Fantasy Hockey 2022: Players to Watch

The summer has come and gone and pre-season action has started… Hockey is back! The NHL will return to ESPN and join Turner Sports this season in the new U.S. media rights package that runs through 2027-28. Providing a tremendous opportunity for hockey’s growth, this is huge news for the NHL and its fans. The league continues to move towards normalcy this year as fans returning to the arenas should provide a huge boost both physically and financially.

Now let’s focus on what matters most… fantasy hockey! With each year having NHL General Manger’s around the league tossing and turning at night in attempts to improve their team, us fantasy GM’s warm up the Twitter-fingers for another great year of weekly action! There’s never a better time to make predictions so let’s make some for the upcoming season starting with players I feel will shine with their new teams:

Frederik Andersen - Carolina Hurricanes

If there was a player on this list in need of a fresh start, it would be hard pressed to find a better candidate than Frederik Andersen. The former Leafs netminder spent the last 6 seasons in Toronto positing a respectable save percentage. Andersen could never find that breakthrough in Toronto but now playing behind a much-improved defensive group, a return to the numbers of his Anaheim days isn’t entirely out of the question. Can he recover from his nagging injuries and take advantage of his fresh start? Better count on it. Andersen re-gaining a top 10 fantasy position for goalies shouldn’t surprise anyone, even for a Leafs fan.

Marc-Andre Fleury – Chicago Blackhawks

Another goalie makes the list and it aches to see Marc-Andre Fleury be traded away again. More yet, as a salary dump. The two-time Stanley Cup winning goalie is nothing short of a team player and is a notable leader on and off the ice. With backup goalie Kevin Lankinen having just two career starts, we should expect Fleury to see upwards of 60 starts this season. Adding all-star Seth Jones to the mix and hopeful for the return of Captain Toews, Fleury could be in line for Top 5 finish amongst goaltenders. He has the ability to provide top-tier fantasy production and a 30-win season could be on the horizon for last year’s Vezina winner.

Sam Bennett – Florida Panthers

The player flying under the radar amongst all players on new teams is Sam Bennett. Suiting up for the final 10 regular season games and all 5 playoff games, Bennett combined for 7 goals and 13 assists and was an immediate impact to the Panthers top 6. A player thriving on a second chance now has a full season to prove to both himself and the Panthers there is still plenty left in the tank. Bennett brings a dynamic forecheck and aggression to a loaded forward group and could near double his career high in points with Florida. If Bennett can stay healthy, could we see a 60-point campaign? Bennett may lead the way in points by players on their new teams.

Conor Garland – Vancouver Canucks

A classic example of “Can he do it [In Vancouver] too?”, Conor Garland out-performed his contract with the Arizona Coyotes and made a name for himself as one of the league’s best valued contracts. Garland brings his talents North of the border to a team in desperate need of secondary scoring. Limited by a poor Coyotes team, Garland now finds himself with a real opportunity to reach the 50-point plateau. The forward adds a unique piece to an already-dynamic top 6 with his ability to use his speed and willingness to drive the net. His aggressive style of play will mesh well with Canucks fans and become a fan favourite early.

Brandon Montour – Florida Panthers

Another promising young defenseman with a positive trajectory early on, Brandon Montour was sucked in to the mess we call the Buffalo Sabres system and became fantasy irrelevant. Now four years later, Montour finds himself in the top 4 of one of the league’s best offensive teams and a real chance to rebound. Playing out the end of the season in Florida, the defenseman adapted over time and looked more comfortable over time. Now after a full summer of training and bonding with new teammates, Montour is set for a season the former 2nd rounder was expecting when he came into the league back in 2016.

Notable Mentions: Ryan Reaves (Tom Wilson Caps)

Remember when Tom Wilson rag-dolled Artemi Panarin ending the season of the Rangers forward and earning himself a hefty fine from the league? Yes, so do the Rangers. In an off-season where the evident focus was to obtain size and strength in their forward group, New York bolstered their bottom 9 adding heavyweight Ryan Reaves and 2-time cup champ Barclay Goodrow to the mix. Wednesday, October 9th… Get your popcorn ready!

Up/Down Years

The start of a new season means a fresh slate for many in the league. Whether it be in search of a new career-high or starting their back-nine, each player enters the season with high hopes. Risers and fallers happen naturally and it’s common to expect similar this year. With that being said, here are those I feel will have either an up or down year:

PK Subban – UP

The exuberance of PK Subban is second to none, he is built for the bright lights. So why the downfall in offensive production? PK has always had an ability to produce offensively along with an aggressive behaviour but hasn’t had the same production recently as he did in years past. The signing of Dougie Hamilton should allow for Subban to regain his offensive touch as playing against easier matchups on the opposing teams may open some ice up. Entering his 12th season, Subban is in great shape for a bounce back season with a new-look New Jersey. I expect the Subbanator to get back into gear and post another 40+ point campaign including a double-digit goal total.

Elias Lindholm – UP

For those thinking the Calgary Flames will rely solely on the likes of Gaudreau and Monahan now that Giordano has headed to Seattle, I’m here to tell you you’re wrong. Arguably their best scorer, Elias Lindholm, is coming off his highest points-per-game pace of his career and I don’t see why a new career high isn’t on the horizon. A candidate to lead the Flames in points next year and reach the 30-goal plateau for the first time, keep an eye out for the former 2013 5th overall pick to have a major impact this season. We may have a Flames forward finish top 10 in scoring this year, heard it here first.

Jake Guentzel – UP

Finding chemistry with players like Sidney Crosby can do wonders for others careers, shoutout Pascal Dupuis. Jake Guentzel has proven he can score goals at an NHL level and his ability to create chemistry with the game’s best has provided a boost in his offensive output. But what happens when the Penguins have Crosby and Malkin injured to start the season? “Omaha! Omaha!” The Omaha, Nebraska native steps in to a depleted Penguins lineup to play savior early on and keeps Pittsburgh afloat and back to the playoffs. I predict the former 40-goal scorer reaches the 35-goal mark and sets a point-per-game average by seasons end.

Nick Suzuki – UP

At several stages of the Canadiens incredible Stanley Cup run Nick Suzuki was arguably the best player on the ice. The London, Ontario native enters his third NHL season after gaining valuable playoff experience under his belt. A newfound level of confidence may not be out of reach for Suzuki as he ascended to the top of the Canadiens forward group by seasons end. The #1 centre will look to top his 60-point pace and carry Montréal back to the playoffs in a difficult Eastern Conference. We may have our next 30-goal scorer in our sights and all signs point to this player taking a big step forward in the 21-22 season. Don’t think twice about this player, get him on your team.

Taylor Hall – DOWN

Hear me out, okay? Do I think Hall is still an elite forward? Yes. Do I think Hall is in a situation that could set him up for success? Yes. Now, this may come back to bite me but I believe Taylor Hall will have less than 60 points this season. The former 1st overall pick has a series of injuries plaguing his career and hasn’t played more than the 52 games he appeared in last year between Buffalo and Boston since he appeared in 76 games for the Devils during his 2018 MVP campaign. The loss of David Krejci is a significant loss for this lineup and Hall’s stock may fall in result. Finding forwards with similar fantasy value this year should be a focus. I think it’s time to fade the former number one overall pick.

Evgeny Kuznetszov – DOWN

The Capitals centre posted his lowest points per game output since the ‘16-‘17 season which isn’t the main focus of concern. Rather, Kuznetsov’s production has been on the decline for three straight years following the Caps Stanley Cup run in 2018. This is a risk/reward pick for where most drafts will have him going, proceed with caution here. I’m predicting the Capitals winger will fall shy of the 60-point pace this season and the Capitals begin their decline. With the off-season struggles and recent history, I’m avoiding Kuznetsov this year and aiming for players with higher floors. There are better options this year at the centre-ice position.

Max Pacioretty – DOWN

Goal scorers aren’t easy to come by in fantasy hockey and Max Pacioretty has been as steady as they come in the goal category. Posting 20+ goals in seven of the last 8 seasons, Pacioretty joined a select group of snipers that are must-starts every week. Most players with this type of trajectory aren’t worth messing with (don’t fix what isn’t broken, right?) but I feel otherwise this year. The 32-year-old enters his 14th NHL season and has shown signs of degression to his pace of play. How would a drop in ice-time affect his ability to create space and generate chances? I predict Pacioretty scores under 25 goals this season for the Golden Knights and may even become a trade chip come Trade Deadline Day.

Sleepers

Kristian Vesalainen - Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg possesses one of the league’s best forward groups and Kevin Cheveldayoff and management are hoping 2017 1stround-pick Kristian Vesalainen takes the leap this season. Appearing in just 12 games last season, Vesalainen will need to put his offensive skillset on display for Paul Maurice if he wants to earn his keep. The 6’3”, 207lb Fin has the physical attributes to be a force in the league but seemingly lacks the confidence in his game at this point. We may be on the verge of a breakout year.

Oliver Wahlstrom – New York Islanders

The loss of Jordan Eberle to the Seattle Kraken will open a position on the wing of the Islanders top 6 forward group. In comes 2018 11th overall pick Oliver Wahlstrom, a 6’2” right-handed shot with tremendous scoring ability. Playing in 44 games last season, Wahlstrom posted a respectable 12 goals and 9 assists for 21 points. Now is the time for the Boston native to take a step forward and be the offensive boost the Islanders desperately need to make them Stanley Cup contenders. Could Wahlstrom step in and be the next great goal-scorer in New York?

With the season drawing near, the anticipation is rising quickly. For fans of Canadian teams, “Welcome back” brings on a whole new meaning as limited capacity is allowed in all arenas. With fantasy season just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about players that could help carry your team to a championship. Have these players on your radar.