Frozen Fantasy: Scoring is Back

Auston Matthews might be rewriting history, but he's not the only one. At least this season. Scoring is back. Finally. Ten guys are on pace for at least 100 points.

Including one defenseman. Wow.

Roman Josi rounds out the top-10 scorers and is on track to be the first defender to hit the century mark since Brian Leetch put up 102 in 1991-92. Cale Makar might also have matched that feat, but a few games missed will likely be too much to overcome.

Then there's Alex Ovechkin, who's in line for his ninth 50-goal season. That would tie the NHL all-time leader (Mike Bossy).

Impressive. But it's not all.

Those 10 guys on pace to 100? The last time we saw double-digit scorers on the century list was 1995-96 when there were 11. 

Teams are averaging the second-most shots per game in more than 50 years. Offensive creativity is peaking, especially at even strength – we're seeing 6.28 goals per game. That's the best since 2005-06 (6.2), when the NHL cracked down on obstruction.

The league was bound and determined to make the game interesting again. It finally is.

The individual scoring success has been exciting to see. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Jonathan Huberdeau, Johnny Gaudreau, Matthews, Nazem Kadri, Kirill Kaprizov, Matthew Tkachuk, Kyle Connor and Josi. They're all headed over 100.

J.T. Miller will flirt with it, too.

Whatever's in the water bottles, let's keep it flowing. Hockey (and fantasy hockey) hasn't been this much fun in a while.

Now let's take a look at who caught my eye this week.

Alexander Barabanov, LW/RW, San Jose (3 percent Yahoo!) – Barabanov is the one who got away from the cap-strapped Leafs. Now, he's a top-line fixture beside Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier and has 10 points - including eight assists - and 21 SOG, 12 hits and seven blocked shots in his last 11 games. Barabanov has 37 points (10 goals, 27 assists) in 59 games overall, and his two-way game is strong. I'm rolling him on and off my bench in one league without hesitation. He might help you the same way.  

Radko Gudas, D, Florida (56 percent Yahoo!) – Gudas is probably rostered in most leagues that count hits. But check anyway, just in case other managers let him hit the wire. Gudas was dialled in Sunday against the Leafs with 10 hits and 22 in four games this week. That's the kind of production that can win a whole category for you.

Noah Hanifin, D, Calgary (31 percent Yahoo!) – Hanifin is playing on the top pairing and flirting with his first-ever 40-point season. Finally. We've all been impatient with his development, but the reality is simple – he's just 25 and already has more than 500 games under his belt. It's time to back down and give Hanifin his due. This week, he's quietly contributed across multiple categories (four assists, seven SOG, six blocks, three hits and a plus-5 rating in four games). Consistency, even if distinctly boring, is almost always better over time than a high-risk, high-reward guy, even if the latter occasionally explodes.

Seth Jarvis, LW/RW/C, Carolina (9 percent Yahoo!) – Jarvis continues to impress me. His agility and ability to change directions, especially with the puck, are special. The just-turned 20-year-old has been featured on a line with Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho, and they've been outstanding. Over his last eight games, Jarvis has posted eight points. And that includes five goals. Jarvis is only 5-foot-10, but he's not afraid to go straight to the net and he's already reliable in all three zones. At 20.

Ryan Lomberg, LW, Florida (1 percent Yahoo!) – The Lomberghini is a fan fave in Sunrise – he's one of the fastest guys on a great squad and he's not afraid to throw his 5-9 frame around. On Thursday, Lomberg jumped from the fourth line to the second alongside Jonathan Huberdeau and Claude Giroux because of his sudden three-game goal streak (four goals, one assist). This run means another shot up the lineup this weekend. So whether he goes by Lomberghini or Lomberdeau (after you know who), Lomberg is worth a gamble this weekend.

Mads Sogaard, G, Ottawa (3 percent Yahoo!) – The towering Dane made his debut Friday night and made the Ottawa net look like a pup tent. Man, is this guy huge. But Sogaard moves well someone who's 6-foot-7 and he's getting some NHL time as a reward for a solid AHL season. Ottawa is playing loose, unpressured hockey. And as I've said before, that's a recipe for success for young guys. I'm rostering Sogaard in a league where every goalie win matters. Yep, it's desperation time, but a win is a win.

Jordan Staal, C, Carolina (20 percent Yahoo!) – Need face-off wins? Staal was second overall in that category this week with 49 in just four games. The veteran won't give you much else, other than a few hits and an occasional point. But category domination is category domination.

Frank Vatrano, LW/RW, NY Rangers (22 percent Yahoo!) – There's still time to take advantage of Vatrano's production, even if you missed his current run on Broadway. I flagged him before, so I won't spend much time. Other than to say Vatrano went into Friday's game with six points, including five goals, and 12 shots in his past six games. While playing with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Thought that would get your attention.

Back to the century club.

The math is simple in redraft leagues. But what about keeper and dynasty formats?

Do you cash out on the soon-to-be 29-year-old Jonathan Huberdeau given his injury history? Is Matthew Tkachuk's growth for real? We both know Nazem Kadri's explosion this year is amazing, but questionable.

Sell. Fast.

I think the same applies to Roman Josi. He's a great defender, but it's been 30 years since a defender hit 100 points. Thirty years! Josi isn't old, but he'll have 32 candles on his cake come June. I want this scoring surge to continue, but I'm not sure it does.

Like 1992-93 when 21 guys broke 100. Including Craig Janney and Joe Juneau. I know – who? Only eight guys hit or exceeded the mark the following year. Gulp. 

So, let's enjoy this history making. And let's hope for some carryover into next year, but let's not get carried away.

Stay in the moment. Savor every second.

Until next week.