Matt Calvert re-signs, Zack Kassian and Patrick Maroon are fantasy valuable, and thoughts on Stamkos. 

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I'm going to lead off with a signing that might have seemed minor, but most certainly has fantasy implications. That would be the re-signing left winger Matt Calvert by the Columbus Blue Jackets. It is a three-year deal where the terms weren't disclosed, but General Fanager has the cap hit at $2.2-million per season.

Calvert is by no means a name that fantasy owners must know, but he's one that can provide value. Over his last 102 NHL games, spanning two seasons, Calvert has managed 22 goals, 47 points, but also 203 hits. A forward that can provide two hits per game and somewhere in the 15-20 goal range is someone worth taking note of in leagues that use real-time stats like hits and blocked shots.

What's more for Calvert is that he managed 1.53 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five last year, and seemed to have good chemistry with Brandon Dubinsky. Both Calvert and Dubinsky were in and out of the lineup last year, for injuries or otherwise, but look to be ready for a full season ahead. Admittedly, Dubinsky carries the line for them, but there is always something to be said about players playing well together. Even if Dubinsky is a big reason for Calvert's success, you can see in the following chart from Own The Puck that Calvert has a good impact defensively on his line mates regardless:

Good team defence was sorely lacking from the Jackets last year (injuries certainly played a role in that), and Calvert is a guy that can help stabilize that on the second or third line for Columbus. For those that play in leagues with hits and blocked shots, Calvert is a name to keep in mind for later in drafts. For Jackets fans, this is a good second or third line winger who is responsible in his own end and can pop 15 or more goals. That's valuable, and I like this contract for Columbus.

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Something I haven't really talked about yet, but as a Habs fan I feel like I have to, is the trade of Prust for Zack Kassian. I have longed for the day that the Habs didn't have Brandon Prust. Not because I don't like Prust as a player – he has his value to a team. It's because the Canadiens are approaching the early aught Oakland Athletics when GM Billy Beane had to trade away all the players he didn't want his coach using improperly. This is what it feels like with Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien. I know they're close and likely make personnel decisions together, but it's another binky that Therrien can't cuddle when times are tough.