Trevor van Riemsdyk

Van Riemsdyk required shoulder surgery in early May, and getting back in time to start the season could be a challenge for the veteran blueliner. Even if he's healthy to start the year, van Riemsdyk doesn't carry much fantasy value considering he's never eclipsed 16 points in a season. The New Jersey native isn't a major source of hits or blocked shots, either.

Van Riemsdyk provided a steady, stay-at-home presence on the blue line last season, leading the Hurricanes with a plus-9 rating while chipping in 16 points (three goals, 13 assists). Now 27 years old, van Riemsdyk spent most of the season on the third pair opposite either Noah Hanifin or rookie Haydn Fleury, averaging about 17 minutes per game, slightly less than the 18:25 he saw the previous season. Fantasy-wise, aside from his relative lack of offense, van Riemsdyk does not screen particularly well in any peripheral stat category other than blocked shots (where he ranked second on the team last season with 115), so his value remains limited. Still, he re-upped with the Canes in July on a two-year, $4.6 million contract to remain a fixture in Raleigh for the foreseeable future.

Van Riemsdyk was a solid stay-at-home defender for the Blackhawks last season, notching 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) and 73 shots on goal in 58 games while registering a respectable plus-17 rating over that span. The 26-year-old defender had an interesting offseason ahead of the 2017-18 campaign. First, he was selected by the Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, only to be traded to Carolina one day later in exchange for a draft pick. The Hurricanes are stacked at defense, so van Riemsdyk projects to skate on his new club’s bottom pairing this season, a role that will limit his offensive upside. Even if he’s able to stay healthy for a full 82-game campaign, van Riemsdyk likely won't produce enough offensively in 2017-18 to warrant consideration in most fantasy leagues.

Van Riemsdyk took a big step forward last year in what was his first full season with the Blackhawks, setting career highs in points (14), shots on goal (85) and blocked shots (155). The 25-year-old blueliner is still growing as a player, and was a defensive liability at times in 2015-16, but appears poised to have his best season yet as a pro in 2016-17. The New Jersey native will remain a fringe fantasy player in most formats this season, but will have some value in deeper leagues as an option owners can turn to when faced with gaps in their lineup left by injuries. Owners snagging the right-handed defender in the later rounds of their drafts can expect van Riemsdyk to tally around 15 points while adding respectable totals in shots on goal and blocked shots in 2016-17.