Joe Colborne

Colborne dished out two helpers in Thursday's 7-4 loss to Edmonton.

This was Colborne's first multi-point effort since a hat trick in his Avalanche debut Oct. 19. He skated just 10:19 in this one, and the 27-year-old remains largely off the fantasy radar, given his minuscule role.

Colborne picked up two minor penalties Friday in an eventual 2-1 overtime win over the Hurricanes, getting whistled for high-sticking and slashing.

After registering 44 points in 73 games with Calgary last season, Colborne's been a colossal bust in his move to the Central Division. His time spent in the sin bin Friday could signal frustration from a campaign that's included a mere five points with a minus-17 rating over 46 contests, and he's fortunate that he didn't hurt his team with the penalties. Yeah, maybe the four PIM salvaged his fantasy night to some degree, but even that looks like an aberration as he's only spent 24 minutes in the box all year. If you've been hanging onto Colborne in hopes that he'll get it together, it's time to reconsider that train of thought.

Colborne (illness) is in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Jets, Terry Frei of the Denver Post reports.

Colborne will slot into his usual bottom-six role Saturday, skating with Carl Soderberg and Andreas Martinsen on Colorado's fourth line. The 27-year-old forward has failed to tally a single point in his last 34 games, and isn't a practical option in season-long fantasy formats.

Colborne (illness) missed Friday's practice, and is questionable for Saturday's game against Winnipeg, Terry Frei of The Denver Post reports.

The 27-year-old pivot has produced a mere four points in 38 games. His limited role averaging 11:33 of ice time is not conducive to the numbers-hungry world of fantasy hockey, which is a shame considering he enjoyed a 44-point breakout campaign with Calgary in 2015-16. If Colborne misses this next contest, his chance to return would come Tuesday against Montreal.

Colborne has just four points in 32 games this year.

The 26-year-old is having a horrible time this season, as he hasn't recorded a point in a whopping 28 games. It's been a down year for pretty much everyone in Denver -- which certainly hasn't helped get Colborne back on track -- and as such, he's not going to come anywhere close to the career-high 44 points he put up last season with Calgary.

Colborne (lower body) returned to Colorado's lineup for Tuesday's game against Minnesota.

The veteran pivot didn't do much in his return to action, registering one hit and 10:33 of ice time in Tuesday's contest. Colborne's lack of offensive upside and bottom-six role with the Avalanche keep him off the fantasy radar in the majority of formats.

Colborne will miss Thursday's practice due to a lower-body injury.

Colborne has only notched four points (three goals, one assist) in 24 games with Colorado this season, so his owners shouldn't have a hard time replacing his production if he's forced to miss extended time. There's currently no timetable for his return to game action, but the Avalanche should provide another update on the pivot's status once he's fit to play.

Colborne will serve as a healthy scratch Monday against the Blue Jackets, Terry Frei of the Denver Post reports.

The former Flame has played in all 17 games for the Avalanche this season but will spend the evening in Columbus' press box. It's not really surprising, given that he has just four points on the season and hasn't hit the scoresheet in 10 straight games. Matt Duchene (concussion) and rearguard Nikita Zadorov will draw back into the lineup in corresponding roster moves.

Colborne has four points in 14 games this year but is mired in a 10-game point drought.

Had it not been for a hat trick in the season-opener, things would really be looking ugly for Colborne. A first-round pick back in 2008 by Boston, the 6-foot-5 center looked to have finally figured it out last year in Calgary when he found twine 19 times and finished with 44 points -- five of which came on the power play. However, he and most of the Avs have taken a substantial step back this season, which undoubtedly will continue to test the patience of owners still clinging to guys like Colborne, Mikhail Grigorenko (five points), Carl Soderberg (three points) and Jarome Iginla (two points).

Colborne earned an assist and two hits during Thursday's 4-0 win against the Lightning.

Colborne opened the season with a hat trick, only to disappoint for two straight before getting back on the board. The 26-year-old isn't the most consistent center and growing pains are to be expected with his third NHL team. The 2008 No. 16 pick had a career campaign last year, dropping 19 goals and 25 assists with Calgary.

Colborne netted a hat trick in his Avalanche debut Saturday against the Stars.

Now that's how you make an impression with your new team. The 26-year-old struck twice on the power play and added an even-strength marker to propel Colorado to a 6-5 season-opening victory. He only logged 12:59 of ice time and is usually a bottom-six forward, but Colborne notched 19 goals last season and is a very capable depth scorer that can pile up a decent point total.

Fantasy Rankings: C | RW | LW | D | G

The beauty of Fantasy sports -- or part of it, anyway -- lies in every player's ability to choose his or her own adventure. And when I say "adventure," I mean "Fantasy format." Differences in formats can add up to huge differences in player value, so as you check out this tiered preview of NHL forwards for the 2016-17 season, keep in mind that we're talking about their value in 12-team, CBS head-to-head leagues - a format that offers no extra points for power-play or shorthanded assists versus even-strength assists, no points for shots on goal, and no points for hits. That changes the game a lot, so make sure when you reference this list that you have your own Fantasy format(s) in mind.

As in our other positional previews, players are listed within the tiers in an approximation of their overall ranking, which is based on rough projections I've compiled, based on what we know right now, in the middle of July. Additionally, this 11-tiered list goes a bit deeper than what you might draft in a standard 12-team format in hopes of accommodating the most Fantasy owners possible without getting ridiculous.

Tier 1: The top 0.01 percent

Patrick Kane, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Jamie Benn

No surprises here unless you expected to see a few more names at the top of the list. Kane was in a class of his own last year, but one has to think he won't eclipse 100 points again. Still, I'm projecting 95. Crosby got off to a slow start last year and still ended up with Crosby-esque numbers; I expect him to forego the slow start this season and come rather close to Kane, maybe even surpass him. Ovechkin's looking for his fourth straight 50-goal season, and there's no reason he shouldn't get it; Benn's improved his (non-lockout-shortened) point totals from 63 to 79 to 87 to 89 over the last few campaigns, and there's no reason he shouldn't be in the high 80s again.

Tier 2: The top 1 percent

Vladimir Tarasenko, Joe Pavelski, Connor McDavid, Johnny Gaudreau, Tyler Seguin, John Tavares, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Corey Perry

A lot of these guys may have hard feelings about getting excluded from the front of the class, but as good as they've been and are going to be, they haven't done it yet. Still, it'd be little surprise if, for instance, McDavid ended up leading the NHL in scoring, outpacing even the 86 points I've projected for him. Health's the key for Seguin; he'll drop down a tier if he ends up playing about 70 games for the third consecutive season.

Tier 3: Lesser stars

Phil Kessel, Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Filip Forsberg, Anze Kopitar, Aleksander Barkov, Tyler Toffoli, Evgeni Malkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Patrice Bergeron, Claude Giroux, Blake Wheeler, Ryan Johansen, Ryan Getzlaf, Joe Thornton, Taylor Hall

Here again we have a number of players who could very reasonably blow up and outperform their third-tier ranking, but there's a noticeable drop-off from what I expect to get out of the Tier 2 guys to the Tier 3 guys. Malkin, of course, is one of the top five most talented players in hockey, but injuries keep him down in this tier because you often end up missing him when you need him the most. The Kessel ranking obviously reflects his postseason performance, which I expect him to carry forward into the new campaign. Toffoli may seem like a fish out of water among this illustrious group, but I fully expect him to serve as the Kings' top right winger and exceed last season's totals of 31 goals and 58 points, though it's his elite plus-minus (how's plus-35 last year strike you?) that truly boosts him into heady company. A Hall explosion is coming in New Jersey; I can feel it. And we're looking at bounce-back campaigns for a pair of elite centers in Giroux and Getzlaf.

Tier 4: Steady hands, elite upside

Mark Scheifele, Jonathan Toews, Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek, Brad Marchand, Nathan MacKinnon, James Neal, Jaden Schwartz, Vincent Trocheck, Kyle Palmieri, Brandon Saad, Jonathan Huberdeau, Jack Eichel, Daniel Sedin, Matt Duchene, Artemi Panarin, David Krejci, Alex Galchenyuk

A number of guys in this group have the talent to reach 70 points this year - Scheifele, Toews, Voracek, MacKinnon, Saad, Eichel, Duchene, Panarin, Krejci and Galchenyuk all have what it takes to challenge that mark. But I can't very well predict half the league to hit that lofty total, so these guys get left out, but that won't stop them from serving prominent roles for Fantasy owners. Trocheck's emergence as a power-play wunderkind last season lands him in this crew; similarly, Palmieri developed into a driving force for the New Jersey offense and now has the benefit of playing with Hall. It's going to be exciting to see what Eichel does in Year 2. Panarin's ranking may seem low for a guy who picked up 77 points last season, but a lot of that had to do with playing with Patrick Kane, and we've already learned the lesson that we simply can't count on line combos to stay together in the long run even if they've had success in the past.

Tier 5: Steady hands, not as much upside

Jeff Carter, Jason Spezza, Mark Stone, James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Johnson, Derek Stepan, Patric Hornqvist, T.J. Oshie, Jaromir Jagr, Gabriel Landeskog, David Backes, Brayden Schenn, Logan Couture, Zach Parise, Jordan Eberle, Max Domi, Brendan Gallagher, Ryan O'Reilly, Reilly Smith, Bobby Ryan, Leon Draisaitl, Mike Hoffman

Carter, Spezza and Stone could just as easily fit into the tier above, but we have to draw the line somewhere. Despite the title, there's still upside in this group with guys like Domi and Eberle (especially if he gets to play with McDavid), but most of these guys are simply highly competent forwards who will collect 50-to-60 points (in some cases, a bit more) without hurting you in plus-minus. Not bad! Backes is a big wild card in Boston, as he could go boom or bust depending on his position and line slotting. I like Johnson to bounce back, clearly, but not to the 72 points he put up two years ago.

Tier 6: The Tier of Tomas

Boone Jenner, Andrew Ladd, Rick Nash, Scott Hartnell, Kyle Okposo, Tomas Hertl, Ondrej Palat, Derick Brassard, Justin Williams, Tomas Tatar, Frans Nielsen, Bryan Little, Mika Zibanejad, Jeff Skinner, Alexander Steen, Patrick Sharp, Ryan Kesler, Tomas Plekanec, Auston Matthews, Henrik Sedin

Completely unintentionally, three guys named Tomas ended up in this tier. Just as well, since I needed a name for it. Plekanec is a well-known veteran quantity, but Hertl and Tatar both have terrific upside and the opportunity to play major roles in their teams' offenses. Here we also find 2016's No. 1 pick, Matthews, who's obviously got so much upside that it wouldn't be surprising in the least to see him fly off draft boards well ahead of all these other guys. My projection for him may be conservative, but this Toronto team has a lot of pieces that need to gel; don't overbuy. Steen would rank higher if not for injuries; Okposo would rank higher if not for the questions about how he'll adjust to Buffalo and coach Dan Bylsma.

Tier 7: The Tier of variance

Jussi Jokinen, Victor Rask, Mikko Koivu, Dylan Larkin, Evander Kane, Jakob Silfverberg, Jori Lehtera, Rickard Rakell, Adam Henrique, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Kyle Turris, P.A. Parenteau, Carl Hagelin, Chris Kreider, Cam Atkinson, Jonathan Drouin, Mikael Backlund, Nikolaj Ehlers, J.T. Miller, Mikkel Boedker, Loui Eriksson, Charlie Coyle, Anthony Duclair

This crew could go in a lot of different directions. I expect some flak for listing the speedy and talented Larkin this low, but let's face facts - he only picked up 45 points last year, which doesn't play in a lot of shallower Fantasy formats. Are we comfortable projecting a leap to 60 in Year 2? Nugent-Hopkins and Turris seem like they ought to be higher, but both are coming off mediocre, injury-shortened seasons. I truly don't really know what to expect from Hagelin in his first full year as a Penguin; will the HBK line stay together? Miller was the Rangers' best player for stretches of time last year and will probably take on a more premier role this season, especially if they make more moves before things get started, but his offensive ceiling remains an open question. San Jose is a highly intriguing home for Boedker, who has basically guaranteed top-six minutes alongside Couture and Joonas Donskoi.

Tier 8: Boring veterans, exciting prospects

Marcus Johansson, Troy Brouwer, Mitchell Marner, Nazem Kadri, Sam Reinhart, Paul Stastny, Gustav Nyquist, Sean Couturier, Chris Kunitz, Ryan Spooner, Joonas Donskoi, Justin Abdelkader, Mikael Granlund, Nick Foligno, Craig Smith, William Nylander, Nino Niederreiter, Patrik Laine, Dylan Strome, Brock Nelson

Marner, Nylander, Laine, Strome and Reinhart could all explode well up the list of forward value rather rapidly, but there are questions for many of those guys (with the exception of Reinhart and perhaps Laine) about playing time and linemates. What we mostly have here is a group of guys who seem likely to deliver 40-some points, although guys like Nelson, Nyquist, Couturier, Spooner and Donskoi could very well exceed that. Might as well chase the upside once you're in this deep; the waiver wire will be there for you if it doesn't work out.

Tier 9: Low expectations

Brandon Dubinsky, Anders Lee, Henrik Zetterberg, Jason Pominville, David Pastrnak, Marian Hossa, Michael Cammalleri, Eric Staal, Shane Doan, Andrew Shaw, Kevin Hayes, Alex Killorn, Matt Beleskey, Patrick Marleau, Travis Zajac

It's sad to see big names like Zetterberg, Hossa, Staal, Doan and Marleau here, but we have to be realistic and acknowledge their declines. Staal was terrible for Carolina and useless for the Rangers last year; Zetter had the worst year of his career and is now 35; Hossa had the worst year of his career and is now 37; Doan surprised with 28 goals, but got lucky on shooting percentage and will turn 40 in October; Marleau went a career-worst minus-22 for a team that went to the Stanley Cup Finals. Cammalleri's seemingly never able to avoid the injury bug, which lands him in this crew. We're still waiting for the version of Kevin Hayes who looked like a star coming out of college to show up, while it's unclear whether Lee will be able to fill Okposo's shoes on the Island.

Tier 10: Lower expectations

Martin Hanzal, Tyler Bozak, Sam Bennett, Carl Soderberg, Mike Ribeiro, Jordan Staal, Thomas Vanek, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Ryan Strome, Nick Bjugstad, Elias Lindholm, Nick Bonino, Marian Gaborik, Jimmy Vesey, Teuvo Teravainen, Tobias Rieder, Joel Ward, Jarome Iginla, David Desharnais, Robby Fabbri, Tanner Pearson, Colin Wilson

Bozak's always been miscast as a No. 1 center, so the hope in Toronto has to be that someone (cough, cough, Matthews, cough, cough) takes over that role and allows the 30-year-old to thrive on the second line. Even with all those minutes, he's never cleared 50 points, so it seems silly to expect that this year. Fabbri showed a ton of potential in limited time last year, but is going to have a tough time breaking into the Blues' top-six mix, especially at left wing and center. Iginla faded hard last year, falling to 47 points and a killer minus-22 rating, marking his worst full season since the late 90s, and he's now 39 years old. There's still hope for a Strome bounceback, but it looks like he's going to serve on the third line.

Tier 11: Roster filler and fliers

Ty Rattie, Antoine Roussel, David Perron, Jamie McGinn, Valeri Nichushkin, Lee Stempniak, Valtteri Filppula, Joe Colborne, Jason Zucker, Kyle Connor, Antoine Vermette, Frank Vatrano, Zack Smith, Leo Komarov, Jesse Puljujarvi, Alexander Nylander, Matthew Tkachuk, Anthony Mantha, Sven Baertschi

There are some reliable players in here, like Roussel, who are hurt by the CBS format, but are still quite useful in other leagues. I've always been a huge fan of Rattie, who's on a one-way deal, but it's going to be hard for him to crack the Blues' top two lines. Perron and Nichushkin are perennial disappointments; I have little faith in them, nor in a repeat performance from 2015 standouts Stempniak and Smith. But it is hard to ignore Nichushkin's upside at the end of a draft. Vatrano, Puljujarvi, Tkachuk, Nylander, Connor and Mantha have massive potential if they can win jobs, but the question marks about their roles leave them down here. Hey, it's July -- this list could very easily look quite different by the time Opening Night approaches.

There have been a lot of noteworthy players on the move over the offseason, as always, and we're here to help you keep track of how the Fantasy landscape has changed. We've seen some big changes in goal and some blockbuster deals involving skaters, and now's a good time to start thinking about how these players will fit in on their new teams. Some of these guys left enormous holes on their old teams, and it'll be worth monitoring who steps up to fill those gaps.

P.K. Subban, D, Nashville Predators

In one of the more surprising trades of the offseason, Subban heads to Nashville, where the Preds get younger behind the blue line with the addition of an explosive defenseman. They've got the makings of a tremendous top pair with Subban and Roman Josi, but then again, they had a tremendous top pair when Weber was in town too. The 27-year-old Subban was well on his way to a career campaign (51 points and 75 PIM in 68 contests), but it was cut short by a neck injury, which isn't expected to affect him this season. Although he no longer gets to play in front of the game's best goalie, Nashville's offense has scary potential. The blueliner will feast on the power play and could erupt for his best season to date.

Shea Weber, D, Montreal Canadiens

After being swapped straight up for P.K. Subban, Weber goes from the top pair in Nashville to the top pair in Montreal, although new partner Nathan Beaulieu is certainly no Roman Josi. Still, the 30-year-old has been an ironman throughout his career and has surpassed 40 points in seven straight campaigns (excluding the lockout year) as well as consistently racking up hits. The blueliner made a living off the power play last season -- 14 goals and 12 assists -- and figures to serve as a key cog in Montreal's special-teams efforts. On the surface, Weber's value doesn't change, but it'll be interesting to see how he responds to his new home.

Taylor Hall, LW, NJ Devils

Hall was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2010 draft by the Oilers, but was shipped off for unproven blueliner Adam Larsson in a head-scratching move. While some may speculate on the reasoning, the 24-year-old arrives in New Jersey as the star of the show in his prime. The Devils were worst in the league on offense last season, but Hall will slot in on a quality line with Adam Henrique and Kyle Palmieri. After the trade, he should have a chip on his shoulder and a massive offensive load before him. Hall will do everything he can to equal his 80-point campaign from 2013-14, and while he may not reach quite that high, the opportunity is undeniable; owners should feel comfortable banking on a big year.

Milan Lucic, LW, Edmonton Oilers

Goodbye Taylor Hall, hello Milan Lucic? The Oilers got their fair share of backlash from the Hall trade, but the 28-year-old Lucic should step in and make an immediate impact after signing a seven-year, $42 million contract. The winger put up 55 points in his only campaign with the Kings last season, and he consistently flirted with 50-plus as a member of the Bruins after taking on a larger role. A 2005 second-round pick, Lucic also brings a nasty mentality, as he's surpassed 200 hits in four of the past five years. The top line of the Oilers is one to be feared with Lucic in the fold to protect Connor McDavid. That combination could make for Fantasy gold.

Keith Yandle, D, Florida Panthers

The Panthers wasted no time in securing Yandle with a seven-year, $44.45 million contract after dealing for him in late June. The 29-year-old appeared in all 82 games last year with the Rangers, notching five goals and 42 assists (20 on the power play), but disappeared in the first round of the playoffs. Still, he looks to be the perfect mentor for the young Aaron Ekblad, who has put up 35-plus points in his first two seasons. Yandle's offensive prowess will help create more opportunities for last season's eighth-ranked attack. Meanwhile, Marc Staal slots into the top pair for the Rangers, but has never surpassed 29 points in his career, and even that was a long time ago in 2011-12.

David Backes, C/RW, Boston Bruins

After signing a five-year, $30 million deal to leave St. Louis, Backes is in an interesting situation. The natural center could end up on the wing with Boston, where he'd be an obvious upgrade over Jimmy Hayes and David Pastrnak. However, the 32-year-old may also enter as the third-line center behind Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. While it's not clear where he'll skate just yet, the 2003 second-round pick has been a consistent provider of 45-plus points in his career, as he's reached that mark every full season since 2008-09 (not including the lockout-shortened year). Backes shouldn't take a step back in production, but his draft stock may take a hit with an uncertain role despite Boston's offense ranking fifth in the NHL last year. Jori Lehtera and Paul Stastny will enjoy tremendous opportunities in St. Louis and deserve Fantasy owners' attention, especially with Lehtera expected to dish the puck to Russian sniper Vladimir Tarasenko.

Kyle Okposo, RW, Buffalo Sabres

Welcome to Buffalo, Kyle Okposo. The winger has been downright deadly as a member of the Islanders the past three years with 69, 51 and 64 points. He joins an offense that was ranked 25th last year, but the 28-year-old will boost the Sabres' efficiency next to Ryan O'Reilly and Evander Kane on the top line. The 2006 No. 7 pick also brings a power-play touch, having potted seven goals and 16 helpers last season. The Islanders' wing won't look the same without Okposo, but P.A. Parenteau (career-high 67 points with the Isles in 2011-12) and Anders Lee (25 goals two years ago) will have opportunities to step into more premium roles.

Brian Elliott, G, Calgary Flames

For the price of a second-round pick this year and a conditional pick in 2018, Elliott heads to Calgary, where a new starting netminder who put up a 2.07 GAA and .930 save percentage in 41 appearances last season will be welcomed with open arms. The Flames ranked at the very bottom of the league defensively last season, giving up 3.13 goals per game. At 31, Elliott brings a career mark of .914 defending the crease and provides an immediate upgrade to a suddenly threatening team led by Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, although it's worth noting that he's never enjoyed a starter's workload over a full season. That leaves Jake Allen as the unquestioned starter for the Blues, whose top-five defense should help make the 26-year-old one of the league's more valuable netminders.

Andrew Ladd, LW, NY Islanders

Ladd split last season between Chicago and Winnipeg, but still managed 25 goals, 21 assists and 45 PIM. The Islanders have shuffled a few players around after landing in the conference semifinals in 2015-16, which could place the 30-year-old next to star John Tavares and newbie P.A. Parenteau on the top line. Signed to a seven-year deal, Ladd should have no issues settling in and potting at least 20 goals with his new team, and the fact that he'll surely get the chance to skate with Tavares could help him reach 60 points for the second time in his career.

Derick Brassard, C, Ottawa Senators

The Senators decided to pass on Mika Zibanejad's potential for a breakout year by bringing in Brassard, who offers more experience to a team that clearly wants to win now. The 28-year-old should fit in nicely with Mike Hoffman and Bobby Ryan on the second line, with his power-play ability also presenting a clear upgrade from the younger Zibanejad. The 2006 No. 6 pick has put up 58 total points during the man advantage the past three years, which should help improve Ottawa's last-ranked special teams. Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Curtis Lazar almost certainly stick to a bottom-six role throughout the year after this move by the Sens.

Mika Zibanejad, C, NY Rangers

Zibanejad had a career year with the Sens this past season, as he lit the lamp 21 times -- including seven game-winning goals -- and assisted on 30, both career marks for the young center. Ready to reach his potential, the 23-year-old's been shipped off in exchange for Brassard to a playoff team that was also the seventh-best offense in the league last year. Ottawa could regret giving up on Zibanejad, who could very well excel on the second line with the Rangers and reach new heights in his sixth campaign as a pro.

Frederik Andersen, G, Toronto Maple Leafs

Andersen has no competition for the starting role with the Leafs, as Jonathan Bernier was shipped to Anaheim in a corresponding move to the Dane's own trade into Toronto. That leaves the 26-year-old to defend the crease full-time for the rebuilding Maple Leafs, and he should provide an upgrade in net, having posted a .919 save percentage and 2.30 GAA in 43 appearances with the Ducks last year. Andersen should upgrade a defense that gave up 2.93 goals per game (sixth-worst in the league), but unless the kids come along quickly, he won't have the luxury of much offensive support -- Toronto owned the 28th-ranked attack last year. Wins could be hard to come by, but Andersen is worth a late-round flier on a squad that's all upside.

Mikkel Boedker, LW, San Jose Sharks

Boedker signed a four-year deal to join a powerful offense in San Jose that's primed for another run at the Stanley Cup. The 26-year-old will slot as the second-line left wing with Logan Couture at the helm, which could lead to extra opportunities in front of the goal. Boedker's failed to hit 20 tallies in his eight-year career, but has also never played with a high-volume offense like the Sharks (especially on the power play, where the team ranked first last year). If the Danish winger secures a role in the top six, as expected, Boedker's floor could be 50 points.

Loui Eriksson, LW, Vancouver Canucks

Fantasy owners probably were disappointed to hear Eriksson leave Boston, where he and the team succeeded on offense with ease -- at least last season. Now with the Canucks, the 31-year-old earns top-line duty next to the Sedin brothers, which isn't a bad draw at all either. Vancouver was eighth in the league in scoring last year, so proceed with the Swede as normal come draft day. It's unclear who will step up in Eriksson's absence in Boston, but if David Backes flanks the wing, he could be the biggest beneficiary.

Teuvo Teravainen, C/LW, Carolina Hurricanes

Teravainen is young, but he showed enough potential in a bottom-six role with the Blackhawks to instill confidence that he can thrive if given a shot. Now with the Hurricanes, who acquired him and Bryan Bickell for a pair of draft picks, the 21-year-old has that chance. The 2012 first-round pick enters 2016-17 with an outside shot at cracking the top six for Carolina; However, with Jordan Staal at the helm and Victor Rask having signed a new contract, the Finn may be asked to play left wing rather than his natural center position.

Brian Campbell, D, Chicago Blackhawks

Campbell is a savvy veteran who happened to win a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2009-10, and now he's back on a one-year deal. While his best days are behind him, the 37-year-old shores up the second pair for a team that underperformed last postseason. It's unfair to expect 40-plus points, but 30 should be no problem alongside last year's sixth-ranked offense, especially with power-play time expected.

Alex Goligoski, D, Arizona Coyotes

For the low price of a fifth-round pick headed to Dallas, Goligoski will slot in on the second pair for the Coyotes after another solid year with the Stars, as the blueliner registered five goals, 32 helpers and a massive plus-21 rating while averaging 23:50 of ice time. Arizona was ranked third-worst defensively, giving up almost three goals per game, so this move was essential as the Coyotes attempt to play a tighter game in their own zone. The 30-year-old Goligoski has appeared in at least 81 games the last three seasons and should flirt with 40 points, especially if he sees a bump in power-play time. Dallas has numerous young defensemen that can step in to replace Goligoski, but there's not much track record to go on here. Still, keep an eye on 20-year-old Julius Honka, a 2014 first-rounder who put up 11 goals and 33 assists in 73 AHL games last season.

Troy Brouwer, RW, Calgary Flames

Brouwer spent just one season with the Blues, notching 18 goals, 21 assists and 62 PIM in 82 contests before departing for Calgary on a four-year, $18 million deal. Health seems to be no obstacle for the 30-year-old, as he's missed only one game in the last five seasons. The veteran will enjoy skating on the top line next to youngsters Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau, which should have owners salivating for a career year. Meanwhile, back in St. Louis, David Perron -- back with the team that drafted him in 2007 -- will look to replace Brouwer on the second line and return to Fantasy relevance.

Frans Nielsen, C, Detroit Red Wings

Pavel Datsyuk left the Red Wings for Russia, leaving a large void to fill. Enter Nielsen, who had spent his entire career with the Islanders before departing this summer on a six-year, $31.5 million deal that has Detroit hoping he can fill Datsyuk's gap. The 32-year-old potted 20 goals and added 32 helpers last year behind John Tavares, and he now claims a similar role on the second line with Henrik Zetterberg at the helm for Detroit. New York was much more efficient on offense, but Nielsen's real value will come on the man advantage and the penalty kill. With the Dane's departure from Long Island, the window is open for Brock Nelson, who notched 40 points last year.

Thomas Vanek, LW, Detroit Red Wings

Vanek had a 41-point season with the Wild before an unfortunate injury - broken and displaced ribs - ended his playoff run. The 32-year-old has done his fair share of journeying the past few years, as the long-time Sabre bounced from Montreal to the Islanders to the Wild before inking a one-year deal with Detroit this offseason. Once healthy, the winger will have to battle for a top-six role with the Red Wings. The 2003 No. 5 pick was once one of the steadiest scorers in the league, but he's coming off the worst season of his career and faces competition from a number of young wingers for ice time.

Adam Larsson, D, Edmonton Oilers

Larsson comes to Edmonton with plenty of scrutiny, as the team sent one of its bigger names in Taylor Hall away for an unproven defenseman. The 23-year-old has primarily served a defensive role, never exceeding 24 points (18 last season), and now he lands on the top pair for a team that's starving for defensive efficiency - the Oilers gave up the fourth-most goals in the league last year. The gift of opportunity is before him, but the Swede is far from guaranteed to thrive for Fantasy owners.

James Reimer, G, Florida Panthers

Reimer spent his career with the Maple Leafs before being traded away to the Sharks at the deadline, ultimately sitting behind Martin Jones during San Jose's playoff run. The 28-year-old put up a 2.31 GAA and .922 save percentage in 40 appearances last year, and now he gets to compete for crease time with Roberto Luongo (hip surgery; estimated return Nov. 1) and Reto Berra. Luongo is 37 years old, so there's no guarantee the netminder will return to form following his injury, leaving the door open for Reimer to prove himself in the early going. With a five-year contract in hand, he clearly appears to be considered the goalie of the future for the Panthers.

Jason Demers, D, Florida Panthers

Demers is on the list of excellent adds by the Panthers this offseason, having signed a five-year, $22.5 million deal to bolster a playoff team that aims to take the next step in 2016-17. The blueliner had seven goals, 16 assists, 72 PIM and a plus-16 rating in 62 contests this past year. There's reason to be concerned with the 28-year-old's injury history, but as long as he can stay healthy, Demers provides an immediate upgrade to Florida's second pair. Stephen Johns gets a shot at securing that same role in Dallas, but has just 14 NHL games under his belt and hasn't exactly dominated at the AHL level.

Teddy Purcell, RW, Los Angeles Kings

Coming off a 43-point season shared between Edmonton and Florida, Purcell enters the Kings' thin forward ranks on a one-year deal. The 30-year-old isn't expected to earn a spotlight role in his new digs, but slipping in as a top-six forward isn't out of the question if, say, Marian Gaborik gets hurt. (It's been known to happen.) The according jump in ice time would be beneficial for the winger, but until he actually carves out that role, Purcell remains a Fantasy wildcard.

Eric Staal, C, Minnesota Wild

Staal is 31 years old and struggled to connect with the Rangers after being traded by Carolina at the deadline last season. The center put up 39 points over the course of the year, but didn't seem to resonate in New York (six points in 20 contests). Now he's landed in Minnesota on a three-year deal, giving the Wild a useful veteran destined for second- or third-line duty. His 30-goal campaigns are well behind him, though, and it's hard to see Staal experiencing a rebound with how invisible he looked on the ice toward the end of last season.

Jonathan Bernier, G, Anaheim Ducks

Acquired for a conditional draft pick from Toronto, Bernier has been rather unspectacular in his eight-year career, notching an 88-88-23 record with a 2.67 GAA and .915 save percentage. Coming off his worst campaign as a pro, the 27-year-old will serve in a backup role behind John Gibson, who isn't as experienced, but has a far better track record in limited action. Bernier's value is directly tied to the success of Gibson, and has just one year to prove his worth before hitting the open market as an unrestricted free agent.

P.A. Parenteau, RW, NY Islanders

In his second go-around with the Islanders, Parenteau assumes the role of top-line right wing with Kyle Okposo having departed for Buffalo. The veteran had his best campaigns as a pro in 2010-11 and 2011-12 with New York, registering 120 points in that two-year stint. Now that the 33-year-old has been freed from the rebuilding Leafs, he should be a decent replacement for Okposo on a team that made a run to the conference semifinals just last year.

Joe Colborne, C, Colorado Avalanche

Freshly signed to a two-year deal, Colborne joins a crowded center position in Colorado after dropping a career-high 44 points in his third season with Calgary. If the 26-year-old is confined to third-line duty at his natural position, he'll add depth to the 20th-ranked offense last season. However, the 2008 first-round pick may play left wing, which could make for a decent second line alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Blake Comeau. Mikael Backlund slots right into Colborne's spot for the Flames, and should provide excellent value if he can stay healthy.

Colborne signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Avalanche on Friday, reports TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.

Colborne flourished in Calgary, delivering 44 points in 73 games last season. But he wasn't in the Flames plans going forward. He brings big-body depth to center ice in Denver and should be able to be a solid third-line pivot for them.

Colborne will not be receiving a qualifying offer from the Flames, making him a free agent, James Mirtle of TSN reports.

Colborne spent the past three years in Calgary and appeared in 73 games for the Flames this past season. He'll officially be a free agent on July 1.