Who is this year's Klingberg? (Because if he's out there, i need him)

[larrylintz]

Hurting on d with Zidlicky as a starter backed up by Ryan McDonut.

i need someone with 40-plus potential for THIS year in points-only league (I realize this is the keeper page but i figure guys in keeper leagues are more likely to be aware of up-and-comers).

I have one waiver pick left for the entire year, the best two FAs out there right now are Morgan Reilly, who seems to not be favoured for PP time at the moment and in any event the Leafs suck, and Ryan Ellis, who I like but has a lot of competition for the PP, though i am watching for a breakout.

Thoughts? Should i just grab Ellis and put him up over Zidlicky?

[sueperfly7]

i'd personally be betting on rielly over ellis. the leafs do suck, no argument here, but the first domino is always ice time and rielly is leading the team. that's a lot of trust from babcock to a player who is the most offensively gifted of their defensive corps. so even though his power play time has been inconsistent, i'm guessing it's only a matter of time before he is a permanent fixture on PP1.

ellis is also a very good hockey player, but like you mention, his competition is as insurmountable as it gets. the wrinkle is that nashville has been giving significant time to the second power play group. but if you really want the next klingberg--the guy with the sky high potential who is just flat out better than his teammates and might break out when given the opportunity--i think it's rielly.

[stotan]

Despite his team's dismal start, I think David Savard is a good bet for 40+ pts. He hasn't done much thus far, but it would be hard to have good numbers on CBJ at the moment, especially as a top-line defenceman. But he is getting a lot of opportunity there and he has tons of upside. Plays PP2 as well.

[Artamus]

Great responses so far. Just let me throw another name into the mix.

Colton Parayko

He's been getting lavished with praise everywhere. Has a booming shot......and likes to use it. (which will eventually translate to goals). He's not a defensive liability, and if anything, is already playing a better fundamental game than the average NHL defenceman.

Am not sure he'll see 40 points this year, but that wouldn't be out of the question.

Points-only in a one year league, take Rielly over him. He stands to possibly lose a bit of opportunity when Shattenkirk comes back....but dont be surprised if....

[P-Giddy]

Possibly Ristolainen. The kid is averaging huge minutes at ES and on the PP, and when you're on a PP with Eichel and Co., you're gonna get some points. That said, I'm not sure he hits 40. I think 30-35 is a safe bet.

[tripel]

Ben hutton

[rangerfan2430]

I like Reilly a lot. Even though he's on Toronto, he's got a lot of talent

[finnys_fanatsy]

Of the guys mentioned thus far Reilly is the one I'd be after. Savard a close second.

Is Klefbom available? Could be a dark horse contender in this thread.

[rangerfan2430]

Of the guys mentioned thus far Reilly is the one I'd be after. Savard a close second.

Is Klefbom available? Could be a dark horse contender in this thread.

I agree with you for Savard as second. I think Savard should have a pretty decent year but I disagree about Klefbom. I don't see him producing too much because of Sekera and Schultz ahead of him

[sueperfly7]

they key with ristolainen is to watch his ice time and PP time the first week bogosian checks back into the line-up. i agree that ristolainen has the talent to explode either this season or next season. i wouldn't have trusted ted nolan to play ristolainen over bogosian on PP1 and in late-game even strength situations, but bylsma might.

savard is relatively safe, especially if you're worried about your plus-minus (i know, i know, i'm assuming CBJ will right the ship). rielly and ristolainen to me are the real klingberg-type breakout candidates mentioned so far.

[larrylintz]

I fast-forwarded through leafs' game, clearly Babcock prefers Phaneuf over Reilly, so despite pretty goal i reckon that unless that changes i don't see anything close to 40, the talent on their 2nd pp unit so bad.

Ellis is a talented guy and given they rotate their two d-pairings on pp i suspect that he is on with more talented forwards...though I'm still not ready to pull trigger on any of these guys.

[Luffy D Monkey]

Will Parayko fizzle out if Shatty returns?

[sueperfly7]

I fast-forwarded through leafs' game, clearly Babcock prefers Phaneuf over Reilly

just remember that klingberg's minutes and PP opportunities were up and down last year--even though fans were clamoring for him to take over PP1 permanently, goligoski and daley were in the mix and there were times when klingberg owners were tearing their hair out. rielly was on PP2 again last night but he also played a whopping 25:00 in a game that didn't go to overtime. and that's two games in a row he's had 25+ minutes TOI. phaneuf was the closest to him and still had more than 2 minutes fewer. i'd argue that babcock emphatically does not prefer phaneuf, and at some point during the season that will translate to rielly taking phaneuf's job on PP1. depends on the depth of your league, but he might be gone from your free agent pile before a change officially happens.

[You Know Jay]

Will Parayko fizzle out if Shatty returns?

My biggest concern with Parayko as well.

[Instant Karma]

Will Parayko fizzle out if Shatty returns?

Well, this is why I don't feel Parayko is an apt comparison. The thing with Klingberg is that he was blocked for PP time on a high-powered PP by ... Goligoski and Daley.

Parayko, on the other hand, has not just Shattenkirk but Pietrangelo and Bouwmeester ahead of him.

I expect that he could supplant Bouwmeester, but that isn't being this year's Klingberg.