NHL Barometer: Risers and Fallers

This week's article includes Casey tolling, Yegor hot, Kirill thrilling, Ghost not invisible on the PP, Vegas' No. 2 goalie showing he can be the No. 1, Couture returns and the Gus bus having slipped an axle or two on Broadway. 

First Liners (Risers)

Casey Mittelstadt, C, BUF – Mittelstadt is building off the breakthrough campaign he had a year ago. He three multi-point performances in the last seven games, erupting for six goals and 17 points in 15 contests over the last month while seeing a regular top-six shift and holding down a spot on the Sabres' top power-play unit. Tage Thompson is still Buffalo's first-line center while Mittelstadt is playing left wing on the second line, but he may still have center eligibility depending on your league's rules. 

Yegor Sharangovich, RW, CGY – Sharangovich, who came over to Calgary in the Tyler Toffoli deal, looks like the winger we saw in New Jersey two years ago. He has seven goals in his last seven games and is up to 19 goals, 32 points, 99 shots on net and a minus-11 rating through 45 outings, putting him on pace to breeze right by his career high of 46 points from 2021-22. Signed to a two-year, $6.2 million contract by the Flames in June of 2023 after the deal, Sharangovich is manning the right wing on the top line for the Flames. 

Dakota Joshua, LW, VAN – Joshua has helped Vancouver have one of the best third lines in the league. Playing with Teddy Blueger and Conor Garland, that trio continues to produce game after game. Joshua, in his second season with the Canucks after breaking into the league with the Blues, has seven points (three goals, four assists) in his last 10 contests. He's up to 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) through 46 games this season, one shy of his career high. With no signs of slowing, keep Joshua in your lineup. 

Kirill Kaprizov, LW, MIN – Kirill has certainly been a Thrill for those that have him rostered in their leagues. His hat trick Sunday gave Kaprizov 10 markers and eight apples in his past 11 games, continuing the hot streak that dated back to before he recently missed seven straight games with an upper-body injury. Kaprizov — after a mildly slow start — is up to 18 goals and 24 helpers in 39 games overall. That point-per-game pace is in line with what Kaprizov has posted since entering the league for the 2020-21 season. Kaprizov was named the NHL's First Star of the Week for his recent efforts.

Shayne Gostisbehere, D, DET – Ghost continues to rack up points for the Red Wings. He has 24 assists and 31 points through 45 games, though that is offset to a certain extent by his minus-19 rating. That plus-minus rating is not a major surprise, as Gostisbehere is a liability in his own zone, but can produce offensively, especially on the power play, where he has 19 of his 31 points. If Detroit falls out of the playoff hunt, Ghost — who is on a one-year deal — is a major candidate to be dealt elsewhere. 

Samuel Girard, D, COL – In terms of the Avalanche's defensive pecking order, Girard sits third behind Cale Makar and Devon Toews. When Bowen Byram is healthy, Girard may be fourth. Recently, though, Girard has been hot, notching seven assists in his last nine contests. Girard missed five weeks earlier this season after entering the NHL/NHL Player Assistance Program. He has found his game since returning to action, lengthening the Colorado blue line while skating on the second pair.

Logan Thompson, G, LV –  Prior to Monday's debacle against the Devils, Thompson had won two straight games and three of his last four contests, giving up only one goal in each of those wins. He has held the fort nicely while Adin Hill has been sidelined for the last month-plus straight and played just one game at the beginning of December. Hill is due back this week, but Thompson, who had a 15-9-3 mark to go with a 2.63 goals-against average (GAA) and a .910 save percentage coming into Monday's game, showed that he can be the team's bellwether goaltender when needed. Thompson was named the NHL's Third Star of the Week. 

Connor Ingram, G, AZ – Ingram is doing his best to keep the Coyotes in the playoff hunt. Monday was Ingram's sixth start in the team's last seven games. With the win, Ingram is now 17-5-1 on the year with a 2.47 GAA and .919 save percentage. Ingram is tied with Tristan Jarry for the NHL lead in shutouts with five, and his 17 wins and 30 starts are career highs for the netminder. His managing through mental illness has been well-documented and he is reaping the benefits of the work he has done with his therapist while providing guidance to others who are be dealing with a similar situation.

Others include Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon, Sean Monahan, Nazem Kadri, Charlie Coyle, Wyatt Johnston, Sam Reinhart, Andrei Svechnikov, Nikolaj Ehlers, Jared McCann, Warren Foegele, Roope Hintz, David Pastrnak, Victor Hedman, Evan Bouchard, Sean Durzi, Cam Fowler, Justin Schultz, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Charlie Lindgren, Petr Mrazek, Jake Allen, Stuart Skinner and Connor Hellebuyck. 

Buy Low

Anton Lundell, C, FLA – This one may be obviated by the time you read it. Lundell has received an uptick in ice time and line placement while Aleksander Barkov has been sidelined. He has made the most of that opportunity, netting a goal and pair of assists the last two contests. When Barkov returns, Lundell may slide back to the third line with Sam Bennett as the current second-line center. Florida could move Bennett back to left wing and use Lundell as the 2C, which would help him maintain his increased value. 

Training Room (Injuries)

Logan Couture, C, SJ – Couture returned to action Saturday for the first time this season after suffering a lower-body injury during offseason training. He scored 27 goals and 67 points in 82 contests last season and has spent his whole career with the Sharks after being drafted ninth overall in 2007. Couture, who notched an assist Saturday, posted 323 goals and 377 helpers in 927 games coming into the season. He's likely to play on the first line alongside Alexander Barabanov and Fabian Zetterlund moving Tomas Hertl to the second line.

Others include Boone Jenner (jaw, injured Dec. 8, missed 15 games, activated Friday), Martin Necas (upper body, returned after five-game absence Friday with a goal and assist), Alex Killorn (arthroscopic knee surgery sometime this week, expected to be sidelined four-to-six weeks), Mikael Granlund (upper body, injured Tuesday, landed on IR on Saturday), Owen Tippett (lower body, left  Saturday's contest), Jacob Markstrom (upper body, missed last three games but dressed as backup Saturday) and Marc-Andre Fleury (upper-body injury, suffered Friday versus Florida).

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)

Logan Cooley, C, AZ – Cooley, profiled as a faller five weeks ago, lands on this side of the ledger again this week. His long-term value is still extremely high, but his offensive performance has tailed off after a solid enough start. Cooley went 17 games between goals, lighting the lamp December 4 and January 16 with nothing in between. In addition, in the last 22 contests, Cooley has recorded just seven assists. In keeper leagues, Cooley is a must-have, but in single-season leagues, Cooley should be on the waiver wire.

Mike Hoffman, RW, SJ – Hoffman has woken up somewhat after a lengthy slump, notching assists in three straight games. Prior to this recent effort, Hoffman added just a pair of helpers in his prior 14 games. What hopefully is evident from the above is that Hoffman hasn't lit the lamp in 17 straight contests, last scoring a goal December 10. Hoffman is skating in the top six, which should allow him to eventually pot a marker. When that "eventually" is remains to be seen and Hoffman is firmly on the trade block, which will impact his future value. 

Erik Gustafsson, D, NYR – Remember when Gustafsson was running the first unit power-play while Adam Fox was sidelined, and he was racking up points? His recent struggles, along with those of the Rangers, make those times seem like ages ago. Gustafsson has just one goal and five assists in his last 25 contests and his defensive issues of late further show why he has bounced from team to team to team. He should be firmly planted on your bench for the time being. 

Others include Alex Kerfoot, Brett Howden, Jakob Silfverberg, Jake Sanderson, Travis Sanheim, Cam Talbot and Devon Levi (back to the AHL). 

Sell High 

Martin Jones, G, TOR – Jones has come back to earth lately, going 1-3-1 and giving up 20 goals in his last five starts after carrying the Leafs between the pipes. Toronto has struggled with poor team defense in that span against some elite teams, including Vancouver, Edmonton and Colorado, contributing to his poor performances. Jones will continue to be the starter in Toronto until Joseph Woll (ankle) returns, and as he goes between the pipes, so go the Maple Leafs. Hold on tight.