Thomas Chabot

A true workhorse on the Ottawa blueline, Chabot registered his third straight 25-assist season while averaging 26:17 worth of ice time per game, placing him tied second in the NHL behind Drew Doughty of the Kings. Of course, Chabot finished the season with a minus-15 rating before missing Ottawa's final four games due to an upper-body injury. There is no reason to think Chabot's role will change moving forward. He's a lock for production given the fact he sees well over three minutes worth of power-play time per game. The minus rating is a legitimate concern and it's something fantasy managers should keep in mind depending on the settings of their leagues, but few defenders in the game possess the offensive upside of Chabot.

Chabot is already a borderline top-10 keeper defender, but there's only so much a 55-point guy can do on a bargain-basement team. And that suppresses his single-year value in a big way. His production dropped to just 39 points in 71 games in 2019-20, but the Sens were more than bad. This year, they'll be young and hungry, and a bit better with Matt Murray in net. Expect Chabot to lead the Sens in scoring while starting to live up to his big-money contract. Just use caution if your league counts plus-minus and power-play production. The former will be an albatross on your roster; the latter will simply be hard to come by on a team that will struggle to score.

The 2015 first-round pick continued to grow in 2018-19, posting 14 goals and 55 points while firing 185 shots on net in 70 games. His shooting percentage dropped a full two points, but he still netted five more goals than he did in 2017-18 thanks to his doubled shot total. Of course, that tends to happen when one plays 600 more minutes than the previous campaign. Chabot should continue to log over 24 minutes of ice time per night in 2019-20 as the Senators continue to rebuild from the ground up, so a repeat performance is definitely attainable. If he stays healthy, the 22-year-old blueliner could eclipse the 15-goal and 60-point marks for the first time in his career this season.

Twenty-five points for a rookie blueliner is a pretty solid start to one's NHL career. But will Chabot continue his progression in 2018-19, or is he headed for a sophomore slump? It's a bit of a mixed situation given that the fate of Erik Karlsson is still up in the air and the Senators are certain to shift their defensemen once they get everything figured out. If Chabot earns the opportunity to play alongside the prolific Swede, he'll be in line for some solid numbers that'll render him draftable. The 21-year-old's numbers figure to be quite good, but his lack of experience at the top level combined with the giant question mark punctuated by Karlsson bakes plenty of risk into his season-long projection.

Chabot is the Senators’ top defensive prospect, and his skill as a two-way defenseman was on full display last season with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL. The 20-year-old defender racked up 45 points (10 goals, 35 assists) while posting an impressive plus-29 rating in 34 regular-season games before adding 23 points (five goals, 18 assists) while once again registering a plus-29 rating in 18 postseason contests with the Sea Dogs. Chabot was equally impressive as a member of Team Canada at this year’s World Junior Championships, tallying 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven games. The 2015 first-round pick is poised to be one of the NHL’s next great young defensemen, but he won't be handed an Opening Night roster spot with the big club this season. However, if he ends up spending the majority of the 2017-18 campaign with the Senators, he has the talent to establish himself as a valuable blue-line asset in fantasy immediately.

Chabot studies the game and benefits, improving every year as a member of the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL. The youngster was excellent in 2015-16, notching 11 goals and 34 helpers -- and 79 PIM -- in 47 contests, while also excelling in the playoffs with 21 points (three markers and 18 assists) in 17 games. The all-around defenseman was selected by the Senators in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, and has been nothing more than a stash-and-wait prospect for Ottawa to date, but they expect him to succeed in the NHL as a smart two-way blueliner in the very near future. Chabot has underestimated speed and puck finesse, and could benefit by learning from the likes of Erik Karlsson, Dion Phaneuf, and fellow young defenseman (and recently paid) Cody Ceci. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the 6-foot-2 skater suit up for a few NHL contests this year, pushing for a full-time roster spot as he adjusts to life in the big leagues.

The Senators picked up Chabot with the second of their first-round draft selections this past June. The blueliner really dug in this season after scouts suggested he wasn't first-round material, and he rocketed up draft charts as the season progressed. His best skills are his skating and his smarts, and he can really move the puck. In addition, Chabot uses his stick well in his zone and he's really hard to beat. He's one of those guys who makes things look far too easy and he'll be a fixture on the second-unit power play in four or five years.