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Ultimate Fantasy Pool Guide 2018-19

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The Hockey News The Hockey News - Pool Book (ENG) - 2018

<div class="byline">BY MURRAY TOWNSEND</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="betting_canes2" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/betting_canes2/307508-1-eng-US/betting_canes22.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>TREVOR VAN RIEMSDYK,&nbsp;JUSTIN WILLIAMS & JUSTIN FAULK</b></p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(GREGG FORWERCK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>NEW BETTING</b> legislation in the United States will have little effect on fantasy sports. How do we know?</p><p>Canadians have lived with government-operated sports betting for decades now and fantasy sports are stronger than ever north of the border. And while Americans may have been legally shut out of hockey betting, they know all their football point spreads for a reason and still love to play their fantasy sports.</p><p>They&rsquo;re two completely different types of wagering. Sports betting is gambling on whether a team wins or loses, while the challenge of fantasy sports involves how players within those teams perform. Fantasy sports requires more intricate knowledge, provides more social interaction, is more about our own performance as a fictitious team manager against a group of friends, and involves the pride of virtual ownership of a fantasy team.</p><p>Of course, you could participate in both and be happy. Here at The Hockey News we like our readers to be happy so we put together a betting guide, not just for Americans but also for Canadians tired of losing. Consider these before dipping your toe in the pool.</p><h2><b>BACKUP GOALIES</b></h2><p>A common misconception is that when a team uses its backup goalie you should bet against them. It makes sense, because if he was better than the team&rsquo;s No. 1 he wouldn&rsquo;t be the backup. Over the long haul that&rsquo;s no doubt true, but on a game-to-game basis it&rsquo;s a different story.</p><p>For one thing, getting a start is a big deal for the backup so he&rsquo;s going to be stoked for that particular game, as opposed to the starter for whom it would just be another night.</p><p>Moreover, players on the team are aware their No. 1 goalie isn&rsquo;t playing so they&rsquo;ll compensate by being more careful in their own zone, and better defensively. Here are a few examples of backup win-loss records in 2017-18:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-0176/307501-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="474" height="361"></div><h2><b>HOME-ICE ADVANTAGE</b></h2><p>The NHL records losses in overtime or shootout in their own special category, not acknowledging that they&rsquo;re actual losses because the loser gets a point. Unless you&rsquo;re doing three-way betting (wins, losses and ties at the end of regulation) or provincial government betting (the score at the end of regulation), then a loss is a loss is a loss in the betting world.</p><p>Home teams were 716-427-128 according to the NHL, which looks pretty amazing, but here&rsquo;s something more amazing: road teams also had a winning (I use that term loosely) record of 555-548-168.</p><p>Only in the NHL can home and road teams both have winning records. It&rsquo;s not a terrible strategy for the league because it makes teams look a lot better than they are. Your team at two games over .500 looks better to the hometown fans than eight games under .500.</p><p>For betting purposes, it&rsquo;s easy enough to get a better perception of a team&rsquo;s record by adding their overtime losses to their regulation losses. Carolina was 36-35-11 last year, a winning record, not bad. Add in their overtime and shootout losses and their record was 36-46, not very good.</p><p>Not to further complicate matters, although it does, note the NHL lists regulation and overtime wins in the ROW column in the standings. Carolina had 33 regulation or OT wins and 35 regulation losses, which is back to being OK if you&rsquo;re only betting to the end of regulation time.</p><h2><b>LOSING A KEY PLAYER</b></h2><p>This follows a similar thought process as playing the backup goalie, except there are more people involved.</p><p>The top-line left winger has an upper-body injury, not serious but he won&rsquo;t play that night. Somebody takes his spot on the first line and everybody moves up a notch, including the guy who was sitting in the press box who now gets to play. So you&rsquo;ve got four highly motivated players, all looking to make an impression. Again, like the backup goalie, it only works over the short term. After the dust settles, the motivational value wears off and players return to their talent level. Usually.</p><h2><b>STREAKING TEAMS</b></h2><p>Every team gets hot and cold. Every team. Nashville had the league&rsquo;s best record last year. They lost four of five at one point, and had two three-game losing streaks.</p><p>Buffalo had the worst record. They, um, OK, they&rsquo;re the exception to the rule.</p><p>The thing is, watch for the hot and cold teams. Run with them either way while it lasts. When the streak ends, it often completely reverses itself. Calgary had a seven-game winning streak. That was followed by a six-game losing streak.</p><h2><b>BATTERED TEAMS</b></h2><p>One of your best bets is to pick a team after it has taken a beating. Embarrassment is a highly effective motivator.</p><p>Last season, there were 23 games in which a team lost by at least six goals. One of those games was the final one of the season for both teams, so throw that out and we&rsquo;re left with 22 such games that were followed by another game. Now, keep in mind it&rsquo;s more likely to be a weak team that loses by that much. The losers of those games compiled an impressive 16-6 record in their next game.</p><p>As well, the winning team, a team so good it won by six goals, wasn&rsquo;t so dominant in their next game, compiling a 12-10 mark.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/betting_dell/307494-1-eng-US/betting_dell2.jpg" title="betting_dell" width="1024" height="1062"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>AARON&nbsp;DELL</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(ROCKY W. WIDNER/NHL/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>PLAYOFFS</b></h2><p>Most teams get about five months off at the end of the season, but for some reason a week off between the Christmas break and the all-star break was negotiated into the schedule by the NHL and NHLPA.</p><p>In the first year of the week-off experiment, teams had a rough time coming back from the break. Supposedly they were rusty, but judging by the Instagram photos, some players might have just been tired after having too much holiday fun.</p><p>Last season, the league tried to balance it out and scheduled the week-long breaks around the same time in January, and had teams face other teams that were also coming off a break.</p><p>Three breaks in a one-month period may or may not be ridiculous, but for betting purposes you might as well ignore it in January because everybody is getting lots of time off.</p><h2><b>TIRED TEAMS</b></h2><p>Every team has busy times in their schedule. In the first month of the season it probably doesn&rsquo;t matter, but later it might. There could be other factors, such as how the team is playing at that time, but we can assume a tired team isn&rsquo;t going to play as well and have that built-in excuse for it.</p><h2><b>HOMECOMING</b></h2><p>We hear this a lot, about how a team that returns home from a long road trip loses that first game back. But is it true?</p><p>Turns out that we just hear about it when it happens, not when it doesn&rsquo;t. Each team&rsquo;s first game home after at least four consecutive games on the road was considered. Consecutive games interrupted by the Christmas break, all-star break and each team&rsquo;s mid-season vacation in January were not included.</p><p>In the first game after at least four uninterrupted games on the road, NHL home teams had a spectacular record of 56-22-6 last season.</p><p>So much for that myth.</p><h2><b>LIVE BETTING AND THE DUMBEST STAT IN HOCKEY</b></h2><p>You&rsquo;d be hard-pressed to watch a hockey game when seconds after the first goal is scored, the broadcast doesn&rsquo;t trot out the team&rsquo;s record when scoring the first goal.</p><p>Yawn.</p><p>While it&rsquo;s true that teams have good records when scoring first, they have very similar records when scoring the second goal, the third goal, the fourth goal or any goal.</p><p>It&rsquo;s simple math. Let&rsquo;s say seven goals are scored in a game. The winning team has to have at least four of the seven goal slots every time. In fact, you could make a case that the first goal is the least important of the game because there&rsquo;s more time to get that goal back.</p><p>If the betting site has live betting, which means the odds change depending on the score of the game, then this is where you can do well. If a superior team goes down early by one goal or two goals, jump all over that and get great odds while you wait for the comeback.</p><p>Watching the game will help. You can see if one team is outperforming the other, even though they&rsquo;re losing. Although, momentum is a funny thing in hockey because you only have it until you don&rsquo;t. Then the other team has it until they don&rsquo;t.</p><h2><b>BET WITH YOUR HEAD, NOT YOUR HEART</b></h2><p>Oh, you can go ahead and bet on your favorite team every night, no problem with that, as long as you&rsquo;re not expecting to win. You&rsquo;re too close, you can&rsquo;t be objective.</p><p>The best thing to do is to ignore your home team unless you have a reason not to, or you don&rsquo;t care if you lose.</p><p>Sometimes you can see that your favorite team is playing well, so go ahead and bet on them. Sometimes you can see they&rsquo;re playing poorly, so don&rsquo;t bet on them.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

betting_canes2

Upfront

BEFORE YOU PLACE THAT HOCKEY BET

<div class="byline">BY JARED CLINTON</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="freshmen_petters" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/freshmen_petters/307677-1-eng-US/freshmen_petters2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ANDRE RINGUETTE/HHOF-IIHF IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>HE PREVAILING</b> belief when it came to Vancouver top prospect Elias Pettersson was that he needed some serious bulking up before he could cross the pond and land a full-time gig with the Canucks. His toughest critics said his slight frame &ndash; he&rsquo;s 6-foot-2 and listed at a generous 160 pounds &ndash; would be a hindrance when competing against men in Sweden&rsquo;s top flight and, eventually, in the AHL and NHL. He was projected to need at least two development years before he&rsquo;d earn a spot with the Canucks.</p><p>It&rsquo;s safe to say the hand-wringing about Pettersson&rsquo;s size was all for naught.</p><p>Not only did Pettersson succeed in his rookie campaign in the SHL, he took the circuit by storm with deft playmaking and an underestimated scoring touch. Despite missing eight games while at the WJC, at which he scored five goals and seven points in Sweden&rsquo;s silver-medal finish, Pettersson lit up the SHL for 24 goals and 56 points in 44 games. And Pettersson&rsquo;s total was notable not only in that it topped the rookie class and led the league, but also that it set a high-water mark for junior-aged players in the SHL. Pettersson finished three points clear of former record-holder Kent Nilsson, eight ahead of Peter Forsberg and nine and 11 points up on the best junior season by two of Vancouver&rsquo;s adopted sons, Henrik and Daniel Sedin.</p><p>Entering into that elite company erased doubt about Pettersson&rsquo;s potential to break into the NHL with a bang, as did his capturing of the season and playoff MVP awards, the latter on the strength of 10 goals and 19 points in Vaxjo&rsquo;s title run.</p><p>So, when it comes to Pettersson, the only question left might be what he has planned for an encore. Here are the 2018-19 NHL freshmen who should be on your radar.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/pettersson_elias/307663-1-eng-US/pettersson_elias2.jpg" title="pettersson_elias" width="277" height="286"></div><h2><b>ELIAS PETTERSSON, VANCOUVER</b></h2><p><b>PROJECTED: 58 POINTS</b></p><p>It&rsquo;s a shame he doesn&rsquo;t get to spend a season with countrymen Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Those two, by the way, had rookie seasons of 34 and 29 points.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/svechnikov_andre/307649-1-eng-US/svechnikov_andre2.jpg" title="svechnikov_andre" width="296" height="265"></div><h2><b>ANDREI SVECHNIKOV, CAROLINA</b></h2><p><b>PROJECTED: 47 POINTS</b></p><p>His dominance on every stage leaves little doubt about his ability to put up points. The gifted scorer has 89 goals in 127 games over the past two seasons.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/mittelstadt_case/307635-1-eng-US/mittelstadt_case2.jpg" title="mittelstadt_case" width="260" height="288"></div><h2><b>CASEY MITTELSTADT, BUFFALO</b></h2><p><b>PROJECTED: 44 POINTS</b></p><p>He closed out last season by making his Sabres debut and netted five points in six games. He can be a human highlight reel that gives Buffalo&rsquo;s attack a boost.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/dahlin_rasmus/307621-1-eng-US/dahlin_rasmus2.jpg" title="dahlin_rasmus" width="256" height="268"></div><h2><b>RASMUS DAHLIN, BUFFALO</b></h2><p><b>PROJECTED: 40 POINTS</b></p><p>The first overall pick steps into the fire right away. But he&rsquo;s been up against men in Sweden&rsquo;s top league since he was 16. He&rsquo;s a keeper-league keeper.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/steel_sam/307607-1-eng-US/steel_sam2.jpg" title="steel_sam" width="232" height="269"></div><h2><b>SAM STEEL, ANAHEIM</b></h2><p><b>PROJECTED: 40 POINTS</b></p><p>The 2016 first-rounder has been given time to shine in the WHL, and the playmaking pivot stands to flourish under the tutelage of captain Ryan Getzlaf.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/donato_ryan/307593-1-eng-US/donato_ryan2.jpg" title="donato_ryan" width="256" height="264"></div><h2><b>RYAN DONATO, BOSTON</b></h2><p><b>PROJECTED: 39 POINTS</b></p><p>Straight out of college and into the NHL, he showed a flair for offense. If his ice time increases, his production will follow suit on the high-flying Bruins.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/zadina_filip/307579-1-eng-US/zadina_filip2.jpg" title="zadina_filip" width="264" height="253"></div><h2><b>FILIP ZADINA, DETROIT</b></h2><p><b>PROJECTED: 36 POINTS</b></p><p>A stud in major junior, he stoked his own hype with an outstanding performance at the 2018 WJC. His complete game will make for an easier transition.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/zykov_valentin/307565-1-eng-US/zykov_valentin2.jpg" title="zykov_valentin" width="224" height="266"></div><h2><b>VALENTIN ZYKOV, CAROLINA</b></h2><p><b>PROJECTED: 36 POINTS</b></p><p>The smooth-skating winger&rsquo;s AHL exploits must have the Canes salivating. His three-goal, seven-point NHL cup of coffee bodes well.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/johnsson_andreas/307551-1-eng-US/johnsson_andreas2.jpg" title="johnsson_andreas" width="244" height="244"></div><h2><b>ANDREAS JOHNSSON, TORONTO</b></h2><p><b>PROJECTED: 34 POINTS</b></p><p>Losing the offensive likes of James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak would have crippled some teams, but Toronto knew it had a gem glittering in the AHL.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/kamenev_vladisla/307537-1-eng-US/kamenev_vladisla2.jpg" title="kamenev_vladisla" width="301" height="305"></div><h2><b>VLADISLAV KAMENEV, COLORADO</b></h2><p><b>PROJECTED: 33 POINTS</b></p><p>He came to Colorado from Nashville in the Matt Duchene deal and missed most of last season with a broken arm. He&rsquo;s ready for prime time after an AHL stint.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

freshmen_petters

INSTANT IMPACT

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0030-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-0174/308592-1-eng-US/f0030-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Team Profiles

EDMONTON OILERS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0046-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-0168/309168-1-eng-US/f0046-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0046-01

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

<div class="byline">Brian Costello, Senior Editor</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="BC-column-iPad" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/bc-column-ipad2/329244-1-eng-US/bc-column-ipad.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JACLYN LOCKE)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>SOMETIMES WE FANTASY</b> GMs have issues with the real GMs. They spoil things a bit.</p><p>We posers go into the summer with a vision of who we think are late-round dark-horse players for our hockey pool the next season. It starts out as a mental list but soon grows to the point of having to jot down names in your daytimer or on your iPhone. The header? &ldquo;Late-round sleepers!!&rdquo; And you underline it twice. Adam Gaudette, Robert Thomas, Juuso Valimaki, Kieffer Bellows, Klim Kostin, Jordan Kyrou. Even Kyle Capobianco. These are some of the names who ended 2017-18 with great acclaim and looked to be good bets to crack opening-night NHL rosters this season.</p><p>Then July came, and those real GMs went to work. Nothing against the Leo Komarovs, Jordan Nolans, Antoine Roussels and Dalton Prouts of the world, but you&rsquo;re taking opportunity away from our fantasy league difference-makers. We all know hockey pools are won with picks made in the second half of the draft. And for those of us in keeper pools, we love being able to select a blue-chipper like Thomas late, then watch him turn into an NHL star for a decade. But if he&rsquo;s back in junior, that&rsquo;s not going to work right now.</p><p>So when St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong signed free-agent forwards Tyler Bozak, David Perron, Patrick Maroon and Nolan this off-season, and traded for Ryan O&rsquo;Reilly, it essentially meant the Baby Blues &ndash; Thomas, Kyrou and Kostin &ndash; were ticketed for the farm system. St. Louis has 15 NHL forwards under contract without those Baby Blues. Thanks, Doug!</p><p>And thanks, Lou Lamoriello. Your acquisitions of Valtteri Filppula, Tom Kuhnhackl, Matt Martin, Ross Johnston and Komarov effectively means Bellows has to usurp at least two Islanders forwards with one-way contracts to make the team this season. And in Vancouver, does Jim Benning&rsquo;s free-agent signings of Jay Beagle, Tim Schaller and Roussel put Hobey Baker winner Gaudette on a plane to Utica?</p><p>But that&rsquo;s the way the NHL is these days. For as much as GMs and media talk about needing contributing players on entry-level contracts to make the books work, they also don&rsquo;t want to burn a year of said player&rsquo;s bargain contract if he&rsquo;s just in a fringe role on a team that&rsquo;s bound to have cap issues a few years hence. It&rsquo;s the salary-cap dance, and every GM does it.</p><p>Perhaps Calgary GM Brad Treliving said it best when talking about adding forwards Elias Lindholm, James Neal, Derek Ryan, Austin Czarnik and Alan Quine this off-season: &ldquo;It should be very hard to make this team.&rdquo; That doesn&rsquo;t mean prospects such as Andrew Mangiapane, Spencer Foo, Dillon Dube or Morgan Klimchuk won&rsquo;t be given a chance. But they&rsquo;re going to have to outperform to get that crack. Very few jobs can be gifted.</p><p>Of course, there are exceptions to that school of thought. A hot shot like No. 1 overall draft pick Rasmus Dahlin will step right in with Buffalo. (He even shares a page with Sidney Crosby in our skater profiles.) But Dahlin was never going to slip under the radar in your fantasy draft or office pool.</p><p>Don&rsquo;t fret, though. Fantasy GMs should never give up hope of getting that late-round pick who shines as a rookie and stars on your roster for years. Some fab freshmen identified by our pool guru Murray Townsend this year include Sam Steel, Valentin Zykov, Andreas Johnsson and Dylan Sikura.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/costello_signatu/307458-1-eng-US/costello_signatu2.jpg" title="costello_signatu" width="588" height="149"></div><p><b>@BCOSTELLOTHN</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

BC-column-iPad

Column

A CASE OF THE BABY BLUES

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/timelines_mittel/307706-1-eng-US/timelines_mittel2.jpg" title="timelines_mittel" width="789" height="1092"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>CASEY AT THE BAT</b></p><p>Mittelstadt was the No. 1 prospect in Future Watch 2018 and will make an NHL impact with the Sabres this year.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(MARK BLINCH/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>HANKS TO SPEED AND</b> preparation, the NHL has become a young man&rsquo;s league. That&rsquo;s great for NHL franchises, who get impact players bound by below-market rookie contracts for three years, but it can also be great for your keeper pool if you strike early enough. It&rsquo;s a balancing act as some prospects need an extra year or two or three. This is normal, so check this guide on some top-end kids who will be emerging in the next few years. We&rsquo;ve identified when we expect them to play full seasons in the NHL. (Ages are as of the projected debut season.)</p><h2><i><b>2018-19</b></i></h2><h3><b>ELIAS PETTERSSON C, 19</b></h3><p>Expectations are high for Pettersson in Vancouver, but luckily he&rsquo;s not alone. The Canucks can support the gifted pivot with Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat, among others, allowing him to dazzle with his skills on the rebuilding club.</p><h3><b>CASEY MITTELSTADT C, 19</b></h3><p>The idea of a young 1-2 punch of Jack Eichel and Mittelstadt down the middle in Buffalo is intriguing. And we&rsquo;ll get our first taste of it this year. Mittelstadt made his NHL debut last season, but this will be his first full campaign.</p><h3><b>EELI TOLVANEN RW, 19</b></h3><p>After success in the KHL with Jokerit, Tolvanen is poised to make a full-time mark on the NHL. If Nashville can put him in good spots, the Finn will reward them, as his release is lethal. That could mean a deadly power play for the Preds.</p><h3><b>ANDREI SVECHNIKOV RW, 18</b></h3><p>Thanks to his size, skill and willingness to drive to the net, Svechnikov has a game tailor-made for the NHL. Given Carolina&rsquo;s need for goal-scoring, the powerful Russian will get every chance to make an impact quickly.</p><h3><b>FILIP ZADINA LW, 18</b></h3><p>We saw what Zadina can do on a big stage at the WJC and that was great news for the Czechs in Buffalo. With his motor and pure scoring ability, Zadina is a tantalizing prospect to go straight from the draft to Detroit.</p><h3><b>RASMUS DAHLIN D, 18</b></h3><p>OK, expectations are high already, but isn&rsquo;t it fun that Dahlin, the swift and skilled blueliner, will be playing for coach Phil Housley in Buffalo? Housley put up 66 points as a Sabres rookie, let&rsquo;s see what Dahlin can do.</p><h2><i><b>2019-20</b></i></h2><h3><b>JACK HUGHES C, 18</b></h3><p>With his speed and skill, Hughes looks like the next Patrick Kane. Given how he dominated on the U.S. under-18 squad as an under-17 player, it stands to reason the top 2019 draft prospect will jump straight to the NHL.</p><h3><b>CODY GLASS C, 20</b></h3><p>Clearly the Golden Knights were better than expected, so there&rsquo;s no need to rush Glass to the NHL. The talented pivot has a chance to dominate the 2019 WJC and go for a WHL title. Then he can be the center Vegas needs long-term.</p><h3><b>CALE MAKAR D, 20</b></h3><p>Makar probably could&rsquo;ve left UMass after one year, but he&rsquo;ll get stronger as a sophomore, which means he&rsquo;ll be more prepared to run Colorado&rsquo;s power play and zing the puck up the ice once he arrives in Denver.</p><h3><b>OLIVER WAHLSTROM RW, 19</b></h3><p>Wahlstrom will join Boston College, but he seems like a one-and-done prospect at the NCAA level. Not only does he have size, but his shot is NHL-caliber and his scoring ability makes him a candidate for early pro success with the Isles.</p><h3><b>QUINN HUGHES D, 19</b></h3><p>Another year at Michigan will mean time in the weight room and an opportunity to round out his game. After that, don&rsquo;t expect another year at Ann Arbor: Hughes is too good of a puck-mover to keep out of the pros.</p><h3><b>KAAPO KAKKO RW, 18</b></h3><p>The Finnish kid is already 6-foot-4 and pushing 210 pounds. Imagine when he&rsquo;s physically mature. A top prospect for the 2019 draft, Kakko introduced himself at the world under-18s, dominating on a line with Jesperi Kotkaniemi.</p><h2><i><b>2020-21</b></i></h2><h3><b>ALEXIS LAFRENIERE LW, 18</b></h3><p>How good was Lafreniere in Rimouski? Well, he won QMJHL rookie of the year over Zadina. He also earned first-team all-star honors and potted 40 goals as a 16-year-old, so he&rsquo;ll go straight from the 2020 draft to the NHL.</p><h3><b>QUINTON BYFIELD C, 18</b></h3><p>Big body and big skill. Sudbury has needed a talent like Byfield for a long time. With his combination of skating, power and talent, the youngster is going to be a tough one to slow down. NHL teams will be licking their chops, too.</p><h3><b>ALEXANDER HOLTZ RW, 18</b></h3><p>Phenomenal Swede has excellent hands and a dynamic skill set to go along with his great skating. They&rsquo;re taking it slow with him in the Djurgarden program, but he&rsquo;ll be a force after he goes early in the 2020 draft.</p><h3><b>ALEX NEWHOOK C, 19</b></h3><p>One of the top scorers in the BCHL at 16, expect Newhook to dominate even more in Victoria this season. From there, it&rsquo;s the 2019 draft, then Boston College. Based on his smarts and skill, it&rsquo;s one year in school and then on to the NHL.</p><h3><b>PEYTON KREBS LW, 19</b></h3><p>The playmaking winger has vision and ability. Moves well and will have a big role for Kootenay in the WHL. Krebs is a 2019 draft prospect who put up stellar numbers as a rookie for the Ice and at the world under-17 challenge.</p><h2><i><b>2021-22</b></i></h2><h3><b>RAPHAEL LAVOIE C, 21</b></h3><p>A big dude with great hands, Lavoie will get an excellent growth opportunity in Halifax as the Mooseheads host the Memorial Cup next spring. He&rsquo;s a 2019 draft prospect but will need some time to work on his skating.</p><h3><b>CAM YORK D, 20</b></h3><p>The perfect defenseman for the modern era, the mobile York won world under-18 silver with Team USA during his under-17 year. The 2019 draft prospect is bound for Boston College, for one or maybe two seasons.</p><h3><b>MASSIMO RIZZO C, 20</b></h3><p>Committed to North Dakota, Rizzo is on a great development path thanks to his Jr. A team in Penticton. Vision and hockey sense are his best assets and he&rsquo;ll play another year for the Vees before his 2019 draft date.</p><h3><b>COLE PERFETTI C, 19</b></h3><p>A dynamic player with great hands and creativity, Perfetti chose OHL Saginaw over NCAA Michigan. A hard player to defend, Perfetti is adept at spinning off checks. He&rsquo;ll surely be one to watch for the 2020 draft.</p><h3><b>KAIDEN GUHLE D, 19</b></h3><p>The top pick in the WHL&rsquo;s 2017 bantam draft by Prince Albert, Guhle is a smart and mobile defender. He&rsquo;s the younger brother of Sabres blueline hopeful Brendan Guhle. Kaiden is eligible for the 2020 NHL draft.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

timelines_mittel

KNOW WHEN TO HOLD ’EM

<div class="byline">BY MATT LARKIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="buyer_couturier" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buyer_couturier/307875-1-eng-US/buyer_couturier2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(LEN REDKOLES/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>D</span>ISCOVERING SURPRISE STARS IN</b> fantasy leagues &ndash; hello, William Karlsson &ndash; gives GMs a fun high. But the same players who bring joy as out-of-nowhere success stories bring stress in the next year&rsquo;s draft. This time, they won&rsquo;t come cheap. Karlsson was undrafted in almost every pool and ended up a top-20 fantasy player in 2017-18. Are you willing to spend a top-20 pick on him this year? Problems like these keep poolies up at night. Which unexpected stories should we trust going into 2018-19?</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/brown_dustin/307861-1-eng-US/brown_dustin2.jpg" title="brown_dustin" width="203" height="262"></div><h2><b>DUSTIN BROWN</b></h2><p><b>LOS ANGELES KINGS</b></p><p>A career-high 61 points at 33 after five years of fewer than 30 points? Brown&rsquo;s game opened up under coach John Stevens, but age alone tells us he&rsquo;s going to decline even if last year&rsquo;s output was legitimate. <br><b>VERDICT: BUYER BEWARE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/fleurymarc-andre/307847-1-eng-US/fleurymarc-andre2.jpg" title="fleurymarc-andre" width="236" height="286"></div><h2><b>MARC-ANDRE FLEURY</b></h2><p><b>VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS</b></p><p>&lsquo;Flower&rsquo; will be a valuable fantasy goalie. Concussion woes cost him time in two of the past three years. His playoff run will also inflate his value. He&rsquo;ll help you, but the injury risk is not worth the price tag. <br><b>VERDICT: BUYER BEWARE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/miller_jt/307833-1-eng-US/miller_jt2.jpg" title="miller_jt" width="259" height="297"></div><h2><b>J.T. MILLER</b></h2><p><b>TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING</b></p><p>Miller was a point-per-game monster in Tampa Bay, and his draft pedigree says he has the talent to keep thriving. His overall season stats weren&rsquo;t eye-popping, so he&rsquo;ll come at a reasonable price. <br><b>VERDICT: BUYER BELIEVE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/couturier_sean/307819-1-eng-US/couturier_sean2.jpg" title="couturier_sean" width="274" height="291"></div><h2><b>SEAN COUTURIER</b></h2><p><b>PHILADELPHIA FLYERS</b></p><p>Couturier ranked third among forwards in ice time per game: first-line center minutes, power play, penalty kill. That gives Couturier great volume stats, and he always had the talent to be a scorer. <br><b>VERDICT: BUYER BELIEVE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/gourde_yanni2/307805-1-eng-US/gourde_yanni2.jpg" title="gourde_yanni" width="259" height="276"></div><h2><b>YANNI GOURDE</b></h2><p><b>TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING</b></p><p>The Lightning have a rich history of developing small, undrafted sparkplugs into high-end NHLers. Gourde had cold spells as a rookie, but what freshman doesn&rsquo;t? He has scored at every level.<br><b>VERDICT: BUYER BELIEVE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/raanta_antti/307791-1-eng-US/raanta_antti2.jpg" title="raanta_antti" width="226" height="273"></div><h2><b>ANTTI RAANTA</b></h2><p><b>ARIZONA COYOTES</b></p><p>Raanta was good in New York and good in Arizona &ndash; despite a weak supporting cast. He&rsquo;s been nothing but good in his career. There&rsquo;s no reason to doubt him as long as he gets enough rest. See Talbot, Cam. <br><b>VERDICT: BUYER BELIEVE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/hutton_carter/307777-1-eng-US/hutton_carter2.jpg" title="hutton_carter" width="238" height="273"></div><h2><b>CARTER HUTTON</b></h2><p><b>BUFFALO SABRES</b></p><p>May have been the NHL&rsquo;s best goalie on a per-game basis last year. But he did it in a zero-pressure role at age 32. It was a fun story but a fluke. Let someone else pay for last year&rsquo;s amazing stats. <br><b>VERDICT: BUYER BEWARE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/staal_eric/307763-1-eng-US/staal_eric2.jpg" title="staal_eric" width="234" height="274"></div><h2><b>ERIC STAAL</b></h2><p><b>MINNESOTA WILD</b></p><p>Staal has rejuvenated himself under coach Bruce Boudreau, with 70 goals over the past two seasons, 11th-most in the league. He also turns 34 in October. Shave 10 goals off the 42 he scored last year. <br><b>VERDICT: BUYER BEWARE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/karlsson_william/307749-1-eng-US/karlsson_william2.jpg" title="karlsson_william" width="246" height="254"></div><h2><b>WILLIAM KARLSSON</b></h2><p><b>VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS</b></p><p>Karlsson has a deadly release, but the shooting percentage (23.4) and goal total (43) will come down. He will regress. Don&rsquo;t avoid him if he falls &ndash; but don&rsquo;t take him over a proven sniper like Tarasenko. <br><b>VERDICT: BUYER BEWARE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/petry_jeff/307735-1-eng-US/petry_jeff2.jpg" title="petry_jeff" width="254" height="293"></div><h2><b>JEFF PETRY</b></h2><p><b>MONTREAL CANADIENS</b></p><p>The rugged Petry, with 12 goals and 42 points on the blueline? Careful. He got 23 of his points on the power play filling in for Shea Weber. Petry had 27 career PP points across seven seasons before last year. <br><b>VERDICT: BUYER BEWARE</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

buyer_couturier

CAN THESE GEMS DO IT AGAIN?

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0012-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-0177/307904-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg"></div><p align="center"><i>Click image to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-01

ASK THE EXPERTS

<div class="byline">BY SAM MCCAIG</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="mockdraft_mcdavi" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/mockdraft_mcdavi/307940-1-eng-US/mockdraft_mcdavi2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>CONNOR&nbsp;MCDAVID</b></p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>B</span>IGGER IS BETTER</b> whenit comes to mock drafts. With that in mind, we decided to double the size of the THN Mock Draft this year, with the hopes of shedding more light on who to pick in the later rounds. After all, that&rsquo;s where most fantasy pools are won.</p><p>We opted for a 10-team draft going 20 rounds. Every team had to pick two goalies &ndash; two points for a win, one for a shutout &ndash; and (at least) four defensemen. The intent here is to provide poolies with a case study on how their draft might unfold. Some highlights:</p><h2><b>MCDAVID NO. 1:</b></h2><p>To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Connor McDavid went first. He&rsquo;s the only player projected to reach the 100-point plateau &ndash; we&rsquo;ve got him down for 114. Tampa Bay&rsquo;s Nikita Kucherov is the anticipated runner-up with 96 points.</p><h2><b>GREAT GOALIES:</b></h2><p>Braden Holtby, last seen hoisting the Stanley Cup, was the first netminder selected, and he went early at fourth overall. Winnipeg&rsquo;s Connor Hellebuyck was also picked in the first round, going seventh overall. On a related note: don&rsquo;t pick goalies in the first round.</p><h2><b>FOR THE DEFENSE:</b></h2><p>Erik Karlsson was the first defenseman selected, hardly a shocker. He does come with an X-factor, though. Where&rsquo;s he going to play this season? When this magazine went to press, Karlsson was still with Ottawa. If he remains with the Senators, he should be good for 75 points. If he moves to a high-flying contender, the sky&rsquo;s the limit.</p><h2><b>ROOKIES ON RADAR:</b></h2><p>Rasmus Dahlin, the 18-year-old prodigy defenseman drafted No. 1 overall by Buffalo, was the first rookie off the board, picked by THN&rsquo;s Ryan Kennedy in the fifth round. In fact, Kennedy &ndash; our resident prospect expert &ndash; loaded up on kids, taking Detroit&rsquo;s Filip Zadina in the 14th round and Vancouver&rsquo;s Elias Pettersson in the 18th. Other rookies selected were Carolina&rsquo;s Andrei Svechnikov, Buffalo&rsquo;s Casey Mittelstadt and Nashville&rsquo;s Eeli Tolvanen.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-0158/307933-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="2152" height="2832"></div><p align="center"><i>Click image to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

mockdraft_mcdavi

The Hockey News MOCK DRAFT

<div class="byline">BY JANANI SREENIVASAN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="ufas_seguin" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/ufas_seguin/308109-1-eng-US/ufas_seguin2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>TYLER&nbsp;SEGUIN</b></p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(GLENN JAMES/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>I</span>MAGINE HAVING THAT ONE</b> chance to make bank if you perform better than you ever have at your job. That&rsquo;s a contract year for a soon-to-be UFA &ndash; and money is an incentive like no other. That&rsquo;s why you have players such as John Carlson exploding last season by leading all blueliners in points and having a monster playoff for Washington. His pay doubled from $4 million per season to $8 million after re-signing with the Capitals.</p><p>There are a lot of big-name pending UFAs in 2019 and they&rsquo;re going to get monster deals. And if they have a career season like Carlson? They&rsquo;ll virtually be able to fill in a blank cheque. If they perform like never before, you&rsquo;ll want them on your fantasy team. (We omitted Erik Karlsson as he&rsquo;s likely to be traded and signed by 2019.)</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/seguin_tyler2/308095-1-eng-US/seguin_tyler2.jpg" title="seguin_tyler" width="282" height="301"></div><h2><b>TYLER SEGUIN</b></h2><p><b>C, DALLAS</b></p><p>He has outscored Tavares in total points the past three seasons. If he does that again, with Jamie Benn on his wing, does he get Tavares money?</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/panarin_artemi2/308081-1-eng-US/panarin_artemi2.jpg" title="panarin_artemi" width="247" height="268"></div><h2><b>ARTEMI PANARIN</b></h2><p><b>LW, COLUMBUS</b></p><p>He proved he&rsquo;s for real last season &ndash; a career-high 82 points without Patrick Kane on his line. Watch for a trade-and-sign deal, so he has plenty of incentive.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/bobrovsky_sergei2/308067-1-eng-US/bobrovsky_sergei2.jpg" title="bobrovsky_sergei" width="296" height="290"></div><h2><b>SERGEI BOBROVSKY</b></h2><p><b>G, COLUMBUS</b></p><p>The two-time Vezina winner can&rsquo;t do much more during the regular season. But in the post-season? A couple playoff round wins will greatly hike his stipend.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/ellis_ryan2/308053-1-eng-US/ellis_ryan2.jpg" title="ellis_ryan" width="285" height="296"></div><h2><b>RYAN ELLIS</b></h2><p><b>D, NASHVILLE</b></p><p>The Preds don&rsquo;t just have the best &lsquo;D&rsquo; in the league, they have the most blueliners on team-friendly contracts. A good year and Ellis&rsquo; $2.5 million AAV triples.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/wheeler_blake2/308039-1-eng-US/wheeler_blake2.jpg" title="wheeler_blake" width="237" height="267"></div><h2><b>BLAKE WHEELER</b></h2><p><b>RW, WINNIPEG</b></p><p>The well-rounded winger shattered his career high in points at 31 last season. If he does that again on the powerful Jets, teams will overlook his age.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/pacioretty_max2/308025-1-eng-US/pacioretty_max2.jpg" title="pacioretty_max" width="275" height="304"></div><h2><b>MAX PACIORETTY</b></h2><p><b>LW, MONTREAL</b></p><p>Perennial 30-goal scorers don&rsquo;t take long to return to form. They also don&rsquo;t grow on trees, so they don&rsquo;t come cheap. He needs a bounce-back season.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/duchene_matt2/308011-1-eng-US/duchene_matt2.jpg" title="duchene_matt" width="271" height="293"></div><h2><b>MATT DUCHENE</b></h2><p><b>C, OTTAWA</b></p><p>His scoring totals have lagged since his first five seasons, and he won&rsquo;t have a lot of help with the Senators. But you can bet he&rsquo;ll get a ton of ice time.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/simmonds_wayne2/307997-1-eng-US/simmonds_wayne2.jpg" title="simmonds_wayne" width="262" height="319"></div><h2><b>WAYNE SIMMONDS</b></h2><p><b>RW, PHILADELPHIA</b></p><p>His physical style and the fact he&rsquo;s entering his 30s will deter some teams. He needs to reverse the tide of three seasons with decreasing offense.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/eberle_jordan2/307983-1-eng-US/eberle_jordan2.jpg" title="eberle_jordan" width="244" height="289"></div><h2><b>JORDAN EBERLE</b></h2><p><b>RW, N.Y. ISLANDERS</b></p><p>He&rsquo;s been trending up for three seasons, but needs to maintain a 60-plus point pace if he really wants to cash in. How much will the loss of Tavares hurt him?</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/lee_anders/307969-1-eng-US/lee_anders2.jpg" title="lee_anders" width="274" height="298"></div><h2><b>ANDERS LEE</b></h2><p><b>LW, N.Y. ISLANDERS</b></p><p>The buzz surrounding Tavares allowed his winger to fly under the radar despite a career-high 40 goals. Switch Tavares with Barzal and the goals will add up.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

ufas_seguin

THESE GUYS ARE PLAYING FOR KEEPS

<div class="byline">BY RYAN ORLECKI</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="vintage_fantasy1" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/vintage_fantasy1/308138-1-eng-US/vintage_fantasy12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>GETTING HANDS DIRTY</b></p><p>Joe Hooper, fourth from right in front row, paid homage to his blue-collar pals in the name of the fantasy league.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(ERICH EICHHORN/ISN)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>OR 28 YEARS, JOE</b> Hooper spent every day of the NHL season recording stats for his hockey pool using a typewriter. Before stats were recorded online, the native of Victoria, B.C., relied on the local <i>Times Colonist</i> for daily stats, then checked the Vancouver <i>Province</i> every Tuesday to make sure his numbers were correct.</p><p>&ldquo;It used to change back then,&rdquo; Hooper said. &ldquo;You could have a player that would have five points by my count and then he would be plus two when the stats came out, or minus two. It&rsquo;s not like now how it&rsquo;s instant and it&rsquo;s right.&rdquo;</p><p>Hooper, 58, was 22 and had finished working at a plywood plant in Victoria which shut down, when he and some friends started a hockey pool in the summer of 1982 after doing laid-back playoff pools in the past. &ldquo;It was a spur-of-the-moment thing over the summer, we thought, well, let&rsquo;s try and do this right,&rdquo; Hooper said. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s try to do this for a couple of years. Little did we know it would last this long.&rdquo;</p><p>The points-based league has been going 36 years and counting. Starting in 1982 with five teams, then eventually moving to 10 teams, and it&rsquo;s had the same teams the past 11 years.</p><p>They even have a unique name for their fantasy league &ndash; Blue Collar Cup. The name pays homage to the fact most team managers were blue-collar workers. Hooper is now a crane truck operator for the City of Victoria, and others are woodworkers, painters, fabricators, etc. Paired with an actual Cup given to the winner of the regular season and the post-season, these guys are in a league of their own.</p><p>After 1995-96, the group split up. There was so much demand to enter, one of the founders of the pool, Trevor Proverbs, along with Hooper, agreed it would be better to split in two and add more teams. The other original founder, Ellery Haftner, had left the league previously. Hooper said he doesn&rsquo;t know if the other hockey pool is still around and hasn&rsquo;t heard from Proverbs in 20 years.</p><p>Since then, Hooper has been with the same group of guys, and continued to record stats daily until the end of 2009-10 when they took the pool online. He still records stats on a weekly basis because he finds it heightens his knowledge of the NHL and its players.</p><p>As with all hockey pools, the Blue Collar Cup created its own rules. It&rsquo;s no stranger to the creation of unique rules, especially when it comes to the draft.</p><p>During the regular season, there are four snake-style drafts done in person at a local bar in Victoria. One before the season starts, then others at the 20-, 40- and 60-game marks. At the start of the season, 22 players are drafted within position restrictions, and at each quarterly draft throughout the season teams get to drop one player with the exception of two at the 40-game point. With no moves during the season except for the quarterly drafts, it makes the choices made at the beginning of the year that much more important and injuries play an even a bigger factor.</p><p>&ldquo;At one point two years ago, my partner and I ended up last because we had 11 guys out. That&rsquo;s 50 percent of our team,&rdquo; Hooper said.</p><p>They also decided on a tiebreaker rule due to ties for first place that happened two seasons in a row in 1993-94 and 1994-95. Though, since the implementation of the rule, there has never been a tie and only a couple one-point victories.</p><p>A big part of the draft preparation for the managers comes from using The Hockey News Pool Guide, and one manager experienced a nightmarish incident a couple years back. Midway through the 2016-17 draft, he was selecting players and kept choosing guys in the wrong position. Showing his frustration, another team manager pointed out he was using the 2015-16 Pool Guide.</p><p>&ldquo;He took heat but hasn&rsquo;t done it since,&rdquo; Hooper said.</p><p>But when it all comes down to it, it&rsquo;s about the people in the pool. All the GMs are friends which keeps the league steady and strong. Six of the 18 who make up the 10 teams went to school together in Sydney, B.C., and the others have been co-workers or met through friends. It means a lot to Hooper and Terry Bannister, who are the only two of the group that were there when the pool started back in 1982.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s followed me through my life, starting at 22, and the people in it, I would do anything for them. My wife even puts up with them,&rdquo; Hooper said.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

vintage_fantasy1

BLUE COLLAR BEAUTIES

<div class="image-hero"><img title="teams_opener" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/teams_opener/308167-1-eng-US/teams_opener2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>POINTS-O-METER</b></p><p><i>Our visual gauge offers a graphic representation of anticipated scoring totals for players who are expected to be regulars.</i></p><p><b>TOP 10 PROSPECTS</b></p><p><i>Prospects are listed on basis of long-term NHL upside. Candidates for this year&rsquo;s roster in bold. Stats are from 2017-18.</i></p><p><b>SLEEPER OR BUST</b></p><p><i>Potential late fantasy picks who could make you look like a genius &ndash; or early picks who might sink you like a stone.</i></p><p><b>DEPTH CHART</b></p><p><i>The pecking order of how the roster stacks up. Line combinations and defense pairings will vary greatly by early October.</i></p><p><b>POWER ZONE</b></p><p><i>2017-18 team leaders in penalty minutes, hits and blocked shots.</i></p></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>O</span>UR NHL TEAM SECTION</b> gives you the information you need to challenge in your hockey pool. The key component is point projections. The team breakdowns begin here, with the league-wide scoring forecasts on pages 132-135 and goalie projections on page 136.</p><h2><b>ABBREVIATION GUIDE</b></h2><h3><b>MINOR PRO</b></h3><p>AHL-American Hockey League</p><p>(Bakersfield, Belleville, Binghamton, Bridgeport, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Grand Rapids, Hartford, Hershey, Iowa, Laval, Lehigh Valley, Manitoba, Milwaukee, Ontario, Providence, Rochester, Rockford, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose, Springfield, Stockton, Syracuse, Texas, Toronto, Tucson, Utica, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton), ECHL-formerly East Coast League.</p><h3><b>OTHERS</b></h3><p>CHL: OHL-Ontario League, QMJHL-Quebec Major Junior League, WHL-Western League. USHL-United States League. NCAA: ECAC-Eastern College Athletic Conference, HE-Hockey East, NCHC-National Collegiate Hockey Conference, WCHA-Western Collegiate Hockey Association. International: Bel-Belarus, Cze or Czech-Czech Republic, Fin-Finland, Ger-Germany, Kaz-Kazakhstan, Rus-Russia, Svk-Slovakia, Swe-Sweden, Sui-Switzerland. WJC-World Junior Championship, USA (under-18) or U.S. NTDP is U.S. National Team Development Program.</p><h3><b>STATISTICS</b></h3><p>A-assists, C-center, D-defenseman, G-goals, GAA-goals-against average, GP-games played, GPG-goals per game, GK-goalkeeper, GT-game-tying, GW-game-winning, Ht-height, H/R-home/road, L-losses, LEA-league, LW-left winger, Min-minutes, Min/Pt-minutes per point, Corsi (percentage of shots directed at opposition net in 5-on-5 play versus total directed shots by both teams), Pct-percentage, PPGA-power play goals against, PIM-penalties in minutes, Pos-position, PP-power play, PPG-power play goals or points per game, Pts-points, RW-right winger, S-shots, SA-shots against, SF-shots for, SH-shorthanded, Sh-shots on goal, SL-shootout losses, SO-shutouts, SP-shooting percentage or save percentage, T-ties, Tot-total, W-wins, Wt-weight, Yrs-years, +/- -plus-minus.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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ULTIMATE GUIDE TEAMS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0019-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-0152/308196-1-eng-US/f0019-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(DEBORA ROBINSON/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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ANAHEIM DUCKS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0020-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0172/308232-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(SCOTT AUDETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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ARIZONA COYOTES

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0021-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0156/308268-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(STEVE BABINEAU/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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BOSTON BRUINS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0022-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0175/308304-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JARED SILBER/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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BUFFALO SABRES

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0023-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0153/308340-1-eng-US/f0023-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(GERRY THOMAS/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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CALGARY FLAMES

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0024-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0174/308376-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(GREGG FORWERCK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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CAROLINA HURRICANES

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0025-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-0165/308412-1-eng-US/f0025-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JONATHAN KOZUB/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0026-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0175/308448-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MICHAEL MARTIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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COLORADO AVALANCHE

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0027-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-0160/308484-1-eng-US/f0027-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PATRICK MCDERMOTT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0028-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-0177/308520-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(GLENN JAMES/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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DALLAS STARS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0029-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-0157/308556-1-eng-US/f0029-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(FRANCOIS LACASSE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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DETROIT RED WINGS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0031-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-0162/308628-1-eng-US/f0031-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JONATHAN KOZUB/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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FLORIDA PANTHERS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0032-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-0176/308664-1-eng-US/f0032-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(NICK WOSIKA/ICON SPORTSWIRE VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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LOS ANGELES KINGS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0033-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-0166/308700-1-eng-US/f0033-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(NICK WOSIKA/ICON SPORTSWIRE VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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MINNESOTA WILD

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0034-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-0176/308736-1-eng-US/f0034-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JONATHAN KOZUB/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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MONTREAL CANADIENS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0035-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-0165/308772-1-eng-US/f0035-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JOHN RUSSELL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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NASHVILLE PREDATORS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0036-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-0173/308808-1-eng-US/f0036-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JIM MCISAAC/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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NEW JERSEY DEVILS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0037-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-0160/308844-1-eng-US/f0037-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JOE SARGENT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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NEW YORK ISLANDERS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0038-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-0176/308880-1-eng-US/f0038-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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NEW YORK RANGERS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0039-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-0167/308916-1-eng-US/f0039-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JAMIE SABAU/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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OTTAWA SENATORS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0040-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-0174/308952-1-eng-US/f0040-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JOE SARGENT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0041-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-0164/308988-1-eng-US/f0041-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JOE SARGENT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0042-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0042-0173/309024-1-eng-US/f0042-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ELSA/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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ST. LOUIS BLUES

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0043-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0043-0162/309060-1-eng-US/f0043-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(EZRA SHAW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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SAN JOSE SHARKS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0044-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-0171/309096-1-eng-US/f0044-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGESA)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0045-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0045-0165/309132-1-eng-US/f0045-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0047-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0047-0173/309204-1-eng-US/f0047-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JEFF BOTTARI/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0048-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-0171/309240-1-eng-US/f0048-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(GREGG FORWERCK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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WASHINGTON CAPITALS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0049-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-0170/309276-1-eng-US/f0049-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JONATHAN KOZUB/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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WINNIPEG JETS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0050-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-0172/309746-1-eng-US/f0050-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>SALARY</b></p><p><i>Cap hit for 2018-19. Actual pay may vary.</i></p><p><b>SKINNY</b></p><p><i>The inside word on a player&rsquo;s outlook for 2018-19 season.</i></p><p><b>DURABILITY</b></p><p><i>Games missed due to injury/illness, healthy scratch or suspension.</i></p><p><b>TEAM LOGO</b></p><p><i>NHL logo denotes player is an unrestricted free agent as of mid-July.</i></p><p><b>2018-19 PROJECTION</b></p><p><i>Projected games, goals, assists and points.</i></p><p><b>PLAYER TRAITS</b></p><p><i>These icons help you identify players&rsquo; specific characteristics.&nbsp;<b>SEE LEGEND BELOW</b></i></p><p><b>CAREER STATS</b></p><p><i>NHL totals in games, goals, assists, points, PIM and points per game.</i></p><p><b>PAST STATS</b></p><p><i>Three-season totals in games, scoring, time on ice, PIM, points per game, plus/minus and more.</i></p><p><b>VITAL STATS</b></p><p><i>Position, height, weight and age as of Oct. 1, 2018.</i></p></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>HE HOCKEY NEWS PROVIDES</b> projections and characteristics for 270 top-scoring NHL skaters in 2018-19. The bios include forwards forecasted for 38 or more points and defensemen expected to notch 30-plus points. Pool players in deep leagues can also check out the projection charts on team pages, which go as low as five points, and the player-forecast checklist section starting on page 132.</p><p><b>RISING STAR:</b> Identifies young players whose production is on a marked upward trajectory.</p><p><b>UFA IN 2019:</b> These players are unrestricted free agents in 2019 and have incentive to perform better.</p><p><b>ICE-TIME WORKHORSE:</b> Skaters expected to log a lot of ice time in comparison to the league norm.</p><p><b>POWER-PLAY ACE:</b> A projected regular on the team&rsquo;s first power play unit.</p><p><b>BANG FOR THE BUCK:</b> These players provide better statistics than reflected by their 2018-19 salary cap hit.</p><p><b>SIN-BIN GUY:</b> Skaters who have had or are projected to accumulate 70 or more penalty minutes per season.</p><p><b>RED FLAG:</b> Players at risk of injury, suspension, healthy scratch, demotion or return to junior or Europe.</p><p><b>TRENDING DOWN:</b> Skaters whose production is expected to continue to or start to drop in 2018-19.</p><p><i>Click each image below to be able to zoom</i></p><h2><b>AHO - BACKES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-0158/309683-1-eng-US/f0051-012.jpg" title="f0051-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>BACKLUND - BARBASHEV</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0052-0160/309676-1-eng-US/f0052-012.jpg" title="f0052-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>BARKOV - BENN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-0165/309669-1-eng-US/f0053-012.jpg" title="f0053-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>BENNETT - BOESER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-0162/309662-1-eng-US/f0054-012.jpg" title="f0054-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>BOZAK - BUCHNEVICH</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-0161/309655-1-eng-US/f0055-012.jpg" title="f0055-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>BURNS - CARTER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0056-0161/309648-1-eng-US/f0056-012.jpg" title="f0056-01" width="2125" height="2716"></div><h2><b>CHABOT - COYLE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-0158/309641-1-eng-US/f0057-012.jpg" title="f0057-01" width="2125" height="2716"></div><h2><b>CROSBY - DEBRUSK</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0058-0162/309634-1-eng-US/f0058-012.jpg" title="f0058-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>DOMI - DRAISAITL</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0059-0141/309627-1-eng-US/f0059-012.jpg" title="f0059-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>DROUIN - DUNN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0060-0140/309620-1-eng-US/f0060-012.jpg" title="f0060-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>DVORAK - EKBLAD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0061-0142/309613-1-eng-US/f0061-012.jpg" title="f0061-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>EKHOLM - FAKSA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0062-0143/309606-1-eng-US/f0062-012.jpg" title="f0062-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>FAULK - FORSBERG</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0063-0139/309599-1-eng-US/f0063-012.jpg" title="f0063-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>FOWLER - GARDINER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0064-0141/309592-1-eng-US/f0064-012.jpg" title="f0064-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>GAUDREAU - GIROUX</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0065-0145/309585-1-eng-US/f0065-012.jpg" title="f0065-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>GOLDOBIN - GRANLUND</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0066-0144/309578-1-eng-US/f0066-012.jpg" title="f0066-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>GREEN - HANIFIN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-0117/309571-1-eng-US/f0067-012.jpg" title="f0067-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>HAULA - HENRIQUE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0068-0118/309564-1-eng-US/f0068-012.jpg" title="f0068-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>HERTL - HORVAT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0069-0117/309557-1-eng-US/f0069-012.jpg" title="f0069-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>HUBERDEAU - JOHANSSON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0070-0118/309550-1-eng-US/f0070-012.jpg" title="f0070-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>JOHNSON - JOST</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0071-0116/309543-1-eng-US/f0071-012.jpg" title="f0071-01" width="2125" height="2710"></div><h2><b>JUOLEVI - KARLSSON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0072-0118/309536-1-eng-US/f0072-012.jpg" title="f0072-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>KARLSSON - KEMPE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0073-0118/309529-1-eng-US/f0073-012.jpg" title="f0073-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>KESSEL - KOIVU</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0074-0117/309522-1-eng-US/f0074-012.jpg" title="f0074-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>KONECNY - KREJCI</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0075-0115/309515-1-eng-US/f0075-012.jpg" title="f0075-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>KRUG - LAINE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0076-0116/309508-1-eng-US/f0076-012.jpg" title="f0076-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>LANDESKOG - LEHKONEN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0077-0116/309501-1-eng-US/f0077-012.jpg" title="f0077-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>LETANG - MACKINNON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0078-0116/309494-1-eng-US/f0078-012.jpg" title="f0078-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>MALKIN - MARCHESSAULT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0079-0116/309487-1-eng-US/f0079-012.jpg" title="f0079-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>MARLEAU - McAVOY</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0080-0115/309480-1-eng-US/f0080-012.jpg" title="f0080-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>McCANN - MILANO</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0081-0116/309473-1-eng-US/f0081-012.jpg" title="f0081-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>MILLER - MONTOUR</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0082-0116/309466-1-eng-US/f0082-012.jpg" title="f0082-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>MORRISSEY - NASH</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0083-0114/309459-1-eng-US/f0083-012.jpg" title="f0083-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>NEAL - NISKANEN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0084-0114/309452-1-eng-US/f0084-012.jpg" title="f0084-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>NUGENT-HOPKINS - OKPOSO</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0085-0114/309445-1-eng-US/f0085-012.jpg" title="f0085-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>O&rsquo;REILLY - PACIORETTY</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0086-0114/309438-1-eng-US/f0086-012.jpg" title="f0086-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>PALAT - PARISE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0087-0114/309431-1-eng-US/f0087-012.jpg" title="f0087-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>PASTRNAK - PERLINI</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0088-0114/309424-1-eng-US/f0088-012.jpg" title="f0088-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>PERREAULT - PIETRANGELO</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0089-0114/309417-1-eng-US/f0089-012.jpg" title="f0089-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>POINT - RAKELL</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0090-0114/309410-1-eng-US/f0090-012.jpg" title="f0090-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>RANTANEN - RISTOLAINEN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0091-0112/309403-1-eng-US/f0091-012.jpg" title="f0091-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>RODRIGUES - SAAD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0092-0114/309396-1-eng-US/f0092-012.jpg" title="f0092-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>SCHEIFELE - SCHULTZ</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0093-0114/309389-1-eng-US/f0093-012.jpg" title="f0093-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>SCHWARTZ - SHEARY</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0094-0114/309382-1-eng-US/f0094-012.jpg" title="f0094-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>SILFVERBERG - SLAVIN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0095-0114/309375-1-eng-US/f0095-012.jpg" title="f0095-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>SMITH - STAAL</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0096-0114/309368-1-eng-US/f0096-012.jpg" title="f0096-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>STAAL - STEEN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0097-0114/309361-1-eng-US/f0097-012.jpg" title="f0097-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>STEPAN - SUTER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0098-0114/309354-1-eng-US/f0098-012.jpg" title="f0098-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>SVECHNIKOV - TERAVAINEN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0099-0114/309347-1-eng-US/f0099-012.jpg" title="f0099-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>THEODORE - TOFFOLI</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0100-0114/309340-1-eng-US/f0100-012.jpg" title="f0100-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>TROCHECK - VAN RIEMSDYK</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0101-0114/309333-1-eng-US/f0101-012.jpg" title="f0101-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>VANEK - WEBER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0102-0114/309326-1-eng-US/f0102-012.jpg" title="f0102-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>WENNBERG - YANDLE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0103-0112/309319-1-eng-US/f0103-012.jpg" title="f0103-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>ZAJAC - ZUCKER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0104-0114/309312-1-eng-US/f0104-012.jpg" title="f0104-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><p><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0050-01

Skater Profiles

ULTIMATE GUIDE SKATERS

<div class="byline">BY MATT LARKIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="ufas_bieksa" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/ufas_bieksa/309782-1-eng-US/ufas_bieksa2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>KEVIN&nbsp;BIEKSA</b></p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(KEVIN SOUSA/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>Y</span>OU COULD ICE A</b> fearsome unit for trench warfare using the remaining players from the 2018 UFA class. Too bad NHL wars aren&rsquo;t fought in the trenches anymore.</p><p>When <i>The Ultimate Fantasy Pool Guide 2018-19</i> went to press in late July, rugged defensemen Kevin Bieksa, Alexei Emelin, Dennis Seidenberg and Clayton Stoner hadn&rsquo;t found teams. Chasing the Connor McDavids and Mathew Barzals of the world requires fleet feet, so blueliners carved from granite can&rsquo;t help anymore.</p><p>Offensive schemes push the pace in today&rsquo;s game, and bangers Scott Hartnell, Joel Ward and Chris Stewart hadn&rsquo;t signed, either. It&rsquo;s not that teams can&rsquo;t use blunt instruments like them on checking lines &ndash; look at what Devante Smith-Pelly brought to Washington &ndash; but they don&rsquo;t need many, and the few who win those roles are younger. Physical forwards in their 30s have to fight their way through PTOs and beat out some youngsters if they want to remain in the NHL.</p><p>We&rsquo;re seeing a change in how teams approach UFA goalies, too. Starting experience matters less. Steve Mason, Kari Lehtonen and Ondrej Pavelec didn&rsquo;t have work as teams finalized their crease situation. Clubs are promoting younger backups from within. An October injury to an NHL starter, however, will have a team calling on an unsigned veteran stopper.</p><h2><b>UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0105-0112/309775-1-eng-US/f0105-012.jpg" title="f0105-01" width="1031" height="2622"></div><p align="center"><i>Click image above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

ufas_bieksa

BIG AND SLOW GOES WAY OF DODO

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0106-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0106-0114/309923-1-eng-US/f0106-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>SALARY</b></p><p><i>Cap hit for 2018-19. Actual pay may vary.</i></p><p><b>SKINNY</b></p><p><i>The inside word on a goalie&rsquo;s outlook for 2018-19.</i></p><p><b>DURABILITY</b></p><p><i>Games missed due to injury/illness or &ldquo;Did Not Play.&rdquo;</i></p><p><b>TEAM LOGO</b></p><p><i>NHL logo denotes goalie is an unrestricted free agent as of mid-July.</i></p><p><b>2018-19 PROJECTION</b></p><p><i>Projected wins, GAA, SP and shutouts.</i></p><p><b>PLAYER TRAITS</b></p><p><i>These icons help you identify goalies&rsquo; specific characteristics. <b>SEE LEGEND BELOW</b></i></p><p><b>CAREER STATS</b></p><p><i>NHL totals including games played, win-loss record, shutouts, SP and GAA.</i></p><p><b>PAST STATS</b></p><p><i>What goalies did over the past three years, regular season and playoffs.</i></p><p><b>VITAL STATS</b></p><p><i>Position, height, weight and age as of Oct. 1, 2018.</i></p></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>HE HOCKEY NEWS PROFILES</b> the 45 most prominent goaltenders in the NHL this season and projects win totals for 62 netminders. We list far more stoppers than there are starting NHL jobs. It&rsquo;s imperative to know which No. 1 netminders and which backups are expected to see the most minutes. To stay on top of everything, be sure to check out the goalie master projections on page 136.</p><p><b>RISING STAR:</b> Identifies goaltenders whose production is on a marked upward trajectory.</p><p><b>UFA IN 2019:</b> These goalies are unrestricted free agents in 2019 and have incentive to perform better.</p><p><b>WORKHORSE:</b> Goalies expected to start 60-plus games this season. There were nine such goalies last season.</p><p><b>BRICK WALL:</b> Goalies expected to top .920 in save percentage. There were 14 such goalies last season.</p><p><b>BANG FOR THE BUCK:</b> These goalies provide better statistics than reflected by their 2018-19 salary cap hits.</p><p><b>RED FLAG:</b> Goalies at risk of injury, benching, demotion or return to junior or Europe.</p><p><b>TRENDING DOWN:</b> Goalies whose performance is expected to continue, or start, to drop in 2018-19.</p><p><i>Click images below to be able to zoom</i></p><h2><b>ALLEN - BISHOP</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0107-0114/309867-1-eng-US/f0107-012.jpg" title="f0107-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>BOBROVSKY - ELLIOTT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0108-0114/309860-1-eng-US/f0108-012.jpg" title="f0108-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>FLEURY - HALAK</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0109-0114/309853-1-eng-US/f0109-012.jpg" title="f0109-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>HELLEBUYCK - JOHNSON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0110-0114/309846-1-eng-US/f0110-012.jpg" title="f0110-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>JONES - LEHNER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0111-0112/309839-1-eng-US/f0111-012.jpg" title="f0111-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>LUNDQVIST - MRAZEK</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0112-0114/309832-1-eng-US/f0112-012.jpg" title="f0112-01" width="2124" height="2710"></div><h2><b>MURRAY - RAANTA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0113-0114/309825-1-eng-US/f0113-012.jpg" title="f0113-01" width="2123" height="2710"></div><h2><b>RASK - SCHNEIDER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0114-0114/309818-1-eng-US/f0114-012.jpg" title="f0114-01" width="2123" height="2713"></div><h2><b>SMITH - WARD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0115-0112/309811-1-eng-US/f0115-012.jpg" title="f0115-01" width="2123" height="2712"></div><p><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0106-01

Goalie Profiles

ULTIMATE GUIDE GOALIES

<div class="image-hero"><img title="stats_caps" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stats_caps/310120-1-eng-US/stats_caps2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>WASHINGTON CAPITALS</b><br><b>2017-18 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS</b></p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0116-0114/310113-1-eng-US/f0116-012.jpg" title="f0116-01" width="2124" height="1294"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stats_crosby/310106-1-eng-US/stats_crosby2.jpg" title="stats_crosby" width="1168" height="1000"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>SIDNEY&nbsp;CROSBY</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(JOE SARGENT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0117-0114/310099-1-eng-US/f0117-012.jpg" title="f0117-01" width="1170" height="1665"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0117-0210/310092-1-eng-US/f0117-022.jpg" title="f0117-02" width="872" height="1587"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stats_barzal/310085-1-eng-US/stats_barzal2.jpg" title="stats_barzal" width="899" height="1083"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>MATHEW&nbsp;BARZAL</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(ADAM HUNGER/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0118-0114/310078-1-eng-US/f0118-012.jpg" title="f0118-01" width="1035" height="2708"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0118-028/310071-1-eng-US/f0118-022.jpg" title="f0118-02" width="1034" height="2716"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0119-0114/310064-1-eng-US/f0119-012.jpg" title="f0119-01" width="1034" height="2716"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0119-026/310057-1-eng-US/f0119-022.jpg" title="f0119-02" width="1034" height="2719"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0120-0114/310050-1-eng-US/f0120-012.jpg" title="f0120-01" width="1035" height="2716"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0120-028/310043-1-eng-US/f0120-022.jpg" title="f0120-02" width="1034" height="2708"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0121-0114/310036-1-eng-US/f0121-012.jpg" title="f0121-01" width="1034" height="2716"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0121-028/310029-1-eng-US/f0121-022.jpg" title="f0121-02" width="1034" height="2708"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0122-0114/310022-1-eng-US/f0122-012.jpg" title="f0122-01" width="1034" height="2719"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0122-028/310015-1-eng-US/f0122-022.jpg" title="f0122-02" width="1034" height="2716"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0123-0114/310008-1-eng-US/f0123-012.jpg" title="f0123-01" width="1034" height="2716"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0123-027/310001-1-eng-US/f0123-022.jpg" title="f0123-02" width="1034" height="2716"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0124-0114/309994-1-eng-US/f0124-012.jpg" title="f0124-01" width="1034" height="2716"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stats_quick/309987-1-eng-US/stats_quick2.jpg" title="stats_quick" width="1033" height="958"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>JONATHAN&nbsp;QUICK</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0124-0210/309980-1-eng-US/f0124-022.jpg" title="f0124-02" width="1034" height="1706"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stats_jones/309973-1-eng-US/stats_jones2.jpg" title="stats_jones" width="1033" height="958"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>MARTIN&nbsp;JONES</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(ROCKY W. WIDNER/NHL/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0125-0114/309966-1-eng-US/f0125-012.jpg" title="f0125-01" width="1034" height="1712"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0125-0210/309959-1-eng-US/f0125-022.jpg" title="f0125-02" width="1034" height="2712"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0126-0114/309952-1-eng-US/f0126-012.jpg" title="f0126-01" width="1035" height="1250"></div><h2><b>NHL DRAFT</b></h2><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he 2018 draft was held June 22-23 in Dallas. Listed below are each team&rsquo;s picks. Information includes round/overall, name, position, 2017-18 team and league.</p><h3><b>ANAHEIM DUCKS</b></h3><p>1/23. Isac Lundestrom, C, Lulea (Swe)</p><p>2/54. Benoit-Olivier Groulx, C, Halifax (QMJHL)</p><p>3/79. Blake McLaughlin, LW, Chicago (USHL)</p><p>3/85. Lukas Dostal, G, Trebic (Cze2)</p><p>4/116. Jackson Perbix, RW, Elk River (High-MN)</p><p>5/147. Roman Durny, G, Des Moines (USHL)</p><p>6/178. Hunter Drew, D, Charlottetown (QMJHL)</p><h3><b>ARIZONA COYOTES</b></h3><p>1/5. Barrett Hayton, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)</p><p>2/55. Kevin Bahl, D, Ottawa (OHL)</p><p>3/65. Jan Jenik, W, Benatky N.J. (Cze2)</p><p>3/73. Ty Emberson, D, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>4/114. Ivan Prosvetov, G, Youngstown (USHL)</p><p>5/142. Michael Callahan, D, Youngstown (USHL)</p><p>5/145. Dennis Busby, D, Flint (OHL)</p><p>6/158. David Tendeck, G, Vancouver (WHL)</p><p>7/189. Liam Kirk, LW, Sheffield (Eng)</p><h3><b>BOSTON BRUINS</b></h3><p>2/57. Axel Andersson, D, Djurgarden (Swe Jr.)</p><p>3/77. Jakub Lauko, LW, Chomutov (Cze)</p><p>4/119. Curtis Hall, C, Youngstown (USHL)</p><p>6/181. Dustyn McFaul, D, Pickering (OJHL)</p><p>7/212. Pavel Shen, C, Khanty-Mansiysk (Rus Jr.)</p><h3><b>BUFFALO SABRES</b></h3><p>1/1. Rasmus Dahlin, D, Frolunda (Swe)</p><p>2/32. Mattias Samuelsson, D, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>4/94. Matej Pekar, C, Muskegon (USHL)</p><p>4/117. Linus Lindstrand-Cronholm, D, Malmo (Swe Jr.)</p><p>5/125. Miska Kukkonen, D, Ilves (Fin Jr.)</p><p>7/187. William Worge Kreu, D, Linkoping (Swe Jr.)</p><h3><b>CALGARY FLAMES</b></h3><p>4/105. Martin Pospisil, C, Sioux City (USHL)</p><p>4/108. Demetrios Koumontzis, LW, Edina (High-MN)</p><p>4/122. Milos Roman, C, Vancouver (WHL)</p><p>6/167. Mathias Emilio Pettersen, C, Muskegon (USHL)</p><p>7/198. Dmitry Zavgorodniy, LW, Rimouski (QMJHL)</p><h3><b>CAROLINA HURRICANES</b></h3><p>1/2. Andrei Svechnikov, RW, Barrie (OHL)</p><p>2/42. Jack Drury, C, Waterloo (USHL)</p><p>4/96. Luke Henman, C, B.-Boisbriand (QMJHL)</p><p>4/104. Lenni Killinen, RW, Blues (Fin Jr.)</p><p>6/166. Jesper Sellgren, D, MoDo (Swe2)</p><p>7/197. Jacob Kucharski, G, Des Moines (USHL)</p><h3><b>CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS</b></h3><p>1/8. Adam Boqvist, D, Brynas (Swe Jr.)</p><p>1/27. Nicolas Beaudin, D, Drummondville (QMJHL)</p><p>3/69. Jake Wise, C, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>3/74. Niklas Nordgren, RW, HIFK (Fin Jr.)</p><p>4/120. Philipp Kurashev, C, Quebec (QMJHL)</p><p>5/139. Mikael Hakkarainen, C, Muskegon (USHL)</p><p>6/162. Alexis Gravel, G, Halifax (QMJHL)</p><p>7/193. Josiah Slavin, LW, Lincoln (USHL)</p><h3><b>COLORADO AVALANCHE</b></h3><p>1/16. Martin Kaut, RW, Pardubice (Cze)</p><p>3/64. Justus Annunen, G, Karpat (Fin Jr.)</p><p>3/78. Sampo Ranta, LW, Sioux City (USHL)</p><p>4/109. Tyler Weiss, LW, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>5/140. Brandon Saigeon, C, Hamilton (OHL)</p><p>5/146. Danila Zhuravlyov, D, Irbis Kazan (Rus Jr.)</p><p>6/171. Nikolai Kovalenko, RW, Yaroslavl (Rus Jr.)</p><p>7/202. Shamil Shmakov, G, Novosibirsk (Rus Jr.)</p><h3><b>COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS</b></h3><p>1/18. Liam Foudy, C, London (OHL)</p><p>2/49. Kirill Marchenko, LW, Khanty-Mansiysk (Rus Jr.)</p><p>3/80. Marcus Karlberg, RW, Leksand (Swe Jr.)</p><p>6/159. Tim Berni, D, GCK Zurich (Swi2)</p><p>6/173. Veini Vehvilainen, G, JYP (Fin)</p><p>7/204. Trey Fix-Wolansky, RW, Edmonton (WHL)</p><h3><b>DALLAS STARS</b></h3><p>1/13. Ty Dellandrea, C, Flint (OHL)</p><p>2/44. Albin Eriksson, RW, Skelleftea (Swe Jr.)</p><p>3/75. Oskar Back, C, Farjestad (Swe Jr.)</p><p>4/100. Adam Mascherin, LW, Kitchener (OHL)</p><p>4/106. Curtis Douglas, C, Windsor (OHL)</p><p>5/137. Riley Damiani, C, Kitchener (OHL)</p><p>6/168. Dawson Barteaux, D, Red Deer (WHL)</p><p>7/199. Jermaine Loewen, LW, Kamloops (WHL)</p><h3><b>DETROIT RED WINGS</b></h3><p>1/6. Filip Zadina, RW, Halifax (QMJHL)</p><p>1/30. Joe Veleno, C, Drummondville (QMJHL)</p><p>2/33. Jonatan Berggren, RW, Skelleftea (Swe Jr.)</p><p>2/36. Jared McIsaac, D, Halifax (QMJHL)</p><p>3/67. Alec Regula, D, London (OHL)</p><p>3/81. Seth Barton, D, Trail (BCHL)</p><p>3/84. Jesper Eliasson, G, Troja-Ljungby (Swe Jr.)</p><p>4/98. Ryan O&rsquo;Reilly, RW, Madison (USHL)</p><p>6/160. Victor Brattstrom, G, Timra (Swe2)</p><p>7/191. Otto Kivenmaki, C, Assat (Fin Jr.)</p><h3><b>EDMONTON OILERS</b></h3><p>1/10. Evan Bouchard, D, London (OHL)</p><p>2/40. Ryan McLeod, C, Mississauga (OHL)</p><p>2/62. Olivier Rodrigue, G, Drummondville (QMJHL)</p><p>6/164. Michael Kesselring, D, New Hampton (High-NH)</p><p>7/195. Patrik Siikanen, C, Blues (Fin Jr.)</p><h3><b>FLORIDA PANTHERS</b></h3><p>1/15. Grigori Denisenko, LW, Yaroslavl (Rus Jr.)</p><p>2/34. Serron Noel, RW, Oshawa (OHL)</p><p>3/89. Logan Hutsko, RW, Boston College (HE)</p><p>6/170. Justin Schutz, LW, RB Hockey Acad. (Cze U18)</p><p>7/201. Cole Krygier, D, Lincoln (USHL)</p><p>7/207. Santtu Kinnunen, D, Pelicans (Fin Jr.)</p><h3><b>LOS ANGELES KINGS</b></h3><p>1/20. Rasmus Kupari, C, Karpat (Fin)</p><p>2/51. Akil Thomas, C, Niagara (OHL)</p><p>3/82. Bulat Shafigullin, RW, Nizhnekamsk (Rus Jr.)</p><p>4/113. Aidan Dudas, C, Owen Sound (OHL)</p><p>5/144. David Hrenak, G, St. Cloud State (NCHC)</p><p>6/165. Johan Sodergran, RW, Linkoping (Swe Jr.)</p><p>6/175. Jacob Ingham, G, Mississauga (OHL)</p><h3><b>MINNESOTA WILD</b></h3><p>1/24. Filip Johansson, D, Leksand (Swe Jr.)</p><p>3/63. Jack McBain, C, Toronto Jr. Canadiens (OJHL)</p><p>3/86. Alexander Khovanov, C, Moncton (QMJHL)</p><p>3/92. Connor Dewar, C, Everett (WHL)</p><p>5/148. Simon Johansson, D, Djurgarden (Swe Jr.)</p><p>5/155. Damien Giroux, C, Saginaw (OHL)</p><p>6/179. Shawn Boudrias, RW, Gatineau (QMJHL)</p><p>7/210. Sam Hentges, C, Tri City (USHL)</p><h3><b>MONTREAL CANADIENS</b></h3><p>1/3. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C, Assat (Fin)</p><p>2/35. Jesse Ylonen, RW, Espoo (Fin2)</p><p>2/38. Alexander Romanov, D, CSKA (Rus Jr.)</p><p>2/56. Jacob Olofsson, C, Timra (Swe2)</p><p>3/66. Cameron Hillis, C, Guelph (OHL)</p><p>3/71. Jordan Harris, D, Kimball Union (High-NH)</p><p>4/97. Allan McShane, C, Oshawa (OHL)</p><p>4/123. Jack Gorniak, LW, West Salem (High-WI)</p><p>5/128. Cole Fonstad, C, Prince Albert (WHL)</p><p>5/133. Samuel Houde, C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)</p><p>7/190. Brett Stapley, C, Vernon (BCHL)</p><h3><b>NASHVILLE PREDATORS</b></h3><p>4/111. Jachym Kondelik, C, Muskegon (USHL)</p><p>5/131. Spencer Stastney, D, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>5/151. Vladislav Yeryomenko, D, Calgary (WHL)</p><p>7/213. Milan Kloucek, G, Kladno (Cze2)</p><h3><b>NEW JERSEY DEVILS</b></h3><p>1/17. Ty Smith, D, Spokane (WHL)</p><p>4/110. Xavier Bernard, D, Drummondville (QMJHL)</p><p>5/136. Akira Schmid, G, Langnau (Swi Jr.)</p><p>5/141. Yegor Sharangovich, C, Dyn. Minsk (KHL)</p><p>6/172. Mitchell Hoelscher, C, Ottawa (OHL)</p><p>7/203. Eetu Pakkila, LW, Karpat (Fin Jr.)</p><h3><b>NEW YORK ISLANDERS</b></h3><p>1/11. Oliver Wahlstrom, RW, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>1/12. Noah Dobson, D, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)</p><p>2/41. Bode Wilde, D, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>2/43. Ruslan Iskhakov, C, CSKA (Rus Jr.)</p><p>3/72. Jakub Skarek, G, Jihlava (Cze)</p><p>4/103. Jacob Pivonka, C, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>5/134. Blade Jenkins, C, Saginaw (OHL)</p><p>7/196. Christian Krygier, D, Lincoln (USHL)</p><h3><b>NEW YORK RANGERS</b></h3><p>1/9. Vitali Kravtsov, RW, Chelyabinsk (KHL)</p><p>1/22. K&rsquo;Andre Miller, D, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>1/28. Nils Lundkvist, D, Lulea (Swe)</p><p>2/39. Olof Lindbom, G, Djurgarden (Swe Jr.)</p><p>3/70. Jacob Ragnarsson, D, Almtuna (Swe2)</p><p>3/88. Joey Keane, D, Barrie (OHL)</p><p>4/101. Nico Gross, D, Oshawa (OHL)</p><p>5/132. Lauri Pajuniemi, RW, TPS (Fin)</p><p>6/163. Simon Kjellberg, D, Rogle (Swe Jr.)</p><p>7/216. Riley Hughes, RW, St. Sebastian&rsquo;s (High-MA)</p><h3><b>OTTAWA SENATORS</b></h3><p>1/4. Brady Tkachuk, LW, Boston U (HE)</p><p>1/26. Jacob Bernard-Docker, D, Okotoks (AJHL)</p><p>2/48. Johnny Tychonick, D, Penticton (BCHL)</p><p>4/95. Jonathan Gruden, C, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>5/126. Angus Crookshank, LW, Langley (BCHL)</p><p>6/157. Kevin Mandolese, G, Cape Breton (QMJHL)</p><p>7/188. Jakov Novak, LW, Janesville (NAHL)</p><p>7/194. Luke Loheit, RW, Minnetonka (High-MN)</p><h3><b>PHILADELPHIA FLYERS</b></h3><p>1/14. Joel Farabee, LW, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>1/19. Jay O&rsquo;Brien, C, Thayer Academy (High-MA)</p><p>2/50. Adam Ginning, D, Linkoping (Swe)</p><p>4/112. Jack St. Ivany, D, Sioux Falls (USHL)</p><p>5/127. Wyatte Wylie, D, Everett (WHL)</p><p>5/143. Samuel Ersson, G, Brynas (Swe Jr.)</p><p>6/174. Gavin Hain, C, USA U18 (NTDP)</p><p>7/205. Marcus Westfalt, C, Brynas (Swe)</p><h3><b>PITTSBURGH PENGUINS</b></h3><p>2/53. Calen Addison, D, Lethbridge (WHL)</p><p>2/58. Filip Hallander, C, Timra (Swe2)</p><p>5/129. Justin Almeida, C, Moose Jaw (WHL)</p><p>6/177. Liam Gorman, C, St. Sebastians (High-MA)</p><h3><b>ST. LOUIS BLUES</b></h3><p>1/25. Dominik Bokk, RW, Vaxjo (Swe Jr.)</p><p>2/45. Scott Perunovich, D, Minn-Duluth (NCHC)</p><p>4/107. Joel Hofer, G, Swift Current (WHL)</p><p>5/138. Hugh McGing, LW, W. Michigan (NCHC)</p><p>6/169. Mathias Laferriere, RW, Cape Breton (QMJHL)</p><p>7/200. Tyler Tucker, D, Barrie (OHL)</p><h3><b>SAN JOSE SHARKS</b></h3><p>1/21. Ryan Merkley, D, Guelph (OHL)</p><p>3/87. Linus Karlsson, C, Karlskrona (Swe Jr.)</p><p>4/102. Jasper Weatherby, LW, Wenatchee (BCHL)</p><p>6/176. Zachary Emond, G, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)</p><p>6/182. John Leonard, LW, Massachusetts (HE)</p><h3><b>TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING</b></h3><p>2/59. Gabriel Fortier, LW, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)</p><p>3/90. Dmitry Semykin, D, Stupino (Rus Jr.)</p><p>4/121. Alex Green, D, Cornell (ECAC)</p><p>5/152. Magnus Chrona, G, Nacka (Swe U18)</p><p>6/183. Cole Koepke, LW, Sioux City (USHL)</p><p>7/206. Radim Salda, D, Saint John (QMJHL)</p><p>7/214. Ty Taylor, G, Vernon (BCHL)</p><h3><b>TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS</b></h3><p>1/29. Rasmus Sandin, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)</p><p>2/52. Sean Durzi, D, Owen Sound (OHL)</p><p>3/76. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, C, Peterborough (OHL)</p><p>3/83. Riley Stotts, C, Calgary (WHL)</p><p>4/118. Mac Hollowell, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)</p><p>5/149. Filip Kral, D, Spokane (WHL)</p><p>6/156. Pontus Holmberg, RW, Vasteras (Swe3)</p><p>7/209. Zachary Bouthillier, G, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)</p><p>7/211. Semyon Kizimov, RW, Togliatti (Rus Jr.)</p><h3><b>VANCOUVER CANUCKS</b></h3><p>1/7. Quinn Hughes, D, Michigan (BIG10)</p><p>2/37. Jett Woo, D, Moose Jaw (WHL)</p><p>3/68. Tyler Madden, C, Tri-City (USHL)</p><p>5/130. Toni Utunen, D, Leki (Fin2)</p><p>6/186. Artyom Manukyan, RW, Omsk (KHL)</p><p>7/192. Matthew Thiessen, G, Steinbach (MJHL)</p><h3><b>VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS</b></h3><p>2/61. Ivan Morozov, C, Khanty-Mansiysk (Rus Jr.)</p><p>4/99. Stanislav Demin, D, Wenatchee (BCHL)</p><p>4/115. Paul Cotter, C, Lincoln (USHL)</p><p>5/135. Brandon Kruse, LW, Bowling Green (WCHA)</p><p>5/154. Connor Corcoran, D, Windsor (OHL)</p><p>6/180. Peter Diliberatore, D, Salisbury (High-CT)</p><p>6/185. Xavier Bouchard, D, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)</p><p>7/208. Jordan Kooy, G, London (OHL)</p><h3><b>WASHINGTON CAPITALS</b></h3><p>1/31. Alexander Alexeyev, D, Red Deer (WHL)</p><p>2/46. Martin Fehervary, D, Oskarshamn (Swe2)</p><p>2/47. Kody Clark, RW, Ottawa (OHL)</p><p>3/93. Riley Sutter, RW, Everett (WHL)</p><p>4/124. Mitchell Gibson, G, Lone Star (NAHL)</p><p>6/161. Alex Kannok-Leipert, D, Vancouver (WHL)</p><p>7/217. Eric Florchuk, C, Saskatoon (WHL)</p><h3><b>WINNIPEG JETS</b></h3><p>2/60. David Gustafsson, C, HV 71 (Swe)</p><p>3/91. Nathan Smith, C, Cedar Rapids (USHL)</p><p>5/150. Declan Chisholm, D, Peterborough (OHL)</p><p>5/153. Giovanni Vallati, D, Kitchener (OHL)</p><p>6/184. Jared Moe, G, Waterloo (USHL)</p><p>7/215. Austin Wong, C, Okotoks (AJHL)<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

stats_caps

NHL Stats

NHL STATISTICS 2017-18

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0127-0114/310163-1-eng-US/f0127-012.jpg" title="f0127-01" width="495" height="1034"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stats_haley/310156-1-eng-US/stats_haley2.jpg" title="stats_haley" width="1579" height="1375"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>MICHEAL&nbsp;HALEY</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(ELIOT J. SCHECHTER/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0127-029/310149-1-eng-US/f0127-022.jpg" title="f0127-02" width="2124" height="1311"></div><p align="center"><i>Click tables above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Specialty Stat Sorts

FIGHTING MAJORS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0128-0114/310206-1-eng-US/f0128-012.jpg" title="f0128-01" width="495" height="1034"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stats_oreilly/310199-1-eng-US/stats_oreilly2.jpg" title="stats_oreilly" width="1579" height="1375"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>RYAN&nbsp;O&rsquo;REILLY</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(BILL WIPPERT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0128-0210/310192-1-eng-US/f0128-022.jpg" title="f0128-02" width="2124" height="1311"></div><p align="center"><i>Click tables above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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PCT. OF TEAM FACEOFFS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0129-0114/310249-1-eng-US/f0129-012.jpg" title="f0129-01" width="495" height="1034"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stats_karlsson/310242-1-eng-US/stats_karlsson2.jpg" title="stats_karlsson" width="1579" height="1375"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>WILLIAM&nbsp;KARLSSON</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(JEFF BOTTARI/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0129-0210/310235-1-eng-US/f0129-022.jpg" title="f0129-02" width="2124" height="1311"></div><p align="center"><i>Click tables above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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BEST PLUS-MINUS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0130-0114/310292-1-eng-US/f0130-012.jpg" title="f0130-01" width="495" height="1034"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stats_subban/310285-1-eng-US/stats_subban2.jpg" title="stats_subban" width="1579" height="1375"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>MALCOLM&nbsp;SUBBAN</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(BILL SMITH/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0130-0210/310278-1-eng-US/f0130-022.jpg" title="f0130-02" width="2124" height="1311"></div><p align="center"><i>Click tables above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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SHOOTOUT SAVE PCT. (MINIMUM 6 SHOTS)

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0131-0113/310335-1-eng-US/f0131-012.jpg" title="f0131-01" width="495" height="1034"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stats_point/310328-1-eng-US/stats_point2.jpg" title="stats_point" width="1579" height="1375"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>BRAYDEN&nbsp;POINT</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(SCOTT AUDETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0131-028/310321-1-eng-US/f0131-022.jpg" title="f0131-02" width="2124" height="1311"></div><p align="center"><i>Click tables above to be able to zoom</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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GAME-WINNING GOALS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="checklist_mcdavi" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/checklist_mcdavi/310476-1-eng-US/checklist_mcdavi2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>CONNOR&nbsp;MCDAVID</b></p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p align="center"><i>Click tables below to be able to zoom</i></p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0132-0113/310469-1-eng-US/f0132-012.jpg" title="f0132-01" width="1037" height="2084"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0132-028/310462-1-eng-US/f0132-022.jpg" title="f0132-02" width="1038" height="2093"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0133-0113/310448-1-eng-US/f0133-012.jpg" title="f0133-01" width="1038" height="2708"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/checklist_krug2/310455-1-eng-US/checklist_krug22.jpg" title="checklist_krug2" width="1036" height="1125"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>TOREY&nbsp;KRUG</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0133-028/310441-1-eng-US/f0133-022.jpg" title="f0133-02" width="1037" height="1521"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/checklist_henriq/310434-1-eng-US/checklist_henriq2.jpg" title="checklist_henriq" width="1036" height="583"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>ADAM&nbsp;HENRIQUE</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(SCOTT DINN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0134-0113/310420-1-eng-US/f0134-012.jpg" title="f0134-01" width="1037" height="2063"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/checklist_hayes/310427-1-eng-US/checklist_hayes2.jpg" title="checklist_hayes" width="1036" height="583"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>KEVIN&nbsp;HAYES</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(RICHARD A. WHITTAKER/ICON SPORTSWIRE VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0134-029/310413-1-eng-US/f0134-022.jpg" title="f0134-02" width="1038" height="2063"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0135-0113/310399-1-eng-US/f0135-012.jpg" title="f0135-01" width="1038" height="2708"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/checklist_athana/310406-1-eng-US/checklist_athana2.jpg" title="checklist_athana" width="1036" height="1125"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>ANDREAS&nbsp;ATHANASIOU</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(DAVE REGINEK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0135-028/310392-1-eng-US/f0135-022.jpg" title="f0135-02" width="1025" height="1521"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/checklist_helleb/310385-1-eng-US/checklist_helleb2.jpg" title="checklist_helleb" width="1036" height="917"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>CONNOR&nbsp;HELLEBUYCK</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(DARCY FINLEY/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0136-0113/310371-1-eng-US/f0136-012.jpg" title="f0136-01" width="1037" height="1742"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/checklist_saros/310378-1-eng-US/checklist_saros2.jpg" title="checklist_saros" width="1036" height="917"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>JUUSE&nbsp;SAROS</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(JOHN RUSSELL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0136-029/310364-1-eng-US/f0136-022.jpg" title="f0136-02" width="1038" height="1742"></div><p><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

checklist_mcdavi

Checklist

FANTASY DRAFT CHECKLIST

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Worksheet

POOLIE WORKSHEET

<div class="byline">By MATT LARKIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="lastword_grubaue" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/lastword_grubaue/310534-1-eng-US/lastword_grubaue2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>BOFFO &ldquo;BACKUP&rdquo;</b></p><p>Grubauer stole the Caps&rsquo; No. 1 job for a time last year and is now poised to become the top dog in Colorado.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PATRICK MCDERMOTT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>A</span>NDREI VASILEVSKIY AND CONNOR</b> Hellebuyck loved life in 2017-18. So did their fantasy owners. Each goaltender was a Vezina Trophy finalist last season, but neither was even a full-time starter the season before. In standard Yahoo drafts, Vasilevskiy and Hellebuyck were, on average, the 16th and 40th goalies off the board a year ago.</p><p>Goalies picked before Hellebuyck included Scott Darling, Antti Niemi and Peter Budaj. Yes, Peter friggin&rsquo; Budaj. The Jets signed Steve Mason for two years at a $4.1-million AAV to share the crease with Hellebuyck, and that scared poolies into believing Mason would be the starter.</p><p>But the savviest fantasy players knew better. They waited in their drafts on Vasilevskiy and Hellebuyck, two highly touted prospect goaltenders, while others snapped up bigger names such as Carey Price and Braden Holtby in the first round.</p><p>Price and Holtby, the top two goalies in average draft position last year, finished 68th and 37th in fantasy rankings among netminders, albeit Price&rsquo;s rank was anchored by his injury woes. Hellebuyck and Vasilevskiy finished as the Nos. 2 and 3 goaltenders in fantasy hockey in 2017-18.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote">TAKE AIM AT GRUBAUER. HE WAS ACQUIRED TO NUDGE VARLAMOV OUT</blockquote><p>One might call the drastic shift in goalie values a fluke, but it actually happens every year. In 2016-17, Sergei Bobrovsky and Cam Talbot were top-three fantasy goalies after finishing nowhere near the top 20 the season prior. Then, after his sudden ascension, Talbot fell off the map last season. The lesson here: goaltender values are extremely fickle year to year. Why?</p><p>Injuries can rob goalies of their effectiveness, as we saw with Price and Matt Murray last season. Since most goalie-centric pools count wins and shutouts as key stats, changing team situations can kill a goalie&rsquo;s worth, too. Talbot&rsquo;s win total shrunk from 42 to 31 as the Oilers regressed in 2017-18.</p><p>So, should we stop picking goalies in the early rounds and load up on scorers? Yes, to a point. It doesn&rsquo;t mean completely punting the category and choosing goalies with your last few picks. It does mean waiting several rounds before taking the plunge, however. A handy three-pronged &ldquo;ZeroGoalie&rdquo; strategy to consider:</p><p><b>1. Grab a guaranteed volume guy.</b> If your fantasy league counts wins, shutouts and/or saves, you can get a useful starter in three categories outside the top 10 goalies. Dallas&rsquo; Ben Bishop and San Jose&rsquo;s Martin Jones, for example, are &ldquo;boring&rdquo; mid-range picks who are their team&rsquo;s unquestioned starter yet will remain on the draft board long after the Pekka Rinnes of the hockey world get selected.</p><p><b>2. Draft for plausible upside.</b> The volume goalie can be your backbone, and you can wait several more rounds to grab a known prospect commodity who&rsquo;s younger and more talented than the starter in front of him. Hellebuyck fit that bill last season. Juuse Saros may push Rinne in Nashville this year. Even if Saros doesn&rsquo;t, he&rsquo;ll post elite-rate stats in a backup role.</p><p><b>3. A goalie who fits criteria 1 and 2 is a league winner.</b> Vasilevskiy was an elite prospect, and we knew he was taking over as Tampa Bay&rsquo;s starter last season. He was a top-five goalie masquerading as a mid-range pick. I hope you took my advice and drafted him last year like I did.</p><p>This season, take aim at Philipp Grubauer in Colorado. He was clearly acquired to nudge Semyon Varlamov out the door. Grubauer&rsquo;s new three-year, $10-million contract is almost identical to the three-year, $10.5-million deal that Vasilevskiy got two years ago. The message is clear: this isn&rsquo;t backup money we&rsquo;re giving you. We want you to take over as our starter.</p><p>Let someone else blow high picks on Rinne and Bobrovsky, chasing Vezina Trophies. Be patient and mix volume with upside in the middle to late rounds. If you did that last year, you may have landed two top-three goalies.</p><p><a datastyle href="https://twitter.com/THNMattLarkin"><b>@THNMATTLARKIN</b></a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Ultimate Fantasy Pool Guide 2018-19

BEFORE YOU PLACE THAT HOCKEY BET

INSTANT IMPACT

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VANCOUVER CANUCKS