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  • Sean Allen

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    Sean Allen

    Special to ESPN.com

      Sean Allen is a fantasy analyst for ESPN.com. He was the 2008 and 2009 Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hockey Writer of the Year. You can tweet him @seanard.

  • Victoria Matiash

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    Victoria Matiash

    Fantasy Hockey

    • ESPN.com Fantasy Contributor since 2010
    • Part-time anchor at NEWSTALK1010

Feb 9, 2024, 07:20 AM ET

We’re more than a month into 2024, so there’s no better time for ESPN Fantasy analysts Sean Allen and Victoria Matiash to spotlight each team’s hottest player since Jan. 1, in terms of most fantasy points per game. Note that Sean handled the Eastern teams, while Victoria tackled the West.

How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list here.

Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Jan. 26. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.

Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 71.57%
Next seven days: @ DET (Feb. 10), @ WSH (Feb. 11), @ CHI (Feb. 13), vs. DET (Feb. 15)

Thatcher Demko, G (5.42 FPPG since Jan. 1): No one — not even Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner — accrued more total fantasy points in the past month. With only two back-to-back sets dotting the Canucks’ schedule from now until early April (and zero in March), Vancouver’s Vezina candidate should remain plenty busy down the stretch.

Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 71.57%
Next seven days: vs. WSH (Feb. 10), vs. TB (Feb. 13), vs. SEA (Feb. 15)

David Pastrnak, RW (3.31 FPPG since Jan. 1): Any surprise here? Put your hand down, we all know Pasta is the best — fantasy or otherwise — that the Bruins have to offer. And it’s not that close, especially with the goaltenders splitting time.

Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 65.38%
Next seven days: FLA (Feb. 10), @ WSH (Feb. 13), @ TB (Feb. 15)

Nathan MacKinnon, C (4.65 FPPG since Jan. 1): What else is there to say about MacKinnon, a skater who’s averaging numbers near equivalent to the two best goalies (Demko, Skinner) each game. His linemate, Jonathan Drouin, is racking up the assists and, unlike MacKinnon, is available in most ESPN Fantasy leagues.

Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 66.67%
Next seven days: @ MTL (Feb. 10), vs. CAR (Feb. 13), @ NSH (Feb. 15)

Miro Heiskanen, D (2.2 FPPG since Jan. 1): Appearing fully recovered after losing most of January to injury, Heiskanen is banging out a point per game while averaging 25 minutes of ice time in his return. A resurgence that once again boosts him past young Thomas Harley in the Stars’ fantasy pecking order.

Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 66.67%
Next seven days: vs. COL (Feb. 10), @ PIT (Feb. 14), @ BUF (Feb. 15)

Matthew Tkachuk, RW (3.66 FPPG since Jan. 1): It’s about time Tkachuk took his rightful place at the top of the Panthers achievement rankings. Sam Reinhart remains hot on his heels — and will have the better overall campaign — but I’d take a back-on-track Tkachuk for my fantasy squad given the choice.

Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 66.33%
Next seven days: vs. PIT (Feb. 10), vs. SJ (Feb. 14)

Laurent Brossoit, G (6.73 FPPG since Jan. 1): No question, Winnipeg’s backup has been a capital T, as in Terrific when offered the chance to spell Connor Hellebuyck for a contest, dating to early December. Unfortunately, the sum of those opportunities add up to only seven starts (and just three in January). Nonetheless, Brossoit certainly merits streaming where possible, when tossed out there as a substitute. Which could happen more frequently to spare Hellebuyck’s energy down the stretch.

Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 65.38%
Next seven days: vs. MIN (Feb. 12)

Alec Martinez, D (2.54 FPPG since Jan. 1): While Martinez serves as a valuable asset in leagues that reward blocked shots, a healthy again Adin Hill is once more anticipated to pile up fantasy points as Vegas’s go-to netminder. It’s worth noting that Jack Eichel, after undergoing a knee procedure, is expected back later this month.

Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 64.13%
Next seven days: @ LA (Feb. 10), vs. DET (Feb. 13), @ STL (Feb. 15)

Stuart Skinner, G (6.71 FPPG since Jan. 1): Connor McDavid? Sure, he’s great. But what about Edmonton’s starting netminder, who’s performing as an elite fantasy asset between the pipes? While the near record-tying win streak was halted, a fresh run of victories remains attainable as the Oilers schedule features a slew of winnable matchups through February.

Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 65.69%
Next seven days: @ CHI (Feb. 9), vs. CGY (Feb. 12), vs. MTL (Feb. 15)

Vincent Trocheck, C (2.34 FPPG since Jan. 1): This feels like a temporary crown thanks only to a slight pumping of the brakes by the true Rangers fantasy hero this season: Artemi Panarin. But there is no denying that Trocheck has outplayed expectations and should be a fantasy lineup lock.

Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 63.0%
Next seven days: vs. NJ (Feb. 10), @ DAL (Feb. 13)

Andrei Svechnikov, LW (2.94 FPPG since Jan. 1): Unfortunately for fantasy players and the Hurricanes, we haven’t seen Svechnikov in action since Jan. 19. Despite this, he is still only 4.3 fantasy points off the team lead, which shows the Canes are struggling without him. Thankfully, he’s back practicing.

Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 61.22%
Next seven days: @ OTT (Feb. 10), vs. STL (Feb. 13), vs. PHI (Feb. 15)

Ilya Samsonov, G (5.35 FPPG since Jan. 1): It’s encouraging to see Samsonov take the reins for now, but would you be confident the rest of the way with him in your fantasy crease? I’d explore a diversified portfolio as opposed to putting too many chips here.

Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 57.69%
Next seven days: vs. SEA (Feb. 10), vs. ARI (Feb. 12), @ TOR (Feb. 15)

Owen Tippett, RW (2.28 FPPG since Jan. 1): Tippett is neck and neck with Joel Farabee for the lead, which should come as no surprise to Flyers fans who have enjoyed the youth movement taking control of the offense. Both players could be available in standard fantasy leagues.

Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 56.73%
Next seven days: @ CBJ (Feb. 10), @ BOS (Feb. 13), vs. COL (Feb. 15)

Nikita Kucherov, RW (3.48 FPPG since Jan. 1): There is no lack of effort on the part of the Lightning catalyst in the fantasy realm. He’s a half-point per game better than his next closest teammate in 2024 and has this squad on his back most games.

Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 58.0%
Next seven days: vs. VAN (Feb. 10), @ EDM (Feb. 13), @ VAN (Feb. 15)

Alex Lyon, G (4.12 FPPG since Jan. 1): Thriving in the absence of Ville Husso, who last played Dec. 18, Lyon will have to contend with Husso’s return soon as well as a tougher schedule the rest of the month that includes a Western Conference road swing.

Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 58.33%
Next seven days: vs. EDM (Feb. 10), @ BUF (Feb. 13), @ NJ (Feb. 15)

Drew Doughty, D (2.41 FPPG since Jan. 1): Through the earlier highs and current lows, no other fantasy asset in L.A. contributes as consistently as the Kings’ veteran defender. As well-rounded as they come, Doughty checks off most category boxes, scoring and otherwise, night in and out.

Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 56.38%
Next seven days: @ MIN (Feb. 9), @ WPG (Feb. 10), vs. FLA (Feb. 14), @ CHI (Feb. 15)

Sidney Crosby, C (2.8 FPPG since Jan. 1): The 36-year-old is scoring at a pace we haven’t seen from him since 2009-10. His fantasy pace has even ticked up since Jan. 1. Can we begin to imagine how gaudy Crosby’s stats would be if Pittsburgh’s power play worked better?

Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 52.94%
Next seven days: vs. ARI (Feb. 10), vs. NJ (Feb. 13), vs. DAL (Feb. 15)

Roman Josi, D (2.81 FPPG since Jan. 1): After a more pedestrian start to the season, one of the league’s best blueliners is back to his usual business of posting serious fantasy points — to the tune of 3.0 per game since the second week of January.

Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 54.08%
Next seven days: @ CAR (Feb. 10), vs. SEA (Feb. 12), @ NSH (Feb. 13), vs. LA (Feb. 15)

Jesper Bratt, RW (2.01 FPPG since Jan. 1): Obviously, anyone we put here is just a placeholder as Jack Hughes returns after his injury absence. Bratt and Nico Hischier have done what they can to hold down the fort, but the Devils’ playoff push gets a boost with Hughes back.

Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 54.90%
Next seven days: vs. CGY (Feb. 10), vs. SEA (Feb. 13)

Noah Dobson, D (3.14 FPPG since Jan. 1): Patrick Roy or Lane Lambert; 2023 or 2024 … Dobson cares not for the details of who’s behind the bench. He turned the corner as a dynamic, top fantasy defender this season by adding minutes and shot-blocking to his game.

Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 55.10%
Next seven days: @ BUF (Feb. 10), @ MTL (Feb. 11), @ TOR (Feb. 13), vs. EDM (Feb. 15)

Jordan Binnington, G (4.44 FPPG since Jan. 1): Having done his duty in helping keep the Blues in the playoff race this past month, Binnington boasts a nice haul of fantasy points. However, managers concerned that the wheels might eventually fall off for a club that doesn’t score a whole bunch might consider goalie help elsewhere.

Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 52.0%
Next seven days: @ PHI (Feb. 10), @ NJ (Feb. 12), @ NYI (Feb. 13), @ BOS (Feb. 15)

Joey Daccord, G (3.82 FPPG since Jan. 1): While the eight-game win streak ended a while ago, Daccord gives his Kraken a chance most games, which helps explain why he posts positive fantasy points even when Seattle loses. His .934 SV% and 1.96 GAA since Dec. 1 further supports the call to roster the skilled netminder.

Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 51.96%
Next seven days: @ NYI (Feb. 10), @ NYR (Feb. 12), vs. SJ (Feb. 15)

Jacob Markstrom, G (4.4 FPPG since Jan. 1): Markstrom continues to win games despite his team’s lower spot in the standings. If it soon falls apart, there’s also a chance Markstrom could be traded. But Calgary doesn’t fancy itself completely out of it yet, with recent Vancouver export Andrei Kuzmenko settling in on the top line.

Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 50.0%
Next seven days: @ NSH (Feb. 10), @ PHI (Feb. 12), vs. MIN (Feb. 14)

Sean Durzi, D (2.18 FPPG since Jan. 1): That he’s averaging more fantasy points per game this season than (underrated) fantasy star Clayton Keller speaks loudly to how well the L.A. export has blossomed in his new desert digs. And the third-year blueliner is just getting going.

Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 54.35%
Next seven days: @ BOS (Feb. 10), vs. VAN (Feb. 11), vs. COL (Feb. 13)

T.J. Oshie, RW (2.84 FPPG since Jan. 1): He’s done enough in 10 of 14 Capitals games in 2024 to earn this spot, but Oshie’s stats are padded here with a recent hat trick. He’s a hot hand who should be in fantasy lineups, but dropped when he cools.

Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 48.0%
Next seven days: vs. STL (Feb. 10), vs. LA (Feb. 13), vs. FLA (Feb. 15)

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G (5.3 FPPG since Jan. 1): As noted in my fantasy column this week, it’s likely no coincidence that the Sabres had the best schedule for fantasy goaltenders in January and Luukkonen turned into a brick wall. That said, the Sabres have the sixth-worst schedule for fantasy goaltending going forward.

Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 50.0%
Next seven days: vs. DAL (Feb. 10), vs. STL (Feb. 11), vs. ANA (Feb. 13), @ NYR (Feb. 15)

Mike Matheson, D (2.3 FPPG since Jan. 1): Matheson has been steady all season and is still undervalued in most leagues. The loss of Sean Monahan via trade shouldn’t slow down the power play — the Canadiens went 1-for-2 on Tuesday — and will have no impact on the blocks that are Matheson’s signature.

Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 49.0%
Next seven days: vs. PIT (Feb. 9), @ VGK (Feb. 12), @ ARI (Feb. 14)

Kirill Kaprizov, LW (3.28 FPPG since Jan. 1): The “Thrill” has been delighting fantasy managers by returning to his scoring ways since coming back from injury. Healthy and registering more than 21 minutes a game, there’s no ebb in sight. Also, don’t sleep on rookie Brock Faber, who’s averaging 2.98 FPPG since Jan. 1.

Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 44.68%
Next seven days: vs. TOR (Feb. 10), vs. CBJ (Feb. 13), vs. ANA (Feb. 15)

Brady Tkachuk, LW (2.25 FPPG since Jan. 1): He doesn’t quite have the elevated points per game shown by Matthew, but Brady is holding his own for the Senators. Ottawa has some games in hand on the rest of the league and short-term schedule that is in their favor.

Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 42.0%
Next seven days: vs. TB (Feb. 10), @ OTT (Feb. 13)

Zach Werenski, D (2.2 FPPG since Jan. 1): Imagine a vast, gray landscape that goes on as far as the eye can see. In the midst of this harsh environment stands a single, vibrant flower; its petals a lone bright spot in the unforgiving environment. This is Werenski in the fantasy landscape that is the Blue Jackets this season.

Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 38.0%
Next seven days: vs. EDM (Feb. 9), @ MTL (Feb. 13), @ OTT (Feb. 15)

Radko Gudas, D (2.45 FPPG since Jan. 1): A tough shot-blocker, Gudas throws his body around while occasionally potting the odd goal or assist. Consistently valuable when only left to his own formidable physical play, the Ducks defender serves as a fantasy gem when accomplishing all three.

Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 32.35%
Next seven days: @ WPG (Feb. 14), @ CGY (Feb. 15)

Mackenzie Blackwood, G (3.22 FPPG since Jan. 1): Another good goaltender on a team that isn’t good, Blackwood is riding a three-game win streak. Still, the Sharks are going to lose more often than win between now and April, which blunts the netminder’s fantasy value. Unless he’s moved before the trade deadline.

Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 29.41%
Next seven days: vs. NYR (Feb. 9), vs. VAN (Feb. 13), vs. PIT (Feb. 15)

Petr Mrazek, G (2.26 FPPG since Jan. 1): The Blackhawks netminder often gains positive fantasy points even when his team loses, which is often. Mrazek hasn’t dipped into negative numbers since Jan. 9, despite winning only two of eight games over that span.

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Source: Rangers happy if Bochy stays beyond ’25

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November 6, 2024

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Source: Rangers happy if Bochy stays beyond '25

  • Buster Olney, ESPN Senior WriterNov 6, 2024, 11:59 AM ET

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    • Senior writer ESPN Magazine/ESPN.com
    • Analyst/reporter ESPN television
    • Author of “The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty”

The hiring of Skip Schumaker as a senior advisor may mean that the Texas Rangers have their future manager under contract.

But if current manager Bruce Bochy, who is likely to be inducted into the Hall of Fame once his career is over, wants to continue beyond 2025, the Rangers will enthusiastically welcome that.

According to one source, Bochy will have the latitude to continue if that’s what he wants.

“If [Bochy] wants to manage beyond 2025, [the Rangers] are good with that,” a highly ranked source told ESPN.

Bochy, who turns 70 in April, just completed his 27th season managing in the big leagues — for the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants before he became the Rangers’ skipper in 2023 — and ranks eighth all time in managerial wins with 2,171, the most for any current manager.

Next season, he will likely pass Dusty Baker and Sparky Anderson on the list. Bochy’s teams have won four championships — the Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014, and the Rangers in 2023.

Schumaker, 44, is viewed as a rising star in the managerial ranks after his first two seasons, with the Miami Marlins.

Miami made the playoffs in 2023 and Schumaker was named National League Manager of the Year. But when the Marlins’ ownership effectively pushed out Kim Ng, the GM who hired Schumaker, he asked the team to void a 2025 option year on his contract, and he left the Marlins after the 2024 season.

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Shildt gets extension after Padres’ playoff return

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November 6, 2024

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Shildt gets extension after Padres' playoff return

  • ESPN News Services

Nov 6, 2024, 12:50 PM ET

One year into his tenure with the Padres, Mike Shildt has been rewarded with a two-year contract extension that ties the manager to San Diego through 2027.

The Padres announced the agreement Wednesday with the 56-year-old manager after they went 93-69, finishing five games behind the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West and claiming the top NL wild card.

“I am honored to continue leading this team toward Peter Seidler’s vision of bringing a World Series championship to San Diego,” Shildt said in a statement. “In collaboration with our players and coaching staff, we are committed to building on our success, serving our community and the City of San Diego, and delivering a winning team to our incredible and deserving fan base.”

San Diego swept a two-game wild-card series against the Atlanta Braves then took a 2-1 lead on the Dodgers in the best-of-five NL Division Series. Los Angeles bounced back to win the final two games 8-0 and 2-0.

The Padres tied for first in the majors with a .263 batting average and ranked sixth with a .745 OPS. Their 3.86 team ERA rated 12th, and their pitching staff’s 1,453 strikeouts came in sixth.

Shildt previously managed the Cardinals from 2018 to 2021, logging a 252-199 regular-season record and guiding St. Louis into the postseason in three of his four seasons. He was voted the NL Manager of the Year in 2019.

“As Mike demonstrated this year, he has an unwavering commitment to winning and a unique set of skills that got our group to perform at a high level,” Padres president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller said in a statement. “He possesses a true love for this team and the game of baseball, and I am thrilled to continue to work together with Mike to bring a championship to the City of San Diego.”

Field Level Media contributed to this report.

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Bottom 10: Clemson and its fans thrown for a loss

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November 6, 2024

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Bottom 10: Clemson and its fans thrown for a loss

  • Ryan McGee, ESPN Senior WriterNov 6, 2024, 09:30 AM ET

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    • Senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com
    • 2-time Sports Emmy winner
    • 2010, 2014 NMPA Writer of the Year

Inspirational thought of the week:

Do you love me?
Do you wanna be my friend?
And if you do
Well then don’t be afraid to take me by the hand
If you want to
I think this is how love goes
Check yes or no
— “Check Yes or No,” George Strait

Here at Bottom 10 Headquarters, located among the giant concrete reinforcement pillars installed under the Indiana football offices to support Curt Cignetti’s self-confidence, we are still trying to process the ceaseless series of sea change/Earth change/mindset change/sleep-cycle change events that were thrust upon us over the course of only a few days’ time.

We had Halloween, turning the clocks back an hour, the release of a new Liam Neeson/Ron Perlman mob movie and a Week 10 slate that saw a gaggle of ranked teams pushed and/or upset by unranked teams, not to mention Pur-don’t and Northworstern going into OT.

And oh yeah, dummy me. I forgot the biggest event of them all. The one that was unfurling just as we were compiling these rankings Tuesday evening, Nov. 5, 2024. I am, of course, speaking of the #MACtion doubleheader of Boiling Green at Centralized Michigan and My Hammy of Ohio at Baller State. Oh, and the eve of “The Golden Bachelorette: The Men Tell All.”

With apologies to Joan Vassos, Jesse Palmer, Matt James, Tyler Cameron, Cleisthenes and Steve Harvey, here’s the post-Week 10 Bottom 10 rankings.

The good news is that the Golden (plated) Flashes, aka America’s last winless FBS team, did not lose their 18th straight game. The bad news is that it’s only because they didn’t play. Now they kick off Week 11 early with the first of four straight midweek games to end the season. It starts with a visit from fellow Ohioans Ohio, followed by a trip to fellow Ohioans My Hammy of Ohio, a visit from fellow Ohioans Akronmonious and then a trip to Buffalo, which isn’t in Ohio, but I’m pretty sure Ohio eats more Buffalo wings than any other state, so it feels like it is.

Brett Favre Funding U also managed to escape its open date without a loss ahead of hosting Marshall this weekend. The Olden Eagles are already eyeing their potential Pillow Fight of the Year of the Century in their season finale to Bottom 10 Waiting Lister Troy Bolton State. Actually, they’re already eyeing the weekend after that, when the season is finally over.

Speaking of the Waiting List, that’s where the Minors were just two weeks ago, but after back-to-back Pillow Fight losses to Fa-la-la-la-la La-la-la-Tech and Meh-dle Tennessee, they have jumped up off the bench outside and burst into the front door like me when the buffet hostess finally says, “McGee, party of one!” Now they will play in unprecedented Pillow Fight Three-peat against … yeah, like that hostess, we’re going to make you wait a minute.

Our old friends the Minuetmen also spent part of this fall on the Waiting List, but they answered the call of duty by following up their non-FBS win over Jack Wagner by getting housed by another Waiting List member, a fellow 2-7 squad out of the S-E-C, Miss Sus Hippie State. Now the Mess plays last week’s Coveted Fifth Spot winner Liberty. It’s always a weird headspace for a group of Revolutionary War soldiers to try to defeat Liberty.

The Tigers tumble down The Hill from the fancy-schmancy Coaches Poll top 10 into the Coveted Fifth Spot after losing to #goacc mid-packer Louisville. We were on the fence about whether to put Death Valley or Happy Valley into this slot, but our minds were made up after downing a bottle of refreshing water that had been winged at our heads from the Clemson student section.

I can hear the lobby conversation now. “Hey, Clemson, did y’all really just lose to Louisville and land in the Coveted Fifth Spot?” “Hey, FSU, did y’all really just lose by 24 points to North Carolina and is the only team you’ve beaten really Cal?” Then they both grab up their briefcases and head into the courtroom to explain why they are too good for the ACC.

The Buttermakers lost the B1G Bottom 10 Bowl presented by Rust-eze, falling to Northworstern in overtime. Now they finish the year with three of four games against top 10 teams in Ohio State, Penn State and Indiana. In related news, sources tell Bottom 10 JortsCenter that Purdue’s legendary engineering department is trying to invent one of those Tony Stark time machine thingies so they can fast forward to winter.

The New Owls have flown back into these standings after following up their first-ever win as an FBS program with their seventh-ever loss as an FBS program. Now they hit the road for their first-ever Pillow Fight of the Week, a matchup with border rival UTEPid. Told you we’d get to it.

If the Bottom 10 were a series “Game of Thrones” memes, this is where we’d see a photo of Boromir talking and giant white letters that read “ONE DOES NOT SIMPLY GET SMOKED 59-21 BY ONE-WIN UAB AND NOT END UP IN THE BOTTOM 10.” OK, sure, let’s go on and do it …

My OG Bottom 10 champs are back! The Panthers keep racking up moral victories. Their only actual victories came back-to-back in September over Chattanooga and Vanderbilt. So, if you’re scoring at home, and we are, Georgia State beat Vandy, who beat Bama, who has been ranked No. 1 and who beat Georgia, who has been ranked No. 1 and who beat Texas, who has been ranked No. 1. I almost printed this paragraph out on Georgia State stationery and nailed it to the door of the College Football Playoff selection committee meeting room at the Gaylord Texan, like Martin Luther at the Castle Church.

Waiting List: FA (not I) U, Akronmonious, Meh-dle Tennessee, WhyOMGing?, You A Bee?, Whew Mexico State, Temple of Doom, Utaw State, Charlotte 3-and-6ers, assistant coaches impersonating volcanos.

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