Michael Ryder Returns to Montreal – Dealt for Erik Cole

Fantasy Impact: The Dallas Stars have traded Michael Ryder to the Montreal Canadiens for winger Erik Cole. 

The Stars get: A 34 year old off to a slow start, but coming off a 61-point season. Cole has had three seasons in his career in which he tallied between 59 and 61 (his career best) points. He’s a two-time 30-goal scorer (35 last year) and he loves to throw checks – pounding his body into opponents 186 times in 2011-12.

The Canadiens get: A 32 year old off to a pretty good start and coming off a 62-point season. Ryder has had three seasons in his career in which he tallied between 58 and 63 (his career best) points. He’s a three-time 30-goal scorer (35 last year), but unlike Cole he is reluctant to throw the body around – he had just 86 hits in 2011-12.

To summarize, the Habs get a marginal increase in goal scoring while the Stars add some sandpaper without taking a huge loss in the goal-scoring department. Ryder is a former Hab, so the team gets a boost there because generally a returning player makes a splash.

Fantasy Players Impacted: Unlike last year, Cole hasn’t been clicking with David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty. You have to think that Ryder will get time on that line to start and the two of them have already been turning things around. This should help matters. Lately, Brendan Gallagher has been on that line, so he will go back to the Lars Eller – Alex Galchenyk line.

Ryder has been playing with Cody Eakin and Antoine Roussel. It has helped Eakin get off to a pretty good start. But Cole will likely play with Derek Roy and Loui Eriksson – great for Cole, but bad for Eakin who will see Reilly Smith slide down to his line.