{"id":328763,"date":"2025-12-06T13:33:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T13:33:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/328763\/"},"modified":"2025-12-06T13:33:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T13:33:08","slug":"schmid-shutout-norris-back-and-producing-leonard-injured-after-hit-dec-6-dobberhockey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/328763\/","title":{"rendered":"Schmid Shutout, Norris Back and Producing, Leonard Injured After Hit (Dec 6) \u2013 DobberHockey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Devil Akira Schmid<\/a> posted a 24-save shutout of his former team, leading the Golden Knights to a 3-0 win on Friday. Schmid has a solid 2.35 GAA this season, but he might otherwise be the goaltending definition of “mid.” Schmid has just six quality starts in 16 games, but he also has only three really bad starts. Even with Carter Hart<\/a> now eligible to play, Schmid should still be able to receive regular work while Adin Hill<\/a> is injured. \u00a0<\/p>\n

By the way, Hart did not suit up at all for Friday’s game. Hart was injured in his first game of the season on Tuesday against Chicago. Jesper Vikman<\/a> was Schmid’s backup for this game, so expect Schmid to remain the starter for the time being. I’d recommend continuing to hold onto Schmid, as Hart may need some time to find his game after a long layoff.<\/p>\n

Shea Theodore<\/a> scored a goal and added an assist for Vegas, while Jack Eichel<\/a> registered two assists.<\/p>\n

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Kyle Connor<\/a>, Gabriel Vilardi<\/a>, and Cole Koepke<\/a> each scored a goal and added an assist in the Jets’ 4-1 win over Buffalo. Connor has six points in his last four games, while Vilardi has eight points in his last six games. Connor has also scored goals in four consecutive games.<\/p>\n

Eric Comrie<\/a> stopped 34 of 35 shots he faced to earn the win. Since taking over as the starter from the injured Connor Hellebuyck<\/a>, Comrie has five quality starts in eight games. He’s still available in 75% of Yahoo leagues, so he’s worth a short-term add. Keep in mind that the Jets haven’t been as strong this season as they were last season, so Comrie isn’t necessarily a sure win every game.<\/p>\n

For the Sabres, Josh Norris<\/a> is back, and he’s producing! Norris assisted on Jason Zucker<\/a>‘s power-play goal, giving him five points in the three games since he returned from an upper-body injury. Norris is on a scoring line with Tage Thompson<\/a> and Zach Benson<\/a> and he is on the top power play, so he is getting the best possible deployment in the Buffalo lineup. Ride him in your lineup until the next injury. Norris is playing in his seventh NHL season, yet he has never reached 70 games in a season and has only reached 60 games in a season once.<\/p>\n

Thompson was held without a point on Friday and has just a single point in his last six games. Someone in one of my leagues was worried because he forgot to set his lineup with him in it. Usually, the player will go off with a hat trick or something like that when that happens, but not to worry in Thompson’s case on Friday.<\/p>\n

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In the Stars’ 4-1 win over San Jose, Mikko Rantanen<\/a> led the way with a goal and two assists. Rantanen has produced as you’ve hoped recently with goals in three consecutive games and 10 points in his last five games. Rantanen is also tied for the league lead in power-play points with teammate Wyatt Johnston<\/a>. He’s getting the job done in the scoring department, as you would have expected.<\/p>\n

An added bonus that you wouldn’t have expected at the start of the season, if your league counts penalty minutes: Rantanen leads the league with 65 PIM, including three minor penalties on Friday. This is mainly to do with the penalty minutes he piled up one week from vicious hits on Alexander Romanov<\/a> and Matt Coronato<\/a>. Rantanen seems to be playing with more of an edge this season.<\/p>\n

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Someone commenting on Dobber’s social media earlier this week suggested that the Utah Mammoth had been struggling after a strong start because Karel Vejmelka<\/a> has been terrible (or a team more descriptive). Well, I wouldn’t go that far when describing Vejmelka’s play. After being pulled on Monday (3 GA on 9 SOG), Vejmelka rebounded with a 27-save shutout against Anaheim on Wednesday. On Friday, he was the star of the game in stopping 31 of 32 shots he faced in a 4-1 win over Vancouver. That seems all right to me.<\/p>\n

As the Canucks have sunk to the bottom of the league, nearly all of their skaters are colder than the Pacific Ocean in December. One prominent one is Kiefer Sherwood<\/a>, who is without a point in six games and without a goal in eight games in spite of leading the Canucks with 12 goals. Sherwood still managed a season high of nine hits on Friday, and he is second in the league in hits this season (119), averaging over four hits per game. Sherwood’s name has been mentioned in a lot of trade rumors recently, as teams should be interested in a high-energy forward with an inexpensive contract ($1.5 million) who can also score a little. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Other cold Canucks include Jake DeBrusk<\/a> (0 PTS in 5 GP), Quinn Hughes<\/a> (0 PTS in 4 GP), Elias Pettersson<\/a> (0 PTS in 3 GP), and Brock Boeser<\/a> (0 PTS in 3 GP).<\/p>\n

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Ryan Leonard<\/a> left Friday’s late game in Anaheim with an upper-body injury after taking a hard hit from Jacob Trouba<\/a>. Leonard entered this game with seven points in his last four games, including a four-point effort against the Sharks on Wednesday. Leonard has also been making a statement in the rookie scoring race with 18 points in 29 games, good for fourth among rookies. He was also one of the hottest adds of the week with his recent play, but that will have to be put on hold. After the game, coach Spencer Carbery said that both Leonard and Charlie Lindgren are \u201cgoing to be out.\u201d That\u2019s not a detailed description, but it sounds like he\u2019ll miss some games. <\/p>\n

I can already say with some certainty that this won’t be my best overall fantasy hockey season. But one player that I drafted on multiple teams and I’m pleased with is Tom Wilson<\/a>. With a goal on Friday, Wilson has 17 on the season, 11 points in his last eight games, and over a point per game with 31 points in 29 games. Wilson’s 27.4 SH% means regression is likely, but he’ll still be a valuable contributor in my league that counts hits. Wilson has gotten progressively better as a scorer throughout his career and is now making a strong case for a spot on Team Canada at the Olympics.<\/p>\n

Aliaksei Protas<\/a> has been hot and cold during the season, but he is back on the hot list. With a goal on Friday, Protas has a five-game point streak. Protas also logged 22:46 on Friday, which was the highest among all Capitals forwards.<\/p>\n

With a goal and an assist on Friday, Beckett Sennecke<\/a> leads all NHL rookies with 22 points. His eight goals also place him in a three-way tie among rookies in that category. Sennecke has been on a solid run recently with 10 points in his last 10 games. He’s still unrostered in two-thirds of Yahoo leagues.<\/p>\n

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If you’re looking to make a weekend push in your head-to-head league, here’s some information that might help.<\/p>\n

Teams with games both Saturday and Sunday: Carolina, Columbus, Chicago, Colorado, Florida, Montreal, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, St. Louis.<\/p>\n

Gabriel Landeskog<\/a> is very close to being rostered in 50% of Yahoo leagues, but now seems to be the time to climb on board if you haven’t already. Landeskog likely needed time to get his game legs back after three seasons of inactivity (minus five playoff games last season). After a slow start of just two points (both assists) in his first 10 games and gradually returning to form from there, Landeskog has heated up with seven points in his last five games. The hot streak<\/a> also coincides with Landeskog’s return to the top power play.<\/p>\n

Sean Monahan<\/a> had not registered a multipoint game in his first 25 games, but he has put together back-to-back multipoint games with six points over his last three games. Monahan is rostered in less than one-third of Yahoo leagues and was probably dropped in a few leagues after his so-so start.<\/p>\n

I happened to find Frank Nazar<\/a> available in one league earlier this week. Although he and Connor Bedard<\/a> will only play on the same line on the power play because both are centers, Nazar is a fine player on his own. Nazar also has five points over his last four games and is rostered in less than half of Yahoo leagues. The only downside is that he is only listed as a center on Yahoo (but also has right wing eligibility on Fantrax).<\/p>\n

Teams with no games on either Saturday or Sunday: Buffalo.<\/p>\n

If you’re looking for a player to drop, there are a few candidates from the struggling Sabres.<\/p>\n

Owen Power<\/a> reached 40 points for the first time last season, yet he is currently on pace for only 21 points this season. Power also has no points in his last 11 games.<\/p>\n

After an unexpected scoring surge, Mattias Samuelsson<\/a> has no points in his last five games. He is probably rostered in about a third of Yahoo leagues because of the recent scoring and his hits and blocked shots totals. Yet if he isn’t scoring, he’s easily replaceable on the waiver wire.<\/p>\n

Zach Benson<\/a> looked like a potential sleeper after a fast start of seven points in his first five games. However, he has slowed to just two points in his last six games. Add to that the fact that he has yet to score his first goal in 15 games this season.<\/p>\n

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Follow me on X\u00a0@Ian_Gooding<\/a>\u00a0and Bluesky\u00a0@goodsfantasyhockey.bsky.social<\/a><\/p>\n