NHL Barometer: Risers and Fallers for the Week

This week's article includes McTavish hot in SoCal, Wilson having a rebound season, Andersson rolling in Calgary, Sorokin powering the Island, Monahan back in action and Kotkaniemi scuffling for the 'Canes. 

First Liners (Risers)

Mason McTavish, C, ANA: McTavish is closing the season strong for the Ducks. He recorded a pair of helpers Thursday and has racked up four goals and eight assists over 12 outings in March. The 22-year-old is up to 18 goals, 25 assists, 137 shots on net, 60 hits, 36 PIM and a plus-two rating through 64 appearances. McTavish's hot streak has enabled him to exceed last year's point total by one in the same number of games and has him tied with his 2022-23 rookie production, which came in 80 games. 

Tom Wilson, RW, WSH: All the rightful focus on Alex Ovechkin has allowed Wilson to operate under the radar. In doing so, Wilson is having a career season. The 30-year-old enforcer is up to 31 goals, 28 assists, a plus 24 rating and 197 hits in 69 appearances this season. Wilson has posted six multipoint performances in his last 10 games to bring his season total to 59 points, which is already seven more than his previous career high. Enjoy the ride if you jumped on board early.

Dylan Holloway, RW, STL: Holloway – and Philip Broberg, for that matter – continue to make Edmonton look bad for how they handle each player's negotiations. Both have thrived in their first season in St. Louis, Holloway especially. The 23-year-old Holloway is on a seven-game point streak and up to 23 goals, 33 assists, 162 shots on goal, 47 blocks and 151 hits in 70 games this season. Those numbers are new career-highs by far across the board for the 2020 first-round pick, who played 38 games as a rookie two seasons ago and 51 last season.

Kaapo Kakko, RW, SEA: Like Cozens, Kakko has benefited from a change of scenery and coasts. His production remains uneven, but he certainly has fit in well in his new surroundings. Skating on the second line in Seattle, Kakko has nine goals and 16 assists in 38 games with the Kraken, showing some of the skill and drive that made him the second overall pick in the 2019 draft. Look for Seattle to sign the 24-year-old right winger to a multiyear extension this offseason.

Rasmus Andersson, D, CGY: Andersson is likely to see his production decline for the third season in a row and has struggled this year. That said, he seems to have gotten his groove back lately. After being held off the scoresheet in nine straight games from Feb. 8 to March 8, the 28-year-old Andersson has a goal and five helpers across his last six outings. Calgary will need Andersson to remain hot, as the Flames are on the fringes of playoff contention with only a few weeks remaining in the regular season.   

Mattias Ekholm, D, EDM: Ekholm certainly knows how to make an entrance. He posted five points over three outings last week after returning from a six-game absence due to an undisclosed injury. Not known as a big-time scorer, Ekholm has been solid on the blueline since arriving in Edmonton during the 2022-23 season. The 34-year-old blueliner is up to 32 points (seven on the power play), 140 shots on net, 95 blocked shots, 30 PIM and a plus-13 rating over 63 appearances in 2024-25 after notching 45 points in 2023-24. He's on pace to record at least 35 points for the fourth time in his career. 

Frederik Andersen, G, CAR: The Great Dane has been on his game since returning from injury that require knee surgery and sidelined him until mid-January. His victory Sunday was his fifth straight win, a span in which he's allowed just eight goals on 135 shots. He's up to 11-5-0 with a 2.07 goals-against average (GAA) and a .918 save percentage across 16 appearances, matching his games played from last season. Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov continue to split the crease evenly, keeping both netminders fresh and ready to go when it's their turn between the pipes. 

Ilya Sorokin, G, NYI: The Islanders' push for a playoff spot has been on the back of Sorokin, who has been brilliant in net. Heading into Monday's contest with the Blue Jackets, the 29-year-old Sorokin was 27-20-5 with a 2.72 GAA and a .907 save percentage after winning his third in a row and seventh in 10 games Saturday. He has been a workhorse for New York, on pace for 50-plus starts for the first time in his career. Sorokin ranks sixth across the league in victories and has a chance to meet the 30-win mark for the second time in his five-year career, the first coming in 2022-23, when he notched a career-best 31 victories. Roll with him nightly.

Others include Pierre-Luc Dubois, Jack Eichel, Matty Beniers, Quinton Byfield, Marco Kasper, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Claude Giroux, Brandon Hagel, Timo Meier, Matthew Coronato, Noah Hanifin, Luke Hughes, Owen Power, Justin Faulk, Darcy Kuemper, Adin Hill, Filip Gustavsson, Logan Thompson and Joseph Woll

Buy Low

Dylan Cozens, C, OTT: The Cozens-Josh Norris trade was partially made to provide a change of scenery for each player with the hopes that the team movement would kickstart the engine of those involved. Norris has been injured in Buffalo while Cozens has adapted well north of the border. Prior to the trade, Cozens' production had underwhelmed, with him generating just 11 goals and 20 helpers in 61 games – a far cry from the 68 points he put up back in 2022-23. Post-trade, Cozens continues to thrive on the Senators' second line  – he's up to three goals and four assists over eight contests with the team.

Training Room (Injuries)

Sean Monahan, C, CLM: Monahan returned to action Monday, notching a pair of assists, after missing 28 contests with a sprained wrist. Prior to being sidelined, Monahan was on pace for possibly the second-best season of his career, posting 14 goals, 41 points and 106 shots on net through 41 appearances. Adam Fantilli stepped up while Monahan was out, so his line placement may not be set in stone initially. Monahan's return should bolster a Columbus offense and team that has struggled the past few weeks. 

Others include Tomas Hertl (right arm, injured Sunday), Andrei Svechnikov (upper body, missed sixth consecutive game Sunday), Pavel Buchnevich (illness, missed second straight game Sunday), MacKenzie Weegar (lower body, missed Saturday's game and didn't participate in Monday's practice), Jakob Chychrun (cut by a skate in his hand/wrist area Saturday) and Thatcher Demko (lower body, out since early February, practiced Sunday no timetable to return to game action). 

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)

Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C, CAR: The Hurricanes may be on the lookout for a second-line center. Kotkaniemi, selected third overall in 2018, struggled his first year in Carolina in 2021-22 but looked to have taken a step forward the following season, posting 43 points in 82 games. Right now, that campaign looks like an aberration, as Kotkaniemi posted 58 points in 149 games the last two seasons. In addition, he hasn't scored since Feb. 1 and has just five helpers over his last 17 contests. The eight-year, $38.5 million extension he signed with the Hurricanes in March of 2022 looks like money poorly spent.

Yegor Sharangovich, LW, CGY: Sharangovich has hits the skids the last month, scoring just a goal and an assist in the last 10 games. Coming into 2023-25 off a 59-point campaign in his first season in Calgary, Sharangovich has been unable to replicate that success this year. If there is a silver lining, after moving to center, Sharangovich is back at wing, this time on the second line with Connor Zary and Nazem Kadri, which could bode well for a strong finish by the winger.

Jaccob Slavin, D, CAR: Slavin might have been a hot pickup after the 4 Nations' Face-Off thanks to his performance in that tourney. He scored a goal the first game back after the tourney but has reverted to his prior form, where he is better known for the play in his own end and neutral zone rather than offensively. He has just one goal and an assist the 13 games since that tally, giving him just 23 points in 70 contests. He is a better real-life blueliner just not one to rely on for production in fantasy leagues.

Others include Marco Rossi, Kent Johnson, Jaden Schwartz, Travis Konecny, Zach Werenski, Brock Faber, Jacob Markstrom and Jeremy Swayman. 

Sell High

Lukas Dostal, G, ANA: Dostal took his third loss in a row (0-2-1) Sunday, allowing 13 goals on 81 shots in that span. The loss dropped Dostal to 20-19-6 on the year in this his second full season with the Ducks. He's added a 2.99 GAA and a .907 save percentage over a career-high 45 appearances for Anaheim. Dostal has taken over as the top dog with John Gibson sidelined for much of the season and is in line to retain that role if Gibson is dealt. But he is struggling lately.