Mike Knuble

Knuble looks to continue his offensive consistency in his third season in the nation's capital. He is the perfect complement to superstars Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. Knuble makes his living in front of the net, and with Gr8 firing pucks religiously, Knuble mops things up. Last season, he scored 40 points and he has the potential to put up 50-60 points if healthy. If you are looking for consistency then Knuble is a great winger to look into. When draft day comes around, do not hesitate to grab him if the price is right.

With the puck, Knuble is as consistent as they come. Not that he needs much help to be productive, but Knuble plays on a top line with offensive wunderkind Alex Ovechkin, and has mega-star Nicklas Backstrom as his pivot. So when has Knuble finished with less than 45 points? The answer is never; not once in five seasons. So, scoop him up in fantasy drafts if you’re looking for a well-rounded, low maintenance forward.

Knuble, the veteran winger acquired from the Flyers this offseason was a big move for the Caps, who hope it will pay dividends. He played the last four seasons in Philadelphia tallying 221 points over that span. In three of those four seasons he produced over 50 points and the Caps will look for him to continue that trend. He has been playing wing on the top line and if that continues he has a chance to put up a career year. Whatever line he ends up on, he is fantasy relevant.

Knuble filled in nicely last season with injuries to Simon Gagne and Joffrey Lupul, but he will be the first to lose prime ice time and line position should any young players outperform expectations. The ceiling is 60 points if he's able to stay healthy all year and stave off the youngsters for a top-six role, so look for an option with less risk.

Knuble had surgery during the off-season to repair a small cartilage tear in his right shoulder. He healed in plenty of time for the start of training camp Knuble, finished second on the team last season with 54 points. Knuble will once again be a solid middle-round pick on Fantasy Draft Day for the 2007-08 season.

Knuble proved if you play with Peter Forsberg and Simon Gagne, your stats improve. He had 34 goals last year, and he should be on the same line this season. There isn't a ton of room for improvement, and should Knuble move to another line, his goals would drop off by at least half.

Knuble can have a 30-point season just as easily as he can have a 55-point season - it all depends on how coach Ken Hitchcock uses Knuble. Watch his situation closely: If Knuble ends up on a line with Keith Primeau & Brian Savage/Sami Kapanen, a 55 point season is realistic. Otherwise, Knuble will see time on the third line, where his minutes (and output) will decrease. The Flyers have a lot of depth on this team.