Fantasy Hockey News

The Avalanche captain produced 30 goals, 59 points, a plus-27 rating, 78 PIMs, seven power play goals, 15 power play points, 150 shots, 94 hits and 34 blocks.

Fantasy Impact: Landeskog had his season cut well short in 2022 as the Avalanche opted to put him under the knife on March 12th to deal with a lingering knee issue. Colorado was well positioned to make the playoffs and were thinking about the greater good. The gritty leadership from Landeskog is a prime example of what any team should want out of their captain. Not only does he have the ability to net points playing on the top line with Nathan Mackinnon and Mikko Rantanen, he never shy's away from body contact or a tilt. Whether he's standing up for his team mates or trying to shift momentum, he can always be counted on to provide physicality when needed. This is even more important for a team that has previously been built on speed and scoring but that doesn't necessarily lead to success in the post-season when playing physical can determine the series. They have bolstered up their size this year and having Landeskog lead by example will only fire up his team that much more. If you're playing in a league that values hits, you can consider him in the first round due to the tremendous scoring upside. If not, he's an easy selection in the second round.

Cale Makar finished the regular season with 28 goals, 58 assists, a team-high plus-48, 26 PIMs, nine power play goals, 34 power play points, 240 shots, 95 hits and 110 blocks.

Fantasy Impact: The stud Avalanche defender posted career-highs in goals, assists, plus/minus, penalty minutes and power play points. If you were able to take the time and watch the Avalanche play, you can immediately tell how special of a player he is. His ability to generate offense from his own zone while maintaining defensive integrity is a talent not many defenders have. His edge work while skating is impressive to say the least as he can pants multiple players more than once with his agility and elusiveness (Queue up the Kirby Dach and Quinn Hughes videos where he embarrassed them both). His constant composed demeanor may give you the impression he doesn't have an aggressive side but ask Antoinne Roussel or Jordan Staal and they might say different. Makar appeared to say to Roussel, "I f**ked you up", after the play where he laid him out trying to exit the zone, but the camera cut out. Again attesting to his edge work, the power he can generate to deliver a hit in such close quarters is truly impressive. Jordan Staal ate one and was forced from the game. Both hits are square in the chest and nearly perfect in terms of a quality hit while not running the man. He is undoubtedly a consideration for the Norris Trophy this year and will be neck and neck with Nashville's Roman Josi. If you want him on your roster next season, be prepared to spend your first rounder on him.

Mikko Rantanen produced the most points of all Colorado skaters in 2022 by netting 36 goals, 56 assists, a plus-35 rating, 56 PIMs, 35 power play points, 254 shots, 58 hits and 43 blocks.

Fantasy Impact: Rantanen produced career-high's in points, plus/minus, PIMs, while tying his career-best in power play goals (16) and power play points. "The Moose" as he is known to the Avs faithful is load to handle on the right wing with his imposing size, body presence, vision, and ability not only to score but set up his team mates by demanding coverage. With plenty of years left on his contract with Colorado there's no reason to think he won't remain on the top line with Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan Mackinnon which is a force to be reckoned with regardless of opposition defense and goal tending. He rivals Alex Ovechkin for the first RW off the board in drafts but Ovechkin still plays the body and nearly triples him in hits (155) Rantanen is a great pull if you somehow manage to snag him in the second round and will fill the offensive stats for you regularly.

Nathan Mackinnon appeared in just over three quarters of Colorado's games this year and narrowly missed his career-low which he held in 2015-16 at 64. The Avalanche super-star had 32 goals, 56 assists, a plus-22 rating (tied career-best), 42 PIMs, 27 power play points, 299 shots, 68 hits and 39 blocks.

Fantasy Impact: Mackinnon racked up the assists early this year and was shy in the goal column, only accounting for ten goals leading up to February 15th. He picked up the pace to close out the season by netting 22 for the Avs and continues to be a key piece for Colorado at center. He is a driving force on the power play and has nearly unmatched speed and quickness in his game. He has also added an element of toughness this year as he's dropped the mitts on more than one occasion when the bell rings. He will be on the top line accompanied by captain Gabriel Landeskog and star winger Mikko Rantanen for the foreseeable future on a team that is poised to see the post-season regularly in the up coming years. You won't be able to get him outside of the first round, or the top five picks for that matter.

Pavel Francouz was on the losing end of Friday's bout with the Minnesota Wild as they were defeated 4-1. He saved 18 of the 21 shots he faced for an .857 save percentage.

Fantasy Impact: It was a relatively slow night in the shot department but wasn't able to hold off the Wild. The first goal was by Jordan Greenway and was a not-so-hard wrist shot that snuck through the short side. Colorado didn't provide much help for him so they'll end the regular season with a loss. Francouz has faired very well as Darcy Kuemper's back up, reaching a 15-4-0-1 record with a 2.52 GAA and .918 save percentage.

Nazem Kadri registered a goal, a minus-1 rating, and two shots as the Avalanche fell to the hosting Minnesota Wild on Friday.

Fantasy Impact: Rantanen was able to recover the puck in the Minnesota zone and had Kadri open. He put a wrist shot on net and it snuck through Marc-Andre Fleury's arm for his 28th on the year. The marker bumps him up to 87 points through 71 games played with Colorado. Kadri cooled off as the season wound down but made his presence felt on the stat sheet. He will be looking for a new contract next year and his production will help him pull in a decent payday. Hopefully he will be able to play in every post season game in 2022.

Marc-Andre Fleury saved 27 of 28 shots he faced for a .964 save percentage on Friday as the Minnesota Wild defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 in the final game of the regular season.

Fantasy Impact: Fleury heads into the playoffs going 6-1 in his last seven starts and is fitting in well with the Wild as him and Cam Talbot account for a goaltending one-two punch. His record makes it to 28-23-0-5 while sporting a 2.95 GAA and .907 save percentage. He will be a free-agent come 2023.

Jordan Greenway found the back of the net twice, contributing to a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. His stat line included two goals, plus-2 rating, two PIMs, two shots, five hits and one block.

Fantasy Impact: It only took :58 seconds for Greenway to get on the score sheet. He was making his way around the net and let a wrister go that snuck through Pavel Francouz on the short side. His second goal was a dump out that found it's way into the empty net. That brings him to ten goals and and 27 points for the Wild this year.

Kirill Kaprizov provided a goal, an assist, a plus-2 rating, one shot, one hit and three blocks helping down the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on Friday.

Fantasy Impact: Kaprizov made his presence felt in the offensive zone circling around defenders and eventually finding Tyson Jost open for the goal. His own marker crossed the line when there was a scrum of bodies piled in front of the net and he somehow got good wood on it and buried it. Kaprizov finishes the year with 47 goals and 108 points in an excellent season. Look for him to be going in the first round next year.

Tyson Jost scored a goal in Minnesota's 4-1 victory over the visiting Colorado Avalanche on Friday. He finished the game with a goal, a plus-2 rating and one shot, hit and block.

Fantasy Impact: Jost was the beneficiary of a solid effort from Kirill Kaprizov that allowed him to get open and fire one past Pavel Francouz. He ends the season with eight goals and 20 points.

Artturi Lehkonen netted the game-winner for the Avalanche as the took down St. Louis. He finished the game with a goal, a plus-2 rating, two PIM, two shots, four hits, and blocks.

Fantasy Impact: Lehkonen provided a solid stat line to go with his goal which was the result of a Jordan Binnington turn over. He capitalized when the puck got out to the front due to a misplay behind the net. Lehkonen stole the puck and slid it home only :09 seconds into the third for his 18th goal this year. He now has 37 points and is fitting in very well with Colorado since being picked up from Montreal.

Josh Manson contributed a goal, a plus-1 rating, one shot, two hits and one block helping the Avs down the Blues.

Fantasy Impact: Manson found himself at the top of the circle with an open shot. He made a nice effort with the wrister to beat Jordan Binnington and scored his second goal with the Avalanche since being traded from Anaheim. He has six goals and 14 points.

Erik Johnson netted a goal in Colorado's 5-3 victory over the visiting St. Louis Blues. He also contributed three shots, hits and blocks.

Fantasy Impact: The goal was the result of Alex Newhook hacking the puck off St. Louis while they were trying to break out. J.T. Compher made a drive towards the net and created a rebound. Johson collected and scored on the open net for his eighth goal and 25th point this season.

Valeri Nichushkin opened the scoring for Colorado helping down the visiting St. Louis Blues 5-3 on Tuesday night. His stat line included a goal, an assist, two PIM, and four shots.

Fantasy Impact: NIchushkin's goal was set up by a Nathan Mackinnon face off win. He trailed to the high slot and wristed one through traffic that ended up sneaking past Jordan Binnington. He also provided the primary assist for Artturi Lehkonen's goal. He has nearly doubled his points from last year at 50. He has four goals in his last six games.

Darcy Kuemper turned away 28 of 31 shots for a .903 save percentage on Tuesday night, backstopping the Avalanche to a 5-3 home-win over the St. Louis Blues.

Fantasy Impact: There we go. The win snaps the Avalanche out of a season-long, four-game losing streak. The last time they dropped three in a row was way back in October when STL, WSH and FLA bested them, 5-3, 6-3 and 4-1. O'Reilly struck twice late in the third period to bring it within one but Kadri cashed in on the open net for the insurance goal. The win moves Kuemper to 36-12-0-3 with a 2.51 GAA and .922 save percentage. Look for Pavel Francouz to fill in at least one of the remaining two starts.

The center logged two power-play goals in the eight goal outburst by the Lightning. Stamkos added a secondary assist to Cal Foote and a primary to Nikita Kucherov.

Fantasy Impact: The Lightning are heating up at just the right time in the pursuit of a deep playoff run. Stamkos now has 37 goals and 60 assists, bringing him three points short of 100 on the season with three games left to play.

The defenseman added one primary assist to Steven Stamkos on the power-play and three secondaries to Nick Paul, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov.

Fantasy Impact: The four assist game brings the defender up to 61 on the year for an 81 point total in 79 games-played. He added two hits in 24:27 of ice time.

Kucherov added two goals and three assists in the impressive offensive outburst by the Lightning.

Fantasy Impact: The winger has 16 points during his current six game point streak, bringing him up to 62 on the season.

The goalie gave up two goals early in play, but the offense was clicking on all cylinders, as the Lightning have scored 22-goals during the current three game win streak, adding eight tonight in the 8-4 win.

Fantasy Impact: Vasilevskiy stopped 35-of-39 shots-on-goal for a .897 save-percentage in the 8-4 win. The Lightning seem to be heating up just in time for the playoffs.

Knight stopped 12-of-17 shots-on-goal for a .706 save-percentage before being relieved by Sergei Bobrovsky, who surrendered three goals of his own during the third period of play, stopping 13-of-16 in 27:01 of ice time.

Fantasy Impact: The loss ends the Panthers 13-game win streak as the regular season nears an end in what should be an exciting playoff run by the team.