The focus today will be on two major news stories from the past week and what they could mean in fantasy leagues going forward.

Fantasy Hockey Implications of the Ducks Matching Leo Carlsson's Offer Sheet

From a fantasy perspective, Anaheim matching the offer sheet for Carlsson is a major win for anyone invested in him long‑term – provided it's not a salary-cap league, of course. In that case, his value has plummeted based on the cap hit alone.

Carlsson averaged 19 minutes per game last season, but with his cap hit now elevated, teams often respond by increasing deployment to match the financial commitment. Expect Carlsson to be treated like a true 1C—regularly over 20 minutes per night, more PP1 stability, and continued offensive‑zone usage (63.8 OZ%). That alone raises both his floor and ceiling.

It also positions him to smooth out the dramatic split between his early‑season production and the rest of the year. Over his first 21 games, Carlsson posted 11 goals and 28 points (1.33 PTS/GP), a borderline elite pace. Over his final 49 games, he dropped to 18 goals and 39 points (0.80 PTS/GP). Increased responsibility and more consistent deployment should help him stabilize somewhere between those two extremes, making him a strong breakout candidate in points‑only and a rising asset in multi‑cat formats.

The next fantasy‑relevant domino is Cutter Gauthier. He cannot be signed to an offer sheet, but Anaheim must still negotiate from a place where they cannot afford to lose him. Gauthier led the Ducks in goals (41) and points (69) last season, and he projects as a high‑volume shooter (3.8 SOG/GP) with multi‑cat upside. Gauthier is also only 22 years old and will likely command over $10 million per season.

If Anaheim needs to clear space to finalize Gauthier's deal, fantasy managers should monitor potential veteran cap‑dump candidates. Alex Killorn and Frank Vatrano are the most obvious names, but even larger contracts like Chris Kreider or Mikael Granlund shouldn't be dismissed if Anaheim decides to reshape its roster. In the case of sub-0.5 PT/GP players Killorn and Vatrano, the Ducks will probably have to add a sweetener to the deal like a draft pick or a prospect.

For the Flyers, Carlsson staying in Anaheim keeps their center problem unsolved—and that matters for fantasy because Philadelphia's forward production is heavily dependent on who drives their top line. Ideally, they would acquire a true 1C. Those don't grow on trees, as teams would much rather keep their own first-line centers. Adam Fantilli, picked one spot after Carlsson in the 2023 draft, is an RFA center who has not been signed. Maybe the Flyers turn their attention to Fantilli. I can't see why the Blue Jackets wouldn't match, though.

One question is whether Dylan Larkin would expand his limited list of acceptable destinations to include Philadelphia. If not, the Flyers may pivot to a high‑end 2C who can still elevate their wingers' fantasy value. Elias Pettersson is on the trade block, but Rick Tocchet's lukewarm history with him in Vancouver complicates that fit. Until the Flyers resolve their center situation, projections for players like Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny, and Tyson Foerster remain volatile. Trevor Zegras is the closest that the Flyers have to a true #1 center, but his career production to this point has been too inconsistent while he has never even scored at a 70-point pace in any one season.  

Fantasy Hockey Implications of the Connor Bedard Injury

Bedard's expected month‑long absence following left‑shoulder surgery is a major fantasy storyline. While the injury occurred during a training session and affects his "other" shoulder—not the right shoulder he injured last year—it still delays the breakout momentum many managers were banking on. Bedard remains a top‑tier asset in all formats, but missing the opening month shifts early‑season draft strategy, lineup planning, and streaming opportunities across Chicago's roster.

For the Blackhawks, Bedard's absence is a significant blow to their attempt to be more competitive after acquiring Bowen Byram for the fourth overall pick in the draft. From a fantasy standpoint, Byram's early value takes a hit without Bedard driving offense and generating high‑danger touches. His PP1 upside remains intact, but the ceiling is temporarily lower until Bedard returns.

The biggest fantasy ripple comes at center. Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell are the two candidates to take over as Chicago's temporary 1C. Both should see meaningful bumps in ice time and usage. Nazar is the more likely option due to experience, making him a short‑term streaming target in deeper leagues. Frondell, however, is the more intriguing upside play. He posted nine points in 12 games late last season and earned time on the top power play—rare for a 19‑year‑old. If he lands the 1C role, he becomes an immediate sleeper with legitimate breakout potential during Bedard's absence.

Roman Kantserov is another name fantasy managers should monitor closely. The blue‑chip winger could debut this fall, and while his long‑term value is tied to eventually playing with Bedard, even a temporary role next to Nazar or Frondell could make him a speculative add. They aren't Bedard‑level play drivers, but they're capable enough to give Kantserov a runway to produce.

Ryan Donato also enters the fantasy conversation. His versatility across forward positions makes him a candidate to move up the lineup. Donato averaged under 15 minutes per game last season, but Bedard's injury creates a window where he could finally see top‑six deployment. In deeper leagues, he's a watchlist name.

Oliver Moore, who averaged under 13 minutes per game as a rookie, could slide into a 3C role and see a modest bump in usage. He's not an immediate fantasy add, but he becomes relevant in dynasty formats if his minutes climb.

The key fantasy takeaway: Bedard is only expected to miss about a month, but Chicago's roster is young and fluid. Any forward who seizes this opportunity—Nazar, Frondell, Kantserov, Donato, or Moore—could hold onto an elevated role even after Bedard returns. Early‑season streaming from Chicago's top six could pay off for managers willing to act quickly.

–

The Top 100 Roto Rankings will be updated in a few days. In the meantime, please leave your feedback on the May rankings. I can even discuss any suggestions in tomorrow's Ramblings.

–

I just wanted to finish off by discussing the recent closure of the Rogers radio stations across Canada.

I’ve been a fantasy hockey writer now for 20 years. That time has passed extremely quickly and I’ve seen a lot of things happen. I’ve also received numerous amazing opportunities that I never thought would be possible. One of those opportunities was as a featured fantasy hockey writer for the Sportsnet website. As a DobberHockey writer, I was able to write a weekly article for Sportsnet.ca for three NHL regular seasons between 2015 and 2018. I was excited about this opportunity when it came up, but I also knew in the back of my mind that it wouldn’t last forever. I guess that’s how it is if you’re in the broadcast industry full-time. I haven’t had to worry about that as much because I have another occupation as my full-time career.

My heart goes out to the folks who have lost their job recently, particularly those for Sportsnet radio. I was a regular listener of Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver. I was also a guest on Sportsnet 960 in Calgary a few summers ago for a fantasy hockey interview. It wasn’t my best interview, especially when I showed I was totally unprepared for their question about rookies. But I was grateful that they had called on me anyway, and I hope I gave the listeners some valuable information.

A lot of the hockey shows I listen to are Vancouver based. That’s not only because I want the latest on the Canucks, but also because I enjoy listening to the hosts and their guests. Some of that was on Sportsnet 650. There is now a void in the market thanks to a large corporation that has placed maximizing shareholder value over serving its customers with this decision. Hopefully the staff that was recently let go can fill that gap in those markets in what might have to be a different way.

–

Follow me on X @Ian_Gooding and Bluesky @goodsfantasyhockey.bsky.social