Ramblings: Ryan Johansen, Brayden Schenn, Dan Hamhuis and more (July 26)

Neil Parker

2016-07-26

Ryan Johansen - USA TODAY Sports Images

 

Even more is ahead for Ryan Johansen and Brayden Schenn, don't forget about Dan Hamhuis and more …

 

Ryan Johansen is one of only 17 players with at least 60 points in each of the past three seasons, and he's the youngest. The Predators pivot is ranked 48th by NHL.com and 47th at ESPN.

Over the past three years, his most common linemates have been Nick Foligno, Boone Jenner and Cam Atkinson, and all three are much weaker offensive contributors than Johansen. Among skaters with at least 2,500 minutes in all situations during the three-year stretch, Foligno ranked 71st in points per 60 minutes (2.34), Jenner ranked 136th (1.91), and Atkinson ranked 128th (1.97). Johansen ranked 27th with a 2.62 mark.

He's a point-per-game threat available well into Round 4 of drafts, and unless that changes significantly, he's a roster building block to target with your third or fourth selection. Johansen's one of the rare players available after Round 3 with both a high floor and a high ceiling, and he's already posted a 71-point showing.

However, what's most intriguing is his running mates this year should be a combination of James Neal, Filip Forsberg, Craig Smith and Colin Wilson. Plus, four quality offensive-defenseman in Roman Josi, P.K. Subban, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis.

And finally, even if Johansen shows no improvement on his 2014-15 numbers with Nashville, he scored at an 82-game pace of 66.4 points. Only 22 players registered 66 points last year.

 

***

 

Avoiding arbitration should be viewed as a plus for Brayden Schenn. He's now improved in the point column in each full season and had a beastly cross-category return last year: 26 goals, 59 points, 22 power-play points, 33 penalty minutes, plus-3 rating, 178 shots and 187 hits.

Since the lockout, only 32 times has a player posted a stat line of 25 goals, 10 power-play goals, 55 points and 30 penalty minutes, and Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are the only players to accomplish the feat in each year. Schenn was one of just 13 players to hit all four marks last year.

Among skaters with 1,000 minutes of five-on-five time, Schenn ranked 37th in points per 60 minutes with a 1.95 mark, and he ranked 42nd among all skaters with at least 200 power-play minutes with 4.52 P/60. In all situations, Schenn ranked 18th among skaters with at least 1,250 minutes of ice time with 2.66 P/60.

Entering his age-25 season, Schenn could take a huge step forward towards 30 goals and 65 points with solid contributing statistics. So, sitting ranked at 76th at NHL.com and 115th at ESPN could open up great value in the middle rounds.

With Sean Couturier's developed scoring last year, Schenn's value might not be completely tied to playing with Claude Giroux, either. Albeit, skating with Giroux would obviously be a huge help. Just note, Giroux and Wayne Simmonds were both better at five-on-five with Schenn on their line than when they played without him.

 

***

 

There's a decent case for Dan Hamhuis as a late-round filler to round out your fantasy blueline. The veteran has been limited to just 117 games over the past two seasons and returned only 36 points. He's off the fantasy radar.

However, Dallas lost 60 points from their defense corps with the loss of Alex Goligoski and Jason Demers, and remember, Demers only played 62 games. There are a pile of points available, and Dallas only added Hamhuis to the mix.

The 33-year-old Hamhuis is going to see a big role at even strength, and Dallas finished third in the league with a 2.46 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five last season.

Additionally, both Goligoski (plus-21) and Demers (plus-16) moved the plus/minus needle.

Hamhuis won't pound the real-time statistics, but he tips the scales across all of penalty minutes, shots, hits and blocked shots enough to suffice. And he should easily approach 30 points this season with the potential for a great plus/minus rating.

As far as free assets go, Hamhuis is intriguing in the endgame given his likely high floor. He just has to stay healthy.

 

📢 advertisement:

***

 

It wouldn't take Las Vegas long to have a decent club if it didn't have to draft a roster with an aggregate Expansion Draft value between 60-100 percent of the previous season's upper limit of the salary cap.

Without that restriction, the expansion club could load up on second- and third-year pros with upside and then offer ridiculously high contracts to free agents over the first few seasons.

We'll see, but is it viable to add Ryan Pulock, if you need to hit a $50 million salary floor during the expansion draft? Or perhaps better put, how many Pulock types can you add and still hit the salary floor?

Pulock is the example here because it was confirmed Monday he would have to be protected in the expansion draft. New York could very well choose to protect him, too, but the overarching point remains: Las Vegas will likely be forced to collect a less than ideal group of assets to meet a salary point.

GeneralFanager also highlighted a number of others in the same situation as Pulock, including most notably, Anthony Mantha, Kerby Rychel, Ryan Hartman and Hunter Shinkaruk.

What is most frustrating for the Islanders, surely, is Pulock is not exempt because of a three-game stint with Bridgeport following his final year with Brandon during the 2013-14 season. Those three games are going to cost New York an excellent player, as will be the case for Detroit with Mantha.

 

***

 

The Maple Leafs filled out some roster depth Monday. Frank Corrado inked a one-year, one-way deal worth $600,000, and Peter Holland re-signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract.

After Holland went unclaimed on waivers, he's likely an unhappy Maple Leaf following a career-best season offensively. Corrado and Holland aren't movers and shakers in most fantasy settings. Still, Holland could top out at 40 points in a fully healthy campaign, and Corrado isn't an afterthought yet.

 

***

 

Make sure to check out Peter's Prospect Ramblings on the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Tournament. Many scouts look to these tournaments where players are playing against their peers as an excellent comparison point for their rankings.

Peter highlights the most significant players to track over the tournament and provides oodles of details in a quick-hit preview.

 

***

 

Thanks, Dobberheads.

 

10 Comments

  1. Striker 2016-07-26 at 08:22

    Why does the NHL have to make things so complicated? If his; Poluck’s entry level contract slides under CBA rules how can it be different under expansion rules for determining contract status. Only the NHL can think this stuff up. Either he has 2 years of contractual experience or he doesn’t. If his contract slide under the CBA it should also slide for expansion.

    • Neil Parker 2016-07-26 at 08:32

      It is super annoying. I’ve spent way too much time trying to figure these things (expansion exemption, waivers, etc. etc.) out over the the past few weeks.

      • Striker 2016-07-26 at 09:04

        I spent days running all 30 teams as soon as the NHL published the rules as agreed to with the NHLPA for expansion. I even sent several emails to capfriendly specifically addressing contract slide rules & punishing myself by going to the NHLPA website to read contract rules.

        This effects numerous players potentially & adds a significant wrinkle or wild card if you prefer. There are going to be some pissed off teams & I’m shocked this is coming out this late in the process. I don’t see this as resolved & sure we will get more clarity but it would be nice if the NHL would provide us with some facts in this regard not just a twitter.

        • Neil Parker 2016-07-26 at 09:50

          A tweet. haha

          Agreed wholeheartedly.

          • Striker 2016-07-26 at 13:27

            Got a handle on it now. Change of dates for the purposes of expansion. Dec 31 instead of sept. Pulling in a few players.

            Pulock being a serious issue. Matha & Rychel to a lesser extent but still problomatic.

  2. Jeremy Campbell 2016-07-26 at 08:49

    Great deal for Holland, looks like he should be motivated to prove he’s worth a long term contract. As a Leafs fan I hope he sticks around since he’s a somewhat local guy who grew up a Leafs fan. He’s a big powerful player who has to solidify his NHL career.

  3. audiopile 2016-07-26 at 10:45

    Dallas will have Lindell this year, he should be getting a fair share of those 60 points.

    • Neil Parker 2016-07-26 at 12:01

      Potentially, sure. But he has played four games in the league, I wouldn’t view him as a lock just yet.

  4. Striker 2016-07-26 at 13:01

    Expecting rookies to step in & contribute immediately is a risky proposition especially at D. Not saying it can’t happen but odds of such are seriously against it. I have seriuos concerns about the D Dallas has assembled for next season.

    That said there are some serious minutes to fill with Goligoski & Demers gone.

    Dallas’ s D wasn’t great last season & it’s certainly not better now. I have them 5th in the west currently next season baring changes before the season starts.

  5. ricketts 2016-07-26 at 18:38

    For a ramblings topic, have you ever looked at the best and worst point getters over the last few weeks of the season when it really counts in fantasy playoffs? And for goalies, if they’re on a really good team they might get sat a few times to rest leading into their playoffs. Not sure if it’s realistic to project based on the last few years…

Leave A Comment

UPCOMING GAMES

Mar 19 - 19:03 DET vs CBJ
Mar 19 - 19:03 N.J vs PIT
Mar 19 - 19:03 PHI vs TOR
Mar 19 - 19:03 NYR vs WPG
Mar 19 - 19:03 BOS vs OTT
Mar 19 - 19:03 NYI vs CAR
Mar 19 - 20:03 NSH vs S.J
Mar 19 - 20:03 STL vs COL
Mar 19 - 21:03 EDM vs MTL
Mar 19 - 22:03 VGK vs T.B
Mar 19 - 22:03 L.A vs CHI
Mar 19 - 22:03 VAN vs BUF
Mar 19 - 22:03 ANA vs MIN

Starting Goalies

Top Skater Views

  Players Team
DANIIL MIROMANOV CGY
CONNOR MCMICHAEL WSH
CONNOR BEDARD CHI
EVGENY KUZNETSOV CAR
TAGE THOMPSON BUF

Top Goalie Profile Views

  Players Team
DUSTIN WOLF CGY
CHARLIE LINDGREN WSH
DANIIL TARASOV CBJ
DEVIN COOLEY S.J
JOEY DACCORD SEA

LINE COMBOS

  Frequency N.J Players
21.5 JACK HUGHES NICO HISCHIER JESPER BRATT
19.8 DAWSON MERCER TIMO MEIER ERIK HAULA
13.7 ONDREJ PALAT CURTIS LAZAR ALEXANDER HOLTZ

DobberHockey Podcasts

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

📢 advertisement: