Fantasy Impact: While the word “fired” hasn’t been used per se, Barry Trotz will nonetheless be behind a different bench next year.

One can only assume that Trotz’s services will be quickly scooped up by another team, given his ability to make chicken salad out of chicken…poop. He finishes his coaching career with the Preds 557-479 and a playoff record of 19-31 after 15 years. But that playoff record was often earned by a team that had no business being there.

The firing was expected by many, including myself, as recently as two weeks ago. But then the team finished strong and had some changing their mind. My Tweet on Sunday night alluded to the possibility that it saved his job:

Fantasy Players Impacted: All Nashville Predators are now free to get 70 points. This year, the top forward on the team was Patric Hornqvist at 53 points. he has the ability to hit 65…but his proneness to injury will keep him closer to 60. No, a better candidate is Craig Smith – and better still is Colin Wilson. But the best candidate? Filip Forsberg, the top prospect in the system.

The best angle to tackle this is from a perspective of four years from now. What will be the Top 10 point totals between 2014-15 and 2017-18 (four seasons)? I’ll do my best to project, feel free to add your guesses below. That’s what fantasy hockey is all about, right? We love this stuff! 

1. Forsberg 82 GP, 71 Pts (2017-18)

2. Wilson 78 GP, 66 Pts (2015-16)

3. Smith 79 GP, 66 Pts (2014-15)

4. Smith 75 GP, 64 Pts (2015-16)

5. Hornqvist 76 GP, 64 Pts (2015-16)

6. Seth Jones 82 GP, 64 Pts (2017-18)

7. Smith 77 GP, 61 Pts (2016-17)

8. Wilson 71 GP, 60 Pts (2016-17)

9. Shea Weber 80 GP, 60 Pts (2014-15)

10. Jones 81 GP, 60 Pts (2016-17)

Just a small overall bump in production, but it makes oh-so big a difference in fantasy hockey. As for the immediate future, the best beneficiaries are the ones who most desperately need a clean slate: Michael Del Zotto, Viktor Stalberg and Colin Wilson.

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The guys who are at risk of taking a hit are the ones who were already doing well. Anything to change the system, may not be a good thing: Roman Josi, Craig Smith and Calle Jarnkrok. But overall increase in production expected will like make this a wash.

And of course the goalies. Trotz made star goalies into superstars (Pekka Rinne) and average goalies into stars (Chris Mason). And bad goalies into average ones (Dan Ellis, Anders Lindback, Carter Hutton). You may see the likes of Rinne slip a little – or a lot – under a new coach.

Fantasy Players this helps, in order:

1. Forsberg

2. Wilson

3. Del Zotto

4. Ryan Ellis

Fantasy Players this hurts, in order:

1. Hutton

2. Marek Mazanec

3. Rinne