Updated July 26, 2011
Columbus Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson has been among the most aggressive league executives this summer in trying to improve his club. As a result, fantasy hockey owners must pay more attention to Blue Jacket players now than they ever have done in the past.
Columbus has upgraded its offensive skill by adding Jeff Carter, James Wisniewski, and Vinny Prospal---though an off-season injury to Kristian Huselius will, in turn, hurt the Blue Jackets on the offensive side of the puck.
Carter and Wisniewski join star winger Rick Nash as Blue Jackets with very high fantasy hockey value, while Prospal could fill an important secondary role on many fantasy hockey teams.
Let's take a look:
- Jeff Carter: Despite all the stories of his hard-partying ways in Philadelphia, Carter still scored 36 goals and recorded 66 points with the Flyers last season. A gifted and proven goal scorer at the NHL level, Carter is a sought-after fantasy hockey commodity after netting 29, 46, 33, and 36 goals the past four seasons. His fantasy hockey value also is high because he scores power play goals and shorthanded goals, records more than 300 shots per season, and delivers a bucketful of game-winning goals each season. The question is if the shoot-first Carter will be a fit with the shoot-first Nash on the top line in Columbus. If he isn't then Prospal, Antoine Vermette, and/or Derek Brassard will get a look in the middle with Nash. But you have to believe Howson made this trade with the thought of finally teaming Nash with another elite player like Carter. Figure on 35 goals, 70 points for Carter this season, in line with his recent production.
- James Wisniewski: Despite bouncing around the league a lot (two teams last year, 3 in two years, 4 in three years), Wisniewski found his stride last season, producing a career-best 51-point season to rank fifth among all NHL defensemen in scoring. Many fantasy hockey owners picked up Wisniewski last year either in the later rounds of their drafts or as a free agent following his strong start with the Islanders. This year fantasy owners will have to strategize which of the higher rounds to select Wisniewski, such has his value skyrocketed. Just 27 years old---and now with the chance to share the ice with Nash and Carter on the power play and at even strength---it's a fairly safe bet that Wisniewski is not a one-year wonder, but instead a player entering his best years production-wise. He can shoot (10 goals last year, 7 on the power play) and he can pass (41 assists a year ago); and Wisniewski should be good for another 45+-point season again this year, with an upside of 60 points if all goes perfectly to plan.
- Vinny Prospal: Prospal is not as easy to project as Carter and Wisniewski, due in large part to age (36) and recent injury (knee surgery last season). With Huselius hurt Prospal could see top line duty on the wing, or even at center if the Carter-Nash experiment fails. If he does receive top-line duty---and can remain healthy---Prospal is a neat playmaker, one who had excellent chemistry in New York with Marian Gaborik. Even if he does not play on the top line, Prospal will likely be a top-six forward for Columbus, one who can still put up some numbers (he had 23 points in 29 games after returning from his knee injury a year ago). However the big question regarding Prospal is health. He looked worn down and labored with his skating in the playoffs in April, certainly solidifying his exit from the Rangers. Pay very close attention to him during training camp, read press reports of his health and where he might play in Columbus. Then decide if Prospal is worth a middle-to-lower round pick in your fantasy hockey draft.
- Grant Clitsome: Though not a recent acquisition, Clitsome might also be a Blue Jacket to keep your eyes on in the lower rounds of your fantasy hockey draft this season. A solid point-producer on defense as a rookie, Clitsome recorded 19 points in 31 games, and his two power play goals---while a modest total---still were tops among all Columbus d-men including Fedor Tyutin and Kris Russell, who spent much more time on the power play than Clitsome, a rookie a year ago. If Clitsome receives power play time alongside Wisniewski this season---and stays healthy for the full season---he might be a fantasy hockey steal if taken in the later rounds of your draft.
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