Special to Yahoo Sports
In this space, we’ll look at which NHL players are seeing their fantasy hockey values rise or fall on a week-to-week basis.
This week’s article includes a possible new second-line center in Colorado, a rookie winger off to a hot start in Nashville, a D-man not named Seider rolling in Hockeytown and a not-so-super Super Trouba.
First Liners (Risers)
Evan Rodrigues, C, COL
A tight salary cap market resulted in Rodrigues waiting a lot longer to sign a contract and receiving a deal far below what should have been his market value. After posting career-best marks in goals (19), assists (24), points (43), shots on goal (243) and power-play points (eight) last season for Pittsburgh, Rodrigues signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Avalanche in September. With Alex Newhook slumping, Rodrigues has moved to second-line center and has notched seven points in his last nine games. However, Newhook has shown some signs of life, so watch the situation closely.
Ryan O’Reilly, C, STL
O’Reilly looked washed up a few weeks ago, but looks can obviously be deceiving. After notching just one point in his first 12 games, O’Reilly has four goals and three assists in his past eight, which included a four-game point streak that ended Saturday. His current hot streak has gotten ROR back close to the pace he needs to be on to finish the season in the mid-50s point range — at a minimum — that has been the hallmark of his career. Ride the hot wave while it lasts.
Carter Verhaeghe, LW, FLA
Verhaeghe has somewhat quietly — given the other names in Florida — been on a red-hot point streak. He’s hit the scoresheet in nine of his last 11 contests, posting nine goals and seven assists during that stretch. Skating on the top line, Verhaeghe is nearly midway through the three-year, $12.5 million contract extension he signed with the Panthers in July 2021. He posted 55 points last season and is on an early pace to far exceed that total while also serving as one of the two point men on the second power-play unit.
Viktor Arvidsson, RW, LAK
Arvidsson was limited to just 66 games last season, his first in LA, but enjoyed a resurgence in production, finishing with 49 points. Skating on the second line, both at even-strength and on the man-advantage, Arvidsson has three goals and 11 assists in 19 games, including six helpers in his last seven contests. His ice time has remained relatively constant the past several seasons, and if he remains healthy, he…