Welcome back in, everyone! I hope that everyone out there had a wonderful New Year's. Here's to a great 2025!

The Immediate Fix (Grab this guy and use him for the next several days)

Jonathan Quick, G, New York Rangers (Rostered in 5% of ESPN leagues, 30% Fantrax, 21% Yahoo) – By now, I would imagine everyone that plays fantasy hockey is well aware that Igor Shesterkin is headed to IR on a week where I'm not sure there was anything positive to come out from the Rangers. While he is going to certainly be missed, we may be able to take advantage of a quick add for fantasy.

I feel like every year there's a goaltending injury to a key goalie, and this year it looks like it's Shesterkin. While this is a big time hit to a Rangers club that desperately needs him in net, I do like Jonathan Quick as a backup and fix here in the short-term. Quick hasn't put up the numbers that he did last season with a 4-5-0 record, but keep in mind that two of those wins are shutouts. Better yet for starts here upcoming, the Rangers are on the schedule three times next week, but none of the games are back-to-backs or Sunday starts. If you can get Quick on your roster, then you might just have three starts in net lineup up for you.

The reason that I'm keeping him as an Immediate Fix and not a Building Block is because I do want to see how Quick looks going in to next week, and of course will want to know if/when Shesterkin returns to the club. With the Rangers on a back-to-back this weekend, I don't mind adding Quick to your roster now and I also don't mind praying to the hockey gods if he's on your team that he gets the Sunday start versus the Blackhawks. If memory serves, this is the same Blackhawks team that just played in the outdoor game that we just watched. Sorry…I had to get that in there.

The Building Block (Buy now, sit back and enjoy the production)

Dmitri Voronkov, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets (Rostered in 21% of ESPN leagues, 48% Fantrax, 25% Yahoo) – I have to shout this guy out here and feel like he's fairly well known in the DFS world and Jackets fans definitely are familiar, but maybe not so much in fantasy hockey. Give it another couple of weeks at the production level he's at and that's going to change.

Voronkov has been lights out on the Columbus top line here recently with points in six of their last seven games, with four of those being multi-point performances. Right now, he's projecting out to land around 70 points this season and the roster numbers are strikingly low for someone that could land at that mark. I get it, sometimes in fantasy it's hard to reason yourself making an add for a player that may be lesser known, but the production here comes at the perfect time in the season where it's getting harder and harder to find value on the waiver wire. I'd expect that his roster numbers are going to rise if the Columbus top line and powerplay continues to shine. If this is a player in your queue, then adding him to your roster now might be the play here.

The Odd Man Out (His short-term value is cause for concern)

Alexis Lafreniere, LW/RW, New York Rangers (Rostered in 70% of ESPN leagues, 87% Fantrax, 61% Yahoo) – I had trouble coming with an Odd-Man out for the week but landed on Lafreniere here as I was looking for a player to add for the week. One of my rules in fantasy is that if you have to make a move, you're probably in trouble. My IR is maxed out. Not great, Bob.   

So I wonder here if Lafreniere begins to generate offense on the Rangers top line or is he just destined to go back on a line with Filip Chytil? What surprises me as well, is the penalty minutes lately with four-minute penalty minutes in three of his last five games. The Odd-Man out here is dependent on him and it's getting to the point where it might be now or never. I still like the upside and eligible and each wing is very valuable in fantasy, but I do wonder just where his numbers end up when it's all said and done this season. If your rostering him now, I don't he's an outright drop, but if it's between him and another player for a roster spot on a given slate, then Lafreniere may just be the one left on the bench.

The Anchors (They’ll do nothing but disappoint even over the long haul)

Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs (Rostered in 99% of ESPN leagues, 99%, Fantrax, 100% Yahoo) – Oh yeah, you read that right out there! Matthews is our Anchor this week…I can explain.

I drafted Matthews third overall 3,000 years ago on draft night and was so excited. I've never been able to roster him in fantasy and the mix of offensive production and peripheral game that you may not get with others at the top of the draft is excellent. The problem here? A re-aggravated back injury that forced Matthews to miss time in November, and now time at the end of December into January. His most recent quotes as well are smoke that leads to fire, as it doesn't sound like this is an injury that is going to heal here throughout the season even if he is able to come back to the lineup. I know he traveled with the Leafs and has been skating, but this is worrying.

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not going out there and dropping Matthews and there's a world here where he comes back and it's 20 points in 20 games for #34 just like that. Where the Anchor comes in is two things. First, if Matthews is out an extended amount of time, his production can't really be replicated in fantasy. The second is that if this injury happens in say March, why would Toronto rush him back? I'm not saying LTIR and use salary cap money for playoffs…but it's off the table here. The good news here is that Matthews plays in Toronto where I'm sure one of the 30 or so media members in the room after practices and games will ask on a status update.

Love ‘Em (These squads are sure to pay dividends in the coming days)

This period runs through January 3 – January 12

Pittsburgh – We're a week away from the Pens sitting in the second wild card spot, aren't we?  With the Pens on home ice for each of their four games next week, they're Love 'Em here upcoming.

Vegas – I had eluded to the Knights schedule getting busier here in the new year, and we're finally here. The Knights will be in action four times with favorable matchups upcoming against San Jose and the Islanders.

Colorado – This is the second week in a row I've loved the Avs here moving with four games next week.  

Leave ‘Em (These squads will leave fantasy owners sorely disappointed in the short term)

NY Islanders – Only two games for the Islanders next week and both will be on busy Thursday and Saturday slates, for now they are a stay away.

Nashville – Like the Islanders above, the Preds will only be in action twice next week and while they're overall record might be below water, they do have a good number of players on their roster for fantasy. They're a Leave 'Em for now.

Chicago – The Hawks play Colorado and Edmonton next week. I wonder where the chalk spots in DFS will be on those days?  

*For continued fantasy news and notes, follow me on Twitter @ndySanz.