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Frolik hit a steep decline in 2019-20, managing just 14 points in 57 contests split between the Flames and the Sabres. The 32-year-old probably isn't going to get anywhere near his old 40-point form at this stage in his career -- he's always been a defense-first option with strong penalty-killing skills. With virtually no physicality and his scoring numbers in decline, Frolik may not even be a lock to play every night for the Canadiens in 2020-21. Fantasy managers will have no need to invest in his services on draft day.
Frolik lost 17 contests to injury in 2018-19, but he was still able to enjoy a bounce-back campaign, posting 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) in 65 games after failing to crack the 30-point mark for the first time in four seasons in 2017-18. However, at 31 years old, it's safe to assume the winger will be slowing down a bit over the next few years. He's two seasons removed from his most recent 40-point effort, and only averaged 13:22 of ice time per game last campaign, his lowest total since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. The 2006 first-round pick will be one of the top candidates to slip down the lineup when coach Bill Peters shuffles lines in 2019-20, so he may be logging most of his minutes on a checking line this year. Frolik should still manage 30 points, but without much physicality -- 26 PIM, 57 hits and 22 blocked shots last campaign -- he'll struggle to make a significant fantasy impact this season.
Frolik is coming off a weak 10-15-25 campaign, his lowest in all three categories since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season when he was a member of the Blackhawks. Frolik posted a shooting percentage of 6.0 -- also his lowest since the lockout. Add in a career-worst minus-19 rating and expectations for him need to be tempered in 2018-19. Calgary added some forward depth in the offseason, meaning Frolik will likely have a smaller role. He should finish somewhere in the 30-point range with another double-digit goal output, but the 30-year-old Czech winger could once again struggle to realize his full potential this season.
Despite playing in all of Calgary’s 82 games last season, Frolik -- the 10th overall pick back in 2006 -- failed to break the 50-point threshold once again and is still waiting for his first such season. The 29-year-old’s skill set is much more suited for the real-life game than it is for fantasy purposes, as he’s a good penalty killer and possession player, as evidenced by his excellent 55.7 Corsi For percentage last season. The Czech winger did tie his career high in assists with 27, but he hasn't broken the 20-goal mark since his second season in the league. As a steady source of 40 or so points, he’s a reasonable fantasy asset in deeper formats, but that’s about all you can ask for.
Following consecutive 42-point campaigns with the Jets, Frolik came to Calgary last season and saw his scoring total drop by 10 thanks in part to 18 games out of the lineup due to a pair of injuries. Somehow, a decade after being drafted No. 10 overall, Frolik’s still coasting on his pedigree; it’s hard to explain how else he consistently plays top-six minutes. A curious mix of defensively oriented penalty killer and sniper wannabe, the 28-year-old Frolik is best suited to a third-line role on a good team, but he’ll again play right wing on the second trio for the Flames this year. Even if he stays healthy, that assignment won’t net him more than about 40 points.
Sometimes what you see is what you get. That seems to be the case for Frolik, who has never delivered more points than he did in his rookie season (45). Mind you, he’s since delivered 42 or 43 in three other seasons and 38 in yet another. Consistency is important, both on the ice and in fantasy, especially head-to-head. He’ll enjoy his time in Calgary and will be given a second-line role with second-unit power-play time. Frolik will certainly help the Flames drive possession, and could provide rookie center Sam Bennett with a solid three-zone crutch to grow his game. A new high in points is always possible, particularly in the Flames' high-octane attack. But any building he does on his career stats is likely to be modest, so there’s no sleeper value here.
After getting out of Chicago, Frolik’s production has returned to where it was when he first came into the league. He only missed one game last season and put up 15 goals and 27 assists in the process. He’s expected to play on the first line again with Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd, and his value in his own zone should keep him in the lineup every night once again. The low- to mid-20s seems to be where Frolik’s goal scoring potential peaks, but he certainly holds a lot more value now than he did with the Blackhawks. He can be had for the right price in most leagues since many fantasy owners will still think of him as a penalty killer rather than a top line producer.
This PK ace was a solid pickup by the Jets brass. Frolik is yet another member of the Blackhawks Foreign Legion to find himself a home in Winnipeg. Frolik potentially brings much needed secondary scoring to the Jets. In Chicago, he often deferred to others but in Winnipeg he will be encouraged to take more chances offensively and, if he does, the points will come. Frolik will certainly make an impact by improving Winnipeg's penalty killing unit (ranked 24th) and, with increased playing time and responsibility, he'll become a valuable top-six forward. If everything falls into place: UPSIDE: 50 points.
The Blackhawks were expecting a whole lot more from Frolik when they traded for him two years ago. But after notching only five goals and 10 assists in 63 games, he's likely on the trade block. That's actually perfect for the highly-talented winger -- he desperately needs power-play time to show off his skills and he can't get that in Chicago. Draft him in the later rounds and then pray for a deal -- you could just end up with a gem that way.
Frolik played so well down the stretch after being acquired by the Panthers last year that the Blackhawks rewarded him with a three-year contract this past July. The 23-year-old tallied two goals and three assists in seven games with the Hawks in the playoffs. Frolik should get a lot of ice time this year in coach Quenneville's aggressive system, as he is one of the more physical players on the team.
The Panthers have an extremely talented forward in their system with Frolik. Though he wasn't exactly consistent on a week-to-week basis last season, Frolik gets a free pass given that he's been in the league for just two years. His shot totals soared from 158 to 219 between his rookie and sophomore seasons, and with a little more consistency, the 22-year-old could find himself in the company of 50-point skaters.
Frolik burst onto the NHL season without any pro seasoning, eventually finishing sixth in rookie scoring with 21-24—45 in 79 games. The Panthers gave him primarily a secondary role on the power play, a scenario that could continue into this season with the top grouping more-or-less intact. But there’s still little reason to believe that this speedy 21-year-old can’t build on a very successful debut.
The adjustment to the North American game in the QMJHL has gone well (to the tune of 138 points over two seasons), but can he stay healthy for an entire season? He's already signed a professional contract, but seems like a good candidate to spend much of the season in AHL Rochester to get used to the pro game.
Frolik has tons of talent and has a tremendously high ceiling, but there are some concerns that he will never live up to his full potential. After spending the last two seasons playing for Kladno is his native Czech Republic, Frolik played last season for Rimouski in the QMJHL, scoring 31 goals and racking up 73 points in 52 games. Considering Florida doesn't have many big offensive weapons, the very talented Frolik should be given a chance to win a spot on this year's team. If Frolik ever realizes his full potential, he could become a major offensive force in the NHL.
Frolik's slip down the draft chart in June figures to be the Panthers' gain. He will make the jump from the Czech Republic to North America this season by playing Canadian juniors with Rimouski.
Once a sure-fire top-three pick for the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Frolik's stock dropped like a stone following a sub-par 2005-06. Still, he's an exceptional talent -- perhaps the best of this year's draft -- who may simply need a little more focus to fulfil his immense potential. He's a finesse player with exceptional acceleration, speed and good balance to go along with quick hands, great vision and a keen hockey sense. He's a draft day steal if he falls below pick 10.