Week 18: Fantasy hockey line top 25 rankings for 2018-19
Malkin thriving since return to lineup; Blues unit of Schenn, O'Reilly, Tarasenko biggest riser, joins first 15
By
Jonathan Baron / NHL.com Fantasy Correspondent
LINE CHANGES
-- The Vegas Golden Knights tweaked their second and third lines against the Nashville Predators on Saturday, moving forward Brandon Pirri to the second line with center Paul Stastny and right wing Alex Tuch and left wing Max Pacioretty to the third line with center Cody Eakin and wing Oscar Lindberg. The change paid off immediately with all of Vegas' second and third line forwards scoring at least one point, including goals by Pacioretty, Pirri and Lindberg. Pirri, who has two goals in the past three games, ranks second in goals per 60 minutes (2.04; minimum 20 games) behind Nashville Predators wing Viktor Arvidsson (2.19) and is a viable waiver-wire option again in standard leagues.
-- Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday after returning from a seven-game absence with an upper-body injury. Bertuzzi played on the first line with elite center Dylan Larkin and right wing Gustav Nyquist and now has eight points (four goals, four assists) in his past six games since Jan. 12. Bertuzzi brings added value in hits leagues (57 in 50 games entering Sunday) and is worth monitoring if he continues to see top-line usage.
PRODUCTION TRENDS
-- St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) during his NHL career-long 12-game point streak, including multiple points in five straight games. The trio of Tarasenko, center Ryan O'Reilly and left wing Brayden Schenn has combined for 44 points (16 goals, 28 assists) during St. Louis' 10-game winning streak and has been the most stackable trio in DFS over the span, joining the top 15 line rankings.
-- The Carolina Hurricanes' first line of left wing Nino Niederreiter, center Sebastian Aho and right wing Justin Williams has outscored opponents 16-6 in 13 games since Niederreiter was acquired from the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 17. Niederreiter has six points (two goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak and 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 13 games with the Hurricanes. Williams has thrived since the Niederreiter trade with 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in his past 11 games. All three members of this line are becoming must-start players in season-long formats, and Williams remains moderately priced in DFS.
-- Boston Bruinsforward Jake DeBrusk (LW/RW, 20 percent owned) has six points (three goals, three assists) and 10 shots on goal during a three-game goal streak after he had no goals and two assists in the previous 13 games. DeBrusk has found success on the second line with center David Krejci and left wing Peter Cehlarik, a unit that has combined for 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in three games since David Pastrnak was sidelined with a thumb injury. DeBrusk brings exposure to elite forwards Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron on the first power-play unit and is a must-add forward in season-long formats with the chance to remain fantasy-relevant even once Pastrnak returns. UPDATE: Cehlarik (lower body) is out Monday.
FANTASY LINE RANKINGS FOR 2018-19
1. CGY: Johnny Gaudreau -- Sean Monahan -- Elias Lindholm (SAME)
2. BOS: Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- Danton Heinen (+1)
3. TBL: Yanni Gourde -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov (-1)
4. TOR: Zach Hyman -- John Tavares -- Mitchell Marner (+1)
5. NSH: Filip Forsberg -- Ryan Johansen -- Viktor Arvidsson (+4)
6. COL: Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen (-2)
7. BUF: Jeff Skinner -- Jack Eichel -- Jason Pominville (-1)
8. WPG: Kyle Connor -- Mark Scheifele -- Blake Wheeler (-1)
9. PIT: Jake Guentzel -- Sidney Crosby -- Bryan Rust (-1)
10. SJS: Evander Kane -- Tomas Hertl -- Joonas Donskoi (+1)
11. CBJ: Artemi Panarin -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Cam Atkinson (-1)
12. WSH: Alex Ovechkin -- Evgeny Kuznetsov -- Tom Wilson (SAME)
13. TBL: Ondrej Palat -- Steven Stamkos -- Tyler Johnson (SAME)
14. TOR: Patrick Marleau -- Auston Matthews -- Kasperi Kapanen (+1)
15. STL: Brayden Schenn (DTD) -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Vladimir Tarasenko (+8)
16. CHI: Drake Caggiula -- Jonathan Toews -- Patrick Kane (+3)
17. VGK: Max Pacioretty / Brandon Pirri -- Paul Stastny -- Alex Tuch (SAME)
18. DAL: Jamie Benn -- Tyler Seguin -- Alexander Radulov (-4)
19. CAR: Nino Niederreiter -- Sebastian Aho -- Justin Williams (+1)
20. WSH: Jakub Vrana -- Nicklas Backstrom -- T.J. Oshie (-2)
21. VGK: Jonathan Marchessault -- William Karlsson -- Reilly Smith (SAME)
22. EDM: Leon Draisaitl -- Connor McDavid -- Alex Chiasson / Zack Kassian (+2)
23. PHI: Oskar Lindblom -- Sean Couturier -- Jakub Voracek (-1)
24. CHI: Alex DeBrincat -- Dylan Strome -- Dominik Kahun (NEW)
25. PIT: Nick Bjugstad / Zach Aston-Reese -- Evgeni Malkin -- Phil Kessel (NEW)
NOTES: The Tampa Bay Lightning shook up their top six for a second straight week, moving Point and Gourde to Kucherov's line and putting Johnson and Palat with Stamkos. … Heinen has five points (two goals, three assists) in five games since being moved to the first line with Marchand and Bergeron. … The Chicago Blackhawks' second line of DeBrincat, Strome and Kahun joins the rankings for the first time this season after combining for 20 points (six goals, 14 points) in the past five games. … The Pittsburgh Penguins' second line rejoins the list for the first time in four weeks. Malkin has six points (four goals, two assists) in three games since returning from an upper-body injury. Bjugstad has played frequently with the Malkin-Kessel duo but was replaced by Aston-Reese on Sunday. … The Florida Panthers tweaked their lines, moving Vatrano and Huberdeau back with Barkov, Evgenii Dadonov to the second line with Vincent Trocheck and Mike Hoffman and Derick Brassard to the third line with Denis Malgin and Henrik Borgstrom. The constant flux in Florida's lines over the past month led to Barkov's line dropping out of this week's rankings.
Read: Week 17 line rankings
