NHL Barometer: Risers and Fallers

This week's article includes a hot Mac, Kuch rolling as is the Tank, a pair of young blueliners hitting their stride, the No. 2 netminder in Vegas excelling and the Great 8 not so great this year. 

First Liners (Risers)

Nathan MacKinnon, C, COL – Normally, I like highlighting players who are not superstars, but sometimes players of that ilk require bold treatment. This week, MacKinnon is certainly more than deserving. His game-winning goal and assist Monday extended his point streak to 12 games (six goals, 13 assists) and stretched his lamp-lighting streak to four contests. MacKinnon is up to 12 goals and 39 points — a year after he posted a career-high 111 points — and his recent surge has gotten him into the top five in points across the league. 

Nicolas Roy, C, LV – Don't let Roy's depth chart placement fool you. He isn't a true fourth-line pivot. Skating more than 15 minutes a game, aided by his second-unit power-play deployment, Roy has added value in deeper leagues. With points in consecutive games, Roy is up to four markers and seven helpers in 20 games, giving him a very outside shot of exceeding the career-high 39 points he tallied in 2021-22. Even if he falls short of that mark, Roy still deserves a roster spot in most leagues. 

Nikita Kucherov, RW, TB – Like MacKinnon, Kucherov deserves some bold love based on his recent play. His pair of goals Saturday put Kucherov at the front of the Rocket Richard race with 19, and he's also leading the NHL in assists (28) and points (47). Kucherov posted 113 points last season, his first campaign breaking the century mark since 2018-19. His current start is making last year's numbers look small by comparison and has left him just five goals shy of the 300 mark and 24 points from 800 in his fine — and likely Hall of Fame — career. 

Vladimir Tarasenko, LW, OTT – Tarasenko is up to six goals and 13 assists in 22 games after notching three markers and as many helpers the last four games. That hot streak comes on the heels of a four-game scoreless drought. In his first year in Ottawa, Tarasenko is on a 70-point pace after tallying 50 points between the Blues and Rangers last season. Unless the Senators find their way into playoff contention, Tarasenko could be on the move again at the trade deadline. Until then, he is slotted in as second line second left winger North of the Border. 

Brock Faber, D, MIN – Faber, a standout at the University of Minnesota, was a second-round pick of the Kings, 45th overall in 2020. Los Angeles dealt Faber to the Wild before the 2023 trade deadline and he saw two regular season games prior the end of last year in addition to six playoff contests. That experience has helped Faber settle in and excel right from the get-go, as he is up a goal and 11 assists in 26 games while filling a top-four role. The next step for Faber will be for him to see copious power-play time, which could happen before the end of the season. 

Cam York, D, PHI – York is starting to heat up after a slow start. He has logged a pair of multi-point efforts over his last 10 games, picking up three goals, four assists and a minus-3 rating in that span. York is seeing more than 22 minutes of ice time a game, nearly two minutes of which is coming on the man-advantage. He is back on the top-unit power play as one of the two points after ceding that role earlier in the season. If York remains in that spot, his point production should remain strong.

Logan Thompson, G, LV – Thompson has more than picked up the slack with Adin Hill sidelined with a lower body injury. He has won two straight games and is 3-0-1 with just six goals allowed in his last four starts. Thompson might have been the netminder who had a chance to lead Vegas to the Stanley Cup before he was injured, opening the door for Hill. He likely is the goalie for the future for the Golden Knights, as Hill is only signed for this season and next. For now, though, he is the 1B or 2A who steps in when needed, as he is doing so lately.

Akira Schmid, G, NJ – The Devils will probably pursue a goalie during the season, especially before the trade deadline, unless one of Schmid or Vitek Vanecek steps up. Vanecek has struggled most of the year, but Schmid has somewhat found his game recently. Prior to allowing four goals Sunday, Schmid was 3-2-0 with a 2.53 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in his last five starts, numbers that were adversely skewed by one poor start. With Vanecek having issues finding his game, look for New Jersey to turn to Schmid even more in the short-term. 

Others include Auston Matthews, Nick Bjugstad, Nico Hischier, Mikael Granlund, Vincent Trocheck, John Tavares (notched point 1,000 at UBS Arena on Monday), Ivan Barbashev, Ilya Mikheyev, David Pastrnak, Travis Konecny, Quinton Byfield, Ryan McDonagh, Rasmus Andersson, Evan Bouchard, Filip Hronek, Thomas Harley, Carter Hart, Devon Levi, Filip Gustavsson and Stuart Skinner. 

Buy Low

Sam Lafferty, RW, VAN – One man's meat is another man's poison. With Andrei Kuzmenko scuffling mightily, Lafferty has replaced him on the top line. Lafferty has five points over the last four games since moving up to that trio, benefitting from the uptick in linemates. For the year, he is up to eight goals and seven helpers in 28 games, after setting a career-high with 27 points in 70 games between Chicago and Toronto last year. Lafferty may turn back into a pumpkin, but for now, enjoy the ride, especially in shallower leagues, as Lafferty's recent play may not have garnered the attention of your league mates. 

Training Room (Injuries)

Thomas Chabot, D, OTT – Chabot has had an injury-plagued season. He missed last 10 games with a fractured hand suffered versus the Islanders on Oct. 26 before returning to action for a pair of contests. Chabot suffered a leg injury in that second game back, Dec. 2 against Seattle, and will be sidelined for at least four weeks. Ottawa has decent defensive depth, so they should be able to manage again in Chabot's absence, but that does thin out the blueline for the Senators and add some pressure to those in the lineup.

Others include Trevor Zegras (lower body, out since Nov. 7, returned to practice Saturday), Dylan Larkin (upper body, left Saturday's game, placed on IR, out at least a week), Boone Jenner (fractured jaw, injured Friday, out six weeks), Bryan Rust (upper body, week-to-week), Kyle Connor (knee, injured Sunday on a cheap hit by Ryan Strome, sent for imaging), Andrei Svechnikov (upper body, missed second straight game Saturday, underwent MRI on Monday), Victor Hedman (undisclosed, didn't play after the second period of Saturday's game versus the Kraken), Jacob Markstrom (fractured finger, injured practice last Monday, week-to-week) and Joseph Woll (high-ankle sprain, injured Dec. 7, week-to-week). 

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers) 

Anton Lundell, C, FLA – Lundell's value is exponentially higher in keeper leagues. In redraft leagues, he's viewed as the third-line center in Florida with a modicum of upside. His production reflects his line placement, as he's had stretches of solid output offset by cold streaks. Roll with Lundell when he is on one of those hot streaks but be prepared to place him on your bench when he's cold as ice. In shallower leagues, feel free to replace Lundell on your roster.

Hampus Lindholm, D, BOS – Lindholm got this placement a little over a month ago. Since then, he has been mildly better but has posted just a pair of assists and no goals his last eight games. Lindholm has a magical first full campaign last year in Boston, notching 10 goals and 43 assists in 80 contests. This season has been a 180-degree turn, as Lindholm has notched just a goal and six apples in 26 games. Lindholm will likely eventually produce, though his recent play has done little to inspire confidence.

Igor Shesterkin, G, NYR – Shesterkin has struggled mightily since returning from missing four games in November. Before Saturday's game, Igor was 4-3-0 with a 3.17 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. In five of those seven games he had allowed at least three goals. Saturday against the Capitals, four goals allowed on 29 shots and a loss didn't improve those numbers. Shesterkin may need another mental reset, which would result in Jonathan Quick seeing more playing time. 

Others include Ryan Hartman, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Mikko Rantanen, Seth Jarvis, Kevin Korchinski, Gustav Forsling, Adam Fox and Joel Hofer. 

Sell High

Alex Ovechkin, LW, WAS – Ovechkin finished the Capitals' game against Chicago on Sunday on a 10-game goal drought. That "slump" is ties his career-high of 10 games without a goal from 2/22/17 to 3/12/17. We all figure that sooner or later the Great Eight will reel off a handful of games in a row where he blitzes goalies and gives them sunstroke from the red light going off behind them. For now, though, he is sitting at just five markers in 25 games as he chases Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record. He is listed as a sell-high due to his name recognition and expected production, though his struggles could make him a Buy Low candidate if you find a frustrated owner.