Given that a COVID shutdown in addition to the regularly scheduled Christmas shutdown means that hardly any games have been played since the last iteration of this column, let's take another look at some top even-strength lines that can help fill some holes in your roster for the upcoming week or two.

Once again, be sure to keep an eye on scheduling changes as it is looking everything is still changing by the hour. This data will be from Frozen Tools.

Derick Brassard – Cam Atkinson – Joel Farabee

It's no secret that the best line in PHI right now does not include Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier or Travis Konecny. However when comparing the numbers the two lines are much closer together than one would guess.

The Atkinson line is currently working with nine GF and only two GA compared to the Couturier line which also has nine GF but seven GA. The big difference is that despite being outplayed with a CF% of 43.7, the Atkinson line has been significantly outscoring opponents. Whereas the Couturier line has a CF% of 58.1 but has not been faring nearly as well. The likely culprit is Offensive Deployment, the Atkinson line has been receiving a higher percentage of starts in the opponent's end of the ice. It follows that it would be more difficult to score on a line if you have to start in your end of the ice, so this could be an explanation for the difference.

Regardless, so long as this type of deployment continues it could be a good time to snatch up these players. Atkinson has been the straw that stirs the drink on this line. He currently has 12 goals and 20 points in 29 games played on the season including six points in his last four games. Atkinson is also putting up nearly three shots on goal per game and seeing time on the power play with a 48.4% share. At 60% owned in Yahoo leagues though, this may not come as a surprise.

However, if you have been waiting on a time to grab Farabee, now might be your chance while everything is quiet. Farabee is (was?) on a hot streak with four points in his last five games played and has eight goals and eleven points on the season. He has also been putting up over one hit per game. Farabee also has a low secondary assist percentage, some natural progression closer to the mean will result in a few extra points and may allow for this hot streak to continue.

The last piece to the lineup, Brassard, has been having a solid season of his own so far with four goals and eleven points in eighteen games played for a 50 point pace overall. He also has been contributing in the hits category with over one and a half hits per game. Brassard unfortunately just landed on the COVID list, so keep an eye out for when he returns. Farabee is taken in only 25% in Yahoo leagues while Brassard is owned in a criminally low 2%. The team is scheduled to play three games for the remainder of this week, including a back-to-back Wednesday and Thursday.

Aleksander Barkov – Anthony Duclair – Carter Verhaeghe

With all of the shutdowns and players going in and out of COVID protocol, it's easy to forget about some dominant lines of the season so far. The Barkov-Duclair-Verhaeghe trio has been one of these lines, with 11 GF, two GA and a CF% of 60.8.

Verhaeghe and Duclair in particular have been major beneficiaries, currently at seven goals and 22 points in 28 games and nine goals and 17 points in 21 games respectively. Both are solid players and may be widely available considering that Verhaeghe is 54% rostered and Duclair is 49%. Consider scooping these two back up because as of Monday, Verhaeghe has cleared COVID protocol and back at practice beside Duclair and Barkov who centered the unit and looks close to return.

Paul Stastny – Mark Scheifele – Nikolaj Ehlers

Just as a quick hit, let's take a look at what has been going on in WPG prior to the break. Remember that the team has had a couple of changes recently with Wheeler being moved to the IR and Paul Maurice stepping down as the head coach.

The last three games shows that Stastny-Scheifele-Ehlers have been lining up together for some significant time. They have played almost 22 minutes together, the most of any other line and are dominating the competition with a CF% of 63.8 So far they have three GF and 0 GA.

It is unlikely that Scheifele and Ehlers are not on anyone's roster in most leagues but Stastny definitely finds himself in a sweet spot here. On the season he has a respectable 15 points in 22 games but as long as he is playing with these two studs he is worth taking a flier on if you're in need of help. Plus at only 8% owned in Yahoo leagues he should be widely available.

Filip Forsberg – Colton Sissons – Tanner Jeannot

Another team that has gone through some line shakeups but for different, COVID related reasons is NSH. In particular, Tanner Jeannot finds himself in a great situation and has been making the most of it.

Over the last three games, Jeannot has been playing with Forsberg on what was effectively the first line. On the ice for over 25 minutes together and with three GF, one GA and a CF% of 52, things have been going well. Jeannot's 17 points in 30 games played on the season is an achievement in its own right, but he has also been hot recently with six points in his last five games. At only 27% owned in Yahoo leagues, if any peripheral categories are tracked in your league then he is a must add right now as Jeannot has been averaging just over three hits per game and blocking at more than half a block per game as well.

Hope everyone had a great holiday season and have a Happy New Year.