adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

Sports

Fantasy hockey – last minute training camp roundup – ESPN

Published

 on


We’re finally here, just hours away from launch of this unprecedented 2021 NHL season. Restart your league, create one, or enter the live draft lobby today to grab your team all week.

Centers | Wingers | Defensemen | Goalies

Goalie Depth Chart

With that, here’s a final quick round-up of fantasy-related news and notes from training camps around the league:


West

Anaheim Ducks

Despite blowing the doors off this year’s World Junior Championship, young Trevor Zegras will not make his NHL debut with the Ducks opening week. The team is instead opting to first send him down to the AHL for some weathering. As is routine, the 19-year-old’s length of stay with the Gulls is likely to be determined by how well he manages. As such, for now, the dynamite dynasty asset loses some shine in current redraft leagues.

Colorado Avalanche

Philipp Grubauer is the No. 1 goaltender for the Colorado Avalanche. Coach Jared Bednar said so on Sunday. But fantasy managers should feel ready to pounce on Pavel Francouz – available in 67% of ESPN.com leagues – should Grubauer fall hurt, as he has in seasons past.

Minnesota Wild

Kirill Kaprizov appears to be the real deal. Skating on a Wild top line with Zach Parise and Nick Bjugstad, the former KHL standout is already earning high praise from coach Dean Evason (paraphrasing: oh-so-skilled, battles hard etc.) An early Calder favorite on this website, the 23-year-old has point-per-game potential and merits all kinds of attention in ESPN deeper leagues.

San Jose Sharks

As far as coach Bob Boughner is concerned, Evander Kane is going to play in 2020-21. The Sharks coach said as much Tuesday. There was concern the 29-year-old would sit out the season after filing for bankruptcy. Kane registered 26 goals, 21 assists, 18 power-play points, 216 shots, and 122 penalty minutes though 64 games in 2019-20.

St. Louis Blues

Forward Mike Hoffman is tapped to make his Blues debut on a second scoring line with young center Robert Thomas and winger Jaden Schwartz. This is great news for Thomas – rostered in only 10% of ESPN.com leagues – who was already pegged to enjoy a breakout season. That trio should make plenty of productive noise for the Blues in 2020-21.

Vegas Golden Knights

According to coach Pete DeBoer, playing time will be split between goalies Robin Lehner and Marc-Andre Fleury to start the season. The Knights open with a pair of matches against the Ducks, followed by a string of four games versus the Coyotes (neither an offensive powerhouse). Unless Lehner or Fleury runs with the gig early on, Vegas could continue to take a tandem approach to the position. Which may surprise some fantasy managers who considered Lehner – rostered in 96% of ESPN.com leagues – the club’s top option.

Central

Carolina Hurricanes

The odds of Martin Necas breaking out this season have conceivably improved by way of his latest turn on a second scoring line with Andrei Svechnikov and Jordan Staal. Throw in some time with the extra skater, and the 21-year-old could turn heads this campaign after averaging 0.56 points per game his rookie season. He isn’t getting enough attention in deeper, keeper leagues.

Columbus Blue Jackets

In his return to the NHL, camp notes indicate forward Mikhail Grigorenko is earning a shot on a Blue Jackets’ top line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand. A disappointment in his first tour of the league, the 12th overall draft pick (2012) appears to have matured the past three seasons in the KHL. If he has finally figured it out, and can stick on a top-six line in Columbus – if not with Dubois, then maybe aside new center Max Domi – the 26-year-old could evolve into an intriguing fantasy asset indeed.

Florida Panthers

After sitting out all of training camp – without the Panthers offering much in way of explanation – Sergei Bobrovsky isn’t likely to play against the Blackhawks on Sunday. Tuesday’s second tilt with Chicago doesn’t feel all that probable either. Until Bob is back to business, fantasy managers are advised to bench him without reservation. Hopefully this situation is resolved shortly. Backup Chris Driedger presents as a reasonable Daily Fantasy option in the meanwhile, particularly against the beat-up Blackhawks.

Tampa Bay Lightning

With Nikita Kucherov sidelined all of 2020-21, the Lightning are putting additional pressure on Anthony Cirelli to contribute more offensively. That’s the message from coach Jon Cooper himself. After collecting 44 points in 68 games this past campaign, Cirelli enters this season as the club’s second-line center between Alex Killorn and Mathieu Joseph. The 23-year-old is also member of Tampa’s secondary power play.

North

Edmonton Oilers

Jesse Puljujarvi is rebooting his NHL career on a bottom-six line with center Kyle Turris – at least to start. Fantasy managers who optimistically (and not unreasonably) selected Puljujarvi in hope of seeing him on a top unit with Connor McDavid may choose to bench the 22-year-old for now. But it may only be a matter of time before the 2016 fourth-overall draft selection earns that coveted opportunity.

Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens’ most fascinating line, from a fantasy view, remained intact through camp. That’s a promising sign. The combo of former Blue Jacket Josh Anderson, Sophomore center Nick Suzuki, and winger Jonathan Drouin is one to watch closely from the fantasy stands. All three remain available to varying degrees in ESPN.com leagues.

Ottawa Senators

WJC sensation Tim Stutzle skated on a top-six line with Derek Stepan and Evgenii Dadonov on Monday. The German skater is an undeniable dynasty-league gem. But to expect productive fireworks from the teen – celebrating a 19th birthday this week – his first NHL season might be asking a bit much. A lot will depend on where Stutzle consistently slides into the Senators’ lineup.

Toronto Maple Leafs

It’s well recognized by now that Joe Thornton is getting his first taste of life as a Maple Leaf on a top line and power play with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. This early, it’s difficult to predict how long the gig lasts, and what the veteran forward makes of the opportunity. But it’s worth keeping in mind that Thornton remains overwhelmingly available in ESPN.com leagues. Perhaps not for long.

Vancouver Cancuks

While insisting one isn’t initially favored over the other, Canucks coach Travis Green hints he’s open to the better netminder eventually earning more time, based on quality of play. Considering Vancouver’s hectic January start – 11 games in 18 days – we’re sure to see plenty of both Braden Holtby and Thatcher Demko out of the gates. After that, it’s up in the air. Fantasy managers shouldn’t count on a heavy workload for either.

Winnipeg Jets

The Jets’ new second line – Kyle Connor, Paul Stastny, and Patrik Laine – sports plenty of scoring potential. Connor scores lots of goals. As does Laine. Suggesting Stastny could be in for a fruitful season in the assists department. The veteran center is available in nearly 88% of ESPN.com leagues.

East

Boston Bruins

As it happens, Brad Marchand isn’t expected to miss time for the Bruins after all. Recovering on good pace from offseason shoulder season, the Bruins’ top left wing is pegged to skate opening night against the Devils. What’s more, David Pastrnak might not be far behind, anticipated back as soon as early February following late-summer hip surgery. Between now and then, Jack Studnicka could serve as a valuable low-cost Daily Fantasy sleeper as Pastrnak’s replacement alongside Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.

Buffalo Sabres

The formidably-sized Tage Thompson – not Victor Olofsson, as many projected pre-camp – skated on the right side of Jack Eichel and Taylor Hall ahead of Thursday’s opener versus the Capitals, leaving Olofsson to accompany Eric Staal, and Sam Reinhart on the second line. Fantasy managers might notice that, for now, Jeff Skinner no longer appears to fit in Buffalo’s top-six mix. Mind you, this only applies to even-strength play; Olofsson projects to rejoin Eichel and Hall on the Sabres’ power play.

New Jersey Devils

Forward Jack Hughes is earning the chance to put last year’s mediocre campaign quickly behind him. With Nico Hischier still listed as day-to-day with a leg injury, Hughes is launching 2021 on a Devils’ top line with Kyle Palmieri and/or Nikita Gusev. A strong showing from the 2019 first-overall draft pick in that spot could convince coach Lindy Ruff to eventually shuffle Hischier in at center elsewhere.

New York Islanders

Unsurprisingly, Semyon Varlamov has been tapped as the Islanders’ opening night starter against the Rangers. While backup Ilya Sorokin will get his chances, there’s no sense in overloading the KHL export unnecessarily. The Islanders’ first back-to-back set doesn’t fall until the end of January. Depending on how Sorokin manages in his first NHL turn, Varlamov could find himself one of the league’s busier goaltenders.

New York Rangers

In recovery from COVID-19, Mika Zibanejad missed much of camp and could sit out Thursday’s opener versus the Islanders. Under the circumstances, a more sluggish start than usual is expected from the Rangers’ star forward. Once ready to go, Zibanejad is again slated to center linemates Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich.

Washington Capitals

Forward Jakub Vrana continues to skate on a Capitals’ scoring unit with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson. Before laboring during summer’s playoff run, Vrana enjoyed a nice breakout campaign in 2019-20, scoring 25 goals and 27 assists in 69 games. Competing full-time with Kuznetsov and Wilson, and on Washington’s secondary power play, the soon-to-be RFA should take another step forward in his fourth full year.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Red Wings sign Raymond to 8-year, $64.6 million contract

Published

 on

 

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings signed forward Lucas Raymond to an eight-year, $64.6 million contract Monday, completing a deal with one of their best young players less than 72 hours before training camp begins.

Raymond will count $8.075 million against the salary cap through 2032. The 22-year-old was a restricted free agent without a contract for the upcoming NHL season and was coming off setting career highs with 31 goals, 41 assists and 72 points.

The Red Wings have another one of those in defenceman Moritz Seider, who won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2021-22.

Detroit is looking to end an eight-year playoff drought dating to the Original Six franchise’s last appearance in 2016.

Raymond, a Swede who was the fourth pick in 2020, has 174 points in 238 games since breaking into the league.

AP NHL:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Cousins caps winning drive with TD pass to London as Falcons rally past Eagles 22-21

Published

 on

 

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kirk Cousins led a flawless last-minute drive for Atlanta and connected with Drake London for a 7-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left to give the Falcons a 22-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.

Saquon Barkley dropped a short pass that stopped the clock with 1:46 left and forced the Eagles to settle for a field goal instead of a game-sealing first down. That was plenty of time for Cousins — especially against an Eagles defense playing soft coverage with a nonexistent pass rush.

The 36-year-old veteran, playing his second game since tearing his Achilles tendon last Oct. 29 while playing for Minnesota, shook off an uneven effort and hit Darnell Mooney for 21 and 26 yards on consecutive plays during the decisive drive.

Cousins found London on a short pass to his right for the tying score, and Younghoe Koo put Atlanta (1-1) on top with a 48-yard extra point after London was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The go-ahead drive took just 65 seconds.

Jalen Hurts had his final pass intercepted by Jessie Bates III to seal Atlanta’s win and set off a wild celebration on the sideline.

The Eagles (1-1) went ahead on Hurts’ 1-yard tush push score with 6:47 left. Barkley finished with 95 yards on 22 carries in his home debut for Philadelphia, but his drop provided the Falcons with some hope.

And then Cousins started playing like the QB Atlanta thought it was getting when it signed him to a four-year, $180 million contract.

Cousins finished 20 of 29 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Atlanta’s first TD was a 41-yarder from Cousins to Mooney, who finished with three catches for 88 yards.

Hurts was 23 of 30 for 183 yards, including a touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith. With No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown out with a hamstring injury, Smith led the Eagles with seven catches for 76 yards and a score.

Jake Elliott kicked two field goals for the Eagles. His 28-yarder with 1:39 left made it 21-15.

Atlanta kept stalling in the red zone, getting three field goals from Koo, before Cousins fired over the middle to Mooney, who shook loose from C.J. Gardner-Johnson and left him on the turf before he somersaulted into the end zone with 1:21 left in the third quarter for a 15-10 lead. Cousins failed on the 2-point conversion pass.

Hurts had some juice in his step during a second-quarter TD drive, running with abandon for big plays much like he did in the 2022 season. He spiked the ball in a rare, raw show of emotion on a 23-yard run, earning a delay-of-game penalty. He shrugged off the 5-yard setback and scrambled for 9 yards and 15 yards to move the Eagles to Atlanta’s 19.

With comedian Shane Gillis and actor Bradley Cooper among the fans cheering on the Eagles, Hurts connected with Smith in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard TD that made it 7-3.

Under new defensive coordinator Vince Fangio, the Eagles have established an early knack for allowing long drives that end with three points instead of seven. Koo kicked field goals of 39, 22 and 34 yards, the last one enough for a 9-7 lead in the third quarter. In their opener, the Eagles held the Packers to just three field goals when they drove inside the 20.

Questionable call

Rather than take a chip-shot field goal from Elliott, the Eagles’ fourth-and-4 gamble at Atlanta’s 9-yard line in the first quarter failed when Hurts threw an incomplete pass.

Elliott kicked a 29-yarder with 4:31 left in the third quarter for a 10-9 lead.

Running wild

Bijan Robinson ran for 97 yards for the Falcons. The Eagles stuffed him late on fourth-and-1 at the Atlanta 39.

Barkley was quiet until the go-ahead drive, a week after he rushed for 109 yards and scored three touchdowns against Green Bay. Eagles fans booed when the opening drive of the game ended without Barkley touching the ball. They went wild when he had consecutive 9-yard runs to open the second drive. Barkley had 40 yards rushing in the first half.

Foles honored

Former Eagles QB Nick Foles, who led the franchise to its only Super Bowl title, served as an honorary captain and led the crowd in a rendition of “Fly, Eagles, Fly.”

Injuries

The Falcons played without LB Nate Landman (calf, quad).

Up next

Atlanta hosts Super Bowl champion Kansas City on Sunday.

The Eagles play at New Orleans on Sunday.

___

AP NFL:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Fernandez and Dabrowski headline Canadian lineup for Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Published

 on

 

TORONTO – Singles star Leylah Fernandez and doubles specialist Gabriela Dabrowski will anchor Canada’s five-player lineup when the team tries to defend its Billie Jean King Cup title in mid-November.

The 26th-ranked Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open finalist from Laval, Que., is the lone Canadian in the top 100 of the WTA Tour’s singles rankings.

Dabrowski, from Ottawa, is ranked fourth on the doubles list. The 2023 U.S. Open women’s doubles champion won mixed doubles bronze with Felix Auger-Aliassime at the recent Paris Olympics.

Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, Ont., returns after a breakout performance last year, capped by her singles win in Canada’s 2-0 victory over Italy in the final. Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino is also back and Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion from Mississauga, Ont., returns to the squad for the first time since 2022.

“Winning the Billie Jean King Cup in 2023 was a dream come true for us, and not only that, but I feel like we made a statement to the world about the strength of this nation when it comes to tennis,” Canada captain Heidi El Tabakh said Monday in a release. “Once again, we have a very strong team this year with Bianca joining Leylah, Gaby, Rebecca and Marina, making it an extremely powerful team that is more than capable of going all the way.

“At the end of the day, our goal is to make Canada proud, and we’ll do our best to bring the same level of effort and excitement that we had in last year’s finals.”

Fernandez, who beat Jasmine Paolini to clinch Canada’s first-ever title at the competition, is ranked No. 42 in doubles.

Canada, which received an automatic berth as defending champion, will play the winner of the first-round tie between Great Britain and Germany on Nov. 17 at Malaga’s Martin Carpena Arena.

Australia, Italy and wild-card entry Czechia also received first-round byes. The tournament, which continues through Nov. 20, also includes host Spain, Slovakia, the United States, Poland, Japan and Romania.

Stakusic is up 27 spots to No. 128 in the latest world singles rankings. Marino is at No. 134 and Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, is ranked 167th.

Canada will look to become the first team since Czechia in 2016 to successfully defend its Billie Jean King Cup title.

Malaga will also host the Nov. 19-24 Davis Cup Final 8. The Canadian men qualified over the weekend with a 2-1 victory over Great Britain in Manchester.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending