NHL Barometer: Risers and Fallers

This week's article includes a new top-line center for the Bs, changes of scenery for a winger in Montreal and d-man in Toronto, hop on the Gus bus, Vasi down and Campbell starting off where he left off, which is not a good thing.. 

First Liners (Risers)

 Ryan Johansen, C, COL – The loss of Nazem Kadri after the 2021-22 season and trade of Alex Newhook after last season left a hole down the middle for the Avalanche. Colorado filled that spot by dealing Alex Galchenyuk to Nashville for Johansen this offseason. Johansen took a step back last season after generating 26 goals and 63 points in 79 games during the 2021-22 campaign, slipping to 12 goals and 28 points over 55 appearances in 2022-23. He should be rejuvenated centering the second line (flanked by Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin) while seeing top-unit power-play duty. 

Pavel Zacha, C, BOS – The Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci eras have ended In Boston, leaving a pair of gaping holes down the middle for the Bruins. Filling the top slot will be Zacha, who posted a career-high 21 goals and 36 assists last season, his first in the Hub. Zacha should see an uptick in ice time, likely at even-strength but certainly on the power play, which should allow him to at least approach the numbers he posted a year ago. Enjoy the prime line placement. 

Alex Newhook, LW, MTL – Sometimes a change of scenery is all a player needs. Newhook, taken 16th overall by Colorado in 2019, failed to take that next step with the Avalanche. Despite the plethora of injuries in Colorado last season, Newhook failed to secure a top-six role, averaging just 13:57 of ice time per game. Traded to Montreal for pennies on the dollar, Newhook signed a four-year, $11.6 million contract with the team and is now on the second line alongside Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky while also seeing time on the Canadiens' second power-play unit. Newhook lit the lamp twice in the Habs' opener. 

Quinton Byfield, LW, LA - Not every rookie sets the league on fire. In fact, it's likely that more struggle than produce, but the fun for many fantasy players is finding that hot first- or second-year player that explodes. Byfield was thought of by some as a bust already. Strong terminology for a 21-year-old selected second overall in the 2020 draft. Byfield opened the season skating alongside wizened vet Anze Kopitar, which should help the kid far surpass the 22 points he posted in 53 games last season. 

John Klingberg, D, TOR - Klingberg failed to secure a long-term deal, turning down an extension from Dallas to try the marketplace. That decision backfired miserably as he ended up with a one-year deal in Anaheim in hopes of a strong season to raise his value. Klingberg posted just 33 points between the Ducks and Wild and rode the bench at points during the year. Signed by Toronto, Klingberg is manning the first-unit PP point over Morgan Rielly, giving him a major bump in value.

Jacob Trouba, D, NYR –This one is a mixed bag. Trouba has lost his spot as the power-play point man on the second unit to K'Andre Miller and/or Erik Gustafsson. But, as seen by his performance Thursday, he is still a Block Ness Monster, posting eight blocked shots in the Rangers' win. If your league does not count hits or blocked shots, move Trouba to the other side of the ledger. If they do, look for 175-plus of each once again this season, aided by the style of play under new coach Peter Laviolette. 

Filip Gustavsson, G, MIN – Hop on the Gus Bus. Gustavsson staked his claim to the starting goalie job in Minnesota with a 41-save shutout Thursday against Florida. After being stolen from Ottawa for Cam Talbot, Gustavsson posted a 22-9-7 record, 2.10 GAA and .931 save percentage in 39 contests last season, and at the age of 25, he should play at a high level for years to come. Although he is expected to compete with Marc-Andre Fleury with playing time throughout the campaign, Gustavsson's shutout Thursday could change that equation.

Vitek Vanecek, G, NJ – Normally, goalies coming off 33-win campaigns don't have fantasy experts believing that their hold on the net-minding duties is in jeopardy. But that is the case with Vanecek. A strong regular season dissipated into a poor postseason, resulting in Akira Schmid saving the Devils' bacon. With Mackenzie Blackwood gone, Schmid is thought of as the goalie of the future with the only question being when that would begin. Vanecek showed he will not go quietly into that good night with a win on Opening Night against the Red Wings.  

Others include Kirby Dach, Patrik Laine, Auston Matthews (goal No. 300 as part of a hat trick on Opening Night), Connor Bedard, Brock Boeser (four goals in any game earns you a spot here), Juuso Parssinen, Ryan Donato (top-line duty in Chicago), Brock Faber, Henry Thrun (someone has to post points on the SJ blueline), Adin Hill and Jonas Johansson (stepped in nicely for Andrei Vasilevskiy on Tuesday). 

Buy Low

Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, CGY - Huberdeau is a prime rebound candidate. After tallying 115 points in 2021-22 in Florida, Huberdeau struggled to just 55 points in 79 games last season, his first in Calgary, while also seeing Matthew Tkachuk take his former team to the Stanley Cup Finals. Now settled into new team and country as well as moved back to his natural left-wing side by new coach Ryan Huska, Huberdeau could substantially exceed expectations. 

Training Room (Injuries) 

Andrei Vasilevskiy, C, BOS – Vasilevskiy is expected to miss the first two months of the 2023-24 season after undergoing back surgery in late September. He had successful microdiscectomy surgery due to a lumbar disc herniation. Vasilevskiy was 34-22-4 with a 2.65 GAA and a .915 save percentage last year, his sixth straight season with 30-plus wins. Last season was the first time in three years that Tampa Bay failed to make the Stanley Cup Finals, and the extended workload caught up to Vasi last season. His GAA was his highest and his save percentage his lowest since he became a full-time starter in 2017-18. If there is a silver lining, the additional enforced rest could keep him fresher down the stretch and for a playoff run.

Others include Logan Couture (lower body, listed as week-to-week), Gabriel Landeskog (knee, out for the season), Patrick Kane (hip surgery, likely back in December), Nikolaj Ehlers (crashed into boards late in Wednesday's game, no update provided), Mattias Ekholm (hip flexor, missed Edmonton's first game) Zach Werenski (quad, injured Thursday, not expected to be out long-term) and Pavel Francouz (groin, out indefinitely).

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)

Andrew Copp, C, DET – Copp signed a five-year, $28.13 million contract with the Red Wings in July of 2022 to provide the team a veteran presence. He certainly did that and set a new career high in assists with 33, but he scored just nine goals, his lowest mark since the 2017-18 campaign with Winnipeg. Copp now is centering the third line, which won't do much to aid his point production, especially since he isn't on either of the top-two power-play units. He is only an option in deeper leagues.

Oliver Wahlstrom, LW, NYI – Wahlstrom will be an Opening Night scratch for the Islanders, but that's likely related to the knee injury he suffered Dec. 27 versus Pittsburgh which sidelined him the balance of the season. He collected seven goals, 16 points, 70 shots on net and 50 hits in 35 appearances prior to the injury. Once he's deemed fully healthy, Wahlstrom could line up next to Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal. For now, though, that prize piece of real estate is going to Simon Holmstrom. Wait and see where Wahlstrom is slotted in the lineup. 

Kris Letang, D, PIT – This is really more of a wait-and-see faller nomination. Pittsburgh acquired Erik Karlsson from San Jose for pennies on the dollar. Karlsson posted 27 of his career-high 101 points in his Norris Trophy winning campaign on the man-advantage. Pittsburgh could opt to play Letang and Karlsson at the two points on the man-advantage. In Game 1 on Tuesday, Karlsson was on the first unit and Letang the two. If that remains the case, drop Letang slightly on your cheat sheets.

Others include Kevin Hayes (third-line center), Anthony Duclair (third-line winger for now), Jimmy Vesey (healthy scratch), Arthur Kaliyev, Morgan Rielly and Spencer Knight (stash candidate). 

Sell High 

Jack Campbell, G, EDM - Campbell lost his hold on the top spot in Edmonton last season. The 31-year-old struggled to a 3.41 GAA and an .888 save percentage over 36 games last season. A strong training camp allowed Campbell the chance to start the opener but allowing four goals on 16 shots and getting pulled isn't a way to make a good first impression. The only saving grace is that Stuart Skinner struggles as well, leaving the job between the pipes wide open. Dump in shallower leagues and take antacid in deeper ones.