After a funky week of scheduling thanks to Thanksgiving and a jam-packed Black Friday slate of games, Week 9 is back to the usual patterns. Since we’re a few days late this week, let’s take a note from Sabrina Carpenter and keep this “Short n’ Sweet.”
Four-Game Streamers
Artturi Lehkonen, LW/RW, COL | 54% yahoo
Lehkonen is slotted on Colorado’s top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen — it’s that simple. If your league prioritizes power-play scoring, however, then Valeri Nichushkin or Casey Mittelstadt may be more favorable options — those two are on PP1, while Lehkonen is currently on PP2.
Kirill Marchenko, RW, CBJ | 49% Yahoo
The Blue Jackets offense remains better than expected. Columbus ranks seventh in the league in expected goal generation at five-on-five and second in goal scoring. Their top line has a lot to do with that and, lately, that includes Marchenko, Sean Monahan, and Dmitri Voronkov. In almost 86 minutes together, the trio is rocking a 68 percent expected goal rate with a 9-2 scoring advantage. Will it last? Logic tells us no, considering their inflated shooting percentage. Monahan and Marchenko have clicked in a few different combinations, so the chemistry is real.
If Marchenko isn’t available in your league, Kent Johnson is a second-line option worth considering.
Tyler Seguin, C/RW, DAL | 47% Yahoo
Are you sick of hearing about the Stars’ second line yet? In 193 five-on-five minutes, Seguin, Mason Marchment, and Matt Duchene have outscored opponents 14-6 while earning a 58 percent expected goal rate. There’s a reason this is the trio I keep coming back to — no other combination is performing consistently enough. The first line with Wyatt Johnston on it shows glimpses but not enough high-octane offense. The team is just above break-even in expected and actual goals (29-28) when all three members of the second line are on the bench. With three light nights ahead, this is the week to pick up a member of the trio.
Matthew Knies, LW, TOR | 40% Yahoo
Knies stands out for two reasons. First, he’s on a top line with William Nylander and Auston Matthews, who returned on Saturday night. Second, he is part of a five-forward power play unit with the team’s core four forwards. The Maple Leafs’ upcoming opponents make him an even more valuable pick — the Predators have underwhelmed this season, the Capitals’ goaltending has been suspect of late, and the Penguins are struggling defensively. Oh, and Toronto has three light nights ahead.
For managers in deeper leagues, keep an eye on the forward who replaces Bobby McMann on a line with John Tavares and Mitch Marner. For now, that’s Pontus Holmberg. If he can pick up his scoring alongside that duo, he could become a sneaky good pick-up.
Anders Lee, LW, NYI | 23% Yahoo
Lee, Bo Horvat, and Simon Holmstrom are a makeshift first line for the Islanders. In about 30 minutes of play, this trio has a 65 percent expected goal rate and is making an impact on the scoresheet with a 4-0 edge in scoring. Maxim Tsyplakov is another top-six option on Long Island who gets a boost from playing with Brock Nelson.
Ryker Evans, D, SEA | 20% Yahoo
With the return of Vince Dunn, the Kraken swapped around a couple of pairs. Adam Larsson reunited with his mainstay, while Evans slotted alongside Brandon Montour. That should give Evans an offensive boost because Montour has a positive impact on the Kraken’s five-on-five expected and actual goal generation, unlike Larsson, who is more of a defensive defender.
Scott Wedgewood, G, COL | 9% Yahoo
A move from Nashville to Colorado gives Wedgewood an immediate boost, but I’m not totally sold just yet. Wedgewood has struggled early on this season, and his game took a serious step back last year in Dallas. if he can rebound closer to his 2022-23 form, he should make a very solid 1B behind Alexandar Georgiev. I just want to see him in action in his new surroundings first. With four games ahead, expect to see a good amount of Wedgewood, especially after Georgiev struggled once again on Friday night against Dallas.
(Quick poll in the comments – should we extend our ‘light nights’ to six-game slates? This week’s graphic includes one on Friday night).
Ryan Donato, C/LW/RW, CHI | 15% Yahoo
Donato is riding a three-game point streak, which has caught my attention. The Blackhawks’ new-look second line with Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen has some potential. With two light nights ahead, this could be a bet worth making, especially because Donato is eligible to slot into all three forward positions, which gives a ton of lineup flexibility.
Filip Chytil, C, NYR | 2% Yahoo
The Rangers’ core veterans may be struggling, but some of their younger skaters are doing their best to pick up the pace. Will Cuylle has been one of the team’s biggest difference-makers lately, but his fantasy roster percentage reflects that. Chytil, on the other hand, is much more available after returning to the lineup on Saturday. Durability will always be a concern, but he is the spark this team has been missing.
Troy Terry, LW, ANA | 19% Yahoo
The Ducks’ second line of Terry, Frank Vatrano, and Ryan Strome is clicking. The trio entered Sunday night’s matchup against the Senators with a 58 percent expected goal rate that they built on with another strong performance. Vatrano is the primary shooter on the line but is a lot less attainable at this point. Terry gets the edge over Strome, thanks to his PP1 deployment.
Karel Vejmelka, G, UTA | 22% Yahoo
Vejmelka has done more than step up in Connor Ingram’s absence. He has earned back the starting net with 10.8 goals saved above expected through 12 starts. While he started back-to-backs last week, don’t be surprised if the team turns back to Jaxson Stauber this week after his impressive shutout performance against Vegas last week. If he can shoulder some of the burden in net for Utah, it should help preserve Vejmelka’s game in a No. 1 capacity.
Justus Annunen, G, NSH | 14% Yahoo
Don’t necessarily jump at Annunen yet — his numbers have been pretty rough this season. But keep an eye on the newly acquired goaltender. It’ll be interesting to see if he can rebound under less pressure in Nashville. His role is more defined with his new team — backup to Juuse Saros and nothing more, compared to Colorado, where the hope was that he could take more of Alexandar Georgiev’s plate. Plus, there is potential in the long run if he excels in the school of Mitch Korn, who is the Director of Goaltending for the Predators.
Data via Evolving-Hockey, HockeyViz, HockeyStatCards, AllThreeZones, and NaturalStatTrick. This story relies on shot-based metrics; here is a primer on these numbers.
(Top photo of Artturi Lehkonen (#62): Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
