Oscar Lindberg

Left unprotected by the Rangers in the expansion draft after he managed just 20 points over 65 games in the 2016-17 regular season, the 25-year-old Lindberg was an obvious choice for the Golden Knights, who surely noticed the sparks of high-end scoring ability that he showed in limited ice time over the past two campaigns. A productive scorer both in Sweden’s pro league and at the AHL level in the past, Lindberg plays a gritty game complemented by some flashy puck skills, and if he maintains a the top-six role for which he’s projected, it’s not hard to imagine the 2010 second-round pick netting 40-plus points while providing value on both the power play and penalty kill in Vegas.

One of the Rangers' most promising forward prospects, Lindberg excelled in his first full season at AHL Hartford, scoring 18 goals, 44 points, and adding 58 penalty minutes in 75 games. The 24-year-old Swede could be on tap to stick in the NHL longer than the one game he logged in 2014-15, as the Rangers' lack of depth down the middle should provide an opening during training camp this fall. With Kevin Hayes likely moving up to fill the top-six slot vacated by the now-retired Martin St. Louis, Lindberg and Jarret Stoll could be the last men standing in the competition for fourth-line center duties when head coach Alain Vigneault sets his roster for Opening Night.

This summer's departure of Brad Richards not only opens cap space for the team, it also provides one of the team's most promising centers a strong opportunity to start contributing. After making a firm impression on head coach Alain Vigneault in last fall’s training camp, Lindberg went back to AHL Hartford and put up decent (44 points in 75 games) numbers. While the presence of J.T. Miller and signing of Matthew Lombardi certainly degrades the 22-year-old's chances of making the squad, at the very least he should make last cut in camp and get a call-up at some point this season.

After being ranked by the Central Scouting Bureau seventh among European Skaters, the 6'0, 21-year-old center was selected by Phoenix 57th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The following year, Lindberg's rights were traded to the Rangers. Through 178 games with Skelleftea of the Swedish Hockey League, he has collected 28 goals, 40 assists and 138 penalty minutes. In addition to being awarded the Stefan Liv Memorial Trophy for most valuable player of the 2012-13 SHL playoffs, Lindberg has been named to Sweden's preliminary national team roster -along with Henrik Lundqvist and Carl Hagelin- for the Sochi Olympics. With Derek Stepan holding out and Rangers new head coach giving the Swede a long look in training camp, fantasy owners should monitor Lindberg's progress.

Though his rights are held by the Rangers, Lindberg is currently playing with Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Elite League (SEL) and is unlikely to see any time in the NHL in 2012-13.