The NHL season is quickly approaching, which means you’re doing some last minute fantasy hockey planning. Well, you aren’t alone. Thousands of fantasy hockey addicts are putting the finishing touches on their pre-draft layouts, projections, and war sheets, in an attempt to claim the players they feel will give them a shot at the ultimate fantasy prize; bragging rights. Unfortunately, many fantasy players suffer from deadly cases of draft-delusion, which can, unfortunately, lead to the drafting of a player that will end up on your leagues waiver roster the next morning. In order to feel fully prepared for a fantasy hockey draft, you’ll need to study, read, project, and analyze. Fortunately for you, this article will help prepare you for the worst, and make you the best.
A Glimpse into the Future: Fantasy Hockey Projections
First, lets take a look at the National Hockey League’s top dogs from 1-50:
1. Alex Ovechkin
Projection: 80 points
2. Sidney Crosby
Projection: 97 points
3. John Tavares
Projection: 80 points
4. Steven Stamkos
Projection: 85 points
5. Tyler Seguin
Projection: 82 points
6. Jamie Benn
Projection: 78 points
7. Claude Giroux
Projection: 76 points
8. Carey Price
Projection: 41 points
9. Evgeni Malkin
Projection: 80 points
10. Patrick Kane
Projection: 78 points
11. Corey Perry
Projection: 71 points
12. Vladimir Tarasenko
Projection: 81 points
13. Erik Karlsson
Projection: 75 points
14. Ryan Getzlaf
Projection: 77 points
15. Phil Kessel
Projection: 78 points
16. Joe Pavelski
Projection: 72 points
17. Henrik Lundqvist
Projection: 32 points
18. Jakub Voracek
Projection: 77 points
19. Max Pacioretty
Projection: 69 points
20. P.K. Subban
Projection: 56 points
21. Rick Nash
Projection: 57 points
22. Jonathan Toews
Projection: 68 points
23. Pekka Rinne
Projection: 37 points
24. Ryan Johansen
Projection: 78 points
25. Zach Parise
Projection: 65 points
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26. Braden Holtby
27. Nicklas Backstrom
28. Tyler Johnson
29. Blake Wheeler
30. Marc-Andre Fleury
31. Taylor Hall
32. Anze Kopitar
33. Kris Letang
34. Logan Couture
35. Dustin Byfuglien
36. Daniel Sedin
37. Henrik Zetterberg
38. Jonathan Quick
39. Kevin Shattenkirk
40. David Backes
41. Ben Bishop
42. Shea Weber
43. Nikita Kucherov
44. Tuukka Rask
45. Connor McDavid
46. Alexander Steen
47. Marian Hossa
48. Mark Giordano
49. Victor Hedman
50. Gabriel Landeskog
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Now, lets address the elephant in the room. If you took the time to study the list above, you would come to notice that Connor McDavid is already ranked as the 45th best player in the National Hockey League, which is where he’s expected to be if he lives up to his season projections. When it comes to you’re fantasy draft, however, be wary of drafting this young-gun too early. Young players, especially McDavid, face a boat load of pressure throughout their rookie year. Many succeed, but others bite the dust, which further proves their fantasy in predictability.
Phil Kessel is expected to have a bounce back year, thanks to a trade to Pittsburgh and a welcome gift of a new line that consists of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Players to BEWARE of when a trade offer comes rolling in:
Jiri Hudler- Do not expect Hudler to be a top-eight scorer.
Ryan Callahan- Injury prone, scores points off of Stamkos. Health is on the decline.
Nick Foligno- Will have to battle Brandon Saad for a spot on the first line. Expect his scoring to hover in the 60 point range.
Trevor Daley- Regression is suspect with Daley. Not necessarily a player you want to draft. Will probably cycle in and out of you’re league’s free agency roster.
Dennis Wideman- Known to play a lot of minutes, but with Dougie Hamilton’s arrival in Calgary, Wideman won’t be seeing the ice as much, which will reduce his scoring and overall value.
