For the last 21 years (12 with The Hockey News) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 22^nd annual review will appear here on Dobber Hockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future. Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are taken into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart.

Enjoy!

** Be sure to pick up your copy of the 2024-2025 Fantasy Hockey Guide **

Gone: Joonas Korpisalo, Mathieu Joseph, Jakob Chychrun, Erik Brannstrom, Mark Kastelic, Parker Kelly 

Incoming: Linus Ullmark, Nick Jensen, David Perron, Michael Amadio, Noah Gregor 

Impact of Changes: A relatively inexperienced general manager in Steve Staios, a fresh face behind the bench in Travis Green, and a new ownership group led by Michael Andlauer are all changes that will have impact on this team without any of them stepping foot on the ice. Last season's off-ice distractions are gone, and this organization is clearly ready to turn the page in all aspects.

In terms of those on the ice, Ullmark is the name everyone is talking about – and for good reason. The Senators got their man in the former Vezina winner who is sure to hold down the blue paint for the foreseeable future in the Nation's Capital. Gone are the days of a goalie carousel or split: Ullmark is the clear-cut starter with no one in the Ottawa organization to challenge him for minutes.

No offense to Jensen, Perron, and Amadio, three players who are all on the fringe of fantasy relevancy and depth moves that will ultimately make the team better, but it's Ullmark who will get the lion's share of pressure in terms of taking the Sens back to playoff relevancy. Expect him to be one of the first handful of goalies off most fantasy hockey draft boards in only a few weeks' time as he will assuredly see an uptick in games, shots, saves, and ideally, wins.

If Ullmark can mimic the numbers he put up in Boston over the past three seasons, an 88-26-10 record, .924 save percentage, 2.28 goals-against average, and five shutouts, then Ottawa has more than enough young talent to be a tough team to handle.

Ready For Full Time: As for NHL-ready young guns, the Ottawa organization is far from loaded with elite options. However, in terms of players on the cusp looking to make an impact this season, the first name that jumps to the top of the list would be 22-year-old rearguard Tyler Kleven. Kleven was selected with the 44^th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and could fit in nicely on Ottawa's third defensive pairing with Jacob Bernard-Docker. Kleven really won't be fantasy relevant unless a D-man or two goes down for the Sens, but his allure comes from his physicality and hulking 6-4, 200-plus-pound frame that also translates into a solid slapper from the point.

A bit of a deeper cut is Ottawa's seventh-overall draft pick from this year's NHL Draft. Carter Yakemchuk is certainly a year or two away from making the jump, but when he does, double-circle the name as the 18-year-old defenseman has the edge and offensive ability to be a fantasy relevant player in the near future.

Fantasy Outlook: Look, we get it, adding a goalie of Ullmark's caliber is clearly huge, but does the addition immediately take one of the worst teams in the league last year immediately into the playoffs? Unfortunately, in today's NHL, it's not that simple.

Sure, the Senators' core of Claude Giroux, Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson, and even Jake Sanderson is one of the more talented groups in the league today that should be looked at as legit fantasy options, but they still have to get through the likes of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and of course, reigning Cup champs Florida Panthers. There really is no getting around the fact that Ottawa will be in tough to get out of the Atlantic, let alone trying to get through anyone in the Metro, even with a Vezina-level goaltender now in tow.

However, fantasy-wise, there's a lot to love about the options GMs can target for elite-level production. Don't sleep on more under-the-radar options like Josh Norris (if he can stay healthy) Shane Pinto, Thomas Chabot, and in deeper formats Ridly Greig and Michael Amadio.

If the come up in Ottawa this year is as real as Sens fans expect, getting any piece of this group early will be a fortuitous endeavour.

Overall Grade: A- (last year was A)