For the second straight season, Fleischmann was dealt at the trade deadline, this time going from Montreal to Chicago, where he scored four goals in 19 games before being held without a point in four playoff contests. The trades show there is still an appetite for a player of Fleischmann’s caliber, but the 32-year-old Czech winger is no longer a reliable weapon on offense, failing to score more than 20 goals after netting a career-high 27 in 2012. Currently a free agent, Fleischmann doesn’t appear ready to hang up his skates and call it a career, so he very well could get a deal from a team unhappy with its forward depth heading into the 2016-17 campaign.
Fleischmann's production really fell off after consecutive seasons in which he was Florida's top scorer. The 29-year-old has been injury-free for most of his career and health wasn't his problem in 2013-14; the bigger culprit was a career-low shooting percentage and a drop in playing time. That said, Fleischmann put more shots on net last year than in any season except his career year of 2011-12. If he keeps it up and his shooting percentage ticks back up, Fleischmann could be in line for a sizeable scoring correction, making him a candidate for 20-plus goals and 40 to 50 points. He will be a sleeper to watch on the Panthers in 2014-15.
Fleischmann turned in another solid stat line last season with 12 goals and 23 assists while playing all 48 games with the Panthers. He'll get top-line minutes again in 2013-14, and if he can get his point total around 60, he has big fantasy value. He had a minus-10 rating last season, and that makes him less valuable than 60-point guys from good teams, but that doesn't mean it's worth missing him altogether on draft day.
Fleischmann immediately paid dividends for the Panthers after signing a four-year contract prior to last season. Fleischmann lead the team in points and scored a career-high 24 goals. Fleischmann may not be the flashiest player, but he quietly goes about his business making him a decent fantasy option. The German sniper has shown an ability to score in his career, putting up 23 goals three seasons earlier for Washington. Florida's scorers don't attract much attention on draft day, so you'd do well to remember Fleischmann's name in the later rounds of your draft.
Fleischmann posted a 12-19-31 stat line this past season over 45 games, splitting time between the Capitals and the Avalanche. But the winger's season was cut short when blood clots were discovered in his lungs. Fleischmann has received clearance to play and will look to pick up where he left off in 2010-11, where he was averaging almost a point per game over some stretches. He became the Panthers' highest-paid forward this offseason after signing a four-year, $18 million contract, so one can expect him to work hard and lead a rebuilt Florida club.
You know your team is deep up front when Fleischmann hammers out 51 points (23 G, 28 A) and it’s only seventh best on the squad. He should continue getting time on the man advantage while skating with Alex Ovechkin or Alexander Semin. As he matures, expect his shot totals to rise high enough for him to crack the 25-goal barrier sooner rather than later. The Capitals secured his services in July when he received a one-year deal valued at $2.6 million, but a bigger payday may not be too far away in his future.
With his second full season under his belt with Washington, Fleischmann showcased his knack to find the back of the net. Although he had some high and low points throughout last season, he showed signs of some breakout years to come. He finished with 19 goals, seven by way of the power play, in which he should continue to see time. He also added 18 assists over the 73 games he played in. He is suffering from blood clots in his legs and will not be able to start the regular season. If he can return to his form last year he can make an impact.
Fleischmann is one of the Caps’ forwards who has not lived up to expectations. A second round pick in 2002, finally made it to the NHL for a full season last year. In 75 games, he recorded 30 points, with 10 goals 20 assists. He is coming into training camp with a goal of trying to continue playing in the NHL for the entire season, although he did sign a two-year extension in February of 2008. If he can manage to stay with the Caps, he may be a low-end option in deep leagues.
With Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin cemented as the Capitals’ top two left-wingers, Fleischmann may need to shift to the right wing if he’s going to play a major role with the Capitals this season. The Czech, obtained for Robert Lang in a trade prior to the lockout, has proven all that he can in the minors, tallying 68 goals and 99 assists in 141 games including the playoffs for AHL Hershey the last two seasons. If he can sneak onto a scoring line opposite Ovechkin or Semin, he could be in for big things in 2007-08.
Prospect Alert! Fleischmann, acquired in a deadline deal with the Red Wings for Robert Lang before the lockout, only put up a meager two points in 14 games with the Caps last season. In the minors, however, the 22-year-old Fleischmann led AHL Hershey in goals (30) and points (63) despite only playing in 57 regular season games with the team. He added to his impressive totals in the playoffs, leading Hershey to the Calder Cup and finishing second in the AHL in playoff scoring with 11 goals and 21 assists in only 20 games. Fleischmann has little left to prove in the AHL, but he's a twig at 6-foot-1 and 172 pounds so he'll have to bulk up before he can fully withstand the rigors of the NHL.
After scoring 75 points as a 19-year-old in the competitive WHL in 2003-04, Fleischmann put up 19 points in 53 games in the AHL last season. He should see increased ice time in the AHL in 2005-06, and his performance there will be a huge indicator of how he'll be able to adapt to the faster, tougher style of the NHL.
