Hello everyone and welcome in for another article. This is the twenty-first instalment of a weekly article I’ve been writing all season long in which I try to determine the truth about puzzling players. I pull suggestions for which players to write about for these articles from the Apples & Ginos community on Discord and the Apples & Ginos Patreon members. Be sure you check out those spots to catch up with me and I would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about Jake DeBrusk, Barrett Hayton, or any other 68-point pace players. Let’s get it!
Jake DeBrusk, RW – BOS
DeBrusk is a puzzling case for fantasy managers at the moment, as he’s been an automatic start for most of the season with a 68-point pace. Not only that, but DeBrusk has put up career highs in shots/60, individual scoring chances for/60 (iSCF/60), Corsi For/60 (CF/60), and scoring chances for/60 (SCF/60) to go with the highest average time on ice of his career. DeBrusk has made his hay on the Bruins’ top line alongside stars Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, but in his last game Boston experimented with the newly acquired Tyler Bertuzzi in his spot.
DeBrusk still has an enviable playoff schedule, playing four games this week and the two following. But it’s still worth monitoring him as the games pass – if he comes off the top line and top power play, it may be time to look elsewhere. But as long as he’s in the top six and/or on the top power play unit, I’m holding DeBrusk for all those sweet games played.
Barrett Hayton, C – ARI
Hayton’s end of season stats won’t look amazing as he registered just five points in his first thirty-three games this season. But ever since a three-point outburst against Toronto on December 29th, Hayton has put up 28 points in 34 games, good for a 68 point pace. Hayton has assumed a lot of heavy lifting in the Arizona lineup, skating on the top line with Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz for much of those 34 games. Hayton has registered a very respectable 8.4 shots/60 and 9.7 iSCF/60 in this stretch, enough to lead all Coyotes regulars in those categories.
With Schmaltz’s injury status uncertain moving forward and offensive defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Jakob Chychrun shipped out of town, it’s fair to question Hayton’s rest of season outlook. But I’m still interested in him as the Coyotes play seven games with five off-nights in Yahoo Weeks 23 & 24; if he’s still scoring and available at the end of this week that might be the best time to snap him up.
Timo Meier, LW – NJD
Meier’s first game as a member of the New Jersey Devils got off to a terrific start, as he scored on his first shot. Since then however, Meier has been held pointless in four straight games and has bounced between the Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes lines as he searches for traction. Meier’s ice time has fluctuated significantly as a result, going 15:57 -> 20:22 -> 20:28 -> 18:10 -> 16:16 through his five games.
If that downward ice time trend has you down on Meier’s outlook, I wouldn’t be so concerned. Meier has still averaged nearly four shots per game and exactly four iSCF per game through these five games and certainly he was acquired to play a prominent role for the Devils down the stretch. I wouldn’t be shocked if this week was Meier’s coming out party and he put up a four or five point week.
Troy Terry, RW – ANA
Terry has remained a bright spot on a dismal Anaheim team this season, following up last year’s 67-point breakout with a (you guessed it) 67-point pace so far this season. Terry has cooled off a little in the last five games however, scoring a couple of goals but only generating four shots in the four games prior to Sunday’s 5-shot effort against the lowly Nashville Predators.
Terry has a great schedule this week with three games on three off-nights, but after this week the Ducks play seven games with just one off-night in Yahoo Weeks 23 & 24. I’m still planning to hold Terry through that stretch in any league that’s a standard 12-teamer or deeper, but it’s certainly fair to have a close eye on Terry and any other Anaheim players you might be rostering as they continue to tank for Connor Bedard. You get no points for sticking with the players who got you there, so if Terry continues to fade a little bit and there are valuable waiver wire options, I won’t hold you back from looking elsewhere.
Jonathan Quick, G – VGK
I’ll begin this segment as I always do when it comes to goalies: I don’t pretend to be able to predict goalie performance. The team context here doesn’t look good despite Vegas’ reputation as a top team in the West: the Golden Knights are third-worst in all-strengths Corsi Against/60 and scoring chances against/60 over the last two weeks.
That being said, the Knights have a relatively plush schedule this week with Philadelphia, Calgary, and Columbus on the docket and Quick should get at least two of those games with Adin Hill unlikely to return anytime soon. If you need a cheap volume play in a league where most starting goaltenders are rostered, Quick is a viable option.
That’s all for this one folks, I hope you had as much fun reading it as I had writing it! Make sure you follow Apples & Ginos on Twitter and join the Apples & Ginos Discord server for more content and to ask any fantasy hockey questions you may have.
Much love,
Nate
Apples and Ginos 