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NHL playoff standings: Key games to watch on the final day
Thursday is the final night of the 2023-24 NHL regular season, with the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs set to begin Saturday. Although the identity of all 16 playoff teams is known, the eight matchups are not all locked in. So which games matter most? Sadly for those with early bedtimes on the East Coast, the […]
Continue readingNHL Power Rankings: 1-32 poll, expectations vs. reality
For this week’s edition of the power rankings — closing out the regular season — we’re comparing each club’s preseason expectation (using the standings point over/under totals from ESPN BET as a proxy) to their actual number of standings points on April 12. How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and […]
Continue readingKey fantasy hockey takeaways from every eliminated NHL team
Anaheim Stars: No question, Frank Vatrano is enjoying the most successful season of his NHL career and it isn’t close. After piling up a previous-best points total of 41 (just last year), the 30-year-old is knocking it out of his own personal park in nearing 60 by campaign’s end, including 33 goals and counting. A […]
Continue readingFrank Nazar scores on first attempt in NHL debut with Blackhawks
CHICAGO — With one dash up the middle of the ice, Frank Nazar provided a glimmer of hope for the Chicago Blackhawks at the end of another losing season. Nazar scored on his first shot on goal in his NHL debut in Chicago’s home finale against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. Wearing No. 91, a […]
Continue readingFantasy hockey awards: Scorers, rookies, and surprises who thrilled the fantasy world
Finalists: Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, Nikita Kucherov (Likely) Winner: Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche We still have another week and change to play out, but MacKinnon has a commanding enough lead that it’s probably safe to call it. Heading into Tuesday’s action, he has 280.8 fantasy points, leading Matthews by 13.9 points and Kucherov by […]
Continue readingNHL Power Rankings: 1-32 poll, each team’s best rookie
Our voters have cast their ballots, with some major shifts yet again as one of the closest Presidents’ Trophy races in recent history is unfolding. Plus: Because it’s awards season, we created a hypothetical: If there were a Calder Trophy given out for each team’s rookie of the year, who would the 32 winners be? […]
Continue readingConnor Bedard’s first season has lived up to expectations
Connor Bedard‘s remarkable rookie season has been defined by confidence and offensive wizardry. But on Jan. 5, as he tried to knife through the New Jersey Devils defense while driving to the net, he was flattened by a hit. When the 18-year-old’s jaw broke, everything he had been building for was cruelly interrupted. “It’s not […]
Continue readingNHL Power Rankings: 1-32 poll, biggest offseason decisions
But in addition to a new order to our list, this week we took a break from the playoff (and draft lottery) race to look at a critical offseason decision that each club will have to make, whether it’s pending free agents, a coach (or GM) hire or a possible trade. How we rank: A […]
Continue readingWaiver watch: Lafreniere, Drouin lead fantasy playoff performers
Whether you’ve lost a player to injury, or your still-contending team could use a boost otherwise, there remain some valuable-right-now fantasy assets that are widely available. Here’s a handful that could immediately help your squad as the regular season winds to a close, with a pressing look to next week’s schedule in particular. As we […]
Continue readingFantasy hockey: Take a closer look between the pipes
Only Buffalo plays on both Wednesday (vs. Ottawa) and Friday (vs. New Jersey), when almost everyone else is off. So, if possible, consider streaming an available Sabre or two — like forward JJ Peterka, defenseman Owen Power, or goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Wednesday’s only other contest pits the Bruins against the Lightning in Tampa. Of course, […]
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