Many NHL teams have their rosters pretty much set now. With combinations being tested out in preseason and in practices, we have a good idea of who will be on which lines. For fantasy hockey purposes, this will allow a closer look into which players should be added because they will get larger roles than initially expected.
Some young players impressed a lot in training camp this season while others struggled. As certain players fall down the lineup, others will rise in their place. We are going to take a good look at which players to add in fantasy hockey based on opening night lineups.
Players to Add Based on NHL Opening Night Lineups
Leo Carlsson
Initially, it wasn’t known if Leo Carlsson would make the Anaheim Ducks out of training camp. If he did, it was expected that he would start as the third-line center behind Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish. With a good first training camp, it not only looks like he’ll make the team but slot in as the first-line center. This will entail Zegras moving over to the wing as the general manager had hinted at earlier in the offseason. As a rookie playing with Zegras and Troy Terry, the team’s best two offensive players, Carlsson is set for a strong first season. He may also get power-play time on the top unit if he bumps Adam Henrique down.
Zach Benson
Zach Benson has had a very strong first training camp. The 13th overall pick this season has surprised and it looks like he’s going to make the Buffalo Sabres. Not only is he going to make it, but there is a strong belief that he will hold a top-six spot. The top line should remain untouched with Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, and Alex Tuch, but Benson could slide in right below. If he plays beside Dylan Cozens and J.J. Peterka and gets some power-play time, he could continue to surprise everyone.
Andrew Mangiapane
Andrew Mangiapane, like the rest of the Calgary Flames, had a tough year. He was playing on the third line for most of the season after a great breakout season in 2021-22. He scored 35 goals and 55 points that season but dropped to 17 goals and 43 points in 2022-23. With Tyler Toffoli gone and Yegor Sharangovich not a lock to play on the top line anymore, Mangiapane seems to be getting that shot. He would play alongside Elias Lindholm and Jonathan Huberdeau. With how strong of a passer Huberdeau is, Mangiapane can find his scoring touch again and have more ice time.
Ryan Donato
The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t expected to be a strong team by any means. This doesn’t mean that there won’t be productive players on the roster though. Tayler Hall and Connor Bedard are two players who will be drafted in almost every league. What has been up in the air is the third player on that line. By how things have gone in the preseason, Ryan Donato appears to have seized that spot, for now at least. He is coming off a season scoring 14 goals and 27 points, but mostly in the bottom six of the Seattle Kraken. Bedard is going to be elite, and maybe right off the bat. If Donato can feed off of that production with much more ice time, he could be someone to at least stream from the start of the season.
Jonathan Drouin
The Colorado Avalanche weren’t playing around this offseason. The major changes they made were to the forward group. Gabriel Landeskog will likely be out the entire season, so it gave them even more cap space to work with. They brought in a lot of middle-of-the-pack players to fill their middle-six. But with Landeskog out, someone has to move up and play on the top line. This task is going to fall to Jonathan Drouin to start the season. He will get regular playing time alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, two of the most elite scorers in the NHL. It is a good gamble to take.
Michael Rasmussen
The Detroit Red Wings are looking like they will be a bit better than last season, but they have some new blood in their lineup. This could go the way they are hoping, or not so well in some areas. One player who should benefit from a few key top-six players leaving over the past year is Michael Rasmussen. Although he missed some time last season, he took a big step and his point pace was looking good. He was set to score 15 goals and 42 points from a third-line role, but will see regular playing time on the top line. He will get to grow alongside Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat, which could really make the 24-year-old an impact player in fantasy hockey.
Evan Rodrigues
The Florida Panthers have liked to spread out their scoring a bit over the past few seasons. This has seen Matthew Tkachuk play on the second line and Sam Reinhart on the third line. Since they are both right wings, this leaves a spot open on the top line. This season, newly signed Evan Rodrigues may very well get the pleasure of playing with Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe. This line can score and Rodrigues also plays a physical game. If he can continue to produce the way he has for the past couple of seasons, he’s a must-add.
Arthur Kaliyev
The Los Angeles Kings made some big moves this offseason. Their biggest was shipping off three roster players and getting back Pierre-Luc Dubois. He is going to be the second-line center, but with Alex Iafallo, Gabe Vilardi, and Rasmus Kupari out of the picture, Arthur Kaliyev gets a big opportunity. Kaliyev has an elite shot and has shown it off on the power play. He will be utilized more than that this season. By spreading out the scoring a bit and having Viktor Arvidsson play on the third line, Kaliyev will get to slot in beside Dubois and Kevin Fiala. This could very well be the most productive line on the Kings and Kaliyev will score here.
Calen Addison
The Minnesota Wild got hit with some unfortunate news that Jared Spurgeon will be out and is week-to-week. The right side was already questionable as is, but two young defensemen will have to step up big time. Brock Faber and Calen Addison should get regular top-four minutes until Spurgeon returns. While Faber is more defensive, Addison will be counted on offensively. If he wasn’t already the go-to option on the top power-play unit, he is now. Top-four minutes and power-play time is a great combo for fantasy hockey.
Alex Newhook
The Montreal Canadiens have a newer and younger look this season. One player in particular who seems like he’s going to get a better look is Alex Newhook. He was playing bottom-six minutes on the Colorado Avalanche after failing to seize the second-line center role. On the Canadiens, he will be getting a look on the top line on the wing. While Kirby Dach and Josh Anderson are options for the RW spot on the first line, they seem to be better suited for the second line. Newhook will get the opportunity to play with the team’s two best offensive players. He might just break out this season with this shot.
Alexander Holtz
The New Jersey Devils are expected to challenge the Edmonton Oilers as the most offensive team this season. They appear to be going with three somewhat balanced scoring lines. The player to most benefit from this at five-on-five appears to be Alexander Holtz. He is expected to be playing on the second line above Dawson Mercer. This will allow Holtz to get regular playing time with Timo Meier and Nico Hischier, both great producers and fantasy hockey locks. Despite little NHL experience, Holts could surprise in a role like this.
Oliver Wahlstrom
The New York Islanders appear to be looking to get some more scoring throughout their lineup. Though they are a great defensive team, they have a very tough time scoring goals. The top line was typically loaded up, but that should be different this season. Anders Lee seems to be moving down the lineup and one of the younger wingers, particularly Oliver Wahlstrom, will be getting a shot to play beside Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal. If Wahlstrom can stay there and it works, he isn’t the best fantasy option because of the team he’s on, but he will produce.
Will Cuylle
The New York Rangers also look to be better than how they ended last season. Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko are out, but Blake Wheeler and Will Cuylle are in. On top of that, their young players have another year under their belts. The player of interest here is Cuylle, who has been a pleasant surprise in training camp and has earned his place on the third line. While top-six players are more impactful in fantasy hockey most of the time, Cuylle will be playing with Wheeler and Vincent Trocheck. These two are productive veterans who will put up points and provide leadership. Cuylle could be a sneaky pickup in deeper pools and has the potential to be a nice fantasy hockey piece.
Ridly Greig
The Ottawa Senators will be without Josh Norris, their second-line center, to begin the season. He is expected to miss at least 10 games or 24 days. The Senators’ top-six is very talented, and whoever is in it will be able to produce offensively. There would be a combination of a lot of players, but the center spot remains up for grabs. Shane Pinto would be the go-to option if he was signed. That isn’t the case right now, so Ridly Greig seems like the best choice. He is a rookie that came in hot to the NHL at the end of last season.
Tyson Foerster
Under John Tortorella, the Philadelphia Flyers were much more competitive than many expected. This saw breakout seasons by a few of the players. With some new faces on the team, this could call for another breakout or two. Who makes the most sense is Tyson Foerster. He had a very impressive NHL trial last season, scoring three goals and seven points in eight games. This season he is expected to slot in on the top line. That will get him lots of ice time and the opportunity to play with top players. He likely won’t come close to a point-per-game, but he has shown the ability to score.
William Eklund
The San Jose Sharks aren’t going to be a very good team this season. They lost some key players over the last year. But with players leaving, this creates opportunity for younger players. William Eklund is someone who is in line for a great opportunity. The 20-year-old has just 17 games of NHL experience, but he looks to be slotting in beside Tomas Hertl to start the season. This will be the top line of the Sharks and Hertl should be the best offensive player this season. If there is any player not getting enough attention at the end of drafts, it may be Eklund.
Conor Garland
The Vancouver Canucks should be more competitive this season from the start. Despite not having Horvat, they have lots of players with the potential to perform better this season. One player in particular is Conor Garland. He seemed to be stuck on the second or third line, but this preseason has changed that. While Anthony Beauvillier initially appeared to be getting a top line spot with Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko, Garland has earned that privilege. Garland has produced offensively. In 49 games two seasons ago with the Arizona Coyotes, he put up 39 points. Even in 77 games in 2021-22 he put up 52 points. With elite linemates, 55-plus points is a reality.
Anthony Mantha
The Washington Capitals have a more healthy lineup to start the season in 2023-24. This means there is lots of talent fighting for places in the lineup. Since the attempts to trade Anthony Mantha have failed due to his lack of chemistry and high cap hit, the team is trying something different. This involves slotting him on the top line beside Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. They aren’t the duo they used to be, but they are still very reliable together. Mantha is a fairly physical player as well.
Gabe Vilardi
Vilardi broke out at just the right time for the Kings last season. They had been waiting for him to reach his potential, and he finally showed it. This allowed the team to then trade him to the Winnipeg Jets though. Vilardi was set for the top-six role, that much we were sure of. But with Dubois gone, he could have easily slotted into the second-line center role. Instead, it appears as though the young forward will be playing alongside Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, two very strong scorers. With 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games last season from a middle-six role, his ceiling is much higher this season.
With the season close to starting, drafts are still commencing and owners are looking for players to add in fantasy hockey. This list should cover a lot of what you are looking for as there are all sorts of options with the potential for a big season.
Looking for more great fantasy hockey analysis? Check out our 2023 Fantasy Hockey Draft Kit for team previews, rankings, and all the sleepers you can shake a stick at.