The opening stretch of the season is where opportunity hides in plain sight. Ice-time bumps, new linemates, and early coaching tweaks can swing fantasy value fast — especially for players who've stepped into bigger roles right out of camp. These eight names have turned heads with sustainable usage or production through mid-October. Some will stick. Some won't. But this is when managers gain the edge.

Jake Neighbours (26% rostered on Yahoo) — St. Louis Blues

Neighbours has been moved to the Robert Thomas–Pavel Buchnevich line (L1) and is off to a heater: 4G–1A–5P in 4 GP (1.25 P/GP) with 6 SOG (66.7% S%), 14:26 TOI, and 2:15 PPTOI (49.2% PP). He's throwing his body around too—14 hits (3.5/g). He's still PP2 for now, and St. Louis has typically kept him around 15–16 minutes a night, so don't expect a massive TOI spike yet, but the top-line run keeps the floor high. The Blues are already shaking things up as Neighbours bumped Jimmy Snuggerud on the Thomas–Buchnevich line,  and with the team struggling to score and sitting 31st in save percentage, it's clear they're searching for a spark. Expect more shuffling until the offense finds rhythm.

What to watch: if the S% cools (it will), do the SOG/G (1.5) and PP share (~49%) hold, and does he stay with Thomas/Buchnevich?

Anton Lundell (44%) — Florida Panthers

Lundell has opened the season strong with 2 G, 3 A (5 PTS in 6 GP), averaging 17:15 TOI with 2:20 PPTOI (34.5% PP share) and 3.0 SOG/G. He's logging nearly 30% SH time as well, which keeps his total ice time steady even after moving from the top six to line three. His current 13.3 S% is a touch high, but the 3 PP points in the first week show he's still producing despite a heavier two-way load.

What to watch: whether he stays near 17 minutes a night and holds that ~33% PP role, or if Florida's forward shuffle cuts into his top-six usage.

Frank Nazar (46%) — Chicago Blackhawks

Nazar's earning serious minutes already, sitting at 2 G, 4 A, 6 PTS in 5 GP (1.20 P/GP) with 18:25 TOI and 2:50 PPTOI (56.3% PP share). He's putting up 1.6 SOG/G on 25.0 S%, with a small but encouraging +3 rating and 34 FOW (43.6%). Most of Chicago's scoring has come from its top six, and Nazar's been right in the middle of it — skating primarily with Teuvo Teräväinen and Tyler Bertuzzi, and occasionally with Connor Bedard. The elevated ice time, heavy PP involvement, and 29.7% SH share shows they trust him in all situations, pointing toward legitimate staying power.

What to watch: whether he keeps averaging 18+ minutes and if his S% normalizes without a dip in assists — a strong sign he's settling in as a long-term top-six piece.

Emmitt Finnie (2%) — Detroit Red Wings

Finnie's getting a legitimate early look with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, logging 14:02 TOI with 0 PPTOI, 10.6% SH share, and posting 0 G, 2 A in 4 GP (0.50 P/GP). He's averaging 1.25 SOG/G and 2.75 hits per game, showing a willingness to get involved physically even without power-play time. The assist-first start mirrors his WHL profile (47 A in 55 GP last season), and Detroit's early trust on the top line hints that his production could climb fast if he sticks.

What to watch: whether he keeps that Larkin-Raymond slot and starts to generate real shot volume — his S% (0.0) shows the finishing luck hasn't arrived yet, but the minutes are a strong foundation.

David Tomasek (2%) — Edmonton Oilers

Tomasek's jumped straight into a showcase opportunity, skating 13:07 per night with a massive 4:01 PPTOI (83.3% PP share) across 4 GP, producing 0 G, 2 A, 1 PTS, and averaging 2.5 SOG/G. He's also chipped in 2 hits and 1 block, working shifts next to McDavid and Draisaitl on Edmonton's PP1. Coming over from Färjestad (57 PTS in 47 SHL GP last year), his playmaking instincts fit the role, even if the results haven't shown up yet.

What to watch: whether he can turn heavy PP usage into points before Hyman's return — his fantasy window likely closes once the lineup is fully healthy.

Vladimir Tarasenko (10%) — Minnesota Wild

Tarasenko is off to a clean start in Minnesota, posting 0 G, 4 A, 4 PTS in 4 GP (1.00 P/GP) with 16:21 TOI and a hefty 5:26 PPTOI (71.3 % PP share). He's averaging 2.0 SOG/G, carrying a –4 rating, and already stacking 4 PPP through early usage on a red-hot Wild power play. Skating primarily with Joel Eriksson Ek, his role has leaned more toward distributing than finishing, but the combination of heavy PP minutes and top-six ice time keeps his value trending upward.

What to watch: how quickly Minnesota's elite PP conversion rate continues. When it cools off, his assist totals could stall, but his setup role beside Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov gives him legitimate short-term upside.

Will Cuylle (45%) — New York Rangers

Cuylle's starting the year right where fantasy managers want him — in the Rangers' top six and logging steady 17:14 TOI with 1:15 PPTOI (23.8 % PP share). Through 5 GP, he's posted 1 G, 0 A, 1 PT, averaging 2.8 SOG/G and 3.3 hits per game, keeping his physical floor intact while getting legitimate offensive usage alongside J.T. Miller. Last season he scored 20 G and 25 A for 45 PTS, pacing for 300+ hits, and those same traits make him one of the few players who can contribute across categories even when scoring dips.

What to watch: the Rangers have just 11 goals in 6 games, shooting an unsustainably low 6% (down from ~9 % last season). Cuylle's numbers should climb as the offense normalizes — hang tight while the puck luck evens out.

Jared McCann (38%) — Seattle Kraken

McCann's one of the most quietly consistent scorers in fantasy hockey. Through 3 GP, he's already at 3 G, 1 A, 4 PTS (1.0 P/GP) with 3.5 SOG/G, a 21.4% shooting rate, and 17:20 TOI that includes 3:13 on the power play (64.8% PP share). Skating primarily with Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle, McCann continues to drive production on a team that doesn't generate much offense outside its top unit. He's hit 60+ points in the past three seasons, and early usage suggests another heavy workload in both scoring and shot volume.

What to watch: whether Seattle's power play can sustain opportunities — McCann's production leans on efficiency, not volume, but when he's hot, he can carry a mid-tier offense almost singlehandedly. Seattle has only had 12 PPO (Power Play Opportunities) in 4 GP, tied for the ninth-lowest per-game rate in the league, but are converting at a 25.0% rate so far.

Data Sources:

Player Data From Natural Stat Trick

Yahoo roster percentages via Frozen Tools.

Line combinations and power-play deployment via Daily Faceoff and Frozen Tools.

All information current as of October 17, 2025.