Christian Dvorak

Dvorak put up 28 points in 64 games in 2022-23 before his season was cut short by a knee injury that required surgery. It's the first time he's played over half of a campaign and ended up with fewer than 30 points, though it's not all that surprising given the lack of talent around him in Montreal. The 27-year-old has settled into a role as a defensively responsible third-line center with little upside in any other area. With the Canadiens still working through some rebuilding, Dvorak's ceiling is likely in the same 30-40 point range assuming he's able to stay relatively healthy and avoid missing any time at the beginning of the year.

Dvorak played 56 games for a second straight season, which was fine in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign, but not so good given the NHL went back to a normal 82-game schedule in 2021-22. He finished with 11 goals and 33 points, in addition to a minus-19 rating. Like many of his Montreal teammates, it's difficult to decipher whether Dvorak's subpar season was his own doing or the result of the team posting the worst record in the league. Regardless, the Canadiens need a rebound performance from Dvorak considering he is signed for three more years at a cap hit of $4.45 million.

Dvorak put up his fourth 30-point campaign in five seasons with 17 goals and 14 assists in 56 games last year. Even more encouragingly, he was able to play in every contest, something he's never done in a full NHL season. The 25-year-old forward also had a career-high 11 power-play points, and he's likely to continue on the Coyotes' top unit next season, if only for a lack of better options on a team that entered a rebuild in the offseason. The Illinois native isn't known to add much of a physical edge to his game, but he could have a chance at 40 points as one of the Coyotes' leading scorers in 2021-22, which would give him some late-round fantasy appeal. Beware a likely negative plus-minus rating and lack of grit, however.

Dvorak returned to full health and set a career high in goals (18) and points (38) while playing in all 70 of the Coyotes' games in 2019-20. That also came with a bump in power-play usage, where he averaged 2:44 per contest and recorded 10 of his points. Dvorak suffered a separated shoulder in the playoffs, but that injury isn't expected to affect the forward's readiness for 2020-21. The American operated mostly as a center last season, and he'll likely challenge a 40-point pace if he can stay healthy during the upcoming campaign. He's worth a look in the later rounds of standard fantasy drafts.

Dvorak lost the first five months of 2018-19 to injury, as he entered the year with a lower-body concern before requiring surgery on a torn pectoral muscle. It took the 23-year-old some time to get up to speed, as he finished with two goals and five assists in 20 games while averaging 14:23 per game. Dvorak had 70 points over his first two seasons -- recording 15 tallies in each -- and could be poised for a breakout this year. The Illinois native has often been used as a center but can also play on the wing, and if all goes well, a 40-plus-point season could be on the way for the American.

When it comes to American skaters currently operating at hockey's highest level, only Alex DeBrincat of the Blackhawks has exceeded Dvorak's gaudy 1.54 points-per-game output in the history of the OHL. Naturally, the Illinois native only required seven games in the minors before the Coyotes let him loose in a full-time capacity. He's since turned in two consecutive 15-goal seasons with his assist totals at 33 and 37, respectively, but perhaps the most exciting trend of all is that Dvorak went from hoisting 88 shots in his rookie campaign to a robust 151 mark in 2017-18. While 2018 Calder Trophy finalist Clayton Keller seems to be all the rage in the desert, there's bang-for-your-buck potential in drafting Dvorak, who secured a six-year, $26.7 million extension in August.

Dvorak finished his rookie season with a respectable 33 points (15 goals) through 78 contests while averaging 15:37 of ice time. Considering he made the jump to the NHL immediately after winning a Memorial Cup Championship with London, his quick acclimatization to the highest level was impressive. However, there are still plenty of shortcomings, and Dvorak is a long way away from being a serviceable fantasy asset in the majority of settings. He registered just 88 shots and recorded a crippling 43.9 Corsi For percentage. The 20-year-old forward owns plenty of offensive upside and projects to show gradual statistical improvement as Arizona's core of young talents become more established in the league.

Dvorak is coming off a great season for OHL London, where he posted 41 goals and 109 points, outscoring fellow Coyotes prospect Max Domi. The winger has an outside chance to make the Coyotes, but is most likely ticketed for another season in the OHL to work on his game and potentially play for Team USA at the World Junior Championship. He has the kind of high-end offensive talent the Coyotes covet as they rebuild for the future.