Happy Tuesday y'all!

We are officially a week into the season. What have been your surprises so far?

The big news yesterday was Alex Ovechkin confirming this is his last NHL season. Maybe he played the first few games and realized it is time to pack it in, but the coaching staff has already made that adjustment. The league's all-time leading goal scorer is only averaging 13 minutes a game and it seems like he is not playing the whole power play anymore. 

Now this is when being a savvy fantasy manager comes into play. All of the Washington Capitals practice lines will still list Ovechkin on Line 1, probably out of respect, but 13 minutes is not a top line player. Recently, Ryan Leonard was on the "fourth line" on paper, but let's look at the facts. The Capitals management group just gave the American a massive contract extension. Now is the time to try and pry a player like Leonard away from his current manager.

That being said about Ovechkin, he is still a threat to score goals. The Russian winger only has one shot this season, but he will receive only offensive zone faceoffs and given opportunities to put the puck in the net because at this point, that is all he is on this team to do.

—

The Anaheim Ducks pulled a fast one on us fantasy managers, having 2026 draft pick Nikita Klepov playing top-six minutes all preseason (and looking good) and swapping him out with A.J. Greer to start the year. The former Florida Panther is a must own in deeper banger leagues because you know he will contribute to hits and penalty minutes. Playing on the top line with Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier, Greer has six shots on goal with one assist through two contests. With all the injuries the Panthers had last season, Greer had more opportunities than ever and responded with 17 goals and 32 points. Don't sleep on the former second round pick, who is only 29 years old and playing with studs at 5-on-5.

—

Speaking of the Panthers, Aleksander Barkov was deemed to be out until potentially the calendar flip. Initially Lars Eller slotted into that top line, but when gametime came against the aforementioned Ducks, Sam Bennett was in that slot. I always believe in the cream rising to the top and when you have a player like Anton Lundell waiting, he should be the clear choice. 

Brad Marchand also returned for the Cats and he was on a line with Brady Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart. Former Buffalo Sabre Reinhart has not played center in a long while, so if this is the fit, it could get some getting used to and we will see his goal numbers dip. Paul Maurice and the Panthers always put the team first, so Reinhart will certainly focus on his center responsibilities first and then the goal scoring second.

—

Victor Olofsson came back to Las Vegas in the offseason after the team traded their premier goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev. Funny enough, when Olofsson signed with the Golden Knights the first time, it was to be the sniper, but then Dorofeyev took advantage of an opportunity and ran with it. Let's look at this as a redemption arc for the Swedish winger. Through three games, he has three points and seven shots and looks like he is fitting in very nicely with this group.

Vegas' core is filled with playmakers, so this is an ideal situation for the former Calgary Flame. Injuries tend to derail Olofsson's season once he gets into a groove, and then he can't find it after. 

—

With the amount of talent the San Jose Sharks have at forward, many have forgotten about Igor Chernyshov, but he is coming out swinging this season. The Russian winger showed signs last season of a break through this fall and he looks to be the real deal, whether he is or isn't on a line with Macklin Celebrini.

For more information on NHL player lines, click on one of the Line Combinations options on Frozen Tools.

As always, if you need any start/sit advice or want to bounce a move off of me, hit me up on Twitter @LAM1926. Have a great week everyone!