Sean Walker

Walker was a hot commodity last year, starting the year with the Flyers and then moving to the Avalanche in a deadline deal. He had a career-high 29 points in 81 regular-season outings and added 150 shots on goal, 127 blocked shots and 116 hits for some well-rounded production. He priced himself out of Colorado's budget, but the Hurricanes were able to get his signature at a $3.6 million cap hit after a lot of turnover on their blue line. Walker is a fine on-ice defenseman and doesn't weigh down fantasy rosters in any one area, but he's not going to be a driving force either. He'll likely fill a bottom-four role with the Hurricanes, and he's unlikely to see power-play time, so he's only an option in deeper formats.

Walker rebounded from a torn ACL which limited him to just six games in 2021-22, appearing in 70 of 82 regular-season contests for the Kings last season. His offensive contributions were minimal (three goals, 13 points), and his production in secondary categories (94 shots, 77 hits, 104 blocked shots) wasn't much better, but Walker is in line to open the upcoming year as a potential top-four rearguard for the Flyers following his acquisition in early June. Look elsewhere on draft day -- the potential increase in role is likely to be offset by the poor team around him.

Expected to be a key piece of the Los Angeles defense core last season, Walker lasted six games and a handful of shifts before tearing both his ACL and MCL against the Blues in late October. It obviously sidelined him for the remainder of the year, which was a shame because Walker would have had a chance at a major role given the Kings' surprising run to the playoffs combined with the injury to Drew Doughty. The lone blessing is that Walker suffered the ailment early in the year, so he should be at full health come training camp. The 27-year-old still isn't a fantasy option, but he should help Los Angeles win hockey games in 2022-23.

Walker has developed into a regular for the Kings, which is already a massive victory considering he went undrafted. In 117 games over the past two seasons, Walker has 10 goals and 42 points, in addition to a minus-25 rating. The plus-minus rating is obviously concerning, but it's more reflective of the lack of depth on the Los Angeles roster as opposed to anything Walker is doing wrong. The 26-year-old should continue to see regular minutes for the Kings, but his offensive upside will remain limited.

Walker took the long road to the NHL, going undrafted out of college and needing to prove himself for a season in the AHL before even getting an entry-level contract, but his hard work paid off when the Kings inked him to a four-year extension in September. The 26-year-old isn't the most defensively-sound blueliner, but his offensive instincts and skills are good and he added a bit of a scoring spark to the team's back end last season behind Drew Doughty. Walker didn't see much power-play time last campaign, as coach Todd McLellan preferred to use a fourth forward on the point, but he could earn more shifts with the man advantage if that approach changes in 2020-21. Expect him to slot into a bottom-four pairing this year alongside someone like Matt Roy or Mikey Anderson, who can cover for Walker's occasional lapses in his own end.

Undrafted out of college, Walker has blossomed with the Kings since being signed in 2017. The 24-year-old has scored a solid 13 goals and 45 points in 86 AHL games over the last two years, and in his first crack at the NHL last season, he chipped in three goals and 10 points in 39 games. While he doesn't offer great size, he can skate and move the puck -- two things the organization has been lacking off the blue line -- and he's responsible in his own end. Walker will head into camp looking to secure a regular spot on the roster, and given the lack of skill behind Drew Doughty in the Kings' defensive corps, he could get some opportunities on the power play even if he doesn't win a top-four role at even strength.