Fantasy: 5 players to target on the Winnipeg Jets
With your fantasy draft just around the corner, theScore's Ian McLaren and Darren Kritzer take a look at 5 players you should consider drafting this season.
Top Targets
Dustin Byfuglien
Byfuglien's transition from defenseman to forward in mid-January showed early success last season, and that won't change this year, as the 29-year-old will start the season on the first or second line. After joining the forward ranks, Byfuglien scored 10 goals and added 11 assists in 32 games, and the team responded, going 15-12-5 in those games. In 78 games overall, he scored 20 goals and added 36 assists.
In Yahoo! leagues, he will be listed as a defenseman and right winger, a plus for sure.
Blake Wheeler
Over the last three seasons, the former first round pick of the Phoenix Coyotes has averaged 0.80, 0.85 and 0.84 points per game, ranking him 22nd in the NHL over that time with 174 points. Last season, the 28-year-old recorded career-highs with 28 goals and 69 points, with 225 shots and eight power play goals. Wheeler ended the season on a high note, scoring five goals and adding 15 assists in 21 games, while splitting time with Michael Frolik on the top line with with Andrew Ladd and Bryan Little
Wheeler isn't your average household name, but he's the type of player you can still grab in late in the second round, or early in the third - and he will produce.
Proceed With Caution
Evander Kane
Kane was being named as possible trait bait before the NHL draft in June, but general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff failed to pull the trigger on any such transaction, even after Kane himself had this to say. “We'll see what happens and we'll carry on as if I'm a Winnipeg Jet.”
On the ice, Kane scored 19 goals and added 22 assists in 63 games one season ago, another season where he let fantasy owners down after a 30 goal 27 assist campaign in 74 games back in 2011-12. Kane, who has all the potential in the world for a breakout season, is a player always tempting to take early in the draft, but stay cautious. theScore composite rankings have him listed on average as the 107th best forward, in the neighborhood as Bryan Little, Bobby Ryan, Alexander Semin and Andrew Ladd. If you had a choice out of that group, you still have to think Kane could out-score those guys.
Take A Flier On
Mark Scheifele
Scheifele enters the season as a possible breakout contender after a fine regular season one year ago. In 63 games, the 21-year-old center scored 13 goals, added 21 assists, had a +9 rating and took 100 shots for a 13.0 percent shooting percentage. His 34 points ranked him tied for 8th in rookie scoring with Sean Monahan and Valeri Nichushkin.
Scheifele could open on a line with Blake Wheeler and Michael Frolik, with power play time a possibility. Expect to still have him on your draft board in the middle rounds.
Jacob Trouba
With Byfuglien being moved to forward, Trouba, a rookie last season, will likely take the next step from an offensive standpoint in fantasy. Last season, the former first round pick by the Jets in the 2012 draft, played in 65 games, scoring 10 goals and adding 19 assists. Expect Trouba to open the season with Mark Stuart on the top defensive pairing, and should see plenty of time on the power play with Tobias Enstrom.