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Sean Allen, Special to ESPN.com
All 32 teams get a taste of action across the first three days of Week 11 of the fantasy hockey season.
Among the teams getting in two games over the course of Monday to Wednesday are the Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken and Winnipeg Jets.
And it’s the Jets that I want to quickly highlight.
When the news broke that their best goal scorer, Kyle Connor, would be out for six to eight weeks, the fantasy reaction is definitely concern. Rarely can you take away a team’s best sniper and expect fantasy results to improve.
But Gabriel Vilardi has certainly done an exceptional job of stepping into those giant shoes Connor leaves behind. Elevated to the top line with Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers, the threesome has really found a connection the past two games. I mean, really, really found one: a collective eight goals and nine assists across two games.
The opposition won’t be surprised in the next outing, but this is a sign that the Jets top players — mainly Scheifele, Josh Morrissey and Connor Hellebuyck — can weather this significant injury to Connor.
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Stock up
Gabriel Vilardi, C, Winnipeg Jets (62.21% available): This was already implied above, I just want to formalize it here and have his name standout on the page.
Bonus: the Jets play the Canadiens and Red Wings to start the week, so now is as good a time as any to get him in your lineup.
Morgan Geekie, C, Boston Bruins (98.83% available): This spike in production has come from a line shuffle that landed Geekie alongside David Pastrnak. With Pasta not facing supplemental discipline for the hit that got him kicked out of Saturday’s game, Geekie can continue to enjoy the combination Tuesday against Minnesota.
Adam Henrique, C, Anaheim Ducks (98.04% available): Since that was his first career hat-trick on Sunday, we aren’t expecting more of those. But even take away those points and Henrique still has 1.88 fantasy points across his past five as the Ducks continue to soldier on with key injuries. With Mason McTavish and Trevor Zegras out, Henrique is the top center in all situations.
Kevin Shattenkirk, D, Boston Bruins (92.38% available): If Charlie McAvoy stays out of the lineup longer, Shattenkirk will continue to get the power-play quarterback work in his stead, as it appears he’s pushed past Hampus Lindholm for that job on the depth chart.
Yegor Sharangovich, C, Calgary Flames (90.38% available): The hot streak is still rolling for at least one Flame, with 18.2 fantasy points across Sharangovich’s past five games. He’s locked in next to Elias Lindholm at both even strength and on the advantage.
David Savard, D, Montreal Canadiens (68.84% available): He’s been back for three games and is blocking everything that comes toward him to the tune of 2.4 FPPG. His return coincides with a big slow down to Mike Matheson‘s output that may or may not be related, as Matheson’s shot blocking has fallen off a cliff.
Stock down
Brent Burns, D, Carolina Hurricanes (22.54% available): The ice time is dipping below 19 minutes some games. He occasionally finishes games with zero shots. It’s been almost a month since his last goal. We could cut Burns some slack when he was still playing 25 minutes some nights and taking six shots, but he turned a corner in mid-November and hasn’t been even having unlucky typical Burns games. He’s gone eight straight without cresting 1.4 fantasy points.
Tage Thompson, C, Buffalo Sabres (3.28% available): Thompson sustained himself long enough as world-class to shake the flash in the pan moniker, so this is just an ordinary slump from an unordinary player. But if it’s not, this could another player who relies on his quick wrists not feeling right after an injury. He returned at least a week sooner than originally expected after taking a puck off the wrist in mid-November. Don’t forget it was a lingering hand injury that kept Auston Matthews‘ totals muted all of last season. Here’s hoping it’s just an ordinary slump and Thompson busts out of it soon.
Adin Hill, G, Vegas Golden Knights (10.13% available): Patience was not rewarded Sunday as Hill finally returned to action for the first time since Nov. 30, only to leave after 6:25 with another injury. Logan Thompson has been letting in too many goals to be a set-and-forget option like Hill, but it looks like more playing time is coming his way if you can pick your spots with him.
Streamer specials
Scott Wedgewood, G, Dallas Stars (96.36% available): We don’t know the extent of Jake Oettinger‘s injury — in the sense that he very well could be in the crease on Monday and surprise us. But the safe move in deeper leagues is to roster Wedgewood, as he can be an adequate stopgap for fantasy that is probably better than anything on the free-agent wire. In shallower leagues, he’s a streaming option if Oettinger misses time.
Drew Doughty, D, Los Angeles Kings (29.71% available): If you play in a shallower league and Doughty is available – that’s 30% of you — he should be a lock for the start of the week. The Kings plays the Sharks and Kraken, and Doughty’s been relatively hot with the puck.
Ryker Evans, D, Seattle Kraken (99.64% available): With Justin Schultz sidelined and Vince Dunn not meeting the levels he hit last season, the Kraken have been turning to Evans on the power play in recent games. The results are there, with Evans potting four assists including two on the advantage in his past three games. The Kraken have two contests to start the week, meeting Dallas and L.A.
Michael Rasmussen, C, Detroit Red Wings (93.19% available): Patrick Kane may not be getting the fantasy points for himself, but his presence is rubbing off. Rasmussen has been playing with Kane and has averaged 2.08 fantasy points per game (FPPG) across his past five. Joe Veleno has also been getting some Kane time and has averaged 1.88 FPPG.
Nikolaj Ehlers, W, Winnipeg Jets (63.66% available): Also getting the bump with Vilardi to the top line with Connor out, Ehlers has been just as good and is equally as available.
Source: www.espn.com