Fantasy hockey expert Jason Chen breaks down the trends, a hidden gem, top options and top three point projections for each NHL Pacific 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.
Pacific Division Predicted Finish
Edmonton Oilers
Trending: Definitely up
Powered by Connor McDavid – who else – and the best power play the league has ever seen in the Salary Cap Era, the Oilers are a top-tier fantasy option. Leon Draisaitl should rank no lower than third in any format, and they’re joined by power-play menace Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (ranked 37th in my fantasy rankings) and quarterback Evan Bouchard (74th), who’s just knocking on the door of the elite tier.
The Oilers finished just two points behind the Knights for the division title, and with the addition of Connor Brown (177th) and a full season from Evander Kane (85th, 42nd in banger) and Mattias Ekholm (278th), the Oilers are poised to finish as the league’s top offensive team once again.
Hidden Gem:
Ekholm scored at a 54-point pace after joining the Oilers, and he offers the second-most offensive upside on their blueline after Bouchard, who will likely be Ekholm’s partner. Ekholm also offers up 100-block and 100-hit potential, and with a 168.2 average draft position (ADP) on Yahoo, I would definitely take him over the likes of Hampus Lindholm (114.0), Brady Skjei (139.4) and Esa Lindell (165.0).
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Connor McDavid, 138 points
Leon Draisaitl, 121 points
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 92 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Oilers:
1. Connor McDavid, C
3. Leon Draisaitl, C/LW
37. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C/LW
Vegas Golden Knights
Trending: Slightly down – it’s the only way to go after reaching the top
Part of the reason it’s incredibly difficult to repeat in the Cap Era is because it’s really hard to keep everyone together. The key departure was Reilly Smith (186th), one-third of the ‘Misfits Line’ that had been so reliable and consistent since their inaugural season. The offense is a little thinner, and until Jack Eichel (39th) scores better than a point-per-game pace, he’s a second-tier fantasy option at center.
Logan Thompson (152nd) and Adin Hill (194th) will operate some kind of timeshare in net, with Thompson likely getting the edge, making him a viable zero-G option, but their timeshare and effectiveness as a tandem is certainly to be determined. The regression, if any, won’t be significant given the Knights’ top-notch ability to defend.
Hidden Gem:
It’s about time Chandler Stephenson stops getting overlooked. The second-line pivot is a Swiss army knife, able to move up and down the lineup with ease and play multiple positions. Though he doesn’t shoot the puck very much, his speed, playmaking and playing time – over 19 minutes per game over the past two seasons with power play – is a guarantee he’ll score 60 points for the third straight season. He’s a safe pick in the middle rounds where 60-point scorers are abundant.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Jack Eichel, 76 points
Chandler Stephenson, 67 points
Jonathan Marchessault, 66 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Golden Knights:
39. Jack Eichel, C
100. Jonathan Marchessault, RW
114. Mark Stone, RW
Los Angeles Kings
Trending: Sideways, until their young players push them over the top
The Kings swapped out a few pieces, but their outlook is the same as the previous season: playoff contender but certainly not one of the favorites.
Pierre-Luc Dubois (58th) now replaces Anze Kopitar (66th) as the center with the most fantasy value, but in adding Dubois, they also gutted some of their depth, losing Gabriel Vilardi (173rd), Alex Iafallo (271st) and Rasmus Kupari. It’s a wash at this point, but what could put the Kings over the edge is a breakout season from Quinton Byfield (283rd) and Arthur Kaliyev, and a strong season from Brandt Clarke, who replaces Sean Durzi (277th) and might have some value in deep leagues if – a big if – he can siphon power-play minutes away from Drew Doughty.
Goaltending will be the biggest concern after choosing not to re-sign Joonas Korpisalo (133rd) after a .892 SP performance in the playoffs, only to downgrade to 36-year-old Cam Talbot (245th), who had a .898 SP during the season. Pheonix Copley, last season’s hero, will see some playing time, as could third-string David Rittich. The uncertainty in net, but the Kings’ positive outlook makes their goalies targets for managers with zero-G strategies.
Hidden Gem:
Hopefully, it’s Byfield, but Adrian Kempe continues to get overlooked in fantasy. He’s ranked 86th in the standard rankings but 68th in the banger league rankings due to his 40-goal, 250-shot, 100-hit potential. At Yahoo’s ADP of 91.4, Kempe’s a great value pick at that slot.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Kevin Fiala, 75 points
Pierre-Luc Dubois, 63 points
Anze Kopitar, 62 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Kings:
43. Kevin Fiala, LW
58. Pierre-Luc Dubois, C/LW
66. Anze Kopitar, C
Seattle Kraken
Trending: Up, even with a few red flags
The Kraken overachieved last season thanks to Jared McCann’s outlier 40-goal season and a first-round upset over the defending champion Colorado Avalanche. They’d be hard-pressed to replicate that performance considering they made no significant changes to their roster in the off-season.
Matty Beniers (103rd) remains their top fantasy option, followed by a glut of wingers including McCann (127th) and four other 20-goal scorers in Jordan Eberle (139th), Oliver Bjorkstrand (182nd) and Jaden Schwartz. The Kraken’s offense by committee works, but it discounts the fantasy value of all of their wingers.
Goaltending is, again, their biggest concern. Philipp Grubauer (178th) has fantasy value because he can get wins, but fantasy managers will get crushed in all other goalie categories. Grubauer is a big reason the Kraken are being held back from being one of the Pacific’s top teams.
Hidden Gem:
Matty Beniers isn’t getting drafted high enough with a Yahoo ADP of 143.1. His status as the team’s top center is unchallenged, and Shane Wright is one more season away from becoming an NHL regular. The Kraken’s glut of wingers is difficult to parse from a fantasy standpoint, but it’s a boon for Beniers because there’s no shortage of quality. A 70-point season is well within Beniers’ sights, whose offensive ability has exceeded expectations after being drafted as a two-way center two years ago.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Matty Beniers, 77 points
Jared McCann, 62 points
Vince Dunn, 53 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Kraken:
103. Matty Beniers, C
127. Jared McCann, LW
139. Jordan Eberle, RW
Vancouver Canucks
Trending: Hopefully more up than down
Among the Pacific teams, the Canucks have the widest range of potential outcomes.
They showed significant improvement after Rick Tocchet became the coach, but the murky future surrounding Elias Pettersson (12th) looms over everything. Can the Canucks deal with both the pressure of winning games in an intense hockey market and convincing Pettersson to stay?
The high-end talent is there with Pettersson, J.T. Miller (32nd), Quinn Hughes (70th) and Andrei Kuzmenko (101st), but the depth is questionable, and the defensive play is still suspect. Beyond those four players, the rest of the Canucks roster has little fantasy upside.
Their season may end up hinging on Thatcher Demko (93rd), who is arguably a top-five goalie if he can stay healthy. His fantasy value can be as immense as his importance to the Canucks’ success.
Hidden Gem:
Hughes was newly minted as the captain, but don’t forget about Filip Hronek, their top right-hand defenseman. Acquired from the Red Wings, Hronek appeared in just four games for the Canucks last season due to injury but otherwise scored at a 50-point pace. Hronek could be paired with Hughes and mop up any power-play minutes Hughes leaves behind.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Elias Pettersson, 100 points
J.T. Miller, 88 points
Quinn Hughes, 82 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Canucks:
12. Elias Pettersson, C
32. J.T. Miller, C/RW
70. Quinn Hughes, D
Calgary Flames
Trending: The house is no longer burning – that’s a plus
The Flames didn’t make any significant roster changes, but the hope is they’ll bounce back under a new GM and new coach.
A disastrous season and the status of impending UFAs Elias Lindholm (71st), Mikael Backlund (165th) and Noah Hanifin (261st) make the Flames difficult to gauge, though the three veterans could be good fantasy gambles as they try to cash in on their next contract. The Flames offer up no shortage of quality fantasy options, and there’s little doubt they’ll improve, but to what extent is anybody’s guess.
Jacob Markstrom (105th) is the rare workhorse goalie, but last season’s body of work was very poor. Strangely, Markstrom tends to alternate between good and bad seasons, making him a potential mid-round target. At worst, he’ll rack up the saves and playing time, and it’s unlikely top prospect Dustin Wolf will be a threat to steal the starting job this season.
Hidden Gem:
The Flames have only one right-handed regular among their forwards, and that’s Lindholm. To avoid having an all-lefty lineup and on a team lacking natural right wingers, look for prospect Matt Coronato to fight for a top-six spot. The Harvard alum is a noted shooter, once scoring 48 goals in 51 games in the USHL. He’s watch-list material at this point, but don’t be afraid to pounce if he can secure a role next to Lindholm or Nazem Kadri (94th).
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Jonathan Huberdeau, 83 points
Elias Lindholm, 67 points
Nazem Kadri, 60 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Flames:
71. Elias Lindholm, C
77. Jonathan Huberdeau, LW
94. Nazem Kadri, C
Anaheim Ducks
Trending: Barely afloat but not drowning
The Ducks are dead in the water until their young core can take a step forward. That starts with Mason McTavish (135th), who possesses the most upside but is not at the stage of his career where he can lead this team or be considered anything more than a late-round sleeper pick. Trevor Zegras (80th) and Troy Terry (102nd) likely top out around 60-something points, joining a huge middle class of depth scorers. Even the additions of 2023 second overall pick Leo Carlsson (295th), who might play in the AHL instead, and free agent veteran Alex Killorn (187th), are unlikely to make a big impact on the Ducks’ overall offense.
Hidden Gem:
Jamie Drysdale is poised to take over the role of power-play quarterback, though he might have to displace Cam Fowler to do so. Drysdale’s part of the Ducks’ young core and is known for his ability to generate offense, offering a high-risk, high-reward alternative to the much steadier Fowler. Drysdale is still an unsigned RFA at the time of publishing, and the more time he misses, the less appetizing he becomes as a sleeper pick.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Troy Terry, 68 points
Trevor Zegras, 67 points
Mason McTavish, 63 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Ducks:
80. Trevor Zegras, C
102. Troy Terry, RW
125. John Gibson, G
San Jose Sharks
Trending: Way down to the depths
It’s uncertain what stage of the rebuild the Sharks are in, considering the mishmash of assets they acquired for Erik Karlsson. After the trade deadline on March 3, the Sharks were one of the league’s most offensively inept teams, ranking tied for 28th at 2.55 goals per game. That’s unlikely to change since the three teams below the Sharks – Red Wings, Blackhawks and Predators – all signed forwards to bolster their offense.
The Sharks, meanwhile, took a gamble on Filip Zadina and traded for Mike Hoffman, Mikael Granlund and Anthony Duclair (257th), veterans their previous teams no longer wanted. Their top offensive player is expected to be 34-year-old Logan Couture (123th), and Tomas Hertl (96th) will turn 30 in November. Top prospect William Eklund (185th) isn’t exactly being put in a position to succeed, and the glut of wingers also blocks his path to a top-six role, preventing him from getting the opportunities that would otherwise make him a valuable deep sleeper pick.
Hidden Gem:
It’s slim pickings after Couture and Hertl, but Alexander Barabanov (282nd) had a productive season with 47 points in 68 games. Only with the Sharks would Barabanov be getting top six minutes, and he can be an asset in points leagues. However, note that he doesn’t shoot the puck very often, and like everyone else on the team, his plus-minus is going to suffer. Like I said, it’s slim pickings.
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Logan Couture, 60 points
Tomas Hertl, 58 points
Alexander Barabanov, 51 points
Jason Chen’s Top 3 Ranked Sharks:
96. Tomas Hertl, C
123. Logan Couture, C
185. William Eklund, C/LW