This week's article includes Timmy getting red hot for Ottawa, Marner seeing time at center, Lindell productive in Big D, a new top-line center in Minnesota, a Hughes brother back in action for NJ and Trouba in a mild slump for the Ducks.
Discover who's been filling up the scoresheet with RotoWire's NHL Trending Players page!
First Liners (Risers)
Tim Stutzle, C, OTT: Stutzle extended his point streak to seven games Sunday, during which he's racked up six goals and eight assists in that span. For the season, the German center has 17 goals, 38 points, 90 shots on net, 59 hits, 25 blocked shots, 22 PIM and a plus-6 rating across 35 outings. Stutzle has posted at least 70 points each of his past three seasons, capped by him tallying 90 in 2022-23. After seeing his goal production fall from 39 to 18 in 2023-24, Stutzle added 24 markers last season and is close to 40-goal pace this season.
Mitch Marner, RW, LV: Marner, normally a right wing, saw action at center Sunday with Jack Eichel (lower body) and William Karlsson (lower body) both out. In leagues that utilize players at the various positions than just forward, additional positional eligibility would add to his already substantial value. Marner potted a goal and an assist Sunday and has notched two tallies and nine helpers in nine games in December. He's at seven goals, 36 points, 62 shots on net, 21 blocked shots and a plus-8 rating over 34
This week's article includes Timmy getting red hot for Ottawa, Marner seeing time at center, Lindell productive in Big D, a new top-line center in Minnesota, a Hughes brother back in action for NJ and Trouba in a mild slump for the Ducks.
Discover who's been filling up the scoresheet with RotoWire's NHL Trending Players page!
First Liners (Risers)
Tim Stutzle, C, OTT: Stutzle extended his point streak to seven games Sunday, during which he's racked up six goals and eight assists in that span. For the season, the German center has 17 goals, 38 points, 90 shots on net, 59 hits, 25 blocked shots, 22 PIM and a plus-6 rating across 35 outings. Stutzle has posted at least 70 points each of his past three seasons, capped by him tallying 90 in 2022-23. After seeing his goal production fall from 39 to 18 in 2023-24, Stutzle added 24 markers last season and is close to 40-goal pace this season.
Mitch Marner, RW, LV: Marner, normally a right wing, saw action at center Sunday with Jack Eichel (lower body) and William Karlsson (lower body) both out. In leagues that utilize players at the various positions than just forward, additional positional eligibility would add to his already substantial value. Marner potted a goal and an assist Sunday and has notched two tallies and nine helpers in nine games in December. He's at seven goals, 36 points, 62 shots on net, 21 blocked shots and a plus-8 rating over 34 appearances for the year as he aims for his eighth season posting at least a point-per-game.
Sam Reinhart, RW, FLA: Florida has been steadily moving up the standings, aided recently by their 7-2-1 mark in their past 10 games and play of their bigger named veterans. One such player is Reinhart, who has cracked the scoresheet in seven of his last nine outings, tallying five goals and 11 points over that stretch. The veteran winger's hot streak now has him up to a point-per-game, as he sits with 19 tallies and 16 helpers in 35 games, which would be the third straight campaign and fourth in his last five that he has hit that mark.
Jonatan Berggren, LW, STL: Berggren's inclusion is a "strike while the iron is hot" situation, but be prepared to jump ship when the flame goes out. Waived by the Red Wings, Berggren, a second-round pick (33rd overall) in 2018, was claimed December 16 by the Blues. He has two goals and two assists in three games with St. Louis, skating on the first line both at even-strength and on the man-advantage. A change of scenery was needed, as Berggren had been a healthy scratch for 19 of 34 contests in Detroit, and so far, he is making the most of his second chance.
Esa Lindell, D, DAL: Lindell benefits from skating next to Miro Heiskanen, though that placement does not fully explain his current hot streak. The Finnish blueliner, known more for his play in his own zone rather than offensively, has a goal and six helpers over his last seven games. Overall, the blueliner has four goals, 13 assists, 39 shots on net, 85 blocked shots and a plus-20 rating through 37 outings, putting him on pace to exceed the career-high 32 points he posted way back in 2018-19.
Evan Bouchard, D, EDM: Bouchard's defensive lapses are well chronicled; his offensive capabilities, especially on the man advantage, is why he is drafted high in fantasy leagues. He has two goals and nine assists over 11 games in December, with five of those 11 points coming on the power play. After a slow start, the high-scoring blueliner is now up to six tallies, 27 helpers and 92 shots on net while averaging 24:05 in ice time. Another 60+ point season should be a near lock on a talent Oilers' squad.
Juuse Saros, G, NSH: Nashville has started to dig its way out of the basement, aided by the fine play of Saros between the pipes. He has posted a 7-2-0 record with a 2.70 GAA and a .912 save percentage in his last nine starts. His season marks still leave a lot to be desired, as Saros just went under a three GAA while his save percentage is still below .900, with both numbers close to what he posted last season. Saros' hot streak makes him a viable option in DFS and seasonal leagues.
John Gibson, G, DET: Gibson, like Saros, is on a roll. Following his win Saturday, the former long-time Anaheim netminder is going 7-0-0 to begin the month of December with two shutouts and a .934 save percentage. He has taken over as the primary goalie in Detroit, though Cam Talbot still is in the mix. Gibson's fine play this month has helped the Red Wings surprisingly move up the standings to first place in the Atlantic Division. Keep utilizing the veteran netminder while he is hot.
Others include Sidney Crosby (passes Mario Lemieux as Penguins' all-time leading scorer), Mark Scheifele, Ryan O'Reilly, Ryan Greene, Vladimir Tarasenko, Brady Tkachuk, Gabriel Landeskog, Juraj Slafkovsky, Collin Graf, Jackson Blake, David Perron, Noah Hanifin, Cale Makar, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Brady Skjei, Thatcher Demko, Mackenzie Blackwood, Filip Gustavsson and Jacob Fowler.
Buy Low
Ryan Hartman, C/RW, MIN: Your buy-low window on Hartman has likely long passed, though he is possibly available in some shallower leagues. His goal Sunday gave Hartman five tallies in his last six contests, as the injury to and then trade of Marco Rossi to Vancouver in the Quinn Hughes deal opened up the top-center spot in Minnesota. Hartman has seamlessly stepped into that spot and is up to nine goals, 15 points, 71 shots on net, 33 hits and 38 blocks through 33 games this season.
Training Room (Injuries)
Jack Hughes, C, NJ: Hughes returned Sunday after missing 18 games following surgery to repair his finger which suffered a laceration due to glass at a team dinner. Originally projected to miss eight weeks, Hughes returned after just five and picked up right where he left off prior to being sidelined with a goal Sunday. Hughes had accounted for 10 goals, 20 points and 69 shots on net across 17 appearances this season before the injury and New Jersey significantly missed their superstar center.
Others include J.T. Miller (upper body, injured Saturday, placed on injured reserve (IR) Monday), Frank Nazar (face, will miss four weeks), Jack Roslovic (undisclosed, activated from long-term injured reserve after an 11-game absence Sunday), Will Smith (upper body, week-to-week), Seth Jarvis (upper body, injured Friday, week-to-week), Patrick Kane (upper body, missing fifth straight game Tuesday), Shea Theodore (upper body, week-to-week), Jaccob Slavin (upper body, placed on IR, week-to-week), Zach Werenski (lower body, injured Saturday, didn't play against the Kings on Monday).
Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)
Max Domi, RW, TOR: Domi was a healthy scratch Saturday. That decision came after Domi went 22 games without a goal, a span in which he has nine assists. Domi's production has fallen each of the last two seasons, and with just 12 points in 33 contests, he is on pace for that decline to happen for a third consecutive campaign. Domi is still skating on the Leafs' top line, so maybe he turns around his season, though early returns have not been good, making us skeptical.
Jacob Trouba, D, ANA: Trouba is still having a fine season, but his production has tailed off since his red-hot start. He has two goals and a pair of assists in his last nine contests with that output coming after six straight scoreless contests. Trouba opened the season by failing to score the first five games of the season, then reeled off four goals and eight assists his next 12 appearances. He has already exceeded his 2024-25-point production and is just five points shy of his total from the prior campaign.
Spencer Knight, G, CHI: Injuries are wreaking havoc on the Chicago's center depth, as the team is now without both Connor Bedard (shoulder) and Frank Nazar (face). Their absence has had a material impact on the team's offense, which has placed more pressure on the Blackhawks' defense and goaltending. Knight, after a brilliant start, has leveled off. Through seven outings in December, he's gone 2-4-1 with a 2.71 GAA and .903 save percentage while getting fewer than two goals of offensive support a game during that stretch.
Others include John Tavares, Erik Haula, Kaapo Kakko, Kirill Marchenko, Artyom Levshunov, Neal Pionk, Igor Shesterkin and Jet Greaves.
Sell High
Anze Kopitar, C, LA: Kopitar, in the swam-song season of his brilliant and future Hall of Fame career, has gotten off to a slow start. After posting at least 67 points each of the last four seasons, Kopitar has just six goals and 11 assists in 31 contests, a pace that's a far cry from that output. Despite the so-so production in 2025-26, Kopitar sits just five points shy of 1,300 for his career that will wrap up at the end of the season. Enjoy watching one of the best in all three zones on the ice at least one more time.
