Celebrini, Michkov and the highest rookies to draft this season

They function each the current and future for his or her respective organizations and your personal fantasy squad. Simple preliminary targets in dynasty and keeper competitors, the next 10 untimely Calder Trophy candidates additionally exhibit promise as useful performers in most redraft competitors.

Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks

A aim/help displaying in his first activate NHL ice this preseason undoubtedly is not tampering expectations. Nor ought to it, contemplating this 12 months’s first-overall draft choose is slated to middle a prime Sharks’ line alongside Tyler Toffoli and (in all probability) Fabian Zetterlund proper off the hop. A spot on the first energy play can be the 18-year-old’s to lose. Whereas a repeat of final 12 months’s numbers with Boston College (1.7 factors/sport) is way too large an ask, the youngest ever Hobey Baker Award winner initiatives to hit 60 with ease. With a very good variety of them counting as targets. San Jose is healthier this 12 months. Celebrini, a direct goal in fantasy dynasty competitors, helps make them so.

Logan Stankoven, RW, Dallas Stars

Suiting up in 24 contests final 12 months, Stankoven squeaks beneath the eligibility cap with out a sport to spare. Nonetheless, a rookie he stays. One boasting nice promise to construct on his appetizer of a campaign by which the 21-year-old potted six targets and eight assists. That is along with the 57 factors in 47 video games earned whereas taking part in with grownups within the AHL. His underlying NHL numbers are much more spectacular. In five-on-five motion, Stankoven led the Stars in Objectives For Proportion (63.09 GF%), Corsi For Proportion (58.68 CF%), and Objectives For/60 minutes (3.69 GF/60), in response to Evolving Hockey.

Whereas hardly a full season, 24 video games is substantial sufficient a pattern measurement about which to get excited. Together with Wyatt Johnston, and rookie middle Mavrik Bourque — regulate him too — Stankoven manifests as a rapidly rising star on one of many higher groups within the West.

Matvei Michkov, RW, Philadelphia Flyers

One of the crucial dynamic forwards for the Flyers this preseason, Michkov resides as much as the hype. He is hustling, creating possibilities, defending the puck, and scoring.

In accordance with head coach John Tortorella, “He can shield the puck, and he is definitely prepared to be within the areas to go get the puck.” Excessive reward, supply thought-about.

Barring an sudden change in fact, Michkov will launch 2024-25 on a scoring line with Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett. After three seasons of placing up factors whereas battling males within the KHL, he’ll produce. This younger fella is the total bundle, fantasy and in any other case. Betcha he finishes top-four in scoring, if not higher, for the Flyers this marketing campaign.

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Matvei Michkov nets aim for Flyers

Matvei Michkov nets aim for Flyers

Cutter Gauthier, LW, Anaheim Ducks

After bulking up 20 kilos this offseason, Gauthier is able to muscle himself right into a everlasting top-six place with a younger Geese staff.

“I did not need to come within the league and get tossed round by all these large defensemen they’ve within the NHL now,” the 20-year-old advised NHL.com in mid-September. “I wished to be bodily, play my sport and never be timid of anybody else on the market. It feels good to this point, I am not too sluggish proper now.”

After scoring 38 targets and 27 assists in 41 video games at Boston Faculty final season, the fifth-overall draft choose (2022) earned an help in his one and solely NHL contest. A gradual function alongside middle Leo Carlsson and both Troy Terry or veteran Alex Killorn ought to garner Gauthier far more of the identical. He is additionally anticipated to skate on the membership’s prime energy play. The additional incentive of getting one thing to show after pushing to orchestrate a commerce away from the staff that drafted him should not damage both.

Will Smith, C/W San Jose Sharks

Celebrini’s training-camp roommate — each he and Smith and are attributable to transfer in with retired Sharks Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, respectively, as soon as the season begins — is one other rookie performer price fantasy consideration past dynasty competitors. Projected to skate someplace inside San Jose’s prime six, the Boston Faculty alumna might additionally erupt for spectacular scoring numbers immediately.

Hey, a 12 months older, Smith put up extra factors than Celebrini in school, and a few pundits imagine he would possibly once more within the professional discipline. Nonetheless it shakes out, the in-house Bay Space battle for rookie productive supremacy might be enjoyable to look at. Choose the versatile ahead in deeper re-draft leagues.

Nikolai Kovalenko, RW, Colorado Avalanche

A fantasy wild card in 12 months one, the older rookie might both carve out a job in Colorado’s top-six alongside middle Casey Mittelstadt, or see beneath 10 minutes/sport on the fourth line. Even when he nails the previous, who is aware of what goes down if/when Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin return.

So what’s to understand in regards to the soon-to-turn 25-year-old KHL export? He is offensively gifted, as displayed in a latest preseason loss to the Stars by which he earned two major assists, coach Jared Bednar likes him, and there is the aforementioned expertise issue. Kovalenko has been competing efficiently with males within the Kontinental Hockey League since 2018.

If nothing else, maintain a view of him as a streaming possibility, ought to the hardly Calder-eligible ahead safe a chief gig with the Avs.

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Lane Hutson, D, Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens followers are enthusiastic about this child, and for good purpose. Following a productive run with Boston College by which he averaged 1.3 factors/sport, the diminutive defender potted an help in every of two NHL contests with Montreal to wrap 2023-24, whereas averaging almost 23 minutes of ice time.

It isn’t a matter of if the 20-year-old reaches the 45-plus level plateau, however when. This 12 months? Subsequent? A lot would possibly rely on whether or not Hutson earns a go on the Habs’ No. 1 energy play as an alternative of the second. A must-draft performer in dynasty and keeper leagues, the younger blueliner also needs to be thought-about in all however the shallowest of re-draft competitors.

Arturs Silovs, G, Vancouver Canucks

Whereas Thatcher Demko stays sidelined indefinitely with a uniquely problematic knee problem, proper now, Silovs serves because the No. 1 goaltender for a Canucks staff that completed prime of the Pacific solely a season in the past. For what it is price, he was very good in a latest preseason 3-1 win over the Kraken, which provides hope the largely untested 23-year-old might be in place to construct on final season’s promise.

No query, there is a heap of uncertainty about how Silovs will fare after solely 9 regular-season appearances (by way of two campaigns) and 10 within the playoffs. However, once more, it is a excellent Vancouver staff and the Latvian typically carried out properly when unexpectedly tasked. All goes positively, there’s speak he might be in critical competition for the Calder. After securing one other confirmed performer, or two in smaller leagues, Silovs is definitely price a fantasy swing in all redraft competitors.

Dustin Wolf, G, Calgary Flames

Probably the most urgent concern is that the rebuilding Flames doubtless will not win quite a lot of video games in 2024-25. With that in thoughts, Calgary’s present prime goaltending prospect is forecast to play a considerable fraction of them. My guess is greater than netminding associate Dan Vladar. If the Flames lose much less usually than anticipated, Wolf would possibly find yourself one of many 12 months’s extra useful under-the-radar pickups in internet. We’ll see.

Justus Annunen, G, Colorado Avalanche

Something occurs to Alexandar Georgiev — who’s within the last 12 months of his present contract — and Annunen doubtless takes over as Colorado’s No. 1 instantly. Which could not be essentially the most tragic of turns for the Avs, contemplating the 24-year-old was good-to-outstanding — 14-8-1, 2.25 GAA, .928 SV% — when supplied the chance to play a season in the past. At minimal, he presents as one other useful streaming possibility when energetic.

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