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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 (20-11)
As November came to a close last season, Brent Burns was shaping up to become a major fantasy draft bust. With just one goal (and 11 assists) in his first 23 games, many fantasy owners reasonably wondered if Burns' prime was coming to an end. The former Norris trophy winner then quickly silenced any doubters, rolling through the rest of the season with 56 points in his final 59 games. Burns' season total of 67 points (12 goals, 55 assists) placed him tied for second in scoring amongst all defenseman. Burns once again blew away all blueliners with 332 shots on goal and his 27 power play points ranked fourth at the position. Despite turning 34-years-old this season, Burns is still in the midst of his prime and should again threaten to be the most valuable player at his position in 2018-2019.
19) Andrei Vasilevskiy (G, TBL)
In his first full season as the official starting netminder in Tampa Bay, Andrei Vasilevskiy established himself as one of the league's top goaltenders. Rising to the league lead in wins (44) and shutouts (eight), Vasilevskiy posted a 2.62 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage in 2017-2018. Such a remarkable statistical season ended with the Russian goaltender's first ever nomination as a Vezina finalist. The 6'3", 207 pound puckstopper has tremendous quickness and athleticism in the crease. Playing for a Stanley Cup contender, Vasilevskiy should be primed for another monster season once again in 2018-2019.
After registering just 58 points two seasons ago, Claude Giroux recorded a career-season in 2017-2018. Shifting to left wing, Giroux's finished the season second in league scoring with 102 points (34 goals, 66 assists). Known as perhaps the most dangerous navigator of the half-wall on the man advantage, Giroux's immense step forward can be attributed to his commitment to working hard in all three zones (career-best plus-28 rating and 66 even-strength points (2nd in league)). At 30-years-old, Giroux has matured greatly over the past season, allowing him to gel perfectly alongside Sean Couturier and Jakub Voracek on the team's top line. While it's hard to project another visit to the century club (100 points) in 2018-2019, Giroux has proven he could very well push for another top five finish in league scoring.
It feels wrong to have the leading point getter (271 points in 246 games) over the last three seasons at #17 in the pre-season rankings. After an incredible run culminating in three Stanley Cup rings, Kane's Blackhawks have certainly taken a step back and the winger seemed affected by his team's lack of complimentary elite forward pieces last season. The crafty right-winger still had a strong season statistically but slipped down to 28th in league scoring with his 79 points (27 goals, 49 assists). Despite that, Kane remains one of the game’s most dangerous scorers and could push back into the NHL’s top ten leaders in scoring next season as the young talent surrounding him (such as Alex DeBrincat and Nick Schmaltz) progress offensively.
If you envisioned Taylor Hall hoisting the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player at the conclusion of the 2017-2018, you're either out of your mind or pure genius. After getting shipped out of Edmonton, the former number one overall draft pick's debut season in New Jersey in 2016-2017 wasn't particularly noteworthy. The speedy left-winger posted just 53 points in 72 games and the Devils sat near the basement of the league standings. Things changed in 2017-2018. In his eighth NHL season, Hall vaulted to the top of the league's leaderboard with 93 points (6th), 37 power play points (5th) and 278 shots on goal (10th). While Hall's numbers may decrease to the 80-point range next season due to an expected shooting percentage regression (2017-2018 14% vs career mark of 10.9%), he should remain an incredibly valuable fantasy asset playing at a very shallow left-wing position.
It appears that the days of being able to grab Blake Wheeler in the third or fourth round of fantasy drafts will soon come to a close. A perennial underrated right-winger, Wheeler put up a career-season in 2017-2018, highlighted by his 91 points (23 goals, 63 assists), 40 power play points, 246 shots and 94 hits. The Minnesota native has developed excellent chemistry on Winnipeg's top line with Mark Scheifele and has established himself as one of the premiere passers on the team's dangerous top power play unit. If Wheeler is still available on draft boards in the mid to late second round, his balanced production should return great value to fantasy owners.
Since entering the league as a rookie during the 2016-2017 season, only one player (Alex Ovechkin) has scored more goals than Patrick Laine (80 goals in 155 games). The 6’5”, 206 pound right-winger racked up 70 points (44 goals, 26 assists), a plus-8 rating, 31 power play points and 241 shots on goal in his sophomore season in 2017-2018. At just 20-years-old, it’s only a matter of time until Laine elevates himself to the most potent goal scorer this league has to offer. The 2016 second overall draft pick is in line to have another excellent season in 2018-2019 playing in a stacked Winnipeg forward group headed by Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele. Considering the lack of depth at the right-wing position, Laine should be an excellent selection at the end of the first round or early second round of upcoming fantasy drafts.
When the Boston Bruins selected David Pastrnak with the 25th overall pick in the 2014 NHL draft, it’s hard to believe not many outside the organization expected the Czech winger to blossom into a legit superstar just four years later. Following a 75-point (34 goals, 36 assists) season in 2016-2017, Pastrnak found another gear in 2017-2018 with his first 80-point (35 goals, 45 assist) campaign. Cemented on the Bruin’s top line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, Pastrnak is a high-volume shooter (246 shots last season) and has proven himself to an asset on the team’s top power play unit (26 power-play points in 2017-2018). Having just turned 22-years-old this past May, 80 points could very well become his floor moving forward.
It's important to remember that you don't have to like Brad Marchand in order to appreciate his immense value in fantasy pools. The polarizing left winger has emerged into a legit NHL superstar over the years, putting up back-to-back 85-point seasons. No longer a pure agitator, Marchand has morphed into an elite scorer while still maintaining excellent cross-category production. In addition to his 85 points (34 goals, 51 assists) last season, the pesky forward registered 63 penalty minutes, a plus-25 rating, 23 power play points and 182 shots in just 68 games. He's become a staple on the Bruin's top line and should post similar production next season.
John Tavares shocked the hockey world when he elected to test unrestricted free agency and subsequently sign a 7-year, $77 million contract with his hometown Leafs this summer. Superstars don't often make it to July 1st, especially those coming off 84-point (37 goals, 47 assists) season. The move to Toronto only raises his fantasy value for this upcoming season as Tavares joins an incredibly talented top six forward group in Toronto that includes Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander. Considered as one of the game's finest playmakers, Tavares will have plenty of weapons to distribute the puck to and there's no reason he can't touch the 90-point, 250 shot, 40 power play point mark in his debut season in Toronto.
Stay tuned for the continuation of our weekly countdown of the top 100 players for 2018-2019 fantasy hockey.
