Fayne was released from his tryout deal with the Bruins in September. He only appeared in six games last season, and that was in the AHL with Oilers' minor-league affiliate Bakersfield. Fantasy owners can ignore the shot-blocking specialist.
Fayne will start his second season in Edmonton entrenched as a top-four defenseman for the team. He's never scored more than four goals or 17 points in a season, and will see little to no time on the power play. On most teams, Fayne would best be suited as a third-pairing or seventh defenseman, but the Oilers don't have many better alternatives than the veteran for their second pair.
Fayne spent the last four seasons with the Devils and tallied a grand total of 48 points over that span. Edmonton is hoping he can be a stabilizing, veteran force for the team over the next four years, something they desperately need until their defense prospects finally arrive. He's a marginal play in even the deepest of fantasy formats.
Surpisingly, Fayne saw himself in and out of the musical chairs that were the Devils' third defensive pairing last season. He'll likely receive a more regular role this coming campaign, or at least he should as he was one of teams steadier defenders at even strength. He won't chip in too much offensively, as he has yet to crack 20 points in his three-year career, but he can help the Devils out defensively.
Fayne is recovering from wrist surgery as of press time, but should be ready for the opening of the season. A defenseman that occasionally shows flashes of offensive talent, Fayne established a modest career-high last season with 17 points with just two coming on the power play. Fayne will see some power play time, but until he starts producing more, he doesn’t merit consideration in most leagues.
Fayne was an anomaly amongst New Jersey defensemen during the 2010-11 season as he finished with a plus-10 rating, four goals and 10 assists as a rookie. The Devils have a bit of a logjam on the second and third defensive pairings, but Fayne is likely to be featured on one of the team's power-play units. He won't light up the scoresheet, but 20-25 points in a full season isn't out of the question for the 24-year-old.
