Fantasy Hockey 2019: 1st-Round NHL Mock Draft and Top Team Names

With NHL training camps open and the preseason underway, the start of the regular season is on the horizon, which means it's time for the return of fantasy hockey.

Scoring increased for the third consecutive year last season, and with teams averaging 3.01 goals per game in 2018-19, it marked the best offensive season in the NHL since 2005-06, when teams averaged 3.08 goals per game.

There were also six 100-point scorers last season, which is to say there is perhaps more excitement surrounding the 2019-20 fantasy hockey season than there has been in years because of the sheer amount of star power the league possesses.

As you prepare for your fantasy hockey draft, here is a full, first-round mock draft to help you plot your course, as well as a list of team names to consider once your draft is complete.

1st-Round Mock Draft

1. Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov was essentially a consensus top-two pick in fantasy leagues last season, and after exceeding the hype, there is little doubt he will go No. 1 overall in your league this year.

Kucherov led the NHL with 87 assists and 128 points last season while also chipping in 41 goals. His plus-24 rating was tied for eighth among all forwards, and he cemented his multi-category dominance with 62 penalty minutes. For his efforts, he won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading point scorer and the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP.

When taking into account the fact that Kucherov is also surrounded by other elite talent such as Brayden Point (provided the RFA signs a deal before the start of the season) and Steven Stamkos, it is difficult to envision him having anything other than a 100-point floor barring injury.

2. Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid finished second in the NHL scoring race last season after winning the Art Ross Trophy the previous two seasons, but he enjoyed the best campaign of his career.

The Canadian set career highs across the board with 41 goals and 75 assists for 116 points, plus nine power-play goals. He also posted a plus-3 rating despite playing on an Oilers team that had little to speak of outside of him and Leon Draisaitl.

McDavid is only 22 and still getting better. If new head coach Dave Tippett can get more out of his supporting cast, he has the potential to reach 130 or more points during the upcoming season.

3. Brad Marchand, LW, Boston Bruins

Those who aren't Boston Bruins fans love to hate him, but there is no denying the fact that Bruins pugilist Brad Marchand checks more boxes than almost anyone in fantasy hockey.

After posting 85 points in each of the previous two seasons, the 31-year-old took a big leap forward in 2018-19, finishing with 36 goals and a career-high 64 assists for 100 points. He also set career highs with 10 power-play goals and nine game-winning goals.

The thing that sets part Marchand from the rest is his ability to produce while also spending ample time in the penalty box. His 96 penalty minutes were a career high, and it marked the third time he has reached 90 penalty minutes in his career.

4. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche

Two years after realizing his immense promise, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is among the top players in fantasy hockey.

The 24-year-old was starting to look like something of a bust after Colorado took him No. 1 overall in the 2013 NHL draft, but he exploded with 39 goals and 58 assists for 97 points in 2017-18 and finished as a Hart Trophy finalist. He followed that up with another fine season in 2018-19, posting 41 goals and 58 assists for 99 points.

MacKinnon was also a plus-20 with 12 power-play goals and an NHL-leading 365 shots on goal, which puts him in elite company, especially with Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog giving him a top-flight supporting cast.

5. Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane has long been one of the best fantasy hockey players in the NHL, but he fell off in a big way during the 2017-18 season.

The 30-year-old finished that campaign with a disappointing 76 points, but he rewarded owners who took a chance on him last year by delivering the best season of his career. He scored 44 goals and set career highs with 66 assists and 110 points. His 341 shots on goal were second in the NHL as well.

Chicago has major question marks on defense and in goal, but with Jonathan Toews, Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome and Brandon Saad supporting Kane, it should be one of the NHL's best offensive teams in 2019-20.

6. Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins

He may not be the sexy pick he was earlier in his career, but Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby is among the safest selections in fantasy hockey.

Since missing a significant amount of time because of injury over a three-year stretch from 2010-11 through 2012-13, the Canadian has not played in less than 75 games in a season or finished with less than 84 points. That includes last season, when he recorded 35 goals and 65 assists for his first 100-point season since 2013-14.

He is getting up there in age at 32, but he produces in all categories, as evidenced by his 12 power-play goals and plus-18 rating last season.

With linemate Jake Guentzel developing into an elite player in his own right, Crosby shouldn't have much trouble reaching the 100-point plateau again in 2019-20.

7. David Pastrnak, RW, Boston Bruins

Despite missing 16 games through injury last season, Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a career year and established himself as a first-round fantasy pick.

In just 66 games, the 23-year-old scored a career-high 38 goals and added 43 assists for a career-best 81 points, which put him on a 100-point pace extrapolated over 82 games. He also scored 17 power-play goals, which was fourth in the NHL despite the time he missed.

Pastrnak is an injury risk, having appeared in 76 or more games just once during his career, but given how productive he is when healthy, you risk missing out on a 50-goal and 100-point campaign if you don't take him.

8. Alex Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin has been a first-round fantasy pick for nearly the entirety of his career, and he did nothing to change that last season.

For the sixth time in the past seven seasons, the 34-year-old led the NHL in goalscoring with 51. He also added 38 assists for 89 points, which was his highest point total since recording 109 in 2009-10. Additionally, he was third in the NHL in power-play goals with 18 and third in shots on goal with 338.

When it comes to Ovechkin, you pretty much know what you're going to get. He gives you a huge advantage in goals, power-play goals and shots on goal and doesn't do a ton in terms of assists or plus-minus, but the fact that he is so dominant across a few categories makes him strong first-round selection.

9. Brayden Point, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

It often comes down to splitting hairs at this juncture of the first round, so for those looking for a player on the rise who can reach the elite level in 2019-20, Point is a good target—if he can come to an agreement with the team.

The 23-year-old set new career highs in essentially every category last season with 41 goals and 51 assists for 92 points, 20 power-play goals and a plus-27 rating. In his three NHL seasons, he has improved markedly, going from 40 points to 66 points to 92 points. If that trend continues, he has a chance to vie for the Art Ross Trophy in 2019-20.

It can be argued teammate Steven Stamkos is a safer pick here given his track record, the fact that he had 98 points last season and Point's contract situation, which The Hockey News' Ken Campbell says is not close to being resolved. But Point was far more productive in terms of plus-minus, and his constant improvement across the board is tough to ignore.

10. Brent Burns, D, San Jose Sharks

While it's hard to be a proponent of taking defensemen early in fantasy hockey, if you are going to do it, then San Jose Sharks blueliner Brent Burns is the guy to target.

The 34-year-old is a former forward who produces offensively as if he still is. Last season, he scored 16 goals and added a career-high 67, which gave him a personal-best 83 points. He was also a respectable plus-13, and he recorded 300 shots, which marked the fourth consecutive season he reached the 300-shot threshold.

Burns is also a three-time 20-goal scorer, including a career-high 29 in 2016-17, which means the potential is there for more goalscoring in 2019-20. Someone is probably going to use a first-rounder on him in your league.

Fantasy Team Name Suggestions

1. Eichel Scott Paper Company: Remember that episode of The Office when Michael Scott quit Dunder Mifflin and started the Michael Scott Paper Company? Awesome storyline. Also awesome? Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel.

2. That's Gotta Be Kane!: If you're an Attitude Era wrestling fan, you might remember Vince McMahon exclaiming, "That's gotta be Kane!" when Kane made his WWE debut and destroyed The Undertaker. Great memories, and a great name if you roster either Patrick or Evander Kane.

3. Benn There Dunn That: Did you very specifically end up with Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn and St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn on your team? This name is for you.

4. Trocheck (Voracek) Yo Self: Versatility is key in fantasy hockey, as well as fantasy hockey team names. Celebrate Ice Cube if you draft Florida Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck or Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek.

5. Hello, Nurse!: The nurse was the apple of Yakko and Wakko's eye in Animaniacs, and if you feel the same way about Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, this name works on every level.

6. John Jacob Dzingel Heimer Schmidt: "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" is an annoying and strange children's song. Want to appear annoying and strange to your leaguemates? Take Carolina Hurricanes forward Ryan Dzingel and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt and give yourself this needlessly long name.

7. You're Killin' Me, Schmaltz: I love a good crossover. And if you land Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Schmaltz, this is a name even Sandlot legends Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez and Hamilton "Ham" Porter could appreciate.

8. The Gourde and the Stone: The Sword and the Stone is one of the most underrated Disney movies of all time. Also underrated? The impact Lightning forward Yanni Gourde and Golden Knights forward Mark Stone could have on your fantasy team.

9. KesselMania: Phil Kessel is in new surroundings as a member of the Coyotes after averaging more than 81 points per season with the Penguins over the past three campaigns. If you draft Kessel, celebrate the pride and pageantry of one the biggest spectacles in sports entertainment: WrestleMania.

10. Josi and The Pussycats: Any time you can include an old-school cartoon in your team name, it's a big win. Any time you can get Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi on your fantasy team, it's an even bigger win.