What’s it like replacing Nick Saban? Behind the scenes of Kalen DeBoer’s first Alabama game week
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Chris Low, ESPN Senior Writer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The drenching rain came out of nowhere Saturday afternoon.
Kalen DeBoer didn’t seem to mind.
Smiling as raindrops ricocheted off his face, DeBoer strode confidently and nodded as he passed the bronze statue of his predecessor, the legendary Nick Saban, while leading the Alabama football team — his Alabama football team — down the Walk of Champions and into Bryant-Denny Stadium.
It was a day that was both surreal and historic, culminating with win No. 1 of the DeBoer era, a 63-0 demolition of Western Kentucky that saw the Crimson Tide gain 600 yards on offense and hold the Hilltoppers to 145 yards.
The players said there were smiles galore in the Crimson Tide locker room afterward, and with good reason. It had been a dizzying transition for everybody since Saban retired.
But on Saturday night, DeBoer was the toast of the locker room. He said a few words to his team and sent the players on their way. But not before quarterback and team captain Jalen Milroe got everybody’s attention and awarded the game ball to the Tide’s new coach.
“He might be new to everybody else, but not to us. He’s our coach, and this was just the start,” said linebacker Deontae Lawson, another team captain. “We’re 1-0, and that’s what he’s been saying ever since he got here, to go 1-0 in everything we do.”
Fifteen years ago, DeBoer was in his final season as head coach at NAIA Sioux Falls. Ten years ago, he was in his first season as offensive coordinator at Eastern Michigan, and five years ago, he was in his only season as offensive coordinator at Indiana.
Now, he is 1-0 as head coach at Alabama.
ESPN had inside access to DeBoer’s first game week in Tuscaloosa. Here’s a look behind the curtain at the dawning of a new era in Crimson Tide football.
31 hours to kickoff: Tide Teammates
Even with Saturday night’s resounding win before a sellout crowd, one of the loudest cheers of the week came from inside the Alabama indoor practice facility Friday morning as the Tide went through their final walk-through before the season opener.
As he gathered the team together, DeBoer stood beside 10-year-old Suzannah Earnest and introduced her to the team. She was about to score the first touchdown of the DeBoer era, part of the “Tide Teammates” program DeBoer brought with him from Washington.
“It’s our way of lifting up a kid that maybe needs to be lifted up, doing our part to help them as they’re going through cancer or anything else they may be fighting,” DeBoer said. “I think we get more out of it than the kids. It’s a reminder that it’s a privilege to play this game.”
Suzannah was diagnosed in 2022 with Friedreich’s ataxia, a progressive genetic condition. There are only 5,000 known cases in the United States, and most people with FA need a wheelchair within 10 to 15 years of diagnosis. She’s also dealing with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which impacts her heart.
But she was ready to go Friday when her favorite Alabama player, Milroe, broke the huddle and handed the ball off to her. It was supposed to be a running play, but Suzannah called an audible and threw a two-handed pass. She eventually got the ball back and was escorted into the end zone by her Crimson Tide teammates for the day.
“They were tall,” she said excitedly.
But the Alabama players were just as excited. They gathered around her, jumping and celebrating as if they’d just won the national championship. Suzannah was there with her parents, Justin and Holly, and her older brother, Keasler. And in the spirit of team, she wanted to make sure her friends at Sipsey Valley Middle School in nearby Ralph, Alabama, were mentioned (Tanner, Eliza, Riley and Jordyn) “if you’re going to put me in the news.”
Being a part of DeBoer’s first game week as Alabama’s coach was nothing short of a dream.
“It gives you hope, all of us, and tells you everything you need to know about Coach DeBoer and these players,” Holly Earnest said.
The players were still talking about their first glimpse of “Tide Teammates” 30 minutes later when they went to lunch. Milroe said that connectivity has been a staple of DeBoer’s program since he arrived on campus.
“It’s like that in everything we do, practice, meetings or anything outside of football,” Milroe said. “You see how real Coach DeBoer is. He’s always who he is, and he trusts us to be who we are. That’s what every player wants.”
24 hours to kickoff: Rare Tide
The team meeting Friday night at Hotel Capstone just across the street from the football complex was short and to the point. All of DeBoer’s meetings are.
He reinforced the 10 p.m. curfew; went over the schedule for Saturday; and, mindful that this was all new ground for the players, casually asked if there were any questions.
Then came something else DeBoer brought with him from Washington. It’s called “Rare Tide,” a way to honor somebody not necessarily inside the football program who has been “unusually great with uncommon values and/or sets themselves apart from others.” Called “Rare Breed” at Washington, the first recipient at Alabama was Tina Thomas, a longtime custodian at the football complex. She had no idea she was going to be honored, so one of the staff members told her they needed her help just to get her to the meeting.
When DeBoer first came to Alabama, he had everybody in the building gather together and introduce themselves.
“And you got the biggest roar of them all,” DeBoer reminded Thomas.
She received another roar from the players as she signed her “Rare Tide” plaque that will hang in the team room.
“We’ll see it each and every day,” DeBoer said as he hugged Thomas.
His final message for the Western Kentucky game: “When they walk off the field, we want them to know they never want to face us again. Ever. I can’t wait to see you guys on that field. Go out and cut it loose.”
107 hours to kickoff: ‘Prepare like you’ve never won before’
The first game-week team meeting of the DeBoer era was proof enough that there was a new sheriff in town. With rap music from Gucci Mane blaring early Tuesday morning, DeBoer was chatting with players in the front row 10 minutes before the 7:20 meeting began.
Saban’s meetings were more like more like a presidential address as he entered a hushed room just as the meeting began and got right down to business. One of the other differences under DeBoer is that the Tide have shifted to morning practices instead of afternoon. And, yes, there was also music thumping through speakers during the practices.
“Yeah, a little different. I always kid Coach [DeBoer] about what’s on his music playlist for the day,” Milroe said. “He mixes it up, same way as his offense.”
The playlist actually comes from any number of people within the program. DeBoer is a fan of classic rock from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, which is why Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” echoed across the practice field Tuesday. Some days, it might be a little Boston and Journey.
The players love the new vibe, but the holdovers said the suggestion that practices have suddenly become Club Med is overblown. Alabama, which will take Mondays off during the season, begins practice with its Crimson period, the No. 1 offense vs. No. 1 defense.
“It sets the tone for the rest of practice,” said offensive guard Tyler Booker, also a captain. “We’re as physical as we’ve ever been. That standard will never change here, and it’s a standard that Coach DeBoer demands as much as Coach Saban. We said it when Coach Saban was here and say it now.
“We are the standard.”
Before the meeting broke up, DeBoer had one last message:
“Prepare like you’ve never won before. Let it rip and have some fun.”
73 hours to kickoff: The coaches show
DeBoer usually swings by the training table every morning for breakfast to check on the players. Last Wednesday, he also had lunch at the training table, a big plate of grilled chicken.
“It’s important for them to see me in here, and I want to see them and be around them in a setting outside of the practice field or meetings,” DeBoer said.
Saban was a stickler for eating lunch in his office every day, a salad with cherry tomatoes and a few turkey slices.
As DeBoer finished his lunch, he dumped his trash and returned his plate and silverware to the bin. He laughed heartily when asked if it’s true that while at Sioux Falls, he was the one who made sandwiches for his team on its long bus rides.
“That story gets better every time it gets told,” he said. “The sandwiches were already made and in coolers, but we did stop at parks or rest stops to eat on our way. We’d leave early in the morning the day of the game because most of those drives were several hours.
“Now, I’d help clean up and make sure everything was thrown away before we left, but I wasn’t the one making the sandwiches.”
Another connection to the Sioux Falls days for DeBoer is his executive assistant, Ali Smith, who came with DeBoer from Washington. Her father, Rob Smith, was the head coach at Western Washington when DeBoer was a senior at Sioux Falls in 1996, when Sioux Falls beat Western Washington for the NAIA Division II national championship.
Ali helped DeBoer handle the many ticket requests and travel arrangements for family and friends who would come in for the game. Over lunch Wednesday, DeBoer was fielding numerous text messages from folks who went back to his Southern Illinois days more than 10 years ago and beyond.
DeBoer was quick to bring that up Wednesday night as Ali rode with him to his radio show at Baumhower’s Victory Grille. The show was on Thursdays when Saban was coaching, and the place was packed for DeBoer’s first show of the season. DeBoer was joined by Milroe; Saban always had a media member as a guest.
Elbert Roberts, aka Peewee from Grand Bay, who was the first caller to Saban’s radio show every week, drove to be there in person, and in keeping with tradition, asked the first question. Always concerned about the offensive line, he told DeBoer that Alabama needs to be known as “OL U.”
Captain Tommy Rester of the Tuscaloosa Police Department has been a fixture around the Alabama program for several years. He drove DeBoer to and from the radio show, as he did Saban, who was a bit of a backseat driver and known to grumble if the traffic light stayed red too long.
But not DeBoer, who was busy talking about the turnout for his first show.
“Coach, I’m always going to be right there with you and don’t want you to think that I’m hovering,” Rester told DeBoer. “But I also don’t want somebody who’s crazy reaching out for you.”
But that passion, DeBoer said, is exactly why he’s at Alabama. The tricky part is staying on the right side of that passion. When DeBoer was whisked out of the restaurant by his security team at the end of the show, they went through a roped-off area, but that didn’t keep him from stopping and taking selfies with several fans.
DeBoer was in the office before dawn every day that week, so there was not a lot of family time. But there was a smile on his face when he saw his wife, Nicole, and two daughters, Alexis and Avery, sitting at one of the front tables in the restaurant for the show. Alexis will head back to Washington later this month. She plays softball for the Huskies. Avery plays volleyball and attends public school in Tuscaloosa.
“We’re used to not seeing him much this time of year,” Alexis said.
Fans crowded in to welcome the DeBoer family to the area, and Nicole even got a special welcome when Big Al, the Tide’s elephant mascot, accidentally hit her in the head with his trunk.
Nicole met DeBoer during her senior year at Augustana University in Sioux Falls when he was teaching history and coaching high school football. While many football coaches are known for their liberal use of salty language, Nicole joked that she’s the one “who does the swearing for the family.”
“All the years we’ve been together, I think I’ve heard him get angry and raise his voice two times,” she said.
Game day: The passing of the torch
Saban hustled back from his duties on ESPN’s “College GameDay” in College Station, Texas, to be in Tuscaloosa for DeBoer’s debut, watching with his family from their suite. Saban plans to be at as many of the Tide’s home games as possible.
“He knows how much I want to see him have success and the team have success, and the thing I’ve been most impressed with is that he’s done it the way he’s always done it and the way he’s had success doing it,” Saban told ESPN. “I’m like all Alabama fans out there. I can’t wait to see where he takes us.”
DeBoer and Nicole visited with Saban on Thursday night at the memorial services for Saban’s mother, Mary, who died last Monday. She was 92.
Earlier that day, as DeBoer called the team together at the end of practice, he told the players he got a call from Saban that morning.
“He just wanted you guys to know how much he cares about you, how much he loves you and he can’t wait to watch you play this year,” DeBoer told the players.
Saban was inside the Alabama football complex only twice during the preseason, both times using a rear entrance to have head athletic trainer Jeff Allen provide treatment on his back.
“That’s been purposeful by Coach [Saban],” Allen said. “People get a little institutionalized when a coach is there as long as he was and has that kind of success. People ask me all the time how it’s going, and my barometer is always the players. My job is to adapt to the way Kalen DeBoer wants it done, not focus on how we used to do it per se.
“I think the worst thing that we can do … is say, ‘We’ve never done it that way before.’ You can’t fall into that trap, and we haven’t.”
For holdovers from Saban’s staff, there have been adjustments. There was a running joke in the building that if you heard a clicking sound approaching on the tile floor of the complex, you had better be ready. Saban always wore dress shoes to work.
DeBoer is more discreet, moving quietly while wearing sneakers, occasionally paired with a Tommy Bahama shirt, and has shown up at one of his coach’s doors with a plate of cookies.
Running backs coach Robert Gillespie is one of two on-field assistants (along with defensive line coach Freddie Roach) whom DeBoer kept from Saban’s staff. Gillespie has been around some of the biggest names in football. He played at Florida and in the NFL under Steve Spurrier, then coached under the Head Ball Coach at South Carolina. Gillespie also coached under Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State and Mack Brown at North Carolina before joining Saban at Alabama.
“He’s not trying to be anybody but himself,” Gillespie said of DeBoer. “Some guys come into a place like this with a big ego. But he was secure enough and smart enough to know that this place is different. These kids are used to winning, and [DeBoer] was confident, but he listened to the kids. Some new coaches come in and don’t take the time to listen.”
While Alabama certainly is different from any of DeBoer’s previous stops, Ron McKeefery, who first worked with DeBoer at Eastern Michigan and is now special assistant to the head coach, knows him well enough to say it won’t matter.
“He grew up on a farm and is the same guy he’s always been,” McKeefery said. “This place might change a lot of people. It won’t change him.”
Kelvin Croom, younger brother of former Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom and a longtime pastor at College Hill Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, has come to practice on Thursdays for years to pray with the players. He said he has had a front-row seat for all the coaching transitions at Alabama since Bear Bryant retired in 1982.
“This has been the smoothest,” Croom said. “Coach Saban is excited and behind Coach DeBoer, and Coach DeBoer is secure enough to do it his way while still respecting what Coach Saban did before him. But it’s like making scrambled eggs. We all can make them, and maybe we make them different ways.
“What matters is if they come out delicious.”
On to Week 2: ‘The new era’
DeBoer had long since accepted his game ball Saturday night and was already looking ahead to Game 2 of his Alabama tenure when Joe and John Atcheson and their families wandered out of Bryant-Denny Stadium and walked across the street to the condo they had rented for the weekend. They made sure to soak up the moment before leaving the stadium.
The brothers are dentists, graduates of Alabama and lifelong fans. They live 10 minutes outside of Clemson, South Carolina, and reminded their kids (Carter, Carson, Connor and Anna) during Saban’s incredible run “to enjoy this.”
They admitted not seeing Saban on the sideline for the first time in 18 years was weird but agreed the positive energy inside the stadium was impossible to ignore.
“There was never this sense of, ‘It’s over,’ doom and gloom or whatever when Coach Saban retired,” John Atcheson said. “We were all like, ‘Hey, we’ve got something good going here, and this is just the new era.'”
The torch has been passed. This is Kalen DeBoer’s team and his time.
“Can’t wait to do it again a week from now,” DeBoer said.
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
NEW ORLEANS — Considering that half-century in the college football netherworld, Tulane is amid what can only be considered a football renaissance. Spearheaded by former coach Willie Fritz and perpetuated by first-year coach Jon Sumrall, Tulane has won the American Athletic Conference (2022), beaten USC in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and is ranked No. 25 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Few could have projected Tulane’s place in the national conversation before the recent surge, as Tulane (8-2) looms as an improbable contender — along with No. 13 Boise State and No. 24 Army — for the CFP bid that goes to the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion.
“They were a beached whale for a lot of years and decades,” former Tulane athletic director Kevin White told ESPN. “The schizophrenia from the campus community was real, relative to college athletics. You’d put on a helmet and shoulder pads when you went to the board meetings.”
These days, the helmets and shoulder pads are saved for the games.
And Tulane has a coach in Sumrall, 42, who is considered to be one the most promising in the sport and embodies the institution’s grander ambitions that come with the taste of success.
And that puts Tulane in a compelling place as a university, as it’s seeing the benefits of recent football relevance and pondering the investments required to stay in the mix and, someday, position itself for a power conference.
“To be able to sustain success is really rewarding, I think, for everybody involved,” Sumrall said in his office last week. “Our players, our staff and the university as a whole, the challenges that come with mid-major football Group of 5 football if you will. Anytime right now you feel like a coach leaves, you’re like, ‘All right, this could go really bad.’ But we’re very fortunate to, things have stabilized.”
Tulane is undefeated in the AAC and a win at Navy (7-2) on Saturday (noon ET on ESPN2) would clinch a spot in the program’s third consecutive conference title game. Tulane beat UCF two years ago, lost to SMU last season and would play Army with a win Saturday.
That type of consistent success — as often happens at the mid-major level — has led to turnover. Athletic director Troy Dannen left for Washington (then soon again for Nebraska) after hiring Fritz in December 2015 and building the program with him. Fritz left for Houston after going 23-4 his final two seasons and beating USC in the Cotton Bowl following the 2022 season.
And Tulane has found itself institutionally trying to both sustain and maximize the success. It hired Huron Consulting, of which White is a senior adviser, to do what COO Patrick Norton calls a “basic diagnosis” of the athletic department.
“[Athletics is] really important to our brand,” Norton said. “Now, how do we capitalize on that? That’s still, I think, in some ways to be determined. I mean, this is fairly recent for us, success from the Cotton Bowl, which was really an amazing experience for the university. One that we hadn’t gone through in a very, very long time.”
One of the clearest signs of Tulane’s football aspirations came immediately after last season. In the wake of Fritz’s departure to Houston and in essentially athletic director David Harris’ first week on the job, they lured the hottest coach in the Sun Belt. Sumrall had won back-to-back league titles at Troy while going 23-4, and drew interest in the last cycle from Texas A&M and Mississippi State.
Sumrall agreed to a six-year deal that’s believed to be near the top of the AAC. For a place that lagged behind so far and for so long, Harris’ immediate aggression and commitment showed that Tulane didn’t want to drift off the map for another half-century.
“Jon has had a great impact on us,” Harris told ESPN. “I think his name and his success coming in the door gave what we were continuing to try to build here at Tulane, immediate credibility because people knew his background, his success, what he had been able to do at Troy, the connection that he had had here [as a former assistant].”
To remain in the conversation for the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion, Tulane will need to keep winning and get help from some of Boise State’s Mountain West foes. But it’s entirely viable, and a testament to the school’s ability to maintain through significant turnover.
Tulane’s place in the national conversation is a fitting dividend from it’s increased investment in football. It was an object of the desire of the Pac-12 and continued success could vault it into conversations as leagues remain in flux.
Norton said that the travel in the Pac-12 loomed as an issue for Tulane and the school didn’t see a certain financial benefit from a move.
“We were leaving something that is more certain to less certain,” Norton said, “and frankly, it’s not the Pac-12 that we always knew, that we grew up with that John Wooden and UCLA and USC. It just wasn’t the same. I’m not saying that these schools aren’t solid, very good schools, but it’s not the same. And it was different than what we wanted, and so I think the decision wasn’t that hard, but we listened.”
But being courted by a league is a sign of Tulane’s evolution and success in athletics. And Sumrall said he has felt the support.
“I think that the readiness and the commitment is real,” Sumrall said. “I think that the university is seeing what football can do for the university. It’s galvanized so many people and I think it’s created a lot of exposure, and I think that that only empowers the desire to maybe help it grow even further.”
Sumrall spent three as an assistant coach at Tulane from 2012-14. He loved the city, watched guys like Leonard Fournette and Odell Beckham Jr. play high school ball. He loved the culture of the city — his favorite steakhouse is Mr. John’s down on St. Charles Avenue, and he has dabbled with the alligator cheesecake at Jacques-Imo’s. He always thought the collision of local talent and the city’s uniqueness could yield big dividends for a program stuck in neutral so long.
“So to me, that mixture of things was something that stood out to me when I was here previously,” Sumrall said. “And then the moment that’s been created with the most recent success the last few years really showed, I think, that there was an opportunity to maybe capture some positive things that have happened.”
Sumrall’s final season as an assistant coach coincided with the move to Yulman Stadium on campus and to the AAC in 2014. That marked a move out of the SuperDome, a cavernous dark hole for Tulane games that Sumrall likened to “playing in a cave.”
Since he has returned, Sumrall has seen the team being on campus and the success under Fritz energize Tulane football in New Orleans. He complimented Dannen’s decision to bring back the Angry Wave logo — fitting for a quirky city like New Orleans — and said the excitement felt today can be linked to the campus hosting football games.
“Ten years ago when I was here, I don’t think anybody here gave a damn. The city didn’t care,” he said. “There was no connection. Now you feel like a real connection. So that part’s really cool.”
Sumrall values that connection. He and his wife, Ginny, live nearby and take frequent walks on campus. She joins him when he traverses campus on Thursdays and checks in on the players classes, something Sumrall likes to do as a way to connect with the players. His presence there also stresses the academic component, which is critical at Tulane.
The roster that Sumrall as assembled is a modern mosaic of what roster building looks like, as he brought in 58 new players, including 53 transfers. He also has benefited from holdovers at quarterback and tailback who’ve both emerged as stars.
Tailback Makhi Hughes leads the AAC in rushing yards with 1,209. He averages 5.7 yards per carry and has scored 13 rushing touchdowns and two more receiving.
Quarterback Darian Mensah has thrown for 2,059 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has completed 65.6% of his passes and has emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the Group of 5.
Mensah has led a balanced offense under veteran coordinator Joe Craddock that is No. 4 nationally in scoring with 41.0 points per game. Tulane is also Top 20 in scoring defense and total defense under coordinator Greg Gasparato.
Sumrall’s teams at Troy had a knack for winning close games, as Sumrall joked they went a “modest 12-2” his first year there. So far at Tulane, his team has lost only to then-No. 15 Oklahoma and then-No. 17 Kansas State, and it has handled the rest of the competition. In Tulane’s eight wins, it has won by an average of more than 30 points.
As Tulane enters the finishing kick, the program will face the same micro conundrum that it faces in the macro as a university in athletics — retaining talent and spending enough money in order to remain competitive. That includes coaches, staff and players, in an era where the financial separation is distinct compared to the power leagues.
While there’s limited movement expected in Power 4 coaching this year, Sumrall’s 31-6 career record will make him coveted this year and beyond. Mensah, who has three years of eligibility left, has authored the type of season that already has quarterback-needy schools putting together bids.
The success for Tulane is real, but so is the annual challenge to maintain it. With the ambition and momentum Tulane has gathered comes the challenge of keeping it going.
“As you look at the next several years, and the changing landscape of college athletics, people feel that there’s really a place for Tulane within the college football landscape and just overall being a stronger athletics brand,” Harris said. “And so to be in this position is incredibly exciting. It’s a big responsibility because you want to be a part of keeping the trajectory going up and keeping the excitement going and keeping the momentum going.”
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Neil Paine
Hockey is a notoriously chaotic sport in which you need a large sample of games to know what’s real versus what’s just noise. For instance, it is estimated that it takes the entire 82-game NHL season to give us as much information about team quality as just 32 NBA games — or less than half the regular season — do.
So it’s always risky to draw grand conclusions from what we see over the first month of play on the ice. But that can’t stop us from finding interesting trends emerging from the early portion of the schedule.
Here are seven initial developments that have taken us by surprise in 2024-25 so far:
1. Ovechkin’s comeback against Father Time
One of the biggest storylines heading into the season was Alex Ovechkin‘s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record, with the Great 8 starting the season trailing The Great One by 41 scores.
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Sean Allen
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Victoria Matiash
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Victoria Matiash
Fantasy Hockey
- ESPN.com Fantasy Contributor since 2010
- Part-time anchor at NEWSTALK1010
Another week, another No. 1 landing spot for the Winnipeg Jets in the ESPN NHL Power Rankings. But who finishes 2-32?
Plus, it’s another fantasy hockey takeover week, with Sean Allen and Victoria Matiash identifying one player per team who is off to a slow start (relative to his teammates or expectations) and advising fantasy managers whether to have patience or panic at this time.
And as a reminder, it’s not too late to join ESPN Fantasy Hockey. Sign up for free and start playing today!
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 Nov. 8. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 88.24%
Cole Perfetti, LW (28.9% rostered in ESPN Fantasy leagues): As difficult as it is to find fault with anything Jets-related these days, Perfetti isn’t quite meeting 2024-25 fantasy expectations yet. But the 22-year-old remains cemented on the Jets’ second scoring line and power play, and he has pitched in enough multipoint showings to merit another look in deeper leagues. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ FLA (Nov. 16), vs. FLA (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 73.33%
Brent Burns, D (69.5%): The writing had been on the wall, faintly sketched with a carpenter’s pencil, but now it’s been retraced in ink. Shayne Gostisbehere has the power play on lock, and Burns doesn’t put up the points without it now. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. OTT (Nov. 16), vs. STL (Nov. 17), @ PHI (Nov. 20), @ NJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 67.65%
Gustav Forsling, D (68.8%): Playoff heroics can inflate rostership numbers even this far into the future, but Forsling isn’t a must-have fantasy contributor. You can find a defenseman with a higher ceiling among your league’s free agents. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. WPG (Nov. 16), @ WPG (Nov. 19), @ CHI (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 78.13%
Marc-Andre Fleury, G (51.8%): As long as Filip Gustavsson continues to perform dependably well, the veteran No. 2 isn’t going to play much. There are other lesser-rostered backups in the league — Jake Allen and Jonathan Quick come to mind — who offer more fantasy punch than Fleury. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DAL (Nov. 16), @ STL (Nov. 19), @ EDM (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 70.00%
Matt Roy, D (45.6%): After a breakout fantasy campaign with the Kings last season, cut Roy some slack. He has had only a handful of games to get used to his new teammates, and the minutes are there to get the job done. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ COL (Nov. 15), @ VGK (Nov. 17), @ UTA (Nov. 18), vs. COL (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 70.00%
Mika Zibanejad, C (95.6%): Zibanejad has had slow starts before — 1.78 FPPG in 2021-22 and 1.93 FPPG last season — yet still finished over 2.00 FPPG. His current 1.58 FPPG isn’t alarming. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 17), @ VAN (Nov. 19), @ CGY (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 68.75%
Brayden McNabb, D (52.3%): Returning to his selfless ways — highlighted by five blocked shots against the Ducks Wednesday — McNabb is already working back into his fantasy managers’ good graces. While hardly a prolific producer, the veteran should start pitching in a few more points, too. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ UTA (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 17), @ TOR (Nov. 20), @ OTT (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 65.00%
Luke Hughes, D (39.1%): He did an admirable job filling in for an injured Dougie Hamilton as a rookie last season, but unless that situation arises again, it looks as though Hughes is out of the limelight for this campaign. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ TB (Nov. 16), vs. CAR (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 66.67%
Roope Hintz, C (79.8%): Some bad puck luck, illustrated by his 6.7% shooting percentage through six recent contests (career: 16.5%), is partially to blame for Hintz’s current skid. But the perennial 30-plus goal scorer is bound to get back on track soon, especially once Peter DeBoer inevitably juggles his lines again. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ MIN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 18), vs. SJ (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 63.33%
Filip Hronek, D (51.9%): He’s averaging approximately a single shot and blocked shot per game. Unlike last season, the compensatory scoring isn’t there to make up for those shortcomings. Hronek appears far more valuable to the Canucks as Quinn Hughes‘ defensive partner than to his fantasy managers. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. CHI (Nov. 16), vs. NSH (Nov. 17), vs. NYR (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 58.33%
Quinton Byfield, RW (43.2%): The lack of a single power-play point is one concern, along with his removal from the top unit. Through the fantasy lens, so is Byfield’s third-line role. If all remains as is, we might be in for another season of inconsistent fantasy returns. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 16), vs. BUF (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 61.11%
Matthew Knies, LW (42.4%): He has been making hay while the sun shines, so to speak, as he gets first power-play unit access while Auston Matthews is out. The confidence boost should carry over to when Matthews returns, and they are linemates again. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. EDM (Nov. 16), vs. VGK (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 55.88%
Jeff Skinner, C (45.0%): Afforded the opportunity to compete alongside just about every Oiler up front, including two of the best centers in the biz, the veteran winger has nonetheless failed to offer much of a productive presence. Now Skinner appears relegated to Edmonton’s fourth line. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ TOR (Nov. 16), @ MTL (Nov. 18), @ OTT (Nov. 19), vs. MIN (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 56.67%
Jake Guentzel, LW (98.8%): Guentzel’s overall output is fantastic already, but with just two power-play points so far, he has yet to add his usual production with the man advantage. If he does, his already strong fantasy profile could get a big boost. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NJ (Nov. 16), @ PIT (Nov. 19), @ CBJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 52.94%
Devon Toews, D (66.7%): While it has taken the defender time to warm up after a delayed start to 2024-25, Toews now appears back in his groove: blocking shots, contributing to the score sheet and skating more minutes than nearly everyone else. Cale Makar‘s partner hasn’t averaged 0.58 points per game throughout his career by accident. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. WSH (Nov. 15), @ PHI (Nov. 18), @ WSH (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 53.13%
Linus Ullmark, G (84.8%): The Senators are showing signs of competing, and we know Ullmark is capable of being among the best. Patience might already be paying off with some of his recent road outings against tough division rivals. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ CAR (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 19), vs. VGK (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 55.88%
Nazem Kadri, C (78.4%): While no one is scoring much for the Flames these days, including their No. 1 center, this too shall pass. Perhaps it’ll play out like last season, when Kadri collected two points in October before erupting for 13 in November, then maintained that scoring pace for the duration of the season. Also, he shoots the puck a lot. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NSH (Nov. 15), vs. NYI (Nov. 19), vs. NYR (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 50.00%
Charlie McAvoy, D (89.9%): The Bruins’ offense might be slower this season, but McAvoy’s 1.64 FPPG is still too low. Give him time. Not enough has changed to drop him far from his 2.29 FPPG average over the past three seasons. Verdict: Patience
Next seven days: vs. STL (Nov. 16), vs. CBJ (Nov. 18), vs. UTA (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 53.13%
Barrett Hayton, C (17.5%): According to analysis by Evolving Hockey, the third-line center (for now) should be scoring more goals in accordance with the quality of his shots. That offers some comfort in light of his current skid. While Hayton certainly needs to play more minutes and shoot on net more often, he doesn’t merit giving up entirely in deeper fantasy leagues. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. VGK (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 18), @ BOS (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 52.94%
Brock Nelson, C (76.9%): The Isles’ collective offense isn’t weaker than it has been for several years. Nelson has averaged 2.03 FPPG across the past three seasons. He’ll come around. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 16), @ CGY (Nov. 19), @ DET (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 50.00%
Patrick Kane, RW (66.3%): If the Red Wings’ power play were in the dumps, maybe we could preach patience for Kane. But it’s not, and it might be time to move on from Kane in fantasy. He is getting all the opportunities required and is just not producing. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ ANA (Nov. 15), @ LA (Nov. 16), @ SJ (Nov. 18), vs. NYI (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50.00%
Dylan Cozens, C (49.3%): It is time to move off Cozens. He had that banner 2022-23 but is now matching the reduced fantasy production that lasted all of last season. Even an uptick in performance might not be enough to get to fantasy relevance from his current 1.41 FPPG. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ PHI (Nov. 16), @ LA (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 50.00%
Adam Larsson, D (60.5%): Despite the relative drought, the top-pair defenseman still blocks a sufficient number of shots to merit rostering in deeper standard leagues. Plus, he’ll soon fall back into his usual (however relatively modest) scoring groove. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NYI (Nov. 16), vs. NYR (Nov. 17), vs. NSH (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 44.12%
Jordan Binnington, G (55.1%): After winning the season opener against Seattle, the Blues’ No. 1 has yet to beat anyone outside of the Atlantic Division. Shouldering a 4-7-0 record, .887 save percentage and 3.26 goals-against average, Binnington has cost his fantasy managers a total net loss of 1.8 points. Yes, negative points. There are likely brighter days ahead for the banged-up Blues, but when? Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ BOS (Nov. 16), @ CAR (Nov. 17), vs. MIN (Nov. 19), vs. SJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 47.06%
Joel Farabee, LW (50.7%): Farabee, Tyson Foerster, Scott Laughton; Take your pick of Flyers who were just picking up some fantasy momentum in their career but have been buried on the depth chart by the new core group. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. BUF (Nov. 16), vs. COL (Nov. 18), vs. CAR (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 38.24%
Teuvo Teravainen, RW (41.4%): The Blackhawks’ offseason acquisition has one goal and zero assists in his past 11 games, and he isn’t shooting with any consistency. Even back on a scoring line with Connor Bedard, Teravainen can’t be counted on to contribute regularly enough. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ VAN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 19), vs. FLA (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 41.67%
Erik Karlsson, D (94.1%): It’s been a season and a quarter now, so what we see from Karlsson as a Penguin might be what we get. He’s not the sole source of offense, so downgraded fantasy output is just the new normal. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ CBJ (Nov. 15), vs. SJ (Nov. 16), vs. TB (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 40.00%
Ivan Provorov, D (19.2%): No one on the Blue Jackets is underperforming in a big way, but even 20% rostership is too high for Provorov. If he’s not on the first pair, you can safely pretend he’s not there. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. PIT (Nov. 15), @ MTL (Nov. 16), @ BOS (Nov. 18), vs. TB (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 38.24%
Gustav Nyquist, RW (16.6%): Once replaced by Steven Stamkos on the Predators’ top line, Nyquist lost most of his fantasy charm. It’s no coincidence the winger was at his most productive when skating alongside Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ CGY (Nov. 15), @ VAN (Nov. 17), @ SEA (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 40.00%
Lukas Dostal, G (60.7%): The Ducks allow the most shots against (35.5 per game) while scoring the fewest goals (2.20 per game). Plus, a healthy John Gibson is back to share Anaheim’s crease. Dostal’s successful fantasy run was fun while it lasted. It’s time to move on. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 15), @ DAL (Nov. 18), @ CHI (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 36.11%
William Eklund, LW (56.2%): The sophomore is playing a ton of minutes, pitching in assists and now skating on a scoring line with Mikael Granlund. Which is a good thing. Yes, we’d all like to see him shoot more. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ PIT (Nov. 16), vs. DET (Nov. 18), @ DAL (Nov. 20), @ STL (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 35.29%
Sam Montembeault, G (22.3%): The Habs don’t look like they’ll win enough for Monty to shine in redraft leagues, but if you drafted him for a keeper league, there are positive signs for the future. Verdict: Patience, at least for the long term.
Next seven days: vs. CBJ (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 18)
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