Since the NHL officially starting publishing shot attempts (Corsi) on their site a couple seasons ago, there are a wide range of applications being done for fantasy hockey purposes. While it is not an available stat category for use in ESPN fantasy leagues, the stats are there for us to use in researching players that can help in the traditional fantasy categories.
Since most leagues count minimal defensive statistics -- plus/minus arguably as the only relatively common category that touches on defense -- shot attempts as a whole (SAT for minus SAT against) don't paint a great fantasy picture. Since the penalty for a SAT against is minimal in fantasy hockey, it helps us a little more to throw them aside and concentrate on SAT for. After all, SAT for are what help drive all the fantasy statistics that do help us, including goals, assists, shots on goal and positive plus/minus.
Remember that all the following numbers are for five-on-five ice time only, as that is what counts for SAT.
We thought we'd have an early look at the leaders in shot attempts for per minute of even-strength ice time. Basically a calculation of SAT (Corsi) for, on a per-minute basis. Within that table, we are looking at players who are playing a below-average number of even-strength minutes per game, because we want to identify guys who can earn more ice time as the season progresses.
Efficiently driving offense
Here are five players at the top of the chart for SAT for per minute that we think could start capitalizing more on their offensive chances:
Pavel Buchnevich, LW/RW, New York Rangers: Out with back spasms at the moment, Buchnevich ranks seventh in the NHL with 1.43 SAT for per minute during his two games played on the Rangers' second line. It will be worth keeping a close eye on Buchnevich when he returns to the lineup. Regardless of sample size, the Rangers put a lot of pucks on the net when Buchnevich was on the ice.
Zack Smith, C/LW, Ottawa Senators: Playing a relatively low 8:33 per game at five-on-five, Smith has room to grow if the Sens start letting the second line loose a little more frequently. Currently 10th in the NHL with 1.36 SAT for per minute, Smith is skating with Bobby Ryan and Derick Brassard. Only Erik Karlsson is scoring with regularity for the Senators at the moment, so some lineup shuffles are inevitable if something doesn't change. Smith might have the inside track on a better assignment when that occurs.
Nick Ritchie, LW, Anaheim Ducks: It might be tough for the Ducks to demote Ritchie on the depth chart when Rickard Rakell returns. Ritchie is 13th in the NHL at 1.34 SAT for per minute, showing that he's making the most of playing on the Ducks' top line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. His two points might not be enough to fend of Rakell though, as the latter is due back in action as early as next week. If nothing else, this should be confirmation that you want to own whomever is skating in this spot. That isn't as clear as it should be, as Rakell is only owned in 36 percent of ESPN leagues.
Jakob Chychrun, D, Arizona Coyotes: Possibly only around for five more games -- his entry-level deal will kick in if he skates more than nine games this season -- Chychrun has been showing well in limited minutes for a defensemen. He's tied for 35th in the NHL with 1.17 SAT for per minute, hanging around the same ballpark as players like Drew Doughty and Adam Larsson, and actually better on a per-minute basis than fellow rookie Zach Werenski. The moment the Coyotes decide to keep Chychrun around for the whole season, it's probably worth stashing him in deeper leagues.
Sam Bennett, C, Calgary Flames: Playing fewer than 11 minutes per game at the moment, Bennett is driving more offense than the other Flames forwards irrespective of ice time. He's been on the ice for 72 SAT for compared to Johnny Gaudreau's 70 SAT for, despite Gaudreau playing a full four minutes more of even-strength hockey per game. Bennett is tied for 53rd in the NHL with 1.11 SAT for per minute, and is arguably due some additional ice time in the near future.
Inefficiently driving offense
Here are five players at the bottom of the chart for SAT for per minute that aren't doing as much with their ice time:
Alexander Steen, LW, St. Louis Blues: Despite playing more than 15 minutes at even strength per game, Steen has only been on the ice for 55 SAT for at five-on-five. His 0.60 SAT for per minute is near the bottom of the league and he's easily the lowest ranked among what we consider the top 100 fantasy skaters. It's likely coach Ken Hitchcock is continuing his trend of using a "scoring" line in what might be considered a traditional "checking" line matchup, as he used to do with David Backes' line. Either way, Steen will be saved from any significant downgrade thanks to his time on the Blues' deadly power play.
Brayden Schenn, C, Philadelphia Flyers: This may be a product of playing tough possession teams in his only two games of the season, but Schenn has not had a great start for his fantasy owners. After serving a three-game suspension, Schenn has posted only 0.60 SAT for per minute through his first two games. This should improve as Schenn shares the ice with Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds on a dominant first line, but it'll be worth checking in on him if the numbers don't improve soon.
Kyle Connor, LW, Winnipeg Jets: On the receiving end of a very generous 12 minutes of even-strength ice time per game, Connor is very clearly in a defensive role for the Jets. His SAT for per minute is a lowly 0.63 and, just for the record, his SAT on the season is minus-24. Connor has some offensive upside, but with Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine boasting more offensive upside, it looks like Connor will be limited in any scoring role for now.
Tyler Johnson, C, Tampa Bay Lightning: Playing a defenseman-like 16:53 at even strength per game this season, Johnson's SAT for per minute is just 0.66. The low number is partly a byproduct of playing so many minutes, but it's still concerning that Johnson and Nikita Kucherov aren't driving the offensive chances like they have in the past. In fact, the team split them up on Saturday, putting Johnson on a like with Jonathan Drouin and Ondrej Palat.
Marian Hossa, RW, Chicago Blackhawks: There were already other concerns with Hossa's deployment, so it should be no surprise that he ranks poorly in SAT for per minute at just 0.67. Hossa is currently playing on the third line for the Blackhawks, well out of range of the team's offensive catalysts on the top two lines. He looks good on the surface -- with four points in five games -- but that kind of production won't continue in his current role.
Forwards rising and falling
Patric Hornqvist, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins (down 10 spots to No. 81): As long as Sidney Crosby remains sidelined, Hornqvist is going to free fall in the rankings. He's managed a respectable five points in six games, but the Penguins shifted him to the third line this week. He needs that Crosby boost to stay in the top 100 going forward, and we still have no clear indication when Crosby might return. You'll notice Sid slipping a bit each week in the rankings, too, as we try to balance his absence with the lack of news surrounding his recovery from a concussion. We don't want to drop him too far unless we find out he'll miss significant time. Six games doesn't qualify as significant.
Jonathan Marchessault, C, Florida Panthers (up 36 spots to No. 199): Seizing the opportunity afforded to him with the absence of Jonathan Huberdeau and Nick Bjugstad, Marchessault has done enough to basically lock down the top-line role until Huberdeau returns in 2017. With seven points in five games, Marchessault should be universally owned while he's playing with Aleksander Barkov. That is not the case right now, as he's available in 65 percent of ESPN leagues.
Thomas Vanek, LW, Detroit Red Wings (enters at No. 222): A special teams specialist to be sure, as Vanek is playing fewer than 10 minutes per game at five-on-five, but we'll take the seven points in six games regardless of situation. Four of Vanek's points have come on the man advantage. He wouldn't be the first player to ride a power-play role to fantasy glory, so don't sleep on him too long if you can find a way to scoop him up. We wouldn't drop a clear point-producer for a specialist, but if you have a sleeper that's not panning out, make the switch.
Defensemen rising and falling
Mike Green, D, Detroit Red Wings (up 26 spots to No. 168): Unlike Vanek, Green doesn't need the power play to produce his numbers this season. With only two of his seven points on the man advantage, Green is using his passing to make hay. In fact, he only has seven shots on goal but owns a hat trick this season, so don't buy to much into his inflated shooting percentage numbers. However, the four assists as a great indicator of good things to come for the strongest fantasy asset on the Red Wings' blue line.
Goaltenders rising and falling
Tuukka Rask, G, Boston Bruins (up 16 spots to No. 73): Rask is currently dealing with an undisclosed "general soreness" issue, but we aren't too worried about the injury side of things for him. So setting that aside, Rask has had a terrific start to the campaign with three wins and a vintage .947 save percentage. Coming off the worst ratios of his NHL career in 2015-16, Rask's early start is encouraging for those who rolled the dice on him this season.
Quick hits
Things have been changing game by game for the Blues, but a hat trick out of David Perron on Saturday probably bought him more time on a stacked top line with Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko.
The Penguins stacked the top line on Saturday -- and promptly lost to the Predators 5-1. While it might have been nice to have Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel sharing the ice together, there will probably be another shakeup here soon.
After three points in his first four games, including an absolute beauty against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Zac Dalpe was rewarded with a promotion to the third line by Minnesota Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. The result has been a pair of goose eggs skating with different linemates in two games. Not only Dalpe, but Nino Niederreiter, Mikael Granlund, Teemu Pulkkinen and Chris Stewart need to be on the radar for when Boudreau finally finds his favorite scoring lines, as they are all linemate-dependent for fantasy value.
With no Patrick Sharp, no Patrick Eaves and no Jiri Hudler, it was Ales Hemsky skating on the top line with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn on Saturday. No one has locked down this top-line assignment yet.
The best performance by any Nashville Predators goaltender so far this season belongs to prospect Juuse Saros, who was called up to fill in for Pekka Rinne on Saturday. Given Rinne's struggles in recent seasons and the high expectations on the Predators, it's not a bad idea to file Saros' name away for later this season. If Rinne played like he did last season, we'll hear about Saros again sooner than later.
We are going one more name deep on the Los Angeles Kings' goaltending depth chart. Jonathan Quick is out for around three months, Jeff Zatkoff is now also on injured reserve, while Peter Budaj has won his first two starts for the Kings. However, they haven't been pretty wins, with Budaj's save percentage sitting at .889. Jack Campbell is next in line. He's a former high-end prospect that never panned out for the Dallas Stars, but is still just 24 years old. As evidenced by the slew of injuries to the Kings' goalies, anything can happen, so keep his name stashed away.
Top 250 rankings
Here are the updated rest-of-season, top 250 rankings of forwards, defensemen and goalies, including position ranks.
Note: Sean Allen's top 250 players are ranked for their expected performance in ESPN standard leagues from this point on. ESPN standard stats include goals, assists, power-play points, shots on goal, plus/minus, penalty minutes and average time on ice for skaters, and wins, goals-against average and save percentage for goalies.