Fantasy Pool Guide: NHL 2015-2016 Season

Apr 11, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes right wing Shane Doan (19) checks Anaheim Ducks center Rickard Rakell (67) during the second period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

ANAHEIM DUCKS

Forwards

May 17, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm (47) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period in game one of the Western Conference Final of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf have been fantasy beats since they entered the league, offering production across the board for those multi-category leagues.  Newcomer Carl Hagelin may be the most intriguing addition from the offseason.  He’s never topped 20 goals or 40 points, but look for him to break both this season.

Mike Santorelli and Chris Stewart could be dark-horses to have good seasons.  Look to see who wins top spot alongside Getzlaf and Perry, as they’ll be the biggest benefactors.  Patrick Maroon is another interesting one as he’s been known to play all four lines.  The Ducks are weak up the left side until the arrival of Nick Ritchie (which may not even happen this season).

Jakub Silfverberg may be the leading candidate to claim the top line spot.  Rickard Rakell could be considered a breakout candidate.  It’ll all depend where the Ducks stick him in the lineup.  If you’re looking for another Getzlaf/Perry type without the elite production, then Ryan Kesler might be your guy.

Defense & Goaltending

The Ducks are full of left handed shots (besides Vatanen and Holzer).  This may create an opportunity for a young man not listed above, who may not hold a lot of fantasy relevance but could be a big part of Anaheim moving forward, and that’s Josh Manson (son of former NHLer Dave Manson). He’s more well known for being a solid defensive d-man though.

The two studs on the back-end are Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm.  We just watched Vatanen take that next step last season, and this season it should be Lindholm’s turn.  Let’s not forget about Cam Fowler who simmered down a bit after his rookie campaign but can add some offensive punch.

Kevin Bieksa won’t do anything to help your fantasy teams or office pools, but it’s the type of guy the Ducks needed to add to the mix.  If you’re looking for a guy that hits, blocks shots, and accumulate PIM’s, look no further than Simon Despres.

Avoid the Ducks goaltending if possible.  The problem is they’ve got two starters.  They also brought in Anton Khudobin in the offseason to play backup.  Even with the nice extension John Gibson received, it wouldn’t be surprising to watch him spend most the season in the AHL.  However, the two cannot co-exist so Anaheim has some decisions to make sooner than later.

ARIZONA COYOTES

Forwards

Sep 22, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Trevor Lewis (22) chases Arizona Coyotes left wing Max Domi (16) in the first period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

When it comes to fantasy relevance, there’s not a lot to get excited about in the desert.  The arrival of Anthony Duclair and Max Domi should set a spark to the fan base though.  Perfect for a keeper league or even just a seasonal pool.

Otherwise, Steve Downie is a guy who can produce across the board for those espn type leagues with multiple categories.  Don’t expect guys like Vermette, Hanzal, or Doan to produce too much.  Boedker could be a breakout candidate this season.  Hanzal could have a break-out, but spends more time battling injuries than anything else.

Defense & Goaltending

There’s really only one star on this Coyotes team as of right now (Domi & Duclair knocking on the door), and that’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson.  We’re talking about a guy who can produce north of 50 points, while being productive in hits and blocked shots.

Michael Stone is due for a big-time breakout on the back-end.  He should see time alongside OEL on the top PP unit in Arizona.  Another young guy due for a breakout who could compete with Stone for time on the top PP is Connor Murphy.  If you’re looking for a couple deep sleepers, consider Klas Dahlbeck or Stefan Elliott.

In goal, it’s pretty much a one man show.  The Yotes did bring in Anders Lindback in the offseason to give Arizona a better 2nd option to backup Mike Smith.  Smith is coming off a really ugly year, and it’s hard to trust him.  He’s battled inconsistencies through his days in Dallas, Tampa Bay, and now Arziona.  Regardless, it’s hard to imagine his numbers getting any worse than last year.  Proceed with caution.

Next: Boston and Buffalo