Carolina Hurricanes remain No. 1 in ESPN's weekly NHL Power Rankings, the defending Stanley Cup champions holding the top spot in the poll. Substantial movement occurred across the rest of the field from Nos. 2 to 32, and ESPN fantasy analysts Sean Allen (Eastern Conference) and Victoria Matiash (Western Conference) have identified one worthwhile pickup for every club.
The rankings combine ballots from a panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors, based on games through Wednesday. Points percentages are calculated through Thursday's games, and previous rankings refer to the edition published Oct. 16.
Among the highlighted picks, Jaccob Slavin of Carolina has delivered 18 fantasy points without a goal or real power-play time, supported by a 10-6 edge at 5-on-5 for a team allowing just 22.4 shots a game. Edmonton's Devon Levi has been strong through six appearances, with a 4.82 goals saved above expected figure, as the Oilers boast the second-best defense in the NHL. Vegas netminder Adin Hill has returned to form, carrying a 4-0 record and 2.21 GAA into Thursday.
Tampa Bay's Charle-Edouard D'Astous has earned top power-play time on a contender and is barely 3% rostered, making him a speculative add. Boston rookie James Hagens has three goals in 10 games despite averaging under 13 minutes a night, and Utah's Kailer Yamamoto has posted two goals and three assists in five games, though analysts caution the hot start is unlikely to last.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing