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My thoughts on Valeri Nichushkin and his white-hot start to the campaign: I think they guy is for real. Obviously not a 150-point player, but he's exploding for 70 points in 70 games as a 27-year-old in Todd Bertuzzi-like fashion. Yes, it's a little out of nowhere, but big players like this almost always break out at 26, 27 or even 28. He showed signs that this was in him in 2020-21 – especially late. And in 2021-22, though he missed 20 games, Nichushkin finally surged ahead with big points (and big minutes on both special teams). He's ascended to point-per-game status, though I am as of yet not convinced he can be relied on to regularly play 80 games. Many of his owners are thinking they could sell him high right now, but I'm of the opinion that even trading a 70-point player for him would actually be selling low. I don't make these knee-jerk reactions easily. At this point he's the driver on his line, not a passenger.

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Some Early-Season "Buy Low" Options

Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks – Kane picked up his first even-strength point of the season on Sunday, an assist. This is five games in. He's been playing a lot with Max Domi so far, and had Andreas Athanasiou on the other wing Sunday. Just poor puck-luck so far. You know you can count on Kane, even though he turns 34 next month. He has played with some terrible Hawks teams throughout his career, and he's played with some great ones. But even at worst, he managed 66 points. So call that his floor. His current pace is for 49 points. His owners will be worried that age has caught up with him. I still think he's a safe, productive player to own even if he's not what he was over the last few seasons.

Marco Rossi, Minnesota Wild – Zero points? It makes no sense, given the talent level of 2020's ninth overall draft pick. And what's more – he had his first (and so far only) SOG of the season on Saturday. His linemates are currently Frederick Gaudreau and Matt Boldy. How much longer do you think Rossi and Boldy will have a 0.0 shooting percentage? I wouldn't bet on it lasting very long. Rossi has a 0% 5on5 S% and the floodgates will open soon.

Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers – Just one assist in five games and buried deep on the second PP unit so far, but do not give up hope. Bouchard's 5on5 S% is 0.0, so the puck luck hasn't been there and that means the points at even strength will come. Tyson Barrie (again) hasn't seized the PP opportunity he has been given, and much like last year I think you'll see Bouchard slowly eat away at that PPTOI share.

Jesse Puljujarvi, Edmonton Oilers – Still with Edmonton, Puljujarvi is pointless in five games. Oilers fans and fantasy owners alike have been using the "b" word for two years now (bust), and for him to start off this way is tough to explain away. I'm sure when the aforementioned Nichushkin was 24 you called him a bust as well. Regardless of where you see Pool Party's (Puljujarvi) long-term upside and outlook, you have to admit that a 0.0 5on5 S% is unsustainable. So far this season he has played about 5:30 of ice time with Connor McDavid and another five minutes with Leon Draisaitl. He's well over 40 minutes of ice time with Ryan McLeod or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Puljujarvi remains a strong possession-driver. Bench him for now and give him another month. Something has to break here.

Barrett Hayton, Arizona Coyotes – Also pointless in five and also with a 0.0 5on5 S%, Hayton has seen terrible puck luck at even strength, and is seeing over 2:30 on the power play each game and has goose eggs there as well.

Ilya Mikheyev, Vancouver Canucks – One assist so far in three games, and that one was on the power play. Mikheyev saw his highest TOI in Vancouver yet on Saturday, seeing 18:05. He's playing with JT Miller and Conor Garland, and that line was dominant Saturday. The entire Canucks team is struggling, and you know that can't last forever. I would also consider Andrei Kuzmenko, as he remains alongside Elias Pettersson and his fantasy owners are bailing on him. Both are worth acquiring, keeping, and benching for a week or two as we ride out this Vancouver slump.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, Seattle Kraken – Yeah, I know he's a Dobber Darling, but nonetheless I still feel bullish on his season. Thus far he has one goal and four points in seven games (was pointless Sunday), and granted that's not horrible. He's one or maybe two points off the expected pace for him. But he leads this team with 30 SOG, and second on the team has 22. The guy is firing pucks like nobody's business, and one goal on 30 shots is a 3.3% rate. His career average is 11.7%. And going by his last four seasons, that average is closer to 13%. I suggest you look into him.

Timo Meier, San Jose Sharks – Don't worry, Meier owners. He'll be fine. Nearly a point-per-game a year ago, Meier has just two points in his first eight so far. Both on the power play. His 5on5 S% is just 2.5% when you can probably expect this closer to the league norm at 8.5 to 9.0%. This entire team has scored less than two goals per game eight games in. They may be a Bottom-5 team in offense this year, but it won't be at that horrible rate. Meier's turnaround will come.

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Doing Well and Should Keep It Up

Artturi Lehkonen, Colorado Avalanche – Five points in six games is very good, even if he got three of those points in the first game. At even strength, Lehkonen has a 5on5 S% of just 1.9%. Nobody is scoring when he is on the ice – and last game he played with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. There is no way that lasts. He should be able to come close to sustaining his overall production, currently a tad high at a 68-point pace, but I don't see him ending too far away from 60 is he stays healthy.

John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs – That guy that Leafs' fans want to get rid of because he's not earning his contract is, once again, earning his contract. He had hovered around a point-per-game average, despite being a second-line center and seeing a good 90 seconds of ice time less than he was getting with the Islanders. He's also been very good at close to 60% win rate at the dot (65.2% in the playoffs last year!). Right now he has seven points in six games, with almost all of that on the power play. His 5on5 S% is just 2.0, so while his PP numbers will dip, his ES numbers will more than compensate.

Jaden Schwartz, Seattle Kraken – His assist on Sunday gives him six points in seven games, which is a great start for Schwartz, who hasn't seen more than 40 games in a season since 2020. He was bumped up to the Matty Beniers line and saw a season high 19:07 in ice time. What's more is that his 5on5 S% is just 2.3%, meaning he hasn't even been getting the bounces at even strength.

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Sell High Options

Anders Lee, NY Islanders – Lee had two more goals on Sunday, playing with Brock Nelson and Oliver Wahlstrom (Anthony Beauvillier was injured – undisclosed). Lee is coming off a disappointing 46-point season and hasn't touched 60 points since 2018. He has seven points in six games, but his 5on5 S% is 18.9% – obviously crazy.

Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres – Tuch has seven points in five games. Six of those points are goals, and he has taken just 15 shots. So his S% is 40%. If he's in my driveway taking shots at me, he can probably continue shooting at 40%. But not in the NHL.

James van Riemsdyk, Philadelphia Flyers – I jotted this name down for this section prior to the Sunday game. But in the first period he was injured (undisclosed) and did not return. But heading into that game he had five points in five games, but his 5on5 S% was an inflated 16.1%. Regardless, it's too late to consider JVR as a sell-high option. That window was probably prior to Saturday's game. On a side note, Coach John Tortorella benched Kevin Hayes and Travis Konecny, despite the absence of JVR (and despite Cam Atkinson and Owen Tippett being sidelined).

Dominik Kubalik, Detroit Red Wings – Kubalik is flying right now, really clicking with Dylan Larkin. He has three consecutive two-point efforts. But 15% of all shots fired at even strength when he is on the ice have gone in, and that is a crazy pace that won't continue.

Danton Heinen, Pittsburgh Penguins – Heinen is a Dobber Darling. Even though I had to give up on him a couple of years ago, I always keep an eye on my darlings and root them on. And if and when they eventually do break out, I don't get surprised because that's why they became darlings in the first place – they just took longer to get there. But at this point, to me, a "break out" for Heinen would be 50-plus points. Excellent depth for the Penguins, and a great player to have when you need a spot-fill on the Crosby or Malkin line. Right now he's filling in on the Sidney Crosby line. He's a great temporary fill-in for fantasy owners as well, but ride the hot streak while you can. His high 5on5 S% (17.5) indicates it's unsustainable.

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It’s worth nothing that Jack Roslovic has five points in his last three games, starting to really click with veteran Jakub Voracek and rookie Kent Johnson. Potentially a great line. I was on The Hedge last week with Andrew Walker and I suggested that Roslovic would get his shot on the Johnny Hockey line by Christmas.

Also keep an eye on goaltender Daniil Tarasov. I'm a huge fan of Elvis Merzlikins, but I'm also high on Tarasov. I do think Tarasov is a little young at 23 to become a starter, but he was outstanding on Sunday and Elvis has been struggling.

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Ontario DFS fans – I've just discovered a DFS company that operates in the province. OwnersBox started out as a weekly fantasy site (so I guess…WFS?) but expanded to the DFS format and maintain operations in Ontario. You can visit them here, and you can have a free DFS play if you use promo code "DOBBER".

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Be sure to check out today’s episode of Fantasy Hockey Life, as our Ian Gooding joins the podcast.

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See you next Monday.