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 considered 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 – J.J. Moser, Josh Brown, Matt Dumba, Travis Boyd

Incoming – Mikhail Sergachev, Kevin Stenlund, Ian Cole, John Marino, Egor Sokolov

Impact of Changes – Utah went out and got Mikhail Sergachev from Tampa Bay, giving up Moser, Conor Geekie, a 2nd-round pick in 2025 and a 7th-round pick in 2024. Sergachev is returning from a broken leg and might need a portion of 2024-25 to get back to 100% health. He should be given the keys to the first unit of the power play. Sergachev did post 64 points in 2022-23, but his wheelhouse is probably between 40-50 points. If he plays 70 games, he should be good for 100 hits and blocks.

Stenlund won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers and has moved on to Utah for 2024-25. He won’t generate much offense but should win his share of faceoffs (51.4%) and kill some penalties. For a big guy, he averages just around a hit per game.

Marino should play top-four minutes in Utah but he is probably not fantasy-relevant as he will put up 20-25 points, 50-60 hits and 80-90 blocks.

Cole should be a bottom-pairing defender who averages 16-18 minutes per game, puts up 10-15 points and is a threat for 100 hits and blocks.

Sergachev is a significant upgrade on Moser, while the combination of Marino and Cole should be an improvement on Dumba and Brown overall.

Utah has improved their roster externally as well as internally and could surprise this season.

Ready for Full Time – It is tempting to see the nine points in 11 games that Josh Doan had at the end of 2023-24 and extrapolate that to 2024-25 and think he has a full-time role and should get 20 goals and 40-50 points as a rookie. He did everything that you want a young player to do in their first 11 games in the NHL. Now he just has to repeat it over and over again, which is the tough part. As the roster is now, it is tough to see him in the top nine to begin the year.

Egor Sokolov had cups of coffee in 2021-22 and 2022-23 while with Ottawa, where he played five and eight games with them. He didn't get the callup in 2023-24 after going from 59 points to 46 in the AHL as a winger. He has a fresh start in Utah and this is probably his last shot at pro hockey in North America. He's a big guy (6-3, 222 lbs) and can produce. His realistic role in the NHL is as a fourth-liner but unless there is an injury, he's unlikely to supplant anyone.

Victor Soderstrom has always seemed to be on the cusp of becoming a full-time NHLer. He played four NHL games in 2020-21, 16 in 2021-22, 30 in 2022-23 and then just three in 2023-24. He is a restricted free agent but remains unsigned by Utah. The 11th overall pick in 2019 might need a fresh start elsewhere, but last year was not a great sign for his development as he played just three NHL games.

Fantasy Outlook – Arizona had a record of 36-41-5 and were 27th overall in the NHL in 2023-24. They were 17th overall with 3.10 goals per game, 15th overall with a 22.0% powerplay and 27th overall in shots on goal per game at 27.7. They should and could improve in all these in 2024-25.

The team was led in goals by Clayton Keller (33) and had five others hit 20 goals or more with Lawson Crouse (23), Nick Schmaltz (22), Nick Bjugstad (22), Michael Carcone (21) and Logan Cooley (20). They should have Dylan Guenther (18) join that club if not lead the team in 2024-25.

Keller led the team in points with 76, followed by Schmaltz (61) and Matias Maccelli (57). Expect Cooley to improve on his 44 points, while Guenther could improve on his 35, while Sergachev if healthy could fall in between all of these players.

Keller led the team in power play points with 30, followed by Schmaltz (21), Sean Durzi (16), Cooley (13), Guenther (13), Maccelli (12) and Alex Kerfoot (12). Cooley and Guenther could improve on this, while Sergachev should replace Durzi.

Utah has some young players in Cooley and Guenther who should improve over the next few years, while Keller, Schmaltz, Crouse and Maccelli are in their prime.

Fantasy Grade: B (last year was a C+)