This week's article includes Zacha rolling for the B's, CK20 lighting the lamp in Anaheim, Miro punainen kuuma in Dallas, Knight's out for opponents in Chicago, Svech heating up, Zucc is back and the Bob with some uneven play.
First Liners (Risers)
Pavel Zacha, C, BOS: Zacha saw his five-game point streak end Saturday. Despite being held off the scoresheet, Zacha has four goals and 10 assists in 17 contests. Zacha has had his four best career scoring seasons since coming to Boston from New Jersey for the 2022-23 campaign. Centering either the first or second line at even-strength and a member of the first unit power play, Zacha is on early pace to challenge his career-high of 59 points set in the 2023-24 campaign.
Dylan Strome, C, WAS: Strome is a poster boy for not giving up on a high pick too early and a change of scenery is sometimes a must. The move from Arizona to Chicago in 2018-19 resulted in a major spike in production. He struggled the next two seasons before righting the ship his final season in the Windy City. Strome's explosion occurred when he landed in Washington, as he posted 65, 67 and then 82 points last season. He is up to four goals and 10 assists in 13 contests, building off his prior success.
Chris Kreider, LW, ANA: Kreider played through and missed time with several injuries last season, contributing mightily to a drop in production from 39 goals and 36 assists in 2023-24 to just 22 and eight last season. The Rangers moved him as expected, dealing him to Anaheim. Heading out West and fully healthy, Kreider has looked rejuvenated, notching nine goals in 11 games, including five on the power play, which is his specialty. Another 30-plus goal season certainly could be in reach for 34-year-old winger.
Jack Roslovic, LW, EDM: Roslovic expected to sign a long-term deal at big money following a 22-goal campaign last season for Carolina. He remained a free agent until the start of the season, inking a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Oilers on October 8. Roslovic may have landed in the perfect situation, as he has helped Edmonton make up for the absence of Zach Hyman, notching four goals – including the game-winner Monday – and six assists in 15 games. Hyman is close to returning, so pay close attention to where Roslovic is moved.
Nick Blankenburg, D, NAS: Blankenburg, not known as a scoring blueliner, is doing his best impression of one. Stepping up and in for the injured Roman Josi, Blankenburg saw his five-game point streak end Monday, but during that span, he delivered two goals and six points. He's handling the point on the top power-play unit for the Preds, notching a pair of helpers on the man-advantage. Josi is listed as week-to-week, which gives Blankenburg a chance to remain productive in that role.
Miro Heiskanen, D, DAL: Heiskanen has had three straight games to remember. After notching four assists Thursday, Heiskanen added two more Saturday and another pair Sunday. The eight helpers gave the Finnish blueliner 11 on the season to go with his three goals in 16 contests. After posting 25 points in 50 appearances last season, a fully healthy Heiskanen is almost halfway there already. Thomas Harley seemed to take over as the team's main offensive threat from the backline, but Heiskanen is not giving up that role without a fight.
Akira Schmid, G, LV: Schmid has more than ably stepped in for the injured Adin Hill. He notched his first shutout of the season this past Tuesday and has a 6-1-1 record, 2.51 goals-against average (GAA) and .901 save percentage in seven appearances in 2025-26. Hill has no timetable to return, but Carter Hart is eligible to join the Knights on December 1 and will factor in the goalie mix. Until then, roll with Schmid who should be between the pipes most evenings.
Spencer Knight, G, CHI: Knight has become a true top goalie in his first full season in Chicago. He pitched his first shutout of the season Friday and has allowed two or fewer goals in six of his 11 outings this season. With the win, Knight improved to 6-3-2 with a 2.33 GAA and a .926 save percentage. He showed signs of his talent as a member of the Panthers but struggled after arriving in the Windy City last year. Settled into his new locale, he and the Blackhawks have been one of the early surprises.
Others include Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, Macklin Celebrini, Nick Suzuki, Sam Steel, Matthew Wood, Marcus Johansson, Ben Kindel, Ivan Barbashev, Sean Walker, Cam York, Mikhail Sergachev, Artyom Levshunov, Dan Vladar, Logan Thompson, Yaroslav Askarov and Jake Allen.
Buy Low
Andrei Svechnikov, RW, CAR: Svechnikov started off 2025-26 like his production was going to decline for the fourth straight season. His name was being thrown about as someone to possibly waive in even shallower leagues. Svechnikov looks to have finally righted the ship the last seven contests. He lit the lamp Saturday, giving the winger four goals and three assists in that stretch. Svechnikov is not out of the woods, yet, but he is in a much better position than he was just a few short weeks ago.
Training Room (Injuries)
Mats Zuccarello, RW, MIN: Zuccarello returned to action Friday after missing 15 contests with a lower-body injury and notched an assist. Despite a drop in production each of the last three seasons, Zuccarello is skating on the Wild's top line next to Kirill Kaprizov and Marco Rossi. Zuccarello is more of a playmaker than a scorer, so look for a healthy number of assists with 15 or so goals from the Norwegian winger.
Others include Anthony Cirelli (upper body, missed Saturday's game), Cole Perfetti (ankle, missed the first 14 games, active Sunday), William Eklund (lower body, placed on injured reserve Friday), Dougie Hamilton (lower body, will miss a week of action), Zach Hyman (wrist, out since the beginning of the season, expected to return to action this week), Zayne Parekh (upper body, sidelined week-to-week), Rasmus Dahlin (personal, no timetable for return), and Joey Daccord (lower body, placed on injured reserve Saturday).
Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)
Brock Nelson, C, COL: Nelson is having a disappointing season for the Avalanche. Acquired at last year's trading deadline for Calum Ritchie and a first-round pick, Nelson had 13 points in 19 games for Colorado. Nelson signed a three-year, $22.5 million contract to remain with the Avalanche in June but has just three goals and a pair of assists in 15 contests. His production will eventually pick up. Until that happens, Nelson should be firmly on your bench.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW, TB: Bjorkstrand has gotten off to a slow start for the Lightning with just a goal and four assists in 15 games. While the overall numbers are not great, Bjorkstrand posted a goal and a pair of apples his first three contests of the season, meaning he was scoreless his next 10 contests before notching two helpers last Thursday. Bjorkstrand is still lining up as the second-line right winger, but if his struggles don't abate, he could get replaced on that trio.
Sergei Bobrovsky, G, FLA: Bobrovsky' numbers are okay but not at the level we have come to expect. Part of that is due to the absences of Aleksander Barkov, who is an annual Selke Award candidate, and Matthew Tkachuk. The Bob is 8-4-0 with a 2.68 goals-against average and .893 save percentage. Until Tkachuk gets healthy and the Panthers find their game, Bobrovsky's performance might remain up-and-down, though he still should rack up wins. Just don't expect elite ancillary stats.
Others include Elias Pettersson, Evan Rodrigues, Steven Stamkos, Owen Tippett, MacKenzie Weegar, Drew Doughty, John Gibson and Juuse Saros.
Sell High
Jacob Trouba, D, ANA: Trouba has been super for the Ducks. After tallying just 14 points in a trying season between New York and Anaheim, Trouba has been on a roll. He has two goals and three assists over his last six outings, which includes his third multipoint effort of the season Saturday. For the season, Trouba is up to four tallies and six helpers along with 41 hits and 32 blocked shots in 15 contests. The hits and blocked shots pace should remain constant, but the scoring is likely to tail off.
