Only a reminder that the NHL Commerce Deadline is on Friday and we may have you coated right here at Dobber Hockey when these trades break. We may have the moment fantasy hockey evaluation within the ‘Fantasy Take’ column on the large swaps to ensure fantasy managers have the data they should make the perfect choices they will.
For a little bit of Deadline studying, final Friday’s Ramblings had some fantasy commerce targets managers ought to think about, each amongst forwards and defencemen, together with names like Beckett Sennecke, Jordan Kyrou, Simon Holmstrom, and Brandt Clarke.
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Washington Capitals defenceman John Carlson was again at observe along with his teammates on Monday, albeit in a non-contact jersey, reported Sammi Silber. Carlson hasn’t performed because the NHL returned from its Olympic break, however that he is practising, even in a non-contact jersey, is an efficient signal.
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Jiri Kulich will endure some testing to try to ramp up his health coaching:
Kulich final performed on November 1st on account of a blood clot, and any return to recreation motion continues to be a methods away, however that is he is seemingly progressing is an efficient signal.
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Mark Stone has been designated as day-to-day:
Stone left the sport on Sunday on the finish of the primary interval. That it’s a day-to-day designation is an efficient signal for now.
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The Chicago Blackhawks traded defenceman Connor Murphy to Edmonton for a second-round decide. Murphy could be a superb defensive defenceman who has stable block/hit totals if he will get sufficient minutes, however his greatest affect may be Jake Walman dropping ice time. It is not onerous to ascertain a second pair of Murphy and Darnell Nurse with Walman on the third pair with somebody like Ty Emberson or Spencer Stastney. We now have to attend and see how this shakes out of their first few video games, however Walman fantasy homeowners ought to have a little bit of concern right here.
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In Detroit’s 4-2 win Monday afternoon towards Nashville, goaltender John Gibson took a shot off the shoulder and left the sport after the primary interval. There is no such thing as a official analysis by Helene St. James tweeted that the coaches felt it might need been only a stinger. If that is the case, he ought to be superb, however preserve a watch for updates.
Alex DeBrincat had a aim and an help within the win, bringing him as much as 60 factors and he is one help away from a 30-30 season.
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Zach Werenski (sickness) didn’t play in Columbus’ recreation on Monday evening in New York.
Columbus gained that recreation 5-4 in additional time after the Rangers got here all the best way again from 4-0 to 4-4 within the third interval. Kirill Marchenko had a pair of targets, together with the OT winner, whereas aiding on a aim from Adam Fantilli.
Gabe Perreault scored twice for the Rangers within the loss as Igor Shesterkin gave up 5 targets on 28 photographs.
Elvis Merzlikins was in internet for Columbus, so it’s going to be Jet Greaves on Tuesday at dwelling to Nashville.
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Dan Vladar stopped 29 of 31 photographs in Philadelphia’s 3-2 shootout win over Toronto on Monday evening. That pushes him to a .908 save share and makes him the primary Philadelphia goalie in six years to have a .900 save share (or higher) with a minimum of 35 begins.
Rasmus Ristolainen, in what could find yourself his final recreation with the Flyers, posted 5 photographs, two blocks, two PIMs, and two hits within the win.
Nick Seeler was injured for the Flyers and he left the sport late within the first interval. We’re ready for an replace, however between that damage and Ristolainen’s potential commerce, there could possibly be a number of ice time accessible for high guys like Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, and Travis Sanheim to vacuum up.
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Colin Blackwell, Matt Duchene, and Jason Robertson all posted a aim and an help in Dallas’ 6-1 win in Vancouver. Defenceman Lian Bichsel scored twice in his first profession two-goal recreation.
Jake Oettinger stopped 13 of 14 photographs for the win.
Evander Kane scored the lone Canucks aim, posting three photographs, a block, and a success.
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Joey Daccord stopped 35 of 36 photographs for his 18th win of the season as Seattle defeated Carolina 2-1. The Kraken netminder is 1 of 10 goalies to make a minimum of 75 began and submit a minimum of a .905 save share throughout the final two seasons. Kaapo Kakko scored one of many aim and now has scored in two of the three video games since coming back from the Olympics.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored the lone Carolina aim. That offers him 8 targets and 11 assists by 21 video games in calendar 2026. Goalie Frederik Andersen allowed two targets on 15 photographs and his save share is right down to .874 on the season.
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Colorado’s high line carried the group to a 4-2 win in Los Angeles on Monday evening as Gabriel Landeskog and Martin Necas each posted a aim and two assists whereas Nathan MacKinnon registered a aim, an help, and eight photographs. Over Landeskog’s final 25 video games, he has 21 factors, 70 photographs, 31 hits, and 14 blocks.
Cale Makar posted an help, 5 photographs, and three blocks whereas blue line accomplice Devon Toews scored simply his second aim of the marketing campaign.
With no Drew Doughty within the lineup once more, Brandt Clarke skated 23:30 and has now averaged over 23:00 per recreation throughout his final three video games. Clarke scored and posted two photographs, 4 PIMs, and two blocks.
Anton Forsberg was in internet once more for the Kings and gave up three targets on 38 photographs for the loss.
Artturi Lehkonen was injured within the first interval and didn’t return. All of Ross Colton, Victor Olofsson, and Parker Kelly every had a minimum of a few shifts on the second line.
Quinton Byfield didn’t play on Monday evening on account of an upper-body damage. Hold a watch out for extra updates.
Within the first recreation of the post-Jim Hiller period, the highest line was Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe, and Artemi Panarin. Given the accidents they’ve, all three skated over 20 minutes, and Panarin was over 22 minutes.
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We’re six weeks away from the tip of the common season and there are a number of youthful gamers on playoff (or potential playoff) groups that ought to issue into their group’s success. Let’s undergo the league and take a look at six forwards, all of their age-26 season or underneath, who aren’t the focal factors of their groups however may have fantasy relevance for these managers chasing a championship.
Participant/group knowledge is from Evolving Hockey, schedule knowledge is from Frozen Instruments, monitoring knowledge is from All Three Zones, and all is present as of March 2nd, 2026. All the information is at 5-on-5 until in any other case indicated.
The pink and blue dotted strains within the following graphs characterize the league common in these particular stats amongst all forwards.
Marat Khusnutdinov (Boston Bruins)
At 1.86 factors per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, Khusnutdinov has produced at a price commensurate with a second-line ahead. It is not elite, but it surely’s good, and he is usually discovered himself skating on a line with David Pastrnak (although they did make some swaps of their latest recreation towards the Philadelphia Flyers). Skating with Pastrňák definitely helps with manufacturing, however Khusnutdinov has been performing nicely individually, too. among the monitoring knowledge, listed here are some comparable names by price of scoring likelihood assists (helpers on teammate possibilities) and share of zone entries carried in, and who’re liable for an above-average price of zone entries total:
We clearly see the names Jack Hughes and Nikolaj Ehlers, and the overlapped names are Khusnutdinov and Leo Carlsson. Suffice to say that is a wonderful listing of comparable gamers for the younger Bruins ahead to search out himself with and speaks to the expansion he is seen this season.
There are some points for Khusnutdinov’s fantasy worth, beginning with being extremely position dependent as a result of he will not get high power-play time with out some key accidents, and that caps his manufacturing upside. If he’s moved to the third line – as he was on Saturday – then will probably be onerous for him to keep up even a 0.5 factors/recreation tempo.
Compounding that could be a lack of peripherals. His 60-minute shot price in any respect strengths is that of a fourth-liner and his price of hits places him close to the underside 30% of forwards. Not solely would a third-line position preserve him away from the group’s high stars, but it surely lowers his ice time which might imply minimal peripherals. So long as Khusnutdinov is skating with Pasta, he has relevance in deeper codecs, but when he is anyplace else, he is un-roster-able in something however the deepest leagues.
Mavrik Bourque (Dallas Stars)
The Dallas Stars’ high, erm, stars will get all of the press, however Bourque is having himself an attention-grabbing season. His uncooked manufacturing totals, and his 60-minute charges, are nothing particular, however there’s some effectivity underneath the hood value highlighting. When his shot makes an attempt per anticipated aim, and shot makes an attempt per shot on aim, he compares nicely to different top-6 forwards throughout the league:
What is essential for Bourque is the damage to Mikko Rantanen. Whereas it is unlikely to steer Bourque to high power-play time – although that is nonetheless potential – it has already led to monster minutes popping out of the Olympic break: he skated 18:13 and 21:45 within the two video games Dallas performed final week. These are his two highest TOI video games of the season and led to 9 photographs on aim. Even with out high power-play time, the Stars will lean closely on their high two strains till Rantanen returns, and Bourque’s shot effectivity in a a lot greater position bodes nicely for his manufacturing down the stretch. He additionally has 30 hits in 19 video games in calendar 2026, so there’s banger worth right here.
Jack Quinn (Buffalo Sabres)
The difficulty dealing with Quinn is the depth of Buffalo’s ahead group, significantly on the wing. Alex Tuch is the highest man, Josh Doan is having a breakout season, Peyton Krebs has discovered a house on the highest line, Jason Zucker is a dependable veteran, and Zach Benson has upside although he is having a down 12 months. With all that mentioned, Quinn has been wonderful this season as there are two comparable wingers by price of likelihood assists and first factors (targets and first assists) whereas additionally having an above-average price of zone entries:
There’s Travis Konecny, and Quinn’s identify is overlapped with Lucas Raymond. Quinn has had one poor season (2024-25), although that could be excused by recovering his recreation following two critical surgical procedures. Apart from that, there at the moment are three seasons of excellent manufacturing. He will not see prime minutes this season with out the group struggling a pair key accidents, however Buffalo’s subsequent three weeks sees two video games towards San Jose, and one recreation towards every of Anaheim, Los Angeles, Toronto, Washington, and Nashville. The issue is that simply a type of video games is on a day the place there are fewer than 9 video games, so fantasy managers searching for a streamer may not be capable of match him in.
Quinton Byfield (Los Angeles Kings)
Like many Kings skaters, it has been a troublesome manufacturing season for Byfield, but it surely hasn’t harm his position: he averaged over 20 minutes/recreation in any respect strengths throughout the final two months and has even been seeing high power-play time alongside Artemi Panarin. His battle to supply is clear, but it surely stands out once we see who he compares to by his price of likelihood assists and price of zone entries amongst forwards who carry the puck into the zone at an above-average price:
Byfield’s identify is overlapped with Jesper Bratt – which is apt contemplating Bratt’s personal struggles – however we additionally see Pastrňák and Ehlers. In any season if a participant compares to Bratt, Pastrňák, and Ehlers, it’s a good signal, and that it is a participant skating 20 minutes a recreation with high power-play time is critical. It’s uncertain that Los Angeles’ offence meaningfully improves, however the underlying knowledge is there to assist a surge for Byfield’s level price. The Kings even have the best remaining schedule by opponent factors share, so the rest-of-season outlook for Byfield is brighter than the primary three-quarters of the season. We simply must see how issues go along with a brand new coach behind the bench.
Jackson Blake (Carolina Hurricanes)
If there’s one thing that the Hurricanes are usually not identified for, it is capturing effectivity. Blake has been an exception this 12 months as he is not solely been in a position to put up a excessive price of particular person anticipated targets, however doing so with out a sky-high price of shot makes an attempt whereas skating a top-6 position:
The names that evaluate to Blake are Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust, and John Tavares. What has been a difficulty for Blake is simply 47% of his shot makes an attempt find yourself on course. If he can enhance his price of shot makes an attempt, or simply land extra photographs on aim, his goal-scoring ought to get higher. The excellent news is Carolina’s remaining opponents are giving up the seventh-most targets towards per recreation, so the schedule is lined up for Blake to begin scoring greater than he has up to now.
Philipp Kurashev (San Jose Sharks)
Anybody who has learn my writing over the previous few years is aware of that I’ve not been a fan of Kurashev’s, however we have now to provide credit score the place credit score is due: he is been an excellent playmaker for the Sharks when he is been wholesome. Beneath are the comparable gamers to Kurashev by price of likelihood assists, his major assists/60 minutes at 5-on-5, and total likelihood contributions (assists plus particular person possibilities):
That listing with Kurashev contains Artemi Panarin, Kyle Connor, Will Smith, and Connor McDavid. With Smith, Kiefer Sherwood, William Eklund, and Tyler Toffoli on the roster, there’s a number of competitors for winger roles, however we have now seen Kurashev skate within the top-6 at occasions this season. San Jose has the most effective remaining fantasy schedules when it comes to opponents and video games performed, so if he is ever moved again to the top-6 group, he may have streaming worth.
