In fantasy, there are players who are great…period. Then there are also those at the other end of the spectrum, who are rightfully ignored when it comes to fantasy. In between though are players who in many cases will perform better or worse due in large part to how and/or with whom they're being deployed. Although it certainly is smart to be aware of players who might improve if only given a better opportunity, I'd argue it's more important to identify those who'd likely do worse if not for how favorable their deployment is.

With this in mind, the 20 skaters listed below are ones I felt are performing as well as they are due arguably in large part due to their circumstances. Your task is to pick the five of the 20 who you believe are seeing the biggest percentage-wise scoring boost because of this. The key word in that sentence is percentage-wise, meaning if a player is scoring at a 60-point pace but you feel he'd only be producing at a 40 point rate if not as favorably deployed, then he is benefitting more so than a player who's scoring at a 70 point pace but you feel should only be producing at a 50 point rate under less optimal circumstances, since although the first player has fewer points, his percentage benefit is higher. Or to put it another way, imagine which five players would see the greatest drop – percentage-wise – in scoring if their deployment suddenly became less favorable versus what it is now.

When voting, do keep in mind this is based on the here and now, and purely on points. Also, in some cases the players don't have superb season-long stats, yet their recent deployment has given them a boost so focus on that. Also, it's possible – perhaps more likely than not – you will end up voting for some players that are indeed more talented than others who do not get your vote, since again talent is not the barometer, only deployment.

The 20 voting choices are listed below, in alphabetical order. A link to cast your votes will appear at the end of the column.

Ivan Barbashev

Although as expected Barbashev has come back to earth after his scorching start, and he doesn't even log a minute of PPTOI per game, he remains locked on Jack Eichel‘s wing, and that is a pretty nice gig. Yes, he did see a lot of time with Eichel last season, but not Stone, who, when healthy, is a top scorer, and Is his next most frequent linemate. If Barbashev were put on another line, I feel he'd be hard pressed to average even a point every other game.

Jesper Bratt

Despite Bratt seeing less TOI per game both overall and on the PP versus 2023-24, this season he's tethered to Jack Hughes at ES and on the PP, plus his OZ% is a much higher than usual at 69.5%. This is indeed a case of a player who no doubt has talent; but you can't ask for much better deployment than he's getting.

John Carlson

Now 35, and averaging barely over two SOG per game when as recently as 2022-23 he was above three per contest, it is arguable that Carlson should be in the process of ceding his plum PP1 gig, especially since his PP scoring is lower than it's been since he become an offensive force and the Caps now have Jakub Chychrun on their squad. Somehow, Chychrun has not been able to make inroads, otherwise Carlson's stats would likely be far worse than merely being on pace to drop for a third straight season.

Jonathan Drouin

After looking like he'd settled into a 40-50 point player with the Habs, Drouin was given the keys to the scoring kingdom by landing on the Avs, especially given that Gabriel Landeskog was still not back and Valeri Nichuskin – spoiler alert, he makes the list too – was out of the line-up more so than in it. After nearly producing at a 60-point rate in 2023-24, Drouin is now flirting with a point per game rate, likely in large part because he's a PP1 staple and also glued to superstar Nathan MacKinnon, which is all the more likely to continue given the exodus of Mikko Rantanen.

Shayne Gostibehere

Ghost is taking the ice for the vast majority of Carolina's PPs, and has an OZ% that's been at or even above 60%. If that's not a recipe for success, I don't know what is. Yes, he was able to do almost as well for several clubs over the past couple of seasons; however, to see what might be happening were he not deployed this favorably, we need look no further than his last several seasons with the Flyers, where he appeared to be on his way out of the NHL.

Mikael Granlund

In San Jose, Granlund was a PP1 fixture and on the ice for over a third of the game. However, he's almost certainly going to take a big hit in terms of ice time in Dallas; so although others on this list might see their deployment downgraded, with Granlund it has now become a certainty. With that now we can determine if he has it in him to keep up his impressive pace notwithstanding this worse development.

Matt Grzelcyk

After not finding success in situations where he was supposed to do well, and looking close to done in the NHL, Grzelcyk somehow is thriving on a team where he was thought by many to be an afterthought. He has received significant usage on the PP and responded with points. Can it last? Maybe not; however, if it does, then he sure seems like a player who's enjoying success based more so on his usage than his innate talent.

Seth Jones

Amazingly, it's now been more than a decade since Jones was a fourth overall pick. After he fared quite well early on, he'd settled into a pattern of good but not great production, that is until the last two seasons, when he was only about a point per every other game player. That was also on the Hawks, so what's changed this time around? A higher OZ%, and a better team around him. It does seem at this point that Jones is a player where a rising tide is lifting his production boat.

Josh Morrissey

This is a toughie. Did Morrissey succeed because the Jets finally put him in prime position to do so, or did he have this in him all along? His breakout was pretty near his 400-game mark, which may point toward the latter, plus his TOI and PP TOI didn't skyrocket the year his stats exploded. Still, there is no denying that now his deployment is fantastic. Whether you believe that is the key to his success more so than his talent, is for your votes to decide.

Valeri Nichushkin

From being on the cusp of losing his NHL gig, to becoming a major contributor, the question is why it happened. Given that Nich's TOI rose sharply when he did finally taste success, it seems it was more his doing than his situation. Then again, was it him not only getting more TOI but it being with Colorado's best talents, that led to his success? That might be more arguable, and, in turn, make a case that his deployment has given him a major boost these past few years.

Alex Ovechkin

At 38, Ovi still has unquestionably more talent than the vast majority of NHLers, including those a decade younger. No one is going to deny that. But after a red hot start, he's come back to earth, and that is despite taking the ice for nearly every second of Washington's PPs, plus having an OZ% over 75%. We might be at the point where Ovi is being boosted by his situation as much if not more so than his innate talent.

Brayden Point

On pace to score 90+ points for the third straight season, Point is huge fantasy asset. But what I can't get past is his 72-point scoring pace the season where Nikita Kucherov didn't play. I won't go so far as to say Kucherov is entirely responsible for Point's success, but maybe the extent of that success?

Sam Reinhart

Never having bested a 65-point scoring pace in his five full seasons with the Sabres, Reinhart has come alive for the Panthers. His TOI, both overall and on the PP, are comparable though to what he received in some of his campaigns when still with Buffalo. Here it seems Reinhart's production is being lifted by the higher level of talent of the team for which he plays, and that is especially true with his linemates. 

Marco Rossi

The diminutive center seemed to find success only when on a line with Kirill Kaprizov. But lo-and-behold unlike last season, when Rossi's production dried up once separated from Kaprizov, this season he's been able to remain productive, albeit with the two best other Wild wingers. It might not be until Minnesota is able to freely spend this summer that we learn if indeed Rossi is talented in his own right, or being boosted mainly by those he's centering.

Dylan Strome

On the one hand, Strome saw his scoring rate rise last season when most everyone on the Caps did considerably worse than 2022-23; however, he's doing even better in 2024-25 despite him not even taking two SOG per game and a lower TOI. I'm thinking it has a lot to do with his sky high OZ%, which has been in the 75% area most of this season. Were it only 64%, as it was in his two prior seasons, chances are he'd be faring worse.

Gabriel Vilardi

Like Strome, Vilardi is thriving despite not shooting much. In Vilardi's case, it has a lot to do with him having nearly equaled his prior two season's worth of PPPts in half the games, and half his total goals coming on the man advantage. Of course that makes it very likely that Vilardi will be able to remain on PP1; however, so many PPPts, and especially PPGs, suggests he's getting a lot of help from those around him.

Jake Walman

Did Walman always have this in him, or is he just faring so well because he's had the red carpet rolled out for him in San Jose? Tough to say, although without a track record to point to, and not having been able to even stick with the Wings, suggests that Walman succeeding to the extent he is indicates that a pretty large part of it is due to his very favorable deployment.

Zach Werenski

Surprised to see his name here? No question he's thriving, shooting the puck left and right and essentially being to the Jackets what Roman Josi was for the Preds for many seasons. But some of this is likely due to Werenski getting two added minutes of ice time this season compared to the year prior, and yet still seeing his OZ% rise.

Mats Zuccarello

At an age – 37 – when most players are slowing, that is if they're even still in the league, the diminutive Norwegian is still putting up great numbers. Why? Well, it's pretty simple – if Kirill Kaprizov is in the line-up, Zuccarello is on the ice with him nearly every second, and that also translates to almost 75% of Minnesota's PP time, which has to be providing him a major boost.

Jason Zucker

In his entire career, which has seen Zucker have a 50+ point scoring pace three times, including as high as 64, Zucker never took the ice for more than 50% of his team's man advantage minutes. Yet somehow on a team bursting at the seams with talented wingers, Zucker is doing that now. He's seizing the opportunity, with one fewer PPPt than his career best by only game 46 of the season. With Zucker not having even managed a point-per-every-other game in three of his prior four seasons, it sure seems like he's getting a big boost for 2024-25.

************

Those are your 20 voting choices. I'll admit that I found it more difficult to land on 20 than I'd thought; but hopefully you feel these are still reasonable choices. As a reminder, your task is to vote for the five who you believe – percentage-wise – are getting the biggest boost due to how, and/or with whom, they are being deployed. Click here to cast your votes.

************

Questions for Mailbag Column

My monthly mailbag column runs next week and I have room to answer more questions. To get yours to me, you can either private message “rizzeedizzee” via the DobberHockey Forums or, instead, send an email to admin@dobbersports.com with “Roos Mailbag” as the subject line.