Roto Exclusive : Guest Contributions and Featured Articles

y Eric Daoust
Surprises
• Brian Gionta – The captain returns after missing most of last
season due to injury. In 31 games, he posted a disappointing 15
points. Looking back, Gionta neared 30 goals and 50 points in
each of the prior two seasons. It would not be wise to expect 30
goals once again due to the lack of top-line opportunities
present, but 25 goals and 45 points is reasonable.
• Louis Leblanc – This is a bit of a hit-or-miss projection, but if Rene Bourque’s lack of consistent
work ethic lands him into trouble, the team lacks players with true talent to take Bourque’s spot
in the top-six. By the time Bourque falls out of favor, rookie Alex Galchenyuk could already be
back in junior. Enter Leblanc, who may begin the season in Hamilton. His level of energy and
sound two-way play could give him opportunities sooner rather than later.
• Alexei Emelin – The hard-hitting defenseman surprised many with a very successful rookie
campaign in Montreal. In addition to the physical play, Emelin also brings excellent skating
ability and a hard shot from the point. He is certainly capable of more than the seven points he
posted last season. If he can round out his game and earn more ice time, there is potential for
him to push his point total over 15 points, which would add to his value in multi-category
leagues where his elite hits total already makes him a decent contributor.
Disappointments
• Alex Galchenyuk – A lot of fans would like to see him in the NHL this year. While it may happen,
the team already has 13 forwards signed to one-way contracts which make the possibility more
unlikely. He missed the vast majority of his draft year due to injury and may be better off in
junior where he can dominate. Do not expect more than nine games from Galchenyuk.
• Rene Bourque – He has a lot of talent but tends to disappear for
long stretches. The team paid a good coin to acquire Brandon Prust
and has some talented players in Galchenyuk and Leblanc who are
chomping at the bit. If Bourque falters, the coach will try other
players in his spot. Should someone catch fire, his slumps could
prove costly. His season is already off to a rough start, as he will
miss the first month or two of the season after abdominal surgery.
• Tomas Kaberle – The (hopeful) full-time return of Andrei Markov will do a lot of harm to
Kaberle’s offensive production. Despite his obvious struggles on the ice, Kaberle was still able to
get a respectable 31 points in 72 games. Do not expect a repeat of that total if he is stuck on the
second power-play unit and away from the team’s top trio of forwards.
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