NHL Fantasy – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL HOCKEY POOL YEARBOOK – MAGAZINE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD – PRINT-ON-DEMAND READY TO SHIP

McKeen's Hockey — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 20:00:28 +0000

MCKEEN'S 2023-24 NHL HOCKEY POOL YEARBOOK

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McKeen's Hockey releases their leading annual yearbook. Packed with information it is a season long resource you will keep reaching for.

Top 475 player predictions with almost 800 in-depth player profiles
Team analysis
Feature articles – Fantasy All Star Team by Scott Cullen, Top Rookies by Brock Otten, The Late, Late Show by Peter Harling, Top Prospect Ranking for Fantasy Hockey, Breakouts and Hidden Gems plus more
Downloadable charts online – predictions and line combos updated until the start of the NHL season.
Top 300 prospects, top 20 by team with profiles
The most exhaustive resource available

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK: A full roster of under the radar fantasy all stars – Pool winning picks!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 12:59:33 +0000

FANTASY ALL-STARS

Unearthing hidden treasures is the name of the game in fantasy hockey and if you hit on enough of them, that can make all the difference in your fantasy fortunes.

One of the staples of fantasy hockey is the quest to find relative value. That gets harder at the top of the board because those players are already valued so highly. The way to make a difference, then, is to capture a middle or late-round pick that can perform like a star.

Drafting stars is cool, and should be the focus early, but have you ever hit on a late-round pick? That is the big rush of fantasy hockey, right there.

There are a few paths to travel to find candidates for the Fantasy All-Star team.

Healthy Again

Injuries are a plague for fantasy hockey managers just as much as they are for real hockey general managers, but that can also be used to an advantage. Players coming back from injury will almost assuredly be underrated the following season, whether it is due to lingering uncertainty over their health or just poor counting stats from the previous season. With the miracles of modern medicine, players can come back from major injuries and produce at a high level, and there are several intriguing candidates that qualify this year.

Raising Their Game

With an average of 3.15 goals per game for each team, last season was the highest scoring season since 1993-1994. There were 61 players that played at least 50 games and scored more than 0.90 points per game in 2022-2023.

Among the players to cross that threshold last season were defensemen Dougie Hamilton, Brandon Montour, and Rasmus Dahlin, as well as forwards Brock Nelson, Clayton Keller, Zach Hyman, Tim Stützle, Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson, Elias Pettersson, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Finding the player who busts out is tons of fun, but it has the bonus of paying off in a big way for your fantasy squad.

Regression Comes for Everyone

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to percentages and sustainability, because while one might be inclined to say it’s impossible for a player to score on 20% of his shots over the long haul, Leon Draisaitl exists, having scored on 20.2% of his shots over a five-year period. It’s possible to do it, but Draisaitl is the only one doing it, so there can be a fine line between impossible and virtually impossible.

This is about playing the odds here, which means if a player has an established track record, that should hold more weight in the evaluation than one season’s fluctuating percentages, especially when they look like an aberration compared to previous seasons.

Opportunity Knocks

There are so many skilled players in the NHL that, sometimes, all it takes is a better opportunity to open the door to better results. Maybe that is moving to the top power play or getting bumped up the depth chart a line or two. Joining the right linemate can make a difference.

Last season, the Fantasy All-Stars hit on Jack Hughes, Tyler Toffoli, Casey Mittelstadt, Miro Heiskanen, Vince Dunn, and Alexandar Georgiev. Boone Jenner, Lawson Crouse, and Radko Gudas at least met expectations, and Logan Thompson was on his way to fulfilling his Fantasy All-Star status before suffering a season-ending injury.

Capturing a few of these players should increase your chances of winning a championship and make it more fun if you get there.

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 23: Ducks center Mason McTavish (37) stickhandles during the Anaheim Ducks versus Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on February 23, 2023 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Mason McTavish, C, Anaheim

This could very well be a season too soon for McTavish to have a breakout. After all, he is just 20 years old, but the third pick in the 2021 Draft flashed enough potential in his rookie season to believe that he is destined for bigger and better things. The most intriguing part of McTavish’s rookie campaign was his power play role, getting the chance to pull the trigger on one-timers from the right faceoff circle, on his way to scoring seven power play goals. Greg Cronin is the new bench boss for the Ducks, and it only makes sense for him to do everything he can to help McTavish develop into a star, which should mean more ice time and a chance to make a big leap in his sophomore season. Finally, McTavish also had an on-ice shooting percentage of 7.5%, which is relatively low, so he should be due for better luck in the offensive zone, too.

Connor Brown, RW, Edmonton

A reliable veteran winger who is a two-time 20-goal scorer, Brown was limited to just four games in Washington last season after tearing his ACL. The most appealing part of Brown’s equation is that he could get a shot on Connor McDavid’s right side, and that’s a new opportunity for a player whose career high is 43 points. Brown, who was McDavid’s junior teammate for one season with the Erie Otters, has averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time per game in two of his NHL seasons, so he is used to handling significant responsibility, but he could be looking at his best offensive opportunity as a pro.

Max Pacioretty, LW, Washington

After tearing his Achilles tendon twice last season, Pacioretty has had a long road of recovery. He is a 34-year-old winger who is coming off devastating injuries, but that is precisely why he offers potential value for fantasy managers. Injuries have dogged Pacioretty, as he has played just 92 total games over the past three seasons, but that has not diminished his ability to generate shots and put the puck in the net. He is a five-time 30-goal scorer who will have a chance to play a big role for the Capitals.

Yegor Sharangovich, RW, Calgary

Sharangovich faded out of the Devils lineup last season, scoring three goals in his last 41 regular-season games, and only dressing for three playoff contests before he was traded as part of the deal for Tyler Toffoli. Sharangovich did score 24 goals in 2021-2022, so he has already shown that he can put the puck in the net. As a big winger who can skate, he looks like he could have a new opportunity in Calgary, possibly getting a chance to skate on the top line, with Jonathan Huberdeau and Elias Lindholm, which would offer higher offensive upside and a consistent spot on a scoring line could turn Sharangovich loose.

Taylor Hall, LW, Chicago

Not only did Hall miss 21 games for Boston with injuries last season, but he also played less than 16 minutes per game for the first time in his career. Joining a Chicago team that is desperate for talent to support No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard, Hall should be in a great position to have a significant role on what will likely be a bad team. If only there was something in his past to suggest that he could be productive in such a role.

Pavel Zacha, C, Boston

Not many teams have a No. 1 center by default, but it looks like that will be the case with Zacha and the Bruins, after Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci both retired. Zacha jumped to a career-high 57 points last season, the first time in his career that he had more than 36 points, but if he ends up skating with David Pastrnak, or Brad Marchand, or both, and possibly getting first unit power play time, then Zacha will have the chance to produce even more.

Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, Toronto

The agitating winger played just 50 games last season and scored only eight goals, thanks to a career-low shooting percentage of 7.5%. He did rebound with five goals and 10 points in Boston’s seven-game first-round loss to Florida. Signing in Toronto as a free agent, Bertuzzi should have a shot to play on the top line, and if Michael Bunting could score skating alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, there is no reason to believe that Bertuzzi wouldn’t be able to fill the net, too.

Barrett Hayton, C, Arizona

Despite showing brief flashes of talent, Hayton has struggled to generate much offense since getting drafted fifth overall in 2018. It looked like more of the same last season but then he got his shot on the Coyotes’ top line, skating between Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. Suddenly Hayton was scoring to the tune of 29 points (14 G, 15 A) in his last 35 games, and should be ready to produce right from the start of the 2023-2024 season.

Anthony Duclair, RW, San Jose

Although he only scored two goals in 20 games after recovering from a torn Achilles last season, Duclair was still generating chances. Among players who skated at least 200 five-on-five minutes last season, Duclair ranked 25^th with 1.08 individual expected goals per 60 minutes, the same rate as Alex Ovechkin, Jeff Skinner, and Evander Kane, all of whom will go well before Duclair on draft day. Going to San Jose ought to give Duclair a chance to earn a prominent role, because the Sharks need to give serious ice time to anyone who shows that they can play.

Lucas Raymond, LW, Detroit

Although Raymond saw his point total drop from 57 as a rookie to 45 as a sophomore last season, he also had an on-ice shooting percentage of 7.7%, which is not typical of a player skating in the top six. In Detroit, there is a decent chance that 21-year-old Raymond could find himself playing with Dylan Larkin and offseason addition Alex DeBrincat, which gives Raymond highly skilled linemates who have the offensive pedigree to take their production to a higher level and drag Raymond along for the ride.

Arthur Kaliyev, RW, Los Angeles

A 22-year-old with a lethal shot, Kaliyev has been limited to an average time on ice of 12:16 per game in his first two seasons, scoring 27 goals in 137 games. However, that leaves plenty of room for improvement and he just might have a chance to skate on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kevin Fiala, which would be a massive upgrade in linemates for Kaliyev. Even in a depth role, Kaliyev had 1.10 individual expected goals per 60 minutes last season, which ranked 16^th among skaters to play at least 500 five-on-five minutes. Imagine what he could do if he gets to skate regularly with linemates as skilled as Dubois and Fiala.

Jonathan Drouin, LW, Colorado

While the 28-year-old has shown glimpses of potential throughout his career, he has not been very durable lately and is coming off a season in which he scored two goals in 58 games. This is why he should be available late in drafts, but there is also the possibility that, moving to Colorado, Drouin could play with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen on the top line, which is about as good as it gets. MacKinnon was the top point producer in the league at five-on-five last season and Drouin, his junior hockey teammate, could thrive in his new situation.

MONTREAL, QC - Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (75) (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

DEFENSE

Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton

Once Tyson Barrie was traded to Nashville last season, that opened the door for Bouchard to secure his spot with Edmonton’s top power play unit and that is a gold mine for point production. Following the trade deadline last season, Bouchard produced 19 points (5 G, 14 A) in 20 games, then added 17 points (4 G, 13 A) in 12 playoff games. Given a full season on the insanely productive Oilers power play, Bouchard is the defenseman most likely to see a massive scoring spike this season.

Shea Theodore, D, Vegas

While he could have an even higher ceiling with a bigger role on the Vegas power play, Theodore did produce 1.71 points per 60 during five-on-five play last season, to rank second among defensemen, behind only Erik Karlsson. Theodore has established his credentials as a high-end defenseman, but he also missed 27 games last season and is still second behind Alex Pietrangelo when it comes to quarterbacking the Golden Knights’ power play, so Theodore still might be a bit underrated.

Juuso Valimaki, D, Arizona

Arizona bringing in Sean Durzi and Matthew Dumba does mean that Valimaki is facing more competition for power play minutes in Arizona, but Valimaki was an outstanding performer when given the opportunity to play big minutes at evens last season. J.J. Moser ended up with more power play time than Valimaki, too, so the power play might be a tough situation but, with the Coyotes improving their roster, there should be more chances for Valimaki to contribute.

Gustav Forsling, D, Florida

With Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour both coming off shoulder surgery, Forsling may have an opportunity quarterback Florida’s top power play to start the season, to say nothing of the need for him to anchor the Panthers’ defense at even strength as well. Forsling has 59 five-on-five points in the past two seasons, which ranks 12^th among defensemen and is just one point behind Montour, so anything that would give him more offensive opportunities seems like a good idea.

Mike Matheson, D, Montreal

The veteran blueliner was excellent upon joining the Canadiens last season in a small sample, scoring a career high 34 points (8 G, 26 A) in just 48 games, while playing a career high 24:27 per game. It appears that Matheson should be Montreal’s top power play defenseman from the start of the season and that opportunity alone gives him the chance to provide fantasy value, significantly more than he has through his first seven NHL seasons.

Cam York, D, Philadelphia

There has been turnover on the Flyers blueline and with Ivan Provorov and Tony DeAngelo among those departing, there is an opening for a defenseman on Philadelphia’s top power play and York is as strong a candidate as any for the role. He has 30 points in 87 career games, with seven points coming on the power play, but someone must take a spot on the first unit and the Flyers don’t have a lot of great options, which opens the door for York to have a breakthrough season.

CALGARY, AB - Calgary Flames Goalie Jacob Markstrom (25) (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire)

GOALTENDERS

Vitek Vanecek, G, New Jersey

The Devils are going to be a great team and goaltenders that can reliably earn wins bring fantasy appeal. Backup goaltender Akira Schmid might have sleeper value, too, but Vanecek is the starting goaltender for a team that is among the Stanley Cup favorites. He also has a .909 save percentage in three seasons, ranking 14^th among goaltenders that played at least 100 games in that time. It is not the flashiest track record, but that is exactly why Vanecek has a chance to provide excess value.

Jacob Markstrom, G, Calgary

Markstrom has had ups and downs in his career and is familiar with rebounding after a tough season, which is good, because his 2022-2023 season was disastrous – his .892 save percentage was his lowest for any season in which he had played at least 20 games. Goaltending being what it is, though, there is no reason that Markstrom couldn’t regain his form and be the goaltender who was the runner-up in Vezina Trophy voting in 2021-2022. His value will be low based on last season’s results, but Markstrom’s potential gives him a chance to deliver positive value and earn a spot as a Fantasy All-Star.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL DRAFT GUIDE + 2023 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT + 2023-24 NHL HOCKEY POOL YEARBOOK (Sept): All Three Magazines Now Included in Quarterly Subscription

McKeen's Hockey — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:07:57 +0000

We are now days away from the 2023 NHL Draft and NHL free agency. Our two downloadable magazines are perfect to follow along with all of the action and get to know the new prospects acquired by your favourite team. You will refer to both magazines all season. Good news, we are less than three months away from the release of MCKEEN'S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK and its digital release will now be included in your quarterly subscription ($16.50 CDN total payment for three months access). You will also have access to all of the online content not included in the magazines as well as access to our detailed player pages. An exhaustive resource that will become an essential part of your hockey world.

MCKEEN'S 2023 NHL DRAFT GUIDE

Top 224 NHL Draft Ranking + 90 Honourable Mentions
Profiles of over 300 Prospects
Informative Feature Articles
'10 Best Of' in 12 Different Skills
Two-Round Mock Draft
Sleepers Chosen by the McKeen's Team
Top Re-entry Candidates
Top 64 Prospects for the 2024 NHL Draft

You can have a look at the interior here: SAMPLE PAGES - MCKEENS 2023 NHL DRAFT GUIDE

SUBSCRIBERS DOWNLOAD THE MAGAZINE HERE

If you would like to subscribe, or learn more go here.

You can also purchase as a direct download without a subscription here.

MCKEEN'S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT

152 -page magazine (PDF format) for download
Top 200 NHL Prospects Ranked
Top 15 prospects per NHL Team
320 Detailed Player Profiles
Team System Overview
NHL Team Rankings
Feature Articles

You can check out some sample pages here: Sample Pages from MCKEEN'S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT

You can also purchase as a direct download without a subscription here.

MCKEEN'S 2023-24 NHL HOCKEY POOL YEARBOOK

Releasing in early September 2023

Top 475 player predictions with almost 800 in-depth player profiles
Team analysis
Feature articles – Fantasy All Star Team by Scott Cullen, Top Rookies by Brock Otten, The Late, Late Show by Peter Harling, Top Prospect Ranking for Fantasy Hockey, Breakouts and Hidden Gems plus more
Downloadable charts online – predictions and line combos updated until the start of the NHL season
Top 300 prospects, top 15 by team with profiles
The most exhaustive resource available

You can download sample pages from the 2022-23 NHL HOCKEY POOL YEARBOOK HERE: 2022-23 MCKEENS-YRBK-SAMPLE-PAGES

McKeen’s 2019-20 Hockey Pool Yearbook – Now available for download

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 20:03:24 +0000

2019-20 prospect rankings, NHL predictions, line combos, are now updated online.

Our 25th edition of McKeen's Hockey Yearbook is now available for download.

Top 475 player predictions with over 1000 player profiles
Feature articles
Downloadable charts - predictions and line combos updated until the start of the NHL season.
Top 250 prospects, top 20 by team with profiles
Top 25 Rookies
The most exhaustive resource available for your pool

Here are some examples of pages from the magazine

Subscribe today by Linking Here!

MCKEEN’S 2019-20 YEARBOOK: Sharing the Crease – How the emergence of the goaltender tandem could change your drafting needs

Catherine Silverman — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 21:17:41 +0000

For decades upon decades, the NHL was largely a one-goaltender league. Exceptions were made for the very old, the very young, and the not-very-good — and of course, every team technically had two goaltenders in the lineup on any given night. But if a team had found a goaltender good enough to win them games, they did their best to give him every opportunity to do that — literally.

No part of the game has undergone a more drastic change than goaltending, though. The position has gone from being one of the most stationary in the game to arguably the most physically demanding, requiring both fine-tuned mechanics and immense levels of core strength.

The game was once played from a goaltender’s skates, with a handful of diving saves and sprawling poke checks to keep things interesting. Now, it’s largely played from a goaltender’s knees, relying on that core strength to add an extra height dimension to an already-impressive range of mobility in order to keep up with the way shooters keep finding new ways to score. It’s no longer a game that relies purely on instinct; there’s an immense amount of athleticism required now, too.

The best goaltenders in the game know how to take care of their bodies, and they’re all in good enough shape to handle the rigors of the modern game. But the human body can only withstand so much without getting ample recovery time, and goaltenders don’t play games in shifts; with at least 60 minutes of action each night and both practice and travel to account for, the NHL season doesn’t leave much left in the tank.

The Jonathan Quicks and Braden Holtbys of the NHL have proven that they can handle a massive regular season workload without losing their ability to drag their teams into the playoffs, but teams have finally started to figure out that 60- and 70-game seasons don’t leave their goaltenders in the kind of shape to steal games when the postseason rolls around. Goaltenders who have played heavy workloads behind defensively inconsistent teams have struggled to make it out of the first round in the last handful of years — fans need to look no farther than Frederik Andersen and Andrei Vasilevskiy for proof of that — and even those that do make it out have struggled more and more as the playoffs go on.

That realization has brought about a major shift in goaltender deployment. Where teams used to have a clear starter and a passable (but oftentimes unremarkable) backup, more and more have embraced the idea of having a pair of number one caliber goaltenders instead of a number one and a number two. The ‘starting goalie controversy’ of years past has died — and for fantasy owners, that’s a shift that could have massive ramifications on how teams are assembled.

Last season produced an almost unheard-of Vezina finalist trio. Andrei Vasilevskiy, the ultimate winner, shoulder the clear bulk of his team’s workload in net during the year — but the other two finalist, Dallas’ Ben Bishop and New York’s Robin Lehner, each played as one half of a clearly embraced tandem. They weren’t alone, either; the Boston Bruins used a strongly reliable Jaroslav Halak to split up starter Tuukka Rask’s workload, rendering him rested enough for an incredibly strong run to the Cup Final.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

The league should see even more teams embrace the tandem mentality this year, and not just because they boast a pair of unknowns or underperformers. The Arizona Coyotes have gone on record saying they hope to be able to balance Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper to keep both well-rested, while the Chicago Blackhawks are likely prepared to split starts for Corey Crawford and the aforementioned Lehner while the Islanders add Semyon Varlamov to their tandem, instead. Even if Jonathan Quick bounces back, the Kings will likely meter his starts alongside resurgent star Jack Campbell, and a similar bounce-back for Cory Schneider would still almost certainly result in nothing more than a split net in New Jersey between him and MacKenzie Blackwood.

For fantasy owners, this means a larger chance that drafting a good goaltender means he’ll get starts — and in theory, a smaller chance that he’ll get injured from overuse. There’s a larger pool of quality goaltenders to choose from now, meaning that there’s a higher likelihood of good performances coming for at least one goaltender owned on any given night.

The downside, of course, is that it also means that there will be fewer goaltenders available to draft that will be capable of logging points purely from a game volume perspective. Carey Price, Sergei Bobrovsky, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Frederik Andersen are all likely to shoulder massive workloads again this year, and the uncertainty in Colorado and Columbus surrounding a pair of largely unproven goaltenders in Pavel Francouz and Elvis Merzlikins — combined on both teams with a lack of help available in the minors — means that both of those teams could end up seeing a starter-dominant deployment next year as well.

For most teams, though, there should be more wealth to choose from when picking up goaltenders for fantasy teams. And for those scouring the prospect market for their keeper leagues, young goaltenders will no longer be quite as much of a risk. More teams are willing to give up-and-comers ample workloads alongside their already-proven stars, meaning that young AHL goaltenders with good numbers could be good sleeper picks just a year or two down the line. Prospects like Cal Petersen, Michael DiPietro, Joseph Woll, and even Alex Nedeljkovic will likely see their NHL call-ups sooner rather than later and could get plenty of action when they do get those nods.

MCKEEN’S 2019-20 YEARBOOK: Breakouts and Hidden Gems

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 07 Sep 2019 11:21:34 +0000

McKeen’s Breakout and Hidden Gems are developed following our exhaustive prediction research for the coming season. They highlight some picks that we think will exceed expectations and help you win your pool. We look at points and point per game differentials, league and team trends, and then trim the list to players that will not be obvious to your opponents.

Player	AGE	P	GP	G	A	PTS
Anthony Cirelli, TB	22	C	82	21	34	55
Emerged a possession driver on Tampa's third line - & saw some top-line duties in the playoffs
Shea Theodore, VGK	24	D	81	14	35	49
Blossomed playing his off-wing side (right) alongside Brayden McNabb - and can reach higher ground
Rudolfs Balcers, Ott	22	LW	66	15	17	32
Acquired in the Erik Karlsson deal, swift-skating Latvian winger impressed in NHL trial last season
Casey Mittelstadt, Buf	20	C	74	16	23	39
Sabres hope new coach Krueger can stimulate a breakthrough after overwhelming pro debut
Tanner Pearson, Van	27	RW	82	25	20	45
Clicked playing right wing with Bo Horvat after being acquired at the trade deadline
Pavel Buchnevich, NYR	24	RW	80	28	33	61
Big breakout numbers projected spurred by arrival of fellow Russian countryman Artemi Panarin
Filip Hronek, Det	21	D	76	7	32	39
Czech defender handled significant workload in NHL debut (19:58 ATOI) - contributing 23 points in just 46 games
Nikita Gusev, NJ	27	LW	76	11	37	48
KHL scoring champ arrives to New Jersey and the NHL via Vegas and Tampa
Nazem Kadri, Col	28	C	82	30	35	65
Could eclipse career numbers playing behind MacKinnon's after arriving in summer deal for Tyson Barrie
Jack Roslovic, Wpg	22	C	82	14	26	40
Playmaking pivot enters fourth pro season ready to take on a larger role with Jets
Henrik Borgstrom, Fla	22	C	78	14	23	37
Expect progress from talented sophomore pivot en route to doubling his rookie totals
Charlie Coyle, Bos	27	RW	82	22	28	50
B's valuable trade-deadline acquisition could see move over/up to second-line wing spot
Kyle Palmieri, NJ	28	RW	78	38	28	66
Will soar to career high in goals as major beneficiary of surrounding playmaking talent
Anthony Mantha, Det	24	RW	77	32	35	67
Soared down the stretch on top line with Larkin & Bertuzzi - a precursor to fourth year breakout
Andreas Johnsson, Tor	24	LW	77	26	29	55
Opportunity knocks for Swedish winger to flourish on top line with Matthews and Nylander
Troy Terry, Ana	22	RW	66	9	20	29
Key part of Ducks' youth wave rebounding from broken leg sustained at end of solid pro debut
Filip Chytil, NYR	20	C	79	15	26	41
Expect leap in sophomore totals with opportunity as second-line center between Kreider and Buchnevich
Nick Schmaltz, Ari	23	C	82	22	33	55
Meshed well with Clayton Keller prior to suffering a season-ending knee injury
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Mtl	19	C	81	20	31	51
Displayed remarkable poise and maturity as NHL's youngest player last season
Tyson Jost, Col	21	LW	81	16	28	44
Moves to wing alongside incoming Nazem Kadri and likely breakout totals in third pro term
Ondrej Kase, Ana	23	RW	81	26	24	50
Larger role ahead for creative Czech winger after injury cut short 2018-19 season
Joakim Nygard, Edm	26	LW	68	14	19	33
Oilers add speedy 26-year0old winger who has steadily improved through six SEL seasons
Roope Hintz, Dal	22	C	78	20	24	44
Earned spot alongside newcomer Joe Pavelski after crashing postseason with team-high five goals (tied)
Goaltender	AGE	P	GP	W	G	W
MacKenzie Blackwood, G, NJ	22	G	56	27	23	10
Seized opportunity with Schneider injury to make solid NHL debut - and could thrive on improved Devils
Elvis Merzlikins, G, CBJ	25	G	40	19	NA	NA
Charismatic Latvian and Lugano star jumps to the NHL - in wake of Bobrovsky mutiny

MCKEEN’S 2019-20 YEARBOOK: The Late, Late Show – Players to look for deep in the draft

Scott Wheeler — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 20:17:01 +0000

The biggest available competitive advantage in a fantasy hockey league of any format exists in the draft’s later rounds.

It doesn’t matter if you play in a 10-team, standard-stat, non-keeper league where every player is once again up for grabs each year and your roster size is small enough to fill it with stars, or a 20-team, long-time keeper league where all of the NHL’s established talent is already accounted for and you’re basically picking from a group of players who’ve yet to make the leap.

At the end of the day, when the draft is over, the season is largely decided. You can be a sleuth with in-season trades or waiver-wire picks, but the strength of your team will be dictated not by the number of high-end players taken in the first three or four rounds (everybody gets those!) but by the players you found in the back half of the draft who end up having a season equivalent to those high-end guys, giving you that many more top-of-the-lineup players than your opponents.

Here are some players who could provide early-round value without requiring an early-round pick.

Ottawa Senators Right Wing Drake Batherson (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

Under-the-radar youngsters

If Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko and Cale Makar aren’t already accounted for in your league, they will be before you can blink in this year’s drafts. Look to target these incoming rookies a little later on instead.

Drake Batherson – Ottawa Senators

Due to a combination of market and the fact that he was a 121^st overall pick in 2017, Batherson doesn’t carry the cache of many of the rookies who will be entering the league this season. All of those things work in your favour though. He’s going to be given a prominent role with a Senators team that needs someone to help create offence and I don’t think 20-35-55 production is out of the realm of possibility. Batherson is more of a playmaker than a scorer but he just wrapped up one of the better rookie seasons in the AHL in recent memory and he’s got a chance to be an excellent top-six forward at the next level. I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s in the Calder conversation next spring.

Jordan Kyrou – St. Louis Blues

Kyrou’s three points in 16 games during a brief stint in the NHL last season will probably scare off some prospective fantasy hockey managers in favour of more established names like Filip Zadina or Martin Necas, but his talent level is high-end and he’s already one of the best skaters on the planet, both of which should help him make the full-time transition this season. He might take a little longer, but if you’re prepared to be patient then there’s a real chance he gets hot at the midway point and doesn’t look back on his way to a strong NHL career.

Joel Farabee – Philadelphia Flyers

There are some openings in the Flyers roster this season and I’d bet on Farabee to earn one of those jobs out of camp (or quickly earn a promotion out of Lehigh Valley if he doesn’t). Farabee is just one of those players who makes everyone around him better and can play with a variety of linemates. That should make him a strong fit alongside likeminded, versatile centres like Sean Couturier, Kevin Hayes, and Nolan Patrick, who all play off of their linemates rather than requiring all of the attention.

Adam Fox – New York Rangers

In the same way Kyrou may land behind a few other names on the ‘young forwards with notoriety’ list, the same may play out for Fox, who has earned some well-deserved love but still doesn’t have the name value of an Erik Brannstrom in Ottawa or an Evan Bouchard in Edmonton. There’s some risk involved in taking Fox in a non-keeper format because he may end up behind Jacob Trouba and Anthony DeAngelo for power play time. But if the Rangers can give the NCAA’s reigning power play king an opportunity there, he could provide huge value.

Jake Bean – Carolina Hurricanes

A crowded Canes defence may steer some people away from taking the 21-year-old 13^th overall pick from 2016 but Bean is fresh off a season that landed him on the AHL’s All-Rookie Team, as well as a Calder Cup ring, and he looks poised to challenge Haydn Fleury and Gustav Forsling for a top-six role (a battle I think he will win in the short and long term). Bean’s immediate value may be a little muted relative to some of the other rookie class defencemen but there’s top-four power play upside in his game in the not-too-distant future.

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Mathieu Joseph (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire)

Breakout candidates

Sometimes, the best time to take a player is after a disappointing season, or when they’ve taken so long to develop that people have forgotten about them and moved on to the shiny recent draftees. Here are some candidates who are either poised for big things, marinated at lower levels, or may slip further than they should after a tough run of luck.

Anthony Mantha – Detroit Red Wings

Mantha missed 15 games last season with a hand injury but he paced for a 59-point season across 82 games, was one of the best players at the world championships, and the Red Wings are one of those teams that you look at heading into October and think: “Somebody has to score!” It doesn’t hurt that he’s 6-foot-5 and has arguably the best release on his team. Look for the first of many 30-goal seasons out of Mantha in 2019-2020 – and maybe even a shot at close to 40. Though he’s not going to be around extremely late in a draft, Mantha could fall just far enough to have major value.

Mathieu Joseph – Tampa Bay Lightning

From the outside looking in, Joseph’s 26 points in 70 games last year were nothing to write home about for a 21-year-old rookie on a team with the offence of the Lightning. But unlike Mantha, he was in a situation where he was surrounded by so much talent that his opportunities in offensive situations (or even for ice-time) were severely limited. Below the surface, his production at 5-on-5 was outstanding. As he gets older and the Lightning’s cap situation grows even more challenging, his role will change. And that could happen as early as this year. The departure of J.T. Miller has potentially opened up a spot in Tampa’s top-six and Joseph will be among those who are most likely to get the opportunity to play alongside some of the best forwards on the planet. A big year could follow.

Nick Schmaltz – Arizona Coyotes

Injuries, a trade, and a landing spot with a bad team all contributed to Schmaltz following up a 21-goal, 52-point season, with an ugly plus-minus rating and a seven-goal, 25-point third NHL season. If that means he falls into the later rounds of your draft, don’t hesitate to take him. The Coyotes are going to be improved, Schmaltz is going to be surrounded by better linemates, and 60-plus points isn’t out of the question if all of those things come together.

Devon Toews – New York Islanders

Some players just take longer than others to make the jump. And if you were paying close attention to the Islanders playoff run, you probably noticed that Toews’ days in the AHL are over. Look for him to play all 82 for the Islanders this year and excel. The 25-year-old defenceman is one of the best-kept secrets in hockey. Take him near the end of your draft, you won’t regret it.

Viktor Olofsson – Buffalo Sabres

Speaking of players who take a little longer. Don’t let the fact that Olofsson was taken 181^st overall in 2014 and still hasn’t quote-unquote made it, fool you. After working his way into the SHL’s upper echelon, he was the Rochester Americans’ lone 30-goal scorer as an AHL rookie last season – and showed real signs of being more than a depth guy in his brief stint at the NHL level.

New York Islanders Right Wing Michael Dal Colle (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

Take the so-called bust

Nothing haunts a player more than the perception that he’s a bust among fans. These players often have huge value because nobody wants to be the manager who goes way off the board.

Last year, that player – the kid almost nobody thought would make it because he didn’t immediately live up to expectations – was Dylan Strome, who posted 51 points in 58 games with the Blackhawks after he’d been written off due to mediocre skating. Get into a habit of taking those players. If they don’t work out, you’ve given up almost nothing in their pursuit. But oftentimes they do work out and it’s added value.

Michael Dal Colle – New York Islanders

Dal Colle, a fifth overall pick in 2014, attracted a lot of attention when he posted just 24 points in 60 AHL games in 2017-2018. That may mean many managers didn’t bother paying attention to his trajectory last season, when he was a point per game player in the AHL. Despite some kinks, he’s still a 6-foot-3 winger with high-end finishing touch around the net. That has a chance of fitting in well on a team that didn’t have a single 30-goal scorer last season.

Alex Nylander – Chicago Blackhawks

There’s no denying it: Nylander’s trajectory has been disappointing for an eighth overall pick who showed so much promise before turning pro. He found out the hard way that despite having a similar skillset to his older brother than his lack of the same high-end speed meant that he couldn’t play the perimeter game he dominated with at lower levels. But at 21 and following a trade to a team that obviously covets him enough to deal a significant young defender, Nylander has a chance to really make waves in Chicago – just like Strome did.

Olli Juolevi – Vancouver Canucks

Should the Canucks have taken Juolevi fifth overall, ahead of Matthew Tkachuk and Clayton Keller? Hell no. Not then. Not now. But Juolevi had begun to show real promise as a rookie defenceman in the AHL with the Utica Comets before his 2018-2019 season was cut short by knee surgery. The long layoff may mean he starts the season back in the AHL but Juolevi still has the talent to be a second-pairing defenceman during the next chapter for the tumultuous Canucks.

Valeri Nichushkin – Colorado Avalanche

You would need a really deep league to probably justify a Nichushkin selection but the former 10^th overall pick knows that after a whirlwind six seasons in Dallas, that his one-year deal in Colorado is his last NHL chance. And last chances occasionally breed results for players as talented as Nichushkin. He might have travelled one of the weirdest active paths in the NHL. After a promising 34-point rookie season with the Stars as a teenager in 2013-2014, Nichuskin’s status in Dallas slowly began to waver and he left for a two-season stint in the KHL before returning last year to post zero goals and 10 points in 57 games of limited ice-time with the Stars. There are going to be some interesting battles for bottom-six ice-time with the Avs this fall and I wouldn’t be shocked if Nichushkin scratched his way onto the third line, or the net-front role on the second powerplay. Proceed with caution on this one though (or maybe even leave him on the waiver wire and pay close attention to the start of his season before taking the plunge).

Scott Wheeler is The Athletic’s national NHL Draft reporter. His work has also appeared in the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Sun, and the National Post.

MCKEEN’S 2019-20 YEARBOOK: Under the Radar Fantasy All-stars

Scott Cullen — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 22:35:11 +0000

Finding value in fantasy hockey can be the difference between winning and losing. While it’s always exciting to select the biggest stars in the early rounds finding value in middle to later rounds can make a real difference.

You could have a hunch about which players that you think will be better than expected, and that’s fine – fantasy hockey is for fun, after all – but there are some relatively established guidelines for finding players whose production may exceed their perceived value.

It’s useful to understand perception because that indicates how early a player may get drafted or how much it will cost to acquire them in an auction. Perception is a significant factor in whether a player’s production can provide relative value and perception is often driven by goal and assist totals from the previous season.

But by looking beyond raw goals and assists, it’s evident that player value can be predicated on fluctuating percentages. A player who sees his own shooting percentage, or even the shooting percentage of others when he’s on the ice, dry up for one season is a prime candidate for a bounce-back performance. That presents an opportunity to secure potential value.

Another avenue that can provide value is to find players who excel in the less glamorous categories: hits, blocked shots, even shots on goal. Obviously, getting goals and assists is important but, in roto leagues, all categories count the same, so there is some appeal – albeit maybe a little less obvious – when it comes to players contributing in the “peripheral” categories.

The objective, then, for fantasy owners is to find some players that will be more productive than they have been previously or those that are looking to recover from a down season. There are risks involved but that’s where the value lies. Hit on a couple of the right players and your fantasy squad will start moving in the right direction.

Here is an all-star team of potential value players, those that could surprise and possibly exceed their fantasy draft slot this season.

Anaheim Ducks Right Wing Ondrej Kase (25) (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Filip Forsberg, LW, Nashville – The 25-year-old winger has scored enough highlight-reel goals that he’s not flying under the radar but he’s coming off a season in which he finished with 50 points, his fewest in a full season, and he’s missed 33 games over the past two seasons. A healthy Forsberg is a difference maker. Over the past four seasons, he ranks 19^th in goals per game (0.40) and 29^th in shots on goal per game (2.97). If the Predators can improve what was the league’s worst power play last season, Forsberg’s numbers should rise.

William Nylander, RW, Toronto – Quite possibly the most obvious candidate for a bounce-back season. The 23-year-old managed just seven goals in 54 games after a protracted contract negotiation caused him to miss the first two months of the 2018-2019 season. However, Nylander generated a career-best 9.6 shots per 60 minutes during 5-on-5 play and finished with a career-low 5.4% shooting percentage so his underlying numbers were strong and undermined by that terrible shooting percentage. Presuming that the Maple Leafs get Nylander back to his more customary spot on Auston Matthews’ wing, the scoring chances will be there and Nylander’s production will get back on track.

Mika Zibanejad, C, N.Y. Rangers – It’s hard to get a bargain on a player who scored a career-high 74 points last season, and this is usually the type of player for which I might warn against paying full retail prices but Zibanejad could get another boost from playing with prized free agent addition Artemi Panarin. Throughout his career, Panarin’s lines have typically generated a lot of shots and, usually, finish at an above-average rate, which keeps the door open for another productive scoring season for Zibanejad.

J.T. Miller, LW, Vancouver – Playing in Tampa Bay last season, Miller scored 13 goals and averaged fewer than 15 minutes of ice time per game, his lowest marks since 2014-2015. Joining Vancouver, where the Canucks have fewer quality options up front, Miller is much more likely to hold a prominent role in the Canucks’ offense all season and he is a three-time 20-goal scorer who had a career-high 58 points in 2017-2018.

Jordan Eberle, RW, N.Y. Islanders – After years of consistent production, Eberle had his worst season in 2018-2019, his 37 points tying his previous career low which was set during the 2012-2013 lockout season when he played just 48 games. That lack of production was backed up by a career-low 2.05 shots on goal per game but Eberle responded in the postseason, with nine points in eight games and, importantly, generating more than three shots on goal per game. If Eberle makes his home on Mathew Barzal’s wing, it is reasonable to believe that he can bounce back closer to his previously established level of scoring performance.

Jaden Schwartz, LW, St. Louis – Somehow Schwartz managed just 11 goals and 36 points during the 2018-2019 regular season despite averaging a career-high 2.65 shots on goal per game. He recovered in the playoffs, scoring 12 goals in 26 games on the way to the Blues’ first Stanley Cup. With strong underlying numbers, it will come as little surprise if Schwartz’s regular season production far exceeds what he provided last season.

Ondrej Kase, RW, Anaheim – A prime breakout candidate for the past couple of years, the 23-year-old winger looked to be on his way last season. After starting the season on the shelf with a concussion, Kase had scored 11 goals in 30 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher was the only player in the league to generate shots and shot attempts at a higher rate per minute than Kase, so if the Ducks winger is healthy enough to handle a prominent role for a full season, he might finally get that breakthrough campaign.

Alex Galchenyuk, RW, Pittsburgh – Forever looking to fulfill his potential, the 25-year-old gets another chance with his third NHL franchise. Last season’s 41 points was Galchenyuk’s lowest point total since 2013-2014 but he moves to a Penguins lineup that could give him a chance to skate with either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin at evens and, potentially, with both on the power play. Galchenyuk has produced 45 points on the power play in the past two seasons with Arizona and Montreal, and neither of those teams has a power play that can compare with what the Penguins have been rolling out in recent seasons.

Andrei Svechnikov, RW, Carolina – While a rookie season of 20 goals and 37 points was a nice debut for the 19-year-old winger, he’s just getting started. Svechnikov can generate shots but notably created high-quality chances. Among forwards to play at least 100 5-on-5 minutes last season, none had a higher rate of expected goals for per 60 than Svechnikov’s 3.34. The Hurricanes are a solid team but could use more high-end scorers to lead the attack and Svechnikov will eventually be one of those players, but maybe he makes that leap as soon as this season.

Tyler Toffoli, RW, Los Angeles – A three-time 20-goal scorer who has played all 82 games in three of the past four seasons, Toffoli’s 34 points in 82 games last season was the worst per-game production of his career. He scored on just 5.8% of his shots, well below his mark of 11.1% in his previous 375 games, and his on-ice shooting percentage of 6.4% was also a career-low. If Toffoli continues to generate shots and his percentages recover to a more typical level, then his goal and point totals would get a boost.

Roope Hintz, LW, Dallas – Even though he finished with a modest 22 points in 58 games as a rookie, the 22-year-old Stars forward finished strong with 11 points in the last 14 regular-season games before adding eight points in 13 playoff contests. He has the combination of size (6-foot-3, 215 pounds), speed, and skill to generate chances and his late-season surge gives him a regular spot in the lineup to provide the Stars with much-needed secondary offense.

Kevin Fiala, RW, Minnesota – The 23-year-old winger struggled after he was acquired from Nashville, managing seven points in 19 games with the Wild, but his on-ice shooting percentage was an absurdly low 3.0%. Fiala will have an opportunity to play a significant role in Minnesota and has such strong underlying numbers in terms of creating chances that it’s not a stretch to expect him to be better this season and he should be priced at a discount.

Nick Ritchie, LW, Anaheim – A 23-year-old power forward who tallied a career-high 31 points in 60 games last season, Ritchie offers additional value because he’s a banger. Even with a dip in hits last season, Ritchie has still averaged at least two hits per game for three straight seasons so if he scores enough to warrant consideration, his hit totals will offer additional value.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire)

DEFENSE

Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo – The first pick in the 2018 Draft isn’t going to sneak by too many but his rookie season was phenomenal – his 44 points was the most by an 18-year-old rookie defenseman since Phil Housley in 1982-1983, and Dahlin’s 2.16 shots on goal per game was only surpassed by Housley and Bobby Orr. This is just the beginning for this puck-moving dynamo and Dahlin is one of the few defensemen with the potential to have an impact as a scorer.

Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg – With the turnover on the Jets’ blueline, opportunity knocks for Morrissey, their top-pair defender who scored a career-high 31 points last season despite playing in just 59 games. Morrissey will have a big role in Winnipeg, and he can fill the stat sheet in multiple categories including hits and blocked shots.

Kevin Shattenkirk, Tampa Bay – Few players are seeking redemption like Shattenkirk, who was bought out of his four-year contract with the New York Rangers after just two seasons. While he’s not the sturdiest defender, the 30-year-old blueliner is consistently productive on the power play and his ability to move the puck ought to play well with a skilled Lightning squad.

Devon Toews, N.Y. Islanders – A 25-year-old who produced 17 points in his first 48 NHL games last season, Toews had four points on the power play during the regular season then matched that total in eight playoff games. He’s a quality puck-mover who should be ready for a bigger role on the Islanders blueline because the Islanders were much better once Toews was inserted into the lineup.

Filip Hronek, Detroit – When veteran Red Wings defenseman Mike Green was injured last season, the door opened wider for Hronek, a 21-year-old right-shot defenseman who had 19 points while playing more than 20 minutes per game in his last 30 games. Green’s presence could pose an initial challenge for Hronek when it comes to power play time but, long-term, Hronek should be a fixture on the Detroit power play.

Jakob Chychrun, Arizona – The key for Chychrun is staying healthy. The 21-year-old has played three NHL seasons and has yet to record a 70-game season. But he produced 20 points in 53 games last season despite a career-low 5.3% on-ice shooting percentage. He could break out merely by having that on-ice shooting percentage come back to a more reasonable level while staying healthy enough to play 75 games.

Arizona Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta (32) (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire)

GOALTENDERS

Martin Jones, San Jose – After a miserable 2018-2019 regular season, during which he had a career-low .896 save percentage, Jones is likely to be a relative bargain to acquire for the 2019-2020 fantasy season, and it’s worthwhile to take that plunge. He had a .915 save percentage over his previous three seasons and is the undisputed starter on a team that should at least be a playoff team and possibly a contender. That role matters because as poorly as Jones performed last season, he still won 36 games, his fourth straight season with at least 30 wins.

Antti Raanta, Arizona – Limited to just a dozen games last season, Raanta had a .927 save percentage in 116 games over the previous four seasons and had established that he was a legit starter for the Coyotes in 2017-2018. If he’s healthy, Raanta should be the No. 1 option for an improved Coyotes team and, because of last season’s injury, could be a draft day bargain.

McKeen’s Hockey 2019-20 Yearbook – PDF Magazine, Predictions, Line Combos, Top 250 prospects online now!

McKeen's Hockey — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 14:25:41 +0000

2019-20 prospect rankings, NHL predictions, line combos, are now updated online.

Our 25th edition of McKeen's Hockey Yearbook is now available for download.

Top 475 player predictions with over 1000 player profiles
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NHL Training Camp Notes – September 29th, 2017

Ryan Dadoun — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 22:26:39 +0000

Anaheim

Ryan Miller – Missed Wednesday’s practice and Thursday’s preseason game with an upper-body injury. It’s not clear if he’s in any danger of missing the season opener or not.

Kevin Bieksa – In the same boat as Miller, in which I mean he missed the practice and game, but beyond that we don’t know much. The difference is Bieksa has a lower-body injury.

Ryan Getzlaf – Was also kept out of Thursday’s preseason game due to an ailment and we also don’t know much here. All three cases are wait-and-see, but we might get a better sense of things on Saturday given that it will be the Ducks’ last preseason game, so it will be interesting to see if one or more of the three can participate.

Arizona

Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Latest on his knee injury is that he skated for roughly 35 minutes with an assistant coach on Thursday. Still appears to be questionable for the season opener.

Zac Rinaldo – He’s got a real shot of making the team, which would be noteworthy for those in fantasy leagues that use PIM as a category. He still has a five-game suspension he’d need to serve though if he does make the team (that incident took place back on Feb. 28, 2016 when he last participated in an NHL contest), so he wouldn’t be available for the season opener.

Buffalo

Jordan Nolan – Not too noteworthy, but he was claimed off waivers by Buffalo. He’s probably just going to end up being used as a fourth liner though.

Carolina

Justin Williams – He’s been skating on a line with Teuvo Teravainen and Jordan Staal. It looks like for tonight’s preseason game Janne Kuokkanen will be replacing Teravainen on that line, but that’s because Teravainen won’t be in the lineup.

Teuvo Teravainen – Speaking of that, Teravainen didn’t play in the third period of Wednesday’s contest either. It’s being billed as more precautionary than anything though, so unless there’s more here than meets the eye, I would assume he’ll be available for the season opener.

Lee Stempniak – Still has a hip/back injury and this whole has been on the vague side. Stempniak undergoing an MRI was mentioned last week, but Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said he didn’t know the results. What we do know is that he won’t play in Friday’s preseason game.

Chicago

Jan Rutta – He’s kind of a neat story. The defenseman is 27-years-old and has never played professionally in North America, but it looks like he’s actually won a spot with the Chicago Blackhawks out of training camp. He had eight goals and 32 points in 46 Czech league games last season.

Michal Rozsival – Not much of an update, but more of a no news probably is bad news scenario. He didn’t pass his training camp physical (upper body) and his status remains unchanged, so he’ll probably start the season on the injured reserve.

Colorado

A.J. Greer – Will probably start the season on the injured reserve list due to a concussion. The good news is that he’s started skating on his own.

Joe Colborne – He might not be available for the start of the season either due to his back injury. Colborne also didn’t play in any preseason games. It’s not clear if he’ll be with the Avalanche once he’s healthy or be sent to the minors.

Jonathan Bernier – Sustained a groin injury on Monday and hasn’t been practicing with the Avalanche as a result.

Columbus

Josh Anderson – He’s still not signed and on Thursday there were reports that he requested a trade (which, it should be noted, Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen has denied).

Detroit

Henrik Zetterberg – He hasn’t played in a preseason game yet because of a neck injury, but he’ll make his debut on Friday. His projected lineamtes are Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar.

Nick Jensen – A thumb injury will keep him out of Detroit’s last two preseason games on Friday and Saturday. It’s not clear if he’ll still be available for the season opener.

Niklas Kronwall – Had been dealing with a back injury, but he got into Thursday’s exhibition game, so it looks like that’s behind him.

Edmonton

Ryan Strome – He had been used on a line with Connor McDavid previously, but for Thursday and Friday’s practice, Strome has instead been centering the third line with Jussi Jokinen and Drake Caggiula. Oilers coach Todd McLellan seems to like Strome as a center, but obviously Strome’s best chance at having a big season would be with McDavid.

Leon Draisaitl – McLellan has already reunited the line of Leon Draisaitl, McDavid, and Patrick Maroon. Earlier in the preseason, Edmonton had been experimenting with separating Draisaitl and McDavid.

Minnesota

Zach Parise – Remains questionable for the season opener. He didn’t participate in Thursday or Friday’s practice though, so that’s not a good sign.

Nashville

Viktor Arvidsson – While Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg are projected to start the season together on the top line, Arvidsson might not end up as part of that trio this time. Kevin Fiala and Scott Hartnell are also in the running for that spot. This could have a meaningful amount of fantasy impact depending on which one of the three ends up on that top line.

New Jersey

Brian Boyle – Has been skating on his own, but he won’t start practicing with the Devils until Wednesday at the earliest. He might still end up playing in the season opener despite that.

Nico Hischier – He scored a goal in each of his four preseason games. While that has to be taken with a grain of salt, what is particularly noteworthy is that Devils coach John Hynes feels Hischier has earned a top-six spot.

NY Rangers

Filip Chytil – Defying the odds, Chytil seems to have secured a roster spot with the Rangers. Not only that, but he might open the season on a line with Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello.

NY Islanders

John Tavares – Just as an aside, teams have reportedly been told not to bother inquiring about Tavares until January 1 at the earliest. He wasn’t expected to be traded during the preseason or early portion of 2016-17 anyways – if he’s dealt at all – but this news just reinforces that.

Ottawa

Craig Anderson – He’s signed a two-year, $9.5 million extension. Obviously that doesn’t impact things much this season, which means that the Senators now have two veteran goalies signed through 2019-20 in him and Mike Condon.

Colin White – He blocked a shot during a preseason game and underwent wrist surgery as a result. He’ll start the season on the injured reserve list as he’ll be out for six-to-eight weeks.

Erik Karlsson – Was on the ice with the Senators on Friday, albeit while wearing a no-contact jersey. He’s doubtful for the season opener.

Philadelphia

Claude Giroux – The Flyers have continued to experiment with using Giroux as a left winger and Flyers coach Dave Hakstol has been happy with the results. As previously mentioned, if he does shift to the left wing then that would create an opening for Sean Couturier to center a top line that would also include Jakub Voracek.

Pittsburgh

Jake Guentzel – It comes with the standard disclaimer about preseason stats of course, but for what it is worth, Jake Guentzel has three goals and nine points in three preseason games. That’s enough to lead the league in exhibition points.

Patric Hornqvist – Is still dealing with a hand injury. He’s been skating, but not practicing. It’s still possible that he’ll play in the season opener, but Penguins coach Mike Sullivan wants to be cautious with him.

Justin Schultz/Kris Letang – When it comes to which one of the two will play on the top power-play unit, Sullivan talked about it being a fluid process. It could come down to who is better rested at the time or what Sullivan feels is best at that stage of the game.

St. Louis

Robby Fabbri – We already talked about this after I sent you my last update, but of course Fabbri tore his ACL again and will need to have surgery. He’s been ruled out for the playoffs as well as the regular season.

Scottie Upshall – It’s not official yet, but the St. Louis Blues have reportedly signed Upshall, which makes some sense given their injury issues. Upshall played for the Blues in each of the previous two seasons, but after going unsigned over the summer he joined the Canucks’ training camp on a PTO.

Toronto

Patrick Marleau – Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock has expressed displeasure in the trio of Marleau, Nazem Kadri, and Leo Komarov. Babcock liked how they were doing in the early part of camp, but he feels that group can be way better, quicker, and more diligent. He’s looking for them to develop more chemistry with each other. Perhaps that line will be broken up if Babcock doesn’t see improvements.