NHL Barometer: Risers and Fallers

This week's article includes a Flyer rolling, Tuck tucking in goals, a Blackhawk d-man hot, a Kraken goalie playing like he has eight tentacles in net, a big loss for the Habs and the Flames' netminder fizzling out. 

First Liners (Risers) 

Scott Laughton, C, PHI – Laughton is centering the Flyers' third line at even strength but is the pivot on the first power-play unit. It's been a tale of two seasons for Laughton. First, during the two months from Opening Night on October 13, Laughton posted just four goals and six assists in 26 games. Since then, Laughton has been red-hot, with eight markers and 10 apples in 18 contests. With 12 goals and 16 assists, Laughton sits one tally, four helpers and four points short of matching his career-highs in each category.   

Brock Boeser, RW, VAN – Boeser, who signed a three-year, $19.95 million contract to remain with the Canucks last July, appears to have finally gotten into a groove. He has notched three goals and four helpers over his last 10 outings while skating on a line with Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko. With Vancouver in freefall, expectations are that a fire sale could be forthcoming before the trade deadline, with Boeser's name amongst those mentioned. If that does happen, Boeser could find himself in an even better offensive situation. 

Alex Tuch, RW, BUF – Tuch has been more than a solid component as part of the return in the Jack Eichel deal with Vegas. Tuch notched two assists Saturday for his fourth multi-point performance in the last 13 games, a stretch during which he's racked up seven goals and 16 points. That hot stretch has bumped his season numbers to 22 goals and 29 assists in 46 games, leaving Tuch just three assists and one point shy of tying his career-high in each category. The 22 markers are already a career-high for Tuch, who has three years remaining on the seven-year, $33.25 million contract extension he signed with the Golden Knights in October of 2018.

Jason Zucker, LW, PIT – Zucker's inclusion on this side of the ledger is for those in deeper leagues. After looking like a 35-point producer the past few seasons, Zucker has stayed healthy this season, which has contributed to him notching 13 goals and 17 helpers in 42 games. Five of those tallies and two helpers have come in the last eight games, with the veteran left winger benefitting from playing with Evgeni Malkin. He's on pace for his best production since 2017-18 when he was a member of the Wild. 

Seth Jones, D, CHI – Chicago is in major rebuilding mode, but one player who likely should remain with the team due to contract is Jones, who signed an eight-year, $76 million extension with the Blackhawks in July of 2021. He rewarded the team with 51 points in 78 games a season ago, including 19 points with the man advantage. He added 99 hits and a career-high 155 blocks, though that production was offset by a minus-37 rating. Jones this year has four goals and 19 points in 33 contests, but 28-year-old blueliner is red hot, providing three goals and seven helpers in his last eight games. 

Brady Skjei, D, CAR – Last week, Brett Pesce got the bold treatment. This week, it's Skjei's turn, which lets you know just how deep the Carolina D is. Skjei is in the middle of another hot streak, notching four goals and three assists in his last seven games. Those four tallies have given Skjei a new career high in goals with 10 after he tied his career-high in points with 39 last season, his first full campaign in Carolina. What's even more impressive about Skjei's numbers is that most of his points have come at even strength due to the limited power-play time he receives. 

Martin Jones, G, SEA – Jones remains dominant in net for the Kraken, winning eight of nine starts in January, He's at 22-6-3 with a 2.84 goals-against average (GAA) and an .895 save percentage (SV%) through 33 outings overall. After a brilliant 2015-16 season when he won 37 games for San Jose, Jones saw his GAA rise each of the next six seasons while his SV% left a lot to be desired. He has shaved more than half a goal from his GAA last season, though his SV% has risen slightly, evidencing that part of Jones' better production has been due to the improved team round him. Philipp Grubauer is locked in as the backup. 

Jeremy Swayman, G, BOS – Linus Ullmark has been brilliant between the pipes for the Bruins this season, but Swayman has shown his fine rookie campaign was no fluke. In fact, Swayman has lowered his GAA and slightly increased his SV% in his sophomore season. Ullmark is still the no. 1 goalie, but Swayman has won four starts in a row and may be inching his way into a strict platoon in net. If Swayman stays hot, he could end up exceeding the 23 wins he posted as a rookie. 

Others include Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Toews, Steven Stamkos (potted goal no. 500 this past week), Evgeny Kuznetsov, Kirby Dach, Victor Olofsson, Sam Reinhart, Jesper Bratt, Dominik Kubalik, Tim Stutzle, Miro Heiskanen, Charlie McAvoy, Jake McCabe, Rasmus Dahlin, Dan Vladar, Filip Gustavsson, Jaroslav Halak and Jack Campbell. 

Buy Low 

Ryan Strome, C, ANA - Strome, after a brutal start to the season, has gradually started to find his game. His assist Saturday gave Strome a helper in four straight contests. Overall, the veteran pivotman is performing decently in his first year with the Ducks, as he's registered 10 goals and 15 assists through 47 contests, albeit with a minus-20 rating on a team that's brutal defensively. Anaheim moved Trevor Zegras from center to wing on Strome's line, boosting Strome's value and resulting in a rise in production. 

Training Room (Injuries)

Cole Caufield, RW, MTL – Montreal was already knee-deep in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes. Their number of ping-pong balls likely increased exponentially Saturday, as it was announced Caufield will miss the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury that will require surgery. Caufield, who had already set a career high in goals with 26 in just 46 games this campaign, has reportedly been playing through the ailment for a while. With the Habs going nowhere this season, the decision was made to shut Caufield down now and have him be ready for the start of the 2023-24 season. 

Others include Jonathan Drouin (upper body, placed on injured reserve Saturday, will be out until after All-Star break), Gabriel Vilardi (undisclosed, missed third straight game Sunday), Max Pacioretty (torn Achilles, suffered Thursday, played just five games after undergoing Achilles surgery in August), Roope Hintz (upper body, injured Jan. 8, played Monday), Torey Krug (upper body, out since Dec. 23, on verge of returning) and Tristan Jarry (lower body, out since Jan 2, activated, started and picked up win Friday).

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers) 

Logan Couture, C, SJ – Couture is producing, though not at the rate he was earlier in the season. After scoring zero goals in 11 contests, Couture upped his output with a pair of tallies and as many helpers his last eight games, though only one of those markers came in the past seven contests. To give you a sense as to how hot he was earlier this year, Couture has 16 markers in 48 games, meaning he had 14 tallies in his first 29. Couture is centering the Sharks' second line, but his wingers are Matt Nieto and Alexander Barabanov, while Tomas Hertl has Timo Meier on his line. 

Ryan Pulock, D, NYI – Pulock looked to be taking his place as one of the better blueliners when he posted at least 32 points in each of the three seasons from 2017-20. But injuries wreaked havoc on his next two campaigns, and even though he's been healthy this year, his production has lagged again. Pulock has failed to register a point in each of his last 10 contests and has 15 points in 49 games on the season. He's added 89 hits and 83 blocked shots, adding to his value in leagues that count those categories, but his scoring output leaves a little to be desired for someone in the middle of an eight-year, $49.2 million contract. 

Jacob Markstrom, G, CGY – After a so-so first season in Calgary, Markstrom was brilliant last season. He was named as Vezina Trophy finalist on the strength of 37 wins, a 2.22 GAA, .922 save percentage and nine shutouts. This season has been more like his first campaign but slightly worse. Markstrom has struggled lately, allowing 12 goals on 97 shots over his last four contests. As a result, he is 13-12-5 with a 2.82 GAA and .895 save percentage in 32 games this season and has ceded some time recently to Dan Vladar. 

Others include Vincent Trocheck, Alex Iafallo, Artemi Panarin, Matt Dumba, Nils Lundkvist, Pheonix Copley and Spencer Knight.

Sell High 

David Perron, LW, DET – Perron was brought in along with Andrew Copp to provide the Red Wings a veteran presence and start to accelerate the rebuild. The two-year, $9.5 million deal that he signed with Detroit last offseason remains one of free agency's best values, though his production has tailed off from his last three seasons with St. Louis. Perron has 14 goals and 16 assists in 44 games and recently went through an eight-game point drought.