Charlie Coyle posts three assists in Blue Jackets win over Sabres

Fantasy hockey: Coyle's three-assist night Thursday lifted his line against Buffalo, but his zero shots and typical minutes suggest treating it as variance.

By Fantasy Roundup Staff · October 2, 2026 · Updated October 2, 2026

Charlie Coyle recorded three assists without a shot in 19:04 as the Blue Jackets beat the Sabres 6-3 on Thursday, October 1. He also added two hits, one block and a plus-two rating in the win.

The three-point outing stands well above his recent averages (0.70 points a night), but the lack of shot volume and unchanged ice time mark it as an outlier game rather than a sign of elevated usage. His underlying play grades 66 out of 100 among forwards, a read on how sustainable his scoring is.

Fantasy impact

Player by player

Charlie Coyle

Coyle averages 0.26 goals and 0.43 assists per game in his recent sample, making Thursday's three-assist performance a clear spike above his usual output. His 18:06 average ice time and 1:53 power-play time per night (sixth among Columbus skaters) show his typical role, and the 19:04 he played Thursday fits that pattern. He converts about 0.13 power-play points per game and chips in 1.2 hits and 0.6 blocks nightly.

The zero shots on goal stand as the most telling number from Thursday. Coyle typically manages 1.7 shots per game, and creating three assists without recording a shot suggests the helpers came from positioning and quick touches rather than offensive pressure. His process grade of 66 reflects middle-tier shot volume and scoring-chance generation, which aligns with a secondary scorer who had puck luck go his way. Columbus plays Thursday and Saturday this week.

What to do

• Hold Coyle in deeper formats as a depth center who provides hits and blocks around his 0.70 points per game.

• Treat Thursday's three-assist effort as variance given the zero shots and unchanged minutes, not a signal to stream him.

• Look elsewhere for streaming help with Columbus playing twice this week, as Coyle's process grade and shot volume suggest limited upside.

Schedule this week