Top 10 Players Benefiting from Offseason Moves

Tom Collins

2017-07-17

Scott Darling - USA TODAY Sports Images

 

The NHL offseason is nothing if not fun for fantasy owners.

Pretty much every NHLer starts over with a clean slate, and it’s even better if the player is on a new team. Hopes are high and their fantasy values can soar. Until the season actually begins and we realize we were fools to believe they could be that much better than they’ve ever shown in the past.

But it’s fun to believe in the hype. Below are 10 players that have seen their fantasy values increase because of offseason moves. For the record, I’m not including any players that are now in Vegas as it’s too tough to gauge a player’s value on a team that didn’t exist last year.

 

10. Nathan Beaulieu

Everyone knew the former first-round draft pick was done as a Hab when he was a healthy scratch for series-deciding game in the first round against the Rangers. Buffalo is the perfect landing spot for Beaulieu, as the squad doesn’t have a lot of options on defense. He could see a major uptick in ice time and power-play time in Buffalo and have a good opportunity to set career highs in almost every fantasy category.

 

9. Mike Cammalleri

Cammalleri has proven he can still produce in the right circumstances. Two years ago, while on the Devils top power-play line and averaging 19:17 per game, he posted 38 points in 42 games. This past year, Cammalleri played two less minutes per game and also saw his power-play time decrease. He responded with 31 points in 61 games. Now he’s going to a Kings team and could line up with Anze Kopitar and Tyler Toffoli. All three will want to prove they are much better than what their 2016-17 seasons may suggest.

 

8. Patrick Marleau

Much of Marleau’s success will be dependent on where he falls in the Maple Leafs lineup. Some are guessing he’s going to get a regular shift with Auston Matthews on the top line. Others think Marleau will be a third-line guy only in Toronto for the leadership. Most fantasy general managers are hoping it’s the former rather than the latter.

 

7. Taylor Hall

Think of how excited Hall must be this summer compared to last. His most common linemates the past year were Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac, PA Parenteau and Adam Henrique. Plus, some guy named Miles Wood on the power play. Now he has a chance to play with Marcus Johnansson and Nico Hischier. It’s no Connor McDavid, but it’s a better situation than what he faced for the past 12 months. 

 

6. Jonathan Drouin

Sometimes all a player needs is a fresh start. That is the hope for fantasy general managers that owns Drouin. The 22-year-old has shown flashes of talent but was never given the opportunity to be the top guy in Tampa Bay. That all changes in Montreal. Drouin’s most frequent linemates with the Lightning were Brian Boyle, Valtteri Filppula, Alex Killorn and Brayden Point. Now he’ll get the opportunity to play with Max Pacioretty and Alex Galchenyuk and should see his time-on-ice average increase. 

 

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5. Alexander Radulov

Radulov has a solid chance to post 60-plus points for the first time in his debut season with Dallas. That’s all dependent on him playing regularly with Tyler Seguin and/or Jamie Benn, but he’ll definitely be on the Stars top power-play unit. Remember, Patrick Eaves had 21 goals and 37 points in 59 games with those two superstars. Radulov is a much better player and has a huge contract behind him to ensure he gets the ice time.

 

4. Antti Raanta

Apparently, if you want a job as a No. 1 goalie somewhere, become a backup with the Rangers for a while. Cam Talbot went to a young squad in Edmonton and a became fantasy star, Antti Raanta now finds himself in the same boat with a young squad in Arizona. Raanta should be able to settle the crease with the Coyotes and could be the next goalie to become a fantasy stud. This probably won't bode as well for Ondrej Pavelec, though.

 

3. Ryan Strome

It started to seem as if Strome was never going to get a chance to live up to his fifth overall draft selection with the Islanders. His power-play ice time was up a minute per game this past season, but he also saw his overall ice time drop by a minute. He would routinely play with John Tavares with the man advantage and Anthony Beauvillier and Brock Nelson at even strength. Now he could be lining up with Connor McDavid or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in all situations.

                                                                                                                                                                              

2. Andre Burakovsky

No one should be more excited by the mass exodus of Washington players than Burakovsky. With Marcus Johansson traded and Justin Williams leaving via free agency, there are holes in the top six to fill. He may be playing with Evgeny Kuznetsov or Nicklas Backstrom, and so Burakovsky appears destined to see a significant uptick in ice time.

 

1. Scott Darling

Any time a goalie moves to a new team to become the No. 1 starter, his value is going to be greatly improved. Carolina has become the summer’s sexy pick as a team that will make the postseason, and Darling will be starting 55-plus games. Not only will Darling get more starts, he'll also be playing behind an emerging young defense corps. Even if he’s just an average goalie, that’s still plenty of value.

 

 

 

3 Comments

  1. Captain Obvious 2017-07-18 at 07:30

    “Drouin’s most frequent linemates with the Lightning”

    Only because Stamkos was injured. And what about the PP? No Hedman, Kucherov etc. anymore.
    I own him in a keeper league and I’ll be looking to trade him this summer. If anything, his situation has gotten significantly worse, and I’m afraid that will reflect on his trade value. I missed the sell-high point.

    • Tom Collins 2017-07-18 at 14:52

      I disagree. He was only on that top power play because of the injury to Stamkos. Once Stamkos is back, the top PP goes to Hedman, Stamkos, Kucherov, Johnson, Palat. Or maybe Stralman if they go with two dmen.

    • MarkRM16 2017-07-19 at 16:10

      I don’t know what to think about the Habs’ top lines, but I don’t think Drouin will crater there, by any means. Look at the awful linemates he had in Tampa! His powerplay numbers may drop with the Habs, but his ES production should increase significantly – enough for them to probably cancel each other out.
      Also, one has to take in to account the psychological benefits of him leaving a team which with he had a mostly poor relationship, to Montreal, where he has a fresh start and was acquired partly due to the fact that he is from Quebec. Given his age, I’d imagine he’s likely to also be a Habs fan, which will also be a motivation to succeed.

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