Fantasy Hockey 2021: NHL Player Rankings, Draft Strategy and Must-Add Sleepers
Fantasy hockey season is just about upon us, and odds are you are looking to flex your draft muscles and compile a team that denies your friends of another championship and highlights your knowledge of the sport.
From drafting the top stars, selecting the perfect hidden gems and making sure you've got the goalie that doesn't cost you your league title, the pressure is on.
What is the most effective strategy to employ, who should you target in the mid-to-late rounds and which stars should be the first off the board?
Find out with this appetizer of your upcoming season.
Draft Strategy
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The first thing to know about fantasy hockey is that it isn't fantasy football.
Unlike that sport, if you draft solely for star power, you're going to have a fruitless season. Fantasy hockey is about depth and maximizing the number of points scored based on several key positions. Yes, you want that star scorer early, but you also want and need defensemen and goalies to help bolster your roster.
From there, add additional scorers just outside of that star level. Filter in secondary defenders. By the sixth or seventh round, add another solid goaltender.
Strategy
Round 1: Star scorer
Round 2: Star defender
Round 3: Star goaltender
Rounds 4-6: Mix secondary forwards and defenders, with an occasional up-and-comer in the mix
Round 7: Solid, dependable, secondary goalie
Rounds 8-12: Additional forwards and defenders, again with up-and-coming potential
Of course, there is no foolproof strategy. Players get hurt or traded. They end up in different systems that affect their ability to net you the points you expected when you drafted them. What that strategy does, though, is provide a format that should prove effective when trying to outperform your buddies in this year's league.
Top 25 Player Rankings
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- Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
- Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche
- Andre Vasilevskiy, G, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Alex Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals
- Leon Draisaitl, LW, Edmonton Oilers
- John Carlson, D, Washington Capitals
- Sebastian Aho, C, Carolina Hurricanes
- Mikko Rantanen, RW, Colorado Avalanche
- Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panthers
- Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago Blackhawks
- Victor Hedman, D, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Alec Martinez, D, Las Vegas Golden Knights
- Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets
- Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, Florida Panthers
- David Pastrnak, RW, Boston Bruins
- Ivan Provorov, D, Philadelphia Flyers
- Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Darcy Kuemper, G, Colorado Avalanche
- Mitchell Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Mika Zibanejad, C, New York Rangers
- Tristan Jarry, G, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers
- Linus Ullmark, G, Boston Bruins
Sleepers
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A fantasy hockey manager's ability to find and utilize hidden gems can be the difference between a league championship and bitter disappointment. Here are a few players to consider when building your roster.
Jack Campbell, G, Toronto Maple Leafs
Campbell may have only played in 22 games in the 2020-21 season, but his save percentage (.921) and shutouts (two) are appealing. He had a 2.17 goals-against average and rallied off 11 straight wins at one point.
There are questions about his durability, but the addition of Petr Mrazek should allow him some necessary rest to assure he is around when the team, and your fantasy squad, needs him most. While he is not a top-tier goaltender like other flashier, more proven players, the 29-year-old has a world of potential and should be considered when selecting your secondary goalie—if he's still around by then.
Crafty, experienced drafters may grab him earlier to bolster their lineup.
J.T. Miller, C, Vancouver Canucks
Miller is a consistent center for Vancouver who is good for anywhere from 25-40 assists a season and has only netted less than 40 points in one season since 2015. He is the picture of consistency, and while he will never give you the explosive point totals of an Auston Matthews or Connor McDavid at the top of your draft, he is a reliable mid-round pick.
And, just like in any major league sports draft, those are the rounds that ultimately win you championships.
Tyson Barrie, D, Edmonton Oilers
Barrie is a player, like Miller, who will help enhance your roster and set you up to win a league championship. That he is coming off the best season of his career in 2020-21 (eight goals, 40 assists, 146 shots) only makes him that much more attractive a pickup.
The defender is an expert puck-feeder and a key to the Oilers' offensive success.
He won't wow you with his fantasy output, but he will be a solid addition. If he can build on his banner year, he may even find himself creeping up draft lists.
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