Outside of Connor Bedard, there has been very little interest in any other member of the Chicago Blackhawks roster as the fantasy hockey draft season winds down. While Bedard’s average draft position is around the 45th pick in most leagues, few players on the Blackhawks roster are not usually drafted in most standard ten and 12-team leagues. However, this does not mean that some members should be ignored if you have a draft coming up or are looking for players on your league’s waiver wire.
While the preseason offers a small sample size, the games in which Bedard played have offered a glimpse as to what the early part of the season may see in how the first overall pick impacts the rest of the roster. In four preseason games, Bedard had only one empty net goal but did pick up four assists. With all the attention that will be focused on him when the season starts, you may see more assists than goals from the 18-year-old. This should lead to more opportunities for other players on the Blackhawks.
Seth Jones is one example of how Bedard’s presence may impact Blackhawk fantasy statistics and value. His fantasy draft rankings ranged from around 160 to 234. However, his average draft value has been around 130, with some drafting him in the top 100. His fantasy value usually comes from filling out volume categories like shots, hits, and blocks. Jones is being drafted higher due to the belief that playing with Bedard could boost his offensive numbers.
Other members of the Blackhawks could also see their fantasy values boosted and should be worth considering if you are still drafting or are looking for candidates on your league’s waiver wire.
Taylor Hall
Despite some frustrating seasons in the past, it should be remembered that Hall did play with Connor McDavid during his rookie season with the Edmonton Oilers. During that season, Hall and McDavid’s possession numbers were very good together, so there’s hope that Hall and Bedard’s partnership will also help them thrive. The 34-year-old has given some glimmer of hope in the preseason that skating on the first line with Bedard will increase his production, as he scored a goal and three assists in three preseason games.
Fantasy drafters are still reeling from his sub-par performance with the Boston Bruins last season, as his ADP for this season is hovering around 200. While he may not reach the 93-point range that he did with the New Jersey Devils in the 2017-18 season, a 60-point season as he had with the Bruins two seasons ago is a strong possibility, worthy of a late-round selection or someone to keep track of on the waiver wire.
Lukas Reichel
From a fantasy perspective, a potential owner would like to see Lukas Reichel skate on the first line with Hall and Bedard, but that is not a sure thing. It appears that Ryan Donato may end up on that first line, with Reichel anchoring the second line at center. Playing in that spot may not hurt his fantasy value that much, as he has developed some solid chemistry with Andreas Athanasiou.
During the intermission of Saturday night’s game (Oct. 7) against the St. Louis Blues, Reichel was interviewed by NBC Sports Chicago at an intermission and said this about playing with Athanasiou: “I feel like he’s one of the fastest players in the league. He’s so fast. Just trying to get him the puck. I feel like we’re going to have lots of 2-on-1s.” This upside is why I took him 14th, 248th overall, in our 18-team THW writers’ draft and why he is worth keeping an eye on as the season develops.
Andreas Athanasiou
After scoring the overtime winner in the first preseason game against the Blues, courtesy of a Bedard pass, Athanasiou missed some time in the preseason due to an illness. His speed is elite, and if he continues to improve in a Blackhawks sweater, he could become fantasy-relevant. Last season, he achieved his highest goal, point, and shot totals since the 2018-19 season with the Detroit Red Wings, with 20 goals, 40 points, and 175 shots on goal in 81 games.
The 29-year-old has the speed and skills to match his point total with the Red Wings in 2018-19 when he scored 30 goals and had 24 assists. Now that he has started to shed the negative reputation that has followed him since his junior days, his talent and cohesion with his linemates could mean he could be a usable fantasy asset this season.
What sets some fantasy owners apart from their competitors are the late-round gems they draft, as well as working the waiver wire, which ends up paying major dividends. It is the unknown or unappreciated players who could surprise everybody during the season. While many have forecasted the Blackhawks to have a less-than-stellar season, it does not mean that there are players on this team who cannot have fantasy value.
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