Fantasy hockey expert Jason Chen breaks down the trends, a hidden gem, top options and top three point projections for each NHL Atlantic Division team.
With the fantasy hockey season right around the corner, it’s time to take stock of your fantasy options for all 32 NHL teams.
For more in-depth team analysis, including projected even-strength lineups, power play units, goalies and prospects to note, click on the team to see their 2023-24 fantasy preview.
You can also view the top 300 fantasy rankings for both standard and banger leagues. The rankings will be updated regularly over the course of the season, with version 2.0 coming at the end of September at THN.com/fantasy.
Also check out the Pacific, Central and Metropolitan Division previews.
Atlantic Division Predicted Finish
Toronto Maple Leafs
Trending: Nobody’s panicking, so that means they’re trending up
There’s no shortage of star power on the Leafs, and the fan base can breathe a little easier after Auston Matthews (ranked seventh in my fantasy rankings) signed a four-year extension.
By this point, we know the Leafs can be regular-season juggernauts. This is a deep team with so much talent in the top six that they’ve elected to play William Nylander (27th) at center at training camp to spread it all out, opening up opportunities for youngsters Matthew Knies (236th) and Nick Robertson.
The biggest change will be with Ilya Samsonov (53rd), who’s slated to be a workhorse since Matt Murray is expected to miss significant time. Backup Joseph Woll has looked great, but that was with limited appearances. Samsonov appeared in 42 games last season; it would not be shocking to see him get around 60 starts, pushing him into the upper echelon of goalies in fantasy.
Hidden Gem:
It’s not like the Leafs need any more offense, but Matthew Knies is an intriguing addition to their top six. His speed and playmaking ability were on full display in the playoffs, and he’s an alternate option for Sheldon Keefe should Tyler Bertuzzi fail to mesh with Matthews on the top line. Knies’ 50-point potential puts him in a crowded middle class of depth scorers in fantasy, but he’s got more upside than most playing on one of the league’s best offensive teams and likely available in the last round of your draft.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Mitch Marner, 105 points
Auston Matthews, 93 points
William Nylander, 83 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Maple Leafs:
7. Auston Matthews, C
13. Mitch Marner, RW
27. William Nylander, RW
Tampa Bay Lightning
Trending: Definitely not down
The Lightning were ousted in the first round, but nobody thinks that’s it for this group. The worry is the lack of quality depth, though that’s not a concern in fantasy since the Lightning boast elite options at every position. Steven Stamkos (33rd) turns 34 in February, and Victor Hedman (109th) turns 33 in December. Nobody should discount their fantasy value just yet.
If you are bullish on the Lightning – they did have a longer than usual summer break, after all – Brandon Hagel’s (131st) an excellent depth option with 30-goal potential playing in their vaunted top six, and Tanner Jeannot (205th in my banger rankings) should bounce back with at least double-digit goals and a ton of hits, giving him lots of value in banger leagues. The sneaky deep sleeper pick might be Mikey Eyssimont, who provides a steady diet of shots and hits with a chance to play on the top two lines on occasion. The Lightning have a history of unearthing diamonds in the rough, and Eyssimont might be next in line after failing to hitch on with the Jets and Sharks.
Hidden Gem:
Anthony Cirelli was an interesting fantasy option going into the 2022-23 season, coming off a 43-point season and finishing fifth in Selke voting. He ended up getting hampered by injuries, averaged the least amount of ice time in four seasons and finished with a paltry 29 points in 58 games. With a clean bill of health and being locked in as their No. 2 pivot, Cirelli will get another chance to put together a breakout season.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Nikita Kucherov, 115 points
Brayden Point, 96 points
Steven Stamkos, 93 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Lightning:
11. Nikita Kucherov, RW
18. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G
25. Brayden Point, C
Florida Panthers
Trending: Down, but only until they get healthy
The difference between these Panthers and the one that made an improbable Cup run in 1996 is elite talent.
Sure, the Panthers will be without Brandon Montour (140th) and Aaron Ekblad (217th) on the back end, taking out a huge chunk of their defensive depth, but there are no such worries up front. This is a team with a ton of scoring talent – read: fantasy options – including a potential bounce-back season for Anton Lundell (168th). Aleksander Barkov (31st) is an elite player, and Carter Verhaeghe’s (67th) elite shooting volume and relatively modest shooting percentage suggest he’s going to be a 40-goal threat yet again.
The Panthers made an effort to plug holes on the back end by signing Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Dmitry Kulikov, and they should be able to hold the fort for the time being. Tack on the return of Spencer Knight to solidify their goaltending, and you’re looking at a pretty solid team from top to bottom.
Hidden Gem:
With Montour and Ekblad expected to miss time, look for Gustav Forsling (269th) to handle the power play and play significant minutes. The 27-year-old has had two solid seasons in a row, including last season’s 41-point, 209-shot and 106-block performance. He scored just five power-play points last season, and he’ll surely smash that number.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Matthew Tkachuk, 109 points
Aleksander Barkov, 81 points
Sam Reinhart, 73 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Panthers:
8. Matthew Tkachuk, LW/RW
31. Aleksander Barkov, C
60. Sam Reinhart, C/RW
Ottawa Senators
Trending: Definitely up
The Sens are waist-deep in talent everywhere, and that’s even with Shane Pinto (254th) still unsigned.
Brady Tkachuk (28th) is easily top-10 banger league material, Tim Stutzle (14th) is an emerging superstar center, Josh Norris (156th) is healthy, Claude Giroux (65th) is coming off one of his best seasons, and they added Vladimir Tarasenko (90th) on a low-risk, one-year deal in the summer. The defense features two potential power-play quarterbacks in Thomas Chabot (202nd) and Jakob Chychrun (214th), and Jake Sanderson (294th) is an all-round player who can step in at any time.
Their goaltending is a little suspect, but no doubt Joonas Korpisalo’s (133rd) fantasy value got a huge boost when he joined the Sens. He’s pencilled in as the 1A for now, and on a good team with 50-something appearances, Korpisalo is sure to smash his previous career high of 19 wins.
Hidden Gem:
Josh Norris’ Yahoo ADP of 173.5 is far too low. He’ll be their No. 2 center behind Stutzle, but the Sens have so many good wingers that Norris won’t be stuck dragging any dead weight. His season-ending shoulder injury forced him to miss 74 games, and that’s the big reason why he’s falling down the draft board. When healthy, Norris has 30-goal, 30-assist potential.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Tim Stutzle, 94 points
Brady Tkachuk, 82 points
Claude Giroux, 64 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Senators:
14. Tim Stutzle, C/LW
28. Brady Tkachuk, LW
65. Claude Giroux, C/RW
Buffalo Sabres
Trending: Definitely up
The Sabres received the most votes for breakout team in a recent poll of THN writers. It’s appropriate, and the Sabres certainly have no shortage of elite fantasy options, led by Tage Thompson (15th) and Rasmus Dahlin (44th), but it’s also easy to forget that the Sabres were a horrendous defensive team last season. It matters in fantasy because it may prevent them from reaching their potential if they’re stuck in their own end a lot, and it will certainly affect the fantasy values of goalies Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi. Neither goalie was ranked in version 1.0 of the fantasy rankings, and with Eric Comrie also fighting for playing time, it’s anyone’s guess how the goaltending rotation will shake out. For a position already fraught with risk, it’s best just to stay away for now until one of them emerges as the starter.
Hidden Gem:
There’s a lot to choose from, and two players didn’t get enough attention last season: No. 2 center Dylan Cozens (81st) and Casey Mittelstadt’s (143rd) breakout 59-point season. Cozens is a bona fide two-way center with point-per-game potential, while Mittelstadt finally made good after being picked eighth overall in 2017. Cozens’ fantasy value is higher because he’ll play more minutes, though Mittelstadt may end up with a similar point total, and he’ll be available many rounds after Cozens.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Tage Thompson, 84 points
Alex Tuch, 80 points
Rasmus Dahlin, 75 points
Dylan Cozens, 75 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Sabres:
15. Tage Thompson, C
44. Rasmus Dahlin, D
45. Jeff Skinner, LW
Boston Bruins
Trending: Definitely down
Predicting a sixth-place finish for the Bruins essentially means they’re going to miss the playoffs.
Considering they lost both of their top centers, including potential first-ballot Hall of Famer Patrice Bergeron, and a certain regression from Vezina winner Linus Ullmark (89th), is this such a bold take? David Pastrnak (fifth) is an elite fantasy player with 60-goal, 400-shot potential, but the supporting cast isn’t very good. Of the returnees, only newly minted captain Brad Marchand (79th) scored more than 60 points, and then it’s Pavel Zacha (150th) and Jake DeBrusk (181st), who are second-line players at best.
The Bruins were much better than the sum of their parts last season, and all the players they acquired in anticipation of a long playoff run were not retained. They’re thin at every position except in net, which may be their only saving grace.
Hidden Gem:
The Bruins pipeline is pretty bare, so there won’t be any surprise rookies who make an outsized impact. That leaves Pavel Zacha, who basically falls into the hole at center on the top line. Playing with Pastrnak will surely help Zacha’s offensive production, though keep in mind Zacha’s role is not set in stone, with Charlie Coyle (225th) potentially stepping in as well.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
David Pastrnak, 105 points
Brad Marchand, 61 points
Charlie McAvoy, 54 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Bruins:
5. David Pastrnak, RW
79. Brad Marchand, LW
89. Linus Ullmark, G
Detroit Red Wings
Trending: Up?
There are still a ton of questions to be answered as the Yzerplan hits a pivotal inflection point.
The Red Wings made a huge acquisition for a top-line goal scorer in Alex DeBrincat (42nd) and splurged yet again in free agency. There are a ton of new faces and some good talent, but how does it all come together? Of the teams in the Atlantic, the Wings have the broadest range of outcomes.
A breakout season from Lucas Raymond (136th, potential sleeper pick), getting Moritz Seider (184th) back on track to elite banger-league status (65th in banger rankings) and more consistency from Ville Husso (191st) will surely put them in the playoff picture. On the other hand, there’s a chance the roster just never comes together with too much crowding on the wings and blueline for anyone to really find their rhythm, and Husso is altogether unreliable. Other than DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin (38th), the Wings cannot be relied upon in fantasy.
Hidden Gem:
If taking a shot at a risky Wings player isn’t your thing, David Perron (167th) is about as reliable as anyone gets. He’s been remarkably consistent throughout his career, and you’re guaranteed to get around 50 points, 200 shots and 100 hits. He’s a multi-category contributor who will definitely be available in the later rounds, providing really great fantasy value, especially in banger leagues.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Dylan Larkin, 86 points
Alex DeBrincat, 68 points
Lucas Raymond, 67 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Red Wings:
38. Dylan Larkin, C
42. Alex DeBrincat, LW/RW
135. Lucas Raymond, LW/RW
Montreal Canadiens
Trending: Up, but there’s a long, long way to go
The top teams in the Atlantic Division could end up in any order. The one fact is the Habs will be at the bottom of the list. They’re still in the midst of their rebuild, and it remains to be seen if Nick Suzuki (88th) and Cole Caufield (120th) are franchise-building blocks or simply very, very good players. They’re ranked 1-2 in the fantasy rankings, and the rest is a mishmash of depth players who really aren’t worth reaching for.
There will be competition for roster spots, and coach Martin St-Louis will coax some great performances out of his players for the occasional streamer, but this team remains headed toward the lottery.
Hidden Gem:
Mike Matheson (230th) doesn’t have name recognition, making him an easy target in the middle to late rounds. He’s coming off a career season with 34 points in 48 games (58 points pro-rated) while averaging almost 25 minutes per game. With no significant additions to their blueline over the summer, expect Matheson to be St-Louis’ preferred option at even strength and on the power play.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Nick Suzuki, 65 points
Cole Caufield, 63 points
Kirby Dach, 50 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Canadiens:
92. Cole Caufield, LW/RW
97. Nick Suzuki, C
232. Kirby Dach, C