We’re into the 2nd week of the NHL season and man are we back. The league has not disappointed us either. We’ve already had Auston Matthews start the year with back-to-back Hatty’s. The newest star rookies get their firsts of their careers, and we have some teams with surprising starts.
Teams like the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights are all off to hot starts as almost expected. They’re all yet to lose in regulation – the Stars have an overtime loss. One team that is off to a surprise to most start is the Detroit Red Wings, with a 5-1-0 record.
We’re going to talk about 3 of the guys that are playing well and to watch going forward for this season. Whether you’re betting on them, their team or playing fantasy sports -you want to get on the wagon as early as possible.
The 3 players we’re going to talk about are Evan Rodrigues of the Florida Panthers, Josh Norris of the Ottawa Senators and Alex DeBrincat of the Detroit Red Wings. Two of the guys are on new teams and the other is coming back from an injury. Let’s get into it.
Florida Panthers Center Evan Rodrigues
Coming in from Colorado, Rodrigues is finding his place in the Panthers high offense. No that Florida was short of offense, but you can’t go wrong adding him.
Evan had 16 goals and 23 assists with a +7 +/- in 69 games last year in his only year with the Avalanche. The season prior with the Penguins, he had a very similar year, but he played all 82 games. He already has 2 goals and 5 assists with a +/- of +6. He fits right in with guys like Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe.
He is playing on the first line alongside Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart. He is also on the 1st power play unit as the 4th offender. He’ll play with Matthew Tkachuk on that power play unit too which is always huge when you’re playing with a guy of his caliber.
Rodrigues also has 21 shots on goal. His line has been at 2.5 per game and he is averaging 4.2 per game so far. If you like to play shots on goal props such as myself, he will definitely be someone we’ll be playing. We’ll play him for shots, but also for assists and points. Here’s a clip of a sick feed he gave to Reinhart.
Josh Norris returns after missing 2022-23 Season
Norris played only 8 games last year with a shoulder injury. He is back this year after her had a scare at the beginning of the month and is playing well in a short time.
In his 3 games this season, he has 3 goals and 1 assist with a +/- of -4 in 3 games. He also has 12 shots on goal which shows how active in this offense he is being. He’s the 2nd line center with Drake Batherson and Dominik Kubalik on the wings. Batherson has 3 assists in the 3 games that Norris has played.
In the 2021-22 season, Norris scored 35 goals and had 25 assists, so you can see what this team has been missing. Since he has been out the team has made additions like Claude Giroux and Vladimir Tarasenko, so there are more pieces for him to play with.
This team has been gelling for some time now and they’re only getting better. They have strong offensive defensemen which is another huge part of their team. It makes betting this team a lot of fun too because you can make some crazy same game parlays.
If he can stay healthy, I expect Norris to get back to his 30+ goal and 20+ assist type season. All the pieces are there in Ottawa for him to be successful and I think he will be. We’ll be playing those shots and his point a lot this year.
Alex DeBrincat makes himself right at home in Detroit
Alex DeBrincat made sure he was moved this offseason as he was not happy in Ottawa. He landed in Detroit and man does he love it there. He’s off to a red hot start with 8 goals and 4 assists in 6 games with a +/- of +7.
He is showing how comfortable he is there by his play at home. He as scored 7 of his 8 goals at home, including a hat trick in his last game. Last year, DeBrincat had 27 goals and 39 assists in his only year with the Ottawa Senators. In 2022, in his last year with the Blackhawks, he had 41 goals and 37 assists.
DeBrincat is playing on the 1st line with Captain Dylan Larkin, who both complement each other well. Young winger Lucas Raymond on the other wing is another solid linemate who looks to have a breakout year. Playing on the 1st power play unit just adds to his offensive production.
With the start we’re seeing, he should definitely be returning to a 40-goal season, if not more. This Detroit team is spicy and has nothing to lose. Expect DeBrincat to be at the center of their success.
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