Fantasy Hockey Rising Stars for 2011–12
You won’t get very far in fantasy hockey just picking the stats from last season. For one thing, you’re bound to miss out on a key segment of the fantasy world: the rising star. These are the guys on the uptrend, who will see a significant increase in their fantasy value from previous seasons. We have targeted a number of players with a strong chance of hitting new highs in 2011-12. Here are a few to consider as you prepare for your fantasy draft:
Insulted
Jordan Eberle EDM
Eberle, like Taylor Hall, saw a promising rookie season interrupted by injury. He missed 13 games in January with an ankle injury, but bounced back nicely to finish the season. He expects him to take another big step forward in his second season, as the young offense in Edmonton continues to develop.
Louis Eriksson DAL
Erikson has set new highs in points in each of his five NHL seasons, though his goal total has dipped slightly over the past two years. He’s an elite scoring threat — the best the star has to offer now that Neal and Richards are gone. How much will the departure of Richards affect Eriksson? While that’s cause for some concern, consider that in the 10-game stretch without Richards last season, he still managed to score 5 goals. Expect 30-plus points from Erikson in 2011-12.
Michael Grabner NYI
34 goals and 18 assists. It’s not often you see a guy with such skewed totals. Grabner racked up goals in the second half of last season to attract considerable attention for the Calder trophy. The Islanders seem to be a powerful offensive team this season, and their goal-to-assist ratio should even out. Look for him to improve his rookie stats in his second full season.
EDM Taylor Hall
Hall was tossing around the Calder conversation until he sprained his ankle and had to miss the final 17 games of the season. All told, it was a decent start to what promises to be a stellar career. Expect Hall to be healed and ready to continue justifying his first overall pick last spring. He looks for a big jump in goals and points in his second season.
Leino City BUF
Ville Leino should finally get the break he’s been waiting for, now that he’s a big shot on a new team. He did well with the limited playing time the Flyers gave him. He immediately moves into the top RW position with Buffalo. He expects a big jump in production or there’s a lot of talk about him being overpaid.
Bryan Little WINS
Little peaked early in his career, breaking with 31 goals in his second season. The past two years have yielded more humble results. He’s just 23 years old and the No. 1 center in Winnipeg this season. His ability to play on the wing makes him more flexible, so frontline duties for him are guaranteed this season, regardless of his position. If the Jets can find some scoring to partner with him, he should be able to set a career-high in points. Look for a big climb either way this season from Little.
Joe Pavelski SAINT
Pavelski dished out an impressive 46 assists last season and continues to emerge as one of the best playmakers in the game. The Sharks have plenty of weapons, including newcomer Havlat, to finish those passes. Look for Pavelski to reach another points high in 2011-12. 70 points are within your reach.
Jeff Skinner CAR
Skinner was one of the biggest surprises of the year, bursting onto the scene with 31 goals at the age of 18. He instantly becomes the biggest scoring threat Carolina can offer and should use his speed and hands to make 35 or better. Goals in 2011-12.
Derek Stepan NYR
Stepan was a scoring wizard before joining the big leagues. He made his NHL debut with a hat trick on opening night last season. All told, he had a good rookie year, giving the Rangers a much-needed scoring threat at center. He’ll be the No. 2 center in town this season, so expect a lot of points from Stepan this year.
Defending
Brent Burns S.A.N.
Burns had a rough couple of seasons in Minnesota, mostly due to a series of injuries. He clearly bounced back in style last year, reverting to his 2007-08 form and stats. His move to San Jose will create a potentially dynamic offensive duo when he combines with Boyle. Look for another 15 goals and close to 50 points from Burns this season.
John Carlson WAS
Carlson’s solid rookie performance helped ease the pain of Mike Green’s death. He chipped in 37 points while logging top-tier minutes for the Caps. He will be a standout player for Washington once again this season and will continue to push his way into the elite at this position. He looks for a 45-point campaign.
Cam Fowler ANA
On the one hand, you have to love the 10 goals and 40 points that Fowler contributed as a rookie. On the other hand, the -25 +/- rating hurts a bit. He has to bolster his defensive play to make him a solid No. 2 option on his team. His offensive potential is enormous, and he should team up with Visnovski to provide big points from the back for the Ducks.
Cody Franson TOR
Franson showed decent progression in his second season, going from 21 points to 29 points, including 8 goals. He’ll be hard-pressed to supplant Weber and Suter in terms of minutes, but he’s expected to continue to rise in his junior year. He might get into the 40 point range this time.
Alex Goligoski DAL
Goligoski has been on a steady rise since joining the NHL, and he seemed to shine after moving to Dallas last spring. He expects another increase in point totals this season, putting him in 15-goal/50-point territory. He could easily finish in the top 10 defenders this year.
Erik JohnsonCOL
Johnson will have to face the burden of high expectations after being hired at a high cost in the deal with the Blues. So far, he’s put up decent numbers for a young defenseman. He’s coming into his prime right now, and he’s as good as he’ll ever get for the Avs, after they parted ways with Liles this summer. He is a strong bet for 10 goals and 40+ points this time.
Erik Karlsson OTT
If there was one bright spot for Sens fans last season, it was the appearance of Erik Karlsson. His 13 goals were a very pleasant surprise. His -30 was a bit annoying, but the entire Ottawa roster had that problem last season. Don’t expect +/- to improve dramatically, but you can expect another healthy dose of goals and assists from the new power-play quarterback in Ottawa.
Dmitri Kulikov FL
He has yet to show it in his first two NHL seasons, but there’s a reason Kulikov was selected in the first round. He has the potential to score big points in this league. Entering his third season, he should expect a jump in his totals, putting him in the mix with other 40-point producers.
PK Subban MI
Subban did not disappoint in his rookie season. He scored 14 goals, 38 points and 124 penalty minutes. It’s surprising that he didn’t deserve much consideration from Calder with those numbers. And if that’s the starting point, the sky’s the limit for this young pup. Anything less than 45 points would be a disappointment in his second season.
goals
Jonathan Bernier
See Cory Schneider. Bernier posted solid stats (2.48 GAA, .913 save percentage) in limited action behind Jonathan Quick in his first full season with the big club. He will be pushing hard for more playing time and could easily be No. 1 at some point this year. He expects at least 30 starts as a base.
James Reimer TOR
Reimer offered a glimmer of hope to Leafs fans who have been waiting for the rise of a legitimate No. 1 goalkeeper for several years. The job is his to lose this year as Gustavsson has not lived up to expectations. Treat him as a #2 goalie option and hope he can repeat his rookie effort.
cory schneider van
Schneider’s story hasn’t changed much since last year. Everyone knows he’s good enough to be number 1, but this Luongo guy isn’t going away. Project him for depth.
