Frozen Fantasy: Benchmarking Young Studs

It's a big weekend for hockey fans and fantasy players alike. Auston Matthews tests his talents against two of the NHL's best – Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid.

May the best man win.

All three can put their team on their backs and carry them to a win. But they're very different players.

Sid plays a heavy game and protects the puck using phenomenal edge work and brute lower-body strength, especially below the hash marks and along the boards. He plays like a gritty fourth liner with elite skill.

Connor is all speed with lightning quick hands. He's remarkably patient with the puck and he uses dekes and jukes to leave opponents flat-footed and jockless. Where Sid is aggressive, Connor is cerebral.

Auston is pure power and speed. He can shred off the rush or play a heavy, cycle game. He also has elite skills, size and creativity, and is a force in tight quarters. And then there's that shot. That insane shot.

Head-to-head action will be a blast. I can't wait.

Now, Matthews won't get to skate against Crosby or McDavid every shift. That's what Nazem Kadri and his coarse grit sandpaper is there to do.

But you and I will be blessed by the rivalry, the caliber of hockey and the pure fun of it all. And it will be interesting to see which man rises the most.

Now let's take a look at who caught my eye this week.

Sam Bennett, LW/C, Calgary (7 percent Yahoo! owned) – I drafted Bennett in one of my leagues because I thought this was the season for his great leap forward. Then he stepped on the ice with his skate guards on and promptly fell flat on his face, going pointless in his first 15 games. Bennett finally started to put up points Nov. 28, when the Jaromir Jagr effect took hold. Since then, he has 20 shots and seven points, including five assists, in his last six games. I'm almost ready to put him back on my roster.

Daniel Carr, LW, Montreal (0 percent Yahoo! owned) – Carr has single-handedly put the Habs' fourth line on his back and carried them into the offensive zone. They'd gone 26 games without scoring. Now, they're holding their own against the NHL's best bottom boys. Carr is on a four-game, six-point streak since he got called up and has managed that in only 46 minutes of ice time. And best of all – at least to Habs' fans and fantasy owners alike – Carr's presence on the ice also allows the team's true offensive players to shine. His never-say-stop attitude will continue to net him ice time and deliver some points. So, Carr is a guy who will help those in deep leagues. And who knows, he might even impact other formats, too.

Jakob Chychrun, D, Arizona (4 percent Yahoo! owned) – Chychrun is back from injury and woefully under-owned. Sure, the Yotes are brutal, but this is a kid mature beyond his years who made the NHL at 18. As a defender! He snagged a goal in his first game back and should start to contribute offense once he gets up to game speed. Chychrun certainly won't produce at a 50-point pace, but he should be a sweet grab for anyone looking for help in a deep league.

Marian Gaborik, LW/RW, Los Angeles (19 percent Yahoo! owned) – I won't spend much time here other than to say he's back, he's healthy and he's producing. Gaborik has six points, including four goals, on 20 shots in just eight games. He can inject some octane into your roster.

Sam Gagner, LW/RW/C, Vancouver (2 percent Yahoo! owned) – This is purely speculative, but some Orca will benefit from Bo Horvat's injury. Sure, Henrik Sedin will likely see increased ice time, but Gagner should as well. His current numbers (three goals, eight assists, minus-9 in 29 games) are worthy of overlooking, but playing with Brock Boeser could change that. Dramatically.

Adam Henrique, C, Anaheim (25 percent Yahoo! owned) – I thought a move west would hurt Henrique, but I've been proven wrong. He has started his career with the quack with a four-game, five-point streak that includes three goals. Take full advantage of his success right now. Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler will both return from injury and push him down the lineup. Until then, he's fantasy gold. Henrique's ownership is rising like a bullet. Get on board now or he'll be gone.

Tyler Johnson, C, Tampa Bay (25 percent Yahoo! owned) – Johnson was moved up to skate with Steven Stamkos and Vladislav Namestnikov this week. The result? Five points in three games. GET HIM NOW.

Connor Murphy, D, Chicago (1 percent Yahoo! owned) – Left is just right for Murphy. Joel Quenneville shifted the defender to his off-side in early November and the experiment has finally paid off. Since Nov. 25, Murphy has four assists, 13 shots and a plus-8 rating in his last seven games after putting up a single goal in his previous 18. Roll the dice. The talent is there.

Tanner Pearson, LW, Los Angeles (7 percent Yahoo! owned) – And so continues my on-again, off-again affair with Tanner Pearson. It dates all the way back to his Barrie Colts days in the OHL. I fall for his charm and then he lets me down. But then he comes back around and I fall all over, only to be crushed by his next slump. Well, we're on again – Pearson has five points, including four helpers, and a plus-5 rating in his last five games. I know it won't last. But I know Pearson can help me in the short term.

David Perron, LW/RW, Vegas (31 percent Yahoo! owned) – Check your wire – this guy could be out there. Perron was dropped in a lot of leagues when he was sidelined and his previous owner could be sleeping on him. He was scoring at almost a point-per-game prior to his injury and returned from IR on Friday night. Take a look. Vegas is for real and Perron is helping lead the way.

David Rittich, G, Calgary (1 percent Yahoo! owned) – Rittich looked sharp Thursday against the Habs – he outdueled Carey Price in a 3-2 overtime win. Sweet. The Flames signed Rittich in spring 2016 after he emerged as a star in the Czech Extraliga. He promptly put up stellar numbers last year as an AHL rookie and was doing the same this season before he got hauled up to Alberta. Rittich is a daily-league guy – he'll play about once a week or so to give Mike Smith some relief. He's worth adding when you need help between the pipes.

Tom Wilson, LW/RW, Washington (22 percent Yahoo! owned) – Wilson's ownership jumped 15 points Friday after his promotion to the Caps' top line. The gig has led to some impressive production – three goals and four assists, along with a plus-6 rating and 11 PIM in his last three games. Grab him now.

Back to Matthews.

He's a dynamic force who'll win Hart trophies where McDavid will bring home Art Ross trophies. Crosby has two each of the Hart and the Art Ross, plus a whole lot more including two Conn Smythes.

And, oh yeah – two Stanley Cups.

Both Matthews and McDavid have a long way to go to get to Crosby territory. But I think Matthews will do more than just hold his own this weekend. I think he'll end up with more team success than his Oiler counterpart.

He's a beast. And he's in blue and white. Dang.

Until next week.