NHL Today: Seattle’s Surge

This week, the struggling Devils hit rock bottom with an embarrassing 9-0 loss; Haydn Fleury had to be carted off after crashing into the boards, but he was alert; and Mikko Rantanen was serenaded with boos in his return to Carolina, but managed a goal and an assist. Other Fantasy hockey related stories we’re tracking include…

Kaapo Kakko Picking Up the Pace

The Seattle Kraken surprised everyone when they racked up 100 points and made the playoffs in their second season in 2022-23, but it’s been downhill since… until this season, that is.

And really, up until mid-December, things did not look good. A strong start fell apart when Seattle dropped 10 of 11 games starting in late November. At the time, the Kraken had one of the league’s worst 5×5 defenses, but since then they’ve only given up more than two goals in regulation twice and now rank third best with just 66 goals allowed at 5×5.

The result? Eight wins and zero regulation losses over the last nine games, a stretch that has seen Seattle surge into third place in the Pacific Division, just a point behind Edmonton, with two games in hand.

Helping fuel this run has been the recent play of former second overall pick Kaapo Kakko. With two goals and a helper on Tuesday, he now has a four-game point streak (2-4-6) and has managed at least one point in eight of the last 11 games. Kakko’s ice time is on the rise, and he’s looking a lot more like the player he was after arriving on the Kraken in last season’s trade, when he racked up 30 points over 49 games. This dude has some solid playmaking skills (see video below).

Assuming his shooting percentage rises back to career normal levels and he keeps seeing more ice time (like he did last season after the deal), we’re projecting another big second half for the Finn who will play in the upcoming Olympics. But the key here is that Kakko starts seeing over 17 minutes more often; he’s only surpassed that once this season.

He won’t be 25 until next month, so there is still some runway here for his game to reach the next level. When he was drafted, some suggested Kakko could become a defensively responsible Patrik Laine and while he has not come close to justifying that comparison, it does feel like there’s more in his game to come, so consider grabbing him in deeper formats.

Anthony Duclair Turns Back the Clock

In 2023-24, the New York Islanders enjoyed their finest season in five years, posting 94 points and making the playoffs for the second campaign in a row. Last season saw them slip back to .500, but the squad is revitalized this season, playing solid hockey of late to move into second place in the Metro, just three points behind Carolina for the division lead.

The Isles look like they’ll be returning to the playoffs this season (currently -115 to make the field of 16 as per FanDuel).

On Tuesday, New York made a major statement, absolutely smoking the New Jersey Devils, 9-0, led by a turn back the clock performance from winger Anthony Duclair, who came back in the lineup after back-to-back healthy scratches and went off for three goals, two assists and a +6 rating.

It’s not that long ago that he was having issues with Islander Head Coach Patrick Roy, but Duclair’s first hat trick in over six years likely went a long way towards quelling any residual hard feelings.

Duclair has been better this season than he was in 2024-25, but that’s not saying much, as he still bears little resemblance to the player who posted 31 goals and nearly 60 points in 74 games for Florida in 2021-22. Still, with three goals and three helpers over the last three games combined, he’s proving that he has something left in the tank.

If Duclair starts getting over 15 MPG like he did in October, we could be onto something here. He already has more Fantasy points this season than all of last season, but he’ll need a huge second half top record over 500 points, a feat he’s accomplished three other times over his 12-year career. Given that Duclair has mostly been a healthy scratch over the previous week and a half or so, it’s hard to recommend him in anything but the deepest of formats, but he definitely bears watching for now.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Josh Doan, RW, Buffalo Sabres (ESPN: 17.5 per cent; CBS: 44 per cent): Doan hasn’t really been much of a Fantasy factor so far in his career, but things have changed since he landed in Buffalo. With goals in three straight games (and an assist for good measure), he’s started 2026 hot, coming off a December in which he recorded 10 points in 14 games. Doan already has career highs across the board, is seeing more PP time, and is trending hot right now. Tied for second on the Sabres in goals, he’s entrenched himself as a vital component of their offense and is set up for a big second half, so grab him while you can.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

Starting in the early ’80s, Dire Straits had a string of successful singles, such as “Romeo and Juliet,” “Private Investigations,” “Twisting by the Pool,” “Money for Nothing,” and “Walk of Life.” Here’s “Planet of New Orleans,” the longest track from their final album, On Every Street.

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