Welcome back to the Fantasy Hockey Hacks Podcast! In the sixth episode of the podcast, Devon and Bruce discuss Connor McDavid and his historical season, and all the hockey related news from a very eventful week in the National Hockey League! We’re also going over our fantasy hockey awards for the 2021 season; and join us for the 2021 NHL Playoff Bracket Challenge.
McDavid Milestone & Hockey News | May 3 – May 10
Connor McDavid, C, EDM (100% ESPN, 100% Yahoo)
- Reached 100 points in 53 games with a four point (1 G, 3A) night against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night!
- On pace for 155 points in an 82 game season.
- 10 goals, 36 points in his last 14 games played.
- ATOI 22:18, PPTOI 3:31, 50 SOG, 20 SH%
- Becomes one of 9 players in NHL HISTORY to record 100 points in 56 games or fewer; and the first since Mario Lemieux in 1995-1996.
100 points. 53 games.
Remember this day, Connor McDavid (@cmcdavid97). pic.twitter.com/NJl7ChreXW
— NHL (@NHL) May 9, 2021
Leon Draisaitl, C, EDM (99.9% ESPN, 100% Yahoo)
- Hit 500 career points with goals on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
- Leads all Germans in NHL points.
Marc-Andre Fleury, G, PIT (98.8% ESPN, 96% Yahoo)
- Congratulations to MAF for his 490th career win. He now sits 3rd all-time for NHL wins.
- 0.926 SV%, 2.07 GAA, 5 SO this season
- Incredible career
- Career 0.915 SV%, 2.45 GAA, 55 SO
- Three Stanley Cups and two other appearances in the final
- 2010 Olympic Gold Medal
- 2 World Junior Silver Medals
- Congratulations to MAF for his 490th career win. He now sits 3rd all-time for NHL wins.
David Backes, RW, ANH (0.6% ESPN, 0% Yahoo)
- Played his last game in St. Louis on Wednesday night as he plans to retire at the end of this season.
All the feels. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/iG4y5j7ZRG
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) May 6, 2021
- Career Numbers
- 561 points in 965 games played.
- 1,148 PIMS
- Career Numbers
Anze Kopitar, C, LAK (99.9% ESPN, 91% Yahoo)
- Reached 1,000 career points on Wednesday night versus the Arizona Coyotes.
1,000 @NHL points Congratulations @AnzeKopitar!#1Kopitar #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/C141ZXsUA1
— LA Kings (@LAKings) May 6, 2021
Phil Kessel, RW, ARI (44.2% ESPN, 38% Yahoo)
- 900th Career Point on Friday night against the San Jose Sharks.
- Scored on a breakaway to put the Coyotes up 3-2.
Career point No. 900 for Phil Kessel! pic.twitter.com/rZB9oufexr
— NHL (@NHL) May 8, 2021
TJ Oshie, RW, WAS (97.2% ESPN, 80% Yahoo)
- Oshie’s father, Tim (Coach Osh) passed away this past Tuesday at the age of 56.
- The winger returned to the team on Wednesday night against the New York Rangers, scoring a hat-trick in an emotional return to the ice.
I have nothing but love for my teammates. I will be forever grateful for this night and especially because I got to share it with my brothers. #ForCoachOsh https://t.co/5EnKx8kjS3
— TJ Oshie (@TJOshie77) May 6, 2021
Tom Wilson, RW, WAS (87.9% ESPN, 76% Yahoo)
- Incident in which he punched Buchnevich, pulled Artemi Pannarin’s hair and tackled to the ice. Panarin left the game with a lower-body injury. According to Elliott Friedman, Panarin is done for the remainder of the regular season.
- Wilson fined $5,000, the maximum allowed under the CBA.
- Suspended seven games earlier in the season for an illegal check to the head of Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo. The 27-year-old has accrued a total of 30 games in suspensions and forfeited nearly $1.3 million in salary for his on-ice antics.
- I’ve had enough of this clown.
- New York Rangers release statement regarding the incident.
- John Davidson and Jeff Gorton are both fired by the Rangers. Chris Drury takes over as President of Hockey Operations and General Manager.
- The teams played again on Wednesday night, a 4-2 win for the Washington Capitals. The teams combines for 27 penalties, totaling 141 minutes!!
The first five minutes of Rangers-Capitals…
– Six fights
– 13 penalties assessed
– 17 minute penalty for Brendan Smith after fight with Tom WilsonPenalty box is filling up early pic.twitter.com/cqwUuYuCQ9
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 5, 2021
NHL fines the Rangers $250,000 for the statement.
Tyler Seguin, C/RW, DAL (29.6% ESPN, 64% Yahoo)
- Made his season debut against the Florida Panthers on Monday night.
- In three games since return from injury:
- 2 goals in 2 games played, 5 SOG, ATOI 17:35
- Playing on the second line with Jamie Benn and Joel Kiviranta
- Underwent right hip arthroscopy and labral repair last November.
Evgeni Malkin, C, PIT (82.9% ESPN, 87% Yahoo)
- Geno makes his return after a 23-game absence due to lower-body injury.
- 4 assists in 3 games played.
- 15 points in his last 11 games played.
- Back on PP1 and playing on the second line with Jason Zucker and Kasperi Kappanen.
Team Canada wins U-18 Gold Medal, Connor Bedard Scores Highlight-Reel Goal
- Connor Bedard is an exceptional player, could be a generational talent
- 12 points in 6 games at the world tournament, just 2 shy of McDavid’s record of 14.
- 28 points in 15 games for the Regina Pats
- First EVER player to be granted exceptional status to play in the WHL at 15 years old.
- Is not NHL draft eligible until 2023!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CONNOR BEDARD. 🇨🇦😱 #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/75WLJo1KHx
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 7, 2021
John Tortorella and the Columbus Blue Jackets part ways.
Rick Tocchet fired from the Arizona Coyotes.
Fantasy Hockey Awards | 2020 – 2021 Season
MVP
- Consensus Pick: Connor McDavid, EDM, C
- Honorable Mentions (HM)
- Devon: Leon Draisaitl, EDM; Auston Matthews, TOR
- Honorable Mentions (HM)
- Consensus Pick: Connor McDavid, EDM, C
Best Center
- Consensus Pick: Connor McDavid, EDM, C
- HM:
- Devon: Leon Draisaitl, Auston Matthews
- Draisaitl leads the NHL in +/-, PPGs. Second in the NHL with 79 points (30 goals).
- Bruce: Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews
- Devon: Leon Draisaitl, Auston Matthews
- HM:
- Consensus Pick: Connor McDavid, EDM, C
Best Left Winger
- Devon: Brad Marchand, BOS
- 3rd in points with 67 (28 goals) in 52 games.
- Good category coverage: +25, 46 PIMS, 4 SHG this season, 1 Hat Trick
- HM: Jonathan Huberdeau, FLA; Brady Tkachuk, OTT
- Brady Tkachuk has insane category coverage! 214 SOG, 242 Hits, 23 Blocks, 65 PIMS
- Bruce: Jonathan Huberdeau, FLA
- HM: Brad Marchand, Artemi Panarin
- Devon: Brad Marchand, BOS
Best Right Winger
- Devon: Mikko Rantanen, COL
- Rantanen had the highest pts/60 total (3.7 PTS/60) of the three players, offers better category coverage in terms of +/-, hits, FOW, PIMS. Higher ZS%, CORSI, and Fenwick.
- HM: Patrick Kane, CHI; Mitch Marner, TOR
- Bruce: Mitch Marner, TOR
- HM: Patrick Kane, Nikolaj Ehlers
- Devon: Mikko Rantanen, COL
Best Defenseman
- Consensus Pick: Victor Hedman, TB
- HM: Cale Makar, COL; Jacob Chychrun, ARI; Darnell Nurse, EDM; Dougie Hamilton, CAR
- Consensus Pick: Victor Hedman, TB
Best Goalie
- Consensus Pick: Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB
- 31 wins in 41 games played, 5 SO
- 2.17 GAA, .926 SV%
- HM: Semyon Varlamov, NYI; Mike Smith, EDM; Alex Nedelijkovic, CAR
- Varlamov had a .930 SV% (3rd overall), and 7 SO (most in the league)
- Nedeljkovic | Among all goalies to play at least 20 games this season, none can top Nedeljkovic’s .932 save percentage or his 1.90 goals-against average.
- HM: Semyon Varlamov, NYI; Mike Smith, EDM; Alex Nedelijkovic, CAR
Calder/Rookie MVP
- Consensus Pick: Kirill Kaprizov, C, MIN
- HM: Jason Robertson, LW, DAL;
- 43 points in 49 games played.
- 21 points in his last 21 games played
- HM: Jason Robertson, LW, DAL;
- Consensus Pick: Kirill Kaprizov, C, MIN
Playoffs?! | May 3 – May 9
NHL Bracket Challenge
- Join our bracket challenge! HERE: https://bit.ly/3nLFRyh
- Sign up and check back to see when you can make your picks