Peter Mueller

Mueller, who has not played since April 4, 2010 after suffering the first of two serious concussions last year, resumed skating in August and is expected to be ready for training camp in September. Assuming he's healthy, Mueller is expected to fill a top-six role with the Avs this season. In a glimpse of what he is capable of, Mueller scored 20 points in 15 games after being traded to Colorado from Phoenix late in the 2009-10 season, so be sure to pay close attention to his progress as the fall session approaches.

Last season, Mueller was muddling through a disappointing campaign with the Coyotes before being traded to the Avs in March, along with Kevin Porter in exchange for another struggling young forward – Wojtek Wolski. The deal seemed to re-ignite both players. In Mueller’s case, he had just had just 17 points in 54 games with Phoenix prior to the trade, but went on to score 20 points in 15 games with Colorado and began to show much of the skill and promise he was known for prior to being drafted in 2006. Looking ahead, Mueller is expected to remain a big part of the Avs’ rebuilding process after signing a two-year, $4 million deal in September. He is expected to play on the team’s second line this season alongside Matt Duchene and Milan Hejduk and possesses a great deal of fantasy upside.

Mueller was cruising along, enjoying a productive season before a concussion against Anaheim in late January changed everything.. With 12 goals and 18 assists in the Phoenix's first 48 games, the 20-year-old American seemed to be on the verge of becoming one of the brightest young stars in the NHL. Mueller missed seven games with the concussion, and probably came back too early. He was not the same player afterward, and it showed on the stat sheet. Six points (one goal and five assists) over the final 24 games severely tarnished a season that started off with such promise. He'll enter the season still only 21 years old , and he simply has too much skill for us to think that what we saw post-concussion will continue. Mueller looks like a strong low-risk, high-reward fantasy player heading into fantasy drafts this season.

Mueller had an outstanding rookie season in 2007-2008 by scoring 22 goals with 32 assists. Among the rookies in the NHL, he was second in goals scored and fourth in total points with 54. Only Jonathan Toews scored more goals than Mueller last season. With the arrival of Olli Jokinen, Mueller should move to left wing where he had more success than in his natural center position.

Mueller nearly made the 2006-07 Coyotes and it will be a bit of a disappointment if he doesn't make a weak Phoenix team this season year. At 6-2 and 205, Mueller has the size and talent to make an immediate impact in the NHL. There were times this season where he was a dominant force for Everett of the WHL and he played very well for Team USA at the World Junior Championship. If he makes the Coyotes this season and is given a decent amount of ice time, Mueller could be a contender for the Calder Trophy.

An excellent young player, Mueller will need some luck to crack the very deep group of forwards slated to begin the season with the Coyotes. If he doesn't get there this year, he is definitely going to star in the following season.

At 18, Mueller already has the body of an NHL veteran (6'3" and 205 lbs) and is hard to knock off the puck. He has superb hands and is hockey-smart, but his skating still needs improvement. Like most big men, Mueller will need more seasoning before he becomes a force in the NHL. But when he does, he'll be a force -- some scouts consider him to be a smarter Adam Oates while others say he reminds them of Dave Andreychuk.