Forward had NHL career highs in goals, assists, points with Wild last season

by Jon Lane @JonLaneNHL / NHL.com Staff Writer

2021-22 season: 44-27-11, third in Pacific Division; lost first round of Stanley Cup Playoffs

Key arrival

Kevin Fiala, F: The 26-year-old signed a seven-year contract June 30, one day after he was acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Wild for defenseman prospect Brock Faber and the No. 19 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Fiala committed to the Kings in lieu of becoming a restricted free agent. He had NHL career highs in goals (33), assists (52) and points (85) in 82 games last season and three assists in six Stanley Cup Playoff games. Fiala (17 power-play points; five goals, 12 assists last season) should boost a Los Angeles power play that was 27th in the NHL (16.1 percent) and 20th (2.87 goals per game) last season.

Key departures

Dustin Brown, F: The 37-year-old retired from the NHL after 18 seasons, all with the Kings. Brown had 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) in 64 games last season and helped Los Angeles win two Stanley Cup championships (2012, 2014). He had 712 points (325 goals, 387 assists) and played 1,296 regular-season games, first in Kings history. … Andreas Athanasiou, F: Agreed to a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 13. He had 17 points (11 goals, six assists) in 28 games last season and one goal in six playoff games. … Olli Maatta, D: Signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings on July 14. He had eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 66 regular-season games last season and none in seven playoff games.

On the cusp

Alex Turcotte, F: The 21-year-old did not participate in on-ice activities at development camp after two concussions last season, the second sustained in Game 1 of the second round in the Calder Cup Playoffs. The No. 5 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft made his NHL debut Dec. 28, 2021. He had no points in eight games after scoring 18 (six goals, 12 assists) in 27 games of his second professional season for Ontario in the American Hockey League. … Brandt Clarke, D: The No. 8 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft doesn’t turn 20 until Feb. 9 and is not yet eligible for the AHL, so he’ll either start this season with the Kings or return to Barrie of the Ontario Hockey League. Clarke was one of three OHL defensemen to average more than one point per game (59 points; 11 goals, 48 assists in 55 games).… Akil Thomas, F: The 22-year-old has 39 points (19 goals, 20 assists) in 80 AHL games. Thomas had 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 40 games last season after not playing until December because of offseason surgery to both of his shoulders and scoring three points in his first 28 games. … Jordan Spence, F: The 21-year-old had 42 points (four goals, 38 assists) in 46 AHL games before he was called up by the Kings on March 9 and made his NHL debut the next night. Spence had eight points (two goals, six assists) in 24 NHL games and played three postseason games.

What they still need

To figure out how to move forward from a first-round exit despite holding a 3-2 series lead and playing Game 6 on home ice. The toughness and size at defenseman that Drew Doughty said they needed after the playoffs.

They said it

“It’s just a great opportunity and a great organization. I see the team kind of coming up, you know? Made the playoffs last year, great group of guys I’ve heard, and on the ice, they’re just getting better and better. The future’s bright, I felt like, so I’m very happy with this.” — forward Kevin Fiala

Fantasy focus

Fiala ranked eighth in the NHL in 5-on-5 points per 60 minutes (3.10; minimum 60 games) last season. He goes from playing on the Wild’s second line with center Frederick Gaudreau and rookie wing Matt Boldy to a likely spot on the Kings’ top line with center Anze Kopitar (led them with 67 points last season) and wing Adrian Kempe (led them with 35 goals). Fiala should be considered a top 75 overall fantasy player with an even higher ceiling in an elevated role. — Anna Dua

Projected lineup

Source: nhl.com

Sharks hire Grier as general manager, Quinn as coach

Trade Burns, boost forward depth with Kunin, Lindblom, Sturm

by Dan Rosen @drosennhl / NHL.com Senior Writer

2021-22 season: 32-37-13, sixth in Pacific Division; did not qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs

Key arrivals

Nico Sturm, F: The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract with the Sharks on July 13. Sturm had 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 74 games with the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche last season, and helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup with two assists in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games. … Luke Kunin, F: The 24-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators on July 8, and signed a two-year contract July 18. Kunin had 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) in 82 games last season. … Oskar Lindblom, F: The 25-year-old signed a two-year contract July 13 after having the final season of his three-year contract bought out by the Philadelphia Flyers. Lindblom had 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) in 79 games last season. … Steven Lorentz, F: The 26-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 13, and signed a two-year contract July 22. Lorentz had 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 63 games last season. … Matt Benning, D: The 28-year-old signed a four-year contract July 13. Benning had 11 points, all assists, in 65 games last season. … Markus Nutivaara, D: The 28-year-old signed a one-year contract July 13. Nutivaara was limited to one game with the Florida Panthers last season because of a lower-body injury. He had 10 points, all assists, in 30 games with the Panthers in 2020-21. He hasn’t played a full season since 2018-19, when he had 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) in 80 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets. … Mike Grier, general manager: The Sharks hired the 47-year-old July 5. Grier is the first Black general manager in NHL history. He replaced Doug Wilson, who stepped down as the GM after 19 seasons because of health reasons April 7. … David Quinn, coach: The Sharks hired the 55-year-old July 26, replacing Bob Boughner, who had been fired July 1. Quinn previously coached the New York Rangers from 2018-21, going 96-87-25.

Key departures

Brent Burns, D: Was traded to the Hurricanes on July 13 for Lorentz, goalie prospect Eetu Makiniemi and a conditional third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Burns had 54 points (10 goals, 44 assists) in 82 games last season. The Norris Trophy winner in 2016-17 has played in 679 consecutive games, the second-longest streak among active players behind Phil Kessel (982).

On the cusp

William Eklund, F: The No. 7 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft played nine games with the Sharks at the start of last season and had four points, all assists. The 19-year-old was reassigned to Djurgarden in the Swedish Hockey League on Nov. 5, where he had 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) in 29 games. … Thomas Bordeleau, F: The 20-year-old had five points, all assists, in eight games with the Sharks after signing a three-year, entry-level contract April 16. He had 37 points (12 goals, 25 assists) in 37 games as a sophomore at the University of Michigan. Bordeleau was a second-round pick (No. 38) in the 2020 NHL Draft.

What they still need

More playmakers in their top-six forward group. The Sharks addressed their bottom-six forward depth with the additions of Sturm, Lorentz, Kunin and Lindblom, but more is needed on the top two lines to go with Logan Couture, Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl. San Jose missed the playoffs for the third straight season after averaging 2.57 goals per game, third-fewest in the NHL behind the Arizona Coyotes (2.51) and Philadelphia Flyers (2.56).

They said it

“If we can get everybody to be just a little bit better. We’re not asking a guy to go from five goals to 40. We’re not asking a guy to do a thing he’s not capable of doing. But what we want everybody to do is do the things they can do just a little bit better. If you’ve got 23 people being five to 10 percent better, that’s the difference between making the playoffs and not.” — Sharks coach David Quinn

Fantasy focus

Defenseman Erik Karlsson could see his fantasy value increase after Burns was traded to the Hurricanes. Karlsson was 14th among NHL defensemen at 0.70 points per game (minimum 50 games) last season, which was ahead of Burns (0.66; T-17th). With Burns’ departure, Karlsson almost certainly will play on the first power play full time, which means exposure to valuable forwards Meier, Hertl and Couture. Karlsson, who had 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) in 33 games before missing 15 games with a forearm injury sustained Jan. 20, is a fantasy bounce-back candidate and should be considered a fringe top-25 defenseman and top-130 player for this season. — Anna Dua