Kris Versteeg dealt to the Hurricanes

Neil Parker

2015-09-12

Kris Versteeg - USA Today Sports Images

 

A few fantasy ripples to look at after Kris Versteeg is shipped to the Carolina Hurricanes, but very few waves …

 

The Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks completed a multi-player trade Friday, with the largest name being two-time Stanley Cup winner Kris Versteeg.

Joakim Nordstrom and a third-round selection in the 2017 entry draft accompanied Versteeg, and the Blackhawks added defense prospect Dennis Robertson, the rights to unsigned Jake Massie, and a firth-round selection in the 2017 draft.

 

What the Hurricanes received

Versteeg is a capable role player who can fill a top-six winger for stretches. He is best suited in a third-line role where his offense is a bonus and not a requirement for team success, though.

Versteeg's last 20-goal season was during the 2011-12 campaign, and he has just 28 goals and 46 assists through his past 152 games over the past three seasons. The lockout shortened year is included, but Versteeg's durability and offense are both followed by serious question marks.

Nordstrom is a bottom-six option for Carolina who could occassionaly chip in offensively. He has real-world upside in a checking/bottom-line role, but he tops out at 15 goals and 45 points in a best-case scenario, and a highly unlikely scenario.

Nordstrom should be viewed as a depth asset who can kill penalties. 

 

What the Blackhawks received

Two dice rolls, cap relief and a clearer look at their forward corps.

The cap relief opened up the wiggle room to sign Marcus Kruger, and nothing more was gained by Chicago in the now.

Robertson could receive a cup of coffee in the show at some point, and he may even grab a role as a depth defenseman for a few years. It could potentially happen as soon as this season, too, but expectations should be kept in check.

Massie is headed to the NCAA for his freshman season, and the Hawks could take a wait-and-see approach before signing him.

 

Winners

Chicago Blackhawks

Teuvo Teravainen, Marko Dano, Viktor Tikhonov and Artemi Panarin

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Kris Versteeg

 

Losers

Nathan Gerbe

Joakim Nordstrom

 

Fantasy Hockey Take

With one less body to steal top-six minutes from the Chicago unknown commodities, it is a plus for them all.

Teravainen looks even more locked into a top-six role, as this trade strengthens the security of it.

Where Dano fits remains a somewhat wildcard, but there is one less proven body to compete with, so it is nothing but a positive for him. The same goes for Tikhonov and Panarin, and even Jeremy Morin can be grouped in with the players looking to latch onto roles with the big club.

They're all long shots after Teravainen and Dano, though. And even Dano might be best left to deeper formats. There isn't a significant fantasy impact for Chicago after the deal.

It is great for Kruger, but he is a fantasy afterthought, along with new 'Cane Nordstrom.

Versteeg is the interesting case because he has offensive upside, and he has proven it with weak teams in the past. It would be foolish to write him off completely, as he flashed nice production for a spell just last season with the second line and No. 2 power-play unit.

Still, you've got to be a number of rounds in before he becomes a priority on draft day. Versteeg can be left to waivers in the majority of formats without worry.

Just be ready to pounce if his schedule, his linemates and his production all align at once.

Those are a lot of ifs. 

 

 

2 Comments

  1. Paul Switzer 2015-09-12 at 01:59

    We haven't heard anything concrete that suggests where TT is going to start the year.  The only quotes I have heard is Bowman saying that they have found their #2C (Anisimov) and that Q views TT as a center.  The Hawks could easily start the season with Toews, Anisimov, TT, and Kruger centering the lines.  Kane's probable absence and Dano and Panarin's preseason performance will all factor into who's in the top 6.  I know Dobber and Daost like to suggest that Panarin will start the season in the AHL but it doesn't seem probable.  Most likely, Morin will be the next to go.  

    • Neil Parker 2015-09-12 at 10:02

      You're right, Paul. There are oodles of questions surrounding the Blackhawks, but with Versteeg in Carolina, there is just one less.

       

      Teravainen seems unlikely to play a third-line role unless the goal is to balance all three lines. It isn't out of the question to suggest Dano was the biggest winner of this deal, either.

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