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Before getting into the start of free agency and the big deals that came with it, we’ll first take a look at the trades that were executed this offseason, starting with the long-rumored deal that sent Olive Ekman-Larsson from Arizona to Vancouver. The departure of Ekman-Larsson (and his massive $8.25 million cap hit) had been swirling on trade winds for over a year, but it was the inclusion of 25-year-old Connor Garland that caught many by surprise. The Massachusetts-born winger tallied 39 points in each of his last two seasons and should be capable of eclipsing the 50-point threshold with a full 82-game campaign.
Garland will almost certainly find himself in a top-six role with the Canucks which means he figures to be centered by either Elias Pettersson or Bo Horvat, linemates who will only further bolster his fantasy value. On the flip side, Ekman-Larsson could see his value take a hit, as blue-line sensation Quinn Hughes won’t be conceding his spot on Vancouver’s No. 1 power-play unit any time soon.
And now, to the fantasy relevant deals!
After a few rebuilding seasons, it seems the Blackhawks decided to make another run at a Stanley Cup during the Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews era with a pair of huge trade acquisitions. First, Chicago brought in defenseman Seth Jones, who then signed an eight-year, $76 million contract. It wasn’t a cheap move for the Hawks as they had to lose up-and-coming blueliner Adam Boqvist in the deal as well as several high-value picks. The veteran Jones should head into the 2021-22 season quarterbacking the Blackhawks’ No. 1 power-play unit which could help him reach the 40-point mark for the first time since 2018-19.
The team’s other big move involved acquiring reigning Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury from Vegas for essentially nothing, though Chicago assumed the full weight of the netminder’s $7 million cap hit. After briefly toying with the idea of retiring instead of reporting to the Windy City, it seems The Flower is all in and will provide the Blackhawks with top-tier goaltending in 2021-22. Kevin Lankinen, who likely would have been the starter for Opening Night with Fleury not in the picture, managed just 17 wins last year — a win total Fleury hasn’t missed since 2005-06.
The Seattle Kraken make some keen additions
Speaking of Vezina Trophy nominees, the Colorado Avalanche couldn’t agree to terms on a new deal with netminder Philipp Grubauer. The newly minted Seattle Kraken had no such hesitations, giving the German backstop a six-year, $35.4 million deal. After posting personal bests in wins (30), GAA (1.95), and shutouts (seven) last season, Grubauer shouldn’t be expected to submit a repeat performance during the upcoming campaign, but he figures to see the bulk of the workload for the Kraken and will no doubt be a sought after fantasy option. In addition to their Expansion Draft selections (see Giordano, Mark), Jaden Schwartz was the other big offseason addition for Seattle, signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract on the opening day of free agency.
It will be a shock to the St. Louis faithful to see the club’s 2010 14th-overall pick donning a different sweater for the first time in his career. This past season was a down year for the 29-year-old winger, as he managed just 21 points in 41 games, his lowest point total since 2012-13. With his new club, Schwartz is a near-lock for both the first line and the No. 1 power-play unit which should help him get back to being a 20-goal producer.
Dougie Hamilton sees his fantasy value boosted
The biggest deal of the offseason — other than the eight-year deals given to Darnell Nurse, Brayden Point, and Seth Jones to remain with their respective clubs — went to Dougie Hamilton, courtesy of a seven-year, $63 million contract handed to him by the Devils. With that deal, New Jersey will have $18 million tied up in a pair of blueliners this year in Hamilton and P.K. Subban. Anyone with questions regarding who will handle the bulk of responsibilities with the man advantage needs only to look at this pair of blueliner’s respective 2020-21 numbers as Hamilton had 18 power-play points compared to just five from Subban. For fantasy players, the 28-year-old Hamilton is pretty much a lock to rack up 40 points and while he may not produce at Victor Hedman levels, he’ll be a top target in all formats.
Zach Hyman, Phillip Danault join new squads
The only other players to get six or more years of term while switching jerseys were Zach Hyman (seven-year, $38.5 million) and Phillip Danault (six-year, $33 million) from Edmonton and Los Angeles, respectively. Perhaps the biggest benefit Hyman offers the Oilers is the ability to keep Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid on separate lines without having to sacrifice attacking ability. With a full 82-game season, fantasy players should have confidence that the 29-year-old Hyman will exceed the 50-point threshold; he should be in the mix for 20 goals as well.
Danault won’t have the benefit of playing with elite scorers but he should still fill a top-six role with the Kings. The change of scenery may not benefit the 28-year-old Danault as he’ll be joining a rebuilding squad and he’ll likely have to drive much of the offense on his line.
Blake Coleman departs the defending champs
Back in July of 2018, Blake Coleman signed a three-year, $5.4 million deal with the Devils. A trade to Tampa Bay and two Stanley Cup championships later and Coleman is making nearly that total per season with Calgary after inking a six-year, $29.4 million pact. This should mark a significant upgrade for the winger as he goes from fringe top-six player with the star-studded Bolts to a near-lock on the second line for the Flames. With the increased ice time and opportunities, the Texas native should challenge the 40-point threshold which would be a career-high for the 29-year-old American.
Goalie swap between Leafs, Hurricanes
No offseason roundup would be complete without the “unofficial” trade between Carolina and Toronto that saw Petr Mrazek sign with the Leafs while Frederik Andersen put pen to paper with the Hurricanes. It will be a tougher road to first-choice status for Mrazek, as he’ll have to beat out youngster Jack Campbell for the starting job and may not be able to do much better than an even split of the netminding duties. For the veteran Andersen, he’s joined in Carolina with fellow free-agent acquisition Antti Raanta, who has been plagued by injuries throughout his eight-year NHL career.