Timo Times Five

Prior to Monday, there has only been four times in the last 25 years that a player scored five goals in a game.  Add Timo Meier to the list.  Meier single-handedly won the game for San Jose, scoring five times on six shots in the 6-2 win over the Kings.  We haven’t seen a player ascent from solid top six player to bonafide superstar in quite some time.  Meier now has 20+25 in 35 games to go with over four shots per game.  He looked to be on this path three seasons ago when he had 30+36 as a 22-year-old, but he was a major letdown the last two seasons.  So what should we be looking for from Meier going forward?  Well, his shooting percentage isn’t that outlandish to expect major regression.  It appears to be the real deal, which would make Meier a top 20 player going forward.   At 25 years old, Meier’s prime should only be beginning.  Let’s take a look at what else happened over the last two nights:

Monday’s Games

Dylan Larkin – Two goals on three shots.  Larkin has managed to maintain a 40+40 pace as we approach the halfway point of the season.  He has some shooting regression coming, but I’m a believer in him being a 70+ point guy.

Jeff Skinner – Goal and an assist with six shots.  Skinner is back to a 30 goal pace after the debacle that was the last two seasons.  Boy, did Ralph Krueger suck.  Skinner is an elite streamer who can be held based on team needs.

Kirill Kaprizov – Two goals on five shots, both assisted by Mats Zuccarello.  I had Kaprizov breaking out into a top 20 player in my preseason rankings, but apparently I sold him short.  He’s looking like a borderline top 10 guy.

Nathan MacKinnon – Goal and an assist, as did Mikko Rantanen.  It’s also expected for these guys to get two points in a game now.  They’ve been every bit as good as McDavid and Draisaitl.

Tomas Hertl – Four assists with two PIM.  Erik Karlsson had three assists.  They both had a great strategy on Monday.  Pass the puck to Meier, watch him score, get assist, profit!

Jonathan Drouin – Two assists with three shots.  Montreal is starting to get healthier so maybe they start to improve a bit, but I still want little to do with their players. Drouin is a middling streamer.

Nick Schmaltz – Goal and two assists with five shots.  Schmaltz has been on the bottom six even though their roster is dreadful.  To be blunt, it makes no sense.  For now, he’s a bottom end streamer.

Johan Larsson – Goal and an assist.  Apparently Tourigny loves Larsson as he keeps giving him top six minutes.  Perhaps it’s to boost trade value?  He’s bottom end at best in 12’ers, but there’s some decent value in deep leagues.

Clayton Keller – Goal and an assist with six shots.  Keller is breaking out as an offensive threat even being surrounded by a horrible roster.  He’s on the fringe depending on team needs and league settings.

Janis Moser – Goal and an assist with two shots.  There’s some talent here for the future, but for now, Moser is nothing more than a DFS punt.

Dominik Kubalik – Goal and an assist with four shots and two PIM.  Three game goal streak for Kubalik, but his season as a whole has been a huge disappointment.  The upside is there, but he’s looking like a middling streamer.

Ilya Sorokin – 26 saves on 27 shots in the 4-1 win over the Flyers.  I can’t help but think the Islanders go on a run to get somewhat close to the playoff picture again.  I hope they do if only so there’s any playoff race in the East.  Start Sorokin every time out.

Cal Clutterbuck – Two assists with two shots.  And there’s your biannual Clutterbuck update!

Brock Nelson – Goal and an assist with three shots.  Nelson is shooting an unsustainable percentage and still has only four assists in 22 games.  He’s a decent streamer, but not one I’m particularly looking to use like I have in the past.

Brayden Schenn – Two goals and two assists with three shots and four PIM in his return from COVID.  The makeshift top line of Schenn with Ivan Barbashev and Ryan O’Reilly dominated the game, as Barbashev also had 2+2 while RoR had 1+2.  RoR looks to be getting back on track and should be a hold again going forward.  Schenn is a solid streamer, not quite elite because of the shot rate. Barbashev is in the midst of one of the most surprising seasons we’ve seen with 15+19 in 38 games.  Those are both career highs already!  I still can’t hold him because he’s shooting 23% and the shot rate is dreadful, but he’s certainly an elite streamer.

Jason Zucker – Two goals on seven shots in his return from injury.  Zucker was on Malkin’s wing on the second line and receiving second unit power play time.  His time in Pittsburgh has been up and down so I’m leaving him as a middling streamer for now, but that can definitely change for the better.

Jeff Carter – Two assists with six shots.  Carter is in the elite streamer category due to his shot rate.  Can’t quite get to him being a hold as the third line center.

Kasperi Kapanen – Two assists.  Middling streamer as the third member of the second line.

Alex Pietrangelo – Two assists.  Pietrangelo remains firmly in the #2D category.

Evgenii Dadonov – Goal and an assist with two shots.  Dad has been in Patches’ place on the first line, but the minutes for the line have been toned back a bit.  On the other hand, he has six points in his last six games so I’m more in the elite streamer range for now.

Tuesday’s Games

Michael Houser – 43 saves on 44 shots in the 3-1 win over the Senators.  In effect, Houser is sixth string goalie behind, in no particular order, UPL, Anderson, Dell, Subban, and Tokarski when healthy.  So obviously he stood on his head Tuesday.  He did have a game like this last year too, but use him at your own peril.

Alex Tuch – Goal and an assist with three shots playing over 20 minutes.  He now has seven points in seven games this season.  I have him as a hold for now.

Dylan Cozens – Goal and an assist with four shots.  Cozens bumped up to the first line, but it was only for one game as Tage Thompson couldn’t travel to Canada after testing positive for COVID in the last ten games.  I’m bullish on Cozens becoming a 25 goal, 60 point guy in the future with potential for slightly more, but for now, he’s a bottom end streamer most nights.

Frederik Andersen – 31 saves on 32 shots in the 7-1 win over the Bruins.  I don’t know what was more surprising on Tuesday: Carolina stomping on Boston or Calgary stomping Florida.  I’d actually lean towards Carolina since they scored five in the first and didn’t look back.  Andersen hasn’t slowed down one bit.

Jaccob Slavin -Goal and two assists with two shots.  Now that Slavin is getting steady PP2 time, I’d lean towards holding him in most formats.

Tony DeAngelo – Three assists with a shot.  Tony Dogs keeps piling up the assists while being good to great in the other categories as well.  He’s been great value for those who drafted him.

Derek Stepan – Goal and an assist with four shots.  Good for Stepan for contributing to a quality team, even if on the fourth line.  I can’t believe he’s only 31 years old.  He aged incredibly fast..

Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Two goals on five shots.  Kotkaniemi has been solid for Carolina, but his role is limited.  He’s stuck as a bottom end streamer.

Claude Giroux – Goal and an assist.  Even with Philadelphia losing nine straight and being a complete disaster this season, Giroux continues to score at a strong rate.  Could he possibly get traded at the deadline?  It would be very strange to see him in another jersey, but apparently it’s on the table.

Pierre-Luc Dubois – Goal and an assist with four shots.  Dubois has slowed down quite a bit lately, but he’s still an easy hold.

Kyle Connor – Goal and an assist with three shots playing over 26 minutes.  Good lord, Winnipeg really rolled their top six in this game.  Connor is a lock for a career high in goals and 50 isn’t out of the question.

Mark Scheifele – Two assists with six shots.  Scheifele hasn’t been as good this season as usual, but his shot rate is through the roof over the last month.  I’d be trying to buy low if possible.

Dmitry Orlov – Goal and an assist with three shots and two PIM.  With Carlson out, Orlov is a solid option.  However, that shouldn’t last for long.

Tom Wilson – Goal and an assist with four shots and two PIM.  Whether you’re in a hits or PIM league, Wilson is an easy hold.  He’s pushing a 60 point pace.

Thatcher Demko – 31 saves on 32 shots in the 3-1 win over the Predators.  Demko has been outstanding since Boudreau took over, as expected.  He’s a #1 for the rest of the season.

Tyler Toffoli – Goal and an assist with three shots in his return from injury.  Toffoli came back much earlier than expected.  He had a horrible start to the season like the rest of Montreal, but we know he can be a fantasy star.  I’m streaming for now.

Christian Dvorak – Two goals.  Dvorak has struggled mightily offensively.  He’s a bottom end streamer.

Nick Suzuki – Two assists.  This season has been a waste from Suzuki, but I still like him plenty long term.  He’s in the middling streamer category.

Joe Pavelski – Goal and an assist with nine shots.  Tyler Seguin also had a goal and an assist with nine shots.  Dallas losing to this Montreal team is an embarassment.  I still want little to do with Seguin outside of a bottom end streamer, while Pavelski remains a borderline top 50 player.

Jacob Markstrom – 28 saves on 29 shots in the 5-1 win over the Panthers.  The wheels had come off for Calgary a bit lately so this game was extremely encouraging.  The wins are disappointing for Markstrom, but the GAA and sv% are so good that he’s still a #1.

Johnny Gaudreau – Four assists with six shots.  Do you hear that noise?  That’s the Brinks truck backing into Gaudreau’s driveway.  He’s hitting UFA at the exact right time for him.

Sean Monahan – Two goals on three shots.  Gaudreau’s former partner in crime has been marginalized, but he still gets PP1 time.  Even with that, Monahan is only a bottom end streamer.

Matthew Tkachuk – Goal and two assists with three shots and two PIM.  This gets Tkachuk to a 40+40 pace.  Add in elite PIM/hits and an elite shot rate and we’re looking at a borderline top 20 player.

Victor Hedman – Two goals and an assist with four shots.  Tampa played four defensemen in this game due to injuries yet they still won 6-3.  What a wagon.  Hedman is back on track and then some as he’s over a point per game.

Steven Stamkos – Goal and an assist with two shots.  Stammer is as consistent as they come these days.

Nikita Kucherov – Goal and an assist with four shots.  He’s has multiple points in four straight and in six of the nine games he’s played this season.  Seems good.

Mathieu Joseph – Goal and an assist with three shots.  I like Joseph’s game, but his role is too up and down for fantasy use.  Even when he’s in the top six, he doesn’t get the minutes of his linemates.

We’re going to do Thursday’s games per usual.  I’m going to make a slight change to the rules.  You’re only allowed to pick the same player once every two weeks, so once every four times.  I don’t want people to just pick guys who missed most of the season like Kucherov over and over again.  We’ll start this rule next week, so you can do whatever you want on Thursday.  You can not pick Ovechkin, Draisaitl, McDavid, Kadri, Huberdeau, Rantanen, Stamkos, Meier, Kaprizov, Marchand, or Gaudreau.  I’ll take Jake Guentzel against the Senators.