After he was sent away in a deal that brought back forward Lauri Korpikoski, Gordon returns to Arizona, where he skated from 2011 to 2013. Gordon will likely center the Coyotes' fourth line and could produce somewhere in the range of 15 or 20 points, but it's his strength in the faceoff circle that will be most valued by his new team.
Gordon is what he is -- a nice little player who should be centering the third or fourth line. There, he'll deliver 25 points, including a half-dozen goals. Nothing more, nothing less.
Gordon is a gritty, third-line guy who's good for about 10-15 points per season, though he did post his best point output (23) in the last five years last season. Gordon's prowess in the faceoff circle and willingness to throw his body in front of shots (86 blocked shots in 2011-12) make him one of those guys who is likely more valuable to his team than your fantasy roster.
Gordon is another piece for the Coyotes to play with as they attempt to find reliable depth at center. The former Capital isn't going to bring much offense to the table, but he's a defensive-oriented center with the ability to effectively kill power plays. His stats are mediocre across the board and he likely won't be given much fantasy consideration.
Gordon a rugged two-way forward has made his living playing on the checking line throughout his NHL career. After lingering back problems over the past few years held him out most of the 2009-10 campaign he will be looking to bounce back this year and stay healthy.
Gordon was the 17th overall pick by the Capitals in the 2002 draft and they are patiently waiting for him to consistently put up good numbers like his 2006-07 season, where he posted 29 points. Last season he only scored five goals and tallied nine assists. He will continue to play on the checking line this season and the Caps need him to start producing more for that line.
Gordon was the 17th overall pick by the Capitals in the 2002 draft and they are patiently waiting for him to consistently put up good numbers like his 2006-07 season, where he posted 29 points. Last season he only scored seven goals and tallied nine assists. He is a defensive forward who needs to produce more to have any value in deeper leagues.
Gordon had a successful year in 2006-07, emerging as the Capitals' top defensive forward and leading all regular forwards by far with a plus-10 rating while managing 29 points in 71 games, good for sixth on the team. Gordon should center the main checking unit for the Capitals, and if he can maintain some offensively inclined linemates such as Matt Pettinger and/or Chris Clark, Gordon could be in for a repeat of last year's numbers.
Gordon's prospect luster has dimmed since he was drafted 17th overall in 2002. He did have 38 points in 58 games for AHL Hershey last season, but only had one in 25 games for Washington and now only has seven in 66 career NHL games. He needs to improve on his production in 2006-07 lest he be fully leapfrogged by younger prospects like Tomas Fleischmann, Eric Fehr, and Chris Bourque.
Gordon, who was selected in the first round in 2002, has been slow to develop in the NHL with only six points in 41 games with Washington, albeit in limited playing time. Still, the 21-year-old led all Caps' young prospects with 17 goals and 39 points in 80 games for AHL Portland in 2004-05. If he can sneak onto a scoring line this season, he could be a worthwhile pickup in deep and/or keeper leagues.
