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Over the next few weeks, RotoBaller will be kicking off the NHL offseason with a feature breaking down the top 100 player rankings heading into the 2018-2019 fantasy hockey season.
The top 100 rankings will be released in six segments, starting from the bottom (100-81) and concluding with a two-piece set featuring our top 20 players for next season. The rankings are subject to change throughout the off-season as the NHL Entry Draft and ensuing free agency period can alter player outlooks.
Note: Rankings are determined considering a standard Yahoo league format (goals, assists, plus-minus, power play points, shots on goal and hits for skaters; wins, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts for goalies).
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Top 100 Fantasy Hockey Rankings for 2018-2019 (10-1)
Fresh off signing a sparkling eight-year, $78.8 million extension to remain in Dallas, Tyler Seguin's bank account will soon be just as impressive as his production. Since getting traded from Boston to Dallas prior to the 2013-2014 season, Seguin has established himself as one of the most productive forwards in the league – ranking second in goals (173), seventh in points (384), third in shots (1488), and fourth in power play goals (56) over that time period. Looking back at the 2017-2018 season alone, the Ontario native set career highs in goals (40), penalty minutes (43), power play goals (14), shots (335), and average time-on-ice (20:55). At 26-years-old, Seguin has embraced the responsibility of being a franchise center and has managed to elevate his game from not only being an elite scorer, but an all-around, complete player. Having formed excellent chemistry with fellow superstar Jamie Benn, Seguin looks primed to prove he's more than deserving of his generous extension and should sit near the top of the league leaderboard in scoring once again in 2018-2019.
Checking in at number nine on our preseason rankings is Tyler Seguin's running-mate, Jamie Benn. Since breaking into the NHL as a 21-year-old during the 2009-2010 campaign, Benn has grown to become one of the most complete (and most valuable) fantasy players this league has to offer. Over the past five seasons, the Stars' captain has produced an average of 81 points (35 goals, 46 assists), 62 penalty minutes, 24 power play points, 244 shots, and 124 hits each season. As displayed by his average annual production, Benn is unique in that he can be counted on as a consistent point-per-game player, while also offering outstanding peripheral stats. Expected to saddle up with the aforementioned Seguin and Alexander Radulov, Benn should once again put up another strong campaign this season.
Coming into the 2017-2018 season, Nathan MacKinnon was quite possibly the biggest mystery in fantasy hockey. A former first-overall pick, MacKinnon had yet to live up to the lofty expectations following his extraordinary 63-point rookie season. However, in his fifth NHL season in 2017-2018, MacKinnon finally put it all together, finishing fifth in the league with 97 points (39 goals, 58 assists) to go along with a +11 rating, 32 power play points, and 284 shots on net in 74 games. Only Connor McDavid had a higher point-per-game number than MacKinnon (1.31) last season. The explosive center’s individual development played a major role in the Avalanche escaping the league's basement and making the playoffs. His success was recognized with a second-place finish (behind Taylor Hall) in the Hart Trophy race. Having just turned 23-years-old in September, it's important to remember that we likely haven't even seen MacKinnon's best yet. Fully expect MacKinnon to find himself again in the Hart conversation with another big season in 2018-2019.
There are few players that have entered their rookie season with more hype than Auston Matthews. That excitement only grew following a four-goal NHL debut to open the 2016-2017 season. Matthews then topped off that first NHL game with a Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie, having posted 69 points (40 goals, 29 assists) in a full 82 games. While missing time in his second season (2017-2018) due to various injuries, the 21-year-old posted his first point-per-game season (63 points in 62 games) to go along with 13 power play points and 187 shots on goal. Plain and simple, Matthews is a generational talent. With the arrival of big-ticket free agent John Tavares this summer and another NHL season under his belt, Matthews should take another leap forward in 2018-2019. If he can avoid substantial injury this time around, it's not crazy to imagine Matthews pushing for a second place finish in the scoring race (behind Connor McDavid) in just his third NHL season.
After cementing himself as one of the most dangerous goal scorers of this decade, Steven Stamkos decided to shift his focus on distributing last season. The shift in preference with the puck resulted in a career-high in assists (59) and his highest point total (86) since the 2011-2012 season. Playing on a team that is a true Cup contender, Stamkos and linemate Nikita Kucherov have emerged as perhaps the league's most efficient duo in the NHL today. While the former first-overall draft pick may have increased his focus on passing, he still possesses an absolutely lethal shot and fires the puck on net in high volume (212 shots last season). If Stamkos' shooting percentage can return anywhere near his career average (16.7% vs 12.7% in 2017-2018), the Lightning captain could be a real candidate to join the century club in points for the first time next season.
Ever since breaking into the league in the 2006-2007 season, there's been no denying that Evgeni Malkin is one of the most prolific scorers of this era with his 930 points (370 goals, 560 assists) in 784 career games. Since his NHL debut, Malkin has posted the third-best points-per-game (1.19). When you take Malkin with one of your top fantasy picks, there's no doubt that you are getting an elite scorer. However, the main factor into why he doesn't typically sit near the top of fantasy hockey rankings is a long history of injuries. In fact, the powerful Russian center has dressed for more than 70 games in four of his 10 career seasons (excluding the lockout) prior to 2017-2018. Well, using last season as evidence, hopefully Malkin's extended time on injured reserve is a thing of the past. The 2004, second-overall draft pick put together an outstanding full season (78 games) in 2017-2018, posting 98 points (42 goals, 56 assists) to go along with a plus-16 rating, 87 penalty minutes, 28 power play points, 239 shots, and 48 hits. In leagues counting both penalty and hits, Malkin skated to a number one overall ranking, providing immense value to fantasy owners who are able to snag him at his average second-round draft position. Of course, it’s no guarantee that the 32-year-old can stay healthy all season, but, if he can, he’ll likely provide what he has done each NHL season he's participated in: elite production.
Having Sidney Crosby (arguably the greatest all-around player in the world) at #4 almost seems wrong. Three Stanley Cup Rings. 1,116 career points (411 goals, 705 assists) in 864 games. Five different 100-point seasons. This is where I inform you that Crosby checking in at the fourth spot on the rankings is in no way a knock on his game. In fact, the Penguin's captain put up a very impressive 89-point (29 goals, 60 assists) campaign in 80 games just last season. In addition, Crosby still offers strong peripheral stats (considering his elite offensive production) as highlighted by his 46 penalty minutes, 38 power play points, 247 shots and 75 hits. Playing on a deeply talented Pittsburgh team, he should return rested after his longest offseason over the last three. While Crosby might not be the most valuable player in fantasy hockey, he should once again post another point-per-game season in 2018-2019 and should finish in the top five or top ten in league scoring.
Nikita Kucherov has officially joined the big boys of fantasy hockey, ladies and gents. With consecutive point-per-game seasons, the Russian winger has developed into one of the most lethal scorers in the NHL. Kucherov closed out his 2017-2018 season amongst the league leaders in each of the following categories: third in points (100), 11th in goals (39), sixth in assists (61), sixth in power play points (36), and ninth in shots (279). The 5'11", 179 pound winger is absolutely dynamic with the puck on his stick and has flourished pairing up with fellow top scorer Steven Stamkos on the Lightning's top line/first power play unit. At just 25-years-old, Kucherov is just now starting to enter into the prime of his career. With the Lightning expected to contend for a Cup once again in 2018-2019, look for Kucherov to maintain his status as one of the league's top point producers.
It’s hard to imagine Alex Ovechkin having a better year than he did in 2017-2018. Ovechkin took home his first Stanley Cup, the Conn Smythe (15 goals, 12 assists in 24 playoff contests), and a Rocket Richard Trophy (49 goals). He then topped it all off with one of the more memorable off-seasons of all-time. Following a disappointing (by his standards) 2016-2017 campaign, the 33-year-old proved that he is nowhere close to hitting any kind of decline by posting an individual stat line of 86 points (49 goals, 38 assists), +3 rating, 32 penalty minutes, 31 power play points, 355 shots, and 139 hits. Add all of that up and you get the second most valuable player in all of fantasy hockey (in leagues counting hits). In his 13 NHL seasons, the Russian winger has established himself as quite possibly the greatest goal-scorer of all-time (607 goals in 1,003 games). In addition, Ovechkin is easily the most complete fantasy hockey player we've ever seen (eight straight non-lockout seasons of 65+ points, 300+ shots, 100+ hits) and there's no reason whatsoever why the Stanley Cup Champion won't finish near the top once again this upcoming season.
Checking in at the top spot of our preseason rankings is none other than 21-year-old superstar Connor McDavid. While it's still debatable whether or not McDavid has taken the flame from Sidney Crosby as the world's best player, it's almost uncontested that the Oilers' center has solidified himself as fantasy hockey's most valuable player. McDavid is coming off back-to-back 100-point seasons, including a 108 point (41 goals, 67 assists) campaign in 2017-2018. The 2015, first-overall draft pick's unprecedented combination of speed, hands, and vision enables him to single-handedly take over any game at any instant. It's not too often that a player can enter a season as a near lock for a scoring title (barring injury) and he seems destined to join the 100-point club for the third time in 2018-2019. If you're fortunate enough to land the number one overall pick in your league's upcoming draft, don't be tempted to stray away with anyone other than Connor McDavid.
Stay tuned for weekly positional (forwards, defensemen, goalies) ranking updates that will continue on throughout the entire 2018-2019 season.
