The smooth-skating Hillen can not seem to escape the clutches of the injury bug. After signing a two-year contract extension last summer, Hillen suffered a devastating leg injury in the second game of the season and only played 13 games in the 2013-2014 campaign. With solid veterans now firmly ahead of him on the depth chart, Hillen will likely struggle to see much ice-time outside of injuries to other players.
Hillen signed a two-year extension with the Caps in April 2013. He missed 25 games due to injury in 2012-2013, but scored three goals and had nine helpers in 23 games. He hasn’t played more than 70 games or notched more than 25 points in any of his last six seasons. Where the lefty will fit in among the Caps’ multiple defensemen is still up in the air.
Hillen established a career-high 22 points (4 G, 18 A) with the Islanders last season, over the span of 64 games. However, he was not granted a qualifying offer by the club and ended up latching on with Nashville, receiving a two-way deal this past August. Hillen is a good passer, which could lead to a respectable amount of assists from the blue line, but getting him on board with a two-way contract means he could easily be shipped to the minors if he doesn't gel with the Preds.
Hillen sort of came out of nowhere last season to score three goals and 21 points, second on the Isles for defensemen. He would need to double those totals to become fantasy worthy, not likely with Mark Streit around. Although improvement should be expected from the 24-year-old, he is unlikely to become someone you should count on in fantasy just yet.
Hillen had a very uneventful rookie season for the Islanders in 2008-09. He played in 40 games and recorded just six points with 47 shots on goal. The Isles are in need of someone to step up and help Mark Streit carry the offensive workload from the blue line. Hillen has a chance to be that person considering the success he had in college, but until he does, he is not worth anything more than a late-round pick in very deep leagues.
Hillen capped off his four-year collegiate career by leading all defensemen in scoring. He's got some skill, but likely not enough to crack the Islanders' roster out of training camp, so expect him to start the 2008-09 season with Bridgeport (AHL).
