The Atlantic Division preview is meant to just give keeper league poolies (and one-year league people) a heads up on some late round sleepers, waiver wire watches, and some deep risky selections.

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Toronto

Easton Cowan, C/W

Cowan is doing all he can to obtain a roster spot with the Leafs. The Scott Laughton injury, and waiving David Kampf, really opens up the door, even though sitting him in the bottom six would not be preferable. However, in this instance he would not be considered a bottom-line player, so the coaches would look to give him a few extra opportunities

Cowan may be pushing Nick Robertson out of the Leafs’ top 12 forwards as well. He will likely not stay in the line-up all season, but he could be a good late pick in deep leagues, or leagues where you can play prospects for a few extra points

Dennis Hildeby, G

Hildeby will get starts as both Stolarz and Woll are quite injury prone. In fact, Woll is already out, but it is due to personal reasons. Hildeby is sneaky good for waiver win adds and the ability to plug him in a couple times with prospect call ups

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Montreal

Ivan Demidov, RW

If you do not know who Demidov is by now, then please invite me to join your league! Only thing of note is to let other GMs reach for Demidov, and while he will be good to start, he is not on the top line or top powerplay, so draft with your brain and not your heart

Oliver Kapanen, C/RW

Kapanen was too good to keep in the AHL but there was no room for him on the team last year, so he could only force his way into 18 games. He is stuck in the same type of position again, but if he can stay in the line up consistently, he will be good for some cheap points. A late round pick in deep leagues, and it could be risky as he may have to spend time in the AHL

Jakub Dobes, G

Dobes has shone in the exhibition play for Montreal and there really is no reason why he should not be on the roster on day one. Well actually there are a few reasons: Kaapo Kahkonen is signed to a one-year deal at $1.15M, Dobes is waiver exempt, and it makes more sense for him to play consistently in the AHL than just playing sparingly as a back up. Make no mistake though, any injury and Dobes will be in the NHL. He has 41 games until he has to be placed on waivers to be sent down

Owen Beck, C

Montreal is quite weak at centre, so one would assume if/when Dach gets hurt, and the other centre pegs do not fit in the line up, then Beck should be up in the NHL. Beck is a good late round pick in deeper leagues, or be quick to the waiver add if Montreal needs him at 2C

Joshua Roy, LW

Roy went from looking promising, to getting just two games, to now looking like he is behind other prospects and players on the call-up ladder. If he can get a shot and run with it, he could be a nice waiver add in deep leagues, but that is the best-case scenario

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Ottawa

Carter Yakemchuk, D

I do not think he will make the team as Ottawa can afford to let him play in the AHL for 2025-26. Plus, do they really want him to sit on the third pairing or as the seventh defenseman? However, I get the sense he will get a couple of games early then be sent down. Also, if an injury occurs to Chabot (very likely) or Sanderson, then the Sens would be quick to add Yakemchuk to the line up. A good late stash, but definitely do not add him too early

Donovan Sebrango and Lassi Thomson, D

These two, along with Nikolas Matinpalo, should fight for the sixth and seventh defenseman spots. Thomson came back, and has scoring upside, but is quite buried on the roster. The other two can be good for chipping in cheap hits, blocks and possibly some points in very deep leagues

Leevi Merilainen and/or Mads Sogaard, G

Sogaard requires waivers and Merilainen does not, so for that reason Ottawa may stick with Sogaard. However, based on play last season Merilainen should get the first shot – his play this exhibition has not been very impressive (but I may be missing a game). Both goalies should get games as Ullmark is very injury prone, but who can run with the games while Ullmark is out is the question. The smart money is on Merilainen

Stephen Halliday, C, Olle Lycksell, LW/RW, and Xavier Bourgault, RW

The Senators roster is pretty full and these three should be the first call ups up front. They all have upside if put in the right spot, and given an opportunity, but trying to pick one out of the three to invest in is equal to pinning the tail on the donkey in the dark surrounded by mousetraps, aka good luck

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Tampa Bay

I am not counting Conor Geekie as he should still play a majority of his time in the NHL, a good late round sleeper if you are in a deep league

Jack Finley, C/RW

Finley keeps slowly improving in the AHL and may just be more of a depth scorer long-term. He will likely be a call up for the bottom six and may provide some peripherals and chip in some points. Very late round pick, if you are desperate

Dylan Duke, C/RW

Duke played very well in his first AHL season and was able to play two NHL games, scoring a goal. The line up is quite full, but if Geekie is hurt and the Lightning need a scorer in the top nine, then Duke should get the call. Very late round pick, but has more upside than Finley

Niko Huuhtanen, LW/RW (long shot)

Most/all prospects on the Tampa list here are all long shots, and Huuhtanen fits being a long shot on the long shot list. He has the most skill (IMO) but needs to really put it altogether and get in the NHL line-up at the right time. Huuhtanen is more long-term than anything

Jakob Pelletier, C/LW

I put Pelletier here as I want him to succeed and get another legitimate NHL shot. Signing in Tampa was not the best idea for that, but if he can get in the top nine and gets a leash to play, he is one to watch. Do not draft but keep an eye out.

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Florida

There is really no one here of note, just make sure to invest in Mackie Samoskevich and Daniil Tarasov for now and in the future

Perhaps you can take a super late round flyer on Ben Steeves and Jack Devine up front, and hope that Michael Benning can get a shot on the back end for an extended period

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Buffalo

I am not counting Jiri Kulich for the same Geekie reasoning above, except to say that he is a good mid-late round pick

Josh Doan, LW/RW

Doan was part of the JJ Peterka trade to Utah, and the Sabres like him. He will be given all the opportunity to be an NHLer. In the preseason he has been moving in the middle two lines and as the rosters wind down he has a top nine spot with some 2PP time. Doan may be one people forget but if he can stick on a line with two skilled young forwards, he will have sneaky good value. Also a good mid-late pick

Ryan Johnson, D

With Samuelsson and Kesselring out to start the NHL season, Johnson should be in the top six. He is a great puck moving defenseman but do not expect him to routinely be in the line up. His deal turns into a one-way for the next two seasons, so the Sabres do see something there. A late round pick in deep leagues

Vsevolod Komarov, D

Just highlighting Komarov here for deep leagues that count hits and PIMs, especially the cheap variety to start 2025-26

Devon Levi, G

Can he grab the reins with UPL out, if both Lyon and Georgiev struggle? If so, what happens when he cannot pass through waivers freely (21GP). Will the Sabres keep three goalies or ride Levi and UPL. I am sure Buffalo wants Levi in the AHL as much as possible for 2025-26, but all the goalies ahead of him may force the team’s hand

A slew of top/good F prospects: Isak Rosen, RW, Noah Ostlund, C/LW, and Konsta Helenius, C/RW

There is not room right now, but any one of these three could be called up and make an impact. Good luck guessing which one! Ostlund is hurt, so that will dampen his early chances, plus there has been a lot of catter that Buffalo may keep Helenius as the 13F, but that would be a waste

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Detroit

Emmitt Finnie, LW

Finnie has spent a lot of this preseason on a line with Larkin and Raymond, and he could realistically open in the NHL on the top line. This is a risky pick too wherein he could go to the AHL any moment and stay there all season. In a keeper leagues he has become an own, and in deep leagues he could be a late round pick with either a big upside or he will get the same number of points as some fourth liner anyway

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, LW/RW

MBN (yes, I am just going to spell it like this) is working his way on to the opening line up with his play this preseason as well. He is more of the two-way variety which is why he has been on the third line a majority of the time. Do not expect a lot of points, and he will likely be the first to be demoted too, so only draft him in the deepest of leagues

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, D

Outside of Seider, Edvinsson, and to a lesser extend Albert Johansson lies the contracts for Justin Holl, Ben Chiarot, Erik Gustafsson, and Travis Hamonic. ASP is likely better than those four, but the numbers ($ and total dmen) will keep him out until the Red Wings can no longer take the turnovers. ASP should be running the 1PP for Detroit when he makes the show. I advise taking the risk in 2025-26, but only late.

Amadeus Lombardi, C

Greatly improved in the AHL from 2023-24 to 2024-25, and while there is no room on the roster right now, Lombardi should be a call up if the Red Wings want a scoring forward instead of a better two-way player (MBN)

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Boston

Certainly not Georgii Merkulov who just cannot get a chance in Boston, despite his great AHL production

Fraser Minten, C/LW and Matthew Poitras, C/RW

Both of these players should make the team, but both may be on the outside looking in due to NHL contracts. As of right now, Minten appears to have the best shot as he is currently locking down the 3C role. If both can make the roster then Boston will likely be better off in the depth scoring department. I would select Minten before Poitras, if I had to choose who would get more production this year

Matej Blumel, RW

By all accounts he has had a great preseason, but there are a lot of forwards in Boston, so has he done enough to stand out is the question. He really should be in the NHL, but my confidence in selecting him is very low. Blumel could be a mid-season call up though, so watch his roster placement

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Thanks for reading. Follow me on twitter: @FHPQuinn

Pat Quinn