2023-24 Yahoo Fantasy Hockey Rankings Reaction

The 2023-24 fantasy hockey season is now open and here are some quick observations.

PSA: Yahoo Fantasy Hockey is now officially open.

A few things before we begin:

1. As per usual for the past few seasons now, players with multiple-position eligibility last season only have one position assigned to them. There is an exception for two players in the top 100, and we’ll get to him later. This is normal; by the end of October, a lot of players will have gained eligibility at multiple positions.

It will make it a little more difficult if your league has separate C, LW and RW positions in the first few weeks, but at least it will be temporary. Yahoo tends to add positions at its own pace, so there’s no telling when the updates will come, though there is a page that keeps track of Position Eligibility.

2. Pre-Season Ranks are Yahoo’s default ranks. Current is the ranking based on your league’s settings, and individual player stat projects are provided by Rotowire. (Full disclosure, I also provide content for Rotowire).

Rankings may be updated periodically, and they already have been updated at least once. Luke Hughes, for example, opened at 1,069th but has since moved up to 180th. Evan Bouchard has moved from 182nd to 127th, which still feels too low. Check out more value rankings below.

3. There are some errors with the database that should be fixed soon. Aatu Raty, for example, is still listed as an Islander even though he was traded to and played for the Canucks last season. Rangers minor leaguer Ty Emberson is listed twice.

This is a surprise since the Bruins are expected to take a step back without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, who has to announce his official retirement but not expected to re-sign. Pastrnak finished third in scoring last season with 113 points but ranked fifth behind Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon and Matthew Tkachuk in points per game.

EDIT: Krejci officially announced his retirement on Aug. 14 after 16 NHL seasons. He finishes his career ranked ninth in points (786) and fifth in games played (1,032) in Bruins history. 

This makes sense, considering Thompson’s incredible breakout season and only McDavid, Draisaitl and MacKinnon are ahead, with Auston Matthews ranked fifth. The advanced stats hint Thompson’s season was no fluke. There will be no value proposition for Thompson when he’s ranked this high, and he’ll certainly go off the board early. The key question: Do you prefer Thompson or Matthews?

Hughes and Miller are the only players ranked in the top 100 who have dual-position eligibility. This adds massive surplus value since Hughes and Miller can gain faceoff wins from the LW and RW positions, respectively. Numerous centers will gain LW and/or RW eligibility early in the season, including Carter Verhaeghe, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Adrian Kempe. Miller being C,RW is a head scratcher considering he played center for nearly the entire season, almost exclusively so after Bo Horvat was traded, and played right wing on Elias Pettersson’s line only in the season finale.

This seems like a fair ranking for Bedard, the most hyped prospect to enter the NHL since Connor McDavid. The Blackhawks will not be a good team, and even at a point-per-game pace, Bedard doesn't warrant a first-round pick unless you're in a dynasty league.

No. 2 overall pick Adam Fantilli was ranked 1,757th but has since moved up to 205th, and Logan Cooley - whom the Coyotes claim is the 'best prospect in the world' - is ranked 1,776th. Leafs left winger Matthew Knies is 1,063rd despite potentially playing a top-six role on a very good offensive club, and Flyers sniper Tyson Foerster is ranked 903rd. That covers the top five in my rookie forwards preview, which includes five more names you should know. Brandt Clarke (1,018th) and Luke Hughes (180th) represent two of the rookie defensemen.

Stars captain Jamie Benn (58th) and Kraken left winger Jared McCann (64th) are both ranked inside the top 100 even though they’re due for a regression in the 2023-24 season. That means players who had injury-riddled seasons, including veterans Max Pacioretty (806th), Connor Brown (891st) and Sean Couturier (940th), can be easily overlooked in auto drafts and by managers who haven’t done their homework.

Related:

5 Bounce-back Candidates for 2023-24

8 Breakout Candidates for 2023-24

7 Candidates Due for a Regression in 2023-24

7 Forwards Whose Fantasy Value Increased Significantly

5 Goalies and Defensemen Whose Fantasy Value Increased Significantly 

All positions courtesy of Yahoo! Fantasy. All advanced stats courtesy naturalstattrick.com.