Accidents, position modifications, and new houses have already reshaped a variety of midseason worth, and this week is an effective snapshot of how rapidly issues can flip. Darren Raddysh has gone from short-term Victor Hedman alternative to full workload driver on Tampa’s prime unit. Josh Norris is again from yet one more early harm and instantly dropped right into a premium scoring position once more in Buffalo. Gabriel Landeskog is beginning to seem like himself after a four-year hole, along with his minutes and touches lastly catching as much as his identify worth on the best scoring staff within the league.
JJ Peterka has slipped right into a featured position with Utah and is quietly monitoring towards one other robust goal-scoring season on a primary line that’s given loads of leash. On the again finish, Vladislav Gavrikov has turned a basic shutdown profile into actual fantasy relevance by means of heavy minutes and regular peripherals in New York. The theme is straightforward. Utilization has moved, and these 5 names are both capitalizing on it already or sitting in spots that deserve a recent look earlier than your league adjusts.
Information Sources:
Participant Information From Pure Stat Trick
Yahoo roster percentages by way of Frozen Instruments.
Line mixtures and power-play deployment by way of Every day Faceoff and Frozen Instruments.
All info present as of December third, 2025.
Tampa Bay Lightning — Darren Raddysh (49%, D)
We coated Raddysh intimately within the November 21st article, and every thing that has occurred since then has pushed his worth even greater. His workload has grown right into a full primary position with 3 objectives, 15 assists, and 18 factors by means of 21 video games, backed by 45 photographs and almost twenty minutes an evening. Since November 1st he additionally ranks fourth amongst all defensemen in factors per 60 at 2.79 with solely Shayne Gostisbehere, John Carlson, and Adam Fox forward of him, which reveals how effectively he’s producing on this expanded position. The actual change has been the sustained bounce in duty. In Quarter 2 he’s averaging 23 minutes and 51 seconds per sport with 3 minutes and 39 seconds on the facility play, and the manufacturing has adopted instantly with 10 factors in 7 video games.
His latest sport log reveals the extent of belief Tampa has positioned in him. Six straight video games over 24 minutes. A number of nights near 27 minutes. Common PP1 utilization. He has settled into the position that Tampa wanted stuffed whereas Hedman is out, and as a substitute of merely holding the spot, he has pushed play and stored the offense transferring from the again finish. His pairings have rotated, however the sample is similar. He’s the puck mover and the first distributor no matter companion.
Nothing on this run seems unintended. The minutes, the touches, the facility play work, and the quarter-by-quarter traits all level towards a defenseman who has earned greater than a brief promotion. If this stage of play continues, he has an actual probability to maintain both the PP1 quarterback position or a full first pair spot even when the blue line returns to regular.
Takeaway: Raddysh has moved previous streamer standing. PP1 time, heavy minutes, and sustained manufacturing give him actual worth in all codecs. He must be held till Tampa proves the position is altering, and there may be now an opportunity he retains a premium deployment even after the lineup is wholesome once more.
Buffalo Sabres — Josh Norris (34%, C)
We first wrote about Norris on October 9th, earlier than he was injured early within the season, and the analysis has aged precisely as anticipated. The position he stepped into was promising, however the true query was well being. Now that he’s lastly again and has three video games below his belt, the early indicators are encouraging. He has 2 objectives and a pair of assists for 4 factors with 9 photographs and a powerful 5 minutes of energy play time per night time. His utilization has instantly jumped into affect territory on a line with Tage Thompson and Zach Benson, and the facility play workload places him proper again right into a scoring lane that matches his previous manufacturing.
The small pattern seems like basic Norris. A stable shooter with robust faceoff work, significant touches on the person benefit, and sufficient ending capability to matter in any format when he’s wholesome. His 2021-22 season stays the clearest reference level, a 0.83 points-per-game tempo pushed by shot quantity and energy play manufacturing. His return up to now traces up with that profile. His first two video games again noticed him take seven photographs mixed, log double-digit faceoff wins, and file three energy play factors in that quick span.
The priority with Norris has by no means been expertise. It’s at all times availability. If he stays in his present spot with Thompson and Benson, and if the Sabres proceed to offer him this stage of energy play time, he can completely push into dependable middle-six fantasy worth once more.
Takeaway: Deal with Norris as a monitored add. The position is powerful, the early manufacturing is actual, and the capturing and energy play utilization each match his greatest seasons. If the well being holds, he can settle into regular worth. For now, he matches as a calculated pickup with upside relatively than a must-add in each format.
Colorado Avalanche — Gabriel Landeskog (44%, F)
Landeskog’s return at all times had two questions hooked up to it. How lengthy would the rust final, and what sort of position would Colorado truly give him on a loaded roster. Twenty-seven video games in, we’re beginning to get actual solutions. On the floor line he’s at 5 objectives, 9 assists, 14 factors with 47 photographs, 38 hits, and 14:55 per night time. That appears like center six manufacturing. The quarterly break up tells a unique story. Quarter 1 was quiet at 2 objectives and 4 assists in 20 video games with 1:35 of energy play time. Quarter 2 has been a full-on surge, 3 objectives and 5 assists for 8 factors in 7 video games with PPTOI as much as 2:57 and his total ice time leaping to 17:41.
The latest sport log is precisely what you need to see from a participant coming off a protracted layoff. Three straight robust showings in opposition to Minnesota, Montreal, and Vancouver with 6 factors in these three video games, a multi-goal night time, and a noticeable uptick in shot quantity. The touches are coming in all the appropriate locations. He’s parked on PP1, dwelling within the center six at even energy, and commonly rotating subsequent to Nathan MacKinnon and excessive ability linemates in Quarter 2. The hit charge continues to be there at 1.4 per sport and he has already thrown 38 hits, so he isn’t just floating on the perimeter.
In comparison with his prime seasons, the minutes are dialed again, however the sample matches a veteran who’s being managed relatively than buried. His present 0.52 factors per sport traces up with a 43-point tempo, however that features the slower first month. The 8 factors in his final 7 video games look much more just like the model of Landeskog fantasy managers bear in mind, simply in a barely smaller workload on the best scoring staff within the league.
Takeaway: The rust is coming off. PP1 utilization, a rising even energy position, and indicators of actual final touch once more make Landeskog a powerful add wherever he’s accessible. In multi-cat codecs he gives objectives, hits, and energy play publicity in a single roster spot. In factors leagues he’s transferring from a watch checklist curiosity to somebody you may choose up now and journey whereas the avalanche offense is rolling.
Utah Mammoth— JJ Peterka (60%, F)
Peterka seems very snug in his new spot. By 28 video games with Utah, he has 12 objectives, 9 assists, and 21 factors, good for a 62-point tempo, with 60 photographs and 16:13 per night time in ice time. The scoring line is backed by actual utilization. He’s locked into a primary line position at even energy and sitting on PP2 with a couple of minute and a half of energy play time per sport. The quarterly break up reveals how regular this has been. Quarter 1 got here in at 8 objectives and seven assists for 15 factors in 21 video games. Quarter 2 is already at 4 objectives and a pair of assists in 7 video games, along with his first energy play level of the season and a small bump in ice time towards the excessive sixteens.
The sport log offers a superb view of his ceiling. The four-point night time in Anaheim with 2 objectives, 2 assists, 6 photographs, and an influence play marker reveals precisely what he can do when Utah’s prime line rolls. He has a number of video games within the final two weeks with 4 or extra photographs, and the 20% capturing clip suggests there may be at the very least some luck concerned, however it’s constructed on constant quantity relatively than random spikes. This follows the pattern from Buffalo the place he stacked back-to-back seasons of 27 and 28 objectives with robust shot charges. The hits are mild with solely 5 up to now, so most of his worth comes from pure scoring and photographs relatively than peripherals.
Takeaway: Peterka is a clear maintain wherever he’s already rostered. First line deployment on a staff that’s letting him drive offense, plus regular PP2 utilization, offers him stable worth in factors codecs and normal leagues that depend objectives and photographs. The mixture of position and up to date manufacturing makes him somebody you retain in your lineup relatively than store round until the state of affairs in Utah modifications.
New York Rangers — Vladislav Gavrikov (6%, D)
Gavrikov has quietly changed into a full workload monster in New York. By 29 video games he has 6 objectives, 7 assists, and 13 factors with 38 photographs, 45 blocks, and 23:14 per night time. The utilization is precisely what you need from a peripheral-stuffing defenseman on a powerful staff. He’s locked on the highest pair and first penalty kill, and his quarter break up reveals how scorching this latest run has been. Quarter 1 gave him 2 objectives and 4 assists in 22 video games. Quarter 2 already sits at 4 objectives and three assists in solely 7 video games, along with his ice time leaping to 24 minutes and 35 seconds an evening.
The sport log underlines simply how heavy the deployment is: A number of nights over 25 minutes; common shifts in opposition to prime competitors; constant penalty kill time within the 2- to 5-minute vary. The offense is unlikely to remain at this tempo given his profession observe file across the mid 20s to low 30s in factors, however the true fantasy worth is within the quantity of blocks, robust plus minus on a superb Rangers staff, and the safety of that prime pair position. When the factors do are available in little bursts like this, they’re a bonus layered on prime of a really secure ground.
Takeaway: Gavrikov matches as a deep league and multi-cat specialist. In case you want blocks, plus/minus assist, and massive minutes with a little bit of shock scoring upside, he’s a straightforward add whereas he’s operating L1 and PK1. In shallow factors codecs the profile continues to be a bit skinny, however in banger and quantity pushed setups he can quietly swing weekly matchups.
