NHL Power Rankings: The toughest remaining stretch for each team
The 2022-23 NHL trade deadline has passed. The grades have been handed out to GMs of all 32 teams. Now, it’s time for the rush to the playoffs to begin.
For this week’s edition of the NHL Power Rankings, we have identified the toughest remaining stretch for each team for the duration of the season. These games will have an outsized impact on the playoff races — and the draft lottery.
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors rates teams against one another — taking into account game results, injuries and upcoming schedule — and those results are tabulated to produce the list featured here.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the most recent edition, published Feb. 24. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 81.75%
Next seven days: vs. DET (March 11), @ DET (March 12), @ CHI (March 14), @ WPG (March 16)
Boston makes everything look easy this season. But the Bruins do have a short road trip coming up against three teams banking on points to keep pace in the playoff race: Winnipeg, Minnesota and Buffalo. The latter two are back-to-back tilts, and Boston could have its hands full fending off some desperation-fueled clubs.
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 74.60%
Next seven days: vs. VGK (March 11), @ NJ (March 12), vs. WPG (March 14)
Carolina will need all hands on deck at month’s end when, in a week’s span, it takes on the Rangers (twice), Maple Leafs, Bruins and Lightning. That’s a heavyweight schedule to handle for any team — even one so impressive as the Hurricanes.
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 67.19%
Next seven days: vs. EDM (March 11), vs. BUF (March 13), vs. COL (March 15)
Toronto steps right past the trade deadline into a six-day, four-game homestand against Edmonton, Buffalo, Colorado and Carolina. All of those teams are in playoff position, or battling for a spot. Lineups filled with star players. One after the other. At least the Leafs have home-ice advantage?
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 70.31%
Next seven days: @ MTL (March 11), vs. CAR (March 12), vs. TB (March 14), vs. TB (March 16)
New Jersey’s post-deadline present is a week-and-a-half-long slate that includes facing Carolina and Tampa Bay (twice). Add a stopover against Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals plus the upstarts in Montreal and it projects to be a real baptism-by-fire for the new-look Devils.
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 63.08%
Next seven days: vs. CHI (March 11), vs. WPG (March 12), @ NJ (March 14), @ NJ (March 16)
Tampa Bay will navigate a weird wrinkle in its schedule when it takes on New Jersey three times in six nights (with a meeting against Montreal sandwiched in between for good measure). The Devils were tough enough before the Timo Meier acquisition; they’ll be even harder for the Lightning to manage with him in the fold.
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 63.85%
Next seven days: @ SEA (March 11), @ SEA (March 13), @ VAN (March 14), @ EDM (March 16)
Dallas has a mighty road trip to tackle in March. It starts in Buffalo, swings to Seattle for two games against the Kraken, then takes the Stars through all three Western Canada clubs — in just 10 days. Dallas had a rough February; rebounding in March won’t be easy, either.
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 64.62%
Next seven days: @ CAR (March 11), @ STL (March 12), @ PHI (March 14), vs. CGY (March 16)
Vegas owns a precarious hold on the Pacific Division’s top seed. Los Angeles is right behind, which makes the Golden Knights’ run at the end of the month with meetings against Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton (twice) as potentially impactful a stretch as any they’ll see through the remaining regular season.
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 63.64%
Next seven days: vs. NSH (March 11), vs. NYI (March 14), vs. CBJ (March 16)
Los Angeles had better keep something in the tank for the home stretch. In a short 10-day period they’ll see Edmonton twice, plus playoff-bound Seattle, Vegas and Colorado. A supreme testing ground for the Kings.
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 61.54%
Next seven days: vs. DAL (March 11), vs. DAL (March 13), @ SJ (March 16)
Seattle’s upcoming schedule includes a key slate of matchups against Western Conference clubs — Edmonton, Dallas, Nashville (twice) and Minnesota — from whom the Kraken need to take points. Seattle’s clinging to third in the Pacific now and those nine days of action, if successful, go a long way in securing the Kraken’s postseason debut.
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 62.31%
Next seven days: @ SJ (March 11), @ ARI (March 12), @ STL (March 15)
Minnesota transitions from March to April with a jam-packed slate of Seattle, Colorado, Vegas — twice — and Pittsburgh. Depending on what postseason fates have already been determined by then, it’ll give Minnesota plenty with which to cope.
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 63.28%
Next seven days: @ BUF (March 11), @ PIT (March 12), vs. WSH (March 14), vs. PIT (March 16)
New York loaded up before the trade deadline. They’ll need their talent rolling by mid-month with three (!) meetings against Pittsburgh in seven days, plus a tilt with Washington thrown in too. Follow that up with a home-and-home against Carolina and the Rangers have a heavy workload ahead.
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 60.61%
Next seven days: @ TOR (March 11), vs. OTT (March 14), vs. DAL (March 16)
Edmonton should already be eyeing what’s ahead in late March into April: A crucial stretch run with two games apiece against Vegas and Los Angeles, the Pacific Division foes with whom they’ve been jockeying in the standings. Those games could be quite meaningful in the end.
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 60.32%
Next seven days: vs. ARI (March 11), @ MTL (March 13), @ TOR (March 15), @ OTT (March 16)
Colorado is in for a potentially hard finish into April when they face Los Angeles, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Nashville in four of their final regular season games. Depending on how March plays out there could be serious playoff-positioning points on the line.
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 57.69%
Next seven days: @ FLA (March 11), @ TB (March 12), @ CAR (March 14), vs. BOS (March 16)
Winnipeg’s most daunting post-deadline dates? A back-to-back in the Sunshine State with Florida and Tampa Bay, followed by games against the Eastern Conference powerhouses in Carolina and Boston. Add a back-to-back with Nashville and St. Louis right after and … ouch.
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 57.81%
Next seven days: vs. PHI (March 11), vs. NYR (March 12), vs. MTL (March 14), @ NYR (March 16)
Pittsburgh’s best chance of making the playoffs is in a wild-card slot. Taking points from their Metropolitan Division rivals is also imperative — hence why their mid-March movement with three games against the New York Rangers and one against the Islanders will be so tough. There’s a lot riding on the Penguins’ performances.
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 56.72%
Next seven days: vs. WSH (March 11), @ LA (March 14), @ ANA (March 15)
New York runs right into a pack of playoff hopefuls late this month with games that might have seismic implications — the Islanders tangle with Buffalo, New Jersey, Washington, Tampa Bay (twice) and Carolina in rapid succession. How high could the fun meter be there?
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 54.69%
Next seven days: @ VAN (March 11), @ CGY (March 12), @ EDM (March 14), vs. COL (March 16)
The Sens have propelled themselves back into the playoff hunt, but theirs is a difficult schedule until the end. Likely to be the most challenging: an early-April slate of Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay, Carolina and Buffalo. Much could go wrong. Much could go right. One way or another, that’s where the Senators’ (regular) season ends.
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 54.62%
Next seven days: vs. ANA (March 10), vs. OTT (March 12), @ ARI (March 14), @ VGK (March 16)
Calgary’s toughest upcoming week is populated by Western Conference dynamos. Namely, there’s a pair of meetings with Vegas, one with Dallas and another with Los Angeles. Could be a make-or-break moment in Calgary’s quest for a wild-card postseason slot.
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 55.65%
Next seven days: @ LA (March 11), @ ANA (March 12), vs. DET (March 14), vs. CHI (March 16)
Nashville might not be headed for the playoffs this season, but it doesn’t make a steady diet of Seattle (twice), Toronto, Boston and Pittsburgh in the course of an upcoming week any less challenging — especially if the Kraken and Penguins are desperately seeking points.
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 53.13%
Next seven days: vs. NYR (March 11), @ TOR (March 13), @ WSH (March 15)
Buffalo projects to battle for a playoff berth until April. How potentially meaningful could a pair of games early that month against Florida and Detroit be in seeing that happen? By then, the standings could be tighter than ever. Those three days playing significant opponents will tell us a lot about Buffalo.
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 53.85%
Next seven days: vs. CHI (March 10), vs. WPG (March 11), vs. MTL (March 16)
Florida works through four of its Atlantic Division rivals in short order late this month into April. If they’re still clinging to playoff aspirations, it’ll be a critical juncture seeing Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal on the road, before heading home to face Buffalo. Then again, at that point the Panthers may have nothing to lose.
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 52.34%
Next seven days: @ BOS (March 11), vs. BOS (March 12), @ NSH (March 14)
Detroit has a cruel April schedule ahead. It starts in Toronto, ends against Carolina and Tampa Bay (on the road) and has Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Dallas in between. That could have been quite a playoff primer for the Red Wings, though the postseason is looking like more of a distant outcome these days.
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 52.27%
Next seven days: @ NYI (March 11), @ NYR (March 14), vs. BUF (March 15)
Washington comes out of trade deadline week into a devilish schedule that takes them into tilts with the Islanders, Rangers and Sabres. Those teams all added someone in the last few weeks, while the Capitals subtracted.
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 47.66%
Next seven days: @ CBJ (March 11), vs. VGK (March 12), vs. MIN (March 15)
St. Louis could be singing a sour tune after a week-long stretch of tough Western Conference matchups against Vegas, Minnesota and Winnipeg. Add a trip to Washington in between to up the ante on a hard grind.
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 46.09%
Next seven days: vs. OTT (March 11), vs. DAL (March 14), @ ARI (March 16)
Vancouver’s upcoming homestand features Pacific Division foes in Calgary (twice), Los Angeles and Seattle. The Canucks will have their work cut out to get the best of those rivals and finish the season strong.
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 45.38%
Next seven days: @ PIT (March 11), vs. VGK (March 14)
Philadelphia must grimace at their April schedule opening against Buffalo into a four-game road trip through Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Dallas and the Islanders. Then waiting at home? Boston. That’s a taxing nine days.
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 44.62%
Next seven days: vs. NJ (March 11), vs. COL (March 13), @ PIT (March 14), @ FLA (March 16)
Montreal has a daunting seven-game stretch ahead featuring a cast of top-end teams. The drive starts with New Jersey, ends with Boston, and rotates through Colorado, Tampa Bay (twice), Pittsburgh and Florida. Oof.
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 37.88%
Next seven days: vs. MIN (March 11), vs. CBJ (March 14), vs. SEA (March 16)
San Jose is in for a rough ride to the end of their season with back-to-back matchups against Colorado, two tilts against Edmonton and meetings with Winnipeg and Calgary. The schedule maker was not kind to the Sharks on this one.
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 43.08%
Next seven days: @ COL (March 11), vs. MIN (March 12), vs. CGY (March 14), vs. VAN (March 16)
Arizona will be finishing out the month of March going head-to-head with Colorado (twice) and Edmonton (twice) and then hosting Dallas. That’s a little too much familiarity with some top-tier teams if you ask us.
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 39.23%
Next seven days: @ CGY (March 10), s. NSH (March 12), vs. NYI (March 15)
Anaheim glides into late March and early April on their last road trip of the season. It’s something of a doozy for the Ducks, though, who will say hello to Seattle, Edmonton and Calgary before hosting the Oilers back home. That’s some Pacific punch.
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 36.72%
Next seven days: vs. STL (March 11), @ SJ (March 14), @ LA (March 16)
Columbus will spend 10 days grinding through six teams (including the Rangers twice!) that are already in or gunning towards a playoff spot. Painful. Perhaps the Blue Jackets can play spoiler somewhere?
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 38.28%
Next seven days: @ FLA (March 10), @ TB (March 11), vs. BOS (March 14), @ NSH (March 16)
Chicago plays seven of its next eight games on the road — with a home tilt against Boston mixed in! — and suffice it to say when more than half those upcoming games are against projected playoff-bound teams (including Tampa Bay, Colorado and Minnesota) it ain’t going to be an easy run.
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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)
LAS VEGAS — Left-handers Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves and Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s Comeback Player of the Year awards on Thursday.
Cleveland right-hander Emmanuel Clase won his second AL Reliever of the Year award and St. Louis righty Ryan Helsley won the NL honor.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani joined David Ortiz as the only players to win four straight Outstanding Designated Hitter awards. Ohtani and the New York Yankees‘ Aaron Judge won Hank Aaron Awards as the outstanding offensive performers in their leagues.
Major League Baseball made the announcements at its All-MLB Awards Show.
Sale, 35, was 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts in 177⅔ innings for the NL’s first pitching triple crown since the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw in 2011. He earned his eighth All-Star selection and first since 2018.
Sale helped Boston to the 2018 World Series title but made just 56 starts from 2020-23, going 17-18 with a 4.86 ERA, 400 strikeouts and 79 walks over 298⅓ innings. He was acquired by Boston from the White Sox in December 2016 and made nine trips to the injured list with the Red Sox, mostly with shoulder and elbow ailments. He had Tommy John surgery on March 30, 2020, and returned to a big league mound on Aug. 14, 2021.
Sale fractured a rib while pitching in batting practice in February 2022 during the management lockout. On July 17, in his second start back, he broke his left pinkie finger when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of the Yankees’ Aaron Hicks. Sale broke his right wrist while riding a bicycle en route to lunch on Aug. 6, ending his season.
Crochet, 25, was 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA over 32 starts for a White Sox team that set a post-1900 record of 121 losses, becoming a first-time All-Star. He struck out 209 and walked 33 in 146 innings.
He had Tommy John surgery on April 5, 2022, and returned to the major leagues on May 18, 2023. Crochet had a 3.55 ERA in 13 relief appearances in 2023, and then joined the rotation this year.
Sale and Crochet were chosen in voting by MLB.com beat writers.
Clase and Helsley were unanimous picks by a panel that included Hall of Famers Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera, Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers, along with John Franco and Billy Wagner. The AL award is named after Rivera and the NL honor after Hoffman.
A three-time All-Star, Clase was 4-2 with a 0.61 ERA, 66 strikeouts and 10 walks in 74⅓ innings, holding batters to a .154 average. The 26-year-old converted 47 of 50 save chances, including his last 47.
Voting was based on the regular season. Clase was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in the playoffs, allowing three home runs, one more than his regular-season total.
Helsley, a two-time All-Star, was 7-4 with a 2.04 ERA and 49 saves in 53 chances. He struck out 79 and walked 23 in 66⅓ innings.
Ohtani became the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. A two-way star limited to hitting following elbow surgery, Ohtani batted .310 and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs while stealing 59 bases.
Ortiz won the DH award five years in a row from 2003-07.
The DH award, named after Edgar Martinez, is picked in voting by team beat writers, broadcasters and public relations departments. MLB.com writers determined the finalists for the Aaron awards, and a fan vote was combined with picks from a panel of Hall of Famers and former winners to determine the selections.
Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers and 144 RBIs while hitting .322.
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