Matt Moulson's arrival in Long Island was hardly publicized. There was no ticker-tape parade. There was no press conference filled with popping flashbulbs. There was pretty much no hype unlike the arrival of 2009 first-round pick John Tavares, who was immediately anointed the Islanders' savior after being taken first overall in June's draft.
Moulson quietly signed his one-year, two-way contract with the Islanders in July and the only publicity he received was a press release from team in which Moulson's name was crammed between Greg Mauldin, Greg Moore and Mark Flood, who all signed similar deals.
The buzz this summer on Long Island was Tavares' potential impact and the continued progression of Kyle Okposo, another former first-round pick. We can't even say Moulson was an afterthought. There was no guarantee he was even going to make the Islanders roster out of training camp. But like every good underdog story, this one has a happy ending thus far.
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| Skating alongside John Tavares will certainly help Moulson's Fantasy value. (Getty Images) |
The 6-1, 195-pound Moulson has two goals and four points in his first four games. He has also played sound defense, finishing even or better in each game (plus-3). Not bad for a kid who wasn't projected as anything more than a second-line forward in the NHL.
Moulson's story is an intriguing one. He was a ninth-round selection of Pittsburgh in 2003 but never came to terms with the Penguins. He spent four years at Cornell honing his skills and became quite an effective two-way player. He drew the interest of many NHL teams but ultimately signed a free-agent contract with Los Angeles in 2006.
Moulson continued his development with Manchester of the AHL. In three seasons with the Monarchs, Moulson totaled 74 goals and 86 points in 188 games. Unfortunately, he just never wowed Kings management. Los Angeles let Moulson walk in the offseason and the change of scenery seems to be paying major dividends for the 25-year-old forward.
"Everything happens for a reason,'' Moulson told Newsday after scoring against the Kings on Monday, "and I couldn't be happier than where I am now.''
The scouting report on Moulson is that he is an excellent skater with great hands. He is a very good passer and his defensive skills are underrated. Moulson was an effective penalty killer in college, but his primary special teams' responsibilities for the Islanders have been on the power play. Why? Because Moulson has a unique talent for the NHL -- he is a scorer from the left wing.
"We knew coming in he could score goals," head coach Scott Gordon told Newsday. "He's stepped up and has had a good showing. And he's getting better every day."
Add 'Em
Kyle Quincey, D, Colorado
Owned: 73 percent of leagues
Analysis: We know what you are thinking. Colorado can't be this good and Quincey's hot start won't last. While Colorado might eventually play down to their expectations that doesn't mean Quincey can't be successful. Don't forget that he played for Los Angeles last season, a team that had its ups and downs, and Quincey still finished with a career-high 38 points before suffering a season-ending back injury very late in the year. Quincey just needed his shot in the NHL, and he didn't get that with Detroit. However, Quincey did get the tutelage of the Detroit system playing a few years with Grand Rapids (AHL) and that's a large reason why he is having success moving the puck in the NHL. We could spend all day talking about the players that came through the Detroit organization and have thrived in the NHL. Quincey is a top-logging defenseman for Colorado and nets a ton of power-play time. He will be given plenty of chances to put points on the board.
Brendan Morrison, C, Washington
Owned: 26 percent of leagues
Analysis: Before going down with a torn ACL in 2007-08 with the Canucks, Morrison was an iron man. He had played a full season for six straight campaigns before the freak accident in '07-08. Hockey players tend to struggle coming off an ACL tear and Morrison was no exception. Even though he got a fresh start with Anaheim last season, Morrison never matured into his second-line center role and was eventually placed on waivers. Dallas added Morrison, who eventually started to look like his former self late in the season. That little snapshot at the end of 2008-09 was enough for Washington to bring in Morrison this offseason as a replacement for Sergei Fedorov, who fled to the KHL (Russia). It has been a great gamble for Washington. Morrison has three goals and four points in six games. Don't forget he was a regular 20-goal threat with Vancouver and has the ability to break 60 points. Morrison is not a bad addition as a low-end Fantasy forward that could blossom into much more.
Jonas Gustavsson, G, Toronto
Owned: 53 percent of leagues
Analysis: It's not often we recommend adding an injured player, but even though he is on IR, Gustavsson is worth the spot on your bench. It's clearly not working out with Vesa Toskala in Toronto. He has gotten off to another horrendous start and finds himself on injured reserve with a knee injury. That means the door is open for Gustavsson to come back from injury and possibly steal the starting job. Toronto brought in the Swedish import in the offseason to compete with Toskala in net. But the way they talked about the 24-year-old goalie it sounded as though Toronto discovered the greatest thing since sliced bread. Gustavsson hasn't won in his first two outings and his success in the Swedish Elite League was based on being in a system where he doesn't have to face many shots -- similar to that of the Red Wings. However, Fantasy owners can still use a goalie that could play on a regular basis and has a ton of potential.
Drop 'Em
Patrik Berglund, C, St. Louis
Owned: 53 percent of leagues
Analysis: For a player with as much promise as Berglund, it was definitely disappointing to see him a healthy scratch Saturday against the Kings. It was just last season Berglund made a huge splash with 21 goals, 47 points and a plus-19 rating in 76 games as a rookie. But the circumstances were different. Paul Kariya missed most of the season with hip injuries and Andy McDonald was also on the shelf for several weeks with an ankle issue. Berglund was a key player that got St. Louis through the tough times. This season, Kariya and MacDonald are healthy and the Blues have found chemistry without Berglund being a reliable contributor. It's hardly fair to totally write off a former first-round pick that still has plenty of quality years left. In fact, we are sure Berglund will hit his stride at some point in 2009-10. However, with so many forwards available in Fantasy, you are really doing a disservice to your team by keeping around a struggling option that you can probably pick up at a later date.
Michal Rozsival, D, N.Y. Rangers
Owned: 51 percent of leagues
Analysis: Rozsival might be one of the Rangers' highest-paid defensemen, only trailing Wade Redden, but he certainly hasn't been one of their most productive. His slump really dates back to last season. Rozsival really struggled like most Rangers under former coach Tom Renney. But even when John Tortorella took over behind the bench, Rozsival didn't show a lot of improvement on offense. Now, he can't even count on steady minutes. Rozsival has managed more than 20 minutes just once in seven games and has failed to record power-play time in four games. Tortorella has been more impressed with the play of youngsters Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy, and that has cost Rozsival some ice time and scoring chances despite his hefty contract.
Avoid 'Em
Keith Tkachuk, LW, St. Louis
Owned: 69 percent of leagues
Analysis: It's not like I want to pick on the Blues. In fact, I seriously think they are being overlooked in the Western Conference. However, team success has little to do with Fantasy success in some instances. Tkachuk is a perfect example. St. Louis managed to make the playoffs down the stretch in 2008-09 despite Tkachuk being a marginal contributor. The veteran forward has gotten off to a fast start with three goals and six points in four games. But we have seen this before. Tkachuk started last season with 26 points (13 goals) in his first 37 games before finishing with just 23 points in his final 42 games. While Tkachuk is a great veteran presence for St. Louis, he just isn't the 40-goal threat he used to be and Fantasy owners should be aware what they are buying.
Dustin Byfuglien, RW, Chicago
Owned: 40 percent of leagues
Analysis: Byfuglien could easily be on our watch list, but we think he is being overvalued because of his past Fantasy performance -- which came while he was still defenseman eligible. He is no longer that in 2009-10. Byfuglien had his moments in 2008-09, his first full year as a forward in the NHL, but he was plagued by inconsistency. He really found his rhythm in the playoffs when he became a nuisance in front of the net and has carried that success into the start of this season. But as quick as Byfuglien can rack up the points, he can easily go into a slump that could destroy your Fantasy lineup. Byfuglien is a great power forward, but he is not Jarome Iginla. We also fear his scoring chances will also greatly decline once Marian Hossa (shoulder) is ready to return.
Tyler Kennedy, C, Pittsburgh
Owned: 32 percent of leagues
Analysis: We are a bit torn on Kennedy's value, but we are going to take a stance here and leave him on our avoid list. Kennedy has been one of the Penguins' most effective scorers in the first few weeks and is picking up the slack for Maxime Talbot (shoulder) as an energy player that bounces all over the place for Pittsburgh. Kennedy has shown this same offensive punch before, but his biggest problem is that he can't make it last over time. Kennedy is great in stretches and is certainly a 20-goal threat. But he plays more of a two-way game and isn't always overly impressive on offense. Pittsburgh is going to lean on the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bill Guerin, Chris Kunitz and Jordan Staal and ask Kennedy to help fill in the gaps.
Watch 'Em
Patric Hornqvist, RW, Nashville
Owned: 27 percent of leagues
Analysis: The Predators brought Hornqvist over from the Swedish Elite League last season as a possible solution for losing Alexander Radulov to the KHL. Nashville figured with Hornqvist's established pro career, he could hit the ground running. Too bad it didn't play out that way. Hornqvist spent the season bouncing between the NHL and AHL as he learned the North American game. Hornqvist finally hit his stride in the AHL playoffs and left a lasting impression on Predators management. Hornqvist has continued to instill confidence in the Predators after leading the team with seven points in the preseason and now posting five points (two goals) in his first five games. He has done well since moving to the team's top line in place of J.P. Dumont (head), and Hornqvist's recent play has allowed Nashville to be patient with Dumont's recovery. But that is where the problem lies. How will Hornqvist do once Dumont is back?
Jamie Benn, LW, Dallas
Owned: 17 percent of leagues
Analysis: Benn has come a long way since being selected in the fifth round of the 2007 draft. The 20-year-old forward quickly ascended the prospect rankings after he became a top goal-scoring threat in the WHL (juniors). In 107 games with Kelowna, Benn scored 79 times, including a career-high 46 goals in 2008-09. His recent development put him on the Stars' training camp radar, and after scoring four times in five preseason contests, Benn earned a roster spot. Even more, he was placed on the second scoring line with Mike Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow. Benn hasn't let down Dallas with one goal and four assists in five games. It also helps his cause that his teammates and coaches want Benn to be more aggressive on offense. The only setback is that rookie skaters usually hit a wall, so the longer Benn continues to post points, the more confidence we will have in endorsing Fantasy owners to pick him up at will.
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