At age 36, there is no reason to believe St. Louis cannot still perform. Last season he posted 31 goals and 99 points while flanking mostly Steven Stamkos. Expect a similar output from the diminutive, undrafted forward as he's only missed a game in seven of his last eight seasons.
Avery is a bit of a fantasy hockey conundrum at this point. When dressed, he could post around 20-30 points while adding 150+ PIM. However, at this point in the season it doesn't appear he has a role with the team.
Sauer looked healthy earlier in the preseason but with is injury history the Rangers will play it safe. Last season he scored three goals and 15 points over 76 games with the team. He won't help out your fantasy hockey team as much as help the Rangers keep the puck out of the net.
Wolski was held out of today's game with his current groin tweak. Despite scoring only 12 goals last season, the former 21st overall pick is only one season removed from a 23-goal, 65-point campaign. Expect him to approach 50 points if he remains healthy and on the top line.
With Johnson without a team, his fantasy hockey value could not be lower.
No immediate fantasy hockey value while on waivers.
No immediate fantasy hockey value in the AHL.
At this point consider Niemi full healthy, ready to start the season as the Sharks' starting goalie. Last season, Niemi won 35 games while sporting a 2.38 GAA and .920 SV%. With Antero Niittymaki already out, the two options for the Sharks would be Thomas Greiss or Harri Sateri if Niemi suffers a setback.
No immediate fantasy hockey relevance while in the AHL.
No immediate fantasy hockey relevance while in the AHL.
No immediate fantasy hockey relevance while in the AHL.
RNH starts the year on a nine-game tryout. If he sticks for the full season, there is no reason to believe he cant match the 22 goals and 42 points Taylor Hall put up last season.
With Mark Fraser on waivers, Taormina may have earned a spot on the team's blue line. Last season, Taormina scored three goals to go along with five points in 17 games before missing the rest of the season to an ankle injury. The offensive-minded defenseman fits into the team's system and should be a player to watch for in the future.
Hackett will backup Backstrom with Harding out. Last season he won 23 of 45 games started with the Houston Aeros, totaling a respectable 2.37 GAA and .916 SV%.
Harding has been relatively injury prone over his five seasons. After missing all of last season he was expected to come back with a bit of rust. No word on how long he will be out.
Leopold scored 10 goals through last January but faded down the stretch, conceding offensive minutes to Andrej Sekera and Marc-Andre Gragnani. Expect him to approach 30 points this season but he will need to now compete with Christian Ehrhoff, Tyler Myers, Gragnani and Sekera for offensive minutes.
If Brunnstrom could succeed anywhere in the NHL, it would be with Detroit. The 26-year-old holds 19 goals and 40 points through 99 career NHL games, which would indicate he has potential similar to a Red Wings forward like Jiri Hudler. Keep the Swedish import in the very back of your mind as he could make an impact filling in for injured Wings.
Looks like Vincour starts the season on the second line. He scored a goal and an assist over 24 games with the Stars last season. The former Vancouver Giant never scored more than 17 goals at any level so don't expect too much production from the 20-year-old. Nevertheless his two goals and four points over six preseason games could indicate a step in the right direction.
Jeffrey starts the season in IR. Last season he impressed the big club, playing 25 games and finishing with seven goals and 12 points. When healthy expect him to battle for a bottom-6 role.
Last season, Crosby scored 32 goals and 66 points over 41 games before missing the rest of the season. If he can play around 60 games he figures to stay in the mix to lead the League.
