Marcus Pettersson – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:01:06 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) skates in warm ups before a Los Angeles Kings game versus the Vancouver Canucks on February 26th, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Rob Curtis/Icon Sportswire)

After winning the Pacific Division with 109 points in 2023-2024, the Canucks collapsed to 90 points (38-30-14) last season, missing the playoffs. They ranked 19th in both Corsi percentage (49.2) and expected goals percentage (49.5), so they earned their finish. Vancouver’s power play was middle of the road, ranking 15th with 7.72 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play. The Canucks’ penalty killing was excellent, ranking second in the league with 5.55 goals against per 60 minutes of four-on-five play. While Kevin Lankinen was solid in goal, Thatcher Demko missed a good portion of the season and Arturs Silovs struggled, so the overall goaltending picture was not ideal.

What’s Changed?

Head coach Rick Tocchet departed for Philadelphia, replaced by first-time NHL head coach Adam Foote. The Canucks were not terribly motivated to make dramatic changes to the underachieving roster, perhaps figuring that the trade deadline deal sending J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers was the more significant roster shuffle. This summer, they traded to acquire Vancouver native Evander Kane from the Edmonton Oilers. They lost centre Pius Suter as a free agent to the St. Louis Blues, and traded winger Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canucks also dealt Silovs, who was ticketed to be third on the goaltending depth chart, to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Silovs may have struggled with Vancouver but was outstanding in the Abbotsford Canucks’ championship run to the Calder Cup in the AHL, winning Playoff MVP.

What would success look like?

Getting back into the playoffs is a starting point for Vancouver. The roster at the start of the season doesn’t necessarily look like it’s capable of more than that, but if Elias Pettersson rebounds and Quinn Hughes stays healthy all season, they could have a much better shot at the postseason. Mix in even league average goaltending or better, and the Canucks could win a round or two in the playoffs. They are probably a few players light of being a bona fide Stanley Cup contender, but if they are contending, the Canucks’ brass will surely be ready to add to the roster, if need be.

What could go wrong?

There is a lot riding on Pettersson this season, because with Miller gone, the expectation is that Pettersson will get back to being the star player that he had been previously, and it’s great if that’s what happens, but if Pettersson can’t get back to that level, then the season will almost surely end up as a disappointment. The Canucks are relatively unproven down the middle of the ice, with Filip Chytil and Aatu Raty penciled in for the second and third-line centre roles, the Canucks need Pettersson to be great, or else it’s going to be really difficult to drag this team back into the playoffs.

Top Breakout Candidate

He may not score enough to really generate a lot of buzz, but Aatu Raty has a chance to play a significant role for the Canucks. Raty had 11 points (7 G, 4 A) in 33 games for the Canucks, despite playing fewer than 11 minutes per game, but he did score on more than 20 percent of his shots, so that’s not likely to last over a full season. In the AHL, he had 40 points (17 G, 23 A) in 43 games, so there is some offensive upside. The 22-year-old pivot also plays a physical game, with 80 hits in 33 games for the Canucks, so if he scores enough to hold a third-line centre role, Raty’s hit totals could propel him into deeper league fantasy relevance.

FORWARDS

Elias Pettersson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	26	52	78	0.98

It is so difficult to pin down Pettersson’s all-around value because just when it looked like he was running with the elite, he turned in a season like 2024-2025, when he clearly had an issue with former teammate J.T. Miller before Miller was ultimately traded to the New York Rangers. Pettersson finished the season with 45 points (15 G, 30 A) in 64 games, the lowest per-game point production of his career, and a far cry from the 191 points (73 G, 118 A) in 162 games that he had in the previous two seasons. He is a cerebral player who is often a step ahead of the action, but when his game lacks passion, it doesn’t matter how smart he is on the ice because the results can not only be subpar, but it looks awful, too. When he’s on his game, Pettersson has an outstanding shot and can beat a goalie clean from distance with a wrist shot or one-timer. That kind of ability is not common, so it should be part of the Canucks’ plan to get Pettersson pucks in position to shoot. Although he is not the most physical player, he did register 74 hits last season and had a career-high 125 hits in 2023-2024, so it’s in his toolbox and when he gets fired up, he will play with more edge to his game. He is more of a finesse player, and it’s not like there is a desire to have him shed that skilled game, but if he plays with passion on a more consistent basis, it would help offset times that the offensive numbers aren’t going his way. He is too good to languish in mediocrity like last season, so expect some kind of bounce-back campaign for Pettersson, with 25 goals and 70-plus points, though he has obviously proven capable of even more than that.

Brock Boeser

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	28	27	55	0.73

When the 2024-2025 season wrapped up, Boeser was headed for free agency, and it seemed entirely likely that he would be moving on from Vancouver. The Canucks weren’t ready to concede that, however, so they signed Boeser to a new seven-year, $50.25 million contract. The Canucks recognized that Boeser’s ability to put the puck in the net should not be taken for granted. Last season’s 25 goals represented the sixth time in his eight NHL seasons that he surpassed 20 goals, and he has recorded at least 50 points in three straight seasons. Boeser is not so much a generator of chances as he is the finisher who puts himself in position to score. He has good hands and strong offensive instincts which allow him to thrive when playing with quality linemates, but he is more dependent on those linemates to transport the puck and create those opportunities. With the Canucks shaking up their roster, the most likely scenario is for Boeser to skate on the top line with Elias Pettersson, and that should help both players, but that only applies if Pettersson can rebound from his down season, because they did not fare well when they played on the same line last season, getting outshot, out-chanced, and outscored. It should be reasonable to expect 25 goals and 55 points from Boeser, with the understanding that Pettersson could potentially help to lift him even higher.

Jake DeBrusk

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	25	25	50	0.61

After signing a big free agent deal last summer to join the Canucks, DeBrusk didn’t have an earth-shattering first season in Vancouver, but he scored a career high 28 goals and that should not be ignored. Half of those goals came on the power play, a massive increase over his power play role in Boston. He has been a complementary player throughout his career and that is largely the role that he fills well with Vancouver now. His ice time has remained consistent, hovering just under 17 minutes per game, but DeBrusk’s shot rate has declined from where it was two years ago, at 2.98 shots on goal per game, to last season’s 2.09 shots on goal per game. When it comes to sustaining production, it’s preferable to maintain the higher shot rate because it doesn’t require DeBrusk scoring on 16.4 percent of his shots to score 28 goals when his career shooting percentage prior to last season was 12.4 percent. That extra four percent, over 171 shots on goal works out to nearly seven goals, a pretty significant difference for a player who scored 28. Going into 2025-2026, DeBrusk should be able to count on a regular scoring role with the Canucks, possibly even skating on the top line, with first unit power play time, so he should be able to contribute 25 goals and 45 points, but that may seem underwhelming if that is indeed his place on the depth chart.

Conor Garland

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	21	35	56	0.68

A feisty winger who has turned into an excellent two-way player, Garland saw his ice time jump by more than four minutes per game last season and he hit the 50-point threshold for the second time in his career. Garland uses his speed to effectively create chances and while last season was unusual in that the Canucks were outscored with Garland on the ice, he was hardly to blame, ranking first among Canucks forwards in terms of expected goals against per 60 minutes. Garland’s most common linemates last season were Pius Suter and Dakota Joshua, who have both departed, so it’s not like he was propped up by his teammates. His next most common linemate is more interesting, though. Garland played more than 258 five-on-five minutes with Elias Pettersson and in that time, the Canucks controlled 63.0 percent of expected goals with those two on the ice. If you have players controlling play to that degree in the NHL, there are not many reasons good enough to split them up, so maybe Garland will find his way to spending more time with Pettersson in 2025-2026. At the very least, Garland has established that he is a valuable player who can move the puck the right way. Provided he continues to play significant minutes, he seems like a good pick to score 20 goals and 50 points this season.

Kiefer Sherwood

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	18	18	36	0.48

A veteran winger who lingered on the fringes of NHL rosters for years before breaking through with the Nashville Predators in 2023-2024, Sherwood had the best season of his NHL career, by far, last season with Vancouver, scoring 40 points (19 G, 21 A) and leading the league with 462 hits. Yes, 462 hits, 156 more hits than second place Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sherwood found that the hard-driving physical game is what would keep him in the league, turned the dial up to 11, and kept it there all season. He had double digit hit totals in 10 games and recorded fewer than three hits twice in 78 games. Sherwood is not even physically imposing, listed at six feet tall and 195 pounds, but there is something to be said for being relentless and, in Sherwood’s case, being relentless earned him a two-year, $3 million contract from the Canucks last summer, and will surely earn him more on his next deal. As a player who started just 38.3 percent of his five-on-five shifts in the offensive zone, Sherwood still ended up with positive possession numbers and the Canucks outscored opponents with him on the ice. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, since Sherwood is a net +26 in five-on-five goal differential for his career, not bad for a 30-year-old winger who couldn’t stick in an NHL lineup until two years ago. Sherwood is not an offensive dynamo, but he does more than enough to hold down his spot in the lineup. Going into the 2025-2026 season, he should play a regular top nine role for Vancouver and should bring 15 goals and 30 points, along with at least 300 hits.

Filip Chytil

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	20	25	45	0.64

Acquired from the New York Rangers as part of the J.T. Miller trade, Chytil had recovered from serious concussion woes but had middling production in a third-line role with the Rangers. In Vancouver, his ice time went up by more than two minutes per game, but his point production did not follow as he managed just six points (2 G, 4 A) in 15 games for the Canucks, but he played really well in that time, only to have his results undone by poor percentages. Chytil scored on just 4.5 percent of his shots on goal, and his five-on-five on-ice shooting percentage was 3.0 percent, which is absurdly low, so take some solace in the fact that Chytil had a 54.5 percent Corsi in Vancouver, driving play even if he wasn’t getting rewarded offensively. Chytil is a strong skater with a big frame and apparently wanted a bigger role than the third line spot that the Rangers could provide him, so the chance to fill a second line role in Vancouver is a prime opportunity for him, but he also needs to take advantage of that opportunity. While Chytil has never been great in the faceoff circle, last season’s faceoff winning percentage of 46.8 was the best of his career, and he got there by winning 49.7 percent of his draws with the Canucks. If Chytil can remain relatively healthy, he should have a chance to score 20 goals and 45 points in his first full season with Vancouver, and that point total would match his career high, set in 2022-2023.

Evander Kane

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
62	20	18	38	0.61

After sitting out the entire 2024-2025 regular season while recovering from multiple surgeries, Kane was plugged into the Edmonton Oilers lineup for the playoffs and had some strong moments while contributing 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in 21 games. He also faded from relevance in the Stanley Cup Final but that’s not an easy situation, playing a very strong Panthers team when Kane was maybe not quite where he needed to be to play at that level. He is 34 years old so it may not be a prime situation for any winger coming off of an injury to bounce back, but that is what the Canucks will hope that they can get out of a winger who, when he is on his game, is both a legitimate scoring threat and a physical presence. He has had plenty of off-ice issues over the years, and there’s no guarantee that those won’t crop up in Vancouver, but if Kane is committed to playing his best, there is a version that works out well for the Canucks because he has some of the fire that they need. Injuries have plagued Kane, and the 77 games he played for the Oilers in 2023-2024 represented the only time since 2018-2019 that he played more than 65 games in a season. Taking into account, then, that Kane is likely to miss 20 games for some reason or another, he could still contribute 20 goals and 35-40 points. His physical play could also yield 150 hits (or more, he had a career-high 250 for the Oilers in 2023-2024). For those in banger leagues, Kane led the NHL in penalty minutes in the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons and while that’s unlikely now, he is still typically good for more penalty minutes than games played.

Aatu Raty

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	13	17	30	0.38

Highly touted as a prospect, Raty slipped to the second round in the 2021 NHL Draft, and it has taken him some time to make it to the league, but last season was a promising sign from the 22-year-old center who contributed 11 points (7 G, 4 A) in 33 games for the Canucks. While he may not continue to score on 20.6 percent of his shots, as he did in that small sample of games, Raty did win 57.7 percent of his faceoffs and recorded 80 hits in 33 games despite playing 10:39 per game. That physical style and reliability in the faceoff dot should give him a leg up on any competition for forward roles in Vancouver. Raty has been productive at the AHL level, putting up 92 points (35 G, 57 A) in 115 games across the past two seasons, so there is some reason to be hopeful that he can at least score enough to fill a top nine role with the Canucks. The Canucks have improved their forward depth so there could be an opportunity for Raty to play with quality linemates. If that’s the case, he might be able to contribute 12-15 goals and 30 points. If he adds 150-175 hits, that might give him some appeal in deeper fantasy formats.

Nils Hoglander

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	15	18	33	0.42

After breaking through for career highs of 24 goals and 36 points in 2023-2024, Hoglander took a step backwards last season, though some of that was merely going from a 20.0 shooting percentage to a 9.6 shooting percentage. Hoglander is on the smaller side but is a high energy player with good skills and he plays with some tenacity that belies his size. Hoglander has also had difficulty securing regular linemates. Last season, he played more than 150 five-on-five minutes with Teddy Blueger, Elias Pettersson, Conor Garland, and Pius Suter and had varying degrees of success with all of them, but there was a lack of consistency in his deployment, to be sure. The challenge that Hoglander faces is getting a real foothold on ice time in Vancouver. He played 15:27 per game as a rookie in 2020-2021, went down to 13:05 per game the next season and has hovered just over 12 minutes per game for three straight seasons. It may be unreasonable to expect that to suddenly change but securing a role that would see him play 14-15 minutes per game could have a significant impact on his production. Since that is in doubt, it’s fair to expect 15 goals and 30 points from Hoglander.

DEFENCE

Quinn Hughes

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	16	68	84	1.09

There is essentially a two-horse race being waged for the title of top defenceman in the league, with Hughes and Colorado’s Cale Makar the two contestants. Hughes won the 2023-2024 Norris Trophy and looked like he was on track to repeat again last season before getting injured in late January. At the end of January, he had 59 points (14 G, 45 A) and 136 shots on goal in 47 games and was a dominant force in the Vancouver lineup. After missing several weeks with a lower-body injury, including being kept out of the Four Nations Face-Off, Hughes finished the season with 17 points (2 G, 15 A) and 56 shots on goal in his last 21 games. That would be entirely fine for most defencemen in the league, but it was a step down from the exceptional tier that Hughes had been inhabiting for the previous season-and-a-half. Hughes has become even more dangerous offensively since he started shooting the puck more and the result has been 33 goals in his past two seasons. He is not only a game-changing offensive force, whose 244 points in 228 games and 1.07 points per game both rank second only to Makar among defencemen across the past three seasons, but Hughes has upgraded his defensive play in recent seasons, too. Last season’s 2.25 expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five was the lowest rate in Hughes’ career. There were 138 defencemen that played at least 1,000 five-on-five minutes last season and only 15 of them had a lower rate of expected goals against. A healthy Quinn Hughes is a difference-maker, and the Canucks will certainly hope that he is in good health for the 2025-2026 season. If he is, Hughes should be expected to contribute 15 goals and 80 points and run neck-and-neck with Makar for defenceman supremacy.

Filip Hronek

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	6	35	41	0.51

An excellent partner for Quinn Hughes, Hronek has been a quality top pair defender for several years and while he tends to get overshadowed by Hughes, Hronek is a strong puck mover who is effective at both ends of the rink, can kill penalties, and run the second power play unit. His skill set, and his deployment, leads to strong possession numbers and the Canucks outscore the opposition with Hronek on the ice. While Hronek makes a good first pass to start the breakout and is comfortable getting involved offensively, he is very much the stay-at-home partner to a phenom like Hughes. It’s not like Hronek is a big bruiser who is a punishing physical presence, but he can handle when the game gets gritty and he will deliver hits to separate opponents from the puck. When Hughes was injured in the second half of the season, Hronek contributed 10 points (2 G, 8 A) and 24 shots on goal in 10 games with Hughes out of the lineup, so Hronek has more to give offensively, if needed. It just so happens that it is not needed that often. In his strong complementary role, Hronek should contribute 40 points for the Canucks in 2025-2026.

Marcus Pettersson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	4	26	30	0.38

Acquired by the management team that had him in Pittsburgh, Pettersson has been a reliable top four blueliner, logging more than 20 minutes per game for the past three seasons. Pettersson is a tall and rangy defender who does not have a huge role offensively, with minimal power play time, and yet he has contributed 59 points (8 G, 51 A) across the past two seasons, in part because he is a strong skater and makes good passes to jumpstart the attack. Where Pettersson can make a difference, at least for fantasy managers, is when it comes to hits and, especially, blocked shots. He had 80 hits last season but has recorded more than 100 hits five times in his career and, in the past three seasons, Pettersson had 434 blocked shots, which was tied for 27th in the league over that time. Heading into the 2025-2026 season, Pettersson figures to be No. 3 on the Canucks’ defensive depth chart and that should mean consistent ice time, allowing him to contribute 25-30 points and 125-plus blocked shots. That probably won’t generate a lot of interest in most leagues, but in deeper leagues, Pettersson could be worthy of consideration.

Tyler Myers

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	5	17	22	0.30

A towering presence on the Canucks’ blueline, standing 6-foot-8, Myers has found a more suitable role at this stage of his career. For so long, he was maligned for not being the standout performer that he was early in his career, when he won the Calder Trophy as a rookie and received Norris Trophy votes in his first two seasons. Myers went through some difficult seasons, and his years in Vancouver are not without their own flaws, but in a secondary role, of course his performance is not going to match what is happening on the top pair with Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek. Myers’ ice time decreased in 2023-2024, going under 20 minutes per game for the first time in his career, but he averaged 20:48 per game last season and while his Corsi was 47.3 percent, Myers’ expected goals percentage was 50.2 percent and the Canucks were outscored 51-50 with Myers on the ice, so he was certainly in the neighbourhood of breaking even during five-on-five play. This is all to say that Myers should be relatively secure in his role on the Vancouver blueline. He can still skate well, especially for his size, and he does contribute offensively as well as with hits and blocked shots. He has put up at least 125 blocked shots in four straight seasons and has topped 100 hits three times and is typically over a hit per game. In 2025-2026, Myers should be expected to chip in 20-25 points with 130 blocked shots. Again, it’s not going to garner widespread fantasy appeal, but might have some potential in deeper formats.

Goal

Thatcher Demko

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
58	28	17	7	3	.908	2.62

The Vancouver Canucks had finally managed to reach the postseason with an elite caliber goaltender in 2024 when disaster struck, and a knee injury suffered by Vezina caliber starter, Thatcher Demko, ended the team's playoff hopes along with nearly his entire following season. Demko didn't play an NHL game until December 10th of last season, and constant minor injuries held him to just 23 games (and a fairly disappointing statistical scorecard overall) by the time the year was over. When he's healthy, he's a downright bargain for the Canucks - but the healthy qualifier has become one of the most difficult things to produce, year after year.

The story, ultimately, looks the same for the upcoming season as it did last year. If Demko can stay healthy - and get enough game play to return to his peak form - they have very little in the way of true competition in the Pacific Division to fight through. But if he can't stay healthy, they'll have to hope that Kevin Lankinen - signed to a hefty deal with suboptimal numbers and very little consistency in his game year over year - can produce one of his better seasons in Demko's stead. The Canucks have plenty of young talent developing throughout their system, but the lack of another clear NHL-ready option at the moment makes things a bit dire for Demko, Lankinen, and the team as a whole.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Team Preview

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 20:00:52 +0000

_{NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 02: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates after scoring a goal during a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils on April 2, 2024 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)}

Even though they only lost two of their last 10 games, the Penguins still finished with just 88 points (38-32-12), which left them three points behind the Washington Capitals for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins ranked 12th with 51.4 percent of shot attempts and 14th with 51.2 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play. Pittsburgh scored just 5.52 goals per 60 minutes on the power play which ranked 30th and was inconceivable given the talent that they had available. Sure, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson are getting older, but they have all had massive power play success in their careers, so to see it fall apart so completely was tough. The Penguins ranked ninth with 6.75 goals against per 60 minutes while shorthanded. Considering that the Penguins were that close to making the playoffs, the abysmal power play can take a lot of the blame for that result.

WHAT’S CHANGED? After one season in Pittsburgh, the Penguins dealt winger Reilly Smith to the Rangers and watched Jeff Carter skate into retirement. The Penguins traded for Kevin Hayes from St.Louis, and Cody Glass from Nashville, while Blake Lizotte from Los Angeles and Anthony Beauvillier from Nashville were signed as free agents. Defencemen Matt Grzelcyk, from Boston, and Sebastian Aho, from the Islanders, were also inked as free agents. This was not an offseason of dramatic change, like acquiring Erik Karlsson last year, so while the Penguins were making moves, they were more about depth additions than anything else.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? If the Penguins are going to pay Crosby, Malkin, Letang, and Karlsson big money, then they might as well reach the playoffs. They have fallen just short in back-to-back seasons after making the playoffs for 16 straight seasons. With Crosby continuing to play at a very high level, it is a waste for the Penguins to struggle either to be just good enough to get in or, worse, just good enough to finish outside the playoffs. If the Penguins are going to get over the hump, they will need production from the supporting cast – Michael Bunting, Anthony Beauvillier, Kevin Hayes, Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust – and they could use a big sea- son from Karlsson, who it seemed had a hard time adjusting to the Penguins in his first season with the team.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? There is certainly a world in which the Penguins embark on a proper rebuild and move out their veteran players, but if Crosby is not inclined to leave and the other veteran stars don’t want to go, the worst-case scenario is for the Penguins to do what they have done the past two seasons and just miss the playoffs. If they get in, then that is an accomplishment, but if they are not going to get into the playoffs, then they might as well be really bad, so that they have a chance to draft elite talent. The way it’s been going recently, the Penguins do not have enough prospect quality to pick up the pieces when their aging stars are finished.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: There are not a ton of young Penguins players that are in position to have break- out seasons, but Valtteri Puustinen showed some potential last season, contributing 20 points in 52 games. He has been productive in two-plus AHL seasons and in Finland before that, so in Pittsburgh it is going to be about the opportunity. If he finds a spot in the top six, along with some second unit power play time, Puustinen is capable of providing the secondary offense that the Penguins sorely need.

Forwards

Sidney Crosby

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	36	54	90	1.13

Sidney Crosby has never finished a season below a point-per-game average, and 2023-24 was no different. Seemingly immune to Father Time’s grasp, Crosby posted one more point than he did in 2022-23 while once again playing in all 82 games. When the Penguins struggled last season, it was Crosby who lifted the team up and stole points to keep their playoff hopes alive. Even with the loss of his star winger Jake Guentzel, Crosby continued to make the most of his minutes and dominated puck possession and expected goal metrics. His puck possession share was plus six percent relative to teammates and his expected goal share was plus six percent relative to teammates. While Crosby doesn’t have the same speed burst he did in his youth, his cerebral game has only gotten more threatening with time and he’s a master of controlling the pace of play and threading no-look, tape-to-tape passes between defenders. Crosby continually evolves his game to account for both opponent and his own age. Crosby was in the 100th percentile of even-strength shot-assists last season. The question for the upcoming year is how much the loss of Guentzel affects him long term and what kind of balance he strikes without him. Crosby regressed defensively last year, a result of the volatile Penguins backline and a bit of Crosby pressing to create offense as much as possible. There were long stretches of time in 2023-24 where Crosby was the Penguins entire offense.

Evgeni Malkin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	26	42	68	0.92

For the second year in a row, Evgeni Malkin also played in a full 82 games for the Penguins. The result was 27 goals and 40 assists and a 26-point reduction from his previous year’s total. Malkin’s speed and movement have declined due to multiple lower body injuries, but he proved he’s still a tour de force with his size and shooting ability. The biggest issue last year was a lack of line identity. He never gelled with Reilly Smith, and that partnership negatively affected both players. It wasn’t until the arrival of Michael Bunting at the trade deadline that Malkin found chemistry with a fellow linemate. The transient nature of his wingers and their poor play reduced his assist totals, and the putrid Penguins power-play further affected his point totals. If that Bunting partnership continues, Malkin should continue to reap the benefit of a linemate that can retrieve loose pucks and create space while driving the net. Despite the lack of power-play production, Malkin’s even-strength goal total was good for the 82nd percentile of NHL forwards. It was also Malkin’s best defensive season of the last five years. While he wasn’t among the league leaders defensively, great leaps were taken in his work in the defensive zone. Overall, expect Malkin to return to a higher points total if he can find some consistency with his linemates.

Bryan Rust

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
65	31	26	57	0.88

Injuries caused Rust to miss 20 games in the regular season, but he was a productive member of the team across both of the top lines when he was healthy and in the lineup. A jack of all trades forward, Rust can contribute in a variety of fashions. He was in the 96th percentile of NHL forwards in even-strength scoring chance generation and the 94th percentile for defensive zone exists with possession. Rust is at his best when he can dictate the first step in the offensive zone by carry-in. He drives to the net with effectiveness and has a quick shot that he can release from a variety of compromising situations. Rusts’ game is such that he can easily slide in with both Crosby or Malkin in the top six and can adapt to his center accordingly. That change-ability within his game makes him a vital asset to the Penguins top six forward group. His 28 goals last season were a career high. In the absence of Guentzel, Rust will be called upon again to continue his goal scoring prowess, as the Penguins look to replace the production of one of their best wingers. Keep an eye on Rust’s carry-in metrics, his best seasons usually come when he’s doing a lot of carrying the mail himself. Expect Mike Sullivan to continue to deploy him in a variety of lines and fashions. He has been a consistent scorer and at almost a point a game last season, similar results should be achievable with opportunity on the first line and power play.

Michael Bunting

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	24	35	59	0.72

Michael Bunting was the prime centerpiece of the trade that sent Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. This ultimately resurrected Bunting’s season, as he was not a great systematic mix with the high-flying Hurricanes offense. Bunting’s style, more predicated on a north-south forechecking game, meshed extremely well with Mike Sullivan’s system. Moreover, Bunting found instant chemistry with Evgeni Malkin and the two of them found immediate and sustained success after the trade. The expectation is that this new partnership will continue directly into next season, setting Bunting up to get back over the 20-goal plateau. Bunting is a space creator; he was in the 87th percentile of NHL forwards regarding his forecheck involvement. He ended his first run with the Penguins with 19 points in 21 games. Where Bunting struggled to establish himself in rush opportunities with the Hurricanes, he seemed to thrive in the slower-pace overload system of the Penguins, which enabled him to be active in front of the net and in the battle areas of the boards. He also outshot his traditional pace during his short time in Pittsburgh. While the Guentzel loss was hard for Penguins fans to swallow, there is some hope gained from Bunting’s presence and immediate chemistry with Malkin. With new assistant coach David Quinn set to run the power-play for Pittsburgh, it will be interesting to see if Bunting has a role on the top unit as a net-front presence. He could threaten his career best totals in this environment.

Drew O’Connor

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	24	20	44	0.54

Last year was Drew O’Connor’s first full year as an NHL winger and he set high water marks in goals (16) and assists (17). The expectation for this year is that O’Connor will have an opportunity within the Penguins top six forward group, likely alongside Sidney Crosby, to fill the absence of Jake Guentzel. Newly acquired prospect Rutger McGroarty may provide some competition but O’Connor should own the inside track. He showcased some developing skill with the puck last year in addition to a stronger speed burst that enabled him to find new scoring opportunities. O’Connor’s skating speed, tracked via NHL biometric data, put him in the 94th percentile of NHL forwards. Overall, O’Connor has an unassuming offensive skill set without any one truly standout area. He’s a presence in the battle areas of the ice, a willing participant defensively, and he was in the 88th percentile of NHL forwards regarding forecheck involvement. The ask on O’Connor offensively will be much greater than 16 goals if he is affixed to Crosby’s wing. The majority of the early portion of the season saw O’Connor floating between the second and third lines without much consistency in his role. Continuing to develop a quick-thinking approach to offense and quick reaction time will be paramount to finding success on the top line. A competent penalty-killer, O’Connor played an aggressive, physical approach on the penalty-kill that saw him garner a good amount of shorthanded scoring chances.

Rickard Rakell

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	19	24	43	0.55

The Pittsburgh Penguins struggled to find consistent goal scoring throughout their lineup last year, and Rickard Rakell was a big reason why. Spending time almost exclusively between the top two lines over a 70-game span only netted Rakell 15 goals and 37 points, well below expectation given his quality of teammates and environment. Traditionally speaking, if Rakell isn’t scoring, you can rely on him to produce a high number of supporting play peripherals that usually speak to his off-puck value. This year, those also regressed, and his forechecking, puck retrievals, and shot-assists were all in the middle-third of NHL forwards from a percentile perspective. Like Malkin, Rakell’s best work seemed to come post-deadline upon the addition of Michael Bunting. It stands to reason that we might see the same debut for the Penguins second line this year, putting Rakell in less of a position to have to manage retrievals and forechecking and focus on scoring more goals. Rakell finished 2023-24 ninth among Penguin forwards in expected-goal generation, a testament to how cold he was through the first several months of the year. If Rakell is going to be a permanent fixture within the Penguins top six, more offensive output regarding shots, chances and shot-supporting assists will be a requirement. Ideally, Rakell can get back to finding some open space and use his effective wrist shot to put chances on net. Be careful drafting for a big comeback. In the last four seasons, his 60 points in 2022-23 was the outlier and a 15 goal, 40–45-point effort may be more in line with recent seasons.

Valtteri Puustinen

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	18	24	42	0.54

Puustinen graduated to the NHL this season, making the leap after two full years of AHL service. Puustinen, a shifty winger with an electric wrist shot, finished his rookie campaign with five goals and 15 assists in 50 games played. Primarily playing on the third line along defensive specialists, Puustinen was one of the only pure shooting threats in the Penguins bottom-six forward group. After some time bouncing back and forth between the third and fourth lines, Puustinen received a promotion and played some impactful minutes alongside Evgeni Malkin, where he seemed to develop some spark from time to time. Although the sample size was limited to 50 games, Puustinen ended the year with the 4th best expected-goals for share of any forward on the roster. Additionally, the Penguins defensive returns were 14% better with Puustinen on the ice as they were with him off the ice. Some of that can certainly be attributed to the defensive nature of some of his linemates, but on an individual level, Puustinen showcased the desire to be involved defensively, while simultaneously not giving up his penchant for wanting to carry the puck into the zone and shoot off the rush. He ended up in the eighth percentile of NHL forwards with regards to his finishing, highlighted by a shooting percentage of 5.6 percent after firing regularly above 10 percent in Wilkes-Barre. It is reasonable to expect that he sees that total increase next year given the volatility of his shot and his offensive toolbox. The question will be where he fits in the line-up with the veteran offseason acquisitions of Kevin Hayes, Anthony Beauvillier and Blake Lizzotte to fill out the lower half of the forward units.

Kevin Hayes

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	18	24	42	0.58

Hayes arrived in Pittsburgh via trade from St. Louis in the offseason that brought the veteran center back to the familiar landscape of the Metropolitan division. Hayes spent one year in St. Louis, and it was one that saw him struggle to find a defined role within the forward group. Hayes’ struggles were so extensive that he was moved off of the center position, a home here he had a team best 57 percent win percentage, to have a test run of time on the wing in an attempt to find him a fit for him. He enters Mike Sullivan’s system as the presumptive third line center, a position the Penguins have struggled to find a caretaker for since the departure of Nick Bonino. Hayes’ struggles can be summed up in a variety of ways, but most notably his 29 points in 79 games is his lowest output since his rookie season of 2014-15. Hayes is still an adequate passer and although his totals were reduced last season as he struggled in St. Louis, he is usually in the upper half of the league regarding in-zone shot assists. He’s still an adequate defensive player as evidenced by his even-strength defensive wins above replacement being in the 75th percentile of league forwards. Overall, it will be intriguing to see how Hayes slots in with the Penguins and how his style meshes with Sullivan’s desire to play up-tempo, high-forechecking hockey.

Anthony Beauvillier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	9	16	25	0.33

Beauvillier is hoping to keep an unpacked suitcase in 2024-25. In 2023-24, he appeared for Vancouver, Chicago, and Nashville. As a result, he struggled to find an identity after bouncing around from team to team. Requirements and systems changed rapidly, and it ultimately affected the results. Beauvillier played 60 games across three teams and ended the year with five goals and 12 assists. While the end results were not pleasant, the process behind them was actually quite sound. Beauvillier finished the season in the 90th-plus percentile in even-strength shot rates, rush shot rates, shots from high-danger passes. His finishing totals, however, put him in the second percentile of NHL forwards. Through his journey, he played at all three forward positions, including center, a versatility that will certainly come in handy for the Penguins. Ultimately, Beauvillier’s up-tempo game and despite to be involved in the forecheck (83rd percentile last year) should slot nicely into the Penguins overall structure. The question is whether or not last year’s shooting percentage was an aberration or not. The Penguins bottom-six forward group has struggled to find an identity and reliable presence to press the play offensively. Beauvillier certainly has the skill set to fill that role if he can re-center his game and find some long-term chemistry in Pittsburgh.

DEFENCE

Erik Karlsson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	18	56	74	0.90

It’s difficult to call Erik Karlsson’s first season in Pittsburgh a disappointment. He finished in the 100th percentile among NHL defensemen in even-strength scoring chance assists and shot contributions and was in the 99th percentile for defensemen in rush shot opportunities. That aside, his point total went from 101 in his final season with the Sharks to 56 in his first season with the Penguins. That drastic reduction hit fairly hard given the lofty expectations set for him. The Penguins offense generated expected-goals at a rate that was 26 percent higher when Karlsson was on the ice versus when he was not, a testament to his impact in carrying the puck up ice and contributing to shot totals. However, the Penguins were mostly a mess defensively and Karlsson was a contributor to that in his own way. The Penguins power-play was inexcusably bad all season long, ultimately dampening Karlsson’s point totals. With a new mind behind the helm of the man-advantage in David Quinn, the hope is that the Penguins power-play at least returns to a league average function, giving Karlsson the opportunity to expand his point totals. While not the quarterback of the top unit, the Penguins have made Karlsson the focal point of the zone entry process with the man-advantage. Overall, expect more of Karlsson controlling the rush and pressing the play up ice. The hope is the Penguins can provide him with a more stable environment moving forward and a rebound in points to among the league leaders. 100 points is not realistic but can push 70 or more if the power play shows signs of life.

Kris Letang

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	8	39	47	0.57

Kris Letang played in all 82 games for the Penguins for the first time in a long time, despite his age and wear and tear. He finished with the highest even-strength point rate of any defenseman on the team, but also regressed significantly on the defensive side. From a defensive Wins Above Replacement perspective, Letang was five percent worse in 2023-24 than he was in the previous year. One element here worth mentioning is that the Letang and Ryan Graves pairing held some disastrous results and seemed like an oil-and-water mixture from the beginning of the year. This caused a bit of shuffling between Graves and Marcus Pettersson to find the right balance in the Penguins top two pairings, but that never came, and the environment remained fairly volatile for the Penguins netminders. Letang’s peripheral statistics in terms of supporting the play are still very strong, albeit a notch down from what his peak was several years ago. He was in the 90th percentile among NHL defensemen in defensive zone exits and had one of his strongest seasons ever in defensive zone puck retrieval success rate, where he landed in the 97th percentile among defensemen. Letang was also hampered by the lack of a functional power-play. Overall, the hope is that Letang can maintain his offensive numbers while cutting down on some of the turnovers and defensive miscues.

Marcus Pettersson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	2	21	23	0.31

Pettersson has become “Mr. Reliable” for the Penguins defensive unit. An unassuming figure on the blueline, Pettersson handles most of the cleanup from having a mobile, offense-first partner on the backend alongside him. His Wins Above Replacement totals from an even-strength perspective put him in the 80th percentile of NHL defenders. Pettersson faced more volatile situations last year than any in his career, ultimately being repeatedly tested on zone entries with the help of only a forward alongside him, if that. The result knocked him back a tier defensively and saw his usually strong metrics around zone entry denials drop to the 42nd percentile of NHL defensemen. The Penguins limited expected-goals with Pettersson on the ice only two percent better than when he was off the ice, another reduction in his year over year value defensively. Despite these drops, Pettersson’s best attribute remains his strong gap control, penchant for making safe, sound plays with the puck, and being able to take a hit and make a play. The hope is that the Penguins have a much cleaner approach defensively that makes Pettersson’s life a bit easier as a result. As he enters the final year of a five-year contract, it’s fair to wonder if his name doesn’t appear in several trade conversations as Kyle Dubas looks to pivot the team mid-flight. The nature of Pettersson’s defense-first approach while still showing competency with the puck on his stick is the definition of a modern-day shutdown defenseman that will certainly be a commodity on the trade block.

Ryan Graves

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	3	13	16	0.22

There’s no question Ryan Graves’ first year in Pittsburgh was nothing short of a disappointment. He came to the Penguins with a six-year contract commitment, with an AAV of $4.5 million a season. Graves results did not deliver close to that value. His strength is carrying the puck up ice, activating offensively, and contributing to shot totals. The inherent problem in that is he’s now being paired with one of Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang, and both of those defensemen are likely headed to the Hall of Fame for their notorious puck handling abilities. The space to create simply wasn’t there and Graves, never known for his physicality or defensive prowess, was suddenly asked to employ both. He could not find that balance successfully and his ice time dwindled considerably as the year went on. Graves even-strength defensive metrics put him in the 31st percentile of NHL defenders, a far cry from where the Penguins need him operating given his presence within their top four defense corps. Graves was in the 10th percentile of NHL defensemen regarding his ability to exit the zone with possession, showing that even his bread-and-butter proved to be a problem. General Manager Kyle Dubas was very direct in calling out Graves at the end of the year, it will be interesting to see how he responds.

GOAL

Tristan Jarry

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
49	23	21	5	3	0.906	2.82

If the 2023-24 Pittsburgh Penguins were the picture of mediocrity, starter Tristan Jarry was the face of the franchise. That’s not necessarily a knock on the veteran starter, who held down the fort during a season of lackluster play from an aging roster in front of him. But in a division of teams littered with inconsistency, Jarry was just good enough to keep his team in the conversation - and not quite stellar enough to push them that extra little inch into the postseason.

That’s not necessarily his fault, but he’ll likely spend the next few years watching his leash grow increasingly shorter. Prospect Joel Blomqvist of Finland had a stellar breakout year in North America and seems poised to hit the NHL within the next season or two. That leaves very little room for error for Jarry or his tandem partner, Alex Nedeljkovic. Both goaltenders were fine last year, but any regression could open the door for Blomqvist to get his first extended taste of NHL action - and with a handful of other quality goaltending prospects waiting in the wings in Pittsburgh, every game is an audition for everyone in the blue paint.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Joey Daccord stakes his claim to the crease in Seattle, Brock Faber eats minutes in Minnesota, Jack Quinn brings scoring touch to Buffalo, Juraj Slafkovsky is making progress in Montreal, and much, much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 18:39:38 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 30: Juraj Slafkovsky (20) of the Montreal Canadiens skates during the third period of the NHL game between the Florida Panthers and the Montreal Canadiens on November 30 2023, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, Joey Daccord stakes his claim to the crease in Seattle, Brock Faber eats minutes in Minnesota, Jack Quinn brings scoring touch to Buffalo, Juraj Slafkovsky is making progress in Montreal, and much, much more!

#1 One of the stories that has been consistent with the Seattle Kraken in their three seasons of existence is that they have not been able to find an answer in goal. They spent big money to bring in Philipp Grubauer as a free agent and he has not performed nearly as well as he did in previous stops with Colorado and Washington. However, with Grubauer injured, the door has opened for 27-year-old Joey Daccord, who had started 15 NHL games prior to this season. In his past seven starts, Daccord has a 4-1-2 record and a scintillating .944 save percentage. If he keeps playing like this, Daccord will remain Seattle’s starter even if the other goaltenders are healthy. Chris Driedger has been recalled from Coachella Valley in the AHL and he stopped 37 of 38 shots to earn a win in Calgary on Wednesday, and the 29-year-old appears to be healthy and ready for NHL duty after missing all of last season.

#2 Minnesota Wild rookie defenceman Brock Faber stepped up his game in a big way this month, especially when the Wild have been missing veterans Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon due to injury. In a dozen December games, Faber produced eight points (1 G, 7 A) while averaging 27:30 of ice time per game. That average time on ice was the highest in the league for the month of December.

#3 Recovered from a torn Achilles suffered in the offseason, Buffalo Sabres right winger Jack Quinn has buried a pair of goals on 10 shots through his first four games of the season. Quinn is a skilled young forward working on a line with Dylan Cozens and J.J. Peterka, a couple more skilled young forwards. It’s interesting to note that Quinn averaged 13:51 of ice time as a rookie last season and has averaged 16:34 per game in his first four games this season – the Sabres obviously have room for Quinn to play a prominent role.

#4 The first overall pick in the 2022 Draft, Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky has not been overly impressive early in his career, but it should not be ignored that he is still just 19 years old. In any case, he is starting to show promising signs as he skates on Montreal’s top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. In his past five games, Slafkovsky has produced five points (2 G, 3 A) and he has played more than 20 minutes in three of his past six games. It’s kind of like the Habs are letting him sink or swim with this opportunity and, thus far, Slafkovsky is at least treading water.

#5 Acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings in the offseason, Arizona Coyotes defenceman Sean Durzi returned just before Christmas from a lower-body injury suffered a few weeks earlier. In his first three games back, Durzi has compiled seven points (1 G, 6 A) with eight shots on goal. He is up to 20 points (6 G, 14 A) in 28 games and his 0.71 points per game ranks 21^st among defencemen this season. He has shown the ability to provide offence from the blueline and that is securing his value for fantasy managers.

#6 An early-season injury sidelined Anaheim Ducks defenceman Jamie Drysdale for more than two months, but he has returned and the smooth skating blueliner is worth keeping an eye on. Not only does Drysdale have three points (1 G, 2 A) in five games this season, but he has been inserted as the quarterback on Anaheim’s top power play unit and is averaging more than 21 minutes of ice time per game. Opportunity alone makes Drysdale worth a potential pick up.

#7 Veteran right winger Blake Wheeler got off to a miserable start with the New York Rangers, going 10 games without a point to start his career on Broadway, but the 36-year-old has adjusted. Despite averaging just 12:30 of ice time per game in his past seven contests, Wheeler has still produced eight points (3 G, 5 A) and has found himself back on the top line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. The best days are behind Wheeler, but his sudden resurgence and playing situation do give him potential value.

#8 It seems like the Columbus Blue Jackets lineup is chock full of players auditioning for bigger roles in the future. One of those players that is making the most of his opportunities is Yegor Chinakhov, the 22-year-old winger, who was something of a surprise first-round pick in 2020. In his past eight games, Chinakhov is averaging more than 18 minutes of ice time per game and has tallied 11 points (7 G, 4 A) in the process. He is currently part of a Russian trio in Columbus, skating on a line with Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko.

#9 Calgary Flames winger Blake Coleman has a reputation for his high energy and consistent effort, but his reliable production is making an impact this season, too. In his past 10 games, Coleman has put up 11 points (6 G, 5 A) while launching 28 shots on goal. Coleman’s 12 goals on the season puts him in the team lead, one ahead of Yegor Sharangovich. On one hand, it’s great that Coleman is scoring enough to lead the Flames. On the other, it does not speak well of Calgary’s skilled forwards, who are not finding the net as often as Coleman.

#10 There have been several occasions in recent seasons in which it would have been easy to write off veteran winger Marcus Johansson, deciding that he is finished as a productive scoring winger in the NHL. Of course, that would be wrong, because the 33-year-old Minnesota Wild forward has contributed nine points (3 G, 6 A) in his past nine games. With Mats Zuccarello out, Johansson has a spot in Minnesota’s top six as well as on the top power play unit and that makes him appealing, at least in the short term.

#11 It has not been the smoothest transition to Colorado for winger Jonathan Drouin, but the outlook is getting better for the 28-year-old forward who has produced seven points (2 G, 5 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past seven games. In his previous 26 games, Drouin had eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 33 shots on goal, so this is the best run of production he has offered since joining the Avalanche in the summer. He is such a pass-first player that it can turn his game one dimensional, but his recent surge does come with more shots and perhaps that makes his production more sustainable.

#12 There has never been any question that Washington Capitals winger Anthony Mantha has the skill to be a productive NHL player. There have been questions about his desire, work ethic, and discipline, and it looked like he was fading out of the Capitals lineup early in the season when he had four points (3 G, 1 A) in his first 14 games. In 14 games since then, however, Mantha has 12 points (8 G, 4 A) with 32 shots on goal, while averaging less than 14 minutes of ice time per game. This version of Mantha is very appealing, both for the Capitals and fantasy managers.

#13 When the Boston Bruins signed centre Morgan Geekie as a free agent in the summer, they could not have realistically expected that the 25-year-old pivot would be skating on their first line before the calendar turned to 2024, but that is indeed the case. In his past eight games, Geekie has produced seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 21 shots on goal. He has Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak on his wings right now, and that’s a good enough situation to consider Geekie for short-term fantasy value at the very least.

#14 In his first four starts since returning from a broken finger, Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom has a .938 save percentage. He had stumbled to a .896 save percentage in his first 16 games of the season, so this recent development could be a potential difference maker for the Flames. At his best, Markstrom can be one of the top goaltenders in the league. Unfortunately, he can also linger in the below average tier as well when things are not going his way.

#15 With Joseph Woll injured and Ilya Samsonov practically unplayable while he searches for his confidence, it looks like Martin Jones has an opportunity to run with the starting goaltender job in Toronto. Jones has a .914 save percentage in seven appearances for the Maple Leafs and while his consistency tends to vary, the likelihood that he could start most of the games until Woll returns does give Jones more value than might have been expected for fantasy managers.

#16 Washington Capitals left winger Max Pacioretty is nearing his return from another torn Achilles, suffered last season after he scored three goals in just five games for the Carolina Hurricanes. Pacioretty is 35 and has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons, but he can put the puck in the net. Since 2019-2020, he has scored 78 goals in 163 games. His 0.48 goals per game ranks 14^th among players that have played at least 50 games in that span. It’s the same rate of goals per game as Nikita Kucherov, Sebastian Aho, and Jake Guentzel, so Pacioretty has been keeping company with some very skilled finishers.

#17 Coming into the season, it looked like there would be a bunch of scoring options on the Arizona blueline, including Sean Durzi. Surprisingly, the third-highest scoring defenceman on the team thus far has been Michael Kesselring, who started the season in the AHL and had one assist in his first five games after being promoted. Since then, Kesselring has eight points (4 G, 4 A) in 13 games, which is better than a 50-point pace over 82 games and he has not recorded any points on the power play. Kesselring will not keep scoring on 19.0% of his shots, but he is pushing for a bigger role on the Arizona blueline. The 6-foot-4 blueliner was acquired in a trade last season for Nick Bjugstad and dynasty owners should have keen interest in how Kesselring develops and if he can continue to be an offensive contributor.

#18 Just when it looked like Kris Letang might be fading into the background in Pittsburgh, lost behind Erik Karlsson on the Penguins’ blueline, Letang has produced nine points (1 G, 8 A) in his past two games. He had 14 points (2 G, 12 A) in 31 games before this eruption. He’s not the only sudden source of offence in Pittsburgh. Marcus Pettersson, whose career high is 25 points in a season, has recorded eight assists in his past four games. Obviously, Letang is the more appealing Penguins defender because of his track record, but Pettersson is the one more widely available, so he does offer some value, especially in leagues that count hits and blocked shots, because those are staples of Pettersson’s game.

#19 The Bruins have called up prospect Georgii Merkulov, a 23-year-old who played one season at Ohio State and had 60 points (25 G, 35 A) in 75 AHL games entering this season. He has been on a tear recently, however, putting up 16 points (9 G, 7 A) in his past nine games with the Providence Bruins, so it’s no surprise that he has been promoted to the big club. He has just been called up, so his role is unknown at this point, but if you’re a fantasy manager looking to take a flier in a deep league, a player who is shredding the AHL is worth your consideration.

#20 With the 2023 calendar year winding down, here is a look at some of the leaders. The league’s leading point producer in 2023 has been Nathan MacKinnon, who has 133 points (53 G, 80 A) in 82 games, ahead of Connor McDavid, who has 126 points (44 G, 82 A) in 74 games. There are six more players that have produced 100 points in 2023: Nikita Kucherov (118), David Pastrnak (108), Leon Draisaitl (107), Mikko Rantanen (104), Elias Pettersson (101), and J.T. Miller (100). With very little time left in the year, there is still a chance for Jack Hughes, who has 98 points (37 G, 61 A) in 70 games and Artemi Panarin, who has 97 points (39 G, 58 A) in 78 games. Brayden Point has 96 points (46 G, 50 A) in 83 games. Among those top scorers in the 2023 calendar year, there are also players who produce at a similar per-game level but have missed time with injuries. The most notable is Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar, who has 73 points (16 G, 57 A) in 55 games. His 1.33 points per game ranks seventh, putting him between Pastrnak and Rantanen. Other top per-game point producers that were not included among the 100-point club in 2023: Auston Matthews (1.25), Mitch Marner (1.24), Tim Stutzle (1.21), and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (1.20).

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 20:41:10 +0000

Review: For the first time, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin played a full 82 games in the same year and the Penguins’ other star forward, Jake Guentzel, appeared in 78 contests. You’d think that’d be a recipe for success, but instead Pittsburgh finished with a 40-31-11 record, narrowly missing the playoffs for the first time since 2006. The supporting cast just wasn’t good enough. Other than their main three forwards and Rickard Rakell, who had 28 goals and 60 points, no member of the Penguins reached the 50-point milestone, resulting in the squad finishing 16th in goals per game (3.18). Pittsburgh likely would have still squeaked into the postseason had Tristan Jarry enjoyed a repeat of his 2021-22 success, but after recording a 2.42 GAA and .919 save percentage in 58 contests during that campaign, he dropped to a 2.90 GAA and a .909 save percentage in 47 starts in 2022-23. Pittsburgh also lacked an appealing alternative as Casey DeSmith posted a 3.17 GAA and .905 save percentage in 38 contests. The Penguins consequently wasted a season at a time when they’re running out of opportunities to make a Stanley Cup run in the Crosby/Malkin/Letang era.

What’s Changed? Pittsburgh made a huge splash by acquiring Erik Karlsson in exchange primarily for draft picks, though the Penguins also moved Mikael Granlund, Jeff Petry and DeSmith in the process for cap purposes. Outside of that, Pittsburgh signed Alex Nedeljkovic to serve as their new backup goaltender and lured free agent defenseman Ryan Graves with a six-year, $27 million deal.

What would success look like? Getting back to the playoffs will likely involve a strong year out of Karlsson. Expecting him to get 25 goals and 101 points like he did with the Sharks in 2022-23 is overly optimistic, but a 60–70-point showing is obtainable. Between Karlsson and Letang, the Penguins should also be able to deploy two strong power-play units after finishing in the middle of the pack with a 21.7% power-play conversion rate last year. Combine that with even a modest rebound from Jarry and the Penguins would have the makings of a strong team.

What could go wrong? That’s provided that Karlsson stays healthy, which is far from certain given his lengthy injury history. Then of course there’s the fact that Crosby and Letang are 36 while Malkin is 37. How much longer can that trio really lead the charge in Pittsburgh? On top of that, Malkin being healthy has been a rarity, so even if he remains effective, expecting anything close to a repeat of his 2022-23 82-game showing would be surprising. Any significant injury to Crosby or Malkin might also push Jeff Carter into a second-line role, which is not a job the 38-year-old is still suited for based on his 29-point showing last season.

Top Breakout Candidate: With the Penguins going all-in on the present, they lack significant breakout candidates. That said, if the Penguins run into injury troubles, which is certainly plausible given the team’s age, Samuel Poulin will be one to watch as a forward who might step in and turn heads, though after missing most of 2022-23 to focus on his mental health, he’s expected to start the campaign in the AHL.

Forwards

Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby showed little sign of slowing as he finished his 18^th season, every one of which has come above a point per game. Crosby still possesses the vision and playmaking of an elite puck distributor. His 1.6 assist per hour of even-strength hockey was tops on the Penguins. Per All Three Zones, he was in the 99^th percentile of NHL forwards with regards to high-danger passes and in-zone shot assists. While his defense took a step back from what we’ve become accustomed to, the Penguins found themselves in a lot of situations that required shootout-style approaches to the game. While the Penguins power-play had periods of frustration, Crosby is ultimately still the straw that stirs the drink on the man-advantage. Crosby still elevates every linemate he plays with based on his ability to draw attention to himself and dish no-look, last minute passes to the tape of his teammates. Crosby exhibited the same ability to hound and steal the puck as he has throughout his career last season. Expect more of the same this season and at least one more sensational moment that comes via a ridiculous backhand goal.

Evgeni Malkin

Repeated lower-body injuries may have robbed Evgeni Malkin of some of his explosive gallop through the neutral zone, but they haven’t stopped him from being one of the most consistent offensive threats in the league. In 2021-22, Malkin played in every single game and went over a point per game for the season. Like his counterpart in Crosby, most of Malkin’s game has been immune to Father Time. Last year was different for Malkin in that he shot less and passed more. Per the All Three Zones project, Malkin was in the 97^th percentile of NHL forwards for primary shot assists and only in the 64^th percentile for individual shot rates. Malkin’s defensive performance last season was once again not his strongest point, but it was more in line with team average than in prior years. Overall, Malkin still has the desire to take a game over. He is relentless in attack, difficult to move off the puck, and willing to take risks to elevate the play of himself and his teammates. If his increase in passing the puck holds through this year, he could achieve 800 career assists. Overall, Malkin will be the central focus of the second line and may get the boost of playing with Erik Karlsson on the blueline this season.

Jake Guentzel

The son of a great coach, Guentzel is coming off another year where he consistently exhibited a high hockey IQ and stayed a step ahead of most of his peers in terms of his offensive approach. Guentzel is a rare combination of elite playmaker and finisher as evidenced by his results in the All Three Zones project. Guentzel was in the 98^th percentile for in-zone shot rates and in the 91^st percentile for in-zone shot assists at even-strength. He is difficult to mark in tight spaces and uses open spaces to his advantage. The Penguins power-play has an expected-goal generation rate that is 2.63 goals per higher when Guentzel is on the ice versus when he is not. His defensive impacts have been notoriously low and bottomed out last year, but are offset by the number of chances, shots, and opportunities he creates at the other end of the ice. The Penguins routinely control the flow of the play and dominate possession when Guentzel makes an appearance. An offseason injury forced him to undergo surgery on his ankle that will cause him to miss at least a portion of the Penguins first few weeks. Overall, the Penguins will be looking at him to generate scoring chances across his entire line when he returns to the lineup.

Rickard Rakell

Rakell’s first full season with the Penguins saw him float around the top six but primarily find a home affixed to the side of Sidney Crosby. Rakell spent a lot of time in battle areas of the ice creating space for his linemates. He also garnered a lot of second and third opportunities and assisted greatly with increasing the shot volume of his line. Per the All Three Zones project, he was in the 97^th percentile of NHL forwards with regard to his impact on in-zone shots. His 28 goals last season were the most he’s scored since the 2017-18 season. He found himself as a regular on the Penguins top power-play unit, especially as a viable net-front option. While no slouch defensively, this hasn’t been his hallmark and he has not killed penalties so far for head coach Mike Sullivan. He has the utility to be able to play alongside either of the top two center options in Pittsburgh due to his straightforward approach and ability to get to the difficult areas. The expectation is that he’ll be back on the top line alongside Crosby again this season, serving in a role that can both grind pucks out and forecheck effectively.

Bryan Rust

Bryan Rust’s 2021-22 season was one that saw him struggle in a variety of offensive buckets. Certainly, his finishing ability was a part of that, but he also suffered a regression in other areas of puck support ability. Rusts’ best seasons have come when he’s carrying the puck and generating opportunities off of the rush, an area where he took a step back again last season. His rush offense put him in the 46^th percentile of NHL forwards per the All Three Zones project. All of these regressions saw Rust score almost a half a point per game less than the previous season and his lowest goal total since 2018-19. The good news is that he’ll have another crack inside the top six for Pittsburgh this season and potentially some power-play time as well. Rust being in the top six means he’ll also get one of Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang to aid him offensively, a duo that will certainly help Rust out from an opportunity perspective. He has strong shot totals to build off of and will have a new landscape of linemates as well.

Reilly Smith

Reilly Smith makes his way to Pittsburgh via a trade with Las Vegas that was the first official move of the new general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins Kyle Dubas. Smith was remarkably consistent from start to finish last season, netting 26 goals and 56 points in 78 games and following that up with 14 points in 22 playoff games. Smith’s biggest strengths last season were driving to high danger scoring areas and supporting the play via transition both out of the defensive zone and into the offensive zone. Smith is extremely comfortable with the puck on his stick, makes sound decisions with it in transition, and should have no issue playing anywhere within Pittsburgh’s top-six forward group as a result. Early expectations are that he will make his debut flanking Evgeni Malkin, giving him a world class center to feed pucks towards in transition. Smith played on the power-play and penalty kill last season and was effective in both roles, but truly made his way on the penalty kill side, where his presence resulted in the Golden Knights having an expected goals against rate that was over one whole goal less with him on the ice. Smith will certainly get a lot of minutes in the Pittsburgh top six with a lot of talent surrounding him, His simple, north-to-south approach should be a fine addition to that group.

Lars Eller

Lars Eller is another fresh face in the Pittsburgh bottom-six as a part of Kyle Dubas’ reclamation project for that portion of his roster. Eller’s offensive skills have taken a hit as he’s aged, but his defensive impacts are still strong, and the Penguins will be hoping he can help patch up what was an otherwise porous bottom-six forward group. The data from the All Three Zones project paints Eller as a player that still maintains an above-average ability to distribute the puck and I believe we see that on video as well. Eller’s In Zone Shot Assists and High-Danger Shot Assists were both in the 73^rd percentile of NHL forwards. An injury-shortened season two years ago saw his defensive impacts bottom out, but outside of that anomaly, he’s been reliably consistent in his ability to keep the opposition in check. Eller had the second highest rate of shots off of the forecheck and cycle at even-strength. He also boasted strong numbers in the bucket of assisting his defense with exiting the defensive zone, a testament to the attention he pays to that side of the ice. The Penguins won’t be asking him for any miracles as much as they need steady, consistent play that doesn’t end up in the defensive zone for the majority of the time.

Noel Accari

Noel Acciari has been acquired again by Kyle Dubas, this time with the Pittsburgh Penguins on a new three-year contract that will pay him an average of two million dollars per year. Acciari does all of the things well that you’d come to expect from a bottom-six forward. He plays with energy, hits a lot, blocks a lot of shots, and other momentum stealing skillsets. Acciari will likely play a role on the penalty-kill in Pittsburgh as well, an area that needs a rebuild after inconsistent struggles last year and a lack of a sense of urgency. Acciari, like the other players Dubas’ has brought in for the bottom six, boasts strong defensive returns and keeps the puck out of the defensive zone altogether. He is more of a puck retriever than a puck carrier but doesn’t handle the puck in an uncomfortable fashion. His pace and north-to-south approach put him in positions to generate a lot of takeaways for his team. Expect Acciari to feature for Mike Sullivan as a true utility forward that can fill in gaps up and down the lineup without causing great drop off.

Matt Nieto

Matt Nieto arrives to Pittsburgh from free agency on a new two-year contract as a part of a re-built bottom-six forward group in that is one of the reasons the Penguins were on the outside looking in last year. Nieto spent time mixed between San Jose and Colorado, but in both locations, he was a strong defensive forward and took great care of the puck. Nieto plays strong in wall battles and comes away with pucks that elongate possession. His defensive impacts were good for the 91^st percentile of NHL forwards and that is felt even more on the penalty kill where he reduced Colorado’s expected goal against rates by over two goals per hour upon arriving there. Nieto is a 200-foot player that should provide a huge boost to a Penguins bottom-six that needed to be deployed in a careful and particular fashion last year. From a possession and expected goals perspective, Nieto had an uncharacteristically rough go from the perspective of controlling the play. As a member of the Sharks, he had the fourth highest rate of shots off of the forecheck and cycle per the All Three Zones project. Pittsburgh will be hoping he can replicate those results and continue his defensive impacts in their bottom six for the upcoming season.

Defense

Erik Karlsson

Erik Karlsson is coming off of a Norris Trophy winning season that produced offensive results the likes of which we have not seen in some time. He crossed the 100-point threshold in remarkable fashion and exhibited a high level of manipulation with the puck on his stick, devastating opposing skaters and goaltenders alike. In All Three Zones data, Karlsson found himself in the 100^th percentile for primary assists, scoring chance assists, neutral zone shot assists, shot contributions, and defensive finishing, all at even-strength. Karlsson’s defensive impacts are notoriously poor as he’s deployed and functions as more of a “fourth forward” than a defenseman. This isn’t to say that Karlsson is inept defensively. He’s just more unavailable defensively. He has recoverability and gap control to be effective, he’s just usually off pinching somewhere or attempting to kick-start breakouts. Karlsson’s deployment in Pittsburgh should differ drastically from his deployment in San Jose as he’ll be sharing minutes with Letang. This should lessen the burden on Karlsson and give him one of Crosby or Malkin to play with on the forward side, giving him another generational talent to work with there. A repeat of 100+ points may be a big ask, but Pittsburgh can certainly provide the environment for him to make an honest attempt at it.

Kris Letang

Kris Letang is coming off a tumultuous year health-wise that ultimately ended with him receiving a Masterson Trophy for his battle against another stroke and his return to the lineup in the face of those challenges. This year, Letang will once again be a leader of both the team and the defensive group, albeit with a lot of fresh and notorious faces surrounding him. Letang’s previous legacy partner in Brian Dumoulin has moved on as the magic between them had clearly expired. Letang is still an offensive-minded defenseman who supports the play offensively among the league’s best defensemen. This is evidenced by his offensive impacts falling in the 90^th percentile of NHL defensemen last season. On the flip side, Letang struggled defensively and his decision making around joining in on offense was not as sound as previous seasons. This year, he will have a new partner in one of Ryan Graves or Marcus Pettersson and that should afford him an ability to act more innately on his instincts. Letang’s role on the power-play is now a question mark with the arrival of Erik Karlsson. Overall, despite age making its impact on his results, Letang is still an above-average offensive talent that can bolster a power-play and is still elite at retrieving pucks successfully in his defensive zone.

Marcus Pettersson

Marcus Pettersson was a calming influence on the Penguins blueline last season and posted strong defensive returns that by and large flew under the radar. Pettersson’s competence defensively coupled with his ability to calmly and effectively handle and shoot the puck put his projected WAR value for the season in the 91^st percentile of NHL defensemen. That is top line quality results and impressive given Pettersson’s unassuming nature on the ice. A strong skater with sound understanding of the game, Pettersson uses a long reach and gap control to manage zone entries well. Per the All Three Zones project, his success rate on zone exits put him in the 70^th percentile among defensemen, a trait you do not usually see among defensive-minded players. Pettersson showcased a lot of ability in distributing the puck last season as he reached a career high of 28 assists. His even-strength primary assist rate was in the 98^th percentile of NHL defensemen. He led the Penguins in blocks and had the second lowest expected goals against rate on the team. The assumption is that Pettersson may draw the assignment to play with Erik Karlsson, which will certainly be a test of his ability to maintain the defensive blueline and keep strong on-ice results in his own end.

Ryan Graves

Ryan Graves arrives in Pittsburgh via free agency, the first of two big moves from Kyle Dubas to revamp his defensive unit. Graves is a steady, consistent performance that typically showcases his best results defensively, although last year that was a different story. Graves is not a physical defenseman by any means but can handle the puck and use his stick to break up chances effectively. He traditionally has a low number of hits and last season per the All Three Zones project he was the definition of league average regarding his ability to exit the defensive zone with possession and retrieve the puck successfully. Graves is an active shooter that routinely pinches deep to garner high-quality scoring chances. His puck distribution isn’t his strong suit, and he was in the 8^th percentile among defensemen with regard to his ability to set up scoring chances with passes. Graves will likely be tasked with playing alongside Kris Letang and while that will certainly come with an increase of quality of competition, it should also lower the burden on him offensively. Overall, expect Graves to participate in every zone, support transition well, and provide a safe presence to the top six of the Penguins defensive group.

Goaltender

Tristan Jarry

The Pittsburgh Penguins finally did it – during the 2022-23 season, the perennial playoff team fell out of contention and missed the postseason for the first time since 2006, with starter Tristan Jarry’s “good enough” performance not quite hitting that milestone for the first time since he took over as the team’s number one. He wasn’t actively bad, but the aging core Pittsburgh trotted out combined with some ill-timed injuries and some surprisingly strong performances in the Metro out of Long Island and New Jersey to push both Pennsylvania teams onto the golf course a little early this year.

Jarry does an effective job bouncing back every time he puts up a year of slightly underwhelming numbers, and he’s never truly dropped into actively bad territory – which is good news for Penguins fans who hope the team will be able to retool and return to contention this year. But curiously enough, Jarry will have to head out into the crease this year as the far more reliable option – because he has a reclamation project in Alex Nejedlkovic joining him as his new tandem partner following Casey DeSmith’s departure.

Projected starts: 55-60

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – NHL Player Profiles

Jesse Marshall – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 21:12:57 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 10: Pittsburgh Penguins Left Wing Jake Guentzel (59) skates during the third period of the NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 10, 2022 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby opted for surgery in September of 2021 in order to address a nagging wrist injury that had been bothering him over the course of several years. He did not make his season debut until October 30^th and went into the Covid-19 protocol immediately after, delaying his full return until mid-November. Having to play a bit of catchup with timing and conditioning post-surgery, Crosby scored just four goals through his first 18 games and was off to a bit of a slower start than usual. What followed was a tear of 27 goals in 53 games and a 1.35 points per game pace to end the season. Crosby has never finished a year below a point-per-game average, and it does not look like that’s going to change anytime soon. With the return of some of his familiar counterparts and a clean bill of health to his name, Crosby looks to get back to usual ways of \manipulating the pace of the game to create passing lanes that enable him to use his otherworldly vision and puck distribution abilities to his advantage. His connection with Jake Guentzel continues to evolve into a dynamic offensive partnership that enhances the work of both players regardless of the third wheel. While his game has evolved over time, Crosby is as lethal with the puck on his stuck as he has ever been. Head coach Mike Sullivan will continue to lean on the Crosby unit for his most difficult matchups and he aims to continue to be the main distributor of the top power-play unit. Crosby’s work in the boards and net front area with his low center of gravity and puck control abilities remain hallmarks of his game, while his backhand shot and pass from his flat blade continue to be as lethal as ever.

Jake Guentzel

It was a season of shaking narratives for Jake Guentzel. He showed he can perform without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the lineup, registering 10 points in 12 games to carry the Penguins in their absence. He also proved he can still get it done in the playoffs, registering 10 points in seven playoff games after a string of difficult performances in years prior. It was Guentzel’s second time cracking the 40-goal plateau and his first season over a point per game average. An elaborate offensive toolbox is becoming the hallmark of Guentzel’s game. He boasts an underrated shot with a deceptive release, high-quality puck distribution ability and understanding of the game that enabled him to hit a career-high 44 assists last season, and most notably a ghost-like ability to remain unmarked in the offensive zone. Guentzel has become the encyclopedia example of “Hockey IQ” as he exploits the smallest areas of time and space to his advantage. Guentzel’s shot-quality generation rates were 2^nd on the team behind Sidney Crosby. His 1.30 goals per 60 minutes at even-strength lead all Penguins last year. His consistency in finding the scoresheet was remarkable as he registered points in 20 of 21 games through December and January of 2021-22. Guentzel will look to build off this career year and will be granted every opportunity to do so alongside Sidney Crosby on the top line and power-play unit for the Penguins. A dynamic offensive talent, Guentzel’s toolbox seemingly gets deeper year after year. A bit of added muscle and weight was a boost to his game last year and should continue to pay dividends moving forward.

Bryan Rust

Bryan Rust has become one of the most dynamic offensive threats in the Penguins forward group and was rewarded for that in the offseason with a six-year deal worth a total of $30.75 million dollars. Deployed in any manner of situation at even-strength, Rust eclipsed the 20-goal mark for the third consecutive season and his 58 points in the regular season was a career high. A utility-like presence in the top-six, the coaching staff has deployed Rust alongside both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for extended periods of time depending on the perceived need of the respective centers at any given moment. Rust continues to exhibit a high level of competency around carrying the puck into the offensive zone with possession and using that to generate shots and high-quality passing attempts to his teammates. A menace around the net-front area, Rust can be found in all the traditional goal-scoring areas. While he does not boast any one overwhelming skill offensively, his hockey sense combined with his quickness and nose for the net make him a menace in the offensive zone. His shot has developed a quick release with pinpoint accuracy. Rust repeatedly shows the ability to hit the net from awkward and compromised positions and had a high number of deflections from around the mouth of the net last year. Rust will look to establish a bit more in the way of consistency in the coming season. For instance, he registered 21 points in 10 games in January of 2022, but only 3 points in 13 games in April of 2022. His shooting percentage varied wildly over the course of the year, and he suffered some missed time due to injury. Overall, Rust has proven to be a valuable presence anywhere he appears within the top two lines.

Evgeni Malkin

Evgeni Malkin will look to take advantage of a clean bill of health going into this season as he was sidelined until January of 2022 as he recovered from summer knee surgery. He ended the year over a point per game in the regular season and rounded out at a goals-per-60 rate that was 2^nd on the team to Jake Guentzel. While his contract negotiation came down to the wire, Malkin re-signed a four-year, $24.4 million dollar contract extension to round out the return of the Penguins core for additional runs at a Stanley Cup. Malkin’s shot remains a high-powered howitzer and he continues to be a high-level puck distributor with quality puck distribution capabilities to his linemates. Power remains the essence of his game and despite his knee injuries he is still a strong skater with great lateral mobility despite some of his injuries. Malkin’s ability to carry the puck in the zone successfully has taken a hit in recent years and his bullish approach with the puck on his stick may require revisiting at his age. Service time has been another concern for Malkin. He enters this season with his knee surgery behind him and a full summer of a traditional training schedule. Malkin has made it very clear that when he is in the lineup, he is a force to be reckoned with at even-strength and on the power-play. It would not be unreasonable to expect a renaissance-like season from him if he can remain healthy. It is a safe bet to assume he will remain the de-facto quarterback on the Penguins top power-play unit.

Rickard Rakell

Arriving via trade in March of 2022 from the Ducks for Zach Aston-Reese, a 2^nd round draft pick, and goaltending prospect Calle Clang, Rickard Rakell played 19 games for the Penguins in the regular season finishing with 13 points and a variety of roles played throughout the lineup. When all is said and done, the expectation is that Rakell will appear somewhere within the Penguins top-six forward group this season, either alongside Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin. This sets Rakell up to have a year of career-highs in multiple offensive categories. Rakell’s time with Crosby last year proved to be most fruitful. Rakell played a wrecking-ball role in the vein of a Chris Kunitz on the top line, opening space in the tough areas of the ice for Crosby and Jake Guentzel to work their magic offensively. Regardless of what center he appears with; Rakell has shown a willingness to retrieve pucks and take advantage of the open space that can come with playing alongside one of Crosby or Malkin. Rakell also showed a penchant for individual scoring chance creation in his own right, showcasing some high-level stickhandling and puck-carrying capabilities in his time with the Penguins. Fresh off signing a new six-year, $30 million dollar contract, Rakell figures to be a fixture within the top two lines and second power-play unit of the Penguins. It would not be unreasonable to see his goal-scoring ability receive a significant bump this season given the change in his environment. While he may play a puck support and retrieval role, he will have plenty of opportunities to showcase his heavy wrist-shot playing alongside two playmaking centers.

Jason Zucker

Jason Zucker has simply not been able to stay in the Penguins lineup for any considerable period. He missed half of the regular season in 2021-22 and when he was in the lineup it was a story of being unable to convert prime scoring chances. Zucker finds himself in the right place at the right times and boasts some good numbers regarding zone entries and his ability to distribute the puck on the fly but has not been able to maintain any ability to deposit his chances in his time with the Penguins. Zucker is a strong skater with a great ability to angle away time and space and force the opposing breakout into bad decisions. His ability to retrieve pucks and gain the zone have been strong, but he has lacked an ability to effectively distribute the puck in the offensive zone and has struggled to get it into the hands of his teammates. His shot is strong, and his one-timer may be the hallmark of his offensive abilities. More than anything, Zucker needs to stay in the lineup and establish some level of consistency in his performances. His shooting percentage suffered immensely last year, and it is reasonable to expect that will change if he can remain a volume shooter. Zucker will be afforded the opportunity to crack the Penguins top-six forward group again this year this season. Remaining in the lineup will be the biggest focal point for Zucker as he has proven he is an extremely capable player that fits into the Mike Sullivan system despite his lack of availability. The scoring chances will be available to aid an increase to his finishing ability.

Danton Heinen

Danton Heinen is not a household name by any means, but he did a lot with a little ice time last year and controlled the game at even-strength for the Penguins. Heinen’s 57% share over the raw scoring chances while he was on the ice at even-strength put him top five among Penguin forwards in that regard. A volume shooter, Heinen’s approach to play was simple but effective for his first year in Pittsburgh. Heinen put up solid performances through all three zones in his debut year with Pittsburgh. His defensive play was sound, he boasted quality returns in moving the puck up ice and into the offensive zone of attack, and he ended the season on the cusp of the 20-goal mark with 18 total in all situations. Heinen returns to Pittsburgh on a one-year, $1.1 million dollar deal that reportedly saw him take less money in the face of more lucrative offers to remain with the Penguins. Heinen did not find the scoresheet with a lot of consistency last season and went through a few dry patches, but his utility in driving play, controlling most of the scoring chances in the game, and playing sound defensive hockey make up for any lapses he experiences in the scoring department. Heinen is a safe bet to repeat or hurdle last season’s performance given his environment and will continue to be used in a Swiss army knife fashion by Mike Sullivan and the coaching staff. That utility often includes appearances in the top-six forward group where he experiences success alongside Evgeni Malkin in particular.

Kasperi Kapanen

A great summation of Kasperi Kapanen’s dismal 2021-22 campaign is the fact that he scored two more points than he did the prior season in 39 more games. Kapanen took a step back across the board and struggled to find the back of the net with any level of consistency. While he gained the offensive zone with possession on a frequent enough of a basis, these were often fruitless ventures that saw him miss the net on poorly selected shots, bypass opportunities passing opportunities, or simply lose possession of the puck for a turnover. It was not just that Kapanen struggled to score, it is that the peripheral statistics of play-driving and controlling the game at even-strength were also unkind to him. There was a brief reunion between Kapanen and Evgeni Malkin once the latter returned the lineup from knee surgery, but the sparks never flew from a chemistry perspective and Kapanen ended up sliding down the lineup as his goal-scoring droughts grew more and more frequent. The expectation is that Kapanen will play more of a support role outside of the top six forward group this season and that may net him a level of competition and deployment that enables him to control the play more than he did last year. A better grasp of the even-strength game would net him a greater total of scoring opportunities to work his way out of his slump. Kapanen was brought back on a two-year contract at a $3.2 million average per year. He will need to out-pace his performance in 2021-22 in order to make his cap value worth it.

Jeff Carter

Jeff Carter’s initial impact for the Penguins upon arriving via trade from Los Angeles was stout and promising. Carter looked like a player renewed and that momentum carried over into the start of 2021-22. In the absence of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Carter stormed out of the gate as the top line center and general manager Ron Hextall responded with a two-year contract extension worth a total of $6.25 million dollars. Carter’s performance took a precipitous turn downhill from that point forward. Carter spent much of his even-strength ice time hemmed in the defensive zone. There was a struggle to consistently create offense and elongate shift time spent in the offensive zone. While Carter’s skating is not what it once was, it also is not a detriment to his game. He still possesses a tricky shot that is deceptive, hard, and difficult to track. Carter remains a difficult element to manage in front of the net and in the battle areas of the ice. He did not play a major role transitioning the puck out of the defensive zone or into the offensive zone. At his peak, Carter is a strong element on the cycle that can still take advantage of shooting opportunities in a variety of locations of the ice. The issue remains that his ability to control the play at even-strength has diminished in a significant fashion. Carter heads into the 2022-23 season at 38 years old. While he will not need to serve in the elevated role required of him last year due to injury, there’s hope that he can level his performance with mitigated minutes and sensical deployments.

DEFENSE

Kris Letang

It was a renaissance year for Kris Letang on the blueline for the Penguins. He set career highs in assists with 58 and total points with 68. He finished seventh in Norris Trophy voting in his 16^th year in the National Hockey League. Letang managed his highest ice time averages since the 2018-19 season and showcased his high levels of conditioning by playing over 25 minutes per night on average. Letang shot the puck a lot more than usual last year and landed among the top ten defensemen in the league with regards to gross shot volume, seemingly sacrificing power for accuracy in his shots to achieve that result. Despite the difficult nature of his deployments, Letang was able to control shot-attempts and raw scoring chances with a high level of regularity. A priority for management in the offseason, Letang signed a six-year contract worth a total of $36.6 million dollars that will likely round out his career as a member of the Penguins. Expect Letang to continue to be used in high leverage situations with a great deal of confidence from the coaching staff. He orchestrates most of the movement up ice on the breakout of the power-play. Letang’s skating is still the backbone of his game, and it enables him to take risks offensively and provide positive impacts to the teams’ offensive outputs as a result of that mobility and chance-taking. Letang’s defensive work in transition is not what it was once, but he maintains an aggressive gap in one-on-one situations. Letang shows no signs of slowing down and his training regimen has enabled him to play 78 games last season despite his big minutes.

Jeff Petry

Jeff Petry makes his way to Pittsburgh via a trade that sent defenseman Mike Matheson and a fourth-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for Petry and forward Ryan Poehling. The Penguins wanted to get bigger and more physical on the blueline and they accomplish that in Petry without having to sacrifice anything in the way of offense. Landscape wise, it is going to be a much different environment for Petry. He will likely feature in similar role at even-strength, playing a puck carrying role on the second defensive pairing. While he does not produce the same type of elite play-driving offensive results he once did, he is still extremely competent with the puck on his stick and is a boost to the teams’ offensive goals. He will have an opportunity to work steadily alongside Evgeni Malkin’s unit, giving him a high-quality offensive-minded center to work with. A potential partnership between Petry and Marcus Pettersson would give Petry a steady, defensive-minded partner to enable him to focus on offensive outputs and carrying the puck on the breakout. Petry is coming off a year where his goal-scoring and offensive performance took a hit. A new landscape should bring about a return to success offensively. He still has a powerful, accurate shot that he uses with a high level of regularity and will sneak low into the offensive zone to put it to use. Petry is still a strong skater that can defend forwards off the rush with a great deal of success. The Penguins will look for him to use his size to provide a stern presence in the home plate area of the net.

Brian Dumoulin

Brian Dumoulin will be returning to the lineup having suffered an MCL injury in the playoffs. That is a notable mention because Dumoulin has suffered a variety of lower body injuries over the course of the last several years that have seemingly impacted his mobility and ability to keep a strong gap in defensive coverage. Dumoulin’s hallmark, a strong style of skating with great individual defensive coverage in the neutral and defensive zones, has taken a hit over time and attrition has made its mark in his game. For the first time last season, Dumoulin was removed from Kris Letang’s side on the Penguins top defensive pairing. While that may not be a true harbinger of things to come, it is a testament to the theory that something seemed a bit off with the Penguins defensive guru last season. Dumoulin will look to enter the year healthy and shake some of the nagging problems that have bothered him over the course of the last few years. At his best, he is still a wet blanket over the other team’s best offensive forwards. His patient and reliable approach to defense enables his more offensively gifted counterparts to take chances and risks in the offensive zone. Dumoulin is not afraid to use the body, but physicality has never been the backbone of his defensive game. His strong skating and pivot-ability in transition, combined with his long reach and active stick, make him a difficult player to move past for transitioning forwards. Those will be the elements Dumoulin looks to recapture as last year was an inconsistent performance from in him protecting his own blueline.

Marcus Pettersson

Marcus Pettersson is becoming the Penguins even-strength defensive specialist. While his game lacks a lot of flash and offensive utility, Pettersson produces great returns in preventing defensive zone entries from opposing forwards and can competently move the puck into the hands of safety. His strong skating and heads-up approach to the game in the defensive and neutral zones gave him the ability to control the game at even-strength last season. Pettersson controlled over 54 percent of the quality shots taken while he was on the ice at even-strength. His offensive skills have never been the focal point of his game, but he is a competent passer who can handle and distribute the puck adequately enough to find himself in the assist column on a regular basis. Pettersson’s hallmarks are a strong defensive gap that he uses to keep opposing forwards in front of him. He is a strong transition skater and can manage quick changes from offense to defense in a hurry without losing himself in the fray of the game. He has a good shot that is accurate and well-placed albeit used infrequently. Pettersson took on an elevated role in the post-season from an ice time perspective and that may be a harbinger of things to come with Jeff Petry in the fold alongside him. While lacking the pizzaz of some of his counterparts, Pettersson brings a unique and necessary defensive-minded focus to the Penguins defensive core that is more well-known for its ability to join the rush and play offense.

GOALTENDING

Tristan Jarry

Every year, it seems like there’s a tertiary storyline floating around the NHL theorizing that this season will be the final season of Pittsburgh’s Crosby-Malkin window. But while they certainly don’t have Vezina-caliber goaltending at the helm under now-established starter Tristan Jarry, the Surrey, BC native certainly doesn’t get enough credit for what he does for the team.

Jarry has quietly racked up six years in net for the Penguins now, logging his heaviest workload yet this past year and performing perfectly up to expectations in the process. He quieted concerns that he was following the Matt Murray decline timeline by bouncing back soundly from his mediocre 2020-21 season, posting a .919 save percentage and logging quality starts in over 62 percent of his games. The biggest contributor to his return to form was his consistency; while he had been sitting well above average in his quality start percentage the year prior as well, Jarry eliminated the stretches of poor performances by seeming to clean up his ability to get rattled by bad goals. He posted one fewer game with a sub-.850 save percentage than he had recorded the year prior, despite playing in nearly twenty more games – and while a closer look at his overall numbers from the last few seasons reveals that he never fell out of the top half of performers in the league, he shot back into the top ten with the outcomes he posted last year in particular. Now, he’ll get a chance to show that he can repeat that success for the Penguins this year, which could be one of the last years that Casey DeSmith backs him up before the team potentially takes a look at what a younger option like Joel Blomqvist to be his number two.

Projected starts: 55-60

2022 NHL PLAYOFFS: NEW YORK VS. PITTSBURGH – High end talent matchup, but depth and injuries a factor

Scott Cullen — Sun, 01 May 2022 14:45:41 +0000

PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 26: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers skates in the third period during the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 26, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Icon Sportswire)

N.Y. RANGERS vs. PITTSBURGH

The New York Rangers have landed back in the playoffs and have the star power to do some damage. Between Igor Shesterkin, Adam Fox, and Artemi Panarin, the Rangers have the high-end talent that can match up against a Penguins side that still has Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin playing at a high level.

Injuries are a factor in many playoff series, so it’s a big deal if Penguins starting goaltender Tristan Jarry can’t play.

Forwards

For much of the season, the Rangers were short-staffed up front, but the additions of Andrew Copp and Frank Vatrano have provided much needed quality in the top nine and has improved the Rangers results in the process. Since the trade deadline, the Blueshirts, who had previously been getting outshot consistently, have controlled 53.7% of 5v5 score-and-venue-adjusted shot attempts and 52.3% of expected goals and more forward balance plays a part in that improvement. The Rangers have stars up front. Chris Kreider erupted for 52 goals, Artemi Panarin put up 96 points, and Mika Zibanejad added 81. It's the supporting cast that comes into question. Ryan Strome and Barclay Goodrow are contributors but the young Rangers forwards – Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko – are wildcards. That’s why the additions of Copp and Vatrano were so important because the Rangers’ lack of forward depth contributed to their 16^th-ranked goal production (3.02 GF/60).

Pittsburgh’s forward group has some similar issues. Certainly, Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel, Evgeni Malkin, and Bryant Rust have established their credentials as star forwards and as long as Crosby and Malkin can still perform at a high level, the Penguins have a fighting chance, but that fighting chance is dependent on what they can get out of a supporting cast. They added Rickard Rakell at the trade deadline, and he joined a group that included Jeff Carter, Evan Rodrigues, Danton Heinen, Kasperi Kapanen, Teddy Blueger, and Brock McGinn. Unless Crosby or Malkin goes into superhero mode, the Penguins don’t have a real advantage up front.

Defense

The Rangers have reigning Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox to lead their defense corps, and his supporting cast has improved but there is still some vulnerability. The pairings of Fox and Ryan Lindgren as well as K’Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba are close to break even when it comes to shots and expected goals against, but the third pairing of Patrik Nemeth and rookie Braden Schneider has been getting caved in, to the tune of 42.0 CF%, 35.9 xGF%.

Kris Letang remains the leader on the Penguins blueline, and he works well with longtime partner Brian Dumoulin. John Marino, Marcus Pettersson, Mike Matheson, and Chad Ruhwedel round out the top six and they are entirely fine. While it is mostly an unheralded group, the Penguins get positive results when it comes to shot suppression and they will need that to limit the effectiveness of the Rangers forwards.

Goaltending

Although Igor Shesterkin has not proven that he can win in the playoffs, he is the runaway favorite to win the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender this season. That is no guarantee that he will play well in the playoffs, but the Rangers have to like their chances with Shesterkin in goal.

The Penguins have a more challenging situation between the pipes. Tristan Jarry was having a wonderful season when he suffered a lower-body injury with a couple of weeks left in the regular season. That leaves backup Casey DeSmith to start the playoffs and while DeSmith struggled early in the season, he had a .927 save percentage in 16 games since the All-Star break.

Still, if forced to choose which goaltender is more likely to win the series for his team, Shesterkin is the obvious choice.

Special Teams

The Rangers’ power play has been effective, scoring 9.0 goals per 60 minutes of 5v4 play, which ranks sixth in the league.

Pittsburgh’s power play has long been one of the league’s best, but it was below average this season, though some of that could be due to Malkin missing half of the season. Nevertheless, the Penguins power play was better after the trade deadline, and it will be a crucial component if they are going to upset the Rangers in Round One.

Both teams have been effective while shorthanded. The Rangers have allowed 6.16 goals per 60 minutes of 4v5 play, which ranked seventh, and yet the Penguins were even better, allowing 5.22 goals against per 60 minutes

Conclusion

If Jarry was healthy, the Penguins might have a decent shot the upset in this series, but even if the Penguins have stars that can make the difference, they are still sending a backup goaltender against the league’s best goalie this season. Now that the Rangers aren’t getting outshot every game, it’s all the more reason to like them against a vulnerable opponent. Rangers in 6.

Anaheim Ducks Prospect System Overview

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 20:35:05 +0000

The Anaheim Ducks have qualified for the postseason nine times out of the last 11 seasons, and for seven consecutive campaigns. Over the past four seasons, they have advanced to the Western Conference Final twice. The point being, the Ducks almost never have a high first-round selection, with only two top-ten picks (Hampus Lindholm at sixth in 2012 and Nick Ritchie at tenth in 2014) since 2005.

So obviously, for a perennial contender like the Ducks, the most important thing they can do to remain relevant and get a constant influx of youthful depth in the NHL is scout and pick well in the later rounds of the draft. Lucky for fans in Orange County, the orange and black have been stellar in finding talent late into the draft.

From the fourth round on, they've nabbed Troy Terry, Josh Manson, Ondrej Kase, and Sami Vatanen (since traded for Adam Henrique) in the past decade. Of course, there's luck involved in cashing out on late-round steals, but this is a trend with way too much convincing evidence to write it off as pure fortune. Having talented youngsters coming in and helping to extend the dwindling prime of established superstars Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry will pay dividends in prolonging Anaheim's competitive window.

They've done it with defense -- snagging skilled d-men like Lindholm, Cam Fowler, and Brandon Montour -- but now the focus evidently has turned to the forwards. The top five prospects on this list, as well as eight of the top ten, play up the ice, including dynamic first-rounders like Sam Steel. Tacking forwards onto the currently-assembled NHL roster is essential, as the Ducks finished 16th -- last amongst postseason teams -- in goals for in 2017-18.

With defense locked down and forwards on the rise, goaltending should be a concern. They have two goaltenders in the top 20, both are under 20 years old, with neither sitting in a top ten position. However, with the eight-year extension of borderline elite starting goaltender John Gibson, they have time to wait. Their only worry right now is the one they are addressing, and with the Ducks' adept ability to produce quality forwards through their AHL affiliate in San Diego, all will work out.

Sam Steel

1 Sam Steel, C (30th overall, 2016. Last year: 1st) One the most complete prospects in the game, Steel's foray into the professional hockey ranks will begin this year, be it with Anaheim or with AHL San Diego. Steel's 2017-18 campaign was abridged due to injuries, but the playmaking center paced all WHL players in points the year prior with 131. The former first-round selection has unreal rink senses and creativity and can be dangerous with and without the puck thanks to his play-reading smarts and his positioning. He's a stellar skater with plus acceleration and has developed his shot into a formidable scoring option. All that needs to improve are his size and strength. With question marks floating around the health of Ryan Kesler, Steel could see top-nine minutes with the Ducks right out of training camp.

2 Isac Lundestrom, C (23rd overall, 2018. Last year: IE) A creative two-way player with pro-level rink discipline, Lundestrom was one of just eight centers selected in the first round of June's entry draft and might be the most mature and smart of them all. Having already completed two seasons in the SHL, the 18-year-old is very responsible with the puck and has great timing down already. Lundestrom has a knack for finding open passing lanes and exposing poor positional play from the opposition and has a strong frame that makes his play on the puck better. He isn't a forceful offensive player, and his issue with compiling points (just 15 in 42 games in 2017-18) is due to a lack of assertiveness; he's imaginative with the puck and has soft hands but is too concerned with defensive efforts to give it his all in the o-zone.

3 Troy Terry, RW (148th overall, 2015. Last year: 5th) Known for his shootout heroics on the World Junior stage, Troy Terry's ridiculously quick hands and innovation with the puck on his stick has translated well in other facets of the game. The former NCAA champion with Denver uses his phenomenal puck-handling to get past defenders and his patient but lethal shooting ability to snipe pucks past fooled goaltenders. His positioning is solid, and his two-way game has been steadily improving over time. Leaving the college ranks before his senior year, the 20-year-old signed his entry-level deal with Anaheim and will likely begin the season with San Diego. All he needs to do is get stronger and grow into his 6-1" frame, but much like Ondrej Kase, the Ducks have found themselves a steal of a late-round winger.

4 Maxime Comtois, LW (50th overall, 2017. Last year: 7th) Projected as a first-round pick back in 2017, the QMJHL star dropped to the Ducks at 50th overall and has worked on rounding out his game with Victoriaville since his draft season. Always a strong scoring threat, Comtois posted a team-high 85 points this season while boasting a better defensive game than ever. He plays a very physical game in the offensive zone and out and leverages that size and grit to his advantage to generate scoring opportunities for his team with strong possession-play and great balance. He's a decent skater, has good hands, and is exceptional in terms of positional play. Whether his scoring touch will translate to the NHL is the only question left to answer, as the remainder of his game is refined and mature.

Benoit Olivier-Groulx

5 Benoit-Olivier Groulx, C (54th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) With a long-time hockey head coach for a father, Benoit-Olivier Groulx comes with the hockey sense and coachability you might expect. Add that to his quality physical game, his strong and accurate wrist shot, and his adaptability into a variety of roles and game styles, and you have a quality second-round pick. The Ducks nabbed the center from Halifax (where he was formerly the number-one pick in the QMJHL draft) at 54th in June, though Groulx was projected by many as a top-40 prospect. His skating is flawed, and he isn't much of a scorer, but he processes the game extremely fast and never makes an irresponsible play. As someone who can play the wing just as well as he plays center, Groulx looks to be a middle-six physical forward with some penalty kill usage.

6 Josh Mahura, D (85th overall, 2016. Last year: 10th) In a system chock full of mobile, puck-moving defensemen, Josh Mahura fits right in. After a torn MCL in his draft year limited the left-hander to just two WHL games, he has since exploded and become point-per-game blueliner with Regina, where he was third in team points last season. He's a fearsome offensive presence who always wants the puck on his stick, and whether that be to shoot or pass, you can be confident it's heading to the right place. He has tremendous vision and a sizzler of a shot, and as the 20-year-old slides into pro play, he'll work on the one thing that ails him: d-zone coverage and zone-entry defense.

7 Blake McLaughlin, LW (79th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) A University of Minnesota commit, Blake McLaughlin is a smart and skilled undersized forward with the vision to match the best playmakers of his 2018 draft class. He was one of few players on a dysfunctional Chicago Steel to routinely create dangerous opportunities, and he does so with his determination, hockey sense, and great tape-to-tape passing skills. McLaughlin has quick hands and holds his own defensively, allowing for potential as a penalty killer at higher levels. A top-40 prospect in our draft guide, the 18-year-old lefty fell due to his inconsistency and his size deficiencies but can workshop the two in the NCAA ranks.

8 Max Jones, LW (24th overall, 2016. Last year: 4th) After injury ravaged his 2017-18 season, Max Jones understandably fell in our rankings compared to last season. Nonetheless, the former first-rounder is a strong, sturdy, and skilled power forward with a goal scorer's acumen and superb wheels. The Kingston Frotenacs winger plays with an angry and feisty demeanor for better or worse (he's twice been suspended for 10+ games in his OHL career) but when he's feeling it, that explosive swagger pays off for him and his linemates. Jones needs to stay healthy as he begins to transition to the AHL and NHL ranks, and additionally, work on staying cool and becoming less prone to penalties. Otherwise, he has the skill and speed to match his fellow first-rounders.

9 Antoine Morand, C (60th overall, 2017. Last year: 9th) Much like Steel, Morand's game revolves around his hockey sense and vision on offense. An assist machine, he has totaled 70 or more points in each of his last two seasons in the QMJHL, while leading Acadie-Bathurst in points this past season. He has good straight-ahead speed, swift hands, a decent finishing touch, and great stick skills. He will need to clean his two-way game up a bit and add more muscle to his slight frame before any move to the pro ranks occurs, but his speed and offensive firepower as a grade A setup man suggests a sure NHL future.

Jacob Larsson

10 Jacob Larsson, D (27th overall, 2015. Last year: 3rd) Jacob Larsson still has a little while to go before the book comes out on him, but he may not be the dynamic offensive defenseman the Ducks drafted him as. Thankfully, with a good core of young d-men at the NHL level, Anaheim has the luxury of waiting on Larsson to improve. He is a gifted skater with poetic pure movement on his feet, boasts fast hands, and possesses NHL-ready size. The Swede puts himself into trouble too often with poor passes and needlessly long shifts, and really, the points are coming like they should for a blueliner with as much pure skill as Larsson (16 in 50 games for San Diego). His flaws are coachable things, but at 21, defensemen of Larsson's pedigree generally have those things down by then.

11 Olle Eriksson Ek, G (153rd overall, 2017. Last year: 11th) With John Gibson locked up long-term, Anaheim has time to wait for their goaltending prospects to fully mature and come to fruition. At just 19, Eriksson Ek has a long way to go, but a whole bunch of raw skill upon which to build. One good sign in his development is his presence as a regular in the SHL at his young age. At 6-3" and 186lbs, he's big and only getting bigger, and when you couple that pure size with his plus athleticism and strong play-reading abilities, you have a near-complete goaltender. The Swede will be given tons of opportunities down the road as the top young goalie in the system.

12 Lukas Dostal, G (85th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) Of course, competition breeds excellence, and Lukas Dostal is the perfect prospect to help push Eriksson Ek out of his comfort zone. An undersized netminder, Dostal was worth the gamble of a third-round pick in June by virtue of his unwavering compete level and above-average athleticism. At 18, he is not the most technically refined goaltender, but he moves well laterally and is calm enough to keep his focus square on the puck. Dostal has one of the highest ceilings out of goaltenders selected in 2018's draft, and his success as an 18-year-old in the second Czech men's league (2.43 GAA, .921 Sv%) is promising.

13 Jack Badini, C (91st overall, 2017. Last year: 12th) Jack Badini is a coach's dream. The Harvard center is already an accomplished one, having led USHL Chicago in goals and playoff scoring during 2016-17's Clark Cup run, but his smarts and willingness to play in a variety of roles makes him one of the most valuable players in a pretty loaded Crimson lineup. Badini just does whatever he's asked; he's a middle-six, penalty-killing checking line forward in one game, and a top-six goal scoring threat the next. He has great speed, energy, size, and hockey smarts. The 19-year-old is a long-term project at Harvard but has a lot of unteachable qualities down.

14 Kevin Roy, LW (97th overall, 2012. Last year: 6th) One of the most dangerous forwards in the San Diego lineup over the past two seasons, Kevin Roy made his NHL debut with the Ducks last season and fared well, scoring six goals in 25 games as a bottom-six winger. Roy has tremendous puck skills and a heads-up gameplay style that can casually spring his linemates out for easy chances, as well as beat defenders in one-on-one situations. He's a bit of a one-trick pony in that his positioning and defensive game is less than stellar, and on account of this, he isn't really a weapon away from the puck. However, the 25-year-old has enough raw skill for the Ducks to utilize him well as a depth scorer.

Kalle Kossila

15 Kalle Kossila, C (Free Agent Signing: March 30, 2016. Last year: 15th) A near point-per-game player in the AHL last season, Kalle Kossila is supremely skilled and mature enough to take on a depth NHL role in the blink of an eye. The undrafted forward, formerly of St. Cloud State fame, has unreal vision and near-elite passing skills that always have the puck moving in the right direction. He is more of a setup man than a shooter, but his wrist shot is heavy and accurate, and his positioning for quick shots when away from the puck is solid. He isn't a two-way player, but he's experienced enough to stay away from risky passes and unnecessary turnovers. Kossila also plays with a pretty greasy physical element that allows him to round out his checking-line forward ceiling. He's the perfect bottom-six depth scoring threat for a contending NHL team like Anaheim.

16 Andy Welinski, D (83rd overall, 2011. Last year: 13th) Andy Welinski has no single dynamic skill, but he's one of those old school defensemen that does all the little things well enough to ensure a roster spot. After four full years at Minnesota-Duluth, he charged into the AHL and has used his above-average skating ability, fiery point shot, high hockey IQ, and exceptional defensive-zone coverage to potentially earn an NHL job with Anaheim as soon as this season. At 25, the right-hander truly has no additional development to do, and his ceiling as a bottom-pair defensive defenseman has been reached; it's up to the Ducks to decide if they want to plug the solid and sturdy 2011 draft pick into a splendid defensive core.

17 Jack Kopacka, LW (93rd overall, 2016. Last year: 14th) Jack Kopacka may not have the highest ceiling of the prospects listed here, but his energy and goal-scoring touch provide some enticing potential for the future. The speedy winger has an electric set of shots, can get a chance on net from a variety of ridiculous angles, and connects on a bunch of those shots, scoring 30+ goals in each of the past two campaigns with the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie. He's also a hard-working winger who can create his scoring opportunities on his own and do it the hard and physical way with his 6-3" body. Kopacka has a year of junior eligibility left, where he will -- for his sake -- work on his backchecking and puck-possession ability.

18 Giovanni Fiore, LW (Free Agent Signing: April 18, 2017. Last year: Unranked) An enigmatic winger out of junior, not many looked at Fiore as a legitimate prospect entering and during his first pro season, but a quality debut year in the AHL erased some of the question marks around him. Fiore is a graceful skater with impressive offensive vision and used those skills to score 18 goals and 12 assists with the Gulls last season after a 52-goal final junior campaign. He clearly has a natural goal scorer's most important traits, including an untiring determination to drive right to the net with the puck and employ his plus finishing skills to pot a goal. He seems to be a pure scoring player with a lack of versatility, but he's a guy that can create his chances solo and provide matchup problems for the defense.

19 Marcus Pettersson, D (38th overall, 2014. Last year: 17th) Maybe Marcus Pettersson never reaches the talent ceiling a high second-round pick should have, but Ducks fans got to see firsthand how smart and calm the big, lofty defenseman is. Pettersson held his own in 22 games with the Ducks and played top-pair minutes with the Gulls when he was down in the AHL. He's an extremely responsible, no-risk defensive defenseman with good reads, great gap control, and solid use of his advantage in size. He has fine instincts and is always on to defend late leads for San Diego. Pettersson will never be a go-to offensive option, but with Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm around, he doesn't need to be.

20 Kyle Olson, RW (122nd overall, 2017. Last year: 8th) Though he only played in 36 games with Tri-City of the WHL, Kyle Olson's point total from his draft year fell off a cliff, going from 57 to 18. The undersized but energetic forward has a chance to redeem himself this season with the Americans, however, as the 19-year-old's strong wrist shot, solid two-way gameplay, and impressively tough physical game for someone his size make him a good bet for a big rebound year. He plays with fearlessness and more greasiness than his 5-10", 161lb frame naturally provides, and competes with high effort levels on the Tri-City PK. He needs to stay healthy and consistent to remain on the Ducks' radar going forward.

Anaheim – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 14:17:18 +0000

Having only once in the last five years selected even seven players at the draft, the Anaheim Ducks, a perennial contender, has had to make those picks count. Thankfully for them, they have had a remarkable hit rate over the past decade, regularly producing two or more bonafide NHLers. In fact, between 2000 and 2013, the Ducks had only one draft class that did not include at least two players who have played at least 144 games in the NHL. With their top 20 list made up mostly of players drafted since 2013, that success streak looks primed to continue.

So how do they do it?

Not known as a heavily analytics-influenced organization, the Ducks have nevertheless followed the two golden rules of drafting as prescribed by analysts.

Rule #1 – Do not overdraft goaltending. Dating back to 1993, their first draft, Anaheim has never used a first round pick on a netminder. In fact, only twice have they even used a second rounder on net, drafting Ilya Bryzgalov in 2000 and John Gibson in 2011. Many years go by where they do not draft goaltenders at all.

Rule #2 – Always draft skill/production. The thinking here suggests that players who do not produce as juniors will likewise struggle to produce once (if) they move up the ladder. Statistically speaking, there is a correlation between points produced at age 18 and points produced in a player’s early 20s. Since selecting Logan McMillan 19^th overall in 2007, a player who had some skill, but was not even among the leading scorers on his own team. McMillan, like Mark Mitera, selected by Anaheim in the 2006 first round, never made it to the NHL.

Since then, the worst first round pick in the Ducks’ decade long backlog has been Peter Holland. Not really a bad player, he has already played 243 games in his NHL career, but has simply never received (some would say, never earned) a top six role. Generally speaking, the Ducks have drafted players with both top six/top four upsides as well as the versatility to play in roles of greater defensive significance. This philosophy has not just been a first round SOP, but something they carried with them to later rounds as well.

These two rules, particularly the latter rule, have remained prevalent in the last few drafts, even if the players are not yet NHL-ready. Whether the prospect was a first rounder like Sam Steel, or a fifth rounder like Troy Terry, chances are that he has a record of high offensive production from his amateur days, tools that suggest that he can continue to produce further up the chain, and the hockey IQ that will allow him to contribute from a role with more limited offensive opportunities, as even fourth liners these days need to have talent.

Of course, luck also is a factor, but the ability to continuously stock a system with potential NHL contributors, prolonged over several years, is more skill than fortune. This is unlikely to end any time soon.

1 Sam Steel – The WHL’s leading scorer, Steel will have to return to Regina for a curtain call unless the Ducks keep him in Anaheim. Probably the smartest player in the system, he has near-elite hockey sense, coupled with strong instincts and close-to-perfect positioning. A play driver, he can be dangerous with the puck from anywhere in the offensive zone. A fantastic playmaker, the only thing that separates him from a second line NHL job is approximately 10 pounds of muscle.

2 Brandon Montour – If postseason play was included, Montour would have lost his prospect eligibility last year, with 44 games played between the regular season and playoffs with Anaheim. As 17 of those games came when it counted, he is still here. Those games were good enough that the Ducks exposed former first round pick Shea Theodore to the expansion draft. A modern-day puck rushing blueliner, Montour is equally comfortable leading the rush as he is passing the puck into the neutral zone. Took big steps away from the puck this year and should be in the regular defensive rotation because of it.

3 Jacob Larsson – After starting the season as a 19 year old in Anaheim and then San Diego, Larsson was loaned back to Frolunda where he struggled at times. This ranking is as much about his inherent skill set than what he has done with it of late. Each of his skating ability, shooting, puck handling and hockey smarts grade out as above average, and he has an NHL body, to boot. Would like to see his instincts improve, but he is still young enough for continued growth in that area.

Max Jones of the London Knights was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo, NY on Friday June 24, 2016. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

4 Max Jones – An explosive forward who plays with at least as much vinegar as salt, Jones was showing improvements in his offensive game last year before injury kept him off the ice until the postseason. His extreme aggressiveness can do more harm than good at time, as he is very penalty prone. A bullish puck carrier, he has good wheels, drives hard to the net and is responsible defensively, at least when not getting physically reckless. Can remind one of Nick Ritchie.

5 Troy Terry – The ideal Ducks pick, Terry has gone from fifth round afterthought to American hero in under two years. Accomplished the rare double last year of winning the WJC gold – in no small part due to his own shootout exploits – and an NCAA championship, as one of the top scorers with Denver. A phenomenal puck handler, he scores through vision, positioning, patience and ridiculously quick hands. Heading back to Denver for his junior year.

6 Kevin Roy – In many organizations, Kevin Roy would be the prospect with the best puck skills. Just because Anaheim also has Steel, Terry and Antoine Morand around, does not mean that Roy should be overlooked. An up and down first pro season after four full years with Northeastern showed a player still learning what will and will not work in the AHL. Still needs to show better commitment to defensive duties, but he has the skills to lure a defenseman out of position and casually spring a linemate to a scoring chance.

7 Maxime Comtois – A top midget player heading into his QMJHL draft year, Comtois spent most of the past two years developing his defensive side. He has plus size and learned how to leverage that gift on the ice, displaying a more consistent physical aggression. His scoring was more impressive in his previous season and if he can combine the two-way physical game of 2016-17 with the scoring winger of 2015-16, he will end up playing a middle six NHL role in short order.

Kyle Olson

8 Kyle Olson – Although his draft year point production is underwhelming, if we limit our search to even strength production, Olson rockets up the list as only eight of his 57 points came on the man advantage. Small but aggressive, he plays a two-way game with energy and fearlessness. Owns a strong wrist shot with a tricky release. Will need to add more beef to be able to continue to play this style at a higher level, but he fits the Ducks style of skill pick with two-way sensibilities in the middle rounds.

9 Antoine Morand – Once the second overall pick in the QMJHL entry draft, Morand showed all of the puck skills that had him so highly touted as a 16-year old. In some ways, resembles an East Coast version of Steel, in that he is slight and small, and his skating is more notable for his edgework than his straight-ahead speed. His offensive work suggest a sure-fire NHLer, but he will need to tighten up his game away from the puck more first.

10 Josh Mahura – After a torn MCL limited him to two regular season games in his draft year, a strong playoffs convinced the Ducks that they could get tremendous value by drafting Mahura in the third round. He responded with over 50 points from the blueline last season and a near point-per-game postseason performance for Regina. A strong offensive presence with good vision in the O-zone, he can still show as being raw in coverage.

11 Olle Eriksson Ek – The only goalie even considered for the Ducks’ top 20 list, Eriksson Ek had a very good season in Sweden’s top junior circuit before struggling somewhat down the stretch and only featuring as the backup for Team Sweden’s entry at the WU18. Athletic with plus play reading ability, he will need much more time to develop, but without much between the pipes system-wide, he is in the right organization to receive all the chances he needs.

Jack Badini, Courtesy of the USHL and Hickling Images

12 Jack Badini – After contributing only 11 points for Lincoln in his first draft year, Badini moved to Chicago and exploded, using his great speed and hockey smarts to score 28 regular season goals and then lead all USHL players in playoff scoring as Chicago won the Clark Cup. A great penalty killer, he is always involved in the play and projects as a future analytics darling. In the meantime, he will continue his development at Harvard.

13 Andy Welinski – The only member of Anaheim’s 2011 seven player draft class yet to spend time in the NHL, Welinski had a strong debut in the AHL after four solid seasons with Minnesota-Duluth. While he lacks any one carrying tool, his solid-average combination of skating ability, point shot and hockey IQ will keep him in the picture for a while yet. He showed more than expected in his first season with San Diego and another one like it will ensure that the entire draft class reaches the NHL.

14 Jack Kopacka – A hard working winger with understated finishing skills, Kopacka does not have the biggest upside in this group of prospects, but his high-rev motor and solid stride give him a more than respectable floor. More a scorer than a puck handler, his future projection assumes as much value off the puck as on. A strong OHL postseason portends a jump in production for his final OHL season.

15 Kalle Kossila – The only player from this list not drafted by Anaheim, Kossila was never a high priority prospect in Finland, having never represented his country in any IIHF-sanctioned tournaments. After a big step forward as an 18 year old, he came to North America to play for St. Cloud State where he continued to put up strong numbers. While his skating is sub-par, he is a clever player with plus playmaking skills. Can play center or on the wing.

16 Deven Sideroff – A solid two way player when he was drafted, Sideroff stepped up his game year over year until he aged out of the WHL. A high energy winger who can be relied upon in all situations, combines a modicum of skill with a high hockey IQ. While he had long shown a decent playmaking touch, the added goals last year were a sign that his game has been rounding off. He is ready for the AHL.

17 Marcus Pettersson – A late convert to the blueline, the tall and lean Pettersson has seemingly staled in his progression to master his new position. He skates rather well, with agility and a smooth stride, both impressive at his size. His puck handling is OK, but he can struggle off the puck, showing his lack of experience. He is rarely aggressive and struggles to maintain proper defensive positioning. Expected to play in the AHL this year, the Ducks will take their time with a player who is still essentially a project.

18 Brent Gates Jr. – Only a moderate scorer in his draft year with Green Bay of the USHL, Gates flailed out of the gate (sorry) as a freshman with Minnesota. As a sophomore this year, things began to look up. His quick hands, always a strength, now had more time and space to create, allowing him to get more of a workout for his quick shot release. His top speed is average, but he has a nice startup and drives hard to the net. The next step in his development is increased consistency.

19 Julius Nattinen – the Ducks were understandably excited when Nattinen came to the OHL after being drafted and immediately excelled with 71 points in 52 games. Naturally, when his point production rate fell nearly in half as a follow-up, there was disappointment all around. Not only did his offensive game suffer, but so too did his work off the puck. Has shown enough skills and smarts in the past to give him a mulligan. More is expected as he gets set to make his professional debut this year.

20 Nic Kerdiles – Finally, at the 20 slot, the Ducks have a prospect who is nearing bust status. The 2012 2^nd rounder has completed his ELC and has only a solitary NHL game to his credit. He has a chance to add to that this year. He is a defensively responsible winger who has been a decent secondary scorer in the AHL but finds himself down here as his offensive totals have remained remarkably stagnant as he has fought injuries throughout his career.

As long as the NHL squad does not need a young netminder in the next two or three years, the Ducks system will be ready to pump out two or three talented prospects every year for the foreseeable future. With talent and skill and every skating position, this team should be able to continue as a contender for a few more years to come.

2017 NHL Draft Guide: Pacific Division – Anaheim Ducks

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 14:17:36 +0000

Shortly after 1:00pm CST, on Saturday, June 24, 2017, the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins selected William Reilly, a defenseman from RPI as the 217^th player selected, bringing the 2017 Entry Draft to an end. With a few days of hindsight between me and the bowels of the United Center, the urge to spew out hot takes flushed away, it is time to analyze the strategies and selections employed by the league’s 31 teams.

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 23: A general view of draft selections after the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft on June 23, 2017, at the United Center, in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire)

The analysis will focus on the first five rounds, as it is clear to most long-time observers that the final two rounds are often taken up with long-shots, favours to regional scouts, among many reasons. I will, of course, call out some astute late picks, but will not judge a team for the names called in the final hour. The apocryphal story of Pekka Rinne, drafted as an eighth round after-thought in 2004 based mostly on his play in game warm-ups. Few other scouts would have seen him at all, and he has had a very good career, which is not yet over. For the most part, though, those picks have little statistical likelihood of having NHL careers and teams should not be judged there.

Each draft class will be graded using the 20-80 scale that we use in our player specific scouting reports throughout the site. In this context, a 50 is essentially an average grade in light of the picks the team had on draft day. A 20 would mean the draft is an unmitigated disaster while an 80 would be the best draft class of all time. As those things can only be truly seen in retrospect, most classes will trend towards 50 at this point, so pay attention to those we see as outliers.

Finally, all grades are incomplete. Actual winners and losers in this draft class will not be known until 2023 at the earliest, after those who will have “made it” will have played out their entry-level contracts. What I am looking at here is whether, knowing what we know now, the drafting team got good value.

RD	#	CS	MCK	PLAYER	P	AGE	HT/WT	TEAM
2	50	30-N	39	Maxime COMTOIS	C	18	6-2/200	Victoriaville (QMJHL)
2	60	53-N	83	Antoine MORAND	C	18	5-10/180	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)
3	91	NR	86	Jack BADINI	C	19	6-0/200	Chicago (USHL)
4	122	56-N	47	Kyle OLSON	C	18	5-11/165	Tri-City (WHL)
5	153	2-EG	75	Olle ERIKSSON EK	G	18	6-2/185	Farjestads (Swe Jr)

RD	#	PLAYER	P	TEAM	GP (W)	G (L)	A (T)	PTS (GA)	PIM (Sv%)
2	50	Maxime COMTOIS	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	64	22	29	51	88
2	60	Antoine MORAND	C	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	67	28	46	74	52
3	91	Jack BADINI	C	Chicago (USHL)	59	28	14	42	38
4	122	Kyle OLSON	C	Tri-City (WHL)	72	20	37	57	52
5	153	Olle ERIKSSON EK	G	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	18	11		2.16	0.924

Anaheim Ducks – Draft Grade: 60

All year, anticipating the Expansion Draft, the Ducks were questioned about their preferred strategy in regards to their deep and abundant blueline corps. Without a side-deal, they would have had to expose a player the caliber of Josh Manson or Sami Vatanen, both young and effective defenders. Instead, they swung a deal with Vegas, surrendering one of their better blueline prospects in Shea Theodore so the Golden Knights would take the overpaid Clayton Stoner off their hands instead.

Even with Theodore playing in the desert, the Ducks are still deep along the blueline, with prospects the ilk of Brandon Montour, Josh Mahura, Jacob Larsson and Marcus Pettersson still in the pipeline. These riches muted the surprise of Anaheim not selecting a single defenseman with any of their five first round picks, all between the second and fifth rounds.

Maxim Comtois of the Victoriaville Tigres

Despite lacking significant selections, the Ducks seemed to make the most of things, selecting talented forwards with their first four selections and capping off their draft haul with one of the more heralded netminders out of Europe in Olle Eriksson Ek who had slid a bit due to a lackluster showing at the WU18 tournament. Although unlikely to have been a strategic ploy, their draft was also notable for picking up two of the four best prospects out of the QMJHL (Maxime Comtois and Antoine Morand) in what was a down year for the league. It would not be surprising in the least if all five of the Ducks picks went on to have NHL careers.

Best value: Kyle Olson, C/RW, Tri-City (4/122) – Ranked 47^th overall by McKeens, we felt that Olson should have been long gone by this point. A secondary offensive presence for the Americans, his scoring would have been more impressive if he had been awarded with the amount of power play time as some of the higher drafted WHL prospects.

Biggest headscratcher: Jack Badini, C, Chicago (3/91) – This pick is a default choice. Personally, I think Badini is a fantastic prospect, combining high end speed with great hockey IQ. He fits the bill here as an overager who may have been available to the Ducks with their subsequent selection.