Klim Kostin – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Team Preview

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 20:00:54 +0000

_{PARADISE, NV - JUNE 28: Macklin Celebrini of Boston University is drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the first round during the NHL Draft on June 28, 2024 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire)}

On the heels of a spectacularly terrible season, the San Jose Sharks can only go up. San Jose finished with 47 points (19-54-9) and the one thing that they could take from that disaster of a campaign is that they landed the top pick in the draft lottery. The Sharks used that pick on Macklin Celebrini, who was born in Vancouver, but played some of his minor hockey for the San Jose Jr. Sharks. Where did it go wrong for the Sharks in 2023-2024? They ranked 31st in Corsi (42.2%) and dead last in expected goals percentage (40.6%), so they earned their poor results from the start. San Jose’s power play ranked 19th, which was a monumental success compared to other aspects of the game, scoring 7.28 goals per 60 minutes. They allowed 8.97 goals against per 60 minutes while shorthanded, which ranked 28th. The Sharks might not have expected the team to be as bad as it was, but when they came out of the gate going 0-10-1 in the first 11 games, it was pretty clear that it was going to be a long season.

WHAT’S CHANGED? To their credit, the Sharks did not let that awful season go without making major changes. They fired head coach Dave Quinn and replaced him with Ryan Warsofsky. They let winger Filip Zadina and defenceman Calen Addison both go without a qualifying offer. Veteran forwards Mike Hoffman, Alexander Barabanov, and Kevin Labanc were all cast into free agency, and the Sharks traded defenceman Kyle Burroughs to Los Angeles. The most important additions for the Sharks will be having their top picks from the past two drafts, Celebrini and Will Smith, in the lineup. San Jose was also busy re-shaping its forward group. They signed Tyler Toffoli and Alexander Wennberg as free agents, traded for Ty Dellandrea and Carl Grunstrom, plus they claimed Barclay Goodrow on waivers, whether he liked it or not. The Sharks also made a sharp deal to acquire defenceman Jake Walman from Detroit, so they are going to look different than they did last season.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? It would be impossible to imagine this roster going to the playoffs, so success is much more about development. While the Sharks definitely need to be more consistently competitive, the biggest key to this season is the improvement of young players. That’s Celebrini and Smith, but also William Eklund, Fabian Zetterlund, Thomas Bordeleau, Ty Dellandrea, and Henry Thrun. They aren’t all going to hit, but it is imperative that the Sharks put these players in positions to succeed, as best they can, and build something stable for the future.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? Since on-ice results are still practically irrelevant for this team, failing to develop their young players would be a giant mistake. It doesn’t look like there is much danger of veterans overtaking the top young players, but it’s also important that players like Celebrini and Smith have legitimately skilled NHL players to skate with, so that they can grow into their roles without getting buried in the defensive zone night after night. The one good thing about being the worst team in hockey, aside from getting the top pick in the draft, is that it can’t get any worse.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Leaving aside the rookies, who could be among the top players on this team right away, the best breakout candidate might be William Eklund, who was the seventh pick in the 2021 Draft. He finished with 45 points last season but that could just be scratching the surface of what he could provide. Eklund finished the season with 15 points in his last 14 games, for a team that was playing out the string, so he could be ready to make something happen this year, especially if he is playing with more skilled linemates than he did in 2023-2024.

FORWARD

Tyler Toffoli

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	27	24	51	0.62

A three-time 30-goal scorer and Stanley Cup champion, the veteran winger continues to play at a high level. Toffoli has scored 67 goals across the past two seasons, including 46 at even strength. His 67 goals are tied for 34th while his 46 even-strength goals is tied for 30th. Among players to play at least 1000 even strength minutes across the past two seasons, Toffoli ranks 22nd. Adding that scoring efficiency ought to be a major help for a Sharks team that was woefully inadequate offensively last season. Toffoli is a consistent shot generator who uses a quick release and an accurate shot to score goals from distance. Toffoli has been a consistent play-driving force throughout his career, with his team controlling 55.6 percent of shot attempts when he has been on the ice for five-on-five play. That might be difficult to match in San Jose, but if Toffoli can help move the puck in the right direction, that will be a big help to San Jose’s top prospects. For a player that is known for his ability to finish around the opposing goal, Toffoli is also a reliable defensive winger. It is likely going to be an uphill fight in San Jose next season, so expectations for Toffoli should land around 25 goals and 50 points, which is down from recent seasons, but he does not have quite the same supporting cast heading into the 2024-2025 season.

William Eklund

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	22	33	55	0.67

The seventh pick in the 2021 Draft, Eklund got to spend a full season with the Sharks and made significant progress, scoring 45 points. He finished the season with a flourish, tallying 15 points in his last 14 games, an encouraging sign even though the Sharks were playing out the string at that point of the season. Eklund has strong offensive instincts, getting in position to score, either via one-timers or simply going to the net for rebounds. It would not be at all surprising to see his repertoire continue to grow as he develops more confidence. The Sharks tried Eklund at centre midway through the season, but he wasn’t scoring and finished the season winning just 31.3 percent of his faceoffs, so that didn’t seem like a long-term solution. He can be a dangerous winger for the Sharks moving forward, potentially even in a top line role. Among the players who are already on the San Jose roster (so not including rookies Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith), Eklund is the most intriguing, with a chance to become a bona fide top line player. For the 2024-2025 season, Eklund should be expected to deliver 20 goals and 50 points but, considering how he finished last season, he might even be able to produce more than that.

Mikael Granlund

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	11	45	56	0.73

A veteran centre who hit the 60-point plateau for the fourth time in his career in 2023-2024, Granlund is much better suited to a complementary role, but on the Sharks, he played a career-high 20:58 and while that led to power play production and higher point totals, the Sharks were also outshot and out-scored with Granlund on the ice. That hardly made him unique in San Jose, but it shows just how much more support was needed. At his best, Granlund is a creative playmaker, who has excellent vision and patience with the puck. While Granlund can play centre, he may just be keeping the position warm until the Sharks decide that their top prospects are ready to handle the responsibilities of playing down the middle of the ice in the National Hockey League. When that time comes, Granlund can shift to the wing and still be the setup man from that position and it probably will help free him up to focus on offensive play, rather than forcing him to handle defensive responsibilities which are not really his strong suit. Granlund is not an eager shooter, so he does not score a lot of goals. It might be fair to expect 10-12 goals in 2024-2025, on the way to Granlund putting up around 55 points.

Fabian Zetterlund

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	21	21	42	0.51

There were not a lot of wins to be found in San Jose last season, but seeing Zetterlund break through to score 24 goals feels like at least a little bit of a win, a young player starting to realize his potential. Zetterlund, 25, is a stocky winger who will use his body to battle along the boards and in front of the net. He has good speed to create chances in transition, but Zetterlund seemed to be most effective at finding soft spots in the defensive zone where he could utilize a one-timer or quick release to find the back of the net. Perhaps Zetterlund should not have been playing 19 minutes per game at this stage of his career, particularly because his defensive play is not yet strong enough to handle that responsibility, but that experience should serve him well as the rest of the team gets better. The Sharks managed a miserable 39.5 percent of expected goals with Zetterlund on the ice, so there is room for improvement in his all-around game. He is likely suited to a secondary scoring role, though on this roster, he may still be in a featured offensive role. It is reasonable to expect 20 goals and 40 points out of Zetterlund in 2024-2025 and there could be some upside if the Sharks’ top prospects are ready to be impact players.

Alexander Wennberg

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	11	24	35	0.44

A reliable third-line centre, Wennberg appears to have the talent to contribute more, but the 29-year-old pivot has only reached 40 points in a season twice in his career, the most recent occurrence coming in 2016-2017. Across his entire career, Wennberg has been on the ice for one more goal for (378) than against (377), despite Columbus and Seattle being his home for nearly 90 percent of his games. Oddly enough, Wennberg is not particularly adept in the faceoff circle, winning 46.2 percent of draws in his career, and never finishing over 50 percent in a single season. Wennberg has strong puck skills and can beat a defender one-on-one and is a fine distributor of the puck. If he is going to create more offensive production, Wennberg would need to shoot the puck more frequently. There were 375 forwards that played at least 500 five-on-five minutes last season and 373 of them generated shots at a higher rate than Wennberg’s 3.58 shots on goal per 60 minutes. That isn’t even the worst of it, since Wennberg ranks 375th in shot attempts per 60 (6.41) and individual expected goals per 60 (0.38). That inability, or reluctance, to shoot the puck puts a ceiling on his offensive potential, so he should be able to contribute about 35 points for San Jose in 2024-2025.

Klim Kostin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	13	12	25	0.35

A mammoth winger, 6-foot-4, 232-pound Kostin has flashed brief moments of potential, including when he scored five goals and nine points in his first 13 games for the Sharks after he was acquired from the Red Wings. Although he has yet to firmly establish his place in the NHL, despite previous stops in St. Louis, Edmonton, and Detroit, the 25-year-old has enough skill to complement his gritty game. For players that don’t play much, it helps to be efficiently productive in the ice time that they get. Across the past two seasons, Kostin has 0.99 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play. That ranks 65th among forwards that skated at least 500 five-on-five minutes, which is a higher rate than Elias Pettersson, Nico Hischier, and Alex Ovechkin, among many others. Kostin’s particular set of skills may indicate that he is destined to be a fourth-line banger, but it would not be unreasonable to give him opportunities higher on the depth chart to see if he can handle that responsibility over a longer period of time. Provided that he stays healthy and in the lineup for most of the season, Kostin should be able to contribute 25 points for the Sharks in 2024-2025. His career high is 21 points, but he has yet to play more than 57 games in a season, so there is room for improved production.

Ty Dellandrea

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	9	17	26	0.33

Lost in the shuffle in Dallas, Dellandrea went from scoring 28 points in 2022-2023 to just nine points in 42 games last season. The 13th pick in the 2018 Draft can play both centre and wing and brings a physical edge to his game in addition to having decent puck skills, making him more talented than a run-of-the-mill fourth liner. Despite a modest history in Dallas, the move to San Jose could turn Dellandrea loose. He may not be a first line forward, but there is a path to him fitting in San Jose’s middle six, with more ice time and better opportunities than he has been able to experience in the NHL. The 24-year-old has already shown that he will put his body on the line with physical play, hitting frequently and dropping the gloves when needed, so he should be able to secure a regular spot in the Sharks lineup, but it’s fair to expect that he could be more than merely a fringe player. There will be competition for spots in San Jose’s middle six, but Dellandrea should have a chance to earn those minutes and, if he does, a season with 25-30 points would be within his grasp.

Nico Sturm

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	7	12	19	0.26

After going for career highs of 14 goals and 26 points in 2022-2023, his first year with the Sharks, Sturm saw his numbers plummet to five goals and 13 points in 63 games last season. His shot rate dropped to a career-low 1.10 per game and he scored on a career-low 7.2 percent of his shots – it was the perfect statistical recipe for a decline in production. This led to the Sharks getting outscored 42-22 during five-on-five play when Sturm was on the ice. Despite winning a career-high 60.1 percent of his faceoffs, Sturm struggled defensively, allowing career-high rates of shot attempts, expected goals against, and goals against per 60 minutes. Certainly, the Sharks’ overall lack of defensive talent played a part in those results, too, but for a player whose NHL career is built on his success as a checking centre, those results are far from ideal. With the Sharks adding more talent in the offseason, there could be enough depth to cut into Sturm’s ice time. He has played 14:42 per game in two seasons with the Sharks but given the results, redistributing a couple of minutes per game to others on the roster might be best for Sturm. Coming off such a poor season, expectations for Sturm should be modest. He has reached 20 points twice in his career and that would be a fair target for him in the 2024-2025 season.

Barclay Goodrow

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	8	14	22	0.27

Even though Goodrow had an excellent postseason, contributing six goals in 16 games for the Rangers, it was not altogether surprising that the Rangers wanted to move him because he had an abysmal regular season. Goodrow was one of four forwards in the league to play at least 500 five-on-five minutes yet finished the season with a Corsi percentage under 40 percent. He finished with four goals and 12 points, and that followed the two most productive seasons of Goodrow’s career, when he scored 33 and 31 points, respectively. He is a blue-collar player who can play centre or wing, and he plays a hard game, hitting and dropping the gloves, when needed. Nevertheless, his value was inflated by the success he had while winning two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and there was little chance that he would ever live up to the six-year, $21.85 million deal that he signed with the Rangers. After three seasons, the Rangers put Goodrow on waivers and he was claimed by the Sharks, his first NHL team. Expect Goodrow to play a significant depth role for San Jose, but he should not be counted on for significant offensive production. It is reasonable to expect something in the range of 20-25 points.

DEFENCE

Jake Walman

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	10	15	25	0.34

Despite scoring a career-high 12 goals and 21 points in 63 games for Detroit, Walman was traded to San Jose, and the 28-year-old blueliner ought to play a significant role for the Sharks. Walman spent most of the 2023-2024 season paired with Moritz Seider and they were fed to the wolves, handling the toughest defensive assignments with a steady diet of defensive zone starts. While their overall results were not great it was a valuable experience and, given the lack of depth on the San Jose blueline, Walman could very well find himself handling major responsibility once again. What Walman showed in a couple of seasons with Detroit is that he can handle the puck on the attack and has some natural finishing talent when he finds himself in scoring position. The question will be if that can happen with any kind of consistency in San Jose? Walman will presumably see significant minutes, including power play time, so the opportunity should be there for him. If Walman can stay relatively healthy, he should be able to set a new high for games played, since he has yet to surpass the 63 games that he has played in each of the past two seasons. If that means playing 70-plus games, then he should be able to challenge for double-digit goals and 20-25 points in the 2024-2025 season.

Mario Ferraro

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	5	20	25	0.31

With Erik Karlsson getting traded to Pittsburgh, the Sharks did little to address that massive hole on the blueline and it left Ferraro as the leading scorer among Sharks defencemen last season. The problem is, he had just 21 points. Ferraro was the workhorse, averaging a team-high 22:52 of ice time per game, but he was not a consideration on the power play, so all 21 points came via even strength. Ferraro has recorded at least 120 hits in each of his five NHL seasons and has gone over 140 blocked shots in each of the past three seasons, peaking at 195 in 2023-2024. Ferraro is a strong skater and is not shy about getting physically involved in the action. The main issue is that without protection from other high-quality defencemen on the roster, because they just don’t exist, Ferraro gets thrown to the wolves. Essentially, he is not being put in a position to succeed right now. Ferraro should be expected to contribute 20-25 points, building on the career-high 21 points he had last season, but without a power play role, there is a clear ceiling on his offensive potential. That is to say nothing of the Sharks’ lack of offensive firepower in general, which does not tend to help out their blueliners. If the young guns, Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, can elevate San Jose’s attack, then that offers a greater chance that someone like Ferraro could have a little fantasy value.

Ty Emberson

Acquired off waivers from the New York Rangers, the former captain at the University of Wisconsin had two years of seasoning in the American Hockey League, so he was ready for a look with the Sharks last season. Although injuries limited him to just 30 games, Emberson showed in that sample of games that he could be a legitimate NHL defenceman. It would be too soon to make that claim with certainty, but Emberson was among the better defencemen on the worst team in the games that he played. His primary partner on the San Jose blueline was Mario Ferraro, and they were outscored 13-12 in 311 minutes during five-on-five play. That’s not great, but compared to other Sharks pairings, it is encouraging. Emberson had his season shortened by a lower-body injury, which is what makes his projection a little more complicated, but it’s also reasonable to understand that he does not have a track record to suggest that he will suddenly become a significant offensive threat. So long as he stays healthy, Emberson should have a chance to contribute 20-25 points, but he also ought to be able to accrue reliable totals for hits and blocked shots. With 94 hits and 46 blocked shots in 30 games last season, Emberson showed that he is capable of accumulating enough in those peripheral statistical categories.

Henry Thrun

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	5	18	23	0.29

For a Sharks team that is sorely lacking in quality puck-moving defencemen there is a great opportunity for Thrun to handle a big role, including possibly running the point on the top power play unit. It’s not like Thrun is an offensive dynamo, but he did have 63 points in 68 games across his last two seasons at Harvard and four of his 11 points last season came with the man advantage. While Thrun is a smart player who can skate and pass, he is still a young player who experiences the growing pains of a defenceman trying to establish that he is a legitimate NHL defenceman. Trying to prove that with a team that offers so little defensive support is not easy and sometimes the results looked rough during Thrun’s rookie campaign. He has decent size, at 6-foot-2, but is not very physical as a defender, which means he really needs to make a difference with his puck skills. Thrun only has 13 points in 59 NHL games, so any optimistic point projections for 2024-2025 are going to be based on potential. The most reasonable forecast would be for Thrun to contribute 20-25 points in a full season, but there could be a wide range of outcomes because his pro hockey track record is relatively limited.

GOAL

Mackenzie Blackwood

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
35	9	22	3	1	0.902	3.45

Vitek Vanecek

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
18	5	11	2	2	0.898	3.72

No team in the NHL looked worse in 2023 than the San Jose Sharks, who struggled to even put up wins for entire stretches of the season during a painfully apparent rebuild. That’s a tough environment for Mackenzie Blackwood to welcome fellow former New Jersey netminder Vitek Vanecek into - but after taking the reins as the de facto starter last year, Blackwood will hopefully have found his sea legs and help the Sharks as a whole take a small step forward. Blackwood’s numbers certainly weren’t the primary cause for concern in the Bay last year; while he only managed to squeak out ten wins on the whole through 44 starts, he put up wholly winnable performances in over half of his appearances in net. He didn’t quite finish the year at league average, but his overall numbers looked far better than those of a number of netminders who spent the year sitting behind much easier defensive systems; if the Sharks manage to make even a marginal improvement in their play, Blackwood could be enough to keep them from another disastrous free-fall.

Vanecek is by far the bigger wild card for the Pacific Division club, given that his overall stat line from 2023 looked like Blackwood’s inverse; he finished the year with 17 wins in 32 games, but only put up quality starts in 12 of those. That being said, he had managed to clean up a lot of sloppy habits in his game upon his first arrival in New Jersey. Those habits seemed to slip back into the conversation as the 2023-24 season went on, but a lighter workload behind a clear starter in Blackwood could give him the chance to keep his game crisp and polished without succumbing to fatigue.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Duclair, Drouin, Nyquist, Ekholm, Thompson plus much, much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 18:22:15 +0000

TAMPA, FL - MARCH 14: Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Anthony Duclair (10) looks to make a pass during the NHL Hockey match between the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers on March 14, 2024 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, Anthony Duclair has been a great fit in Tampa Bay, Jonathan Drouin is thriving in Colorado, Gustav Nyquist is having a career year in Nashville, Mattias Ekholm is a force in Edmonton, Logan Thompson is hugely important for the Golden Knights down the stretch, and much, much more!

#1 Tampa Bay Lightning winger Anthony Duclair has been well traveled throughout his NHL career. This stop with the Lightning is the eighth NHL team for the 28-year-old winger and Duclair has been a quality addition for Tampa Bay. In eight games for the Lightning, Duclair has put up nine points (5 G, 4 A) with 18 shots on goal. He has settled on left wing of Tampa Bay’s top line, alongside Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov, which is a great situation for just about anyone.

#2 Jonathan Drouin’s offseason move to Colorado offered him the opportunity to play with elite talent and it has helped to resurrect his career. In his past 10 games, Drouin has 12 points (4 G, 8 A) with 21 shots on goal and the shots on goal are a good indication for Drouin, who can be a reluctant shooter at times. He is still averaging a little over 1.5 shots on goal per game this season, which is not a lot, but the rate has increased during this most recent offensive surge. He is in a prime position, skating on the left wing of Colorado’s top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.

#3 The Nashville Predators finally lost in regulation time Thursday night in Arizona, snapping an 18-game point streak, but that did not prevent veteran winger Gustav Nyquist from extending his individual point streak to seven games. In the past 19 games, Nyquist has produced 25 points (9 G, 16 A) with 38 shots on goal. The 34-year-old has hit a career high with 66 points (21 G, 45 A) in 73 games. He has been an excellent fit on Nashville’s top line and first power play unit, skating with Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly.

#4 Moving to Edmonton last season helped to unlock some offensive potential in veteran blueliner Mattias Ekholm. Known as a steady and reliable defenceman, Ekholm’s ability to move the puck opens the door to quality offensive production. In his past eight games, Ekholm has delivered 10 points (3 G, 7 A) with 25 shots on goal. He is up to 36 points (7 G, 29 A) on the season, his most since he put up a career-high 44 points in 2018-2019. Incredibly, only three of Ekholm’s 36 points have come on the power play.

#5 As the Vegas Golden Knights battle to secure a playoff spot, starting goaltender Adin Hill is out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury. Logan Thompson takes over as the No. 1 for Vegas, with Pavel Patera recalled from the AHL to fill the backup role. Thompson stopped 39 of 40 shots in Thursday’s 4-1 victory at Winnipeg, giving him a .922 save percentage in his past nine games. The Golden Knights have a 21-12-5 record with Thompson between the pipes, which should help to give him good value for the stretch run.

#6 While the Ottawa Senators are making some noise when it is too late to really matter, the production still offers value for fantasy managers. Right winger Drake Batherson has been on a productive run for quite a while, tallying 18 points (9 G, 9 A) with 50 shots on goal in his past 19 games. He is riding on the Sens’ top line, skating with Brady Tkachuk and Shane Pinto, a good combination for Batherson.

#7 On one hand, it is wonderful for the Buffalo Sabres that young winger J.J. Peterka has developed to the point that he leads the team with 25 goals this season. On the other hand, it is not ideal for the Sabres to have Peterka outscoring the likes of Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Jeff Skinner. Peterka has seven points (5 G, 2 A) with 20 shots on goal in his past eight games and he played a career-high 21:38 in Wednesday’s loss against Ottawa, skating on the Sabres’ top line with Thompson and Tuch.

#8 Hurricanes right winger Seth Jarvis is enjoying a breakout season. In his third NHL campaign, Jarvis has produced 60 points (28 G, 32 A). In his past 11 games, the 22-year-old winger has 12 points (9 G, 3 A) and 26 shots on goal. Skating on Carolina’s top line with Sebastian Aho and Jake Guentzel is obviously a great spot for Jarvis, but he is doing his part to keep that prime spot in the lineup.

#9 At the start of the season, Washington Capitals centre Connor McMichael appeared to be blocked by veterans down the middle of the ice. However, with Nicklas Backstrom unable to get healthy and Evgeny Kuznetsov shipped out to Carolina at the trade deadline, more opportunities are available for 23-year-old McMichael. To his credit, he is making the most of it, most recently skating with Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie on the Capitals’ top line, McMichael has eight points (5 G, 3 A) with 14 shots on goal in his past nine games.

#10 Even though his ice time can be inconsistent in Winnipeg, Nikolaj Ehlers continues to produce. He has eight points (2 G, 6 A) with 26 shots on goal in his past eight games and he played 18:07 in Thursday’s loss against Vegas, which was Ehlers’ highest time on ice since an overtime loss to Toronto on January 24. Without a prime role on the Jets’ power play, Ehlers has scored 48 of his 53 points this season at even strength, which is a huge credit to him as a player but does make him less appealing for fantasy managers.

#11 It is fair to say that the Los Angeles Kings expected a lot more from centre Pierre-Luc Dubois this season. He has no shot at scoring 60-plus points for a third straight season, but he does have seven points (1 G, 6 A) in his past seven games. The concern for fantasy managers – to say nothing of the Kings – is that Dubois has just 11 shots on goal in those seven games, raising questions about how sustainable this production might be over the rest of the season. One reason to be encouraged about Dubois is that Viktor Arvidsson has landed on his wing and Arvidsson brings an energy that should elevate Dubois’ game.

#12 With Mitch Marner still nursing a high ankle sprain, Max Domi is getting a chance to skate on the Maple Leafs’ top line with Auston Matthews and Tyler Bertuzzi. Domi has been a solid complementary player for Toronto this season and he does have nine points (1 G, 8 A) with 19 shots on goal in nine games since the trade deadline. As a pass-first playmaker, Domi does seem to be a stylistic fit alongside Matthews, the league’s leading goal scorer. Of course, the moment that Marner is ready to return, Domi’s fantasy value will drop.

#13 When the Detroit Red Wings traded winger Klim Kostin to the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline, it did not make big waves. After all, he had just four pints (3 G, 1 A) in 33 games for the Red Wings, but Kostin is getting a better opportunity with the Sharks. He has seven points (3 G, 4 A) in 10 games for San Jose and played a season-high 17:01 in Thursday’s loss at Minnesota, skating with Mikael Granlund and Fabian Zetterlund on San Jose’s top line. Yes, that is the Sharks’ top line.

#14 Scoring a goal in Thursday’s win over Nashville, Arizona Coyotes centre Nick Bjugstad extended his point streak to five games. The veteran pivot has landed in a plum spot, skating with Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz on Arizona’s No. 1 line, and he has delivered 11 points (7 G< 4 A) with 29 shots on goal in his past 11 games. It is the first time since 2017-2018 that Bjugstad has surpassed 40 points in a season.

#15 Playing on a deep Carolina blueline, Dmitry Orlov has not been as productive as he was last season, when he produced a career-high 36 points while playing for the Washington Capitals and the Boston Bruins. While that is true, Orlov may be worthy of late season fantasy interest, as he has contributed eight points (3 G, 5 A) along with 18 shots on goal in his past nine games. Orlov is playing just over 17 minutes per game this season, down more than five minutes per game compared to last season, and he is not a big power play point producer, but being a strong puck mover on a dominant Carolina team can still deliver the goods.

#16 The Carolina Hurricanes added more talent at the trade deadline and after a couple of three-point games, it appears to have sent winger Teuvo Teravainen into a slump. He has gone six straight games without a point despite playing nearly 16 minutes per game. For fantasy managers in the playoffs, it may be worth finding a hotter hand rather than hoping that Teravainen can snap out of this slump.

#17 When he recorded an assist on March 1 against New Jersey, Anaheim Ducks centre Mason McTavish had 40 points in 52 games. He has gone nine straight games without a point since then and played just 10:35 in Thursday’s 4-2 loss at Seattle. McTavish is a promising second year centre who should be a long-term fixture in the Ducks lineup, but for fantasy managers that need production now, he is coming up short and, in most cases, is worth sending to the waiver wire in order to find more immediate help.

#18 Sometimes goaltending can be overvalued, but when a team does not have reliable goaltending, it seems like it overpowers everything else. Take the New Jersey Devils, for example. They spent most of the season struggling to get any kind of consistently reliable play between the pipes and that, combined with some significant injuries, has left them outside of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. At the trade deadline, however, the Devils brought in Jake Allen from Montreal and Kaapo Kahkonen from San Jose. The early returns have Allen with a .925 save percentage in six starts and Kahkonen with a .934 save percentage in three starts. The Devils have won four of their past five games and Allen might have some fantasy value for the final weeks of the season, certainly far more than he had in Montreal prior to the trade.

#19 When the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Michael Bunting from Carolina at the trade deadline, it was not very well received, in part because it meant that the Penguins were moving on from Jake Guentzel, a bitter pill to swallow for a team used to adding talent at the deadline. Nevertheless, Bunting has taken advantage of the bigger role afforded to him in Pittsburgh, producing six points (2 G, 4 A) while playing more than 17 minutes per game in his past seven games. For his part, Guentzel has been great in Carolina, scoring 14 points (2 G, 12 A) with 33 shots on goal in 10 games.

#20 The NHL leaders in expected goals (all situations, per Natural Stat Trick) for the month of March are: Sam Reinhart (8.11), Zach Hyman (8.07), Connor Bedard (7.59), Brady Tkachuk (7.58), Auston Matthews (7.53), John Tavares (7.23), Kirill Kaprizov (7.05), Andrei Svechnikov (6.59), Filip Forsberg (6.41), Nico Hischier (6.40), Chris Kreider (6.39), and Sidney Crosby (6.35). Reinhart and Hyman are the league’s newest 50-goal scorers, but Bedard and Crosby are the ones in this group that are under-performing their expected goals this month, as Bedard has four goals and Crosby has three. Svechnikov, Hischier, and Kreider also scored four goals, so they have been a few goals below expectations, too.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD (March 11th to 17th) – Post-NHL Trade Deadline Impact – Favourable schedules and players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 18:06:59 +0000

_{OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 14: Ottawa Senators Right Wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) after a whistle during second period National Hockey League action between the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators on October 14, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)}

The trade deadline is behind us and it certainly was eventful. Although we didn’t get a lot of trades in the leadup to the final week -- just four deals in all of February -- general managers made up for lost time with six trades on Wednesday, 10 on Thursday and 23 on the final day.

This isn’t a winners and losers column, but if it was, Vegas would naturally be at the top of the winners list. The rest of the league might be annoyed at the Golden Knights’ seemingly unending ability to make blockbusters, but as a fan of one of the other 31 franchises, I suspect a lot of that is just because we collectively wish that our general manager had a bit more of Kelly McCrimmon’s boldness and the ownership for the teams we rooted for were a bit more willing to green-light whatever it takes to win.

Vegas added forwards Anthony Mantha and Tomas Hertl as well as Noah Hanifin on Friday. Clearly, the Golden Knights are gearing up for a defence of their Stanley Cup championships -- despite some lacklustre play of late -- but these aren’t exclusively win-now moves. Hertl is signed through 2029-30 and with the Sharks retaining part of his contract, he comes at a reasonable $6.75 million annually for the Golden Knights over that span. Mantha and Hanifin are on expiring contracts, but it is possible Vegas will be able to retain Hanifin’s services long-term.

Carolina also had a pretty interesting trade season with the additions of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jake Guentzel. Kuznetsov, who has just six goals and 17 points through 43 games this season, is definitely a risk, but it will be interesting to see if a fresh start does him any good. If nothing else, the addition of Guentzel should bolster what was already a pretty solid offense.

Florida also upgraded its forward corps by adding Vladimir Tarasenko. After falling just short of the Cup last year, I’d at the very least say that the Panthers are the team to beat in the East. The only reason why I hesitate to call the Panthers the outright Cup favourites is that I love Vancouver and Colorado in the west.

The Avalanche in particular are looking strong after grabbing Casey Mittelstadt, albeit at the high price of Bowen Byram. Colorado’s offense is the best in the league at 3.70 goals per game, but the Avalanche have been extremely reliant on Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and defenseman Cale Makar to drive that scoring. If you were to have judged the Avalanche from their second line down, then you would have found a team that was wanting. Adding Mittelstadt does a lot to address that shortcoming, though Alexandar Georgiev’s less-than-stellar play is still a concern. The Avalanche might wish they had acquired a veteran backup come playoff time.

Of course, that’s all just scratching the surface of how the trade deadline has changed things. Let’s do a deeper dive while highlighting some of the best teams to utilize this coming week.

Anaheim Ducks - TUE @ CHI, THU @ MIN, FRI @ WPG (BTB), SUN @ STL

The Ducks don’t have much left to play for, but at least their upcoming schedule isn’t too bad. They’ll be on the road next week, playing in Chicago on Tuesday, Minnesota on Thursday, Winnipeg on Friday and St. Louis on Sunday. The Jets are the only of those adversaries in a playoff position.

Anaheim dealt away forwards Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick to Edmonton on Wednesday and acquired Ben Meyers from the Avalanche on Friday.

Meyers was in the minors before the trade, but he’s likely to remain with the Ducks for the remainder of the campaign. Don’t expect too much from him, though. He had six goals in 53 career contests over parts of three seasons with Colorado and is likely to serve primarily on the third line in Anaheim.

The loss of Henrique will be felt, though. He had 18 goals and 42 points in 60 contests with the Ducks this season, which was good for third in the team’s scoring race at the time of his trade. His departure might increase how much Mason McTavish is leaned on. We’ve also started to see a significant spike in Max Jones’ playing time recently -- logging over 15 minutes in each of his past three contests compared to his average of 11:43 over his first 44 outings -- and that’s likely to persist for the remainder of the season.

With the Ducks looking toward the future, Olen Zellweger is likely to stay in the NHL for the rest of the season. Although he has just two assists through his first eight contests with Anaheim, the 20-year-old defenseman has offensive upside and is getting power-play ice time, so he’d be an interesting pickup for the upcoming week given the competition.

Columbus Blue Jackets - TUE @ MTL, THU VS OTT, SAT VS SJS, SUN VS WPG (BTB)

Like Anaheim, Columbus doesn’t have any hope of making the playoffs, but next week’s schedule is still a favourable one for the Blue Jackets. They’ll play in Montreal on Tuesday before hosting the Senators on Thursday, the Sharks on Saturday and the Jets on Sunday. While Winnipeg is having a strong campaign, those other three teams are among the worst in the league.

Columbus was somewhat quiet at the deadline, but the Blue Jackets did part ways with Jack Roslovic and Andrew Peeke.

Their biggest move came earlier when they acquired Alexander Nylander from Pittsburgh on Feb. 22 in exchange for Emil Bemstrom. That wasn’t expected to be a noteworthy move, but Nylander has provided an incredible five goals and seven points in seven contests with the Blue Jackets. Nylander is likely to remain in a top-six role for the remainder of the season, so while he’s unlikely to maintain his point-per-game pace, the 26-year-old should continue to have fantasy relevance.

Roslovic was red hot too with four goals and 13 points in his last 12 games prior to the trade. He was serving primarily on the top line with Boone Jenner and Johnny Gaudreau, but now that he’s gone, Kirill Marchenko might be put in that role. Marchenko has 17 goals and 32 points in 60 contests this season, and the 23-year-old might see his offensive pace increase if he does lockdown that first-line assignment.

One player who didn’t move is goaltender Elvis Merzlikins. There was some suggestion back in January that he would welcome a trade because he was unhappy with his workload. Maybe that issue will get resolved over the summer, but Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov are likely to share the netminding duties fairly evenly for what’s left of the season.

Detroit Red Wings - TUE @ BUF, THU VS ARI, SAT VS BUF, SUN @ PIT (BTB)

Detroit will continue its fight for a wild-card berth next week. The Red Wings will start by playing in Buffalo on Tuesday before returning home to face the Coyotes on Thursday and the Sabres on Saturday. They’ll complete the week with a game in Pittsburgh on Sunday. None of those opponents are in a playoff position, so it’s important that the Red Wings take advantage by picking up at least six points.

The Red Wings were quiet at the deadline, though to be fair, they made their major move back in November when they signed Patrick Kane. The 35-year-old has gone on to provide 13 goals and 31 points through 31 games, so they have to be happy with that addition.

They’ll need to lean on Kane even more in the short term because Dylan Larkin suffered a lower-body injury Monday that’s expected to cost him at least one more week. While Larkin’s unavailable, Joe Veleno might see his workload increase and consequently should have more short-term value in fantasy leagues.

This could also be a good week for David Perron, who is on a roll with a goal and four points over his past four games. He’s up to 13 goals and 32 points in 56 contests in 2023-24. Defenseman Olli Maatta has looked good recently too, supplying two goals and four points across his last four outings. Maatta typically isn’t a significant offensive contributor, though, so he would be at best a short-term pickup option.

Los Angeles Kings - MON VS NYI, WED @ STL, FRI @ CHI, SAT @ DAL (BTB)

The Kings hold a playoff position, but their postseason berth is far from secure. They’ll need to play next week while hosting the Islanders on Monday and then playing on the road against St. Louis, Chicago and Dallas on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, respectively.

LA didn’t add anyone at the deadline, so if the Kings are going to get into the playoffs, it’ll have to be with basically the same group they’ve had for the entire year. However, injuries have made their task even harder. Viktor Arvidsson (lower body) has played just four games in 2023-24 while Mikey Anderson (upper body) and Adrian Kempe (upper body) also might not be available next week.

At least Kevin Fiala has been doing his part. The 27-year-old forward has a superb seven goals and 13 points over his last nine games. With his marker Thursday, Fiala reached the 20-goal milestone for the fifth consecutive campaign, but he’s also exceeded 25 tallies just once in his career (2021-22). In other words, don’t count on him providing goals at his recent rate for much longer, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he still ended up having a strong finish to the season offensively.

Drew Doughty has looked good lately too, providing three goals and 12 points over his last 11 outings. Six of those points came with the man advantage, which is noteworthy because LA’s power play has been middling this season with a 22.6 percent success rate. However, the Kings have converted on 32.0 percent of their power plays over their past 11 games, and if they can keep that up, it will do wonders for Doughty’s fantasy value.

It wouldn’t mean much to Matt Roy -- he isn’t typically used with the man advantage -- but the 29-year-old blueliner has three even-strength assists across his past three games. That has brought Roy up to 20 points (three goals) through 61 contests -- this is his third straight campaign with at least 20 points.

Ottawa Senators - TUE VS PIT, THUS @ CBJ, SAT @ NYI, SUN VS CAR (BTB)

Ottawa has a relatively easy start to the week with a home contest against the Penguins and then a road match versus Columbus on Thursday. Things do pick up after that, though. The Senators will play on the road against the Islanders on Saturday in a contest that matters for the Islanders in their pursuit of a wild-card spot. Ottawa will conclude the week by hosting the Hurricanes on Sunday.

The Senators made just one trade in the leadup to the deadline, shipping Vladimir Tarasenko to Florida in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick and a 2025 third-round selection. That’s a minimal return for a top-six forward, but Tarasenko’s full no-trade clause tied the Senators’ hands.

Either way, Ottawa’s offense is looking a little thinner between the loss of Tarasenko and Josh Norris potentially missing the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. The top two lines going forward will be combinations of Brady Tkachuk, Shane Pinto, Drake Batherson, Mathieu Joseph, Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux. That will work fine, but the bottom six will be a collection of whatever Ottawa can cobble together.

For example, Boris Katchouk, who was claimed off waivers from Chicago on Friday, is likely to be a regular on the third unit going forward. The 25-year-old has five goals and nine points in 38 contests this season, so he’s not exactly expected to be a scoring threat in that role. Dominik Kubalik, who has averaged 12:30 of ice time this season while providing 10 goals and 14 points across 57 contests, might see his playing time increase too. Ridly Greig might round out that third unit despite recording just three goals and four points over his past 21 appearances.

For what it’s worth, Ottawa also has the option of calling up Angus Crookshank, who has 22 goals and 43 points in 47 contests with AHL Belleville this season. He was limited to a goal and an assist during a seven-game stint with Ottawa earlier in the campaign, but the 24-year-old averaged just 8:50 of ice time. He’d almost certainly get a bigger role if Ottawa promoted him now, so keep an eye out for that.

Pittsburgh Penguins - TUE @ OTT, THU VS SJS, SAT VS NYR, SUN VS DET (BTB)

Although the Penguins’ playoff hopes are all but gone, they still have an opportunity to at least make their final weeks of the campaign interesting. Pittsburgh will play in Ottawa on Tuesday before heading home to host the Sharks on Thursday, the Rangers on Saturday and the Red Wings on Sunday.

As already noted, the Penguins traded star forward Jake Guentzel on Thursday. Pittsburgh also shipped away defenseman Chad Ruhwedel, though the club did add Michael Bunting.

Bunting is an interesting option the rest of the way. He had 13 goals and 36 points in 60 games with Carolina before the trade, which is nothing special, but with Guentzel gone, Bunting might play alongside Sidney Crosby going forward. That’s an ideal assignment that should boost Bunting’s fantasy value.

John Ludvig is the other Pittsburgh player who was significantly impacted by the trade deadline. With Ruhwedel gone, there’s an opportunity for Ludvig, who was last in the lineup on Feb. 18, to play regularly for the remainder of the season. Ludvig isn’t much of an offensive threat with just a goal and an assist through 23 games, but he’s a physical force. The 23-year-old has 23 PIM and 51 hits in 2023-24, so he might have some value to certain fantasy managers now that he’s projected to remain in the lineup.

Beyond that, I’m really interested to see how Crosby performs for the remainder of the campaign. He’s been fantastic with 32 goals and 63 points in 61 outings but has supplied only one helper across his past five appearances. It’s probably just a slump that will end soon, but this is also a new position for the 36-year-old. Crosby is used to playing on a contender. Even last year when the Penguins failed to make the playoffs, they missed by just one point.

Personally, I expect Crosby to bounce back shortly and have a solid finish to the season, but we’ll have to wait and see if being out of contention impacts his motivation more than I suspect.

San Jose Sharks - TUE @ PHI, THUS @ PIT, SAT @ CBJ, SUN @ CHI (BTB)

The Sharks will play in Philadelphia on Tuesday, but that will be their only game next week against a team in a playoff position. After that, San Jose will continue its road trip with stops in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Columbus on Saturday and Chicago on Sunday.

San Jose traded away forwards Anthony Duclair and Tomas Hertl, defenseman Nikita Okhotyuk and goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen at the deadline. The Sharks did get Vitek Vanecek from New Jersey, but the goaltender might be done for the season due to a lower-body injury. Keep in mind, the Sharks were 15-40-7 even before those trades, so to say the squad is in a sad state now would be an understatement.

With Vanecek unavailable, Mackenzie Blackwood will likely be leaned on heavily for what’s left of the season…or at least he will be once he’s recovered from a groin injury. In the meantime, San Jose’s goaltending duo are Magnus Chrona and Devin Cooley. When Blackwood is healthy, Cooley might be sent to the minors. Regardless, none of them are good options in fantasy circles given the team in front of them.

Klim Kostin might have a little bit of value, though, to fantasy managers. The Sharks acquired him from the Red Wings on Friday. He was frequently a healthy scratch in Detroit and averaged just 8:43 when he did play, but in San Jose, Kostin might be a mainstay on the third line. That likely won’t lead to him getting much offense, but Kostin could be a good source of PIM and hits -- he has 38 and 60, respectively, through 33 appearances.

William Eklund might also be able to provide a bit of a silver lining. The 21-year-old hasn’t been as productive as hoped this campaign with 10 goals and 29 points through 60 contests, but he does have two goals and four points over his last four games, so perhaps he’ll end the season on a positive note. Certainly, the Sharks will give him plenty of opportunities at both even strength and on the power play.

Winnipeg Jets - MON VS WSH, WED VS NSH, FRI VS ANA, SUN @ CBJ

The Jets will start the week at home, hosting the Capitals on Monday, the Predators on Wednesday and the Ducks on Friday. They’ll conclude the week with a road game versus the lowly Blue Jackets on Sunday.

Winnipeg added Colin Miller and Tyler Toffoli in separate trades with New Jersey on Friday, which compliments the Jets’ addition of Sean Monahan on Feb. 2. The Jets have enjoyed an effective forward trio of Mark Scheifele (19 goals and 56 points in 56 contests), Kyle Connor (26 goals and 44 points in 46 outings) and Nikolaj Ehlers (19 goals and 44 points in 62 appearances), but the team’s scoring depth up front was lacking. With Monahan and Toffoli in the mix, Winnipeg can now roll two dangerous lines with ease.

This isn’t good news for everyone, though. Cole Perfetti has a respectable 14 goals and 31 points in 61 contests this season, but the 22-year-old has been cold for a while, providing just two assists over his last 21 games. With Winnipeg’s recent upgrades, Perfetti is projected to serve strictly in a bottom-six capacity without much, if any, power-play ice time. He might even be a healthy scratch in situations where everyone is healthy.

Vladislav Namestnikov has averaged 15:04 of ice time this season, but he might see work primarily on the third line going forward. He has been effective recently, though, with two goals and five points across his last five contests while seeing time with Connor and Scheifele, so perhaps the 31-year-old will be able to avoid that demotion in the short term.

Mason Appleton has done well lately too, collecting four assists over his last three contests, but the Jets’ additions will likely push him down in the depth charts too. Although he’s averaged 16:05 in 2023-24, he might play mostly in a bottom-six capacity going forward.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Early Standouts – Significant early injuries – Who benefits from opportunity

Scott Cullen — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 22:14:31 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 14: Ottawa Senators Right Wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) after a whistle during second period National Hockey League action between the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators on October 14, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, a look at a new Panthers winger plus lots of early injuries including to significant players like Sebastian Aho, Gabriel Vilardi, Kirby Dach, Viktor Arvidsson, Matthew Boldy, Pavel Buchnevich, and more. That means new opportunities for others looking for a bigger role.

#1 In the past couple of seasons, Evan Rodrigues has proven to be a premier shot generator who could thrive in a supporting offensive role. In those two seasons – one with Pittsburgh and one with Colorado – he put up 82 points (35 G, 47 A) in 151 games while generating 2.85 shots on goal per game. That was something of a late breakthrough for the now 30-year-old forward who is looking at an even better opportunity this season in Florida. Rodrigues has opened the season skating on Aleksander Barkov’s wing and is averaging 18:54 time on ice per game, which would be a career high, on the way to producing five points (2 G, 3 A) and 17 shots on goal in his first four games. It is obviously a very small sample, but Rodrigues has the underlying numbers to make his production more sustainable. For a player that has never had 20 goals and 50 points in an NHL season, Rodrigues should be looking to exceed those numbers this season.

#2 Entering the season, there did not seem to be a lot of buzz surrounding new Ottawa Senators right winger Vladimir Tarasenko, a six-time 30-goal scorer who signed with the club as a free agent. The veteran winger has opened his Sens tenure with six points (2 G, 4 A) in four games, but that doesn’t alleviate the concerns about him entirely, either. He is averaging just 13:38 of ice time per game, which would be his lowest since his rookie season in 2012-2013, and he only has six shots on goal through four games. Although Tarasenko has been skating with rookie Ridly Greig at center, with Josh Norris returning to the Senators lineup, that could eventually help Tarasenko get more offensive opportunities, but the ice time and shot rate bear watching.

#3 It is not easy for Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson to get power play time on a team with Thomas Chabot and Jakob Chychrun already, which is not to say that it never happens, only that he ranks second among Sens defencemen in five-on-four ice time behind Chabot. Even so, Sanderson is off to a stellar start, producing five points (2 G, 3 A) in four games. He only has five shots on goal, which is not encouraging, but Sanderson is going to get quality ice time, even if he is not always going to be quarterbacking Ottawa’s top power play unit.

#4 A lot was made of the decline in performance last season from Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman, but it might be premature to start the 32-year-old blueliner into a heavy decline phase of his career. Hedman has contributed five points (1 G, 4 A) and 13 shots on goal through five games, which is a promising start, but the Lightning have been getting outshot with Hedman on the ice (46.2 CF%), too, and that hasn’t happened for more than a decade.

#5 Carolina Hurricanes centre Sebastian Aho has been out for a couple of games and while his injury is thought to be a day-to-day thing, his absence is still felt. Through a couple of games, the Hurricanes were getting 79.1% of expected goals with Aho on the ice during five-on-five play, In Aho’s absence, Teuvo Teravainen has moved into the first line centre role and Teravainen has scored four goals in five games to start the season. Additionally, the Hurricanes have better depth down the middle as Jesperi Kotkaniemi continues to develop. The 23-year-old has started his sixth NHL season with five points (2 G, 3 A) and 14 shots on goal in five games, averaging a career-high 15:51 of ice time per game.

#6 In a move that didn’t make a huge offseason splash, the Detroit Red Wings brought in puck-moving defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere. While he does not have a huge role, averaging 18:53 of ice time per game, Gostisbehere is getting first unit power play time alongside Moritz Seider and Gostisbehere already has four points (1 G, 3 A) in four games with the Red Wings controlling play (53.2 CF%) in Gostisbehere’s five-on-five minutes.

#7 Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews is the early leader in all-situations expected goals (3.76), ahead of Matthew Tkachuk (3.23), Connor Bedard (3.10), Artturi Lehkonen (2.85), Filip Forsberg (2.74), and Jack Eichel (2.64). Bedard is obviously playing a lot for Chicago and creating chances, but they have yet to materialize into goals. For a player who enters the league with a legendary release, Bedard’s ability to generate high-quality shots bodes well for his future production. It’s also encouraging to see Eichel playing at such a high level. He had an outstanding playoff, but it appears in the early going that Eichel is going to continue at an elite level. He leads the NHL with 28 shots on goal in five games, though Nathan MacKinnon (27) and Auston Matthews (26) are close behind while playing just four games.

#8 Winnipeg Jets RW Gabriel Vilardi is out for four-to-six weeks with a sprained MCL, which is a tough situation for a player who was averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game through two games. Vilardi was also rocking a 73.3 CF%, but now the Jets will need to find someone to fill those minutes. It looks like Mason Appleton will get first crack alongside Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele and that is a big opportunity for a 27-year-old who scored a career-high 25 points (12 G, 13 A) in 56 games in 2020-2021.

#9 Montreal lost centre Kirby Dach to a torn ACL, ending the 22-year-old’s season prematurely. He had two assists and 70.4 CF% in two games before getting hurt. Alex Newhook will slide into the middle of the ice to fill the hole created by Dach’s absence, while Tanner Pearson will move up the depth chart to take Newhook’s spot on left wing. Pearson, who played just 14 games last season, has two goals in three games to start his Habs career.

#10 On the Florida Panthers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last season, Sam Bennett was an impact player at centre, between Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk. Bennett has yet to play this season because of a lower-body injury, so Eetu Luostarinen is getting that opportunity. Unfortunately, he has yet to record a point and has just one shot on goal in four games. That is not making the most of the situation.

#11 Los Angeles Kings winger Viktor Arvidsson has been an excellent and sometimes underrated contributor, but he is out long term after undergoing back surgery, which means new opportunities on the right side in Los Angeles. Arthur Kaliyev is skating in Arvidsson’s typical spot, alongside Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore, while rookie Alexis Laferriere has landed a prime spot on the wing with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kevin Fiala. Kaliyev may have the higher upside as a scorer, as he has shown a strong ability to generate shots, even in limited ice time. Arvidsson’s injury should help ensure that Kaliyev sees a good jump in ice time this season, opening the door for a breakout season.

#12 Injuries have hit the Minnesota Wild hard early in the season. Rising star winger Matthew Boldy and defencemen Jared Spurgeon and Alex Goligoski are all out of action for Minnesota and they are not easily replaced. Taking Boldy’s spot is Samuel Walker, a 24-year-old who has two points (1 G, 1 A) in 10 career NHL games and did not have any points in two AHL games this season, but he did produce 48 points (27 G, 21 A) in 56 AHL games last season, so this is a real chance to Walker to show his stuff at the NHL level. Spurgeon’s absence also gives Calen Addison the role of first unit power play quarterback, which is an area in which the young defenceman has excelled, with 18 of his 29 points last season coming with the man advantage.

#13 While fourth lines are not going to bring big fantasy appeal, it’s worth noting what is happening in Detroit, where Christian Fischer (83.7 xGF%) and Klim Kostin (80.2 xGF%) are dominating play to a ridiculous degree. Austin Czarnik has played only two games, but Detroit has controlled 86.3% of expected goals during five-on-five play with Czarnik on the ice.

#14 Staying in Detroit, veteran winger Robby Fabbri made it through one game before suffering another injury and Fabbri’s injury presents an opportunity for Michael Rasmussen to climb up the depth chart. Rasmussen had a career-high 29 points (10 G, 19 A) in 56 games last season, but his average ice time has increased by more than a minute per game in the early going this season and he has a couple of points (1 G, 1 A) in four games.

#15 Although he can get overshadowed by the top two centres on the Devils roster, Erik Haula’s upper body injury is notable for a team that thrives on its depth. With Haula out, Michael McLeod moves from the fourth line centre to third line centre and while McLeod has established that he is a solid fourth liner, his offensive production has kept him in that role. He has just 10 goals in 157 games over the past two seasons, so if McLeod is ever going to shake his fourth-line label, he will need to take advantage when he gets the chance to play in the top nine.

#16 Expectations were already very low for the San Jose Sharks coming into the season, but it has been made even more difficult with veteran centres Mikael Granlund and Logan Couture out of the lineup. Rookie Thomas Bordeleau and veteran Luke Kunin are handling the middle six centre roles for the Sharks. Bordeleau has managed one goal and five shots on goal through four games while he has been caved in when it comes to puck possession (31.1 CF%). Kunin has yet to record a point and is not much better at driving play (33.0 CF%). This should come as little surprise, but it reveals how much of an uphill fight it is for San Jose right now.

#17 St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich suffered an upper-body injury when crushed into the boards by Seattle Kraken defenceman Jamie Oleksiak, and while Buchnevich has been out, the opportunity has fallen to 21-year-old Jake Neighbours, who has managed zero points and two shots on goal in three games this season. A chance to play in St. Louis’ top six is not bad, but it is up to Neighbours to show that he deserves to stay in a significant role over the long term.

#18 It is still super early, but there are some forwards raising red flags with their early struggles. Timo Meier was benched for the third period against Florida and has zero points and four shots on goal in three games. Meier has always been able to generate shots, so that is a notable concern with his game in New Jersey, but he really should be able to figure it out.

#19 When he returned to action last season following hip resurfacing surgery, Washington Capitals centre Nicklas Backstrom struggled, to a degree that he never really had in the NHL before. With a fresh start this season, 35-year-old Backstrom is still struggling to find his way. He has zero points in three games and is averaging 15:45 of ice time per game, which would be the lowest rate of his career. Backstrom is still getting top unit power play time but is skating between Sonny Milano and Tom Wilson at even strength, so he is not nearly the dangerous scoring threat that he was during his prime.

#20 After getting bought out by the Winnipeg Jets, 37-year-old right winger Blake Wheeler landed with the New York Rangers. Through four games with the Blueshirts, not only does Wheeler not have any points, but he is playing just 12:26 per game, which would be the lowest time on ice of his career. He is skating on a line with centre Vincent Trocheck and rookie left winger Will Cuylle. While Wheeler’s all-around game has declined in recent seasons, he still produced 55 points (16 G, 39 A) last season and early returns suggest that he will not be continuing at that level this season.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – DETROIT RED WINGS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 12:00:30 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 28: Detroit Red Wings Center Dylan Larkin (71) applies pressure on the forecheck during first period National Hockey League action between the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators on February 28, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

Review: The Red Wings missed the playoffs for six consecutive campaigns prior to 2022-23 and the latest season was more of the same. There was a chance that Ville Husso, acquired from St. Louis in the summer of 2022, would help, but he ended up posting a 26-22-7 record, 3.11 GAA and .896 save percentage in 56 starts. What makes that worse is Detroit ranked 10th in five-on-five expected goals against (164.53), so the defense was doing its part. Not that a stellar performance from Husso would have necessarily saved the season, given how thin the Red Wings’ forward core was. Dylan Larkin was by far Detroit’s top scorer with 32 goals and 79 points, but he was the only player to reach the 25-goal mark and, along with David Perron, one of just two with at least 50 points. Detroit finished with a 35-37-10 record, tying its current playoff drought with the longest in franchise history.

What’s Changed? Detroit’s top-six forward core looks a lot stronger after acquiring Alex DeBrincat from Ottawa and signing J.T. Compher. Detroit also inked James Reimer, who is coming off a rough campaign with San Jose, but has traditionally been an above average backup goaltender. The addition of defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Jeff Petry further boosts a defense that was underrated in 2022-23.

What would success look like? The Atlantic Division is going to be a tough one, but there is a path here for Detroit to make the playoffs, albeit likely in a Wild Card spot. DeBrincat and Compher should give Larkin the help he sorely missed last year. It won’t be enough to make Detroit’s offense good, but it might at least be enough to make it less of a liability. Husso is still a big X-Factor, but the addition of Reimer might take some of the pressure off him and, when combined with the Red Wings’ great blueliner group, it might be sufficient.

What could go wrong? Detroit’s making a big bet on Compher, but other than his 52-point showing in 2022-23, he’s never even reached 35 points, so he might be a swing and a miss for the Red Wings. Petry is another potentially nice get, but he’ll turn 36 in December and missed 21 games last season, so he might disappoint too. Then there’s the goaltending, which might be what sinks this squad. Detroit is counting on not just Husso bouncing back, but Reimer too. Given how stiff the competition will be for a playoff spot, if any of those potential problems on their own might be enough to deny the Red Wings a postseason berth.

Top Breakout Candidate: The one player we didn’t address who could end up making a huge impact for Detroit is Lucas Raymond. He showed a lot of promise in his rookie campaign, scoring 23 goals and 57 points in 82 contests, but then regressed in 2022-23, settling for 17 goals and 45 points in 74 games. Taken with the fourth overall pick in the 2020, the stage is set for the 21-year-old to step up and take his place alongside Larkin and DeBrincat as one of the Red Wings’ offensive leaders.

Forwards

Dylan Larkin - C

The Red Wings captain solidified his legacy in Detroit when he signed an eight-year, $69.6 million extension in March and the captain will look to bring them out of the darkness and back into the postseason. Larkin led the Red Wings in goals (32) and points (79) and that he did that shouldn’t come as any surprise. He’s their best player and it’s why they had to get him signed to an extension. Yes, things have been grim in Motor City since they last made the playoffs in 2016, but the 27-year-old center has been the consistent reason for hope for the future. It was the third time he’s scored 30-or-more goals in his Red Wings career as well as the third time he scored at nearly a point per game pace (he also did in 2018-19 and 2021-2022). Now that he’s locked up for eight more years and GM Steve Yzerman has been beyond aggressive in trying to get back to the playoffs the past two off-seasons, the pressure is very much on Larkin’s shoulders to help put them over the top to get back there. Larkin was a rookie on the last Red Wings playoff team so he knows what it’s like to be there and he’s surrounded by veterans who have done so with other teams, but a repeat performance of last season would go a long way to helping make that dream a reality.

Alex DeBrincat - LW

The Red Wings’ biggest acquisition outside of the NHL Draft the past few seasons came in the form of two-time 40-goal scorer Alex DeBrincat. That they swung a trade with division rival Ottawa to land him and by all appearances look to have won that trade is a substantial coup on their part. Last season with the Senators, DeBrincat had 27 goals and 66 points, good for fourth on the team. For as questionable of a statistic plus-minus is, DeBrincat’s minus-31 rating was second lowest on the Senators, but defense isn’t exactly why Detroit brought him on board. He’s a goal scorer through and through having potted 187 goals in six seasons (450 games) with Chicago and Ottawa. That he’s coming off a down season with Ottawa may have kept his trade price down, although the Red Wings signed him to a four-year, $31.5 million extension after the trade. DeBrincat’s addition ideally gives the Red Wings a much-needed offensive injection as they scored the ninth fewest goals in the NHL last season. A return to 40-goal form would give Detroit a much more potent attack, something they’ll need to keep up with the rest of the contenders within the Atlantic Division. Teaming him up with Dylan Larkin should provide the spark needed to do just that.

David Perron - RW

When it comes to players who understand their role and excel at it, David Perron is right up there as one of the best. Perron plays a hard, competitive brand of hockey and does well around the net in tight spaces to generate scoring opportunities. He’s also very good at matching up physically and sticking up for himself and his teammates. Most of all, he’s the picture of consistency. At 34 years old, Perron was second on the Red Wings in goals with 24 and scoring with 56 points. While it may not have been ideal for Detroit to have Perron be No. 2 for them in those categories, the fact that he was and did quite well at his age says a lot about how good he’s been for them. For seven straight seasons, Perron has had 46-or-more points and he’s scored 20-or-more goals in four of them. Perron was brought to Detroit for his veteran wiles and the edge he can provide come playoff time…which hasn’t happened yet, but for now he’s providing their bevy of younger players a daily example of what it takes to have success in the NHL.

Lucas Raymond - RW

Raymond has been an outstanding scorer since he landed in the NHL in 2021-2022 after being the fourth overall pick in 2020. In two seasons he’s put up 40 goals and 102 points in 156 games, but his output last season was down from his rookie campaign. He had 12 fewer points in eight fewer games played last year, which is slightly concerning as his slightly down possession stats at 5-on-5. What’s also concerning is that Raymond’s numbers struggled with Dylan Larkin, but Larkin saw far better success away from Raymond. That was also the case during Raymond’s rookie season, however, those two played almost exclusively together at 5-on-5 then, that wasn’t the case last season. Raymond finished tied for third on the Red Wings in scoring last season with Dominik Kubalik. With Kubalik off to Ottawa in the Alex DeBrincat trade, there’s a good possibility Raymond winds up on a line with Larkin and DeBrincat which should improve all three players’ statistics together. At 21 years old, it’s too early to be fretting about Raymond’s numbers especially given that Detroit continues to add better talent around him. But he will need to improve overall for Detroit to have a shot at making the postseason, particularly since the teams they’ll be battling against all have made moves to also either get into or stay in the playoffs.

J.T. Compher - C

Although the Detroit-Colorado rivalry is long since dormant, it’s still fascinating to see players go from one team to the other and J.T. Compher joining the Red Wings after seven seasons with the Avalanche certainly qualifies. Compher, who played college hockey at the University of Michigan, heads back to his adopted home state after scoring 88 goals and 194 points in 423 career games in Denver. It was Compher’s two-way game that piqued the Red Wings’ interest in him and his versatility to play both center and the wing gives him a utility knife quality for their lineup. Ideally, Compher slides in as the center on the second line behind Dylan Larkin and ahead of Andrew Copp. Throughout his career, Compher has had decent 5-on-5 possession numbers as well as strong expected goal percentages. Having those kinds of advanced numbers made him a valuable player for teams in search of strong depth who can play well defensively and contribute enough on offense. That kind of description fits Compher well although it should be noted he’s coming off a career-year with 51 points. He’s regularly been a 20–30-point scorer before that. At 28 years old, this is who Compher is as his development days are long over, but the Red Wings will hope he hasn’t seen the end of his higher-scoring years just yet particularly after signing him to a five-year, $25.5 million deal.

Andrew Copp - C

Detroit signing J.T. Compher came at a curious time particularly since they’d just signed Andrew Copp a year ago to do essentially the same kind of thing in the same position to virtually the exact same contract (5 years, $28.125 million). Copp’s first year back home in Michigan saw him pick up where he left off the previous year with Winnipeg and the New York Rangers. His nine goals and 42 points were solid, and his 42-point output the second best of his career. Although his goal output dipped slightly, it’s his two-way game that makes him a fixture in the lineup and that suffered a bit last season. Copp’s advanced numbers dropped, including possession and expected goals at 5-on-5. For him and the Red Wings to have success that cannot be the norm and might be a reason why a similar style player in Compher was added to help shoulder the burden a bit in the middle of the lineup. A stronger overall team performance would have an effect there as well, but it’s up to Copp to do his part too. He played most of his 5-on-5 minutes with Lucas Raymond and David Perron which at first blush doesn’t seem like an ideal mix. With the additions of Compher and Alex DeBrincat, coach Derek Lalonde will have interesting choices to make to get a better mix with his forwards.

Michael Rasmussen - RW

Injuries are never kind and they’re almost always cruel and such was the case for Michael Rasmussen last season. A shot to the kneecap sidelined him for the season in late February and it came while he was in the middle of a breakout season of sorts. In 56 games, the 6’6” 210-pound forward put up 10 goals and a career high 29 points. On top of the improved point production, Rasmussen saw improved possession and shot quality and prevention advanced numbers as well. At 23 years old, it was the kind of improvement everyone in Detroit was excited to see occurring. After all, with a player his size improving in those ways makes him more valuable to them overall. Being big is one thing, but being big and able to help produce offense more efficiently is something else entirely. It’s why the Red Wings hope that a full return to health will lead to him picking up where he left off. If he can do that with the host of new players they’ve added this offseason, Detroit’s hope is they’ll have someone capable of getting heavily into the physical mix come playoff time when the goals are a little harder to score and having a player that can screen goalies and push opponents around comes in much handier.

Jonatan Berggren - LW

Berggren’s arrival to the Detroit lineup last season showed why they took him in the second round in the 2018 Draft. He scored 15 goals and had 28 points in 67 games during his rookie season last year. The Swedish winger seized a role in the lineup with his offensive skill and even carved a spot on the power play scoring five times on the man advantage with nine points total. What’s most impressive about Berggren’s output is he was able to do it down in the Red Wings lineup. He wasn’t playing top-six minutes with their better scorers, he played most of his 5-on-5 minutes with forwards like Joe Veleno and Austin Czarnik before he was elevated to join Andrew Copp and David Perron. Now at 23 years old and having shown he can produce at the NHL level, he’ll be counted on to provide consistent scoring in the middle-six forward group from the wing and could find a home alongside free agent addition J.T. Compher. Berggren has versatility, however, and can slide in at center when needed. It’s that kind of flexibility that further makes him valuable in the Red Wings lineup and will help him earn more ice time.

Klim Kostin - LW

During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, no one player was able to make their mark and increase their value the way Klim Kostin did with the Edmonton Oilers. Kostin used his size and physical style of play to muck things up along the boards and in the middle of the ice to open the offense for his teammates and himself. Kostin had a breakout regular season with 10 goals and 21 points in the regular season and followed that up with three goals and two assists in 12 playoff games with the Oilers. Kostin is a classic grind line kind of player who uses his checking and size (6’3” 215) to disrupt opponents. In 57 games last season he had 157 hits and that’s the kind of rate that will get you noticed no matter what. After three years with St. Louis, they traded him to Edmonton where the Oilers gave him a chance and he ran with it. It’s that brand of go-getter that attracted Detroit to acquire him in a trade and days later sign him to a two-year contract. It’s another signing that shows how the Red Wings want to be able to line up should they get to the postseason. They want to have skill and goal scoring at the top of the lineup with a mix of size, strength, and grit in their lower lines. Adding an eager player like Kostin to the mix makes a lot of sense to that end, but with the high amount of skill within the division it remains to be seen if being overly physical will provide some kind of edge or cause other problems to pop up.

Defense

Moritz Seider - D

Being the best defenseman on a below-average team can be a bit of a slog, even if you’re 21 years old and brilliant like Moritz Seider. The young German phenom and 2022 Calder Trophy winner didn’t necessarily have a sophomore slump but instead got the chance to deal with the rest of the league after they’ve had a chance to study him… and he was still very good. Seider’s point production fell from 50 points in his rookie season to 42 last year. He was the Red Wings minutes leader and averaged just more than 23 minutes of ice time per game. It’s a massive workload for a player so new to the league, but he’s the best the Red Wings have on the blue line, particularly after they traded Filip Hronek to Vancouver at the trade deadline. Everything Seider does and can do more is superb. It would be easy to get wound up about his advanced stats last season, but most every Detroit player’s advanced numbers suffered in general last season. Ideally you want to see his possession and expected goal numbers improve year to year, but the Red Wings haven’t been very good. His numbers are better than most everyone else’s on the team which indicates how well he can play, but compared to others around the league they don’t stand out. If Detroit improves, it will certainly show in Seider’s numbers across the board. But the key is that Detroit does improve, or else arguments will persist as to how good Seider is or isn’t.

Jake Walman - D

There may have been no bigger surprise in Detroit than the play of Jake Walman on defense. The Red Wings acquired Walman from St. Louis in a trade in March 2022 that involved Nick Leddy and Oskar Sundqvist among others. While Walman wasn’t the player of note then, how he performed for Detroit last season changed that discussion substantially. Walman paired with Moritz Seider and the two became virtually inseparable because of how well they worked together. Their 5-on-5 possession numbers were a level 50 percent, and they had an expected goal percentage above that mark. For a team that bled goals and didn’t score a lot of them, that’s outstanding and Walman excelled. He set career highs in goals (nine) and points (18) all while averaging the most ice time of his career at 19:43 per game. It’d be easy enough to say that playing with Seider likely did a lot to help him out, but Walman did a lot to help settle Seider’s game down as well. An upper-body injury hampered his season and held him to 63 games. It also prevented him from playing in World Championships during the summer. Still, Walman’s play was strong enough to earn a three-year extension from the Red Wings worth $10.2 million. Going from fighting to get into the Blues lineup to being on the top pairing in Detroit is a heck of a turn around and a great find for the Red Wings.

Shayne Gostisbehere - D

Something that was missing from the Detroit blue line in the wake of the Filip Hronek trade was a tried-and-true puck mover. Free agency helped them fix that need with ease when they signed free agent Shayne Gostisbehere. The “Ghost Bear” split last season with Arizona and Carolina and had 13 goals and 41 points. Piling up points has never been an issue for the 30-year-old Floridian. In nine seasons he has 311 points in 538 games including 87 goals. He’s been a steady possession player and he played extremely well for Carolina in an abbreviated stay there after the trade deadline. What he does best is move the puck up the ice and create offense and even with the loaded mix of defensemen in Detroit, Gostisbehere will be able to take that role and run with it in a big way. It should also allow him to see power play time as well and perhaps give Moritz Seider a bit of a break, so he doesn’t always have to be the guy doing the heavy lifting in that aspect. Gostisbehere will also duel with Jeff Petry for power play time on the first or second unit. Although Petry has years on him, Gostisbehere is a quicker skater and capable of getting into and out of trouble a bit faster. Although he won’t do much on the physical side of the game, that’s not what they need him to do the most. They need him to help bring the puck up the ice and set up the forwards for better scoring opportunities.

Jeff Petry - D

Well, this is awkward. Just a year after Petry requested a trade out of Montreal and was moved to Pittsburgh, the Canadiens reacquired him as part of the three-team deal that sent Erik Karlsson to the Penguins. It was a short stop, however, as he was then moved home (Petry was born in Ann Arbor) to the Detroit Red Wings. Even at his age, Petry is a valuable two-way defenseman who can comfortably serve in a top pairing role. He’s averaged over 22 minutes in each of his last seven campaigns, including last season with Pittsburgh, during which he logged 22:21 of ice time per game (2:20 with the man advantage and 2:22 shorthanded). He knows how to play physically without crossing the line too often, contributing 190 hits and just 24 PIM last season, and he’s perfectly happy to block shots, finishing with over 100 in each of his last two campaigns. The Michigan native isn’t one of the league’s top blueliners offensively, but he’s more than serviceable in that regard, having finished 2022-23 with five goals and 31 points in 61 contests, making it the fifth time in the last six years that the defenseman has enjoyed a points per game pace of over 0.5. The biggest issue is that he’s run into some injury troubles lately, missing 35 contests over the last two seasons and, considering his age, things might only get worse from here. But the Red Wings needed some help offensively on the blue line and going back home might re-invigorate Petry enough to give Detroit a lift.

Goaltender

Ville Husso - G

It really seemed like the Detroit Red Wings had done all the right things with their rebuild – down to their decision to capitalize on a few teams wanting to open up some space in the goaltending department by picking up a pair of young up-and-comers in Alex Nedeljkovic and Ville Husso. Husso, in particular, had just wrapped up a season in which he’d ousted former standout starter Jordan Binnington from his reign as number one for the St. Louis Blues; he appeared to be the perfect piece of the puzzle for the Red Wings as they hoped to take their rebuild and ease it out of the garage for a test run.

Instead, both Husso and Nedeljkovic floundered almost from the start. The pair failed to hit the .900 unadjusted save percentage threshold on the year, with Husso in particular struggling to find his rhythm and own his depth management behind a team that desperately needed to establish some defensive consistency. Now, he’s back to see if he can shake off last year’s struggles – but instead of pairing with another youngster without a ton of NHL experience, Husso will get a veteran voice known for being a locker room superglue in James Reimer. Reimer has struggled with injuries over the last few seasons, so it’s hard to imagine Detroit isn’t looking at him as a stabilizing presence for Husso while the younger Finnish netminder continues to serve as their true number one. After all, his strong skating style and willingness to assert control in the blue paint should be a good recipe for success behind a young roster for Detroit. If things falter again this year, though, the Red Wings might have to consider whether or not Husso was as savvy of a pickup as they’d hoped.

NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS EDMONTON OILERS – Oilers have been a freight train since the trade deadline, but return of Stone, team defense, make Vegas a tough out

Scott Cullen — Mon, 01 May 2023 22:30:22 +0000

EDMONTON, AB - NOVEMBER 19: Vegas Golden Knights Defenceman Nicolas Hague (14) clears the puck from Edmonton Oilers Center Connor McDavid (97) in the first period during the Edmonton Oilers game versus the Las Vegas Golden Knights on November 19, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire)

VEGAS vs. EDMONTON

After dispatching the Los Angeles Kings in six games in Round 1, the Edmonton Oilers head into a second-round matchup against the Pacific Division winning Vegas Golden Knights. The Golden Knights might have finished higher in the standings, but the Oilers are the team that is both favored to win the series, and one of the top favorites to capture the Stanley Cup.

The Oilers have been a freight train since the trade deadline, so it appears that they have momentum on their side, but the Golden Knights made short work of the Winnipeg Jets in the first round and are not likely to be an easy out.

Forwards

One of the benefits of having two superstars is that it is so difficult to shut down both. As ridiculous as it sounds, the Kings could have felt okay limiting Connor McDavid to three goals and 10 points in six games (a 41-goal and 137-point pace in 82 games) in the first round, but then Leon Draisaitl notched seven goals and 11 points in the series. They combined for 11 power play points in the first round.

The Oilers received four points against Los Angeles from wingers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evander Kane, Zach Hyman, and Klim Kostin. Edmonton’s depth forwards may not be scoring much, but they are controlling play. Edmonton controlled more than two-thirds of expected goals against Los Angeles when Kostin, Derek Ryan, Warren Foegele, and Ryan McLeod were on the ice.

For the Oilers to make a Stanley Cup run, they will need production from more than McDavid and Draisaitl, and it appears that they have enough quality depth to handle that responsibility.

The Golden Knights don’t have elite scorers like McDavid and Draisaitl, but there is still plenty of forward talent on hand.

Jack Eichel finally arrived in the playoffs, for the first time in his career, and he contributed three goals and five points with 17 shots on goal in five games against Winnipeg, a good start. Eichel’s line is not the most dangerous for the Golden Knights, though.

Chandler Stephenson and Mark Stone both had eight points in the first round, and Brett Howden chipped in four points, while the trio controlled 60.7% of expected goals while outscoring Winnipeg 5-1 during five-on-five play.

Forward depth is a strong suit for the Golden Knights. William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault, and Reilly Smith are proven performers, even though Marchessault managed just two assists in Round 1. Vegas has also received quality contributions from the likes of Michael Amadio, Ivan Barbashev and hard-hitting wingers Keegan Kolesar and William Carrier. The return of Carrier to the lineup bumped Phil Kessel to the press box for Game 5 against Winnipeg.

While Vegas looks like they might have an edge in forward depth, the question is whether that is going to be enough to overcome two of the most prolific scorers in the league.

Defense

When the Oilers moved out Tyson Barrie as part of the deal to acquire Mattias Ekholm at the trade deadline, Evan Bouchard was the defender set up to step into a first unit power play role. While Bouchard and Ekholm were effective at evens against Los Angeles, controlling 54.7% of shot attempts and 51.4% of expected goals during five-on-five play. Bouchard kicked it up a notch on the power play, though, scoring eight of his 10 first-round points with the man advantage.

The Oilers outscored the Kings 5-2 when the pairing of Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci were on the ice during five-on-five play, but Edmonton managed just 45.2% of shot attempts and 45.8% of expected goals in those situations, so there is some defensive vulnerability.

Brett Kulak, Vincent Desharnais, and Phillip Broberg round out the defense corps and all three had solid underlying numbers against the Kings. Desharnais was outscored 5-2, but that seems like randomness since the Oilers were controlling 62.8% of expected goals with Desharnais on the ice.

The Golden Knights used eight defensemen in Round 1, with Brayden Pachal and Ben Hutton getting into the lineup as injury replacements for Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb.

Alex Pietrangelo and Alec Martinez were the top pair against Winnipeg. The Golden Knights controlled 51.6% of expected goals and outscored the Jets 8-3 with that duo on the blueline. Theodore and McNabb both missed Game 5 against the Jets, but when they were on the ice together Vegas had 56.1% of the expected goals during five-on-five play against Winnipeg.

Nicolas Hague and Zach Whitecloud are a strong third pairing for Vegas, when the team is healthy. They can move up the depth chart when Theodore and McNabb are out.

Vegas is a strong defensive team, allowing 2.78 all-situations expected goals against per 60 minutes, the third lowest rate in the first round.

Goaltending

Edmonton’s rookie netminder Stuart Skinner started all six games against the Kings in the first round, winning three. He was pulled after the first period in Game 4, with Jack Campbell stopping 27 of 28 shots to lead the Oilers to a pivotal victory. Skinner was an above average starter during the regular season but had a .890 save percentage against Los Angeles. If the Oilers are going to go on a Stanley Cup run, they will need better than .890 goaltending.

Even though he played just 11 games for the Golden Knights in the regular season, spending most of the year in the AHL after recovering from hip surgery, Laurent Brossoit was the clear starter in goal going into the series against Winnipeg, and Brossoit posted a .915 save percentage in five starts. He may not be one to steal too many victories, but solidly average goaltending can go a long way.

This is not a series in which either team can be supremely confident in their goaltending. Anything can happen with a goalie in the small sample of a playoff series, but the range of outcomes is practically infinite when it comes to relatively unproven options like Skinner and Brossoit.

Special Teams

Edmonton had a historically strong power play during the regular season, and it was even better in the first round against Los Angeles, ranking first among playoff teams with 20.96 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play. This is an area where Edmonton’s elite talent takes over.

The Golden Knights power play ranked 10^th with 7.06 goals per 60 during five-on-four play in the first round. That comes after ranking 19^th in goals per 60 during the regular season, so there is a clear difference in quality between the two teams when they have the man advantage. This is standard for the Oilers, of course.

While Edmonton’s penalty killing ranked 11^th in the first round with 11.87 goals against per 60 minutes of four-on-five play, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill was torched for five goals in 14:45 of four-on-five play (20.34 goals against per 60 minutes) against Winnipeg, the second worst rate in the first round of the postseason. Vegas allowed 85.42 shots against per 60 during four-on-five play in Round 1, the only team to surrender more than 70 shots against per 60. That’s a small sample, but it is ugly in a small sample.

If Vegas’ penalty killing is indeed a liability, then facing an Oilers power play that has been historically great figures to be an enormous problem.

Conclusion

Momentum is riding with the Oilers and even though they finished two points behind the Golden Knights in the standings, Edmonton had a better goal differential and had the league’s best record (17-2-1) after the trade deadline. That leads to Edmonton being favored even though Vegas holds home ice advantage.

Vegas has been an excellent defensive team and has been boosted by the return of Mark Stone for the playoffs. Is that enough to help them hold off the Oilers? It’s possible, but I’m still leaning towards the superstars carrying the series for Edmonton. Oilers in 6.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Stars Returning from Injury

Scott Cullen — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 20:43:29 +0000

RALEIGH, NC - JANUARY 05: Carolina Hurricanes Left Wing Max Pacioretty (67) warms up prior to the game between the Nashville Predators and the Carolina Hurricanes on January 5, 2023 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Katherine Gawlik/Icon Sportswire)

Each week I dive into the numbers and offer some insights that should help when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, a new year brings several star players returning from injuries. That includes Max Pacioretty, Nikolaj Ehlers, Nicklas Backstrom and more, plus defensive defensemen and gritty forwards that are scoring enough to generate fantasy appeal.

#1 Acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights in the summer, left winger Max Pacioretty suffered a torn Achilles that kept him sidelined until Friday’s game. A six-time 30-goal scorer, Pacioretty is skating with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Derek Stepan to start, but he is obviously too prolific a scorer to remain there. In his last three seasons with Vegas, Pacioretty put up 154 points (75 G, 79 A) in 158 games.

#2 The Detroit Red Wings welcomed Robby Fabbri back from his most recent torn ACL, which is quite a statement to make about anyone’s hockey career. Fabbri, 26, had 79 points (41 G, 38 A) in 138 games with Detroit over the past three seasons and now he will add some scoring depth to the Red Wings lineup. Like Pacioretty, Fabbri is starting lower on the depth chart, with Pius Suter and Oskar Sundqvist as his linemates, but he has enough upside that he can climb up the depth chart.

#3 For the past few weeks, the Winnipeg Jets have been battling through a lineup depleted by injuries, but that looks like it will be coming to an end. Nikolaj Ehlers, who played just two games before getting hurt, is a massive addition to the Jets lineup as one of the elite play-driving wingers in the game. Veteran right winger Blake Wheeler and rookie left winger Cole Perfetti are also on track to return, which gives the Jets lineup the kind of scoring depth that makes them a quality team. While Ehlers and Wheeler are rostered in many leagues, Perfetti is more readily available, and he had 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in his last 15 games before getting hurt.

#4 That the Washington Capitals have managed to climb into a playoff spot despite being without the services of Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom all season has been one of the best team accomplishments of the first half. Now, the Capitals are about to get those two veteran forwards back in the lineup and that should make the team more potent offensively. It might take some time, coming off of long-term injuries, but a healthy Backstrom and Wilson will make an impact for the Capitals, not least of all giving Washington the depth to diversify their attack.

#5 If there is a concern for players on the Washington roster, maybe cast a skeptical eye towards Dylan Strome and Sonny Milano. Strome had three assists in Thursday’s 6-2 win at Columbus, giving him 31 points (8 G, 23 A) in 41 games, but he will likely lose ice time, including first unit power play time, when Backstrom is healthy. Milano has put up 18 points (6 G, 12 A) in 28 games after he signed in mid-October. Hard to believe that a player of his skill level could not get a contract after the Ducks did not extend him a qualifying offer. Nevertheless, Strome and Milano could be pushed down the depth chart and that does give them less fantasy appeal.

#6 With Pittsburgh Penguins starting goaltender Tristan Jarry suffering a lower-body injury at the Winter Classic, it looks like Casey DeSmith will get to start some games in Jarry’s absence. DeSmith has been a capable backup, with a .907 save percentage and 0.77 Goals Allowed Above Expected, but if he gets regular starts for a few weeks, there is at least the potential for a greater fantasy impact. The Penguins are slumping, winless in six, but five of their next seven games are against teams currently outside the playoffs.

#7 Known for his strong defensive game, Seattle Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson has added some offense to his repertoire, and it is making him a viable fantasy contributor. Larsson was held off the scoresheet in Toronto on Thursday night, snapping a seven-game point streak, during which he had seven points (1 G, 6 A) and 16 shots on goal. While Larsson did not record a point against the Maple Leafs, he did have six hits and six blocked shots, giving him 104 hits and 83 blocked shots. The number of defensemen who have more hits and blocked shots than Larsson is one – it’s Jacob Trouba (123 hits, 97 blocked shots).

#8 Another defenseman that is known for his physical defensive play, New York Islanders blueliner Alexander Romanov has been contributing more offensively, enough to gain fantasy appeal. Last season, with Montreal, Romanov had 13 points (1 G, 12 A) in 79 games. This season, he has matched that point total in 40 games and he still as 98 hits, which is tied for 10^th among defensemen.

#9 Known for his relentless hard-driving style of play, Seattle Kraken right winger Brandon Tanev is making an impact offensively and that suddenly makes him a legitimate fantasy consideration. Tanev has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 17 shots on goal in his past nine games and when his increased scoring numbers are combined with his 91 hits in 37 games, there is a path to Tanev contributing in deep or banger leagues.

#10 As the St. Louis Blues face the prospect of playing without Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko for more than a month, other forwards will have to step up if the Blues are still going to compete for a playoff spot. Brayden Schenn is one possibility. He is a reluctant shooter – aside from December 29, when he launched 11 shots on goal against the Blackhawks – but Schenn has 12 points (2 G, 10 A) in the past 14 games, including a couple of points in Tuesday’s win at Toronto when he played a season-high 22:49.

#11 The Philadelphia Flyers are showing signs of being a more competitive squad and center Scott Laughton has stepped up his game, producing 10 points (5 G, 5 A) in the past nine games. Laughton has 20 points (9 G, 11 A) and 83 hits in 35 games. There are only four centers with more in both categories – Vincent Trocheck, Sam Bennett, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Adam Lowry.

#12 While the Columbus Blue Jackets are already lacking a top playmaking center, they are trying to make do without and injured Boone Jenner, so Jack Roslovic has picked up some of the slack. Roslovic has 11 points (2 G, 9 A) in his past 13 games and has surpassed 20 minutes of ice time three times in the past eight games. He had played more than 20 minutes in a game once in 25 games before that.

#13 Although he is virtually always an elite play-driving winger, Nashville Predators forward Nino Niederreiter can see his production fade in and out over the course of a season. In his past nine games, Niederreiter has produced eight points (2 G, 6 A) with 27 shots on goal and that shot rate is what is encouraging for his point production. When his offense dries up, it tends to be when he is no longer generating shots. In 36 games this season, Niederreiter has recorded one or zero shots in 15 of those games.

#14 It is really too soon to start recommending Edmonton Oilers winger Klim Kostin, but the 23-year-old is starting to make a name for himself in Edmonton and has landed a spot skating on Connor McDavid’s wing. Kostin has five points (3 G, 2 A) in his past seven games and while that left wing spot is going to be Evander Kane’s again eventually, there might be some short-term fantasy value in Kostin, too.

#15 The Detroit Red Wings shocked the hockey world when they put winger Jakub Vrana on waivers this week. Even more shocking is that Vrana cleared. Since joining the Red Wings in a trade for Anthony Mantha, Vrana has scored 22 goals in 39 games, but he did spend most of the first half of the season in the Player Assistance Program. The idea, apparently, is for Vrana to get more playing time in the AHL before he returns to the NHL, but his situation bears watching, if only because a healthy Vrana is an elite five-on-five goal scorer and those guys are not easy to find.

#16 Staying in Detroit, second year Red Wings right winger Lucas Raymond started slowly in his sophomore campaign, with just two assists through seven games. Since then, though, he has 21 points (10 G, 11 A) in 29 games and while he could stand to shoot the puck more, he has become a quality scoring threat for the Wings.

#17 After missing six weeks with an upper-body injury, Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman has returned to action and while he is not playing as much, he is still producing. In seven games since he returned to the lineup Hartman has five points (3 G, 2 A) and 16 shots on goal despite playing 13:33 per game. He is also not skating at center between Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello, like he did when he scored a career-high 34 goals and 65 points last season, but if Sam Steel can hold that spot, Hartman gives the Wild more scoring depth with another line – right now that is with Matt Boldy and Frederick Gaudreau.

#18 At this stage of the season, finding goaltending can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. Pheonix Copley has had an immediate impact on the Los Angeles Kings and is playing well enough to win, which gives him fantasy value. Who are some other goaltenders that might offer at least short-term value? Minnesota’s Filip Gustavsson is the backup to Marc-Andre Fleury, but after a couple of shaky starts early in the year, he has been excellent, posting a .934 save percentage in his past 13 games. That is the kind of play that earns a backup more starts.

#19 I tend to be skeptical of Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo, who has had several below average seasons, but he does have a .939 save percentage in his past four starts and any sign of goaltending competence could earn the starting job for the Blue Jackets. The wins don’t come easily, though, so it might be worth waiting to see if Korpisalo can keep his form for a little while before pulling the trigger. Vancouver’s Collin Delia might get forced into action while Thatcher Demko is injured, because Spencer Martin is getting overwhelmed in the starter’s role. Delia has a .925 save percentage in four games and that is going to earn him more opportunities.

#20 Finally, when looking at expected goals leaders over the past month, naturally there are top-tier goal scorers included, like Alex Ovechkin, Jack Hughes, Connor McDavid, and David Pastrnak. It is interesting, though, to see some others that are generating high-quality chances. Others in the top dozen over the past month include Anders Lee, Zach Hyman, Michael Bunting, Drake Batherson, and Sam Reinhart. While most of those players are heating up offensively, Lee and Reinhart are probably still looking at additional room for positive regression.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – ST. LOUIS BLUES – NHL Player Profiles

Corey Sznajder – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 21:19:49 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 09: St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (18) with the puck during a NHL game between the New York Islanders and the St. Louis Blues on April 09, 2022, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire),

FORWARDS

Robert Thomas

A new offensive approach from the Blues and a wonderful connection with Vladimir Tarasenko paved the way for Robert Thomas emerging as one of the league’s top playmakers. Only Johnny Gaudreau produced more assists at five-on-five than him and being the new focus of the Blues offense along with Jordan Kyrou. It’s a not a new development, as he’s been a good playmaker for most of his career and he’s been especially good at finding lanes that most players wouldn’t notice. He also moves the puck with such velocity, almost like he’s shooting it, that he can make those tough plays through the slot or from behind the net. Linking up with Buchnevich and Tarasenko took his game to another level, giving him linemates to work the give-and-go game, Tarasenko being an elite shooter to boot. Their tendency to play catch in the slot or off the rush also made Thomas a better goal-scorer, giving him plenty of lay-up scoring chances where he just had to tap the puck across the line. He’s also a unique player because he can make such accurate plays from awkward positions or when he’s looking in the opposite direction. Linemates don’t necessarily need to be “open” for him to make a play because of how hard he passes the puck. He doesn’t have a blazing speed either, so defenses will usually converge on him before he gets rid of the puck to the guy they just left open. He injected some life into a stagnating Blues offense last year and will be their focal point going forward.

Jordan Kyrou

Sometimes it takes a couple of years for a player to harness a gifted skillset into something that works in game situations. This was the case for Jordan Kyrou, who was first called up in 2018 and didn’t establish himself as an NHLer until 2021. His speed combined with a more direct approach with the puck made him a lethal player off the rush and injected some new life into the Blues forward corps. Last year was just another step in that development, playing consistent second line minutes and always a threat to when the puck started going north. The biggest development with Kyrou is that he doesn’t always need to be the one leading the rush to be effective. While he still made those beautiful coast-to-coast rushes, you saw more goals where he was trailing the play or finding creative ways to get himself open. His shot is just as good of a weapon as his skating, and he was most effective as a shooter when he put the brakes on to get a better shot instead of flying downhill with the puck. It made linemates sort of irrelevant because he created so much quick-strike offense and just needed someone to get him the puck. His skill would take over after that and his speed gave him a lot of space to make the final play for a scoring chance. St. Louis also utilized him as a shooting option more on the power play, becoming the triggerman from the left circle. The non-scoring side of the game is still a work in progress for him and where the inconsistent linemates. He’s a very smart player with the puck, but his lines struggled defensively and had to outscore most of their problems. He is skilled enough to get away with it, but it is one area of the game that can be cleaned up.

Ryan O’Reilly

The Blues will remain a good team for as long as Ryan O’Reilly can lace up a pair of skates. He is the foundation of their entire structure and allows the Thomas’ and Kyrous to create with so much freedom. He has the least desirable role on the team as the top matchup and defensive center, his workload being more than other with how deep he plays in the defensive zone to cover up some of the weaknesses on their blue line. O’Reilly often acts like a third defenseman with how much space he takes up below the faceoff dots and retrieves the puck to help with breakouts. He could have a 20-point season and still bring value to St. Louis with the shutdown game he brings. Fortunately, he can still produce offensively even though he’s more of a power play specialist now. His combo of strength and working so much on his backhand made his line a threat for goal-line plays. On the power play he does a great job of directing traffic from the bumper position, not expending much energy while still making himself an option for quick plays. He will often get himself open without having to move. Thomas’ emergence also took some pressure off him to play 22-24 minutes a night, playing in the 17–19-minute range instead. It’s an encouraging development as O’Reilly enters his 30’s and possibly slides into more of a pure shutdown role with David Perron going out the door.

Pavel Buchnevich

Coming to the right team at the right time, Buchnevich had the type of season the Rangers always knew he had in him, scoring a career-high 76 points. He played a Swiss Army type of role on the Blues top line, reading off what Robert Thomas was doing with the puck and quickly making the next play. His instincts on offense were always on another level and it makes up for not having burning speed or a lethal wrist shot. He takes smart routes to pucks, reads his linemates well and has a deceptively good release on his shot, especially off-one-timers. He has an awkward, “sweeping” motion on his shot and it’s very tough for goalies to track where the puck is going. It was a perfect combination with the skill the Blues paired him with. Thomas and Tarasenko drew much attention from the defense that Buchnevich ended up being left open in coverage and let his skill take over from there. It was a little different than the role he played in New York with two goal-scorers (Kreider and Zibanejad) but similar in that he just needed to read off his linemates and be more of a shooting option when necessary. This could make him a good replacement for Perron on the O’Reilly line, although he would be tough to mess with the chemistry he had with Thomas.

Vladimir Tarasenko

It was common thought that Tarasenko would start the 2021-22 season on another team. He spent the previous two years injured and frustrated with where he was at in St. Louis and the writing was on the wall that he was likely getting traded. Nothing materialized and Tarasenko ended up having the best season of his career statistically. The 30-year-old was one of the most productive forwards in the league with only four players scoring more points per 60 minutes at even strength. He went about it a little differently than years past. Tarasenko was a “power forward” in his prime, using his strength to beat defenders and muscle his way to the front of the net. Last year, he was more of an opportunistic player, staying high in the zone and reading off his linemates and focused on making himself a passing option instead of attacking the puck. It was a huge part of Robert Thomas’ breakout year. There needs to be a great shooter to go with a great playmaker, a void Tarasenko filled wonderfully, and the Blues needed to put their former star in a position to succeed while he was still on the team. It turned what looked like an ugly situation into one of the most dangerous lines in hockey.

Brayden Schenn

Spending most of the year stapled to Jordan Kyrou, the former fifth overall pick added another 20 goal/50+ point season to his resume. He is one of the longest tenure players on the Blues and has had a knack for goal-scoring since entering the league, possessing one of the more unorthodox looking wrist shots you’ll see. Schenn’s concerns lie away from the puck, as his line struggled to keep the puck in the offensive zone when he was on the ice. The Blues hoped that pairing him with Kyrou could help them outscore their problems, namely on counterattacks. It worked to an extent, as Schenn created most of his offense off the rush and had one of his best seasons in terms of finishing at even strength. It worked to a point, but Schenn didn’t create the offense in volume like he could in past years, so he was prone to some scoring droughts which caused the Blues to switch up their lines. A trip to Ryan O’Reilly’s wing didn’t help and they eventually reverted to the feast-or-famine approach with hoping Schenn’s line could finish most of their shifts with a faceoff at center ice. Oblique and knee injuries limit how much physical play he can take, but next year should be another decent-scoring year for him if his puck skills don’t drop off.

Brandon Saad

It says something about a team’s forward depth when a guy with 49 points is 9^th on the entire team, but it was just another year at the office for Brandon Saad. The veteran forward is known for consistency, always getting himself to at least 20 goals and having a positive impact when he’s on the ice. Last year was a little different. Whether it was the ankle injury or the return to a top-line role, Saad wasn’t the same play-driver he was in years past. Part of that comes with the territory when you’re Ryan O’Reilly’s winger, but he seemed to struggle with some of the added defensive responsibility, especially with getting pucks out of the zone smoothly. His offense was also a little more one-and-done, looking for more of a perfect shot than playing a straight-line game like in his heyday with the Blackhawks. Ankle injuries are tough when you’re a player that relies on speed for so many years, so a clean bill of healthy could be what he needs to get back on track in 2022. That or he might be more suited for a scoring line role because the quick-strike offense is still there, but the all-around game isn’t what it was before.

Ivan Barbashev

The most surprising member of the Blues 20+ goal scorer club, Barbashev saw a huge reward for the Blues newfound love for playing off the rush. Stuck in depth forward purgatory for a few years, he was a guy who had obvious skill but had trouble making an impact on a consistent basis. If he wasn’t scoring, he was invisible and while he still has some issues away from the puck, his points explosion this year glossed over it a little. He would take a lot of risks with flying the zone and being puck vulture off turnovers to strike in transition. With how well the Blues moved the puck around last year, it worked and Barbashev was a nice utility piece they could move around on every line. It also made him a threat to go the other way shorthanded. Repeating this will be a tall task. The 26 goals he scored was over half of his previous career goal total and his tendency to fly the zone made it tough for him to stick on one line because he played such a one-man game. He summarized the Blues boom-or-bust offense approach and while it was great when it worked, it’s a style that’s not exactly repeatable. He is a very tough player to project for the Blues with his previous career numbers being so low and him likely playing a utility role next year.

Logan Brown

Acquired in a preseason trade for Zach Sanford, the former Ottawa first round pick played sparingly with the Blues. He got the “leftovers” as far as linemates are concerned, with the top-nine already established. Possessing a frame like an NFL Linebacker, Brown uses his size well to protect the puck down low and keep cycles going, His hands and vision are his best skills and while some of the finesse plays he made in the AHL aren’t open at this level, he does well at making the simple plays with getting the puck up high to relieve pressure or making plays from behind the net. It might not lead to a lot of goals, but it got the job done in a fourth line role with newcomer Alexei Toropchenko on his wing. That said, he was a healthy scratch for the entire playoffs in favor of veteran Tyler Bozak. Brown should have the inside track for a roster spot with the 4C job up for grabs and St. Louis having some familiarity with him. Newcomer Noel Acciari and rookies Zachary Buldoc and Jake Neighbours could have something to say about that, though.

Klim Kostin

With Perron leaving having a trickle-down effect on the rest of the lineup, the door could be open for Klim Kostin to get a chance to stick in the lineup. Bouncing between the minors and the NHL for most of his career, the 23-year-old has yet to leave much of a mark at either level. He spent most of last season with the Blues, posting only 9 points looking like a shoot-first type of player in his 40-game stint. He struggled to keep up with the pace the Blues were playing at, always needing to survey the rink before he moved the puck and having a lot of plays die on his stick because of it. That could just be part of never having a consistent role or the trust of the coaching staff, but this year figures to be his last chance with the Blues. A former first round pick, the Blues will likely give him a chance to find a role, especially with Toropchenko on the shelf for six months, but he might need to find a niche as a forechecker or a grinder instead of the player he was drafted to be.

DEFENSE

Torey Krug

It isn’t a coincidence that the Blues went to more of a run-and-gun style after signing Torey Krug. He is the best playmaker on the St. Louis blue line, both in transition and with making east-west plays in the offensive zone. It’s a skillset that has meshed well with the Blues recent youth movement, giving guys like Kyrou and Thomas the puck in space. Krug is also still one of the better power play quarterbacks in the league, very deceptive with how he runs the top of the umbrella and a master of the fake-shot pass. You can always count on him to put up decent numbers as long as the Blues power play is clicking. The downside to Krug’s game is the level of give-and-take. He has to play aggressive and stay up in the play to be effective and sometimes it burns against tougher matchups. While still agile, Krug doesn’t recover after getting beat at the line as smoothly as he used to, which leads to a lot of back-and-forth play while he is on the ice. It’s why the Blues rotated a safer option like Nikko Miikola or Marco Scandella in on the top pair with Faulk late in games. Krug’s skill is hard to find anywhere else, but his overall game is much more feast-famine than it used to be.

Justin Faulk

Justin Faulk’s three years in St. Louis is proof of how random player development can be because they’ve gotten a different version of Faulk in all three years. His first year was frustrating, as he was stuck in a depth role on his offside on a crowded blue line. The following year he was cast in a shutdown role and had maybe his best season defensively, giving them a Kirkland version of Alex Pietrangelo. Last year, he was more of the high-risk defenseman we remember from Carolina. Playing the puck retriever role alongside Krug, Faulk was a steadying presence on the Blues top pair. He would pick his spots more than the other defensemen instead of going for the home run play on every shift and he could pitch in offensively when needed. He never looks like the type who will join the rush because of his stocky bodytype, but he covers a lot of ground in his first couple of strides. He also has a great wrist shot, scoring 16 goals with minimal power play time. Faulk is a nice player to have because he has the tools to slide into any role you need and give you at least adequate minutes. The only concern is that his play seems to vary year-to-year, but the Blues are hoping a third year with the same defense partner can give the team some level of consistency.

Colton Parayko

The Blues were thrilled to get 80 games from Parayko last year. He played almost all of the previous year with an injured back and a bulging disc, ailments that are known to shorten careers and especially bad news for a defenseman. He played in almost every game for the Blues, averaging almost 24 minutes a night with heavy penalty killing duty. He plays more of a pure shutdown role than he used to, not relied on much for offense and focusing more on patrolling the front of the net instead of trying to lead the rush. He adapted well to this new conservative style, even if it’s a bit of a styles clash with the rest of the Blues team. Parayko used to be very aggressive at defending his blue line and now he’s a little more conservative, using his size and reach to skate forwards into a corner instead of standing them up when they enter the zone. The offense is still there, as he could create off the rush when he needed to but more in splash plays than in volume. Part of that is because his line wasn’t deployed much in the offensive zone, and he was on the ice to stop plays rather than start them. It’s hard to say what he is now and if this is the “new normal” for Parayko. He still has the motor to play the big minutes, but if he can’t help tilt the ice like he used to, his new eight-year contract might be a problem for St. Louis in a couple of seasons. We will see how a full year with a clean bill of health goes for him and if he can get some of that explosiveness back.

Nick Leddy

Nick Leddy has been the same player for his entire career with varying degrees of results. He can play a lot of minutes, be a one-man breakout and bring a mobile option to your top-four. His play away from the puck also hasn’t change much, as he doesn’t always have the best feel for where the puck is going and will chase often. He also has trouble making plays under pressure if he can’t just skate it out, which leads to a lot of prolonged shifts in the defensive zone and his strengths as a skater are kind of a moot point in those situations. What is nice about Leddy, though is he is the type who recovers well and doesn’t let one mistake affect the rest of his game. He doesn’t “chase” a lot of mistakes and will go to protect the house if he turns the puck over and he plays a very even-keel game even if his last shift was a disaster. We saw a lot of this in the Colorado series where he had a very tough Game 5 against the Avs and still had the composure to make a great play to keep the puck win on St. Louis’ overtime winning goal. On a team that trades chances like the Blues, it’s a quality that might be overlooked even if he doesn’t post the best numbers. If anything, he adds some mobility to the Blues backend and secondary powerplay option.

GOALTENDING

Jordan Binnington

There might not be another goaltender in the NHL that has the same track record of inconsistency that Jordan Binnington does. While his St. Louis predecessor Jake Allen has struggled throughout his career with up-and-down weeks during each season, Binnington’s rises and falls seem to follow entire seasons as he goes; he’s either an unstoppable force or an easy-to-goad replacement-level netminder with a hot head and a trigger-esque temper that throws his game into a tailspin. That makes it hard to tell just what St. Louis is gambling on this year; he’ll either be the underdog capable of playing to prove his doubters wrong, or he’ll be the former Stanley Cup Champion who insisted he had an unflappable personality but was all too easy to coax into costly mistakes after just a bad goal or two.

From a technical standpoint, Binnington has the ability to play a game that preaches crisp edgework and an almost bored-looking depth management style designed to rattle his opponents and prevent him from overcommitting to bad shots. But over the last two seasons, he’s also shown a side to his game that exaggerates his technique and pushes him out of position, allowing baffling goals that seem to rattle him more than they should. His game doesn’t rely on a smooth rhythm nearly as much as Allen’s does, so it’s a different problem in St. Louis right now – but as yet another year approaches, it’s hard not to wonder just why the Central Division club’s starters seem to be so easy to throw off their games.

Projected starts: 60-65

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: ST. LOUIS BLUES – RANK: #24 – TIER IV

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 00:46:21 +0000

St. Louis Blues

#24 St. Louis - Another case of small draft classes killing depth. This system has a huge dropoff after the top seven.

Jake Neighbours

Jake Neighbours

Jake Neighbours is an effort-based player whose work and desire are never questioned in a game. Not huge, Neighbours is still incredibly strong with a good base that allows him to protect the puck with a wide stance. He has a good burst, and his top speed is fine, but he isn’t a natural burner. When he doesn’t have the puck, he is dogged in pursuit of it. On the forecheck he is very effective as the first man. He closes guys off and takes away options, overall creating chaos and forcing turnovers which can be used to create offensive scoring chances.

In the offensive zone he is more than just a worker as he has some deft puck skills and creativity with the puck. He can move away from pressure and create lanes for his passes. He is a dual threat with a good shot and very good passing ability. He is a player that can hold onto the puck in traffic for that extra second to make a play, and he is comfortable moving through traffic with the puck. Neighbours is a player that will have to prove his offensive chops in the AHL before moving up, but he has the potential to be a middle six, all situations winger. First, he will return to the WHL this season and should be among the leading scorers in the league with an elite Edmonton Oil Kings team. - VG

Zachary Bolduc

The Rimouski centre has several redeeming qualities as a player: visibly silky hands, a relatively fluid and fully extended stride in straight lines when he exerts himself, and a penchant for getting a ton of pucks on net (8.7 shot attempts / 4.27 shots on goal per game). But for Bolduc, his in-game implementation doesn’t allow him to truly leverage his strengths as a player. As such, he may be one of the higher risk players selected in 2021.

A high-volume shooter and strong puckhandler, Bolduc’s scoring potential is high. Armed with a powerful wrist shot and a bevy of confidence, Bolduc is a threat to score from anywhere on the ice. Bolduc also has the potential to develop into a high-end NHL skater. He can show flashes of explosiveness and velocity in straight lines when pursuing loose pucks and can hit gaps quickly to capitalize on scoring chances. Something that could really aid Bolduc to become a more consistent player is adding strength to his lanky frame. Offensively, he will make the effort to initiate contact and get inside of opponents – which is an encouraging habit when it comes to his effort level offensively – but seldom does he emerge in a beneficial situation given his current general lack of strength. A first round talent (and selection by the Blues) because of his offensive potential, Bolduc does not come without some risk attached. If all of his skills do blend together eventually and he becomes more consistent, Bolduc could emerge as a top six center for the Blues. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Klim Kostin

Kostin's 2020/21 season was the hockey remake of The Ugly Duckling story. A good chunk of time has passed since he was drafted by the Blues in the first round and his development at the AHL level did not go as planned. When he arrived on loan to the KHL, he actually struggled as he was looking lost on the ice, failing to impress his coaches. Coach Bob Hartley was patient with him though, as his game improved over the course of the season. Hartley turned him not into a beautiful swan, but rather into a crushing beast: Kostin started to hit everything that moved and if it didn't move, he would just move it himself. With that being said he did more in his KHL stint than serve as a pugilist; he was an effective offensive player who blended power and skill, just as he was supposed to do when drafted.

Heading into the next season Kostin should be ready to finally take on a full-time role with the Blues as he is a NHL-ready power forward now and can contribute on that level. He always had the talent, and he now knows how to utilize it properly. Kostin just needs the opportunity and if the Blues are smart, they will supply him with it. He may have to start on the lower lines and work his way up, but Kostin projects as a middle six power forward who can be an intimidating net front presence on the powerplay. - VF

Scott Perunovich

As last season finally got underway, Perunovich was a taxi squad member. Coming off a Hobey Baker Award, given to a defenseman who led his conference in scoring, and prior to that being a critical member of back-to-back NCAA champions in Minnesota-Duluth, Perunovich was previously an easy choice as St. Louis’ top prospect. He was very much expected to find his way into NHL games soon, as a key piece of their blueline of the future. And then in mid-February, it was announced that he would be undergoing shoulder surgery that would keep him off the ice for the remainder of the season.

So Perunovich did not play last year, bringing a screeching halt to the amazing progress he had made on the ice after going undrafted in his first two years of eligibility, first as an incredibly raw high schooler, and then as a skilled, but inconsistent and very weak off-the-puck defender in the USHL. His game took off in college, and those three years – plus a freshman season interlude with Team USA at the WJC that really cemented the attention of NHL scouts – are what we have to go off now. His fantastic skating should not have been impacted by the shoulder injury, and hopefully his puck skills are also unaffected. Noting that he is expected to be healthy for the start of 2021-22, everything else is wait and see. - RW

Simon Robertsson

The 6’0 winger has a very well-rounded skill set, but also possesses a fair amount of offensive potential because of his shooting ability. Bouncing around between the J20, SHL, HockeyEttan and the Swedish national teams, Robertsson’s production was not always consistent. However, his effort and engagement usually were. That is why it was surprising to see him fall to the third round this past draft.

Robertsson’s shot and scoring ability were among the best in this draft class. He is also a reliable and consistent player without the puck. He excels on the forecheck due to his good top speed and compete level. He shows good awareness and anticipation in the offensive end, especially in the slot area where pucks just seem to find his stick. Obviously, he is not a perfect player; he does have some characteristics that need to improve and those do partially explain his inconsistencies. The first is his decision making with the puck. Additionally, scouts are looking for him to continue to add more dynamics to his stride, especially while in possession of the puck. If Robertsson’s development goes according to plan, he has the chance to be a top six goal scoring winger who can play in a variety of situations for the Blues (including likely becoming a top penalty killing option). However, even if his play with the puck never improves, he does enough things well to suggest that he could make a reliable middle six supporting winger who can line up alongside more skilled players to help finish off plays and provide two-way stability. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Nikita Alexandrov

Certainly not a sexy prospect, Alexandrov has a terrific chance of developing into an NHL player in the future because of his well-rounded skill set. Previously, he spent three solid years in the QMJHL with Charlottetown and was a top performer at the World Juniors as a 20-year-old. Last season, he started the year with KooKoo in Liiga (Finland), performing well in a middle six role, before finishing with Utica in the AHL.

As mentioned, Alexandrov is a very polished player who should find immediate success at the pro level in North America. He skates well. He protects the puck well. He is competitive in all three zones and excels as a forechecker. He can play any role that is asked of him. While he may not have first line upside, Alexandrov does possess the ability to be a capable middle six forward for the Blues in the near future. A strong first full season in the AHL this season should give management an indication of how close he is to reaching that potential. Given the strength of St. Louis’ farm system currently, there could be an opening for him to move quickly. - BO

Joel Hofer

It was an up-and-down pro debut for Hofer, who made 10 appearances in goal for the Utica Comets, winning four of 10 games with fairly pedestrian numbers but with two shutout performances as well, showcasing a glimpse of the form he displayed in junior and at the WJC backstopping Canada to gold in 2020. Hofer is a calm, patient goalie who stays square to shooters and utilizes his fantastic size well. Although he doesn’t move much in net, his reflexes are excellent and he reads the play well. His focus and mindset bode well for handling a starter’s workload at some point in the future, if he continues to refine his mechanics and gain more experience at the pro level, as he is quite raw still.

The pandemic didn’t help matters, shortening the past two seasons that were critical in his development. Hofer needs playing time and will hopefully get it as he has the inside track to be the Comets starter in 2021-22, though he will have to hold off the likes of Evan Fitzpatrick or even the fast-rising Colten Ellis. An important season looms. He still possesses the best odds of any young goalie in the system to push Jordan Binnington for starts in the St. Louis crease in the future. - AS

Tyler Tucker

All things considered, Tucker’s first pro season with Utica was highly successful. He established himself as a top four defender for the Comets, averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game. While the offensive production may have been somewhat limited, Tucker anchored Utica’s penalty killing unit and demonstrated that he could be a standout in the defensive zone at the AHL level.

The key to Tucker’s development has always been his ability to improve his conditioning and skating ability. His lack of mobility was the primary reason he initially fell to the seventh round in 2018. However, he has worked very hard to become a better overall skater and the results showed at the AHL level last season. He looks every bit a future NHL defender, at the very least as a high end third pairing/depth option. With his physicality and defensive approach transitioning seamlessly, Tucker will look to increase his confidence and effectiveness with the puck this coming season, perhaps even earning a greater look on the powerplay so he can utilize his booming point shot. While Tucker may not be an NHL player for a few years still, his progression is on the right path. - BO

Keean Washkurak

Washkurak is another OHL player who was forced to find an alternative means to playing this past season due to the pandemic cancellation. Along with a few Ontario players, Washkurak went to Slovakia to play in the second men’s league, performing very admirably. At the conclusion of his Slovak season, he joined Utica for a brief time, but this coming season will serve as his first full year in the AHL.

Washkurak is like a waterbug on the ice; his energy level is infectious. An intense competitor, he excels on the forecheck, in the defensive zone, and on the penalty kill. As an offensive player, Washkurak’s best assets are his ability to push the pace with his speed, and his vision with the puck. While his offensive potential at the NHL level is likely rather limited, he does have the potential to be an NHL player because of his quickness and well-rounded skill set that is tailored to be a checking line player for the Blues in the future. Look for Washkurak to spend a few seasons in the AHL first, building up confidence in his offensive abilities, before he makes the jump. - BO

Dylan Peterson

There are only a few teams in which Peterson would fit as a top 10 prospect, and even with St. Louis, one of the shallower systems in the league, he just barely worked his way on. A third round pick out of the USNTDP as a very big and rangy center with tremendously advanced defensive utility, the Blues would not have been expecting a big scorer here. So, his meagre six point output as a freshman at Boston University should not have been a surprise in the least.

He was still able to flash the attributes that got him drafted in the first place. The size is an asset as mentioned. He will do anything to help his team win, for example excelling as a shot blocker. He didn’t play as traditionally physical a game as a freshman as one might hope, but he is by no means a shy player. The other impressive element of his game that stuck around is his great skating. He has a very fluid, clean stride and he simply eats up the ice at full speed. Those traits made him a trusted penalty killer as a freshman, and they will help him eventually reach his floor as a prospect, that being as a bottom six forward who can keep things very tight playing shut-down hockey. Not exciting, but pretty useful regardless. - RW

Colten Ellis

Ellis, playing as an overager in the QMJHL this past season, posted the best save percentage and the best GAA in the league on a strong Charlottetown team. The former third rounder took the steps forward that St. Louis wanted to see and now heads into his first pro season riding a wave of confidence.

Tanner Dickinson

Due to the cancellation of the 2020/21 OHL season, Dickinson barely played last year, seeing marginal action with Utica in the AHL under an exemption. The speedy playmaker will be a go-to player for the Soo Greyhounds this year, as he looks to make up for lost time and development.

Matt Kessel

An NCAA champion last year with UMass, Kessel emerged as one of Hockey East’s top two-way defenders as a sophomore. The heavy hitting and hard shooting 6’3 defender will return to the Minutemen, wearing an ‘A” this coming season.

Jake Walman

Time is running out for this former NCAA All Star to become more than just organizational depth for the Blues. He did spend the entire year with the Blues but played sporadically. The sixth defender position is clearly up for grabs going into training camp and Walman will look to secure it.

Mathias Laferriere

An impact player in the QMJHL the past three seasons, Laferriere is an intelligent and versatile forward who has a chance to carve out a career as a bottom six forward for the Blues. He will finally turn pro this season and will probably need a few years in the AHL to build up his confidence offensively before making the jump.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: St. Louis Blues Top 20 Prospects

Rachel Howard — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 21:49:03 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 New York Rangers prospects for the 2020-21 season. You can read an organizational assessment prior to the draft in Ryan Wagman's article found here. Following the draft we provided a review on each teams performance based on our rankings found here.

Scott Perunovich, D (45^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 1)

There are late bloomers and there are late exploders. A few weeks after signing with the Blues, shortly after the premature end of his freshman season with Minnesota-Duluth, Perunovich justifiably won the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top men’s ice hockey player in NCAA. He is very small, but his skating has improved since being drafted to now be a real draw for his game. He can generally hold his own in his own end, but the best way I can describe his game is by recapping the sequence that led to a goal against Western Michigan this year. Perunovich got puck at his own blueline, and tried to pass it to center ice, but the puck went off an opponent's skate, bouncing right back to the man in question, who then skated it past center ice and passed to a teammate on the right boards. Immediately after passing, Perunovich kicked into overdrive and charged the net, getting the pass back from the same teammate a few feet from the crease, where he proceeded to chip it over a diving goalie and into the net. Between his high-end skating, hands, creativity and vision, Perunovich could be a star. – RW

Jake Neighbours, LW (26^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

More steady than flashy, Neighbours has a stocky frame and more strength than many in this draft class, making him difficult to play against, and especially strong on faceoffs and in puck battles at either end. Even though he is not overly aggressive, he doesn’t shy away from physical play and is a very effective forechecker. The strength of his game is as a playmaker. His passing game is high end as he sees lanes that few others can, with the ability to execute on those options at will. He is equally as comfortable setting up linemates from his backhand as he is from his forehand, allowing him to play on either side of center. Neighbours will quarterback from the top of the slot and either cycle, or penetrate the home plate area, depending on the defensive structure. A high-volume shooter, Neighbours could be even more effective as a playmaker if he was more judicious in his shooting, notwithstanding a quick release that can take advantage of gaps from any angle, forehand or backhand. Regardless, I think the young center will continue to make the adjustments to maximize his ability in this game. – RW

Tyler Tucker, D (200^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

By improving his conditioning and becoming a more powerful and fluid four-way skater, Tucker has emerged as a serious contender for a future NHL blueline job. A throwback player, he relishes playing the body. He is very aggressive in trying to deny zone entries by stepping up on would be attackers. His improved skating has allowed him to have better gap control. He also possesses some above average offensive qualities. His booming point shot gives him the potential to quarterback a powerplay. With an improved stride, Tucker was able to make more of a consistent impact frequently jumping up into or leading the rush. Blues fans should be very happy with his progression and emergence as a legitimate NHL prospect. With his physical approach and underrated puck skills, he has the potential to develop into a quality #4-5 defender who can play in all situations. Continued improvement will be needed from his skating, primarily to maintain a stout defensive projection. Patience will be required, and he may need a few years in the AHL to adapt to the speed of the pro game. – BO

Klim Kostin, RW (31^st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 3)

Sooner or later, the powerful and skillful forward was going to figure it all out; on came the 2019-20 season. Kostin reached new career highs in goals and points in the AHL and scored his first career NHL goal. His physical prowess was on full display at both levels, as the power forward’s superb puck-protection, balance, and ability to maintain skating momentum shifting back and forth on his feet impressed. His heavy wrist shot, and fast, deceptive puck-handling round out his offensive package, although his skating and acceleration can be sluggish. He seemed to unlock the capability of playing that assertive style consistently, which has boosted his confidence and his overall potential. Kostin has finally reminded us of why he was so revered in his draft year. After three full AHL seasons, it would not shock me to see him instantly placed into the top-six role he is well-suited for with St. Louis for next season. - TD

Joel Hofer, G (107^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

From a backup goalie who let in too many soft goals in and lose his net too frequently, to a start who kept his mask above water on a weak WHL team, to stealing a spot on Canada’s Gold Medal winning WJC roster – where he ended up the starter, Hofer has taken several big steps in the past few years. He brings a calm and relaxed presence in the crease. The soft goals have mostly evaporated, as has his past tendency to lose positioning and be forced to scramble. What’s left is an incredibly poised netminder, playing within himself and using his immense frame to do the work for him. His movement is controlled, he tracks the puck laterally very well and competes hard. His puck handling is not a strength, but most of the rest is. Hofer is able to park a bad play or a soft goal and move on and now shows NHL starter potential. - VG

Nikita Alexandrov, C (62^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

The first impression of the bulky forward is that he is a force along the boards due to his strong frame and low center-of-gravity. Alexandrov is nearly impossible to knock off the puck when he takes root along the wall, with very strong legs and a very powerful core. He protects the puck well. His acceleration is excellent due to his short and choppy stride, but his top speed is merely good, potentially holding him back at the highest level. His hockey IQ is very strong, and his reads make him strong on the backcheck and as a playmaker. Alexandrov is largely a North-South player, but he has good hands in tight, especially close to the net and along the boards. He can also be a solid net-front player, combining his strong body and quick hands into the ability to find and deflect pucks. What may hold him back is his tendency to keep it simple. Alexandrov needs more confidence in his potential to become a stronger player. At minimum, he can be a strong-willed secondary scorer at the top level but will need to work on his stride. – MS

Dylan Peterson, C (86^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

One of the top defensive forwards in the 2020 draft class, Peterson combines an ideal frame, big and strong, with high end athleticism. He is an excellent skater, particularly considering his size. In the mold of 2019 first rounder John Beecher, Peterson was not used in a heavy offensive capacity for the U18s this year, but when he had the chance, he would generally be found parked in front of the opposing goalie. He has the hands to play in tight and chip the odd puck in. He can shoot from the rush as well and has soft hands. He can be counted on to carry the puck through traffic in the neutral zone, and to direct the puck smartly once the puck is in the offensive end. He plays with solid touch and can work from behind the net as well. Low end middle six is his realistic ceiling. He plays without fear while positioning himself to inflict maximal disruption, stuffing shooting and passing lanes. He could stand to be more physically assertive, but he does a nice job of taking space away and being difficult to play against. – RW

Ville Husso, G (94^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 6)

The Blues found their goalie of the future in the otherwise unheralded Jordan Binnington, but before that, their most prized netminding pupil was Husso. After a disastrous 2018-19 season, Husso needed a comeback campaign in 2019-20 to return to a high spot in the Blues farm system and his efforts with AHL San Antonio did exactly that. Behind a Rampage team which fielded a fairly weak defense, the Finn rebounded to the tune of a 2.56 GAA and .909 SV%. Husso’s raw athletic skills never faded, but his ability to read plays and confidently position himself to shut down any danger early looked much improved compared to last season. The way he propels himself laterally with his quick foot movement and long legs gives him total coverage of the lower half of the goal, and his rebound control and pre-shot preparation looked better, though his glove hand speed and positioning remain flaws. At 25, he looks like a near finished product and could be a long-term 1B goaltender for the Blues as soon as next season, especially with a frantically compressed schedule that will require the use of several goaltenders. - TD

Niko Mikkola, D (127^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 7)

Mikkola’s style of play will eventually be a perfect fit in the heavily structured, physical system of play in St. Louis. The massive 2014 fifth-round pick has been steadily maturing into a solid stay-at-home defenseman and would probably be a lineup fixture on a team with a lesser defensive core. A strong skater for a d-man with a 6-5” frame with the capability of playing heavy, demanding physical minutes against high-end opposing forward lines, Mikkola can end plays below the goal line and excels at defending with his stick and muscular upper body. With a high hockey IQ, he anticipates the moves of his opponents and, with poke checks and decent lateral agility, can effectively keep them from getting center position and testing the goaltender from high-danger areas. Though his offensive skill is sorely limited, he at least can get the puck out of the zone. Someone who plays this kind of style does not need much more polishing, and he quickly earned the trust of the Blues coaches in his five-game NHL stint with some key PK minutes. A role as a stay-at-home depth blueliner is in the near future for the big Finnish lefthander. - TD

Hugh McGing, C (138^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Like Perunovich above, Hugh McGing is an undersized player who was not drafted until his third year of eligibility. In almost all other respects the Western Michigan grad is a very different kind of prospect. While the Bronco’s captains put up good numbers throughout his collegiate career, he projects as more of a heart-and-soul forward who could set up shop in a bottom six and play for years in the NHL, while occasionally moonlighting higher up the lineup as a short-term injury replacement. McGing has quick feet and a plus top speed, but he is just as notable for playing a very gritty game, getting involved in the dirty areas and coming out clean. He has skilled hands and can maneuver the puck from in tight. He is reliable in any type of game situation. Even if he lacks the dynamic skill set you want to see in a top six player, he is fun to watch and there is enough there to expect him to be an injury call up as soon as this season. - RW

Keean Washkurak, C (155^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 9)

One thing that is critical for tracking the future success of a prospect is how well they close out their draft plus one season. Washkurak did so extremely well, finishing with 22 points in the final 15 games, helping the Steelheads surge before the season was abruptly ended. While he may not have high end upside at the pro level, he is a fantastic skater and energy player who excels on the forecheck and the penalty kill. Next year, Mississauga should be a contender in the Eastern Conference and Washkurak will be a large part of that success. He has the chance to become a real fan favorite in St. Louis down the line as fans grow to love the tenacity and consistent effort that he plays with. - BO

Colten Ellis, G (93^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

The newest Charlottetown Islander is a quick netminder who dazzles with his athleticism but has the tendency to over-commit to the puck. His quick play, especially his fast feet and post-to-post movement, is enough at the Q level to shine, but will need to be coached out of his game to succeed in the pros. His size, standing 6-1”, is also not ideal. However, he is a battler who does not give up on a play, even though he might lose sight of the puck a time or two. Ellis is a fan-favorite goaltender for the highlight reel save, but those kinds of saves are usually born out of a lapse in positioning or reading the play. Having said that, there is a solid foundation of technical skills to build upon. Ellis has some work to do, but his athleticism and his hard-working nature could prove him to be a diamond in the rough. – MS

Leo Loof, D (88^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A lanky defender who skates well and hits very hard, Loof is one of a set of identical twins in the Farjestad system. Brother Linus is a center, but Leo is the one with a legitimate NHL projection. Twice named the best defenseman of his age-group in the youth levels of Sweden, Leo is also frequently called on by the national team and contributed a pair of assists to the Bronze Medal winning group at last year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. You would like to see him improve his decision making and spend less time in the penalty box, but Loof has enough to offer to imagine a future as a #4-6 blueliner in the NHL. In addition to his wheels, he is a smart and proficient puck mover who helps keep the puck heading in the right direction. He also demonstrates admirable hockey IQ, with the look of a defender who could feature in a shutdown role and take on PK time. The main limitation to his game is a weak point shot that will curtail his offensive production and prevent him from receiving too many power play minutes. – RW

Will Cranley, G (163^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A late bloomer among the 2020 draft class, Cranley hit his stride in the few months before last season was cancelled. His starts were certainly sheltered a bit as Ottawa's back-up, with lots of games against the league’s bottom feeders, and put up a .925 save percentage in his final ten games. A 6-4” netminder who trending in the right direction performance-wise and possesses great athletic tools is always worthy of a draft-day gamble, even for an organization whose strength is in the crease. He sees the ice very well thanks to his size and has some of the technical components of the position well-honed. Cranley is raw and it will take time to iron out some technical issues, with rebound control a particular bugbear. However, he definitely has the make-up of an NHL netminder. First, he will need to seize the starting job with the Ottawa 67s when the OHL resumes play and pick up where he left off last season. – BO

Austin Poganski, RW (110^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 11)

The former North Dakota captain earned an NHL debut amid a 30-point AHL season as a two-way winger with speed and size. The Blues threw their San Antonio assistant captain a bone with a one-game, six-minute NHL stint, rewarding him for his reliability and versatility in the minors with a taste of the Stanley Cup champions’ roster. A strong PK guy who can control the defensive zone with his stick-positioning and one-on-one coverage, Poganski’s offensive game is evolving, notably with an improving shot and an added sense of assertiveness to carry the puck. He will never be an elite skater, but his high hockey IQ and maturity allow him to remain on the cusp of an NHL job. The fourth-round pick in 2014 has potential to be a solid, albeit unimpressive bottom-six NHL winger for St. Louis soon, though one more AHL season would help him round his two-way game out. – TD

Mitch Reinke, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed, Mar. 25, 2018. Previous ranking: 12)

Reinke is admittedly a hard player to evaluate and project, with inconsistencies and struggles mixed in with flashes of offensive brilliance and skill. After an excellent rookie season in the AHL that earned the right-hander league All-Rookie team honors in 2018-19, Reinke fell back down to earth after taking a larger helping of minutes and being assigned defensive roles against opposing top-six units. Although his positioning and initial blueline defense suppressed a good amount of shots against and kept shooters from getting inside angles, his lack of size and strength was exposed at times, and with a greater responsibility on defense, his offensive contributions at even strength and in transition were somewhat subdued. If he can balance out the two sides of the game, he can be a dynamic transition piece at the highest level of the game; his passing and puck-handling skills are high-end and his skating is strong enough to weave through the neutral zone solo. Perhaps the American will need sheltered minutes to be able to put up points in the NHL, but he can be a serviceable, depth offensive defenseman with St. Louis in short term. - TD

Jake Walman, D (82^nd overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 13)

Coming off his best pro season to date, the 2014 third-round selection showed again why he was once considered a top-five prospect in this system. His offensive potential that looked limited at the AHL level just one season ago appears to have blossomed with a career-best 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists) in 57 games. Walman, like Poganski, was given a one-night NHL shot as a reward for his efforts with San Antonio, leading the blueline in goals and plus/minus (+3). A great skater, he plays aggressively with the puck on his stick and has improved his passing through the neutral and offensive zones. Defensively, he chooses to play the body and retrieve the puck after, using his large frame and long reach to dislodge the puck early in transitional defense. He possesses a good shot from the point and loves to use it, especially on the power play. He remains a fringe prospect who has been passed on the depth chart by other young blueliners (Mikkola and Perunovich of note) but has played himself back into an NHL conversation. – TD

Tanner Dickinson, C (119^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Immediately noticeable because of his speed, Dickinson made a solid impression in his OHL debut campaign, having spent the previous season playing AAA hockey in the Detroit area. He is explosive and gains the offensive zone with ease, also excelling as a forechecker. He has never demonstrated a great scoring touch, especially struggling to put up points at even strength, but showed a bit of a knack as a playmaker. His best attribute outside of his wheels is his hockey IQ. Despite having very little high-level junior experience, he had no problem whatsoever keeping up with the pace of the game in the OHL. Another thing that may hold him back is that he is very slight and gets knocked off the puck too easily right now. All newly drafted players need to bulk up and physically mature, but Dickinson needs to more than most. The hope here is that the lack of experience against top competition gives him a greater hidden upside than many other middle to late round picks. – BO

Mathias Laferriere, C (69^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 14)

Laferrière started a key development year on the shelf with a dislocated shoulder and missed more than a month with the ailment but came back strong to show the same offensive touch in 2020 from his break-out 2018-19 campaign. His offensive skills tend to skew more towards his strong shot than his playmaking ability, but he can open up ice with the threat of his shot, and he can feed his linemates with a strong pass. He is a jack-of-all-trades forward; as in, good in most areas, master of none. His consistency has improved in the last two years, but is still an issue at times, and he will need to bulk up to be a ready contributor in the pro ranks. Laferrière’s skillset would make him a good middle-six offensive player at the maximum of his potential, but it will take some work for him to get there. – MS

Nolan Stevens, C (125^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 15)

2019-20 was a prove-it season in some sense for Nolan Stevens. Previously an exclusively defensive player with little to offer on offense, the Northeastern alum showed he can be a 200-foot center who can wrestle his counterparts off the puck and use his large, 6-3” frame to run a beastly cycle. Improving by 13 points from last season in nine fewer games with roughly the same amount of ice time in the San Antonio top six, the son of former NHL head coach John Stevens is not much of a skater or puck-carrier, but can maintain possession for an extended duration (reminiscent of the Blues’ top skaters), and is a strong, intelligent facilitator from tight spaces. Playing deep in his own zone to assist defensively, Stevens uses his long stick to strip the puck from opponents and his big body to get into shot lanes. A restricted free agent going into next season, Stevens will likely return to the AHL club and hopefully increase his goal-scoring output to somewhere near his 24-goal final season at the NCAA level. - TD

Klim Kostin – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Team Preview

FORWARD

DEFENCE

GOAL

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Duclair, Drouin, Nyquist, Ekholm, Thompson plus much, much more

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD (March 11th to 17th) – Post-NHL Trade Deadline Impact – Favourable schedules and players to target

Anaheim Ducks - TUE @ CHI, THU @ MIN, FRI @ WPG (BTB), SUN @ STL

Columbus Blue Jackets - TUE @ MTL, THU VS OTT, SAT VS SJS, SUN VS WPG (BTB)

Detroit Red Wings - TUE @ BUF, THU VS ARI, SAT VS BUF, SUN @ PIT (BTB)

Los Angeles Kings - MON VS NYI, WED @ STL, FRI @ CHI, SAT @ DAL (BTB)

Ottawa Senators - TUE VS PIT, THUS @ CBJ, SAT @ NYI, SUN VS CAR (BTB)

Pittsburgh Penguins - TUE @ OTT, THU VS SJS, SAT VS NYR, SUN VS DET (BTB)

San Jose Sharks - TUE @ PHI, THUS @ PIT, SAT @ CBJ, SUN @ CHI (BTB)

Winnipeg Jets - MON VS WSH, WED VS NSH, FRI VS ANA, SUN @ CBJ

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Early Standouts – Significant early injuries – Who benefits from opportunity

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – DETROIT RED WINGS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Forwards

Defense

Goaltender

NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS EDMONTON OILERS – Oilers have been a freight train since the trade deadline, but return of Stone, team defense, make Vegas a tough out

VEGAS vs. EDMONTON

Forwards

Defense

Goaltending

Special Teams

Conclusion

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Stars Returning from Injury

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – ST. LOUIS BLUES – NHL Player Profiles

FORWARDS

DEFENSE

GOALTENDING

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: ST. LOUIS BLUES – RANK: #24 – TIER IV

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: St. Louis Blues Top 20 Prospects

Scott Perunovich, D (45th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 1)

Jake Neighbours, LW (26th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Tyler Tucker, D (200th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Klim Kostin, RW (31st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 3)

Joel Hofer, G (107th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Nikita Alexandrov, C (62nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Dylan Peterson, C (86th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Ville Husso, G (94th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 6)

Niko Mikkola, D (127th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 7)

Hugh McGing, C (138th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Keean Washkurak, C (155th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 9)

Colten Ellis, G (93rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Leo Loof, D (88th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Will Cranley, G (163rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Austin Poganski, RW (110th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 11)

Mitch Reinke, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed, Mar. 25, 2018. Previous ranking: 12)

Jake Walman, D (82nd overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 13)

Tanner Dickinson, C (119th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Mathias Laferriere, C (69th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 14)

Nolan Stevens, C (125th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 15)

Scott Perunovich, D (45^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 1)

Jake Neighbours, LW (26^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Tyler Tucker, D (200^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Klim Kostin, RW (31^st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 3)

Joel Hofer, G (107^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Nikita Alexandrov, C (62^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Dylan Peterson, C (86^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Ville Husso, G (94^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 6)

Niko Mikkola, D (127^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 7)

Hugh McGing, C (138^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Keean Washkurak, C (155^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 9)

Colten Ellis, G (93^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Leo Loof, D (88^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Will Cranley, G (163^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Austin Poganski, RW (110^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 11)

Jake Walman, D (82^nd overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 13)

Tanner Dickinson, C (119^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Mathias Laferriere, C (69^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 14)

Nolan Stevens, C (125^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 15)