Fantasy hockey drop list: It's time to move on from these four players

Sean AllenDec 2, 2025, 01:00 PM ET

CloseSean Allen is a contributing writer for fantasy hockey and betting at ESPN. He was the 2008 and 2009 FSWA Hockey Writer of the Year.

Halloween was too early to cut bait on a supposed cornerstone of your fantasy roster. But now that the holiday season is in full swing, it’s officially time to pull the plug and accept that some of these “difference-makers” have made exactly one difference: sinking your team.

This is a look at some of the biggest movers from the Oct. 31 fantasy rankings to last Friday’s update, featuring more than a few players who inspire the classic, “I’m not mad … just disappointed,” as they drift outside the top 250.

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Shane Wright, C, Seattle Kraken (ranked 129 on Oct. 31; 270 last week): He was on only 14% of rosters at the start of the season, but there was plenty of reason for optimism. Chief among them: Wright finished 136th among forwards for total fantasy points after Dec. 1 last season. But he hasn’t been part of the Kraken’s top six so far, which matters more this, year as the team isn’t spreading the ice time around like it used to.

Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, St. Louis Blues (ranked 98 on Oct. 31; 244 last week): Like Wright, there were bright spots last season that convinced about 15% of fantasy managers to roll the dice. And those believers have stayed faithful through 26 games as Snuggerud was given multiple looks in scoring roles and plenty of rope on the power play. But the stats just aren’t there. Now he’s out with a wrist injury until January, so it’s time to move on.

Logan Stankoven, C, Carolina Hurricanes (ranked 202 on Oct. 31; 299 last week): If we played fancy-stat fantasy hockey, Stankoven would be a darling. His lines are possession hogs with positive goal differentials across almost all his minutes. Among the 50 lines that have played at least 4:00 per game together this season, Stankoven has two separate lines in the top 20 for shot-attempt percentage (Corsi%). But he doesn’t collect counting stats, and that’s our whole game.

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Alexander Nikishin, D, Hurricanes (ranked 139 on Oct. 31; 255 last week): The early-season burst of points for the rookie Russian defender has proven to be just that, an early-season burst. After collecting four in four to start his NHL career, Nikishin managed only five points across his next 20 games. There’s still potential here, as the Hurricanes have used a rotating mix of bottom-four defenders, with only Sean Walker and K’Andre Miller eclipsing 100 minutes together (161:22). Some pairings have been great for Nikishin — with Shayne Gostisbehere they’ve outscored opponents 9-1 — while others have not, as they’ve been outscored 4-3 with Sean Walker. If he can’t climb the depth chart with Jaccob Slavin sidelined, it’s hard to see him doing it once Slavin returns later this month.

Goalie notes

Here’s this week’s selection of goaltending snapshots, showing crease shares, fantasy production and key notes where relevant.

Jeremy Swayman makes beautiful save

Boston Bruins in 27 games (three last week):

Jeremy Swayman (crease share season/week: 63.1%/67.8%, fantasy points season/week: 51.6/15.6, 26.5% available, 3.01 FPP60)

Joonas Korpisalo (crease share season/week: 36.9%/32.2%, fantasy points season/week: -5.4/-4.0, 98.5% available, -0.54 FPP60)

Swayman’s swagger, which we didn’t see much of in 2024-25, has returned in a big way. He has clawed his way into the top five goaltenders for total fantasy points. Some of the “credit,” of course, goes to Korpisalo, whom the Bruins have leaned on less and less, widening the door for Swayman’s workload.

Hurricanes in 25 games (three last week):

Frederik Andersen (crease share season/week: 51.7%/32.1%, fantasy points season/week: -0.4/-3.2, 42.3% available, -0.03 FPP60)

Brandon Bussi (crease share season/week: 32.0%/67.9%, fantasy points season/week: 30.0/14.4, 96.3% available, 3.73 FPP60)

Pyotr Kochetkov (crease share season/week: 16.4%/DNP, fantasy points season/week: 22.6/DNP, 84.4% available, 5.49 FPP60)

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The Hurricanes’ smothering style means their goaltenders often face fewer than 20 shots. That low-volume environment hasn’t helped Andersen, whose only win in November came back on Nov. 6. Kochetkov has been excellent when healthy, which was a brief window from Nov. 4 to 17. That leaves Bussi, the bane of Canada; he started four games in November, all against Canadian teams, and the Hurricanes won all four with strong goaltending. He’s already a great spot-start option, and this crease could tilt further his way.

Calgary Flames in 27 games (four last week):

Dustin Wolf (crease share season/week: 66.6%/3.2%, fantasy points season/week: 7.2/-5.8, 29.0% available, 0.4 FPP60)

Devin Cooley (crease share season/week: 33.4%/96.8%, fantasy points season/week: 25.4/7.0, 98.4% available, 2.81 FPP60)

It’s likely too late to fully catch the Cooley heater, but there’s still a chance he has fuel left. He has started four of Calgary’s past six games despite Wolf being healthy, and Wolf was chased in his most recent start after allowing three goals in the first six minutes. The Flames aren’t exactly a fantasy goldmine, but if Wolf needs a breather, there are some soft opponents on the horizon.

Detroit Red Wings in 26 games (four last week):

Cam Talbot (crease share season/week: 53.1%/75.1%, fantasy points season/week: 19.6/-9.8, 80.7% available, 1.41 FPP60)

John Gibson (crease share season/week: 46.9%/24.9%, fantasy points season/week: -14.6/-5.6, 86.9% available, -1.19 FPP60)

Pittsburgh Penguins in 25 games (five last week):

Arturs Silovs (crease share season/week: 43.7%/10.3%, fantasy points season/week: 15.2/-6.8, 84.2% available, 1.38 FPP60)

Tristan Jarry (crease share season/week: 41.7%/89.7%, fantasy points season/week: 36.6/12.6, 65.3% available, 3.49 FPP60)

Sergei Murashov (crease share season/week: 14.6%/DNP, fantasy points season/week: 8.6/DNP, 99.5% available, 2.33 FPP60)

Vegas Golden Knights in 25 games (four last week):

Akira Schmid (crease share season/week: 58.0%/51.0%, fantasy points season/week: 33.2/-4.0, 64.0% available, 2.25 FPP60)

Carl Lindbom (crease share season/week: 27.6%/49.0%, fantasy points season/week: -8.4/-0.6, 99.8% available, -1.2 FPP60)

Adin Hill (crease share season/week: 14.4%/DNP, fantasy points season/week: 1.8/DNP, 36.4% available, 0.49 FPP60)

Carter Hart (crease share season/week: DNP/DNP, fantasy points season/week: DNP/DNP, 88.2% available)

Editor’s Picks

1 Related

Hart is now with the team and eligible to play. We’ll see when he’s deployed. For what it’s worth, he allowed nine goals across three AHL starts and picked up one win.

Power-play notes

Josh Norris, C, Buffalo Sabres (available in 85.9% of ESPN leagues): A strong return to the lineup from injury saw Norris pick up a power-play point with the top unit and also be on the ice for two goals at even strength (with Tage Thompson and Zach Benson). Norris could be the shot in the arm the Sabres offense needed.

Scott Morrow, D, New York Rangers (available in 99.8%): The Rangers don’t have a clear successor to Adam Fox on the blue line for the power play, so when he left midgame, the team went with five forwards (adding Will Cuylle) on the next advantage. No other Rangers defender has a single power-play point. Fox will miss at least a month, and Morrow has the closest thing to a PP-QB skillset on the roster. He’s been bouncing between the NHL and AHL, with minimal usage, but he still makes the most sense to get the shot.

Gabriel Landeskog nets power-play goal

Gabriel Landeskog scores on the power play for Colorado Avalanche

Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Colorado Avalanche (available in 55.3%): It took a bit, but Landeskog has nudged his way onto the Avs’ top unit. His PPTOI has jumped to 3:19 over his past three games (from 1:53 on the season), and he tallied his first two power-play points of his return in that span. The unit itself has clicked with him on it, with 9:49 of time, 5.3 shot attempts per two minutes and two goals.

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Zach Hyman, RW, Edmonton Oilers (available in 43.5%): Pick him up. Someone we know scored more than 50 two seasons ago is back in the lineup and boosting the power play alongside two of the best players on the planet. Hyman rarely stays quiet for long. He shouldn’t be available in this many leagues.

Darren Raddysh, D, Tampa Bay Lightning (available in 73.4%): We’ve highlighted Raddysh plenty while Victor Hedman is out, but there may be an argument to keep him there even when Hedman is healthy. The Lightning’s top unit (Kucherov, Guentzel, Bjorkstrand, Point) has logged 27:50 with Hedman and 26:34 with Raddysh. With Raddysh, the group has more shots (27-21), more attempts (50-44), and more goals (4-3).

Easton Cowan, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs (available in 98.4%): The fact that Cowan is getting top-unit looks without an injury opening the door is a notable development. At some point this Maple Leafs power play has to start dominating … right? It has too much talent not to … right? They haven’t scored with Cowan in 6:32 so far, but the 4.29 shot attempts per two minutes is at least encouraging … right?

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