s going to be hard for Saros to improve in GAA considering the team in front of him, but he’s been playing much better lately to the point where the save percentage should be an elite asset once again. Saros is still a #1 fantasy goalie, both for this season and in dynasties. Amazingly, despite making his debut seven seasons ago, he’s still only 27 years old. Let’s take a look at what else happened the last two nights:
Note: All Devils stats are over two games.
Vitek Vanecek – 32 saves on 33 shots in the 5-1 win over the Red Wings. Vanecek’s save percentage is average, but that’s enough for an elite GAA. Bottom end #1 goalie now.
Dougie Hamilton – Goal and two assists with six shots and four PIM. Hamilton is having his best season offensively, even better than the season that he was robbed of the Norris, or at the least, being a finalist.
Nico Hischier – Two goals and an assist with six shots. The player we expected when Hischier was taken first overall has arrived in full force.
Jack Hughes – Three goals and an assist with fifteen shots. The shot rate is through the roof right now with 6+ shots in five straight games. Yes, he’s terrible in hits and PIM, but the offense is getting up there with the league’s elite. And he’s still only 21.
Filip Gustavsson – 34 saves on 35 shots in the 5-1 win over the Lightning. Gustavsson has to be a hold now. He’s alternating starts with MAF and has a 2.25/.924. No doubter.
Calen Addison – Goal and two assists with two shots. I’m still bullish on Addison long term, but for now, he’s only a deep league option unless your league doesn’t have SOG.
Kirill Kaprizov – Two goals on six shots. I feel like Kaprizov’s season has gone completely under the radar. He’s on pace for 49+55 with almost four shots per game. That’s why he’s first round caliber now.
Matt Boldy – Two assists with four shots. Boldy is right on the fringe. Long term, I’m all in as the Wild should hopefully find him a better center (hopefully Rossi).
John Gibson – 35 save shutout in the 2-0 win over the Stars. It’s hard to tell if Gibson is any good anymore playing for the second worst team in the league. He’s a desperation play.
Mason McTavish – Goal and an assist with four shots. Considering the workload, this season has been decent for McTavish. Long term, there’s massive upside. For now, he’s a middling streamer.
Juuso Parssinen – Two assists with two shots. Even being on the top PP, Parssinen is a bottom end streamer.
Brett Pesce – Two assists with seven shots. Pesce doesn’t do anything well for fantasy at this point. Outside of super deep leagues, he’s an easy pass.
Jaroslav Halak – 17 saves on 18 shots in the 4-1 win over the Canadiens. I’d only stream Halak in the best of matchups. He’s struggled in New York.
Filip Chytil – Two goals on three shots. Chytil is stuck as a middling streamer. The minutes simply aren’t there for more, especially on the power play.
Pavel Buchnevich – Three assists. The shot rate has gotten to the point where it’s a negative, but Buch is still over a point per game despite the team struggling. Hopefully he can progress back towards last year’s level.
Robert Thomas – Two goals and an assist with three shots. The shot rate is also going to be a massive negative for Thomas forever, barring a shocking turn of events. That said, I love the new line of Buch, Thomas and Kyrou. Given all of the injuries the Blues have, these guys should get huge minutes and be a force.
Brandon Saad – Goal and an assist with four shots. Still only a bottom end streamer for me.
Ivan Barbashev – Goal and an assist with two shots and two PIM. Barashev is also in the bottom end streamer range.
Barrett Hayton -Two assists with two shots. Could Hayton finally be coming into his own? He has six points in the last four games and eight points in his last ten? Hayton is still only bottom end streamer worthy, but perhaps there’s more long term hope than he’s shown so far.
Morgan Frost – Four assists with four shots. While Frost has played much better lately, the four game streak for Philly is against the four California teams and Arizona. Not exactly murderer’s row. I’m still bumping him to middling streamer, but that’s it.
Kevin Hayes – Goal and two assists, as did Travis Konecny. Hayes is firmly on the fringe depending on what you’re looking for. Konecny has shockingly played his way into being an elite player.
Martin Jones – 26 saves on 27 shots in the 5-1 win over the Maple Leafs. Jones is a bottom end hold with how good the wins have been.
Vince Dunn – Goal and two assists with three shots. The shots are a negative, but Dunn is good enough everywhere else to be a hold without hesitation.
Jared McCann – Goal and an assist. McCann is an elite streamer, but I can’t get him on the fringe yet. He can’t shoot 26%+ forever.
Dylan Strome – Three assists with three shots. Strome is a solid streamer through and through. The assists are strong, but everywhere else is a slight negative.
T.J. Oshie – Two goals on four shots. Oshie is down to a middling streamer at this point in his career.
Evgeny Kuznetsov – Two assists with two PIM. Massive hot streak for Kuznetsov is enough to bump him up to a hold for the time being.
Emil Bemstrom – Two assists. Bemstrom is currently on the first line with Gaudreau which makes him a middling streamer.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Two assists with four PIM. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist with eight shots, while Connor McDavid had two assists with three shots. Nothing like being on a 98 point pace and being lapped by your teammates. That’s where RNH is at. Still been an incredible season to this point.
Andrei Kuzmenko – Two goals on four shots with two PIM. Kuzmenko is on the fringe. As we get closer to the trade deadline, he may bump up on the chance that he’s traded, or if his minutes go up in Vancouver.
Ilya Mikheyev – Two assists with three shots. I was expecting more from Mikheyev in Vancouver. He’s been fine, but that’s only middling streamer worthy.
Elias Pettersson – Two assists with seven shots. Pettersson has elevated to superstar level at age 24. My bold prediction of 50+ goals is a long shot, but a 105 point pace is nothing to sneeze at.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Two assists with two shots. Nothing outside of the deepest of leagues.
Sidney Crosby – Goal and an assist with four shots. It’s crazy to see Crosby with a minus rating. Regardless, he’s not in the top tier of fantasy players anymore, but he’s not far behind it.
Jake Guentzel – Two assists with three shots and two PIM. Guentzel is goalless in eight games and the shot rate is in the drain with only twelve shots in the last eight games. He needs to turn it around quickly or it’ll be a real concern.
Jack Eichel – Goal and two assists with four shots and two PIM. Talk about returning in style. Here’s to hoping he can stay healthy from here on out.
Mark Stone – Goal and an assist. Stone has been fantastic throughout all of Vegas’ injury woes. He’s not far off from being a point per game again.
Paul Cotter – Goal and an assist with three shots. Phil Kessel also had a goal and an assist with three shots and two PIM, while William Karlsson dished two assists. This is the new third line for Vegas, and it’s hard to have any interest in them. Karlsson is still a middling streamer, Cotter bottom end, and Phil even below that.
David Pastrnak – Two goals on five shots. Pasta is back on the first line with DeBrusk injured. I can’t imagine his numbers get any better, but it shouldn’t hurt.
Brad Marchand – Goal and an assist with two shots. Unlike Pasta, Marchand gets a boost with the line change.
Charlie McAvoy – Two assists. McAvoy remains solid across the board, making him a #2.
Trent Frederic – Two goals on four shots with five PIM. Bottom end streamer at best.
Three Point Challenge: We will do it for Saturday’s Games. You have to make your picks in MarmosDad’s DFS post. The Top Ten in points going into Saturday will be ineligible per usual.
That’s all for now guys. I’ll be back on Monday recapping the action from the weekend. As always, feel free to ask any questions, leave any comments, or give any suggestions below. Thanks for reading, take care!
