Predators' Josi Entering Norris Race, Hagel Slumping With Lightning: Fantasy Hockey Who's Hot Who's Not?

As many NHL teams quickly approach the 20-game mark, hot streaks and early slumps have defined the first quarter of the fantasy hockey season.

The Anaheim Ducks have caught fire on the back of Cutter Gauthier's recent goal-scoring surge, while Tampa Bay Lightning star Brandon Hagel's recent struggles have drastically impacted his usage.

Fantasy values across the board 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.

Cutter Gauthier: 17 GP, 15G 7A 22PTS, 14 PPP, 72 SOG 

Gauthier's goal streak was extended to six games with a hat trick Sunday against the Penguins, singlehandedly powering the Ducks' five-game winning streak. He now trails only Leon Draisaitl and Kirill Kaprizov by just one goal for the league lead.

The turnaround was going to happen sooner or later for the Ducks sniper, who had gone nine games without a goal. Fantasy managers who remained patient have reaped huge rewards.

Gauthier's on his way to recording his second consecutive 40-goal season, and if he does so, he'll be the first Duck since Teemu Selanne in 2005-06 and 2006-07 to . 

Roman Josi: 17 GP, 2G 18A 20 PTS, 11 PPP, 47 SOG, 27 BLK

The Nashville Predators are in the mix for a playoff spot in arguably the toughest division in the league, led by captain Roman Josi's three-game points streak and excellent start to they year. The long-time Predators captain is on pace for 96 points, which would tie his career best set in the 2021-22 season.

It's a strong bounce-back so far and he's provided surplus value for fantasy managers who snagged him late in drafts (79.6 ADP on Yahoo). Josi had been sidelined by injuries over the past two seasons, scoring 93 points with a minus-41 rating in 121 games. Now healthy, he looks as good as ever and has inserted himself into the Norris Trophy race. 

Brock Boeser: 7 GP, 5G 3A 8P, 3 PPP, 17 SOG, 11 Hits

The Canucks are mired in a five-game losing streak and sit at the bottom of the league standings but Boeser has done his part with scoring goals. He leads the team with seven and trails only Elias Pettersson in points.

He's on pace to have a strong bounce-back season after scoring just 22 and 25 goals in his previous two seasons following a 40-goal campaign. 

It'll be very difficult for Boeser to score 40 goals again considering the lack of talent on the roster, but 30 goals is within reach. He's rostered in 33 percent of Yahoo leagues and presents a depth option for fantasy managers looking for scoring. 

Joonas Korpisalo: 1-0-0, .893 SP, 3.04 GAA

New York Rangers goaltender Joonas Korpisalo made 25 saves and earned a 4-3 win in his season debut Saturday against the Seattle Kraken.

The Rangers signed James Reimer as a potential stopgap solution after overworking Dylan Garand in seven straight starts, but Reimer lasted just one period before getting replaced by Garand and was released by the Rangers just days later. 

Going forward, the Rangers will likely lean on the 32-year-old Korpisalo, who will get a chance to be the starter for the rest of the season. The long-time backup started a career-high 49 games for the Senators in 2023-24, winning 21 games. He'll get a chance to exceed those totals this season and remains available in 90 percent of Yahoo leagues. 

Brandon Hagel: 5 GP, 1G 1A 2PTS, 1 PPP, 10 SOG, 1 Hit

Not only has Hagel's production dipped in the past week, he's also been bumped off the top power-play unit with the Lightning using both Charle-Edouard D'Astous and John Carlson.

Hagel's production has always been dependent on his even-strength production, but the added bonus of sharing the ice with Nikita Kucherov on the man advantage has evaporated. Excluding his three-point game against the Winnipeg Jets, Hagel has scored only two goals and two assists in six games over the past two weeks. 

Spencer Knight: 4-10-0, .881 SP, 3.66 GAA

It's been a disastrous season for the Chicago Blackhawks. They’re 0-8-1 on the road and got completely blitzed by the Carolina Hurricanes in a 9-2 loss that had the fanbase calling for changes.

Goaltender Spencer Knight was pulled after allowing six goals on 11 shots, but he’s been hung out to dry by incredibly poor defensive play and a lacklustre offense. 

The Blackhawks were expected to take a step this season after a summer of big moves, but just about everything has backfired. At worst, Knight was expected to provide fantasy value through volume, but the performances have been so bad the quantity may not be able to make up for the lack of quality.

The Blackhawks waived backup Arvid Soderblom on Sunday, so we shall see what solutions they come up with, if any. 

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