NHL Barometer: Risers and Fallers for the Week

This week's article includes Celebrini celebrating, Matvei motoring, Josi jumping, Woll and the Gus Bus on fire, Chytil back, Tarasenko slumping and Faulk falling off. 

First Liners (Risers)

Sam Bennett, C, FLA: When most people think of Florida's centers, it's Aleksander Barkov first, then way down the thought process is Anton Lundell, and maybe, just maybe, Bennett comes to mind. He is doing his best to move up the level of consciousness, notching a goal in three consecutive games and points in four straight (three goals, two assists). Bennett has put up 40 points or more in each of the last three seasons, but he's on an even greater pace in 2024-25. His 12 goals, 11 assists and 74 shots in 24 games put Bennett on pace for 78 points and 252 shots, both of which would be career bests. 

Macklin Celebrini, C, SJ:  Celebrini has been celebrating lately, notching points in four straight games (four goals, three assists). Despite missing 12 games due to an injury earlier in the season, he ranks third in points among rookies with 14 (eight goals and six assists), trailing just Matvei Michkov (19) and Logan Stankoven (15). His talent level coming into the league was unquestioned. What has surprised some is the physical nature of his play, as he shown the willingness and aptitude to get dirty in the corners and in front of the net. 

Matvei Michkov, RW, PHI: Tough love sometimes works. Coach John Tortorella benched Michkov about three weeks ago due to his poor own zone play. Michkov has played with a chip on his shoulder since returning to the lineup, notching five goals and four assists in 10 games. The 19-year-old winger, taken seventh overall in 2023, has nine goals and 19 points through his first 23 NHL contests, and three of the tallies have been overtime winners. Michkov leads all rookies so far this season in goals, points, power-play goals (four) and power-play points (nine), making him the early favorite for the Calder Trophy. 

Jesper Bratt, LW, NJD: When talk turns to elite wings in the NHL, rarely is Bratt mentioned. After a so-so first four years in the league, Bratt has become an elite wing the last four seasons, scoring 73, 73 and 83 points the last three full campaigns. Monday was Bratt's seventh multipoint performance in the last 14 games, a stretch in which the 26-year-old winger has produced a dazzling 10 goals and 22 points. Overall. Bratt is up to 12 markers and 23 helpers in 28 games, as he has taken his game to another level. 

Roman Josi, D, NSH: Josi got off to a bit of a slow start, as did the Predators. While Nashville continues to scuffle, Josi has regained his Norris Trophy form. Josi has generated three multipoint performances in his last five outings, notching at least a point in each, compiling five goals and three assists. He amassed seven goals and 17 points across 15 games in November, with seven of those points (one goal, six assists) coming on the man advantage. The 33-year-old blueliner sits just 12 goals shy of 200 overall and should play game 1,000 in his Hall of Fame career next season. 

Dougie Hamilton, D, NJD: New Jersey is toward the top of the division and Eastern Conference, with the play of Hamilton being a big reason why. He was scoreless the first five games of the season, after making his return from surgery on a pectoral injury that limited him to 20 contests last season. Hamilton is making up for that slow start and lost time, notching five goals and 16 assists in his last 23 games. Hamilton is the No. 1 blueline option for the Devils.

Joseph Woll, G, TOR: Woll has won five straight games and has six victories through eight starts this season. He has one shutout, a 2.13 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. Woll and Anthony Stolarz have given the Maple Leafs above average netminding nightly. Woll has a slight edge in playing time between the pipes since he returned from injury, but utilize either goalie when they get the nod, as both have become more than solid options.

Filip Gustavsson, G, MIN: The Gus bus continues to chug along at an extremely high level. The 26-year-old Swedish netminder has gone 11-4-3 with a pair of shutouts this season, and he's given up two or fewer goals in seven of his last nine appearances. Gustavsson has a 2.29 goals-against average and .929 save percentage, rebounding from a brutal 2023-24 campaign after a breakthrough season the prior campaign, his first in Minnesota. Gus is the clear No. 1 netminder for the Wild.    

Others include Jack Hughes, Shane Wright, Brett Howden, Brayden Point, Will Cuylle, Jake Guentzel, Adrian Kempe, Connor McMichael, Pius Suter, Dmitri Voronkov, Vasily Podkolzin, Kent Johnson, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Zach Werenski, Jake Walman, Jared Spurgeon, Scott Wedgewood (traded to Colorado), Logan Thompson, John Gibson, Jaxson Stauber and Petr Mrazek. 

Buy Low

Michael Bunting, LW, PIT: Bunting got off to a slow start, resulting in a demotion to the third line. Overall, his production isn't elite, but he certainly has picked up the pace recently. Over the last 13 games, Bunting has produced five goals and nine points, and all four of his power-play points (three tallies and a helper) have come in the last eight contests. Continued success could result in Bunting sliding up to the second line to skate again with Evgeni Malkin and newly added Philip Tomasino. 

Training Room (Injuries)

Filip Chytil, C, NYR: Chytil returned to action Saturday after missing seven straight games. An independent evaluator ruled that Chytil did not suffer a concussion, but his recent comments certainly put that diagnosis in question. If Chytil can stay healthy, he provides New York with an excellent option down the middle and is ready for a move up in the lineup. Health, though, is the major question and concern with Chytil, as has been the case the last few seasons. 

Others include Auston Matthews (upper body, out since Nov. 3, played Saturday), Leo Carlsson (upper body, missed last two games), Nikolaj Ehlers (lower body, left Friday's game), Yegor Chinakhov (upper body, didn't accompany Columbus on the team's five-game road trip), Nikita Kucherov (undisclosed, missed Saturday's game), Logan Stankoven (lower body, missed last two games), Alex Lyon (undisclosed, missed Friday's game) and Pyotr Kochetkov (concussion, inching closer to return) 

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)

Barrett Hayton, C, UTAH: Hayton has recently showed some signs of life, notching three assists in his last four games. Overall, though, the fifth overall pick in 2018 has five goals and six helpers in 25 contests. Hayton looked to have figured it out in 2022-23 but got off to a slow start, then missed several months last season, before returning late. He is still centering Utah's first line, so there is the potential for solid production, but seeing is believing, and consider me skeptical. 

Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, DET: Those expecting/hoping for Tarasenko to experience a bump in production with the move to Detroit must be mildly disappointed. The 32-year-old winger scored a goal Friday for the first time since Oct. 19 and has just three goals and seven helpers across 22 appearances in 2024-25. Tarasenko topped out with 34 goals and 48 assists in 2021-22 with the Blues but saw his production fall each of the next two seasons, though he still hit at least 50 points. His production so far puts him on pace to fall short of that mark.

Spencer Martin, G, CAR: Martin has received chances to start due to Pyotr Kochetkov's concussion and Frederik Andersen's knee surgery, and so far, it has not gone well. He has surrendered 10 goals in his last two outings, getting chased from the net in his last start. Kochetkov may be back soon, and, even if not, Yaniv Perets could get a chance between the pipes. Look elsewhere for goaltending help. 

Others include Pavel Zacha, Christian Dvorak, Lawson Crouse, Andrei Kuzmenko, Charlie McAvoy, Noah Dobson, Alexandar Georgiev and Dan Vladar.

Sell High 

Justin Faulk, D, STL: Faulk's production declined sharply last season from 50 to 30 points. Coming into this season, there was some hope that he would regain his prior form, especially with Torey Krug sidelined. Unfortunately, this has not been the case, as Faulk snapped a 15-game point drought with an assist Wednesday and has just a goal and six helpers in 25 contests on the season. Look elsewhere for production, and the "sell high" is for name recognition only.