Stock watch: What to expect from Patrick Kane
Credit to Author: Victoria Matiash| Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2023 13:02:25 EST
Tuesday was more than a bit busy, both on and off ice, yes? On top of enjoying 10 lively games, we finally found out where Patrick Kane will compete in 2023-24, while also learning that Anthony Beauvillier is Chicago-bound, now that both Taylor Hall and Corey Perry are essentially finished – for very different reasons – with the Blackhawks.
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Beginning with the newest member of the Detroit Red Wings, if your group of fantasy forwards sports any shortcomings at all, grab Kane asap (if still available). Forecast to join a top-six scoring line and power play with former Chicago teammate Alex DeBrincat, the veteran winger stands to put up numbers near the impressive figures he enjoyed when the two played together ahead of last season. If his offseason hip resurfacing surgery was as successful everyone hopes. Hardly a guarantee, as outlined by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, but a fit and healthy Kane is capable of pacing out at a point/game, at minimum. It’s up to you – keeping the state of your fantasy roster in mind – to determine whether the risk makes sense or not.
As for Beauvillier, I imagine he’ll earn a shot on Connor Bedard’s wing, at even-strength and with the extra skater, taking into account the makeup of the rest of the Blackhawks’ roster – without Hall/Perry – for the remainder of the season. While underwhelming as a member of the Canucks to this point, the (still only) 26-year-old is worth watching if he settles in alongside the game’s brightest rising star. If only during more favorable match-ups.
Schedule-wise, we’re in for another sine wave-like three-day stretch, featuring a trio of games Wednesday, 14 on Thursday, and only two Friday. Everyone plays at least once, while the Blue Jackets, Red Wings, Canadiens, Devils, Sharks, and Capitals compete twice. Coming off an inspiring come-from-behind win against the Islanders, look for New Jersey to make some noise in Philadelphia on Thursday before hosting the Sharks on Friday.
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Kirill Marchenko, F, Columbus Blue Jackets: Skating on a Blue Jackets’ top line and power play with Boone Jenner and Johnny Gaudreau, Marchenko has three goals and an assist in his past four contests. He’s also playing more than 18 minutes/game. Columbus hosts Montreal Wednesday before welcoming the Senators on Friday.
Gabriel Vilardi, F, Winnipeg Jets: Recovered from an early-season knee injury, Vilardi projects to draw back into the Jets’ lineup as soon as Thursday against the Oilers. The young forward has a great shot of reclaiming a spot on the Jets’ top line with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. Which could prove rather fruitful.
Bryan Rust, F, Pittsburgh Penguins: He’s back. After missing three games with a lower-body injury, Rust skated nearly 20 minutes and scored a goal in Tuesday’s 3-2 OT loss to the Predators. Competing on a top line and power play with Sidney Crosby, the winger offers value in just about any form of standard fantasy competition.
Gustav Nyquist, F, Nashville Predators: One of the reasons the Predators have won six-straight is Nyquist’s recent uptick in production. Skating on a top unit with Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly, the veteran winger is riding a nine-game point streak, with two goals and nine assists altogether.
Jonathan Quick, G, New York Rangers Tell you what, the veteran goalie is spelling off Igor Shesterkin a lot more often than many of us anticipated. For good reason. Quick has been solid-to-great this fall, posting a 6-0-1 record, 1.99 GAA, .930 SV%, and two shutouts – already equal to last season’s total, split between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Plus, Shesterkin has waffled a bit of late.
Erik Gustafsson, D, New York Rangers: Gustafsson is about to lose his sweet gig on the Rangers’ top power play, now that Adam Fox is again healthy. Considering half of the defenseman’s 10 assists this month have counted on the power play, that demotion is going to hurt a bit.
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Devon Levi, G, Buffalo Sabres: The AHL is not the environment in which you want your fantasy netminder to play. Which is exactly where the 21-year-old is now set to compete for an underdetermined period of time. Fact is, Levi has been resoundingly mediocre through nine appearances for the Sabres to date. Some seasoning in the minors shouldn’t hurt. Also, know that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – available in nearly 90% of ESPN.com leagues – is rocking it out for Buffalo at present.
Akira Schmid, G, New Jersey Devils: Serving as substitute saviour in New Jersey’s impressive come-from-behind win against the Islanders, Schmid will start again against either the Flyers on Thursday or Sharks on Friday. Either match-up works for me. Not only has the club’s No. 2 been more effective than Vitek Vanecek all season, the rest of the Devils have been better out front when he’s between the pipes. This was glaringly obvious on Tuesday, in particular.
Michael Bunting, F, Carolina Hurricanes: If he sticks on the Hurricanes’ top line with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, Bunting presents as an appealing streamer versus the Islanders on Thursday. In better productive rhythm of late altogether, the winger scored (primary assist: Aho) and assisted on a Jarvis goal (primary assist: Aho) from that position against the Flyers on Tuesday.
Trevor Moore, F, Los Angeles Kings: Productive all year, Moore has four goals and two assists in his past three games. I like his chances of potting another point or two versus the Capitals on Wednesday.