The All-Star break represents a significant mark on the fantasy hockey league calendar heading in to the final stretch of the season. While there is a long list of players that have disappointed through the first fourth months of the year, there is also a long list of pleasant surprises that have tremendously overachieved. Here is a look at the most pleasant NHL fantasy league surprises at each position so far this season.
C: Nazem Kadri, Toronto Maple Leafs
Kadri started the season strong but he has been absolutely on fire over the past few weeks with 10 goals and 16 points in his last 16 games. That hot streak pushed his totals to 20 goals and 34 points in 46 games this season. Kadri has also been a sneaky good option for penalty minutes with 63 already this season. The combination of underrated point production and steady penalty minutes has made Kadri a surprisingly strong option at the center position.
LW: Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames
While Kadri has been a steady penalty minute producer, Tkachuk has ranked among the NHL’s elite in that department with 92 penalty minutes in just 48 games. Tkachuk has been a steady contributor offensively as well with nine goals and 31 points, as well as a plus-seven rating and 10 powerplay points. Tkachuk was expected to be brought along slowly as a 19-year-old rookie but the sixth-overall pick has exceeded all expectations so far this season and could be due for a strong second half as he continues to gain more responsibility in Calgary.
RW: Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
While Auston Matthews stole the spotlight as the first-overall pick from the 2016 NHL Draft, Marner has been just as productive so far this season with 39 points in 47 games. Marner has 12 fewer goals than Matthews but he is tied for the team lead with Matthews and James Van Riemsdyk, along with 26 penalty minutes and 13 powerplay points. Marner has played almost exclusively on a line with Van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak so there is a very good chance he continues to produce as the most pleasant fantasy surprise among right wingers.
Fueled by a number of young guns, the Leafs offense has been one of the most successful this season. On the season, they have scored 145 goals, which the second-best number in their division. That’s really what’s moved them up in the standings and made their parts so valuable for NHL fantasy.
D: Justin Schultz, Pittsburgh Penguins
While rookie Zach Werenski has really stepped up for the Columbus Blue Jackets this season, the bigger surprise is the veteran Schultz. The 26-year-old ranks fourth among NHL defensemen with 35 points in 48 games, which puts him ahead of top fantasy draft picks like Dustin Byfuglien, Duncan Keith and Shea Weber. The move to Pittsburgh has certainly helped revive Schultz’s career and he has had that much more opportunity with Kris Letang in and out of the lineup due to injury. Schultz will have a tough time keeping up at his current pace if Letang is healthy but so far there is no doubt he deserves a spot on this list.
G: Peter Budaj, Los Angeles Kings
Who would have thought that Budaj would have the Kings in playoff contention at the All-Star break following an injury to Jonathan Quick at the start of the season? Budaj, who wasn’t even supposed to play in the NHL this season, has thrived as the starting goalkeeper in Los Angeles with a 22-14-3 record along with a 2.06 goals against average and a .919 save percentage. Budaj has definitely been the biggest fantasy surprise at his position and with the possibility that Quick could miss the remainder of the regular season there is a good chance he continues to perform at a high level as the Kings attempt to clinch a playoff spot down the stretch.
The Kings have been terribly unreliable at the offensive end – only three other teams in the Western Conference have scored less than their 123 goals so far – but they continue to be an effective defensive team under Darryl Sutter. They have allowed just 121 goals so far this season, which is actually the third-best number in the Western Conference.
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