One of the most interesting aspects of any NHL fantasy draft is the number of talented players that fall based on subpar seasons the year before. Whether it’s a result of joining new teams, getting new linemates, getting healthy or simply having the benefit of a few more favorable bounces go their way, there are always at least a handful of players that rebound following disappointing seasons. Here is a look at the top-five fantasy hockey bounce back candidates this season.
C: Nathan Mackinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Mackinnon won the Calder trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year in 2013-14 when he registered 24 goals and 63 points while posting a plus-20 mark in 82 games. The first-overall pick from the 2013 NHL Draft appeared primed to hit the 80-point mark in the near future but he followed that outstanding rookie performance with 38 points in 64 games in 2014-15 and then 52 points in 72 games in 2015-16. Mackinnon should benefit from the arrival of a new head coach and another full season at his natural center position. Mackinnon is heading in to his fourth NHL season and is destined to play substantial top line and powerplay minutes with captain Gabriel Landeskog. It should be the perfect marriage between talent, situation and opportunity so Mackinnon should bounce back by producing his first season with at least 70 points.
C: Tyler Johnson, Tampa Bay Lightning
Johnson’s production dipped from 72 points in 77 games in 2014-15 to 38 points in 69 games a year ago but the bottom line is that he fought through nagging injuries for the entire season and they definitely took a bigger toll on him than most realize. Johnson said that at one point last season he could barely grip his stick and yet he grinded it out for Tampa Bay and still managed 13 powerplay points. Johnson is back at full strength now and he projects to reform the Triplets line with Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat. That should lead to a productive season in which he returns to 70-point territory if he can stay healthy.
G: Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
Rinne dropped from 41 wins in 2014-15 to 34 wins the following season and a quick glance at his individual numbers played a substantial role in it. Rinne’s goals against average went from 2.18 to 2.48 while his save percentage dropped from .923 to .908. He plays behind a talented team in Nashville and the addition of P.K. Subban should help translate to more goals, which will take some of the pressure off of Rinne between the pipes. The 33-year-old still has at least a couple of quality years left in him so he should be a strong bounce back candidate. The Predators are deemed to be a team on the rise but they’ll need Rinne to be at his best if they’re to make a run in the Western Conference. The good news is he has one of the best blue lines in front of him, so it would be a mild surprise if he didn’t bounce back.
RW: Jordan Eberle, Edmonton Oilers
Eberle was limited to 47 points in 69 games last season but like Johnson he struggled to stay healthy and was constantly being bumped around the Oilers’ lineup. That likely won’t happen this season with Taylor Hall’s exit likely leading to Eberle gaining a spot on Edmonton’s top line with Connor McDavid and Milan Lucic. The combination of playing with McDavid and staying healthy should lead to a strong bounce back season in which he challenges his career-highs of 34 goals and 76 points set in the 2011-12 season. Hopefully – for his sake – the Oilers can finally start to perform like many have expected them to for years.
LW: Andrew Ladd, New York Islanders
A change of scenery should help Ladd in more ways than one as he will play with one of the game’s best centers in John Tavares while settling in without expecting to eventually be traded. Ladd’s 46 points and minus-13 rating were major disappointments but he has been a consistent fantasy producer over the years and should be in line for a strong bounce back performance. Ladd could become a 30-goal scorer playing next to Tavares while also challenging for 70 points this NHL season.
