I can't believe we are into December already. 2025 has flown by and before we know it, it will almost be the end of 2026!

With no holiday this week, the NHL is back in full swing, and eight teams have four games remaining in this fantasy week. We also have four teams that are playing three games on our lighter scheduled days: Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, and San Jose Sharks. These games all take place on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday and we'll cover a few players that we'll try and take advantage of with their schedule.

First up for the Stars – we mentioned him last week so maybe he is still on your roster (his ownership has gone up from 9% to 23% in the last week) – is Jamie Benn. He had three goals and two assists in his four games last fantasy period, and he has another four contests this week (tonight and the three light nights). He also pitches in for your peripheral stats, accumulating seven SOGs, eight hits, and 11 faceoff wins in those previous four contests.

Next up we'll look at the Ducks and Beckett Sennecke. The 19-year-old is on an eight-game point streak (one goal, seven assists) and plays on the Ducks' second line with other youngsters Cutter Gauthier and Mason McTavish. Only 28% owned in Yahoo leagues, he also gets second powerplay minutes and is averaging 1.8 shots per game and almost a hit per game (23 in 26 games played). The Ducks play their three games at home, where they are 9-3, and Sennecke has 11 points in those 12 matchups.

The third team we'll scour is the Sharks and one guy I am looking at is Tyler Toffoli. He has the highest ownership of this group in Yahoo leagues at 35%, and that should certainly increase after his four-point night against the Utah Mammoth yesterday. Toffoli is a player who runs hot and cold in his career and he currently has six points in his last three games played. It also helps when you play with two youngsters like Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini so take a flyer on him for the rest of this week.

Next, we'll cover some of the teams that suffered some injuries/saw some returns in the past week, and that includes the Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, and New York Rangers.

Buffalo got a big boost to their lineup last night when band-aid boy Josh Norris returned. The Sabres took care of the Winnipeg Jets, 5-1, and he made his impact, scoring two goals and adding an assist. He centered the top line with Tage Thompson and Zach Benson and played over 15 minutes. If you did not have him stashed on your IR, he is probably available in your league as he is only on 15% of Yahoo rosters. 

The Oilers welcomed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins back last week, but at the same time saw Jack Roslovic get hurt with an undisclosed injury. He is expected to be out for at least a couple of weeks, according to Tony Brar of Oilers TV (hopefully you were able to sell high on him before his injury). Nugent-Hopkins was lined up with Adam Henrique and Mattias Janmark in his first game but slotted right back into his spot on the top power-play unit and recorded two points with the extra man. As long as he keeps getting those powerplay minutes, he is a full go in all lineups, no matter his linemates at five-on-five.

The Blueshirts lost a key part of their team on Saturday when Adam Fox left their game with a left-shoulder injury. He was placed on LTIR on Sunday, so the club looks to be without their top defenseman for at least the rest of the year (2025). This move will shake up the Rangers' power play as there is a big hole to fill at the point. At practice yesterday, Mike Sullivan started with Artemi Panarin on the point and Will Cuylle moved up to the number one unit.

Vince Z Mercogliano of the Athletic caught up with Panarin and asked him about playing the point on PP1: "I think I have more options. More play with the puck, which I like… It's probably the best position to see the ice, because you can go on both sides. From the right side or left side, it's hard to make it seam (passes) and all that stuff sometimes. We'll see. I don't want to say too much before we start playing like that. I hope I do well in that position. But like I say, on the ice, it shows everything."

The Russian winger has elite vision and a great shot, so he will have options to move the puck around and it sounds like if he sees a lane open towards the net, he will take advantage of that and shoot the rubber. And with a guy like Cuylle playing in front of the net, I would predict those two will connect on some powerplays in the coming weeks.

Good luck to everyone the rest of the week and go get that W!