Fantasy hockey bold prediction for each team
Bouchard has ceiling of being most valuable defenseman; rookies Cooley, Clarke, Woll can surprise
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NOTE: These bold, yet feasible, scenarios should be taken with a grain of salt but also used as inspiration to think creatively in fantasy leagues, especially in terms of potential line combinations and players' ceilings in different stat categories. These predictions, a collaborative effort by Pete Jensen and Anna Dua, may contradict NHL.com's top 250 rankings.
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Anaheim Ducks: Defenseman Jamie Drysdale can have a healthy, bounce-back season and finish among the top 20 defensemen in points with at least 50.
Arizona Coyotes: They can make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020, and rookie forward Logan Cooley can have more points than Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks with at least 75.
Boston Bruins: Goalie Jeremy Swayman not only can outperform reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark but also finish among the top three in the NHL in wins with at least 35.
Buffalo Sabres: Forward Tage Thompson can lead the NHL in goals with at least 60, reach 100 points for the first time and win the Hart Trophy to help the Sabres end their 12-season Stanley Cup Playoff drought.
Calgary Flames: Rookie forward Matt Coronato (No. 13 pick in 2021 NHL Draft) can carry over his success from the preseason into a top-six role and lead the Flames in goals this season with at least 28.
Carolina Hurricanes: Wing Andrei Svechnikov can bounce back from injury and finish among the top 10 overall players in standard fantasy leagues with elite coverage of goals, points, shots on goal and hits.
Chicago Blackhawks: Defenseman Seth Jones can finish top five at the position in points with at least 70 and set an NHL career high in the category as a result of frequent exposure to generational rookie Bedard.
Colorado Avalanche: Defenseman Bowen Byram can score more goals than elite teammate Cale Makar and lead the NHL at the position in the category with at least 20 this season.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Rookie center Adam Fantilli and wing Patrik Laine can form a top-10 goal-scoring duo in the NHL, with each scoring at least 35.
Dallas Stars: Center Roope Hintz could lead the Stars in points this season with at least 100 and finish third in the NHL in power-play goals with at least 20, behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers.
Detroit Red Wings: Wing Daniel Sprong can take on the biggest role of his NHL career and lead the Red Wings in goals with at least 35, more than Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat.
Edmonton Oilers: Defenseman Evan Bouchard, with a full-time spot on the first power play with McDavid, Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, can lead NHL defensemen in points with at least 80 and power-play points with at least 40.
Florida Panthers: Forward linemates Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett can each finish among the top 10 in the NHL in shots on goal with at least 300 each.
Los Angeles Kings: Defenseman Brandt Clarke can lead NHL rookies at the position in points with at least 45, more than Luke Hughes of the New Jersey Devils, after the Kings traded Sean Durzi to the Coyotes in the offseason.
Minnesota Wild: Wing Matt Boldy can lead the Wild in points with at least 85, more than elite teammate Kirill Kaprizov.
Montreal Canadiens: Forward Kirby Dach can have a breakout season of at least 65 points, finish with more than teammates Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, and lead Montreal in power-play points with at least 25.
Nashville Predators: Goalie Yaroslav Askarov can thrive as a rookie either splitting time with or playing behind starter Juuse Saros and lead the NHL in save percentage (minimum 20 games) with at least a .935.
New Jersey Devils: Center Jack Hughes can finish second in the NHL in points behind McDavid with at least 125, benefiting from the offseason addition of wing Tyler Toffoli.
New York Islanders: Forward Mathew Barzal, playing wing on a line with Bo Horvat for a full season, can lead the Islanders in points and finish among the top 15 in the NHL with a career high of at least 95.
New York Rangers: Defensemen Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller each can finish in the top 15 in the NHL at the position in points this season with at least 60.
Ottawa Senators: Defenseman Jake Sanderson can have a breakout season and finish among the top 10 at the position in points with at least 65 and more than teammates Jakob Chychrun and Thomas Chabot.
Philadelphia Flyers: Wing Owen Tippett can finish among the top 50 overall players in standard fantasy leagues with rare coverage of goals, points, shots on goal and hits.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Center Evgeni Malkin can lead the Penguins in points, topping center Sidney Crosby and defenseman Erik Karlsson, with at least 95 this season.
San Jose Sharks: Wing William Eklund can have a breakout season on a line with either center Tomas Hertl or Logan Couture and lead the Sharks in goals with at least 30 and points with at least 70.
Seattle Kraken: Wing Oliver Bjorkstrand can lead Seattle in shots on goal this season, finishing in the top 15 in the NHL in the category, and lead the Kraken in goals with the first 30-goal season of his NHL career.
St. Louis Blues: Wing Jordan Kyrou can rank in the top 10 in the NHL in goals this season with at least 45.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev can have a full-fledged breakout season, reaching the 80-point mark and becoming a Norris Trophy finalist.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Goalie Joseph Woll can emerge as the clear starter for the Maple Leafs over Ilya Samsonov and lead NHL rookie goalies in wins this season with more than Devon Levi of the Buffalo Sabres.
Vancouver Canucks: Wing Andrei Kuzmenko can score 50 goals this season playing on a line with elite center Elias Pettersson and finish in the top five in the NHL in the category.
Vegas Golden Knights: Center Jack Eichel can have at least 100 points for the first time in his NHL career and finish in the top 10 in the League in points.
Washington Capitals: Wing Alex Ovechkin (822 career goals) can score 30 goals in his first 30 games and finish with at least 62 this season to rank among the top three in the NHL in the category and pull within 10 of tying Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record (894).
Winnipeg Jets: Gabriel Vilardi can lead the Jets in points with at least 80, more than forwards Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and defenseman Josh Morrissey.
