Rakell will line up with Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby on the Penguins' top line as they try to snap a five-game losing streak.
On every game day this season, THN Fantasy will highlight players and goalies for fantasy managers to stream or roster for the rest of the season. The recommended players and goalies can be used in standard fantasy leagues or for daily fantasy games.
Forwards
Mikael Granlund, C/RW, SJ vs. LA (42% rostered)
That's now four goals in three games for Granlund. In leagues that don't count plus-minus, Granlund's fantastic. He plays as many minutes as the elite players because the Sharks are so thin down the middle, and he's been shooting the puck a lot more this season. Granlund is a rest-of-season hold even when Macklin Celebrini comes back.
Josh Norris, C, OTT vs. STL (29% rostered)
With Pavel Buchnevich still adjusting to center, the Sens have a distinct advantage down the middle. Norris' assist Sunday against the Avs gives him six points in his past six games, and as long as he doesn't face Schenn in the dot, he's also going to win a lot of faceoffs. Norris is a multi-category contributor with points, shots, faceoff wins, hits and some blocks.
Brayden Schenn, C/LW, STL at OTT (18% rostered)
Jake Neighbours, LW/RW, STL at OTT (18% rostered)
I covered Schenn and Neighbours a little more on the Week 4 primer, but the general gist is that both players have increased upside. Schenn takes over as the Blues' 1C following Robert Thomas' injury, and Neighbours has been on fire with four goals in five games after a slow start. The Sens have a talented offense but they've been having trouble limiting the opposition and tend to play in high-scoring games.
Kyle Palmieri, RW, NYI vs. ANA (17% rostered)
Palmieri has been one of the Isles' most consistent scorers despite being 33 years old. He's coming off two consecutive two-point games and this is a great matchup against a team that cannot defend and has historically struggled over the past few seasons on their road trips out east.
Rickard RakellRickard Rakell, C/RW, PIT vs. MIN (15% rostered)
With the Pens stacking Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby on one line, Rakell has basically won the equivalent of the hockey lottery as the third linemate. Rakell's a frustrating fantasy player because he's not a consistent producer and prone to some really long cold streaks, but you cannot ask for a better situation than this. The Pens have plenty to prove; they're at home in what could be former Penguin Marc-Andre Fleury's last game in Pittsburgh and eager to snap a five-game losing streak.
Matty Beniers, C, SEA at MON (14% rostered)
A blip on the radar or a sign of bigger things to come? Beniers entered the 2024-25 season as a breakout candidate due to his potential and his (relatively) unchallenged role as the Kraken's top center. He's finally showing some offense with four points in his past two games. He's been providing a steady diet of shots and faceoff wins all season.
Kirby Dach, C, MON vs. SEA (10% rostered)
Dach might be worth rostering until Juraj Slafkovsky comes back. Promoted from the second line, Dach has scored four points in his past three games and shown a much higher willingness to shoot. Having a red-hot Cole Caufield on his line certainly helps.
Sean Couturier, C, PHI at BOS (9% rostered)
Couturier scored zero points in the game following his five-point outburst against the Wild, but the most important stat was his ice time of 20:29. After lining up as a fourth-line left winger just a week ago, Couturier finds himself as the Flyers' 1C with Morgan Frost getting demoted due to the lack of production.
The Flyers' lineup has been like musical chairs so far this season, but with a top-six role, Couturier's put in a position to win a lot of faceoffs and get an opportunity to generate offense. The Bruins are absolutely frazzled at the moment without a clear direction, and a team that likes to play straightforward north-south hockey like the Flyers might fare better than expected even though they're the underdog.
Justin Brazeau, RW, BOS vs. PHI (0% rostered)
Brazeau has scored a goal in two straight games and while his ice time is limited, I like the fact that he gets consistent minutes on PP2. The Flyers defense and goaltending have been a problem all season, allowing 4.44 goals per game. Brazeau's only an option in deep leagues.
Defensemen
Brandt Clarke, D, LA at SJ (35% rostered)
Clarke is heating up with three points in his past two games, but what I like most about this pickup is the matchup. The Sharks are a league-worst 0-7-2 with no end in sight to their woes because they're just too thin to compete with most teams. The Kings are 8-0-1 in their past nine against the Sharks.
Emil Andrae, D, PHI at BOS (0% rostered)
I resisted streaming Andrae in his season debut because I wanted to see what he's got, and he certainly didn't disappoint. I mean, just check out that backhand bank pass off the glass to send Joel Farabee on a partial breakaway. (Terrible shot, though).
Andrae's offensive talent is evident, which is why the Flyers are using him on PP2. Given his strong showing in his season debut, I do wonder if the Flyers will promote him to PP1 to replace Jamie Drysdale - who hasn't been great - knowing John Tortorella isn't afraid to change things up. It's a risky play to stream Andrae, but the good part is that even though Andrae didn't score a point, he at least added three hits and two blocks for added value.
Honorable mention:
Dylan Strome, C, WSH vs. NYR (42% rostered) - L1, PP1
William Eklund, LW, SJ vs. LA (11 % rostered) - L1, PP1
Connor McMichael, LW, WSH vs. NYR (10% rostered) - L2, PP2
Michael Amadio, RW, OTT vs. STL (0% rostered) - L1, PP2
Ryker Evans, D, SEA at MON (7% rostered) - L1, PP1
Remember to bookmark The Hockey News Fantasy site for stats, news, analysis, rankings, projections and more, including the Sleepers and Keepers fantasy hockey podcast!
THN.com/FREE