Brett Kulak

Looking at Kulak's 2023-24 campaign, there isn't much to look back on favorably in terms of fantasy value other than the fact that he played in all 82 games. The defenseman failed to reach even the 100-hit or 100-block marks while also ending the season with just 16 points. In fact, Kulak has managed just one power-play point over the course of his 10-year NHL career and shouldn't be expected to find himself on the ice with the man advantage. A pure shutdown defender who has cemented himself in the third-pairing, Kulak is a hard-pass in nearly every fantasy format.

Kulak played a full 82-game season for the first time in 2022-23, and he also racked up three goals and 17 points for a career year on offense. The 29-year-old added 105 hits, 106 blocked shots, 114 shots on goal and a plus-12 rating. Kulak is projected to be a third-pairing option for the Oilers going forward, though he can step up to the second pairing when injuries arise. He's steady enough in his own zone, but he doesn't stand out in any fantasy-relevant area, so he's best left on the draft board in most formats.

Kulak was moved to Edmonton in March following three and a half years with the Canadiens. He played a significant role for his new team upon arriving, and the Oilers were impressed enough with Kulak's performance to hand him a new four-year, $11 million contract in mid-July. That financial commitment should ensure that Kulak will fill a top-four role for Edmonton for years to come, but with a career high of just 21 points and 107 hits, the 28-year-old rearguard can be left on the wire in most fantasy formats.

Kulak produced just seven assists in 56 contests last year, and his 59 hits and 50 blocked shots were nothing spectacular, either. The 26-year-old defenseman has never been an offensive dynamo -- his career high is 17 points in 2018-19 -- and he hasn't topped 10 points in any of his five other campaigns. His real-world value stems from his defensive ability, which means fantasy managers will have little need for his services in 2020-21 outside of the deepest of formats. Kulak will likely struggle to reach 10 points with only modest contributions in other categories this year.

Kulak was an unheralded acquisition that turned out to be a shrewd move by general manager Marc Bergevin and an outright win for the Canadiens. Acquired for a couple of AHL regulars, Kulak was stationed at AHL Laval to start the season, but was summoned by the parent club in late November. He stayed with the Habs for the rest of the campaign, setting career highs in goals (6) and assists (11) while posting a plus-12 rating in 57 games. The 25-year-old was often tasked with taking on a top-four role, and had a positive impact on the possession stats of Montreal's top two defensemen, Shea Weber and Jeff Petry, while doing so. The former Flame signed a three-year deal to remain with Montreal in May, and he's expected to return to a top-four role in 2019-20, but he likely won't produce enough offense to warrant consideration in most fantasy formats.

After notching just two goals and eight points in 71 games during the 2017-18 campaign, Kulak earned a one-year, $900,000 deal through arbitration. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the 24-year-old has yet to find much NHL success, notching only 11 points in 101 career games. Furthermore, he averaged just under 13 minutes of ice time last year and should be expected to fill a similar role in 2018-19. Kulak doesn't warrant much fantasy attention.

Kulak split his time between the ECHL and AHL last season, collecting 43 points in 65 combined games. He did see one game at the tail end of the Flames' season, but that was in a largely meaningless game in which the Flames were trying out a handful of new players. Kulak is likely to get as the Flames' sixth defenseman spot in the fall, but odds are high he won't be able to pass up Deryk Engelland or Tyler Wotherspoon and will begin the season in the AHL. If he can gain some experience and build and improve his skills a bit more, the slight defenseman has a better shot at making the big leagues.

Following a 60-point effort in 69 games with the WHL Vancouver Giants in 2013-14, Kulak scored three points in six games with AHL Abbotsford at season's end. Kulak signed a three-year entry-level contract with Calgary in March, so the Flames definitely see potential in the 20-year-old defender. He should get a shot at starting the season with AHL Adirondack.