In this week's Eastern Edge, we'll see how certain players performed in their first season with a new team. This will be the first of three parts, so if there's a big name you don't see here, we'll probably cover them in the upcoming weeks.

Vitek Vanecek

Vanecek's third year in the league and first year in New Jersey ended up being a successful one. He finished with a sparkling 33-11-4 record alongside a 2.45 GAA and .911 save percentage. Although his overall numbers were solid, a closer look suggests that they were buoyed by a strong start. Through 15 games in October and November, Vanecek posted a 2.12 GAA and .923 save percentage. From December to the end of the regular season (37 games), he registered a less impressive 2.58 GAA and .906 save percentage.

Heading into the 2022-2023 campaign, Vanecek wasn't a high-profile fantasy hockey asset. As a relatively unproven goalie moving to a team that was still finding itself, Vanecek understandably went outside the top-150 in most Yahoo drafts. One year later, perceptions have changed. After finishing third in the league this past season, the Devils are now considered a top-tier team. Given the massive influence a team has on a goalie's numbers, Vanecek could very well be one of the first 10 goalies drafted next year. Although I believe the Devils have a high-end roster, I'm not sure if I've seen enough from Vanecek to justify using a high draft pick on him. Not only was he lacklustre for most of the regular season, but he faltered massively in the playoffs. Akira Schmid outperformed him by a wide margin during the postseason and could steal starts from Vanecek next year. I personally think we've reached a point where Vanecek's perceived fantasy value is greater than his actual value. Sure, he could meet the lofty expectations that come with the high draft pick required to acquire him, but there's a lot more room for disappointment than there was last year, when his acquisition cost was low.  

Pavel Zacha

During his six seasons in New Jersey, Zacha mostly scored at a 30 to 40-point pace. The lone exception was the 2020-2021 campaign, when he tallied 35 points in 50 appearances – a 57-point rate. This past season – his first with the Bruins – Zacha matched that pace, racking up 57 points in 82 games. Remarkably, he did so while seeing less opportunity. His average ice time (16:04) was about a minute lower than it was in 20-21, and his share of power-play time was also less than before (32% in 22-23 vs. 55% in 20-21).

A lack of power-play opportunity prevented him from achieving higher point totals, which is probably why he didn't get as much recognition for this strong season. If we focus on even-strength production, Zacha's strong play becomes easier to appreciate. His 48 even-strength points place him within the top-50 for that category, rivalling elite offensive producers like Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos and Sebastian Aho. At even-strength, Zacha spent most of his minutes beside fellow Czechs David Pastrnak and David Krejci. Playing beside Pastrnak – one of the game's best goal-scorers right now – should help Zacha to produce at a similar level next year. With Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci pondering retirement, there's a chance Zacha sees more power-play time next season. A more prominent role with the man advantage could take his point totals to new heights. Coach Jim Montgomery has spoken highly of Zacha, describing him as a player that can consistently hit 65 points. Don't be surprised if the 26-year-old forward is trusted with an expanded role during the 2023-2024 campaign. Although I've been painting an optimistic picture of Zacha's fantasy value thus far, it's worth noting that his 5 on 5 shooting percentage this season (12.1%) was higher than we'd expect. I'm hopeful that any regression in that department can be offset by some extra ice time next season.

Brent Burns

There's a stark contrast in quality between the Hurricanes' team Burns played for this season, and the Sharks rosters he'd been on recently. A difference in team quality led to a difference in deployment, fuelling more production than we've seen from Burns in recent years. In his final two years with San Jose, Burns was tasked with 26 minutes of action a night. He played somewhat of a shutdown role during that time, starting more shifts in the defensive zone (~58%) than the offensive zone. That assignment led to some underwhelming production as he posted a 42-point pace in 20-21 and a 52-point pace in 21-22.

His first year in Carolina saw him take on a different role. The Hurricanes have a better defensive corps than the Sharks had, which allowed the 38-year-old Burns to take on a lighter workload. His average ice time dropped from 26 minutes in San Jose to a more manageable 23:13 in Carolina. Although he skated fewer minutes overall, his offensive opportunity wasn't reduced. His 60% share of the team's power-play time matched what he'd been seeing in San Jose, but more importantly, the Hurricanes let him to start fewer shifts in the defensive zone (~40%) than the offensive zone. More favourable deployment resulted in improved production as Burns scored at a 61-point pace this year. His shot rate rebounded from 2.5 per game in recent years to 3.1 per game this season. Although this new situation was good for Burns' offensive numbers, it made him slightly less of a multicategory beast. The Hurricanes are a much better possession team than the Sharks, so they give up fewer shots. That means fewer opportunities for blocks – a reality reflected in Burns' 1.05 blocks per game this year, down from 1.83 per game with San Jose last season. Although Burns' current situation in Carolina is an upgrade from his recent situation in San Jose, I'd be hesitant to spend a high draft pick on a defenseman turning 39 next season.