Fantasy Fallout: Gaborik's injury moves That 70s Line into prime-time slot
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Here are the fantasy repercussions of the foot injury expected to cost Los Angeles Kings RW Marian Gaborik the first month of the season:
Per Kings GM Dean Lombardi, Gaborik will be out eight weeks because of foot injury incurred at the World Cup.
— Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) September 26, 2016
Gaborik hasn't played an 82-game NHL season since 2011-12 as a member of the New York Rangers, and has missed 31 games due to injuries in his past two seasons. Entering his 16th season in the NHL, he has been limited to just 933 regular-season games.
An eight-week absence could have Gaborik back on the ice for the week beginning Monday, Nov. 14. It would cause him to miss at least his team's first 16 games of the season.
Gaborik posted 22 points in 2015-16 while playing just 54 games. A repeat performance is a reasonable expectation for the 34-year-old, with a maximum of 66 games he can play with a delayed start to the year. He scored 12 goals last season, but he suffered from an 8.5 shooting percentage which is roughly 66 percent of his career conversion rate.
Who it hurts
The biggest fantasy victim here is C Anze Kopitar. The Kings captain was already going to have to deal without LW Milan Lucic, who moved on to the Edmonton Oilers via free agency. Kopitar will likely start the season centering Ws Teddy Purcell and Dustin Brown. The two combined to total 71 points last season, with Purcell providing the majority of the production.
Kopitar is coming off a 74-point, 81-game season. The expectation of a slow start will knock him from the first or second round to the late third round in standard league drafts. Purcell remains nothing more than a late-round flier, while Brown enters the year with no fantasy prospects, outside of a late-round selection in banger leagues.
Who it helps
The Kings' second line of C Jeff Carter and Ws Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson will see an expanded role at both 5v5 and on the power play. Both Toffoli and Pearson had career seasons last year, while Carter posted a second straight 62-point season. The three played 79 minutes together at 5v5 and posted a Corsi For Percentage of 58.78, per Corsica.Hockey.
Should the trio remain intact to open 2016-17 and not split up as a means of helping Kopitar, each should take on an expanded role. Even if they are separated, both Toffoli and Pearson will benefit from playing with Kopitar. Give each winger some extra consideration a round or two earlier than before Gaborik's injury.