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Hot and cold second-half forwards to watch in fantasy

Artemi Panarin could be looking at a big stretch run. Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports

If you are a fantasy player, you know that making the right move down the stretch can be the difference between a playoff run and missing the postseason altogether. The hard part is figuring out which players will step up over the next two-plus months and which will fade.

If you have a big enough sample size, history can be an indicator. For most players, pre- and post-All-Star game stats are about the same, but there are a handful of forwards in the NHL who have noticeably performed at higher or lower rates coming out of the break.

Those players who typically see an uptick in production might be good trade targets ahead of your league's deadline, while those who slow down a bit in the season's final months could be tossed on the trading block if the right deal were to come along. However, some players discussed below might be poised to flip the narrative on their careers, indicated by different team situations and big changes in on-ice statistics.

Here is a look at ten players who have historically produced at a different level, for better or for worse, following the All-Star break, along with how to view them over the final few months.


Hot post-break performers