Alzner's first season in Montreal was nothing short of a disaster. His minus-7 was the worst in four seasons, and he wasn't nearly worth the five-year ($4.625 AAV) contract he signed prior to the season. Paired mostly with Jeff Petry, Alzner failed to develop chemistry with the mobile defender which forced Claude Julien back to the drawing board. With Petry filling in for the injured Shea Weber (knee) to start the season, Alzner stands to get minutes on the second pairing. That alignment spreads out the experienced blueliners with youngsters Victor Mete and Noah Juulsen. What will improvement mean for Alzner? We can't expect much more than his career-high 141 hits in 2017-18 or his 12 points -- not with this popgun offense. The only thing to hope for is improved plus-minus, which could come with the overhaul of the defensive coaching staff.
One of several key Capitals to punch his ticket out of town in the offseason, Alzner signed a five-year deal with the Canadiens in July, ending a decade in Washington’s organization. Known for his durability -- the last regular-season game he missed was in 2009-10 -- and defensive acumen, Alzner won't be much of a fantasy factor even if his minutes rise as expected with his new organization. He may be able to maintain his typically sterling rating, as he'll go from guarding the crease of one stud goalie (Braden Holtby) to another (Carey Price), but don't look for him to provide more than about 20 points, and that’s a best-case scenario.
Alzner’s been an iron man for the Capitals for years, as he’s now gone six straight seasons without missing a game. Of course, there’s a price to pay for that – he played through a broken thumb, an oblique strain and a hip flexor injury last season, which ended with him departing the Caps’ playoff-elimination defeat after suffering a sports hernia, which required offseason surgery. He’s expected to be ready for the start of his age-28 season, though, and despite his bonding with Matt Niskanen when the two played together last year, it seems likely that Alzner will return to serving as John Carlson’s blue-line partner and defensive conscience. There’s not much fantasy appeal in that outside of specialty formats.
Alzner is a no-nonsense crease clearer who provides more value on the ice than in the fantasy arena. Sure, he set new career marks in several categories last season: goals (five), points (21), hits (120) and blocked shots (165). But the latter two categories are rarely counted in fantasy. Does your squad need a 20-point, 20-PIM defender who gets no power-play time? Then Alzner's the warm body you're looking for.
One of the more underrated shut-down defensemen in the league, Alzner remains an integral part of a rebuilt Capitals blue line. The 5th-overall selection from the 2007 NHL Draft, Alzner logged over 20 minutes of ice-time for his fourth straight season and recorded a career high of 18 points. However, his offense has never translated to the NHL game, so his power-play opportunities have been scarce during his career. Look for Alzner to bounce back as part of an improved Capitals defense corps, but he likely won’t see a significant increase in his production as his role remains largely of a defense-first nature.
Alzner was a workhorse once again last season (20:57 TOI), playing in all 48 games of the lockout shortened season. Alzner had just five points on the season, which is consistent with his two full regular seasons prior to last year, although the drop to a minus-6 was surprising. He will continue to log serious minutes for the Capitals but fantasy managers shouldn’t expect much help from Alzner.
Alzner is developing into a reliable stalwart on the Washington blue line. He's played all 82 games in each of the last two seasons, posting a career-high 17 points last season. He's not going to contribute too much defensively, but he's a valuable piece to Washington's team success.
Alzner has become the shutdown defenseman the brass thought he would be when he was taken 5th overall in 2007. He just signed a new contract as his entry-level deal was up. He has the potential to put up 20 plus points, but being paired with John Carlson he takes a backseat to his offensively skilled teammate. Do not expect great offensive output, but you can expect around 100 blocks, 100 hits, and 60 plus shots.
The 6-foot-2, 21-year-old defenseman showed his ability and why he deserved to be a first-round pick in 2007. Alzner is one of two young defenseman the team has molded and he should be on the Opening Night roster this season. He has great mobility and the ability to produce offensively. He also collected much needed experience after playing in 21 games Washington and should be a steady blueliner for years to come. We suggest that he will play a role this coming season and can very well become a breakout fantasy producer.
Alzner is an up-and-coming star, and will probably be seen in more games this year than last. He is a young defenseman with great size and skill and played in 30 games last year. Look for Alzner to be a huge part of this defense in the next few years.
The 6-foot-2, 19 year old defenseman was the fifth overall pick in the 2007 Entry Draft. He was named the Western Hockey League's Player and Defenseman of the Year for 2007-08. He registered 36 points in 60 games with the Calgary Hitmen. Many scouts believed Alzner was the most NHL ready player in the draft. He has great mobility and has the ability to be a good offensive producer. He is one of, if not their top prospect, and has a good chance of making the team, with the concussion situation Brian Pothier is suffering. We suggest to keep an eye on him throughout the season, especially if he cracks the roster.
Alzner is a reliable, steady defender who has displayed offensive talent at the junior level. He projects as a shutdown, power-type defender in the NHL who'll be steady and pretty much unspectacular. He'll be better on the ice than in the fantasy arena, and is still a few years away from the NHL.
Alzner is one of those guys you'd want your little sister to date. Steady, unspectacular and reliable, he's not going to do something stupid; in fact, he's probably the safest pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Fantasy owners should not be confused by his 47-point season in the WHL. Alzner will eventually be a 25 to 30 minute defender who'll be used against the opposition's best line. But he isn't going to hit the 30-point mark very often, if ever.
