With the fantasy hockey season literally just around the corner I thought it might be time to look at three rookies who could make some noise this year. These may not be the consensus top three Calder favorites but I believe all three can make a sizable impact on your fantasy rosters this coming year.
First up is Marco Rossi, drafted 9th overall by Minnesota in 2020. Things did not start off very well for Rossi as he dealt with a case of Myocarditis (covid related) which cost him his 2020-2021 season. Skip to the end of his first season of professional hockey with the Iowa Wild where he produced a very respectable 18G 35A 53PTS in 63GP to tie for the team lead in scoring.
So far this preseason he has been slotted in as the second line center flanked by super sophomore Matt Boldy but more importantly he is currently centering PP1 which is giving him exposure to both Kaprizov and Zuccarello. You can’t read to much into preseason line combinations but with the Wild being hampered by the Suter/Parise buyouts the organization is going to need some cheap talent to step in quickly. Rossi has a great opportunity here to jump right in and produce as long as he can maintain his status in the line up. I am quite bullish on this player and could reasonably see a 50-55pts season form Rossi in his current situation.
Next up is Cole Perfetti of the Winnipeg Jets. Drafted 10th overall, many saw his selection as a bit a steal by the Jets and he is certainly making good on that as he readies himself for his debut season. Unfortunately Cole’s season was cut short last February due to a shoulder injury which while rehabbing aggravated a back injury that he had been playing through. While not overly productive in the games that he did play (7PTS in 18GP with Winnipeg) He did manage 15PTS in 17GP with Manitoba of the AHL. All said he showed that he is ready to contribute in an impactful way, hence his current spot on the second line along side PLD and Wheeler (he’s also seeing time on PP2 w/Wheeler). Much like Rossi, if Cole can hold on to his spot on the second line and get some time on the power play he should put up some decent totals. Look for Perfetti to flirt with 50PTS this year.
Last but certainly not least is Logan Thompson of the Vegas Golden Knights. the 6″4′ 201lbs netminder isn’t your prototypical rookie as he is already 25 years of age but has only 20 games of NHL experience. He is slated to be the Knights #1 this year with the caveat that he could spend some time in the AHL at the beginning of the year due to the fact that he is the only Vegas puckstopper that is waiver exempt (Brossoit/Hill are not). Having said that, if and when the Knights can figure out their three-headed monster, I believe Thompson could have a breakout year in Lehner’s absence. This is still a roster that is built to win now with a stout defence and more than capable offence, all Thompson needs to do is provide slightly above average goaltending to bank 25-30 wins. Provided he plays most of the year in the NHL of course!
Rookies are never easy to project as there are many variables at play but I hope that these three suggestions come back to pay huge dividends at seasons end for your fantasy roster.
