The Colorado Avalanche are hot. In this week’s Last Word On Fantasy Hockey Report, we focus on the Colorado Avalanche players that might be available in your league. In addition, we will cherry pick a few other top performers from the last week in the NHL.
The Colorado Avalanche Are Hot
With four wins in four games last week, the Colorado Avalanche are suddenly one of the hottest teams in the NHL. No player on the team is playing better than Nathan MacKinnon. With nine points in his last four games played, MacKinnon led the NHL last week. He now has 52 points on the season, which is one less point than he had all of last year. MacKinnon is currently second in league scoring overall and on a 104 point pace. To put that in perspective, his highest total in his career was 63 points as a rookie in 2013-14. It’s safe to say MacKinnon is having a breakout season in a big way.
At 90% ownership in Yahoo! it’s also safe to say MacKinnon is probably not available in your league. If not, his linemate Mikko Rantanen at 64% Yahoo! ownership and growing, might be available. Rantanen put up three goals and five assists for eight points last week. He’s on a point-a-game pace in just his second full NHL season. No sophomore slump here. My colleague Mitch Fenech, wrote an article featuring Rantanen and other lower owned players for your consideration. Check it out.
MacKinnon’s other linemate, Gabriel Landeskog is also along for the ride scoring twice and adding two assists for four points in four games played. Landeskog is currently 71% owned in Yahoo! leagues. If none of these top line players are available in your league, you might want to consider a pair of rookies on the Colorado Avalanche. Samuel Girard and Tyson Jost are seeing top line power play time. Girard had four points in his last four games, all on the man advantage. Jost, meanwhile, put up three points in that time, with one point on the power play. Girard (1% Yahoo! owned) and Jost (2% Yahoo! owned) are almost certainly on your waiver wire. Both are potentially good short-term adds and even better keeper league gems.
Other Options
Reilly Smith scored two goals and assisted on four more for six points in four games played last week for the still surprising Vegas Golden Knights. He’s playing on a hot-line with William Karlsson and Jon Marchessault and is still unowned in half of Yahoo! fantasy hockey leagues.
Tanner Pearson has found himself on the top line and the scoresheet for the Los Angeles Kings. Pearson scored twice and added three assists in only three games played last week. He’s currently riding shotgun with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown.
Mattias Janmark is on pace to smash his rookie campaign of 29 points in 73 games. Janmark put up five points in four games last week giving him 23 points in 43 so far this season. Janmark is currently getting top-six minutes and second unit power play time for the Dallas Stars playing with Jason Spezza and Alexander Radulov.
Main Photo: DENVER, CO – OCTOBER 11: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) waits for a face-off during a regular season game between the Colorado Avalanche and the visiting Boston Bruins on October 11, 2017, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. (Photo by Russell Lansford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
