Killorn scored a career-high 26 goals last season, the first time he's cracked 20 in his eight-year career, though he needed a sky-high shooting percentage - one that was double his career average - to do so. Previous to last season, since entering the league full time, Killorn had consistently scored between 14-19 goals and 36-47 points every campaign. Expect more of the same in 2020-21. He'll have limited upside given his age, ability and competition for ice time. For those reasons, Killorn will only be worth drafting in the late rounds by managers looking for a dependable yet unexciting option.
Killorn is a smart and versatile third-line player who plays a safe game, but he's seriously overpaid in that role -- he'll make $4.45 million a season until the summer of 2023. The Bolts would love to move that contract, but it's too much for a perennial 40-point guy who can't help on the power play. At some point, Killorn might help off the wire, especially with his willingness to shoot the puck, but don't waste a pick on him during your draft.
Every team needs an Alex Killorn. He can play any forward position on any line and does so without complaint. His hockey IQ is elite and two-way toolbelt is chock full of skills. Killorn delivered a career-high 47 points in 82 games last season, but with the arrival (and re-signing) of J.T. Miller, Killorn will see a lot less time in the top six in 2018-19. He's signed through 2023, but can't be traded until his modified no-trade clause starts in 2020. So, count on Killorn to be a third-line stalwart and a 38-45 point player this year. Leave him on the wire until an injury moves him up the lineup.
Killorn is the Bolts' Swiss Army knife since the guy can do it all. Killorn's hockey IQ is off the charts and he can play up or down the lineup. He can check, score, kill penalties, play on the power play and would probably play defense if his team needed him to. Killorn's versatility is also his curse, as he'll never score at the level he's capable of delivering. This season, he'll find himself on the left side of either the second or third line, and he'll deliver another 35-40 points. Killorn's fantasy value will vary depending on his deployment, so keep him on the wire until you know he's going to get time on a scoring line.
Killorn is a coach's dream. He's super smart with size and skill, and he can play in every situation. And he does it without complaint. But that means his overall fantasy value is far less than his skills could deliver. Killorn has played three full seasons up and down the Bolts' lineup and has delivered remarkably consistent results (41, 38 and 40 points) in all three years. Sure, he can deliver more, but at 26, it's just not likely. Draft the Harvard grad for 40 points, a decent plus-minus and a handful of power-play points. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Killorn is smart and tremendously versatile, and that will be the bane of his NHL career. He can play any role on pretty much any line, which will serve the Bolts well, but will eliminate most the fantasy value he might otherwise have had. Killorn may never settle into a specific role on a set line – they’ll roll him wherever he’s needed. And both Jonathan Drouin and Vladislav Namestnikov are on the rise, with the former eyeing Killorn’s spot on the second line. Killorn's the hockey equivalent of a super-utility guy in baseball, and that means his value on the ice will far exceed his fantasy potential.
Killorn is smart, skilled and extremely versatile, and it's the latter that could see him drop off a scoring line, particularly if Jonathan Drouin breaks camp with the Bolts. Don't get us wrong -- Killorn has the talent for a top-six gig, but his 200-foot game makes him a serious threat on a checking line. That would give the Bolts a chance to slot Drouin onto the second line. Killorn can bring you 50 points if he wins that top-six gig instead of Drouin, but he'll still score at a point-per-game from the third line and fire a lot of rubber at opposing goalies.
Killorn is the perfect boy next door -- smart, athletic, hard working and talented. He gets that hockey is a 200-foot game even though he could simply fall back on his first-line potential. The Bolts called him up last season on what they thought was a short-term assignment and he performed so well that they couldn't send him back. He's a virtual lock coming out of camp and can hold his own on the third line. But given the vacuum on the Bolts' left flank, Killorn could find himself playing second-line minutes with newcomer center, Valtteri Filppula. That competition is probably between him and AHL sniper, Tyler Johnson (Ryan Malone is the incumbent, but we're counting on some injuries there). It'll all come down to fit for both men, and Killorn could find himself on the third line because of his versatility and size. But he's a definite sleeper who might net you 50 points this year, depending on the chemistry between him and his centerman. So watch for line assignments coming out of camp and get ready to snap him up cheap.
Killorn could well be the smartest man in the Bolts organization. The Harvard grad can also play hockey -- he's big, skates well and knows how to sacrifice his body. His shot won't overwhelm, but it's incredibly accurate. And his smarts mean he's in the right place at the right time, every single time. His own-zone play needs work, but that'll be easy for a brainiac like him. He could surprise at camp, but will likely spend most of 2012-13 in the AHL.
