A throw-in to the deal last February that brought Ryan Miller to the Blues, Ott was typically plugged in on St. Louis’ third line, to mostly disappointing results. After scoring 20 points in 59 games with the Sabres, Ott mustered no goals and only three assists to net a minus-12 rating during his 23 contests with the Blues. He did, at least, get under the opponents’ skin upon moving to St. Louis, finishing the season with 254 hits and 92 penalty minutes across two stops. The Blues were willing to forgive Ott’s scoring decline and embrace the aggressiveness he brings to the bottom-six, re-signing the pugilist to a two-year, $5.2-million contract in the off-season. His days as a 30-point scorer may be over, but he’ll retain some value in leagues that tabulate hits, PIM and faceoff percentage.
Ott proved his versatility during his first season with the Sabres, shuffling up and down the lineup and playing regularly in all three disciplines. His 24 points in 48 games came as advertised, and he was among the NHL’s top 10 in hits (187) and PIM (93). Those in rotisserie leagues should consider Ott a multi-category stud, and a nice late-round option once the big scorers are taken. Leagues that only count scoring stats will diminish Ott’s value, but he should put up another 35-40 points in 2013-14.
Ott will add some sandpaper to the Sabres' lineup after being acquired in an offseason trade with Dallas for Derek Roy. His goal total dipped again in '11-12, but he ranked sixth in the league in PIMs with 156, making him a valuable option in leagues that reward penalty minutes. Ott should contribute 30-40 points and rack up over 150 PIM while playing an important role with his new squad. Those in leagues that do not reward penalty minutes will want to pass on Ott.
Ott saw his goal scoring drop for the first time in four seasons, finding the back of the net just 12 times despite playing in all 82 games. He rewarded those in PIM-based leagues, racking up a career high with 183. He's a nice option for those in that format, particularly if he can approach the 20-goal level he showed in each of the past two seasons.
Ott finished the year with a flourish, netting six goals in the final six games to eclipse to 20-goal barrier, while still contributing plenty of PIMs and fighting majors. He's a lock for around 150 PIMs, and back-to-back solid goal scoring years (41G the past two seasons), makes him a rare bird in today's NHL.
Ott filled most of the void left by Brenden Morrow's prolonged absence, setting career highs in goals (19), asissts (27), PPG (5), and PPA (7) while still racking up 135 PIMs in just 64 games. His offensive role could dip a bit with a healthier forward group, and he'll need to earn the trust of a new coach. At a minimum though, he'll be among the league leaders in PIMs again.
Ott, who had all but played his way out of Dallas, enjoyed his best season and was one of Dallas' mopre effective checking-role players. His 147 PIMs were of value to those in some leagues, and he even managed to chip in 11 goals. He'll return in a checking role again, so expecting 10+ goals again is unwise.
Ott was limited to just 19 games with Dallas after suffering an ankle injury during one of his many fights. He's got some competition in camp for a spot on the fourth line, so there's expecting a repeat of 2005-06 (82 games, 178 PIMs) is risky.
Lots of grit, not much production from Dallas' fiesty center. He can play wing in a pinch, and sees occasional shifts on a scoring line to provide energy, but his sole fantasy value comes in the form of PIMs.
Whether he graduates from being more than just a pest for the opposition into a Brenden Morrow Lite remains to be seen. Ice time figures to be an issue, with Dallas' top two lines pretty well sealed shut. Gets rewarded during games with increased ice time when the team needs a spark, but it hasn't translated into any sort of meaningful production yet.
