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

Rob GoldbergOct 1, 2019

It might sound obvious, but nailing your early picks is key in helping you win a fantasy hockey championship.

The NHL doesn't feature quite as many year-to-year sleepers as the NFL or MLB, giving you fewer options at landing an elite talent. Of the seven players who totaled 100 points or more last season, five had done it before and only Leon Draisaitl really made a major leap.

Most fans know who the top players are once again, but picking the right player can be the difference between winning your league and falling behind. Here is a mock draft to hopefully guide you through the first round.

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1st-Round Mock Draft

1. Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning: Last year might have been a career year for Kucherov, but he has improved his point total in each of his six years in the NHL and the 26-year-old doesn't seem to be slowing down. The reigning Hart Trophy winner led the league with 87 assists last year and still has a lot of talent around him, which could lead to another huge season.

2. Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers: Possibly the most talented player in the NHL and still just 22 years old, the future remains bright for McDavid. He has topped 100 points in each of his three full seasons and should do it again if he can stay healthy. He could just use a little more help around him to improve his plus/minus totals.

Karl B DeBlaker/Associated Press

3. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche: MacKinnon finished last year plus-20 for a team that barely made the playoffs, showing the type of impact he can make on the ice. The 24-year-old is a natural talent, while improving players like Mikko Rantanen could help lead to a lot more goals.

4. Alex Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals: There are significant question marks after the top three, but it's always smart to target a player early who you can trust. Ovechkin is getting up there in age, but the 34-year-old has led the NHL in goals in six of the last seven years and only missed nine total games in this span. You can count on him to be an elite player once again.

5. Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago Blackhawks: Kane is riskier than Ovechkin, but he is still coming off a great year with 44 goals and 66 assists. The former Hart Trophy winner is always capable of racking up assists and can also add goals at a high rate when things are clicking. His productivity makes him worthy of a high draft pick.

6. Brent Burns, D, San Jose Sharks: There's a lot of value in having a defender who can put up offensive numbers. Burns is the best at his position, averaging more than 75 points per season over the last four years while playing every game. The difference between him and the average defender makes him a first-round pick.

7. David Pastrnak, RW, Boston Bruins: Brad Marchand was the better offensive player for the Bruins last year, but David Pastrnak was limited by a thumb injury and is still just 23 years old. When healthy, the forward is one of the best young scorers in the game and could be in for a breakout season.

8. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, Tampa Bay Lightning: The reigning Vezina Trophy winner is as safe as they come for goaltenders. He's going to get a lot of wins after leading the league in that category the last two years. Every indication is he will remain among the top of the NHL in the other important stats, making this an investment you don't need to worry about.

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

9. Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins: You know who Crosby is at this point: a perennial All-Star who racks up assists as well as anyone in this generation. However, last year was the first time he topped 90 points since 2013-14, and now Phil Kessel is no longer on his side. This could lead to a bit of a setback in 2019-20.

10. Steven Stamkos, C, Tampa Bay Lightning: It's hard to know what you're going to get year-to-year with Stamkos, but he led the best regular-season team in hockey last season with 45 goals while adding 53 assists. Playing next to Kucherov will give him plenty of opportunities for more goals, especially on one of the top power-play units in the NHL.

11. Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs: We're still waiting for a breakout from Matthews, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick. The key is for him to stay healthy, but we know he has the talent to be one of the top offensive players in hockey if he does. The upside makes him more valuable than teammates John Tavares or Mitch Marner, and he likely won't be available if you wait on him.

12. Brad Marchand, LW, Boston Bruins: The Bruins will once again be one of the top teams in the NHL this year, and Marchand is still one of the team's most important players. The 31-year-old has taken his game to another level the past three years, and this year should be another strong one.

Potential (Clean) Fantasy Team Names