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While he fell short of a 60-point campaign, Marchessault's 28 goals and 29 assists in 76 regular-season contests during the 2022-23 campaign is a solid representation of what he can do. He also turned himself into a playoff hero for Vegas, providing 13 goals and 25 points in 22 postseason contests last year to earn the Conn Smythe Trophy and help the Golden Knights capture the Cup. In addition to his offensive abilities, the winger is physical for his smaller stature, chipping in about a hit per game. Marchessault continues to shoot at a high volume, and he's converted at a 12.0 percent rate over the last two years as the scorer on the Golden Knights' second line. Entering the 2023-24 campaign, he's still got enough scoring pop to be worth a mid-round pick in fantasy. Even a down year would have him in the 20-goal, 45-point range.
Marchessault had a strange season. He scored a goal in Vegas' final game to reach the 30-goal plateau for the second time in his career. He also posted a career-best 20 points with the man advantage despite the fact he saw just 2:07 of power-play time per game, his lowest total since becoming a full-time NHL player in 2015-16. Marchessault has always been a high-volume shooter and that continued last year, as he fired 251 shots on goal. Vegas traded Max Pacioretty to Carolina this summer to open some cap space, but Mark Stone and Jack Eichel should be fully healthy, leaving Marchessault in a similar spot as past years, likely a second-tier offensive option for the Golden Knights and thus worthy of a mid-round fantasy pick.
Marchessault missed the 20-goal and 50-point marks in 2020-21, but that's likely a product of playing just 55 games in a shortened season. The Quebec native remains a consistent top-six option for the Golden Knights, and there should be little concern about his ability to get back over the 50-point mark with a full 82-game slate in 2021-22. The 30-year-old added 39 PIM and 44 hits last season -- he's always had a bit of a physical edge despite his smaller frame, but he actually toned it down a bit last year. Look for the forward to continue on the second line with center William Karlsson and winger Reilly Smith as one of Vegas' most consistent forward groups in the team's four-year history. That role should give Marchessault mid-round appeal in fantasy drafts, especially if his power-play production rebounds.
Marchessault finished fourth in team scoring with 47 points last year after leading Vegas with 59 in 2018-19. On paper, Marchessault's numbers dipped for the third straight season, but there was more competition for ice time and Vegas still doesn't have an elite center. Marchessault's pesky physical game is easily overlooked, and for three straight campaigns he's finished just one or two hits shy of joining an exclusive club of forwards who have at least 100 hits and 200 shots. He's still a high-volume shooter who can score at least 20 goals with relative ease, but until Vegas improves its depth at center, Marchessault's production will likely remain within his historical range, making him a solid mid-round pick.
Marchessault took a step back last year after racking up 27 goals and 75 points in 2017-18, notching 25 goals and 59 points in 82 contests, but that was still enough to make him a valuable fantasy asset in the vast majority of formats. The 28-year-old winger will once again be locked into a top-six role and a spot on the Golden Knights' first power-play unit in 2019-20, and shouldn't have any trouble eclipsing the 25-goal mark while threatening the 60-point threshold for a third consecutive campaign. Marchessault's consistency and stable role will make him a fine addition to any virtual roster this season.
After spending time with the Blue Jackets, Lightning and Panthers, Marchessault appears to have found a home in Vegas. The undrafted winger was a revelation in his first season with the Golden Knights after being left unprotected by the Panthers in the expansion draft. The speedy forward set a career high with 75 points (27 goals) in 77 regular-season games and played a critical role in Vegas reaching the Stanley Cup Final. Marchessault became a staple in the top six and on the power play, earning himself a six-year, $30 million contract in the process. While it's hard to see him improving significantly on his 2017-18 totals, the 27-year-old is in the prime of his career and has put up back-to-back 25-plus goal seasons, making another productive campaign seem likely.
An undersized and undrafted late bloomer, Marchessault exploded for a 30-goal, 51-point campaign in 2016-17 (albeit with a minus-21 rating), making him a rare bright spot for a Panthers club that struggled mightily. Now the question is whether that was a flash in the pan or a sign of bigger things to come. Claimed in the expansion draft, the 26-year-old will be one of the focal points of the Knights’ offense, and he may have to play a little center after being used sparingly down the middle by Florida. Only eight of Marchessault’s goals came on the power play, which is a sign that he can be highly effective at even strength, but he also rode a sky-high 15.5 shooting percentage, and that’s likely to regress some. Without any elite playmakers alongside him, it'll be very difficult for Marchessault to put on an offensive show, but last year's scoring didn't just come out of nowhere -- he was an All-Star and a nearly point-per-game performer in the AHL.
AHL sniper (45 goals and 131 points over the last two seasons) Audy-Marchessault likely doesn't have the size or physical game to translate his talent to the NHL, but he'll get at least another couple of chances to prove his doubters wrong.
A waterbug that made enough noise as an AHL rookie after going undrafted out of junior to get a look from the Blue Jackets. He's at least a year or two away from getting a look at the NHL level though, if he ever does.
