FREE fantasy hockey draft kit

Transcription

2014 - 2015
fantasy
draft kit
Table of contents
Features
2 - Going Bar Down
Who will fill which Fantasy
Hockey roles?
4 - Who is number-1?
Choose Crosby or Stamkos with the first
overall pick?
6 - ready rookies
Top-10 rookies who will have a
fantasy impact
8 - Fantasy Draft Strategy
Outlining different draft strategies
11 - Top 5 Goalie Battles
Looking at the NHL’s most intriguing
goalie timeshares/battles.
2014-15 Outlook
14 - Nation Network Mock Draft
A look at the NationNetwork mock draft.
15 - Team Previews
A look at all 30 NHL teams and what to
expect in 2014-15.
45 - Skater Projections
Projections and analysis for the top 260
skaters
97 - Goalie Projections
Projections and analysis for the top 44
goalies
106 - Top 275 Rankings
Our top 275 to help you draft your team.
going bar down
who will fill which fantasy role?
By: Brock Seguin
E
very Fantasy season there are players that fall into certain categories.
Some good, some bad. The key is to identify which players fall into which
categories and target or avoid them. Let us start with a free agent signee
that won’t pan out… Hey David Clarkson! Oh Stephen Weiss is that you?
free agent hoser
A player who signed a big-money offseason deal but won’t have a
good fantasy year.
BENOIT POULIOT had a strong year by his
standards and that prompted the Oilers to throw $4
million per year at him. Don’t let that fool you into
thinking he is going to score 25 goals.
free agent hoser
A player who signed a big-money offseason deal and he will be
worth every penny.
JAROME IGINLA fell into this category last season
and he will again this year. He is 37 years-old, but
I’m not even sure he knows that. He brings a ton of
leadership to a young team which is great for the
Avs. And he is pretty much guaranteed to score 30
goals and 60 assists which is great for you!
random goalie beauty
A goalie that will vastly outplay his draft stock.
Two years ago it was Craig Anderson, last year it
was Semyon Varlamov and this year it will be JAKE
ALLEN. These are the guys that win you fantasy
championships. He will come relatively cheap on
draft day because of a timeshare with Brian Elliott.
Once it is his job, he’ll be a fantasy stud.
about two guys that rarely missed games and were
as consistent as they get for YEARS. Why I really like
them is because you can probably draft both of
them in the 4th and 5th rounds whereas before it
was with the 12th and 13th pick if you were lucky.
Henrik could for sure rattle off 50 assists while
Daniel may very well score 30. And there’s nothing
like getting two points (almost) every time one goal
is scored.
Rookie sensation
the rookie who will have the greatest fantasy impact in 2014-15.
stud to sieve
A goalie who is coming off of a good year, but won’t repeat
I’m going to give you two here and we’re going to
Alberta for this one. BEN SCRIVENS was great with
the Kings and started strong with the Oilers. There
will be some interest in him, but lets be honest,
Edmonton is brutal defensively.
Then there is JONAS HILLER who made the move
to Calgary this offseason. He will probably have a
solid year, but the Flames aren’t close to the team
the Ducks are, so his numbers are sure to take a hit.
Veteran pylon
A big name veteran that will burn you if you draft the name and
not the production.
JAROMIR JAGR is a freak. 67 points at the age of
42? C’mon. Will he have a good year? Probably. But
will he repeat that? Probably not. Don’t be the guy
who thinks he is getting 67 points at 43-years-old.
yo, welcome back!
A player coming off of a bad year that will rebound.
I was going to say Eric Staal, but that is too easy, the
guy’s a gem… He’ll be back for sure.
So I will go with HENRIK AND DANIEL SEDIN.
Are they stll elite? Nope. But come on, were talking
Last year we got to witness the first overall pick
Nathan MacKinnon absolutely rip it up. Every year
people are going to draft the top rookies expecting
the same type of producton that MacKinnon had
last year.
Years like that do not come around all that often,
but it might happen again tihis season with
JONATHAN DROUIN. He had as much hype as
anyone heading into last season, but was sent back
to juniors before the season started. This year he
will make the team and could end up on a line with
Steven Stamkos. With Drouin’s nasty hands and
Stamkos’ pure goal-scoring, this duo could light it up
in Tampa. Drouin is going to miss the first few weeks
of the season becuase of a thumb injury, but do not
let that scare you away
who is number-1?
Sidney Crosby vs. Steven StamkosBy: Brock Seguin
Y
ou are sitting there on draft day, with the illustrious first overall pick, all
eyes are one you because you are that lucky guy who gets any player
that you want.
So what do you do with that first overall selection? Do you pick the reigning
Art Ross and Hart Trophy winner Sidney Crosby? Or do you snag the best pure
goal scorer the NHL has to offer in Steven Stamkos?
Crosby or Stamkos?
At 27-years-old, Crosby already has two Art Ross
Trophies (NHL Leading Scorer), two Hart Memorial
Trophies (NHL MVP), a Maurice “Rocket” Richard
Trophy (Goals Leader) and a Stanley Cup.
After three injury plagued seasons, Crosby had his
first healthy season since 2009-10 last year. To no
ones surprise a full season led to Crosby’s fourth
campaign with over 100 points (104). In contrast,
Stamkos has never recorded 100 points in a season,
but has three seasons over 40 goals to Crosby’s one.
Stamkos has 233 goals in six seasons (410 games)
which is .568 goals per game. Crosby, who is three
years older, has 274 in
nine seasons, good for a
.498 goals per game. So it
is obvious that Stammer
is the superior goal
scorer, but don’t forget
sometimes an assist is as
good as a goal. Crosby
averages 73.8 assists per
82 games, while Stamkos
averages just 38.6.
Take all of the number
out of it, because you
can’t score when you are
not on the ice. Stamkos never missed a game in
the four seasons prior to last year. We all know he
suffered a gruesome broken leg against the Bruins,
but somehow returned just four months later. Now,
I’m no doctor, but that seems nearly superhuman.
Crosby on the other hand, missed a total of 113
games in three years previous to 2013-14. Crosby
battled concussion issues and that still has to be a
concern for him, despite only missing two games
last season. He also played the end of last season
with a wrist injury… That he did not have surgery on
this summer.
So to summarize all of that. Stamkos scores more
goals, Crosby gets more points, but Stamkos is far
less of an injury risk.
When deciding who you will take first overall, you
also have to know what kind of a league you are in.
Is it a categories or points league? Are goals worth
more than assists? Because all of that factors into
the important decision.
This season we have Crosby projected for 38 goals
and 67 assists (105 points), while Stamkos is at 51
goals and 42 assists (93 points). So if you are in a
points league where goals are worth (2) and assists
are worth (1), Stamkos would have a 144 to 143
points advantage.
However, most fantasy leagues nowadays are
category based. If you look at the six Yahoo!
standard scoring categories (G, A, P, PPP, PIMS and
SOG), Crosby has the historical advantage in assists,
points, power-play points and PIMS.
Taking all that into consideration, Crosby should
be the first player off of the board, but if you are
someone who does not believe in Crosby’s ability
to stay healthy, you can do far worse than picking
Stammer. Some people may say, it is hard to replace
the value you get from a 50 goal scorer, but the
same can be said about a perennial 100-point player
like Crosby.
ready
rookies
freshman that will have a fantasy impact
By: Brock Seguin
T
o be eligible to win the Calder Trophy you cannot have played more than
25 games in a previous season or six or more games in two previous
seasons. Let’s take a look at the top-10 Calder eligible players that will have
a fantasy impact.
1. Jonathan Drouin - LW - Tampa Bay
Lightning
(Projected - 15G / 40A / 55P)
Drouin was a hot pick in 2013-14, but ended up back
in the QMJHL before playing his first NHL game. He
totalled 213 points (70G / 143A) in 95 games in his
last two seasons with Halifax. He is the preseason
favourite to win the Calder, especially if he plays
with Steven Stamkos.
2. Evgeny Kuznetsov - C - Washington
Capitals
(Projected - 22G / 26A / 48P)
Kuznetsov is already a five-year veteran of the KHL
despite being only 22-years-old. He came over to
North America late last season and tallied nine
points (3G / 6A) in 17 games with the Capitals. He
scored nearly 20 goals in the Russia as a teenager, so
there’s no doubting his 25-goal potential at 22 in the
NHL.
3. Tanner Pearson - LW - Los Angeles
Kings
(Projected - 17G / 28A - 45P)
Pearson played 25 games with the Kings last season,
making him just barely eligible for the Calder. He
worked his way into the Kings’ top-6 and had a great
postseason player with Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli.
Assuming that is where he will play again this season, Pearson wil
produce at a nice rate.
4. Sam Reinhart - C - Buffalo Sabres
Reinhart has tremendous hockey sense and
leadership skills that will make him a great NHL
player. He will be a key member in the Sabres’
rebuild and it starts in 2014-15. Centre is not a
strength of Buffalo’s, so Reinhart should get a ton of
playing time, both 5-on-5 and with the extra man.
the chance to crack the Flames roster out of training
camp. The 2013-14 Hobey Baker award winner can
have an immediate impact.
7. Max Domi - C - Arizona Coyotes
(Projected - 18G - 22A - 40P)
Domi gets criticized for trying to do too much by
himself, something that won’t fly in the NHL. Is is
very skilled offensively, which is something the
Coyotes lack. He did big things with London (OHL)
last season and should be a member of the Arizona
Coyotes in October.
8. Calle Jarnkrok - C - Nashville
Predators
After Detroit traded Jarnkrok to Nashville, he posted
nine points (2G / 7A) in 12 games with the Predators.
Nashville signed a bunch of veteran centres which
may push Jarnkrok down the depth-chart, but he
has the talent to be a legit NHL playmaker.
5. Michael Dal Colle - LW - New York
Islanders
(Projected - 17G / 28A - 45 P)
Dal Colle had a monster sophomore season in the
OHL (39G / 56A) and will fight for a roster spot on
Long Island this September. The 6-foot-2 winger
has a chance to play with one of John Tavares, Frans
Nielsen or Mikhail Grabovski, which should provide
him with ample opportunities to produce in yearone.
6. Johnny Gaudreau - LW - Calgary
Flames
‘Johnny Hockey’ scored on his first NHL shot in the
only game he played last season. He is undersized
(5’7” - 150lbs.) but loaded with skill which gives him
9. Teuvo Teravainen - C - Chicago
Blackhawks
Teuvomanina was real in Chicago last season, but
he only lasted three games before being demoted
to the AHL. The Hawks let Michal Handzus go, but
signed Brad Richards, so Teravainen might start the
season with Rockford (AHL).
10. Leon Draisaitl - C - Edmonton
Oilers
Either Draisaitl will make the Oilers and play as their
second-line centre or he will be headed back to the
WHL. Either way, he has a ton of size and skill and
will be a big part of Edmonton’s ongoing rebuild,
whether he plays this year or next.
Draft Strategies
outlining different strategies for d-day
By: Brock Seguin
I
n order to be successful in fantasy hockey you have to have a good draft.
In order to have a good draft you have to be prepared and have an idea
of how you want to build your team. So lets take a look at a few different
draft strategies and you can decide which one suits you best. But first, keep
in mind, all drafts have different outcomes. And most of the time, you head
into a draft with a plan and within two rounds, your plan has completely
changed. So you have to be flexible on draft day.
Drafting Teammates
Some people love to draft multiple players from a
specific team, others hate it. It all depends on what
you prefer. Now, if you are going to do this, make
sure you are loading up on a good team. You do not
want to be drafting three or four Buffalo Sabres. For
an easy example, a few years ago, drafting both the
Sedin’s was a popular thing to do. When one gets a
point, the other gets a point (usually). If one has a
good week, they both have a good week thus you
have a good week. Last year a combination of Tyler
Seguin and Jamie Benn likely won a lot of fantasy
leagues. It is no different from drafting Aaron
Rodgers and Jordy Nelson in football. But, loading
up too much can be dangerous. You do not want
five or six guys from one team, because if they get
shutout, you will be in trouble. When their team has
four games in a week, you are gold. When they have
two games, you are praying for two big games. It
is a good route to go, just do not go and draft their
entire top-6.
D? Who needs D?
Category Overload
Some people might draft seven forwards in the
first seven rounds. Now, you will have some great
scoring numbers, but you are probably going to end
up with a high-end number-2 goalie as your starter,
or worse. That said, I am a fan of this idea, specifically
this season. If I were to do this though, I would
make sure I get a quality goaltender in the earlier
rounds, but focus on forwards, because the pool of
defensemen is incredibly deep. I mean just look at
the middle rounds. You can still grab a Mark Streit
or Brent Seabrook and be perfectly content with
their always consistent production. And they are not
going to look so bad sitting behind your seven stud
forwards and in front of your all-star netminder.
Just load up on some specific categories. If you
get Claude Giroux in the first round and Nicklas
Backstrom is there on the way back and you swipe
him, you just drafted yourself two 60-assist players,
so you just locked down apples for the year (given
you don’t blow it in the next 14 rounds). Later in the
draft you can draft 20-20 players who take a lot of
penalties versus a player with 25-25 potential who
does not pick up PIMS. Add yourself an enforcer, you
look great in two categories already. Loading up on
specific categories all but guarantees you are going
to be one of the strongest teams in the league in
those few specific stats. As the season progresses
you can then start picking up goal scorers and start
balancing out your lineup, while still dominating
in multiple categories. Keep in mind, this is just an
example, there are tons of different categories you
can load-up throughout the draft. However, this is
one way to draft that your plan could fall apart reallll
fast. But, if it all works out, you will also have a lot of
trade bait in a few weeks, when Uncle Eddie needs
assists.
“Tiering”
I am starting to hear more and more about tiering
players. Never heard of it? It is simple. You basically
just group players together with similar skill sets
and depending on your needs at that specific point
in the draft, you dip into the “tier” that caters to it
the best. So you will have “consistent playmakers”
or “boom or bust” players for example. If you have a
lot of goals already on your roster and need a set-up
centre, you will have a list of multiple names, all of
which will help you in the same manner.
Get Your Guys
Before you head to your draft with your DailyFaceoff
Top 275 rankings. Highlight the guys you really
want. Are you a Jordan Eberle fan? Get him! If it is
the 64th pick and you want a guy who is ranked 84
more than the players ranked ahead of him… Take
him. Never worry about what your friends, dad,
aunt, uncle say when you pick him because he is
way down the list. Get the guys you want, just don’t
reach too far. Understand where the market is as the
draft is going. You have Tobias Enstrom eyed down,
but he is a ways down the list… Just make sure the
guys drafting around you are not about to go on a
defence run, where Enstrom will suddenly become
in play.
Elite Goaltending
Goalies in hockey are like running backs in football.
There are a lot of them, but there is not a lot of great
ones. Once the season starts it is usually difficult to
get someone to part ways with their good goaltending when you go looking for a trade. So maybe you
should be that guy? For some people it is hard to
take a goalie in the first or second round, but it usually pays off. Especially if you have a late first round
pick. You could potentially grab yourself Tyler Seguin
and Henrik Lundqvist. Not too shabby? But same
goes with if you have the first overall pick. You could
be looking at Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and
Jonathan Quick or Ben Bishop. Either way you look at
it, you are getting quality offence with elite goaltending. It will be much easier to replace the goals and
assists you will miss out on with that pick than it will
be to replace 35-plus wins, a 2.15 GAA and .920 SV%.
The Erik Karlsson Guy
Fill-out Your Lineup
This can happen accidentally or on purpose. A lot
of people will try and draft their 2C, 2LW, 2RW, 4D
and 2G before they even think about drafting a
bench player. Is this a good idea? Depends if you are
reaching for a RW when a top C is available. Depth is
crucial in fantasy hockey, especially in daily leagues.
You have to know who will be available later if you
are going to grab that bench C. If you take him are
you going to be left with a scrub winger? Or is there
still viable options left. Filling out your roster first,
should guarantee your team will have no glaring
holes. But your bench might be a little spotty. But if
you have some good sleepers in mind, this can be
a great way to draft, especially if you hit the lottery
with one of those sleepers.
I know I have referenced fantasy football a lot, but
the Karlsson Guy is probably the same guy who drafts
Jimmy Graham. I tremendous player who puts up
way more points than 95% of the other players at his
position. Karlsson will be close to 70 points and that
is fantasy gold for a defenceman. When 40 points is
considered a good year, you are basically drafting two
defencemen. Is it a good idea? I honestly could not tell
you. I have never had him, so I don’t know what it is
like. But, you can not deny 70 points from a blueliner.
Just be ready to pick up his slack in the plus/minus
department.
The Chirp Show
This is my favourite of all strategies. Just get into the
head of your fellow fantasy leaguers. Buddy is taking
too long, drop a “Hey Steve… I head Darren McCarty
is still available”. This is bound to rattle his cage and
he is not going to make the right pick. Just be Brad
Marchand on the draft floor. However, don’t focus on
them TOO much, you still have a team to draft!
Top 5 Goalie Battles
For the 2014-15 Fantasy Hockey Season
By: Brock Seguin
I
t is a tough position to be in. You are sitting there on draft day and the
elite netminders are off the board and you do not have a guardian for your
fantasy team’s twine. So who do you go with? In this article I will take a look
at the top five goaltending duals in the NHL. You want the goalies that will
make 60 starts, but they are few and far between. So, this article will help
you decide which timeshares you should target and which ones you will
better off avoiding.
Antti Niemi and Alex Stalock
San Jose Sharks
Overall, the 30-year-old Antti Niemi had a strong
2013-14 season. He finished the season 39-17-7 with
a 2.39 GAA and .913 SV% and four shutouts in 64
starts. One would look at those numbers and think
he is the sure-fire starter in San Jose this season.
However, he battled consistency issues all season
long and faltered down the stretch. In his final 10
regular season starts, Niemi went 5-4-1 with a 2.73
GAA and .899 SV%. Contrary to that, Alex Stalock
went 5-2-2 with a 2.06 GAA and .924 SV% in his final
nine starts, which raised questions as to who should
start in the playoffs. Head coach Todd McLellan
elected to go with the veteran Niemi and they got
out to a 3-0 lead. Then… The wheels fell off. Niemi
was pulled in the next two games and lost the third,
leading to Stalock getting
the start in game 7, which
the Sharks would end up
losing.
So after digesting all that,
who is the number-1
heading into 2014-15? It is
always hard to bet against
the veteran being the
opening day starter and
Niemi has historically been excellent in the regular
season. But in the final year of his contract, if he
starts to struggle, look for the Sharks to turn to the
younger Stalock.
John Gibson and Frederik Andersen
Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks were absolutely loaded in goal last
season. They traded Viktor Fasth to Edmonton and
let Jonas Hiller walk in free agency, so that leaves
them with 24-year-old Frederik Andersen and
21-year-old John Gibson.
Andersen is huge. He stands-in at 6-foot-4, 230 lbs.
and was excellent for the Ducks last season. In his
first NHL action he posted a 20-5-0 record with a
2.29 GAA and .923 SV%. He was a winner overseas
and nothing changed in North America in 2013-14.
As for Gibson, he is the NHL’s top goaltending
prospect and there are a lot of people who believe
the Ducks have a future Vezina Trophy winner on
their hands. He got called up late last year and went
3-0-0 with a 1.33 GAA and .954 SV% (1 shutout)…
Not a bad first impression eh? He ended up getting
the call in the playoffs as well, going 2-2 with a 2.69
GAA and .919 SV%.
So how will this one shake-out this season? It should
be an even split to start the season, but ultimately
this is Gibson’s job for the taken. He is highly touted
and should be Anaheim’s number-1 for years to
come. Keeper leaguers… This is your guy.
Brian Elliott and Jake Allen
St. Louis Blues
In three seasons with the Blues, Elliott has been
nothing short of amazing. He has quietly gone 5524-7 with a 1.86 GAA, .927 SV% and 16 shutouts.
Those numbers sound like fantasy gold, but the
problem is they have all come in a secondary role.
In that span he has averaged just 31 starts a season
or 43.6% of starts in that time. This season Jaroslav
Halak is gone, but now he has Allen breathing down
his neck for starts.
The 24-year-old is ready to become an NHL starter
after spending four seasons in the AHL. Last year
Much like the situation in Anaheim,
this should start as a timeshare,
but it is Allen’s job for the taking
and his for the future.
he went 33-16-3 with a 2.03 GAA and .928 SV%, so I
think it is safe to say he is ready for the next step.
Much like the situation in Anaheim, this should start
as a timeshare, but it is Allen’s job for the taking
and his for the future. Elliott will still be serviceable
because of those outrageous numbers I just
mentioned, but it is almost Allen’s time to shine.
Cam Ward and Anton Khudobin
Carolina Hurricanes
Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner
Ottawa Senators
For six seasons, Ward was the Hurricanes rock. He
had five of six seasons with at least 60 starts and 30
wins. But in 2013-14 he was plagued by injury that
limited him to 30 starts. That means over the last
two seasons, Ward has started only 47 games while
posting a 19-18-7 record with a pedestrian 2.98 GAA
and .902 SV%. If it were not for the addition of Anton
Khudobin last season, I’m sure goaltending would be
a huge concern in Carolina right now. But, Khudobin
was great last year. He battled injury as well, but
when he was between the pipes he went 19-14-1
with a 2.30 GAA and .926 SV% with one shutout.
Last season was a rough year for Ottawa netminders.
The Senators finished the season with a 3.15 team
goals against average, which was fourth worst in the
NHL. That was unexpected because Anderson was
coming off of the best season of his NHL career and
Lehner is one of the leagues most promising young
netminders.
Khudobin’s performance shows that he is capable of
being a number-1 goalie in the NHL and if Ward is
able to re-gain his form from a couple of years ago,
the Hurricanes could have a real good goaltending
duo. Ultimately this one is a toss up. Ward could
easily play great and Khudobin could falter, but I
think both goalies will push each other to be better,
which is a great problem for the ‘Canes to have.
I think both goalies will push each
other to be better, which is a great
problem for the ‘Canes to have.
Anderson has a history of being inconsistent, so after
a bad season is it safe to expect a bounce-back year?
After posting a 3.00 GAA, I think it is safe to say that
number will come down around 2.50 but his .911
SV% is right around his career .915 so do not expect
much change there.
Looking at Lehner, his 2013-14 season should just be
a small bump in the road. His previous two seasons
he posted a .936 SV% in 17 starts and even with a
bad record and GAA, his .913 SV% last season was
tied with Antti Niemi for 28th in the NHL.
The problem here is, the Senators are not expected
to be good this season. The holes up-front and on D
can be covered up by good goaltending, but Sens’
goalies look like a risky investment. After signing a
three-year extension, this is Anderson’s job to lose,
but Lehner will still see a lot of action.
nation network mock draft
Name
Chris W.
Trin P.
Dimitri F.
Site
THW
JetsNation
CanucksArmy LeafsNation
1
Crosby
Stamkos
Malkin
Ovechkin Tavares
2
Price
Quick
Subban
Kopitar
3
Hall
Duchene MacKinnon Parise
4
Bobrovsky Marleau
5
Wheeler
6
Byfuglien Krug
7
Johansen Chara
8
McDonagh Pominville Semin
9
Simmonds Oshie
10
Halak
L. Eriksson Phaneuf
11
Schultz
Bouwmeester
M. Koivu
Khudobin
12
Turris
Carlson
Edler
13
Saad
Little
14
Visnovsky
15
16
Jeff V.
Schneider O.E.L
Lehtonen Carter
Christian
Matt B.
Brandon
Brian G.
Jonathan Brian S.
Allan M.
Brock S.
Fan Pick
Fan Pick
OilersNation
Former NHLer
OilersNation
DailyFaceoff
Perry
Giroux
Getzlaf
Rask
Seguin
Karlsson
P. Kane
Kunitz
Pavelski
Sharp
Zetterberg Lundqvist
Kessel
Backstrom Benn
Letang
D. Sedin
Varlamov Bishop
Toews
Rinne
Pacioretty Fleury
Keith
H. Sedin
Couture
Vanek
Bergeron Giordano Weber
Datsyuk
Hossa
Shattenkirk
Yandle
FlamesNation DailyFaceoff
Doughty
Crawford Steen
Skinner
Eberle
Pietrangelo
J.V.R
Hedman
Spezza
R. Miller
Okposo
Kronwall
Marchand Backes
Stastny
Landeskog
Lucic
Green
Neal
Nyquist
St. Louis
Nash
E. Kane
Wisniewski
Hornqvist
E. Staal
Krejci
Burns
Drouin
Suter
Gaborik
Ehrhoff
Hartnell
Voracek
Iginla
Bernier
D. Boyle
Thornton Barrie
Kreider
Howard
Franzen
O’Reilly
Niemi
Vrbata
Elliott
Seabrook
J. Allen
Josi
Fowler
Tarasenko Moulson
Trouba
Schwartz
MacArthur Goligoski Markov
Lupul
R.N.H
Holtby
Kuznetsov
Nichushkin
Gibson
Scrivens
Gardiner
R. Smith
Hamilton Ladd
Perron
Kadri
Grabovski B. Schenn Garrison
Stepan
Niskanen Bieksa
E. Johnson Horton
Granlund
Sekera
C. Anderson
Gallagher Hertl
Pavelec
Filppula
Voynov
Tatar
Roussel
Bozak
Streit
C. Smith
Palat
Timonen
Camalleri
Franson
Barkov
Huberdeau
Hardin
Parenteau Stalock
Dubinsky Jagr
Zuccarello Luongo
B. Richards S. Mason
Kulemin
B. Ryan
J. Williams Gelinas
Kesler
M. Smith
F. Andesen Enstrom
Yakupov
Campbell
Anaheim
Ducks
Anaheim brought Ryan Kesler to California this offseason in an effort to solidify their
second line behind Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. Those two dynamic forwards will
drive the offense up-front while young defensemen Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm and
Sami Vatanen produce on the blueline. 21-year-old John Gibson looks ready to take the
number-1 job and run with it for the next decade. This team is going to be trouble in the
Western Conference for this season and many years to come.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Matt Beleskey - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry
Patrick Maroon - Ryan Kesler - Jakub Silfverberg
Andrew Cogliano - Rickard Rakell - Dany Heatley
Emerson Etem – RW
Rickard Rakell – C
Devante Smith-Pelly – RW
Kyle Palmieri - Nate Thompson - Devante Smith-Pelly
Goaltending Breakdown
Francois Beauchemin - Hampus Lindholm
Cam Fowler - Ben Lovejoy
Clayton Stoner - Sami Vatanen
John Gibson and Frederik Andersen
should start the season splitting time, but
Gibson is the goalie of the future and one
of the top goaltending prospects in the
NHL. Gibson will likely finish the season
with more starts and wins, but both will
help your Fantasy Team.
John Gibson
Frederik Andersen
Jason Labarbera
additions
subtractions
Ryan Kesler - C - (from VAN)
Dany Heatley - RW - (from MIN)
Clayton Stoner - D - (from MIN)
Nate Thompson - C - (from TBL)
Jason LaBarbera - G - (from CHI)
Nick Bonino - C - (to VAN)
Luca Sbisa - D - (to VAN)
Teemu Selanne - RW - (retired)
Jonas Hiller - G - (to CGY)
Mathieu Perreault - C - (to WPG)
Goals
Assists
Points
Corey Perry - 40
Ryan Getzlaf - 28
Ryan Kesler - 28
Ryan Getzlaf - 58
Corey Perry - 41
Ryan Kesler - 33
Ryan Getzlaf - 87
Corey Perry - 81
Ryan Kesler - 61
Arizona
coyotes
From a fantasy perspective there is not a whole lot to like about the Coyotes. The only
thing new about this team is their name and Sam Gagner. Up front, they leave little to be
desired, but on the blueline they have two gems. Keith Yandle and Oliver Ekman-Larson
are both top-15 fantasy defensemen. Arizona is a defence-first team, which is what kills
their forward’s value, but helps Mike Smith’s. The 6-foot-4 netminder was an Olympian for a
reason last year. He is a good goalie on a defensive team, there is a lot to like about that.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Mikkel Boedker - Martin Hanzal -Shane Doan
Lauri Korpikoski - Sam Gagner - Martin Erat
Max Domi - Antoine Vermette - Brandon McMillan
Kyle Chipchura - Joe Vitale - B.J Crombeen
Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Zybnek Michalek
Keith Yandle - Connor Murphy
David Schlemko - Michael Stone
Mike Smith
Devan Dubnyk
Mark Visentin
Max Domi - LW
Connor Murphy - D
Michael Stone - D
Mike Smith has started 76.8% of Arizona’s
games since joining the team in 201112. He will start the vast majority of the
Coyotes games and should finish the
season as a top-15 fantasy netminder.
Devan Dubnyk will look to revive his
game after a disastrous 2013-14.
additions
subtractions
Sam Gagner - C - (from EDM)
Joe Vitale - C - (from PIT)
B.J Crombeen - RW - (from TBL)
Devan Dubnyk - G - (from MTL)
Mike Ribeiro - C - (to NSH)
Radim Vrbata - RW - (to VAN)
Thomas Greiss - G - (to PIT)
Tim Kennedy - LW - (to WSH)
Paul Bissonnette - LW - (tryout with STL)
goals
assists
points
Shane Doan - 23
Antoine Vermette - 22
Mikkel Boedker - 20
Keith Yandle - 38
Shane Doan - 51
Oliver Ekman-Larsson - 33 Mikkel Boedker - 50
Mikkel Boedker - 30
Keith Yandle - 49
boston
bruins
The Bruins were unable to do anything in the offseason because of their cap situation. That
said, they did not lose much and come into 2014-15 basically the same team that won the
President’s Trophy. Tuukka Rask is an elite goaltender on one of the NHL’s best defensive
groups. Zdeno Chara leads a back-end with a mix of veterans and youth. Milan Lucic is a
do-it-all fantasy asset while the rest of the top-6 is made up of consistent scorers. Expect a
bounce back season from Loui Eriksson as he replaces Jarome Iginla who is in Colorado.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Milan Lucic - David Krejci - Loui Eriksson
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Reilly Smith
Carl Soderberg - Ryan Spooner - Jordan Caron
Daniel Paille - Gregory Campbell - Chris Kelly
Ryan Spooner - C
Alexander Khokhlachev - C
Niklas Svedberg - G
Zdeno Chara - Dougie Hamilton
Johnny Boychuk - Dennis Seidenberg
Torey Krug - Adam McQuaid
Tuukka Rask is fantasy’s top ranked
goaltender heading into 2014-15. He will
start over 60 games on one of the NHL’s
most dominant teams. He has as good of
a chance as anyone to win 40 games this
season. Niklas Svedberg won 25 games in
the AHL last season and will play his first
NHL season as Rask’s back-up.
Tuukka Rask
Niklas Svedberg
Malcolm Subban
additions
subtractions
Linus Arnesson - D - (from Sweden)
Jarome Iginla - RW - (to COL)
Chad Johnson - G - (to NYI)
Andrej Meszaros - D - (to BUF)
Corey Potter - D - (to CGY)
Shawn Thornton - RW - (to FLA)
goals
assists
points
Brad Marchand - 27
Patrice Bergeron - 24
Milan Lucic - 24
David Krejci - 51
Loui Eriksson - 39
David Krejci - 69
Loui Eriksson - 60
buffalo
sabres
The Sabres finished in the basement last season, but added some nice pieces this
offseason. They drafted Sam Reinhart, who is likely in-line to become captain. They also
added veterans Matt Moulson, Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges to an otherwise youth
dominated roster. There will not be overnight success, but it is definitely a step in the right
direction for the Sabres who have missed the playoffs for three straight years. The return of
Moulson and a healthy Chris Stewart should help improve their 1.83 G/PG from 2013-14.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Matt Moulson - Cody Hodgson - Chris Stewart
Tylers Ennis - Mikhail Grigorenko - Drew Stafford
Marcus Foligno - Sam Reinhart - Brian Gionta
Nicolas Deslauriers - Zemgus Girgensons - Cody
Mccormick
Josh Gorges - Tyler Myers
Andrej Meszaros - Mark Pysyk
Andre Benoit - Rasmus Ristolainen
Sam Reihart - C
Mikhail Grigorenko - C
Rasmus Ristolainen - D
Jhonas Enroth ad Michal Neuvirth will
split time in the Sabres’ crease. The two
26-year-old netminders have never been
full-time NHL starters, but there could be
fantasy value here if one can wrestle the
job away from the other. Expect Enoth to
start with the slight edge, but Neuvirth
has shown he could be the starter.
Jhonas Enroth
Michal Neuvirth
Nathan Lieuwen
additions
subtractions
Matt Moulson - LW - (from MIN)
Josh Gorges - D - (from MTL)
Brian Gionta - RW - (from MTL)
Andrej Meszaros - D - (from PHI)
Andre Benoit - D - (from BUF)
Christian Ehrhoff - D - (to PIT)
Kevin Porter - RW - (to DET)
John Scott - RW - (to SJ)
goals
Assists
points
Cody Hodgson - 24
Chris Stewart - 24
Matt Moulson - 21
Matt Moulson - 33
Sam Reinhart - 31
Cody Hodgson - 30
Cody Hodgson - 54
Matt Moulson - 54
Tyler Ennis - 47
calgary
flames
The Flames have missed the playoffs for five straight seasons, but the rebuild is starting
to take shape. Mason Raymond comes over from Toronto to take Mike Cammalleri’s place
and the 2014 Hobey Baker Award winner Johnny Gaudreau is ready to start his NHL career.
Sean Monahan will look to build off of a great rookie year and 2014 fourth overall pick Sam
Bennett will try and follow his lead. They brought Jonas Hiller to town in free agency and
he will play behind a blueline led by 2013-14 breakout star Mark Giordano.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Curtis Glencross - Sean Monahan - Jiri Hudler
Johnny Gaudreau - Mikael Backlund - Mason Raymond
Paul Byron - Matt Stajan - David Jones
Brandon Bollig - Joe Colborne - Lance Bouma
Johnny Gaudreau - LW
Sam Bennett - C
Sven Baertschi - LW
Mark Giordano - T.J Brodie
Ladislav Smid - Kris Russell
Jonas HIller comes to Calgary after seven
seasons in Anaheim. He enters the season
as the Flames’ number-1 goalie, but his
value will take a hit in his new home.
Karri Ramo finished 2013-14 on a strong
note and will push Hiller for playing time.
There is offensive promise in Calgary, so
there is sneaky value in Hiller and Ramo.
Dennis Wideman - Deryk Engelland
Jonas Hiller
Karri Ramo
Joni Ortio
additions
subtractions
Jonas Hiller - G - (from ANA)
Mason Raymond - LW/RW - (from TOR)
Deryk Engelland - D - (from PIT)
Corey Potter - D - (from BOS)
Devin Setoguchi - RW - (to WPG)
Mike Cammalleri - LW - (to NJD)
T.J Galiardi - LW - (to WPG)
Chris Butler - D - (to STL)
Blair Jones - C - (to PHI)
Joey MacDonald - G - (to MTL)
goals
assists
Points
Curtis Glencross - 25
Sean Monahan - 24
Jiri Hudler - 18
Jiri Hudler - 34
Mark Giordano - 34
Dennis Wideman - 29
Jiri Hudler - 52
Curtis Glencross - 49
Mark Giordano - 46
carolina
hurricanes
2013-14 was a dissapointing season for just about every Hurrianes’ player. Brothers Eric and
Jordan Staal will both look to bounce-back, while no one can be surprised by Jiri Tlusty’s
drop-off or Alex Semin’s inconsistent tendencies. Justin Faulk and Andrej Serkera lead the
way on the blueline while 21-year-old Ryan Murphy looks to break-out in his first full NHL
season. In goal, the ‘Canes have a two headed monster in Cam Ward and Anton Khudobin.
Both will look to stay healthy after battling numerous injuries last season.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Jiri Tlusty - Eric Staal - Alex Semin
Jeff Skinner - Jordan Staal - Patrick Dwyer
Nathan Gerbe - Riley Nash - Elias Lindholm
Chris Terry - Jay McClement - Zach Boychuk
Elias Lindholm - C
Ryan Murphy - D
Chris Terry - LW
Justin Faulk - Andrej Sekera
Ron Hainsey - Ryan Murphy
John-Michael Liles - Tim Gleason
Both Cam Ward and Anton Khudobin
battled injuries in 2013-14. Ward had a
terrible season and will need to bounceback if wants to retain his starting gig.
Khudobin was the better goalie last
season, but expect Carolina and new
head coach Bill Peters to give Ward a shot
to win his job back.
Cam Ward
Anton Khudobin
Drew MacIntyre
additions
subtractions
Tim Gleason - D - (from TOR)
Jay McClement - C - (from TOR)
Drew MacIntyre - G - (from TOR)
Ben Holmstrom - C - (from PHI)
Justin Peters - G - (to WSH)
Manny Malhotra - C - (to MTL)
Brett Sutter - C - (to MIN)
goals
assists
Points
Jeff Skinner - 31
Eric Staal - 29
Alex Semin - 22
Eric Staal - 48
Alex Semin - 34
Andrej Sekera - 30
Eric Staal - 77
Jeff Skinner - 58
Alex Semin - 56
chicago
blackhawks
The Blackhawks have won two of the last five Stanley Cups and they will take a run at
another this season. They are basially the same team that had 46 wins last season, but
added Brad Richards, giving them a legit second line centre for the first time in awhile.
They are one of the NHL’s most dangerous offences, but play a great two-way game as well.
Jonathan Toews is the leader of group that has five players who have 30-goal potential.
Duncan Keith is the quarterback on the blueline and Brent Seabrook is a rock.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Patrick Sharp - Jonathan Toews - Marian Hossa
Brandon Saad - Brad Richards - Patrick Kane
Bryan Bickell - Andrew Shaw - Kris Versteeg
Jeremy Morin - Marcus Kruger - Ben Smith
Teuvo Teravainen - C
Jeremy Morin - LW
Adam Clendening - D
Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook
Johnny Oduya - Niklas Hjalmarsson
Nick Leddy - Michal Rozsival
Corey Crawford has been extremely
consistent in his four seasons as a starter
in Chicago. You can expect close to 60
starts, 30-plus wins and solid numbers
from the 29-year-old. Backup Antti
Raanta makes for a great handcuff
and spot-start option on a top-notch
Blackhawks team.
Corey Crawford
Antti Raanta
Kent Simpson
additions
subtractions
Brad Richard - C - (from NYR)
Pierre-Cedric Labries - LW - (from TBL)
Cody Bass - C - (from CBJ)
Jason LaBarbera - G - (to ANA)
goals
assists
points
Patrick Sharp - 33
Patrick Kane - 30
Jonathan Toews - 30
Patrick Kane - 48
Duncan Keith - 45
Patrick Sharp - 39
Patrick Kane - 78
Patrick Sharp - 72
Jonathan Toews - 67
colorado
avalanche
A year after finishing in the NHL’s cellar the Avalanche won 52 games and finished second
in the Western Conference last season. Rookie sensations Nathan MacKinnon had great
year and will only get better this season. They added veteran Jarome Iginla this offseason
and he will bring a ton of leadership to a young group. Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog
and Ryan O’Reilly are all coming into their own and will look to build off of their strong
2013-14 campaigns. Semyon Varlamov should breeze to 35 wins as your fantasy starter.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Gabriel Landeskog - Matt Duchene - Jarome Iginla
Ryan O’Reilly - Nathan MacKinnon - Alex Tanguay
Jamie McGinn - John Mitchell - Danny Briere
Cody McLeod - Marc-Andre Cliche - Max Talbot
Stefan Elliott - D
Joey Hishon - C
Jan Hejda - Erik Johnson
Brad Stuart - Tyson Barrie
Ryan Wilson - Nick Holden
A huge bounce-back season for the
Avalanche was led by goaltender Semyon
Varlamov. He is the clear number-1
with Reto Berra serving as his backup. He might not win 40 games again
this season, but you can expect strong
numbers across the board. The Avs
offence will also make Berra a solid play.
Semyon Varlamov
Reto Berra
Sami Aittokallio
additions
subtractions
Jarome Iginla - RW - (from BOS)
Danny Briere - C/RW - (from MTL)
Brad Stuart - D - (from SJ)
Zach Redmond - D - (from WPG)
Jesse Winchester - C - (from FLA)
Paul Stastny - C - (to STL)
P.A Parenteu - RW - (to MTL)
Andre Benoit - D - (to BUF)
Matt Hunwick - D - (to NYR)
goals
assists
Points
Nathan MacKinnon - 32
Jarome Iginla - 31
Gabriel Landeskog - 30
Matt Duchene - 51
Ryan O’Reilly - 38
Matt Duchene - 79
Gabriel Landeskog - 67
columbus
blue jackets
The Blue Jackets won the first playoff game in franchis history in 2013-14 and they will
be looking to add to their total this season. Sergei Bobrovsky has had two great years in a
row and established himself as one of the NHL’s best. Ryan Johansen burst onto the scene
with 33 goals last year and it was no fluke, the 22-year-old is top-notch. The addition of
Scott Hartnell and a healthy Nathan Horton gives the NHL 12th ranked offence some more
weapons. Keep an eye on second-year blueliner Ryan Murray, a breakout year is looming.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Scott Hartnell - Ryan Johansen - Nathan Horton
Boone Jenner - Brandon Dubinsky - Cam Atkinson
Nick Foligno - Artem Anisimov - Brian Gibbons
Matt Calvert - Mark Letestu - Corey Tropp
Tim Erixon - D
Kerby Rychel - LW
Simon Hjalmarsson - RW
Jack Johnson - Fedor Tyutin
Ryan Murray - James Wisniewski
Dalton Prout - David Savard
In his first two years in Columbus, Sergei
Bobrovsky has proved to be an elite
fantasy netminder. He has posted a .926
SV% in 95 starts over that span. The
Blue Jackets added more fire-power this
offseason which will help Goalie Bob pile
up the wins yet again. Curtis McElhnney
returns as Bobrovsky’s backup.
Sergei Bobrovsky
Curtis McElhinney
Oscar Dansk
additions
subtractions
Scott Hartell - LW - (from PHI)
Brian Gibbons - C - (from PIT)
Jerry D’Amigo - RW - (from TOR)
R.J Umberger - LW - (to PHI)
Nikita Nikitin - D - (to EDM)
Matt Frattin - RW - (to TOR)
Derek MacKenzie - C - (to FLA)
Blake Comeau - LW - (to PIT)
goals
assists
points
Ryan Johansen - 36
Boone Jenner - 28
Nathan Horton - 24
James Wisniewski - 35
Ryan Johansen - 34
Brandon Dubinsky - 32
Ryan Johansen - 70
Boone Jenner - 52
Scott Hartnell - 49
dallas
stars
Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn were magical in their first year on the Stars’ top-line. Secondyear forward Valeri Nichushkin could land a full-time gig on that line, making him a
breakout candidate. Dallas traded for Jason Spezza this offseason, which makes him
arguably the best second-line cente in the league. Alex Goligoski leads the way on defence
and Stars top prospect Jamie Oleksiak will look to join that group permanently this
October. Kari Lehtonen is the Stars’ number-1 and Anders Lindback will back-up.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Jamie Benn - Tyler Seguin - Valeri Nichushkin
Antoine Roussel - Jason Spezza - Ales Hemsky
Erik Cole - Cody Eakin - Ryan Garbutt
Shawn Horcoff - Rich Peverley - Colton Sceviour
Valeri Nichushkin - RW
Jamie Oleksiak - D
Brett Ritchie - RW
Alex Goligoski - Trevor Daley
Brenden Dillon - Jamie Oleksiak
Jordie Benn - Sergei Gonchar
Kari Lehtonen has enjoyed moderate
success over the last four seasons, but
2014-15 could be his best year yet. The
Stars look dominant upfront and that
should help Lehtonen reach the mid-30’s
in wins yet again. Anders Lindback will
push him for playing time but his recent
track record is not very impressive.
Kari Lehtonen
Anders Lindback
Jack Campbell
additions
subtractions
Jason Spezza - C - (from OTT)
Ales Hemsky - RW - (from OTT)
Anders Lindback - G - (from TBL)
Patrick Eaves - RW - (from NSH)
Alex Chiasson - RW - (to OTT)
Chris Mueller - C - (to NYR)
Tim Thomas - G - (UFA)
Ray Whitney - LW - (UFA)
Aaron Rome - D - (UFA)
goals
assists
points
Tyler Seguin - 36
Jamie Benn - 35
Jason Spezza - 28
Jamie Benn - 47
Jason Spezza - 46
Tyler Seguin - 43
Jamie Benn - 82
Tyler Seguin - 79
Jason Spezza - 74
detroit
red wings
Despite being ravaged by injuries all year long, the Red Wings managed to extend their
playoff streak to 23 years. The injuries allowed Detroit to see some of their young talent.
Gustav Nyquist is electric, while Tomas Tatar, Riley Sheahan and Tomas Jurco will all provide
secondary scoring. But, the health of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg will the key to
the Wings’ success. Niklas Kronwall is a steady point producer on the back-end and Danny
Dekeyser continues to grow. In goal, Jimmy Howard should return to 35 wins in 2014-15.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Henrik Zetterberg - Pavel Datsyuk - Gustav Nyquist
Johan Franzen - Stephen Weiss - Justin Abdelkader
Tomas Tatar - Riley Sheahan - Tomas Jurco
Dew Miller - Darren Helm - Joakim Andersson
Anthony Mantha - RW
Tomas Jurco - RW
Ryan Sproul - D
Niklas Kronwall - Jonathan Ericsson
Brendan Smith - Dan Dekeyser
Jakub Kindl - Kyle Quincey
After two great seasons in a row, Jimmy
Howard’s numbers took a dip last
season. Injuries up and down the Red
Wings lineup made things difficult on
the goaltenders. Provided the Wings
stay healthy, Howard will be a low-end
number-1, high-end number-2 with
Jonas Gustavsson filling-in.
Jimmy Howard
Jonas Gustavsson
Petr Mrazek
additions
subtractions
Kevin Porter - RW - (from BUF)
Andy Miele - C - (from PHX)
David Legwand - C - (to OTT)
Todd Bertuzzi - RW - (UFA)
Daniel Alfredsson - RW - (UFA)
Mikael Samuelsson - RW - (UFA)
goals
assists
points
Gustav Nyquist - 28
Tomas Tatar - 26
Pavel Datsyuk - 25
Henrik Zetterberg - 52
Niklas Kronwall - 41
Pavel Datsyuk - 40
Henrik Zetterberg - 75
Pavel Datsyuk - 65
Gustav Nyquist - 60
edmonton
oilers
The Oilers continue to add dynamic talent through the draft, but continue to lose.
Edmonton has missed the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons, and picked in the top10 of the NHL draft seven out of those eight seasons (three 1st overall picks). The team
is loaded with dynamic offensive talent but need to play like a team. Taylor Hall, Jordan
Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins should lead the way up front while Justin Schultz is the
top blueliner. Ben Scrivens and Viktork Fasth will share the goaltending duties.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Taylor Hall - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Jordan Eberle
Benoit Pouliot - Leon Draisaitl - David Perron
Nail Yakupov - Boyd Gordon - Teddy Purcell
Jesse Joensuu - Mark Arcobello - Matt Hendricks
Leon Draisitl - C
Darnell Nurse - D
Oscar Klefbom -D
Andrew Ference - Justin Schultz
Nikita Nikitin - Mark Fayne
Martin Marincin - Jeff Petry
Neither Ben Scrivens or Viktor Fasth
started last season with the Oilers, but
they enter the seasons as Edmonton’s
one-two punch in goal. Both played well
on strong Kings and Ducks teams, but it
is a different story in Edmonton. Expect
mediocre numbers across the board from
this tandem.
Ben Scrivens
Viktor Fasth
Richard Bachman
additions
subtractions
Teddy Purcell - RW - (from TBL)
Benoit Pouliot - LW - (from NYR)
Mark Fayne - D - (from NJD)
Nikita Nikitin - D - (from CBJ)
Keith Aulie - D - (from TBL)
Sam Gagner - C - (to ARI)
Taylor Fedun - D - (to SJS)
Ryan Smyth - RW - (retired)
Mark Fraser - D - (UFA)
Ben Eager - RW - (to Russia)
goals
assists
points
Taylor Hall - 41
Jordan Eberle - 32
David Perron - 25
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - 45 Taylor Hall - 81
Jordan Eberle - 41
Jordan Eberle - 73
Taylor Hall - 40
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - 67
florida
panthers
The Panthers have one playoff appearance in the last 13 seasons but enter 2014-15 with
high expectations. Nick Bjugstad, 22, Jonathan Huberdeau, 21 and Aleksander Barkov,
19, are young, but the top offensive threats on the team. Brian Campbell is their rock on
defence while they wait Dmitry Kulikov to reach his ceiling. 2014 first overall pick Aaron
Ekblad has the look of a franchise defenseman and should make the team out of camp.
They are young, but with all this talent there is success on the horizon in Florida.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Jonathan Huberdeau - Aleksander Barkov - Brad Boyes
Tomas Fleischmann - Nick Bjugstad - Jussi Jokinen
Sean Bergenheim - Dave Bolland - Scottie Upshall
Tomas Kopecky - Vincent Trochek - Shawn Thornton
Aaron Ekblad - D
Vincent Trochek - C
Alex Petrovic - D
Brian Campbell - Erik Gudbranson
Dmitry Kulikov - Willie Mitchell
Aaron Ekblad - Dylan Olsen
After seven and a half seasons in
Vancouver, Roberto Luongo is back in
Florida. At 35-years-old, his better days
are behind him, but he will be leaned
on hevaily to provide steady goalteding
for close to 60 games. Al Montoya was
signed from Winnipeg, but Bobby Lu will
be the workhorse in Sunrise.
Roberto Luongo
Al Montoya
Dan Ellis
additions
subtractions
Dave Bolland - C - (from TOR)
Jussi Jokinen - LW - (from PIT)
Willie Mitchell - D - (from LAK)
Al Montoya - G - (from WPG)
Derek MacKenzie - C - (from CBJ)
Tom Gilbert - D - (to MTL)
Scott Clemmensen - G - (to NJD)
Jesse Winchester - C - (to COL)
goals
assists
points
Nick Bjugstad - 22
Aleksander Barkov - 21
Tomas Fleischmann - 21
Brian Campbell - 38
Jussi Jokinen - 31
Nick Bjugstad - 30
Nick Bjugstad - 52
Aleksander Barkov - 51
Jonathn Huberdeau - 50
los angeles
kings
The Kings have won two Stanley Cups in the last three years and have went 98-57-24
under head coch Darryl Sutter. Los Angeles barely changed in the summer and are a heavy
favourites to win the Cup again in 2014-15. Marian Gaborik signed a six-year deal this
offseason and remains with a group that includes veterans Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter
and young forwards Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson. Drew Doughty is the key to the
blueline’s success while Slava Voynov and Jake Muzzin have a ton of upside.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Marian Gaborik - Anze Kopitar - Justin Williams
Tanner Pearson - Jeff Carter - Tyler Toffoli
Dwight King - Mike Richards - Dustin Brown
Kyle Clifford - Jarret Stoll - Trevor Lewis
Tanner Pearson - LW
Brayden McNabb - D
Jake Muzzin - Drew Doughty
Robyn Regehr - Slava Voynov
Alec Martinez - Matt Greene
Jonathan Quick had a good year despite
missing time with a groin injury and is
one of the NHL’s top goaltenders. On
a team as strong of the Kings, there is
little doubt he will finish near the top of
the fantasy charts. Backup Martin Jones
impressed in his rookie season and will
again be a top spot-start optio this year.
Jonathan Quick
Martin Jones
Jean-Francois Berube
additions
subtractions
Adam Cracknell - RW - (from STL)
David Van Der Gulik - LW (from COL)
Willie Mitchell - D - (to FLA)
Andrew Campbell - (to ARI)
Colin Fraser - C - (to STL)
goals
assists
points
Jeff Carter - 31
Marian Gaborik - 30
Anze Kopitar - 29
Anze Kopitar - 46
Justin Williams - 31
Mike Richards - 31
Anze Kopitar - 75
Marian Gaborik - 60
Jeff Carter - 58
minnesota
wild
There is an abundance of talent in Minnesota and they only got better by adding Thomas
Vanek this offseason. However, no matter how much skill they have at forward and on the
blueline the question marks in goal are still there. Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter
continue to grow and are poised for a breakout season after strong showings in 2013-14.
On the back-end, Ryan Suter is a minute eating machine and he is joined by Jonas Brodin
and Jared Spurgeon while Mathew Dumba and Christian Folin battle it out for a spot.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Zach Parise - Mikko Koivu - Jason Pominville
Thomas Vanek - Mikael Granlund - Charlie Coyle
Matt Cooke - Erik Haula - Nino Niederreiter
Stephane Veilleux - Kyle Brodziak - Justin Fontaine
Darcy Kuemper - G
Mathew Dumba - D
Christian Folin - D
Ryan Suter - Jonas Brodin
Marco Scandella - Jared Spurgeon
Keith Ballard - Mathew Dumba
The troubles in goal continue in
Minnesota. Josh Harding will miss 2-3
months with a broken foot, so it looks like
Darcy Kuemper will enter the season as
the starter, with Niklas Backstrom serving
as his backup. There is a lot talent up
front, so the goal support will be there for
this trio this season. However, there is no
clear cut number-1 right now.
Darcy Kuemper
Josh Harding
Niklas Backstrom
additions
subtractions
Thomas Vanek - LW - (from MTL)
Brett Sutter - LW - (from CAR)
Stu Bickel - D - (from NYR)
Matt Moulson - LW - (to BUF)
Dany Heatley - RW - (to ANA)
Nate Prosser - D - (to STL)
Clayton Stoner - (to ANA)
Cody McCormick - (to BUF)
goals
assists
points
Zach Parise - 35
Thomas Vanek - 30
Jason Pominville - 30
Mikael Granlund - 46
Mikko Koivu - 39
Ryan Suter - 39
Zach Parise - 72
Thomas Vanek - 69
Jason Pominville - 64
montreal
canadiens
The Canadiens are led by two-time 30-goal scorer Max Pacioretty, the NHL’s highest
paid defenceman P.K Subban and one of the league’s best goalies Carey Price. Up front
Pacioretty is joined by playmakers Tomas Plekanec and David Desharnais, while young
forwards Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher are still coming into their own. Subban
has his power-play partner Andrei Markov back for the next three years and veteran Tom
Gilbert will help the second-unit after coming over from Florida.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Brenden Gallagher
Alex Galchenyuk - Tomas Plekanec - P.A Parenteau
Michael Bournival - Lars Eller - Rene Bourque
Dale Weise - Manny Malhotra - Brandon Prust
Nathan Beaulieu - D
Dustin Tokarski - G
Alexei Emelin - P.K Subban
Andrei Markov - Tom Gilbert
Jared Tinordi - Mike Weaver
Carey Price was lights out last season.
He won 34 games with a 2.32 GAA and
.927 SV% and tore the Olympics up. He is
among the top-5 goalies in the NHL and
will likely start 60-plus games this season.
He is as good of an investment as Tuukka
Rask and Henrik Lundqvist, but won’t cost
you a first round pick.
Carey Price
Peter Budaj
Dustin Tokarski
additions
subtractions
P.A Parenteau - RW - (from COL)
Tom Gilbert - D - (from FLA)
Manny Malhotra - C - (from CAR)
Joey MacDonald - G - (from CGY)
Thomas Vanek - LW - (to MIN)
Brian Gionta - RW - (to BUF)
Josh Gorges - D - (to BUF)
Danny Briere - RW - (to COL)
Ryan White - C - (to PHI)
goals
assists
points
Max Pacioretty - 36
Brendan Gallagher - 24
P.A Parenteau - 21
P.K Subban - 45
David Desharnais - 39
Andrei Markov - 34
Max Pacioretty - 68
P.K Subban - 56
David Desharnais - 53
nashville
predators
The Predators were never known for scoring goals under head coach Barry Trotz, but
their new-look group of forwards might be able to change that. James Neal was their big
offseason acquisition while they have four brand-new centres they didn’t have last year.
On the blueline, Shea Weber is as good as they come while prospects Seth Jones and Ryan
Ellis look to take another step forward. A healthy Pekka Rinne will be key if the Predators
are going to get back into the playoffs.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Colin Wilson - Mike Ribeiro - James Neal
Gabriel Bourque - Olli Jokinen - Craig Smith
Viktor Stalberg - Calle Jarnkrok - Matt Cullen
Richard Clune - Derek Roy - Eric Nystrom
Seth Jones - D
Calle Jarnkrok - C
Filip Forsberg - RW
Roman Josi - Shea Weber
Anton Volchenkov - Seth Jones
Victor Bartley - Ryan Ellis
Pekka Rinne missed the majority of last
season with a hip infection, but he is back
at 100 per cent heading into 2014-15.
Rinne is just 31-years-old and three years
removed from a 43-win season. He is
an elite netminder on a team who plays
good defence. Expect a return to glory for
Rinne with Carter Hutton providing him
some rest.
Pekka Rinne
Carter Hutton
Marek Mazanec
additions
subtractions
James Neal - RW - (from PIT)
Derek Roy - C - (from STL)
Anton Volchenkov - D - (from NJD)
Mike Ribeiro - C - (from ARI)
Olli Jokinen - C - (from WPG)
Patric Hornqvist - RW - (to PIT)
Nick Spaling - RW - (to PIT)
Michael Del Zotto - D - (to PHI)
Patrick Eaves - RW - (to DAL)
goals
assists
points
James Neal - 30
Craig Smith - 21
Shea Weber - 19
Mike Ribeiro - 36
Shea Weber - 31
Olli Jokinen - 31
James Neal - 60
Mike Ribeiro - 52
Shea Weber - 50
new jersey
devils
The Devils might want to consider installing some rocking chairs in the dressing room,
because it is starting to look like an old-age home in New Jersey. They are led offensively
by soon to be 43-year-old Jaromir Jagr and added 32-year-old Mike Cammalleri and
33-year-old Martin Havlat this summer, but those moves are not going to win you any
Stanley Cups. The back-end has a lot more youth and the departure of Martin Brodeur also
brings the average age down. It is Cory Schneider’s show now, a long time coming for him.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Mike Cammalleri - Travis Zajac - Jaromir Jagr
Ryane Clowe - Patrik Elias - Damien Brunner
Tuomo Ruutu - Adam Henrique - Michael Ryder
Dainius Zubrus - Stephen Gionta - Martin Havlat
Eric Gelinas - D
Adam Larsson - D
Stefan Matteau - LW
Andy Greene - Marek Zidlicky
Bryce Salvador - Jon Merrill
Adam Larsson - Eric Gelinas
For the first time since 1991-92 the Devils
will not have Martin Brodeur between the
pipes. With Brodeur still unsigned, Cory
Schneider is the unquestioned number-1
in New Jersey. HE has never started more
than 45 games, but he should see 60
starts this year. He has a career 2.12 GAA
an .925 SV%, so you know you’ll get good
numbers from this 28-year-old.
Cory Schneider
Scott Clemmensen
Keith Kinkaid
additions
subtractions
Mike Cammalleri - LW - (from CGY)
Martin Havlat - RW - (from SJS)
Scott Clemmensen - G - (from FLA)
Martin Brodeur - G - (UFA)
Mark Fayne - D - (to EDM)
Anton Volchenkov - D - (to NSH)
Goals
assists
points
Mike Cammalleri - 24
Adam Henrique - 23
Jaromir Jagr - 22
Jaromir Jagr - 39
Patrik Elias - 34
Travis Zajac - 32
Jaromir Jagr - 61
Patrik Elias - 53
Mike Cammalleri - 51
new york
islanders
A healthy John Tavares and the additions of Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin along
with an infusion of young talent has the Islanders looking much stronger upfront this year.
The blueline is the same, mostly young kids with upside mixed with veterans like Lubomir
Visnovsky. In net, Jaroslav Halak and Chad Johnson both signed with the team this
offseason and will look to improve the Islanders’ 28th team goals against average from last
season.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Michael Grabner - John Tavarer - Kyle Okposo
Josh Bailey - Frans Nielsen - Ryan Strome
Nikolai Kulemin - Mikhail Grabovski - Brock Nelson
Michael Dal Colle - Casey Cizikas - Cal Clutterbuck
Ryan Strome - C
Calvin de Haan - D
Michael Dal Colle - LW
Lubomir Visnovsky - Travis Hamonic
Thomas Hiickey - Calvin de Haan
Brian Strait - Matt Donovan
The Isles look completely different in goal
than they did a season ago. They signed
Jaroslav Halak and Chad Johnson to take
care of the goaltending duties in. Halak
will be the starter to open the season, but
Johnson made a case for himself with the
Bruins last season. Both goalies will see
their numbers drop from last season, but
should be strong fantasy options.
Jaroslav Halak
Chad Johnson
Kevin Poulin
additions
subtractions
Mikhail Grabovksi - C - (from WSH)
Nikolai Kulemin - LW - (from TOR)
Jaroslav Halak - G - (from WSH)
Chad Johnson - G - (from BOS)
Jack Skille - RW - (from CBJ)
Evgeni Nabokov - G - (to TBL)
Radek Martinek - D - (UFA)
goals
assists
points
John Tavares - 36
Kyle Okposo - 28
Mikhail Grabovski - 21
John Tavares - 54
Kyle Okposo - 43
Frans Nielsen - 33
John Tavares - 90
Kyle Okposo - 71
Frans Nielsen - 50
new york
rangers
After making it to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Rangers underwent a lot of changes this
offseason. Up front their top-6 is solid, but their bottom-6 has some question marks. The
blueline however looks great. Ryan McDonagh is coming off of a career-year and they
added Dan Boyle to provide some offensive pop. Where the Rangers will be better than
most teams is in goal, Henrik Lundqvist is as good as they get with Cam Talbot showing he
is more than capable of being an NHL backup.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Chris Kreider - Derek Stepan - Rick Nash
Carl Hagelin - Derick Brassard - Martin St. Louis
Lee Stempniak - J.T Miller - Mats Zuccarello
Tanner Glass - Dominic Moore - Jesper Fast
J.T Miller - C
Jesper Fast - RW
Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi
Marc Staal - Dan Boyle
John Moore - Kevin Klein
In the Big Apple Henrik Lundqvist is the
man. He is arguably the best goalie in the
league and has been for awhile. He has
averages 66 starts a season with a career
2.26 GAA and .920 SV%. Yeah, I think
anyone will take that on their fantasy
squad. Backup Cam Talbot will look to
build off a strong rookie season and
become a top spot-start option again.
Henrik Lundqvist
Cam Talbot
Cedrick Desjardins
additions
subtractions
Dan Boyle - D - (from SJS)
Lee Stempniak - RW - (from PIT)
Chris Mueller - C - (from DAL)
Tanner Glass - LW - (from PIT)
Mike Kostka - D - (from TBL)
Brad Richards - C - (to CHI)
Anton Stralman - D - (to TBL)
Benoit Pouliot - LW - (to EDM)
Brian Boyle - C - (to TBL)
Dan Carcillo - RW - (tryout w/ PIT)
goals
assists
points
Rick Nash - 34
Martin St. Louis - 29
Chris Kreider - 25
Derek Stepan - 37
Mats Zuccarello - 35
Rick Nash - 62
Derek Stepan - 57
ottawa
senators
No more Daniel Alfredsson, no more Jason Spezza, the Senators lineup will rely heavily
on Bobby Ryan, Kyle Turris and elite offensive defenseman Erik Karlsson. They brought in
David Legwand to help ease the transistion away from Spezza and a combination of young
and old should help their younger players take a step forward this season. They will need
the duo of Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner to be spectacular for this team to make the
playoffs.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Milan Michalek - Kyle Turris - Bobby Ryan
Clarke MacArthur - David Legwand - Alex Chiasson
Colin Greening - Mika Zibanejad - Mark Stone
Erik Condra - Zack Smith - Chris Neil
Cody Ceci - D
Mark Stone - RW
Curtis Lazar - C
Marc Methot - Erik Karlsson
Chris Phillips - Jared Cowen
Cody Ceci - Patrick Wiercioch
Both Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner
signed three-year deals this offseason.
Both netminders had a tough time last
season and will need to get back on track
this season for the Senators to have a
chance. Anderson has the edge heading
into the season, but if he struggles again
expect Lehner to get a long look as well.
Craig Anderson
Robin Lehner
Andrew Hammon
additions
subtractions
Alex Chiasson - RW - (from DAL)
David Legwand - C - (from DET)
Aaron Johnson - D - (from NYR)
Jason Spezza - C - (to DAL)
Ales Hemsky - RW - (to DAL)
Joe Corvo - D - (UFA)
goals
assists
points
Bobby Ryan - 30
Kyle Turris - 26
Clarke MacArthur - 21
Erik Karlsson - 51
Kyle Turris - 36
David Legwand - 35
Erik Karlsson - 70
Kyle Turris - 62
Bobby Ryan - 61
philadelphia
flyers
At forward the Flyers have a ton of talent. Claude Giroux is their leader with a combination
of skill, grit and speed behind him. Without Scott Hartnell there is a spot open on the topline, which will likely be filled by Wayne Simmonds or Matt Read. On the blueline, Kimmo
TImonen is out, but they have enough veterans back there that they will be able to fill the
gap. Steve Mason enjoyed a strong first year in Philadelphia and will try to stay ahead of
Ray Emery on the depth chart. Expect a lot of goals, in both ends of the ice this season.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Wayne Simmonds - Claude Giroux - Jakub Voracek
Brayden Schenn - Vincent Lecavalier - Matt Read
R.J Umberger - Sean Couturier -Michael Raffl
Zac Rinaldo - Adam Hall - Jason Akeson
Jason Akeson - RW
Scott Laughton - C
Erik Gustafsson - D
Andrew MacDonald - Mark Streit
Braydon Coburn - Luke Schenn
Nick Schultz - Nicklas Grossmann
Steve Mason’s career was resurrected
when he was traded to Philadelphia. He
had a strong debut season with the Flyers
and has the clear advantage over Ray
Emery to start the season. We know the
Flyers will score a lot of goals, so it is a
matter of Mason and Emery shutting the
door.
Steve Mason
Ray Emery
Calvin Heeter
additions
subtractions
R.J Umberger - LW - (from CBJ)
Michael Del Zotto - D - (from NSH)
Nick Schultz - D - (from CBJ)
Ryan White - C - (from MTL)
Blair Jones - C - (from CGY)
Scott Hartnell - LW - (to CBJ)
Steve Downie - RW - (to PIT)
Hal Gill - D - (UFA)
GOALS
ASSISTS
POINTS
Wayne Simmonds - 28
Claude Giroux - 26
Jakub Voracek - 25
Claude Giroux - 63
Jakub Voracek - 38
Mark Streit - 37
Claude Giroux - 89
Jakub Voracek - 63
Wayne Simmonds - 55
pittsburgh
penguins
The Penguins traded James Neal this offseason, but the additions of Patric Hornqvist, Steve
Downie and Christian Ehrhoff should more than make-up for Neal’s 40-goal potential.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are the most dangerous 1-2 punch in the NHL while the
blueline is loaded with offensive talent as well. In the crease Marc-Andre Fluery is as steady
of a fantasy netminder as you will find and he has one of the league’s top back-ups this
season.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Pascal Dupuis
Beau Bennett - Evgeni Malkin - Patric Hornqvist
Nick Spaling - Brandon Sutter - Steve Downie
Blake Comeau - Marcel Goc - Craig Adams
Olli Maatta -D
Beau Bennett - RW
Simon Despres - D
Christian Ehrhoff - Kris Letang
Olli Maatta - Paul Martin
Rob Scuderi - Simon Despres
Marc-Andre Fleury earned a bad rep
with some playoff struggles, but from a
fantasy perspective he is great. He will
start close to 65 games, with over 35
games and his GAA has been 2.39 or
better for four straight years. This year
he will have a new backup with Thomas
Greiss coming over from Arizona.
Marc-Andre Fleury
Thomas Greiss
Jeff Zatkoff
additions
subtractions
Patric Hornqvist - RW - (from NSH)
Nick Spaling - LW - (from NSH)
Christian Ehrhoff - D - (from BUF)
Thomas Greiss - G - (from ARI)
Steve Downie - RW - (from PHI)
James Neal - RW - (to NSH)
Jussi Jokinen - LW - (to FLA)
Lee Stempniak - RW - (to NYR)
Matt Niskanen - D - (to WSH)
Brooks Orpik - D - (to WSH)
goals
assists
points
Sidney Crosby - 38
Evgeni Malkin - 37
Chris Kunitz - 33
Sidney Crosby - 67
Evgeni Malkin - 54
Chris Kunitz - 39
Sidney Crosby - 105
Evgeni Malkin - 91
Chris Kunitz - 72
san jose
sharks
After another postseason collapse, the Sharks made some captaincy changes, but remain
mostly the same team as they were last season. Joe Thornton will rack up 60 assists while
Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski all have 30-plus goal potential. Dan Boyle
is gone, but Brent Burns moves back to D and a multitude of blueline prospects will battle
it out for a spot on the big club. Between the pipes Antti Niemi and Alex Stalock are one of
the league’s top goalie tandems.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Tomas Hertl - Joe Thornton - Joe Pavelski
Patrick Marleau - Logan Couture - Matthew Nieto
James Sheppard - Tommy Wingels - Tyler Kennedy
Raffi Torres - Andrew Desjardins - Mike Brown
Mirco Mueller - D
Matt Tennyson - D
Taylor Doherty - D
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Brent Burns
Justin Braun - Jason Demers
Matt Irwin - Matt Tennyson
The Sharks’ goaltending situation is
an interesting one. Antti Niemi has
historically been extremely good in the
regular season, but faltered down the
stretch last season, while Alex Stalock
played very well. The job is likely up for
grabs, but it would be surprising if Niemi
does not get the first crack at locking
down the gig.
Antti Niemi
Alex Stalock
Troy Grosenick
additions
subtractions
Taylor Fedun - D - (from EDM)
John Scott - LW/D - (from BUF)
Michael Haley - C - (from NYR)
Dan Boyle - D - (to NYR)
Martin Havlat - RW -(to NJD)
Brad Stuart - D - (to COL)
John McCarthy - LW - (to STL)
goals
assists
points
Patrick Marleau - 33
Logan Couture - 31
Joe Pavelski - 30
Joe Thornton - 64
Joe Pavelski - 36
Joe Thornton - 76
Joe Pavelski - 66
st. louis
blues
St. Louis was already one of the deepest teams in the NHL and adding Paul Stastny this
offseason only made them deeper. Vladimir Sobotka is now in Russia, but they were able to
bring Jori Lehtera over to join former KHL teammate Vladimir Tarasekno. Alex Pietrangelo
and Kevin Shattenkirk are both top-15 fantasy defensemen, while Jay Bouwmeester will
produce at a steady pace with a great plus/minus rating. Brian Elliot will be in his usual
timeshare, this time with Jake Allen.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Alex Steen - David Backes - T.J Oshie
Jaden Schwartz - Paul Stastny - Dmitrij Jaskin
Magnus Paajarvi - Jori Lehtera - Vladimir Tarasenko
Maxime Lapierre - Patrik Berglund - Steve Ott
Jake Allen - G
Jori Lehtera - C
Dmitrij Jaskin - RW
Jay Bouwmeester - Alex Pietrangelo
Carl Gunnarsson - Kevin Shattenkirk
Ian Cole - Barrett Jackman
With Jaroslav Halak now on Long Island,
Brian Elliot should finally get his chance
to be a number-1 right? Probably not.
Despite stellar numbers in his time in
St. Louis, Elliott will likely find himself
in a timeshare yet again. This time with
24-year-old Jake Allen who is ready to be
a full-time NHLer after four years in the
AHL.
Brian Elliott
Jake Allen
Niklas Lundstrom
additions
subtractions
Paul Stastny - C - (from COL)
Jori Lehtera - C - (from Sweden)
Carl Gunnarsson - D - (from TOR)
Peter Mueller - C - (from Switzerland)
Chris Butler - D - (from CGY)
Ryan Miller - G - (to VAN)
Vladimir Sobotka - C - (to Russia)
Derek Roy - C - (to NSH)
Roman Polak - D - (to TOR)
Brendan Morrow - LW - (to TBL)
goals
assists
points
David Backes - 28
Jaden Schwartz - 27
Vladimir Tarasenko - 25
Alex Pietrangelo - 40
T.J Oshie - 36
Kevin Shattenkirk - 35
David Backes - 61
Jaden Schwartz - 59
T.J Oshie - 56
tampa bay
lightning
Despite not having their captain and best player for the majority of the year and trading
away their second best forward, the Lightning tied a franchise-high with 46 wins. This year
Stamkos is healthy and they added some nice complementary pieces. Rookie sensation
Jonathan Drouin will make the team this season and veterans Brian Boyle and Brendan
Morrow are nice fits on the bottom-6. Jason Garrison will beef up their 13th best powerplay from 2013-14 and Ben Bishop showed he can play at an elite level.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Jonathan Drouin - Steven Stamkos - Ryan Callahan
Alex Killorn - Valtteri Filppula - Ondrej Palat
J.T Brown - Tyler Johnson - Nikita Kucherov
Brenden Morrow - Brian Boyle - Brett Connolly
Jonathan Drouin - LW
Nikita Kucherov - RW
Brett Connolly - RW
Victor Hedman - Radko Gudas
Jason Garrison - Anton Stralman
Matt Carle - Eric Brewer
In his first full year with the Lightning,
Ben Bishop was lights-out. The 6-foot7 netminder finished in the top-7 in all
major categories and enters 2014-15 as
a preseason top-5 fantasy option. He will
have the experience Evgeni Nabokov
backing him up this year, but the crease is
all Bishop’s.
Ben Bishop
Evgeni Nabokov
Kristers Gudlevskis
additions
subtractions
Brian Boyle - C - (from NYR)
Jason Garrison - D - (from VAN)
Anton Stralman - D - (from NYR)
Evgeni Nabokov - G - (from NYI)
Brenden Morrow - LW - (from STL)
Anders Lindback - G - (to DAL)
Sami Salo - D - (UFA)
Mike Kostka - D - (to NYR)
Keith Aulie - D - (to EDM)
Ryan Malone - RW - (to NYR)
goals
assists
points
Steven Stamkos - 51
Tyler Johnson - 25
Ryan Callahan - 24
Steven Stamkos - 42
Jonathan Drouin - 40
Valtteri Filppula - 37
Steven Stamkos - 93
Valtteri Filppula - 60
Jonathan Drouin - 55
toronto
maple leafs
The Maple Leafs looked like they were going to make the playoffs for back-to-back
seasons, but went 2-12 down the stretch and missed the playoffs by nine points. This
offseason they brough familiar faces Matt Frattin and Leo Komarov back and added some
grit to their blueline by signing Stephane Robidas and trading for Roman Polak. The
offence runs through Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk while Jonathan Bernier mans
the net with James Reimer clearly behind him on the depth chart this season.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
James van Riemsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel
Joffrey Lupul - Nazem Kadri - David Clarkson
Leo Komarov - Petri Kontiola - Matt Frattin
David Booth - Peter Holland - Mike Santorelli
Morgan Rielly - D
Matt Frattin - RW
William Nylander - C
Dion Phaneuf - Stephane Robidas
Jake Gardiner - Cody Franson
Morgan Rielly - Roman Polak
It looked as if Jonathan Bernier and
James Reimer would split time last
season, but Bernier won the job pretty
easily. This year he comes in with the job
already in hand and will look to build off
of a reasonably strong debut season in
Toronto. Reimer struggled big time, but
look for him to be better this year as well.
Jonathan Bernier
James Reimer
Garret Sparks
additions
subtractions
Stephane Robidas - D - (from ANA)
Leo Komarov - LW - (from Russia)
David Booth - LW - (from VAN)
Mike Santorelli - C - (from VAN)
Daniel Winnik - LW - (from ANA)
Dave Bolland - C - (to FLA)
Nikolai Kulemin - LW - (to NYI)
Mason Raymond - LW - (to CGY)
Tim Gleason - D - (to CAR)
Jay McClement - C - (to CAR)
goals
assists
points
Phil Kessel - 38
James van Riemsdyk - 31
Joffrey Lupul - 26
Phil Kessel - 48
Tyler Bozak - 32
Phil Kessel - 86
Joffrey Lupul - 57
vancouver
canucks
After five straight seasons of winning the Pacific Division, the Canucks fell flat on their
face last season, finishing just one-game above .500 and fifth in the division. They shook
everything up for 2014-15. They hired a new head coach, traded Roberto Luongo and
signed Ryan Miller as well as dealing Ryan Kesler for multiple pieces, including Nick Bonino
and Luca Sbisa. Expect a bounce-back year from the Sedin Twins and Alexander Edler, all of
whom had the worst seasons of their respective careers.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Radim Vrbata
Chris Higgins - Nick Bonino - Alex Burrows
Jannik Hansen - Shawn Matthas - Zack Kassian
Linden Vey - Brad Richardson - Derek Dorsett
Linden Vey - LW
Bo Horvat - C
Hunter Shinkaruk - LW
Alexander Edler - Kevin Bieksa
Dan Hamhuis - Chris Tanev
Luca Sbisa - Ryan Stanton
The Roberto Luongo saga is finally over in
Vancouver. Out with one veteran and in
comes another. Ryan Miller signed with
the Canucks this offseason and will be the
number-1 guy with Eddie Lack serving as
his number-2. Last year was a weird year
for Miller, but the 34-year-old is still one
of the league’s best.
Ryan Miller
Eddie Lack
Jacob Markstrom
additions
subtractions
Ryan Miller - G - (from STL)
Radim Vrbata - RW - (from ARI)
Nick Bonino - C - (from ANA)
Luca Sbisa - D - (from ANA)
Linden Vey - LW - (from LAK)
Ryan Kesler - C - (to ANA)
David Booth - LW - (to TOR)
Mike Santorelli - C - (to TOR)
Andrew Alberts - D - (UFA)
Benn Ferriero - RW - (to STL)
goals
assists
points
Daniel Sedin - 30
Radim Vrbata - 22
Alex Burrows - 21
Henrik Sedin - 53
Daniel Sedin - 36
Radim Vrbata - 32
Henrik Sedin - 67
Daniel Sedin - 66
Radim Vrbata - 54
washington
capitals
Adam Oates time in Washington did not last long, so the Capitals hired long-time Nashville
Predators coach Barry Trotz this offseason. Trotz has a history of being a defensive minded
coach, but is that because of the lack of skill he had in Nashville? Will he look at Alex
Ovechkin and open things up? It might be hard for him to get Ovi to buy in to his system.
We know this team can light up the scoreboard, but they need to start keeping the puck
out of their own cage.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Evgeny Kuzetsov - Nicklas Backstrom - Alex Ovechkin
Eric Fer - Marcus Johansson - Troy Brouwer
Jason Chimera - Brooks Laich - Joel Ward
Aaron Volpatti - Jay Beagle - Tom Wilson
Evgeny Kuznetsov - C
Karl Alzner - John Carlson
Matt Niskanen - Brooks Orpik
Dmitri Orlov - Mike Green
Despite posting a 2.85 GAA last season,
Braden Holtby comes into 2014-15 as the
Capitals’ top goaltending option. They
got Justin Peters from the Hurricanes, but
this should be Holtby’s job to lose. Holtby
is still only 25-years-old so a bounce-back
season is likely.
Braden Holtby
Justin Peters
Philipp Grubauer
additions
subtractions
Matt Niskanen - D - (from PIT)
Brooks Orpik - D - (from PIT)
Justin Peters - G - (from WSH)
Tim Kennedy - LW - (from ARI)
Chris Conner - RW - (from PIT)
Mikhail Grabovski - C - (to NYI)
Dustin Penner - LW - (UFA)
Tyson Strachan - D - (to BUF)
Julien Brouillette - D - (to WPG)
David Leggio - G - (to NYI)
goals
assists
points
Alex Ovechkin - 48
Evgeny Kuznetsov - 22
Troy Brouwer - 22
Nicklas Backstrom - 65
Alex Ovechkin - 40
Mike Green - 36
Alex Ovechkin - 88
Nicklas Backstrom - 81
Mike Green - 49
winnipeg
jets
Since the franchise moved to Winnipeg, the Jets are 98-91-23 in three seasons. They have
ever been great or terrible and that should be the case again this season. The team really
did not change at all. Dustin Byfuglien is expected to play the whole season at forward, but
they should be led by the top line of Evander Kane, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. The
blueline is solid. Tobias Enstrom is a steady offence force while Jacob Trouba has as much
upside as any defencemen in the NHL.
Lines & Pairings
young sleepers
Evander Kane - Mark Scheifele - Blake Wheeler
Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Dustin Byfuglien
Eric Tangradi - Mathieu Perreault - Michael Frolik
Carl Klingberg - Jim Slater - Chris Thorburn
Jacob Trouba - D
Josh Morrissey - D
Scott Kosmachuk - RW
Zach Bogosian - Jacob Trouba
Mark Stuart - Tobias Enstrom
Paul Postma - Grant Clitsome
Ondrej Pavelec was named the Jets’ MVP
a few years ago, but in typical Pavelec
fashion he remains one of the most
inconsistent goalies in the league. With
only Michael Hutchinson as his back-up
the starting gig remains Pavelec, but who
know’s which Pavelec will show up on a
nightly basis.
Ondrej Pavelec
Michael Hutchinson
Connor Hellebuyck
additions
subtractions
Mathieu Perreault - C - (from ANA)
T.J Galiardi - LW - (from CGY)
Julien Brouillette - D - (from WSH)
Olli Jokinen - C - (to NSH)
Al Montoya - G - (to FLA)
Devin Setoguchi - RW - (to CGY)
Zach Redmond - D - COL
goals
assists
points
Evander Kane - 31
Andrew Ladd - 28
Blake Wheeler - 27
Blake Wheeler - 41
Bryan Little - 38
Dustin Byfuglien - 38
Blake Wheeler - 68
Andrew Ladd - 59
Evander Kane - 57
player projections
ryan getzlaf - C - Anaheim ducks
In his first seven seasons, Getzlaf was more of a playmaker
than a goal scorer, but in the last two years he has found
the twine significantly more. It can be attributed to his
increased shooting percentage. In his first seven seasons
he scored on 11.6% of his shots, over the last two years he
is firing the puck at 15.2%. An improved surrounding cast
should help Getzlaf continue his reliable production.
Corey Perry - RW - Anaheim Ducks
It is hard to find 40-40 players, but that is what Perry is and
if he gets his PIMs back up he becomes even more valuable. 2013-14 was his second best goal scoring season(43)
and with him and Ryan Getzlaf signed for the next eight
years, there should many more 40 goal years. He rarely
misses time and shoots a ton which is fantasy gold.
ryan kesler - C - Anaheim Ducks
After scoring 41 goals in 2010-11, the last few seasons
have been miserable for Kesler. He has missed 41 games
in the last three seasons while scoring at a 24 goals and
26 assists per 82 game pace. The change of scenery and
the better supporting cast should help get the 29-year-old
centre back on his feet in 2014-15. A return to 40 goals is a
stretch, but 30 is not out of reach.
Kyle palmieri - rw - anaheim ducks
The left wing slot on the Ducks’ top line has been a revolving door in recent years. Palmieri’s speed makes him a
strong candidate to start the season with Ryan Getzlaf and
Corey Perry. If he lands that gig, the former first round pick
has a great shot at his first 20-20 season.
last season
GP - 77, G - 31, A - 56, P - 87
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 27, A - 59, P - 86
last season
GP - 81, G - 43, A - 39, P - 82
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 40, A - 41, P - 81
last season
GP - 77, G - 25, A - 18, P - 43
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 28, A - 33, P - 61
last season
GP - 71, G - 14, A - 17, P - 31
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 20, A - 27, P - 47
Jakob silfverberg - rw - anaheim ducks
Silfverberg’s first season with the Ducks was OK. He missed
30 games with a broken hand and finished with 10 goals
and 13 assist. He is a reliable two-way forward with solid
offensive instincts. He could turn in a 20 goal season
depending on who he plays with, but he still might be one
season away.
sami vatanen - d - anaheim ducks
Vatanen, 23, had six goals and 15 assists (21 points) in
48 games with the Ducks last season. The young Finn is
one of the NHL’s best blueline prospects. He has a ton of
speed and creativity with the puck. He isn’t the best in his
own end, but for fantasy purposes Vatanen is a stud in the
making. A 10 goal, 30 assist season is reasonable to expect
from him this season.
cam fowler - d - anaheim ducks
Fowler, 22, already has four full NHL seasons under his
belt. After a relatively disappointing 2012-13 season,
Fowler bounced back last year. He had 36 points and tied
his career-high with 30 assists. He has developed into a
rock-solid all-around defenseman and the 36 points from
last season should be considered his floor.
hampus lindholm - d -anahem ducks
Lindholm, 20, had a very good rookie season. He has good
size and combines that with great skating and passing.
The 2012 sixth overall pick has developed his defensive
game, which allows head coach Bruce Boudreau to use
him on the top pair with Francois Beauchemin. He will
likely average over 20 minutes a night with a lot of power-play opportunities.
Shane doan - rw - arizona coyotes
Doan missed 12 games last season because of an illness,
but still tallied 23 goals and 24 assists in 69 games. He will
turn 38 in October, so he is in the late stages of his career,
but he should have one more 20-goal season in him. He
will be a key member of the Coyotes’ power-play making a
50-point season still attainable.
last season
GP - 52, G - 10, A - 13, P - 23
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 17, A - 23, P - 40
last season
GP - 48, G - 6, A - 15, P - 21
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 11, A - 28, P - 39
last season
GP - 70, G - 6, A - 30, P - 36
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 7, A - 30, P - 37
last season
GP - 78, G - 6, A - 24, P - 30
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 7, A - 24, P - 31
last season
GP - 69, G - 23, A - 24, P - 47
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 23, A - 28, P - 51
mikkel boedker - lw - arizona coyotes
For the third straight season Boedker did not miss a game.
The 24-year-old winger had 19 goals and a career-high
32 assists and 51 points in his fourth full NHL season. He
is one of the fastest players in the game and would be a
secondary scorer with most other teams. In Arizona he has
a good chance to lead all forwards in points in 2014-15.
antoine vermette - c - arizona coyotes
Vermette is a stable secondary scorer. Every season Vermette is capable of 20 goals and 50 assists. While those
numbers will never win you a fantasy league, he is a reliable late-round selection. He provides depth and consistency at the centre position.
last season
GP - 82, G - 19, A - 32, P - 51
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 20, A - 30, P - 50
last season
GP - 82, G - 24, A - 21, P - 45
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 22, A - 26, P - 48
sam gagner - c - arizona coyotes
After spending the first seven years of his career in Edmonton, Sam Gagner finally gets a change of scenery.
He has been a bit of a bust since being selected sixth
overall in 2007. In Arizona he could carve out a top-6 role
and with a little bit of health luck, he could post his first
50-point season. However, that is best case scenario, another low-40’s season is more likely.
martin hanzal - c - arizona coyotes
Hanzal has skill and size, but he has missed an average
of 16 games (65 total) over the last four seasons. Over
that same span he has averaged 18 goals and 26 assists
(44 points) per 82 games. So even if he were able to stay
healthy, he is only producing at a late-round flier pace
anyways. If he goes undrafted, he is worth keeping an eye
on because he will get big minutes, but he needs to take
bigger advantage of them.
max domi - lw - arizona coyotes
Domi is a scrappy player, which is not surprising when
you consider his father is former Maple Leafs’ tough guy
Tie Domi. However, Max is also tremendously skilled. In
juniors he showed off great hands and the ability to score
and set teammates up (34G / 59A in 61 OHL games). The
Coyotes need some more dynamic players in their lineup,
which is why Domi should be given a great chance to
make the team out of training camp.
last season
GP - 67, G - 10, A - 27, P - 37
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 16, A - 30, P - 46
last season
GP - 65, G - 15, A - 25, P - 40
2014-15 Projection
GP - 72, G - 15, A - 26, P - 41
last season (OHL)
GP - 61, G - 34, A - 59, P - 93
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 18, A - 22, P - 40
keith yandle - d - arizona coyotes
Yandle has not missed a game in the last five seasons.
That is right, 376 games, he has not missed one. In each
of the last four seasons, he has finished in the top-6 in
scoring amongst NHL defensemen three times, the other
season he finished 13th. He is as consistent and reliable of
a fantasy blueliner as you will find. He is a definite top-10
D-option.
oliver ekman-larsson - d - arizona coyotes
Ekman-Larsson, 23, set new career-highs across the board
last season. He had 15 goals, 29 assists (44 points)---eight
goals and 22 points coming on the power-play, he had six
game-winning goals and played an average of 25:54. He
was also sixth amongst NHL defensemen in shots (199).
He is going to play a ton of minutes and score a ton of
goals in the process, he is a top-10 fantasy defenseman
with as much upside of any blueliner.
michael stone - d - arizona coyotes
Stone, 24, is a reliable two-way defender that has good
vision and puck moving ability. He has become a full time
NHLer over the last two seasons, posting 13 goals and
17 assists (30 points) in 110 games. He should take on a
bigger role this season and should be around 10 goals and
15 assists.
david krejci - c - boston bruins
Krejci is one of the NHL’s best playmakers. He finished
ninth in the league with 50 assists last season, that marks
his second career 50-plus assist season. As great of a playmaker as Krejci is, he can also score goals. He had 19 last
season so a 20-goal, 50-assist is a reasonable expectation.
last season
GP - 82, G - 8, A - 45, P - 53
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 11, A - 38, P - 49
last season
GP - 80, G - 15, A - 29, P - 44
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 13, A - 33, P - 46
last season
GP - 70, G - 8, A - 13, P - 21
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 8, A - 15, P - 23
last season
GP - 80, G - 19, A - 50, P - 69
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 18, A - 51, P - 69
loui eriksson - lw - boston bruins
Eriksson had only missed three games in the five seasons
prior to his debut season with the Bruins in 2013-14.
Eriksson only appeared in 61 games after suffering two
concussions. He came to Boston as one of the NHL’s most
consistent and reliable wingers having posted three
straight seasons of at least 70 points. He plays a smaller
role in Boston so don’t expect a return to 70 points, but 20
goals and 30 assists is fair.
last season
GP - 61, G - 10, A - 27, P - 37
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 21, A - 39, P - 60
patrice bergeron - c - boston bruins
Bergeron is one of the league’s best two-way forwards.
He scored 30 goals and 62 points last season, but 14 of
those goals came in 23 games after the Sochi Olympics. It
is hard to think he can score at that pace again, but he will
definitely hit the mid-20’s in goals and mid-30’s in assists-with upside.
milan lucic - lw - boston bruins
Lucic is a do-it-all fantasy player. He scores goals in the
mid-20’s, can post mid-30 assists all while stockpiling
hits, penalty minutes and a great plus-minus. In a league
without hits or PIMS his value takes a slight hit, but his
offensive skills keep him towards the top of the LW ranks
in any league.
brad marchand - lw - boston bruins
Marchand just flat out pisses his opponents off. His get under you skin mentality makes him a better real life player,
but he does possess some impressive offensive numbers
that make him useful as well. In his first four full NHL seasons, Marchand has only missed 14 games while averaging 27 goals, 27 assists (54 points), 67 penalty minutes and
a plus-33 rating per 82 games. Expect a healthy, quality
season with numbers very similar to those above.
Carl soderberg - c - boston bruins
Soderberg came over from the Swedish Elite League last
season and showed that he can play the North American
game. In his first full NHL season he had 16 goals and 32
assists (48 points) in 73 games. Don’t expect see a spike
in those numbers, but don’t be surprised if he scores 20
goals this year.
reilly smith - rw - boston bruns
Originally considered as just a throw-in as a part of the
Tyler Seguin deal, Smith was excellent in his first season in
Boston. He showed a scoring touch in three years at Miami
(Ohio) University and he brought that to the B’s in his first
full NHL campaign. Keep in mind he only scored two goals
in the final 30 games, so another 20 goal year would be
surprising.
last season
GP - 80, G - 30, A - 32, P - 62
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 24, A - 35, P - 59
last season
GP - 80, G - 24, A - 35, P - 59
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 24, A - 34, P - 58
last season
GP - 82, G - 25, A - 28, P - 53
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 27, A - 27, P - 54
last season
GP - 73, G - 16, A - 32, P - 48
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 17, A - 32, P - 49
last season
GP - 82, G - 20, A - 31, P - 51
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 18, A - 27, P - 45
zdeno chara - d - boston bruins
Age does not seem to affect this 6-foot-9 mountain of
a defenseman. Chara is 37 but in 2013-14 he scored 17
goals, which is the second highest single season total of
his career. He has been a fixture on the Bruins’ top power-play unit forever and that is not going to change now.
He is good for goals in the mid-teens with potential for 30
assists. Don’t be scared of decline because of age, he’s the
same player he was in 2007.
torey krug - d - boston bruins
Ekman-Larsson, 23, set new career-highs across the board
last season. He had 15 goals, 29 assists (44 points)---eight
goals and 22 points coming on the power-play, he had six
game-winning goals and played an average of 25:54. He
was also sixth amongst NHL defensemen in shots (199).
He is going to play a ton of minutes and score a ton of
goals in the process, he is a top-10 fantasy defenseman
with as much upside of any blueliner.
dougie hamilton - d - boston bruins
Hamilton’s first two NHL seasons have been mirror images
of each other. You love the consistency but would like to
see a higher points total. He enters his third NHL season
at 21-years-old on one of the league’s most dangerous
teams, expect those totals to move into the mid-30’s this
season. He has all the skills and teachers necessary to
become a great NHL defenseman.
matt moulson - lw - buffalo sabres
The Sabres have some solid young centres, but no one
even close to Moulson’s former linemate John Tavares.
Without JT he is not going to score 30 goals but he will
be a huge part of the offence in Buffalo so a 20-20 season
should be his floor.
last season
GP - 77, G - 17, A - 23, P - 40
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 13, A - 32, P - 45
last season
GP - 79, G - 14, A - 26, P - 40
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 10, A - 31, P - 41
last season
GP - 64, G - 7, A - 18, P - 25
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 9, A - 24, P - 33
last season
GP - 75, G - 23, A - 28, P - 51
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 21, A - 33, P - 54
cody hodgson - c - buffalo sabres
Hodgson along with Matt Moulson will lead a young
Sabres team. His supporting cast is starting to get better
and his point totals will reflect that as the kids continue
to get better. Expect his goals and assists to both be in
the mid-20’s as he registers the first 50-point season of his
NHL career.
last season
GP - 72, G - 20, A - 24, P - 44
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 24, A - 30, P - 54
tyler ennis - c - buffalo sabres
This diminutive centre had his second career 20-goal
season in 2013-14. He coupled that with 22 assists for a
solid 43 points in 80 games. For as small as he is he has
been durable to this point in his career, so there is limited
risk here, but also limited upside with his supporting cast
lacking talent. Take the 20-20 season and run with it.
chris stewart - rw - buffalo sabres
Stewart only appeared in five games with the Sabres after
being acquired at the deadline last season. He suffered an
ankle injury that cost him 16 games, so we have no idea
what he will look like in a Buffalo uni. He didn’t register a
point in the five games but he is a capable goal scorer. He
will be given every opportunity to succeed and we like
that in fantasy circles. His inconsistency will hold him back
from a great season, but 20-20 should be no problem.
sam reinhart - c - buffalo sabres
Reinhart was the second overall pick in this year’s draft
and is expected to be the future captain of the Sabres. The
kid has got it all, he is tremendously skilled, he is a leader
and he is very disciplined. He only had 35 penalty minutes
in three seasons (199 games) with the Kootenay Ice (WHL).
If the Sabres elect for him to play in the NHL this season,
he should have an immediate impact.
tyler myers - d - buffalo sabres
Myers is a giant. The 24-year-old stands-in at 6-foot-8 and
after success early in his career, he has regressed recent
years. He has his fair share of struggles on defense, but
on offence he likes to jump into the rush and score goals.
His point production will start to climb back towards the
48 points he posted in his rookie year, but you will have
to deal with an ugly plus/minus. There is legit 15-goal, 40
point potential here.
andrej meszaros - d - buffalo sabres
Meszaros brings an offensively skilled left-handed shot
to the Sabres blueline. He had 22 points in 52 games last
season and you can be sure he will see a lot of power-play
time in Buffalo this season. The move to the Sabres might
hurt his plus/minus, but there is limited competition.
Expect a total in the mid-20’s.
last season
GP - 80, G - 21, A - 22, P - 43
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 21, A - 26, P - 47
last season
GP - 63, G - 15, A - 11, P - 26
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 24, A - 22, P - 46
last season (whl)
GP - 60, G - 36, A - 69, P - 105
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 15, A - 31, P - 46
last season
GP - 62, G - 9, A - 13, P - 22
2014-15 Projection
GP - 76, G - 12, A - 25, P - 37
last season
GP - 52, G - 7, A - 15, P - 22
2014-15 Projection
GP - 70, G - 5, A - 19, P - 24
jiri hudler - rw - calgary flames
Hudler isn’t big (5-foot-10), but he is a big-time playmaker.
His goal totals won’t impress you, but he is a first liner in
Calgary and he will rack up close to 40 assists in 2014-15.
He led all Flames’ forwards with 13 power-play points
while averaging 3:06 PP TOI per game. He is a consistent
performer, so don’t expect those totals to go anywhere.
curtis glencross - lw - calgry flames
Glencross is a solid goal scorer with a ton of speed, but he
simply can’t stay healthy. In six seasons with Calgary he
has almost as many games missed (93) as goals (105). The
93 games missed is 20.3% of games played over that span.
He could easily top 20-goals if he could stay on the ice, but
prepare for at least 10 games to be missed when investing
in Glencross.
sean monahan - c - calgary flames
Monahan, 19, is a reliable two-way forward with a knack
for scoring goals. He is not flashy and uber-skilled, he
just does all the little things right. He had 22 goals and
12 assists (34 points) in 75 games in his rookie campaign.
Expect him to approach 25 goals and slide in a few more
assists than 2013-14.
mikael backlund - c - calgary flames
Backlund is a good two-way centre, but has been asked
to do more offensively because the Flames have lacked
talented forwards in the past. Last year he set career highs
in goals (18) and assists (21), we’ll give him that again and
who knows, maybe he has 20 goals in him?
last season
GP - 75, G - 17, A - 37, P - 54
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 18, A - 34, P - 52
last season
GP - 38, G - 12, A - 12, P - 24
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 25, A - 24, P - 49
last season
GP - 75, G - 22, A - 12, P - 34
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 24, A - 20, P - 44
last season
GP - 76, G - 18, A - 21, P - 39
2014-15 Projection
GP - 76, G - 18, A - 24, P - 42
johnny gaudreau - lw - calgary flames
Gaudreau is under-sized, but crazy talented. He is an
explosive skater and he is able to avoid defenders because
he is extremely shifty and possesses great mits. He is not
a lock to make the Flames, but if he does, the 2014 Hobey
Baker Award winner will likely land a top-6 gig, making
him worthy of fantasy consideration. It is tough to have
huge expectations for the 21-year-old, but he should be
able to top 40 points with that kind of talent.
last season (NCAA)
GP - 40, G - 36, A - 44, P - 80
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 15, A - 26, P - 41
mason raymond - lw - calgary flames
Raymond went from being unwanted, to a goal-scoring
revelation for the Maple Leafs last season. He lit the lamp
19 times and added 26 assists (45 points) in 82 games.
Heading to Calgary, he will be expected to fill the void
left by the departure of Mike Cammalleri. He is not as
consistent as Cammalleri, but the opportunity to play big
minutes should allow him to find the back of the net at
least 15 times.
sam bennett - c - calgary flames
Bennett was regarded by many as the best player in this
year’s draft, but he fell to number-4 where the Flames happily selected him. He is super talented forward who also
brings some feistiness to the table. He mirrors his game
after Dougie Gilmour, so that can’t be a bad thing. He is no
lock for the NHL this season, but the 18-year-old will get
his points if he is able to crack the lineup in September.
mark giordano - d - calgary flames
Giordano had some NHL success leading up to last season,
but what he did last year was crazy. He solidified himself
as a legit number-1 NHL D-man by blasting home 14 goals
and 33 assists (47 points) in just 64 games. That is a 60
points pace… So you have to think the Flames power-play
quarterback will have no problem surpassing 45 points in
2014-15.
dennis wideman - d - calgary flames
Wideman missed a lot of time due to injury last season,
including five weeks with a broken hand, but the 31-yearold has been a steady point producing defenseman his
entire career. He should be in double-digits for goals, and
that is tough to find on the blueline. After missing much of
last season, he probably won’t be too highly sought after
this September.
t.j brodie - d - calgary flames
In his first two full NHL seasons, Brodie has only missed
two games while compiling six goals and 39 assists (29
points per 82 game pace). He played huge minutes (24:03
TOI per game) on the Flames’ top-pair and was a part of
their second power-play unit. Mid-20’s in points should be
no problem for the 24-year-old.
last season
GP - 82, G - 19, A - 26, P - 45
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 17, A - 21, P - 38
last season (OHL)
GP - 57, G - 36, A - 55, P - 91
2014-15 Projection
GP - 72, G - 13, A - 17, P - 30
last season
GP - 64, G - 14, A - 33, P - 47
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 12, A - 34, P - 46
last season
GP - 46, G - 4, A - 17, P - 21
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 9, A - 29, P - 38
last season
GP - 81, G - 4, A - 27, P - 31
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 4, A - 24, P - 28
eric staal - c - carolina hurricanes
Wow last year was disappointing eh? Staal had his worst
goal scoring total (in a full season) since his rookie year in
2003-04. Much of that can be attributed to his lack of success on the power-play. He is usually in the double digits,
but last year he had just one power-play goal and only
three the year prior. He will be 30 this season, so there is
still a ton in the tank. He should get back to 30 goals and
40 assists and will come at a reasonable price on draft day.
jeff skinner - lw - carolina hurricanes
Skinner is just 22-years-old and he’s already got two 30goal years under his belt. He scored 33 with 21 assists (54
points) in 71 games last year. Durability will always be a
concern with Skinner, but there is no denying this kid’s
quicks and goal scoring ability. Another concern is how
little he has played with Eric Staal in the past, maybe new
head coach Bill Peters will change that. There’s another 30goal year on the horizon.
alexander semin - rw - carolina hurricanes
There has always been question marks around Semin, but
after his first season in Carolina the Hurricanes looked like
geniuses. But last season was the reason some people are
not a fan of the 30-year-old Russian. There is no denying
his rocket wrist shot, but there are safer and more consistent options that will save you from pulling your hair out
all season. Definite 30-plus goal potential, but it is up to
you wether you are looking for someone more reliable.
jordan staal - c - carolina hurricanes
It was a struggle all the way around in Carolina last season
and the younger Staal was no exception. He tallied 15
goals and 40 points in 82 games, giving him a total of 25
goals and 46 assists in 130 games in his first two seasons
as a Hurricane. Expect the 25-year-old to get things back
on track and return to his days of being a 20-goal scorer.
jiri tlusty - lw - carolina hurricanes
A year ago, Maple Leafs’ fans were bitter that they let
Tlusty go and he puts up 23 goals and 15 assists (38
points) in 48 games. But last season Tlusty came crashing
back to earth with just 30 points in 68 games. He has potential for a bounce-back season because he will likely be
playing with Eric Staal, but he should be drafted as a 20-20
candidate at best.
last season
GP - 79, G - 21, A - 40, P - 61
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 29, A - 48, P - 77
last season
GP - 71, G - 33, A - 21, P - 54
2014-15 Projection
GP - 72, G - 31, A - 27, P - 58
last season
GP - 65, G - 22, A - 20, P - 42
2014-15 Projection
GP - 71, G - 22, A - 34, P - 56
last season
GP - 82, G - 15, A - 25, P - 40
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 20, A - 24, P - 44
last season
GP - 68, G - 16, A - 14, P - 30
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 21, A - 22, P - 43
Elias lindholm - c - carolina Hurricanes
Lindholm, 19, had 21 points in 58 games with the Hurricanes in his rookie season. He finished the season with five
goals and four assists (nine points) in the final 20 games of
the season. He is a strong skater with great hands, so the
strong end to the season shows that he could be a solid
contributor this season.
andrej sekera - d - carolina Hurricanes
Where did that come from? Prior to the 2013-14 season,
Sekera had a career-high of four goals and 29 points. Last
year he had 11 goals and 33 assists (44 points) in 74 games
in his first season with the Hurricanes. In 2014-15 he will
play massive minutes both on the power-play and shorthanded, but expect his production to slip a bit.
justin faulk - d - carolina hurricanes
In his second full NHL season, Faulk had five goals and 27
assists (32 points) in 76 games. The 22-year-old Olympian
is a strong two-way defensemen with a powerful shot
from the point. He will play alongside Andrej Sekera on
the ‘Canes top power-play unit and should be right around
mid-30’s in points again.
ryan murphy - d - Carolina hurricanes
Murphy, 21, suited up for 48 games for the Hurricanes last
season. He tallied 12 points (2G / 10A) with the ‘Canes,
while piling up three goals and 19 assists (22 points) in 22
AHL games. He is one of the NHL’s top defence prospects
and should have no problem racking up points in what
should be his first full NHL season. In a full year, it is fair to
expect 30 points, making him fantasy relevant in standard
leagues and a huge asset in keeper leagues.
Patrick Kane - rw - chicago blackhawks
In 2013-14, Kane was shutdown for the final 13 games of
the season with a knee injury. Had he not gotten hurt, he
probably would have set a new career-high in goals, having posted 29 in 69 games. He has never score more than
30-goals, but if he can stay healthy this year, he should
approach 35 goals and 40 assists. The addition of Brad
Richards, finally gives Kane a legit centre to play with, so
expect a big-year.
last season
GP - 58, G - 9, A - 12, P - 62
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 13, A - 24, P - 37
last season
GP - 74, G - 11, A - 33, P - 44
2014-15 Projection
GP - 76, G - 8, A - 30, P - 38
last season
GP - 76, G - 5, A - 27, P - 32
2014-15 Projection
GP - 76, G - 7, A - 27, P - 34
last season
GP - 48, G - 2, A - 10, P - 12
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 7, A - 23, P - 30
last season
GP - 69, G - 29, A - 40, P - 69
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 30, A - 48, P - 78
patrick sharp - rw - chicago blackhawks
Sharp will be 33 in Decemeber, but he is showing no signs
of slowing down. He set a new career-high with 78 points
(34G / 44A) in 82 games in his eighth season with the
Blackhawks. Having scored 30-plus goals in each of the
last three full seasons, he will be back there again in 201415. 35 goals and 35 assists is great value from a late-second, early third round pick.
jonathan toews - c - chicago blackhawks
Toews scored 28 goals with 40 assists (69 points) in 76
games last season. The 26-year-old signed a huge eightyear deal in the offseason, solidifying his spot as the
Hawks’ captain for years to come. He is a more useful
real-life player than fantasy, but he is still a top-20 scorer.
He will be in between 65 and 75 points by seasons end.
marian hossa - rw - chicago blackhawks
Even at 35-years-old, Hossa just keeps scoring. Last season
he had a 30-30 year despite missing 10 games with an
upper-body injury. His numbers will likely start slipping
soon, but even if he regresses a bit, he should still have 25
goals and 25 assists.
last season
GP - 82, G - 34, A - 44, P - 78
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 33, A - 39, P - 72
last season
GP - 76, G - 28, A - 40, P - 68
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 30, A - 37, P - 67
last season
GP - 72, G - 30, A - 30, P - 60
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 28, A - 34, P - 62
brad richards - c - chicago blackhawks
After a few disappointing seasons for a player carrying a
$6.6 million dollar cap-hit, Richards was bought out by
the Rangers this summer. He signed a one-year, $2 million
deal to take a shot at the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks.
He only missed two games in three years in New York, so
health is not an issue. He should be able to rack up the
assists playing with Patrick Kane, but there is only so many
points to go around, and Chicago is loaded.
brandon saad - lw - chicago blackhawks
Saad, 21, just keeps getting better. After a breakout rookie
season, Saad took another step forward in 2013-14. He
had 19 goals, 28 assists (47 points) with a plus-20 rating in
78 games. Saad will be a 30-goal scorer and it could come
as soon as this year. Draft him as a 25-25 player with tons
of upside.
last season
GP - 82, G - 20, A - 31, P - 51
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 22, A - 37, P - 59
last season
GP - 78, G - 19, A - 28, P - 47
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 26, A - 30, P - 56
andrew shaw - c - chicago blackhawks
Shaw had 20 goals with 19 assists (39 points) in 80 games
in his first full 82-game season. The 23-year-old centre is a
perfect fit on the Hawks’ third-line. He is a great two-way
player who loves to get under his opponents skin. With
20-goal potential and that kind of playing style, he becomes relevant in leagues with penalty minutes (76 PIMs
in 2013-14).
teuvo teravainen - lw - chicago blackhawks
The 19-year-old Finnish prospect came over late last
season after finishing up his season with Jokerit Helsinki
(SM-liiga). He had no points in three games with the Blackhawks and two goals in five games with Rockford (AHL).
He is undersized (5’10” - 165lbs.) but is oozing with skill. He
is not a lock to make the team, but when he does play for
the Hawks he should be a difference maker.
duncan keith - d - chicago blackhawks
Keith had one of the best years of his career last season,
but really cooled off in the second half of the season,
which makes back-to-back 60-point seasons seem unlikely. Regardless of that fact, Keith is one of the safest D options in the league. He rarely misses games and logs heavy
minutes on one of the NHL’s best power-play units.
brent seabrook - d - chicago blackhawks
Seabrook would be a number-1 defenseman on most NHL
teams, but he is a number-2 in Chicago. The 41 points (7G
/ 34A) in 82 games was the second highest point total of
his career. He is a shutdown D-man with a huge shot and a
lot of offensive skill. He will look to build on last season as
he tries for his first 10-goal campaign.
nick leddy - d - chicago blackhawks
In his first three full NHL seasons, Leddy has never missed
a game while averaging six goals and 27 assists per 82
games. He had 31 poins last season and 37 in the previous 82-game season, so pencil him in for another 30-plus
point season as he anchors the Blackhawks second power-play unit behind Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook.
last season
GP - 80, G - 20, A - 19, P - 39
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 22, A - 21, P - 43
last season
GP - 3, G - 0, A - 0, P - 0
2014-15 Projection
GP - 67, G - 10, A - 25, P - 35
last season
GP - 79, G - 6, A - 55, P - 61
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 7, A - 45, P - 52
last season
GP - 82, G - 7, A - 34, P - 41
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 9, A - 32, P - 41
last season
GP - 82, G - 7, A - 24, P - 31
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 8, A - 26, P - 34
matt duchene - c - colorado avalanche
Duchene is still growing as a player. It seems like he has
been around forever, so it is tough to believe he is just
23-years-old. He had the best year of his career last year,
posting 70 points (23G / 47A) in 71 games. The only thing
keeping him from being elite is his consistency. He will get
really hot for a few weeks, but then go ice cold. If he can
find a way to be more consistent, there is no telling what
kind of numbers he will post.
nathan mackinnon - c - colorado avalanche
What a rookie season MacKinnon had. The 2013 first
overall pick had 63 points (24G / 39A) in 82 games. In the
playofs he added 10 points in seven games… so it is safe
to say he is the real deal. Blessed with amazing speed and
skill, MacKinnon has the look of a future Art Ross winner.
The Avs will be really good this season and it all starts with
MacKinnon recording his first 30-plus goal season. Sopomore jinxes don’t exist when you’re this good.
gabriel landeskog - LW - colorado avalanche
The 21-year-old Avalanche captain had 26 goals and 39
assists (65 points) in 81 games last season. He is a budding
superstar and a 30-goal year could be in order for the
Swede. Expect the point total to approach 70, making him
a solid 3rd or 4th round selection.
last season
GP - 71, G - 23, A - 47, P - 70
2014-15 Projection
GP - 73, G - 28, A - 51, P - 79
last season
GP - 82, G - 24, A - 39, P - 63
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 32, A - 44, P - 76
last season
GP - 81, G - 26, A - 39, P - 65
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 30, A - 37, P - 67
ryan o’reilly - lw - colorado avalanche
O’Reilly had 28 goals and 36 assists (64 points) in 80
games last season. At 23-years-old, O’Reilly had a break
out season that he will look to build off of in 2014-15. The
move from third line centre to top-6 winger turned him
into a legit fantasy threat. A 30-goal, 40-assist season is
definitely possible in a talented Avalanche offence.
jarome iginla - rw - colorado avalanche
At 36-years-old, Iginla scored 30 goals with 31 assists
(61 points) in 78 games with the Bruins last season. This
offseason he signed a three-year deal with the Avalanche,
where he finds himself surrounded by a ton of young talent. He is going to help the young players grow, but he is
also going to help your fantasy team because he is a 30-30
player even at 37.
last season
GP - 80 G - 28, A - 36, P - 64
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 26, A - 38, P - 64
last season
GP - 78, G - 30, A - 31, P - 61
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 31, A - 32, P - 63
alex tanguay - lw - colorado avalanche
Tanguay only appeared in 16 last season after he injured
his knee in the early stages of the season. The 34-year-old
had 11 points (4G / 7A) before getting hurt and enters
2014-15 as a nice sleeper. Surrounded by a ton of young
talent, Tanguay should land in the top-6 with a few great
players. He won’t get to 60 points, but if healthy, 50 is
doable.
jamie mcginn - lw - colorado avalanche
McGinn is a reliable secondary scorer for the Avalanche.
He scored 19 goals last season and was on pace for 19 in
the shortened season, so a 20-20 season is probably as
good as it is going to get. In deep leagues he is a solid
options, but in most leagues he is going to start on the
waiver wire.
tyson barrie - d - colorado avalanche
In his second full NHL season, Barrie broke out. He had 13
goals and 25 assists (38 points) in just 64 games. That is a
48 point per 82 game pace, which would have ranked him
in the top-10 in D-man scoring. The 23-year-old will take
another step forward this season and should finish in the
top-15 amongst D-men. He won’t be drafted as such, so
there is a lot to like about his upside.
erik johnson - d - colorado avalanche
After posting just four assists in 31 games the season
before, Johnson rebounded to the tune of nine goals and
30 assists (39 points) in 80 games. The former first overall
pick has been a bit of a disappointment through six years,
but for fantasy purposes he should be in the mid-30’s for
points and you will take that from a late round D pick.
nick holden - d - colorado avalanche
After not getting a chance with the Blue Jackets, Holden
scored 25 points (10G / 15A) in 54 games with the Avalanche last season. It took him awhile to get to the NHL,
but it looks like the 27-year-old is here to stay. He will
probably play third-pair minutes, but it is his spot on the
second power-play unit that warrants fantasy consideration.
last season
GP - 16, G - 4, A - 7, P - 11
2014-15 Projection
GP - 69, G - 17, A - 31, P - 48
last season
GP - 79, G - 19, A - 19, P - 38
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 16, A - 19, P - 35
last season
GP - 64, G - 13, A - 25, P - 38
2014-15 Projection
GP - 70, G - 13, A - 33, P - 46
last season
GP - 80, G - 9, A - 30, P - 39
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 7, A - 26, P - 33
last season
GP - 54, G - 10, A - 15, P - 25
2014-15 Projection
GP - 73, G - 6, A - 24, P - 30
ryan johansen - c - columbus blue jackets
Johansen is the real deal, but the restricted free agent remains unsigned and isn’t expected to be in training camp
when it opens on September 18th. He had 33 goals and
30 assists last season and that is just the beginning. Once
they get the contract situation settled, Johansen should
be a 35-35 guy this season. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a
player with as much upside as Johansen.
boone jenner - c - columbus blue jackets
Jenner, 21, made a splash in his rookie season scoring 16
goals and 13 assists (29 points) in 72 games. The 6-foot2, 204 lbs. forward is a goal scorer. He had 45 goals in 56
games in his final year in the OHL. Expect the Blue Jackets
to put him in the top-6 and give him a lot of power-play
time this season. There is loads of sleeper value here,
25-goals is likely from the sophomore.
nathan horton - rw - columbus blue jackets
Flat out, this guy just can’t stay on the ice. He missed the
start of last season after undergoing shoulder surgery in
the offseason and then missed time mid season with a
lower-body ailment. When he’s healthy, he is productive,
but there is so much injury risk. He is more of a late-round
sleeper nowadays, so the reward is finally outweighing the
risk.
brandon dubinsky - c - columbus blue jackets
Dubinsky is a very consistent all-around player who can
give your team production in just about every category
possible. Since coming to the Blue Jackets in the 2012
season he has jumped into a leadership role and is willing
to do whatever it takes to help his team letting his fantasy
owners reap the benefits. Don’t expect elite Scoring totals
but for a mid-late round selection Dubinsky will provide a
hard to find boost across the board.
scott hartnell - lw - columbus blue jackets
The combination of scoring and toughness is hard to find
but Hartnell has produced consistently in almost every
category over the years. In his new home in Columbus,
Hartnell once again looks to be a part of a first-line group
although scoring chances may come less frequently without playmaker Claude Giroux as his pivot. Expect average
scoring totals from Hartnell with some potential upside if
a young Columbus power-play unit can improve this year.
last season
GP - 82, G - 33, A - 30, P - 63
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 36, A - 34, P - 70
last season
GP - 72, G - 16, A - 13, P - 29
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 28, A - 24, P - 52
last season
GP - 35, G - 4, A - 14, P - 18
2014-15 Projection
GP - 68, G - 24, A - 25, P - 49
last season
GP - 76, G - 16, A - 34, P - 50
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 17, A - 32, P - 49
last season
GP - 78, G - 20, A - 32, P - 52
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 21, A - 28, P - 49
cam atkinson - rw - columbus blue jackets
With Nathan Horton healthy, the addition of Scott Hartnell
and the emergence of Boone Jenner, Atkinson is likely
looking at a reduced role this season. He had 40 points
(21G / 19A) last season, which is exactly the pace he was
on in 2012-13. Expect much of the same in 2014-15.
last season
GP - 79 , G - 21, A - 19, P - 40
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 20, A - 20, P - 42
artem anisimov - c - columbus blue jackets
For a third-line centre, Anisimov puts up good numbers.
He had his first 20-goal season (22) in 2013-14, but with
more talent in front of him in Columbus, he isn’t going to
get the chance to produce more. Expect the points to be
in the mid-30’s.
last season
GP - 81, G - 22, A - 17, P - 39
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 17, A - 22, P - 39
james wisniewski - d - columbus blue jackets
Wisniewski’s previous career-high was 27 points (200910) and then he comes out in 2013-14 and drops 51 (7G /
44A) in 75 games. He is a legit offensive threat, but he has
missed 59 games in three seasons with the Blue Jackets
and has a long list of injury plagued seasons prior to that.
The injuries are going to limit his value, but when he is
healthy, you’ll love the production.
jack johnson - d - columbus blue jackets
Johnson had 33 points (5G / 28A) in 82 games last season.
For a guy who averages more than three minutes a game
on the power-play, you would expect him to have more
than four power-play goals, but he really does not produce as much as he should. Johnson has a good track record as far as staying healthy (missed 4 games in 5 years),
so he’s a safe pick, just don’t reach thinking there is a lot of
upside here.
ryan murray - d - columbus blue jackets
After missing most of his final year in junior with a shoulder injury, Murray played well in his rookie season. He had
four goals and 17 assists (21 points) but missed 16 games
after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in early
March. The 20-year-old is one of the NHL’s most promising
young defensemen, but he needs to stay healthy. He will
be a huge part of the Blue Jackets power-play this season
and that will make a 30-point season possible.
last season
GP - 75, G - 7, A - 44, P - 51
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 6, A - 35, P - 41
last season
GP - 82, G - 5, A - 28, P - 33
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 7, A - 30, P - 37
last season
GP - 66, G - 4, A - 17, P - 21
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 6, A - 25, P - 31
jamie benn - lw - dallas stars
Benn had 22 goals and 51 points in 58 games before
the Olympic break. But when he landed in Sochi, Russia,
something changed. He lit the Olympics up and brought
that home with him. He had 12 goals and 28 points in the
final 23 games. He was always a solid contributor, now he
is elite. Along with Tyler Seguin, these two combine for
one of the most electrifying lines in the NHL. He will be a
point-per-game player this season.
tyler seguin - c - dallas stars
Well the move to Dallas sure helped. Seguin had 24 goals
and 56 points in 56 games before the Olympics, but then
got red-hot after, recording 13 goals and 29 points in 24
games. He built great chemistry with Jamie Benn, something that will only grow this year. Expect a year similar to
last season, but 90 points is definitely a possibility.
jason spezza - c - dallas stars
After 11 seasons in Ottawa, Spezza wanted out and the
Senators did him a favour by sending him to a good situation in Dallas. He goes from being the go-to guy with the
Sens to the second line in Dallas. His output will drop as a
result, but he’s still a 25-goal, 40 assist guy. He can serve as
a number-1 centre if you decide to go with other positions
in the first few rounds.
valeri nichushkin - rw - dallas stars
Keeper leaguers, get your hands on this 6-foot-4 Russian.
In his rookie season, he bounced around from line to line,
but managed to finish the season with 14 goals and 20
assists in 79 games. If he can carve out a permanent role
on the top-line with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, he will
be great, if not he will continue to bounce around and
be inconsistent. Regardless, there is a lot to like about
Nichushkin.
ales hemsky - rw - dallas stars
Hemsky spent 10 and a half years in Edmonton before being traded to the Senators last season. While in Ottawa he
tallied four goals with 13 assists (17 points) in 20 games.
He built good chemistry with Jason Spezza, and then
followed him to Dallas this summer. Hemsky’s production
has dropped, but should be reignited on a strong Stars
offence. He could have his first 50-plus point season since
2008-09.
last season
GP - 81 , G - 34, A - 45, P - 79
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 35, A - 47, P - 82
last season
GP - 80, G - 37, A - 47, P - 84
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 36, A - 43, P - 79
last season
GP - 75, G - 23, A - 43, P - 66
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 28, A - 46, P - 74
last season
GP - 79, G - 14, A - 20, P - 34
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 23, A - 30, P - 53
last season
GP - 75, G - 13, A - 30, P - 43
2014-15 Projection
GP - 76, G - 16, A - 34, P - 50
cody eakin - c - dallas stars
Eakin, who is a more of a two-way forward, has shown he
is a capable NHL scorer since becoming a full-time NHLer
two seasons ago. He gets bumped down to the third line
with the arrival of Jason Spezza, but that might be a better
fit for him anyways. He should get to 15 goals with 20
assists, but there is room for even more production.
alex goligoski - d - dallas stars
Goligoski had the best season of his career in 2013-14.
He had 42 points (6G / 36A) in 81 games, with 15 of those
points coming on the power-play. As the Stars continue
to improve offensively, so too will Goligoski’s numbers.
Expect another 40-point season from the 29-year-old
blueliner.
henrik zetterberg - lw - detroit red wings
Zetterberg had a great season going in 2013-14. He tallied
16 goals and 32 assists (48 points) in 45 games, before his
season was derailed by a back injury. It was the first time
in seven seasons that Zetterberg missed significant time,
so expect a healthy Zetty and another point-per-game
season.
pavel datsyuk - c - detroit red wings
Datsyuk missed a ton of time last season and that is going
to scare some people on draft day. He used to be a 1st
rounder, now you can get him with a late-2nd or early-3rd.
That is pretty good value for a player with the best hands
in the NHL. He will be a point-per-game player, the question is how many games will he play?
gustav nyquist - lw - detroit Red Wings
Nyquist was fantasy gold last season. He started the year
in the AHL because of the Red Wings’ cap situation, but
when he was called-up he lit the lamp early and often. He
finished the season with 28 goals and 20 assists (48 points)
in 57 games. A 69 point pace might be hard for him to
maintain for a full season, but there is definite 30-30 potential here. It’s safer to draft him as a 25-25 threat, but the
upside is undeniable.
last season
GP - 81 , G - 16, A - 19, P - 35
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 17, A - 23, P - 40
last season
GP - 81, G - 6, A - 36, P - 42
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 9, A - 33, P - 42
last season
GP - 45, G - 16, A - 32, P - 48
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 23, A - 52, P - 75
last season
GP - 45, G - 17, A - 20, P - 37
2014-15 Projection
GP - 70, G - 27, A - 43, P - 70
last season
GP - 57, G - 28, A - 20, P - 48
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 28, A - 32, P - 60
johan Franzen - rw - Detroit Red Wings
When healthy, Franzen has proven the potential to go on
stretches of great scoring production. The problem for
potential fantasy owners is banking on him staying in the
line-up for an entire season. While consistency may be an
issue at some points during the season, you can count on
solid scoring totals from Franzen at the end of the year,
with the chance for 30 goals if he stays healthy.
tomas tatar - rw - detroit red wings
In his first full year in the NHL, Tatar played a huge role
for the Red Wings after a number of veterans were sidelined with injuries. He totalled 19 goals and 20 assists (39
points) in 73 games. He is likely going to be bumped out
of the top-6 this season, but the potential for 25 goals
is still there. A 20-20 year should be no problem for the
23-year-old Slovak.
tomas Jurco - rW - Detroit Red Wings
Jurco split time between the AHL and NHL last season.
He had 15 points (8G / 7A) in 36 games for the Red Wings
and should be able to maintain that pace this season even
with veterans coming back. He is a big body with great
mits, so a 20-goal season is in his future, it just probably
won’t be this season.
anthony matha - rw - detroit red wings
Mantha, 19, has the size (6’5” - 204lbs.) and the skill to play
in the NHL in 2014-15. He has shredded the QMJHL in the
last two seasons piling up 107 goals and 102 assists (209
points) in 104 games with Val d’Or. Mantha likely had a
chance to break the trend of how the Red Wings treat their
prospects, but a fractured tibia suffered this preseason will
keep him out 6-8 weeks.
niklas kronwall - d detroit red wings
Kronwall will once again be quarterbacking the Red Wings
first power play unit providing him with a lot of opportunities for offense this season. He has become one of the
more consistent blue liners in the league and gives fantasy
owners a safe bet to reach 50 points. After the top tier
of defensemen leave the board, Kronwall belongs in the
group that you can take later as a high-end #2 D-man and
will contribute in all categories.
last season
GP - 54 , G - 16, A - 25, P - 41
2014-15 Projection
GP - 76, G - 25, A - 28, P - 53
last season
GP - 73, G - 19, A - 20, P - 39
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 26, A - 25, P - 51
last season
GP - 36, G - 8, A - 7, P - 15
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 14, A - 24, P - 38
last season (QMJHl)
GP - 57, G - 57, A - 63, P - 120
2014-15 Projection
GP - 60, G - 14, A - 19, P - 33
last season
GP - 79, G - 8, A - 41, P - 49
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 10, A - 41, P - 51
danny dekeyser - Detroit Red Wings
Dekeyser proved he can play as a top-4 defenseman in his
first full NHL season. He totaled 23 points (4G / 19A) in 65
games while being a consistent and reliable force in his
own end. The 24-year-old just does not shoot the puck
enough to be a truly dangerous offensive D-man. If he
changes that as he gets more confident, it will be reflected
in his numbers. Still, given his skill set, he is a good bet for
30 points in 2014-15.
taylor hall - lw - edmonton oilers
Hall is a budding superstar. The 2010 first overall pick
finished 33rd in goals (27) and 8th in assists (53) which
had him tied with Phil Kessel for sixth in the NHL with
80 points. Heading into 2014-15 expect increased goal
production but likely fewer assists. Things are starting to
trend upwards in Edmonton and it all starts with Hall.
jordan eberle - rw - edmonton oilers
Eberle has proven to be a clutch performer in juniors, but
his tenure in Edmonton has yet to produce any playoff situations in which he has needed to be clutch. Through four
pro seasons, Eberle has averaged 29 goals and 37 assists
per 82 games. That should be considered his floor heading
into his fifth NHL season.
ryan nugent-hopkins - c - edmonton oilers
Nugent-Hopkins, 21, bounced back from a disappointing
2012-13 season posting 19 goals and 37 assists (56 points)
in 80 games. He set career-highs in all those categories,
but also played in 18 more games than he did when he set
his previous highs (18G / 34A) in his rookie season. RNH
continues to grow as a player and his fourth-season could
produce breakout numbers. Another healthy season could
skip the 60-point plateau and jump right to 70 points.
david perron - lw - edmonton oilers
Perron’s first season with the Oilers produced a career-year
for the 26-year-old. He was tied for the team-lead with 28
goals and finished third on the Oilers in points with 57.
With a ton of young talent around him, Perron could post
similar numbers in 2014-15. That said, it is safer to expect a
small reduction for eighth-year winger.
last season
GP - 65 , G - 4, A - 19, P - 23
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 5, A - 24, P - 29
last season
GP - 75, G - 27, A - 53, P - 80
2014-15 Projection
GP - 76, G - 41, A - 40, P - 81
last season
GP - 80, G - 28, A - 37, P - 65
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 32, A - 41, P - 73
last season
GP - 80, G - 19, A - 37, P - 56
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 22, A - 45, P - 67
last season
GP - 78, G - 28, A - 29, P - 57
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 25, A - 28, P - 53
nail yakupov - rw - edmonton oilers
Wow, that was ugly. After an impressive rookie season
where Yak posted 31 points in 48 games, his production dropped to 11 goals and 13 assists (24 points) in 63
games. He also had the fourth worst plus/minus (-33) in
the NHL. Chalk it up to a sophomore slump and expect the
2012 first overall pick to bounce back this year. Numbers
similar to his rookie season would produce 50-plus points
if he stays healthy.
teddy purcell - rw - edmonton oilers
Purcell has spent the last four and a half years in Tampa
Bay, but will play for the Oilers this season after being
traded for Sam Gagner. Edmonton is deep at right-wing
so Purcell will have to earn his playing time. He has been
a consistent point producer over the years, so if he carves
out a big enough role, he will produce.
leon draisaitl - c - edmonton oilers
Draisaitl was selected third overall in this summer’s draft.
The Oilers are dying for a big, second line centre which
is why Draisaitl has a great chance to make the Oilers in
training camp. The 6-foot-1, 204 lbs. centre had 38 goals
and 67 assists (105 points) in 64 games with the Prince Albert Raiders (WHL). He has good offensive instincts which
could make him a 40-point threat in year-one.
justin schultz - d - edmonton oilers
In his second full season Schultz had 11 goals and 22 assists (33 points) in 74 games. He is the quarterback of the
Oilers power-play that figures to continue to improve as
their young team matures. Schultz has all the tools to be a
top offensive defenseman in the NHL, so expect another
bump in production this season.
nick bjugstad - c - florida panthers
In his first full NHL season, Bjugstad, 22, had 38 points
(16G / 22A) in 76 games. Bjugstad is a dominating force
(6’6” - 220 lbs.) who is hard to get the puck off of. He possess a hard shot which makes him a force in the offensive
zone, but he is also a good two-way player. Things are
looking up in Florida, and Bjugstad could lead the team in
points this season.
last season
GP - 63 , G - 11, A - 13, P - 24
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 23, A - 27, P - 50
last season
GP - 81, G - 12, A - 30, P - 42
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 12, A - 27, P - 39
last season (WHL)
GP - 64, G - 38, A - 67, P - 105
2014-15 Projection
GP - 72, G - 13, A - 22, P - 35
last season
GP - 74, G - 11, A - 22, P - 33
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 13, A - 28, P - 41
last season
GP - 76, G - 16, A - 22, P - 38
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 22, A - 30, P - 52
aleksander barkov - c - florida panthers
Barkov, 19, was enjoying a strong rookie season having
posted 24 points (8G / 16A) in 54 games, but his season
was cut short after he suffered a knee injury in the Olympics. He possesses a rare combination of size, speed and
skill that could carry him to a 50-point season in 2014-15.
last season
GP - 54 , G - 8, A - 16, P - 24
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 21, A - 30, P - 51
jonathan huberdeau - lw - florida panthers
After a Calder Trophy winning rookie season, Huberdeau
struggled in his sophomore season. He totalled 28 points,
which was three less than his rookie year, despite playing 21 more games. He is super talented and will have a
good, young centre to play with, so a bounce back season
should be in order.
jussi jokinen - lw - florida panthers
After spending a year and a half in Pittsburgh, Jokinen
signed with the Panthers this offseason. He had 28 goals
and 40 assists in 91 games with the Penguins, but leaving
Evgeni Malkin’s wing will likely hurt his production this
season. He will play with a young, talented centre, but
certainly no Malkin and the Panthers power-play is not the
Penguins power-play. Regression is inevitable.
tomas fleischmann - rw - florida panthers
Fleischmann enjoyed success in his first two seasons in
Florida, but took a step back in 2013-14. The 30-year-old
winger is still in the thick of his prime, so look at last season as a blip on the radar. Expect a bounce-back season
and a potential return to 50 points.
last season
GP - 69, G - 9, A - 19, P - 28
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 20, A - 30, P - 50
last season
GP - 81, G - 21, A - 36, P - 57
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 18, A - 31, P - 49
last season
GP - 80, G - 8, A - 20, P - 28
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 21, A - 26, P - 47
brian campbell - d - florida panthers
In three seasons with the Panthers, Campbell has been
extremely consistent. He has not missed a game while averaging seven goals and 38 assists per 82 games. He plays
massive minutes on the Panthers’ power-play (averaged
3:53 PP TOI), a unit that should be much improved from
their last ranked power-play (10.0%) in 2013-14. Mid-40’s
will be no problem for the 35-year-old.
last season
GP - 82, G - 7, A - 30, P - 37
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 7, A - 38, P - 45
dmitri Kulikov - d - florida panthers
Kulikov, 23, has seen his production fall off in each of the
last two seasons. His first two NHL seasons were rather
productive, but 19 points (8G / 11A) in 81 games is not
what the Panthers were expecting out of him. You can see
he has a ton of skill and at just 23-years-old, there is still a
lot of room for growth. He should still see a lot of power-play time, which should get him back to 25-30 points.
aaron ekblad - d - florida panthers
The 2014 first overall pick is a man-child. He is a 6-foot4, 216 lbs. 18-year-old, who plays both ends of the ice
with ease. He was named the OHL’s best defenseman last
season, after leading all D-men with 23 goals and finishing fifth with 53 points. He has a great chance to make
the Panthers out of training camp and he should have no
problem making a fantasy impact right away.
anze kopitar - c - los angeles kings
During Los Angeles’ Stanley Cup run in last year’s playoffs,
Kopitar showed he can dominate the game and put up
elite scoring numbers when it matters most. Heading
into the 2014-15 season Kopitar is a safe bet for point per
game totals and will be one of the most consistent 2-way
players in the 2nd round of your draft. You can look for
him to be your #1 C and enjoy steady production from the
Kings star forward.
marian gaborik - rw - los angeles kings
Gaborik proved during the Kings Stanley Cup run that his
time as a top end goal scorer has not come to an end. The
potential for Gaborik as a point producer is always high
but the often-injured winger remains a high-risk, high-reward draft pick year after year. The talent is still there and
the depth at forward in Los Angeles puts Gaborik in good
situation for success this season. The question will be as
usual for him, Can he stay healthy?
jeff carter - c - los angeles kings
Carter is a pure goal-scorer on one of the deepest teams
in the NHL, giving him a chance to put up some serious
numbers. He will likely start the season with Tyler Toffoli
and Tanner Pearson, a line that was great in the postseason. Although production may be streaky at times, when
Carter is on his game he can lead your team to victory in
any given week.
last season
GP - 81 , G - 8, A - 11, P - 19
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 8, A - 23, P - 31
last season (OHL)
GP - 58, G - 23, A - 30, P - 53
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 7, A - 20, P - 27
last season
GP - 82, G - 29, A - 41, P - 70
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 29, A - 46, P - 75
last season
GP - 41, G - 11, A - 19, P - 30
2014-15 Projection
GP - 69, G - 30, A - 30, P - 60
last season
GP - 72, G - 27, A - 23, P - 50
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 31, A - 27, P - 58
justin williams - lw - los angeles kings
In 2014 Williams enjoyed one of the most surprising
playoff runs we have seen in recent years. He racked up 25
points in 26 games en route to a Conn Smyth trophy and
a Stanley Cup. It is unlikely that the point-per-game pace
continues this season but Williams will remain as a solid
point producer with a knack for scoring goals in clutch situations. Take Williams for the player he has been throughout his career, not the guy we saw last year in the playoffs.
mike richards - c - los angeles kings
Richards is coming off a surprisingly rough 2013-14 season. The center only racked up 41 points in 82 games but
made up for it with a strong postseason Look for Richards
to bounce back this season on a deep Los Angeles teams
and if he can land a spot in the top-6 there’s a legitimate
chance for him to return to the 60 point mark. For the
price you pay in the draft and the all-around category coverage, Richards makes for a great late-round selection.
tyler toffoli - lw - los angeles kings
Toffoli, 22, made a splash in his first full NHL season. Toffoli
recorded 29 points (12G / 17A) in 62 games, but when he
started seeing regular time on the 70’s line with Jeff Carter
and Tanner Pearson, he picked up 14 points in 26 games
during the Kings’ Stanley Cup run. Expect Toffoli to start
the season alongside Carter again, which should open the
door to a 45-50 point season.
tanner pearson - lw - los angeles kings
Pearson started last season in the AHL, but played well in
25 games with the Kings. He looked like he belonged in
the NHL when he racked up 12 assists (4G / 8A) in 24 playoff games. His strong two-way game fits the Kings’ plans
perfectly, but there is also offensive upside here.
last season
GP - 82 , G - 19, A - 24, P - 43
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 21, A - 31, P - 52
last season
GP - 82, G - 11, A - 30, P - 41
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 17, A - 31, P - 48
last season
GP - 62, G - 12, A - 17, P - 29
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 21, A - 27, P - 48
last season
GP - 41, G - 11, A - 19, P - 30
2014-15 Projection
GP - 69, G - 30, A - 30, P - 60
dustin brown - rw - los angeles kings
Brown has changed his style of play to meet the needs
of his team and has taken a step back in most offensive
categories. Brown still can contribute in every category
but his scoring totals have been trending down for several
seasons. Brown is likely to bounce back from his 27 points
last year but owners have to be careful when looking for a
steep increase in production. You can take him in the later
rounds but his potential is not as high as it once was.
last season
GP - 25, G - 3, A - 4, P - 7
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 17, A - 28, P - 45
drew doughty - d - los angeles kings
It seems like Doughty has been around the league forever
but the 24-year-old is now just entering his prime. Doughty has shown he can produce at a high level over the past
few years and remains a solid #1 defensemen heading into
fantasy drafts. The potential for more growth is there and
we could very well see Doughty’s best season yet. With a
high floor and also high ceiling, Doughty will likely be one
of the first defensemen selected in most drafts.
slava voynov - d - los angeles kings
Voynov, 24, has not missed a game in the last two seasons
and his production has been great. He has recorded 59
points in 130 points, which would put him on pace for 37
points per 82 games. That is much of what we can expect
out of Voynov this season. He is a consistent D-man option
that you can pick up in the mid-to-late rounds.
jake muzzin - d - los angeles kings
Muzzin is a big boy (6’3” - 213 lbs) and he has an absolute
bomb from the point. He will see a lot of power-play time
again this season and loves to to shoot the biscuit. He
ranked 16th among NHL defensemen with 175 shots, but
his 2.9 shooting percentage held him to just five goals. An
improved shooting percentage will lead to more goals this
season, he comes with a lot of upside for a guy you can
get late.
zach parise - lw - minnesota wild
Despite missing a large chunk of last season with a broken
foot, Parise finished the season with 29 goals and 27
assists in 67 games. When he got back from the injury he
played great collecting 17 points in 20 games. He has averaged 3.7 shots per game in two years with Minny, which is
down from 4.4 when he scored 45 goals in 2008-09 in New
Jersey. Despite diminishing shot totals, a healthy Parise is
a lock for 30 goals with potential for 40.
thomas vanek - lw - minnesota wild
After bouncing around from Buffalo to New York to
Montreal, Vanek has found a home in Minnesota for the
next three seasons. He produced one of the highest point
totals of his career (68 points) but fell flat on his face in the
postseason. Despite the lacklustre playoff performance, he
is a 30-30 threat every season, especially surrounded by a
profound group of forwards in Minny.
last season
GP - 78 , G - 10, A - 27, P - 37
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 11, A - 29, P - 40
last season
GP - 82, G - 4, A - 30, P - 34
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 9, A - 27, P - 36
last season
GP - 76, G - 5, A - 19, P - 24
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 11, A - 21, P - 32
last season
GP - 67, G - 29, A - 27, P - 56
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 35, A - 37, P - 72
last season
GP - 78, G - 27, A - 41, P - 68
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 30, A - 39, P - 69
jason pominville - rw - minnesota wild
Pominville is one of the most consistent and dependable
forwards in the NHL and he stabilizes any fantasy roster.
He had a 30-30 season last year and at just 31-years-old
and an abundance of talent around him in Minnesota,
expect the consistent 30-30 production to continue.
last season
GP - 82 , G - 30, A - 30, P - 60
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 30, A - 34, P - 64
mikael granlund - c - minnesota wild
A full season in the NHL produced eight goals and 33
assists for the 22-year-old Finnish centre. He returned from
the Olympics with a boatload of confidence and translated that into 13 points in 17 games. He is a tremendously
gifted playmaker who should have no issues getting to 40
assists this season. He has 60-point upside and this is just
the beginning.
mikko koivu - c - minnesota wild
Koivu is a consistent point producer, but he is an injury
risk. He missed 17 games last season, but still posted 43
assists. His goal totals won’t impress anyone, but 40 assists
is a near certainty. Just be aware of the potential for him to
miss time.
last season
GP - 63, G - 8, A - 33, P - 41
2014-15 Projection
GP - 72, G - 15, A - 46, P - 61
last season
GP - 65, G - 11, A - 43, P - 54
2014-15 Projection
GP - 72, G - 15, A - 39, P - 54
nino niederreiter - rw - minnesota wild
After a few disappointing years with the Islanders, Niederreiter started coming into his own with the Wild last
season. He had a good regular season (38P in 81G), but
had an excellent postseason. He could be classified as a
late-bloomer, but it looks like El Nino is here to stay and
should be a force for the Wild for years to come.
ryan suter - d - minnesota wild
Suter is a minute-eating machine. He plays nearly half of
the game on a regular basis. You have to be on the ice to
produce and no one plays more than Suter---last season
he averaged 2:20 more than Erik Karlsson, who ranked second in AVG TOI. He has never posted more than 50 points,
but was on pace for 54 in the lockout year. 50 points from
a D-man is tough to come by, but Suter can do it.
last season
GP - 81, G - 14, A - 22, P - 36
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 22, A - 25, P - 47
last season
GP - 82, G - 8, A - 35, P - 43
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 7, A - 39, P - 46
jared spurgeon - d - minnesota wild
Spurgeon, 24, is under-sized (5’9” - 168 lbs.) but ranked
second on the team (among D) in power-play TOI per
game (2:07), points (26) and plus-minus (+15). He plays
a strong two-way game and sees consistent power-play
time, which makes him a serviceable fantasy asset and a
30-point threat.
jonas brodin - d - minnesota wild
Brodin, 21, was paired with Ryan Suter for most of the
2013-14 season and the second-year D-man played nearly
24 minutes a game while chipping in offensively. Brodin is
an excellent skater and he is only going to keep developing offensively. Expect another jump in point totals as he
figures to finish around the 25-point mark.
max pacioretty - lw - montreal canadiens
Pacioretty is the Habs’ top forward. The 25-year-old scored
a career-high 39 goals with 21 assists to lead the team in
scoring for the third straight season with 60 points. He is
a streaky scorer who can get frustrating to own at times.
But when he gets hot, he lights the lamp frequently and
all that frustration is put to ease. After scoring 39, the next
step is 40.
david desharnais - c - montreal canadiens
Desharnais will likely centre the Habs’ top-line which
means he will play with potential 40-goal scorer Max Pacioretty. Desharnais won’t score a lot of goals, but playing
with Pacioretty makes him a candidate to lead the team
in assists. He is a safe pick, having only missed four games
in three seasons. 50 points is a safe bet for the undersized
centre.
p.a parenteau - rw - montreal canadiens
After a rough, injury plagued season in Colorado, the
Avalanche traded Parenteau to the Canadiens this offseason. The Quebec native will enjoy a homecoming of sorts
and the Habs are hoping that is enough to rejuvenate the
31-year-old winger. If he can avoid getting hurt, he should
return to 20 goals and 30 assists.
last season
GP - 67 , G - 5, A - 21, P - 26
2014-15 Projection
GP - 74, G - 6, A - 26, P - 32
last season
GP - 79, G - 8, A - 11, P - 19
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 7, A - 17, P - 24
last season
GP - 73, G - 39, A - 21, P - 60
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 36, A - 32, P - 68
last season
GP - 79, G - 16, A - 36, P - 52
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 14, A - 39, P - 53
last season
GP - 55, G - 14, A - 19, P - 33
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 21, A - 32, P - 53
tomas plekanec - c - montreal canadiens
Plekanec is a curious case of production drop-off. Since
posting 70 points in 2009-10, his production has dropped
off each season since, to the 43 points last season. Most
of the time you would think a drop-off is injury related,
but Plek has only missed eight games in the four seasons
since. It seems like the days of 60-plus points are behind
him, but there’s a good chance he will get back to 50 this
year.
brendan gallagher - rw - montreal canadiens
Gallagher, 22, goes full-tilt on every shift and the Canadiens love it. He scored 19 goals with 22 assists last season
and will continue to score goals because he has no fear of
getting dirty, despite being just 5-foot-8, 174 lbs. He could
take the leap from 40 to 50 points which would make him
a nice fantasy piece because he will also pick up a decent
amount of PIMS.
alex galchenyuk - c - montreal canadiens
Galchenyuk enjoyed a solid sophomore campaign and
is on the brink of a breakout season. It looks like he will
be the best forward on this roster in the near future, but
he still might be one season away. A jump from 30 to 50
points is not out of the question for the 20-year-old.
last season
GP - 81 , G - 20, A - 23, P - 43
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 21, A - 31, P - 52
last season
GP - 81, G - 19, A - 22, P - 41
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 24, A - 25, P - 49
last season
GP - 65, G - 13, A - 18, P - 31
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 16, A - 31, P - 47
P.K subban - d - montreal canadiens
Subban is now the highest paid defenseman in the NHL,
so he better play like it in 2014-15. He finished fifth in the
league among D-men with 53 points in 82 games last
season. He will be one of the first two defensemen off of
the board this year. Erik Karlsson is a safer bet to finish the
season with more points, but Subban has the offensive
upside to challenge him as well as the potential to rack up
100 PIMS, something Karlsson definitely won’t do.
andrei markov - d - montreal canadiens
Fantasy-wise, Markov is not slowing down at all despite
being 35-years-old. He finished fourth among D-men in
points in the lockout year and was t-17th with 43 points
(7G / 43A) in 81 games last season. Defensively, he is not
where he used to be, but all we care about is that the
offence is still there. Until he shows signs that the O is
starting to deteriorate as well, we will continue to pencil
him in for 40 points.
last season
GP - 82, G - 10, A - 43, P - 53
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 11, A - 45, P - 56
last season
GP - 81, G - 7, A - 36, P - 43
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 8, A - 34, P - 42
james neal - rw - nashville predators
Neal, 26, is a one-time 40-goal scorer and is coming off of
a season where he had 27 goals and 34 assists (61 points)
in 59 games. In Nashville he will be the clear focal point of
the offence, but losing Evgeni Malkin as his pivot is sure
to hurt his production. However, if he can stay healthy, a
30-30 season should be attainable.
mike ribeiro - c - nashville predators
Ribeiro was waived by the Coyotes because of “off-ice”
issues, but he has landed in Nashville where could serve
as their number-1 centre and play with James Neal. He is a
crafty playmaker and one-year removed from a point-pergame season, so a return to 15 goals and 50 assists isn’t
crazy. It all depends where he lands on the depth chart
though.
olli jokinen - c - nashville predators
After a brutal debut season with the Jets, Jokinen
bounced back with 18 goals and 25 assists (43 points)
in 82 games last year. The 35-year-old centre is only two
years removed from a 61-point campaign and he should
play a top-6 role in Nashville. He should end up between
15-20 goals and 30-35 assists.
craig smith - rw - nashville predators
Smith, 24, bounced back in a big way in 2013-14. He had
just 12 points in the lockout year, but finished with 52
points (24G / 28A) in 79 games a season ago. He has the
look of a guy who can be a consistent 25-25 threat, but his
inconsistency warrants caution on draft day.
last season
GP - 59 , G - 27, A - 34, P - 61
2014-15 Projection
GP - 72, G - 30, A - 30, P - 60
last season
GP - 80, G - 16, A - 31, P - 47
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 16, A - 36, P - 52
last season
GP - 82, G - 18, A - 25, P - 43
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 18, A - 31, P - 49
last season
GP - 79, G - 24, A - 28, P - 52
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 21, A - 27, P - 48
calle jarnkrok - c - nashville predators
Jarnkrok, 22, was acquired by the Red Wings at last year’s
deadline and he proceeded to post nine points (2G / 7A)
in 12 games with the Predators. He is a skilled playmaker
and an offseason injury to Mike Fisher will likely open the
door for Jarnkrok to crack the opening day roster. He has
a multitude of veterans ahead of him on the depth chart,
but he can move his way up quickly if he is producing.
last season
GP - 12, G - 2, A - 7, P - 9
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 11, A - 24, P - 35
mike fisher - c - nashville predators
Fisher had a nice year in 2013-14. He scored 20 times and
added 29 assists (49 points) in 75 games. But he is expected to be sidelined until at least December after rupturing
his Achilles in a training session in early July.
last season
GP - 75 , G - 20, A - 29, P - 49
2014-15 Projection
GP - 49, G - 13, A - 21, P - 34
shea weber - d - nashville predators
Weber is the model of consistency on the blue line. He led
all NHL D-men with 23 goals and 12 power-play goals last
season and approaches 20-goals every year. It is tough
to find goal production like that on D, making Weber one
of fantasy’s elite blueliners. He’ll play huge minutes in
every situation and possesses one of the league’s hardest
shots… A great fantasy combination. He’ll be close to 20
goals and 50 points, with the potential for more.
seth jones - d - nashville predators
Jones is one of the NHL’s top D prospects and enjoyed
success in his rookie season. He tallied six goals and 19 assists (25 points) in 77 games and this is just the beginning.
With one full-year under his belt, expect the 19-year-old to
bump those totals into the 30’s this season.
last season
GP - 79, G - 23, A - 33, P - 56
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 19, A - 31, P - 51
last season
GP - 77, G - 6, A - 19, P - 25
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 9, A - 26, P - 35
roman josi - d - nashville predators
Josi gets a ton of his value from playing major minutes
alongside Shea Weber on the Predators’ top-pair and power-play unit. As long as he is tasked with that responsibility
he remains valuable and a threat to repeat the 40-point
season that he had in 2013-14.
last season
GP - 72, G - 13, A - 27, P - 40
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 10, A - 23, P - 33
ryan ellis - d - nashville predators
Despite having 144 games under his NHL belt already, last
season was really Ellis’ first full NHL season. He recorded
27 points (6G / 21A) in 80 games. He is supremely talented
with the puck on his stick, wether it is making a breakout pass or blasting it from the point, Ellis can do it all. He
should see him numbers spike to the mid-30’s this season.
last season
GP - 80, G - 6, A - 21, P - 27
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 8, A - 24, P - 32
jaromir jagr - rw - new jersey devils
The 42-year-old, five-time Art Ross Trophy winner led the
Devils in points with 67 (24G / 43A) in 2012-14. Heading
into 2014-15, it is hard to believe he can replicate that type
of production at 43, but with limited competition, there
is a good chance that he will lead the Devils in points yet
again. Expect small regression, but if anyone can rip it up
at 43, it is Jagr.
patrik elias - lw - new jersey devils
Elias is a 38-years-old but has not slowed down at all. Despite missing 17 games, Elias still finished with 53 points
(18G / 35A). Prior to last season, he had only missed two
games in the previous three seasons, so injuries should
not be a concern heading into 2014-15. Nearing the end
of his career, it is safe to expect a small drop-off, but Elias is
still capable of a 60-point year.
mike cammalleri - lw - new jersey devils
After spending the last two and a half years with the
Calgary Flames, Cammalleri signed a five-year deal with
the Devils this offseason. He scored goals at a high-level
last season, posting 26 goals in 63 games (34 goal pace),
before his season was cut short by a concussion. Entering
2014-15, regression is expected on a defensive Devils
team, but he should lead the team in goals.
travis zajac - c - new jersey devils
After a couple of tough seasons, Zajac bounced-back in
2013-14, posting 18 goals and 30 assists (48 points) in 80
games. The 29-year-old has always been a solid playmaker
and he should again be on a line with Jaromir Jagr, which
should help produce another 30 assist season, with potential for more.
adam henrique - c - new jersey devils
Henrique, 24, has shown a natural ability to score goals at
the NHL level. He is very streaky and can frustrate owners
at times, but after getting a taste of a 25-goal season,
expect 20-plus goals to become a trend. He should battle
Mike Cammalleri, for the team lead in goals.
last season
GP - 82 , G - 24, A - 43, P - 67
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 22, A - 39, P - 61
last season
GP - 65, G - 18, A - 35, P - 53
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 19, A - 34, P - 53
last season
GP - 63, G - 26, A - 19, P - 45
2014-15 Projection
GP - 70, G - 24, A - 27, P - 68
last season
GP - 80, G - 18, A - 30, P - 48
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 17, A - 32, P - 49
last season
GP - 77, G - 25, A - 18, P - 43
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 23, A - 25, P - 48
marek zidlicky - d - new jersey devils
Zidlicky had one of the best seasons of his career in 201314, posting 12 goals and 30 assists (42 points). He has
only missed one game in the last two seasons and their
power-play revolves around him. His numbers have stayed
consistent throughout the years, so don’t expect a dropoff now.
eric gelinas - d - new jersey devils
Gelinas, 23, hammered home seven goals (five on the
PP) with 22 assists in 60 games last season. He is a strong
skater and possesses an absolute bomb for a shot. He’ll
be a big member of the Devils power-play in 2014-15, and
has a shot at 15 goals.
last season
GP - 81 , G - 12, A - 30, P - 42
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 10, A - 28, P - 38
last season
GP - 60, G - 7, A - 22, P - 29
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 12, A - 24, P - 36
john tavares - c - new york islanders
Tavares has been improving every year he has been in the
NHL. Last year he showed he is among the top players in
the league until his season was cut short by a knee injury
that he suffered during the Olympics. This year look for the
24-year old to continue producing at an MVP level with a
very good chance to finish among the top ranked players
at seasons end.
kyle okposo - rw - new york islanders
Okposo enjoyed a breakout season last year. He recorded
69 points, which was 17 more than his previous career-high. Playing predominately on John Tavares’ wing,
Okposo showed he is capable of producing at a high level.
After Tavares was lost to injury he still put up 10 points in
12 games. Okposo’s production hinges largely on whether
or not he plays with Tavares however is still capable of producing if they are split up.
frans nielsen - c - new york islanders
Nielsen had the best season of his career in 2013-14, posting 58 points (25G / 33A) in 80 games. 15 of those points
came in 20 games after John Tavares was injured in the
Olympics. Nielsen will return to his second line role with
JT healthy, but he has a ton of competition with Mikhail
Grabovski and Ryan Strome behind him on the depth
chart. If he solidifies the second-line centre role, he has
50-point potential.
last season
GP - 59, G - 24, A - 42, P - 66
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 36, A - 54, P - 90
last season
GP - 71, G - 27, A - 42, P - 69
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 28, A - 43, P - 71
last season
GP - 80, G - 25, A - 33, P - 58
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 17, A - 33, P - 50
ryan strome - c - new york islanders
Strome, 21, shredded the AHL last season, posting 13
goals and 36 assists (49 points) in 37 games with Bridgeport (AHL). After being recalled, he had 18 points (7G /
11A) in 37 games with the Isles. Strome is heading into his
first full NHL season and the young playmaker has a solid
chance to crack 50 points.
mikhail grabovski - c - new york islanders
After a terrible year in Toronto during the lockout-shortened season, Grabovski rebounded nicely last season in
Washington. Grabovski signed with the New York Islanders
this offseason, but could find himself buried on the depth
chart behind John Tavares and Frans Nielsen. However
with solid two-way play he has a chance to earn more
playing time and scoring opportunities.
michael dal colle - lw - new york islanders
Dal Colle already has an NHL frame at 6-foot-2 but will
need to fill out if he is going to a true power-forward at
the NHL level. He has an a great offensive skill set that
allowed him to score 39 goals with 56 assists (95 points)
in 67 games with Oshawa (OHL). He is no lock to make
the Isles, but if he cracks the roster he could land on a line
with Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin.
calvin de haan - d - new york islanders
de Haan, 23, probably has the most upside of any of the
Islanders’ young defensemen. de Haan is a gifted skater,
who has the talent to be the Isles’ power-play quarterback.
He had 16 points in 51 games last season, so 25-30 points
is attainable this season.
last season
GP - 37 , G - 7, A - 11, P - 18
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 20, A - 27, P - 47
last season
GP - 58, G - 13, A - 22, P - 35
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 21, A - 25, P - 43
last season (OHL)
GP - 67, G - 39, A - 56, P - 95
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 17, A - 28, P - 45
last season
GP - 51, G - 3, A - 13, P - 16
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 4, A - 25, P - 29
lubomir visnovsky - d - new york islanders
Visnovsky, 38, missed 58 games with concussions in 201314. Age and injury concerns (missed 85 gms in 3 yrs) limit
Visnovsky’s fantasy value, but when he is in the lineup he
is still relatively productive. A 30-plus-point season is possible with some health luck, but don’t count on it.
last season
GP - 24, G - 3, A - 8, P - 11
2014-15 Projection
GP - 68, G - 6, A - 22, P - 28
martin st. louis - rw - new york rangers
St. Louis, a fan favourite in Tampa Bay for the better part
of a decade was dealt last year to the New York Rangers
after a fall-out with GM Steve Yzerman. After only putting
up 8 points in 19 games in New York, St. Louis came on
a bit in the playoffs. He won’t produce at the same level
without Steven Stamkos, but he is still a good bet to lead
the Rangers in points.
rick nash - lw - new york rangers
Last year Nash put up his worst season as a professional
after registering only 39 points in 65 games. However he
did have 26 goals and is a good bet to return to the 30goal plateau if he can stay healthy. Nash has had a hard
time scoring in the playoffs, but his regular season numbers have been extremely consistent.
derek stepan - c - new york rangers
Stepan has not missed a game in the first four years of his
NHL career. 2013-14 was his best year to date, he recorded
17 goals and 40 assists (57 points). With talented linemates, he will get to 40 assists again this season and could
reach the 20-goal plateau for the second time in his career.
last season
GP - 81 , G - 30, A - 49, P - 79
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 29, A - 42, P - 71
last season
GP - 65, G - 26, A - 13, P - 39
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 34, A - 28, P - 62
last season
GP - 82, G - 17, A - 40, P - 57
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 20, A - 37, P - 57
mats zuccarello - rw - new york rangers
Zuccarello led the team in points while playing on a very
productive third line last season. However, he might be
the only member of that line who will still be on the third
line this season, so expect some regression, but not much--he is more than a shootout specialist now.
last season
GP - 77, G - 19, A - 40, P - 59
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 16, A - 35, P - 51
chris Kreider - lw - new york rangers
Kreider, 23, was never given a real shot by former head
coach John Tortorella, but last season Alain Vigneault
made him a staple in the Rangers’ top-6 and he excelled.
The speedy winger had 37 points (17G / 20A) in 66 games.
Expect some improvement in every category as he continues to grow his game.
last season
GP - 66, G - 17, A - 20, P - 37
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 25, A - 25, P - 50
derick brassard - c - new york rangers
Brassard, 26, had 18 goals and 27 assists (46 points) in
81 games playing predominantly on the third line last
season. This year, Brad Richards is in Chicago, leaving the
door open for Brassard to slide up to the second line. If he
claims that spot, there is a good chance he will be playing with Martin St. Louis, which is an upgrade from Mats
Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot. A top-6 role should easily
produce his first 50-plus point season.
dan boyle - d - new york rangers
Boyle, 38, may have lost a step over the years, but he’s still
going to pile up points at even strength and on the power-play. He had 36 points in 75 games with the Sharks last
season (18 on the PP). This season he will lineup with Marc
Staal, who will cover up his deficiency’s in his own end and
will likely post-up on the point next to Ryan McDonagh on
the Rangers’ top-PP unit. There’s a good chance he cracks
40 points.
ryan mcdonagh - d - new york rangers
McDonagh is an excellent two-way defensemen. He tied
for sixth among D-men with 14 goals last season, while
playing strong defence with Dan Girardi. He should be
able to replicate last season’s totals, especially with the
addition of Dan Boyle who is expected to help improve
the Rangers’ 15th ranked power-play from a season ago.
kyle turris - c - ottawa senators
Well, Jason Spezza is gone, so that leaves Turris as the
Senators’ first-line centre. The 25-year-old had a career
year in 2013-14. He scored 26 goals with 32 assists (58
points) in 82 games. He has been really consistent in the
last two seasons with the Sens---he has not missed a game
while averaging 24 goals and 31 assists per 82 games. As a
top centre, those figures should be considered his floor in
2014-15.
bobby ryan - rw - ottawa senators
Ryan’s first season in Ottawa was not great nor was it bad.
He battled a sports hernia all season long which limited
him to 70 goals---he posted 23 goals and 25 assists. He s a
perennial 30-goal scorer, so expect him to return to form
in 2014-15. He had only missed three games in the previous four seasons, so don’t expect durability to become an
issue with the 27-year-old.
last season
GP - 81 , G - 18, A - 27, P - 45
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 19, A - 30, P - 49
last season
GP - 75, G - 12, A - 24, P - 36
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 11, A - 31, P - 42
last season
GP - 77, G - 14, A - 29, P - 43
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 10, A - 29, P - 39
last season
GP - 82, G - 26, A - 32, P - 58
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 26, A - 36, P - 62
last season
GP - 70, G - 23, A - 25, P - 48
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 31, A - 30, P - 61
david legwand - c - ottawa senators
After spending 15 and a half years in Nashville, the Predators traded him to the Red Wings at last year’s deadline.
This offseason he signed with the Senators, where he will
likely serve as their second line centre. He has never been
a great scorer, but he is a consistent secondary that should
help stabilize the Sens’ shaky top-6.
clarke macarthur - lw - ottawa senators
MacArthur scored a career-best 24 goals in 2013-14. His
first year in Ottawa was successful and he will look to build
off of that this year. He is not going to land on the league
leaders page, but he is a consistent secondary scorer on a
team that needs all the scoring they can get.
last season
GP - 83 , G - 14, A - 37, P - 51
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 18, A - 35, P - 53
last season
GP - 79, G - 24, A - 31, P - 55
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 21, A - 32, P - 53
milan michalek - lw - ottawa senators
After scoring 35 goals in 2011-12, Michalek has tallied
just 21 ginos over the last two seasons (105 games). The
Senators will need a bounce back season from the speedy
winger, but he is looking more like a 20-20 player than a
30-goal scorer as he enters his 11th professional season.
last season
GP - 82, G - 17, A - 22, P - 39
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 20, A - 23, P - 43
mika zibanejad - c - ottawa senators
With the departure of Jason Spezza, more pressure will be
put on the 21-year-old Zibanejad to produce offensively.
He had 16 goals and 17 assists last season, but the Senators need more out of their 2011 first round selection.
With a strong start, he could battle David Legwand for a
spot on the Sens’ second line.
erik karlsson - d - ottawa senators
Karlsson is sensational. The guy is electric with the puck
on his tape and thank god the Senators have him. After
missing 31 games with a severed Achilles the season
before, Karlsson played all 82 games last season. He had
his first 20-goal season and led all NHL defensemen with
74 points. In leagues with PIMS he will be battled by PK
Subban for first D-man drafted in fantasy, but from an offensive standpoint alone, Karlsson is the clear top option.
last season
GP - 69, G - 16, A - 17, P - 33
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 18, A - 20, P - 38
last season
GP - 82, G - 20, A - 54, P - 74
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 19, A - 51, P - 70
cody ceci - d - ottawa senators
Ceci, 20, definitely has the body for the NHL (6’3” - 215lbs.),
but needs to limit the mistakes in 2014-15. He has nine
points (3G / 6A) in 49 games with the Senators last season. He averaged 17:12 TOI with 1:25 PP TOI a season ago,
but should play a more prominent role this year. Ceci is a
young defensemen worth keeping an eye on, especially in
deep keeper leagues.
claude giroux - c - philadelphia flyers
Giroux is an elite playmaker and will be an early first round
pick in most leagues. He had a slow start last season, but
after being snubbed from Team Canada, he led the NHL
with 29 points (9G / 20A) in 24 goals following the Olympic break. Giroux will push for the NHL lead in assists and
could crack 90 points for the second time.
jakub voracek - rw - philadelphia flyers
Voracek is one of the Flyers’ most dynamic offensive players. He has blazing speed, a hard shot and a feisty attitude.
He has been a great fit with Claude Giroux on the Flyers’
top-line, making him a solid mid-round selection and a
25-goal, 40-assist candidate.
last season
GP - 49 , G - 3, A - 6, P - 9
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G- 5, A - 19, P - 24
last season
GP - 82, G - 28, A - 58, P - 86
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 26, A - 63, P - 89
last season
GP - 82, G - 23, A - 39, P - 62
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 25, A - 38, P - 63
wayne simmonds - rw - philadelphia flyers
Simmonds set a new career-high with 29 goals in 2013-14.
He also chipped in with 31 assists and 106 penalty minutes. The 26-year-old has become one of the NHL’s best allaround fantasy assets. He can help you in every category
and is extremely durable (missed only 9 games in 6 years).
If he lands on the top-line with Claude Giroux, Simmonds
will take aim at a 35-goal season.
brayden schenn - c - philadelphia flyers
Schenn, 23, scored 20 goals with 21 assists in 82 games
in his second full 82-game season. With 192 games now
under his belt, expect 20-20 seasons to become a trend
with loads of upside.
last season
GP - 82, G - 29, A - 31, P - 60
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 28, A - 27, P - 55
last season
GP - 82, G - 20, A - 21, P - 41
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 23, A - 28, P - 51
r.j umberger - lw - philadelphia flyers
Umberger was acquired from the Blue Jackets for Scott
Hartnell this offseason. He played for the Flyers from 200408, which were some of the best years of his career. With
Hartnell gone, someone will have to fill his spot on the
top-line, and there are a lot of candidates, but Umberger
is one of them. He only missed 13 games in six years with
Columbus, while averaging 22 goals and 24 assists per 82
games---that is a pace you can expect to continue.
matt read - rw - philadelphia flyers
Read, 28, was a late bloomer, but since coming into the
NHL in 2011-12, he has consistently scored at a 20-25 goal
pace. With Scott Hartnell now a member of the Columbus
Blue Jackets, Read is one of many candidates to fill that
spot on the top-line with Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. If he lands the job, then 30 goals becomes possible,
if not continue to expect the low-20’s goal production.
sean couturier - c - philadelphia flyers
In his second full NHL season, Couturier had 13 goals and
26 assists (39 points) in 82 games. He has already developed into one of the league’s best two-way / shutdown
centres. That hurts his fantasy value, because he is used
more on the third line, to neutralize the opposition’s toplines. That said, he made it clear that he can chip in as well,
just be aware of the role he plays.
vincent lecavalier - c - philadelphia flyers
Lecavalier saw his minutes drop considerably at 34-yearold. While his getting up there in age, he is still a productive player and a near lock for 20-plus goals each season,
regardless of his role. He will be featured on the Flyers’
power-play and that is enough wiggle room for him to get
to 20.
mark streit - d - philadelphia flyers
Streit will be 37 in December, but age does not appear to
be slowing him down. He has not missed a game in four
seasons while averaging nine goals and 37 assists (46
points) per 82 games over that span. Streit is a consistent
producer that comes with a small price tag on draft day.
If you are one who doesn’t mind taking experience over
youth, Streit is the perfect fit.
last season
GP - 74 , G - 18, A - 16, P - 34
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G- 22, A - 27, P - 49
last season
GP - 75, G - 22, A - 18, P - 40
2014-15 Projection
GP - 76, G - 19, A - 24, P - 43
last season
GP - 82, G - 13, A - 26, P - 39
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 17, A - 24, P - 41
last season
GP - 69, G - 20, A - 17, P - 37
2014-15 Projection
GP - 71, G - 20, A - 20, P - 40
last season
GP - 82, G - 10, A - 34, P - 44
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 10, A - 37, P - 47
Andrew macdonald - d - philadelphia flyers
MacDonald had a career year in 2013-14, but did not
produce that much after being acquired by the Flyers. He
had 24 points in 63 games on Long Island, but just four
assists in 19 games with Philly. When Kimmo Timonen is
healthy, MacDonald’s value will take a hit, but when he is
out, someone will have to fill-in on the power-play and it
should be MacDonald who tackles that task.
sidney crosby - c - pittsburgh penguins
After missing 113 games over three seasons, Crosby
played 80 games last season and posted 36 goals and 68
assists (104 points). He avoided offseason wrist surgery, so
he will be good to go to start training camp. Assuming the
injuries were a thing of the past, Crosby is the sure-fire first
overall pick. He has averaged 40 goals and 73 assists per
82 games through the first nine years of his career. If he is
healthy he’ll get his 100 points with relative ease.
evgeni malkin - c - pittsburgh penguins
Malkin had a tough year, missing 22 games with a leg and
foot injury. Despite missing time, the 28-year-old had 72
points (23G / 49A) in 60 games (98-point pace). If he stays
healthy, he is a fantasy stud, but health has been an issue
for Malkin over the last five seasons. Over that span he has
missed 100 games which is a risky investment for a player
who will go early in the first round. If he is healthy, there
are not many better, but that is a big if right now.
chris kunitz - lw - pittsburgh penguins
Kunitz had his coming-out party in the lockout shortened
season when he scored 22 goals in 48 games, but then
continued on that exact same pace last season and tallied
35 goals in 78 games. Playing with Sidney Crosby clearly
plays a huge part in his production, but who cares? Cause
he is going to be on Sid’s wing and he is going to score…
A lot.
patric hornqvist - rw - pittsburgh penguins
Hornqvist is an obvious candidate to fill-in for James Neal
on Evgeni Malkin’s right side, which must feel like an early
Christmas present for the 27-year-old Swede. Hornqvist
has always been a solid scorer (20+ goals in the last four
82-game seasons) and should definitely score more in
Pittsburgh. He is a lock for 20 with 30-goal upside---making him a great mid-round pick.
last season
GP - 82 , G - 4, A - 24, P - 28
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G- 4, A - 23, P - 27
last season
GP - 82, G - 36, A - 68, P - 104
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 38, A - 67, P - 105
last season
GP - 60, G - 23, A - 49, P - 72
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 37, A - 54, P - 91
last season
GP - 78, G - 35, A - 33, P - 68
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 33, A - 39, P - 72
last season
GP - 76, G - 22, A - 31, P - 53
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 30, A - 35, P - 65
pascal dupuis - rw - pittsburgh penguins
Dupuis tore his ACL last year and missed the final 43
games of the season. He is expected to be back at 100 per
cent and re-claim his spot on the Penguins’ top-line with
Sidney Corsby and Chris Kunitz. Prior to last year, he had
only missed two games in the previous four seasons, so
expect a healthy season with 20-25 goals, 25-30 assists.
kris letang - d - pittsburgh penguins
Letang is back after suffering a stroke last season. He averaged over 24 minutes TOI in the playoffs, showing no ill
effects from the scary incident. Letang should battle Christian Ehrhoff for the team lead in points on the back-end;
both have 50-point potential, but mid-40’s is more likely.
last season
GP - 39 , G - 7, A - 13, P - 20
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G- 21, A - 26, P - 47
last season
GP - 37, G - 11, A - 11, P - 22
2014-15 Projection
GP - 73, G - 11, A - 38, P - 49
christian ehrhoff - d - pittsburgh penguins
After three years in Buffalo, Ehrhoff signed a one-year deal
with the Penguins to get a shot at the Stanley Cup. Ehrhoff
put up solid numbers on an anemic Sabres’ offence, so
the move to a powerhouse Penguins’ power-play could
produce a career-year for the German. He averaged seven
goals and 30 assists per 82 games in his tenure with the
Sabres, so a return to mid-40’s production should be attainable with the Pens.
olli maatta - d - pittsburgh penguins
Maatta, 20, was great for the Pens in his rookie campaign.
He had 29 points (9G / 20A) in 78 games and will look to
build on that this season. He did not score that much in
juniors, so do not expect a huge jump in production. He is
rock-solid in his own end and another mid-20’s season is
the most likely scenario.
joe thornton - c - san jose sharks
The Sharks blew up in the playoffs (shocker!) and that
prompted them to strip Thornton of the ‘C’. But last season
he was typical ‘Jumbo Joe’. He had 11 goals and was second in the NHL with 65 assists (76 points) in 82 games. In
2014-15, expect much of the same. Low goal totals, (hasn’t
scored 20 since 2010-11) and top-5 in the NHL in assists.
He should finish between 70-80 points.
last season
GP - 79, G - 6, A - 27, P - 33
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 12, A - 34, P - 46
last season
GP - 78, G - 9, A - 20, P - 29
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 8, A - 21, P - 29
last season
GP - 82, G - 11, A - 65, P - 76
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 12, A - 64, P - 76
PATRICK MARLEAU - RW - SAN JOSE SHARKS
Marleau, 34, was stripped of his ‘A’ after the Sharks collapsed in the postseason, something that is becoming a
frustrating trend for Sharks’ fans. Despite the postseason
choke-job, Marleau played every regular season game
for the fifth straight season and scored 30-plus goals for
the fifth consecutive full season. Marleau is as consistent
performer as there is in fantasy, so ‘A’ or not, he is worthy
of your third-round pick.
JOE PAVELSKI - C - SAN JOSE SHARKS
Where did that come from? Pavelski has always been a
solid goal scorer, but with just one 30-goal season in the
seven years prior, I don’t think anyone, Pavelski included,
saw a 41 goal season coming. Scoring 40 goals in the NHL
is a tough thing to do, so don’t expect him to repeat, but
no one would be complaining about a 30-30 season from
him.
LOGAN COUTURE - C - SAN JOSE SHARKS
Couture’s two previous 82-game seasons, he scored 32
and 31 goals and then tallied 21 in the shortened season.
So his 23 goals in 65 games last season has to be viewed
as a disappointing season for the 25-year-old. Last year
was probably just a bump in the road in what will be an
otherwise great career. Expect him to get back to 30 this
season, with room for more.
TOMAS HERTL - LW - SAN JOSE SHARKS
Hertl had a great rookie season going until he had to undergo surgery to repair a damaged MCL and PCL in early
January. He had 15 goals and 10 assists (25 points) in 35
games. However, six of the 15 goals came in his first three
games, so don’t get crazy. He is definitely a 25-25 candidate with upside depending on who he plays with, but he
is a middle round pick.
BRENT BURNS - D - SAN JOSE SHARKS
After a full season at forward that produced 22 goals and
26 assists (48 points) in 69 games, Burns will shift back to
defence in 2014-15. The 29-year-old was a beast in from of
the net, but the move back to the blueline should not hurt
his point totals all that much. His goals should be down a
bit, but he is still capable of 40 points from the back-end.
His PIMS is something that should rise with his move.
last season
GP - 82 , G - 33, A - 37, P - 70
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G- 33, A - 34, P - 67
last season
GP - 82, G - 41, A - 38, P - 79
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 30, A - 36, P - 66
last season
GP - 65, G - 23, A - 30, P - 53
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 31, A - 34, P - 65
last season
GP - 37, G - 15, A - 10, P - 25
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 25, A - 24, P - 49
last season
GP - 69, G - 22, A - 26, P - 48
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 15, A - 28, P - 43
jason demers - d - SAN JOSE SHARKS
Demers, 26, had the best season of his career in 2013-14.
He set a new season-high in assists (29) and points (34)
while posting a plus-14 rating. The departure of Dan Boyle
should allow Demers to see more power-play time, so his
numbers shouldn’t change much from his career-year.
last season
GP - 75 , G - 5, A - 29, P - 34
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G- 6, A - 24, P - 30
marc eduard vlasic - d - SAN JOSE SHARKS
Vlasic, 27, turned in one of the best seasons he has ever
had. He posted a solid 24 points (5G / 19A) while registering the NHL’s ninth best plus/minus (+31) in 81 games. He
is a great two-way defenseman and that is why Canada
selected him to their Olympic roster last Winter. He rarely
misses games and his point totals are consistently in the
mid-20’s with a good plus/minus.
david backes - c - st. louis blues
Backes, 30, is a consistent two-way centre that fits the
Blues system perfectly. He is always close to 50 points,
but has shown he can pull off a 30-30 season. Backes also
contributes with a healthy amount of penalty minutes and
strong plus/minus. You can’t go wrong with Backes.
last season
GP - 81, G - 5, A - 19, P - 24
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 4, A - 20, P - 24
last season
GP - 74, G - 27, A - 30, P - 57
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 28, A - 33, P - 61
paul stastny - c - st. louis blues
Stastny, 28, signed a four year deal worth $28 million
dollars this offseason. He spent the first eight years of his
career in Colorado, where he totalled 160 goals and 298
assists (458 points) in 538 games. In St. Louis he will likely
centre the second line behind David Backes. Stastny has
posted consistent numbers throughout his career, so
another 20-plus goal and 35-plus assist season should be
expected.
jaden schwartz - lw - st. louis blues
In his second full NHL season, Schwartz, 22, recorded 25
goals and 31 assists (56 points) in 80 games. The breakout
campaign spells good news for Schwartz and the Blues,
but as of right now, the restricted free agent remains
unsigned and the two sides are said to be “significantly
apart” on a deal. Should they get him signed before the
start of the season, Schwartz has the look of a 30-30 guy in
2014-15.
last season
GP - 71, G - 25, A - 35, P - 60
2014-15 Projection
GP - 76, G - 22, A - 38, P - 60
last season
GP - 80, G - 25, A - 31, P - 56
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 27, A - 32, P - 59
t.j oshie - rw - st. louis blues
After battling injury in 2012-13, Oshie stayed healthy and
had his best season to date in 2013-14. He cracked the 20goal mark (21) for the first time as well as a career best 39
assists. He has battled injuries in the past, but when he is
healthy, he is a consistent winger. He doesn’t have a lot of
upside, but there is not a lot of risk involved with drafting
Oshie.
alex steen - lw - st. louis blues
Coming into 2013-14, Steen had recorded 23 goals in
the previous two seasons combined (83 games) but then
busted out with 33 goals and 29 assists (62 assists) in just
68 games. Steen was likely on many fantasy championship winning teams last season. However, heading into
2014-15 it could be the compete opposite. Don’t reach for
Steen, who before last year was a perennial 20-20 performer.
vladimir tarasenko - rw - st. louis blues
Tarasenko had a 21 goal, 22 assist season in his sophomore year. The 22-year-old didn’t see that much playing
time (15:10 AVG TOI) last year, but will enter camp with
a chance to land a top-6 role. A bump in minutes could
see him move from a 20-20 player to a 25-25 guy with
upside for more. However, with former KHL teammate Jori
Lehtera coming to North America, there is a good chance
they will pair up on the third line.
jori lehtera - c - st. louis blues
Lehtera, 26, has spent the last four years in the KHL. He
comes to the NHL where he will be reunited with former
KHL teammate Vladimir Tarasenko. The two played together in 2011-12, and were both near a point per game. Lehtera has gifted hands and is a great set-up man. If he and
Tarasenko can rekindle some chemistry, they will make a
formidable force on the Blues’ third line.
alex pietrangelo - d - st. louis blues
In his first four full NHL seasons, the 24-year-old Pietrangelo has already established himself as one of the league’s
elite defensemen. He has only missed five games in his
career and already has two 50-plus point seasons under
his belt. He will play 25-plus minutes a night against the
opposition’s best lines and produce at a very high rate.
They don’t make many like Pietrangelo.
last season
GP - 79 , G - 21, A - 39, P - 60
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G- 20, A - 36, P - 56
last season
GP - 68, G - 33, A - 29, P - 62
2014-15 Projection
GP - 73, G - 24, A - 29, P - 53
last season
GP - 64, G - 21, A - 22, P - 43
2014-15 Projection
GP - 70, G - 25, A - 27, P - 52
last season (KHL)
GP - 48, G - 12, A - 32, P - 44
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 16, A - 25, P - 41
last season
GP - 81, G - 8, A - 43, P - 51
2014-15 Projection
GP - 81, G - 10, A - 40, P - 50
kevin shattenkirk - d - st. louis blues
Just when you thought Shattenkrik reached his ceiling
with 43 points in 2011-12, he bounces back from a so-so
lockout year with career-highs in goals (10), assists (35),
points (45), game-winners (5) and power-play points (26).
Shattenkirk is a top-15 fantasy D-man and it looks like he
still has room to grow.
jay bouwmeester - d - st. louis blues
It sure seems like Bouwmeester likes playing in St. Louis a
lot more than in Calgary. In his first full-year with the Blues,
the 30-year-old had 37 points (4G / 33A), just nine points
off of his career-high he set eight years prior. Entering the
2014-15 season, single digit goals and mid-30’s point production is likely all you can expect out of Bouwmeester.
He makes for a nice mid-to-late round pick up to help fill
out your blueline with consistent producers.
steven stamkos - c - tampa bay lightning
Stamkos breaks his leg, makes a ridiculously fast recovery,
almost plays in the Olmypics and still finishes the season
with 25 goals… How is that humanely possible? After
returning from the broken leg in mid-March he had 11
goals and 17 points in 20 games. Opponents will need to
break his leg to stop the 24-year-old from scoring 50-plus
goals. Put his name on the Maurice Rocket Richard trophy
right now.
valtteri filppula - c - tampa bay lightning
Despite missing time with a fractures ankle, Filppula
turned in a good season in his first go-around with the
Lightning. He had a career-high 25 goals and added 33 assists for 58 points in 75 games. He is a great fit in Tampa as
a stable second line centre that will chip in behind Steven
Stamkos. There might be a small dip in goals this season,
but he should approach 60 points yet again.
jonathan drouin - lw - tampa bay lightning
Drouin, 19, was a hot commodity in fantasy drafts last fall,
but left owners with an empty roster spot when he was
sent back to the QMJHL. In the Q he racked up a ridiculous
108 points (29G / 79A) in 46 games and an additional 41
points (13G / 28A) in just 16 postseason games. it is safe
to say the 2013 third overall pick is ready for the NHL this
season. Drouin has electrifying hands and is a top candidate to play with Stamkos and win the Calder Trophy.
last season
GP - 81 , G - 10, A - 35, P - 45
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G- 10, A - 35, P - 35
last season
GP - 82, G - 4, A - 33, P - 37
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 5, A - 28, P - 33
last season
GP - 37, G - 25, A - 15, P - 40
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 51, A - 42, P - 93
last season
GP - 75, G - 25, A - 33, P - 58
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75, G - 23, A - 37, P - 60
last season (QMJHL)
GP - 46, G - 29, A - 79, P - 108
2014-15 Projection
GP - 68, G - 13, A - 36, P - 49
tyler johnson - c - tampa bay lightning
The undrafted 24-year-old had a great rookie season in
Tampa. He posted 24 goals and 50 assists while skating in
all 82 games. Johnson played extremely well after Steven
Stamkos broke his leg, recording 14 goals and 17 assists
(31 points) in 45 games. He later played with Stammer,
when he added 12 points in 20 games. He receives a big
fantasy boost if he lands on Stamkos’ line when the season
starts.
ondrej palat - lw - tampa bay lightning
Palat, 23, edged out fellow teammate Tyler Johnson for
second in the rookie of the year voting after he scored 23
goals with 36 assists (59 points) in 81 games last year. The
2011 seventh round pick showed he was a capable scorer
in juniors then the AHL now the NHL, so don’t expect him
to go away. Another 20-goal year is around the corner.
ryan callahan - rw - tampa bay lightning
After being acquired by the Lightning at the deadline
last season, Callahan posted six goals and five assists (11
points) in 20 games. This offseason Tampa Bay signed the
29-year-old to a six-year, $34.8 million dollar deal. Callahan could land on the first line with Steven Stamkos, but
Callahan has never been more than a 25-25 guy. He brings
more to the Lightning than he will your fantasy team.
victor hedman - d - tampa bay lightning
There he is! After being drafted second overall in 2009,
Hedman had accumulated just 89 points in four seasons
(258 games). But in 2013-14, the 6-foot-6 defensemen
proved he was worthy of the high draft selection five
years ago. He scored 13 goals with 42 assists (55 points)
in 75 games. That kind of production is hard to maintain
for a D-man, but Hedman is capable of cracking 50 points
again.
jason garrison - d - tampa bay lightning
Garrison, 29, comes over after spending the last two
seasons with the Canucks. Since his breakout season (16G
/ 17A) in 2011-12, Garrisson has just 15 goals in 128 games
since. He possesses a cannon of a slap shot and will likely
line--up next to Victor Hedman on the Lightning’s top
power-play unit. With a shot like his, he is always capable
of 10-15 goals.
last season
GP - 82, G - 24, A - 26, P - 50
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G- 25, A - 30, P - 55
last season
GP - 81, G - 23, A - 36, P - 59
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 19, A - 33, P - 52
last season
GP - 65, G - 17, A - 19, P - 36
2014-15 Projection
GP - 77, G - 24, A - 24, P - 48
last season
GP - 75, G - 13, A - 42, P - 55
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 11, A - 37, P - 48
last season
GP - 81, G - 7, A - 26, P - 33
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 12, A - 29, P - 41
Matt carle - d - tampa bay lightning
For the fourth straight season, Carle did not miss a single
game. The 29-year-old D-man recorded 31 points (2G /
29A), which is his fourth straight (full-82 game) season
that he has been over 30 points. He is durable, dependable and consistent and will likely go undrafted in many
leagues.
phil kessel - rw - toronto maple leafs
Over the last 3 seasons Kessel is on an elite list of players
with who have averaged over a point per game. That
production seems likely again this season as Kessel has
developed great chemistry with linemates Tyler Bozak
and James van Riemsdyk. The 26-year old who has never
topped 40 goals has a good chance to reach that milestone for the first time in his career.
james van riemsdyk - lw - toronto maple leafs
After having a breakout year during the lockout-shortened season, the main question about van Riemsdyk was
whether he could do it for a full season. He put those
questions to rest on his way to 30 goals and 61 points last
season. Playing on Phil Kessel’s line will offer JVR plenty of
scoring opportunities and he should be able to repeat last
years numbers with a chance to score even more.
joffrey lupul - lw - toronto maple leafs
Talent has never been the concern with Lupul, who hasn’t
played more than 70 games since the 2008-09 season.
Health is a serious concern for the 31-year old who when
healthy is capable of putting up near point-per-game
totals.
last season
GP - 82 , G - 2, A - 29, P - 31
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G- 5, A - 26, P - 31
last season
GP - 82, G - 37, A - 43, P - 80
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 38, A - 48, P - 86
last season
GP - 80, G - 30, A - 31, P - 61
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 31, A - 32, P - 63
last season
GP - 69, G - 22, A - 22, P - 44
2014-15 Projection
GP - 70, G - 26, A - 31, P - 57
nazem kadri - c - toronto maple leafs
Kadri has finally started to show the talent that made the
Maple Leafs select him with the 7th overall pick in the
2009 draft. After putting up close to a point per game
during the lockout-shortened season he followed that up
with 50 points last year. Kadri should be productive again
this year as the Leafs 2nd line center.
last season
GP - 78, G - 20, A - 30, P - 50
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 24, A - 31, P - 55
tyler bozak - c - toronto maple leafs
A few years ago, you would never have thought Bozak
could be a first-line centre, but he is slowly developing
into one. Talented linemates, Phil Kessel and James van
Riemsdyk are easing that process, but Bozak posted career-highs in goals (19), assists (30) and points (49) despite
playing just 58 games. In 2014-15, a 20-goal, 30-assist
season should be more than attainable for Bozak.
dion phaneuf - d - toronto maple leafs
Phaneuf, 29, had a solid fantasy season last year. Offensively he is not anywhere close to the numbers he posted
in Calgary early in his career, but given his recent trend,
last season was OK. He had 31 points (8G / 23A) in 80
games as well as chipping in with 144 PIMS. He could
return to double digit goals this season, but 35-40 points
is as good as it is going to get.
jake gardiner - d - toronto maple leafs
Gardiner, 24, scored 10 goals and 21 assists (31 points) in
80 games last season. He loves to get involved in the offence and that is great news for potential fantasy owners.
He has 15-goal potential because of his ability to rush the
puck and run the Leafs’ second power-play. There is a lot
to like about Gardiner from a fantasy standpoint.
morgan rielly - d - toronto maple leafs
Rielly, 20, had a strong rookie campaign. He had just two
goals, but added 25 assists in 73 games. Rielly is an excellent skater with tremendous offensive ability. He likes to
join the rush and as a fantasy owner, that is something you
like. He will be featured on the Maple Leafs power-play
again this season and should start on the third pair with
Roman Polak. The addition of Polak should allow Rielly to
free-wheel more with Polak’s stay-at-home style.
cody franson - d - toronto maple leafs
After an excellent shortened season, expectations were
high for Franson last season. A 50-point pace would have
been very difficult to maintain, so regression was expected, but Franson fell off that pace by 17 points. He likely set
unreasonable expectations and the mid-30’s production is
the real Cody Franson. He will still see a ton of power-play
time with Dion Phaneuf so the opportunities will be there.
last season
GP - 58 , G - 19, A - 30, P - 49
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G- 20, A - 32, P - 52
last season
GP - 80, G - 8, A - 23, P - 31
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 10, A - 28, P - 38
last season
GP - 80, G - 10, A - 21, P - 31
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 10, A - 27, P - 37
last season
GP - 73, G - 2, A - 25, P - 27
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 5, A - 30, P - 35
last season
GP - 79, G - 5, A - 28, P - 33
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 5, A - 27, P - 32
henrik sedin - c - vancouver canucks
Even during his worst season in almost a decade, Henrik
still almost had 40 assists (39). He was once one of the
NHL’s best playmakers, but don’t let one off you into fooling you that he and his brother Daniel are done. He won’t
post 100 points, but he could still post 50-plus assists
and 15 goals. Henrik will likely slip into the fourth or fifth
round in standard leagues, so he could be steal at that
point in the draft.
daniel sedin - lw - vancouver canucks
After two so-so seasons, it was obvious that Daniel wasn’t
an elite fantasy option anymore, but who was expecting
just 47 points (16G / 31A) in 73 games? With a new coach
in town, expect Daniel and his brother Henrik to up their
totals, but lets be clear, they aren’t going to total 100
points at 33-years-old. They were once first-round picks,
now you’re looking at a potential point-per-game players
in the third or fourth round.
radim vrbta - rw - vancouver canucks
After five years with the Coyotes, Vrbata decided to sign
a two-year deal with the Canucks this offseason. With the
Coyotes he had one 30-goal, 60-point season, but overall
averaged 26 goals and 28 assists (54 points) per 82 games.
In Vancouver he should start the season with the Sedin
twins, who are each looking for bounce back seasons. That
is a nice fit for Vrbata who should excel with two players of
that caliber.
nick bonino - c - vancouver canucks
Last season Bonino had a career-year and the Ducks
cashed him in to land Ryan Kesler. Bonino will slide in for
Kesler as the Canucks’ second line centre, but he is not
Kesler. He had 22 goals and 27 assists (49 points) in 77
games last season, but he had seven power-play goals,
while playing predominantly on the Ducks top-unit. This
year he’ll have mediocre linemates and another mid-40’s
point season is likely as good as it will get.
alex burrows - rw - vancouver canucks
After four straight seasons of at least 25 goals, Burrows
has scored just 18 in the last two seasons combined (96
games). With Radim Vrbata in town, his days of playing
with the Sedin twins are likely over (or limited) and he will
probably find himself with Nick Bonino, who is no Ryan
Kesler. Could Burrows return to his 25 goal days? Maybe.
But don’t waste a draft pick hoping he does.
last season
GP - 70 , G - 11, A - 39, P - 50
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G- 15, A - 52, P - 67
last season
GP - 82, G - 4, A - 33, P - 37
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 5, A - 28, P - 33
last season
GP - 80, G - 20, A - 31, P - 51
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 22, A - 32, P - 54
last season
GP - 77, G - 22, A - 27, P - 49
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 17, A - 26, P - 43
last season
GP - 49, G - 5, A - 10, P - 15
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 21, A - 21, P - 42
alexander edler - d - vancouver canucks
Edler had been a consistent point producer in the five seasons prior to 2013-14. He finished 25th in points among
D-men in the shortened year with 22 and then matched
that total in 63 games last season. On top of the low point
totals, Edler had an NHL worst minus-39 rating. Heading
into 2014-15, it is hard to believe he will be that bad again.
A return to 40-points might be pushing it, but mid 30’s is a
fair guess.
Alex Ovechkin - rw - washington capitals
Ovechkin, 29, had a whirlwind of a fantasy season in 201314. He scored 50-plus goals (51) for the fifth time in his
career but he also had the third worst plus/minus rating
(-35) in the NHL. He remains a top fantasy pick because of
his ability to score goals and his plus/minus rating likely
won’t dip that low again this season. He is a 50-plus goal
threat every year and those are rare fantasy commodities.
nicklas backstrom - c - washington capitals
Backstrom is an elite playmaker who plays on a line with
one of the NHL’s best snipers. It really is a fantasy match
made in heaven. The 26-year-old centre finished third in
the league with 61 assists, which is the third time in seven
seasons he has had 60-plus apples. Entering 2014-15,
Backstrom remains a good late second, early third-round
pick. He is always a top candidate to lead the NHL in helpers with 20-goal potential.
evgeny kuznetsov - lw - washington capitals
After coming over from the KHL late last season,
Kuznetsov totalled three goals and six assists (nine points)
in 17 games with the Caps. At just 22-years-old, Kuznetsov
already has five KHL seasons under his belt, so he should
have no problem translating his game into the NHL in his
first full season. Expect a 20-20 season with a lot of upside.
mike green - d - washington capitals
Green, 28, scored nine goals with 29 assists (38 points) in
70 games. After scoring 12 goals in just 35 games the year
prior, Green’s goal total last season was very disappointing. He is one of the most offensively gifted defensemen
in the league, but he has a very difficult time staying
healthy which limits his value. However, he is definitely
worth drafting because his injury woes will allow him to
fall deep in the draft making him a great sleeper pick.
last season
GP - 63 , G - 7, A - 15, P - 22
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G- 10, A - 28, P - 38
last season
GP - 78, G - 51, A - 28, P - 79
2014-15 Projection
GP - 79, G - 48, A - 40, P - 88
last season
GP - 82, G - 18, A - 61, P - 79
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 16, A - 65, P - 93
last season
GP - 17, G - 3, A - 6, P - 9
2014-15 Projection
GP - 78, G - 22, A - 26, P - 48
last season
GP - 70, G - 9, A - 29, P - 38
2014-15 Projection
GP - 70, G - 13, A - 36, P - 49
John Carlson - D - Washington Capitals
Carlson set a new career-high with 10 goals in 2013-14.
The 24-year-old D-man continues to improve at both ends
of the ice and should have a big season in 2014-15. Expect
a 10-plus goal season with 40-point potential. Despite is
upside and durability (hasn’t missed a game in 4 years)
Carlson will come relatively cheap on draft day.
Matt Niskanen - d - washington capitals
Niskanen, 27, had a great year as the Penguins top D-man
while Kris Letang was out. He cashed in big-time, signing
a seven-year, $40.25 million. He had never scored double-digit goals or had 30 assists in a season prior to last
year, so expect some regressing and chalk last season up
as a typical breakout campaign in a contract year.
blake wheeler - rw - winnipeg jets
Wheeler had a breakout year in 2013-14, he scored a career-high 28 goals and 69 points in 82 games. The 6-foot5 winger has only missed two games in the last three
seasons while posting 25 goals and 43 assists (68 points)
per 82 games. Wheeler has a chance to have his first career
30-goal and 70-point season.
Andrew Ladd - lw - Winnipeg Jets
Ladd continued his steady play in 2013-14---he had 54
points (23G / 31A) in 78 games. He has only missed four
games in the last six seasons, so you can bank on him
being healthy and putting up 50 points. He has definite
30-30 potential, but the 28-year-old has yet to reach that
mark.
Bryan Little - C - Winnipeg Jets
Little broke-out in 2012-14. The 26-year-old centre scored
23 goals with 41 assists in 82 games. He has been very
durable in his seven-year career, never missing more than
eight games in a season. He had always been near 50
points, but now that he has a 60-point year under his belt
he should be able to maintain that pace.
last season
GP - 82 , G - 10, A - 27, P - 37
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G- 9, A - 28, P - 37
last season
GP - 81, G - 10, A - 36, P - 46
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 7, A - 26, P - 33
last season
GP - 82, G - 28, A - 41, P - 69
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 27, A - 41, P - 68
last season
GP - 78, G - 23, A - 31, P - 54
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 28, A - 31, P - 59
last season
GP - 82, G - 23, A - 41, P - 64
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 19, A - 38, P - 57
evander kane - lw - winnipeg jets
Kane missed 19 games last season with a hand infection
and finished the year with 19 goals and 22 assists (41
points). It was definitely a down year for the 23-year-old
winger, but expect him to get back on track in 2014-15. He
is a 30-goal threat every season and he should be able to
get back on that pace in his sixth professional season.
dustin byfuglien - rw - winnipeg jets
Byfuglien has bounced from D to forward a number of
times, but he will start 2014-15 as a forward. The 6-foot5, 265 lbs. forward is a tough guy to move from the front
of the net and possesses a hard shot that makes him a
25-goal threat in 2014-15. He should be listed as a defenseman again this season, which makes him even more
valuable.
mark scheifele - c - winnipeg jets
Scheifele, 21, had 13 goals and 21 assists last season,
but missed 19 games after he sprained his MCL in early
March. His size and speed combination make him a very
dangerous centre and a candidate for a breakout season.
He should be able to get to 20 goals with 30 assists and
makes for a very strong keeper league option.
Tobias Enstrom - d - Winnipeg Jets
Enstrom, 29, had 10 goals and 20 assists (30 points) in 82
games last season. It was a bit of a down year for Enstrom
who has broke the 50-point plateau on two occasions. It
was the first time he had played all 82 games in four years,
so that is a good sign. Enstrom will likely drop in the draft
after a so-so season, but he makes for a great mid-to-late
round selection because he should get 40 points, with 50
point potential.
jacob trouba - d - Winnipeg Jets
Trouba, 20, had an excellent rookie campaign, posting 10
goals and 19 assists, but an upper-body injury limited him
to just 65 games. In 2014-15, expect a healthy Trouba to
see an increased role in all situations, including a bump in
power-play minutes (1:58 AVG PP TOI). A healthy season
should see Trouba post well over 30 points.
last season
GP - 63 , G - 19, A - 22, P - 41
2014-15 Projection
GP - 74, G- 31, A - 26, P - 57
last season
GP - 78, G - 20, A - 36, P - 56
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 17, A - 38, P - 55
last season
GP - 63, G - 13, A - 21, P - 34
2014-15 Projection
GP - 80, G - 22, A - 28, P - 50
last season
GP - 82, G - 10, A - 20, P - 30
2014-15 Projection
GP - 82, G - 10, A - 32, P - 42
last season
GP - 65, G - 10, A - 19, P - 29
2014-15 Projection
GP - 75 , G - 12, A - 26, P - 38
goalie projections
john gibson - g - Anaheim ducks
After 45 games in Norfolk (AHL), the Ducks recalled John
Gibson late last season. With Anaheim, all he did was go
3-0-0 with a 1.33 GAA, .954 SV% and one shutout. They
even got the 20-year-old four postseason starts, where he
went 2-2. He is one of the NHL’s best goalie prospects and
he will push Frederik Andersen for the starting gig immediately. He has the ability to move himself into a number-1
in fantasy, but he has to win the job in Anaheim first.
Frederik Andersen - G - Anaheim Ducks
Andersen was great in his first season in the NHL. He went
20-5 with a 2.29 GAA and .923 SV% which allowed the
Ducks to trade Viktor Fasth and let Jonas Hiller walk in free
agency. Coming into this season, it looks like he will be
splitting time with 20-year-old John Gibson. Both young
netminders will be given a chance to stake their claim on
the Ducks’ starting gig.
Mike Smith - G - Arizona Coyotes
Smith had a down year in 2013-14, but should be in line
for a bounce-back season. He is a good goalie on a defence-first team, which makes him a steady fantasy option.
The 2.64 GAA he posted last season, was the worst GAA
he has posted in his three years in Arizona, so expect that
number to creep closer to 2.40 in 2014-15. He won’t get a
ton of goal support, but the defence will be strong in front
of him.
Tuukka Rask - G - Boston Bruins
Rask is entering his third season as a full fledged NHL
starter and he has already established himself as fantasy’s
top goaltending option. Playing on a great two-way team
in Boston allows Rask to post great numbers while racking
up a ton of wins. In 2014-15 he looks poised to record his
first career 40-win season with a GAA below 2.10.
last season
W -3, GAA -1.33, SV% -.954
2014-15 Projection
W -26, GAA -2.27, SV% -.923
last season
W -20, GAA -2.29, SV% -.923
2014-15 Projection
W -22, GAA -2.37, SV% -.921
last season
W -27, GAA -2.64, SV% -.915
2014-15 Projection
W -31, GAA -2.42, SV% -.918
last season
W -36, GAA -2.04, SV% -.930
2014-15 Projection
W -40, GAA -2.03, SV% -.929
Jhonas Enroth - G - Buffalo Sabres
Ryan Miller might be out of Buffalo, but Enroth still has
competition for starts. He will platoon with Michal Neuvirth this season but really holds limited fantasy value.
Despite posting an OK 2.82 GAA and .911 SV% last season,
Enroth only picked up four wins in 28 attempts. He is not
a bad goalie, but the Sabres are a bad team and Enroth
should stay on the waiver wire or on your bench to start
the season.
Michal Neuvirth - G - Buffalo Sabres
After five years in Washington, Neuvirth will play his first
full season with the Sabres in 2014-15. He lost both his
starts with a 2.56 GAA and .949 SV% with Buffalo last
season, but enters this year in an even split for starts with
Jhonas Enroth. The Sabres inability to score last season will
limit his value entering this season.
Jonas Hller - G - Calgary Flames
In 2013-14, the Flames had the seventh worst team GAA
(2.90), so they addressed their need in goal this offseason
by signing Jonas Hiller. He spent the first seven years of his
career in Anaheim, where he posted a 162-110-32 record
with a 2.51 GAA and .916 SV%. The move is sure to hurt his
numbers across the board, but with a ton of goaltending
throughout the Ducks’ system, it was time for him to move
on. He is a low-end number-2 fantasy option.
Karri Ramo - G - Calgary flames
R amo missed 15 games with a knee injury last season, but
finished the year very strong. He started 11 of the Flames
last 12 games and went 6-5-0 with a 2.61 GAA and .925
SV%. However, this offseason the Flames signed veteran
Jonas Hiller, so Ramo will likely take a back seat, thus limiting his fantasy value to spot-start duty.
Cam ward - g - carolina hurricanes
If you are looking for a diamond in the rough, look no further than Cam Ward. After two injury plagued seasons that
held him to just 47 starts over that period, he looks to be
100 per cent and ready to go in 2014-15. This is a guy who
has started 60-plus games in five of nine seasons, winning
at least 30 games in each of those seasons. The Hurricanes
are not a great team, but where you are going to pick him
up on draft day, he is a low-risk, high-reward draft pick.
last season
W -4, GAA -2.82, SV% -.911
2014-15 Projection
W -13, GAA -2.74, SV% -.913
last season
W -4, GAA -2.78, SV% -.921
2014-15 Projection
W -12, GAA -2.64, SV% -.913
last season
W -29, GAA -2.48, SV% -.911
2014-15 Projection
W -28, GAA -2.55, SV% -.913
last season
W -16, GAA -2.65, SV% -.911
2014-15 Projection
W -9, GAA -2.64, SV% -.910
last season
W -10, GAA -3.06, SV% -.898
2014-15 Projection
W -24, GAA -2.68, SV% -.915
anton khudobin - g - carolina hurricanes
Khudobin battled injury in his first season with the Hurricanes, but he still started 36 games, while going 19-14-1
with a 2.30 GAA and .926 SV%. His strong play and Cam
Ward’s struggles suggests that there could be a platoon
in Carolina this season. Ward has been the ‘Canes rock for
years, so expect him to get the first shot as the starter’s
job, but Khudobin will be waiting in the wings to step up
in Ward falters again.
corey crawford - g - chicago blackhawks
Crawford had 32 wins with a 2.26 GAA and .917 SV% in
2013-14. With a powerful offence in front of him, it has
been easy for Crawford to post a winning record in his first
four seasons as an NHL starter. He has a career 2.36 GAA
and .914 SV%, so expect quality numbers and a guaranteed 30 wins.
semyon varlamov - g - colorado avalanche
Varlamov led the NHL with 41 wins while posting the
20th best GAA (2.41) and third best SV% (.927) in his third
season with the Avalanche. Getting Patrick Roy as his head
coach sure seemed to transform Varly’s game. Heading
into 2014-15 the young Avs look dangerous, making Varlamov one of fantasy’s top goaltending options.
sergei bobrovsky - g - columbus blue jackets
After a breakout, Vezina Trophy winning campaign in
2012-13, Bobrovsky followed it up with 32 wins, 2.38 GAA,
.923 SV% and five shutouts. The Blue Jackets continue to
improve, but their success largely hinges on Goalie Bob.
Expect another 30-win season with strong numbers across
the board.
kari lehtonen - g - dallas stars
After a shortened year in which Lehtonen struggled, the
30-year-old had a nice bounce-back year in 2013-14.
He won 30-plus games for the fourth time in his career,
while posting a 2.41 GAA and .919 SV%. The Stars have
improved their team in the offseason, so Lehtonen should
have no problem getting 30-plus wins again this year.
He is a low-end number-1, high-end number-2 fantasy
option.
last season
W -19, GAA -2.30, SV% -.926
2014-15 Projection
W -13, GAA -2.35, SV% -.919
last season
W -32, GAA -2.26, SV% -.917
2014-15 Projection
W -36, GAA -2.29, SV% -.916
last season
W -41, GAA -2.41, SV% -.927
2014-15 Projection
W -37, GAA -2.56, SV% -.920
last season
W -32, GAA -2.32, SV% -.923
2014-15 Projection
W -33, GAA -2.40, SV% -.920
last season
W -33, GAA -2.41, SV% -.919
2014-15 Projection
W -35, GAA -2.47, SV% -.918
jimmy howard - g - detroit red wings
Howard missed a total of 13 games with a combination of
knee and hand injuries in 2013-14. He started 51 games,
posting a 21-19-11 record with a 2.66 GAA and .910 SV%.
It was a disappointing way for Howie to follow-up a great
lockout-shortened season. With all the young talent in
Detroit, they should be a playoff contender yet again,
opening the door for Howard to get back to a 30-plus win
season.
Ben Scrivens - g - edmonton oilers
Scrivens had a good start with the Oilers and even had
a dazzling 57-save shutout vs. the Sharks, but finished
9-11 with a 3.01 GAA and .916 SV% after being traded to
Edmonton. He finds himself locked in a battle with Viktor
Fasth for the Oilers’ starting job, but likely won’t be all
that relevant even if he lands that gig. The Oilers are too
suspect defensively for any netminder to be trusted on an
everyday basis.
viktor fasth - g - edmonton oilers
In his second year with Anaheim, Fasth battled injury that
limited him to five games, before the Ducks sent him to
Edmonton. He started seven games with the Oilers, compiling a 3-3-1 record, 2.73 GAA and .914 SV%. The 32-yearold Swede will compete with Ben Scrivens for playing time
this season, but the Oilers suspect defence limits both of
their value.
roberto luongo - g - florida panthers
After a seven and a half year roller-coaster ride in Vancouver, Luongo was traded to the Panthers last March. He
went 6-7-1 with a 2.46 GAA and .924 SV% in 14 starts in his
return to Florida. In 2014-15 he could start 60 games for
the first time since 2010-11. At 35-years-old, he is past his
prime, but will still post solid number-2 fantasy numbers.
jonathan quick - g - los angeles kings
Despite missing 24 games with a groin injury last season,
Quick was still tied for 14th in the NHL with 27 wins. In his
six full NHL seasons, Quick has never had a losing season
while posting a career 2.28 GAA and .915 SV%. On a defence first team with a ton of fire power, Quick should see
far less rubber than his opposition on a regular basisand
should collect wins with relative ease.
last season
W -21, GAA -2.66, SV% -.910
2014-15 Projection
W -34, GAA -2.44, SV% -.915
last season
W -16, GAA -2.55, SV% -.922
2014-15 Projection
W -23, GAA -2.79, SV% -.914
last season
W -5, GAA -2.82, SV% -.903
2014-15 Projection
W -14, GAA -2.88, SV% -.911
last season
W -25, GAA -2.40, SV% -.919
2014-15 Projection
W -29, GAA -2.51, SV% -.917
last season
W -27, GAA -2.07, SV% -.915
2014-15 Projection
W -34, GAA -2.14, SV% -.918
martin jones - g - los angeles kings
While Jonathan Quick was out with a groin strain, Jones
came in an supplanted Ben Scrivens as the Kings’ temporary starter. His emergence allowed the Kings to deal Scrivens to Edmonton and roll with Jones as Quick’s back-up.
He went 12-6 with a 1.81 GAA and .934 SV%, which bodes
well for him to be a top spot-start option in 2014-15.
Darcy Kuemper - G - Minnesota Wild
There was rumblings that Kuemper may flee to the KHL,
but after Josh Harding broke his foot, Kuemper signed a
two-year deal with the Wild. He played well last season,
racking up 12 wins with a 2.43 GAA. The goaltending situation in Minny is a mess and should be avoided if possible,
but Kuemper could emerge as the number-1 if Niklas
Backstrom continues to stuggle with injuries.
josh harding - g - minnesota wild
Harding was having a magical season, before complications with his multiple sclerosis derailed his season in December. He missed a total of 40 regular season games and
finished 28-7-3 with a 1.65 GAA and .933 SV%. Heading
into 2014-15, Harding is already out for 2-3 months with a
broken foot and his MS and the Wild’s messy goaltending
situation make him a risky investment.
niklas backstrom - g - minnesota wild
Injuries and poor play limited Backstrom to just 21 starts
in 2013-14. The 21 starts, five wins, 3.02 GAA and .899 SV%
are all career-worsts for the 36-year-old netminder. He will
be battling Josh Harding and Darcy Kuemper for the Wild’s
starting gig, but it looks like the Fin’s best days are well
behind him.
carey price - g - montreal canadiens
2013-14 was a great year for Price. He won 34 games with
a 2.32 GAA and .927 SV% and led Team Canada to Gold
with a 5-0 record in the Olympics. In 2014-15, it will be
hard to duplicate his career-year, but do not expect much
of a drop-off. A GAA around 2.40 with SV% near .920 with
30 wins is a top-5 fantasy goaltender.
last season
W -21, GAA -2.66, SV% -.910
2014-15 Projection
W -34, GAA -2.44, SV% -.915
last season
W -12, GAA -2.43, SV% -.915
2014-15 Projection
W -16, GAA -2.52, SV% -.914
last season
W -28, GAA -1.65, SV% -.933
2014-15 Projection
W -10, GAA -2.38, SV% -.918
last season
W -5, GAA -3.02, SV% -.899
2014-15 Projection
W -15, GAA -2.47, SV% -.909
last season
W -34, GAA -2.32, SV% -.927
2014-15 Projection
W -33, GAA -2.39, SV% -.921
Pekka rinne - g - nashville predators
Rinne missed 51 games with an infection in his hip last
season. He finished the season 10-10-3 with 2.77 GAA and
.902 SV%. Definitely not Rinne’s best work, but it was a lost
season because of the injury. His hip is reportedly “feeling
great” heading into 2014-15, so he has to top the list of
bounce-back candidates. He is an injury risk, but if healthy
he is capable of posting elite numbers.
cory schneider - g - new jersey devils
In his first season with the New Jersey Devils, Schneider
went 16-15-12 with a 1.97 GAA and .921 SV%. With Martin
Brodeur unsigned, Schneider enters the season as the
unquestioned starter in Jersey, with no controversy surrounding the veteran Brodeur. The 28-year-old netminder,
won’t be leading the NHL in wins, but should post fabulous numbers like he has through his first four full NHL
seasons (career 2.12 GAA / .921 SV%).
jaroslav halak - g - new york islanders
Halak finished with 29 wins, a 2.25 GAA and .921 SV% between the Blues and the Capitals last season. This offseason he signed with the Islanders where he will serve as the
unquestioned number-1. He split time with Brian Elliott
in St. Louis, but he should start 60 games for the first time
in his career. 60 starts could mean 30 wins, but expect his
GAA and SV% to take a hit moving from a strong defensive
team, to playing behind a young blueline.
henrik lundqvist - g - new york rangers
Lundqvist will play in his 10th NHL season in 2014-15. The
32-year-old has five straight seasons with a GAA below
2.38 and SV% above .920. He battles Tuukka Rask for the
top-spot among fantasy netminders, but the Bruins are
better offensively and defensively, so the edge should go
to Rask. Nonetheless, you should be ecstatic if you land
the 2012 Vezina Trophy winner on draft day.
cam talbot - g - new york rangers
Talbot played three seasons in the AHL before getting the
call to the big club early last season. He made the most
of his call-up posting a 12-6-1 record, 1.65 GAA and .941
SV%. He is locked in a backup role behind one of the NHL’s
best, Henrik Lundqvist, but he makes for a great handcuff/
streaming option.
last season
W -10, GAA -2.77, SV% -.902
2014-15 Projection
W -33, GAA -2.39, SV% -.919
last season
W -16, GAA -1.97, SV% -.921
2014-15 Projection
W -28, GAA -2.11, SV% -.922
last season
W -29, GAA -2.25, SV% -.921
2014-15 Projection
W -30, GAA -2.42, SV% -.913
last season
W -33, GAA -2.36, SV% -.920
2014-15 Projection
W -37, GAA -2.13, SV% -.925
last season
W -12, GAA -1.65, SV% -.941
2014-15 Projection
W -12, GAA -2.35, SV% -.918
craig anderson - g - ottawa senators
A season after leading the NHL with a 1.69 GAA, Anderson
struggled to a 25-16-8, 3.00 GAA and .911 SV% season
in 2013-14. He has a history of being inconsistent, which
makes him a risky fantasy option. In 2014-15, the Senators
don’t look like they are going to be very competitive on
paper, which hurts Anderson’s fantasy value even further.
However, he has shown flashes of brilliance at times, making him a high-end third goalie option.
robin lehner - g - ottawa senators
Lehner saw the heaviest workload of his career in 2013-14.
He played 36 games, wrapping the year up at 12-15-6 with
a 3.06 GAA and .913 SV%. The 23-year-old has a bright
future ahead of him, but he remains stuck behind Craig
Anderson on the Senators’ depth chart. With the Sens expected to struggle this season, Lehner also doesn’t make
for a great spot-start option, unless Ottawa surprises some
people.
steve mason - g - philadelphia flyers
In his first full season with the Flyers, Mason started 61
games, winning 33 with a 2.50 GAA and .917 SV%. The
move to Philadelphia in 2012-13, seems to have rejuvenated Mason’s play. The 26-year-old has a clear edge over Ray
Emery and will approach 60 games again this season. The
Flyers ranked eighth in the NHL in scoring last season, so
the goal support will be there, Mason just needs to keep
the puck out of his net.
marc-andre fleury - g - pittsburgh penguins
Fleury got a bad rep with his playoff struggles, but as far
as the regular season and fantasy goes, Fleury is extremely
valuable. Playing for the Penguins is going to give you
plenty of opportunities to pick up wins. In the last four
seasons he has won 36, 42, 23 (lockout year) and 39 games
while posting a GAA below 2.40 with a SV% above .912
with 12 shutouts.If your league members pass on him, just
smile and accept the 40-win potential with good numbers.
antti niemi - g - san jose sharks
Niemi’s game fell apart in the playoffs last season, but his
regular season numbers have been consistently good in
four years with the Sharks. He had 39 wins (2nd in NHL)
with a 2.39 GAA (18th) and .913 SV% (29th) in 2013-14. Expect numbers very similar to those with a healthy amount
of wins in 2014-15. Alex Stalock will push Niemi for starts,
the 31-year-old enters the season as the Sharks’ starter, so
it is his job to lose.
last season
W -25, GAA -3.00, SV% -.911
2014-15 Projection
W -25, GAA -2.49, SV% -.916
last season
W -12, GAA -3.06, SV% -.913
2014-15 Projection
W -10, GAA -2.53, SV% -.915
last season
W -33, GAA -2.50, SV% -.917
2014-15 Projection
W -31, GAA -2.58, SV% -.911
last season
W -39, GAA -2.37, SV% -.915
2014-15 Projection
W -37, GAA -2.36, SV% -.916
last season
W -39, GAA -2.39, SV% -.913
2014-15 Projection
W -36, GAA -2.36, SV% -.917
alex stalock - g - san jose sharks
In his first full NHL season, Stalock excelled as the Sharks’
backup. He went 12-5-2 with a 1.87 GAA and .932 SV%,
He also made three appearances in the playoffs while
Antti Niemi was struggling. He will start the season as the
backup again this year, but he will certainly push Niemi for
starts. The 27-year-old makes for a great spot-start option
heading into October.
brian elliott - g - st. louis blues
Elliott was 18-6-2 with a 1.96 GAA and .922 SV% in 201314. In three years with the Blues, Elliott has racked up 55
wins while posting a spectacular 1.86 GAA and .927 SV%.
This season he won’t be battling Jaroslav Halak for starts,
but he will be battling 24-year-old Jake Allen, who is ready
to play in his first full season. Elliott’s value will likely stay
the same as in previous years and a Elliott-Allen combo
could be a key to fantasy success this season.
jake allen - g - st. louis blues
After four seasons in the AHL, Allen is ready to make the
leap to the NHL this season. He was 33-16-3 with a 2.03
GAA and .928 SV% with Chicago (AHL) last season. He has
15 career NHL games under his belt and should be in an
even-split timeshare with Brian Elliott this season. If he can
wrestle away the number-1 gig, his value would spike, but
as of now it looks like he’s ready for 41 starts.
ben bishop - g - tampa bay lightning
Bishop missed the playoffs with a wrist injury, but will be
back at 100 per cent to start 2014-15. The 27-year-old excelled in his first year as a number-1 in the NHL. He carried
the Lightning with 37 wins, a 2.23 GAA, .924 SV% and five
shutouts. He went undrafted in a lot of leagues last year,
but will be one of the first five goalies off the board this
season. With a lot of offence in front of him, expect the
6-foot-7 Bishop to approach 40 wins again this season.
jonathan bernier - g - toronto maple leafs
Bernier took over the starting job and won 26 games with
a 2.68 GAA and .923 SV% in his first season in Toronto.
Entering the 2014-15 season, Bernier is the clear number-1 over James Reimer. His debut season with the Maple
Leafs was a success, so expect another good year from
the 26-year-old as he searches for his first career 30-win
season.
last season
W -12, GAA -1.87, SV% -.932
2014-15 Projection
W -15, GAA -2.28, SV% -.916
last season
W -18, GAA -1.96, SV% -.922
2014-15 Projection
W -26, GAA -2.10, SV% -.923
last season
W -9, GAA -2.03, SV% -.928
2014-15 Projection
W -26, GAA -2.31, SV% -.917
last season
W -37, GAA -2.23, SV% -.924
2014-15 Projection
W -36, GAA -2.34, SV% -.923
last season
W -26, GAA -2.68, SV% -.923
2014-15 Projection
W -31, GAA -2.49, SV% -.919
james reimer - g - toronto maple leafs
A fter a great playoff performance in 2012-13, the Maple Leafs had high hopes for Reimer entering 2013-14.
That fell apart rather quickly as Jonathan Bernier badly
outplayed him and Reimer finished the year with a 3.29
GAA and .911 SV%. Expectations are much lower this time
around, because Bernier is cemented into the starting role,
but Reimer still holds some value as a streaming option.
ryan miller - g - vancouver canucks
After being acquired from the Sabres, Miller posted a
10-8-1 record with the 2.47 GAA and .903 SV% in St. Louis.
He struggled in the postseason as well, which prompted
the Blues to let him walk in free agency this summer. He
moves to Vancouver where he will replace Roberto Luongo. Miller is used to getting 60 starts so he should be able
to record 30-plus wins for the eighth time in his career.
eddie lack - g - vancouver canucks
Lack played well as Roberto Luongo’s backup, but as soon
as the Canucks traded Bobby Lu to the Panthers and the
starting job was Lack’s he struggled. He went 7-8-1 with
a 2.84 GAA and .893 SV% in 16 games. This season he will
be back in a reserve role behind veteran Ryan Miller. The
Canucks should be more competitive this season, which
makes Lack a strong spot-start/handcuff for Miller.
braden holtby - g - washington capitals
Holtby, had a tough year in 2013-14 but with Michal
Neuvirth in Buffalo and Jaroslav Halak in New York, Holtby
remains the Capitals starter for the upcoming season. We
all know how much fire power Washington has, but they
need to do a better job defensively if Holtby is going to
win 30 games. He is going to see a lot of playing time, it
is just a question of if he will do enough to maintain that
playing time.
ondrej pavelec - g - winnipeg jets
For the third straight season, Pavelec posted a GAA above
2.80 with a SV% below .907. Despite his struggles, he
still enters 2014-15 as Winnipeg’s starter and looks to be
gearing up for a ton of starts yet again. That said, his career 2.96 GAA and .906 SV% keep him off of most fantasy
radars and is a better streaming option when he has a
good matchup.
last season
W -12, GAA -3.26, SV% -.911
2014-15 Projection
W -10, GAA -2.94, SV% -.912
last season
W -25, GAA -2.64, SV% -.918
2014-15 Projection
W -27, GAA -2.49, SV% -.917
last season
W -16, GAA -2.41, SV% -.912
2014-15 Projection
W -12, GAA -2.70, SV% -.909
last season
W -23, GAA -2.85, SV% -.915
2014-15 Projection
W -30, GAA -2.68, SV% -.917
last season
W -22, GAA -3.01, SV% -.901
2014-15 Projection
W -25, GAA -2.89, SV% -.904
dfo’s top 275 - 2014
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
☑ Name
Sidney Crosby, C
Steven Stamkos, C
Alex Ovechkin, RW
Evgeni Malkin, C
John Tavares, C
Corey Perry, RW
Claude Giroux, C
Ryan Getzlaf, C
Jamie Benn, LW
Patrick Kane, RW
Phil Kessel, RW
Tyler Seguin, C
Tuukka Rask, G
Erik Karlsson, D
Taylor Hall, LW
Anze Kopitar, C
Jonathan Toews, C
Henrik Lundqvist, G
P.K. Subban, D
Nathan MacKinnon, C
Nicklas Backstrom, C
Chris Kunitz, LW
Patrick Sharp, LW
Matt Duchene, C
Zach Parise, LW
Jonathan Quick, G
Shea Weber, D
Eric Staal, C
Max Pacioretty, LW
Henrik Zetterberg, LW
Pavel Datsyuk, C
Ben Bishop, G
Duncan Keith, D
Joe Pavelski, RW
Carey Price, G
Jason Spezza, C
Patrick Marleau, LW
Gabriel Landeskog, LW
#
☑ Name
39
40
41
42
Logan Couture, C
David Backes, C
Martin St. Louis, RW
Alex Pietrangelo, D
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
Sergei Bobrovsky, G
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D
Daniel Sedin, LW
Ryan Johansen, C
Joe Thornton, C
Patrice Bergeron, C
Kris Letang, D
Pekka Rinne, G
Thomas Vanek, LW
Marian Hossa, RW
Semyon Varlamov, G
Henrik Sedin, C
Keith Yandle, D
David Krejci, C
Rick Nash, LW
Jordan Eberle, RW
Milan Lucic, LW
Marc-Andre Fleury, G
James van Riemsdyk, LW
Marian Gaborik, RW
Wayne Simmonds, RW
Corey Crawford, G
Dustin Byfuglien, RW/D
Kyle Okposo, RW
Drew Doughty, D
Jeff Carter, C
Zdeno Chara, D
James Neal, LW
Blake Wheeler, RW
Antti Niemi, G
Jarome Iginla, RW
Patric Hornqvist, RW
Ryan O'Reilly, LW
Jeff Skinner, LW
#
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
☑ Name
Mike Smith, G
Jason Pominville, RW
Ryan Kesler, C
Jakub Voracek, RW
Bobby Ryan, RW
Kari Lehtonen, G
Cory Schneider, G
Victor Hedman, D
Evander Kane, LW
Christian Ehrhoff, D
Kyle Turris, C
Mark Giordano, D
Niklas Kronwall, D
Loui Eriksson, LW
Gustav Nyquist, RW
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C
Derek Stepan, C
Kevin Shattenkirk, D
Ryan Suter, D
Ryan McDonagh, D
Jaden Schwartz, LW
Jimmy Howard, G
Brad Marchand, LW
Andrew Ladd, LW
Paul Stastny, C
T.J. Oshie, RW
Mike Green, D
Brent Burns, D
Jonathan Bernier, G
Brandon Saad, LW
Jaromir Jagr, RW
Joffrey Lupul, LW
Ryan Miller, G
Alexander Semin, RW
Valtteri Filppula, C
Bryan Little, C
Alexander Steen, LW
Jaroslav Halak, G
#
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
☑ Name
Matt Moulson, LW
Alex Goligoski, D
Torey Krug, D
Brian Elliott, G
Radim Vrbata, RW
Tyson Barrie, D
Brent Seabrook, D
Vladimir Tarasenko, RW
Roberto Luongo, G
Valeri Nichushkin, RW
David Perron, LW
Chris Kreider, LW
Mark Streit, D
James Wisniewski, D
Andrei Markov, D
Brad Richards, C
John Gibson, G
Jonathan Drouin, LW
Mikael Granlund, C
Johan Franzen, RW
Nazem Kadri, C
Justin Williams, RW
Mikko Koivu, C
Braden Holtby, G
Cody Hodgson, C
Steve Mason, G
Tyler Johnson, C
Tyler Bozak, C
Mark Scheifele, C
Tomas Hertl, LW
Ondrej Palat, LW
Ales Hemsky, RW
Cam Fowler, D
Jonas Hiller, G
Nail Yakupov, RW
Dion Phaneuf, D
Pascal Dupuis, RW
Jake Allen, G
Clarke MacArthur, LW
Patrik Elias, LW
Evgeny Kuznetsov, C
Jiri Hudler, RW
Mike Ribeiro, C
#
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
☑ Name
Craig Anderson, G
PA Parenteau, RW
David Desharnais, C
Mats Zuccarello, LW
Jonathan Huberdeau,
LW
Nick Bjugstad, C
Tomas Plekanec, C
Aleksander Barkov, C
Cam Ward, G
Tomas Tatar, LW
Mike Cammalleri, LW
Shane Doan, RW
Matt Niskanen, D
Ryan Callahan, RW
Derick Brassard, C
Frederik Andersen, G
Dan Boyle, D
Nathan Horton, RW
Justin Schultz, D
Travis Zajac, C
Ondrej Pavelec, G
Brendan Gallagher, RW
Frans Nielsen, C
Ben Scrivens, G
Anton Khudobin, G
Brayden Schenn, C
Brandon Dubinsky, LW
Tyler Toffoli, RW
Jacob Trouba, D
Darcy Kuemper, G
Jason Garrison, D
Scott Hartnell, LW
Brian Campbell, D
Mike Richards, C
Nicklas Backstrom, G
Dustin Brown, LW
Sam Gagner, C
Mikkel Boedker, LW
Reilly Smith, RW
Chris Stewart, RW
Roman Josi, D
Erik Johnson, D
#
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
☑ Name
Tobias Enstrom, D
Martin Jones, G
Adam Henrique, C
Alex Stalock, G
Mikhail Grabovski, C
Alex Galchenyuk, LW
Tomas Fleischmann, LW
Cam Talbot, G
Daniel Alfredsson, RW
Andrej Sekera, D
Slava Voynov, D
Tyler Ennis, C
John Carlson, D
Jhonas Enroth, G
Nino Niederreiter
Antoine Vermette, C
Dougie Hamilton, D
Sami Vatanen, D
Viktor Fasth, G
Sean Monahan, C
Tanner Pearson, LW
Jay Bouwmeester, D
Jussi Jokinen, LW
Alex Tanguay, LW
Eddie Lack, G
Curtis Glencross, LW
Alexander Edler, D
Marek Zidlicky, D
Jack Johnson, D
Ryan Strome, C
Jake Muzzin, D
Jake Gardiner, D
Seth Jones, D
Hampus Lindholm, D
Boone Jenner, LW
Kyle Palmieri, RW
Jiri Tlusty, LW
Milan Michalek, LW
Michal Neuvirth, G
Craig Smith, RW
RJ Umberger, LW
Cam Atkinson, RW
Matt Read, LW
#
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
☑ Name
Justin Faulk, D
David Legwand, C
Olli Jokinen, C
Carl Soderberg, C
Ryan Murray, D
Cody Franson, D
Evgeni Nabokov, G
Andrew Shaw, C
Troy Brouwer, RW
Josh Bailey, RW
Tyler Myers, D
James Reimer, G
Alex Burrows, RW
Eric Gelinas, D
Charlie Coyle, RW
Morgan Rielly, D
Olli Maatta, D
Sam Reinhart, C
Nick Bonino, C
Jori Lehtera, C
Dennis Wideman, D
Robin Lehner, G
Ryan Ellis, D
Michael Dal Colle, LW
Johnny Gaudreau, LW
Aaron Ekblad, D
Karri Ramo, G
Calvin de Haan, D
Nikita Kucherov, RW
TJ Brodie, D
Alex Killorn, LW
Jordan Staal, C
Vincent Lecavalier, C

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