That opening puck drop doesn’t come without months of preparation, though, and we’re not just talking in the gym. Getting game-day ready goes beyond just the weight a player can handle on the squat rack — to how they manage the load of inevitable expectation on their shoulders. “I think the hardest part of pro […]
Continue readingSo how do we separate out players we hope can return to prior form? Injuries are a big factor. That applies to the type that keep a player out for the majority of a season, which is obviously a stark dip in production — think Nikita Kucherov missing all of 2020-21. But injuries also apply […]
Continue readingESPN’s Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski caught up with dozens of star players at the NHL Player Media Tour near Las Vegas last week and asked all the pertinent questions: What team or player are they most excited to watch? Which current or former teammate will one day make a great coach or GM? What’s […]
Continue readingThe chart below shows the season-age of all the forwards that finished in the top 100 fantasy players for each of the last eight seasons. When looking for breakout players, you want to find a spot on the curve where the number of relevant forwards takes a big jump. Then, look at which forwards are […]
Continue readingNo surprises at the top, where a pair of star teammates in Edmonton lead fantasy forwards once again. Keep reading to see where postseason standouts in Matthew Tkachuk and Jake Oettinger sit, as well as much-hyped draft pick Connor Bedard. 1. Connor McDavid, C, Edm (C1) 2. Leon Draisaitl, C, Edm (C2) 3. Elias Pettersson, […]
Continue readingFollowing the initial flurry of free-agent signings to launch Summer 2023, here’s an ultra-preliminary look at how some prominent fantasy performers predictively fit in with their new squads. Blake Wheeler, RW, New York Rangers: If the veteran winger earns the opportunity to skate on a top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, as anticipated, […]
Continue readingThere isn’t anything special about the rankings here compared to every week, but that’s because these rest-of-season rankings aim to capture a snapshot of what a draft might be like every single week of the season. With that in mind, we are going to highlight some of the biggest swings in value since the puck […]
Continue readingInjuries don’t count, so Zach Werenski and Josh Norris get a pass. Rookies don’t count either, so we aren’t bothering with Marco Rossi and Shane Wright. This is about established NHLers with a reliable baseline coming well short of expectations. They are arranged by how much they are missing the preseason projections I assigned to […]
Continue readingResources: Goalie depth chart | Injuries | Schedule | How to watch on ESPN+ | Sign up for ESPN Fantasy Hockey | Download the ESPN Fantasy App | Daily lines All times Eastern. 8 p.m., Canada Life Centre, Watch live on ESPN+ Choose your league size, customize the scoring and set the rules you want […]
Continue readingJakob Chychrun and Nick Schmaltz returned to the lineup for the Arizona Coyotes for the first time this season (basically, as Schmaltz was hurt two minutes into the opener and Chychrun hadn’t yet played in 2022-23). In four games since then, the upstart Coyotes have earned four of a possible eight points (great by their […]
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