NHL Barometer: Risers & Fallers

This week's article includes a Flame on fire, Fiala rolling, the back up goalie in Colorado stoning everyone, Kuemper ready to rock, Bertuzzi slumping in Detroit and trade deadline winners and losers.

First Liners (Risers)

Mikael Backlund, C, CGY – Backlund hasn't had the best season and heading into February, it didn't look like he would score 45-57 points, as he has the last four seasons. But he has vastly picked up his game in February, notching six goals and six helpers in 11 games, including a pair of goals Friday. Backlund is now up to 12 tallies, 35 points and 135 shots through 63 games this year and on pace to reach the 40-point mark once again.

Patrice Bergeron, C, BOS – Bergeron, a future Hall of Famer, extended his goal streak to five with a pair of lamplighters on Friday. In addition, he notched points in seven straight outings (seven tallies, three helpers) before getting shut out Saturday. The 34-year-old is up to 29 markers, 53 points, 184 shots and a plus-22 rating through 54 appearances this year. The nine games he missed in November and December will cost Bergeron the shot to set a career high in points, but he still is on a point-per-game pace.

Kevin Fiala, LW, MIN – Fialia has been red-hot this month, notching seven goals and five assists in 11 games. He's now at 16 goals and 40 points this season, eclipsing last year's production in just 56 games in 2019-20. Fiala came to Minnesota last year from Nashville for Mikael Granlund, a trade that now looks to be a win for the Wild. He scuffled slightly last season, but has righted the ship this year and is on pace to possibly to exceed his career-high 48 points set two seasons ago.

Jesper Bratt, LW, NJD – Bratt has quietly racked up points this month. His goal and assist Saturday gave the Swedish winger five goals and 11 points in the last 12 games. Bratt is now up to 13 goals and 14 helpers in 52 games after posting 35 and 33 points his first two seasons in the league. He is skating on the second line, both at even strength and on the power play, giving him a chance to remain productive, even if he is likely to experience a drop in output compared to his recent production.

Colton Parayko, D, STL – Parayko is rolling in February. His three points Friday was a season high and Parayko's third multi-point performance of the month. Parayko has five goals and 11 points with a plus-7 rating in 11 games, moving him up to seven goals and 24 points with a plus-9 rating in 56 games this season. His shooting percentage in February is 14.7 percent, but he's also averaging 3.3 shots on net per game, so expect some regression, but he can make that up by continuing to notch assists, as he has recently.

Rasmus Ristolainen, D, BUF – While plus-minus is far from the end all and be all stat, a minus-41 sticks out like a sore thumb. Ristolainen has rebounded nicely from a minus-25 two seasons ago and that minus-41 last year to be a surprising plus-three this year. With a pair of assists Saturday, Ristolainen built a four-game point streak during which he had six points (all assists), and he remains on pace for his fifth consecutive 40-point campaign with five goals and 31 points through 63 games. Add in 179 hits and 70 blocked shots and you have a defenseman contributing in almost all categories.

Pavel Francouz, G, COL – Philipp Grubauer's lower-body injury has created a hole in net for the Avalanche. Colorado has been rumored to be looking for a netminder, even before Grubauer was sidelined, but reportedly ramped up their efforts following the injury. Francouz is trying to prove he can be the team's No. 1 goalie, stamped with a 1-0 shutout Friday after signing a two-year, $4 million extension earlier in the day, followed up by a 2-1 shootout win Saturday. He has a 16-5-3 record, 2.27 GAA, and .927 save percentage in 26 games in his first season in the NHL after he was a star in the KHL

Igor Shesterkin, G, NYR – Coach David Quinn made it clear recently that Shesterkin is the team's No. 1 netminder. After missing three games with an ankle injury, Shesterkin started three consecutive games, winning all three. He headed into Saturday's start against the Sharks with six straight wins, notching a .943 save percentage in that stretch, and improving that mark by stopping 44 of 46 shots in the win. Since his promotion Jan. 6, Shesterkin, who was brilliant in the KHL and Hartford, is 9-1 with a 2.23 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. But he will be sidelined for at least two weeks, as he suffered a non-displaced fractured rib in a car accident Sunday night.

Quick Hits on Upgrades from the Trade Deadline

Washington – acquired Brenden Dillon to support their blue line and Ilya Kovalchuk for the third line, filling a pair of holes.

Tampa Bay – paid a hefty price surrendering two first-round picks, but added Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow for their third line with the duo making just $2.7 million combined next season. Window is open but future may be dicey.

Pittsburgh – added Jason Zucker, who is seeing top-six duty, Conor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues as depth and Patrick Marleau, who will slot in on one of the first three lines.

Las Vegas – brought in a possible starting goalie in Robin Lehner, who can fill in for Marc-Andre Fleury, bottom-six depth in Nick Cousins and a top-four defenseman in Alec Martinez for a pair of 2020 second round picks and second/fourth round picks in 2021

Calgary – reinforced their blueline in obtaining Erik Gustafsson and Derek Forbort

Edmonton – a fast team somehow got faster in adding Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Ennis, deepening the lineup. Bolstered the defense with Mike Green, though needed a solid defensive defenseman.

Boston – a deep team got deeper with importing Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie, but it missed out on a clear top-six scoring, physical winger.

San Jose – GM Doug Wilson bolstered the draft coffers, adding a 2020 first from Tampa Bay, a 2020 second and conditional third-round pick in 2021 from Washington and a 2021 third-rounder from Pittsburgh.

Montreal – didn't really punt, but moved assets they acquired for nothing of lesser value for higher draft picks, adding a 2020 second-rounder and conditional fourth-rounder in 2021 from St. Louis, 2020 third-rounder from Washington, 2021 fourth-rounder from Las Vegas and a 2021 fifth-rounder from Philly.

Los Angeles – moved an expiring asset in Tyler Toffoli for Tyler Madden, a 2020 second-round pick and conditional fourth-rounder in 2022 and Alec Martinez for a second-round picks in 2020 and 2021.

Ottawa – attempted to sign Jean-Gabriel Pageau long-term but dealt him when discussions didn't reach an accord for a 2020 conditional first, a 2020 second-round pick and 2022 conditional third-rounder. Traded Vladislav Namestnikov for a 2021 fourth-round pick.

Tyler Toffoli – wrote last week how he should fit nicely in Vancouver. So far, so good and his value should remain high.

Mike Green – will man the power play point, get the puck to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and rack up assists. But his play in his own zone could limit his minutes. 

Buy Low 

Martin Frk, LW, LA – Frk, once a Detroit prospect, struggled to stick in the NHL, first with the Hurricanes and then with the Red Wings after rejoining the organization. He signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Kings on July 1, earning a call up in late December. Frk scored three goals in four games but was demoted back to the AHL. Since getting promoted Feb.12, Frk has tallied a pair of goals and an assist in four games, earning a two-year, one-way extension worth $725,000 AAV on Saturday to remain a member of the Kings.

Training Room (Injuries)

Darcy Kuemper, D, ARZ – Kuemper, out since Dec. 19 with a lower-body injury, was assigned to AHL Tucson on a conditioning stint Saturday. Adin Hill manned the pipes for a while while Kuemper and Antti Raanta were both sidelined. Raanta is now back and has seen most of the action in net, so it will be interesting to see how Arizona handles the job once Kuemper is ready to return. We are getting a quick answer, as Kuemper is expected to be between the pipes for the Coyotes on Tuesday.

Others include Jeff Carter (lower body, has missed three straight games, might play Wednesday), Oliver Bjorkstrand (fractured ankle, will miss the rest of the season), Pavel Buchnevich (banged up in car crash Sunday night, no timetable), Vladimir Tarasenko (shoulder, will return before the end of the regular season, maybe by mid-March), Brock Boeser (rib cartilage, on injured reserve, will miss eight weeks), Filip Zadina (foot out 2-3 more weeks), Thomas Chabot (lower body, possibly knee, left Saturday's game), Ryan Ellis (concussion, out since Jan. 1, returned to action Friday), Jakob Chychrun (hip, missed last two games, aiming to get back into the lineup Feb. 29), Cam Fowler (lower body, missed third straight game Sunday, will be sidelined for a while), Elvis Merzlikins (undisclosed, left Monday's game), Philipp Grubauer (lower body, still no timetable for return), Petr Mrazek (concussion protocol, injured Saturday) and James Reimer (lower body, injured Saturday, will be out a while).

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)

Anze Kopitar, C, LA – Kopitar lands on this side of the ledger solely for his lack of goal scoring. He has failed to light the lamp since Jan. 16, a span of 12 games. But in that stretch, he has still notched 12 assists, upping his season total to 55 points, 117 shots and an even plus-minus rating in 61 contests. After falling from 92 to 60 points last season, Kopitar is on pace to top the 70-point mark for the eighth time in his fine career. 

Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, DET – Bertuzzi has been in a major slump since the All-Star break, as he's recorded just three points and a minus-11 rating in 12 games. Despite that slump, he's still on track for career highs across all major categories, which shows just how good his first 52 games of the season were. Bertuzzi's name has gone come up in some trade rumors, but he is still viewed as a building block for the future in Hockeytown, which is why he was not dealt.

Ben Bishop, G, DAL – Bishop is still having a fine overall season, but his numbers lately have been a bit shaky. He allowed four goals on 13 shots Friday; the sixth time in his last 10 outings he has surrendered three or more goals. Despite those struggles, Bishop is 21-13-4 with a 2.45 GAA and a .922 save percentage in 41 appearances. He is still the clear No. 1 in Dallas, and it doesn't appear he will cede much time to Anton Khudobin.

Others include Ryan Johansen, Mathew Barzal, Jared McCann, Roope Hintz, Tyson Barrie, Frederik Andersen and Ilya Samsonov.

Sell High

Dmitry Orlov, D, WAS – Orlov has had a fine overall campaign but his game has gone south since the calendar flipped to the new year. Since Dec. 31, Orlov has just five points — all assists — in 21 games. Overall. Orlov has three goals and 21 assists in 62 games. In the 2019 portion of the schedule, Orlov looked likely to far exceed his season-high 33 points set in 2016-17. But that looks like to be a pipe dream at this point, unless he gets very hot the last six weeks or so of the season.

Quick Hits on Downgrades from the Trade Deadline

Carolina – made a deep blueline even deeper by obtaining Brady Skjei and Sami Vatanen by giving up first and fourth-round picks plus added a scoring center in Vincent Trocheck. But with James Reimer sidelined for a while and Petr Mrazek dealing a concussion, the Hurricanes should have been all over acquiring Robin Lehner.

Colorado – added Vladislav Namestnikov, which fills a need, but didn't bring in additional support up front as GM Joe Sakic continues to refuse to deal a top pick.

Florida- moved Vincent Trocheck for pieces, but no major difference maker. Rumors are they may look to cut $10 million more in payroll next season.

Buffalo – liked the Sabres obtaining Dominik Kahun and can appreciate trying to build on their 7-3-1 streak by acquiring Wayne Simmonds, but may be biting off more than they can chew thinking they are contenders.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau – went to a better team and received a six-year deal but is behind Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson, so will be the third-line center.

Robin Lehner – has a shot at a Cup and could be a key member of the team. But if the Flower plays well, he will be limited to spot duty.

Ilya Kovalchuk – lengthens the Capitals lineup but is likely to see a decrease in power play and regular time on ice.

Joe Thornton – was rumored to possibly be heading to Boston or another Cup contender but remained in San Jose.