The Christmas break is certainly wrapping with a bang, as the overwhelming majority of NHL teams return to the ice immediately post-holiday. Fourteen games speckle Wednesday’s slate, with only the Oilers, Canadiens, Flyers and Canucks idle. A leaner four-game schedule follows on Thursday, followed by a pleasant balance of nine contests on each of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Making for workable, if not downright favorable, conditions to package up 2023 on the right fantasy hockey foot.
Most clubs are engaged in three games this week, a quartet of teams play twice, while the Vancouver Canucks compete just the once. Boston’s schedule shines with potential fantasy riches, as the B’s face generous opponents in the Sabres, Devils, and Red Wings this week. Play your favorite fantasy Bruins.
Avalanche skaters could also put up valuable numbers in visiting the Coyotes and Blues on Wednesday and Friday, before hosting the Sharks on New Year’s Eve. Finally finding some rhythm with his new club, Jonathan Drouin has six points in his past six games.
The Oilers are California-bound with friendlier stops in San Jose and Anaheim, while the Blue Jackets face the Devils, Maple Leafs, and Sabres. We’ll soon see if that young dynamite line of Dmitri Voronkov, Yegor Chinakhov, and Kirill Marchenko can keep it rolling after an impressive lead up to the break.
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Stock Up
Trevor Zegras, F, Anaheim Ducks: After sitting out 20 games with a lower-body injury, Zegras brought his ‘Michigan’ magic back to the Ducks lineup just ahead of the Christmas break (and scored one such lacrosse-style goal in a losing effort to the Kraken).
Competing on a top line and power play with Troy Terry, the center merits rostering in all but the shallowest of ESPN standard leagues. Particularly with Leo Carlsson out until February.
Jack Quinn, F, Buffalo Sabres: So far, so good. Three games into his injury-delayed season, and skating on a second scoring line and power play, the sophomore already has two goals on six shots. Look for Quinn to add to that total when the Sabres face the Bruins, Blue Jackets, and Senators this week.
While Ottawa has surrendered an average of 3.67 goals/game in December, Columbus has given up 4.09/contest.
Scott Wedgewood, G, Dallas Stars: The Stars visit the Blues Wednesday before hosting the Blackhawks Friday and again on Sunday. If Dallas’ temporary top banana can’t earn at least a pair of victories through this run then I just don’t know what. True No. 1 Jake Oettinger remains out week-to-week.
Josh Anderson, F, Montreal Canadiens: Don’t look now, but the Habs are having a bit of fun – and winning games! – at present. Skating on a second scoring line, Anderson has four goals and an assist in his past four contests. May as well mine what you can from the 29-year-old when he’s actually performing to potential.
Don’t overlook Juraj Slafkovsky in deeper fantasy competition either. The rookie is currently producing on a top line with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki.
Rickard Rakell, F, Pittsburgh Penguins: He’s back! And appearing productive, which makes for a nice change this season. After losing a month to an upper-body injury, Rakell is an assist and goal – his first of the year – to the good in his most recent two games.
He logged nearly 20 minutes on Sidney Crosby’s wing in Saturday’s OT loss to Ottawa. The Penguins play the Islanders twice and Blues once this week.
Stock Down
Tony DeAngelo, D, Carolina Hurricanes: Averaging only a handful of minutes when in the Hurricanes lineup – which isn’t often – the press-box regular is also gathering dust on the trade block. NHL teams don’t have much interest in DeAngelo at present. As a fantasy manager, you shouldn’t either. Just drop him outright.
Jordan Binnington, G, St. Louis Blues The Blues netminder has netted his managers a whopping -9.0 fantasy points since Dec. 5, giving up piles of goals in the process. St. Louis plays Dallas, Colorado, and Pittsburgh to ring in the New Year. Yikes.
Vegas Golden Knights goaltending Between Logan Thompson and Jiri Patera sharing the net, the Golden Knights have surrendered an average of 4.43 goals/game since Dec. 10. That’s not very Vegas-like. Steer clear of both goalies until matters turn around.
Streamer Specials
Anders Lee, F, New York Islanders: Skating on a top line with two of the hottest forwards in the Metropolitan certainly has upside. While Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal have combined for 14 goals and 24 assists in 13 games, Lee himself has scored in three straight. He’s worth streaming before inevitably cooling off once more. The Isles face the Penguins twice, and Capitals once this week.
David Rittich, G, Los Angeles Kings: If the Kings opt to save Cam Talbot for Thursday’s tilt with Vegas, I might give Rittich a fantasy whirl against the Sharks on Wednesday. «Big Save Dave» was solid against that same San Jose squad before Christmas, stopping all but one shot in a 4-1 victory.
Samuel Ersson, G, Philadelphia Flyers: The Flyers visit the Canucks Thursday before facing the Kraken Friday, meaning Ersson could garner that attractive start in Seattle. Philadelphia’s backup has been pretty great since the end of November, rocking a 5-1-1 record, 929 SV% and 1.93 GAA, earning his fantasy managers piles of points in the meanwhile.
I might even consider giving him a go in Vancouver on the premise the Canucks might not be their most motivated selves, playing just the one game in a span of nine days. Depends on the degree of desperation for potential fantasy points.