This article is part of our Left, Right & Center series.
This column might not be as exciting as the All-Star Game. After all, we can't offer you $1 million if you finish reading this. And we're not going to play risqué music that hasn't been approved in advance. What we are able to do is provide the freshest fantasy forward fix, so you can prepare for the upcoming schedule.
Due to the midseason classic, very little has changed over the last week. The extra recovery/rest time will help the non-attendees who needed it, but it may end up hurting those who were on a roll coming into the break. Here are the latest examples of joy, disaster, and redemption:
Left Wing
Two Steps Forward: Evander Kane, Buffalo
Even though his line situation isn't the most favorable, Kane has been able to maximize the use of his resources – including some of the softest hands in the game. It took him a while to get back on track after returning in early November (two in his first nine contests), but he's looked fine the past month (10 in 12, with 45 shots). In addition to his offensive skills, Kane also can hurt opponents by mixing it up (57 PIM) and using his body (65 hits).
Broken Wing: Zach Parise, Minnesota
With all the fanfare surrounding the Wild's success this season, it's surprising to see a couple team members struggle. Parise, now in his fifth season in his hometown, was once the club centerpiece but has shown signs of
This column might not be as exciting as the All-Star Game. After all, we can't offer you $1 million if you finish reading this. And we're not going to play risqué music that hasn't been approved in advance. What we are able to do is provide the freshest fantasy forward fix, so you can prepare for the upcoming schedule.
Due to the midseason classic, very little has changed over the last week. The extra recovery/rest time will help the non-attendees who needed it, but it may end up hurting those who were on a roll coming into the break. Here are the latest examples of joy, disaster, and redemption:
Left Wing
Two Steps Forward: Evander Kane, Buffalo
Even though his line situation isn't the most favorable, Kane has been able to maximize the use of his resources – including some of the softest hands in the game. It took him a while to get back on track after returning in early November (two in his first nine contests), but he's looked fine the past month (10 in 12, with 45 shots). In addition to his offensive skills, Kane also can hurt opponents by mixing it up (57 PIM) and using his body (65 hits).
Broken Wing: Zach Parise, Minnesota
With all the fanfare surrounding the Wild's success this season, it's surprising to see a couple team members struggle. Parise, now in his fifth season in his hometown, was once the club centerpiece but has shown signs of regression. A couple minor knocks ruined a hot start, but he was able to restart a run after the holiday break. Unfortunately, the 32-year old has reverted to poor form the last two weeks (two assists in nine games) and now finds himself on the third line. While he's been able to retain a power-play role (2:29 average), the total minutes have significantly decreased from last year (19:18 to 18:03).
Between the Lines: Brandon Saad, Columbus
Like Parise in Minnesota, not every forward in Columbus is flying high of late. Over the first 35 games, there weren't many better forwards than Saad (32 points, plus-20). However, the former Blackhawk has experienced some hardships since the calendar flipped to 2017 (three points in 13 contests, minus-6). The advantage Saad has over the Wild assistant captain in terms of recovery is his age (still only 24) and his position at the top of the Blue Jackets' depth chart.
Right Wing
Two Steps Forward: Andre Burakovsky, Washington
Burakovsky was recently featured as someone falling behind, but earns an encore for his ability to quickly catch up. Since his last mention, the Swede has made people forget about those early woes (eight goals, nine assists in 19 appearances, plus-12). The low ice time (12-13 minutes a night) may still be a concern, but it would be wise to ride Burakovsky until the good times run out.
Broken Wing: Troy Brouwer, Calgary
First discussed in a previous installment focusing on his potential, Brouwer has moved to this category due to his inability to find the scoresheet since returning (eight games). His recent man-advantage duty (over two minutes) and hits (22 in these last eight) remains consistent with general form, although the offensive output doesn't match. With Michael Frolik leading the way on the right side, it may be difficult for Brouwer to improve unless he moves up from the third unit.
Between the Lines: Bobby Ryan, Ottawa
Since Ryan started his career with four consecutive 30-goal seasons, the stats have slightly gone downhill. One could blame this dip on the diminished quality of attacking talent since moving from Anaheim but that claim shouldn't justify this season's situation (19 points in 41 matches). On the plus side, Ryan's latest stats have looked promising (four goals in his last seven), although he's not hitting the net enough (69 total shots). Just let him pull off more moves like these and there won't be any reason for concern.
Center
Two Steps Forward: Bryan Little, Winnipeg
Unless Mark Scheifele falls ill or suddenly slumps, Little will never serve as the Jets' No. 1 center. But that's hardly a concern, considering the multitude of weapons within Winnipeg's offense. Since missing 23 games with a lower-body issue, Atlanta's 2006 first-rounder has looked impressive (13 goals, 13 assists in 29 games, including six power-play points). Beyond the obvious success, Little has kept busy in all situations (around 19 minutes the last month, with four of those on special teams). And having linemates like Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers (at a combined 84 points) also helps.
Broken Wing: Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit
It's a new era in Motown, with the Wings occupying last place in the Atlantic. Maybe we're a little harsh on Zetterberg to include him here, considering his decent 2016-17 numbers (33 points in 49 contests). But with all the ice time the last three weeks (19:20, with 2:48 on the power play), the results have proved underwhelming (five in 12). If the captain continues to suffer, he can always try facing away from the net to break out of this rut.
Between the Lines: Victor Rask, Carolina
Rask had been moving along nicely in his third campaign (a stretch of 26 points in 32 outings ending Dec. 22) but recently hit a roadblock. This downturn (nothing in six) shouldn't worry owners, considering its short-term nature and the preceding success. Rask will push through this lull, as he is young (23) and maintains maximum effort while firmly entrenched in the Canes' top-six contingent.
