John Tortorella, despite his coaching prowess, has a limited tenure with teams.
He is known for maximizing player potential through rigorous methods, which include harsh lessons. Tortorella is known to bench or scratch players, regardless of their status or the season`s stage, to send a clear message. No player is exempt from this approach.
This coaching style seemed mismatched with the Philadelphia Flyers, a team in rebuild mode aiming to become competitive again. Tortorella frequently benched young, talented Flyers, even when playoff contention was out of reach. These lessons might have been more effective on the ice, allowing players to learn from direct experience and gain crucial playtime, rather than being sidelined. Tortorella`s methods might have been more effective in the past, but today, limiting the ice time of future franchise stars is less common.
The veteran coach also complicated matters for fantasy hockey enthusiasts. Rostering a Tortorella skater was risky due to unpredictable press box assignments or limited ice time on any given night. In fantasy hockey, availability is paramount.
This season has shown numerous examples of Flyers players who should be valuable fantasy assets but are unreliable. Matvei Michkov, for instance, was benched for several games earlier in the season, and Owen Tippett was moved to a lower line. In Tortorella’s last game as Flyers coach, Cam York received only 3:50 of ice time, reportedly for disciplinary reasons, spending the majority of the game on the bench. These scenarios are far from ideal for fantasy hockey managers.
Michkov is vital for both the Flyers and fantasy teams. He has franchise player potential, and fantasy owners would prefer him scoring in losses than sitting out as a healthy scratch. Connor Bedard faces similar challenges due to a weaker supporting cast, but at least he plays nightly. Michkov also benefits from playing alongside Travis Konecny, who can help him maintain strong stats even during team struggles.
Michkov`s increased confidence is evident, with four goals in two games since Tortorella`s departure. Consider moving Michkov up in your draft rankings for next season.
The Flyers` permanent replacement for Tortorella remains undecided, but a more fantasy-friendly approach is anticipated. This should mean less concern about Flyers players being benched or receiving insufficient ice time. Drafting Flyers players, once risky, now presents more opportunities.
Eeli Tolvanen has proven to be a valuable waiver wire addition this season. The Seattle Kraken forward is projected to reach around 25 goals and 250 hits, making him highly valuable in multi-category leagues. While more shots on goal would be ideal, few players offer this combination of offensive output and physicality.
Thatcher Demko returned this week and impressed in two starts. The Vancouver Canucks goalie has had inconsistent performances this season, and the team faces a challenging end-of-year schedule, including games against Vegas, Dallas, and Colorado. Kevin Lankinen has also performed well, and with the Canucks dealing with injuries, temper expectations for Demko for the remainder of the season. However, if he maintains this level of play, he will be a valuable asset going forward.
Pius Suter deserves credit for capitalizing on an opportunity this week as the Canucks faced center position issues. Suter temporarily became the team`s top center and benefited from a favorable game schedule. He quickly delivered, scoring seven points in three games this week. If the Canucks` center situation doesn`t improve, Suter could be a valuable hold, contributing across multiple fantasy categories.
Andrei Kuzmenko is off to a good start with the Los Angeles Kings. Kuzmenko has been placed on the top line with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe, as well as on the primary power-play unit. He has rewarded the Kings with four points in five games. Despite Kuzmenko`s inconsistency, he could provide a spark during a fantasy playoff matchup. He also registered seven shots on Saturday night.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins elevated his play when Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid were absent, amassing nine points in a four-game stretch. Notably, Nugent-Hopkins played over 23 minutes against the Seattle Kraken last weekend, his highest ice time since late January. While few players benefit from McDavid and Draisaitl`s absence, Nugent-Hopkins might be an exception.
