Methot enjoyed another consistent yet largely fantasy-irrelevant season in 2016-17, notching 12 assists while registering a plus-13 rating over 68 games with the Senators. The veteran blueliner will be suiting up for the Stars in 2017-18, but he'll still be a stay-at-home defenseman with extremely limited offensive upside despite his new surroundings -- though his new club will certainly appreciate his own-zone contributions. Methot can be ignored in the majority of fantasy formats in this year’s drafts.
Methot is an asset for the Senators, but not so much for fantasy owners. The 31-year-old has never put up more than 17 points in a campaign, and he had just five goals and seven assists in 69 appearances last season. The stay-at-home blueliner has never skated in all 82 games and is by no means an offensive threat, but he has never had a negative rating in four years as a member of the Sens. Even so, Erik Karlsson's defensive conscience offers minimal upside, so he can be ignored in most fantasy formats come draft day.
Methot missed nearly all of last season's first three months with a back injury, as he made a two-game comeback in early December, only to land back on IR until early January. Once he returned, he was a big part of the Senators' blue line, skating more than 22 minutes per game, but Methot saw his offensive efficiency decrease while his defensive prowess increased. He's projected for top-pair minutes opposite Erik Karlsson this year, but playing with such an explosive talent on defense doesn't necessarily lend itself to fantasy productivity. Methot is frequently going to find himself staying back and guarding the home front while Karlsson ventures into the offensive zone. Unless he sees an increase in power-play time this year, Methot probably won't see much of a spike in his scoring totals, but he'll help fantasy owners with hits, blocks and plus/minus.
Methot had a nice season in 2013-14, recording six goals and 17 assists while skating on the Senators top defensive pairing. Methot's partner, Erik Karlsson, has proven to be the most productive blueliner in the NHL, so even though Methot is a stay-at-home defender, he picks up some points just by playing with him.
Methot is largely a defense-first defenseman who the Sens will pair with Erik Karlsson to complement Karlsson's offensive style. Methot won't put up huge point totals, but he could see a slight increase over his rate of 11 points in 47 games last season since playing with a healthy Karlsson for a full season should result in some extra opportunities. Overall, Methot is a solid defensive defenseman, as evidenced by his recent team Canada camp invite.
The 27-year-old Methot was acquired in the offseason from Columbus for forward Nick Foligno and will bring some much needed defensive help to Ottawa's backend. Methot will likely be given an early opportunity during training camp to be Erik Karlsson's defensive partner. He should provide a much-needed defensive presense to back up Karlsson when he switches into offensive mode. Methot is big and strong, and has good skating ability for a 6'3" frame. The Ottawa native could benefit offensively simply by playing with Karlsson on a regular basis, so 20-plus points isn't out of the question, making him a decent target late in deep leagues.
Methot has emerged as a reliable stay-at-home defenseman, and actually posted a positive plus/minus last season despite the miserable fortunes of the team around him in Columbus. The Jackets locked him up with a long-term deal, and while he's no fantasy threat he should continue to be a stabilizing presence on the Columbus blue line for a few years yet.
Stay-at-home defenseman managed 2-6-8 in 60 games last season.
Career-best 4-13-17 in 66 games last season after carving out a regular role on the Blue Jackets blue line.
Depth defenseman.
Stay-at-home defenseman didn't look out of place in 20 NHL games last season. A good training camp probably earns him a top-six berth in Columbus.
