Arizona Coyotes season snapshot fantasy honors

With the NHL pausing the 2019-20 regular season on March 12 due to the concerns surrounding the coronavirus, NHL.com is taking stock of each of the League's 31 teams.

Today, a fantasy recap of the Arizona Coyotes at the pause:

NOTE: Rank for fantasy most valuable player is based on standard-category production to date.

Fantasy MVP: Darcy Kuemper, G (rank: 97) -- He is 16-11-2 with a .928 save percentage and two shutouts in 29 games. When healthy, Kuemper undoubtedly has been the Arizona Coyotes' fantasy most valuable player. He ranks third in save percentage among NHL goalies with at least 25 games played behind Anton Khudobin of the Dallas Stars (.930) and Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins (.929), and his 2.22 goals-against average is tied for second with Khudobin behind Rask's 2.12. Kuemper continues to prove that his elite play last season (.925 save percentage in 55 games) was no fluke.

Biggest surprise: Conor Garland, LW/RW --He leads the Coyotes with an NHL career-high 22 goals in 68 games, playing mostly in the top six. Garland has skated frequently on a line with valuable left wing Taylor Hall and has eight multipoint games, including four points against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 22. It's surprising to see Garland with more goals and points (39) than right wing Phil Kessel (14 goals, 38 points), who was taken early in most fantasy leagues (average draft position among top 75) after being acquired in a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 29, 2019. It's worth noting Garland sustained a lower-body injury March 6.

Unsung hero: Antti Raanta, G -- After missing most of last season because of injury, Raanta has been relied upon much more than most backup goalies. He is 15-14-3 with a .921 save percentage and two shutouts in 33 games, stepping up admirably when Kuemper was out more than two months with a lower-body injury and keeping Arizona in the Stanley Cup Playoff race. The Coyotes have the third-best team save percentage in the NHL (.919), making Kuemper and Raanta one of the best goalie duos to own.

Listen: Video: Top 10 Coyotes Plays ... Thus Far