Bo Horvat, C (174) -- Vancouver's No. 1 center had an NHL career-high 22 goals in 64 games last season. The 23-year-old finished with 44 points but missed 18 games with a leg injury. Horvat likely will play on the top line and first power-play unit with Boeser, with the potential to form an underrated duo this season. Horvat could be one of the few No. 1 centers available in the last rounds of 12-team standard league fantasy drafts.
Elias Pettersson, C (191) -- The rookie set a Swedish Hockey League record for scoring by an under-20 player with 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists) in 44 regular-season games with Vaxjo and had 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in 13 SHL playoff games. The 19-year-old could help offset the loss of Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin, who each retired at the end of last season. Without the Sedins, there will be spots to fill in Vancouver's top six, where Pettersson likely will begin the season. The No. 5 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft is worth a late-round flier and has Calder Trophy potential.
Sven Baertschi, LW (239; INJ.) -- The 25-year-old was hampered by injury for the third straight season; he had 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 53 games, which translates to 44 points over a full season. Despite health concerns, Baertschi is an intriguing waiver wire add this season because he's expected to play on Vancouver's top line with Horvat and Boeser. Baertschi should be viewed as a deep sleeper who could emerge on the fantasy landscape over an 82-game season. He signed a three-year, $10.1 million contract with the Canucks on July 1 and likely will be a key cog in their offense for the foreseeable future.
