Fantasy: 5 players to target on the Carolina Hurricanes

With your fantasy draft just around the corner, theScore's Ian McLaren and Darren Kritzer take a look at 5 players you should consider drafting this season.

Top Targets

Eric Staal

In 79 games last season, the Hurricanes' captain recorded 61 points, well off his career average of 74.5 per 82 games prior to that point. On the man advantage specifically, his 12 points (including one goal) marked half of his usual yearly output of 24. New head coach Bill Peters appears intent on getting Staal back on track, which means good news for fantasy owners.

Staal posted a decent 52.2 Corsi rating at even strength, but his 230 total shots and 9.1 percent shooting percentage marked the lowest numbers since his rookie (or non-lockout) season, and his average ice time was down as well; increases in all three areas, with continued positive possession numbers, will serve to get his production back up to what managers have come to expect.

Jeff Skinner

Peters is also on record as saying he wants to help Skinner get to 40 goals and be a plus player, both of which are sweet songs in the ears of fantasy owners.

The 22-year-old set career highs in goals (33) and shots (274) last season - scoring 17 goals in 17 games in a stretch from Dec. 3 to Jan. 9 - while adding 21 assists and contributing 20 points on the power play. Skinner posted positive possession numbers (51.1 Corsi rating at even strength), but with a large amount of offensive zone starts (43.7 percent) and a minus-14 rating.

Offense is clearly his strength, and the Hurricanes will continue to give him every opportunity to contribute, putting him in position to post another career year.

Alexander Semin

The 30-year-old forward was limited to 65 games this past season due to a wrist injury suffered in training camp, but still managed to register 22 goals, 20 assists, 210 shots and a team-high even strength Corsi rating of 55.2.

All indications are that he is on track to be ready for training camp, and Peters will certainly be looking to the offensively gifted Semin (who has four-years and $28-million remaining on his contract) to help spark the turnaround in Carolina, possibly even putting him on the point during power plays.

For his career, Semin enigmatically averages 33 goals and 70 points per 82 games, with approximately three shots on goal per game. Draft him accordingly.

Proceed With Caution

Cam Ward

Ward's contract makes it difficult for the Hurricanes to move on, but for fantasy purposes, it's probably best not to hang one's hat on a rebound year for the 30-year-old goalie. 

Ward has been limited to 37 games over the past two seasons, with 19 wins and a save percentage of .903. Anton Khudobin matched that win total last year alone, with a .926 save percentage. 

Don't get sucked in by Ward's name and experience; Khudobin is the better option at this point.

Take A Flier On

Justin Faulk

The 22-year-old defenseman scored five goals and added 27 assists in 76 games last season, and is poised for even more of a breakout.

Faulk finished 2013-14 in a tie for 11th among all defensemen in even strength scoring (20 points); if he can improve on his 3.3 shooting percentage and contribute more on the man advantage, Faulk should produce at a much higher level than his draft ranking might suggest.