Benoit Pouliot – McKeen's Hockey

Training Camp Notes – October 3rd, 2017

Ryan Dadoun — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 22:25:53 +0000

Anaheim

Ryan Getzlaf – Sustained a lower-body injury last week and hasn’t resumed skating yet. A couple days back Ducks coach Randy Carlyle did say on Saturday that he expected Getzlaf to play in the opener, but that’s on Thursday so we’re cutting it pretty close now.

Patrick Eaves – Didn’t end up playing in any preseason games. His lower-body injury might keep him out of the season opener as well. He’s another player Carlyle projected to be available for the opener while speaking on Saturday though, so we’ll see.

Arizona

Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Good news on this front. His recovery from his knee injury has progressed to the point where he’s been practicing with the Coyotes. It looks like he’ll be ready for the season opener.

Antti Raanta –A lower-body injury kept him out of the Coyotes’ last preseason game. He practiced with Arizona on Sunday though, so he’ll probably be fine for the opener.

Boston

Torey Krug – The Bruins are hoping that his jaw injury only sidelines him for the first three-to-five regular season games. In the meantime, he has been skating. For what it’s worth, when he does return he’ll be wearing a protective mask.

Buffalo

Benoit Pouliot – Was on a line with Ryan O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo during Sunday’s practice. He had been practicing as a bottom-six forward previously, so it will be interesting to see if he ends up on that unit to start the campaign.

Zemgus Girgensons – It was bad news for Girgensons. He was previously on Ryan O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo’s line, but Girgensons was knocked down to the third unit with Sam Reinhart and Jason Pominville. The Sabres’ third line has potential though.

Rasmus Ristolainen – After averaging 26:28 minutes per game last season (up from 25:17 minutes in 2015-16), Sabres coach Phil Housley wants to cut Ristolainen down to 22-23 minutes per game. The hope is that will keep him fresher for the final stretch.

Calgary

Jaromir Jagr – Signed a one-year contract with Calgary that comes with a $1 million base salary. Not sure what line Jagr plays for, but here’s a fun aside: Jagr was drafted the same year as Matthew Tkachuk’s father Keith. Keith Tkachuk retired seven years ago.

Carolina

Lee Stempniak – His hip/back problems remain something of a mystery. On Monday Hurricanes coach Bill Peters remarked, "We've got to get to the bottom of it sooner rather than later." Stempniak is questionable for the season opener and how much time he might miss beyond that seems like anybody’s guess.

Chicago

Connor Murphy – Sustained a lower-body injury on Saturday and didn’t practice on Monday as a result. It’s not clear if he’ll be available for the opener.

Colorado

Jonathan Bernier – As mentioned before, he sustained a groin injury on Sept. 25. The good news is that he resumed practicing with the team on Monday.

Columbus

Brandon Dubinsky – Got into the preseason finale on Saturday after missing all the previous exhibition contests due to a wrist injury. He should be fine for the season opener.

Pierre-Luc Dubois – Although the Blue Jackets have experimented with using him as a center, it looks like he’ll be serving as a left winger to start the campaign. His projected linemates are Brandon Dubinsky and Matt Calvert.

Boone Jenner – His back injury will keep him out of the season opener. Beyond that there’s no timetable for his return. He hasn’t skated with the Blue Jackets yet.

Detroit

David Booth – Signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Red Wings. It sounds like he’ll be in the lineup for the season opener, probably alongside Riley Sheahan and Luke Glendening.

Florida

Owen Tippett – He’ll be part of the Panthers’ roster for the start of the 2017-18 campaign. The downside is that it might be as a fourth line forward, so he might not be a fantasy factor for a while still.

Los Angeles

Mike Cammalleri/Jonny Brodzinski – The two might find themselves on either side of Anze Kopitar to begin the season. Obviously that would be great news for both of them, but it’d be a particularly big opportunity for the rookie Brodzinski.

Minnesota

Zach Parise – Is now expected to miss the first two games of the regular season due to his back problem. He also missed the Wild’s whole preseason schedule.

Nashville

Viktor Arvidsson – There’s been talk of him not opening the season with Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg. Two potential candidates to replace him on the top line would be Kevin Fiala and Scott Hartnell. None of that’s been finalized yet though.

New Jersey

Jimmy Hayes – More of an FYI because he doesn’t have fantasy value, but he did earn a one-year, $700,000 contract with New Jersey after attending the Devils’ training camp on a PTO.

Pavel Zacha – He’s getting a big opportunity off the bat as he’s projected to open on a line with Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri. It’s not set in stone, but Devils coach John Hynes called it a “strong possibility.

NY Rangers

Kevin Shattenkirk – It’s not surprising, but it looks like Shattenkirk will be paired with Ryan McDonagh to start the season.

NY Islanders

Jordan Eberle – Another bit of anticipated, but nice to be basically confirmed news is that Eberle will be starting the campaign alongside John Tavares. The third member of that unit should be Anders Lee. Islanders coach Doug Weight has been happy with that trio so far.

Ottawa

Derick Brassard – Has been cleared for contact, so he might be able to play in the season opener. He’s been recovering from a shoulder injury.

Erik Karlsson – Still dealing with a foot injury, it’s now very unlikely that he’ll play in the opener. Not sure when he’ll be back.

Philadelphia

December 5, 2015:Philadelphia Flyers Defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere (53) moves the puck out of the Flyers zone in the first period during the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire)

Shayne Gostisbehere – Sustained an upper-body injury during Sunday’s game. There hasn’t been an update yet, but he did join the Flyers’ flight to San Jose (ahead of Wednesday’s opener), so you could take that as an encouraging sign.

Travis Sanheim/Sam Morin – They were battling for a spot on the roster, but if Gostisbehere isn’t available then they could both stay on the roster for now. Fellow rookie defenseman Robert Hagg did make the roster so he should remain with the squad regardless of Gostisbehere’s status.

San Jose

Joe Thornton – He made his preseason debut on Saturday, clearing the way for him to participate in the opener. He underwent knee surgery to repair a torn ACL/MCL.

St. Louis

Scottie Upshall – Not of much fantasy relevance, but he did sign a one-year contract with the Blues. He began on a PTO with Vancouver, but found an opportunity with the Blues instead due to their injuries. Upshall is likely to enter the season on the fourth line alongside Kyle Brodziak and Chris Thorburn.

Washington

Tom Wilson – He’ll have a hearing tomorrow (Tuesday) for boarding the Blues’ Sam Blais. He already served a two-game preseason suspension over interference, so maybe this will be a harsher punishment as a result.

Brooks Orpik – Capitals coach Barry Trotz is tentatively planning to pair Orpik up with John Carlson to open the season. Orpik usually played alongside Nate Schmidt last season, but he’s not with the team anymore. Similarly, Carlson’s most common 2016-17 partner, Karl Alzner, is also gone.

Jakub Vrana – Not set in stone, but there’s a chance that Vrana not only opens the season with the Capitals, but does so on a line with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Winnipeg

Matt Hendricks – Is on the injured reserve after sustaining an undisclosed injury during Wednesday’s preseason contest. He’s regarded as day-to-day.

Andrew Copp – Suffered a knee injury during Saturday’s preseason contest. Jets coach Paul Maurice hasn’t ruled out Copp for the season opener though.

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire

McKeen's Hockey — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 20:00:58 +0000

The NHL trade deadline is fast approaching and now is the time to make a move and give your fantasy roster a push if you are a contender. This week the Waiver Wire looks at NHL players on hot streaks. Some are short term solutions, but some may have keeper potential for some leagues.

Jordan Staal, Centre – Carolina Hurricanes, 50% owned

Carolina currently sits just outside a playoff spot, and are 5-3-2 in their last ten games. In that stretch, Staal has ten points, including four points in his last two games. Staal is putting up a strong second half of the season so far with 16 points in a 14 game span, and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Benoit Pouliot, Left Wing – Edmonton Oilers, 45% owned

Pouliot has seven points in his last ten games, including back-to-back two point games coming against Ottawa, and Columbus. As long as he remains on a line with Connor McDavid, and Jordan Eberle, Pouliot is fantasy relevant and is worthy of picking up off the waiver wire over a higher profile player who is slumping or injured.

Zack Kassian, Right Wing – Edmonton Oilers, 26% owned

His second chance this season (and likely the last of his career) with Edmonton has gotten off to a good start, considering he missed the first half of the season and training camp. Kassian has played in ten games for the Oilers and has four points, 16 shots, 43 penalty minutes, and 37 hits. He has shown flashes of offensive skill during his career in the minors and when he was on a line with the Sedin twins in Vancouver. His real fantasy value comes in leagues which score peripheral stats such as hits and PIM’s.

Joseph Blandisi, Left Wing – New Jersey Devils, 27% owned

Since being recalled by the Devils Blandisi has been on fire with four points in four games. He has been bounced between the NHL and AHL a few times this season, but to date he has ten points including three powerplay points in 15 games. He mainly gets recalled for injury relief, but his offensive production may earn him a regular roster spot on the top line with Adam Henrique and Lee Stempniak as well as powerplay time. Don’t sleep on Blandisi!

Cody Ceci, Defence – Ottawa Senators, 41% owned

The Sens only other offensive defenseman has been red hot lately with eight points in his last ten games, doubling his point total on the year to 16 in 47 games. That scoring pace has him on par with teammate Erik Karlsson, which is obviously unsustainable, but shows promise for his offensive development and fantasy relevance going forward. The former first round pick continues to improve, suggesting his ownership number will quickly increase so don’t procrastinate.

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Top Line Additions

McKeen's Hockey — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 13:03:24 +0000

As the season progresses we are starting to see some trends that can have a strong impact on your fantasy hockey team but a keen waiver wire addition. There are players who have suddenly found themselves either on their team’s top line or with a plum fantasy line mate and are widely available. Some rookies have survived the nine game mark and are now worth investing in and there are always injuries and call ups to keep an eye on.

Benoit Pouliot – Edmonton Oilers, Left Wing 39% owned

While Connor McDavid and Nail Yakupov are widely owned across fantasy leagues, Pouliot is the third man in on that line and number 67 has shown to have some chemistry with number 97 and at only 39% owned is available in many leagues. Coming off a five game point streak don’t sleep on Pouliot.

Pascal Dupuis – Pittsburgh Penguins, Left Wing 31% owned

The Crosby – Kessel combination that many thought would be deadly has failed to click early on and Sid is struggling. As a result, he has been reunited with his old running mate who is healthy again in Pascal Dupuis. Along with Patrick Hornqvist on that line it is only a matter of time before Crosby breaks out and if Dupuis is along for the ride, you want to own him.

Ryan Garbutt – Chicago Blackhawks, Right Wing 15% owned

No, Ryan Garbutt has not scored a goal yet this season, and has only one assist. So why is he on the waiver wire list? He does have 25 shots and 34 hits in ten games and has found himself playing on a line with Jonathan Toews and Teuvo Teravainen. He is generating scoring chances and playing with quality line mates so expect the production to come shortly.

Colin Miller – Boston Bruins, Defence 28% owned

Perhaps you were sleeping on Colton Parayko and missed out on this years John Klingberg, if so step right up and grab Colin Miller. Miller has three points in the last three games, is paired with Zdeno Chara and has worked his way into the Bruins top four. It is not a fluke either as Miller was a key piece in the Lucic deal. He was the second highest scoring defenceman last year in the AHL with the Calder winning Monarchs. He was a sleeper heading into the season, but don’t sleep on him now.

Victor Rask – Carolina Hurricanes, Centre 36% owned

Rask is centering the top line with Kris Versteeg and Eric Staal, which is as god as it gets in Carolina. Rask had an impressive rookie season scoring 33 points and should have no trouble eclipsing that as the Canes top centre this year. His three point game against Tampa on Sunday may be a harbinger of things to come.

Brett Connolly – Boston Bruins, Right Wing 36% owned

Connolly has found himself on a red hot line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand and has a six game point streak to show for it. The 2010 first round pick of Tampa has fallen under the radar as a result of injuries which slowed his development. Still only 23 he could have a breakout season and be a great value add as a waiver or free agent claim.

Torrey Mitchell – Montreal Canadiens, Right Wing 34% owned

Mitchell has been red hot this season for the Habs with nine points in 13 games including a current four game point streak. He is very valuable in leagues that count peripheral categories as well as he has produced 20 penalty minutes, 14 hits, 10 blocks 18 shots and is a plus -6.

Paul Byron – Montreal Canadiens, Centre 6% owned

For those of you in super deep leagues, Byron was claimed off waiver from Calgary by Montreal and has three points in his first three games. Both his goals are shorthanded goals to boot for leagues that have multi category scoring. Byron is centering a line with Torrey Mitchell and DSP.

All ownership numbers based on Fantrax leagues

All line combinations are from Frozen pools via Dobber Hockey

OIL SLICK

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 16:08:35 +0000

The only thing the Oilers have been able to win consistently the last few seasons is draft lotteries. For a roster stocked with high and first overall draft choices, the team has not been able to move beyond the rebuilding phase and into a winning phase and patience are running thin.

After years of early drafting offensive forwards like Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov fans and fantasy owners have been expecting the flood gates to open and the Oilers to explode offensively scoring at a rate similar to the Golden days of the 1980’s. 199 goals was the reality of last seasons offensive output which ranked 24th in the NHL.

To make matters worse, not only were the Oilers bad at scoring, they were even worse at keeping the puck out of their own net allowing 267 goals against, placing them dead last in the NHL at 30th.

As a result GM Craig MacTavish continues to make changes. In an attempt to change the identity of the team from an offensive one to a more gritty and all-around style he went shopping in the free agent market. Benoit Pouliot, Teddy Purcell and Nikita Nikitin were added to a combined $13 million.

Quality goaltending has eluded Edmonton for some time now and Devan Dubnyk proved to not be the answer and was replaced with Viktor Fasth and Ben Scrivens who will likely platoon the starting duties.

The strength of Edmonton’s prospects is their defensemen. Darnell Nurse, Oscar Klefbom, Martin Marincin and Martin Gernat all have strong upside and in time will shore up the back end.

The Oilers have begun to address specific needs in goal and on defense and drafted Leon Draisaitl to strengthen up the middle. While they may never be the fantasy Oil well some were hoping for, they should start to win more games.

We have profiled the following players: Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan-Nugent Hopkins, Teddy Purcell, David Perron, Nail Yakupov, Benoit Pouliot, Mark Arcobello, Justin Schultz, Ben Scrivens

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Watch

McKeen's Hockey — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 03:59:36 +0000

This week the fantasy hockey waiver watch looks at players who may be available in your league and will potentially have an increased role due to recent injuries.

. Carter Hutton – Nashville Predators, Goalie 40% owned

Pekka Rinne has a hip infection that will force him out of the Predators crease for at least late December. That is a significant period of time and look to Hutton to be handed the ball over Magnus Hellberg. Hutton is 27 years old and more experienced in the pro’s and had a good season in the AHL last year posting a 26-22-1 record with a 2.72 GAA and a .908 save%. Aside from a single poor performance against the Blues on October 26 he has looked solid this season.

2. Reilly Smith – Boston Bruins, Right Wing 26% Owned

Already playing frequently with Patrice Bergeron, with the injury to Louie Eriksson don’t expect Smith to be demoted any time soon. In ten games, Smith has one goal and five assists and a five game point streak. His cap hit is nice and low at $900k to boot. Last year during the lockout Smith posted an impressive 35 points in 45 games

Patrick Maroon - Anaheim Ducks , Left Wing 19% Owned

Jakub Silfverberg has a broken hand and will miss about a month of action. Maroon has been playing on a line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry and has four points in nine games now. Maroon has good size at 6’3” 229 LBS and a affordable cap hit of $575K and has four points in nine games.

Benoit Pouliot – New York Rangers, Left Wing 15% Owned

With injuries to both Rick Nash and Captain Ryan Callahan the Rangers will be looking to players like Pouliot to step up and provide some offense. Pouliot has not seen a regular set of line mates and only has two points in nine games but scored 20 points in 34 games last season in Tampa. His cap hit is $1.3 million, a little steep so he is a gamble.

James Sheppard – San Jose Sharks, Left Wing 4% Owned

While there is uncertainty regarding how long Brent Burns will be out with a mouth injury, it looks certain that Sheppard will be taking his position on a line with Joe Thornton and rookie sensation Tomas Hertl. In Sundays game in Ottawa, Sheppard had a goal and an assist and now has four points in 11 games and is an option in very deep leagues. Sheppard probably won’t be a long term option in keeper leagues but he is currently hot and can provide temporary help.