FORWARD
Tomas Hertl, C, and Anthony Mantha, RW, VGK
39 and 9 percent rostered in fantasy
Hertl made his Vegas Golden Knights debut Monday after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks prior to the NHL Trade Deadline on March 8 and had an assist against the Vancouver Canucks. Hertl, who had an NHL career high 74 points (35 goals, 39 assists) in 77 games with the Sharks in 2018-19, led them in goals per game (0.31; 15 in 48 games) this season and slotted in at left wing on the Golden Knights' second line with center Chandler Stephenson.
Mantha has had points in six of his past eight games, giving him nine points (three goals, six assists) in 15 games since being acquired from the Washington Capitals. Mantha, who has scored 23 goals this season (nearing career high of 25 with Detroit Red Wings from 2018-19), is playing in the middle six and on the second power play with center William Karlsson.
Michael Bunting, LW, PIT
28 percent rostered in fantasy
The Pittsburgh Penguins wing has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past four games and had six shots on goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday. Bunting, acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes prior to the NHL Trade Deadline, has 13 points (five goals, eight assists) and 46 shots on goal in 17 games with the Penguins and has been a fixture in their top six and on the first power play with exposure to elite center Sidney Crosby and/or Evgeni Malkin.
Andrei Kuzmenko, LW/RW, CGY
40 percent rostered in fantasy
The Calgary Flames wing has a five-game point streak with nine points (four goals, five assists) in the span, including four power-play points and four multipoint games. Kuzmenko, acquired from the Vancouver Canucks prior to NHL All-Star Weekend, is playing on the top line and first power play with center Nazem Kadri and quietly has 17 points (nine goals, eight assists), seven on the power play, in 23 games with Calgary.
Pavel Zacha, C, and Danton Heinen, LW, BOS
41 and 1 percent rostered in fantasy
The Bruins forwards are playing on the top line with elite wing David Pastrnak; Zacha has nine points (two goals, seven assists) during his six-game point streak and 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) over his past 16 games. Heinen has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past five games and ranks third on the Bruins in points since Feb. 21 (16 points in 22 games) behind Pastrnak and Zacha.
Shane Wright, C, SEA
3 percent rostered in fantasy
The Seattle Kraken rookie had three points (two goals, one assist) in their win against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday and has four points (three goals, one assist) and nine shots on goal in three games since being recalled from Coachella Valley of the American Hockey League.
DEFENSEMAN
Olen Zellweger, ANA
2 percent rostered in fantasy
The Anaheim Ducks rookie has four points (one goal, three assists), one power-play assist, six hits and nine shots on goal in his past four games. Zellweger is playing on the top pair with Cam Fowler and second power play with high-upside young forwards Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry and Leo Carlsson.
GOALIE
Alex Nedeljkovic, PIT
26 percent rostered in fantasy
The Pittsburgh Penguins goalie is 7-0-3 with a .912 save percentage over his past 11 games. Nedeljkovic, who has the best mid-range save percentage (.926) per NHL EDGE stats, has emerged as Pittsburgh’s starter over Tristan Jarry down the stretch and has them back in the thick of the Stanley Cup Playoff race.
Semyon Varlamov, NYI
24 percent rostered in fantasy
The New York Islanders goalie stopped all 41 shots faced in their shutout win against the Nashville Predators on Saturday and is 5-1-1 with a .930 save percentage over his past seven games. Varlamov, who has a .916 save percentage and three shutouts in 25 games this season, is a must-roster goalie down the stretch with the Islanders in postseason contention, either as a standalone option or tandem with teammate Ilya Sorokin (24 wins, two shutouts).
