Fantasy Impact: Pittsburgh Acquires Rickard Rakell

Dobber

2022-03-21

The Anaheim Ducks have traded winger Rickard Rakell to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Zach Aston-Reese, Dominik Simon, top prospect goaltender Calle Clang and a second-round draft pick.

The Ducks get: a high draft pick and a solid, though injury-prone, checking-line player who loves to throw the body. Aston-Reese could be a 35-point, 300-Hits player if he ever stayed healthy. Which he won't, because he's never done that. Aston-Reese is good for missing about 15 to 25 games per season. Simon is a complementary player best suited for the third line, or once in a while could sub in on the second line. But on a deep team, Simon tends to sit in the press box. Calle Clang was drafted 77th overall last summer, which is very high for a goaltender. His scouting profile is here.

The Penguins get: a two-time 30-goal winger who is now in his fourth consecutive season in which he has produced in that 44- to 53-point range. At 28, it's hard to believe that he's been declining since he was 25. And with Evgeni Malkin as his new center (since Sidney Crosby's linemates are pretty firm), if Rakell is going to get back to his 30-goal ways – it's now. Rakell is a UFA in the summer.

Fantasy Players Impacted: Rakell is going straight to Malkin's wing, which is huge. For both players. This will knock two of Danton Heinen, Evan Rodrigues and Kasperi Kapanen out of that spot. For starters, look for Rakell – Malkin – Rodrigues. But Heinen and Kapanen will get filtered in and out of that Rodrigues spot until the line takes off. But Rakell is probably safe there for at least 10 games, to get the chemistry going.

In Anaheim, Rakell going means more ice time and PP time for Maxime Comtois. Troy Terry and Sonny Milano should benefit as well.

Fantasy Players this helps, in order:

Rakell

*huge gap*

Comtois

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Terry/Milano

Fantasy Players this hurts, in order:

Heinen

Kapanen

Rodrigues

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