The NHL season is just around the corner which means Fantasy Drafts are in full force over the next couple of weeks. Luckily we’ve got you covered with our top 100 players for this season to take you to the promised land.
This guide assumes standard scoring categories and is based on estimated production THIS year, not future potential. We’ll cover dynasty league targets in future articles, but for now, let’s assume you’re in a redraft league.
While there isn’t much mystery surrounding who the number overall pick should be, we’ve certainly sprinkled in some players other services have ranked well outside their top 100 on this list. That’s because where other prognosticators like to play it safe, their rankings are likely to keep you out of the basement of your league, but won’t be winning you many league titles anytime soon. So below, we’ve combined some sure things, with home run swings who, even if they don’t pan out, have enough cache to their name that you can find multiple suitors to trade them to mid-season if you need to pivot.
Behold, your top 100 fantasy hockey players for the 2021-22 season:
| 1. Connor McDavid, EDM, C | Unquestioned number 1 player |
| 2. Nathan MacKinnon, COL, C | Mackinnon/Draisaitl could be interchanged, pick your poison |
| 3. Leon Draisaitl, EDM, C/LW | So long as McDavid is an Oiler, Draisaitl is a top 5 player |
| 4. Auston Matthews, TOR, C | Offseason wrist surgery could cause a slow start, 50G potential |
| 5. Nikita Kucherov, TB, RW | Back after a year off, Kuch shouldn’t miss a beat |
| 6. Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB, G | The best goaltender on the planet on a powerhouse team |
| 7. David Pastrnak, BOS, RW | Looking for a bounce back year on a more balanced BOS team. 40 goals? |
| 8. Mikko Rantanen, COL, RW | Mackinnon’s partner in crime, will put up points in bunches |
| 9. Artemi Panarin, NYR, LW | Could be a massive year at MSG for multiple Rangers players |
| 10. Brad Marchand, BOS, LW | One of the more underappreciated goal scorers in recent years. 35+ goals for sure |
| 11. Mitch Marner, TOR, RW | Will help you dominate the assists category this year |
| 12. Patrick Kane, CHI, RW | Blackhawks are poised for a bounce back year, could challenge for the Hart |
| 13. Alex Ovechkin, WSH, LW | Old reliable, continues to be amongst leagues best goal scorers |
| 14. Sidney Crosby, PIT, C | Coming off surgery in off season, could miss some time in Oct. |
| 15. Aleksander Barkov, FLA, C | Barkov might not be a sexy name, but quietly gets the job done |
| 16. Jonathan Huberdeau, FLA, LW | Looking to build on 2021, contributes in multiple categories |
| 17. Brayden Point, TB, C/RW | Anyone who sees PP time in TB is going to put up big points |
| 18. Sebastian Aho, CAR, C | The straw that stirs the drink in Carolina, could flirt with 90pts |
| 19. Cale Makar, COL, D | This is the year Makar dethrones Hedman as the league’s best D-man |
| 20. Andrei Svechnikov, CAR, LW/RW | A breakout year could be in the cards, sneaky 35+ G potential |
| 21. Elias Pettersson, VAN, C | Bounce back year after injury plagued 2021 |
| 22. Victor Hedman, TB, D | Still an elite defenseman on one of the league’s best teams |
| 23. Darcy Kuemper, COL, G | The starting goaltender for the Colorado Avalanche. Pencil in 35 wins |
| 24. Jake Guentzel, PIT, LW/RW | Will be interesting to see how his numbers fare with Crosby/Malkin on the mend |
| 25. Kirill Kaprizov, MIN, LW/RW | Minnesota’s number 1 option offensively, will see ample PP time |
| 26. Alex DeBrincat, CHI, LW/RW | Anytime you’re on a line with Patrick Kane, you’re going to put up numbers |
| 27. Brady Tkachuk, OTT, LW | Could be a top 20 player this year, but contract hold out could delay his season |
| 28. Robin Lehner, VGK, G | Put up stellar numbers in Vegas last year, now the unquestioned number 1 |
| 29. Mika Zibanejad, NYR, C | Overcame a slow start last year to still post respectable numbers |
| 30. Igor Shesterkin, NYR, G | Could be a sleeper Vezina candidate when all is said and done |
| 31. Mark Stone, VGK, RW | Contributes in multiple categories across the board, no real weakness |
| 32. Steven Stamkos, TB, C/RW | Not quite his former 50+G scoring self, but still a threat to put up pts in bunches |
| 33. Adam Fox, NYR, D | Reigning Norris trophy winner, could see numbers spike this year |
| 34. John Tavares, TOR, C | Appears to be fully recovered from injury, firmly entrenched as 2C in TOR |
| 35. Max Pacioretty, VGK, LW | If your league counts shots as a stat, Pacioretty is happy to oblige |
| 36. Mark Scheifele, WPG, C | Seems to just steadily add to his game every year, could breakout in 2021-22 |
| 37. John Carlson, WSH, D | High end puck moving defenseman who will see lots of time on the PP |
| 38. Patrice Bergeron, BOS, C | Final member of the perfection line, +/- and assist darling |
| 39. Marc-Andre Fleury, CHI, G | New team, but the reigning Vezina winner clearly has lots left in the tank |
| 40. Mathew Barzal, NYI, C | NYI won’t dazzle you offensively, but someone has to score, and it’s likely Barzal |
| 41. Quinn Hughes, VAN, D | New contract, Vancouver out to prove they aren’t as bad as their 2021-22 record |
| 42. Connor Hellebuyck, WPG, G | Will get tons of time between the pipes on a likely playoff team |
| 43. Aaron Ekblad, FLA, D | Coming off an injury, will be PP QB and has a cannon of a shot |
| 44. Gabriel Landeskog, COL, C/LW | Solid numbers across the board, high powered offense in Colorado |
| 45. Matthew Tkachuk, CGY, LW/RW | A rare source of PIMs and G’s , Tkachuk brings grit and skill to the table |
| 46. Taylor Hall, BOS, LW | After bouncing around between teams, Hall looking to recapture Hart magic in BOS |
| 47. Shea Theodore, VGK, D | Number one defenseman on one of the league’s top teams |
| 48. Carey Price, MTL, G | Could argue he deserves to be higher, but likely to miss time after surgery |
| 49. Brock Boeser, VAN, RW | Could be in line for a massive year in Vancouver is he stays healthy |
| 50. Frederik Andersen, CAR, G | New team, but Carolina is defensively sound and likely to pile up wins |
| 51. Charlie McAvoy, BOS, D | Lots of PP time, progressing year after year, could be a Norris darkhorse |
| 52. Anze Kopitar, LAK, C | Still putting up numbers in LA, Kopitar could finish somewhere around 75pts |
| 53. Spencer Knight, FLA, G | Here to stay in Florida. Could make an immediate impact with the Panthers |
| 54. Seth Jones, CHI, D | On the PP1 with DeBrincat, Kane and Toews? Yes please |
| 55. Cole Caufield, MTL, LW/RW | Is going to be THE GUY in Montreal this season, Calder finalist for sure |
| 56. J.T. Miller, VAN, C/LW | Another overlooked player who puts up numbers, part of VAN’s top line |
| 57. Torey Krug, STL, D | Krug could flirt with top 5 offensive numbers for D-men in STL this year |
| 58. Ilya Sorokin, NYI, G | All world talent, but likely to platoon in nets this year which limits his ceiling |
| 59. Evgeni Malkin, PIT, C | How much time Malkin misses to start the year will determine his fantasy outlook |
| 60. Tyson Barrie, EDM, D | On a PP unit with McDavid and Draisaitl, what more could you want? |
| 61. Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG, LW/RW | Speed for days, and looking to finally “breakout” in WPG this year |
| 62. Tom Wilson, WSH, RW | Multi-category contributor, you don’t need to like the guy to benefit from drafting him |
| 63. Alex Pietrangelo, VGK, D | Theodore takes a bit of the shine off Pietrangelo, but still in a great spot in Vegas |
| 64. Blake Wheeler, WPG, C/RW | 30G potential, with a bit of grit to his game as well |
| 65. Nicklas Backstrom, WSH, C | May start the year on the IR, but when healthy among the leagues best setup men |
| 66. Darnell Nurse, EDM, D | Developing into one of the leagues better all round defenders, source of PTS & PIMs |
| 67. Semyon Varlamov, NYI, G | Again, splitting time with Sorokin with the Isles limits true potential |
| 68. Johnny Gaudreau, CGY, LW/RW | May have lost some of the buzz over the years, but still a 25G threat |
| 69. Kyle Connor, WPG, LW | Connor could pile up the goals in WPG this year, elite shot, can he put it all together? |
| 70. Evgeny Kuznetsov, WSH, C | If Kuz manages to stay on Ovie’s line, then he could be in line for some huge statlines |
| 71. Kris Letang, PIT, D | PP points, assists, and +/- . Could be higher if he lit the lamp a little more often |
| 72. Nick Suzuki, MTL, C/RW | Could be in line for a big year skating opposite Caufield all year |
| 73. Bo Horvat, VAN, C | Someone else who isn’t getting a lot of pre-draft buzz, but can put up points in bunches |
| 74. Ryan O’Reilly, STL, C | If you can draft him as your 2/3rd centre you’re in great shape |
| 75. Morgan Rielly, TOR, D | Benefactor of a good situation having lots of offensive firepower to work with in TOR |
| 76. William Nylander, TOR, LW/RW | Whether it’s Matthews or Tavares at centre, Nylander in a good spot. 60pts potential |
| 77. Carter Hart, PHI, G | 2021 was a fluke. Too talented to have back to back dud years |
| 78. Dougie Hamilton, NJ, D | Devils not likely to put up points like Carolina, expect a dip in his numbers this year |
| 79. Patrik Laine, CBJ, RW | Elite shot, will get all the opportunities in the world, but CLB doesn’t have a strong roster |
| 80. Jakob Chychrun, ARI, D | If you can stomach his +/- being an anchor each week, the rest of the stats are great |
| 81. Tim Stutzle, OTT, LW | Breakout candidate. Buy low on him now, could be in line for a massive year |
| 82. Roman Josi, NSH, D | PP1 QB, getting up there in age, but production unlikely to fall of a cliff this year |
| 83. Filip Forsberg, NSH, LW | Bounce back candidate after a down year in 2021 |
| 84. Thatcher Demko, VAN, G | Quietly putting up numbers even with a porous defense in front of him |
| 85. Pierre-Luc Dubois, WPG, C/LW | Didn’t have the impact Jets hoped for in 2021, but now more comfortable in WPG system |
| 86. Thomas Chabot , OTT, D | Like Chychrun, you love the numbers but likely to be on the ice for plenty of goals against |
| 87. Alexis Lafreniere, NYR, LW | Will prove the doubters wrong in 2022, 65pts+ by the end of the year |
| 88. T.J. Oshie, WSH, C/RW | Great spot in WSH, good linemates, 20G candidate and will see PP time |
| 89. Elias Linhdolm, CGY, C/LW | Will centre Tkachuk and Coleman to start the year on Flames top line |
| 90. Ilya Samsonov, WSH, G | Strong team, 2021 didn’t go as planned, extremely talented netminder |
| 91. Vladimir Tarasenko, STL, RW | Still has juice left despite failed trade request. May get moved at deadline if STL falters |
| 92. Miro Heiskainen, DAL, D | Injuries derailed the Stars in 2021, could be a great source of PP pts and A’s |
| 93. Tyler Seguin, DAL, C/RW | Can he get back to his pre-injury form? Or is this the beginning of a decline for Seguin |
| 94. Kirby Dach, CHI, C/LW | Injury cost him his 2021 season, but an uber talented forward likely to get PP time |
| 95. Claude Giroux, PHI, C/LW | Philly can’t be that bad 2 years in a row right? Right….? |
| 96. Drake Batherson, OTT, RW | Could have 30-35G potential. Streaky scorer, cheap source of shots and goals |
| 97. Jordan Binnington, STL, G | Had a down year in 2021, but a good bounce back candidate to be sleeper top 10 goalie |
| 98. David Perron, STL, LW/RW | He’ll get overlooked in your draft, bank on it. Also bank on him outperforming expectations |
| 99. Jack Campbell, TOR, G | If he establishes himself as the number 1 G in TOR, he’ll have massive fantasy value |
| 100. Jack Eichel, BUF, C | Does he play in 2021? Or not? Top 15 talent, but a massive gamble on draft day |
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner