Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov and Pyotr Kochetkov Named the NHL's Three Stars of October: Buy, Hold or Sell for Fantasy in November

The NHL named its Three Stars of October on Sunday, and all three honorees spent the same night extending the runs that earned them the award. Edmonton's Connor McDavid was the first star after a league-record 27 assists in October. Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov was second after leading the league with 14 goals, and Carolina goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov was third after a perfect 9-0 month.

Then Sunday happened. McDavid had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over the Rangers, pushing his season-opening point streak to 15 games. Kaprizov scored his 500th career point in a 5-1 win in Washington. And Kochetkov stopped all 26 shots in a 7-0 rout of Winnipeg to improve to 10-0. Here is how fantasy managers should value all three heading into November.

The October numbers

Connor McDavid: hold, obviously

McDavid's October was historic even by his standards. His assist streak to open the season is an NHL record, and he added a goal on Sunday to keep the point streak alive at 15 games. There is no sell case for the best player in the sport.

The more interesting fantasy note from Sunday was in goal. Matt Tomkins made 27 saves for Edmonton in his first NHL game since April 2024, with Devon Levi on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Tristan Jarry has been excellent, with back-to-back shutouts last week, so Tomkins is a spot starter, not a waiver add. But Edmonton's goaltending depth is thinner than it looks, and Jarry's workload is worth monitoring.

Verdict: Hold McDavid. He is the No. 1 fantasy skater, and a point streak like this one usually ends with a quiet night, not a slump.

Kirill Kaprizov: hold, with a buy-low window if he cools

Kaprizov's 500th point came with a goal against his childhood idol, Alex Ovechkin, and it tied him with Evgeni Malkin as the fourth-fastest active player to reach the milestone, at 413 games. Minnesota has earned at least a point in five straight games.

Kaprizov's goal pace is the area to watch. Leading the league with 14 goals in October means he was converting at a rate few players sustain for a full season. A cooling stretch is likely at some point, and that would be the moment to buy if you do not already have him. For current managers, there is no reason to sell; he is a first-round fantasy talent who drives Minnesota's power play.

Verdict: Hold. If a slow week drops his trade value, that is the buy window.

Pyotr Kochetkov: hold, but understand the regression risk

Kochetkov's 10-0 start is a Hurricanes record, and the wins are real. But his October save percentage of .919 is good, not extraordinary, and the 1.66 goals-against average says a lot about Carolina's defensive structure. Carolina's structure has kept opponents' chances in check, and that is a big part of the reason his wins and goals-against have been so strong.

That matters for fantasy in two ways. First, the wins should continue as long as Carolina keeps playing this way, so he remains a must-start goalie. Second, his trade value is at its peak. A manager who needs skater help could sell Kochetkov for a significant return and still find an adequate streaming goaltender, while anyone who keeps him should expect a few losses to arrive eventually.

Verdict: Hold in most leagues. Sell only if the return is an elite skater, because the undefeated record inflates his perceived value beyond his underlying numbers.

Other October standouts

The weekly Three Stars in October also highlighted names that matter for fantasy. Leon Draisaitl had nine points in three games during the final week of the month. Devin Cooley earned a weekly star before going on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, and goaltender Jacob Fowler was also recognized that week. Brady Tkachuk had back-to-back hat tricks earlier in the month, and Auston Matthews posted nine points in three games in the second week.

The Verdexed angle

October award winners often become the most overvalued players in fantasy trade markets, because the shine of a monthly honor attracts offers built on recency. The disciplined approach is to separate skill from luck. McDavid and Kaprizov are elite talents whose October numbers are only modestly above their career norms. Kochetkov's record is built on Carolina's system, which is sustainable, but his individual save percentage is not elite enough to guarantee the run continues.

For betting, Carolina's defensive profile makes Hurricanes unders and Kochetkov's save props worth watching on nights he starts. Verdexed's game-level view is on the NHL predictions page, and the daily NHL board appears on the blog.

What to do in your league

1. Hold McDavid and Kaprizov. There is no sell case. 2. Consider selling Kochetkov only for an elite skater; otherwise keep starting him. 3. Do not chase Tomkins as a waiver add; Jarry remains Edmonton's starter. 4. Use Daily Faceoff to confirm starting goaltenders every night, especially in Edmonton and Carolina.