Stellar week for Eastern Conference teams as all but four teams have a winning record over the last week. Lots of jostling for position as we enter the second half of the season, and no shortage of positive trends coming out of the East. 

Washington Capitals // 28-10-5 // L7 Days: 2-0-2

While the hockey world focuses on Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of the all-time goal record, several Capitals have quietly made significant contributions this season. Logan Thompson has been a rock in net, delivering a quality start in two out of every three games and losing just twice in regulation. Although Thompson's numbers outshine Charlie Lindgren's, the Capitals have stuck to a steady rotation, alternating starts between the two netminders. So far, it's been a winning formula.

Pierre-Luc Dubois has found new life in Washington, bouncing back emphatically from a disappointing season with the Kings. With a career year now within reach, Dubois has been one of the team's standout stories. Meanwhile, Dylan Strome continues to benefit from Ovechkin's vintage goal-scoring season—his best since his rookie year. Over half of Strome's points have involved Ovechkin in some way, showcasing their synergy.

On the flip side, Connor McMichael's production has cooled significantly since Christmas. After an impressive 33-game stretch, McMichael has managed just three points and one shot per game over his last 10 contests. Was his 33-game breakout a hot streak, or is this just a ten game cold streak? Fantasy managers should keep an eye on him, as he could become a valuable free-agent pickup if he heats up again.

Toronto Maple Leafs // 27-15-2 // L7 Days: 1-2-0

The Maple Leafs are back to experimenting with a five-forward power play unit, this time featuring Matthew Knies on the top unit as of Monday's practice. While intriguing, this setup is often short-lived, so Knies' value may depend heavily on how long he stays in this role. With the Leafs tied with the Ducks for the fewest games played (11) and off-nights (2) over the next four weeks, Knies profiles more as a short-term option. If your league format rewards power play points and you have room in your lineup, Knies could be a worthwhile streaming target on busier game days. Just be prepared to pivot if the Leafs shuffle their power play personnel, as they've done frequently in the past.

New Jersey Devils // 26-15-4 // L7 Days: 2-0-1

Jacob Markstrom is delivering a career season, hitting the 20-win mark in just 30 games—the fastest he's ever reached that milestone. With his stellar play, Markstrom ranks second in the league in wins (trailing only Connor Hellebuyck), boasts one of the top save percentages, and sits third in total volume and fourth in goals-against average. For fantasy managers who took a chance on him, Markstrom has been nothing short of a revelation, anchoring their rosters and providing elite goaltending consistency.

Carolina Hurricanes // 26-15-3 // L7 Days: 2-1-1

Martin Necas might finally be showing signs of life. With six points in his last eight games, it's not quite the torrid per-game pace we saw before December 10th, but it's certainly a welcome rebound. This recent stretch is a sharp improvement over the eight-game slump immediately following December 10th, during which Necas managed just a single assist.

Pyotr Kochetkov's struggles have been hard to ignore. Dating back to Thanksgiving, Kochetkov has posted a dismal 6-7-2 record over his last 15 starts, with a sub-.900 save percentage despite one shutout in that span. For fantasy managers still holding on to Kochetkov, it's been a harsh reminder of the saying, "You draft the team, not the goalie." Those sticking with him are leaning heavily on that belief, hoping he can turn the corner sooner rather than later.

Florida Panthers // 25-16-3 // L7 Days: 1-2-1

Aaron Ekblad remains sidelined and did not travel with the Panthers on their road trip to Philadelphia and New Jersey. With just one game left on this short road trip, the team is expected to provide an update once they return home. The Panthers dropped their game against the Flyers and will look to regroup against the Devils before wrapping up the trip.

Nate Schmidt has become the latest player to see time on the Panthers' top power play unit, joining a carousel of names that have included Adam Boqvist, Uvis Balinskis, and Ekblad. The revolving door highlights the team's ongoing search for stability on the man advantage.

Sam Reinhart continues to deliver remarkable performances. He's just the second player in 20 years to record consecutive seasons with five shorthanded goals, following in the footsteps of Mike Richards. With half the season still to go, Reinhart has already hit that milestone and leads the league in games where he's scored both a shorthanded and power-play goal. Since the start of the 2023 season, Reinhart has notched 84 goals, edging out Auston Matthews for the league lead, albeit in 16 more games.

Tampa Bay Lightning // 23-15-3 // L7 Days: 3-0-1

The Tampa Bay Lightning have become the first team this season to boast four 20-goal scorers: Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel, and Jake Guentzel. All four are also producing above a point per game, with Kucherov in a league of his own, averaging more than an assist per game and over 1.5 points per game. Anthony Cirelli is just three goals shy of joining the club, which would make Tampa the first team to feature five 20-goal scorers this season.

Cirelli deserves recognition for his under-the-radar campaign. Now finally above 50% rostered in Yahoo! leagues, he's quietly on pace to shatter his career-high of 53 points by more than 20 points. If it weren't for his Center only designation, his ownership would certainly be a lot higher. 

Boston Bruins // 21-19-5 / L7 Days: 1-2-0

Amid some media-fueled controversy—whether grounded in reality or not—the Bruins have hit a rough patch. Since the Christmas break, they've gone 2-6-1 and have plummeted to the bottom of the league in both goals scored per game and power play conversion. Known for thriving under adversity, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak will look to rally the team during this pivotal stretch as the Wild Card race heats up and the playoff picture starts to take shape.

Adding to their challenges, Charlie McAvoy was placed on injured reserve Tuesday with a "nagging injury" requiring rest. In his absence, Mason Lohrei has been spotted practicing on the top power play unit, signaling a potential opportunity for the young defenseman. McAvoy is eligible to return on the 20th, but until then, the Bruins will need to find ways to generate offense and stabilize their special teams.

Columbus Blue Jackets // 20-17-6 // L7 Days: 3-0-0

Since December 8th, the Blue Jackets have transformed into an offensive juggernaut. With a 9-5-3 record, they're scoring the fourth-most goals in the league during this stretch, trailing only Edmonton, Colorado, and Winnipeg. However, their defensive struggles remain a major hurdle. While they've been lighting the lamp, they've also allowed the 10th-most goals in the league, leaving them with only a +4 goal differential to show for their offensive surge. If Columbus can shore up their defense, a playoff push might not be out of reach.

Kirill Marchenko has been at the forefront of the scoring explosion, ranking seventh in NHL scoring since December 8th, tied with Connor McDavid. Zach Werenski leads all defensemen in scoring during this span and sits just one point behind McDavid and Marchenko. Dmitri Voronkov has been equally impressive, ranking 15th in scoring, while Sean Monahan rounds out the group at 19th despite playing fewer games than many on the list.

Ottawa Senators // 21-18-3 // L7 Days: 2-1-1

Leevi Meriläinen is set to make his third consecutive start for the Senators, earning a vote of confidence after two stellar performances over the weekend. In back-to-back outings, Meriläinen shut out the Penguins and then held the high-powered Dallas Stars to just two goals on 26 shots. His emergence couldn't come at a better time for Ottawa, as Anton Forsberg has struggled with only one quality start in his last five games and no wins since November 25th.

Linus Ullmark's return can't come soon enough for the Senators as they fight for playoff positioning. However, rushing Ullmark back would be unwise, leaving Meriläinen with a prime opportunity to continue solidifying his role in the meantime.

Detroit Red Wings // 20-18-4 // L7 Days: 3-0-0

Since Todd McLellan took over as head coach on December 27th, the Red Wings have boasted the league's best win percentage at 7-1-0, trailing Dallas by just one point in the standings. Only St. Louis is scoring more goals per game during this stretch, and Detroit's power play has surged to a 50% success rate, matched only by Columbus.

While the sample size is small, the Red Wings' stars are shining under McLellan. Patrick Kane leads the NHL in points since his hiring, with Lucas Raymond close behind in third. Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat round out the top 10, ranking ninth and 10th, respectively. These four forwards as well as Moritz Seider on the blue line are all at or above point per game under McLellan. 

On the blue line, Moritz Seider is tied for third among defensemen in scoring, alongside Cam Fowler, Vince Dunn, Jakob Chychrun, and Rasmus Dahlin—all but Chychrun are scoring at a point-per-game pace. Jackson LaCombe (9 points in 10 games) and Zach Werenski (13 points in 8 games) lead the group, but Seider's resurgence has been pivotal for Detroit's success. 

Montreal Canadiens // 20-18-4 // L7 Days: 2-0-1

Since mid-December, the Canadiens have been on an unexpected tear, going 9-2-1 over their last 12 games. During this stretch, they rank among the NHL's top five highest-scoring teams while boasting an impressive +14 goal differential. Defensively, they've tightened up as well, complementing their offensive surge with solid goal prevention and a respectable 21.4% power play success rate.

The scoring has been a full-team effort, with contributions coming from up and down the lineup. Nine players are producing at over half a point per game, led by Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, who are both at or above a point per game pace. Depth scoring has been a key factor, with 16 players finding the back of the net during this run. Of those, 11 have scored two or more goals, and nine have tallied at least three.

Pittsburgh Penguins // 18-19-8 // L7 Days: 1-2-1

The Penguins hit a rough patch over the weekend, becoming one of just four Eastern Conference teams with a losing record this week. Scoring only twice on 62 shots, Pittsburgh suffered a 5-0 shutout loss to the Senators and a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Lightning. The team's offensive struggles have highlighted an urgent need for a turnaround.

Tristan Jarry's recent play hasn't helped matters. With just one quality start and no wins in his last five appearances, Jarry is looking to regain his footing against the Kraken on Tuesday. His hold on the starting role is slipping, as his workload inches closer to a 50/50 split with Alex Nedeljkovic over the last eight games. Tonight's matchup will mark Jarry's fifth start in the last nine, providing him with another opportunity to reclaim the crease.

Since December 1st, Rickard Rakell is tied with Sidney Crosby for the team lead in points, registering a team high 12 goals and adding 11 assists. 

Philadelphia Flyers // 19-20-5 // L7 Days: 2-2-0

A surprising top line of Noah Cates, Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster is making waves for Philadelphia lately. Cates has especially shined posting five points in six games to start the new year and is tied with Morgan Frost for second on the team in scoring behind Travis Konecny. 

Konecny is quietly putting up his best numbers of his career. The 27 year old is well above point per game and, barring any setbacks, is on track to break 90 points for the first time in his career. 

Samuel Ersson collected his second shutout of the season against Anaheim this past week in the much anticipated debut of Cutter Gauthier in Philadelphia. As a Philadelphian, Gauthier's welcome into Philadelphia was no surprise at all and it honestly was pretty tame – no snowballs or batteries were thrown in his direction. Cutter will have to wait until the '25-26 schedule is released to get his pen back out to circle his next visit to the city of brotherly love. 

New York Rangers // 20-20-2 // L7 Days: 2-0-1

Don't look now, but the Rangers have put together a two-week stretch above a .500 win percentage! Since the new year, the Rangers are 4-1-1, scoring over three goals a game, and their power play has seen some much needed success. 

Alexis Lafreniere is getting some run on the top power play unit. Between the injury to Chris Kreider and intermittent consistency from Mika Zibanejad, Lafreniere has had an opportunity to showcase what he could do with an increased role. Only three points in the six games in 2025, it's hard to say whether Kreider's return will spell out a demotion back to the second unit. 

Chris Kreider was activated off of IR on Tuesday. It's Kreider's spot that Lafreniere is in, so this game will be telling in terms of what Lafreniere's deployment could potentially look like. 

New York Islanders // 17-18-7 // L7 Days: 2-0-0

Since Semyon Varlamov's injury on November 29th, no goaltender has seen a higher percentage of starting their teams' games than Ilya Sorokin. Of the 18 games that Varlamov has missed, Sorokin has played in 16 of them. Marcus Hogberg gets the start on Tuesday, for his second straight start against the Senators. 

Buffalo Sabres // 16-22-5 // L7 Days: 2-1-0

Frustration seems to be mounting for Lindy Ruff in Buffalo. In his press conference following the Seattle Kraken, a game in which Buffalo scored the first two goals then gave up six unanswered goals, Lindy expressed a lack of puck management and players over extending shifts calling the game "embarrassing" a few times.  

The Sabres are back in action on Wednesday against the Hurricanes following three days off.

— 

That's our Eastern Edge Eastern Conference update for the week. Thank you for reading, as always feel free to chirp me in the comments below, in the Fantasy Hockey Discord  or you can reach out on X – @FHFHockey. In the meantime you can catch updates from me on the Five Hole Fantasy Hockey Podcast.