NHL Barometer: Risers and Fallers for the Week

This week's article includes Kuz settling into his new environs, the Bread Man delivering, Montreal's No. 1 blueliner, New Jersey new top man in net, Vilardi out for a while and Jarry scuffling along with the Pens. 

First Liners (Risers) 

Nazem Kadri, C, CGY – Calgary remains on the fringes of playoff contention thanks to the play of Kadri. He has two goals and six assists over nine games in March, and on the season, he is up to 23 tallies, 59 points (14 on the power play), 224 shots on net and a plus-2 rating over 68 contests. The 59 points exceed his season mark last year, his first as a Flame, and he is on pace for his second-best career mark. Kadri is locked in as the team's No. 1 center, both at even-strength and on the man-advantage.

Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, CAR – Kuznetsov's fantasy and hockey status had declined substantially since he scored 78 points in 2021-22. His play and stature with Capitals had fallen so far, he was placed on waivers and demoted to the AHL. Kuznetsov was traded to Carolina from Washington in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick at the trade deadline, giving him a fresh start. He has been centering a talented line with Martin Necas and fellow newcomer Jake Guentzel at even strength while skating on Carolina's first power-play unit, bolstering his fantasy status. He has four points his last three games as a 'Cane. 

Claude Giroux, LW, OTT – Giroux ended a 19-game goal drought Thursday, tallying his 19th of the season. Despite the goal outage, Giroux had still produced four tallies and 14 points in 19 games since the All-Star break. While the total is down from the 79 points he posted in 82 games last year his first in Ottawa, he still has 56 points in 66 contests this season. In his career, Giroux has posted 1,057 points – 348 goals, 709 helpers – in 1,165 games and has one year remaining on the three-year, $19.5 million contract he signed with the Senators in July of 2022. 

Artemi Panarin, RW, NYR – Panarin, who is likely the best free agent signing ever made by the Rangers, is certainly living up to his contract and then some. He notched a pair of goals and added three assists Saturday with the five points tying Panarin's single-game high. Panarin has blown past the 90-point mark on the season, sitting with 38 goals and 94 points through 68 outings to leapfrog Mikko Rantanen into fifth in the NHL scoring race. He sits just two points shy of tying his career-high set in the 2021-22 season. 

Brandon Saad, RW, STL – Very quietly, Saad has hit the 20-goal mark for the seventh time in his career. Saad has been on a bit of a heater over the last month, and in the last 16 games he's racked up seven goals and 11 points. He is a depth option in most leagues, but his placement on the second power-play unit affords him some additional value. Enjoy the hot streak Saad is on, but be prepared to jump ship as soon as his production tails off.

Seth Jones, D, CHI – Jones has not had his best season and will likely see his output fall for the season straight season, which is partially impacted by the games he missed while injured. While that is true, Jones has been hot the last three weeks posting three goals and six assists in 11 games from February 23. Chicago is back in the lottery and could end up with another high pick. With five years remaining on the eight-year, $76 million contract extension he signed with the Blackhawks in July of 2021. Jones is expected to be a key cornerstone of that eventual turnaround. 

Mike Matheson, D, MON – Matheson has morphed into a true first-pairing blueliner in Montreal. He signed an eight-year, $39 million contract extension with the Panthers in October of 2017 but failed to live up to that contract. He was traded to the Penguins in September of 2020 and showed some signs of growth in Pittsburgh. Matheson was traded to the Canadiens in July of 2022, which has proven to be a boon for his career. He should hit the 50-point mark for the first time in his career this season, as he sits with 47 points in 67 games, 24 of which have come on the man-advantage, albeit with a minus-30 rating. 

Laurent Brossoit, G, WPG – This one is for those in deeper leagues and in daily fantasy leagues. Brossoit has five straight wins, including back-to-back shutouts March 8 and March 15. That seven-day spread between action should provide all you need to know on his usage behind Connor Hellebuyck's campaign. The 30-year-old Brossoit has earned a 12-4-2 record with a sparkling 1.99 GAA and .927 save percentage through 18 games played, which is why he should be in your lineup when between the pipes.

Others include Tage Thompson, Clayton Keller, Connor Bedard, Phillip Danault, Thomas Novak, Charlie Coyle, Yegor Sharangovich, Kirill Kaprizov Drake Batherson, Alexander Nylander, Zach Benson, Lucas Raymond, Josh Morrissey, Roman Josi, Adam Fox, Cale Makar, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Frederik Andersen, Cam Talbot and Igor Shesterkin.   

Buy Low

Jake Allen, G, NJ – Allen, acquired by the Devils at the trade deadline for a third-round pick that could become a second based on playing time, made his New Jersey debut this past week. He recorded a .892 save percentage, 3.65 goals-against average and a 6-12-3 record with Montreal before getting dealt. Allen notched a win in his Devils' debut and will be the team's No. 1 goalie the rest of the way. This also could be the case next season, as Allen is signed through the 2024-25 campaign.

Training Room (Injuries)

Gabriel Vilardi, LW, WPG – Vilardi is dealing with an enlarged spleen. He missed his eighth straight game Friday and will be sidelined for the Jets' five-game road trip that began in Columbus on Saturday. Vilardi, who has 16 goals and 30 points in 38 contests this season after he was dealt from L.A. this offseason, has no timetable for his return. He would have easily exceeded the career-high of 41 points he set last year as a King but may fall short of that mark since he could miss the rest of the year. 

Others include Leo Carlsson (concussion, returned to the lineup Sunday after missing eight games), Vince Dunn (upper body, missed fifth straight game Saturday), Thomas Chabot (lower body, missed five straight games, returned to action Saturday), Thatcher Demko (undisclosed, out since March 9, is expected to miss two to three weeks) and Jacob Markstrom (lower body, missed his third straight game Saturday). 

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)

Dylan Cozens, C, BUF – Cozens has hit a bit of a goal drought. He has bulged the twine only once in his last eight games, adding one helper in that stretch as well. After tallying 31 goals last season, Cozens has lit the lamp just 15 times this year. He has added 25 assists, but his 40 points in 66 games is a far cry from the 68 points he notched in 81 contests last season. The future is still very bright, so chalk this up to just a rough campaign for Cozens, who will be a centerpiece for the Sabres for years to come. 

Luke Hughes, D, NJD – The third of the Hughes brothers, Luke is in his first full season in the NHL. He has eight goals and 25 assists in 68 games, but his last marker came two months ago on January 17. Hughes' defense needs work, which is not surprising for a young blueliner. New Jersey is a team that regressed a little this year, impacted by poor netminding and team defense. Hughes is a major building block toward future success, but that will somewhat depend on his improvement in his own zone. 

Tristan Jarry, G, PIT – Jarry and the Penguins are limping down the stretch. The Penguins sit seven points shy of the second Wild Card with 16 games remaining. Jarry's play between the pipes certainly has not helped matters, though he has not been aided by the other five members on the ice in front of him. He has just two wins over his last eight starts, going 2-5-1 with an .884 save percentage. Jarry will likely finish the season with a sub-.500 mark for the first time in his career in a full season.

Others include Cole Sillinger, Matty Beniers, Jake Neighbours, Filip Zadina, Jakob Chychrun, Brent Burns, Adin Hill and Jake Oettinger. 

Sell High

Brandon Hagel, LW, TB – Hagel's scoring pace has slowed a little of late. With four points in seven games. Hagel is off the pace he set the first 60 games of the year when he potted 22 goals and dished out 36 helpers. Hagel, who came over to the Lightning at the 2021 trade deadline for the Blackhawks, signed an eight-year, $52 million contract extension with Tampa Bay in August of 2023. He is just two points shy of matching the career-high 64 he posted last season, though his PPTOI has dropped from 2:21 average last year to 1:12 this year, which could impact him in the future.