Now that we are a full four weeks into NHL action, some of the early season trends should be informing our rosters with more authority. More often than not, a player who is performing in October will have at least a strong chance to continue that performance going forward, especially if a key indicator supports the new normal. Conversely, a player not performing in October will continue to not perform, especially if a new or reduced role is part of the scenario.
In an effort to push some rostering trends in ESPN leagues toward better percentages, here are five players who should be universally rostered (but aren't) and five players rostered in more than half of leagues whom you could consider dropping.
Acquire: Derick Brassard, C, Ottawa Senators (rostered in 65.4 percent of ESPN leagues)
Brassard is playing a full two minutes more per game than his previous career high, which has a lot to do with why he is on pace for a point-per-game campaign. The goals will come down to earth a bit as his 22 percent shooting does as well, but the assists and a pace more in line with 60 points are very reasonable to expect. He has earned 60 points before, in 2014-15 with the New York Rangers. A permanent line assignment with sniper Mark Stone gives him the weapon he needs at even strength, and the Senators power play is going to remain effective with Erik Karlsson on the point. There are 48 centers rostered in a higher percentage of leagues than Brassard, and that should simply not be the case.
Drop: Mitch Marner, C/RW, Toronto Maple Leafs (90.6 percent)
Injuries, such as a recent one to James van Riemsdyk, have been the only factor that has allowed Marner to crawl off the fourth line for the Maple Leafs so far. He's a highly skilled offensive forward who is unfortunately buried behind even higher-skilled forwards. On a team without Auston Matthews, William Nylander or Nazem Kadri in the way, Marner could do some serious damage. But the Leafs can afford to let him marinate on the fourth line without taking anything away from their attack. He's only 20 years old and is going to be a fantasy star for a long time, but it doesn't look like his sophomore campaign will be something to look back on fondly. In shallow leagues, you would be better served with a player on your team performing now. There's an argument in some deeper formats to hold him a bit longer, but that doesn't apply in 90 percent of leagues.
Acquire: Sean Couturier, C, Philadelphia Flyers (60.2 percent)
As mentioned already through the early going, Couturier was a surprise promotion to the top line for the Flyers this season, but the move is paying huge dividends. He has added more than a minute to his average ice time from last season and is sharing the ice with perennial offensive catalysts Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. Similar to Brassard, the shooting percentage is high, at 22 percent, but the other stats are sustainable. On this Flyers top line, 70 points aren't out of the question, especially if Couturier keeps firing pucks on the net. He's on pace to eclipse his previous career high by almost 75 shots on goal.
Drop: Bryan Little, C, Winnipeg Jets (58.4 percent)
The logic to owning Little en masse in ESPN leagues is sound: The guy has topped 40 points in each of the past two seasons despite not playing more than 60 games. That should be a recipe for success in a healthy campaign with two young snipers on his wings (Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine). But those two wingers have to get their games going before it can trickle down to Little. When they do, you can rest assured he will still be on the waiver wire for you to consider his services again. But for now, his five points can't compete with some of the available players suggested here.
Acquire: Vladislav Namestnikov, C/LW/RW, Tampa Bay Lightning (80.4 percent)
With his two linemates pulling some serious mid-1980s-esque scoring paces through the first month of the season, Namestnikov needs to be universally rostered in ESPN leagues. Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov will inevitably cool down a bit -- Stamkos isn't finishing with 150 points, and Kucherov isn't going to score 80 goals -- but the line has proven to be a consistent threat with Namestnikov as the third man in. He's playing more than three minutes in additional ice time per game than last season and, through osmosis with his linemates, is going to crack 60 points.
Drop: Daniel Sedin, LW, Vancouver Canucks (55.1 percent)
Father Time has caught up with the Sedin twins, as they turned 37 just before the season began. There was some hope that a continued power-play presence could at least help the goal-scoring Daniel maintain some semblance of fantasy value, but the Canucks have turned their focus elsewhere. Sedin has seen his average ice time reduced by more than four minutes from last season and by more than six minutes from his ice time peak in 2013-14.
Acquire: Evgeni Dadonov, RW, Florida Panthers (69.2 percent)
Of the two big KHL imports to the NHL this season (Dadonov and Vadim Shipachyov), it looks like we have one Artemi Panarin and one Sergei Plotnikov. While Shipachyov has been suspended by the Vegas Golden Knights for leaving their AHL affiliate and appears to be on the verge of a return to Russia, Dadonov is excelling in his NHL return on the Panthers' top line. Skating with Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, in the role of the departed Jaromir Jagr, Dadonov is having just as much success as Jagr did with the young stars. He is up to 11 points in 10 games, and his 18 percent shooting is actually lower than the 22 percent he managed in Russia last season.
Drop: Kyle Okposo, RW, Buffalo Sabres (50.6 percent)
At least Okposo has Matt Moulson in the locker room to help him cope with the post-superstar winger blues. Okposo's numbers slipped in his first season in Buffalo last season, which was his first season in several years not playing with John Tavares. But he also had some injuries, and the numbers weren't atrocious. Expecting a modest return to form this season was not out of line. But a month into the season, with only two assists and a minus-7 rating in 10 games, it's safe to say Okposo is beginning to find life apart from a superstar a bit difficult. The Sabres boast Jack Eichel as a potential linemate, but Okposo hasn't sniffed those elite minutes yet, and with the way Evander Kane is playing, it doesn't look like he will. He can safely be dropped for now, and should an injury befall Kane or Jason Pominville, we can revisit Okposo's potential.
Acquire: Paul Stastny, C, St. Louis Blues (69.4 percent)
A healthy Stastny on an inspired Blues team means business. On pace to match his career high in shots on goal and getting his highest average ice time per game as a member of the Blues, Stastny is on pace for his first 70-point campaign since 2009-10. A major part of missing that threshold the past two seasons has been Stastny's health, which will remain a concern in the background. That said, he has looked fine so far, and the Blues' top six has remained exceptionally productive through the first month. Only the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals have more combined points than the Blues among their top four forwards.
Drop: Sebastian Aho, RW/LW, Carolina Hurricanes (63.4 percent)
It's premature to give up on Aho completely for his sophomore season, but he's the type of player who can spend some time on the waiver wire in shallow leagues until he gets it going. To be fair to Aho, he had only five assists at the end of October last season, which is precisely what he has now. On the other hand, he has played two more games this October and more than three minutes of additional ice time per contest, which makes his stats this season a little more troubling. The Hurricanes' attack is going to get things going at some point, but for now, your roster would be better served by one of the aforementioned targets.
Forward on the move
Rickard Rakell, C, Anaheim Ducks (up eight spots to No. 94)
Although we have lost Ryan Getzlaf to injury for the third time already this season, we caught a glimpse for three games of how the Ducks' top line will operate when everyone is healthy. Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Rakell combined for 11 points in the three contests in which Getzlaf was around before he succumbed to an upper-body injury. Even with Getzlaf in and out of a shuffling lineup, Rakell has managed five goals and seven points in 11 games.
Defenseman on the move
Torey Krug, D, Boston Bruins (down 18 spots to No. 128)
It seems that the arrival of Charlie McAvoy has spelled at least moderate doom for Krug's fantasy value. As McAvoy continues to crank out points and compile impressive ice time (he played 29:47 in Saturday's game), Krug does the opposite. Perhaps most concerning of all, Krug has now gone four consecutive games without a shot on goal. In one of them (against the Canucks on Oct. 19), Krug played almost nine minutes of power-play time and didn't come away with a point or shot on goal. At this rate, it's only a matter of time before McAvoy steals the first power-play unit role from Krug.
Goalies on the move
Pekka Rinne, G, Nashville Predators (up eight spots to No. 55)
I know we are only one month into the season, but the start to this campaign is night-versus-day from what Rinne gave us in October last season. If you'll recall, Rinne provided us with alternating exceptional and poor months throughout the 2016-17 campaign. While he certainly could continue that pattern and provide us with a weak November, his track record suggests that he should get the benefit of the doubt here. While Rinne turns 35 soon, Jusse Saros has proven to be less of a threat than anticipated so far this season. Rinne, if he can avoid his mercurial stats from a season ago, is primed for another workhorse campaign as a No. 1 fantasy goaltender.
Cam Talbot, G, Edmonton Oilers (down 10 spots to No. 66)
Talbot is facing the exact same number of shots per game as he did last season, but at least so far, a lot more of them are tickling twine. His ratios this season -- 3.10 goals-against average and .904 save percentage -- are worse than in any individual month last season. The Oilers are going to have to pick up their defensive play if they want to win more games, and Talbot will have better months ahead, but until they do, he looks a lot more like a No. 2 fantasy goaltender.
Quick hits
While Krug's struggles, as mentioned above, don't warrant dropping from fantasy rosters just yet, you might want to consider parting ways with Jacob Trouba, Matt Dumba and, in shallow leagues, Oscar Klefbom. There are other defensemen out there getting the job done who can help you. ... Such as Brandon Montour! The Ducks are trusting the young offensive blueliner more with each passing game. With his results in the past seven games, Montour has mounted a legitimate threat to Sami Vatanen's overall value upon his return from injury. Although Vatanen is the incumbent here as power-play quarterback, it isn't as if he was one of the NHL's elite in the role. There is wiggle room for a specialist such as Montour to continue. ... Josh Anderson's sudden emergence is no accident. He has played the past two games on a line with Artemi Panarin and Nick Foligno. He'll have some value so long as that deployment is in place. ... If you play in a league that counts hits, John Hayden needs to be on your short-term radar. Already piling up the body count this season, Hayden has been playing lately on a line with Patrick Kane. ... Andreas Athanasiou potted his first goal of the season playing on a line with Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha. He'll require monitoring if he continues to play on the scoring line in place of Justin Abdelkader or the now-cooled-off Martin Frk. ... I know I won't shut up about Ryan Pulock, but he did it again Saturday. In just 50 seconds of power-play ice time against the Nashville Predators, Pulock had two power-play points. Eventually, the Islanders have to use him, even only as a power-play quarterback. ... The Islanders also finally decided to give John Tavares and Jordan Eberle some time apart, and the results were encouraging for both. Eberle had his best game of the season in his first game away from the top line with Tavares. Tavares, meantime, had his second hat trick in three games. Look for the two players to continue to be apart, which opens the door for Josh Bailey to have a hot streak on the top line with Tavares. ... Devante Smith-Pelly is the latest winger to get a shot at top-six ice time for the Washington Capitals. He skated with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov the past couple games and has a goal to his credit.