MORE FANTASY COVERAGE:: Offseason moves
Potential UFAs for 2020 | RFAs | Draft picks, trades
FORWARD
Alexis Lafreniere, LW, NYR
Age: Turns 19 on October 11
No. 1 in the 2020 NHL Draft
Lafreniere, because of his individual skills and the elite fantasy talent around him with the New York Rangers (Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin), has a cap of 65 points for the next season and could end up in the top 10-15 Fantasy Left Wings if he plays in the top 6 and on the first power play. Lafreniere is worth reaching within the top 75 strikers and top 100 overall players in fantasy and among the top 10 overall scores in goalkeeping / dynasty leagues.
READ:: Fantasy projection for Lafreniere with NYR
Kirill Kaprizov, LW, MIN
Age: 23 years
No. 135 selection in the 2015 draft
Despite the Minnesota Wild, it lacks mean depth according to the trade veteran Eric Staal With the Buffalo Sabers, Kaprizov led the Continental Hockey League in goals last season (33 in 57 games) and joined the high-end fantasy wing Kevin Fiala. He’s the perfect alternative for fantasy rookies when someone in your league is reaching for Lafreniere while playing for a much more devious team. Unlike Lafreniere, Kaprizov could be his team’s leading target and / or point producer for the next season.
Grigori Denisenko, LW / RW, FLA
Age: 20 years
Select number 15 in the 2018 draft
The Florida Panthers have a second void behind the elite duo of Alexander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeauand Denisenko has a chance to have an immediate impact, possibly even on the first power game, if potential free agents are unrestricted Evgenii Dadonov and Mike Hoffman do not return. Denisenko, who had nine points (three goals, six assists) in seven games for Russia in the Junior World Championship (T-6 in the tournament), is a fantasy sleeper contestant who, when he arrives at the NHL next season, is a could play a prominent role and benefit from the recent acquisition of Panthers Patric Hornqvist.
NOTE: Another potential outlook for Florida is Wing Owen Tippettwho had 40 points (19 goals, 21 assists) in 46 games for Springfield of the American Hockey League that season.
Quinton Byfield, C, LAK
Age: 18 years
No. 2 selection in draft 2020
Alex Turcotte, C, LAK
Age: 19
No. 5 selection in the 2019 draft
Byfield and Turcotte are the centers of the future for the Los Angeles Kings and could fight for their number 2 position behind the elite veterans Anze Kopitar in the next season. First power play spots could also be available for one or both rookie strikers, which would make Kopitar and top defenders known Drew Doughty for a rebuilt but overlooked team that gets back on its feet in the imagination.
READ:: Effects of the Kings on Byfield’s design
Tim Stutzle, C / LW, OTT
Age: 18 years
No. 3 selection in draft for 2020
Although the Ottawa Senators have short-term fantasy problems as a team, they have talent at the top of their squad, including coverage of the left wing of the elite category Brady Tkachuk and defender bounce-back candidate Thomas Chabot (55 points in 2018-19; 39 this season). Stutzle, who can play wings but may have a higher cap in the middle as the Senators don’t have a viable # 1 option, could be the top scorer with at least 50 points if he gets a chance on Tkachuk’s line, but possibly one Plus / minus liability next season. Ottawa’s minus 52 differential was the second worst in the NHL that season.
NOTE: Another potential outlook for Ottawa is center Josh Norris, who finished third in the AHL (61 points in 56 games).
DEFENSE
Bowen Byram, COL
Age: 19
No. 4 selection in draft 2019
After scoring 40 goals as a defender for Vancouver’s Western Hockey League in the last two seasons, Byram was able to join the league’s best young core Cale Makar and Samuel Girard for the Colorado Avalanche, one of the safest fantasy teams. Since the defensive position isn’t very deep, Byram’s advantage is most intriguing to any player outside of the top 35, even if his role with Makar on PP1 is largely equal.
Evan Bouchard, EDM
Age: Will be 21 on October 20
Select No. 10 in the 2018 draft
Top defender Oscar Klefbom has a shoulder injury that may require surgery and put him out for part or all of the next season. The Edmonton Oilers could turn to Bouchard, who was productive for Bakerfield of the AHL last season (36 points in 54 games), to fill a top 4 void and possibly the first power play void he finds himself in deals with the top two goal scorers in the league Leon draisaitl (110 points) and Connor McDavid (97).
AIMS
Igor Shesterkin, NYR
Age: Turns 25 on December 30th
No. 118 selection in the 2014 draft
Shesterkin took a 10: 2-0 lead with a saving of 0.932 percent and triggered a dominant run of the Rangers after he was recalled from the AHL on January 6. He will remain rookie capable for the next season. Fellow goalkeeper Alexandar GeorgievThe 24-year-old is expected to compete for starts every week, but Shesterkin already has the cap on finishing as a top 5 fantasy goalkeeper next season, especially after the Rangers bought out veteran Henrik Lundqvist’s deal.
Ilya Sorokin, NYI
Age: 25 years
No. 78 selection in the 2014 draft
With New York Islanders Backup Thomas Greiss Sorokin is likely to become a UFA and could be the perfect complement to the starter and fellow Russian goalkeeper Semyon Varlamov, who contributed significantly to the run of the Eastern Conference finals, but has performed inconsistently from season to season in his NHL career. Sorokin went with 0.930 SV% and 44 shutouts in 244 career KHL games to 134-64-22 and is already one of NHL.com’s 25 best goalkeepers with the highest fantasy cap of all goalkeepers in the tenure of coach Barry 9.6 the islanders.
Other potential newbies to consider in the imagination:: Nicholas Robertson, LW, TOR; Trevor Zegras, C, ANA; Ville Heinola, D, WPG; Cole Caufield, RW, MTL; Alexander Romanov, D, MTL; Morgan FrostC / LW, PHI; Gabriel VilardiC, LAK; Dylan Cozens, C, BUF; Alexei Melnichuk, G, SJS
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