Fantasy sleeper with EDGE stats
Blake Coleman, F: A four-time 20-goal scorer, Coleman could slot into Minnesota’s top six forward group after being acquired by the Wild from the Calgary Flames this offseason. Despite being limited to 69 games last season, Coleman was one of two players with at least 20 goals and 150 hits (162) in fewer than 70 games (other: Brady Tkachuk). Coleman, who’s 34 years old, is a category coverage specialist; he has had at least 100 hits in each of the past nine seasons, and his four shorthanded goals last season ranked tied for second in the entire NHL (behind Ryan McLeod’s five). Per NHL EDGE stats, Coleman has ranked in the 90th percentile or higher among forwards in high-danger shots on goal in all five seasons of the League’s puck and player tracking era (since 2021-22). Coleman could be the missing piece for the Wild, who are coming off their first playoff series win since 2015, and is a high-floor fantasy option attainable late in drafts (going undrafted on average) or off the waiver wire. — Troy Perlowitz
Projected lineup
Kirill Kaprizov — Joel Eriksson Ek — Matt Boldy
Blake Coleman — Ryan Hartman — Maxim Shabanov
Yakov Trenin — Danila Yurov — Bobby Brink
Marcus Foligno — Michael McCarron — Nick Foligno
Quinn Hughes — Brock Faber
Jonas Brodin — Jared Spurgeon
Olli Maatta — Zach Bogosian
Jesper Wallstedt
Calvin Pickard
Injured: Filip Gustavsson (hip surgery)