MORE FANTASY COVERAGE:
Top 250 rankings
NOTES: These fantasy projections (for an 82-game season) are a collaborative effort by Pete Jensen and Anna Dua, and have been quantified based on factors including but not limited to past performance in the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs, projected line combinations, power-play usage, team goalie situations, injury history or concern, sleeper upside, anticipated regression or bounce-back candidacy, age, contract status and overall upside. The below totals are safe estimates that do not necessarily indicate each player's ceiling or floor and should be used as a basis for decision-making in all fantasy leagues. Players are listed below in order of
NHL.com
's top 250 rankings.
Avalanche 32 in 32: [Season preview | 3 Questions | Top prospects]
Cale Makar, D -- He won the Norris Trophy last season after leading NHL defensemen in goals (28), finishing second in points (86 in 77 games), plus/minus rating (plus-48), and shots on goal (240), and third in power-play points (34). Makar then led the Avalanche with 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, further solidifying his status as the top fantasy defenseman for this season.
NHL.com point projection for Makar: 90
Nathan MacKinnon, C -- Over the past five seasons, MacKinnon ranks third in the NHL in points (442 in 338 games) behind Edmonton Oilers forwards Connor McDavid (549 in 360) and Leon Draisaitl (479 in 367). He is also among the League leaders in shots on goal (1,472; second) and power-play points (152; third). MacKinnon, like Makar, is among the top five overall in NHL.com's rankings and should reach 100 points for the first time in his NHL career.
NHL.com point projection for MacKinnon: 107
