Fantasy: 5 bounce-back candidates
The following five players disappointed last season but are primed to bounce back in 2019-20:
William Nylander, C/RW, Maple Leafs
Nylander never got comfortable last season. He was mired in a contract holdout well into the campaign, ultimately signing minutes before the deadline on Dec. 1. When he finally returned to the Toronto Maple Leafs' lineup, it became clear that he wasn't in game shape, and it took him longer than expected to find his footing.
Perhaps the pressures of signing a lucrative deal in an unforgiving market took a toll on the young Swede. He was certainly snakebitten, scoring on just 5.4% of his shots, which was less than half of his 11.1 career shooting percentage entering the season.
Nylander and Auston Matthews feed off each other. Both players' underlying numbers are better alongside one another. However, for much of the season, Nylander was either forced to play center due to injuries or was passed over for Matthews' wing in favor of Kasperi Kapanen.
Nylander is projected to start on Matthews' right wing, and if he can stay there for the entirety of the season, 80-to-90 points are very much within the 23-year-old's reach.
Patrik Laine, LW/RW, Jets
It's quite amazing that a player who scored 30 goals in his age-20 campaign is primed for a bounce-back season, but Laine set the bar high for himself after scoring 44 times in 2017-18.
The Winnipeg Jets sniper set a personal high in shots on goal last season but notched the fewest tallies of his career. His 12.2 shooting percentage was still above the league average, but it was almost 6% less than his career mark of 18% entering the year.
Laine scored 18 of his 30 goals during a 12-game stretch in November, meaning he bagged just 12 over his remaining 70 contests. Though he can disappear at times, Laine's shot is simply too good to go in such a slump again. Expect him to score somewhere between 45-to-55 goals in 2019-20 - assuming his contract holdout doesn't play out into the season.
Drew Doughty, D, Kings
Doughty is the most candid player in the NHL. He isn't afraid to speak his mind, and he usually means what he says. So when he said in August, "I can't put a measure on how personally motivated I am for this season," fantasy players should have been all ears.
The Los Angeles Kings didn't make any substantial improvements during the offseason, but under a new head coach in Todd McLellan, the club will be younger and faster.
Even with a subpar supporting cast, Doughty is good enough to rack up 50-to-60 points. Considering he won't be won't be drafted as high as he usually is, the former Norris Trophy winner could provide excellent value to your fantasy team.
James Neal, LW/RW, Oilers
Even if Neal doesn't end up on a line with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl in his first season with the Edmonton Oilers, being centered by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins against softer matchups is a pretty good consolation prize. Nugent-Hopkins is coming off a career-high 69-point season despite lacking a legitimate running mate for much of the campaign.
One thing is certain: Neal will play in Edmonton's top six, which was rarely the case during an abysmal seven-goal season with the Calgary Flames last year. He's also unlikely to finish with a 5.0 shooting percentage again since the sniper is a career 11.6% shooter.
Neal should also be well-rested as the Flames were ousted in the first round of the playoffs. He endured grueling postseason runs to the Stanley Cup Final in the two years prior, so an extended offseason should serve the 32-year-old well.
A 20-goal season seems to be Neal's floor, but if all goes right, he could pot upward of 30.
Jaden Schwartz, LW, Blues
Schwartz was also hampered by a low shooting percentage in 2018-19. A career 13.7% shooter entering last season, Schwartz converted on just 6% of his attempts.
The 27-year-old proved much of that was just bad luck. He tallied 12 goals - more than he scored during the regular season - in 26 postseason games during the St. Louis Blues' Stanley Cup run. If he can carry this confidence into the 2019-20 season, Schwartz, who's in the prime of his career, could enjoy a banner year in the 30-goal, 70-point range.
(Advanced stats courtesy: Natural Stat Trick)