Happy Easter, everyone! I’ll be filling in for Ian today. I know, I know, it’s like getting a bran bar instead of a chocolate egg, but with 15 games on Saturday, there’s no time to wallow in disappointment. Let’s get into the action!
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Aleksander Barkov‘s third period heroics led Florida to a 3-2 shootout victory over Detroit. After scoring two goals on Saturday afternoon, he now has five points in three appearances since returning from a three-game injury absence.
Alex Lyon had a strong showing against his former team, stopping 36 of the 38 shots the Panthers threw his way. He’s now winless in his last 10 starts, posting a 4.04 GAA and .881 SV% during that stretch. Things won’t get any easier next week, when Detroit faces high-powered offenses from Tampa Bay and the Rangers.
A scoreless Saturday leaves Alex DeBrincat with just six points in his last 15 appearances. Granted, captain Dylan Larkin was injured for eight of those games (during which DeBrincat had two points). Regardless, DeBrincat’s recent production is a far cry from the 13 points in eight games he posted to start the season.
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A goaltending duel ended with the rare empty net game-winning goal, as Jonathan Marchessault scored his 40th of the season to lift Vegas over Minnesota. Although he flirted with the 30-goal mark in recent years, I don’t think anyone expected him to be a top-10 goal scorer at this point in the campaign.
Logan Thompson came away with a 32-save victory. He’s been outstanding in recent weeks, winning his past five starts and conceding just one goal in each of those games.
Filip Gustavsson was excellent despite the loss, stopping 29 of the 30 shots he faced. In his last five starts, he boasts a 1.08 GAA and .963 SV, catching fire at the perfect time for fantasy managers. The Wild pulled Gustavsson in overtime to gain a man advantage and give themselves the best chance at taking two points away from the game, trying desperately to stay in the playoff picture. Although the strategy worked weeks ago, it was unsuccessful on Saturday.
Kirill Kaprizov stayed hot, scoring Minnesota’s only goal of the game. After a modest start to the campaign that saw him post 34 in his first 35 (0.97 points/game), the Russian superstar has 48 in his last 31 (1.55p/g).
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Edmonton trounced Anaheim 6-1 on Saturday, led by three-point showings from Connor McDavid and Mattias Ekholm. Ekholm has been on a tear lately, racking up 13 points and 29 shots in his last nine outings. He’s currently on pace for 46 points this season, which, if realized, would be a career high. That’s strong production from a defenseman who’s barely seen any power-play time.
Adam Henrique scored the opening goal of the game, giving him three goals in his last four appearances. He could provide value in deeper leagues as he’s currently skating beside Leon Draisaitl on Edmonton’s second line. The Oilers play four games next week, with tilts on Wednesday and Friday – when most teams aren’t in action. If you need some help from the waiver wire, Henrique should be easy to incorporate into your lineup.
Anaheim’s lack of offense is evident from the game’s scoreline. In the Ducks’ last 14 contests, only once have they managed more than two goals in a game. Given the team’s anemic attack, Vancouver’s starting goalie (Casey DeSmith or Arturs Silovs) should have a favourable matchup on Sunday, facing Anaheim on the second half of a back-to-back.
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Alexis Lafreniere had the first five-point game of his young career as the Rangers ran through Arizona with an 8-5 victory. Lafreniere’s on pace for nearly 60 points this season, averaging 2.7 shots per game. This breakout campaign has been fuelled by an elevated role on the lineup. He’s benefitted from consistent time beside high-quality linemates in Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck, but he’s also from a greater volume of opportunity. After averaging 15:13 a night last year, he’s up to 17:18 this season. I’d say the only thing he needs to become a point-per-game player is a top power-play role. Unfortunately, New York is one of the toughest places to break into that role as the first unit has played well together for a long time, and all five members are on contract for at least two more years after this one. It’ll probably take an injury, trade, or period of prolonged struggle for Laf to break into that group.
Lafreniere’s evolution has taken New York’s second line to a whole new level. Panarin posted four points on Saturday, putting him on pace for 119 this year. That’s a big step up from the 92 he tallied last year. He also jumped from 2.5 to 3.6 shots per game. Trocheck, who tallied two points against Arizona, is on pace for 83 this year after finishing with 83 last season.
With Saturday’s game played in the desert, it makes sense that a number of Coyotes stayed hot. Nick Schmaltz tallied two assists against the Rangers, giving him 24 points in his last 18 games. Strong play down the stretch is becoming habitual for Schmaltz. Nick Bjugstad tallied a goal and assist on Saturday, giving him 13 points in his last 12 outings.
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A lower-body injury caused Valeri Nichushkin to miss a second-straight game on Saturday. Reports indicate he’s not travelling with Colorado for the start of its road trip, so he won’t play against Columbus on Monday.
With Nichushkin sidelined, Jonathan Drouin has been skating on the top line beside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, while Casey Mittelstadt has been promoted to the top power-play unit. Drouin tallied two points in Colorado’s 7-4 win over Nashville, giving him 16 points in his last 14 games. Although he’ll probably drop to the second line once Nichushkin returns, Drouin should retain a spot on Colorado’s star-studded top power play, making him a valuable fantasy asset down the stretch. Mittelstadt is making the most of his temporary top unit role, as he tallied a power-play goal against the Predators. He’s registered a point in seven of his 10 appearances with the Avalanche.
Colorado’s stars came to play on Saturday. MacKinnon didn’t register a point in his last appearance (Thursday against the Rangers), marking the first time this season he was held pointless at home. He came back with a vengeance, racking up four points against Nashville. Cale Makar and Rantanen were close behind with three points a piece.
Alexander Georgiev started the game for Colorado but was pulled after allowing four goals on the first 13 shots he faced. Young backup Justus Annunen came in and stopped all 22 shots thrown his way. The 24-year-old netminder has been playing well lately and is worth a spot start in fantasy leagues whenever he’s called upon.
Gustav Nyquist led Nashville with two points on Saturday. He’s been on fire over the past two months, racking up 31 points in his last 24 outings. Already at a career-high 68 points, Nyquist is on pace for 75 this year.
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In his first game back from a calf contusion, Ilya Samsonov stood tall and earned a 34-save shutout against the Sabres. Despite Samsonov’s strong performance, Auston Matthews stole the spotlight on Saturday night, scoring his 60th goal of the season. This is the second time in the past three years that he’s achieved this milestone. Nobody has more goals than Matthews since he entered the league in October 2016. Draisaitl sits in second place – 35 goals behind – despite playing 50 more games than Matthews. In fantasy hockey, a game where goals tend to be more valuable than assists, Matthews is a top-tier asset.
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After posting a goal and assist in Saturday’s 4-3 shootout win over the Penguins, Zach Werenski finishes March with a team-leading 14 points in 15 games. He’s on pace for 63 points this year and ranks 14th in scoring among defensemen. I don’t think he’s receiving enough recognition for this career-best campaign.
Bryan Rust tallied two points against Columbus, putting him on pace for 71 this year. It’s been an incredible bounceback campaign from Rust, who tallied just 46 points last season. He’s benefitted from a recent return to top power-play duties, as well as a season-long increase in ice time, averaging 19:26 this year after seeing just under 18 minutes last year. With injuries limiting him to just 53 games, I feel like his rebound season is being underappreciated.
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Pyotr Kochetkov had a strong showing against the Canadiens, earning a 26-save shutout. I imagine Frederik Andersen will get Carolina’s first start of the playoffs based on his elite play since returning from injury, but if he falters, Kochetkov is more reliable than most backups.
With Saturday’s win, Carolina improves to 8-2-1 with Jake Guentzel in the lineup, boasting a 28.6% success rate on the power play during this stretch. Guentzel has 16 points in these 11 games, posting two assists on Saturday. His linemates enjoyed similar success against the Canadiens, with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis having two-point nights of their own. Aho finishes March as one of the league’s top scorers, racking up 23 points in 15 appearances this month. He’s sitting at a career-high 85 points and is on pace for 97 this year.
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This season, Chicago is averaging a league-worst 2.22 goals per game. Naturally, it makes sense that they scored five goals against Samuel Ersson and the Flyers on Saturday night. I have a hunch the team was informed that I picked up Ersson for my fantasy playoffs – hence their spiteful offensive explosion. Speaking of Ersson, his last seven starts have been pretty underwhelming. Given his struggles and Philly’s spot in a tight playoff race, perhaps new arrival Ivan Fedotov makes his NHL debut sooner than expected.
After posting two points on Saturday, Philipp Kurashev finishes March with 17 points in 14 games, tying Connor Bedard for the team lead in scoring this month. After a modest first three years in the NHL, Kurashev has broken out with a 60-point pace this year. Of course, that’s thanks in large part to Bedard, his rookie linemate, who has 57 points in 60 games after posting an assist on Saturday.
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A three-point night from Anthony Cirelli carried the Lightning to a 4-1 victory over the Islanders. Cirelli has shown offensive potential when put in the right situations, but his point totals remain modest as he takes on more of a defensive focus.
Brandon Hagel tallied two assists against the Isles, putting him on pace for 74 points this season. He currently ranks 10th in even-strength points. I can only imagine what his offensive ceiling would look like if he saw top power-play time.
Although he came away with the loss, Semyon Varlamov had a strong showing against Tampa and has now started three of New York’s last four games – playing well in all three of those appearances. Given Ilya Sorokin‘s struggles this season, Varlamov may see more action down the stretch than we might’ve initially expected.
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Saturday’s tilt between Winnipeg and Ottawa displayed a contrast between current form and season-long form. Despite sitting near the top of league standings, Winnipeg has now lost six-straight games after falling to the Senators. Despite sitting near the bottom of the league, Ottawa’s 3-2 victory over the Jets extends their winning streak to five games. Brady Tkachuk has certainly been a catalyst of Ottawa’s recent success, racking up 13 points in his last nine games, including a goal and assist on Saturday.
Despite Joonas Korpisalo‘s horrendous season overall, he’s actually been decent lately, sporting a 6-2 record alongside a 2.60 GAA and .911 SV%.
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Playing in his 1000th career game, John Carlson came through with a goal against the Bruins. Much like captain Alex Ovechkin, Carlson has been more productive in the 2024 portion of this season. After posting 19 points in 34 games (0.53 points/game) between October and December 2023, Carlson has 27 points in 39 games since the beginning of January (0.69p/g), including 15 in his last 18.
After posting an assist on Saturday, Pavel Zacha finishes March with 15 points through 14 appearances. Benefitting from exposure to superstar David Pastrnak, Zacha should be a strong fantasy asset down the stretch.
Although he’s credited with the win against Washington, Jeremy Swayman had a quiet night, stopping 18 of the 20 shots he faces. That .900 SV% is the highest he’s posted in his last five games. He hasn’t been in great form recently.
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To all the fantasy managers who entered Saturday night smiling, rubbing your hands in satisfaction and patting yourself on the back – all these actions reflecting your elation after snagging Joel Hofer from the waiver wire seconds after he was announced as St. Louis’ starter against San Jose. Checking the score after the game, you see 4-0. Shutout secured! Wait a second, 4-0 for which team now? Instead of Hofer shutting out the Sharks, it was MacKenzie Blackwood who pulled out a 35-save shutout against the Blues.
Sending love and strength to all you Hofer hopefuls. You made the right call, but fate is a cruel mistress.
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If you were in the market for power play goals on Saturday, Calgary was the place to be. The Flames and Kings combined for six goals – five of which came on the man advantage.
A slew of players had two-point nights, including Adrian Kempe, Kevin Fiala, Yegor Sharangovich, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Nazem Kadri. Speaking of Kadri, he’s been incredible after a slow start to the year, racking up 62 points in his last 65 appearances. That translates to 78 points over 82 games, which represents a massive jump from the 56 points he posted last season.
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Wyatt Johnston led the Stars to a 3-0 victory over Seattle, posting a goal and an assist. He has 35 points in his last 33 games, which translates to 87 points over 82 games. He leads the team in scoring over the past two and a half months. Not bad considering he’s just 20 years old.
Jake Oettinger quietly earned an 18-save shutout against the Kraken. He’s allowed two goals or fewer in each of his last five starts.
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Thanks for reading! If you ever have any fantasy hockey questions, follow me on Twitter @BrennanDeSouza and shoot me a message!
An investigator gave the World Anti-Doping Agency a pass on its handling of the inflammatory case involving Chinese swimmers, but not without hammering away at the “curious” nature of WADA’s “silence” after examining Chinese actions that did not follow rules designed to safeguard global sports.
WADA on Thursday released the full decision from Eric Cottier, the Swiss investigator it appointed to analyze its handling of the case involving the 23 Chinese swimmers who remained eligible despite testing positive for performance enhancers in 2021.
In echoing wording from an interim report issued earlier this summer, Cottier said it was “reasonable” that WADA chose not to appeal the Chinese anti-doping agency’s explanation that the positives came from contamination.
“Taking into consideration the particularities of the case, (WADA) appears … to have acted in accordance with the rules it has itself laid out for anti-doping organizations,” Cottier wrote.
But peppered throughout his granular, 56-page analysis of the case was evidence and reminders of how WADA disregarded some of China’s violations of anti-doping protocols. Cottier concluded this happened more for the sake of expediency than to show favoritism toward the Chinese.
“In retrospect at least, the Agency’s silence is curious, in the face of a procedure that does not respect the fundamental rules, and its lack of reaction is surprising,” Cottier wrote of WADA’s lack of fealty to the world anti-doping code.
Travis Tygart, the CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and one of WADA’s fiercest critics, latched onto this dynamic, saying Cottier’s information “clearly shows that China did not follow the rules, and that WADA management did nothing about it.”
One of the chief complaints over the handling of this case was that neither WADA nor the Chinese gave any public notice upon learning of the positive tests for the banned heart medication Temozolomide, known as TMZ.
The athletes also were largely kept in the dark and the burden to prove their innocence was taken up by Chinese authorities, not the athletes themselves, which runs counter to what the rulebook demands.
Despite the criticisms, WADA generally welcomed the report.
“Above all, (Cottier) reiterated that WADA showed no bias towards China and that its decision not to appeal the cases was reasonable based on the evidence,” WADA director general Olivier Niggli said. “There are however certainly lessons to be learned by WADA and others from this situation.”
Tygart said “this report validates our concerns and only raises new questions that must be answered.”
Cottier expanded on doubts WADA’s own chief scientist, Olivier Rabin, had expressed over the Chinese contamination theory — snippets of which were introduced in the interim report. Rabin was wary of the idea that “a few micrograms” of TMZ found in the kitchen at the hotel where the swimmers stayed could be enough to cause the group contamination.
“Since he was not in a position to exclude the scenario of contamination with solid evidence, he saw no other solution than to accept it, even if he continued to have doubts about the reality of contamination as described by the Chinese authorities,” Cottier wrote.
Though recommendations for changes had been expected in the report, Cottier made none, instead referring to several comments he’d made earlier in the report.
Key among them were his misgivings that a case this big was largely handled in private — a breach of custom, if not the rules themselves — both while China was investigating and after the file had been forwarded to WADA. Not until the New York Times and German broadcaster ARD reported on the positives were any details revealed.
“At the very least, the extraordinary nature of the case (23 swimmers, including top-class athletes, 28 positive tests out of 60 for a banned substance of therapeutic origin, etc.), could have led to coordinated and concerted reflection within the Agency, culminating in a formal and clearly expressed decision to take no action,” the report said.
WADA’s executive committee established a working group to address two more of Cottier’s criticisms — the first involving what he said was essentially WADA’s sloppy recordkeeping and lack of formal protocol, especially in cases this complex; and the second a need to better flesh out rules for complex cases involving group contamination.
The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
