Andreas Athanasiou – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Team Preview

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 16:00:10 +0000

_{CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 21: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) looks on during a game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Chicago Blackhawks on October 21, 2023 at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)}

After posting a 26-49-7 record in 2022-23, expectations were low for Chicago in 2023-24, but there were still some reasons to believe that the Blackhawks might at least be fun. Connor Bedard was set to play in his first season and was projected to play alongside Taylor Hall. Plus, Chicago had some promising youngsters on the roster outside of Bedard, like Lukas Reichel. In the end, though, not much went right for the Blackhawks last season. Connor Bedard did win the Calder Trophy with 22 goals and 61 points in 68 contests and Philipp Kurashev made strides (18 goals, 54 points), but no one else even reached the 40-point mark. Hall missed almost the entire campaign, contributing to Chicago scoring a league-worst 2.17 goals per game en route to an even worse 23-53-6 record.

WHAT’S CHANGED? Tyler Johnson left as an unrestricted free agent, but that was the Blackhawks’ only major loss. Meanwhile, they signed forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen along with defencemen Alec Martinez and TJ Brodie and goaltender Laurent Brossoit. The Blackhawks also had the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft, which they used to take blueliner Artyom Levshunov.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? Between Bedard, Kurashev, a healthy Hall, and newcomers Bertuzzi and Teravainen, Chicago’s offence is starting to look serviceable. If Reichel, who was limited to 16 points in 65 contests last year, can take a meaningful step forward this year, then the Blackhawks’ offence might even start looking like an asset. With the Blackhawks upgrades to defence, Chicago’s rebuild might go a lot quicker than some suspect.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? No one is expecting the Blackhawks to make the playoffs, but they do need to start making some strides towards competitiveness. Goaltending might hold them back from achieving even that modest goal. Chicago will be looking for Petr Mrazek to repeat his largely solid performance from 2023-24, but Mrazek hasn’t shown a lot of season-over-season consistency during his career. Although Brossoit is a potential hedge against that, the 31-year-old netminder’s career high in games is just 24, so it’s unclear if he’d perform as the starter if Mrazek falters. Outside of that, although the Blackhawks have plenty of youngsters with upside, there’s always a risk that inexperienced NHLers will experience growing pains.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Reichel knows a thing or two about growing pains -- as mentioned above, he didn’t do much offensively with Chicago last season. Still, Reichel has looked fantastic at the AHL level, and after a rough campaign, he ended 2023-24 on a high note by scoring three goals and seven points with Germany in the World Championship. Still just 22 years old, the No. 17 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft might hit his stride this campaign.

FORWARD

Connor Bedard

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	42	44	86	1.10

Building a good supporting cast around their superstar was the priority for the Hawks this off-season. At 18-years old, he shouldn’t be expected to turn the franchise around on his own and last year was clear proof of that. The elite skillset showed through most of the time, but there were limitations on how much one guy can carry the load. That was especially true on the power play where he scored only four goals all season. Bedard can create his own shot and score from distance, but even the elites need help getting setup and creating space. His first year wasn’t without his struggles, but he excelled in a lot of things that are hard to do for even seasoned veterans. He was one of the top players in the league at generating controlled zone entries and creating passes from the middle of the ice. His offence and chance production were also very good, but it was heavily based on him setting up Nick Foligno and Phillip Kurashev to score any goals. A better supporting cast around him this year, including additions Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen, should yield better all-around play for Bedard and star-level production on the scoresheet. He can threaten 30 goals and 90 points if everything breaks right but point per game production is a more realistic expectation.

Taylor Hall

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
60	18	24	42	0.70

After getting him for essentially nothing last summer, Hall spent almost the entire season on the shelf with both a shoulder injury and a knee injury which required surgery. The former first overall pick is a great complement to Bedard when healthy. Still an excellent puck-carrier, he can take some attention away from their star player and he has enough speed to make the Hawks top line a nightmare to deal with if everyone is on their game. His game has been slightly more one-dimensional as a playmaker as he has gotten older. Hall has never been the best finisher and thrives with setting guys up from along the wall and creating space for them off the rush. There is a lot of potential there for him and Bedard to have great chemistry, with Bedard’s shot and Hall’s strong possession game, it’s just a matter of Hall staying healthy. He’s had plenty of experience playing alongside top picks, so adapting to Bedard’s skillset shouldn’t be a problem. You will have to expect some downtime. He has only surpassed 20 goals once in the last six seasons, so temper your expectations accordingly and draft for 10 -15 goals at most and twice as many assists.

Philipp Kurashev

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	19	28	47	0.60

Now one of the team’s veterans, it might surprise you that Kurashev is the Hawks longest-tenured forward. He was the player who got the “Bedard bump” last season, as life was much easier for him alongside the Hawks star forward and his overall numbers got a major boost. Much of those points were assists where he was around the play rather than setting Bedard up, but his motor and attention to detail is what made him a mainstay on the Hawks top line. Scoring a lot off rebounds and loose pucks early in the season, his confidence grew as time went on and Kurashev became more of a guy other teams had to pay attention to because of how good he was at getting himself open and taking advantage of the space Bedard creates. Still, he is best when he’s doing the simple things and it's tough to say if he can repeat this type of year with the Hawks adding so many other options on the wing. Still, he has taken himself from a tweener to someone who could potentially have a nice career in the NHL. A step back offensively is likely if not on the first line but should still line up on what should be an improved first power play, on which he finished second on the team with 19 points last season. An expectation of producing points in the mid 40’s with 30 assists is within his reach.

Tyler Bertuzzi

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	28	24	82	0.69

Bertuzzi was one of the main forwards brought in in free agency to mesh with Bedard and he brings a skillset all teams covet. He’s feisty and loves going to the net to get his chances. Finishing them has been the struggle in the past with last season in Toronto being one of his stronger outputs. He has spent most of his career stapled to a top line or a star player, whether that’s Dylan Larkin or Auston Matthews, so you can likely pencil him in on Bedard’s line along with the top power play unit. His willingness to fight for position in the blue paint and get himself open will make him a popular choice for that role and so will his track record of being a good playmaker. The only downside is that he is prone to scoring slumps because he doesn’t have the best hands around the net, jamming at loose pucks instead of controlling it to finish chances. Might not be the guy driving the bus on his line but can be more than just a passenger even if he’s not riding shotgun with an elite talent. His style of play has contributed to some injury time over the years that should be accounted for when drafting. He should receive increased power play time over his usage in Toronto and should be able to deliver 20 – 25 goals again and push for 50 points as a result.

Teuvo Teravainen

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	24	34	58	0.74

Returning to where his NHL career began, Teravainen is one of the best pieces the Hawks added this off-season. He is arguably the most one of the most underappreciated forwards in the league for his defensive play, although that rarely went unnoticed by his coaches in Carolina. He played heavy minutes on the penalty kill while going up-and-down the lineup as both Sebastian Aho’s wingman and a steady presence on a shutdown line with Jordan Staal. As much as the Hawks need scoring, a guy who can calm the waters at five-on-five is just as important, which is where Teravainen should play a key role, whether that’s on a scoring line or a defensive role. He doesn’t need the puck to be effective, although he is coming off a career high in goals, and he’s usually better as the trailer in the play rather than the primary puck-carrier. His boxcar stats got a boost last year thanks to nine power play goals, after catching a lot of penalty killers off-guard in the right circle. His versatility will be a welcomed addition to this Chicago team. His defensive game will carry his value. Offensively he has scored more than 20 goals four times in his career, including 25 last season. He might be hard pressed to hit that number in this environment, but over the last seven seasons he has scored consistently, outside of a slump in 2022-23. He has scored 373 points in 474 games in that time, which represents a 64-point average pace over 82 games, and he is only 29-years old.

Andreas Athanasiou

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
60	9	15	24	0.40

Signed for two years after a 20-goal season in 2022-23, Athanasiou missed all but 23 games with a groin and hip issue last season. He was expected to be more of a roster placeholder while the team’s prospects are still developing, and the Hawks are hoping they can salvage something out of the final year of his contract. His calling card is the same as always, speed, blazing speed. He could challenge for the throne as the fastest player in the NHL if he’s ever lucky enough to be invited to the All-Star Game. Unfortunately, that ship has mostly sailed but he still has something to offer as a depth piece. His skating is always going to make teams interested in what he brings, and he is good enough to go on a hot streak that can give your third or fourth lines some pop. Not too many guys can say they’ve scored 30 goals in the NHL after all. His streakiness and play away from the puck have kept him from finding a long-term home and it will take a major bounce-back season for that to happen in Chicago. Draft accordingly.

Jason Dickinson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	15	18	33	0.40

Dickison was one of the few Hawks players who didn’t take a beating on the stat sheet last year, which is saying a lot on a team with a five-on-five goal differential below 40%. In fact, he was one of two regular players on the team who had an on-ice goal differential above 50%. It might not look like much, but it was enough to earn him some love in the Selke race. He did this while playing the tough matchups along with heavy penalty kill minutes and taking lots of faceoffs in the defensive zone. Oh, and he was also tied for the team lead in goals with 22. Impressive if somewhat inflated by a 17.2 shooting percentage versus a 10.6 career percentage. Adapting to the environment is how you stay in the league, even as an ex-first round pick, and that’s been the story of Dickinson’s career. He carved out a role for himself as a worker bee forward with the Stars and has become one of Hawks most relied upon forwards since arriving in the Windy City. Last year was a borderline impossible task for him with the team still in the rebuild stage and seeing massive injuries on top of that. He should have a little more help next year as he continues to provide a reliable defensive presence in the middle of their lineup. Repeating a 20-goal season will be a challenge. At 29-years old, an offensive breakthrough is not likely.

Nick Foligno

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	13	15	28	0.37

What you get from Foligno is very predictable. Even his counting stats have been all over the place as he plays through his late 30’s. He’s had somewhat of a resurgence after a dismal two goals in 64 games campaign with the Bruins in 2021 and his 37 points last season was his highest total since 2017. Getting the prime spot on Bedard’s wing played a major role in that, but the Hawks got a lot of miles out of the veteran. Playing more minutes per game than he has since his days as Columbus’ captain, Foligno’s heart-and-soul playing style fit with what the Hawks were trying to accomplish last year. They wanted a team that worked hard on the tough nights and Foligno is a guy who will always do that and give you some good defensive results at the very least. The Hawks were impressed enough to keep him around for another two years, likely in a de facto captain type of role. Foligno will slot back into a checking role, where he is more suited, and his offensive results will reflect that. You may expect some downtime as well at his age and style, so expect between 20 and 30 points at most.

Lukas Reichel

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	10	16	26	0.34

To say Reichel had a tough go of it in his first NHL season would be an understatement. The Hawks were patient with bringing him along and allowed him to play himself out of a prolonged scoring slump that lasted until mid-November. His goal-scoring prowess from the AHL hasn’t translated to the big leagues just yet, as he showed that he has the wheels to create his own shot but didn’t have the touch to beat NHL goaltenders. Rushing a lot of his better chances or not challenging the goaltender enough if he got in alone. Quick-strike offence was also his only calling card, as his lines always struggled mightily to drive play when he was on the ice, and it didn’t matter if they had him in the middle or on the wing. With two very strong years in the AHL, the 2020 first rounder doesn’t have much left to prove in the minors, but he hasn’t shown that he is ready to be an everyday NHL player either. He’s also used to being “the guy” on his line, whereas he will need more help around him to succeed in the NHL. With the addition of veteran wingers to fill the top six slots, it will be another year of development and any offensive breakout is down the road.

Ryan Donato

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	12	15	27	0.36

With 14 forwards currently under NHL contracts, the only thing keeping Donato in Chicago’s current mix is that he plays center on a wing-heavy team. He also offers some versatility that you can use up-and-down the lineup, although it’s uncertain if he will get that this year now that the team’s depth has improved. Donato was a nice fit with Bedard early on in the season as a shoot-first type of player, but his one-dimensional game and need for centers lower in the lineup kept him from being a long-term solution there. More of a stabilizer rather than someone who will carry the mail. Still has a soft set of hands that make him a threat around the net, but creating those chances has been the issue for most of his career. It’s the main reason why he’s topped out as a 15-goal guy rather than someone who could get you 20+. Still, what he brings to the table isn’t nothing, especially in the shootout. Seattle had a nice setup for him as a sheltered fourth liner who you could take in-and-out of the lineup when you needed a skill boost. The Hawks didn’t have that luxury last year, but this year might be a different story.

Ilya Mikheyev

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	9	17	26	0.34

Mikheyev’s reputation as a poor finisher is a little unfair because he has a couple of strong shooting seasons under his belt. However, this year might have been rock bottom. Playing mostly with Elias Pettersson, he scored only 11 goals and scored only once since December 17^th. You would have to be the best defensive player or penalty killer in the world for fans to not be frustrated with that, especially on a top line. Hence why he was traded to the Hawks in a cap dump deal in the summer. If Mikheyev finds some scoring touch again, he’s a great piece for Chicago. Adds a lot of speed to their wings and is a nuisance while playing shorthanded. Disrupting a lot of plays and always a threat to break shorthanded. The Hawks have a logjam on their wings, but Mikheyev’s speed and strong work ethic gives him an edge over some of the other roster hopefuls. He has also only taken three penalties over the last two seasons, so he will rarely put you on the penalty kill.

DEFENCE

Seth Jones

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	10	27	37	0.49

Taking some of the burden off Seth Jones was one of the Hawks priorities when making the coaching switch before last year. His workload in terms of minutes wasn’t going to change, but there was more of an effort to give him support and keep him away from situations where he’s on an island defending. A consistent partner was a major part of this, and Jones got that last year with Alex Vlasic bursting onto the scene and shining as a guy who could complement Jones’ mobility while having some size. The other was mitigating Jones’ weakness, which is entry defence. This used to be one of his strengths, but he can’t skate guys into the corner to kill plays as well as he used to. An ankle injury in Columbus and forward talent around the league getting faster and more deceptive are the main reasons for that. He also can’t be the workhorse with the puck that he used to be, even though he still has the cardio to log 25-26 minutes a night. He doesn’t have to challenge at the line as often and relies on his partner to move the puck instead of being a one-man breakout like he used to. It’s taken away some of the dynamic aspects of his game, but his defensive game is night and day from where it was when he first arrived in Chicago.

Kevin Korchinski

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	8	21	29	0.37

Thrown into the fire as a rookie, the 19-year-old had no shortage of “welcome to the NHL” moments. The Hawks were content to let one of their first-round picks play through his struggles and Korchinski took his lumps on the scoresheet. No defenceman on the Hawks was on the ice for more five-on-five goals against than him and while some of that is out of his control, most of his time on the ice was spent stuck in his own zone. He showed flashes of what made him such a high pick, especially as a passer and while running the power play. He was a case of how much rookies have to adjust to the speed of the NHL in terms of decision making rather than skating, as he didn’t have an issue skating guys down, but the puck would go through him a lot and he was rarely on the same page as his forwards. Korchinski is the type of player who will benefit from the team around him getting better. So many of his strengths are reliant on forwards making the next play and the Hawks controlling more segments of the game where they can reset and attack. He might benefit the most from the Hawks improved depth.

Alec Martinez

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
65	2	12	14	0.22

The gamble with Chicago adding Alec Martinez is if his body can still hold up at 37 years old and if the team around his good enough for his skillset to matter. Primarily a shot-blocking defenceman, Martinez has more pop than your typical shutdown defender and can be a complement to a strong puck-mover like he was in Vegas with Alex Pietrangelo. He is one of those players that is very good at “taking damage” without giving up a goal, which comes with the territory when blocking shots and spending a lot of time in your own zone. It’s why having a good team around him is important, because Martinez can do a lot to hold the fort down in the defensive zone and that only means so much if his teammates can’t get the puck out of the zone or the guys on the next shift spend more time in their own zone. If anything, he should take some of the load off Connor Murphy with the defensive zone workload.

GOAL

Petr Mrazek

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
48	16	27	5	1	0.906	3.02

Laurent Brossoit

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
34	12	19	3	0	0.908	3.08

No one expects the Chicago Blackhawks to be contenders this year, so their goaltending strategy seems to be similar to the one they opted for last season - get through the year with a consistent veteran voice, avoid rushing prospects too early, and establish good habits for the young skaters in front of the crease to build upon in the years to come. That makes the return of Petr Mrazek a perfect option, even if the sting of Corey Crawford's absence is still lingering at the United Center. Mrazek was a surprising bright spot during a heavy rebuild year for Chicago in 2023, putting up his best complete season since 2019 and serving as one of the few constants on a young, inexperienced roster. He put up roughly league average numbers on a firmly below-average team, and his technical consistency - something not always a given for Mrazek - made it easier to feel confident in his performances night over night in Chicago.

He'll get a new tandem partner for the upcoming season to avoid rushing prospect Drew Commesso, as well, in a move that should make Blackhawks fans everywhere give a round of applause. Laurent Brossoit will depart from Winnipeg with stellar backup numbers behind Connor Hellebuyck, arriving in Chicago as one of the league's most reliable 1B-tandem options heading into the 2024-25 season.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Opportunities in deployment in the very early going – Boeser, Donato, Couturier, Paul, Newhook and more!

Scott Cullen — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 12:42:35 +0000

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 11: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) skates up ice during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks on October 11, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, as most teams have played one or maybe two games, here is a look at the early results, looking at deployment in an effort to pull insights from the very early action. Brock Boeser, Ryan Donato, Sean Couturier, Nick Paul, Alex Newhook and more!

#1 Last season was trying for Vancouver Canucks right winger Brock Boeser, who finished with 18 goals in 74 games, the lowest per-game goal-scoring rate of his career. His father had died the previous May and that appeared to be having an effect. He also scored on 10.1% of his shots, which was below his career rate of 13.0%, so things were off, and he asked for a trade. Boeser rescinded that request and began this season with the ideal fresh start, scoring four goals in an 8-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. He was the beneficiary of some favourable bounces of the puck, but there is no need to apologize for how one scores four goals in a game. Boeser is skating on a line with Phillip Di Giuseppe and J.T. Miller at even strength and getting first unit power play time, so the opportunity is there for a bounce-back campaign.

#2 The Chicago Blackhawks have not been shy about how they are using No. 1 overall draft pick Connor Bedard through two games. Bedard has looked as NHL-ready as anyone could ask from a teenager, contributing one goal and one assist in two games, but he is also averaging 21:37 of ice time per game, which is unusually high for a rookie forward. Since 2000-2001, there have been three rookie forwards to average more than 20 minutes of ice time per game: Alex Ovechkin, Anze Kopitar, and Sidney Crosby. Ovechkin was a 20-year-old rookie, who averaged 21:37 per game, while the other two were 18, but averaged 20:32 and 20:06 per game, respectively. This is not to suggest that Bedard shouldn’t play this much. This Chicago team is geared for him to get opportunities and part of that is going to be the amount of ice time he receives.

#3 There is already a change on Bedard’s wing, though, as left winger Taylor Hall suffered an upper-body injury in the second game of the season at Boston. With Hall out, there will be a new opportunity on Bedard’s line. Ryan Donato is already having some success on Bedard’s wing, with two points (1 G, 1 A) and seven shots on goal while averaging 18:34 time on ice per game. Andreas Athanasiou got the first opportunity to take Hall’s spot so that could offer great potential for him, at least in the short term.

#4 Staying in Chicago for one more point, keep tabs on rookie defenceman Kevin Korchinski. The seventh pick in the 2022 Draft, Korchinski has averaged more than 20 minutes per game through his first two NHL contests and looks like he could be a building block for the Blackhawks. He is getting second unit power play time now, but it would not be out of the question to see Korchinski emerge as a first unit power play defenseman. The 19-year-old had 73 points (11 G, 62 A) in 54 games for Seattle of the WHL last season.

#5 Appearing in his first NHL game since December of 2021, Flyers centre Sean Couturier played 20:39 and had an assist. The 30-year-old is a legit No. 1 centre when he is healthy and, right now, that looks to be the case. Couturier is skating between Joel Farabee and rookie Bobby Brink to start the season, a great opportunity for Brink to play with a play-driving centre like Couturier.

#6 When he was traded from Edmonton to Nashville last season, there was real concern for fantasy managers that Tyson Barrie would lose out on prime power play minutes in Nashville. The presence of Roman Josi had the top power play defenseman role covered, but the Preds have opened this season by going with two defensemen on their top power play, meaning that Barrie still gets first unit power play time. Being on the first unit in Edmonton and Nashville offer different value, but getting first unit power play time will help to keep Barrie more appealing for fantasy managers and Barrie’s presence on the top unit appears to be coming at the expense of rookie winger Luke Evangelista, who has dropped to the second unit.

#7 With Alex Killorn departing as a free agent, there was an opening on the top power play unit in Tampa Bay and Nick Paul sure is making the most of his opportunity there. The third line centre for the Lightning scored a pair of power play goals in the season opener. While he scored a career-high 17 goals last season and had career highs of 32 points in each of the past two seasons, if Paul sticks on the top power play in Tampa Bay, he will surpass those numbers.

#8 One of the benefits for a young player moving from a powerhouse team to a rebuilding squad is that there is more opportunity available to them. That sure looks like the case for Alex Newhook, who scored a pair of goals in his debut with the Montreal Canadiens. Newhook, who averaged 13:46 of ice time per game in Colorado, played 16:46 in his first game for Montreal, skating on a line with Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky.

#9 He has only started one regular season game, but Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov looked shaky in allowing five goals to the Montreal Canadiens. He didn’t look stellar in his last preseason start against Detroit, either and, given the unpredictability of the goaltending position, it might be worth keeping Joseph Woll on your fantasy radar. Samsonov will have some leeway, but Woll has a .924 save percentage in 11 career starts, and that could help the 25-year-old get a look if Samsonov doesn’t get on track.

#10 When the Winnipeg Jets sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to Los Angeles in the summer, they received three forwards as part of the package and two of them, Gabe Vilardi and Alex Iafallo, started the season on Winnipeg’s top power play unit. Vilardi is not a stranger to the power play, having scored five times with the man advantage last season. He recorded seven shots on goal and played more than 21 minutes in his Jets debut at Calgary. Iafallo had seven power play goals for the Kings last season and scored in his first game for Winnipeg. It will be interesting to see if they stay there all season, but if Vilardi and Iafallo are getting first unit power play time, that should raise their offensive ceiling.

#11 Calgary Flames rookie winger Matt Coronato is also getting first unit power play time. The 13^th pick in the 2021 Draft, Coronato tallied 38 goals in 68 games through two seasons of college hockey at Harvard, but he sniped 48 goals in 51 games in his last season with Chicago of the USHL. Again, if Coronato can hold a place on Calgary’s No. 1 power play, he will have greater offensive potential as a result.

#12 With all the promising situations for young players getting first unit power pay time, it stands out that Columbus made sophomore winger Kent Johnson a healthy scratch in Blue Jackets’ season opener. Johnson is a wildly talented player who had 40 points (16 G, 24 A) in 79 games last season. The details of Johnson’s defensive game could surely improve, but for a rebuilding team, it is surprising to see a skilled young player get sent to the press box to start the season.

#13 There has been plenty of shuffling with Columbus’ forward lines. Last week, I wrote about Patrik Laine moving to centre and he remains there, with Johnny Gaudreau on the left side and now Cole Sillinger taking a turn on right side. Sillinger was the 12^th pick in the 2021 Draft and showed great promise, making the Blue Jackets that year and scoring 31 points (16 G, 15 A) in 79 games. Last season was a mess, however, and he ended up getting demoted to the AHL after managing just 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in 64 games. The chance to play with Laine and Gaudreau is a prime opportunity for Sillinger to get his career on track and he is still just 20!

#14 Columbus also lost defenseman Zach Werenski for 1-2 weeks with a quad contusion. Werenski has had major trouble staying healthy and that apparently continues. With Werenski hurt, Ivan Provorov got first crack at quarterbacking the Blue Jackets’ power play but that was really not Provorov’s strong suit in Philadelphia. He did have 16 power play points in the 2019-2020 season. If Provorov does not stick in that role, Adam Boqvist, Damon Severson or Jake Bean could all get a look, which speaks to how much Columbus would probably just prefer to have Werenski back there.

#15 Roope Hintz missed the season opener for the Dallas Stars, though head coach Peter DeBoer suggested that it was not a serious injury, and he would have played if it was a playoff game. That does not sound like Hintz will miss a lot of time but, while he is out, Tyler Seguin reaps the rewards, moving into Hintz’s first line centre spot and taking a turn on the Stars’ top power play unit.

#16 Minnesota Wild netminder Filip Gustavsson had a breakthrough season in 2022-2023, posting a .931 save percentage in 39 games. He followed that up with a 41-save shutout against Florida in his first start of the season, picking up where he left off. By the end of last season, Gustavsson had emerged as Minnesota’s best option between the pipes, and he is going to keep pushing for more action if he delivers like he did against the Panthers. Obviously, the more that Gustavsson starts, that would mean fewer starts for Marc-Andre Fleury.

#17 In the offseason, there was no team that looked to be in worse shape than San Jose for having a defenseman take a regular spot on its top power play. It should come as little surprise, then, that rookie Henry Thrun is getting a look in the quarterback role on San Jose’s top power play unit. Thrun had 31 points (7 G, 24 A) in 33 games at Harvard last season before adding a couple of assists in eight games for the Sharks. That does not indicate that he is surely going to quarterback San Jose’s power play into perpetuity, but he is getting the chance now.

#18 Playing his first game since suffering a torn ACL last season, San Jose’s Luke Kunin led Sharks forwards with 19:36 time on ice against Vegas. That seems rather high, but Kunin hovers around the fringes of fantasy relevance because he can score a little and is an active hitter – he had 223 hits in the 2021-2022 season – and if he is going to play that much, then he will move even closer to fantasy relevance.

#19 It looks like Shea Theodore is getting reps on the top power play unit for Vegas to start the season. Last season, Alex Pietrangelo received a little more power play time per game, and Theodore missed 27 games, so Pietrangelo had more power play time overall. However, Theodore had more power play time in the playoffs and, through a couple of games, looks like he is once again Vegas’ top power play option on the point.

#20 The Vancouver Canucks have reportedly given winger Conor Garland the go-ahead to seek a trade, which will not be easy given that he comes with a $4.95-million cap hit for two seasons beyond this one. Garland scored on opening night but played just 9:52 in an 8-1 rout over Edmonton but he was playing with Elias Pettersson, which isn’t going to hurt his value. Once Ilya Mikheyev returns from injury, that could leave Garland in a tough spot. He is a quality play-driving winger who has produced 98 points (36 G, 62 A) over the past two seasons.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 21:30:46 +0000

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 13: Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones (4) controls the puck during overtime during a game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Chicago Blackhawks on April 13, 2023 at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

Review: Going into the 2022-23 campaign, the big question surrounding the Blackhawks wasn’t if they’d make the playoffs, it was if they’d win the draft lottery, securing the rights to draft Connor Bedard. That might sound harsh, but it would be hard to make the argument that Chicago was making any effort to compete in 2022-23 after they even traded Alex DeBrincat, who was coming off a 41-goal campaign and still just 24 years old, for nothing more than draft picks. That’s the kind of trade you only make if your goal is to start almost completely from scratch. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Chicago ranked last offensively – they traded Max Domi and Patrick Kane before the deadline, preventing the team from finishing with even a 50-point player – and near the bottom of the pack defensively. The Blackhawks’ 29-49-7 record was just shy of the worst in the league, but they did end up winning the draft lottery.

What’s Changed? As expected, Chicago used the first overall pick to get Bedard, giving them a new headline player as the Blackhawks move past the Kane/Jonathan Toews era. To give Bedard a mentor and potential linemate, Chicago acquired Taylor Hall from Boston. Another veteran leader joining the Blackhawks is Corey Perry, who inked a one-year, $4 million contract.

What would success look like? A good season for Bedard by itself would be a win this year. He’s not the only Chicago prospect who could have a big season though. Lukas Reichel should serve in a top-six capacity and has a lot of potential. Philipp Kurashev doesn’t have the same level of upside as Reichel or Bedard, but Kurashev has 191 career NHL games under his belt now and might get a chance to play on the second line while surpassing his current career-high of 25 points. On defense, rookie Wyatt Kaiser could prove to be a solid top-four option down the road. Make no mistake though: This is a rebuilding season and Chicago is in no way expected to make the playoffs.

What could go wrong? So much depends on Bedard and if he’ll live up to the unreal levels of hype that have been thrust upon him. Early struggles aren’t the end of the world and even a poor rookie campaign from him wouldn’t necessarily be an indication that he’s a bust. After all, 2019 first overall pick Jack Hughes recorded just 21 points as a rookie but broke out in his fourth campaign with 43 goals and 99 points in 78 contests. However, so much of the Blackhawks hopes are resting on the idea that Bedard will be the next Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid, so it will be hard to navigate through Chicago’s anxiety if any warning signs crop up.

Top Breakout Candidate: Bedard is the obvious choice, but Reichel shouldn’t be slept on either. Reichel showed a lot of promise last season with 20 goals and 51 points in 55 AHL contests along with seven goals and 15 points in 23 games with Chicago. Reichel should be given every opportunity this year and might even play on the same line as Bedard on both even strength and the power play, further tying their fates together.

Forwards

Taylor Hall - RW

The Blackhawks needed a running mate for Connor Bedard and one fell into their laps with the Bruins trading them Taylor Hall for pennies on the dollar, the only expense for the Hawks being his $6 million AAV cap hit for the next two seasons. Hall is a great player to complement the young star because he can take a lot of pressure off him to “do everything” on his line. He loves carrying the puck and having the play go through him on the wing, which should open up some scoring opportunities for Bedard. Hall’s lines are usually a net positive when it comes to how many shots and goals they create and give up. Hall, himself, however, has been on a bit of the downswing in terms of how many goals he scores himself. His shooting has been on the decline, and he plays at a slower, methodical pace than he used to. This was perfect for the Bruins, as he injected some life into their middle-six and was one of their best forwards in the playoffs. Hall is probably a second liner now, so it will be interesting to see how he does going back to being “the guy” on another team, at least until Bedard emerges. He certainly has plenty of experience playing with first overall picks.

Tyler Johnson - C

The former “Tampa Triplet” had somewhat of a bounce-back season, scoring at his highest rate since the 2020 season, albeit with only 32 points in 56 games. Johnson’s career has been constantly interrupted by injuries over the past four years, so getting 50-something games out of him was nice to see. A good chunk of that production came on the power play, as Johnson can still be dangerous if someone sets him up. He just struggles to create on his own with only six of his goals coming at five-on-five and not having that same finish around the net he used to have. There comes a point where the rigors of the NHL do a number on even the most skilled players, and this appears to be the case for Johnson. His saving grace might be that he could thrive as a forechecker or in a defensive role, but the Hawks needed all the offense they could get and he played most of his minutes on scoring lines. With the roster in dire straits, Johnson will likely be in the Hawks top-six and power play units next season, although there is some help on the way with Bedard and Reichel.

Andreas Athanasiou - LW

Athanasiou’s speed is his one tool and it’s not a bad one to have. Still one of the fastest players in the league and coming off one of his best seasons in a while in terms of boxscore stats. Staying healthy and getting lots of opportunities for offense were the biggest factors, playing a full season after missing almost all of 2022 and potting 20 goals for the first time since he was a Detroit Red Wing. His speed is always going to make him a weapon because he can make space for himself and create quick-strike offense out of nothing plays, which is always going to play its part. Playing on a bad team helps you get more opportunities, but the Hawks need skill to work with their top picks and he formed some decent chemistry with their future star Lukas Reichel down the stretch last year. The downside is offense is pretty much all Athansiou has to offer. His value will be married to his point total and if he isn’t scoring, you’ll often ask yourself “what else is he doing?” This, along with his spotty injury history are the risks he brings.

Taylor Raddysh - RW

How many would guess that the Hawks co-leading goal-scorer was Taylor Raddysh? Granted, that’s only 20 goals but still impressive for a player who was unproven heading into the year. Raddysh was a guy the Hawks liked since they acquired him, giving him minutes with Toews and playing him on the top power play regularly. If you watch him, it’s easy to see why because he loves to shoot the puck and has a great release. Does a lot of the little things you need to do when you’re with great playmakers, always being in motion to get yourself open and recognizing where the play is going. Considering he almost never played on the Patrick Kane line, it’s impressive that he got 12 goals while primarily relying on teammates setting him up. He is an intriguing option to play with Bedard, as he has shown that he won’t get killed defensively in the top-six and the great shot is hard to ignore. Raddysh is also in that awkward spot of being in his mid-20’s on an expiring contract, so it will be interesting to see if he’s part of the Hawks plans going forward.

Nick Foligno - LW

It’s no secret that intangibles were a key factor in Chicago signing Nick Foligno, although his $4 million AAV cap hit to reach the floor also helps. Moving on from most of their leadership core in recent years, the Hawks invested in some older players to help bring some of their prospects along as they navigate their way through the rebuild. The ex-Blue Jacket captain is coming off a nice rebound campaign after a disastrous first year in Boston. He got back to double-digit goals and is always a reliable defensive player. Plays a straight-line game and plays more off the puck than he used to, as he doesn’t have that same burst he once did. Still very effective at getting to the net and capitalize on scoring chances and could see some power play time depending on how the Hawks roster looks come October. He could also play more minutes with the Hawks, as Boston had the luxury to play him in the 12-13 minute range on the deepest forward corps in the league.

Corey Perry - RW

Another veteran signed to a one-year deal, Corey Perry is coming off a couple strong years in Tampa and is still a master at getting under other players’ skin. His body can’t handle the full wear-and-tear of a normal top-sixer, but he’s made the most out of limited minutes in his last two years with the Lightning, going to the net to create chances and being a general menace to play against. This is a different situation than what he’s used to though, as he is usually brought in as a supplementary piece to a contending team. The Hawks aren’t contending this year, so Perry is there to be more of a leader and absorb some of the tougher parts of the game. Tampa rejuvenated his career a little, posting 40 points a couple years ago while giving them solid minutes on their fourth line dubbed “The School Bus Line.” Last year he was more of a power play specialist, scoring 12 of his 25 points with the man advantage and creating most of his five-on-five offense off rebounds.

Ryan Donato - RW

Skilled goal-scorers who don’t fit in the top-six sometimes get lost in the shuffle. Fortunately for Ryan Donato, he played on a Seattle team that played their skilled guys lower in the lineup and formed one of the more efficient scoring lines in the league alongside Daniel Sprong. The Harvard grad scored two points per 60 minutes at five-on-five with the Kraken, comparable with the likes of Trevor Zegras and Alex Iafallo. Possessing a fantastic set of hands, Donato can score some very creative goals out of nothing plays and made Seattle one of the deepest teams in the league last year. Whether it’s off the rush or around the net, he is great at settling down loose pucks and putting defenders in a tough spot if he gets the puck with some speed. The reason why he doesn’t play high in the lineup is that his game is pretty one-dimensional. He is not the best passer in the world and has tunnel-vision to the net most times. He is also a streaky scorer, finding the back of the net only one time in the final two months of the season (including no goals in the playoffs). Gives the Hawks another utility player to work with as they enter the year with a blank canvas.

Philipp Kurashev - LW

Out of all the Hawks forward prospects, nobody was given more of a chance to produce more than Kurashev. Playing almost 18 minutes a night in the Hawks top-six, Kurashev the Hawks wanted to see everything they had in the 23-year-old winger. He has good skills individually; great hands, uses his edges well, decent speed and plays with a high motor. In a game situation, he struggled to put it together, often throwing puck away on cycles and dumping the puck in on most of his entries unless it was off a turnover. There would be moments of greatness once every few games, but that’s just what they were, moments. That said, the Hawks liked him enough to retain him for two years, likely having him play lower in the lineup. He has the skills to be a good checking line player with some pop, as he usually takes smart routes to exit the zone and is effective at skating through traffic. Skills that make him a better fit for a counter-attack offense as opposed to a cycle game that you need from your top line. Last year was probably a good year for him and the Hawks as they know what they have in him and how they can use him better going forward.

Boris Katchouk - LW

The trade deadline opens the door for some players to step up and this was the case for Boris Katchouk. Toiling away as a healthy scratch for most of the year, Katchouk finally got some consistent playing time and linemates once some roster spots opened up. He had a nice month in March alongside Joey Anderson and Jujhar Khaira on what ended up as the Hawks first line on some nights. A high scorer both in junior and the AHL, he could translate that to the pros at times. Katchouk can use his size well to play a more skilled game, as he’s a good puck-handler and is very good at stealing pucks to setup plays from behind the net. He didn’t get much of a chance to do so while playing on the Hawks fourth line and struggled to score even when he got a bump in ice time. At 24, he’s still looking to find his role in the NHL but finds himself in a similar situation to last year where he might get lost in the shuffle.

Defense

Seth Jones - D

One year into his seven-year contract with Chicago, it took some time for Seth Jones to get acclimated to his new team. His point total took a hit, but things were a little calmer when he was on the ice. Having his skillset, it’s easy to think that you need to be the guy that does everything, especially on a bad team, and his workload was scaled back. He still logged more minutes than almost anyone else in the NHL but wasn’t pinching at every opportunity and stepped back more often when defending entries instead of meeting forwards at the red line. Ankle injuries have limited his ability to pivot and skate backwards, so Jones has to pay more attention to where the play is going rather than assuming he can shut it down on his own. It’s a new approach, but it should lead to better results once the players around Jones improve. He is showing that he can reinvent his game and still be a top-pair caliber defenseman, although not the game-breaker the Hawks were hoping for. The return of his shot being a threat was nice to see, mostly because he was likely the team’s best option more times than not. Still very good at getting pucks through traffic and was more opportunistic with creating chances than trying to score from long-distance.

Connor Murphy - D

While his game is mostly in the defensive zone, Murphy (who is now the Hawks longest-tenured player) set a career high in goals last year. He will surprise fans with the times he does jump in because it’s rare to see him outside of the defensive zone. Murphy has the mobility to be more active offensively, but he is mostly about cleaning up messes in his own end. He had his minutes reduced last year but still had big responsibilities on the penalty kill. Also played with a rotating cast of partners, sometimes he would be paired with a rookie, other times he was with Jarred Tinordi, a strictly physical defenseman. Very good at blocking shots without sacrificing his body. Takes a lot of abuse with retrieving pucks and struggles to make the first pass out of the zone, although most of that is from being under constant forecheck pressure. Needs a more mobile partner to succeed and will likely have his hands full this coming year with the Hawks blue line lacking experienced puck movers.

Nikita Zaitsev - D

Zaitsev spent most of last season as a part-time player in Ottawa before being placed on waivers and ultimately getting traded to Chicago in a deal that sent the Blackhawks a draft pick for eating the final year of his contract. Used to playing in the 20–22-minute range in his prime, Zaitsev’s game struggles to translate to the quicker pace of the league now. He plays a thankless role as a shot-blocker and a physical defenseman, but there is a limitation on how effective you can be when your puck skills are as limited as his. He is also a little redundant in Chicago’s lineup with a similar player in Murphy in the top-four and another comparable player in Jarred Tinordi also on the roster. He did score his lone goal of the season after being traded to Chicago but was only used in a depth role with a rotating cast of partners. The influx of younger players could force him out of the Hawks lineup, but it’s tough to say with so many unproven options on Chicago’s blue line.

Jarred Tinordi - D

enseman and Maryland native was claimed off waivers from the Rangers at the start of the year and was a regular in the Hawks lineup. The team likes both his size and the physical brand of hockey he plays. He proved to be effective in certain situations, most notably defending zone entries and limiting chances off the rush. Sometimes you need guys who will just play the system and do the little things to get by and this is exactly what Tinordi did. He won’t complete a lot of passes out of the zone, but he can stop the puck along the wall to free it for his partner or be in position to receive a pass to skate it out. When you’re playing 15-17 minutes a night, that’s all you need to do, and the Hawks were happy with what they got out of him. Eventually they’ll need to upgrade, but Tinordi could be a regular next year if none of the prospects from Rockford impress in training camp. It helps that he set career highs in goals and points, as modest as those totals were.

Goaltending

Petr Mrazek - G

There are few teams as obviously hitting the reset button as the Chicago Blackhawks, and there are few goaltenders entering the 2023-24 season who are as obviously cast as parts of a rebuild as Petr Mrazek. With Chicago GM Kyle Davidson openly stating that the team won’t be chasing additional goaltending depth, it’s likely that Blackhawks fans will see more Mrazek than anything for the upcoming year – whether for better or for worse.

Mrazek came to Chicago as a once-highly-touted veteran who dazzled in his league debut, then never quite lived up to the hype. He has the ability to showcase quick hands and fast skating, sliding out of screens and recovering to make last-second desperation saves when things look dire in front of him. But despite his elite-tier athleticism, his consistency has always been a sticking point – and in Chicago, with a smattering of groin issues and a very clearly deconstructed roster skating out in front of him, the Czech netminder had one of the league’s worst performances last year. The fact that he’s the team’s returnee, and not the surprisingly resilient Alex Stalock, is a testament to just how willing the team is to move away from assets that could prevent them from creating a new empire from the ground up; he’ll tandem with Arvid Söderblom in hopes that Mrazek will remain healthy and Söderblom will be able to hold down the fort when needed. It’s not all doom and gloom in Chicago’s crease, since prospect Drew Commesso is under contract and hopefully going to be ready to take over as the team’s heir apparent in a few years time. But for now, Chicago just has to hope that Mrazek is able to come back fully healthy and able to put up his best performance in nearly three years – if they want to show an ability to take a step forward this upcoming year, he’ll have to be better than he was in 2022-23.

Projected starts: 60-65

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – NHL Player Profiles

Corey Sznajder – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 22:28:52 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 24: Chicago Blackhawks Defenceman Seth Jones (4) skates in warm-ups before a Los Angeles Kings game versus the Chicago Blackhawks on March 24, 2022 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Rob Curtis/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Patrick Kane

Entering the final year of his contract, the talk surrounding Kane is less about his performance and more about where he’s going to be playing by the end of the season. It’s unknown if he wants to stick around for a teardown rebuild and he will be a coveted player if the Hawks make him available. Still one of the league’s stars, Kane is one of a few players who you can bookmark for at least 90 points regardless of his team situation. He has the hands to make impossible plays happen and his passing can change the pace of the game on a dime, halting for a second to freeze the defense and finding a teammate entering the zone with speed seconds later. It papers over some of his concerns away from the puck and makes any line he’s on dangerous. This year is going to be an interesting transition year for him. Kane usually has a sidekick who can read off of him, whether that’s Artemi Panarin or Alex DeBrincat. This year will be a little different with the talent drain in Chicago. Kane has produced with the likes of Artem Anisimov and Nick Schmaltz before, but it’s hard to say if the Hawks even have players of that quality on their roster now. Elite talent always finds a way to produce, but there’s going to be more pressure on just him to carry the load, which doesn’t seem possible given he’s already averaging 22-23 minutes a night. To say this will be a challenging year for him would be an understatement.

Jonathan Toews

It was obvious that Toews wasn’t himself during the first half of the year. It took him until early December to score his first goal and he struggled to make an impact in any area of the game. This wasn’t unexpected after he missed the entire 2021 season, but it was hard to figure out what the “new normal” would be for the Hawks captain. He turned the corner a bit during the second half, not producing the same way he used to but getting back to being a solid play-driver on a line with Brandon Hagel and Dominik Kubalik. Slow starts were a running theme for Toews even before 2020, so last year wasn’t out of the ordinary. What’s a little concerning for the Hawks is that Toews needs a lot more help from his linemates now. He doesn’t carry the puck as often as he used to and is more of a support player than someone driving the bus. Hagel was a great support guy for him for that reason, a worker bee type of winger to help get the puck from Point A to Point B while Toews drove the middle or provided support on breakouts. His production next year could depend on how much the Hawks pair him with Patrick Kane. Even at their age, they still have instant chemistry and Toews will get his points with Kane by his side. It’s been more of an “in case of emergency” thing for the Hawks recently because of the team’s depth, but with so few options and Toews also on an expiring contract, it might become more of a regular fixture.

Max Domi

Three years have gone by and Max Domi has gone from Montreal’s top-line center to just another guy in Columbus. The Jackets struggled to figure out the best way to use the skilled playmaker, not fitting at the top of their lineup and struggling to find chemistry with anyone. He couldn’t play with the same pace he did in Montreal and found himself relegated a third line role on the wing. His great passing chops would appear in spurts, but more off turnovers and plays where he was standing still to find someone going to the net instead of the play-driver he was at his peak. The same can be said for his brief stint with the Hurricanes where he was just a depth player. He had a few nice games and played hard but only had moments where he was a game-breaker for them. With Chicago, he’s getting another chance to show that he can drive his own line and play in the middle. They have some decent speed on the wing to pair him with, so the door is open for him to show teams he still be a difference maker at the NHL level. A fresh start on a new team (and a year where he isn’t recovering from shoulder surgery) could help.

Andreas Athansiou

Speed to burn. That has been Athanasiou’s tagline since he started playing hockey. Putting the rest of his skillset together has been a challenge aside from one 30-goal season in Detroit. His first year with the Kings was a step in the right direction, as he was used up and down the lineup to form “skilled checking lines” with the likes of Blake Lizotte and Gabriel Vilardi, doing a better job of using his linemates instead of trying to fly for a breakaway on every shift. It earned him a spot on the Danault line before injuries kept him from being a key player in the LA lineup. When healthy, Athansiou was on-pace for one of his best NHL seasons from a point-per-game pace (granted with only 28 games played). Still, he was trusted with some good minutes, ending the regular season on a line with Kopitar and Kempe and providing a jolt of “instant offense” to whatever line he was on. Doing this over 82 games will be a challenge, but on a Chicago team in desperate need of skill, he is a welcomed addition.

Tyler Johnson

It’s easy to forget that this is Tyler Johnson’s second year on the Blackhawks because injuries limited him to only 26 games. Between neck surgery and a concussion, the two-time Cup champion never had a chance to begin his career in Chicago. He started to find some traction late in the year on a line with Toews and Kublaik, recording four of his seven points in the month of April when the Hawks put that unit together. The veteran brings a little of everything to the table. He was a great shooter during his prime years in Tampa Bay and has the hockey sense to play off elite linemates, finding soft spots in the defense, giving them a passing option and being the guy who can carry the puck into the zone. The question is how much of that skillset is still intact after so many injuries. He’s only 32 years old, but with over 615 games to his credit, the miles and wear-and-tear on your body starts to add up. Johnson can still move well enough to be a decent support player on a checking line, but it’s tough to say if he can be a dangerous offensive player now. He should have plenty of opportunities to prove this in Chicago this year.

Sam Lafferty

Acquired in a mid-season trade for Alex Nylander, Lafferty filled some of the Hawks needs. He’s a hard-working forechecker and gave the Hawks a small jolt of energy whenever he was out there. The Hawks moved him around the lineup, including giving him time with Kane and DeBrincat and did his job as someone who will play physical with speed and recover pucks. Making plays with the same pace was a challenge, as his point total would indicate, but his lines did a nice job of at least titling the ice. This isn’t a small accomplishment on last year’s Hawks team, as even their good players got caved in from a territorial standpoint. Don’t expect much offense from Lafferty, but a guy like him is needed on a rebuilding team. There are going to be a lot of tough games and the Hawks need some guys who will at least inject some life into the lineup and can play on different lines.

Colin Blackwell

It’s rare for a player to make the NHL in his late 20’s these days, but Colin Blackwell did just that a couple of years ago. Selected by the Kraken in the expansion draft after a 12-goal season with the Rangers, the Harvard grad found a niche as a nice defensive forward on a line with Yanni Gourde and Mason Appleton. He had some scoring upside with the minors and in his brief stint in New York but excelled more with the details of the game after leaving the Rangers (and Panarin’s right wing). He has a jack of all trades type of skillset and was a fixture on Seattle’s aggressive penalty kill, being one of their leaders in shorthanded entries. It was enough to catch the attention of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline, who quickly incorporated them as part of their penally kill rotation in the playoffs. The offensive side of the game can be a struggle for Blackwell at times, but his knack for stealing pucks and playing a strong forechecking game make him a great fit on a checking line. This is the role he will likely play in Chicago with some heavy penalty killing duty added in.

Taylor Raddysh

Finally graduating from Syracuse, Raddysh was given every opportunity to succeed in a lower line role with the Lightning. He was a nice player for them and showed that he can play a strong game from the hashmarks down, but he proved to be redundant in their system and he was dealt to Chicago as part of the Brandon Hagel trade. His Hawks career got off to a great start with five goals in his first six games and after that it was tough sailing. Raddysh scored only 4 goals in his last 15 games, two of them coming in the same game, despite getting consistent second line minutes with Jonathan Toews and power play time on top of that. Attempts to make him a goal-scorer who you could setup in the bumper spot didn’t go as smoothly as planned and Raddysh was best utilized as someone who could be the first forward in on the forecheck rather than a scorer. With two years left on his deal, the Hawks have some time to figure out what they have in the former 2^nd round pick. They have plenty of grinders on the roster, so Raddysh developing a scoring touch would help him stick around.

Philipp Kurashev

Kurashev’s highlight reel from his rookie year paints a warped picture of him. He scored some absolutely beautiful goals during the 2021 season and looked like a perfect complementary player for this next chapter of Hawks hockey. Those moments were few and far between, though and Kurashev ended up getting lost in depth forward purgatory by the end of the year. This year was an interesting turn. The goal-scoring touch that he had his rookie year was gone, two of his six goals went off a defender, but there was more of an all-around element to his game. He was more willing to be the first guy into the zone on the forecheck, not trying to split defenders or carry the puck through traffic or force plays that weren’t open. The more direct approach to his game made him a more reliable player away from the puck and helped him find a niche as an energy line type of player with some playmaking upside. A nice player to have for this year, but also a guy who might get lost in the shuffle if there isn’t another level to his game.

DEFENSE

Seth Jones

When Chicago made the trade for Seth Jones and signed him under contract until 2030, the idea was he would be a franchise cornerstone defenseman who could raise the tide of their roster. Instead, they got a defenseman who could log a lot of ice-time, play solid in those minutes but not change the game as much as they hoped. In the vacuum, Jones had a typical season for his standards, and it was a major bounce-back from his final year in Columbus. Some of the warts in his game are still there. He’s a dynamic, explosive skater when the play is moving north and showed that with some of the splash plays he provided on offense. When skating backwards, however, he has trouble containing speed and will misjudge where the puck is going. There aren’t many defensemen who can do both at an elite level, but the Hawks didn’t play with the defensive structure to cover up for Jones’ weakness here. You would see him get caught in the middle while defending entries, unsure if he should protect the middle or chase to the outside. It’s the game you often get stuck in on a team that struggles to control play like the Hawks. The mistakes aren’t always the player’s fault, but they add up overtime. Interim head coach Derek King did a good job of simplifying the games for Jones, but he still carried a heavy burden and only making a major impact on the power play. Jones is stuck in a tough place with a rebuild on the horizon, but he is one of the Hawks go-to guys for now and finding him a partner to replace the departing Calvin de Haan will be a top priority.

Jake McCabe

The longtime Buffalo Sabre set a career high in points with 22 in 75 games, which is a little surprising with how long he has been around. It was a bright spot compared to some of his underlying numbers. McCabe was the victim of Chicago’s volatile defensive system, posting one of the worst Expected Goal Differentials on the team at five-on-five. Part of that is his limited offensive skills and the Hawks exposing some of his weaknesses with defending the rush. He’s a lanky defender with decent puck skills, but not the most agile player in the world and only 12 months removed from knee surgery. He had difficulty turning to retrieve pucks and containing speed, which is concerning for a player who was signed to be more of a steadying presence. Oddly enough, some of his best plays from last year came on at the other side of the rink, showing some decent vision from the left point behind the Hawks top line. Originally signed to play alongside Seth Jones, he could see more time on that pair after spending most of last season in a secondary shutdown role alongside Conor Murphy.

Connor Murphy

Prior to last season, Connor Murphy was the only true shutdown defenseman on the Hawks roster. While mobile, he spent most of his shifts in the defensive zone and was always the one putting out fires there for the Hawks while supplement it with some splash offense off the rush. Last year was another usual season for him, playing on the team’s second pair in a shutdown role with heavy penalty killing duty, but the additions of McCabe, Caleb Jones and Stillman made his skillset a little redundant. He is the most defensively sound member of that group, so his contributions were easy to get lost in the shuffle, although not so much to the Hawks who inked him to a four-year contract. It’s tough to say if Murphy will be relied on for more offense this year. He skates well and has a sneaky good wrist shot when he jumps in, but those moments are becoming once every month now instead of once every few games. It’s less about the willingness to do it and more that he burns so much energy blocking shots and chasing pucks down while defending that he has to change before even thinking about starting a rush. He is someone who could benefit from stronger play-driving in Chicago, which will be tough with the current state of their roster.

Caleb Jones

The younger brother of Seth, it took some time for the Hawks to work Caleb Jones into their lineup, missing the first month of the season with a wrist injury. He was in-and-out of the lineup for most of the season, caught in the middle of not being a trusted veteran and being too “old” to be considered a prospect. Jones had some skills the Hawks needed, as he’s very good at using his stick to disrupt entries and is a good enough skater to keep forwards to the outside. His passing was also a welcome addition to their backend which lacked puck skills, as he provided a nice safety valve for Murphy or McCabe when he got in the lineup. The caveat is that he played a sheltered role for most of the year, exiting the zone on more regroups and controlled plays than beating forechecks. Jones became more of a fixture on the second pair later in the season and is an interesting piece for the Hawks heading into next year. He doesn’t have the reputation as an impact player yet but could be someone Chicago gives more responsibility to with a real lack of mobility on their blue line and a spot on the second power play unit up for grabs.

GOALTENDING

Petr Mrazek

It’s been an up-and-down career for Petr Mrazek, and it’s hard to get overly excited about his latest stop on the league tour. He’ll be presumably taking the reins in Chicago, where a disastrous handful of seasons has left the club – so recently considered a dynasty – sitting at the bottom of the NHL’s standings with little hope of an upward path. That’s a tough fit to consider for the now 30-year-old Mrazek, who most recently struggled behind the ever-mercurial Toronto Maple Leafs.

Mrazek’s game at its best is one characterized by quick, nimble skatework and a willingness to put in the extra legwork to get to those hard-to-reach shots. But when he struggles, Mrazek’s speed can give him an almost sloppy appearance; a lack of crisp positioning leaves leaky gaps in his pads and around his hands that allows pucks to sneak by even when he gets himself into what seems like the perfect position on time. And while he showcased his best work in Carolina, staying on his toes and anticipating defensive breakdowns in time to save the day for the Hurricanes more often than not, he offered Toronto some of his most inconsistent performances in recent memory. Now, he’ll be expected to serve as a stopgap for the clearly-rebuilding Blackhawks; he’s at a point in his career where it’s nearly impossible to see him outlasting their tank efforts. The bright side for him, though, is that it’s hard to see Chicago having much use for him if he does right the ship – and there are a handful of contending teams who don’t have a lot of security in net for the coming year. So, if he sheds the inconsistencies and tightens up the gaps in his pads to kick off the 2022-23 campaign, he could buy himself a one-way ticket to fill a need in net for a playoff franchise midway through the year. The only real question mark? His health – given his propensity for injuries and the lack of much in the way of relief waiting in the wings, it’s a little unsettling trying to predict just what Chicago is going to roll out in net over the course of the year. Ultimately, though, Mrazek is a much better bet for game starts than his tandem partner Alex Stalock – so when it comes to workload, he should at the very least get himself a nice amount of volume.

Projected starts: 60-65

Alex Stalock

If you find yourself surprised that Alex Stalock is still in the NHL for the upcoming season, you aren’t alone – but he’s in for a doozy of a season, set to play a role in Chicago similar to the one Craig Anderson is playing in Buffalo. Fresh off the celebration of his 35th birthday, Stalock arrives in Chicago with just one NHL game to his name in the last two seasons combined.

The Blackhawks are shamelessly throwing their season to the wolves in hopes of building back up from the bottom in the next few seasons, so it’s unlikely they’re worried about Stalock being rusty and costing them wins. But on the bright side, despondent Chicago fans dreading the upcoming season should at the very least enjoy what Stalock has to offer from an entertainment perspective this year – and he’s a genuinely respected presence in the locker room, so there’s little worry that he’ll drag the team down from a morale perspective. He’s one of the most fun goaltenders the modern game has to offer, to boot; with a passion for cutting down angles and challenging shooters, Stalock is practically a living meme. He doesn’t exactly thrive in any one area of his game, but a remarkable level of self-confidence and a near-bottomless bag of tricks he’s willing to pull from leave Stalock operating from a position of strength as he continually keeps shooters guessing. As far as stopgaps go for a club looking to overhaul their lineup, there are few that offer the same entertainment value and feel-good vibes that Stalock does – even if he may not have the kinds of numbers most would associate with free agent acquisitions. And for a team that seems determined to lose a lot, he’s a reasonable bet not to break the tank.

Projected starts: 30-35

NHL EXPANSION DRAFT: Seattle Roster by the Numbers

Alison Lukan and Shayna Goldman — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 13:25:18 +0000

In just under 48 hours, the Seattle Kraken will have the very first roster of players in franchise history courtesy of Wednesday’s Expansion Draft. 30 other teams (lucky Vegas is exempt) have labored over protection lists, and now it’s up to Seattle to pour through the available players and select one individual from each NHL club to join its organization. There are rules of course: the final roster must include 30 players – one from each team – and include a minimum of 17 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders with a minimum total cap hit of $48.9 million.

It’s a fun but daunting task to think about all the options and resulting on-ice product, so we decided to join the fray and come up with our own projection for the Kraken team with a data-driven approach.

For player valuation, we used Evolving-Hockey’s Goals Above Replacement (GAR) measure to quantify what each player contributes on ice. We also considered a player's “expected” GAR (xGAR) to consider how a player performed compared to what was expected of them. We then also looked at this performance relative to cost (using annualized cap hit values from CapFriendly.com) to fill out our roster within the Draft guidelines.

With tremendous thanks to both of those online resources, here is our take on what the inaugural Kraken Draft class might look like.

THE ROSTER

THE DOLLARS AND SENSE

NOTES AND THOUGHTS:

The roster of signed players had a cumulative cap hit of about $58 million. On the viz above, to get a gauge of what some of those free agents could sign for, we used Evolving-Hockey’s contract projections. We’ll be honest, some teams had fewer attractive options than others and some of our picks (Fischer, Jarnkrok, Johnsson, Tierney) we view as bait for future trades or flips – some of which will help lower that 2021-22 cap that is over the limit with the featured projections. Also, while acknowledging there could be no shortage of side deals that influence these selections, we picked players with the expectation that they were who Seattle wanted without any constraints.

Here’s some of the players who stood out to us:

Carolina Hurricanes Defenceman Dougie Hamilton (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

DEFENSE:

Dougie Hamilton (D | Carolina Hurricanes)

We really like our defense overall, and Hamilton is arguably the cornerstone of that. He was a legitimate Norris candidate this past season, as he continues to have driven play while maintaining a positive defense impact. Any blue line would be lucky to have the skill that the right-handed back brings and according to Evolving-Hockey’s projection, that comes at a $8.5 million cap hit.

Mark Giordano (D | Calgary Flames)

Here’s our nod to the old school traditions of hockey. Giordano is in the older range of players we selected, and while that can raise some concern from a longevity perspective, he’s coming off a season where he had a team-high GAR of 12.7, which was also fifth best among all NHL defensemen. Add in a solid reputation as a leader - something a brand new team will need - and Giordano is a natural fit on and off the ice.

Shayne Gostisbehere (D | Philadelphia Flyers)

Just because the rest of the league passed on acquiring Gostisbehere when the Flyers put him on waivers doesn’t mean Seattle will. The leftie’s on ice impacts have slipped over the last two seasons, but a change of scenery should help him bounce back – so could time with Dave Hakstol, who was his bench boss for three and a half seasons earlier in his career.

Vince Dunn (D | St. Louis Blues)

Like Gostisbehere, there have been reports that the defender could be on the move. He isn’t really used in high leverage situations in St. Louis but has solid results in the minutes he’s played thus far in his career. The 24-year-old has the potential to help the Kraken grow on defense for years to come and gives some flexibility as he plays both the left and right side.

FORWARDS:

Josh Bailey (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Josh Bailey (LW/RW | New York Islanders)

Unlike Gostisbehere and Dunn, Bailey’s availability is more of a surprise. The Islanders’ forward scores at the rate of a top-sixer and can provide two-way play on either wing. His versatility adds value as the veteran could shift around the lineup to wherever he’s most needed. If not Bailey, Seattle does have options from this squad; Jordan Eberle is also available and is the better option offensively if management feels they need more scoring up front.

Yanni Gourde (C/LW/RW | Tampa Bay Lightning)

While teams are throwing salary and term at Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow, the Kraken have the option of getting one of the most valuable pieces of that line for free. While he primarily played on the third line in Tampa Bay these last two seasons, Gourde could slot into most teams’ top-six, and can be deployed in all situations. Skating at either wing or center, the versatile forward creates offense both off the rush and forecheck, driving play with his passing and shooting. He gets to work every shift, pressuring for turnovers, and is defensively responsible despite his 5-foot-9 frame.

Philip Danault (C | Montreal Canadiens)

Danault may not be as high scoring as other top-six centers around the league, but he’s one of the best defensive centers right now which is why there’s going to be interest in him once free agency begins. Seattle gets to take a crack at him early, and Evolving-Hockey projects a $6.2 million cap hit. On a team of players put together just months before puck drop, Danault’s defensive play would be a source of stability. And with the right offensively inclined linemate, he could bolster his play on the other end of the ice too.

Andreas Athanasiou (C/LW/RW | LA Kings)

The knock on Athanasiou has always been that while he’s an offensive dynamo, his defensive play is non-existent. That’s still true, but paired with proper linemates, a team may be able to protect and utilize him in the proper way. He’s coming off a nice rebound last year and could be productive in the Pacific Northwest.

GOALTENDERS:

We approached our goaltending choices as a solution in its entirety more than thinking of each player one at a time. We wanted an established and seasoned veteran who understands and has experience with a true starter’s role. Enter Braden Holtby. He is still strong in net, and while costly, doesn’t have a Carey Price-esque contract. Holtby can provide stability in net while also being a mentor to Chris Dreidger. The young Panther is widely expected to join Seattle and his performance this past season gives a glimpse into what could be an exciting staple in net long term for the Kraken. He can play well in net as a backup while likely carrying a larger load than a traditional backup might, while preparing to become the eventual starter. Our third selection, Malcolm Subban, brings in a very solid security blanket in the number three spot. Subban has NHL experience at an affordable price.

Data via Evolving-Hockey, HockeyViz, and CapFriendly

Red Flags – Detroit Red Wings 2018-19 Season Preview

Robert Howard — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 18:59:42 +0000

STATE OF PLAY/REVIEW - In coach Jeff Blashill’s third season the Detroit Red Wings missed the playoffs for the second straight season finishing 26^th after not missing the playoffs since the 1980’s. GM Ken Holland has steered the ship since 1997, winning the Stanley Cup three times in that period, the last one a decade ago. It appears from the outside looking in that a rebuild would be in order.

To an extent Holland has begun that process. Their success over the decades of his leadership have been built on a strong farm system and the ability to develop prospects through Grand Rapids. He astutely added draft picks last season and picked 11 times in the 2018 Draft including four picks in the top 36 delivering two high ceiling prospects in Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno. The logic would follow in a salary cap league that was another season with a high-end draft pick would set them up to target three or four years down the road. Yet Holland added more free agent veterans to round out his line-up resigning Mike Green, added Thomas Vanek and goaltender Jonathan Bernier - moves intended to bolster a playoff contender rather than opening room in the line-up for youth.

VETERAN CAP CRUNCH - They also have the least amount of cap space in the league limiting opportunities to take bad contracts from contenders for more prospects. They have four defenseman 32 years and old signed for a total of $17.575 million total AAV averaging $4.4 million AAV, only one of which, Niklas Kronwall is not signed beyond this year, the other three with two-year contracts. Rounding out the group is Danny DeKeyser, the youngster at 28-years-old, signed for another five years at $5.0 million AAV. All five defenseman have no-trade contracts, with Jonathan Ericsson and Niklas Kronwall being limited.

At forward they have five forward 30 years and older with a combined yearly salary cap of $22.4 million in Henrik Zetterberg, Frans Nielsen, Justin Abdelkader, Darren Helm and Thomas Vanek, only Zetterberg does not possess a full no-trade contract, and he will undoubtedly end his career as a Red Wing – and back trouble is threatening his season. Once again, options to stock the cupboard are slim here.

Dylan Larkin

BUILDING BLOCKS - They already have in place some excellent young talent in the line-up with recently extended 22-year-old Dylan Larkin for five years at $6.1 million AAV. He and 23-year-old sniper Anthony Mantha teamed up down the stretch and represent a potent duo next season. Continuing to graduate prospectS out of Grand Rapids, Tyler Bertuzzi appeared in 48 games last season and ready for a full NHL season. He plays intense hockey with enough skill to provide an effective agitator role on a top six line while providing offense. They hope that the highly talented Filip Zadina, consensus third overall pick who slipped to sixth, can contribute immediately in a scoring role in the top six. Always a challenge for an 18-year old but Zadina has elite skills to make the leap.

They would also like to see last years ninth overall pick 6’6” inch fleet footed Michael Rasmussen begin to play a role but likely will draw third or fourth line minutes flanked by defensive minded veterans. He scored 33 points in 14 playoff games in the WHL, so he may be eased on the wing for his offensive contributions. After two seasons for Evgeny Svechnikov in Grand Rapids, and a 14-game trial in the NHL last year in which he did not look out of place, may be ready for a full-time role. His production fell in his second year in the AHL, and whether he can put his promising game together remains to be seen.

The rest of the forward spots will be filled out by veterans to provide some shelter for the youngsters. On defense Filip Hronek will get an opportunity to graduate from Grand Rapids but will receive sheltered minutes at best. A good puck rushing defenseman, but his game needs overall development.

Adding veteran Jonathan Bernier to back up Jimmy Howard gives them veteran presence in net and a guard against injury. That provides more of security blanket and ensures they are competitive in most games after having led the NHL in one-goal game losses. However, this is a team that was 21^st in goals against per game and iced the 24^th worst power play and 23^rd worst penalty kill. Thomas Vanek may provide some help with the man advantage, he looked very good scoring 15 points in 19 games with Columbus down the stretch, otherwise neither area was addressed in the off-season and not sure Vanek is enough of a difference maker.

OUTLOOK - Holland is trying to rebuild his youthful core while still icing a potential playoff unit and rebuild on the fly. He has some promising pieces and should add another one this season. For all his efforts to get back to the postseason it will be a long shot and if injuries, as the Zetterberg news may foreshadow, begin to hit the veteran group it could be a long season.

McKeen’s 17-18 Yearbook Updates

Ryan Dadoun — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 21:20:54 +0000

It is early in the pre-season, but Ryan Dadoun brings a round up of the news so far. Nothing earth shattering, but lots to keep an eye on. McKeen's will do an update end of day Monday based on injuries, camp performance, etc.

In the meantime here is what you need to know.

Anaheim

Hampus Lindholm – Shoulder injury will probably keep him out until early November. That’s not surprising given the initial projections from when he had surgery in May, but it’s his absence is more probable now than it was over the summer.

Ryan Kesler – The hope is to have him back by Christmas after he underwent hip surgery in June. Over the summer it looked like he might be back in November, so the recent news here has been discouraging.

Antoine Vermette – Might end up being the one to fill the void left by Kesler. He’s been practicing on a line with Andrew Cogliano and Jakob Silfverberg. If we’re talking about standard fantasy leagues though, Vermette’s value is still borderline at best.

Arizona

Jason Demers – The Coyotes acquired him from the Florida Panthers. Arizona views him as a top-four defenseman, but it’s not clear who his defensive partner will be. He got a decent, but not great, amount of power-play time in Florida last season while Keith Yandle/Aaron Ekblad served as the team’s primary defensive options with the man advantage and he’ll probably end up in a similar situation in Arizona behind Oliver Ekman-Larsson/Alex Goligoski when it comes to power-play ice time.

Boston

Torey Krug – He suffered a non-displaced jaw fracture on Tuesday and was projected to miss at least three weeks from that date. That will cost him most of training camp and at least three regular season games.

Buffalo

Alexander Nylander – He suffered a lower-body injury on Sept. 8 and hasn’t skated at all in training camp as a result. Good news is that the Sabres think he’ll resume skating in near future, so maybe he’ll still return with enough time to spare to make his case for a roster spot.

Carolina

Lee Stempniak – More of a side note for now, but he’s been dealing with an undisclosed problem that might be more serious than initially believed. He has soreness in his hip/back and had an MRI on Thursday, so we’ll see what the results of that are.

Detroit

Andreas Athanasiou – Still hasn’t signed. There’s the threat of him heading to the KHL and even if he does re-sign in the not too distant future, he’ll be a young player that’s missed a good chunk of training camp/preseason play.

Edmonton

Ryan Strome – It’s a bit of a stretch to mention at this stage, but the Oilers seem to be going with a top line of Maroon, McDavid, and Strome so far. As a fun aside, McDavid also thinks Strome is a good sleeper pick in fantasy leagues. (https://www.nhl.com/news/edmonton-oilers-connor-mcdavid-sees-ryan-strome-as-fantasy-sleeper/c-290885390?tid=277729150)

Drake Caggiula – Similarly, it might be too early to read into it, but so far Drake Caggiula is being tested on the second line with Draisaitl and Lucic.

Los Angeles

Marian Gaborik – Is taking some contact as he recovers from a knee injury. Still unclear if he’ll play in the preseason, but it’s progress.

Nashville

Ryan Ellis – This happened a couple weeks before training camp, so you probably already have it in your projections, but just in case he’s out for four-to-six months with a knee injury. That has led to them mixing up their defensive pairings though. Ekholm and Subban were split up so that Ekholm is now with Josi (although Ekholm-Weber has also been experimented with) and Subban is with newcomer Emelin.

New Jersey

MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 21: New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) waits for play to begin during the third period of the NHL preseason game between the New Jersey Devils and the Montreal Canadiens on September 21, 2017, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

Nico Hischier – Another stretch, but for what it’s worth Nico Hischier has stood out in preseason games so far, upping what were already good odds of him making the team. Hynes suggested that Hischier has forced talks of him having a bigger role than previously projected. Hischier-Hall is an interesting combo, though of course it’s another preseason pairing so who knows.

NY Islanders

Alan Quine – Quine sustained an upper-body injury in mid-September that was projected to cost him four-to-six weeks. So he’s missing training camp and a couple weeks of the regular season in all likelihood.

Ottawa

Colin White – Suffered a broken left wrist on Monday and is projected to miss six-to-eight weeks. He had been seen as being in a good position to make the team, especially due to Derick Brassard being a question mark. Although…

Derick Brassard – His recovery from shoulder surgery is ahead of schedule, per what Guy Boucher said today. He still might not be ready for the start of the regular season.

Clarke MacArthur – Unfortunately even after his strong playoff showing, he ended up failing his physical. Sucks to say, but it may be that his playing career is over.

Erik Karlsson – As of Thursday he still wasn’t skating due to his foot injury. He’s unlikely to be ready for the start of the season and who knows if he’ll be begin the curve once he finally is given the green light to play.

Philadelphia

Travis Sanheim – It’s still tentative, but he’s off to a good start and seems to have improved his chances of making the team. Had 10 goals and 37 points in the AHL last season.

Sean Couturier – The Flyers are toying with using Claude Giroux as a left winger. Couturier could be the beneficiary if that happens as he could move up in the depth charts as a result, possibly even on a line with Giroux and Jakub Voracek (which they did test out in practice, but that doesn’t mean they’ll actually use it in games).

St. Louis

Zach Sanford – Suffered a dislocated left shoulder that will keep him sidelined for the next five-to-six months.

Jay Bouwmeester – Has a fractured left ankle that will be re-evaluated in three weeks. Along with Sanford, these ones are fringe just because they didn’t have much in the way of fantasy value even when healthy.

Alexander Steen – Suffered a hand injury in the Blues’ first preseason game on Tuesday that will cost him at least three weeks (at which point he’ll be re-evaluated). Certainly he’s the most noteworthy of the three fantasy wise.

Toronto

Patrick Marleau – It’s looking like Patrick Marleau won’t play alongside Matthews in even strength as Babcock’s preference appears to be a trio of Zach Hyman, Matthews, and William Nylander. Marleau and Matthews should share the ice in power play situations though.

Joffrey Lupul – Team’s says he failed his physical, but now it looks like the league wants to look into it after Lupul’s claim of cheating followed by his retraction(deletion)/apology. Probably doesn’t matter fantasy-wise either way. Even if Lupul is deemed fit to play he’ll probably end up in the AHL at most.

Vegas

James Neal – Has a broken hand that was projected to sideline him for two-to-four weeks. He’s one week into that timetable at this point so perhaps he’ll be okay for the season opener. Still sucks to miss training camp on a brand new team though.

Washington

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 16: Washington Capitals left wing Jakub Vrana (13) makes a pass during an NHL game on March 16, 2017, at the Verizon Center, in Washington, D.C. between the Washington Capitals and the Nashville Predators. Nashville won 2-1 in overtime.
(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire)

Jakub Vrana – More grain of salt stuff, but the Capitals have been giving him top-six opportunities. He played alongside Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov in Wednesday’s preseason game and tonight it looks like he’ll be with Backstrom and Oshie (Kuznetsov/Ovechkin aren’t playing).

Winnipeg

Tyler Myers – Feels 100% after only playing in 11 games last season.

NHL Prospect Watch: Detroit Red Wings

Ryan Wagman — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 16:34:18 +0000

These are not the Mike Babcock Red Wings anymore. In part, that is because Babcock has moved on to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs. But the change has been felt at a philosophical level through the system’s developmental process as well. It used to be that the Red Wings were famous for letting prospects spend a year or more in the AHL after other organizations would have considered them ready to play in the NHL. Netminder Petr Mrazek, one prominent recent example, spent parts of three seasons in the AHL before not just winning a regular NHL role, but winning the starter’s gig over incumbent Jimmy Howard. Looking back at Howard’s day, he had to spend four years in the AHL before ascending to the NHL throne. Tomas Tatar has 258 AHL games on his resume, while fellow young scorer Gustav Nyquist has 137.

The change was most prominent in the case of Dylan Larkin, who made the NHL team directly out of college, after only a single campaign with the Michigan Wolverines. While his scoring pace slowed down in the second half, 45 points in 80 games as a 19 year-old is more proof than anyone would need to say that the AHL was not really necessary in his case. While not as extreme, 21 year-old Andreas Athanasiou earned a callup around mid-season this year after only one and a half AHL campaigns (83 total games). His speed (also Larkin’s calling card) won over the Detroit faithful and his name is already penciled into the 2016-17 NHL lineup.

There were many who hoped for a similar quick ascension to the NHL from former first rounder Anthony Mantha, and in fairness, he did receive a late season cameo when the Wings were desperate for goals. Called up in mid-March, he played in ten games for the Wings, starting off with 14:50 of ice time in his debut and steadily dwindling to 6:27 18 days later. After three games in the press box, he was returned to Grand Rapids to help the AHL club in their playoff run, having been deemed surplus to requirements in an NHL postseason berth. While Mantha was drafted (20^th overall, 2013) with the promise of being a big time sniper, scoring 50 goals in his draft year and following that up with 57 in his QMJHL finale, the pro game has proven to be rather more difficult for the still young winger. After two seasons and 36 AHL goals, rumors of poor work ethic and immaturity have begun to follow Mantha around like a car with a loose tail pipe.

Mantha still possesses a plus shot and the type of size that can cause scouts to drool, there are gaps in his package that prevent him from putting it all together. While I would generally ignore, or severely downgrade allegations about a players’ personality/character, in his case, I have heard it from multiple sources, and it is the sort of thing that is visible on the ice as well. A scout of my acquaintance, when asked how he identifies work ethic on the ice, listed the player’s willingness to compete for pucks, willingness to expend for second efforts when his first lunges failed, backchecking energy, giving up on plays that require more than minimal work, going to bench with haste when his shift is over, playing with the same energy away from the puck as when the puck is on his stick, and work rate at getting open or evading coverage. Unfortunately, a few of those traits are common elements of Mantha’s game. He takes too long to transition from the offensive zone to the defensive zone after his team has lost the puck. His shifts can stretch on well after his nominal linemates have returned to the bench. He will hang out on the ice to bicker at opponents when he should be transitioning or coming off the ice. He can be lethargic when the puck is not on his stick or on its way there. He is still only 21 years old and it is not yet too late for him to figure it out, but right now there is no question in my mind that the former Val-d’Or Foreurs star is wasting too much of his prodigal natural talents.

Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, Grand Rapids (AHL) (58^th overall, 2013)

After selecting Mantha, the Wings had two second rounders, the latter of which was used on Bertuzzi, whose uncle Todd played in Detroit from 2009-2014. The young Bertuzzi did not put up the numbers of Mantha this year, nor does he have anywhere near the physical gifts, but he has all of things that Mantha does not. First, in fairness, this was only Bertuzzi’s rookie professional season, while Mantha was in his second go round, so Bertuzzi’s total of 30 points was actually not too far off Mantha’s rookie total of 34. In some ways like the aforementioned Mantha, Bertuzzi’s two main attributes as a player are his excellent wrist shot and his physical game. The shot is powerful yet also features a quick release as he needs little maneuvering to get into shooting position. Bertuzzi will score more goals in future seasons and the shot will beat NHL netminders with regularity when it comes time to prove it. His physical game is very different from Mantha’s however. While the first rounder gets decent marks on that portion of his game mostly for his gargantuan size and his willingness (however infrequent and mistimed it may be), the second rounder is always on. He is a tenacious player who does not back down from any challenge. Part of his development will need to include learning when to dial it back, as his 133 penalty minute were 39 more than the runner up with the Griffins and finished 20^th league wide. It is notable though, that of the 19 players who spent more time in the box than Bertuzzi last year, only one equaled his 30 points.

Bertuzzi is also a strong skater, who gets into his second gear quickly. There is little fancy in his game, but he is as dogged on the puck as he is off of it. The Sudbury native plays the game at a very high pace and would benefit from another season with the Griffins to learn to slow the game down and let the action come to him, replacing impulsiveness with forethought. Tyler Bertuzzi projects as a bottom six winger with skill, the likes of which all successful Red Wings teams for the last 25 years have had at least two, including Uncle Todd.

Martin Frk, RW, Grand Rapids (AHL) (49^th overall, 2012)

In some ways, Frk hews to the old method of player development for Detroit with long AHL apprenticeships. The Czechian sniper has just completed his third season with the Griffins without having appeared in a single game for the Red Wings. His production has improved in each AHL season, starting with 12 points in 50 games in 2013-14, improving to 12 points in 32 games in 2014-15 (e spent the majority of the season in the ECHL, where he scored well over one point per game), and finishing this season with 44 points, including 27 goals, in 67 games.

By this time, the former second round pick does everything at a solid level, after taking great strides forward this year. A solid skater with a very hard shot, he could stand to improve its accuracy, but the velocity is there to be a weapon from mid-range and a bit beyond. Frk has plus puck skills and has proven able to beat AHL defenders one on one with regularity. His offensive instincts are very strong as he senses where better scoring opportunities will take place and knows how to get himself and/or the puck there. Another new facet to Frk’s game this season has been a level of physicality that was previously lacking. He has a solid NHL ready body and shows his strength when fighting for loose pucks with tenacity or finishing checks, which he does with aplomb. While penalties were previously a rarity, he jumped to well over one minute in the box per game this year as aggression is never far from crossing the line. Frk is still young enough to grow into a second line role, although his new found jam would allow him to easily slot in on a lower line. I expect him to contribute regularly in Detroit next season.

Robbie Russo, D, Grand Rapids (AHL) (UFA, signed Aug. 16, 2015. Originally drafted 95 overall, 2011 by NY Islanders)

After four solid seasons with Notre Dame, Russo, once a fourth round pick of the New York Islanders, did not come to terms with the team that drafted him and signed as a free agent with the Detroit organization last summer. In most every respect, his rookie pro season was a successful and his +/-, generally a maligned stat, was nonetheless the best one in the AHL at +40, more than double the runner up from Grand Rapids, and just beating out five Toronto Marlies. His 39 points in 71 games also made him the offensive leader among Grand Rapids blueliners.

Russo is a solid skater, capable of leading a rush, but also recognizing when it would be better to pass the puck and peel back to his spot along the blueline. He is equally at ease carrying the puck or distributing it and his passes tend to be smart ones, whether to evade danger or to create a scoring chance for his team. Russo is calm with the puck when carrying it on the point, regardless of the pressure being placed upon him, keeping his feet moving until he finds a seam to move it to a better positioned teammate or a way to shake the checker. A solid defender as well, he keeps tight gaps and excels at closing off the distance between himself and the puck carrier until the opponent has nowhere left to turn and no more room to maneuver the puck. The Illinois native still has room to improve in his game, as he will go out of his way to avoid shooting the puck at times, and he can be a little soft, but the right handed shooter has the core tools of the modern puck moving defenseman in plus mobility, puck skills and hockey sense. Assuming Kyle Quincey is not brought back to Motown, I expect Russo to challenge for a spot on the third pairing and grow over time to a number three spot.

Chase Pearson, C, Youngstown (USHL) (140^th overall, 2015)

The son of former NHL’er Scott Pearson, Chase, like many other bloodline prospects, has a good head for the game. The University of Maine commit had a very strong second season for Youngstown in the USHL, a season that saw him selected to represent Team USA at the World Junior A Challenge. Pearson has plus size and plays like he knows it – although he will never be as physical as his father was. Although he lacks his father’s elite toughness, Chase beats his old man when it comes to puck skills. A good carrier and playmaker, the former fifth round pick sees the game well and helps make his teammates better. He will have his work cut out for him next year with the Black Bears, coming off a horrible season and with a roster without a great deal of present talent.

Alexander Kadeykin, C, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL) (201^st overall, 2014)

According to Hockey Prospectus writer Alessandro Seren Rosso, Kadeykin is a big and intelligent pivot who makes up in hockey sense and toughness what he lacks in puck skills. More a player who does his best work in front of the crease or in the corners than in the slot, Kadeykin is a good enough skater who does enough of the little things as a center that he profiles in a similar vein to a player the likes of Paul Gaustad. A safe player who should be reliable in a defensive role or taking key faceoffs, he could be a solid bottom line center if he comes over to North America as well as a mainstay on the penalty kill. In other words, he is more likely to be the next Joakim Andersson than the next Pavel Datsyuk.

Michael McKee, D, Western Michigan (NCAA) (140^th overall, 2012)

A collegian with eight points across three seasons would normally not be a cause for spilling much virtual ink, but McKee intrigues nonetheless. A very large individual at 6-5”, 229, McKee skates very well for a big man and shows no hesitation to joining, or even leading the rush. He skates with very big strides and can chase down almost anyone. He has been used at LW as well as on the blueline for the Broncos. Befitting his size, he is also a very physical player, although he has toned that aspect of his game down considerably since his days in the USHL where he earned 529 penalty minutes in two seasons for the Lincoln Stars. Western Michigan has an impressive class of incoming freshmen joining next season, which should help McKee play a more prominent role as a senior. While he is no sure bet to earn an ELC after graduating, he is definitely one to watch next season.

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Rookies and Veterans

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 01:18:50 +0000

During the season it is important to keep an eye on the transaction wire in the NHL to stay abreast of players who have been recalled from and sent down to the AHL. Young prospects that have impressed in the minors sometimes only need a chance at the NHL, and what may have started as a short term recall can quickly become a permanent roster fixture. Here are three players who have been called up to their NHL clubs recently.

Melker Karlsson, San Jose Sharks - Centre 25% owned

Karlsson was recalled on Monday by the Sharks and made his season debut on Tuesday. While Karlsson was held pointless he had three shots and delivered five hits playing 15 minutes on a line with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski. It was somewhat of a surprise that Karlsson didn’t receive a roster spot to start the season as he was impressive last year when he arrived playing in 53 games recording 24 points in that span. Karlsson is a solid candidate to begin producing at a consistent pace, especially if he can hold down a spot on a line with the Joe’s!

Andreas Athanasiou, Detroit Red Wings - Centre 15% owned

I have long been a fan of AA since seeing him in junior. His blazing speed and ability to control the puck and make plays at top speed are skills that translate well in the NHL. He has highlight reel goal scoring abilities and made his pro debut last season in Grand Rapids. After a strong rookie pro season he was a standout in training camp and in several preseason games. AA scored his first career goal in his second game, and while he has the ability to score works of art goals, it was no Rembrandt as it is one Holtby should have had.

Frank Vatrano, Boston Bruins – Left Wing 22% owned

Vatrano exploded out of the gates with Providence in his rookie season scoring ten goals in ten games. A goal-a-game scoring pace over ten games is sure to get you a look at the next level, and sure enough he scored his first career NHL goal in his first game. Vatrano is playing on a line with David Krejci and Loui Eriksson and could hold down that role as David Pasternak is injured.

Old, but not obsolete

When choosing between young, unproven players with upside and veterans who are on the decline I usually lean towards the younger player. However if you need more reliable, predictable production for the short term, here are three grey beards who are widely undrafted and available that still have some gas in the tank

Scott Gomez, St. Louis Blues – Centre 8% owned

Gomez won a contract after a successful audition with a PTO and has seven points in ten games this season. With four points in the last three games the veteran has been providing consistent and modest production all season. If he is filling out one of your last forward roster spots with a cap hit of $550k producing a point per game, that’s great value.

Martin Havlat, St. Louis Blues – Right Wing 8% owned

The Martin Brodeur effect is in full force in St. Louis as Marty has signed two of his old teammates from the Devils in Gomez and Havlat and gave Dainius Zubrus a shot as well with a PTO. While Zubrus didn’t work out, Gomez has been a success and after two games, Havlat has one goal while averaging a modest seven minutes a game. Havlat has a two way contract and if the Blues are healthy Havlat may end up either in the press box, or in the minors. Havlat is also knows as Mr. Glass so one way or another expect him to be a short term solution should you claim him as a free agent in your league.

Shane Doan, Arizona Coyotes – Right Wing 27% owned

With plenty of ink being used to write about an impressive young group of coyotes in the desert in Max Domi, Anthony Duclair and company don’t overlook old man Doan. No, I am not suggesting Doan will score 30 goals but he can be counted on for decent production and he provides solid peripheral stats as well. So far he has seven points including three power play points, 33 shots on goal, 28 hits and 16 penalty minutes this season.

Making the most of their opportunity

Sometimes a player just needs a break to show what he can do, and occasionally they get that chance. Perhaps injuries force them up the depth chart, or it could be a change of team or Coach. Whatever the reason, here are three players making the most of their opportunity.

James Reimer, Toronto Maple Leafs – Goalie 39% owned

The Leafs seem hell bent on anointing Jonathan Bernier as the number one goalie and Reimer has had a struggle finding starts since Berniers arrival. Now that Bernier is on the shelf with an injury, Reimer has been handed the ball and he is running with it. In two games against the Dallas Stars Reimer was outstanding, in his last two starts against Dallas and Washington his save % has been .947 and .935. It would be very difficult to take him out of the net right now, even if Bernier returned.

Kyle Palmieri, New Jersey Devils – Right Wing 56% owned

Palmieri is riding a hot streak of nine points in his last seven games, and being over 50% owned you may not be able to add him at this point. However, if he is available you will likely not find a better option. He is only 24 years old and his point per game pace is trending up steadily over the past three years. He has been playing regularly on a line with Jiri Tlusty and Travis Zajac and the unit has had chemistry.

Charlie Coyle, Minnesota Wild – Centre 48% owned

Coyle seems to be the beneficiary of the injury to Zach Parise and he has two points in the last two games. Coyle has promising offensive skills and needs a chance in the top play in the top nine or top six to showcase his abilities. Lately he has been playing with Mikael Granlund and Jason Pominville and making the most of it.

All ownership numbers based on Fantrax leagues

All line combinations are from Frozen pools via Dobber Hockey

Waiver Wire: Prospects Edition

McKeen's Hockey — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 03:46:25 +0000

The season has approached the first quarter mark, and any and all sleeper picks and darkhorses have long since been plucked from the waiver wire.

As a result, this week’s edition is devoted to the fantasy player who is in a dynasty keeper league. A league that is designed to as closely as possible simulate the NHL by having close to 30 teams with full rosters and a prospect roster as well.

This week, the waiver wire looks at the long game. To help you find players who you can possibly add for free today, that may have tremendous value to you in a few years.

Recently, I have managed to identify such players in a few of my leagues. Players like Petr Mrazek, Mike Hoffman, Seth Griffith, Mark Borowiecki, and Torey Krug. All these players were acquired as free agents in various leagues, sat on my prospect roster for a few years and are all now contributing members, or were traded for a significant return.

To be an elite level team in the NHL, or in such a competitive league as some of the ones I am in you have to have make good decisions drafting and in trading, but also in scouting for diamonds in the ruff.

There is no sweeter feeling than identifying a player who went undrafted in you league, and or the NHL draft and adding him to your roster before any of your peers even knows who he is. Then after a year or two or even three of sitting on him, he breaks out and is the talk of the league. While all your friends are saying “where did he come from?” Or “nobody knew about this guy!” You can sit back with a smug grin and say “I did!”

Nick Paul of the North Bay Battalion. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images.

Nick Paul – Ottawa Senators

Paul has begun to gain notoriety for being involved in the Blockbuster trade involving Jason Spezza, but also for his play with the North Bay Battalion in the OHL. In 21 games this season, Paul has 26 points and stands 22^nd overall tied with Robby Fabbri and Zack Nastasiuk. Paul was invited to Hockey Canada’s National junior team selection camp in the summer and stands a strong chance of making the World Junior team. At 6’3” and 198 pounds Paul has the size to compliment his skill and speed to become an effective pro. After a OHL career under Stan Butler learning defensive responsibilities, Paul may make a quick transition to the NHL and start producing on your fantasy team quickly.

Andreas Athanasiou – Detroit Red Wings

Athanasiou is a boom or bust type of player. He is blessed with great speed and skating ability. He has All-World level skill and hands scoring amazing breakaway goals. But what has always made Athanasiou pass my eye test is his ability to be offensively creative and handle the puck while at top speed. There is no question he has all the potential to be a boom player. The bust potential lies in his consistency and defensive responsibilities. As a product of the Red Wings, he should be expected to continue seasoning the AL for a few more seasons. In that time if he can become a reliable back-checking player and score at a consistent rate, he will make it to the NHL and be a fantastic fantasy option.

Pavel Kraskovsky – Winnipeg Jets

Kraskovsky is a player I recently discovered while watching the Subway Super series tournament. Being that he plays in the MHL in Russia, I had never seen him play before. But during the Super series games he certainly appeared on my radar with his standout performances. He is already 6’4” and 187 pounds at the age of 18 and has that Russian high skill level and he uses his size to his advantage playing a physical style as well. He was dominant at times during the series and should be back in Canada for another preview during the World Junior tournament. There is always the Russian factor to consider, but he was drafted by the Jets in the 6^th round this summer.

Tyler Graovac – Minnesota Wild

Graovac developed a scoring touch during his final OHL season, and in his sophomore AHL season he is beginning to rediscover his scoring touch with 15 points in 18 games. Graovac has good size and goals scoring ability that will earn him a NHL look. I believe he will be a NHL regular, but perhaps no higher than the third line.

Juuse Saros – Nashville Predators

Saros has not yet come to play in North America, but the Preds draft pick was a big bright shining light for Finland at the World Juniors in their Gold medal run. His club team stats are impressive and while he is still a few years away, he appears to be the heir apparent for Pekka Rinne in Nashville.