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In this week's Eastern Edge, we'll discuss players that are undervalued because they were hindered by injuries last season.

Mika Zibanejad

Zibanejad's story is probably the most well-documented case on this list. The Rangers center made a name for himself during the 2019-2020 campaign when he posted 75 points in 57 games – which translates to 108 points in a typical 82 game season. As a result of that impressive performance, Zibanejad was selected early in fantasy drafts ahead of the 2021 campaign. He didn't live up to expectations at first, posting a measly three goals and eight assists in his first 26 games last season. He completely turned things around in the second half, tallying 21 goals and 18 assists in his final 30 appearances. At the end of the season, he revealed that the slow start was a result of his battle with COVID-19 during training camp. As you can imagine, with preseason preparations thrown off, it took him extra time to reach peak form during the regular season.

When planning for your fantasy draft, it's tempting to look at overall point totals and scoring paces because they're so easy to access and digest. In Zibanejad's case, you'll see a player who tallied 50 points in 56 games and scored at a 70-point pace last year. However, as we've now established, last year's overall output and scoring pace is misleading because of the stark contrast between his first and second half splits. He paced for 35 points in the first half – when hindered by COVID – and 106 points in the second half – when he was feeling better. Since we have an explanation for that early struggle, I'd be willing to ignore it altogether and focus instead on his high offensive ceiling. He may fall slightly in fantasy drafts as a result of last year's slow start, so you may be able to get a discount on a great player.  

Brendan Gallagher

Montreal's diminutive giant had a decent 2021 campaign, tallying 14 goals and nine assists in 35 games. For the fourth-straight season, Gallagher scored at a 30-goal pace. Unfortunately, his campaign was cut short as a slapshot ended up fracturing his thumb. He missed the final month of the regular season but returned for the playoffs, where he clearly wasn't firing on all cylinders. Gallagher managed just two goals and four assists through 22 postseason appearances. Playoff performances don't usually hold a lot of weight for regular season fantasy rankings, so I don't think his lack of postseason production will be held against him during fantasy drafts. However, it is a concern that gets compounded with others, ultimately making him seem like a risky target this year. Gallagher has been a key component of one of the league's best lines in recent seasons, thriving beside Tomas Tatar and Phillip Danault. With Tatar and Danault leaving Montreal, there's some uncertainty surrounding Gallagher's place in the lineup this year. To make things worse, Montreal has an abundance of offensively gifted wingers. As such, Gallagher may be forced to play difficult defensive minutes beside low quality line mates deeper in the lineup. With all that being said, Gallagher's diligent playstyle leads me to believe he'll succeed this year no matter where he plays. He may fall in fantasy drafts as a result of last year's injury and the uncertainty surrounding his spot in the lineup, but he's still a high-volume shooter and strong goal scorer who can contribute to your fantasy roster.

Nico Hischier

To say that Hischier's 2021 campaign was riddled with injuries would be an understatement. He missed the start of the season with a leg injury, tested positive for COVID-19 during the year and missed a long stretch of the campaign due to a sinus fracture. He was limited to just 21 games and managed a lacklustre 11 points in those appearances. If he can stay healthy this year, the 22-year-old captain finds himself in a really good situation as the top-six center of a vastly improved team in New Jersey. With many projecting a breakout for Jack Hughes this year, Hischier isn't getting enough attention and is situated quite low in most fantasy rankings. There's certainly an opportunity to steal him in the late rounds of your draft and reap the rewards all season.

MacKenzie Blackwood

New Jersey's netminder got off to a strong start last season, posting a .948 save percentage and 1.90 GAA in his first three appearances. That early momentum was quickly derailed as Blackwood tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after his third start. The virus affected his ability to breathe and kept him sidelined for about a month. He struggled from that point on, registering an .896 save percentage and 3.16 GAA in 32 games following his bout with COVID. Last year's condensed schedule didn't provide much opportunity for rest and recovery, so Blackwood probably wasn't at 100-percent for most of the 2021 campaign. With a chance to recuperate during the offseason, Blackwood is primed to bounce back this year. He'll benefit from playing behind an improved roster – strengthened by the additions of Tomas Tatar and Dougie Hamilton.