Who are the tricks and who are the treats a month into the season?
We've had a fair amount of thime to evaluate players in all leagues and levels by now, so in the spirit of Hallowe'en, lets take a look at who's been scary and who's been a pleasant surprise in each organization so far:
TREATS
Brandon Montour (ANH) – With 6 points in 6 AHL games, the offensive dynamo has picked up right where he left off last season.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Brandon Montour is averaging 7 shots per game this season. Seven! <br><br>Safe to assume he's creating his share of chances. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ducks?src=hash">#Ducks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gulls?src=hash">#Gulls</a></p>— Cam Robinson (@CrazyJoeDavola3) <a href="https://twitter.com/CrazyJoeDavola3/status/792786687269015552">October 30, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Rasmus Andersson (CGY) – After a bountiful OHL career, the d-man hasn’t yet stumbled in his transition to the AHL, where he has six points in five games. Always nice to see players skip the usual production hiccups.
Nicolas Roy (CAR) – The towering centerman has blasted off to another hot start in the QMJHL and also put on a few pounds. Looking ready to turn pro next season.
Alex DeBrincat (CHI) – Is 24 points in 11 games good? Outperforming last year’s exceptional totals despite the team losing talented players to the pros.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Alex DeBrincat finished 2nd in the OHL in goals in 2014-15 and 2015-16. <br><br>He’s currently 1st this season.<br><br>I don’t think it’s the teammates.</p>— Second City Hockey (@2ndCityHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/2ndCityHockey/status/792132888124940290">October 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Tyson Jost (COL) – Jumping from Junior A to the NCAA hasn’t slowed down the club’s top 2016 Draft selection at all, who has seven points through seven games.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Coming into this weekend, Freshman Tyson Jost (St. Albert, Alberta) leads<br>all NCHC centers with a 65.3-percent mark on faceoffs.</p>— North Dakota Hawkey (@NDhawkey) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDhawkey/status/792370968618496000">October 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Anthony Mantha (DET) – Disappointed in training camp, but is still a treat for the organization with his seven goals in seven AHL games so far. He’ll earn a call-up as soon as an injury arises.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mantha's goal from last night that opened up scoring last night <a href="https://t.co/rVlSnyafkX">pic.twitter.com/rVlSnyafkX</a></p>— Ky.L. Stine (@KyleWIIM) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleWIIM/status/787665423059779584">October 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Michael Matheson (FLA) – We warned you on the site and podcast that he’d be ready this year. Four points and a plus-rating in seven NHL games sob far and looking like a lock on the blueline.
Kale Clague (LAK) – The point-producing d-man is making LA look smart, coming out of the gate hot and blowing last year's impressive totals out of the water while earning the role of alternate captain.
Joel Eriksson Ek (MIN) – Could've made the "tricks" list after not making the team out of camp, but since he got the call the smart Swede produced five points in five games to boost the Wild to a win streak.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The kid is good! <a href="https://twitter.com/ErikssonEk">@ErikssonEk</a> with his second goal of the season. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MINvsBUF?src=hash">#MINvsBUF</a> <a href="https://t.co/uAC9gz5dv2">pic.twitter.com/uAC9gz5dv2</a></p>— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) <a href="https://twitter.com/mnwild/status/791782296370110464">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Juuse Saros (NSH) – Through four AHL starts, Saros has a sparkling .941 SV% and 1.51 GAA. The heir to Pekka Rinne will be ready when his time comes, which will give Nashville even more confidence.
Yohann Auvitu (NJD) – Not many better surprises than finding an NHL-ready defenceman for free from Europe. This was a win for the Devils’ scouting team.
Anthony Beauvillier (NYI) – The touted prospect wasn’t the one expected to make the Isles out of a strong batch of talent, but with five points in seven games he’s earned himself his spot on the depth chart.
Sean Day (NYR) – The 231 lb 18-year-old seems to have found a new gear offensively, hitting the point-per-game mark for the first time in his OHL career despite being traded five games into the season.
Travis Sanheim (PHI) – With all the (deserved) fuss about higher ranking Philly d-men, don’t lose Sanheim in the shuffle. After his AHL tryout last year went well, he’s there for good this season and fitting right in.
Brayden Point (TBL) – Not many players can forego an AHL season and stick in the NHL. Even less of those players can do it while being undersized. It’s a nice treat to see Point’s talent beating out the odds.
Brendan Leipsic (TOR) – Leads the AHL in scoring after eight games. With so much depth on the Marlies to compete with for ice time, standing out is a real accomplishment.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Unsurprisingly, <a href="https://twitter.com/19LEIP">@19LEIP</a> already looks like he's going to rip this league up. Five points this weekend, none better than this goal: <a href="https://t.co/FGYXLArNY1">pic.twitter.com/FGYXLArNY1</a></p>— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/788054864450453508">October 17, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Brock Boeser (VAN) – In his sophomore NCAA campaign, he has stepped up his game to produce 12 points in seven games played, good for third in the league.
Ilya Samsonov (WSH) – In his first season as a starter in the KHL, he has already played more than half the games he did last year while maintaining a solid .919 SV%. Very young still but seems to always perform well in the spotlight.
TRICKS
Dylan Strome (ARI) – The highly anticipated pivot has only gotten into three games and has only one assist to show for them. Needs to find the next gear or risks being sent back to the OHL.
Danton Heinen (BOS) – The Vatrano injury was a golden opportunity that got squandered. Zero points and only five SOG in six NHL games and earning under 14 minute per night.
Hudson Fasching (BUF) – The 21-year-old winger had the chance to secure an NHL spot, but went pointless in five games and is now back in the AHL being passed on the depth chart by other prospects.
Sonny Milano (CLB) – It’s a good thing to be expected to fight for an NHL spot, but still a bad thing not to achieve those goals. Back to minor pro until his next crack at the lineup.
Denis Gurianov (DAL) – Too talented to be toiling like he is. Only one point through eight games in his first North American season doesn’t bode well for the former first-rounder.
Griffin Reinhart (EDM) – Once again couldn’t earn an NHL spot. Still so much to learn for the defenceman with the tools to be so much better.
Zach Fucale (MTL) – After a terrible start this year (after a forgettable first pro season last year), the once revered netminder has been demoted to the ECHL.
Thomas Chabot (OTT) – We expected a bit more of a showing than one NHL game played by the former first-round pick. Looks destined to be returned for another year in the QMJHL.
Derrick Pouliot (PIT) – Will this guy ever shine in the NHL? After floundering past opportunities, the potential powerplay-quarterback is injured and out indefinitely after just one game.
Timo Meier (SJS) – Had the potential to break into the NHL right away, but didn't make the cut out of camp and in a stroke of bad luck has been battling mononucleosis, limiting him to two pointless AHL contests.
Kyle Connor (WPG) – I know I wont make friends for picking on Connor, but he was kept in the NHL rather than the NCAA to show his obscene talent, but instead is being limited to under 12 minutes per game.
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As always, thank you for reading and best of luck in your fantasy hockey leagues!
Hayden Soboleski
@soboleskih