This week, we have a variety of options that can help you at various positions in various league sizes. As always, whether you add any of these players should depend on your league settings (points only versus multicategory), other available players, and team needs.
Cam Atkinson, RW
Atkinson’s breakout year of 35 goals and 62 points last season earned him an average draft position of 73 in Yahoo leagues. So between his poor production (13 points in his first 32 games) and foot injury, he has been a frequently dropped player. But with four points in his five games since his return from injury, it might be time to get back on board. Another encouraging sign: Atkinson has taken 23 shots on goal in those five games, averaging nearly five shots per game. That’s what we like to see from a goal scorer. With the potential for a strong second half, he’s worth making a pitch for in your league.
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Kevin Fiala, LW/RW
Fiala is quickly closing in on ownership in the majority of fantasy leagues while he closes in on his first 20-goal season. A recent pair of games with two goals has helped the former first-round pick reach 17 goals, just one goal below the team lead. The Predators have a very balanced attack of scorers, so Fiala’s production should remain fairly steady as lines are naturally juggled over the course of a season. He is currently on pace for 27 goals and 55 points, which would be a solid showing in his first full season.
Jeff Petry, D
Petry has picked up his offence in the absence of Shea Weber. Petry scored three power-play goals over a pair of weekend games to give him four goals over his past five games while overall recording 11 points over his past 12 games and 14 points in the 20 games since Weber’s injury. Petry is also shooting the puck more, which has placed him in the top 10 among defencemen in shots since Jan. 1. Weber’s eventual return shouldn’t affect Petry a ton, as the Habs’ defence has struggled this season and could use all that Petry provides.
Harri Sateri, G
The third-string Sateri has accumulated four consecutive wins for the Panthers while allowing just six goals over that span. His recent play earned him the NHL’s second star of the week, which if extended over Tuesday’s win over Vancouver gives him a 1.50 goals-against and a .950 save percentage over his past four games. James Reimer returned to practice this week and is projected to return to the Panthers’ lineup on Friday. However, Sateri’s recent run could mean he will still factor into the goaltending equation even when Reimer returns.
Bryan Rust, LW/RW
Penguins’ secondary scorers often find value if they find themselves alongside one of the big names. That’s exactly where Rust is right now, as he is playing on the Sidney Crosby line (more line combinations here). Although Rust is not a fantasy commodity that you can rely on for long stretches, it’s worth mentioning that he has seven points (3g-4a) over his last seven games. The Penguins play six times over the next 11 days, so he might be exactly what you need if you are in a deeper league and need short-term scoring help.
Matthew Peca, C
If you look up and down the Tampa lineup, there are probably more viable fantasy options there than on any other team. The latest to make some noise is Peca, who had a four-game point streak snapped on Monday, a streak that he managed to rack up a plus-8 ranking on. Add it up and Peca has five points and a plus-8 in just seven games. If you’re worried that Peca won’t stick around, he actually logged 20 minutes of ice time on Monday, ice time that has been earned because of his hard work. He’s worth taking a flier on in case lightning continues to strike.
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