Noah Juulsen

Juulsen, a first-round pick (26th overall) in 2015, earned his first appearance on the Canadiens' Opening Night roster last season. The 22-year-old was placed on Montreal's second pairing, and quickly established himself as a physical force, averaging more than three thumps per game before suffering a facial fracture that limited him to 21 appearances and actually threatened his career for a time. Injuries have, unfortunately, been a major theme for Juulsen since being drafted. The 22-year-old was given a clean bill of health in April, but there's still a lot of uncertainty surrounding what can be expected of him this year. He was a regular member of the Habs' second penalty-killing unit last campaign, which suggests he's already earned the trust of coach Claude Julien, but fantasy owners would be wise to wait and see how he fares during the first few weeks of the season before deciding whether he's worth a waiver claim.

Juulsen missed the first six weeks of last season due to a fractured foot but eventually jumped to the NHL after 31 games with AHL Laval. Coach Claude Julien said the defenseman would have been called up sooner if not for the injury. The coach showed great confidence in the 20-year-old rookie, placing him on the second pair and giving him minutes on the penalty kill. Juulsen averaged just under 20 minutes per game and dished out 58 hits in 23 games. In a normal year, the Canadiens might give him low-wattage ice time on the third pair, but Shea Weber's knee injury means others will have to shoulder larger-than-expected loads for the first two months. It may also send the organization down the path of a rebuild, in which case, it would serve Montreal's long-term plans to have Juulsen featured in a top-four role.