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Roussel missed the first two months of last season while recovering from knee surgery. He saw just 11:50 per game when he got back into the lineup, producing a reasonable 13 points in 41 contests. That's in line with his usual 25-to-30-point output over the course of a full season -- it doesn't appear his knee injury will have too many lingering effects. The 31-year-old winger can also chip in effectively as a pest, as he produced 44 hits and 43 PIM in 2019-20. He'll usually be good for 100 PIM and 80 hits over a full season, giving him some multi-category appeal in deeper fantasy formats that reward gritty play.
Roussel's 2018-19 campaign was cut short by a knee injury, suffered towards the end of the season, that limited him to 65 games. Prior to being shut down for the season, Roussel, 29, racked up 31 points, marking a new career-high for the veteran winger. He'll be pushed by younger, cheaper players this coming season, but Roussel -- who still has three years and $9 million remaining on his contract -- should wind up playing a familiar bottom-six role for the Canucks in 2019-20. Kick him up a few notches on your watch list if your league favors PIMs, as he's landed in triple-digit territory six years running.
The 28-year-old winger is a man out of time, as his willingness to scrap is increasingly out of step with the modern NHL, and he doesn't bring much else to the table. Roussel's modest offensive contributions even dried up last season, as he failed to score double-digit goals or 25-plus points for the first time in a season in which he played at least 60 games. The Canucks signed him to a four-year deal in the offseason to provide them with an intimidating presence in their bottom six, but Roussel will likely need to regain his scoring touch if he's going to keep a regular spot in the lineup.
Roussel showed signs of becoming more than just a physical presence in the Stars lineup last year, scoring 12 goals in 60 games -- and five in his final 10 -- before a hand injury cost him the last five weeks of the season. The 27-year-old France native has also flashed some scoring prowess on the international stage, and Dallas will head into 2017-18 seemingly ready to give him a spot on the second line alongside Jason Spezza and Martin Hanzal, a role that should allow Roussel to establish new career scoring highs across the board if he can hang onto it. While he’s unlikely to suddenly turn into Wayne Simmonds, he could reach the 20-goal and 40-point plateaus for the first time.
Roussel is a member of a precious rare breed -- he's one of only nine NHL players ever to be born in France, and one of just two currently active in the league. He's also one of the most skilled tough guys in the NHL, a ruthless hitter and willing fighter who's already established a record as a reliable provider of a goal total in the teens and a point total in the 20s. Just 25 years old entering this season, Roussel has room for growth in his offensive game, but his breakout capacity remains limited while he's stuck as the third-line left wing with minimal power-play minutes behind superstar Jamie Benn and future star Valeri Nichushkin.
If the secret isn't out on Roussel in your league, you need to grab him. The French forward has a good nose for the net and loads of grit. His game is growing and he has a real shot at a gig on the left side of Dallas' second line. As the Stars coaching staff works with him, you should expect to see his offensive production grow and his PIMs decline as they help him rein in his hot temper. Still, he may provide up to 40 points this season and offer ample help in the penalty minutes category. He logged 209 PIMs last season -- third-highest in the NHL -- and will still likely deliver 200 this year. His coaches just can't bottle up that temper that quickly.
The feisty Frenchman was an ideal fit on Dallas' fourth line last season, chipping in seven goals in just 39 games despite averaging just 9:24 of ice time after being called up from the AHL in early February. He combines with teammate Ryan Garbutt to give the Stars a pretty nice fourth line -- as far as fourth lines go -- offering speed, hitting and the occasional goal.