Fantasy Hockey 2019: NHL Player Rankings, Draft Strategy, Sleepers You Must Add

Fantasy football is in full swing, but for those who just can't get enough fantasy in their lives, it's worth considering a foray into fantasy hockey with the 2019-20 NHL season on the horizon.

With scoring up in the NHL last season, the game is more exciting than it has been since the post-lockout season of 2005-06. An influx of young, offensive stars deserves much of the credit, and the surplus of talent should make for an exciting and competitive fantasy hockey season.

Ahead of your fantasy hockey draft, here is a rundown of the top 50 overall players, along with some tips to consider and sleepers to target in your league.

Top 50 2019-20 Fantasy Hockey Rankings

1. Nikita Kucherov, RW, TB
2. Connor McDavid, C, EDM
3. Brad Marchand, LW, BOS
4. Nathan MacKinnon, C, COL
5. Patrick Kane, RW, CHI
6. Sidney Crosby, C, PIT
7. David Pastrnak, RW, BOS
8. Alex Ovechkin, LW, WAS
9. Brayden Point, C, TB
10. Steven Stamkos, C, TB
11. Auston Matthews, C, TOR
12. Tyler Seguin, C, DAL
13. Johnny Gaudreau, LW, CGY
14. Leon Draisaitl, C, EDM
15. Brent Burns, D, SJ
16. Jack Eichel, C, BUF
17. Mikko Rantanen, RW, COL
18. Matthew Tkachuk, LW, CGY
19. Aleksander Barkov, C, FLA
20. John Tavares, C, TOR
21. Mitch Marner, C, TOR
22. Sebastian Aho, LW, CAR
23. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, TB
24. Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, FLA
25. Blake Wheeler, RW, WPG
26. Artemi Panarin, LW, NYR
27. Taylor Hall, LW, NJ
28. Dylan Larkin, C, DET
29. John Carlson, D, WAS
30. Patrice Bergeron, C, BOS
31. Gabriel Landeskog, LW, COL
32. Evgeni Malkin, C, PIT
33. Mark Giordano, D, CGY
34. Ben Bishop, G, DAL
35. Elias Pettersson, C, VAN
36. Alex DeBrincat, RW, CHI
37. Mark Stone, RW, VGK
38. Claude Giroux, C, PHI
39. Victor Hedman, D, TB
40. Jamie Benn, C, DAL
41. Mark Scheifele, C, WPG
42. Jake Guentzel, LW, PIT
43. Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, STL
44. Phil Kessel, RW, ARI
45. Sean Couturier, C, PHI
46. Erik Karlsson, D, SJ
47. Evander Kane, LW, SJ
48. Teuvo Teravainen, C, CAR
49. Pierre-Luc Dubois, LW, CLS
50. Max Domi, C, MTL

Draft Tips to Follow

Avoid D and G for First 4-6 Rounds

While there is more dynamic scoring talent at forward in the NHL currently than at any point in the past decade, that depth should not deter you from going heavy with centers and wingers in the first several rounds of your draft.

Aside from San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns, there isn't a blueliner in the NHL who is guaranteed to put up big offensive numbers. Very little separates the defensemen outside the top five or so, which means waiting on the position and loading up with a bunch of high-ceiling options will give you the best chance to gain a net return on your investment.

Also, there is a certain amount of randomness when it comes to goalie performances on a yearly basis. Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning is the clear No. 1 goalie and seems like a safe pick, but anything beyond him is a question mark.

Both Ben Bishop and Robin Lehner saw huge jumps in production last season to finish as Vezina Trophy finalists, while previously steady performers like John Gibson, Connor Hellebuyck and Martin Jones dropped off considerably.

Generally speaking, the NHL's top scorers produce year in and year out unless they get injured. Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are just a few of the players who have proved that theory, and that is forwards should be the foundation of your team.

Don't Hesitate on Top Rookies

It isn't uncommon for rookies to be undervalued in all fantasy sports since there is uncertainty regarding how they will transition to the professional ranks, but the NHL is usually conducive to elite talent stepping in and producing immediately.

Center Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils and right wing Kaapo Kakko of the New York Rangers were the top two selections in the 2019 NHL draft and there was very little question about whether that would be the case since they were head and shoulders above their peers.

Hughes and Kakko are reminiscent of the 2015 draft that saw Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine go first and second, as well as the 2015 draft when Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel were the top two picks.

That isn't to say that Hughes and Kakko will be MVP candidates right out of the chute, but they are both set up for success.

Hughes is surrounded by a great deal of talent in the form of Taylor Hall, Nico Hischier, Nikita Gusev, Wayne Simmonds and defenseman P.K. Subban. Meanwhile, Kakko may be an immediate first-liner in New York, and he figures to get a ton of power-play time alongside Artemi Panarin.

Although Hughes and Kakko aren't highly ranked by most sites, I have them just a bit outside my top 50, and some owners in your league may have a similar feel for them, meaning you need to start striking in the sixth round.

There is some risk involved, but it is difficult to envision either Hughes or Kakko falling flat, and there is little doubt they will be key contributors for their respective teams.

Take Chances Late

One of the biggest keys to winning your league is getting big-time value out of your late-round picks, and the best way to do that is by throwing caution to the wind and taking some chances.

The time to mitigate risk is in the early rounds by taking proven producers who will anchor your team. Doing that allows you to avoid the ho-hum perennial 40-point guys who aren't going to do much to separate you from your competition in the latter stages.

For example, Dylan Strome was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, but he did little in his first two seasons. The potential was there, though, and that made him worth a late flier in last year's fantasy draft.

He posted only six points in 20 games for the Arizona Coyotes before getting traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, but then he blossomed with top-flight talent around him and posted 51 points in 58 games with Chicago.

Ottawa Senators winger Brady Tkachuk is another case of taking a chance late in your draft paying off. It wasn't yet known if he was going to make the team when most leagues drafted last year, but given his strong preseason performance, he was worth gambling on.

Tkachuk went on to post 22 goals and 23 assists for 45 points in 71 games as a rookie, but he truly set himself apart with 75 penalty minutes and 214 shots on goal. He could have been had in the final round of most drafts last year, and he went on to help immensely in multiple categories.

It doesn't always work out perfectly. I took Ty Rattie amid a red-hot preseason in hopes of him remaining on McDavid's line and having a huge year for the Edmonton Oilers, but he finished with just 11 points in 50 games.

I simply dropped Rattie and picked up another high-upside player in the early stages of the season, though, and there was no real harm done.

Keep an eye on which players are playing well during the preseason and specifically monitor high picks from the 2019 draft who have a shot to begin the season in the NHL, such as Kirby Dach of the Blackhawks if he can bounce back from a concussion.

Top Sleepers to Target

Nikita Gusev, LW, NJ

Gusev is technically set to enter his NHL rookie season, but at 27 years of age, he is already a seasoned veteran of professional hockey.

With 17 goals and 65 assists for St. Petersburg SKA last season, he led the KHL in scoring with 82 points over 62 games. He then added another 19 points in 18 playoff games.

The Russian scored at well over a point-per-game clip in each of the past four KHL seasons, and while there is no guarantee it will carry over to the NHL, the fact he dominated the second-best league in the world bodes well for his chances.

Gusev signed with the Vegas Golden Knights last season but never appeared in a game for them and was traded to the Devils during the offseason.

In New Jersey, he will almost certainly be centered by Hischier or Hughes, and he has a chance to also play on a line with Hall or Simmonds. He also figures to get plenty of power-play time, which should boost his value even more.

Gusev has produced at every stop during his career thus far, and given the low price tag to land him on draft day, he is well worth a late-round flier.

Cale Makar, D, COL

After dominating collegiately last season and making a splash during the NHL playoffs, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is ready to be a fantasy star as a rookie in 2019-20.

The 20-year-old signed with Colorado in time to appear in 10 playoff games last season, and he made a great first impression with one goal and five assists for six points. Before that, he posted 16 goals and 33 assists for 49 points in 41 games at UMass-Amherst.

When Makar was selected by Colorado with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2017 draft, he was heralded as the NHL's next great offensive defenseman in the same vein as Paul Coffey or Erik Karlsson.

It may take him a few years to reach those heights, but 50 points as a rookie isn't out of the question, and that makes him worthy of a mid-to-late-round pick.

With Tyson Barrie getting traded from Colorado to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the position of power-play quarterback is wide open for the Avs, and Makar is the favorite to take it.

Barrie finished last season with 59 points, 25 of which came on the power play. If Makar takes his spot as expected, he could finish as a top 10 fantasy defenseman in his first full season.

Braden Holtby, G, WAS

Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby is a four-time All-Star and one-time Vezina Trophy winner, but his numbers have left something to be desired over the past two seasons.

After posting a career-worst 2.99 goals-against average and .907 save percentage in 2017-18, the 30-year-old turned it on in the playoffs with a 2.16 GAA and .922 save percentage to help lead the Caps to their first Stanley Cup win.

Holtby bounced back slightly during the 2018-19 regular season, as he went 32-19-5 with a 2.82 GAA, .911 save percentage and three shutouts after garnering none the previous season.

From 2014-15 through 2016-17, he won at least 41 games in each season and had nine shutouts in two of those seasons. He also posted a 2.07 GAA and .925 save percentage in 2016-17, which were both career bests in seasons in which he played at least 15 games.

There is some cause for concern that Holtby will never get back to the level he once displayed, but there is also a lot to like about his situation.

He plays for one of the NHL's best teams and doesn't have much competition behind him, which means 30 wins is probably his floor, while 40 wins isn't outside the realm of possibility.

ESPN has Holtby ranked as the No. 21 goalie in fantasy this year, but he undoubtedly has top-10 ability and is well worth gambling on at a discounted price.