The 2025 Dobber Hockey Prospects Report is prepared and accessible now in the Dobber Store! It has a look-ahead to all of the names fantasy house owners will need to know for the 2025 Entry Draft, in addition to a team-by-team have a look at the prospect pool for every NHL franchise. It comprises not solely scouting studies, however fantasy upside and outlook as properly. Get a head begin on the Draft, and your league mates, by grabbing a duplicate of the Prospects Report!
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Washington Capitals ahead TJ Oshie introduced his retirement on Monday. The 38-year-old Oshie missed your entire 2024-25 season with a nagging again harm, and had missed 92 video games over the three seasons earlier than that, so this was only a participant who had seen his bodily well being decline to the purpose the place returning to the NHL was not practical.
Oshie finishes his profession with 302 targets and 393 assists in 1010 common season video games, 34 targets and 35 assists in 106 playoff video games, a Stanley Cup ring from 2018, in addition to being a member of Crew USA’s World Junior, World Championship, World Cup, and Olympic rosters at varied factors.
From a fantasy perspective, Oshie was typically within the very good-not-great class, reaching each the 30-goal (33 targets in 2016-17) and the 60-point (60 in 2013-14) plateaus simply as soon as every. Nevertheless, he averaged 26 targets, 33 assists, 18 power-play factors, 171 photographs, 99 hits, and 47 blocks each 82 video games from 2013-2021. These are stable across-the-board contributions for a decade and mirror him being an identical kind of participant on the ice. All the very best to him and his household in retirement.
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We had what may finest be described as a circus between Edmonton and Florida in Sport 3 of the Stanley Cup Remaining as Florida laid the wooden to Edmonton by a 6-1 margin, even because the rating was simply 2-1 in Florida’s favour early within the second interval. There have been seven energy performs within the first interval alone (eight if we depend Anton Lundell‘s penalty after the interval had ended) and a complete of 17 (not a typo) power-play alternatives total within the sport. That’s largely as a result of the third interval utterly fell aside because the Oilers’ frustrations boiled over which resulted in a line brawl and a number of other misconducts. Some video games will be described as a Mona Lisa, whereas this one was like when Marge Simpson was shot within the face with a make-up gun.
Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Evan Rodrigues every had a aim and an help on this sport with each of Rodrigues’ factors approaching the ability play. These had been the primary two factors for Reinhart within the remaining as he managed 4 photographs, three blocks, and a success within the win.
Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand each scored, due to course they did, whereas Aaron Ekblad (PP) had the opposite tally. Bennett completed with two photographs, 14 penalty minutes, and 6 hits.
To not be misplaced within the gongshow that was Sport 3, however Sergei Bobrovsky was wonderful on this one, stopping 32 of 33 photographs confronted for the win. Regardless of giving up 4 targets in every of the primary two video games, he sports activities a .928 save proportion by three video games towards Edmonton.
Corey Perry had the lone aim for the Oilers, scoring early within the second interval on the ability play. He completed the sport with 5 photographs and a success, and is as much as 9 targets in 19 playoff video games to date, trailing solely Bennett (14) and Leon Draisaitl (10) in playoff aim scoring.
Stuart Skinner was pulled after giving up a power-play aim early within the third interval, permitting 5 targets on 23 photographs total. Calvin Pickard entered the sport and gave up one PP aim on eight complete photographs. Edmonton goaltenders confronted 31 photographs in Sport 3 and 14 of them had been on the penalty kill. Not nice.
Sport 4 goes Thursday night time in Florida.
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We’ve spent the final 6-7 weeks reviewing the NHL season, be it assessing projections, modifications to shot, hit, and block counts, the position of younger gamers, or fantasy MVPs (the hyperlinks for all these Ramblings are contained right here). We’re going to proceed that looking-back pattern however with a watch to the long run. This present batch of Ramblings will assess the weaknesses of every group that led to subpar/disappointing fantasy performances and the way these weaknesses can enhance within the offseason both through commerce or free company. That is going to be division by division, and we already did the Pacific Division, so let’s transfer to the Central Division.
Chicago Blackhawks
When a group struggles to attain at 5-on-5 (Chicago completed 26th), it may be a problem with puck-moving from the defencemen. That was true for Chicago, per the monitoring knowledge from All Three Zones, although with caveats. The monitoring had them sixth within the league for proportion of zone exits with possession, and in the midst of the league by each fee of failed zone exits and carrying the puck on zone entries. Setting apart offensive playmaking, the Blackhawks weren’t stylistically far off one of many West’s playoff groups:
Guys like Alex Vlasic, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, and Kevin Korchinski seemed like they’re going to be a part of a younger, already-fine defence group that may maintain enhancing.
Nevertheless, we will not simply put aside offensive playmaking. Separating the league into the top-11 groups whose defence teams led by assists on teammate scoring probabilities per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, after which the bottom-11 groups, we see there is a stark distinction in goals-for per 60 minutes:
In 2024-25, groups averaged about 4032 minutes at 5-on-5 for the season. The hole between the 2 goal-scoring averages means about 18-19 targets extra per group for the top-11 group than the bottom-11 group, or over 200 targets complete. That’s a variety of targets.
That’s the reason it is vital to notice that Chicago defencemen had been useless final within the league by fee of assists on teammate scoring probabilities at 5-on-5 this season. Worse than groups like San Jose, Detroit, and Calgary. Not a terrific spot to be in.
That can be why it is robust to say if they need to handle it through commerce. They’ve a variety of younger gamers that may enhance within the seasons to come back, however it would take years for them to all peak on the identical time. It appears unlikely Chicago will make an enormous splash in free company or through commerce. Perhaps they take an opportunity on somebody like Oliver Kylington or Mike Reilly, hoping they’ll make a bottom-pair impression on offence, however that’s seemingly the extent of it.
Colorado Avalanche
Since Nazem Kadri left Colorado, the group has had a rotating door of second-line centres. It began with J.T. Compher, then went to Casey Mittelstadt and Ross Colton, then Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle after the deadline this season. Nelson seemed loads higher as soon as Gabriel Landeskog returned, in order that the group re-signed Nelson makes me assume they noticed the identical factor. A wholesome Landeskog with Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen, and Martin Necas (if he is not traded) would make for a superb top-6 ahead group.
Assuming the Avalanche re-sign Sam Malinski, they’ve 12 forwards, six defencemen, and two goalies signed for the 2025-26 season. The one gamers with out some form of commerce safety are Nečas (which is why his identify seems in commerce rumours) and Cale Makar, who is just not being traded. So, except Nečas is moved, the lineup is probably going set.
Dallas Stars
Will probably be an attention-grabbing offseason for the Stars as a result of all of Jamie Benn, Mikael Granlund, Matt Duchene, and Cody Ceci are free brokers. All three forwards usually performed on one of many groups prime three traces whereas Ceci was a top-4 defenceman. Dallas additionally has underneath $5M in cap area, and each Mavrik Bourque and Nils Lundkvist as restricted free brokers. If the Stars are fortunate, they’re going to have about $2M in cap area to interchange three top-9 forwards. Good luck!
The excellent news is there is not loads that should change. Dallas was a prime offensive group, significantly once they had been wholesome, and had a variety of sturdy underlying metrics to again all of it up. Defensively, although, they did permit a variety of probabilities at 5-on-5 as their opponents had the fifth-highest fee of scoring probabilities off their zone entries. Solely Buffalo, San Jose, Anaheim, and the New York Islanders had been worse:
Dallas has little or no cash to spend, so this must be thrifty, and I am going to recommend Calvin de Haan right here. He has usually been fantastic at limiting opponent zone entries and is a satisfactory puck-mover as a bottom-pair possibility. At least, he is an improve on Matt Dumba.
Minnesota Wild
It’s actually arduous to get an correct evaluation of the Wild given all of the accidents they needed to key forwards and defencemen. With that mentioned, keep in mind the scoring likelihood assists we talked about with Chicago defencemen? Trying on the forwards this season, Marco Rossi was beneath the league common, his second yr in a row doing so. Over these two seasons, Minnesota’s goal-scoring has cratered when Rossi is on the ice with out Kirill Kaprizov whereas their aim scoring when Kaprizov is on the ice with out Rossi is similar:
Rossi is an RFA who turns 24 years previous in September, and Minnesota completed 31st in 5-on-5 aim scoring this season, 24th the yr earlier than, and 29th the yr earlier than that. With the prohibitive Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts largely coming off the books, the group being good in any other case, and Rossi needing an extension, an enormous resolution must be made this offseason.
Assuming the Wild hold onto Rossi, they want extra scoring depth. Younger Buffalo winger JJ Peterka has had his identify in commerce rumours since throughout the 2024-25 season and would fill an offensive want the Wild have. It will take a hefty return (and so they’re already lacking their 2025 first-round choose) however it might enormously assist each their 5-on-5 scoring and their energy play.
Nashville Predators
We’ll get to the massive weak spot, however the Nashville offseason is a key one for the franchise. After the marquee free-agent signings of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, Nashville had its worst season, factors percentage-wise, in over 20 years. Each these signees are going into their age-35 season, as is Roman Josi, whereas Ryan O’Reilly shall be 34 years previous. That is an growing old group that simply had an terrible yr, in order that they must resolve in the event that they need to give it another shot or blow it up and begin excited about 5 years down the highway.
Scoring at 5-on-5 was the issue for Nashville in 24-25, ending a distant useless final by targets per 60 minutes. Whereas there was some dangerous luck, it’s price noting that they completed 27th by high-danger passes per 60 minutes (passes throughout the slot or from behind the online), and the overwhelming majority of groups round them aren’t precisely 5-on-5 juggernauts, with one exception:
Nashville has an excellent quantity of cap area (PuckPedia has them with over $17-million in area) and no key signings to make. They will take one other large swing in free company with an enormous identify like Mitch Marner or Nikolaj Ehlers. They will additionally attempt to nibble across the edges with guys like Mikael Granlund or Ryan Donato. In their very own manner, every participant may also help rejuvenate the group offensively. Nevertheless it’s price questioning if they need to do any of that and simply experience out the storm, hoping to land a prime choose within the 2026 Draft, and attempting another kick on the can with a super-prospect (which they’re at present missing).
St. Louis Blues
St. Louis made a variety of enhancements underneath head coach Jim Montgomery, and so they received large seasons from offseason acquisitions Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg. One space they struggled, although, was creating offence off the forecheck: Blues forwards had the sixth-largest hole between offence off the cycle/forecheck and offence off the frenzy:
They did make playoffs, and there are a pair of two actually good groups on there in Dallas and Edmonton, each of whom created loads off the frenzy. Dallas nonetheless created over 16% extra offence off the cycle than St. Louis, although, and Edmonton has two of the highest 4 forwards within the league. Regardless, the Blues might need to steadiness their assault a bit of bit extra.
Taking off Torey Krug‘s cap hit of $6.5M, the Blues have about $11.5-million in cap area and must signal Joel Hofer (or one other backup goalie). They do have area to make a significant signing, although, so they need to go after a free-agent ahead (or two) who can actually assist with that forecheck however not break the financial institution with their signing. Reilly Smith and Ryan Donato make sense right here as middle-6 choices that may be signed to a short-term deal (2-4 years), match into their cap scheme, and assist with that forechecking side.
Utah Mammoth
Utah is in an attention-grabbing spot. With some extra inside development and contributions from Daniil However or Dmitri Simashev, it is a group that ought to push for a playoff spot in 2025-26 as it’s. In addition they haven’t any key free brokers leaving or key RFAs to signal (although Logan Cooley is eligible for an extension). There’s additionally over $20-million in cap area to play with, although Jack McBain is an RFA (Evolving Hockey has his contract projection at two years for a bit of over $3M per season). In the event that they need to go after an enormous free agent identify, they’ll make a pitch for any participant they need.
There is not a lot for obvious weaknesses right here. The areas they lagged (5-on-5 scoring, targets towards on the penalty kill, most key monitoring stats) had been, at their worst, about league common, and will simply enhance simply with the younger stars themselves enhancing. With mainly their total roster returning, that is extra about strengthening these mid-range stats than attempting to restore a particular spot the place the group is terrible.
I do surprise what occurs in web. Due to Conor Ingram’s go away of absence throughout the season, Karel Vejmelka began each single sport from February 23rd till April 12th, a span of seven weeks. The hope is that Ingram is 100% prepared for the 2025-26 season, nevertheless it additionally highlights that if something occurs to both Ingram or Vejmelka, be it harm or in any other case, there isn’t a one else the group trusts to even make one begin each two weeks. Going out so as to add a veteran goalie like Jake Allen may be on the menu.
Winnipeg Jets
With Nikolaj Ehlers being a free agent, Cole Perfetti at good-but-not-elite standing, and Winnipeg in any other case not having a high-end second-line centre in an extended, very long time, discovering secondary scoring this summer season needs to be group’s prime precedence for an acquisition.
Nevertheless, the group additionally wants to search out somebody to play with Josh Morrissey. There had been a lot of years of success for the Morrissey-Dylan DeMelo pairing however this season noticed Morrissey put up higher outcomes at 5-on-5, throughout shot try share (CF%), shot share (SF%), anticipated aim share (xGF%), and aim share (GF%), with anybody however DeMelo as his accomplice:
The pair was nonetheless good collectively, but when DeMelo takes one other step again, then the issues are actually going to start out, and the group can’t afford to not put together for that chance.
This the place I feel Vladislav Gavrikov makes a variety of sense. He has proven the power to play extraordinarily properly on the fitting aspect as a left-handed blue liner, matches in with Winnipeg’s defence-first strategy, and might even chip in a bit offensively. He shall be a preferred commodity, however this might assist shore up the highest pair, maybe give DeMelo an opportunity to search out his sport in a lesser position, and supply some much-needed depth to the defence group. Although with seven defencemen signed to NHL contracts (eight as soon as they prolong Dylan Samberg), they may simply run again the identical defence group.
