NHL Barometer: Risers and Fallers

This week's article includes Columbus' captain, a winger settling in nicely in Southern Florida, a rookie blueliner and a Cup-winning netminder off to a strong start. 

First Liners (Risers)

Boone Jenner, C, CLM – Score a hat trick, make the list. I'm joking to a certain extent, but Jenner lit the lamp three times Saturday against the Rangers. Centering the second line, Jenner is one of the heart-and-soul players for Columbus, which played a large part in him getting the C on his chest. The Blue Jackets' captain will likely settle in the 40-point range or so for the season with 100+ hits. But with Johnny Gaudreau on one wing and Kirill Marchenko on the other, maybe Jenner hits the 50-point mark for the first time in his career. 

Nick Schmaltz, RW, AZ – Schmaltz has produced two nearly identical seasons with 23 goals and 59 points in 63 contests in 2021-22, followed by 22 goals and 58 points in 63 games last season. Skating on a line with Clayton Keller reignited Schmaltz's game that had regressed from his sophomore season with the Blackhawks. The key for Schmaltz is staying healthy, as he has maxed out at 63 games the past two seasons. If he can remain on the ice, a 70-point season could be in the offering. 

Evan Rodrigues, LW, FLA – Rodrigues has shown the ability to move up and down the line with aplomb. He handled the shuffling from center to wing well in Pittsburgh and Colorado the past two seasons, parlaying that effectiveness into a four-year deal with Florida. Rodrigues has been seeing top-six duty, right now playing next to Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart, and similar top-two-unit usage on the man-advantage. That placement has resulted in Rodrigues potting a pair of goals while dishing out three helpers his first three games as a Panther. 

Daniel Sprong, RW, DET – Sprong has bounced around the league, playing with three other teams before landing in Seattle partway through the 2021-22 season. The Kraken found the perfect usage for the former Penguins second-round pick: limited even-strength ice time and an ample power-play role, where he can shine with his above-average shot. He turned it into a 21-goal, 46-point campaign while averaging 11:25 of ice time per game in 2022-23. Sprong landed a one-year, $2 million deal in Detroit, a team starving for offense, which should afford him ample chances to succeed. 

David Jiricek, D, CLM – Zach Werenski landed on the injured list Friday with a quad contusion. To replace him in the lineup, Columbus called up Jiricek from the AHL. The move paid immediate dividends as Jiricek blasted a slapshot past Igor Shesterkin on Saturday. He became the 14th teenager in Columbus history to score a goal. Jiricek figures to see a regular shift as long as Werenski is sidelined. If he plays well, the Blue Jackets could opt to keep Jiricek with the parent club. 

Brady Skjei, D, CAR – Skjei finished the 2022-23 campaign with 18 goals and 38 points in 81 contests, making it his second straight 35-plus point season. More impressive is that Skjei has become a solid positional defender after struggling in that regard earlier in his career after breaking in with the Rangers in 2015-16. Carolina has a deep blue line and Skjei likely won't see much power-play time, but he should continue to contribute across the board in multiple categories. 

Jordan Binnington, G, STL – Binnington has seen his goals-against average rise each of the last four seasons while his save percentage has gone in the opposite direction across that same stretch. Granted, it's only been two games, so the small-sample-size consideration is in full effect, but Binnington has stopped 63 of 65 shots. The workload — a career-high 61 games — might have caught up to Binnington last year, contributing to his struggles. Look for Joel Hofer to see enough playing time to help Binnington get sufficient rest.

Mackenzie Blackwood, G, SJ – After looking like the goalie of the future for New Jersey in 2018-19, Blackwood saw his star fall in the Swamp (I can say that as I grew up in New Jersey). He hit rock bottom the last two seasons, resulting in Blackwood getting dealt to the Sharks for a second-round pick this past June and then signing a two-year deal. Kaapo Kahkonen is also in the mix and San Jose is not expected to win many games, but the move West could be the elixir that Blackwood needed to fix what has ailed his career. 

Others include Logan Cooley, Brock Nelson, John Tavares, Travis Konecny, Frank Vatrano, Kevin Fiala, Chris Kreider, Sean Durzi, Noah Hanifin, Victor Hedman, Tristan Jarry, Karel Vejmelka, Adin Hill and Arvid Soderblom. 

Buy Low

Sean Monahan, C, MON – This is a prospective placement. Kirby Dach, the Habs' second-line center, may have torn his ACL and MCL on Saturday night, leaving a hole down the middle for Montreal. Monahan could get a chance to fill that spot. Limited to just 25 games in his first season in Montreal before groin and foot issues ended his year in early December, Monahan has seen his production decline somewhat precipitously since he scored 82 points in 2018-19 with Calgary, but he could get prime placement for a rebound season if he lands on the second trio.

Training Room (Injuries)

Kirby Dach, C, MON – A big hit by Chicago's Jarred Tinordi late in the first period Saturday may have ended Dach's season. As of press time, the extent of the injury has not been confirmed, but word is that Dach suffered a torn ACL and MCL. Dach took a step forward last season, his first in Montreal, with 14 goals and 38 points in 58 games. A rise in production was likely in the cards for Dach, who will have two years remaining on the four-year, $13.45 million contract he signed with the Canadiens in September of 2022.

Others include Sean Couturier (undisclosed, unable to practice Monday), Steven Stamkos (lower body, missed Sunday's game), Pavel Buchnevich (upper body, injured Saturday, could miss 1-2 weeks), Matthew Boldy (upper body, week-to-week), Viktor Arvidsson (back, month-to-month) and Zach Werenski (quad, placed on injured reserve Friday). 

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)

David Perron, LW, DET – Perron has been Mr. Consistency in his career, especially recently. In his last four seasons — three with St. Louis and one in Detroit — Perron has posted 60, 58, 57 and 56 points. He's been deployed either on the first or second line but has been seeing top-line duty for the Red Wings. Saturday, Perron was replaced by Lucas Raymond on the top line with Raymond tallying his first goal of the year. With the Winged Wheel winning each of their last two contests, look for this change to stick for now, resulting in a likely decline in production for Perron but not enough to warrant a move off your roster. 

Neal Pionk, D, WPG – Pionk posted 45 points his first year in Winnipeg and looked like a power-play stalwart, notching 25 of those points on the man-advantage. Since then, he has tallied between 32 and 34 points each of the past three seasons, maxing out at 12 on the power-play in 2021-22. Pionk retains value in league that use blocked shots and hits, notching at least 129 of each last season, but if your league only counts points and plays with three or four blueliners, look elsewhere for production.

Cam Talbot/Pheonix Copley, G, LA – This is a joint effort, as neither goalie looked particularly good in their first start. Talbot allowed four goals and Copley five as LA started the season 0-1-1. Both goalies will likely split starts in the early going, and that could last all season if neither pulls ahead of the other. Based on what we saw in their first outings, if either goalie looks even remotely solid between the pipes, they could take the job. The other should be left on your waiver wire or placed back there soon.

Others include Shane Pinto (still unsigned), Eeli Tolvanen, Dominik Kubalik, Jeff Petry and Marc-Andre Fleury. 

Sell High

Teuvo Teravainen, C, CAR — Teravainen has taken advantage of Andrei Svechnikov's absence to fill his spot on the second line and on the score sheet. He's lit the lamp in each of Carolina's three games this season, potting four goals already. Teravainen is already one-third of the way to his total of 12 markers from last season, when he saw his streak of finishing with at least 60 points in a full season end at four. Usually a model of consistency, Teravainen cratered last year, but is getting an early chance at redemption. Enjoy the ride for now but be prepared to jump when Svechnikov returns.