There are many large and small fantasy swings falling out from the NHL’s trade deadline, so I’ll focus on some condensed ranking notes this week to attempt to jam as much in as possible.
But before we dive in, a friendly reminder that some teams — the Ducks and Golden Knights for example — have as few as 17 games remaining. That really focuses these rankings to enormous fluctuations. A single goal at this stage can boost a player’s remaining fantasy point projections by three percent. Just a small example to drive the point home: Adam Henrique projects for 33.8 more fantasy points, which ranks 159th among skaters. One extra goal from Henrique on top of his current pace — even if it’s an empty-netter — would boost him from 159th to 121st.
So start really taking any rankings with a grain of salt. A good game here or a small slump there can really impact how the fantasy landscape shakes out from here.
Forwards on the move
Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panthers (up three spots to No. 2): That’s right. Given a new linemate of the caliber of Claude Giroux and I’ll take Barkov from here out over anyone but Auston Matthews.
Evgeni Malkin, C, Pittsburgh Penguins (up 18 spots to No. 34): Rickard Rakell is no joke as a scoring winger when he has a dynamic center to help set him up. He hit 30-plus goals back in the heyday of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry as their linemate, so a combination with Malkin should produce a similar pace. He could even push Bryan Rust for time on the top power play after a couple games.
Bryan Rust, W, Pittsburgh Penguins (down eight spots to No. 59): As mentioned above, I have some concern that Rakell could push in on Rust’s role on this dangerous man advantage. There is only room for one other forward after locks Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Malkin. With 38 percent of Rust’s points coming on the power play, that’s a real concern.
Claude Giroux, C/W, Florida Panthers (up 56 spots to No. 61): His fantasy production has been bad, but he’s had no help. Now he gets to skate with one of the best centers on the most dangerous offensive team and get a role on a top 10 power play.
Valeri Nichushkin, W, Colorado Avalanche (up 47 spots to No. 84): When the Avs didn’t get Giroux, it meant Nichushkin should get to ride out the season as the top-line winger with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. He’s getting top power-play time to boot. It’s doubtful Artturi Lehkonen will push on either of those roles.
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Valeri Nichushkin keeps Avs ahead with team’s fourth goal
Carter Verhaeghe, W, Florida Panthers (up 58 spots to No. 167): Barkov to Giroux with the secondary assist going to Verhaeghe. Get used to that combination as this line just got a lot more dangerous and Verhaeghe has a role on it. Look for him to get back to the 1.8 fantasy points per game (FPPG) he posted last season — if not better.
Andrew Copp, C/W, New York Rangers (up 78 spots to No. 172): It’s not as huge a leap for Copp as he’s so versatile it’s to his own detriment for fantasy. The Rangers will look to use him to boost the talent of the third line if they can. But there’s room to grow here if Frank Vatrano slows down in his new role with Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome.
Defensemen on the move
Mark Giordano, D, Toronto Maple Leafs (up 21 spots to No. 115): No, I don’t think he bumps Morgan Rielly from the top power play … at least not right away. But the fact that the Leafs are the No. 1 power play in the NHL, but Rielly has “only” 18 power-play points means there is a crack here for Giordano to assert himself.
Ben Chiarot, D, Florida Panthers (up 61 spots to No. 134): Showing up at just the right time, Chiarot might be the answer to the Panthers power play while Aaron Ekblad is sidelined. MacKenzie Weegar has little experience there and Brandon Montour is a specialist. Even though Chiarot hasn’t been a QB with the Habs all season, he has almost as many power-play minutes as Montour and twice as many as Weegar. And don’t forget this power play also has Giroux up front now.
Morgan Rielly, D, Toronto Maple Leafs (down 22 spots to No. 143): Rielly has only topped 2.0 FPPG once in the past six seasons. Giordano had six straight seasons of 2.0 or better FPPG before this year with the expansion Kraken. I think Giordano is the better fantasy play from here on out — even if he doesn’t usurp the QB role.
Sean Durzi, D, Los Angeles Kings (enters ranks at No. 217): The Kings didn’t get a rumored deal done for Jakob Chychrun and Drew Doughty‘s injury is expected to linger longer than expected. It’s not as great power play to run, but it’s all Durzi’s for now.
Vince Dunn, D, Seattle Kraken (enters ranks at No. 234): With Giordano gone, the lane is clear for Dunn to be the offensive voice on the Kraken blue line. I’m not hoping for much after he was a bust for most of this season, but maybe the little bit of breathing room is enough to help him get going.
Goaltenders on the move
Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Minnesota Wild (up 98 spots to No. 90): A healthy Fleury on a good team will put up between 3.50 and 4.50 fantasy points per 60 minutes (FPP60). Talbot has posted 2.88 FPP60 this season. That’s not much better than Fleury has done (2.03 FPP60) with the Blackhawks. Last season, Fleury had 4.57 FPP60 en route to the Vezina. Expect him to play plenty.
Cam Talbot, G, Minnesota Wild (down 36 spots to No. 156): He’s been better of late, but that 2.88 FPP60 on the season looms large. If he doesn’t keep up the excellent play of late (3.55 FPP60 last three weeks, 3.21 FPP60 last two months), plus has his crease share reduced to 50 percent, he isn’t a top-12 fantasy goalie anymore.
New to rankings
Sean Durzi, Travis Sanheim, Kailer Yamamoto (power play starting to click with him on it, but RNH back soon), Vince Dunn, Conor Sheary, Joel Farabee (room for Farabee and Hayes to make noise with Giroux gone), Kevin Hayes, Artturi Lehkonen, Brandon Montour (maybe gets to QB on power play), Yanni Gourde.
Just missed
Kaapo Kahkonen, Jakub Voracek, Tyler Motte (hits about to return to last season’s level with new club?), Carter Hart, Ryan Suter, Ryan Getzlaf, Frank Vatrano (maybe stays in the top six with Kaapo Kakko out), Max Domi (power-play time?), Owen Tippett, Anton Forsberg, Erik Brannstrom (new QB with Thomas Chabot out), Colin Blackwell, Matthew Beniers (we’ll likely see him with the Kraken when NCAA season ends).
Dropped out
Aaron Ekblad, Thomas Chabot, Adrian Kempe, Connor Murphy, Zach Whitecloud, Kevin Shattenkirk, Ryan Lindgren, Chandler Stephenson, Jonathan Quick, Elvis Merzlikins.
Top-250 rankings
1. Auston Matthews, F, TOR (F1)
2. Aleksander Barkov, F, FLA (F2)
3. Igor Shesterkin, G, NYR (G1)
4. Nathan MacKinnon, F, COL (F3)
5. Connor McDavid, F, EDM (F4)
6. Roman Josi, D, NSH (D1)
7. Nikita Kucherov, F, TB (F5)
8. Jacob Markstrom, G, CGY (G2)
9. Kirill Kaprizov, F, MIN (F6)
10. Cale Makar, D, COL (D2)
11. Mitch Marner, F, TOR (F7)
12. Leon Draisaitl, F, EDM (F8)
13. Victor Hedman, D, TB (D3)
14. Filip Forsberg, F, NSH (F9)
15. J.T. Miller, F, VAN (F10)
16. Alex Ovechkin, F, WSH (F11)
17. Sebastian Aho, F, CAR (F12)
18. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, TB (G3)
19. Mikko Rantanen, F, COL (F13)
20. Elias Lindholm, F, CGY (F14)
21. Kyle Connor, F, WPG (F15)
22. Adam Fox, D, NYR (D4)
23. Sidney Crosby, F, PIT (F16)
24. Darcy Kuemper, G, COL (G4)
25. Noah Dobson, D, NYI (D5)
26. Johnny Gaudreau, F, CGY (F17)
27. Jonathan Huberdeau, F, FLA (F18)
28. Frederik Andersen, G, CAR (G5)
29. Timo Meier, F, SJ (F19)
30. Patrick Kane, F, CHI (F20)
31. Juuse Saros, G, NSH (G6)
32. Jason Robertson, F, DAL (F21)
33. Tristan Jarry, G, PIT (G7)
34. Evgeni Malkin, F, PIT (F22)
35. Brad Marchand, F, BOS (F23)
36. Jack Hughes, F, NJ (F24)
37. David Pastrnak, F, BOS (F25)
38. Mika Zibanejad, F, NYR (F26)
39. Steven Stamkos, F, TB (F27)
40. Moritz Seider, D, DET (D6)
41. Matthew Tkachuk, F, CGY (F28)
42. Matt Duchene, F, NSH (F29)
43. Ilya Sorokin, G, NYI (G8)
44. Joe Pavelski, F, DAL (F30)
45. Jake Guentzel, F, PIT (F31)
46. Chris Kreider, F, NYR (F32)
47. Patrik Laine, F, CLS (F33)
48. Kris Letang, D, PIT (D7)
49. Mats Zuccarello, F, MIN (F34)
50. Sergei Bobrovsky, G, FLA (G9)
51. Alex DeBrincat, F, CHI (F35)
52. Artemi Panarin, F, NYR (F36)
53. Brayden Point, F, TB (F37)
54. Vladimir Tarasenko, F, STL (F38)
55. Jack Eichel, F, VGS (F39)
56. Jeremy Swayman, G, BOS (G10)
57. Brady Tkachuk, F, OTT (F40)
58. Sam Reinhart, F, FLA (F41)
59. Bryan Rust, F, PIT (F42)
60. Clayton Keller, F, ARI (F43)
61. Claude Giroux, F, FLA (F44)
62. John Carlson, D, WSH (D8)
63. Evander Kane, F, EDM (F45)
64. Andrei Svechnikov, F, CAR (F46)
65. Patrice Bergeron, F, BOS (F47)
66. Mark Scheifele, F, WPG (F48)
67. Nazem Kadri, F, COL (F49)
68. Jake Oettinger, G, DAL (G11)
69. Ryan Pulock, D, NYI (D9)
70. Brock Nelson, F, NYI (F50)
71. Blake Wheeler, F, WPG (F51)
72. Roope Hintz, F, DAL (F52)
73. Charlie McAvoy, D, BOS (D10)
74. Dylan Larkin, F, DET (F53)
75. Jesper Bratt, F, NJ (F54)
76. Seth Jones, D, CHI (D11)
77. Brent Burns, D, SJ (D12)
78. Dougie Hamilton, D, NJ (D13)
79. Kevin Fiala, F, MIN (F55)
80. Darnell Nurse, D, EDM (D14)
81. Nick Suzuki, F, MON (F56)
82. Tomas Hertl, F, SJ (F57)
83. Jacob Trouba, D, NYR (D15)
84. Valeri Nichushkin, F, COL (F58)
85. Anze Kopitar, F, LA (F59)
86. Teuvo Teravainen, F, CAR (F60)
87. Logan Couture, F, SJ (F61)
88. Zach Werenski, D, CLS (D16)
89. Josh Norris, F, OTT (F62)
90. Marc-Andre Fleury, G, MIN (G12)
91. Max Pacioretty, F, VGS (F63)
92. Alex Pietrangelo, D, VGS (D17)
93. Brayden Schenn, F, STL (F64)
94. MacKenzie Weegar, D, FLA (D18)
95. Nick Schmaltz, F, ARI (F65)
96. Nico Hischier, F, NJ (F66)
97. Boone Jenner, F, CLS (F67)
98. Matthew Boldy, F, MIN (F68)
99. Devon Toews, D, COL (D19)
100. John Tavares, F, TOR (F69)
101. Thatcher Demko, G, VAN (G13)
102. Dylan Strome, F, CHI (F70)
103. Mikhail Sergachev, D, TB (D20)
104. Justin Faulk, D, STL (D21)
105. Elias Pettersson, F, VAN (F71)
106. Tage Thompson, F, BUF (F72)
107. Jared Spurgeon, D, MIN (D22)
108. Jordan Kyrou, F, STL (F73)
109. Nikolaj Ehlers, F, WPG (F74)
110. Bo Horvat, F, VAN (F75)
111. Rasmus Andersson, D, CGY (D23)
112. Colton Parayko, D, STL (D24)
113. Pierre-Luc Dubois, F, WPG (F76)
114. David Perron, F, STL (F77)
115. Mark Giordano, D, TOR (D25)
116. Tyler Bertuzzi, F, DET (F78)
117. William Nylander, F, TOR (F79)
118. Andrew Mangiapane, F, CGY (F80)
119. Tony DeAngelo, D, CAR (D26)
120. Shayne Gostisbehere, D, ARI (D27)
121. Sam Bennett, F, FLA (F81)
122. Evgeny Kuznetsov, F, WSH (F82)
123. Ville Husso, G, STL (G14)
124. Tyler Toffoli, F, CGY (F83)
125. Zach Hyman, F, EDM (F84)
126. Esa Lindell, D, DAL (D28)
127. Anthony Duclair, F, FLA (F85)
128. Cam Atkinson, F, PHI (F86)
129. Oliver Bjorkstrand, F, CLS (F87)
130. Rickard Rakell, F, PIT (F88)
131. Jeff Petry, D, MON (D29)
132. Anders Lee, F, NYI (F89)
133. Alex Tuch, F, BUF (F90)
134. Ben Chiarot, D, FLA (D30)
135. Michael Bunting, F, TOR (F91)
136. Tom Wilson, F, WSH (F92)
137. Torey Krug, D, STL (D31)
138. Rasmus Dahlin, D, BUF (D32)
139. Jonathan Marchessault, F, VGS (F93)
140. Jack Campbell, G, TOR (G15)
141. Ryan Hartman, F, MIN (F94)
142. Tyson Barrie, D, EDM (D33)
143. Morgan Rielly, D, TOR (D34)
144. Joshua Morrissey, D, WPG (D35)
145. John Klingberg, D, DAL (D36)
146. Cole Caufield, F, MON (F95)
147. Jamie Benn, F, DAL (F96)
148. Lucas Raymond, F, DET (F97)
149. Rasmus Ristolainen, D, PHI (D37)
150. Connor Hellebuyck, G, WPG (G16)
151. T.J. Oshie, F, WSH (F98)
152. Erik Karlsson, D, SJ (D38)
153. Jaccob Slavin, D, CAR (D39)
154. Vincent Trocheck, F, CAR (F99)
155. Quinn Hughes, D, VAN (D40)
156. Cam Talbot, G, MIN (G17)
157. Connor Brown, F, OTT (F100)
158. Tyler Seguin, F, DAL (F101)
159. Joel Eriksson Ek, F, MIN (F102)
160. Ryan Johansen, F, NSH (F103)
161. Pavel Buchnevich, F, STL (F104)
162. Taylor Hall, F, BOS (F105)
163. Tim Stutzle, F, OTT (F106)
164. Tanner Jeannot, F, NSH (F107)
165. Ryan McDonagh, D, TB (D41)
166. Jakob Chychrun, D, ARI (D42)
167. Carter Verhaeghe, F, FLA (F108)
168. Adam Henrique, F, ANA (F109)
169. Jakub Vrana, F, DET (F110)
170. Calvin de Haan, D, CHI (D43)
171. Robin Lehner, G, VGS (G18)
172. Andrew Copp, F, NYR (F111)
173. Adam Pelech, D, NYI (D44)
174. Alex Killorn, F, TB (F112)
175. Mathew Barzal, F, NYI (F113)
176. Ryan Graves, D, NJ (D45)
177. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, F, EDM (F114)
178. Brayden McNabb, D, VGS (D46)
179. Miro Heiskanen, D, DAL (D47)
180. Anton Lundell, F, FLA (F115)
181. Damon Severson, D, NJ (D48)
182. Ivan Provorov, D, PHI (D49)
183. Troy Terry, F, ANA (F116)
184. Ivan Barbashev, F, STL (F117)
185. Shea Theodore, D, VGS (D50)
186. Kyle Palmieri, F, NYI (F118)
187. Robert Thomas, F, STL (F119)
188. Mathew Dumba, D, MIN (D51)
189. Viktor Arvidsson, F, LA (F120)
190. Jonas Brodin, D, MIN (D52)
191. Vladislav Gavrikov, D, CLS (D53)
192. Mason Marchment, F, FLA (F121)
193. Yegor Sharangovich, F, NJ (F122)
194. Drake Batherson, F, OTT (F123)
195. Marcus Foligno, F, MIN (F124)
196. Jeff Skinner, F, BUF (F125)
197. Nicklas Backstrom, F, WSH (F126)
198. Blake Coleman, F, CGY (F127)
199. Ryan Strome, F, NYR (F128)
200. Vitek Vanecek, G, WSH (G19)
201. Trevor Zegras, F, ANA (F129)
202. Anthony Cirelli, F, TB (F130)
203. Ondrej Palat, F, TB (F131)
204. Lawson Crouse, F, ARI (F132)
205. Jean-Gabriel Pageau, F, NYI (F133)
206. Evan Bouchard, D, EDM (D54)
207. Jared McCann, F, SEA (F134)
208. Brock Boeser, F, VAN (F135)
209. Luke Schenn, D, TB (D55)
210. Neal Pionk, D, WPG (D56)
211. Andre Burakovsky, F, COL (F136)
212. Anthony Mantha, F, WSH (F137)
213. Scott Mayfield, D, NYI (D57)
214. Ryan O’Reilly, F, STL (F138)
215. Travis Konecny, F, PHI (F139)
216. Cam Fowler, D, ANA (D58)
217. Sean Durzi, D, LA (D59)
218. Reilly Smith, F, VGS (F140)
219. Artem Zub, D, OTT (D60)
220. Radko Gudas, D, FLA (D61)
221. Travis Hamonic, D, OTT (D62)
222. Brett Pesce, D, CAR (D63)
223. Scott Laughton, F, PHI (F141)
224. Mikael Granlund, F, NSH (F142)
225. Travis Sanheim, D, PHI (D64)
226. Erik Johnson, D, COL (D65)
227. Phillip Danault, F, LA (F143)
228. Tyler Myers, D, VAN (D66)
229. Kailer Yamamoto, F, EDM (F144)
230. Noah Hanifin, D, CGY (D67)
231. Zach Parise, F, NYI (F145)
232. Craig Smith, F, BOS (F146)
233. Justin Braun, D, NYR (D68)
234. Vince Dunn, D, SEA (D69)
235. Drew Doughty, D, LA (D70)
236. Christopher Tanev, D, CGY (D71)
237. Conor Sheary, F, WSH (F147)
238. Ondrej Kase, F, TOR (F148)
239. Nate Schmidt, D, WPG (D72)
240. Dysin Mayo, D, ARI (D73)
241. Joel Farabee, F, PHI (F149)
242. Corey Perry, F, TB (F150)
243. Josh Anderson, F, MON (F151)
244. Filip Hronek, D, DET (D74)
245. Dawson Mercer, F, NJ (F152)
246. Jake DeBrusk, F, BOS (F153)
247. Kevin Hayes, F, PHI (F154)
248. Artturi Lehkonen, F, COL (F155)
249. Brandon Montour, D, FLA (D75)
250. Yanni Gourde, F, SEA (F156)
Source: www.espn.com