NHL Barometer: Risers & Fallers

This week's article includes the return of No. 1 center in the Windy City, the new top pivotman in Anaheim, a Kraken blueliner, several injuries this preseason and prayers that the Montreal netminder gets the assistance he needs.

First Liners (Risers) 

Jonathan Toews, C, CHI – Toews, who missed the 2020-21 campaign with chronic inflammatory response syndrome, is healthy and expected to be in the lineup Opening Night. He looked great in training camp and preseason action, notching a pair of goals. In 2019-20, Toews totaled 60 points in 70 games while averaging 3:19 of ice time per game on the power play. This season, he should resume his role as Chicago's top-line center, where he may be flanked by Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat.

Trevor Zegras, C, ANA – Zegras tallied three goals and 10 assists in 24 games, and by playing less than 25 games, he is still Calder Trophy eligible. The favorite for the award, Zegras was the best player (and tournament MVP) at the World Juniors and helped Team USA win the gold medal. He then averaged more than a point per game (21 points in 17 games) with AHL San Diego, before his excellent run with the Ducks. Zegras will open the season as Anaheim's No. 1 pivot, assuming the role from captain Ryan Getzlaf. 

Vladimir Tkachyov, LW, LA – Tkachyov signed a one-year deal with the Kings in May. He was pretty productive in the KHL last season, racking up 11 goals and 27 helpers while posting a plus-12 rating in 45 games with SKA St. Petersburg. The 25-year-old winger is making the most of his opportunity this training camp to earn a spot on the Kings' Opening Night roster, notching a goal and four assists. Tkachyov could begin the season as L.A.'s third line left winger and see some second line power-play duty. 

Robby Fabbri, LW, DET – Fabbri's 2020-21 season was like many others, spurts of solid performance coupled with chunks of time missed by injury. Such has been the case for much of the 25-year-old's career since he was drafted 21st overall by the Blues in 2014. Fabbri has picked up this preseason from where he left off last season when he was on the ice, impressing the coaching staff with his play on the ice. If he can find a way to stay healthy, Fabbri could notch 40 points while skating on the season line with Pius Suter.

Mikhail Sergachev, D, TB – Sergachev scored just four goals last season after averaging eight in his first three full seasons, and his shooting percentage was an abysmal 3.7 percent. The good news was that his ice time, both overall and on the man-advantage, rose for the third consecutive season, boding well for future success. Sergachev remains behind Victor Hedman for power-play time, but his strong foundation of two-way play already has him poised for further growth in his game. Look for 23-year-old blueliner to take a step forward in his production this season. 

Vince Dunn, D, SEA – Our preseason outlook summarized the rumors around Dunn the last few seasons. "Dunn was on the trade block for seemingly ever, so of course the Blues eventually lost him to Seattle for nothing in the expansion draft." Now a member of the Kraken, Dunn will get a chance to fulfill his offensive potential, seeing top-six duty while also manning the point on one of the two power-play units. Career numbers would not be shocking from Dunn.

Marc-Andre Fleury, G, CHI – The Flower's tenure in Las Vegas ended somewhat ignominiously, but he gets a fresh start in the Windy City. Last year, Fleury, who won the Vezina Trophy, had Robin Lehner to contend with for time between the pipes, but he did start 36 of 56 games. This season, it's Kevin Lankinen, but despite Lankinen's solid rookie campaign, look for Fleury to see an uptick in games played. Fleury is playing behind a weaker defense, so look for a rise in his goals-against average and save percentage but also a slight rise in wins due to games played.

Jake Allen G, MON – Hopefully, Carey Price, who voluntarily entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, gets the mental health help he needs. Price is expected to miss a month at minimum, during which time Allen will be No. 1 in net for the Canadiens with Samuel Montembeault his projected backup. Allen got into 29 games last year, finishing 11-12-5 to go with a 2.68 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. He was the top dog in St. Louis for four-plus years, so stepping into the role, despite the media coverage in Montreal, shouldn't faze Allen.

Others include Charlie Coyle, Jared McCann, Jack Hughes, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Kyle Palmieri, Roope Hintz, Cole Caufield, Patrik Laine, Sam Reinhart, Boone Jenner, Jamie Drysdale, Samuel Girard, Rasmus Andersson, Tony DeAngelo, Moritz Seider, Darcy Kuemper, Craig Anderson, Alex Nedeljkovic and Ilya Sorokin. 

Buy Low

Yegor Chinakhov, LW, CBJ – When I first wrote this it was a flyer pick as it was unclear if Chinakhov would break camp with Columbus. He locked up a spot, but the rebuilding Jackets still have quality depth at right wing with Jakub Voracek and Oliver Bjorkstrand filling the top two spots, relegating Chinakhov to third-line duty, But Chinakhov, the surprise pick at 21 in 2020, has shown he can provide offense, which is a major need for the Ohio team. Last season, the Russian-born winger totaled 10 goals and 17 points in 32 games for Avangard Omsk of the KHL, leading players 20 and younger with 0.53 points per game.

Training Room (Injuries)

Matthew Boldy, LW, MIN – Boldy, the 12th overall pick from the 2019 Entry Draft, will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks with a fractured left ankle suffered in Thursday's preseason game against Chicago. He was in the mix for a spot on Minnesota's Opening Night roster and was a dark horse Calder Trophy candidate, but he'll now almost certainly begin the campaign on injured reserve while rehabbing his ankle injury. Once healthy, the Boston College product could head to the AHL to get into game shape, but he'll almost certainly see significant time with the big club by season's end. 

Quinton Byfield, C, LA – Byfield suffered a fractured ankle last Tuesday and will be out at least four weeks. Drafted second overall in 2020, Byfield played 32 games in the AHL as an 18-year-old last season before dressing in six games for the Kings. Byfield slotted in as the Kings' third-line center, a role he should fill once healthy. With Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault in front of him, Byfield may need a few seasons before he moves up the depth chart, though his ceiling is that of an elite player in the league. 

Others include Auston Matthews (offseason wrist surgery, will miss first three games of the season), Sidney Crosby (wrist surgery, expected out to late October, though could return slightly sooner), Evgeni Malkin (knee, will miss at least the first 22 games of the season), Nicklas Backstrom (hip, was still not skating at beginning of month) Kevin Hayes (abdominal surgery, out at least until early November), Max Domi (offseason shoulder surgery, played in final preseason game, could be in lineup for first game), Alex Ovechkin (lower body, left Friday's preseason finale, monitor status), Mike Hoffman (lower body, potential return to game action between October 23-26), Jakub Vrana (shoulder surgery, out at least four months), Ilya Mikheyev (broken thumb, surgery, out eight weeks), Carey Price (NHL assistance program, indefinite) and Pavel Francouz (lower body, out 3-4 weeks).

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers) 

Alex Newhook, C, COL – Newhook opened training camp penciled in as the Av's third-line center. His struggles this preseason could land him back in the AHL to start the year. Newhook began last season with Boston College before deciding to leave school when the Eagles' year was complete. He began his pro journey with AHL Colorado (nine points in eight games) before playing six games (three assists) with the Avalanche. The 20-year-old Newhook is competing to replace the roster void created by Brandon Saad's departure, but his rough camp might cost him a roster spot initially. 

Oliver Wahlstrom, RW, NYI –  Coach Barry Trotz has criticized Wahlstrom for not having the best of training camps. Trotz did not specifically say what was missing from Wahlstrom's game, just that he was displeased. Another reason Wahlstrom is a candidate to start the season in the AHL is because the Islanders have several players who would have to pass through waivers to be sent to Bridgeport, but not Wahlstrom. The Islanders might not want to risk losing someone like Kieffer Bellows to keep Wahlstrom, who has excelled on the man-advantage but struggled 5 vs. 5, especially in his own zone, on the team.  

Dante Fabbro, D, NAS – Fabbro has been a regular on the Predators' blueline the last two seasons, but his offensive production has left a lot to be desired. He has appeared in 104 games for Nashville in that span, notching seven goals, 16 assists and 151 shots while logging over 19 minutes of ice time per game. The blueliner has seen more than 20 seconds of power-play time each season in the NHL, a figure that is unlikely to change much this season. If that remains the case, look for his output to remain relatively static. 

Others include Artem Anisimov, Logan Brown, Brady Tkachuk (contract dispute could have him start the season on the sidelines), Vitali Kravtsov, Calen Addison, Thomas Hickey and Jonathan Quick.

Sell High

Craig Anderson, G, BUF – Anderson beat out Aaron Dell to open the season as one of the two Sabres' goalies along with Dustin Tokarski. With no Jack Eichel, due to injury, and Sam Reinhart in Florida, the Buffalo offense will leave a lot to be desired. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is the future netminder for Buffalo, and with the team playing for down the road and in Stink for Shane (Wright) mode, that future may come a lot sooner than originally expected.