MORE FANTASY COVERAGE:
Top 250 rankings
NOTES:These fantasy projections (for 82-game season), a collaborative effort by Pete Jensen and Anna Dua, have been quantified based on factors including but not limited to past performance in the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs, projected line combinations, power-play usage, team goalie situations, injury history or concern, sleeper upside, anticipated regression or bounce-back candidacy, age, contract status and overall upside for this season. The below totals are safe estimates and do not necessarily indicate each player's ceiling or floor and should be used as a basis for decision-making in all fantasy leagues. Players are listed below in order of NHL.com top 250 rank.
Blues 32 in 32: [Season preview | 3 Questions | Top prospects]
Vladimir Tarasenko, RW -- He was fifth in the NHL (minimum 20 games) with an average of 3.25 points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time last season and is among the leaders in goals (252; 14th) and shots on goal (1,955; 22nd) since entering the NHL in 2012-13. Tarasenko, who led the Blues with an NHL career-high 82 points in 75 games (tied for 27th in League) and is coming off his highest assist total (48), should be considered a top 10 fantasy right wing and fringe top 50 overall player with exposure to the Blues' elite offense (3.77 goals per game last season, third in NHL).
NHL.com point projection for Tarasenko: 80
Pavel Buchnevich, LW/RW -- He set NHL career bests last season in goals (30, second on the Blues), assists (46) and points (76) in 73 games last season his first with St. Louis after being in a trade with the New York Rangers last offseason. Buchnevich also ranked second on the Blues in shots on goal (199) behind Tarasenko (230) and is a potential fantasy bargain if available anytime outside the top 75 overall players.
NHL.com point projection for Buchnevich: 71
Torey Krug, D -- He was tied for 16th among NHL defensemen in points per game (0.67; 43 points in 64 games) last season and was an NHL career-best plus-23. Since his first full NHL season with the Boston Bruins in 2013-14, Krug ranks eighth among NHL defensemen in points (410) and fourth in power-play points (191) and should be considered a top 15 fantasy option at the position and top 100 overall player.
NHL.com point projection for Krug: 55
Robert Thomas, C-- He had NHL career highs in points (77, second on Blues), goals (20), assists (57; led St. Louis), power-play points (14) in 72 games, and led the Blues in even-strength points (60; tied for 16th in NHL) playing on a line with mostly Tarasenko and Buchnevich. Thomas had a high shooting percentage (17.4 percent) and low shot volume (115 shots on goal) but should still be considered a top 100 overall fantasy player and among the 50 best options in most keeper and dynasty leagues.
NHL.com point projection for Thomas: 68
