Tatar's first season with the Devils did not go well. He managed just 30 points in 76 games in addition to finishing with a horrific minus-22 rating. The plus-minus rating should stabilize assuming New Jersey is able to improve as a team some this coming year, but the Devils added multiple forwards this offseason, meaning Tatar is at risk of a decreased role if the scoring doesn't pick up. The 31-year-old posted 45-plus points in five of six seasons from 2014-15 to 2019-20, so a minor rebound certainly cannot be ruled out.
Tatar had a very interesting 2020-21 campaign. His final offensive numbers were reasonable (10 goals, 30 points, eight-power play points in 50 games), but he missed five games in the middle of the season with an upper-body injury before missing the Habs' final 17 postseason contests with an undisclosed injury. Tatar didn't score a single goal in 17 games prior to the shelving and his ice time had dropped. At the time of this writing, Tatar remains an unrestricted free agent. It's difficult to project him moving forward given the fact we don't know where he will play in addition to not knowing how serious his injury was/is. The risk isn't worth the reward here.
Tatar was great in his second season with the Canadiens, leading the team in scoring with a career-high 61 points (22 goals, 39 assists), 14 of which came on the power play, while firing 162 shots on net in just 68 games. The 29-year-old winger doesn't move the needle much from a physical standpoint -- he only had 79 hits and 24 blocked shots last season -- but he can be counted on for at least 20 goals and 50 points over the course of a full campaign, making him a solid addition to any virtual roster in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts. He's expected to continue skating on Montreal's top line and first power-play unit in 2020-21, so there's no reason to believe he'll take a step back during his age-30 season.
Tatar was one of the unheralded offseason acquisitions that paid big dividends for the Canadiens in 2018-19. He was essentially considered a throw-in piece that Montreal accepted in order to land prized prospect Nick Suzuki from Vegas in exchange for Max Pacioretty last September. Tatar went on to score 25 goals -- logging his fifth straight season with at least 20 scores -- while posting a career-high 58 points in 80 games. If the Canadiens can fix their anemic power play this season, which ranked 30th at 13.2% last year, Tatar could realistically reach 30 goals for the first time in his career. The 28-year-old winger scored just four power-play goals last season, his lowest total since 2013. He was a plus player defensively, too, registering a team-high plus-21 rating. Tatar is expected to return to the Habs' top line along with Philip Danault and Brendan Gallagher this campaign, and should be considered a lock for 20-plus goals and 55-plus points during fantasy drafts this year.
Tatar failed to impress in Vegas after being traded by the Red Wings at the 2018 trade deadline. He managed just four goals in 20 regular-season games and was scratched frequently during the team's Stanley Cup run. Plenty of players thrived playing for the NHL's newest franchise, but Tatar just wasn't one of them. The 27-year-old forward was a 20-goal-scorer with the Red Wings and could become so again following his trade to Montreal. A top-six role and power-play time would really make the sniper a prime candidate for a bounce-back campaign. With the Habs in somewhat of a rebuild after a down year, Tatar is a bit of a wildcard entering 2018-19, but the Slovakian forward possesses some serious skill and could be a gamble worth taking.
In 2016-17, Tatar led the way for Detroit with 25 goals while stretching his streak of 45-plus points to three seasons. A focus for the Czech winger this past offseason was securing a multi-year contract extension, as he narrowly avoided an arbitration decision by settling on a deal worth $21.2 million over four years. While the Wings finished with a team shooting percentage of 8.5 percent in 2016-17, that figure rose to 9.9 when Tatar took shifts in 5-on-5 situations. He may be overlooked this campaign as a byproduct of the Wings experiencing a rare down year, but the 26-year-old’s speed, versatility and natural scoring touch make him a dangerous top-six weapon for a team that probably won't require a complete rebuild to revert back to respectability.
Tatar was among several Red Wings who regressed in the 2015-16 campaign, but it was less a Wile E. Coyote cliff fall than a modest dip commonly seen from players adjusting to a new bench boss. Operating under first-time head coach Jeff Blashill, Tatar ended up exceeding the 20-20 mark for the second consecutive season, notching 21 goals and 24 helpers, with 15 of those points coming on the man advantage. Detroit has since beefed up its forward cast by adding Frans Nielsen and Thomas Vanek in free agency to counter the loss of Pavel Datsyuk. As a result, Tatar could have a hard time cementing himself in a top-six role, though we can't see him falling below the 14-minute mark, either – he's too efficient for that kind of treatment. Consider selecting the crafty Tatar in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts.
Tatar put himself on the fantasy radar with 19 goals in 2013-14, but he completely blew down the door this past season. The 24-year-old pumped up his production to 29 goals -- nine of which came on the power play, and seven of which were game winners -- to go along with 27 assists in 82 games. That performance solidifies Tatar in the Wings' top-six ranks for both the upcoming campaign and many seasons to follow, giving the team a solid young nucleus of him, Gustav Nyquist, Riley Sheahan, Teemu Pulkkinen, and eventually, top prospects Anthony Mantha and Dylan Larkin. While he may only be 5-foot-10, Tatar's dynamic offensive abilities and presence aongside veteran centers in Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, or Brad Richards should allow the scoring opportunities to continue to trickle in at a steady clip. Tatar is the real deal and definitely has a 30-goal year in him -- a feat he could accomplish as early as this season.
Tatar scored 19 goals and 20 assists in a breakout effort for the Wings last season, taking part in 73 games. The 23-year-old displayed a knack for offense alongside Gustav Nyquist, and should be a force in Detroit for years to come. He has the potential to be a 50-plus point scorer and is a decent sleeper pick in drafts. Those who are a part of keeper pools should take note: much like many Red Wings before him, his development has been according to formula. A continuation of last year's stellar play is likely in the cards for him.
Fresh off winning the postseason MVP for the AHL champion Griffins, Tatar is likely hoping for bigger and better things in 2013-14. He scored an incredible 16 goals in the AHL playoffs in 24 games, and had seven points in 16 games with Detroit last season. He is probably the Red Wings' top prospect and will get a good, hard look in training camp this fall. In the next year or two, Tatar should be residing in Detroit as a top-six forward, but there is currently a glut of forwards in the organization.
Tatar delivered another 24-goal season at Grand Rapids (AHL) and there's reason to believe that he may be closing in on an opportunity in Detroit. Now 21, it's unclear if he'll develop enough of an all-around game to make that leap permanently out of training camp, but Tatar is one of the more experienced prospects in the Wings' system and the team's need for secondary scoring may pave his way to a top-six role before season's end.
Tatar lit the lamp in his NHL debut for the Wings on New Year's Eve last season, but failed to register another point while holding a depth role for the big club during a nine-game stint. Still just 20 years old, the Slovakian winger has the speed and hands to develop into a top-line sniper in the not-so-distant future. Tatar spent most of his season with Grand Rapids (AHL), racking up 57 points (24 G, 33 A) over 70 games and improving his plus/minus to a plus-14 mark last season. Depth in Detroit will likely keep him in the AHL for one more season, but he could become a part of the regular plans in 2012-13 with many of the aging veterans coming off the books.
Most scouting reports of Tatar are nothing short of glowing. His future appears to be that of a scoring-line sniper, as he's got a combination of top-end speed and excellent hands along with a knack for always being in position to make things happen with the puck. At 19, he's going to return to Grand Rapids (AHL) to continue refining his game – particularly, in the defensive end – but in long-term keeper leagues, there's definite star potential here. Coming up through the Red Wings' system, he may have to be worked in slowly like most of the team's young players (see: Abdelkader, Justin), but Tatar was very productive as the youngest player in the AHL last season (32 points in 58 games) and a 2011-2012 debut with the Wings isn't out of the question.
Tatar has impressed the Wings after being drafted in the second round of the 2009 draft. At 18, he's still a little ways away from cracking a deep lineup in Detroit, but Tatar is an elite talent and the Red Wings are going to develop him in North America at Plymouth (OHL) or possibly Grand Rapids (AHL) to begin his time in the organization. Assistant general manager Jim Nil compared to Tatar to Jiri Hudler, but with better speed. With that skill set, he could wind up landing as a sniping winger on one of the team's scoring lines down the road.
