NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
Sean Allen, Special to ESPN.comNov 12, 2024, 03:00 PM ET
CloseSean Allen is a fantasy analyst for ESPN.com. He was the 2008 and 2009 Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hockey Writer of the Year. You can tweet him @seanard.
This is a bit awkward for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Following their game against the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 3, the Leafs could only see the Buffalo Sabres below them when they looked down in the power-play rankings. They had scored just four power-play goals through 40 opportunities. For comparison at that same moment in time, the Winnipeg Jets led the league with 15 power-play goals in 34 opportunities.
Something interesting happened at this stage.
Auston Matthews went on the shelf with an upper-body injury that still has him questionable as we speak. And the Leafs power play has thrived in his absence.
It’s Not Too Late To Play Fantasy Hockey
Create or join a fantasy hockey league on ESPN. New leagues start fresh weekly! Sign up today>>
Without Matthews, the Leafs advantage has seven goals in just 13 opportunities across their past three games. The Matthews-less top unit of John Tavares, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly have accounted for all seven of those goals across 7:57 of ice time. They’ve generated a ridiculous 14 shots on goal in that time and an even more ridiculous 24 shot attempts (which is 6.04 per two minutes).
We can forgo the jokes about the Leafs being better off without Matthews. They aren’t. No one is.
Jump ahead: Goalies | Power Play | Droppables
But hopefully this is enough for the team to realize they don’t have to put the puck on Matthews’ stick to score goals or try to force plays to the star center.
When Matthews does return, which will hopefully be this week at some point, it’s unlikely the Leafs don’t use him on the top unit. So the clock is ticking on Matthew Knies’ time there. But I think there are still a couple of actionables here.
Rielly remains available in 14.2% of ESPN Fantasy leagues….
Source link : https://www.espn.com/fantasy/hockey/story/_/id/42349621/nhl-fantasy-hockey-adds-drops-goalies-power-play-time-maple-leafs
Author : Sean Allen
Publish date : 2024-11-12 20:35:12
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
