NHL Fantasy picks, props, futures with EDGE stats
Daily players to watch with projections, advanced metrics; new podcast episodes
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TUE. DEC. 23
Player to watch for shots on goal, point and/or assist: Noah Hanifin, D, VGK (vs. SJS; 10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NBCSCA)
-Has 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists) and 65 shots on goal in 24 games for the Golden Knights this season.
-4 points, 3 power-play points and 11 SOG in his past 3 games.
-Has at least 2 SOG in 9 straight games and at least 3 SOG in 6 of those games.
-Averaging team-high 25:45 time on ice in the past 3 games with Shea Theodore sidelined due to an injury.
-6 of his 10 points have come over his past 8 games.
-EDGE stats: Ranks among the defensemen leaders in max skating speed (23.45 mph; 4th), 20-plus mph speed bursts (32; 87th percentile), long-range SOG (31; 86th percentile), midrange SOG (14; 86th percentile) and offensive zone start percentage (41.0; 88th percentile).
-The Sharks are allowing the most shots per game (31.6) and the 7th-most goals per game (3.36). -- Chris Meaney
Player to watch for point, assist and/or goal: Valeri Nichushkin, F, COL (vs. UTA; 9 p.m. ET; Utah 16, ALT)
-Has 21 points (8 goals, 13 assists) in 27 games this season.; 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists) during 5-game point streak.
-Tied for 4th on Avalanche in points (9 in 10 games) with his current center Brock Nelson, since returning to the lineup on Dec. 2.
-Has at least 1 point in 7 of his past 10 games and 16 of his past 24 games.
-Has 16 shots on goal in his past 5 games and at least 3 SOG in 3 of those games.
-EDGE stats: Ranks highly among forwards in max skating speed (22.71 mph; 83rd percentile), 20-plus mph speed bursts (67; 85th percentile), 22-plus mph bursts (5; 88th percentile), average miles skated per 60 (10.29; 96th percentile), high-danger SOG (27; 82nd percentile), high-danger goals (6; 80th percentile) and long-range SOG (9; 88th percentile), despite missing 8 games this season. -- Meaney
Player to watch for goal, point and/or shots on goal: Nico Hischier, F, NJD (at NYI; 7 p.m. ET; MSGSN2, MSGSN)
-Ranks 2nd among New Jersey Devils players in assists (18 in 36 games), points (28) and shots on goal (89) this season.
-1 of 4 Devils players with at least 10 goals this season; set NHL career highs in goals (35; tied for 18th in NHL) and power-play goals (14; tied for 5th in NHL) last season.
-Playing on L1 with Timo Meier (leads team with 100 shots on goal) and Jesper Bratt (leads team with 29 points), as well as PP1 with Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes.
-Has the most shots on goal (28 in 9 games) of any player who has not scored since Dec. 5; at least 3 SOG in 3 straight games, and in 7 of 11 December games.
-EDGE stats: Ranks highly among forwards in total skating distance (111.44 miles; 95th percentile), high-danger shots on goal (38; 95th percentile) and midrange shots on goal (37; 94th percentile).
-Islanders are winless in 3 straight games (0-2-1) and have allowed the third most shots on goal per game (31.9) since the start of December. -- Troy Perlowitz
Player to watch for point, goal and/or shots on goal: Jackson Blake, F, CAR (vs. FLA; 7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SCRIPPS)
-Has 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists), including 4 multipoint games, this season; Reached that point total in 35 games this season compared to 61 games last season.
-Has 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists), 4 on the power play, and 16 shots on goal over his past 9 games.
-Playing on L1 with Sebastian Aho (team-leading 31 points this season) and Nikolaj Ehlers (24 points in his past 30 games), and PP1 with Shayne Gostisbehere and Andrei Svechnikov (tied for team lead with 8 power-play points each).
-Carolina Hurricanes are 5th in the NHL in goals per game (3.29) while the Florida Panthers have allowed at least 5 goals in 9 games (tied for third most in NHL) this season.
-EDGE stats: Ranks among the forward leaders in offensive zone percentage time (47.5; 98th percentile), high-danger shots on goal (38; 95th percentile) and average miles skated per 60 minutes (10.21; 93rd percentile). -- Perlowitz
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Others to watch for goal and/or shots on goal:
Matt Boldy, F, MIN (vs. NSH)
Zach Hyman, F, EDM (vs. CGY)
Cole Caufield, F, MTL (at BOS)
Brady Tkachuk, F, OTT (vs. BUF)
Josh Norris, F, BUF (at OTT)
Others to watch for point:
Roope Hintz, F, DAL (at DET)
Dylan Cozens, F, OTT (vs. BUF)
Gabriel Landeskog, F, COL (vs. UTA)
Ryan Hartman, F, MIN (vs. NSH)
Collin Graf, F, SJS (at VGK)
Others to watch for multiple points:
Nathan MacKinnon, F, COL (vs. UTA)
Connor McDavid, F, EDM (vs. CGY)
Kirill Kaprizov, F, MIN (vs. NSH)
Mikko Rantanen, F, DAL (at DET)
Mitch Marner, F, VGK (vs. SJS)
Others to watch for assist:
Lane Hutson, D, MTL (at BOS)
Wyatt Johnston, F, DAL (at DET)
Tim Stutzle, F, OTT (vs. BUF)
Mats Zuccarello, F, MIN (vs. NSH)
Trevor Zegras, F, PHI (at CHI)
Others to watch for shots on goal:
Pavel Dorofeyev, F, VGK (vs. SJS)
Jason Robertson, F, DAL (at DET)
Tage Thompson, F, BUF (at OTT)
Timo Meier, F, NJD (at NYI)
Owen Tippett, F, PHI (at CHI)
Point combos/trios to consider:
MTL: Nick Suzuki -- Cole Caufield
OTT: Tim Stutzle -- Brady Tkachuk
NJD: Jesper Bratt -- Nico Hischier -- Timo Meier
FLA: Carter Verhaeghe -- Sam Bennett -- Brad Marchand
MIN: Kirill Kaprizov -- Matt Boldy -- Quinn Hughes
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FUTURES WATCH
NOTES: The below players are candidates to watch, from front-runners to sleepers, for various 2026 NHL Awards. These lists are a collaborative effort by Pete Jensen, Chris Meaney and Troy Perlowitz.
Art Ross Trophy:
- Nathan MacKinnon, F, COL
- Connor McDavid, F, EDM
- Macklin Celebrini, F, SJS
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy:
- Nathan MacKinnon, F, COL
- Leon Draisaitl, F, EDM
- Jason Robertson, F, DAL
- Kirill Kaprizov, F, MIN
- Morgan Geekie, F, BOS
Hart Trophy:
- Nathan MacKinnon, F, COL
- Connor McDavid, F, EDM
- Macklin Celebrini, F, SJS
- Jack Eichel, F, VGK
- David Pastrnak, F, BOS
Day to day: Leo Carlsson, F, ANA
Key injury: Connor Bedard, F, CHI
Norris Trophy:
- Cale Makar, D, COL
- Quinn Hughes, D, MIN
- Jakob Chychrun, D, WSH
- Lane Hutson, D, MTL
Day to day: Zach Werenski, D, CBJ
Vezina Trophy:
- Logan Thompson, G, WSH
- Connor Hellebuyck, G, WPG
- Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, TBL
Day to day: Ilya Sorokin, G, NYI
Calder Trophy:
- Matthew Schaefer, D, NYI
- Ivan Demidov, F, MTL
- Beckett Sennecke, F, ANA
- Jesper Wallstedt, G, MIN
Jack Adams Award:
- Joel Quenneville, ANA
- Jared Bednar, COL
- Rick Tocchet, PHI
- Patrick Roy, NYI
- Ryan Warsofsky, SJS
Stanley Cup:
- Colorado Avalanche
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Dallas Stars
- Florida Panthers
