Brandon Saad

Saad once again missed the 50-point mark in 2022-23, racking up just 19 goals and 18 assists over 71 contests in his second year with the Blues. It's a somewhat dramatic drop from the 49-point campaign he posted a year before. For a player whose fantasy value is reliant on scoring, it's not a good look. He'll be 31 years old for the bulk of 2023-24, and while he may begin the campaign in a top-six role, he'll need some consistency in his game to keep it. Saad's history as a 20-goal, near-50-point winger can be tantalizing, but he should probably be a depth player on most fantasy rosters rather than one playing a significant role. Don't overpay for past production on draft day.

Debuting in St. Louis last season after a brief one-year stop in Colorado, Saad posted 20-plus goals (24) for the sixth time in his career, while also finishing with 49 points, his most since the 2016-17 campaign in Columbus. Saad actually saw five seconds less of power play time per game with the Blues (1:39), but posted ten more points with the man advantage last year compared to his one season with the Avalanche. Saad will be 30 years old not long after the start of the upcoming year and he's very much more floor than ceiling from a fantasy perspective, but he should contribute enough to be worthy of a late-round pick in drafts.

Saad's first and only season in Colorado appeared to be quite productive on the surface (15 goals, 24 points in 44 games), but a deeper dive reveals some big concerns. Those 15 goals came on just 68 shots, good for a whooping and entirely unsustainable 22.1 shooting percentage. Saad was also thoroughly unproductive with the man advantage (2 goals, 3 points) despite seeing 1:44 worth of power-play ice time per game. Saad, who will turn 29 years of age right after the 2021-22 season begins, signed a five-year, $22.5 million contract with the St. Louis as an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Blues also added Pavel Buchnevich -- a far more complete player -- from the Rangers and still have Vladimir Tarasenko on their roster for the time being. That's too many cooks in the kitchen. Don't reach for Saad in your draft.

Saad missed 12 games with an ankle injury last season, but he was still able to crack the 20-goal mark for the fifth time in the last six years, finishing the campaign with 21 goals, 12 assists, two shorthanded goals and 140 shots on net in 58 contests. The 28-year-old winger was then traded to the Avalanche in a package deal that included Nikita Zadorov coming back to Chicago. He may not get quite as much ice time with the Avalanche, but he'll still be skating in a middle-six role, and he'll be playing for an objectively better team with an objectively better supporting cast, which could lead to a boost in offensive production despite a slightly reduced role in 2020-21. Saad shouldn't have much trouble producing at a 20-plus goal, 45-plus point pace while averaging around 2.5 shots on net per contest with his new squad this campaign, making him a solid depth addition in the later rounds of fantasy drafts for virtual managers.

Saad enjoyed a solid bounce-back campaign in 2018-19, notching 23 goals and 47 points in 80 games after totaling just 18 goals and 35 points in 82 appearances in 2017-18. The 26-year-old American will never be a 60-plus-point producer, but he's an excellent two-way player, and can generally be counted on for 20-plus goals and 45-plus points on a yearly basis. Chicago also upgraded their forward group, snagging Kirby Dach with the third overall pick in June and bringing Andrew Shaw back into the fold via a trade with Montreal, which could help improve Saad's offensive totals in 2019-20, as all three players may combine to form the Blackhawks' third line. Saad will once again make for a solid high-floor/low-upside pick in the mid-to-late rounds of this year's fantasy drafts.

Saad had his least productive season as a pro since the shortened 2012-13 campaign last year, totaling just 18 goals and 35 points while posting a minus-10 rating in 82 contests. The 25-year-old winger had been a model of consistency up until last season, totaling at least 23 goals and 52 points in three consecutive campaigns, so he'll be a prime bounce-back candidate in 2018-19. Saad's decrease in scoring can largely be attributed to the career-low 7.6 shooting percentage he posted on the whopping 237 shots he fired on net. He had never posted a shooting percentage lower than 10.2 percent in a single campaign up until last year, so with a little bit of puck luck, he shouldn't have any issue potting 25 goals this season. The 6-foot-1 American could be a fantastic value pick in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts.

Brought over from the Blackhawks a couple of seasons ago to help instill a winning attitude in the Blue Jackets locker room while taking his production to another level in a larger role, Saad ably accomplished the former but failed to deliver the latter, as he scored exactly 53 points in each of his two campaigns with Columbus. The skilled, physical winger still has room to grow, as he won't turn 25 until October, but his inconsistent compete level landed him in coach John Tortorella’s doghouse more than once last year and he may simply be a strong complementary player rather than a foundation piece. Sent back to Chicago in the offseason in the deal for Artemi Panarin, Saad could see significant minutes alongside Jonathan Toews, giving him his best chance yet at a true breakout.

The offseason trade for Saad was supposed to put the Blue Jackets over the top and make them a perennial playoff contender, but instead the franchise took a massive step backwards last year. You can't pin the blame for that on Saad, however. The former Blackhawk led the team with 31 goals (his first 30-goal season) and a career-high 59 points while playing his typical aggressive, two-way game. Surprisingly, he didn't play a big role on the power play for Columbus, seeing less time per game with the man advantage than he did in any season with Chicago, but the 23-year-old winger should reverse that trend this season as he continues to mature. The team's lack of depth up the middle could limit Saad's production, though, as he's currently set to skate on a line with 2013 first-round pick Alexander Wennberg, who has yet to establish himself as an offensive threat in the NHL. While Wennberg could blossom in that role, the more likely result for Saad is another productive season that doesn't really do justice to his true upside.

The Jackets had to give up a lot, but even so, they positively stole Saad from the Blackhawks this offseason and promptly signed him to a six-year contract. Still just 22 years old, the Pittsburgh native is one of the league's most exciting young talents, he's held the Stanley Cup, and he's now going to join a pair of stars in Ryan Johansen and Nick Foligno on what should be an explosive top line for the Blue Jackets. Take Saad's elite speed and finishing ability and combine it with what projects to be an increase in minutes, and you've got a strong candidate for a fully fledged bust-out season. Don't miss out.

Saad showed some flashes of potential in his first full season in the NHL, finishing sixth on the Blackhawks in scoring with 47 points. It represented a sizable step forward for Saad, who doubled his output in goals from 10 to 19. Saad will only turn 22 when the season starts and should only see his numbers climb from here, especially as he continues to improve upon his obvious chemistry with Patrick Kane. Barring an injury, Saad will continue to rise up the list of forwards in the league. A point total in the mid-to-high 50s aren't out of the question this season.

Saad made the 2013 NHL All-Rookie squad and was a Calder Trophy nominee after he scored 10 goals and added 17 assists in 46 games last season. This output is just the tip of the iceberg, but he needs to develop more consistency to fulfill his potential as a power forward. He'll be a top-nine guy with the Hawks this season and could see time on the second line, too. But beware the sophomore slump. It doesn't happen to everyone, but when it does, it ruins fantasy seasons.

Saad surprised last season by making the team out of camp ... especially since he was just 18 years old. His time with the big club only lasted two games, but he clearly made an impression -- the Hawks called him up for their postseason and he dressed for two playoff games after Marian Hossa went down with a concussion. In between the two stints with the Hawks, the 6-1, 208 lb left winger utterly dominated junior hockey (76 points in 44 games). It would not be a surprise this time if he starts the 2012-13 season with Chicago and sticks for the season. He'll have his ups and downs, but 35 points are definitely possible.

The Blackhawks' second-round draft choice in June's NHL Draft will be looking to prove the critics wrong this season that he should have been picked in the first round.