Philip Broberg – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – ST. LOUIS BLUES – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 16:21:05 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO -APRIL 03: St. Louis Blues center Dylan Holloway (81) as seen during a NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the St. Louis Blues on April 03, 2025, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire)

The Blues replaced head coach Drew Banniser with Jim Montgomery, who had been fired by the Boston Bruins, and the team improved dramatically, going 35-18-7 under Montgomery on the way to finishing the season with 96 points (44-30-8). It was enough to qualify for the playoffs and then they pushed the Winnipeg Jets to seven games before ultimately falling short in the first round series. The Blues were on the wrong side of the possession game, ranking 21st in Corsi percentage (48.6) and 20th in expected goals percentage (49.5). Their power play ranked 17th with 7.45 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play but their penalty killing was a problem, allowing 9.45 goals against per 60 minutes of four-on-five play, which ranked 29th. The Blues’ goaltending tandem of Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer was better than average and all of this combines to make a team that was very much middle of the pack and managed to squeak into the postseason but a bounce or two in the wrong direction could have been enough to keep them out.

What’s Changed?

Although scoring right winger Jordan Kyrou has popped up in trade rumours this summer, the Blues maintained some continuity in their forward core but signed free agents Pius Suter from the Vancouver Canucks and Nick Bjugstad from the Utah Mammoth to improve the team’s top nine. Jimmy Snuggerud, who jumped from college hockey to the Blues lineup at the end of last season will have a significant role right from the start of the season. On defence, the Blues acquired defenceman Logan Mailloux, a quality right-shot defence prospect who will have an opportunity to play regularly with the Blues, but it cost the Blues forward Zach Bolduc, who had shown promise as a rookie, tying for the team lead with seven power play goals on his way to producing 36 points (19 G, 17 A) in 72 games. The Blues are getting younger on defence, it appears, as they traded Nick Leddy to the San Jose Sharks and 40-year-old Ryan Suter is without a contract after logging 19:28 of ice time per game for the Blues in 2024-2025, so that creates potential room for Mailloux, Tyler Tucker, and Matthew Kessel on the blueline.

What would success look like?

Returning to the playoffs is the first level of success. As noted, the Blues just squeaked into the last spot in the Western Conference, but they played to a 105-point pace under Montgomery. However, there is room to improve if they are going to move up to the tier with more serious Stanley Cup contenders. This team doesn’t look like a Stanley Cup contender but winning a round or two in the playoffs should not be out of the question.

What could go wrong?

Improvement is necessary if the Blues are going to get off the playoff bubble. They have young players who could all develop and help raise the bar, but if there isn’t enough improvement there, and the goaltending slips a little, that could be all it takes for a team on the wrong side of the possession ledger to miss the postseason.

Top Breakout Candidate

After scoring 51 points (24 G, 27 A) in 40 games as a junior at the University of Minnesota last season, Snuggerud joined the Blues and chipped in four points (1 G, 3 A) in seven regular-season games before adding four points (2 G, 2 A) against the Jets in the playoffs. The 2022 first-round pick is poised to have a big role as a rookie this season, possibly even skating on the Blues’ top line. If so, he may have a chance to score enough that he can contend for the Calder Trophy.

FORWARDS

Robert Thomas

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	28	67	95	1.16

There is a class of players who are rarely classified in that elite tier even if they have all of the qualifications. Robert Thomas definitely fits that description. He is coming off his best season from a points-per-game perspective and would have shattered his career highs if he didn’t miss 12 games with an injury. He was sixth in the league in assists at five-on-five and in the top 20 for overall points. Combine that with him recording another 20+ goal season and Thomas is running out of things to prove to be considered among the league’s best. Those who follow St. Louis know all about this, as he is the engine of that team. His small form doesn’t prevent him from winning pucks in all three zone sand his deadeye-like accuracy with hitting teammates in stride is almost a cheat code for offence. There are few players better right now at breaking down coverage and moving the puck east-west to setup dangerous chances and it’s a big part of the Blues DNA. While those are nice, Thomas’ ability to draw defenders in and hit teammates in stride is his best asset, setting up numerous breakaways and chances with space. The Blues usually have an automatic zone entry whenever he is on the ice because of how quickly he gets through the defence and how accurate he is with feeding teammates into the zone. There isn’t much more for him to prove except to keep up this high level of play and he is a major reason why the Blues made a run to the playoffs.

Jordan Kyrou

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	39	35	74	0.90

Kyrou still finds himself playing second-line minutes despite posting his third 30+ goal season in a row. There was a desire to spread the wealth among the Blues top six and that left Kyrou playing alongside Brayden Schenn instead of his usual running mate in Robert Thomas. While his defensive play has improved leaps and bounds from a few years ago, his reputation as a liability away from the puck has left coaches reluctant to play Kyrou like he is a game-breaking forward. His performance last year suggests that it’s time to take the training wheels off because he did just about everything you can ask from a first line winger except play the minutes. He gives the Blues a dimension they don’t have much of in their forward corps as a volume shooter and someone who can finish his chances at a high rate. He’s versatile with how he creates his chances, although last season was all about the rush game for him, leading the Blues in zone entries leading to scoring chances and overall controlled entries. This has always been his calling card, as he’s naturally gifted with the puck and blessed with great skating. He had a tendency to be a little too patient with creating his offence, but there has been a more direct nature to his game the past couple of years, taking more shots and making more of a beeline to the net instead of waiting for another play to develop. It’s made him one of the Blues best goal-scorers and a driver of their success.

Dylan Holloway

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	32	42	74	0.95

The first half of Dylan Holloway’s season was all about letting him play and figuring out where he fits. Even after acquiring him through an offer sheet, there was a lot that wasn’t known about him as an NHL-er playing only sparingly in Edmonton. St. Louis immediately fed him minutes and let him play through his struggles in the first couple months of the year, reaping the benefits around December where Holloway scored at nearly a point-per-game pace for the rest of the year. He was an excellent swiss army knife type player on the Blues second line, doing a little of everything to give some stability there. Taking over center duties for Brayden Schenn and providing a complement to Kyrou’s speed and puck-handling. He is an ideal player for the middle of your roster, mastering the art of being a contributor while not needing to be “the guy” on his line. He will make the simple play more times than not, mastering the art of making the simple 5–10-foot pass to keep the pace going rather than trying to thread the needle or try to skate through traffic. His chemistry was lethal with Kyrou, as there was a lot of open ice for Holloway to explore and his heavy shot became more of a weapon, especially off the rush. A late season injury unfortunately kept him out of the playoffs and the “what if” factor is looming there with how close their first round loss to Winnipeg was. The offer sheet was a coup, and we will see after next year if the Blues plan to make Holloway a long-term piece.

Pavel Buchnevich

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	24	35	59	0.79

The Blues decision not to trade Buchnevich at the 2024 deadline and instead re-sign him for six years was a little surprising. He is 30 years old, and the Blues appeared to be entering a re-tool type of situation missing the playoffs for two years in a row. He is an excellent player, but this was a risky contract with his age and the number of cross-checks he eats every game from driving to the middle of the ice. If you only look at point production, last season looks like the beginning of a decline for Buchnevich, scoring at his lowest point-per-game pace since 2020 and this is while getting fed prime minutes on the top line. There is always more than meets the eye in these situations and Buchnevich did a lot that didn’t show up on the scoresheet. Thomas brings the game-breaking skill, but Buchnevich is why they stay a positive line territorially. He fights hard for pucks to get second and third chance opportunities and is very strong on the wall in the defensive zone to kill plays. He might not be the one scoring on the initial chances, but he helps create rebounds and space for everyone else on his line. The one area that has been declining for the last few years is Buchnevich’s individual scoring chance rate, which is something worth keeping the eye on as he goes through his 30’s. His poor finishing season should correct itself, but there might be a cap on how many goals to expect from him going forward if his chance creation continues to decline.

Jake Neighbours

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	20	24	44	0.56

Some players do two or three things at a high level and do enough to get by with everything else. In the case of Neighbours, his hands in tight situations and his shot cover up a lot of his flaws and make him an excellent third wheel on the top line. The Blues like to pair him with Thomas, which makes his struggles to skate with the puck not as much of a factor and his ability to corral loose pucks and find the soft spot in the defence more of a weapon. He has ridden this role to back-to-back 20+ goal seasons and last year we got to see more of the playmaking that got him drafted in the first round. He has slowly climbed the ladder in the Blues depth chart, and he seemed to earn more of a solid trust in the coaching staff with how he is regularly deployed on the top line. When Neighbours is playing away from Thomas is when the issues start to creep in, although the emergence of Dylan Holloway gives St. Louis more options if they want a puck-carrier to pair him with. He isn’t someone who can drive his own line, but his goal-scoring and skillset around the net make him one of the better secondary scoring options in the league.

Brayden Schenn

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	16	30	46	0.56

It was another year at the office for Schenn, scoring 50 points for the eighth time in his career and maintaining his regular spot as the Blues 2C. The road to get there wasn’t smooth, though as Schenn struggled mightily to start the season. Still getting on the scoresheet, but his lines were on the wrong side of both the goal and scoring chance battle for the first three months of the season. It wasn’t until they put Dylan Holloway on his line that Schenn began to play like a top sixer again and it gave the veteran a second wind. Holloway moved Schenn over to the wing and the game became somewhat easier, as he didn’t have to cover as much ground as he would playing center and the Blues could conserve his energy by playing him less on the penalty kill. The question with Schenn is how much longer he can keep this up now that he’s 34. The Blues still play him like he’s one of their best offensive players, which includes time on the power play and while Schenn is still smart and skilled enough to contribute, the legs to keep up might not be there anymore. Holloway’s emergence was a lifeline for him staying a positive player in the top six and we will see how this setup works for a full year.

Nick Bjugstad

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	9	11	20	0.27

The trip from Arizona to Utah changed a lot of things for Nick Bjugstad. He posted some of the best numbers of his career with the Coyotes while playing in the top six and followed it up with a 19-point season struggling to get more than 13 minutes a night. Part of this was the youth influx in Utah, with the likes of Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther becoming more regular players and others like Jack McBain and Josh Doan getting regular minutes. It became a situation where you can only play so many guys and Bjugstad became more of a depth player. It’s a role he’s accustomed to, and some coaches think suit him best because of his size and dog-on-a-bone mentality when going after pucks. He can still give you something if you play him in offensive minutes, though. He loves shooting the puck and can weave away from defenders to create his own shot, not being too reliant on his linemates. Skilled enough to play on a scoring line, although probably not a game-breaker. St. Louis was an interesting landing spot for him because their top six is pretty set with rookie Jimmy Snuggerud likely taking one of the top wing spots. This puts Bjugstad at the 4C spot, which he can play but limits what he can do, especially with the Blues preferring to play physical forecheckers on the wings there. You shouldn’t expect much offence from Bjugstad if that’s the role he gets, but he is someone that could get power play time on the second unit and maybe spell in a top line winger spot in the event of injuries.

Pius Suter

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	20	22	42	0.53

Players like Suter are a testament to how you don’t always need the puck on your stick to be effective. He doesn’t take a lot of shots, but when he does, they’re from right in front of the goaltender because of how good he is at getting to rebounds. If he’s not shooting for a rebound, he’s shooting into an open net because of how good he is at breaking down coverages and getting to where the defence isn’t. He’s very responsible defensively and it makes a guy you can use all over the lineup. If your top line is struggling to keep the puck out of their own end, Suter is a guy you can put there for a few games to calm things down and get everyone playing a simpler game. He’s also someone who meshes with elite skill because of his strong off-puck play and how he prefers to play that way rather than being the quarterback. He also doesn’t need to play with elite linemates to produce, as we saw in Vancouver where he formed a great line with Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua, Garland doing most of the puck-handling on that unit. He’s someone every team should have, and the Blues are a nice spot for him as at least they don’t have to worry about their 3C spot while Suter is on the roster. They also have a lot of decent to strong puck-handlers that complement his offensive game well and he will make everyone around him better defensively.

Alex Texier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
65	12	16	28	0.43

It’s hard to believe Texier is only 25 years old considering he made his debut for the Blue Jackets in their historic playoff sweep over Tampa all the way back in 2019. The young Frenchman has traveled a lot of miles in his career and his first season outside of Columbus was a bit of rocky tenure. He only played 33 games, and they struggled to find a spot for him. He got a brief run alongside Pavel Buchnevich early in the season and became more of a part-time player shortly afterwards. Even as one of the more expensive depth players, Texier is somewhat of an awkward fit on the lower lines. He might provide more of a spark than Oskar Sundqvist, but the Blues prefer his size, he doesn’t have the same level of speed as Mathieu Joseph, and he doesn’t play with the same motor as a Nathan Walker or Alexey Toropchenko. Therefore, he got pigeonholed into the “top six or nothing” mindset and it was tough for the Blues to fit him in the lineup. He did see the ice in the playoffs, though and he showed he can fit into the checking style game even if scoring off the rush is his calling card. Still on the roster with a $2.1 million cap hit, the Blues will have to find a way to work him into a crowded roster or find him a home elsewhere. Texier has shown enough potential to be worth keeping around on the depth lines.

DEFENCE

Cam Fowler

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	10	36	46	0.58

The mid-season trade for Cam Fowler was a perfect marriage of a player looking for a change of scenery and a team needing a player like him. The longtime workhorse of the Anaheim blue line still has the cardio to play 25+ minutes a night, but the Ducks were looking to shift some of his responsibilities to their younger players and Fowler himself probably welcomed the reduced penalty killing duties and getting to play alongside a veteran in Colton Parayko. It was always hard to gauge his numbers in Anaheim, as they were one of the worst teams in the league for the past decade and they regularly bled chances and goals against while he was on the ice. This is despite Fowler being one of their most reliable breakout options, but his strength on zone exits would often lead to empty calorie plays, as they came at the end of long shifts. With the Blues, his on-ice stats did a complete 180 degree turn, as St. Louis owned over 60% of the five-on-five goals with him on the ice and his skillset proved to be complementary to their forward corps that looked to push the pace forward. You saw bits of the old Cam Fowler with him leading the rush, jumping into the play and hitting long stretch passes. The slight reduction in minutes combined with a better supporting cast helped out both parties. The question now is if this is the new normal or just the honeymoon phase after the trade.

Colton Parayko

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	12	29	41	0.51

Four years after lingering back issues had some questioning his career, Parayko has stayed mostly healthy since then. This year’s knee procedure being the first case of him missing time due to an injury. His size and mobility make him a favorite among coaches and scouts, a main reason why he is always on Team Canada’s tournament rosters. It wasn’t that long ago when you could consider him one of the league’s top defenceman, but that isn’t so much the case now that he’s 32. He’s still a heavy minute player for the Blues and holds his own in the defensive zone. Quick enough to keep up with top line forwards and he’s excellent at disrupting chances. Uses his stick well on the puck and keeps the front of the net clear incredibly well. Last season was somewhat of a turning point for him changing his defending style, no longer playing aggressive in the neutral zone and waiting for the puck carrier to come to him so he can kill the play along the wall rather than go for the big hit at the blue line. Getting Cam Fowler as his defence partner helped matters here, as Parayko had a more reliable option with getting the puck out of the zone and he could focus more on sealing plays along the wall with the breakout being taken care of. The one thing that could be considered a drawback to Parayko’s game is he likes to do everything, which includes carrying the puck and taking all the shots when he’s on the ice. He might not have the skillset to do the former, but he did get the results he wanted as a shooter, scoring a career high 16 goals, all but two of them coming at even strength. Repeating that will obviously be a challenge, but it’s also not what he’s primarily relied on for.

Philip Broberg

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	9	26	35	0.45

Broberg was the riskier of the two players St. Louis acquired from Edmonton via a double offer sheet. His first three years in Edmonton were spent with training wheels latched on whenever he got NHL action. You saw glimpses of what he could do in the Oilers first playoff run, but it was only a brief period, and he was still unproven as an NHLer. The bet St. Louis made paid off, as they immediately put Broberg in the top four and he didn’t look out of place all season. Where he shined the most was in the breakout game, excellent at using his skating to avoid pressure to get easy breakouts for the Blues to move the play forward. They let him play through his mistakes and he became the player they needed to become a staple in their top four. He also offered a bit of game-breaking skill with his ability to go coast-to-coast and while he’s not expected to score much, it’s a huge relief to their forwards who do most of the work in transition. It’s almost a perfect setup for the Blues offence because they’re a team that wants the forward taking most of the shots from close-range, so Broberg only has to be the guy to get them the puck in some way rather than taking 40-foot shots with no traffic in front. He doesn’t miss the net much either, generating a rebound or a scramble in front when he gets a shot through. The next step for him is seeing if he can break into the top pair, but the Blues have gotten plus value out of Broberg as it is.

Justin Faulk

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	6	26	32	0.42

Faulk is one of those players who sees his role change seemingly every year. Sometimes he’s your power play quarterback, other times he’s a defensive specialist who eats all the penalty kill minutes. You can argue that he’s miscast in this role because he also eats a lot of chances and goals against while he’s on the ice. He is one of those players who can play 20+ minutes without getting tired, but how effective they are in the role is up for debate. With Faulk it’s a quandary because he has a bomb of a shot from the point and he fills that rover role of a defenceman well with how he likes to creep in to get chances. His passing and erratic play with the puck, however, makes him an awkward fit there and it’s made the Blues second defence pair a revolving door forever. He found somewhat of a niche as Broberg’s partner, as a guy who can take hits and get the puck to his more skilled partner, but even that had shelf life as teams started zeroing in on him to throw the puck up the wall for turnovers. Teaming with Broberg did help somewhat clean up Faulk’s defensive play, as the two were able to keep their heads above water territorially when they were paired together. There isn’t a real challenger for Faulk’s spot yet, so he will remain in the top four until that changes.

GOAL

Joel Hofer

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
42	19	18	4	2	.902	2.72

It felt like old times to look at the St. Louis Blues depth chart and see the statistical similarities boasted last season by Joel Hofer and Jordan Binnington. As one of the league's early adopters of the true tandem, St. Louis has always seemed to thrive when they have two clear-cut options that give them a similar chance of winning night after night. And perhaps best of all, Hofer - one of the team's slightly overbaked success stories in their goaltending prospect history - was the slightly more reliable of the two, boding well for the team's future success when Binnington's current deal expires in 2027.

Hofer was the bright, shiny new addition during the 2023-24 season, when he and Binnington first burst onto the scene as the league's most 'Perfectly Serviceable Tandem' during a heartbreaking postseason miss for the Blues. It felt like a relief, then, to see him maintain his good performance this past year as well, particularly when the Blues managed to convert what he and Binnington had to offer into a surprise last-second playoff berth; it didn't yield a particularly deep postseason appearance, but it implies there's optimism to be had in the Midwest. Expect to see Hofer take on a little more responsibility this season, but don't expect him to take over completely; the Blues love a good partnership, and he and Binnington seem to complement one another perfectly.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Blues reaping the rewards of bold offer sheet decisions, Monahan returns to action, Nugent-Hopkins, Pickard thrust into big roles for Oilers, Huberdeau thriving, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 18:13:57 +0000

COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 01: Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan (23) on the ice during the second period of the National Hockey League game between the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets on November 1, 2024 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, the St. Louis Blues are reaping the rewards of their bold offer sheet decisions last summer, Sean Monahan returns to action, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Calvin Pickard are thrust into big roles for the Oilers, Jonathan Huberdeau is thriving, and much more!

#1 When the St. Louis Blues signed left winger Dylan Holloway to an offer sheet last summer, they surely had hopes that he could produce more than he had with the Edmonton Oilers if given the opportunity. It’s difficult to imagine that they would have expected this, however. With a pair of goals in Thursday’s win at Nashville, Holloway extended his point streak to nine games, during which he has accrued 15 points (6 G, 9 A). That gives the 23-year-old winger 62 points (26 G, 36 A) in 74 games, a massive jump from the 18 points (9 G, 9 A) in 89 games that he had produced for the Oilers over the previous two seasons.

#2 The other player that the Blues plucked from the Oilers, defenceman Philip Broberg, has been a major success as well. Broberg has tallied six points (2 G, 4 A) in his past five games, giving him 27 points (8 G, 19 A) in 61 games for the Blues. He is playing nearly 21 minutes per game since the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Blues are finding out that, just like Holloway, Broberg had a lot more to offer than he had in Edmonton.

#3 After missing more than two-and-a-half months due to a wrist injury, Sean Monahan has returned to the Columbus Blue Jackets’ lineup. He slides back onto the top line, between Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko, and Monahan picked up a pair of assists in his first game back, giving him 18 points (5 G, 13 A) in the last 10 games in which he has played.

#4 With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl both injured, the Edmonton Oilers need Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to help fill those massive holes in the lineup. Nugent-Hopkins has contributed nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 19 shots on goal in his past six games, but aside from his first-unit power play time, it is not necessarily evident that he is anchoring Edmonton’s top line. His linemates at even strength are Vasily Podkolzin and Viktor Arvidsson, neither of whom is creating a significant number of scoring chances. Essentially, this should count as a warning: just because the Oilers need a player like Nugent-Hopkins to fill the void down the middle of the ice, that does not mean he will be in position to succeed.

#5 The Oilers also lost goaltender Stuart Skinner to an upper-body injury, which should mean more action for Calvin Pickard down the stretch. While he has been a solid backup he has been fluctuating quite a bit recently. In six starts since the 4 Nations Face-Off, Pickard allowed one goal (for a total of three) in three starts and in the other three starts he allowed a total of 15 goals. Pickard probably still has value if he is going to get starts but if it is for an Oilers team missing McDavid and Draisaitl, there may not be as much value.

#6 Following a couple of down seasons in his first two years with the Calgary Flames, Jonathan Huberdeau has rebounded with a stronger season in 2025-2026. He has 12 points (5 G, 7 A) and 22 shots on goal in his past eight games, a shot rate that is notably higher since he has not averaged more than two shots per game since 2021-2022. He is skating on a line with Morgan Frost and Matt Coronato, and all three are on the Flames’ top power play unit.

#7 The Chicago Blackhawks called up Artyom Levshunov, the second overall pick in the 2024 Draft, following the trade deadline and he is getting ample opportunity to show what he can do. Levshunov is averaging more than 21 minutes of ice time in his first eight games, recording four assists and playing on the Blackhawks’ top power play unit. At the same time, there have been some challenges. The Blackhawks have been outscored 14-4 with Levshunov on the ice at even strength, but his Corsi percentage of 46.7 percent is not nearly as disastrous, so those unfavourable results are driven more by poor percentages and that should level out with more playing time. As it is, he’s an intriguing sleeper for the final weeks of the season because the Blackhawks will be inclined to let him learn on the job.

#8 Blues winger Jake Neighbours has increased his production late in the season. Since the 4 Nations Face-Off, Neighbours has produced 17 points (6 G, 11 A) in 18 games. He has just 21 shots on goal in that time, which is no way to sustain goal-scoring production, but Neighbours is skating on the top line with Robert Thomas and rookie Zack Bolduc, so he is in position to generate more shots while playing with one of the top playmaking centres in the league.

#9 While it may be fair to characterize Tyler Bertuzzi’s first season in Chicago as a disappointment, it’s not like the veteran winger has fallen off a cliff. He has still topped 20 goals and 40 points for the fifth time in his career after putting up seven points (3 G, 4 A) in his past five games. Given the expectations, since his most common linemate this season has been Connor Bedard, it’s reasonable to suggest that Bertuzzi could have produced more, and helped his rising star linemate, but Bertuzzi is skating now with Joe Veleno and Philipp Kurashev, and maybe that brings more favourable matchups that work better for him.

#10 With the Philadelphia Flyers deciding to move on from head coach John Tortorella, it could be worth watching how Sean Couturier finishes the season. The veteran Flyers centre was sometimes the scapegoat under Torts but has been playing well even as the Flyers fade down the stretch. Since the 4 Nations Face-Off, Couturier has contributed 15 points (6 G, 9 A) and 42 shots on goal in 17 games. He is centering a line with star rookie Matvei Michkov and Travis Konecny, the most talented wingers on the roster, so there is a real chance for Couturier to finish this season strong and perhaps put himself in a better situation going into next season.

#11 Injuries on the New York Islanders blueline created an opening for Tony DeAngelo after he was released from his KHL club, and he has been eating a lot of minutes on the Islanders blueline. In his past six games, DeAngelo has put up seven points (1 G, 6 A) while averaging more than 24 minutes of ice time per game. The Islanders are running a rare two-defenceman unit on their top power play, with DeAngelo and Noah Dobson both skating with the first unit.

#12 Category-specific players can see their fantasy relevance come and go, largely based on whether they are scoring enough to justify a roster spot. Take Canucks right winger Kiefer Sherwood, who is a solid player, but now that he has picked up offensively, with nine points (4 G, 5 A) in his past 12 games, he is a valuable fantasy option. Why? Because in those 12 games, Sherwood also has 81 hits! He hit double digits in road games at St. Louis and the New York Rangers last week.

#13 Calgary Flames right winger Matthew Coronato has taken a big step forward in his first full NHL season. After managing nine points in 34 games for the Flames last season, while averaging a modest 12:37 of ice time per game, Coronato has hit the 20-goal mark while averaging 17:26 of ice time per game this season. He has seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 20 shots on goal while averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game in his past seven games, so as the Flames battle for a playoff spot, their young winger is playing a sizeable role.

#14 Unexpectedly not in the lineup for Edmonton’s loss in Seattle on Thursday, defenceman Mattias Ekholm had recently returned after missing a couple of weeks, so he is flying under the radar a bit, but the veteran blueliner has been productive when he has been in the game. Since the 4 Nations Face-Off, Ekholm has contributed nine points with 21 shots on goal (2 G, 7 A) in 10 games. He does not get prime power play time, with seven of his 33 points coming via the power play this season, but Ekholm could offer some short-term value provided that he is not out for an extended period.

#15 Anaheim Ducks winger Alex Killorn is not scoring like he did during his prime years with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but he is still a useful complementary player for the improving Ducks. Killorn has six points (4 G, 2 A) and 14 shots on goal in his past seven games and he is a good leader for young linemates Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier. On top of that, Killorn is getting a turn on the first power play unit even though he has just three power play points all season, so he might have a tad more upside than expected late in the campaign.

#16 Seattle Kraken right winger Jordan Eberle missed more than three months and returned to action following the 4 Nations Face-Off. He was scoreless in his first three games, which is understandable, considering his lengthy absence, but he has contributed 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in 13 games since. Eberle is doing most of his damage at even strength and is skating on a line with Shane Wright and Jaden Schwartz.

#17 Utah Hockey Club right winger Nick Schmaltz tends to be widely available in fantasy hockey, more than might be expected for a player who is so accomplished. Across the past four seasons, Schmaltz has recorded 235 points in 277 games, his 0.85 points per game ranking 78th in the league over that time. Since the 4 Nations Face-Off, Schmaltz has 16 points (6 G, 10 A) with 43 shots on goal in 16 games. He is playing with Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley on Utah’s top line and first power play unit.

#18 Winnipeg Jets right winger Gabriel Vilardi is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury. He has been more durable than ever this season, playing a career-high 71 games, and has career highs of 27 goals, 34 assists, and 61 points. With Vilardi out, a great opportunity goes to Alex Iafallo, who has been an over-qualified fourth liner for much of the season but is now getting a turn alongside Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. That opportunity is enough to make Iafallo worthwhile as a short-term add for fantasy managers.

#19 Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko has returned to action after missing six weeks. While he has won his first two starts since returning, Demko had a pedestrian save percentage of .892 in 19 games this season, but his pedigree means that Demko will get the starter’s role when he is healthy. That means that Kevin Lankinen will lose starts for as long as Demko remains healthy enough to play.

#20 Although the Ottawa Senators are surging late in the season, centre Shane Pinto is mired in a six-game pointless drought. He has generated just five shots on goal in that time and while he is centering a line with Brady Tkachuk and Ridly Greig on his wings at even strength, Pinto is not listed on Ottawa’s top two power play units, which does limit his fantasy appeal. He has just two power play points all season and given Pinto’s overall production, this late-season slump should get him dropped from most fantasy squads.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Examining offseason moves – Oilers thriving ex-RFA’s versus UFA signings – Teams with favourable schedules

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 16:15:29 +0000

DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 14: St Louis Blue defenseman Philip Broberg skates with the puck down the ice during an NHL game between the St Louis Blues and the Dallas Stars on December 14, 2024, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. (Photo by Steve Nurenberg/Icon Sportswire)

Going into 2024-25, it looked like the Oilers had a great summer. Sure, they lost restricted free agents Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to St. Louis, but only because the Blues overpaid for them. Meanwhile, Edmonton was crafty, snagging Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson at bargain bin prices, while also re-signing Adam Henrique to a reasonable contract. The goaltending was still in a risky state given the reliance on the streaky Stuart Skinner and the defense looked thin, but up front, Edmonton seemed deeper than it had ever been in the Connor McDavid-era.

Reality has played out differently. Edmonton has a 23-12-3 record, so they don’t have much to complain about on that front. However, Skinner hasn’t been the bargain that they thought. Instead, the six-time 30-plus goal scorer has just six markers and 13 points through 37 appearances. He’s been so underwhelming that he’s been largely relegated to the fourth line and was even a healthy scratch Sunday.

Arvidsson hasn’t been much help either. Granted, injuries have been part of the issue, but even when healthy, he’s underwhelmed with four goals and nine points through 23 outings. Meanwhile, Henrique has three goals and 10 points in 38 games after finishing the 2023-24 regular season with 51 points.

With the benefit of hindsight, Edmonton should have prioritized its restricted free agents. Broberg has three goals and 14 points in 27 outings while managing a top four role. Holloway has looked even better, collecting 14 goals and 27 points in 40 appearances.

As for Skinner and Arvidsson being bargains while Broberg and Holloway were overpaid, the former duo costs $7 million combined for 2024-25 while the latter comes in at roughly $6.9. Oops.

To be fair, this isn’t what many would have predicted going into the campaign, and there’s still time for Skinner and Arvidsson to make their marks, especially come the playoffs. However, it does highlight how plans can go awry, and with nearly half the campaign now in the books, this seems like a good time to take stock of how teams did in the offseason.

That’ll be the theme of this week’s article: For every team I highlight below, I’m going focus on the players who were brought in over the summer and reevaluate whether it’s worked out.

Carolina Hurricanes (Tue @ TBL, Thu @ TOR, Fri vs VAN, Sun vs ANA)

Carolina has been middling recently, posting a 7-8-1 record over its past 16 games, though the Hurricanes are still 23-13-2 overall thanks to their commanding start. Next week is packed for Carolina and primarily at home, though the opponents will be difficult. The Hurricanes will play in Tampa Bay on Tuesday before hosting Toronto, Vancouver and Anaheim on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, respectively.

Even after factoring in Carolina’s recent underwhelming play, the Hurricanes are still well on their way to making the playoffs for the seventh straight campaign despite significant turnover. They lost two top-four defensemen -- Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce -- and top-six forward Teuvo Teravainen. Jake Guentzel also parted ways with Carolina, but he was a midseason rental, so he was less ingrained into the team.

Carolina led the league in xGA/60 in 2023-24 (2.65), but the team has dipped to 11th (2.90) this year. That’s not bad, but it does suggest that the losses of Skjei and Pesce have been felt.

Carolina did ink Shayne Gostisbehere to a three-year, $9.6 million contract over the summer, but the 31-year-old defenseman was brought in as more of a power-play specialist than a two-way option. He has served well in that role, supplying six goals and 27 points through 35 appearances, but unfortunately, he’s out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

Interestingly, Brent Burns appears to be staying on the second power-play unit despite Gostisbehere’s injury. Burns is hot with two goals and four points over his past four appearances, but he has just one point with the man advantage this year, and unless he moves up to the top power-play grouping, it’s hard to see him having a strong second half.

Ty Smith seems to have gotten the special-teams assignment instead of Burns. The 24-year-old has averaged just 14:02 of ice time in Carolina’s three games without Gostisbehere, but 4:05 per contest has come with the man advantage. Smith has a goal (provided on the power play) in those three appearances after supplying three goals and 10 points in 13 outings with AHL Chicago. He’s worth a short-term pickup.

Moving back to the Hurricanes’ summer acquisitions, Carolina also inked Jack Roslovic to a one-year, $2.8 million deal. He’s worked out well in Carolina, collecting 17 goals and 25 points through 38 outings, which puts the 27-year-old on track to surpass his career high of 45 points. I’m not confident he’ll get there, though. His 22.4 shooting percentage doesn’t look sustainable and his role with the team hasn’t been consistent, resulting in him averaging a modest 14:00, including 1:15 on the power play. It’s hard to trust him unless he starts getting bigger minutes consistently, so there’s a risk of him slowing meaningfully in the second half.

Detroit Red Wings (Tue vs OTT, Fri vs CHI, Sun vs SEA)

The Red Wings are showing some life under new bench boss Todd McLellan, winning each of their past three games. Still, they have a lot of ground to make up given their 16-18-4 record. Fortunately, their upcoming competition is favorable -- they'll spend next week at home, hosting Ottawa on Tuesday, Chicago on Friday and Seattle on Sunday.

Detroit lost Gostisbehere and veteran forward David Perron over the summer, which threatened to hurt the team’s scoring, but the Red Wings hoped to mitigate that by bringing in Vladimir Tarasenko on a two-year, $9.5 million contract. Tarasenko isn’t the same player he was when he provided over 30 goals on six occasions from 2014-15 through 2021-22, but he still figured to be a valuable middle-six option after providing 23 goals and 55 points over 76 outings between Ottawa and Florida in 2023-24.

It hasn’t worked out like that, though. Tarasenko has just four goals and 14 points through 37 appearances and isn’t giving Red Wings fans much hope that he’ll have a strong second half. The veteran has no goals and three assists across his past 14 games. While Detroit has won its last three games by scoring at least four goals in each contest, Tarasenko has managed a single shot on net over that stretch.

Detroit re-signed Patrick Kane to a one-year, $4 million deal over the summer. Initially, Kane’s story this season looked a lot like Tarasenko -- Kane had just three goals and 10 points over his first 24 appearances of 2024-25 -- but he’s hit his stride, providing five goals and nine points across his past nine outings.

Detroit ranks 25th in goals per game with 2.68, which is a collapse compared to the Red Wings’ 3.35 last campaign. That’s in large part due to a decline in secondary scoring. Detroit had eight players with at least 15 goals. Just five are scoring at a pace to reach that mark this campaign. If Tarasenko could get going, that would certainly help, but it would be wrong to put the blame solely on him when the team as a whole has declined that much.

Minnesota Wild (Tue vs STL, Thu vs COL, Sat @ SJS, Sun @VGK)

The Wild have won four of their past five games, bringing their record up to 24-11-4 this campaign. They’ll look to continue the good times next week, starting with a home game against the Blues on Tuesday. After that, the Wild will host Colorado on Thursday before hitting the road for contests in San Jose on Saturday and Vegas on Sunday.

In contrast to their dominance this season, the Wild missed the playoffs in 2023-24 with a 39-34-9 record, so you’d think they had a successful summer, but this is largely the same team that fell short last campaign. The big difference has been Filip Gustavsson. He struggled in 2023-24 with a 20-18-4 record, 3.06 GAA and .899 save percentage but has rebounded this time, posting a 17-6-3 record, 2.28 GAA and .924 save percentage across 26 starts.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Gustavsson continue his dominance through the second half of the campaign. While it’s in contrast to last season, he has demonstrated this level of success before -- he was 22-9-7 with a 2.10 GAA and a .931 save percentage in 39 outings in 2022-23 -- so this isn’t coming out of nowhere.

Marco Rossi has also taken a step up. The 23-year-old finished 2023-24 with 21 goals and 40 points and is well on his way to shattering those totals this season, collecting 15 goals and 33 points through 39 outings so far. For the second straight campaign, Rossi has the distinction of getting plenty of ice time with Kirill Kaprizov, but the duo seems to be meshing better this year. Kaprizov showed up on the scoresheet for 16 of Rossi’s 40 points last season but has already featured on 21 of Rossi’s 33 points in 2024-25.

While Minnesota didn’t make any significant additions last summer, it is worth noting that the Wild signed Brock Faber to an eight-year, $68 million contract extension back in July. Faber was one of the few positives for the Wild in 2023-24, supplying eight goals, 47 points, 65 hits and 150 blocks in 82 appearances as a rookie. Locking him up long-term was a bit of a risk given his small sample size, but it’s looking like it was a great call. He has five goals, 20 points, 15 hits and 51 blocks through 39 outings in 2024-25.

Faber didn’t look ideal analytically last campaign with a relative 5v5 CF%/FF% of minus-2.8/minus-3.5, which suggests that the team performed worse from a puck possession perspective when he was on the ice, but the 22-year-old has shown some growth in that regard as a sophomore, posting a minus-1.7/minus-2.9 relative 5v5 CF%/FF%.

Ottawa Senators (Tue @ DET, Thu @ BUF, Sat @ PIT, Sun vs DAL)

Minnesota is enjoying a great campaign after a rough one, but the Senators are still floundering in mediocrity. Ottawa finished 37-41-4 in 2023-24, missing the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year. The Senators are a more respectable, but still not great 19-17-2 this year.

Ottawa does have a shot at ending its postseason drought, but every point will be critical. Next week, the Senators will play in Detroit on Tuesday, host the Sabres on Thursday, play in Pittsburgh on Saturday and then head back home to face the Stars on Sunday.

There was some reason for cautious optimism going into this campaign. Joonas Korpisalo had been a big problem for the Senators in 2023-24, posting a 21-26-4 record, 3.27 GAA and .890 save percentage in 55 outings while finishing minus-16.1 in terms of goals saved above expected. To exchange him with Linus Ullmark in a trade with Boston over the summer seemed like a huge win, and it has been.

Ullmark did initially struggle in Ottawa and is presently dealing with a back injury, but he’s still been strong overall with a 12-7-2 record, 2.38 GAA and .915 save percentage across 23 games with the Senators. Unfortunately, Ottawa’s holdover goaltender, Anton Forsberg, has continued to struggle with a 3.04 GAA and an .885 save percentage in 12 outings, so Ottawa has to hope that Ullmark returns soon.

Even when he is playing, though, Ottawa is still limited by its offense, ranking 20th in goals per game with 2.95. Trading offensive defenseman Jakob Chychrun to Washington didn’t help. The Senators did receive Nick Jensen in the trade, but Jensen is more of a defensive option, contributing two goals, 13 points, 37 hits and 44 blocks in 38 contests with Ottawa this campaign.

The Senators also attempted to boost its secondary scoring by inking David Perron to a two-year, $8 million contract. Perron had recorded at least 36 points in each of his past eight campaigns, so he seemed like a reasonable bet, but the 36-year-old has been no help. Part of that is due to injuries, but even in the nine games he’s logged with Ottawa, Perron has no points.

To make matters worse, Claude Giroux is showing his age, collecting nine goals and 24 points through 38 appearances in 2024-25, putting the 36-year-old on pace to finish well below his totals of 79 and 64 points in 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively.

If Ottawa is to miss the playoffs this year, a lack of scoring will likely be the reason.

Pittsburgh Penguins (Tue vs CBJ, Thu vs EDM, Sat vs OTT, Sun vs TBL)

Pittsburgh was aggressive in the summer of 2023, bringing offensive defenseman Erik Karlsson into the fold, but that proved to be not enough for the 2023-24 Penguins, who missed the playoffs due to a 38-32-12 record. The Penguins didn’t make as big a splash this summer, and the results remain mixed with the Penguins sitting at 17-17-6. They are in the mix for a playoff spot, so their upcoming homestand will be important -- Pittsburgh will host Columbus on Tuesday, Edmonton on Thursday, Ottawa on Saturday and Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Goaltending was a weakness for Pittsburgh in 2023-24, but the Penguins didn’t change its duo, so Alex Nedeljkovic and Tristan Jarry are paired together for the second straight campaign. The results have been bad, Pittsburgh ranks last in goals allowed per game (3.63), though the defense in front of them is at least partially to blame given the team’s xGA/60 of 3.34, which ranks 29th in the NHL.

At least Rickard Rakell is having a good year. He dropped from 60 points in 2022-23 to just 37 last year, but he’s bounced back to 18 goals and 32 points through 40 appearances this campaign. One factor in that is likely the loss of Jake Guentzel, who the Penguins traded during 2023-24 to avoid potentially losing for nothing as an unrestricted free agent. With Guentzel gone, Rakell has taken his old spot on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby, and that seems to have benefited Rakell quite a bit.

Of course, that’s only because Crosby is defying Father Time with 11 goals and 42 points through 40 games at the age of 37. Malkin, 38, is showing his age more, but he’s still more than holding his own with eight goals and 32 points across 40 outings.

Without much cap space, the Penguins did attempt to supplement its offense on a budget by signing Anthony Beauvillier (one-year, $1.25 million) and Blake Lizotte (two-year, $3.7 million), which has worked out okay. Beauvillier has nine goals and 12 points through 39 appearances while Lizotte has eight goals and 12 points in 24 outings. They add a bit of skill to the bottom six, which is not nothing, but it’s not a lot.

Seattle Kraken (Mon vs NJD, Thu @ CBJ, Sat @ BUF, Sun @DET)

Seattle has been a mixed bag this campaign with a 17-19-3 record, but the Kraken have a somewhat favorable schedule next week. They’ll start by hosting the Devils and then go on the road to play in Columbus on Thursday, in Buffalo on Saturday and in Detroit on Sunday. New Jersey is the only adversary in that batch currently occupying a playoff position.

Although Seattle is still a fairly new franchise, there was some significant turnover during the summer. The biggest change came behind the bench rather than on the ice: Dave Hakstol was replaced by Dan Bylsma as the new bench boss. Under Bylsma, Seattle’s scoring has ticked up somewhat, going from 2.61 goals per game in 2023-24 to 2.90 this campaign, but that’s been undermined by the goals allowed per game increasing to 3.10 compared to 2.83 last year.

Jaden Schwartz has been one of the bigger winners under Bylsma. After collecting 13 goals and 30 points in 62 appearances while averaging 16:22 of ice time last season, Schwartz already has 12 goals and 25 points in 39 games in 2024-25, and he’s seen his playing time tick up to 17:41.

Bylsma has also been making good use of newcomer Chandler Stephenson. Like the coach, Stephenson was an offseason addition, signing a seven-year, $43.75 million deal. That’s a significant commitment to the 30-year-old, but so far, he’s fulfilled his top six duties about as well as expected, supplying four goals and 24 points through 38 appearances. He also has 12 power-play assists, quadrupling that of any other Seattle player.

Brandon Montour was Seattle’s other major free-agent splash, inking a seven-year contract worth one dollar shy of $50 million. Montour missed out on that buck because he was limited to 33 points in 66 regular-season outings with Florida in 2023-24 after setting a career high with 73 points in 2022-23, but he’s done well in his new environment, supplying eight goals and 22 points across 38 outings.

He has gone through something of a cold patch recently with three points (one goal) over his last 10 contests, but it’s not to the point yet where I’m too worried. Even in his amazing 2022-23 campaign, you can find an example of a quiet stretch from Feb. 9-28 in which he had four assists in nine appearances. To be clear, I’m not suggesting that this season will parallel 2022-23, merely stating that slower stretches happen, and the 30-year-old should start picking up the pace again before too long.

Vegas Golden Knights (Tue @ SJS, Thu vs NYI, Sat vs NYR, Sun vs MIN)

While Seattle hasn’t had much playoff success yet, the NHL’s other young franchise, Vegas, has already made the playoffs six times and won the Cup in 2023. The Golden Knights had a down year in 2023-24, posting a 45-29-8 record followed by a first-round exit, but they’re back in business this campaign at 26-9-3. The Golden Knights will start next week with a road match against the rebuilding Sharks before hosting two struggling teams in the Islanders on Thursday and the Rangers on Saturday. Finally, Vegas will be up against a tough contender when they play at home against Minnesota on Sunday.

The Golden Knights more than any other franchise in the NHL is known for making bold trades and constantly having to maneuver to stay under the salary cap. The ceiling forced the Golden Knights to watch forwards Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson walk as free agents over the summer. Vegas also traded Logan Thompson to Washington and Paul Cotter to New Jersey.

With those losses, how have the Golden Knights done so well? For starters, Vegas has an economical replacement for Thompson in Ilya Samsonov, who inked a one-year, $1.8 million deal with the Golden Knights. The 27-year-old Samsonov has been a nice backup in Vegas, providing a 10-3-1 record, 2.69 GAA and .907 save percentage in 14 outings. To some extent, he’s even outperformed starter Adin Hill, who is 16-6-2 with a 2.65 GAA and a .902 save percentage through 24 appearances.

You might look at those solid GAAs and middling save percentages and conclude that Vegas’ secret sauce is the defense in front of its netminders, but that’s not entirely the case. In terms of shots allowed per game, Vegas has been relatively good, ranking 12th with 27.9, but the team is also tied for 21st in xGA/60 (3.10) because the Golden Knights tend to give up a ton of high-danger shots, tying for eighth in that category with 142.

As a result, Vegas’ goaltenders don’t necessarily need to work a ton, but they do need to be at the top of their game, and they’ve done just that. Hill has a goals saved above expected of 8.4 and Samsonov is at 6.1, putting them in 14th and 18th, respectively, among all goaltenders, per Moneypuck.

Vegas has also received good value out of Tanner Pearson and Victor Olofsson, who each inked one-year contracts and combine for less than $2 million in cap space. Pearson has eight goals and 16 points through 38 outings, providing some nice scoring depth in a bottom-six capacity. Meanwhile, Olofsson did miss 20 straight games from Oct. 17-Nov. 29 because of a lower-body injury, but he’s been a great middle-six option when healthy, contributing eight goals and 13 points through 18 appearances.

Health in general has really been the key, though. In 2023-24, Vegas finished with just three players who logged the full 82 games while Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo were among those who endured significant absences. Vegas hasn’t been the poster child for health this year, but the situation hasn’t been nearly as bad. That’s helped Eichel especially, who leads the team with 50 points (10 goals) through 38 appearances in 2024-25.

Vegas also made midseason trades during 2023-24 that are paying off now. This is the team’s first full season with defenseman Noah Hanifin, who has six goals and 20 points in 38 outings while serving in a top-four capacity, and forward Tomas Hertl, who has 10 goals and 25 points in 38 games. The result is Vegas is a deep team both up front and on the blue line, even after watching some notable players go over the summer.

Washington Capitals (Mon @ BUF, Wed vs VAN, Fri vs MTL, Sat @ NSH)

The Capitals barely made the playoffs in 2023-24, finishing the regular season with a 40-31-11 record before being swept in the first round. They look very different this year, though, as demonstrated by their 25-10-3 record. Washington will start next week by playing in Buffalo on Monday before returning home to host the Canucks on Wednesday and the Canadiens on Friday. They’ll wrap things up with a game in Nashville on Saturday.

While some of the teams above have made major strides this campaign despite minimal changes over the summer, that doesn’t describe the Capitals. Washington was aggressive in addition pieces, acquiring Jakob Chychrun from Ottawa, Pierre-Luc Dubois from LA and Logan Thompson from Vegas in trades. Washington also made a big splash by signing Matt Roy to a six-year, $34.5 million contract.

Those additions have paid off superbly for Washington. Darcy Kuemper left plenty to be desired with the Capitals last season, posting a 3.31 GAA and an .890 save percentage in 33 starts, but Washington was able to part with him in the Dubois trade, and Thompson has been so much better, recording a 15-2-2 record, 2.30 GAA and .918 save percentage across 19 appearances this season. That upgrade in goaltending has been a critical factor in Washington’s success, especially because it has gone a long way toward counteracting the decline of Charlie Lindgren, who has a 10-8-1 record, 2.70 GAA and .898 save percentage in 19 outings in 2024-25, down from 25-16-7 with a 2.67 GAA and .911 save percentage in 50 appearances last year.

The Capitals were able to snag Dubois from LA for the low cost of Kuemper because the 26-year-old Dubois comes with an $8.5 million cap hit through 2030-31, but he had an underwhelming 16 goals, 40 points and 70 PIM in 82 regular-season outings with the Kings last season. LA had a logjam up the middle, though, contributing to Dubois averaging just 15:42 in 2024-25. By contrast, Washington had a clear second-line opening for him, which he has settled into nicely, providing five goals, 29 points and 22 PIM in 38 games. You’d still like more from a player with his contract, but there’s no question that he’s added to the team’s scoring depth.

If Dubois has worked out with an asterisk because of his price point, then Chychrun has been a clearer win. He is on the final campaign of his contract, but his $4.6 million cap hit is superb value for the 26-year-old defenseman, who has 11 goals and 25 points this campaign. Washington already had John Carlson has a high-end offensive option on the blue line, and now Chychrun is providing Washington with another big weapon to either send out with Carlson or spread out across the top two pairings.

When it comes to the signings, Matt Roy was the major splash. The defenseman has a goal, eight points, 63 hits and 45 blocks in 28 appearances while averaging 19:24 of ice time. He’s never been a major offensive threat, but Washington already has that role well covered with Chychrun and Carlson. Roy is there to help in Washington’s end, which is why 55.4 percent of his 5v5 zone starts have been defensive.

All that has played a role in the Capitals’ success, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Alex Ovechkin’s role in all this. He has an incredible 18 goals and 28 points in 22 appearances. That said, Washington was still a strong 10-5-1 during the 16-game absence of Ovechkin from Nov. 21-Dec. 23 due to a fractured fibula, so clearly this team is more than just the byproduct of its superstar.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD (November 11th to 18th, 2024) – Winnipeg and Florida dominate

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 18:45:55 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 10: Florida Panthers Right Wing Sam Reinhart (13) before a face-off during third period National Hockey League action between the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators on October 10, 2024, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

The Colorado Avalanche have problems, as I’ve discussed in previous articles, but going into Thursday’s action those issues hadn’t extended to their core players. In fact, defenseman Cale Makar opened the campaign with a 13-game scoring streak in which he provided five goals and 23 points, and after an injury scare, he was available for Thursday’s tilt against Winnipeg and ended up logging an impressive 25:16 of ice time.

Against every other team, Makar and Nathan MacKinnon, who took his own 13-game scoring streak into Thursday’s action, would have done some damage even if they hadn’t come away with the win. Winnipeg has been in a league of its own, though, especially with Connor Hellebuyck between the pipes. The goaltender shrugged off the Avalanche’s 35 shots to earn his second consecutive shutout, bringing him up to a 10-1-0 record, 1.91 GAA and .932 save percentage through 11 starts.

Hellebuyck being an amazing goaltender is old news. There’s a reason why Winnipeg inked him to a seven-year, $59.5 million contract that began this season -- a contract that’s looking increasingly good, especially with the way the goaltender market is heading. However, the Jets under new bench boss Scott Arniel are giving him more defensive support than he’s accustomed to. The Jets have an xGA/60 of 2.49, per Moneypuck, the second-best in the league. By contrast, Winnipeg ranked 10th last year with a 2.93 xGA/60. That suggests the quality of the shots making their way to Hellebuyck has gotten significantly lower, making it easier for the netminder to do his job. That might also be why Winnipeg is also 3-0-0 on the nights that journeyman goaltender Eric Comrie has started instead.

Winnipeg’s dominance doesn’t end there, though. The Jets rank first in goals per game with 4.50, which is a feat they’ve accomplished in part through depth. Kyle Connor (nine goals, 19 points), Mark Scheifele (seven goals, 18 points) and Gabriel Vilardi (six goals, 12 points) can compromise an amazing top line, and that still leaves you with the luxury of putting Nikolaj Ehlers (eight goals, 17 points) on the second line and a red-hot Nino Niederreiter (seven goals, 12 points) on the third unit to exhaust the enemy’s defense. It is worth noting that Moneypuck ranks Winnipeg 21st in xG/60 with 2.99, so there’s an argument to be made that the Jets have enjoyed good puck luck, and they haven’t endured anything close to the same kind of injury issues that a team like Colorado has.

It's also worth remembering the cautionary tale of the 2007-08 Ottawa Senators, who started 13-1-0 but faltered after that, finishing 43-31-8 and being swept in the first round of the playoffs. That said, there isn’t a lot of sample size when it comes to 13-1-0 starts. Ottawa showed that even a start as hot as this doesn’t guarantee success, but that doesn’t mean a fall from grace is inevitable either. And sure, maybe the Jets’ offense won’t continue to perform at this level, but if the defense stays effective and Hellebuyck remains healthy, then Winnipeg won’t necessarily need that much goal production. This is a strong team, potentially far stronger than analysts rated the Jets to be going into the campaign, and they’ll certainly be one to watch going forward.

While some might still view the Jets as a team with something to prove even after starting 13-1-0, not many would question Florida’s 10-3-1 start. Back-to-back trips to the finals, including a Stanley Cup championship, affords you a great deal of faith. That’s not to say every player on the team receives that level of belief, though. Sam Reinhart is probably raising some eyebrows after scoring 11 goals and 22 points through 14 games. Sure, he had 57 goals and 94 points in 82 appearances in 2023-24, but his 24.5 shooting percentage was insanely high, so it must have been a fluke, right?

Those who read my articles from last year would know I pushed back against the assumption that his high shooting percentage was unsustainable.

More specifically, this is what I said about Reinhart back in January: “His shooting percentage of 27.5 is by far the highest of any player with at least 100 shots -- next is Brock Boeser at 23.3 -- and more than double his 2022-23 finish of 13.7. Digging a little deeper, Reinhart is selective with when he shoots, firing 40.4 percent in high-danger areas. By contrast, Nikita Kucherov has nearly the same number of goals (28) while firing nearly double the shots (amounting to a 15.4 shooting percentage), but just 18.1 percent of his shots are in high-danger locations, so by that measure, Reinhart’s higher shooting percentage makes some sense.”

This year tells a somewhat similar story. Of his 39 shots, 13 (33.3 percent) have been in high-danger areas while another 12 (30.8 percent) have been mid-range. By contrast, Nikita Kucherov, who has 11 goals on 54 shots has fired 12 (22.2 percent) in high-danger areas and 16 (29.6) at mid-range. In other words, while someone like Kucherov fires more shots than Reinhart, they end up with a similar number of high-quality shots, so there’s logic behind Reinhart’s high shooting percentage, making it less of a warning sign than it would be for some other players.

Carolina Hurricanes (Mon @ VGK, Wed @ UTA, Sat vs OTT, Sun vs STL)

The Hurricanes have done nearly as well as the Jets, posting a 10-2-0 record after Thursday’s 5-1 victory over Pittsburgh. Carolina will open the week with a challenging road match versus Vegas, but the schedule gets more manageable after that with a road game against Utah on Wednesday followed by home contests versus Ottawa and St. Louis on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Carolina is still without Frederik Andersen (lower body), and there’s no guarantee he’ll be an option next week, so Spencer Martin might make his season debut. The 29-year-old is far from an ideal choice, but Carolina is one of the most goaltender-friendly teams in the league, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Martin walk away with the win if he faces the Senators or Blues.

That’ll be especially true if Martin Necas remains hot. He’s on an eight-game scoring streak in which he’s provided six goals and 18 points. Necas took a step back last season with a 53-point showing, but he’s a good bet to rebound with the second 70-plus point campaign of his career. Just don’t count on him maintaining anything close to his current point-per-game pace, which stands at 1.75 (21 points in 12 outings). Necas has been impressive, but he’s unlikely to finish 2024-25 among the league’s scoring leaders. To give you some perspective, he had seven goals and 17 points through 11 appearances in 2022-23 and finished that campaign outside the top-50 in the scoring race despite logging the full 82 games.

Moving from the Hurricanes’ top offensive performer to a physical defenseman, Riley Stillman (lower body) will likely make his Hurricanes debut soon. He had a goal, eight points, 81 hits and 44 blocks in 50 outings between Vancouver and Buffalo in 2023-24. His presence won’t dramatically alter Carolina’s blue line, but we might see Sean Walker be an infrequent healthy scratch after dressing in all of the team’s first 12 games. Maybe Jalen Chatfield will end up being a scratch at some point too if everyone is healthy, though I suspect Walker’s position in the lineup is less secure.

Nashville Predators (Mon @ COL, Thu @ EDM, Fri @ CGY, Sun @ VAN)

Not secure describes the Predators pretty well. Nashville GM Barry Trotz even recently floated the idea of beginning the team’s rebuild plan if the team doesn’t start turning around -- a move that would be awkward after signing veterans Steven Stamkos to a four-year, $32 million contract and Jonathan Marchessault to a five-year, $27.5 million deal over the summer.

All the same, you can hardly blame Trotz for thinking that way after the club’s 4-9-1 start. Perhaps next week will offer more hope, though it would have to come on the road. The Predators will play in Colorado on Monday, Edmonton on Thursday, Calgary on Friday and Vancouver on Sunday.

Stamkos is finally showing life, providing three goals and six points across his past six games after being limited to one point (a goal) over his opening eight appearances. The problem is no other Predators player has stepped up recently -- outside of Stamkos, every Nashville skater has recorded three or fewer points over the team’s past six games.

Then there’s Juuse Saros, who is leaving plenty to be desired with a 3-7-1 record, 2.85 GAA and .904 save percentage in 11 outings. You might be wondering if his mediocre numbers are a reflection of struggles on his end or just a byproduct of poor play in front of him. Nashville ranks 24th in xGA/60 at 3.27 while Saros’ goals saved above expected is plus-3.9, which suggests Saros has been doing fine, but the Predators have been letting him down. If there’s any silver lining to be had there, it suggests that if Nashville can start tightening up defensively, then Saros will reward his teammates by putting up the kind of elite numbers we know he’s capable of. Imagining that scenario, though, might just be an exercise in wishful thinking.

Philadelphia Flyers (Mon vs SJS, Thu @ OTT, Sat vs BUF)

The Flyers haven’t been much better than Nashville, though Philadelphia doesn’t have the same burden of expectations. Either way, the 5-8-1 Flyers have a favorable set of adversaries ahead of them. They’ll host the Sharks on Monday, play in Ottawa on Thursday and conclude the week with a home game versus the Sabres on Saturday.

Samuel Ersson (lower body) and Aleksei Kolosov (lower body) weren’t able to play Thursday, which left Ivan Fedotov, who had a 5.35 GAA and an .821 save percentage through his first three starts, to get the nod against Tampa Bay while Kyle Konin signed an amateur tryout to be the emergency backup. Despite those challenging circumstances, Philadelphia earned a 2-1 shootout victory over the Lightning, but I wouldn’t count on seeing continued success out of Fedotov if Ersson and Kolosov remain on the sidelines. Not that I have much confidence in any of the Flyers’ current goaltenders.

To be fair, the Flyers’ netminders get sparse goal support even when they manage to put forth a strong showing. Philadelphia ranks 27th offensively with 2.50 goals per game. Matvei Michkov has been one of the Flyers’ few scoring threats with four goals and 10 points in 13 outings, but coach John Tortorella hasn’t been thrilled with the 19-year-old forward’s five-on-five play -- note that Michkov is minus-8 and only three of his points have come at even strength -- which led to him being a healthy scratch Thursday. It’s also worth noting that his production has slowed recently, resulting in him registering just an assist over his past five outings.

Michkov is still young, so some growing pains are expected, and with Tortorella certainly not being afraid to mix some tough love into his teaching regime, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the occasional healthy scratch sprinkled in there as the campaign progresses. Taking a step back, a reasonable project for Michkov’s rookie season would be about 50 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins (Mon vs DAL, Wed vs DET, Fri @ CBJ, Sat vs SJS)

Sidney Crosby is continuing to defy his age, but it hasn’t been enough. Pittsburgh is 5-8-2, putting more pressure on the squad to start to right the ship. The Penguins are set to host Dallas and Detroit on Monday and Wednesday, respectively. They’ll then play in Columbus on Friday and round out the week by hosting the Sharks on Saturday.

Cody Glass (upper body) was put on injured reserve Friday while Bryan Rust (lower body) was activated, enabling him to return to the lineup after a five-game absence.

As I already alluded to, Crosby has continued to dominate in Rust’s absence -- Crosby has six goals and 15 points through 15 appearances in 2024-25 -- but Rust is nevertheless likely to rejoin the top line. That would probably result in Evgeni Malkin moving off the top unit to his more standard position headlining the second line. For what it’s worth, Malkin and Crosby have shown up on the scoresheet together for just two even-strength goals this season, and Malkin has been quiet lately with a goal and two points across his past five games. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has lost its last two games, along with six of its past eight, so it’s not like there are circumstances on a team level or a line level that would compel head coach Mike Sullivan to keep Malkin and Crosby together in five-on-five play at this time.

At the other end of the ice, the goaltending situation continues to be a question mark. Alex Nedeljkovic gave the Penguins hope with strong starts against the lowly Ducks and Canadiens, but he’s faded quickly, allowing eight goals on 44 shots (.818 save percentage) over his past two losses to the Islanders and Hurricanes. Meanwhile, Tristan Jarry has been rebuilding his confidence in the minors, posting a 1.69 GAA and a .946 save percentage across four games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Perhaps Jarry will get recalled soon and get another shot? Just as the Crosby-Malkin duo hasn’t done anything to force Sullivan to keep them together, Nedeljkovic’s play isn’t great enough to secure the No. 1 job, so the possibility of a Jarry comeback remains.

Seattle Kraken (Tue vs CBJ, Thu vs CHI, Sat vs NYI, Sun vs NYR)

The Kraken will stay at home next week, hosting the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, the Blackhawks on Thursday, the Islanders on Saturday and finally the Rangers on Sunday. We’ll see if that homestand will right the ship for Seattle, which has lost four straight games and seven of its last eight contests, dropping to 5-8-1.

Seattle has managed just 2.25 goals per game across its last eight matches, but interestingly, there have been some standout performers over that stretch. Jared McCann and Matty Beniers have each managed three goals and eight points during Seattle’s slump while defenseman Brandon Montour has contributed three goals and six points in that span.

The problem is other players you’d expect to do well have fallen short. Oliver Bjorkstrand is the most notable example of that. He set a career high with 59 points last season but has just three goals and five points through 13 appearances in 2024-25 and is heading in the wrong direction with a goal and an assist across his past eight outings. Those struggles reached a possible crescendo when he was scratched Tuesday, so it will be interesting to see if he uses that time in the press box to reset.

Jordan Eberle and Eeli Tolvanen need to rebound too. They have managed just two and three points, respectively, over Seattle’s past eight games. Neither is a major offensive threat, but they are important secondary scorers for the Kraken and lately, they have failed to fulfill that role.

Some of those cold stretches would have been swept under the rug if Shane Wright was adapting to the NHL, but the No. 4 overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft has been disappointing thus far, providing just a goal and two points through 14 games in 2024-25. I wonder if he might benefit from a stint in the press box of his own. Either way, it’s impossible to recommend him at this time in standard leagues, but I will at least say the potential remains there, so he’s worth keeping an eye on. If you want a silver lining, you could say that the Kraken’s overall offensive struggles do open the door to Wright landing a top six spot if only he could start producing.

St. Louis Blues (Tue vs BOS, Thu @ BUF, Fri @ BOS, Sun @ CAR)

The Blues have a busy week ahead of them, but the competition isn’t the easiest. They’ll host the Bruins on Tuesday before heading on the road to play in Buffalo on Thursday, Boston on Saturday and Carolina on Sunday.

We could all breathe a sigh of relief after Dylan Holloway avoided serious injury after a scary incident Tuesday when he was hit by a high puck and taken away on a stretcher. He even managed to play in St. Louis’ very next game. His former Oilers teammate who came with him to St. Louis, though, will be out for a while.

Philip Broberg suffered a lower-body injury Saturday and is expected to miss the next 4-6 weeks. Broberg had been making the most of the increased role the Blues gave him, providing two goals and nine points through 12 appearances while averaging 19:34 of ice time. St. Louis is also missing Torey Krug (ankle) for the 2024-25 campaign and Nick Leddy (lower body), though at least in Leddy’s case, he might be back in the not-too-distant future.

Absences have likely contributed to Ryan Suter playing a bigger role than initially envisioned. Although he an insanely big minutes eater in his prime, Suter dipped below 20 minutes per game in 2023-24 for the first time since his rookie campaign, averaging 18:56 of ice time with Dallas. The 39-year-old initially looked like he would have a strictly supporting role with St. Louis in 2024-25, averaging just 16:02 across the Blues’ opening four games. Then Leddy got hurt, and Suter has averaged 23:53 since. Don’t be surprised if Suter’s ice time takes a notable hit once Leddy is back, though until Broberg is healthy too, Suter will probably still see at least decent minutes.

Leddy’s eventual return might also make things a little easier on Blues goaltenders Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer. Neither netminder has gotten off to a good start, though Binnington has been encouraging recently. He’s still just 4-5-0 with a 2.78 GAA and a .904 save percentage in 10 outings overall, but he’s saved 75 of 81 shots (.926 save percentage) across his past three games. Going into the season, it looked like Hofer might challenge Binnington for the starting gig, but that hasn’t happened yet to any major extent, and Binnington’s recent success helps put more distance between the two.

Vancouver Canucks (Tue vs CGY, Thu vs NYI, Sat vs CHI, Sun vs NSH)

Vancouver is on a three-game winning streak, bringing the Canucks up to 7-2-3. They’ll look to continue that success next week with home games against Calgary on Tuesday, the Islanders on Thursday, Chicago on Saturday and Nashville on Sunday.

While things are going well for the Canucks overall, the same can’t be said for Elias Pettersson. He has two goals and five points across 12 appearances in 2024-25. He did discuss his slump last week, and unfortunately, not much has changed since with Pettersson providing one point (a goal) over his past three games despite Vancouver combining for a solid 12 goals during that stretch.

One thing I didn’t bring up then is Pettersson’s shot total, which is concerning low at 22, which translates to 5.7 shots per 60 minutes, a drop from 7.7 last year. That’s despite having one six-shot game in 2024-25 -- he also has been held to a single shot on seven occasions. He also has just 52 shot attempts, which is 4.3 per game, down from 4.9 in 2023-24.

I went to dig a bit deeper, and one thing that stood out to me is that his skating metrics are down from last year, and the same can be said about his shot speed. In terms of shot location, 60 of his 207 in 2023-24 were high danger, translating to roughly 29 percent while he has nine of 22 (40.9 percent) in high-danger locations this campaign, so at least when he is shooting the location is generally good, but still, some of those other metrics are concerning.

Pettersson is still just 25, so unless he’s playing hurt, I don’t think it’s fair to believe there isn’t a physical reason for his drop in play. Instead, it’s likely to be mental, which is a theory that gains credibility when you consider former Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau’s analysis of the situation, per the Vancouver Province. Boudreau noted that Pettersson “doesn’t look excited when he plays and gets frustrated very easily.” Perhaps the pressure of his eight-year, $92.8 million contract, which he’s in the first season of, is getting to the star forward.

Whatever the case, other members of the Canucks have been picking up the slack. Not much was expected of Conor Garland going into the campaign, but he’s been great, providing four goals and 11 points through 12 appearances. That probably won’t last, but he isn’t showing signs of slowing down yet after recording at least a point in each of his past three games. Defenseman Quinn Hughes is also red hot, supplying a goal and five points over his last two outings, bringing him up to three goals and 14 points in 12 appearances this season.

Vegas Golden Knights (Mon vs CAR, Wed @ ANA, Fri @ UTA, Sun vs WSH)

The Golden Knights will start the upcoming week by hosting the Hurricanes, but after that, they’ll have to take to the road. Vegas will play in Anaheim on Wednesday, Utah on Friday and Washington on Sunday.

The Golden Knights have won six of their past seven games, elevating their record to 9-3-1. The top line of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev continues to be a major part of that with Stone leading the way with six goals and 21 points in 13 outings. The 32-year-old Stone is on a seven-game scoring streak (four goals,12 points) and has been held off the scoresheet just once in 2024-25.

It also helps to have a player of Tomas Hertl’s caliber on the second unit, who has four goals and 12 points through 13 outings. Meanwhile, Noah Hanifin is red hot from the blue line with three goals and eight points across his past two games.

Those two really highlight the amazing sticking power Vegas has managed thanks to its aggressive trade strategy. Those are two veterans who were added during the 2023-24 campaign and are locked up to 2027-28. Other teams add rental pieces leading up to a Cup run, but the Golden Knights tend to take a longer view when making trades, so even when a postseason run doesn’t work out, as was the case in 2024, the additions they made are still around to help them moving forward.

Eventually, the bottom might fall out of this strategy. In the cap era, we haven’t seen a team that has been able to sustain itself indefinitely on trades alone without going through a rebuild. But when you look at the team’s core of Eichel, Stone, Hertl, Barbashev, William Karlsson, Alex Pietrangelo, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore, you’re seeing a group that’s still largely in its prime and positioned to potentially be competitive for years to come.

The one thing that the group is missing is a star goaltender. Adin Hill can be solid, but he also has his rough patches, and the 2024-25 campaign has been more miss than hit for him so far, leaving Hill with a 3.01 GAA and an .882 save percentage through eight outings. On the plus side, he’s allowed just five goals on 64 shots (.922 save percentage) across his past three starts, and the Golden Knights are strong enough offensively to put him in a position to win even when he doesn’t have a great night, so there’s still plenty of value to be had here.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – EDMONTON OILERS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 21:43:51 +0000

COLUMBUS, OH - FEBRUARY 25: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid #97 prior to the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Edmonton Oilers at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on February 25, 2023. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire)

Review: Somehow, even after winning back-to-back Art Ross Trophies, Connor McDavid found yet another level to his game. He scored 64 goals and 153 points in 82 contests last season, giving us one of the greatest individual performances we’ve ever seen. As if that wasn’t enough, Leon Draisaitl had an amazing season in his own right, contributing 52 goals and 128 points while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman had career years with 104 and 83 points, respectively. Unsurprisingly, Edmonton led the league offensively with 3.96 goals per game, but all was not well. Jack Campbell was nothing short of a disaster, posting a 3.41 GAA and an .888 save percentage in 36 contests. At least rookie Stuart Skinner emerged with a 29-14-5 record, 2.75 GAA and .913 save percentage in 50 games, but relying on a young goaltender has its drawbacks. With the stakes risen in the playoffs, Skinner struggled, and Edmonton was ultimately eliminated in the second round to the Golden Knights. Skinner was yanked three times in that six-game series, undermining the efforts of McDavid and Draisaitl, who combined for 11 goals and 17 points versus Vegas.

What’s Changed? Very little. Connor Brown signed a one-year, $4 million deal with Edmonton and he’ll have a chance to earn a top-six spot. Mattias Janmark agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract and will likely be penciled in for the third line. Other than that, it will be essentially the same team as last year.

What would success look like? Anything short of winning the Stanley Cup would be disappointing. That might be unfair, but it’s what’s to be expected for a team that has McDavid and Draisaitl in their prime. That duo basically guarantees that the offense will be fine. A healthier season out of Evander Kane – he played just 41 games last year – would give them another strong scoring option. Brown is also an interesting pickup. He missed almost the entire 2022-23 campaign with a torn ACL, but at his best he’s a solid secondary scorer who could gel well with Edmonton’s elite forwards. Of course, the single-biggest boost would be a bounce back season from Campbell.

What could go wrong? Not that Campbell is a safe bet to rebound, and Skinner isn’t a sure thing either, given that he has just one full NHL season under his belt. There’s also a chance Hyman and Nugent-Hopkins will significantly regress after performing far above their norm last year, which would threaten to turn Edmonton’s attack into little more than the McDavid-Draisaitl show. The elite duo can make the Oilers competitive on their own, but they can’t win the Cup without ample support.

Top Breakout Candidate: Dylan Holloway had just three goals and nine points in 51 contests last season, but he averaged a mere 9:35 of ice time. Holloway has the potential to play a far bigger role and thrive in it. The 21-year-old is entering his sophomore campaign, so he might still need more seasoning and breaking into the top-six will be difficult. Still, he has a chance to be a valuable secondary scorer this year.

Forwards

Connor McDavid - C

A strange-but-true fact about McDavid’s historic season is that he didn’t lead the league in five-on-five points. Despite lapping the field in overall point production, becoming the first player to reach 150 since Bernie Nichols in 1989, he was only fourth in even strength points. He more than made up for this on special teams, as Edmonton’s top unit was the closest thing to an automatic goal in modern NHL history. McDavid obviously being the straw which stirred the drink and recording 71 points there alone. The explanation behind his 5-on-5 production was the Oilers shooting below 10% when he was on the ice, which included him scoring on a strong 16% of his shots. McDavid was still dominant, so much so that he won the Hart almost unanimously, so his 5-on-5 results demonstrate that there still was still another level he could have reached. It goes back to Edmonton’s recurring problem of surrounding their star player with good linemates. They still received a good season out of Zach Hyman, but they eventually had to revert to placing Draisaitl back on his wing after other options didn’t work. It’s an ancillary issue in the regular season but came back to haunt them in the playoffs where McDavid’s linemates scored only five goals on 46 of his setups. Still dominating on the power play, the Oilers star could get his points. Repeating their performance at 5-on-5 is what kept them out of the third round.

Leon Draisaitl - C

When Draisaitl retires, he could own a place in NHL history of the most seasons scoring 100+ points while not leading his own team. Built almost like a Hockey Voltron, Draisaitl has an unorthodox combo of being an elite shooter and an incredible passer while having a massive upper body that makes taking the puck away from him borderline impossible in the offensive zone. He is the master of the coffin-corner one-timer and still catches goaltenders off-guard with them. Also, one of the best at scoring off his backhand and elevating the puck from close-range. Still arguably a better passer than a shooter from a sheer degree of difficulty standpoint. He can move pucks from the wall to the slot effortlessly and his vision is almost unmatched. That said, there is still a question of “what do we do with him” in the Oilers lineup, as he was once again moved back between centering his own line and playing alongside McDavid. Draisaitl’s play-driving improved dramatically last year, finding ways to clean up his play in the defensive zone and make up for his lack of footspeed. Moving back to McDavid was more due to the Oilers needing more scoring from their top line in the playoffs than Draisaitl’s struggles. Enters this season in the same boat as his co-star where you know you’re getting outstanding results in the regular season and the playoffs are the next hurdle.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - LW

The number of NHLers who take 12 seasons to hit 100 points is probably low. In modern times, it happens about as often as a solar eclipse, so Nugent-Hopkins surprised a lot of people when he hit this milestone. Bringing new meaning to the term “power play specialist,” his point total with the man advantage (53) topped his entire total from last season (50). While not the catalyst, he played his part is making the Oilers power play a machine, patrolling the middle and always staying in motion so that their top guys always had a passing option open from a dangerous area. It’s not something you expect to continue at this level, but RNH has been a great power play guy in Edmonton for years now. He is the type of forward who you can use in a lot of ways, going from McDavid’s winger to a third line center, RNH usually gives you a solid level of play. This season was also one of his stronger years in terms of 5-on-5 scoring as well, where he didn’t always have star teammates to lean on. His versatility is a great tool to have, although it makes predicting next season a riddle. He’s not going to repeat the ridiculous powerplay numbers but getting back to the 65–70-point level he was at his peak shouldn’t be out of the question.

Zach Hyman - LW

Everyone on that Oilers top power play unit seemed to master the details of the game that made it great. For Zach Hyman, it was becoming a master at working the net front role. Using his body to catch loose pucks and quickly put them in the net, being a moving target instead of a stationary screen and popping out into the slot if the play was behind the net. The results speak for themselves, scoring 15 power play goals after having 11 total for his entire career before the season. He has been the perfect complement to McDavid, and it goes beyond his penchant for creating high danger chances. Hyman excels as the winger who can follow up plays to setup entries, creating a small bridge in the neutral zone to help McDavid and others gain speed and get closer to the net off the rush. It makes the relationship between him and the Oilers star more of a two-way street instead of McDavid doing all the work while Hyman goes to the net. Edmonton has gotten their money’s worth there and this is before factoring in the work he does on the penalty kill. Finding the third guy is the next challenge, as Hyman’s great in his role but doesn’t score or take many shots from distance, which is the one piece missing on the Oilers top line.

Evander Kane - RW

His second season in Edmonton was disrupted by a freak accident where he suffered a skate laceration on his wrist. Was a productive player with 13 points in 14 games before the injury and scored only 15 points the rest of the year. His game didn’t change much despite the injury, still the shoot-first, pass-second player he has been for his entire career. Kane was also less reliant on McDavid to score goals, tallying eight alongside Draisaitl whereas he only scored one goal away from McDavid at five-on-five last season. The more finesse part of his game was missing after the wrist injury, still shooting the puck often but missing the target and flubbing chances he usually gets. Also, less involved in helping move the puck up ice compared to previous years, not handling the puck much in the neutral zone and more of a secondary off-puck option on zone entries. Scored all but two of his goals at 5-on-5, as he didn’t see much power play time except for spot duty on the second unit. Brought in as support for McDavid, Kane’s spot in the Oilers lineup is known as of right now, but the revolving door nature of the Oilers wingers could lead him back there before the season is over.

Connor Brown - RW

Getting hurt in a contract year is always a bummer, especially for a player in the middle of the pack like Connor Brown. He has a chance to make up for some of that this year, signing a one-year incentive-laced contract with the Oilers. There is always an opportunity that you get slotted on their top line with their wing depth and McDavid might even vouch for his old OHL teammate. Brown brings a lot of qualities that make him a good fit with McDavid, but he’s going to have a good season regardless of where he slots. A hard-working winger who loves having the puck on his stick, Brown had a few good years in Ottawa playing high in the lineup. He was a fixture on their penalty kill and was one of the more aggressive players in the league at poaching for short-handed chances. Always hunting pucks down and has decent playmaking skills if in the right environment. Not a great finisher, but not far removed from a 21-goal season where he showed flashes of it. Edmonton could be looking to recapture some of that magic but at minimum they have a good third liner who will hold the fort down while their stars are on the bench.

Mattias Janmark - LW

If you’ve watched random highlights of Janmark, you might be tricked into thinking he has star potential. With speed to burn and decent puck-handling skills, many teams have given the Swede a call over his career. Even if he has one of the lowest conversion rates on breakaways, Janmark has forged a nice career as a solid defensive player and penalty killer. He’s good at using his speed to help clear pucks to relieve pressure and disrupt cycles. He’s also remarkably consistent in his production, scoring exactly 20-25 points in each of the last five years with three different teams. You know what you’re getting with him and it’s probably why the Oilers opted to retain him on another one-year deal. The important thing about playing in the Oilers bottom-six is to be at least a neutral player and Janmark can hold his own there. He gets more minutes than your average bottom-sixer, playing in the 14–15-minute range because of how much he is relied on the penalty kill. Formed a very solid checking line in the latter half of the season with Warren Foegele and Ryan McLeod that actually controlled play in addition to not giving up much defensively.

Warren Foegele - RW

Foegele is a great example of how it sometimes takes a while for a high scorer in junior or the AHL to figure out how to be a checker. Even if they have the skillset, there is more to playing on an energy line than just getting in on the forecheck, playing at 100 mph and crashing the net. There are more details that go into it and Foegele seemed to have mastered them in his second year with the Oilers. His line with Ryan McLeod was excellent not only at preventing chances and goals, but also tilting the ice and knowing how to set the table for the McDavid line. Foegele has all the skills to be a great checker, he’s a great F1 who will get in on the forecheck and is excellent at recovering pucks. Now it’s been about using his teammates better to keep the cycle going instead of everything directly going to the net. It’s not a pretty game, but he was effective for Edmonton in his role. This could change this year depending on how the Connor Brown experiment shakes out and who else is next in line for that winger spot.

Ryan McLeod - C

A high scorer in the AHL, McLeod’s game at the NHL level is all about defense, although a new breed of it. We often associate puck-possession and things like transition, but McLeod is one of those players who has it translate to more defensive results. When he is on the ice, the Oilers usually have the puck in the defensive zone. He is very good at getting back to help the defense and moving the puck up ice on his own to flip the territorial game for Edmonton. Creates easy entries for himself through breaking up plays in the neutral zone and is deceptive with striking off the rush. He developed as a skill player in the minors, so the ability is there even if it’s not his role. Covers a lot of ground in the defensive zone getting to loose pucks without taking many strides and it helps his lines calm the waters at 5-on-5. Still only 23, he’s found a role on the Oilers and it’s an important one as they were looking for anybody to bring that calming effect at 5-on-5 while their stars are on the bench. Last year was the first time the Oilers had a positive goal differential without McDavid on the ice and McLeod’s play is a huge reason for it. Might be unknown around the league but certainly not in Edmonton.

Defense

Evan Bouchard - D

The potential Jenga piece for the Oilers going forward, this season was a big coming out party for Bouchard, specifically the playoffs. They spent most of the season trying to find a partner for him, as Bouchard was clearly top-four on a roster filled with players more suited for the 5/6 role, it took a trading for Ekholm to consistently get Bouchard in the 22-23 minutes range. They finally had a partner who could complement his high-risk game, covering more ground for him in the defensive zone so he could focus on playing the puck and starting the rush instead of trying to do everything as he did for most of the year. His offensive skills are unmatched on the Oilers blue line, it’s just the other details with being a defenseman that have been a work in progress, most notably exiting the zone against a heavy forecheck and playing too aggressive in the neutral zone. A better defense partner should help unlock his full potential. At the very least he is getting a lot of power play time next year and is poised for a monster year in terms of point production.

Darnell Nurse - D

Nurse’s play is often a lightning rod topic among Oilers fans. A good chunk of it is related to the contract he signed after a career season, which made him the fifth highest defenseman in the league at the time. The other is that watching him play will usually have you on the edge of your seat if you’re a fan. He’s an attack-minded defenseman at heart, sprinting out of the zone at the first opportunity and taking a lot of shots off the rush as the trailer. It’s a strategy that works for Edmonton sometimes, this year being a slight return to form from a production standpoint. This is also true for the defensive side of the game, as Nurse will often chase the puck or look to lay a big hit on players entering the zone. Often caught out of position or making a lot of mistakes that give opposing forwards a lot of open ice. It’s something you can coach out of players, but Nurse has to play aggressive to be effective and this just comes with the territory. He’s made up for this by not forcing as many plays out of the zone and giving way to some of their stronger puck movers when exiting the zone, but the overall package will continue to keep Edmonton’s heart rates high.

Mattias Ekholm - D

Edmonton made one of their best trades of the Ken Holland era by acquiring Mattias Ekholm at the deadline. A minute eater who can wear a lot of hats, this was exactly the type of player they have been missing for years. Ekholm doesn’t have that game-breaking skillset, but he does the little things that make life easier for Edmonton’s elite players. The most important is recovering after mistakes. Edmonton will try to push the pace more when their top guys are out and sometimes turnovers will happen. Ekholm is the type of player who won’t panic when that happens and quickly gets the puck out of the zone after. He was brought in to be paired with the offensive-minded Evan Bouchard, so it was a great fit from the start. He also has the sense of knowing when to force a play and when to clear the puck off the glass, although it’s usually the former as he’s an excellent passer with great vision. Also facilitates offense without accumulating a lot of points. A steadying presence from the point who can get pucks down low without risking turnovers. The only concerns with Ekholm are age and his durability as he gets closer to 35.

Brett Kulak - D

A problem solver of sorts for the Oilers defense, Kulak is someone who knows his role by now. He doesn’t get top minutes or get a lot of puck touches, so he is impactful when he gets the chance. Always standing up at the line to deny entries, doing an excellent job of taking away space in the defensive zone and occasionally jumping into the play (being out there with the third line means he’s usually one of their best options). Last year was a little rockier for him than usual, as the Oilers attempted to pair him with blossoming star Evan Bouchard and it wasn’t long before he was relegated back to the third pair with Tyson Barrie. Eventually he got a consistent partner in Vincent Desharnais and Kulak got back to his usual game after that. Surprisingly set a career high in points thanks to 13 secondary assists. One of the Oilers better retrievers of the puck but not the most dynamic puck mover, which has kept him lower in the lineup despite his strengths. Arguably the team’s most steady defenseman in the post-season, as he was on the ice for only four goals against.

Goaltending

Jack Campbell - G

Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but the Edmonton Oilers have a goaltending problem. Jack Campbell, brought in as a pricey free agent after seemingly wearing out his welcome with the rabid Toronto fanbase, stumbled in his attempts to take the long-suffering team the distance. He managed to regain some of his game’s strongest elements down the back stretch of the season, controlling his movement and sitting back to allow his defense to help structure breakouts and coverage while he focused on eliminating open space in net with simple movements and fluid transitions. But his start with the Oilers was shaky; he struggled to find his rhythm behind the Western Conference competitors, ultimately losing his position as the team’s number one to up-and-comer Stuart Skinner.

The good news for Oilers fans is that it appears the days are gone of doggedly attempting to milk all the value possible out of every goaltender contract signed. Head Coach Jay Woodcroft seemed to abandon the Dave Tippett-era tendency to give deferential starts to the higher-paid veteran in net, opting to ride with Skinner when Campbell was struggling and happily going back to Campbell whenever he seemed up to the task. It was a refreshing change of pace after watching Mike Smith struggle to put up league-average numbers through three seasons, and it seemed to benefit both goaltenders in the long run. But still, it’s hard to overlook the fact that the Oilers have Campbell signed for another four years of five million per season against the cap, and he put up a -16.77 goals saved above expected as the team’s backup – only nine of the league’s 75 goaltenders with sufficient starting data last season did worse. The team will need to see Campbell continue his bounce-back from the back half of the season through the entirety of the 2023-24 season, or they’ll have to consider finding a way to move him out for a more steadying presence. With captain Connor McDavid turning 27 this season, Edmonton has to consider what they need to do to capitalize on the star’s window to push and become a legitimate threat in the postseason; unless Campbell bounces back definitively, he’ll fail to fit that bill.

Projected starts: 35-40

Stuart Skinner - G

The Edmonton Oilers have gone so long without seeing a goaltending prospect pan out in their favor, it seemed almost too good to be true last season when rookie Stuart Skinner gently took control of the crease from veteran Jack Campbell. But as the season progressed, it became abundantly clear; Skinner was exactly what the team needed, and he was there to stay.

Skinner, a 2017 draft pick out of the WHL, put up bumpy numbers in his first two pro seasons; he struggled to approach a .900 save percentage in either 2018-19 or 2019-20 at either the AHL or ECHL level, waffling between the two leagues without finding much success in either. But despite a rocky NHL debut in his third pro year, Skinner finally started to find his feet; he established better tracking skills and fine-tuned his technical foundation while cleaning up his game reads and becoming more patient on his skates. He initially lost a little bit of the creativity that had made his game so exciting to watch as a prospect in the CHL, but fans saw some of that spark return during Edmonton’s postseason run in the spring of 2023 as he proved he was unafraid to throw technique to the wind and mix in some old-school goaltending style when it suited him. It was like he learned to relax once he found his footing with some better technical foundations, and that’s a promising sign that his impressive game play last year wasn’t just a flash in the pan. The question, though, will be just how much he can shoulder a heavy workload if Jack Campbell continues to struggle. He held down the fort for a whopping 50 games last season and will likely need to do the same this year – while he’s still young, the kind of wear and tear that immediately taking on a starter’s workload at the NHL level can put on a young goaltender could start to qrip at the seams of his skill a little bit.

Projected starts: 50-55

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – EDMONTON OILERS – Top 20 Prospects

Contributors – Brock Otten, Ethan Hetu, Arlo Schulz, Zack Szweras, Eloi Biondi — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 17:59:07 +0000

CALGARY, AB - SEPTEMBER 26: Edmonton Oilers Center Xavier Bourgault (54) and Calgary Flames Defenceman Rasmus Andersson (4) in action during the second period of an NHL game where the Calgary Flames hosted the Edmonton Oilers on September 26, 2021, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire)

1 - Xavier Bourgault C

A teammate of Stars top prospect Mavrik Bourque on the QMJHL Champion Shawinigan Cataractes, Bourgault and Bourque formed possibly the best duo in the CHL this season. They both compliment themselves perfectly on the ice. Bourgault is an amazing offensive talent who has an amazing shot as well as good passing abilities. He can open up passing and shooting lanes with his tremendous skating ability. He has very good hockey sense as he knows where to always position himself on the ice. A lot of people were questioning Oilers GM Ken Holland's decision to pick Bourgault ahead of goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, but the early returns suggest that the Oilers got an amazing player in Xavier Bourgault that could fit amazingly well on a line with (possibly) Leon Draisaitl or Connor McDavid in the future (depending on what position he settles into as a pro). Speaking of which, Bourgault will start his pro career this season, likely in Bakersfield of the AHL. Depending on how he performs, he should move relatively quickly through the Oilers’ system and could even earn a look as early as this year. He has top six potential. - EB

2 - Philip Broberg D

The Edmonton Oilers selected Broberg with the 8^th overall pick of the 2019 NHL draft. He has quietly worked his way onto the NHL roster, playing a semi-regular role in their defensive rotation. After his draft year, Broberg spent the next couple of seasons playing in the SHL, where he produced 8 and 13 points over his next two regular seasons. While his offensive game may not have stood out in the SHL, he was able to harness his athleticism and raw tools to turn into more of a complete player. Standing at 6’3”, Broberg is a smooth skater with a fluid stride. He uses his silky stride to quickly transition pucks from his own end into the offensive zone. When defending, he exudes confidence and is not afraid to establish physicality and play aggressively. This past season, Broberg transitioned to North America and earned a role with Edmonton’s AHL team, the Bakersfield Condors, playing mostly in the top-four. While playing for Bakersfield, Broberg focused on improving his offensive game, making better decisions, reading plays earlier and setting up his teammates. He finished his AHL stint with 23 points in 31 games before getting the call-up to the NHL. Broberg played more sheltered minutes up with the Oilers, focusing on his defensive and transition games. He finished the year playing 23 NHL games, producing 3 points. Broberg will look to add to his NHL career and fight for a spot on the blueline in training camp. Whether the points are there or not, he should be able to establish himself as a top-six defender for the Oilers based on his defensive and transition play alone. - ZS

3 - Dylan Holloway C

A wrist injury delayed the start to Holloway’s pro debut this year, but his first season in the AHL was still a success. With each passing month for Bakersfield, his confidence grew and, as such, his production improved. There was some initial thought that Holloway would jump straight to the NHL from the University of Wisconsin, but the wrist injury he suffered caused Edmonton to take a more patient approach with him. He is a prototypical power winger. His skating ability is a major strength as his straight-line speed is terrific for a player of his size. Holloway also revels in the opportunity to play the body. He does not play around defenders; he plays through them. Over the course of his NCAA career, he developed into a top-notch defensive forward, too. The million-dollar question has always been, how effective will Holloway be as an offensive player at the NHL level? He is not an overly creative player, even if he has good hands. He finishes well in tight and can find his way to the net, but he does not own an upper echelon shot. In all, Holloway probably profiles best as a complementary piece on a scoring line who can clear space, play with pace, and support his linemates off the puck. It just so happens that Connor McDavid could use someone like that on his flank. This season, there is a chance that Holloway cracks camp with Edmonton as a bottom six player and from there, he should slowly develop into a quality, all situations winger for the Oilers. - BO

4 - Carter Savoie LW

The Denver Pioneers were the 2022 champions of NCAA Men’s Hockey, and Carter Savoie was a major reason why. Savoie was a fourth-round pick at the 2020 NHL draft and is the brother of Buffalo Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie, the eighth overall pick at the 2022 NHL draft. Savoie is a five-foot-nine winger who scored at a goal-per-game rate in the AJHL. Upon coming to Denver, Savoie made an immediate goal-scoring impact, and his abilities as a sniper became even more clear as a sophomore when he potted 23 goals in 39 games playing next to Flyer’s prospect Bobby Brink. While Brink did much of the chance creation for Savoie, Savoie’s exceptional ability as a triggerman made that line click as well as it did. Savoie’s shot is good enough to allow him to be a scoring threat from the perimeter, and he often got himself into the right place at the right time. Like Brink, though, Savoie doesn’t skate as well as you’d want for an undersized player, and he doesn’t offer the same level of play-driving offensive generation as Brink. Ultimately, though, putting the puck into the net is still an extremely difficult thing to do, and Savoie has done that exceptionally well wherever he’s been. It’s possible that Savoie’s lack of tools outside of his shot keeps him from having an NHL impact, but if he can get a chance in the future to stick with one of the Oilers’ top playmakers, he could surprise a lot of people. He’s a goal-scorer, and there is always room for pure goal-scorers in the NHL. He’ll have to prove he can remain a top-flight sniper at the AHL level first, though. - EH

5 - Raphael Lavoie RW

The big winger is coming off of his first full pro season with Bakersfield after playing in Sweden for the majority of the pandemic. At this point, consistency remains an issue for Lavoie. He has significant potential as a goal scorer. He has a strong wrist shot, a quick release, and good scoring instincts. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s 6’4 and can protect the puck well from defenders with his reach and frame. However, some of the things that prevented him from becoming an elite QMJHL player also prevented him from becoming a reliable offensive contributor for Bakersfield last year. His skating and pace of play still needs to improve. He needs to use his size more away from the puck to win jousts and to get himself clean looks. Overall, his physical intensity level just needs to be higher. However, as stated, Lavoie does have top six potential as a complementary goal scorer. Patience will be key for Edmonton as they wait for him to improve and become a more consistent player. He will return to Bakersfield this coming season and should be given an opportunity to be a top six player with significant powerplay time. The key for Lavoie will be to outplay some of the standout forward prospects turning pro this year, as competition for ice time will be fierce. - BO

6 - Dmitri Samorukov D

The Oilers have definitely had to be patient with Samorukov. Drafted as a bit of a project out of the OHL, he has slowly emerged as one of the team’s top defensive prospects. First, it was in the OHL where he improved to the point of being one of the league’s best defenders, helping the Guelph Storm capture an OHL Championship in 2019. However, after an up and down first pro year, Samorukov returned to Russia to play in the KHL during the pandemic. Last season, he returned to Bakersfield to become one of the team’s top defenders. As a pro, his offensive production has not been terrific, as his offensive skills have not translated quite as well as some may have anticipated. However, he has stabilized his defensive approach to become very reliable in the defensive end. He plays with physicality. He is aggressive in taking away space. He can initiate the breakout and skate the puck out of trouble. Let us not forget that it took some time for Samorukov to become an offensive standout in the OHL too. This coming season he might have the inside track at a third pairing role with the main club in Edmonton. At the very least, he should be one of the team’s top injury call ups. He is close, very close, to realizing his potential as a second or third pairing defender for the Oilers. - BO

7 - Reid Schaefer LW

A late bloomer of sorts, Schaefer was six days too young for the 2021 draft which worked out to his advantage as he likely would have gone undrafted. Instead, a third season in junior with the Silvertips saw Schaefer break out with 32 goals to go with 88 penalty minutes, establishing himself as a budding power forward, before being selected by his hometown Oilers with the final pick of the first round in 2022. Schaefer skates well for a big man although it will never be a strength of his. His bread and butter is his physical play, as he protects the puck well and won’t be beaten along the boards and on the cycle. His shot release is also a weapon and will result in a lot of goals at every level simply by going to the right places and letting the puck find him long enough to get the shot off. Schaefer doesn’t carry the puck well and frankly isn’t an asset to his team with it on his stick, unless it’s to shoot. He does display decent awareness and hockey sense, which has led to some penalty-kill usage, and can make routine plays to teammates off the cycle but struggles in zone exits and in transition. It will be interesting to see what the future looks like for players like Schaefer in the NHL, which seems to be trending towards more transitional play and prioritizing speed. He is a long-term project and will need time to work on his skating, puck skills, and executing at a high tempo. Expect at least another year of junior in 2022-23, with the possibility of staying in the WHL for his overage year followed by some AHL seasoning. - AS

8 - Matvei Petrov LW

Heading into the 2021 NHL Draft, Petrov was highly hyped as one of the better Russian prospects available, but a poor showing in the MHL caused him to fall to the 6th round, where Edmonton selected him. A year later and that looks like an excellent selection as he exploded as a first-year player with the North Bay Battalion of the OHL. He exceeded all expectations to become one of the league’s best goal scorers as a 19-year-old. Petrov is a gifted scorer. Not only can he rip one-timers working the area near the wall on the powerplay, but he also owns a powerful and deceptive wrist shot that he uses when pressured. Even more surprising (based on his MHL play previously), Petrov showed well as a playmaker too, with especially good vision coming off the wall and when carrying in transition. Offensively, he has proven to be a player with few weaknesses. Away from the puck, is another story. Heading back to the OHL again this coming season, the Oilers will be looking for Petrov to improve his commitment to playing a 200-foot game, in addition to being more consistently involved and engaged physically. With another good CHL season, he could really vault himself up prospect rankings. He looks like a potential future contributor in a top six role for the Oilers. - BO

9 - Stuart Skinner G

In 2018, Stuart Skinner backstopped the Swift Current Broncos to a WHL Championship, emerging as a quality goaltending prospect. Since then…it has been quite a ride. A year in the ECHL, a few in the AHL. Skinner initially struggled at the pro level and there was some concern that he was not improving. However, he took a step forward in 2021 and then another last season. With his strong play in Bakersfield, he earned a look with Edmonton where he was largely terrific. There is a reason why it is stated that goaltenders take longer to develop. Now on the cusp of his 24th birthday, Skinner is poised to be the full time back up in Edmonton (behind the newly signed Jack Campbell). For the 6’4 netminder, his professional odds have always been staked to his ability to improve his athleticism and quickness. Over his pro career, Skinner has done that. He will never be confused with Dominik Hasek, but Skinner has worked hard to become quicker post to post to help him take greater advantage of his size and to help him track the play better. He squares to shooters well, controls rebounds, and makes the saves that he needs to make to keep his team in games. It is unknown whether Skinner has the potential to be a true number one netminder in the NHL, however, more will be known based on his performance this year. - BO

10 - Ty Tullio RW

Last season didn’t quite go according to plan for the Oshawa Generals, especially in the second half where they struggled mightily. However, one constant was the play of Ty Tullio. His final year in the OHL was a very positive one. It is hard not to notice Tullio on the ice. He involves himself in all aspects of the play, constantly working to get himself open, to earn touches, or to reacquire the puck for Oshawa. He’s not huge, but his compete level is very high. His best assets might be his release and his hands in tight, something that could make him a solid complementary goal scorer at the next level. As he turns pro this season with Bakersfield, the focus will be on Tullio to continue to get quicker and for him to build up strength. To play his game effectively at the pro level, he will need to be one of the stronger guys on the ice. Look for Edmonton to ease him into responsibility at the pro level. He probably starts in an energy role in the bottom six next year before moving up the lineup in his second/third pro seasons. If all goes according to plan, he could be a solid middle six option in the future and a possible fan favorite in Edmonton. - BO

11 - Tyler Benson

This is a make-or-break season for Benson in the Oilers organization. The former WHL star and playmaking winger has proven to be a standout at the AHL level but has yet to transfer that ability to the NHL level.

12 - Ryan Fanti

The Oilers signed Fanti as a free agent after a standout season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. The 6’3 netminder may end up in the ECHL this year thanks to the Oilers' pro depth in net.

13 - Markus Niemelainen

Niemelainen has always been an intriguing prospect because of his massive frame (6’6) and strong skating ability on the back end. It has taken some time for him to find a true role, but he seems to have settled into being a defensive first player and could be a depth piece for Edmonton this year.

14 - Olivier Rodrigue

The former QMJHL standout has struggled in his first two pro seasons. Rodrigue is an extremely athletic netminder, but he has struggled with his consistency and play tracking at the AHL level. He is likely playing for a QO this season.

15 - Maxim Beryozkin

Beryozkin has among the highest offensive upsides of any forward in the Oilers’ system currently. He will need to prove that he can score above the KHL level.

16 - Luca Munzenberger

The big and physical German defender is entering his sophomore season at the University of Vermont. His upside is limited, but he could develop into a third pairing stay at home type down the line.

17 - Joel Maatta

A teammate of Munzenberger’s at Vermont, Maatta is a pure defensive center who projects as a lockdown 4th liner and penalty killer. Edmonton will want to see more offense from him at the NCAA level.

18 - Michael Kesselring

The mobile defender with size is similar to Markus Niemelainen in that he skates well for a larger blueliner, but his future NHL projection is fairly murky. A few more years at the AHL level should give Edmonton an indication of a potential future role.

19 - Phil Kemp

Yet another defense first defender, Kemp is a little less athletic than the guys ranked ahead of him but is a little more composed. He played well for Bakersfield last season.

20 - James Hamblin

A nice surprise at the AHL level last season, Hamblin finished second in goals for the Condors. The former free agent signing out of the WHL is not the biggest or the quickest, but he has progressed well.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – EDMONTON OILERS – NHL Player Profiles

Corey Sznajder – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 16:11:28 +0000

EDMONTON, AB - MARCH 19: Edmonton Oilers Center Leon Draisaitl (29) uses his speed to track down a loose puck in the first period during the Edmonton Oilers game versus the New Jersy Devils on March 19, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Connor McDavid

The scary thing about McDavid’s 2021-22 season is that he was relatively unlucky when it came to shooting luck and he still finished with 123 points. The game comes so easy for him that it’s rare for the Oilers not to get at least one scoring chance per shift with him on the ice, so an average shooting year for him is a career season for most. It was an interesting season or him. He was still an elite player at creating off the rush but didn’t have the scale breaking stats like the previous year. Instead, he was deferring to teammates on entries and trailing the rush instead of leading it. Still having an elite impact on driving offense and making up for any lost ground on the power play, where his 44 points were more than some team’s entire goal total with the man advantage. There was also an effort to improve his play away from the puck, as he had the Oilers playing less run-and-gun and more of a full-rink press. Keeping play in the offensive zone and deferring to someone else or making the simple play instead of trying to force things. He could still break the game open if he needed to, as most saw in the playoffs where he dragged the Oilers to the Conference Finals on his own. That version of McDavid is still present, but the Oilers are getting to the point where they don’t need him to go into superstar mode every night to win.

Leon Draisaitl

Accuracy is the name of the game for Draisaitl regardless of he’s passing or shooting the puck. A selective but lethal shooter, Draisaitl’s 55 goals would have led the league most in most seasons and he matched it with 55 assists. He’s a selective, but lethal shooter who will turn low-percentage plays into high-danger plays. Most scorers will look to find the “soft” area in the defense and with Draisaitl, that area extends all the way to the boards, as he can beat goaltenders from some awkward and impossible angles. Arguably the best player in the league at doing this not named Sidney Crosby. His passing is just as good, excelling at pulling pucks off the boards, threading the needle between defenders and turning 50/50 puck battles into scoring chances. Style points don’t count but the degree of difficulty of Draisaitl’s playmaking is something to behold. He passes the puck off his backhand as hard as some players shoot it and he usually finds the tape. It’s how he’s been able to put up ridiculous scoring numbers every year despite his team getting outshot and outchanced while he is on the ice. The deceptive nature of his game also makes the Oilers power play click because he can score from just about anywhere in the zone and find someone open for a deflection chance even if they’re covered. Now that he's playing center full-time (when healthy), he gives Edmonton the most explosive one-two punch in the NHL.

Zach Hyman

The Oilers had certain expectations for Zach Hyman when they signed him to a seven-year contract. They wanted him to be McDavid’s wingman, score on a lot of rebounds and provide a forechecking presence to a team that lacked it. Hard to not be pleased with his first year. He scored 27 goals and was a great third wheel on McDavid’s line for most of the year and giving the Oilers penalty kill a counter-attacking dynamic with five shorthanded points. The calling card with Hyman has always been forechecking and scoring “ugly” goals, usually scoring by circumstance instead of getting to the net. It’s an important quality to have on your top line, as the Oilers found out in the playoffs where Hyman had 11 tallies, three of them coming on the power play. Finding a running mate for McDavid has been long-term problem for McDavid and while it cost them, Hyman filled this void in his rookie year. His play away from McDavid is a bit of a concern, as he was underwater in terms of scoring chance and goal differential when he wasn’t on a line with the Oilers captain. It’s not a surprise given the Oilers forward depth issues, but Hyman is a good forechecker with decent puck skills and should be able to drive his own line if push comes to shove. This will be more of a concern when he’s deeper into his contract but for now, he is set to have another good year as McDavid’s wingman.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

The remaining member of the Oilers old core, RNH is the most plug-and-play type of guy the Oilers have right now. Whether you put him in the middle, on the wing, with McDavid or in the middle-six, he’s going to play his role and give you a high floor with what he brings. That said, he spent most of the year on Draisaitl’s wing and the Oilers had a tough time keeping the puck out of their own net while that line was on the ice. A mid-season line switch moved RNH to essentially a third line center role and he excelled as a checker, providing a stabilizing presence in the Oilers bottom-six and keeping the team’s heads above water while their two money maker lines did their thing. It’s a tough way to use a center making over $5 mil., but RNH’s defensive game has value. He is one of their best forwards at retrieving pucks to exit the zone and the Oilers desperately need to win the minutes where their two stars aren’t on the ice. He made up for his lack of 5v5 offense on the power play, recording 22 assists with the man advantage and playing a variety of roles. His versatility makes him a valuable player but a tough one to project due to the volatile nature of the Oilers lineup. They will continue to feed him power play and penalty kill minutes, though.

Jesse Puljujarvi

It’s hard to believe how much of a lightning rod the former third overall pick was for Oilers discourse last year. Puljujarvi played a very similar game to Zach Hyman as a complementary player for McDavid, he just didn’t finish on as many of his chances, which unfortunately was his major drawback. No Oilers player was on the receiving end of more high danger passes than Puljujarvi and he scored only nine five-on-five goals on 140 scoring chances. Puck skill is one of the more frustrating parts of his game, as he will often skate himself out of room when he gets a good chance from close range or just mishit the puck, turning a high danger chance into one that’s easier to stop. It only takes one good year to change this narrative, though and it’s better to have a topliner who is producing chances and not finishing than doing neither. Aside from that, Puljujarvi is coming off a fantastic year, as the Oilers were a dominant team when he was on the ice. Part of it is the McDavid effect, but “JP” has come a long way as a defensive player, always in a good position to help retrieve pucks to get McDavid the puck in space or being a nuisance on the forecheck to keep their top line on the ice. If the goal-scoring ever comes around, the Oilers top-six will be a force.

Kailer Yamamoto

A high-motor player who will never cheat you on effort, Yamamoto had a decent bounce-back year after a disappointing sophomore campaign. He scored 20 goals for the first time in his career was a Swiss Army Knife type of winger for the Oilers, moving around the lineup filling whatever niche the coaching staff needed. While productive, his impact has been a little inconsistent, as he’s had a tough time driving play despite his strengths with recovering pucks and his willingness to go to the net. Part of that is because he doesn’t produce much offense in volume, posting one of the lowest shot rates on the Oilers and going stretches of games where he didn’t even test the goalie. Playing so much with McDavid and Draisaitl, he might have some hesitance to taking the reins on his line, deferring to the more talented players while assuming the worker bee role he’s had for most of his career. It’s tough to say if this is what was going on with Yamamoto, but he showed in the playoffs that he can drive a line, being a forechecking menace in the Calgary series and starting most of the plays with Nugent-Hopkins as his center. Seeing that reminds you that there is another level he can reach as a player even if he is in a pretty good spot now.

Ryan McLeod

Every prospect has different expectations. For Ryan McLeod, the Oilers only needed him to hold down a third- or fourth-line spot while being a neutral in terms of driving-play or suppressing goals. His impressive AHL production carrying over was secondary. His quickness gives the Oilers depth a different element from previous years, as it was rare for their third or fourth line to try and push the pace in past years. Also made him useful with covering up for the Oilers lack of mobility on their blue line, you would see him retrieve pucks for breakouts more often than their defense, even leading the rush on some shifts. The year was a grind for him, Edmonton struggled to find consistent linemates and McLeod would have to play a lot of one-man shifts where he would go from one end to the other without much payoff in the offensive zone. It was the role he needed to play, keeping the scoreboard from changing during stretches where the game becomes a slog. He is an example of how a skilled prospect can use those tools outside of creating offense because you still need to skate and connect the dots to keep the puck out of your own zone.

Evander Kane

Fresh off a buyout with the Sharks, Kane showed the Oilers that he can still score goals, tallying 22 in his 43-game stint and 13 more in 15 playoff games. Getting the “McDavid bump” on top of a career best shooting percentage, Edmonton re-signed him for four years in hopes that a full season can give McDavid a long-term solution on the wing. It’s tough to say if he can repeat this next year, as Kane has always been a shot-volume player who converts on a low percentage of his chances. The playmaking of McDavid might fix that, but line combos are always subject to change throughout the year. It’s a little concerning because 10 of his 5v5 12 five-on-five goals came while he was on a line with McDavid. By comparison, he scored only one five-on-five goal with Draisaitl centering him, which should give fantasy player some concern if the Oilers juggle their lines. His limited play-driving and passing skills make Kane a very one-dimensional player whose value is going to be determined by his goal-total, so this is a boom-or-bust signing for Edmonton.

Warren Foegele

The former Erie Otters star spent most of the year playing wing on the fourth line with his ex-Carolina teammate in Derek Ryan with some penalty killing duty thrown in. Last year was the first time it looked like he accepted his role as a grinder in the NHL, as he was still in the prospect mindset with Carolina. He had such a hot start to his NHL career that you would see him try to recapture that, making a lot of high-risk plays every shift and trying to make plays that he didn’t have the hands or precision to finish off at this level. With Edmonton, he looked a little more comfortable in his skin as a checking line player. Playing a straight-line game, not looking to carry the puck in much at all and relying more on his tenacity and forechecking to create an impact than making any plays. The result were decent impacts at five-on-five, but nothing spectacular. He also saw some power play time on the second unit, playing the netfront role and having a few pucks go off him for goals. There was more offense to Foegele’s game at one point, but this seems to be the role he has settled into for now.

DEFENSE

Evan Bouchard

Only 22 years old with the face of a grizzled veteran, Bouchard was a major lifeline for the Oilers defense. He is the prototype of what most teams look for in a young defenseman, standing over six feet tall with great puck skills and a big shot from the point, and Edmonton didn’t hold him back from showcasing this in his first full season. He carried most of the offensive load at five-on-five on their blue line, emerging as their best passer on breakout and when making plays in transition, and his shot gave defenders another thing to worry about when defending McDavid’s line. Edmonton is going to be a team that thrives on quick-strike offense, so Bouchard’s play in this area is a huge development for them, especially when it comes to leading counterattacks. His aggressive playing style did hurt him at times. He was very aggressive with stepping up at the blue line or going for a poke-check. It resulted in him negating some rushes, but he also got burned just as much. It’s an area of his game that’s fixable, especially if he’s paired with a reliable partner like Brett Kulak, and you want a guy like Bouchard to push the pace when he can. They will look to find a happy medium between the two extremes next year.

Tyson Barrie

Relegated to third pair duty, Barrie’s main purpose on the Oilers is to get the puck to McDavid or Draisaitl on the power play and not get destroyed at five-on-five. It’s easier said than done now that he’s not playing as many shifts behind the Oilers top line, which means he defends on more of his shifts and doesn’t get any opportunities to start the rush like in his Colorado days. It’s a tough game for a smaller defenseman like Barrie to play because offense is his calling card and playing more of a grinding style caters to his weakness. That said, players like Bouchard surpassed him in the lineup so this is the role he needs to play unless the Oilers deploy him differently. Which could happen if he starts the year paired with rookie Phillip Broberg. Barrie will continue to eat on the power play unless Bouchard or Darnell Nurse takes his spot. He has run the top of the umbrella on their league leading power play unit for a couple of years now, so it’s tough to see it changing for continuity purposes.

Darnell Nurse

It was a tale of two halves for the Oilers high-octane defenseman. He was paired with a similar player in Evan Bouchard, acting as both the aggressor and the fireman depending on the situation. They played behind the McDavid line, supplementing him on offense but getting burned for a lot of goals against. Once Jay Woodcroft took over, Nurse was switched to a shutdown role with Cody Ceci. Surprisingly, the two worked well and gave the Oilers blue line some stability, having one pair for offense and one for shutdown minutes. Nurse’s defensive play improved, giving up fewer chances off rushes and the Oilers played a more controlled game in front of him. He had to pick his spots on when to join the offense, but the Oilers were better off as a group. It’s an interesting way to use Nurse because his strengths are all from the red line in. He is very dangerous as the late man and can be lethal if he has any daylight with the puck but exiting the zone under pressure and shaking off forecheckers has never been his strong suit. Playing the shutdown role where he’s relied on for safe, responsible clears takes some workload off him and while he did well in that role, it’s a lot for someone carrying a $9.25 million cap hit for the next eight years. The 16-goal season where he was always pushing for offense made him one of the highest paid players in the league, even if it wasn’t the most optimal way to use him. Bouchard’s emergence took some of the burden off him and him switching roles so seamlessly is encouraging for the Oilers, even if his contract is going to be tough to deal going forward.

Brett Kulak

After exhausting most of their in-house options, the Oilers settled on trading for Kulak to round out their defense. The 28-year-old is a jack-of-all-trades defenseman can play most styles and found his niche in Edmonton as a penalty kill specialist who can help salt games away. He isn’t very big, but can skate with most top forwards, keeping them to the outside when defending entries and join the play if he needs to. He was a calming presence alongside Tyson Barrie on Edmonton’s third pair, with an elevated role late in games when the Oilers were defending a lead. Not much offense is expected of him, but he can pitch in here-and-there thanks to his great mobility and the Oilers could have him playing higher in the lineup with Duncan Keith’s old spot up for grabs. He was a reliable defender in Montreal with the only knock on his game being his play in front of the net, as his strong positioning and stickwork with defending entries doesn’t always translate to boxing out forwards. His strength with keeping play out of the defensive zone makes it not as big of a problem, though.

GOALTENDING

Jack Campbell

Edmonton has seemingly been trying to finally figure out what’s going on in their net for the last 15 years. Now, fresh off the heels of a two-year stretch under the microscope in Toronto, Jack Campbell is next up as a candidate to help the team right the ship. It’s another high-pressure situation for Campbell – but this time, he won’t be coming on board to be the team’s number two.

The once-highly-touted American netminder offers a sharp contrast to the goaltender he’ll be taking over for as the team’s clear-consensus starter. He lacks MIke Smith’s almost confrontational aura, instead opting for a “buds all day” approach that endears him to fans but can look a little less competitive overall. He plays differently, too; gone will be the days of a veteran giant manning the crease nearly from behind the goal line, replaced instead by a nimble and slightly more modern goaltender who plays a bit more centered in the blue paint and seems perfectly willing to let his defense control zone breakouts on their own. This could mean structural changes for the Edmonton blue line, although that was likely already on the horizon with Dave Tippett’s departure still fresh on the team’s mind.

The good news for Edmonton is that Campbell, who seems to thrive in a more team-oriented environment than Mike Smith ever did, shouldn’t need to worry about navigating a potentially tricky dynamic with Smith. The elder goaltender, while still under contract with the Oilers for the 2022-23 season, is expected to miss the season with a long-term injury – paving the way for Stuart Skinner to sit as the team’s number two and for Campbell to focus on his performance, not on losing starts to a hyper-competitive tandem partner. But the bad news is that Skinner remains relatively unproven on the NHL stage. This leaves Campbell without the lifeline that Smith’s experience likely would have afforded him should he find himself struggling consistency-wise during the season.

Projected starts: 60-65

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK: Fantasy Prospect Rankings – 30 Forwards, 20 Defenseman, 10 Goalies

Peter Harling — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 18:19:43 +0000

When preparing for a fantasy draft or evaluating prospects for a trade in your fantasy league you need to understand the difference between rankings, and fantasy rankings.

The difference can be subtle, or significant depending on your leagues scoring and format. Generally speaking, fantasy rankings are based on projected point production. I have found that the vast majority of readers that read and follow my work are in dynasty keeper leagues with peripheral stats, or bangers leagues.

The following rankings are based on projected point production and include added value to players that can contribute other stats, such as hits, blocks, PIM’s and faceoff wins.

In fantasy hockey, we have a limited number of prospect roster spots and as such I put higher value on prospects that have a quicker ETA to the NHL or have superstar upside.

This will help you identify the top 30 forwards, 20 defencemen and ten goalies to target in your fantasy leagues.

To be considered a prospect, skaters must be under 26-years-old, and have played in under 60 career games, or less than 35 in a single season. For goalies, less than 30 games played, or 15 in a single season.

Forward Rankings

VANCOUVER, BC - APRIL 26: Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers (10) skates up ice during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on April 26, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)

Matty Beniers, C – Seattle Kraken

The Kraken are poised to get an offensive boost this coming season with the additions of Andre Burakovsky and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Those two new wingers will be centered by the Krakens first ever draft pick Matty Beniers, who finishing the season in the NHL scoring nine points in the final ten games. Beniers is a Calder favorite.

Marco Rossi, C – Minnesota Wild

I projected Rossi to make the Wild after his draft in 2020, but he lost a year of development to COVID. He returned last year in the AHL and is now poised to crack a top six with the Wild. Another Calder favorite.

Cole Perfetti, C/LW – Winnipeg Jets

Thanks to the pandemic, Perfetti now has two seasons of pro development, and the 20-year-old is NHL ready to take a top six role with the Jets. “Goal” Perfetti could develop into a 40-goal scorer.

Mason McTavish, C – Anaheim Ducks

The power forward played nine games to start the season with the Ducks before returning to junior to lead Hamilton to an OHL championship. In multi-cat leagues, McTavish will check all the boxes, points, PP points, hits, FOW, he will do it all.

Kent Johnson, C – Columbus Blue Jackets

Johnson may start on the wing, and may not offer much in peripheral stats, but he will rack up points early and often in his career. If Johnson can lock down a top six center role, he will have either or both Patrick Laine and Johnny Gaudreau on his wing.

NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 04: New Jersey Devils right wing Alexander Holtz (10) skates during the first period of the pre-season National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals on October 4, 2021 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

Alexander Holtz, RW – New Jersey Devils

The Swedish sniper scored 26 goals and 51 points in the AHL as a rookie. He only had two points in nine NHL games, but he is poised to secure a top six role with the Devils. He is a future 30 goal scorer.

Quinton Byfield, C – LA Kings

Bigger players can take a little longer to develop and the Kings are taking their time with Byfield. The big, smooth skating center can evolve into a dominant NHL first line center, and a dominant multi-cat fantasy asset as well. This one may take a few years yet, but he will be well worth the wait.

Jack Quinn, RW – Buffalo Sabres

I was very critical of the Sabres selecting Quinn ahead of Rossi in the 2020 draft. I still am, but Quinn has been excellent since then dominating the AHL. The gap between the two may be indistinguishable when all is said and done. Quinn is a blue-chip prospect.

Shane Wright, C – Seattle Kraken

The projected number one prospect in the 2022 Draft fell to fourth. It lit a fire in him and falling to Seattle may be the best thing for him as he has less competition to make the roster. Wright could make Montreal regret passing him by.

William Eklund, LW – San Jose Sharks

Eklund nearly made the Sharks out of his draft but was sent back to the SHL for one more year of development. Eklund will make the team this year and be a top six winger with Calder aspirations.

RED DEER, ALBERTA - DECEMBER 27: Juraj Slafkovsky #20 of Slovakia protects the puck from Isak Rosen #23 of Sweden during the second period in preliminary round action a the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship at WP Centrium on December 27, 2021 in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Juraj Slafkovsky, LW – Montreal Canadiens

The first overall pick in the 2022 draft may start in the NHL, but will need Mike Hoffman and Jonathan Drouin to falter to allow an opportunity for Slafkovsky to step in. As he showed in the World Championship and Olympics, he is up for the task.

Nick Robertson, LW – Toronto Maple Leafs

Injuries limited him to just 28 AHL games last year, but he managed 28 points. The Leafs need cap friendly roster players and Robertson could step into a top six role on the high-octane offensive Leafs roster out of training camp.

Dylan Guenther, LW/RW – Arizona Coyotes

Guenther torched the WHL with a 91-point season and has one more year of junior eligibility to play. Their will be some more wait time before he is lighting NHL goal lamps, but his upside is tremendous.

Shane Pinto, C – Ottawa Senators

Pinto looked to be a lock for 2C, but injuries ended his season after just five games. If he can stay healthy, he would be third line centre at worst providing points, hits, and FOW.

Lukas Reichel, LW – Chicago Blackhawks

The German winger was excellent as a rookie in the AHL and showed he is NHL ready. The Hawks are rebuilding, and he is a part of their future. Reichel will see ice time in the NHL and as the Hawks continue to ship out veterans for futures, his role will increase.

Logan Cooley, C – Arizona Coyotes

The third overall pick in the 2022 Entry Draft could have the highest offensive upside from his draft class. He has committed to play in the NCAA with the University of Minnesota where he may play two seasons

Jakob Pelletier, LW – Calgary Flames

With roster spots opening in Calgary, the time is nigh for Pelletier to play his way in to the Flames top six. He checks all the boxes, has carried his dominant offense to the pro level, has character and leadership. He will help Flames fans get over the loss of Johnny hockey and Tkachuk.

Mavrik Bourque, C – Dallas Stars

In his final junior campaign Bourque led Shawinigan to a QMJHL Championship and laid claim to the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the Playoffs MVP. He already has a cup of coffee in the AHL and may not be long for the NHL

Jake Neighbours, LW – St. Louis Blues

Neighbours is graduating to the pro level, and while he may not have elite offensive upside, he brings a heavy physical game and could be the Blues next David Backes.

Brendan Brisson, C – Vegas Golden Knights

Brisson was a key and underrated player for Michigan on their march to the frozen four. He destroyed the AHL with Henderson in the final seven games posting eight points. Vegas will need players on ELC deals o round out their roster and Brisson could have a ripe opportunity.

Thomas Bordeleau, C – San Jose Sharks

Bordeleau posted a point pr game with Michigan before playing eight NHL games with the Sharks and another eight games for USA at the World Championships. Surpassing veterans Nick Bonino and Nico Sturm on the Sharks roster shouldn’t be to difficult for Bordeleau.

Jonatan Berggren, W/C – Detroit Red Wings

The 22-year-old kicked in the front door of the AHL in his debut in North America to the tune of 64 points in 70 games with the Griffins. He will be a big part of the Yzer-Plan and will try to make a similar splash in the NHL this year.

Dylan Holloway, LW/C – Edmonton Oilers

The 20-year-old has two years of NCAA development and had a successful AHL rookie campaign in Bakersfield. At 6-1 and 203 pounds he brings a good blend of offensive punch and hits.

Wyatt Johnston, C – Dallas Stars

Drafted 23^rd overall after missing the entire season, the Stars have been rewarded for the faith in Johnston as he torched the OHL with a 124-point season. He still has another year of junior eligibility to play but his upside is tremendous.

Brennan Othmann, LW – New York Rangers

Othmann wore the captain’s “C” for the Flint Firebirds last year and posted a 50-goal season and 97 points. The power winger has another year of OHL to play before he turns pro.

Bobby Brink, RW – Philadelphia Flyers

Brink posted 57 points in 41 games in his junior year at the University of Denver before finishing the year in the NHL with ten games in Philadelphia. As the Flyers rebuild or retool Brink will be a big part of the future.

Matthew Knies, LW – Toronto Maple Leafs

Knies was a force both physically and offensively for the Golden Gophers. His play warned him a roster spot with USA at the Olympics where he produced two points in four games. He looks NHL ready now but returned for a sophomore season, look for him t finish the year with the Leafs.

J. J. Peterka, RW – Buffalo Sabres

The feisty German had a banner rookie campaign in the AHL with 68 points in 70 regular season games and had another 12 points in 10 playoff matches. He is NHL ready and will also provide some peripheral stats to boot.

Xavier Bourgault, C – Edmonton Oilers

Bourgault averaged over a PPG in his WHL career finishing with a 75-point season in only 43 games, with 22 points in 16 playoff games. He is ready to bring his offense to the pro level and will play a year in Bakersfield. If his production carries over to the pro level, he will be dynamite!

Matias Maccelli, LW – Arizona Coyotes

After two strong seasons of pro hockey in the Liiga, Maccelli made a splash in his AHL rookie season posting 57 points in 47 games and playing his way into 23 NHL games with the Coyotes. He lacks draft pedigree and is a sleeper but has the upside to be a Calder candidate and a fantasy darling.

Defense Rankings

Owen Power, Buffalo Sabers

The first overall pick in the 2021 Draft returned to Michigan for more development. His season ended in the NHL but not before he also represented Canada at the Olympics. His ten game NHL preview was promising with three points, ten shots and nine blocks.

ST. LOUIS, MO - NOVEMBER 22: St. Louis Blues defenseman Scott Perunovich (48) during a NHL game between the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the St. Louis Blues on November 22, 2021, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire),

Scott Perunovich, St. Louis Blues

After missing an entire season to injury, his pro debut was delayed a year, but he rebounded in spectacular fashion with 22 points n 17 games in the AHL. His dominant play earned him an NHL recall, but again injuries limited his play to 19 games. His upside is elite, but the injuries are a concern.

Luke Hughes, New Jersey Devils

Hughes will play another season in the NCAA with Michigan to refine his defensive game. Offensively he is already dominant having scored 17 goals with the Wolverines, and four points in 10 World Championship games with USA. The wait may be a little longer on Hughes, but the upside is tremendous.

Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators

After posting over a point per game in his sophomore season, Sanderson will begin his pro career. There may be some AHL development time in the near future, but the long-term fantasy upside in multi-cat leagues is very high.

Calen Addison, Minnesota Wild

In his second pro campaign Addison posted 34 points and 70 PIMS in 43 games in the AHL. His strong play earned him four different NHL recalls totalling in 15 games and four points. He is ready for the NHL now and will be a top pairing D in short order.

Simon Edvinsson, Detroit Red Wings

Can the Wings boast back-to-back Norris Trophy winning defencemen? It’s very possible! Edvinsson comes to North America with two seasons of SHL development under his belt. He will go from playing for Sweden at the WJC to the Red Wings camp to win a roster spot in the NHL.

Olen Zellweger, Anaheim Ducks

Zellweger fantasy stock is rising like a rocket. He exploded for 78 points in 55 games with Everett in the WHL. He still has a year of junior eligibility remaining, but don’t be surprised if he graduates and plays with the Ducks this year. Even if you must stash him in your minors for a year, he is a keeper.

Jack Rathbone, Vancouver Canucks

The 2017 fourth round pick is under a lot of people’s radar, but with two seasons of pro development he has 49 points in 47 AHL games and has dressed for 17 NHL games. Cracking the Canucks blueline shouldn’t be too difficult.

Cam York, Philadelphia Flyers

York barely qualifies for this list as he played in 30 NHL games last year, but he does, and he will be a full time NHL player going forward. The addition of Tony DeAngelo could hurt his PP time immediately, but he will get prime deployment in time.

Brandt Clarke, LA Kings

The Captain of the Barrie Colts scored 59 points in 55 games and will be back in the OHL for another year of dominance. It’s a mystery how he is not on the Canadian WJC roster as he is an elite all-around defender.

Kaiden Guhle, Montreal Canadiens

The big, mobile 6-2 defender helped propel the Edmonton Oil Kings to the Memorial Cup after a mid-season trade. His pro career is about to begin, and the Canadiens blue line is a barren wasteland, just waiting for him to assume the throne. The wait will be short

Simon Nemec, New Jersey Devils

Selected second overall, the Devils passed on both Logan Cooley and Shane Wright to select the right shot defenseman. Nemec could take some time to become a fantasy relevant producer, but it will happen.

David Jiricek, Columbus Blue Jackets

Jiricek is the Jackets top defensive prospect, but their blue line is a crowded one and it may take a little time for the 18-year-old to break into the lineup.

SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 12: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jordan Spence (53) carries the puck during the NHL game between the San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings on March 12, 2022 at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Matt Cohen/Icon Sportswire)

Jordan Spence, LA Kings

Don’t sleep on Spence, since being a fourth-round pick in 2019 he has won the QMJHL Defenseman of the Year Award, played his way onto Team Canada at the WJC and scored 42 points in 46 games as an AHL rookie, and made his NHL debut playing in 24 games. He is ready for full time NHL duty.

Lukas Cormier, Vegas Golden Knights

Cormier is using the WJC in August as a primer for his petition to bypass the AHL and play for the Golden Knights. His 207 career points in 208 QMJHL will be on any fantasy radar, but he also hits, despite being 5-10

Justin Barron, Montreal Canadiens

Barron played most of his rookie pro season in the AHL with 20 points in 43 games for the Eagles, but he also played in seven NHL games for the Avalanche and Canadiens.

Denton Mateychuk, Columbus Blue Jackets3

Mateychuk may have the highest offensive ceiling from defensemen in the 2022 Draft class. He has another year of development ahead in the WHL and then some AHL time, but his ceiling is very high.

Philip Broberg, Edmonton Oilers

Broberg has arrived in Edmonton as a top four. Can he win some power play time away from Tyson Barrie, Darnell Nurse, and Evan Bouchard?

Nils Lundkvist, New York Rangers

The 2018 first round pick finally came to North America, splitting time between the AHL and the NHL. He likely sees a similar time share this season as the Rangers have a formidable back end.

Thomas Harley, Dallas Stars

If Harley played one more game, he would not have been eligible as a prospect, but he played 34 games for the Stars and is poised to be a full-time player going forward.

Goaltending Ranking

Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild

The Wild’s future starting goalie is the whole package. He has size, athleticism, tracks the puck and is positionally sound. Fleury signing a two-year deal may delay his inevitable reign as an elite starting goalie.

Yaroslav Askarov, Nashville Predators

This coming season will be a key development period for the Russian. After playing a limited number of games in Russia, he will make his North American debut in the AHL with Milwaukee. With Saros in place for the foreseeable future, Askarov can take a year or two in the AHL to refine his game.

Pyotr Kochetkov, Carolina Hurricanes

Kochetkov made an impressive debut in North America to end the season. He posted a 13-1-2 record in the AHL and even made his NHL debut starting in three games, winning all three. With both Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta on expiring deals, Kochetkov could be the Canes starter sooner than later.

Dustin Wolf, Calgary Flames

After posting stellar numbers in Everett the question was could he do it in the pros? His rookie season was outstanding posting a 33-9-5 record. Wolf has staring goalie upside, but with Jacob Markstrom in place through 2026, its not happening soon.

Devon Levi, Buffalo Sabres

After coming out of nowhere to back stop team Canada to a WJC Silver Medal and being named Best Goalie in the Tournament, he took his breakout to another level in the NCAA. As a freshman goalie he posted a 21-10-1 record with 10 shutouts to lead Northeaster to a Hockey East Championship. Levi won the Mike Richter award as NCAA Top Goaltender and was a Hobey Baker finalist. He is the Sabres best goaltending prospect.

Sebastian Cossa, Detroit Red Wings

The 6-6 netminder back stopped the Edmonton Oil Kings to the Memorial Cup. The Yzer-plan is starting to take form and Cossa could be in place to tend the crease when the Red Wings are a contender again.

Lukas Dostal, Anaheim Ducks

Dostal has two AHL seasons development to his credit and is looking ready for prime time. His future looks like split time between the NHL and AHL for a year before he settles into a tandem situation in Anaheim.

Daniil Tarasov, Columbus Blue Jackets

Tarasov was playing his way into the Blue Jackets roster before a hip injury prematurely ended his season. He will be back in November and should pick up where he left off.

Cayden Primeau, Montreal Canadiens

Montreal has enjoyed premium goaltending for decades. Carey Price, Patrick Roy and Ken Dryden. As the Canadiens top goalie prospect, Primeau has a lot to live up to.

Drew Commesso, Chicago Blackhawks

Heading for his junior season as a Boston Terrier, Commesso drew into two games for USA at the Olympics, winning both and posting a shutout. The Hawks are biding their time with stop gap goalies while they rebuild, and the long-term solution is Commesso.

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: EDMONTON OILERS – RANK: #11 – TIER III

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 16:03:14 +0000

Edmonton Oilers

#11 Edmonton - Much like their NHL club, the Oilers' system is very strong up top, and thins out far too quickly.

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 11: Look on Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (75) at warm-up before the Edmonton Oilers versus the Montreal Canadiens game on February 11, 2021, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Philip Broberg

The expectations are high for Philip Broberg, the 8^th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft, but his last season did not scream “NHL ready.” Broberg has struggled throughout the last year with Skelleftea AIK in the SHL. His ice time dropped significantly after a promising start and his statistics were not great either. Broberg has very good offensive skills and his skating is absolutely exceptional, especially for a guy of his size (6-3”, 203 lbs). Although there are positives in his game, he did not look great with Skelleftea at all. Broberg was prone to make mistakes, mainly in his own defensive end. He finished the year with 13 points (3+10) in 44 SHL games, but also captained the Swedish U20 team at the World Junior Championships.

He is exactly a player who would benefit from coming to North America. Philip Broberg is a big (although not very physical) guy who skates extremely well; someone whose game will look a lot better on the smaller ice. He still has a lot of potential and there are things to like about his game, but the Oilers should not rush him to the NHL, even though their defense wouldn't mind some help. All in all, Broberg has the ability to become a top four defenseman if he can harness his raw abilities, even though he is a really divisive prospect. - MD

Evan Bouchard

After starting last year playing in the Allsvenskan (Swedish second tier), Bouchard returned to the NHL where his playing time was incredibly inconsistent. As an NHL Rookie, Bouchard did remain with the Oilers for the entire year, but he spent long stretches as an NHL scratch, leaving many to ponder how that was best for his development. When he did play, Bouchard saw time anchoring the Oilers’ second powerplay unit and was given some chances to showcase his puck moving ability.

The two keys to Bouchard’s development have always been his ability to improve his mobility/quickness, in addition to his ability to take away space from attackers in the defensive end. His four-way quickness and overall skating ability has definitely improved from his time with the London Knights. However, he is still working hard to bring his defensive game up to par, in addition to gaining the confidence with the puck to unlock his offensive potential. While Edmonton did resign Tyson Barrie and bring in other other veteran defenders, Bouchard still figures to be a permanent fixture in the lineup this season and will be brought along slowly, allowing him to build confidence so that he can eventually develop into a top four defender for the Oilers in the next few years. - BO

Dylan Holloway

An NHL-style North-South power winger, Holloway showed significant improvement in his second (and final) season with Wisconsin, although he looked more like his older, out-of-control, flying-by-the-seat-of-his-pants presence during his run with Team Canada at the WJC. He has since turned pro, and we have a pretty good grasp on what his ceiling and floor each look like. At his worst, he is a very strong skater, plays to (hard) contact, and is a bear to defend against. You could throw that player on an NHL third line tomorrow, and he would be effective. Maybe a little penalty prone, although he kept that issue in check last season, but he will make your attack deeper and his high motor forechecking would help to tenderize the defense. Not a superstar, but a positive contributor.

At his best, he does all of the above, but keeps to the right side of the law, and leads more cycle attacks, driving possessions with multiple scoring chances per shift, and personally scoring at a clear top six rate. Still not a superstar, but a star. Capable of playing both center and left wing, Holloway could break camp with Edmonton if they want to develop him on the wing and grow into middle six minutes this year. If the Oilers prefer his future down the middle, a year on the farm would be advisable. Used correctly, Holloway could be instrumental in helping Edmonton get to the next level as a team. - RW

Xavier Bourgault

An extremely well-rounded offensive player, Bourgault finished second to his center (and Dallas Stars first round selection) Mavrik Bourque on Shawinigan in points per game with 1.38. However, his 20 goals in 29 games did lead the team and was one of the highest goals per game rates in the QMJHL. A versatile forward who can play both center and wing, Bourgault is both highly skilled and highly intelligent. A magician with the puck, he can create scoring chances for himself or for his linemates, with the ability to beat defenders one on one and routinely come away with the puck in 50/50 battles.

A slighter forward (at 172lbs), Bourgault could definitely be more effective in his own zone with some added strength and increased physicality. Additionally, by adding more muscle, Bourgault would be harder to knock off the puck in the offensive zone too. At times, he does not secure the puck as well as he should, opting to extend his stick too far, allowing defenders to angle him off the corner. Whether you believe he is a center long term or sticks on the wing as he has played in Shawinigan later in the year, Bourgault does profile as a top six forward because of his well-rounded skill set. Depending on how his game develops further, this could be as a prime-time facilitator or as more of a complementary, support piece. His versatility was an attractive characteristic to the Oilers who look to support their star forwardS McDavid and Draisaitl. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Raphael Lavoie

After four strong QMJHL seasons and a performance for Canada at the World Junior Championships, the big winger started his pro journey in 2020/21. What a year to start that. Due to the pandemic, Lavoie actually secured a loan in Sweden with Vasby of the Allsvenskan to start the year. He performed very well in the second-tier Swedish men’s league, leading Vasby in scoring by a significant margin and his 23 goals were tied for fifth in the entire league. Following the conclusion of the Swedish season, he joined Bakersfield of the AHL with mixed results.

The key for Lavoie has always been an ability to find a consistent motor. A strong skater for a bigger winger, he has always gone through bouts of inconsistency because he stops moving his feet and his physical intensity wavers. Armed with a big shot and strong puck protection skills, he is at his best when he drives the net consistently and can get himself near the crease. Lavoie will play the entire year in the AHL this season, in all likelihood, as he tries to establish himself as a consistent top six scoring threat. From there, he could secure a top six spot on the Oilers and has the chance to be a consistent 20 goal scorer for the team down the line. - BO

Ryan McLeod

After a difficult first pro season with Bakersfield two seasons ago, McLeod was the breakout star of the Oilers’ system this past year, in his sophomore pro campaign. McLeod averaged a point per game for the Condors, earning a late season NHL call up that also saw McLeod play in Edmonton’s first round series loss to Winnipeg. While his offensive responsibilities and production were limited, McLeod did play good minutes for the Oilers on the penalty kill, bringing energy and pace to the lineup.

Entering the pro ranks from the OHL, McLeod was deemed a project. He had the combination of size and quickness that you look for in an NHL center these days. His skill and playmaking ability were never questioned. However, the consistency of his engagement level left some to be desired, preventing him from being the kind of dominant OHL player that he could have been. This past season in Bakersfield, McLeod finally figured out how to tap into his vast skill set to be an impactful player at both ends and it has made him a serious candidate to be a permanent Edmonton Oiler as early as next season. He projects as a solid two-way, middle six forward who can play in all situations. - BO

Carter Savoie

A somewhat divisive prospect in his draft year in the AJHL, Savoie was an offensive powerhouse with Sherwood Park, leading the league in goals with 10 red lights separating him from the runner-up. No one argued about his ability to put the puck in the net, but there was no shortage of skeptics who had concerns about his dedication away from the puck, and his size/speed combo. He hasn’t really grown physically in the last year, and his skating is still not exactly a strong point in his game, but his aforementioned ability of putting the puck in the net is still there, as he scored a very impressive 13 times in 24 games for the Denver Pioneers as a freshman, leading the team by five.

He is not the perfect player, but his brand of hockey is more than effective enough to have been well worth the 4^th round pick used on him by Edmonton. The Oilers should be in no rush to get him away from campus, as the more well-rounded his game becomes, the more effective he will be once he does move forward with his career. He needs to improve his play at even strength (half of his points came on the power play as a freshman) and grow more comfortable using his linemates. If everything works out, he could turn out as a Michael Cammalleri type player. - RW

Tyler Benson

It’s been a strange road for the former 1^st overall bantam pick, who took his talents to Switzerland last season for a 15-game stint amid the pandemic, before returning to North America for a third season in the AHL, where he managed a point per game. Through all of that, however, he didn’t get a sniff of the NHL. Benson is already 23 but has fought a myriad of injuries over his career thus far, leaving many to wonder exactly how much untapped upside remains for the former highly touted prospect.

The biggest concern besides durability, is his skating. Benson has sluggish feet and doesn’t move as well as one would like, but he does possess fantastic vision along with some grit and is aware defensively, which could be his ticket to eventually becoming a bottom-six player in the NHL as a late-bloomer. He signed a one-year two-way extension with the Oilers organization this summer and will have his work cut out to crack the team, which added depth up front and may not have as many available roster spots in training camp. It is certainly a make-it-or-break-it year of sorts for the winger, who is relishing the opportunity to make the jump to the NHL and show he belongs. Time will tell. - AS

Ilya Konovalov

Last season started poorly for Konovalov even before it began. During the offseason the new Lokomotiv coach brought his favorite goalie with him (former NA pro Eddie Pasquale). This left Konovalov as a backup with a rather limited number of starts. He did not play poorly during the season, however he was also never really given an actual opportunity to start the way he did the two years prior.

Given the situation last year, it was not surprising to see that Konovalov had signed with the Oilers as soon as possible after the KHL season had ended. Given the step back last season, he needs to be getting as many starts as possible this season and the Oilers' system should be good in that way. In general, in the case of Konovalov we have an effective goalie in terms of technique, however given his lack of size, his rebound control and ability to fight through traffic need to be improved. As he is a smaller goalie, he may not have the potential to be a starting netminder in the NHL, even if his performance to date has been strong. This season should tell us more about his potential. - VF

Dmitri Samorukov

A former standout with the Guelph Storm of the OHL, Samorukov is coming off of an excellent season in the KHL with CSKA Moskva after being loaned there by the Oilers for 2020/21. His +24 rating was the best in the KHL by any U22 player...and by a large margin. His offensive production tapered off towards the end of the season and he suffered a minor shoulder injury that put an early end to his season, but it was still a great year for his development.

Samorukov has always stood out because of his well-rounded, two-way skill set. He skates well. He moves the puck well. He has good defensive instincts and can play a physical game. He has a cannon of a point shot. There is a lot to like and a lot that would suggest Samorukov can develop into a quality second pairing defender for the Oilers. The question has always been about whether his offensive talent can truly stand out at the NHL level, or whether he profiles as more of a stay-at-home blueliner. With Evan Bouchard likely with the Oilers full time this season, the door should be open for Samorukov to receive top pairing ice time in the AHL, including powerplay time. This should give the Oilers a better indication of how close he is to the NHL level and how high his ceiling is. - BO

Stuart Skinner

The competition in Bakersfield is about to get intense, with Konovalov entering the fold this year. However, Skinner performed well in the AHL last season and has given himself a leg up on the previously more highly regarded Olivier Rodrigue. The former third rounder looks like he could develop to at least become a quality back-up for the Oilers in the future.

Tyler Tullio

It will be great for Tullio to return to the OHL this season, where he should be a go-to point producer for the Oshawa Generals. The competitive and determined winger needs to show that he can be more than a supportive piece; that he can create his own chances with pace and improve his play with the puck.

Cooper Marody

The time is now for Marody to secure a roster spot on the Oilers as he is out of options and will need to pass through waivers to go to the AHL this season. After three strong AHL seasons, the talented pivot will compete for a bottom six spot.

Olivier Rodrigue

The transition from the CHL to the AHL can be a difficult one for goaltenders. Shooters are more precise. The action moves quicker. Overall, Rodrigue’s first season in Bakersfield did not go extremely well. However, the athletic former second rounder is still a potential NHL netminder. Patience is a virtue when it comes to developing goalies.

William Lagesson

The blueline in Edmonton is looking pretty crowded at this point, so the 25-year-old Swedish defender has his work cut out for him to earn a spot this year. However, the physical two-way defenseman does have the ability to be a third pairing type, whether that is with Edmonton remains to be seen.

WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Can Sweden Overcome the Huge Hurdles?

Jimmy Hamrin — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 15:00:39 +0000

Can Sweden overcome the hurdles?

Team Sweden or “juniorkronorna” as they are called in Sweden are always a competitive team at World Juniors, and this year is no exception. Usually the pre-tournament talk is on their remarkable round robin winning streak and how stacked they are at defense. This is, as you all know, a very different year. An evil tongue might call the Swedes “juniorCORONArna” this year instead with all that has happened this fall and during the camp.

Alexander Holtz and Lucas Raymond of Sweden against Santeri Tatakka of Finland during the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship bronze medal game between Sweden and Finland on January 5, 2020 in Ostrava.
Photo: Simon Hastegård / BILDBYRÅN /

The COVID-situation:
Sweden is, like the whole world, having a tough time with the virus. I am not going into a political discussion here of which government has been right and which has been wrong as Sweden has had a different strategy than many other western countries. But, as of now, Sweden is struggling. Therefore there are many people here in Sweden thinking it is madness to send these young players across the globe to play at the WJC. To some part, I, of course, agree. The tournament is not THAT important. To another degree I am very happy that this tournament is going to be played. I also think that the NHL showed that you can have a safe bubble if you keep everything strict. As the team now are in that bubble I truly hope for a safe and entertaining tournament. In our lockdowns (yes, we have restrictions in Sweden too) a bit of high value entertainment like the World Juniors will give us a well needed distraction.

Sweden’s preparations have not been without pandemic issues though. They were supposed to play Finland in November but during the first gameday they had to call it off due to a positive COVID-test from a member of the Swedish team. In December they put together a 34-man roster to go into a training camp bubble before the tournament. That ended up with four players (William Eklund (2021), William Wallinder (DET), Karl Henriksson (NYR) and Albin Grewe (DET)) getting ejected from the camp with positive COVID-results. Added to that, FIVE individuals from their management group were infected with COVID and that has reduced them heavily as they will not be able to send other coaches or leaders to the bubble. Sweden’s head coach Tomas Montén is one of the leaders that had to stay behind. He will need to lead his team from his home in Sweden. Joel Ronnmark, an inexperienced 30 year, old will be team’s head coach in Edmonton.

The roster selection:

I was not a happy man when Sweden finalized its roster. The big guns in goal, at defense and up front are all in, of course. But the way they chose the bottom of the roster irritates me. The biggest and most surprising cut was defenseman Helge Grans (LAK). He is a power play player at the SHL level and would be a top 4 defenseman for most other countries in the tournament. He is also capable of playing other roles and is an all-around smart defenseman. New for this tournament is that you can have a bigger roster. So that they picked eight defenseman and could not find a spot for Grans cannot be rationally explained. Keep in mind that Grans is a right handed defenseman and six of the eight defensemen picked are left handed.

I also would have wanted Sweden to give Simon Edvinsson (2021) a shot. He is already a better player than at least three of the picked defensemen. I guess that Sweden is looking at roles and picking players to play a specific role and I get that idea but you also have to look at how capable the better offensive defenseman is at playing a defensive role if needed. It is not that guys such as non-drafted players Ludvig Hedstrom and Alex Brannstam are defensive monsters. They can both have trouble defending their own junior teams at times. Up front, I would have liked to see Daniel Ljungman (DAL) getting a spot. The smart center/winger is useful in many situations but also has strong offensive weapons.

An overall assessment of the team:
Sweden will not have as strong of a team as Canada, Russia and USA have on paper. The strong parts of this Swedish team are the goalies, the top defenseman and the offensive star power of Lucas Raymond (DET) and Alexander Holtz (NJD). Losing out on Karl Henriksson will make a weak team down the middle even weaker. Losing out on William Eklund will make it harder to find three or even two productive lines for the big games. It sounds like they are playing Theodor Niederbach as the top center and that could be exciting. I am not sure that it will be beneficial for the whole roster to have offensively gifted right-hand shooters on the same line though.

I am not capable of projecting how big of an impact the reduced management team will have, but if they can overcome all of the hurdles and bring home a bronze medal, that would be a successful tournament outcome for this team. I think the roster is competitive and on paper they should be one of the teams in a semifinal. It will also be interesting if Sweden will have an advantage in that their players actually played real games during the fall in comparison to the North American teams where many players have not played at all since March.

Top 10 to watch:

10 - Noel Gunler W (CAR)
The polarizing goal scorer is finally getting a chance to show himself at a major international event. Gunler will have a big part on a second scoring line and get a chance on the power play. He did not receive increased ice time with Lulea at the start of the season and fell in the draft but has had a better opportunity since he changed his SHL team. I am predicting that he will score at least 4 goals at this tournament.

9 - Theodor Niederbach C (DET)
Niederbach is not the fastest player but he is one of the smartest on this Swedish roster. He has absolutely dominated the Swedish junior league with 35 points in 19 games. He will get a chance to play on the top line with Raymond and Holtz and that will give him a good chance to produce big points in this tournament. His biggest strength is finding open spots in the offensive zone and taking advantage of them. He can both set up and score goals and he will complement the stars well.

8 - Tobias Bjornfot D (LAK)
Bjornfot has not had an impressive season so far. After a good season in North America he has not been able to earn a leading role on his SHL team. He is a strong player at both ends of the ice and has the tools you need to become a regular NHL defenseman. He will crack the LA roster sooner than later. Here he will not be a primary power play guy but I expect him be defensively strong in important situations and be a strong puck mover from the back end.

7 - Hugo Alnefelt G (TBL)
I do not know how Sweden will play their goalies this year as they have two potential starters. For that reason, I do not see Alnefelt as the best choice but when you look at international experience he has always come through for Sweden. He was one of Sweden’s most valuable players in the U18 gold-medal winning squad in 2019 and the U20 bronze in 2020. He is a composed and calm goalie with a strong all-around game. He would be the easier choice as the players and coaches all know what they will get from him and they trust him.

6 - Philip Broberg D (EDM)
Broberg is a somewhat polarizing player as well. He still has visual flaws in his defensive game and still is a year or two from being ready to play in the NHL. The ceiling is hard to deny though with big reach and exploding speed. In SHL action, he started well but has had a rough last month with more mistakes defensively and less offensive production. He was the best defenseman at the U18 WJC in 2019 but was up-and-down at the U20 WJC in 2020. Sweden will need him to be as dominant as he was at the U18s where he closed things down defensively with his reach and pushed the offensive attack with his skating and puck skills.

5 - Albert Johansson D (DET)
The most underrated Swedish prospect. Johansson has been nothing but excellent for two seasons in the SHL and seems to have improved with every game I have seen him play. He is a smart, humble, hard-working two-way defenseman who skates fast and with ease. He has grown of late but I have always felt that Detroit got a steal picking him 60^th overall in 2019. He will probably not play the power play but will push the play and be a reliable player at even strength as a top 4 defenseman.

4 - Jesper Wallstedt G (2021)
As a 17/18-year-old goalie Wallstedt has been impressive in SHL and will probably finish the season as the starter for his team in playoffs. He has elite hockey sense. I have not seen a Swedish goalie that can read the play the way that he can in a very long time. He is not as athletically spectacular as Yaroslav Askarov but he is more consistent as he always seem to be in a good spot to make an easy save. I would want him to be Sweden’s starter and he probably will at least get one of the earlier games either way.

3 - Victor Soderstrom D (ARI)
Soderstrom was one of Sweden’s best defenseman already last year and will be a THE guy this year. Concerningly he has been suffering with injuries so I do not know what the state his body will be in as the tournament starts. Hockey sense is the right-handed defenseman’s best tool. He moves well and reads the game very well. He is maybe not as exciting as Broberg but he is more consistent and reliable. He will be one Sweden’s most important players and will soon be ready to play in the NHL.

2 - Alexander Holtz W (NJD)
As a 17-year-old he scored five points last year in a third line (with PP-time) role. He has the potential to double that this year as he will be playing in a top line role and starting every power play and getting a lot of offensive zone starts. The shooter has been improving at the SHL level this season and has also been producing at a higher rate. He looks more physically mature than he did in his rookie season. I believe he will be ready the play in the NHL at the start of the 21/22 season. Holtz plays a good two-way game and has one the best shots in the whole tournament. That will be a strong weapon for Sweden in important situations in important games.

1 - Lucas Raymond W (DET)
I would have wanted to see even more production from Raymond in the SHL but Frolunda is a weird organization that way. They play four almost evenly matched lines and play them 12-17 minutes per game. Raymond plays 14 minutes per game and is still not their top go-to-guy. For this tournament though, he will be for Sweden. He is a high event player with impressive hockey sense and puck skills. He will drive Sweden’s offense and be both goal scorer and an offensive creator. Sweden’s success will be most reliant on Raymond’s play as he also is a player that needs to be good for other players to succeed.