Jack Anderson

July 2026 – Anderson’s late-blooming arc kept climbing through the spring. The Michigan Tech transfer season produced 11 goals and 24 points in 39 games, fourth among all NCAA defensemen in goals, plus 67 blocked shots, CCHA Defensive Defenseman of the Year honors, and an All-CCHA First Team selection while logging over 23 minutes a night. Dallas signed him on March 18, and the 6-6, 222-pound lefty transitioned smoothly, with three points and a plus-5 in 12 AHL games and two playoff appearances. At development camp he skated in the most polished tier of the defense group and started the mini game on the top pair opposite Aram Minnetian, a pairing of the two most pro-ready blueliners in the building. The projection remains defense-first, built on reach, shot blocking, and physical control of the net front, but the question his senior season raised is legitimate: how much of the offensive jump was real. His fantasy value would come almost entirely from peripherals. Watch whether the point shot and activation habits carry into his first full Texas season. Andrew Epps

March 2026 — Anderson forced his way onto the radar with one strong, late-blooming senior season at Michigan Tech, then turned it into an NHL deal with Dallas on March 18, 2026. He finished with 24 points in 39 games, led all Huskies skaters with 67 blocked shots, and earned CCHA Defensive Defenseman of the Year after playing heavy minutes and serving as an alternate captain. At 6-6, his appeal starts with reach, lane denial, and net-front work, but the more interesting fantasy wrinkle is that he is not purely a stay-at-home defender. The 11-goal season matters. He can get pucks through from the point, lean into one-timers, and cash in on broken coverage without needing to run offense like a true power play quarterback. The translation question is pace. He looks like a possible bottom-four pro defender who can kill plays, eat minutes, and survive a simple puck-moving role, but he still needs to prove he can handle faster forecheck pressure and make enough clean first touches to earn NHL trust. Dallas sending him straight to Texas for the stretch run is a good test bed. The realistic ceiling is a depth NHL  defenseman with modest secondary offense, which fits the 3.5 upside grade better than a true fantasy driver. Andrew Epps