NHL Contract Singings Impacting Fantasy Hockey, Including Evangelista and Marchenko’s Top-Line Deals

Hey folks. With the NHL season starting, several teams made important moves to lock up key pieces of their forward groups and goaltending situations. We're catching up here to get current, as some of these deals were expected while others came alongside blockbuster moves that completely changed the fantasy outlook for the players involved.

From elite top-line opportunities to sneaky waiver wire targets, these contracts can tell us a lot about how teams view their players moving forward. There are also some interesting ripple effects, particularly in Carolina's crease and with the Maple Leafs' suddenly loaded forward group. Let's dive in and look at these freshly inked deals and how they will impact your team and league, as this year's NHL and fantasy season is officially underway!

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Jordan Staal - Carolina Hurricanes - $10M AAV - One Year

I like this deal for the Hurricanes. Staal is obviously not the player he was earlier in his career, but bringing back the captain for another season makes a lot of sense for the defending Stanley Cup champions. He's now a two-time Stanley Cup champion and continues to provide leadership, defensive responsibility, and experience to a Carolina team looking to defend its title. At 38 years old, keeping the commitment to just one year is also a smart move for the Hurricanes.

Fantasy outlook: Staal's fantasy value is nowhere near what it used to be, but playing on a team as good as Carolina keeps him relevant in deeper leagues. I wouldn't expect much offensive production from him, but he should continue to have a regular role and can still be a serviceable streamer when the matchup is favorable. He's not someone I'm targeting in a standard draft, but he can still have some value on the waiver wire when you need short-term depth.

Luke Evangelista - New Jersey Devils - $7.25M AAV - Five Years

I love this signing for the Devils. Evangelista is slated to play on the top line and see powerplay deployment, which gives him a much better opportunity than he had in Nashville. New Jersey clearly believes in what it saw after acquiring him, and locking him up for five years shows that the Devils view him as an important part of their forward group moving forward. Evangelista is coming off a career year with 12 goals, 44 assists, and 56 points, and now he gets to play in a much better offensive environment.

Fantasy outlook: This is a situation where Evangelista has gone from being a potential darkhorse to one of the worst kept secrets in fantasy hockey. A month ago, he was someone I could see quietly targeting late in drafts because of the opportunity he was going to have in New Jersey. Now, his ADP has skyrocketed, and everybody knows about him. That's the downside of a player getting moved into a great situation this early in the offseason. The upside is still there, though. Playing around the Devils' stacked powerplay should give Evangelista plenty of opportunities to improve on what he did in Nashville, and I expect him to benefit from having better talent around him at five-on-five as well. I still really like Evangelista as a fantasy player, but the secret is officially out. If you picked him up early, congratulations, because you found the gem before everybody else caught on.

Sam Steel - Dallas Stars - $3.7M AAV - Four Years

I like this deal for the Stars as another strong depth signing. Steel has quietly carved out a nice NHL career by being a reliable depth forward who can play up and down the lineup, and Dallas gets to keep him around for four more seasons at a pretty manageable cap hit. He has spent time playing alongside captain Jamie Benn and gives the Stars another versatile forward who can contribute without needing to be a major offensive player.

Fantasy outlook: Steel is still firmly in streamer territory for me, but there is a little more to like here than you might expect. He plays down the middle and has seen time on the second powerplay unit, which gives him some opportunities to chip in offensively. I wouldn't draft him in a standard league, but his role with Dallas makes him a name worth remembering when injuries hit or you need a short-term streamer. He's another one of those players who probably won't make much of a fantasy impact over an entire season but can quietly provide value when the circumstances are right.

Adam Fantilli - Columbus Blue Jackets - $13.75M AAV - Six Years

This is a huge signing for the Blue Jackets, who desperately need elite talent up front and are betting on Fantilli continuing to develop into that player. At just 21 years old, locking him up for six years gives Columbus plenty of runway with a young center who is already playing a major role. The timing is also interesting with Matthew Knies joining the Blue Jackets after the blockbuster trade with Toronto earlier this week. Fantilli is stapled to the top line and top powerplay unit, giving Columbus a legitimate young core to build around.

Fantasy outlook: Fantilli should be a lock for a 60-point season as long as he stays healthy, and I think there is considerably more upside beyond that. The deployment is exactly what we want to see from a fantasy player, with top-line minutes and a spot on the top powerplay unit. He is still only 21 and should continue taking steps forward offensively, while adding Knies to the top line could give Fantilli another strong option to work with. I would expect Fantilli to be a significant fantasy contributor this season and someone who could continue climbing the rankings as his offensive game develops.

Pyotr Kochetkov - Carolina Hurricanes - $3.95M AAV - Two Years

This is a great signing for the Hurricanes as they look to make another run at the Stanley Cup, although it could make things a little more complicated for Brandon Bussi. Kochetkov spent a significant portion of last season on IR and never really had the opportunity to take control of the crease. With Frederik Andersen no longer in the organization, though, this could develop into a true 1A/1B battle between Kochetkov and Bussi as the season progresses.

Fantasy outlook: Kochetkov has gone undrafted in plenty of leagues, but this signing tells me the Hurricanes still view him as a legitimate part of their goaltending plans. He has enough talent to push Bussi for starts and potentially turn this into a much more even split than fantasy managers were expecting. I would keep Kochetkov firmly on the waiver wire radar and consider stashing him in deeper leagues. There is a chance this becomes one of those sneaky goalie pickups that pays off later in the season.

Kirill Marchenko - Toronto Maple Leafs - $12.5M AAV - Six Years

What more can we say about this one? In the regular season buzzer beater blockbuster that nobody saw coming, the Maple Leafs landed Marchenko and immediately stapled him to captain Auston Matthews on the top line. The fit has looked excellent through the first two games, with Marchenko already showing that he can be a force on the puck while developing some serious chemistry with Matthews. Long term, this is an incredible addition for Toronto and gives Matthews another dangerous winger to work with.

Fantasy outlook: Marchenko's fantasy value skyrocketed the moment this deal was completed, and I don't think we've seen the ceiling yet. Being locked into a top-line role with Matthews gives him the kind of deployment fantasy managers dream about, and the early returns have only reinforced the excitement. With the talent around him and the opportunity in Toronto, I expect Marchenko to put together a point-per-game season and become a major fantasy asset for his owners.

William Karlsson - Vegas Golden Knights - $6.75M AAV - Two Years

The long-time Golden Knight gets to stick around, and I really like what this does for the Vegas forward core. Karlsson gives the team some stability down the middle and is a dependable option who can handle a variety of situations. Two years is a relatively short commitment, but that makes sense for a team that is still firmly in win-now mode and gives Vegas some stability without tying up too much of its future.

Fantasy outlook: Karlsson has some sneaky fantasy value because of the deployment he gets. He centers a line with Mitch Marner, plays down the middle on the second powerplay unit, and also sees time on the top penalty kill. He is not going to suddenly become a superstar, but playing alongside Marner gives him legitimate offensive upside, especially in deeper leagues. He is the kind of player I would keep on the waiver wire radar when injuries or lineup changes create a need for a depth forward.