This week's article includes Tage back at center, Vilardi hot in cold Winnipeg, Colorado's third blueline pair, Hofer earning extra games in net, Pinto back and Kochetkov out for the season, and Daccord now in a time share in the Seattle net.
Discover who's been filling up the scoresheet with RotoWire's NHL Trending Players page!
First Liners (Risers)
Tage Thompson, C, BUF: Thompson has bounced between center and right wing on the Sabres' top line, producing in either spot. He has gotten onto the scoresheet in eight of the last 10 games while racking up six goals and 12 points in that span. Thompson, who will find out January 2 if he made the US Olympic Hockey team, has tallied 18 markers and added 16 apples in 38 games with nine of those points coming on the man-advantage. He is on pace for the fourth 30-plus goal season of his career.
Wyatt Johnston, C, DAL: Johnston continued his fine play Saturday, notching three assists. He very quietly is up to 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists) in 38 games centering Dallas' top line. Johnston, who should be named to the US Olympic Hockey team this week, is on pace to surpass the career-best 71-point haul he posted in 82 games during the 2024-25 regular season. Selected 23rd overall, Johnston is another late-first or second-round selection that has panned out well for the Stars.
Matt Boldy, LW, MIN: Every goalies' nightmare in overtime is seeing Boldy, Kirill
This week's article includes Tage back at center, Vilardi hot in cold Winnipeg, Colorado's third blueline pair, Hofer earning extra games in net, Pinto back and Kochetkov out for the season, and Daccord now in a time share in the Seattle net.
Discover who's been filling up the scoresheet with RotoWire's NHL Trending Players page!
First Liners (Risers)
Tage Thompson, C, BUF: Thompson has bounced between center and right wing on the Sabres' top line, producing in either spot. He has gotten onto the scoresheet in eight of the last 10 games while racking up six goals and 12 points in that span. Thompson, who will find out January 2 if he made the US Olympic Hockey team, has tallied 18 markers and added 16 apples in 38 games with nine of those points coming on the man-advantage. He is on pace for the fourth 30-plus goal season of his career.
Wyatt Johnston, C, DAL: Johnston continued his fine play Saturday, notching three assists. He very quietly is up to 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists) in 38 games centering Dallas' top line. Johnston, who should be named to the US Olympic Hockey team this week, is on pace to surpass the career-best 71-point haul he posted in 82 games during the 2024-25 regular season. Selected 23rd overall, Johnston is another late-first or second-round selection that has panned out well for the Stars.
Matt Boldy, LW, MIN: Every goalies' nightmare in overtime is seeing Boldy, Kirill Kaprizov and Quinn Hughes on the ice. That was the case Saturday, as the trio combined for the game-winning tally by Boldy, his second of the contest. He is up to 25 goals, 47 points, 131 shots on net, 26 hits and 29 blocks across 40 games this season. The 24-year-old winger has been on fire with 10 goals and 18 points over his last 12 games. Boldy is on pace for the first 40-plus goal campaign of his career, in his fifth season in the league.
Gabriel Vilardi, RW, WPG: Vilardi failed to live up to his potential in Los Angeles after he was selected 11th overall in 2017. He teased that potential after arriving in Winnipeg in the Pierre-Luc Dubois deal, notching 36 points in 47 contests in 2023-24. Vilardi put it all together last season, notching 27 markers and 34 helpers in 71 contests, and he has been a solid fit on the top line alongside Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. Vilardi is having another fine season with 16 goals and 17 apples, and since Nov. 21 he has been incredibly steady with 10 goals and 19 points, which includes six multi-point efforts, over his last 18 games.
Samuel Girard / Sam Malinski, D, COL: The Avalanche's third defensive pairing is included as a duo here, as both blueliners have been highly productive recently. Girard has notched three goals and six assists over his last eight games, while Malinski has potted a goal with eight assists over 13 outings in December. The duo complements each other nicely, making an already stellar defense even deeper.
Shayne Gostisbehere, D, CAR: Gostisbehere has provided Carolina with excellent value on the three-year, $9.6 million contract he signed in July of 2024. He had seven goals and 45 points in 70 regular-season outings last season and is on pace to exceed those numbers. Gostisbehere has five points (one goal, four assists) in his last four games, and he continues to roll along at a career-best pace. He has 29 points (four goals, 25 assists) and 48 shots in 28 games. Ghost is not ceding his spot on the top power play unit to either Alexander Nikishin or K'Andre Miller without a fight. Check his status as he sat out Monday with a groin injury.
Scott Wedgewood, G, COL: Wedgewood more than held down the fort between the pipes while Mackenzie Blackwood was sidelined. Since Blackwood has returned, the duo has mostly alternated starts, though that has not always been set in stone. Wedgewood started back-to-back games out of the holiday break and has won four straight outings. He's up to a 17-1-4 record with a 2.13 GAA and a .919 save percentage over 24 starts this season
Joel Hofer, G, STL: Hofer has been alternating starts with Jordan Binnington, but his fine play between the pipes coupled with Binnington's struggles could result in that pattern shifting. Over three outings prior to his loss Monday, Hofer had a 3-0-0 record, 1.33 GAA and .953 save percentage, with those numbers boosted by a shutout. Those performances have moved his season-long save percentage above .900, lowered his GAA to 2.87 and improved his record to the .500 mark at 8-8-2 in 22 appearances. Roll with Hofer.
Others include Tim Stutzle, Robert Thomas, Anthony Cirelli, Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Kyle Connor, Pavel Buchnevich, Martin Necas, Drake Batherson, Eeli Tolvanen, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Brandt Clarke, Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, Connor Ingram, Anton Forsberg, David Rittich and Jesper Wallstedt.
Buy Low
Aliaksei Protas, LW, WSH: Protas exploded last season, scoring 30 goals while dishing out 36 assists in 76 contests. Some regression was likely, though he got off to an even slower start that expected. Protas has now regained last season's form, denting the back of the net in four of the last six games. Through 13 contests in December, Protas has delivered seven goals and 12 points, and he's up to 14 markers and 14 apples in 39 appearances. He is skating on Washington's second line but still sees minimal power-play time, which will limit his overall production.
Training Room (Injuries)
Shane Pinto, C, OTT: Pinto was activated off injured reserve Monday after missing 10 games with a lower-body injury. Prior to being sidelined, he'd posted 12 goals, 18 points, 65 shots on net and 34 hits across 27 outings. Pinto steps right back into the third center spot for the Senators. Appearing in 70 regular-season games in 2024-25, Pinto set career highs in goals (21), points (37), blocked shots (56) and hits (73) and was on pace to exceed those numbers this season before he was injured.
Others include Brandon Hagel (upper body, missed four games, activated off injured reserve Sunday), Pius Suter (right ankle, will miss at least four weeks), Adam Fox (shoulder, practicing with team, close to returning, maybe Wednesday), Zach Werenski (lower body, placed on IR on Sunday), Karel Vejmelka (upper body, injured Dec. 21, placed on injured reserve Monday), Pyotr Kochetkov (lower body, will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the season) and Linus Ullmark (personal reasons, no timetable for return).
Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)
Nick Schmaltz, C, UTAH: Schmaltz remains productive, though not at the level he was earlier in the season. He has just three assists his last six games after notching 12 goals and 17 helpers over his first 33 appearances. Schmaltz is still centering Utah's top line, so he should rebound before too long thanks to the talent around him. Until then, consider moving Schmaltz to your bench, but be ready to activate him once he shows signs of putting it back together.
Matvei Michkov, RW, PHI: While Macklin Celebrini has taken his game up several levels, Michkov has taken a step, or maybe several steps, back after his fine rookie campaign. Michkov has just one goal in December – an empty-net tally – and five assists in 11 contests. After posting 26 tallies and 37 helpers in 80 games last season, he's managed nine goals and 11 assists in 37 contests this season. Part of his drop in goal-scoring can be attributed to his lack of shots on net, as he is averaging just two per contest after 2.5 last season.
Vladislav Gavrikov, D, NYR: Gavrikov, who raised his production initially when Adam Fox was injured, has fallen back to earth. After scoring three goals in four games around the time Fox was first sidelined, Gavrikov had just one assist over his next seven games before lighting the lamp with his first career power-play goal Monday. Gavrikov is good for 20-30 points annually, which is where he should land despite the hot start to the season.
Others include Marco Rossi, Cole Sillinger, Yegor Sharangovich, Darren Raddysh, Tyler Myers, Connor Hellebuyck and Carter Hart.
Sell High
Joey Daccord, G, SEA: Daccord is on this side of the ledger not specifically because of anything he did, but due to how well his competitor for playing time is playing. Philipp Grubauer has won consecutive starts and has a 6-3-1 record, 2.44 GAA and a .917 save percentage in 12 appearances. Daccord, after a rough patch, also won two straight starts before falling in a shootout Monday. He is 10-9-5 with a 2.77 GAA and a .903 save percentage over 24 starts. A time share in net may be taking place in the Pacific Northwest.
