McNabb has found a home in Vegas over the past five seasons, providing solid veteran leadership for the team in addition to plenty of hits and blocks for fantasy managers. He has never posted more than 24 points in a single season, but his 154 hits and 179 blocks in 69 games last year proves he can provide late-round value for managers in leagues which reward those categories. Don't overpay on draft day, but keep McNabb's name in mind if you need to add a player that produces hits and blocks in the later rounds.
McNabb is a top-pairing, minute-munching crease clearer who delivers hits and blocked shots, but little else. He's behind clear-cut offensive studs Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo, and Alex Martinez will get spot duty on the second power-play unit before McNabb in 2021-22. Still, there's merit to rostering him in your last blue-line spot if you're in need of close to 200 hits and 150 blocks.
McNabb isn't known for big scoring contributions, so it's not surprising he had just nine points in 71 games last year. The hulking defenseman instead made his contributions physically with 201 hits and 133 blocked shots. While fantasy managers would appreciate more scoring, McNabb's job is safe as a defensive presence on the ice. He's expected to see top-four minutes in 2020-21, but the lack of offense will only make him relevant in deeper fantasy formats. He'll probably chip in roughly 10 points to go with 180 hits and 100 blocks this season.
As Vegas' roving ranger from the blue line, McNabb's committed to 425 regular-season hits since joining the club in the 2017 expansion draft. He brings energy, grit and dogged determination. McNabb will sneak in a goal or assist every so often -- as illustrated by his career 0.21 points-per-game pace -- but it's the constant defensive-zone hustle that completes his two-way profile. The Saskatchewan native is under the Golden Knights' control for at least three more years, costing the team a mere $2.5 million per season. While McNabb isn't the type of player who can single handedly guide a fantasy squad to a title, there's a lot to like about his well-rounded style if selected near the back end of drafts.
McNabb was a defensive force in the Golden Knights' inaugural season, dishing out 225 hits and blocking 176 shots in 76 games. He was left exposed by the Kings at the expansion draft and signed a four-year, $10 million contract extension with the Golden Knights during the season. The 27-year-old isn't known for his offense, but McNabb is a reliable top-pairing blueliner who supplies a steady source of PIM and excels in all defensive categories. Look for the punishing defenseman to play an integral role once again on the Vegas blue line in 2018-19.
The Golden Knights added a potential shut-down defenseman when they plucked McNabb from the Kings in the expansion draft. The 26-year-old blueliner posted spectacular possession numbers with Los Angeles over the past three years (58.1 Corsi For percentage) and also owns the coveted size (6-foot-4, 212 pounds) to limited opponents. McNabb is unlikely to become a regular offensive contributor in Vegas, so his fantasy value will be tied to his willingness to block shots, throw hits and visit the penalty box. He definitely offers upside in those peripheral categories.
Two years ago, it appeared McNabb – an accomplished AHL producer in the Sabres’ organization – was poised for a full-bore breakout on the left coast, having come to Los Angeles with a 71-game season that saw him post 24 points and a plus-11 rating despite averaging less than 16 minutes on the blue line. But that didn’t come to fruition last year – despite playing 10 more games and averaging nearly three additional minutes of ice time, McNabb managed only 14 points. He did complement that with generous helpings of hits (206) and PIM (92), giving him value in specialty formats, and there’s still hope that at just 25 years of age, McNabb can harness the playmaking skills that helped him garner 102 points in 159 AHL games.
McNabb joins the Kings' organization following a midseason trade from Buffalo. He would need to exposed to waivers if he doesn't make the roster, but will have a hard time finding a spot on the Kings. He's shown some skill on the power play in the WHL, but he's AHL bound if he sticks with the Kings. He could get snagged on waivers and that might move him closer to the NHL. Keep him in your sights.
McNabb spent the entire season in the AHL last year, recording 36 points in 62 games and anchoring the blue line for the Sabres’ farm team in Rochester. When injuries to the blue line hit, the Sabres elected to recall Mark Pysyk instead of McNabb, perhaps an indication of the pecking order in the system. The talented defenseman will find himself in a log jam at training camp as he fights for a spot with the big club. The offensive potential is there, but the fantasy relevance won’t come until he proves himself as an NHL mainstay.
McNabb got a taste of NHL action in his first professional season, recording eight points in 25 games for a Sabres team that was decimated by injuries on the blue line. GM Darcy Regier has already indicated that McNabb will spend the upcoming season with the club's AHL affiliate in Rochester, where he posted 25 points in 45 games last year. The Sabres have high hopes for this offensive defenseman and clearly would like to develop him carefully. McNabb has much offensive potential, so keep an eye on him in keeper leagues.
McNabb took a giant step forward last season with Kootenay of the WHL. Buffalo's third round pick in 2009 broke out with 72 points (22 G, 50 A) in only 59 games while managing a plus-25 for the Ice in 2010-11. His days of junir hockey are over after signing an entry-level deal with the Sabres in May. McNabb's progress in his first year of professional hockey will be fun to watch as he spends 2011-12 with AHL Rochester.
McNabb should once again be with Kootenay Ice of the WHL in 2010-11. He is a defensive-minded blueliner who has grown offensively in juniors. McNabb is a name to track for the future, but won't have any impact on the Sabres this year.
