One of the top traits of a successful fantasy hockey general manager is the ability to keep on top of when bottom-six players get a chance for a top-six role.

The reason for the promotion doesn’t matter: Whether it’s to replace an injured player, a coach looking to shake things up or a reward for playing well, keeping track of these promotions can lead to a quick waiver-wire pickup which could be a benefit to your team.

Below are 10 players who have recently been getting a top-six look. There’s no specific timeline we’re looking at, but generally, it’s been since the start of the 2023. That means players such as Noah Cates, Calle Jarnkrok, Quinton Byfield, Milan Lucic and Cody Glass won’t be included, as they have been getting top-six looks for the majority of the season and haven't lost their spot. Although players who started the season in a top-six role, lost it and has recently gotten it back can be included.

Keep in mind that we are looking at even-strength usage for this column. A player’s average ice time may be lower than others on the team, but power plays and shorthanded time may skew the overall numbers.

Also, we’re looking at players who are getting the opportunity. Not all of these players are producing in their roles, but they are still worth keeping an eye on.

10. Jimmy Vesey

Vesey has been given plenty of chances in his career, and the Rangers seem determined to have him succeed in New York. After spending much of the season on Mika Zibanejad‘s line with little success, he was bumped down to the third line. Last week, he was moved onto the line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck, again with little success. He’s pointless in the three games since he moved up, but he’s worth adding to your watch list in case you see him start to pick up a couple of points.

9. Derek Ryan

It’s only been two games, but Ryan has seen some ice at the same time as Evander Kane and Leon Draisaitl. In those two games, he’s averaging more than 14 minutes a night, a significant increase from the 10:49 he’s averaged on the season. While he has one assist (which came while playing on a line with Dylan Holloway and Ryan McLeod), he’s also a plus-one with two PIM, five shots and a hit in those two contests. Not only is it the most frequent line combination for Ryan in those two games, but it’s the most frequent line combination for Draisaitl as well. Edmonton would love to find a regular player to round out their top six, and it seems as if it is Ryan’s turn to be given the opportunity.

8. Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson played their first game of the season on January 8. On that day, the Capital’s coaching staff shifted everything around. The key was who was going to be playing with Alexander Ovechkin. In the two games preceding Saturday’s tilt (which Ovechkin missed due to a lower-body injury), Ovechkin and Dylan Strome were on a line for about 80 per cent of Aube-Kubel’s even-strength minutes. He went pointless in those two games, but he did have a plus-one, two shots and six hits. It will be interesting to see if he can get that spot back once Ovi returns to the lineup.

7. Jesse Ylonen

It’s only been six games for Ylonen, but he seems to have made an impression on the Montreal coaching staff. He played fewer than nine minutes in his first game, but he was moved to the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield in his second game. This lasted on and off for about a week. On Saturday, it was announced Caufield would miss the rest of the season due to needing shoulder surgery. On Saturday night, Ylonen was no longer with Suzuki, but did line up with Kirby Dach and Mike Hoffman on the second line. It’s still in a top-six role and he is on the second power-play unit. He’s not producing yet, but it’s a good sign to be getting top minutes, even though many of the Habs players are injured.

6. Max Comtois

Comtois has shifted around the Ducks’ lineup this season. His most frequent linemate is Ryan Strome, and they’ve played together for only 31.6 per cent of Comtois’ five-on-five minutes (his second most frequent linemate is Jakob Silfverberg, and they have been on the ice together for 29.1 per cent of Comtois’ five-on-five minutes). Last week, Comtois was shifted to the top line to play with Trevor Zegras and Strome. It hasn’t gone great, but Comtois does have two assists in his last four games (he had seven points in his previous 32 contests). Since the promotion, he also has five PIM, seven shots and four hits.

5. Michael Eyssimont

When Eyssimont was claimed off waivers by the Sharks from the Jets two weeks ago, it’s safe to say that almost no fantasy general manager took notice. However, the Sharks are giving an opportunity to Eyssimont to succeed. While it hasn’t paid off yet in points, he is contributing in leagues that count other categories. In his seven games as a Shark, he is frequently lining up on the top line alongside Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl and is getting some time on the second power-play unit. In these seven games, he has two points, minus-two, 15 PIM, 19 shots and 14 hits. He’s also averaging 14:10 per game, which is skewed a little low as he played just 9:16 in his first game with San Jose.

4. Craig Smith

It’s been an up-and-down season for Smith, literally, as he’s been sent down to the AHL and called back up on multiple occasions. He’s been a healthy scratch, injured and placed on waivers. However, for the last two weeks, he’s been placed on the top line alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. His ice time is still low, but just being out there with elite linemates can provide a boost. It took a while, as Smith didn’t produce in his first few games, but he is now on a three-game point streak.

3. Anton Lundell

Lundell started the season playing alongside Colin White, Nick Cousins, Ryan Lomberg and Eetu Luostarinen, although he did see some regular time with Sam Reinhart. On January 10, Lundell started playing with Aleksander Barkov, and the results were almost instantaneous. In his last seven games with Barkov, Lundell has three goals, six points, minus-two, four PIM and 24 shots while averaging 17:55 per night. As a whole, the Panthers are 5-1-1 in these seven games, so it would be hard for the coaching staff to want to mess with the lineup while getting these results.

2. J.T. Compher

Even with all the injuries Colorado has been forced to deal with, Compher hasn’t had too much of an opportunity to play in a top-six role. His most frequent linemates have been Logan O’Connor and Andrew Cogliano. However, recently, he’s been alongside Mikko Rantanen. Since January 4, Compher has played approximately 136 even-strength minutes. Here are the top three lines for Compher over that time and their overall even-strength ice time:

Rantanen-Compher-Alex Newhook, 38:51

Rantanen-Compher-Valeri Nichushkin, 29:23

Rantanen-Compher-MacKinnon, 7:31

Besides those three, the trio of Rantanen-Compher-Lehkonen has been together 5:13. Those four lines make up about 60 per cent of Compher’s even-strength minutes. Most of all, he’s been productive during that time. In his last nine games, he has seven points, 17 shots, two power-play points, six hits, 12 blocked shots and 74 faceoff wins while averaging more than 20 minutes per night.

1. Tomas Tatar

It looks like one of the Devils’ new year’s resolutions was to pair Tatar with Jack Hughes. In 2022, they barely played together, but in 2023, they’ve been inseparable. In the Devils’ 10 games in the new year, Tatar has played 143 even-strength minutes. Almost 73 of those minutes have been as part of a line with Hughes and Erik Huala, and at least 109 minutes total have been alongside Hughes. Tatar has also been moved up to the top power-play unit, on the ice for 59.1 per cent of New Jersey’s power-play minutes. Tatar has been producing in this increased role. In the 10 games since the start of 2023, Tatar has seven points, plus-eight, six PIM, 21 shots, two power-play points and eight hits.