Fantasy Hockey

Bemstrom loan agreement with Finnish Elite League club HIFK came to an end Monday.

Bemstrom will presumably report back to North America to join the Blue Jackets for the start of training camp. The 21-year-old should be in contention for a bottom-six spot with Columbus after logging 20 points in 56 games as a rookie in 2019-20.

McDavid (COVID) is skating with Auston Matthews ahead of the 2020-21 season, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.

McDavid is back on the ice following his COVID-19 diagnosis back in October as he prepares for the upcoming season. This past year was the first time the world-class center failed to reach the 100-point threshold since his rookie campaign, when he played just 45 games. There is no reason to think McDavid can't produce at that level again in 2020-21, and he should be a near-lock for the No. 1 pick in redraft formats, though teammate Leon Draisaitl could also be in the mix.

Kotkaniemi will head back to North America following the end of his loan agreement with Pori Assat, Arpon Basu of The Athletic reports.

Kotkaniemi was limited to just 36 games with the Habs this season, in part due to injuries. In those appearances, the 20-year-old center recorded six goals on 55 shots, two assists and a minus-11 rating while averaging 13:00 of ice time. Kotkaniemi will likely take on a bottom-six role for Montreal this year, though he could challenge Nick Suzuki for a spot on the second line.

Lundestrom was recalled from his loan spell with Timra IK (Sweden) on Monday, Elliott Teaford of The Orange County Register reports.

Lundestrom racked up five goals and six helpers in 12 appearances for Timra. There wasn't any indication of an injury for the 21-year-old winger, so it could simply be the Ducks are preparing to open up their facility as part of the expanded return to play for non-playoff teams. The Swede saw action in a mere 15 contests for Anaheim last year but could be in the mix for an increased role in 2020-21, barring any setbacks during training camp.

Haley (upper body) inked a one-year, two-way contract with Ottawa on Friday.

Haley saw action in 22 games for the Rangers last season in which he garnered one goal, 50 PIM and a minus-7 rating. The 33-year-old winger hasn't been a full-time NHL player since 2017-18, when he played 75 contests for the Panthers. Given the lack of depth for the Senators, Haley could be in the mix for regular minutes with Ottawa, though he figures to still spend some time in the minors.

Dellandrea will start the 2020-21 campaign on loan with Finnish club JYP Jyvaskyla.

Dellandrea racked up 32 goals and 38 helpers in 47 appearances for OHL Flint this season, which saw him added to the expanded roster in the playoff bubble. Looking ahead to next year, the 20-year-old center should be in contention for a spot on the 23-man roster, though some time in the minors could also be in his future.

Merkley's loan deal with Assat (Finland) has come to an end, and he will head back to North America ahead of the 2020-21 campaign, Corey Masisak of The Athletic reports.

Merkley played in just four NHL games for the Devils last year, recording one goal on eight shots, one assist and nine hits. The 23-year-old center should compete for a roster spot during training camp but may not avoid spending some time in the minors with AHL Belleville. As such, he likely won't have a ton of value outside of deeper dynasty formats.

The Flyers have loaned Raffl (ankle) to Villacher SV of Austria's ICE Hockey League.

Raffl played through an ankle injury toward the end of Philadelphia's playoff run, but the fact that he's being loaned to Villacher SV suggests he's fully recovered from that issue. He'll be recalled ahead of the Flyers' training camp, but at this point there's no telling when that might be. The 31-year-old winger picked up eight goals and 12 assists in 58 games with the Flyers last season.

DeBrusk signed a two-year, $7.35 million deal with the Bruins on Monday.

DeBrusk has been one of Boston's most consistent scoring threats over the last few years, racking up 62 goals and 120 points in his three NHL seasons. The 24-year-old winger has 21 power-play points over the last two seasons and should continue having a pivotal role with the Bruins special teams.

Sokolov signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Senators on Friday.

The Senators selected Sokolov with the 61st overall pick in this year's draft. The 20-year-old Russian spent the 2019-20 campaign with the Cape Breton Eagles of the QMJHL, racking up 46 goals and 46 assists in just 52 games. He could make the jump to the AHL for the 2020-21 campaign, but he's likely still at least a year or two away from making an impact at the NHL level.

Kapanen will start the 2020-21 campaign playing on the top line with Sidney Crosby, Tracey Myers of NHL.com reports.

When acquired by the Penguins in the offseason, Kapanen was expected to join the first line with Crosby and Jake Guentzel, and now coach Mike Sullivan has confirmed that plan. The 24-year-old Kapanen registered 20 goals and 44 points during the 2018-19 campaign and should be capable of reaching those numbers again playing with Crosby. In addition, Kapanen should slot into a role on the No. 2 power-play, which will further bolster his fantasy value.

Hintz inked a three-year, $9.45 million contract with Dallas on Monday.

Hintz set personal bests last season in goals (19), assists (14) and power-play points (14). Based on his current trajectory, the 23-year-old center could push for the 40-50 point mark next year, which would make him a top-half fantasy option. His inclusion on the No. 2 power-play unit, where he averaged 1:58 of ice time last year, only serves to further boost his value.

Sergachev penned a three-year, $14.4 million contract with Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

Sergachev set a new personal best this year with 10 goals in 70 outings on his way to a third straight 30-plus point campaign. The 21-year-old defenseman also notched 13 of his 34 points with the man advantage despite primarily serving on the No. 2 unit. Looking ahead to 2020-21, there is no reason to expect any sort of drop off from Sergachev, so fantasy players should be looking to pick him up in middle rounds, especially in formats that prioritize power-play points.

Boychuk will end his professional career due to an eye injury suffered during the 2019-20 campaign, the Islanders announced Wednesday.

Boychuk played in just three of the team's 22 games in the postseason last year. Even when he was on the ice, the blueliner averaged just 10:56 of ice time in which he garnered four shots, nine blocks and six hits. Over the course of his 13-year NHL career, the 36-year-old Edmonton native saw action in 725 games for Colorado, Boston and New York and racked up 54 goals and 152 helpers along the way. The veteran blueliner chipped in another 30 points in 104 postseason contests that included a Stanley Cup championship with the Bruins in 2011. Given the team's release stated that Boychuk's career was ending, rather than retiring, he figures to spend the final two years of his deal on long-term injured reserve.

Vaakanainen will start the 2020-21 season on loan with Finnish club SaiPa, Matt Porter of The Boston Globe reports.

Vaakanainen saw action in five games for the Bruins last season in which he registered two shots, eight hits and three blocks while averaging 16:51 of ice time. Looking ahead to the upcoming campaign, the blueliner should earn additional opportunities to crack the lineup, though he won't offer more than mid-range fantasy value at best.

Walman inked a two-year contract with St. Louis on Thursday.

Walman's deal will be a two-way contract in the first year before converting to a one-way in the second. While this likely means the blueliner will spend the bulk of the upcoming campaign in the minors, the organization clearly believes he can grow into a full-time NHL caliber player. With AHL San Antonio last year, the 24-year-old Toronto native racked up career-highs in both goals (eight) and assists (19). Walman made his NHL debut last year and should see a few more games in 2020-21 if/when injuries crop up.

Seabrook (hip) says he's healthy and "excited for training camp," NHL.com reports.

Seabrook will still need to be cleared medically but it sounds like the veteran blueliner is ready to make a comeback after a brutal year. Since last playing in December of 2019, the 35-year-old has had surgeries on his shoulder and both hips. He may not get back to eating up over 20 minutes per game, but the Blackhawks would surely welcome back Seabrook's physical play and shot-blocking abilities.

Weegar inked a three-year, $9.75 million deal with Florida on Friday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.

Weegar saw a huge uptick in ice time last season, as he averaged over 20 minutes per game for the first time in his three-year NHL career. The defender's offensive ceiling remains in the 20-25 point range, which is in part due to his lack of power-play opportunities, but his defensive capabilities could bolster Aaron Ekblad's numbers by allowing him to jump into the play more often.

Pickard will start the 2020-21 season on loan with the Vienna Capitals (Austria).

Pickard saw action in three games for the Red Wings this past season, in which he went 0-2-0 with a 5.45 GAA, not exactly the type of performance that will earn the netminder additional looks from the NHL club. Whenever the AHL season kicks off, Pickard should make his way back to North America.

The Bruins loaned Vladar to HC Dynamo Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga on Tuesday, freelance hockey writer Mark Divver reports.

Vladar spent nearly the entirety of the 2019-20 campaign with AHL Providence, compiling a 14-7-1 record while posting an impressive .936 save percentage and 1.79 GAA in 25 appearances. Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak are firmly entrenched as the Bruins' top two goaltenders, but Vladar will enter the 2020-21 campaign at No. 3 on Boston's organizational depth chart, so he could see some time in the NHL next season if Rask or Halak is forced to miss any action.

Khudobin (arm) is on track to be ready for training camp, Tracey Myers of NHL.com reports.

The NHL has yet to confirm when the season or training camp will begin, but the current belief is that they're targeting mid-December for the start of camp. If that's the case, Khudobin should be ready to begin practicing after undergoing October surgery to fix a nerve issue in his right arm. Meanwhile, Ben Bishop (knee) is expected to be out until mid-March, so Khudobin should be the unequivocal No. 1 when the season commences.

Skarek will join Finnish team Heinolan Peliitat on loan for the start of the 2020-21 campaign, Brian Compton of NHL.com reports.

Skarek split time between the AHL and ECHL last season but struggled regardless, posting sub-900 save percentages with both teams and registered just six wins in a combined 30 games. At this point, fantasy players shouldn't be expecting the 21-year-old netminder to crack the Isles roster any time soon, making him a non-factor in almost all formats.

Canadiens goalie coach Stephane Waite projects Allen to play 30 games if the NHL has a regular 82-game schedule, Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette reports.

With an 82-game schedule looking unlikely, the Habs expect Allen to start somewhere between 35 and 40 percent of the games. The goal is to give the 33-year-old Carey Price plenty of rest, "His body is slower to recover between games," Waite said. "Carey wants to play every game, but he's going to appreciate playing a little less for quality starts. He won't have to cut corners to save his body." The benefits of a well-rested Price, who played a league-high 58 games during the regular season before it was suspended, was on display in the playoffs.

The Predators have loaned Ingram to IF Bjorkloven of Sweden's HockeyAllsvenskan league.

Ingram will head to Sweden for now, but he'll be recalled ahead of the Predators' 2020-21 training camp, whenever that may be. The 23-year-old backstop spent the entirety of the 2019-20 campaign in the minors, compiling a 21-5-5 record while posting an impressive 1.92 GAA and .933 save percentage in 33 appearances. He's expected to once again serve as AHL Milwaukee's No. 1 netminder next season.