{"id":16611,"date":"2017-09-29T07:00:52","date_gmt":"2017-09-29T11:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=16611"},"modified":"2017-09-29T03:01:25","modified_gmt":"2017-09-29T07:01:25","slug":"2017-18-fantasy-hockey-series-top-50-right-wingers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2017\/09\/29\/2017-18-fantasy-hockey-series-top-50-right-wingers\/","title":{"rendered":"2017-18 Fantasy Hockey Series: Top 50 Right Wings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today we scour the right side of the ice in search of the best right wings to target for your 2017-18 NHL Fantasy league teams. Our first list looked at\u00a0your best centre options<\/a>, followed by the Top 50 Left Wings<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This list will cover the top 50 right wings in the NHL going into the season, with special attention on the top 10. Projected goals, assists, powerplay points and total points are included. Past performance and projections for the 2017-18 season are weighed carefully. Where ever possible, a player\u2019s last three professional seasons are taken into account. In addition, injury history, powerplay time and projected line-mates are considered. Projections are based on 82 games except where otherwise noted.<\/p>\n

2017-18 Fantasy Hockey Series: Top 50 Rights Wings<\/h1>\n

Top 50 NHL Right Wings<\/h4>\n

1. Patrick Kane<\/a> – Chicago Blackhawks<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Once again, Patrick Kane looks like the best NHL right winger. Over a point-per-game through 10 seasons, a 12.4 shooting percentage and still an elite powerplay quarterback, there is little reason to believe Kane will begin to falter this year. Even if Chicago takes a few steps back, expect Kane to put up 80-plus points once again.<\/p>\n

2017-18 \u00a0Projection: 31 G, 56 A, 87 PTS, 26 PPP<\/strong><\/p>\n

2. Nikita Kucherov <\/a>– Tampa Bay Lightning\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

For the first time in years, Kane has someone nipping on his heels as the NHL’s top right winger. A huge season for Kucherov saw him put up 40 goals and 45 assists to lead the Lightning in scoring. His 32 powerplay points were good for third most in the league as well. A healthy Steven Stamkos <\/a><\/strong>should also compliment Kucherov’s game and vault him into the league’s elite.<\/p>\n

2017-18 \u00a0Projection: 41 G, 43 A, 84 PTS, 30 PPP<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. Vladimir Tarasenko<\/a> – St. Louis Blues<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

It may surprise some to know that Tarasenko is still only 25 years old. Going into his sixth season, Tarasenko has been a very consistent scorer and point producer. Putting up 73, 74, and 75 in the past three seasons, Tarasenko has been knocking on the door of the NHL’s elite for a few years. The acquisition of\u00a0Brayden Schenn<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>should help the Blues powerplay and perhaps push Tarasenko’s game even further.<\/p>\n

2017-18 \u00a0Projection: 37 G, 43 A, 80 PTS, 26 PPP<\/strong><\/p>\n

4. Patrik Laine\u00a0<\/a>– Winnipeg Jets<\/strong><\/p>\n

The NHL’s next great goal scorer took the league by storm last year with 36 goals and 28 assists, good for 64 points on the season. Laine’s shot had been lauded by scouts for years and he did not disappoint in his rookie season, shooting at 17.6%. The young Finn will line up on one of the league’s most talented offensive lines this year, and with a year of experience under his belt his potential is exceptional. Even if his high shooting percentage drops, he should get more than the 204 shots he had last season, so don’t expect his goal totals to drop.<\/p>\n

2017-18 \u00a0Projection: 44 G, 35 A, 79 PTS, 25 PPP<\/strong><\/p>\n

5. Phil Kessel<\/a> – Pittsburgh Penguins\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Phil Kessel quietly produced again last year, tallying 70 points in another full 82 game season. He has been a very reliable scorer and has not missed a game since being traded to Toronto in 2009. He had 47 assists, with 22 coming on the powerplay, to demonstrate his playmaking talent, which sometimes took a backseat to his elite shot. Either way, Kessel is an elite fantasy right wing and a great early pick on a strong Penguins team.<\/p>\n

2017-18 \u00a0Projection: 32 G, 40 A, 72 PTS, 23 PPP<\/strong><\/p>\n

6. David Pastrnak<\/a> – Boston Bruins<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

David Pastrnak burst onto the scene last season alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron on Boston’s top line. His 262 shots found the back of the net 34 times. Being paired with such talent should ensure his value as a fantasy player, and another 70 point season is a possibility. And with a new six-year contract signed over the off-season, he will have nothing distracting him from repeating last years success.<\/p>\n

2017-18 \u00a0Projection: 35 G, 36 A, 71 PTS, 24 PPP<\/strong><\/p>\n

7.\u00a0Mikael Granlund<\/a>\u00a0– Minnesota Wild<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Granlund’s fourth full season saw him breakout in a great way. 26 goals and 69 points led a stellar Minnesota Wild team in scoring. Granlund had three prior years of sustainable and consistent production before taking control and becoming a premier playmaker. A 14.7% shooting percentage raises some flags, as it was much higher than his 8% career average. But don’t let this dissuade you, as he took the most shots of his career last year and his playmaking talent will more than make up for any drop in goal scoring.<\/p>\n

2017-18 \u00a0Projection: 23 G, 47 A, 70 PTS, 23 PPP<\/strong><\/p>\n

8. William Nylander <\/a>– Toronto Maple Leafs<\/strong><\/p>\n

After a short stint in 2015, William Nylander stood out as part of Toronto’s 2016 rookie triumvirate. Playing most of his season with Auston Matthews, Nylander’s play improved steadily throughout the year. He had 35 points in the second half of the season and looked excellent on Matthews’ wing at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs. He scored 26 points with the man advantage to lead the Leafs. If Nylander and Matthews can continue with their chemistry, Nylander is poised for a great 2017 season.<\/p>\n

2017-18 \u00a0Projection: 30 G, 38 A, 68 PTS, 24 PPP<\/strong><\/p>\n

9. Joe Pavelski<\/a> – San Jose Sharks<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

You would think it’s only a matter of time before Joe Pavelski begins to see his numbers drop. Last season’s 68 points was his lowest total since 2011. A poor 2016-17 from Joe Thornton and the departure of Patrick Marleau don’t help Pavelski’s situation, either. At 33 years old, the bruising forward’s physical game may begin to catch up to him. Even still, Pavelski looks like San Jose’s best forward, and should have plenty of opportunity to produce once again this season.<\/p>\n

2017-18 \u00a0Projection: 29 G, 36 A, 65 PTS, 23 PPP<\/strong><\/p>\n

10.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Alexander Radulov<\/a>\u00a0– Dallas Stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Dallas Stars brought in Alexander Radulov to help restart their offense. His return to the NHL saw Radulov put up 54 points with a sluggish Montreal offense. Playing with\u00a0Jamie Benn<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Tyler Seguin<\/a>\u00a0should help Radulov pick up a few more points. He drove possession with a 54% CF in Montreal and should continue to produce offensive opportunities with two elite linemates in Dallas.<\/p>\n

2017-18 \u00a0Projection: 26 G, 37 A, 63 PTS, 24 PPP<\/strong><\/p>\n

A strong top ten gives you plenty of options through the first 5 or 6 rounds. The right side of the ice will see plenty of top end skill again this year, though the value dwindles towards the bottom of our list.<\/p>\n

Top 50 Right Wings (11-50)<\/h4>\n

11. Mitchell Marner<\/a> – Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a> – 23 G, 40 A, 63 PTS, 23 PPP<\/p>\n

12. Blake Wheeler<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Winnipeg Jets\u00a0– 25 G, 38 A, 63 PTS, 17 PPP<\/p>\n

13.\u00a0Mark Stone<\/a> – Ottawa Senators<\/a>\u00a0– 23 G, 39 A, 62 PTS, 19 PPP<\/p>\n

14. Cam Atkinson<\/a> – Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a> – 32 G, 29 A, 61 PTS, 16 PPP<\/p>\n

15. Jordan Eberle<\/a>\u00a0– New York Islanders – 28 G, 33 A, 61 PTS, 17 PPP<\/p>\n

16. Corey Perry<\/a> – Anaheim Ducks<\/a> – 28 G, 31 A, 59 PTS, 22 PPP<\/p>\n

17. Wayne Simmonds<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Philadelphia Flyers<\/a>\u00a0– 29 G, 28 A, 57 PTS, 21 PPP<\/p>\n

18.\u00a0Kyle Okposo<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Buffalo Sabres\u00a0<\/a>– 20 G, 37 A, 57 PTS, 22 PPP<\/p>\n

19. Charlie Coyle<\/a>\u00a0– Minnesota Wild – 19 G, 38 A, 57 PTS, 11 PTS<\/p>\n

20. Sam Reinhart<\/a> – Buffalo Sabres <\/a>– 20 G, 36 A, 56 PTS, 20 PPP<\/p>\n

21. Mats Zuccarello<\/a> – New York Rangers<\/a> – 19 G, 37 A, 56 PTS, 14 PPP<\/p>\n

22. Kyle Palmieri<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0New Jersey Devils<\/a>\u00a0– 27 G, 27 A, 54 PTS, 18 PPP<\/p>\n

23. T.J. Oshie<\/a> – Washington Capitals – 25 G, 29 A, 54 PTS, 15 PPP<\/p>\n

24. Conor Sheary<\/a> – Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> – 25 G, 29 A, 54 PTS, 16 PPP<\/p>\n

25. Elias Lindholm<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Carolina Hurricanes<\/a> – 19 G, 35 A, 54 PTS, 18 PPP<\/p>\n

26.\u00a0Jakob Silfverberg<\/a> – Anaheim Ducks<\/a>\u00a0– 25 G, 28 A, 53 PTS, 13 PPP<\/p>\n

27. Tyler Toffoli<\/a> – Los Angeles Kings<\/a> – 24 G, 28 A, 52 PTS, 10 PPP<\/p>\n

28. Evgenii Dadonov<\/a> – Florida Panthers<\/a> – 19 G, 32 A, 51 PTS, 12 PPP<\/p>\n

29.\u00a0Gustav Nyquist\u00a0<\/a>– Detroit Red Wings<\/a> – 21 G, 29 A, 50 PTS, 9 PPP<\/p>\n

30. Brock Boeser<\/a> – Vancouver Canucks<\/a> – 23 G, 26 A, 49 PTS, 14 PPP<\/p>\n

31. Ryan Strome<\/a>\u00a0– Edmonton Oilers<\/a> – 19 G, 30 A, 49 PTS, 13 PPP<\/p>\n

32. Joshua Ho-Sang<\/a> – New York Islanders<\/a> – 19 G, 28 A, 47 PTS, 10 PPP<\/p>\n

33. Anthony Mantha<\/a> – Detroit Red Wings<\/a>\u00a0– 24 G, 22 A, 46 PTS, 12 PPP<\/p>\n

34. Radim Vrbata<\/a> – Florida Panthers<\/a> – 19 G, 27 A, 42 PTS, 13 PPP<\/p>\n

35. Rick Nash <\/a>– New York Rangers<\/a> – 24 G, 20 A, 44 PTS, 8 PPP<\/p>\n

36. Bobby Ryan<\/a>\u00a0– Ottawa Senators<\/a> – 22 G, 22 A, 44 PTS, 6 PPP<\/p>\n

37. Mikko Rantanen<\/a> – Colorado Avalanche<\/a> -21 G, 23 A, 44 PTS, 9 PPP<\/p>\n

38. Patrick Eaves\u00a0<\/a>– Anaheim Ducks<\/a> – 21 G, 22 A, 43 PTS, 14 PPP<\/p>\n

39.\u00a0Michael Frolik<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Calgary Flames<\/a>\u00a0-19 G, 23 A, 42 PTS, 8 PPP<\/p>\n

40.\u00a0Brendan Gallagher<\/a> – Montreal Canadiens<\/a> – 18 G, 23 A, 41 PTS, 11 PPP<\/p>\n

41. Dylan Larkin<\/a>\u00a0– Detroit Red Wings<\/a> – 20 G, 21 A, 41 PTS, 8 PPP<\/p>\n

42. Jakub Vrana<\/a>\u00a0– Washington Hurricanes – 17 G, 24 A, 41 PTS, 11 PPP<\/p>\n

43. Drake Caggiula<\/a> – Edmonton Oilers<\/a> – 18 G, 22 A, 40 PTS<\/p>\n

44. Justin Williams<\/a> – Carolina Hurricanes<\/a> – 18 G, 21 A, 39 PTS, 10 PPP<\/p>\n

45. Micheal Ferland<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Calgary Flames<\/a>\u00a0– 17 G, 22 A, 39 PTS, 6 PPP<\/p>\n

46. Patrick Sharp<\/a> – Chicago Blackhawks<\/a> – 17 G, 21 A, 38 PTS, 12 PPP<\/p>\n

47. Ales Hemsky<\/a> – Montreal Canadiens <\/a>– 13 G, 23 A, 36 PTS, 5 PPP<\/p>\n

48. Richard Panik<\/a>\u00a0– Chicago Blackhawks<\/a> – 16 G, 19 A, 35 PTS, 6 PPP<\/p>\n

49. Jesse Puljujarvi<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Edmonton Oilers<\/a>\u00a0– 15 G, 18 A, 33 PTS, 4 PPP<\/p>\n

50. Oliver Bjorkstrand<\/a> – Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a> – 14 G, 18 A, 32 PTS, 2 PPP<\/p>\n

Other players to consider and\/or keep an eye on include Travis Konecny<\/a>, Connor Brown<\/a>, Joonas Donskoi<\/a>, Artturri Lehkonen<\/a>,\u00a0Nail Yakupov<\/a>, Leo Komarov<\/a>\u00a0and Loui Eriksson<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So there you have your top 50 NHL right wings for the 2017-18 season. Judge and plan accordingly for your drafts, as right wings of value are few and far between towards the bottom of the list.<\/p>\n

Soon to come, the top 50 NHL Defencemen and Top 30 NHL Goalies.<\/p>\n

Main Photo:<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>