The high injury total from the condensed schedule has resulted in more prospects and faces in new places taking more prominent roles than they normally would. You’ll see a few of those players in today’s Ramblings.
Denver Barkey had an impressive NHL debut, finishing with two assists in 15:18 while playing on a line with Sean Couturier and Owen Tippett. Barkey was a scoring star for the Memorial Cup champion London Knights, finishing with 82 points in 50 games in his final OHL season. He was recalled during his first AHL season, where he recorded 16 points in 26 games for Lehigh Valley. He has a fairly high NHL ceiling, although his major downside for fantasy relevance is his lack of size (5-9, 155 lb.) For more on Barkey, see his Dobber Prospects profile.
Artemi Panarin scored twice to lead the Rangers to a 5-4 shootout win over the Flyers. Panarin has been shooting the puck a ton recently, averaging seven shots per game over his last four games. Panarin led all skaters with seven shots in this game. If he can keep up the shooting, Panarin could reach 30 goals for the third consecutive season.
J.T. Miller left Saturday’s game in the third period with an upper-body injury (possibly arm or shoulder) after he was on the receiving end of a hit from Nick Seeler. Miller was seen after the game with his arm in a sling, which makes it seem unlikely that he is able to play today (Sunday) against Nashville. Here’s a medical opinion of the injury:
Likely a separated shoulder for Miller
Time off depends on type. For NHLers it’s often a couple weeks out
Mechanism can also cause a broken collarbone but don’t think it’s enough force for that https://t.co/L9oKq6afcA
— Dr. Harjas Grewal (@Harjas_Grewal) December 20, 2025
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In the Red Wings’ 5-2 win over the Capitals, Moritz Seider filled the Christmas stockings of multicat teams with a goal, an assist, three shots, a plus-3, a hit, and three blocked shots. Seider is in the top five in the league when adding shots, hits, and blocks together with 223.
John Leonard scored a goal for the Wings, giving him two points in three games since being recalled from the AHL. Leonard was deserving of a callup from the AHL, as he had scored 19 goals and 10 assists in just 20 games with Grand Rapids this season and 36 goals in 72 games with Charlotte last season. At 27 years of age and a 2018 sixth-round pick of San Jose, Leonard is beyond the age of a prospect, having played as many as 44 games with the Sharks in 2020-21. Yet he might be worth watching if he can stick in the NHL as a true late bloomer. Leonard has been on a line with Alex DeBrincat and Andrew Copp since being recalled, but he may be back in the AHL once Patrick Kane returns from injury.
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Following Saturday’s game against Ottawa, Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said that he expects Frank Nazar to be out of the lineup for about four weeks. Nazar took a puck to his face in the first period, so it’s possible that he has a broken jaw. The Blackhawks will now be without their top two centers in Nazar and Connor Bedard for the foreseeable future, creating a massive hole up the middle.
In terms of a player who could fill the void, Ryan Greene led all Hawks forwards with 22:46 in icetime. A second-round pick in 2022, Greene picked up two assists but was a minus-3 in the 6-4 loss. He does not possess an upside as high as Bedard or even Nazar, so he will likely be back to a third-line center role once everyone is healthy. He is rostered in almost no Yahoo leagues (0%) and very few Fantrax leagues (12%) and may have some short-term value with the injuries. For more on Greene, see his Dobber Prospects profile.
Ilya Mikheyev scored two goals for the Blackhawks. The goals were his first since November 5, which is a span of 21 games.
Whoops…
In the Senators win, Tim Stutzle had a goal and two assists with a plus-4, while David Perron scored two goals. Stutzle has piled up 13 points in his last six games, which includes five multipoint efforts.
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Vladimir Tarasenko scored a goal while adding an assist with a plus-2 and four shots on goal in the Wild’s 5-2 win over Edmonton. Tarasenko now has six points in his last three games. I mentioned Tarasenko in yesterday’s Ramblings as a potential weekend add for his elevated role in the Wild lineup. However, Mats Zuccarello returned to the lineup on Saturday from an upper-body injury, reclaiming his spot on the top power play. Tarasenko was back to PP2 duties and totaled just 14:53 in icetime on Saturday. This development reduces Tarasenko’s value.
Matt Boldy added a pair of goals, giving him goals in four consecutive games. With 22 goals on the season, Boldy is on pace to hit at least 40 goals.
The Wild now have seven straight wins and are 4-0 since acquiring Quinn Hughes, looking like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. The big boy playoff hockey will be played in the Central Division this season. Currently the top three teams in the league standings are Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota, so a very strong team will be eliminated in the first round.
By the way, Hughes has three points in four games with Minnesota, including an assist on one of Boldy’s goals on Saturday.
During the second intermission of the Flames/Golden Knights game, Elliotte Friedman said that the Oilers are hopeful that Tristan Jarry‘s injury is short-term, although more could be known on Sunday (today). In the meantime, Connor Ingram is expected to make his first Oilers start today against an injury-riddled Vegas squad (more on the Golden Knights later).
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Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson each scored a goal in the Sabres’ 3-2 shootout win over the Islanders. Dahlin took five shots in this game, while Thompson took four. Dahlin now has 10 points in his last seven games, while Thompson has nine points in his last six games. Thompson also has goals in six consecutive games.
Mathew Barzal scored a goal and added an assist for the Islanders. Barzal now owns a seven-game point streak with eight points over that span.
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In his third game since being claimed off waivers by St. Louis from Detroit, Jonatan Berggren scored a goal and added two assists. Berggren is not only getting into the Blues’ lineup, he is also playing on a scoring line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, and he is appearing on the top power play. Berggren may simply be a stopgap option with injuries to Dylan Holloway, Jordan Kyrou, and Jimmy Snuggerud, but he should at least have short-term value while he tries to make an impression with the Blues. Berggren was an early second-round pick in 2018, and a player that I added to my team based on Dobber’s recommendation.
In his third NHL game, Otto Stenberg recorded his first two NHL points. Stenberg, the Blues’ first-round pick in 2023, had just eight points in 21 games in the AHL this season. However, he warranted a callup due to the Blues’ injury situation. Stenberg was on a line with Brayden Schenn and Jake Neighbours, skating 11:39. For more on Stenberg, see his Dobber Prospects profile.
In the Blues’ 6-2 win over Florida, Thomas scored two goals along with an assist, while Neighbours scored a pair of goals.
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Make it 4-0 for the Canucks without Quinn Hughes and an injured Elias Pettersson, just like we all expected. Linus Karlsson scored a pair of goals while adding an assist in a 5-4 shootout win in Boston. Acquired in the Hughes trade, Liam Ohgren scored a goal while adding an assist and the shootout winner.
The Karlsson-Ohgren-Max Sasson fourth line of the Canucks has been dominating their icetime with a 72% shot attempts for percentage over the past three games and an 80% shot attempts for percentage on Saturday. Ohgren, a 2022 first-round pick, doesn’t appear to have the upside of the other two players acquired (Marco Rossi and Zeev Buium). Yet he seems destined to be a solid middle-six two-way player. Ohgren failed to record even a single point in 18 games with Minnesota this season, yet he has three points in four games with Vancouver. For more on Ohgren, see his Dobber Prospects profile.
By the way, Rossi recorded his first point as a Canuck on Saturday – an assist on one of Karlsson’s goals. Yet since he has arrived in Vancouver, Rossi has resembled shot blocker Pettersson by blocking nine shots in four games, including three on Saturday.
Morgan Geekie has 50 goals in the year 2025, which is more than any other player in the league. I was late to come around on him, but it’s time to say he’s more than just a fluke. He looked like the Bruins’ best player in this game.
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Playing in his fourth NHL game, Jacob Fowler pitched a 31-save shutout against the Penguins. Recalled while Sam Montembeault is out of the lineup, Fowler has been making a strong impression while alternating starts with Jakub Dobes, posting a 2.49 GAA and .915 SV% in four games. Meanwhile, Montembeault has struggled mightily this season (3.65 GAA, .857 SV%). Montembeault is also currently on a conditioning stint in the AHL, where he stopped 27 of 28 shots on Saturday. The vibes with Fowler feel great for Habs fans, but it’s probably best not to let a 21-year-old goalie cook in the NHL. Let’s throw Fowler’s Dobber Prospects profile out here for you as well here, shall we?
Josh Anderson scored a pair of goals for the Habs in their 4-0 win. Owen Beck scored his first NHL goal in his 21st career game (Dobber Prospects profile).
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During his intermission segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman mentioned that the Hurricanes are hopeful about Seth Jarvis although he still needs to be evaluated by doctors. Hopefully the injury doesn’t cost Jarvis a chance at the Olympics if he is in fact on the list again.
As a result of the Jarvis injury, the Hurricanes recalled Bradly Nadeau, who promptly scored a goal on Saturday. I added Nadeau in one league for his upside, but I think the Hurricanes are too deep for him to make an impact this season – unless he is elevated further because of injuries. Nadeau played 13:06 on a line with Mark Jankowski and Jesperi Kotkaniemi – not exactly a recipe for success. For more on Nadeau, yes, you can look at his Dobber Prospects profile.
In the Lightning’s 6-4 win over Carolina, Jake Guentzel scored two goals. Guentzel has eight points over his last six games.
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With a goal and an assist in the Predators’ 5-3 win over the Maple Leafs, Steven Stamkos has suddenly heated up with eight points in his last five games. Included in that total is a four-goal game against St. Louis just over a week ago. Stamkos now has 13 goals, 12 of which have come in his last 20 games after just one goal in his first 14 games. Stamkos has also been shooting the puck a fair bit recently, averaging nearly five shots per game over his last six games. I am regretting my decision to drop him after his early-season slump. This is why I “usually” remain patient with players that stumble through the first month of the season.
Max Domi was a healthy scratch for the Leafs. With just 12 points in 32 games, Domi is droppable in just about every league out there. Craig Berube was probably hopeful that Domi would be one of those players who would pick up the slack with Mitch Marner leaving in the offseason, but that has clearly not been the case. Did anyone really think that the Leafs would be better off without Marner?
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Mikael Backlund scored two goals for the Flames in their 6-3 win over Vegas on Saturday. Backlund is usually known for modest yet consistent point totals, yet he has scored two goals in back-to-back games. This is probably more of an outlier than anything, although Backlund has nine shots over his last two games and is averaging over three shots per game over his last five games.
Mackenzie Weegar chipped in three assists, giving him six points over his last six games. Prior to that, Weegar had just five points over his first 30 games. That’s a troubling point total for a player who is rostered in most Yahoo and Fantrax leagues (over 80% for both). Weegar makes up for that with outstanding shot, hit, and blocked shots totals, as his 253 lead the league when combining all three stats. You’ll have to check your league settings to find out how much value Weegar is really providing for your team.
Vegas was without Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore in this game, which may explain the result. Calgary was clearly the better team, which is strange to say when looking at where these two teams are in the standings. The good news for the Golden Knights is that neither Eichel nor Theodore appear to be in danger of missing the Olympics.
When mentioning Vegas injury lists, usually Mark Stone is a mainstay. Yet Stone is healthy, and he contributed a goal and an assist in this game. Among players with at least as many games played as Stone (17), only Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid have a higher point-per-game average than Stone (1.59 PTS/GP).
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Mason Marchment scored a goal in his Columbus debut, logging nearly 20 minutes on a line with Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli. For more on the Marchment trade, check out the Fantasy Take I wrote shortly after it happened.
With a goal on Saturday, Zach Werenski has five goals over his last three games and goals in three consecutive games. Werenski has also taken 16 shots over those three games. No defenseman has scored as many goals (14) or taken as many shots (131) as Werenski this season.
Just as I’m about to post this article, I just saw that Werenski crawled off the ice late in the game after blocking a shot and needed help to get to the dressing room. (Columbus was assessed a too many men penalty during that sequence, which seems a bit unfair.) Hopefully this is nothing serious. The holiday break can’t come soon enough to let these guys have a break.
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In the Kraken’s 4-2 win over San Jose, Chandler Stephenson scored a goal while adding an assist. Stephenson is riding an eight-game point streak with nine points over that span.
Eeli Tolvanen also scored a goal with an assist, giving him four points over his last three games.
Collin Graf is succeeding on Macklin Celebrini‘s line. Graf scored another goal on Saturday, giving him three goals in his last two games (logging at least 19 minutes in both games) and nine points in his last eight games. He was a player that I listed in the 2024 Midseason Guide as a potential NCAA free agent signing. I’ll share a stat with you from the guide: “Only Adam Fantilli and Logan Cooley finished the 2022-23 season with more [NCAA] points than Graf.” So even though Graf was never drafted, it shouldn’t come as a complete shocker that he is thriving in the NHL. Chemistry with Celebrini would go a long way in reaching his upside.
By the way, purchase your Midseason Guide to find out the next unsigned NCAA prospect that could make an impact in the NHL… and of course a whole lot more.
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Follow me on X @Ian_Gooding and Bluesky @goodsfantasyhockey.bsky.social