Fantasy Hockey Who's Hot, Who's Not: Scheifele Struggles Alongside Jets, Oilers' Podkolzin Shining

Fast starts and slow ones have already changed the fantasy hockey landscape, with some star players catching fire early on this season while others have been stuck in the mud.

The Edmonton Oilers appear to be back in the contending picture after a run of dominant victories, including three straight wins this past week. They scored four goals in each win and allowed just one goal total during the streak. 

The Montreal Canadiens are also catching fire despite playing without captain Nick Suzuki. They have won five straight, including dominant road wins over the Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins without Suzuki, Mike Matheson and Ivan Demidov, adding to a run of victories in their last four road games.

On the losing end, the Winnipeg Jets have severely struggled on offense, which has led to the collapse of their once-elite defense and losses in nine straight games. The New York Rangers have seen a similar story, losing six of their last seven after a hot start to the season. 

Fantasy values across the board in these markets have seen major rises and steep drop-offs. With that in mind, here is a look at who has been hot and who has not.

Going as high as inside the top 30 in some fantasy drafts, Jets center Mark Scheifele was a lot of people's first pick at the position, and he has largely been a letdown.

His linemates have lived up to the hype, with Kyle Connor sitting inside the top 40 in most fantasy leagues and Cole Perfetti's move to the top line seeing his value explode. Much of Winnipeg's offense runs through that line, and Scheifele should bounce back eventually, as should the rest of the Jets.

His 12 points in 15 games is a decent start, but players drafted as high as Scheifele was have been producing better numbers and taking fewer minus ratings, which has hurt his fantasy owners.

The Oilers have seen a historic start from superstar center Connor McDavid, who has 39 points in 15 games. Even without his nine goals, his 30 assists alone would still lead the league in points.

Because of his surreal play, Edmonton has three players among the top five in most fantasy leagues, with running mate Leon Draisaitl and star defenseman Evan Bouchard sitting at 28 and 26 points, respectively, behind McDavid.

The trio's epic start has benefited others on the roster, none more than Vasily Podkolzin, who is inside the top eight in most fantasy leagues with nine goals and five assists for 14 points and should continue to benefit from playing on McDavid's line. 

Goaltender Tristan Jarry has also seen a rise as the rest of Edmonton picks up its play. He started the season on a very rough note but is now coming off back-to-back shutouts, stopping all 42 shots he faced over the two games.

After a sluggish start, the Buffalo Sabres have been quietly picking up the pace, and a few players appear responsible for their three straight wins.

At center, Tage Thompson has solidified himself as a superstar talent as he continues to find the back of the net. He was a major force in the winning streak, with five goals and three assists for eight points during the stretch.

Zach Benson has also been stellar. Coming off a career-best 43-point season, he is off to a great start with 13 points in 14 games, six of them during the three-game hot streak.

While some doubted whether the Sabres would remain competitive this season, Thompson and Benson have moved quickly to quell those concerns.

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