Ross Colton

Colton's first season in Colorado was a fairly successful one, as he managed to rack up 17 goals and 23 assists for a career-high 40 points. It was the third straight season in which the versatile forward was able to reach the 30-point threshold. On the power play, the New Jersey native had a fairly minimal impact, recording three goals and two assists with the man advantage, but he should keep his role with the second unit heading into the 2024-25 campaign. As such, Colton figures to be a decent depth option in fantasy with a slightly higher ceiling thanks to being a part of Colorado's high-powered offense.

Colorado and Tampa Bay are the two best run organizations in the NHL, so it was amusing to see the former acquire Colton from the latter in late June for a second-rounder (Ethan Gauthier) in the 2023 draft. The Avalanche immediately inked Colton, who had 16 goals and 32 points in 81 games for the Lightning a season ago, to a new four-year, $16 million deal. Colton's fantasy value shouldn't change much in his new location. Roughly 20 goals, 40 points, 150 shots on goal and 175 hits feels right. That's enough all-around fantasy production for a late-round stab in deeper formats. The former University of Vermont product will be 27 years old right before training camp begins.

No team in the NHL does a better job with mid-to-late round draft picks and undrafted free agents than the Lightning and Colton is the latest example of that trend. The New Jersey native established himself as a regular for Tampa Bay in 2021-22, finishing with 22 goals and 39 points in 79 games. Colton added 159 shots on goal and 153 hits for good measure. He isn't a threat to crack the Lightning's top six any time soon, but Colton saw time on the club's second power-play unit last year, which helps strengthen his floor from a fantasy perspective. There's definitely room at the back end of drafts for a player like Colton who should post upwards of 20 goals and 150-plus hits in 2022-23.

The Lightning have proven they can turn almost anyone into a useful NHL player and Colton is the latest example. A University of Vermont product and former fourth-round pick (2016), Colton seized a full-time role in Tampa Bay in late March and never relinquished it. He finished with nine goals and 12 points in 30 regular-season games, in addition to suiting up in all 23 (four goals, two assists) of Tampa's postseason contests in a run to a second straight Stanley Cup championship. Colton seems likely to begin the 2021-22 campaign on Tampa Bay's third line (thus having limited fantasy appeal), but this is the type of player the Lightning have had success with in the past and it wouldn't be surprising to see Colton outperform expectations.