MORE FANTASY COVERAGE: Top 250 rankings
NOTES: These fantasy projections (for 82-game season), a collaborative effort by Pete Jensen, Anna Dua and independent correspondent James Harding, 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 for this season. The below totals are safe estimates and 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 top 250 rank.
Canucks 32 in 32: [Season preview | 3 Questions | Top prospects]
J.T. Miller, C/LW -- He had a full-fledged breakout for the Canucks last season, leading them with NHL career highs in points (99; ninth in League), goals (32), assists (67; sixth), power-play points (38; tied for third) and shots on goal (206). Miller should be considered a top 25 overall fantasy player, top 10 center option and is NHL.com's third highest-ranked player who's dual-position eligible in Yahoo Fantasy.
NHL.com point projection for Miller: 89
Video: Top 5 J.T. Miller Plays from the 2021-22 Season
Thatcher Demko, G --He had a career-high in wins (33; ninth in NHL) last season and has a .915 save percentage in each of the past two seasons, tied for fifth in the League over that span (minimum 75 games). He also had his best goals-against average (2.72) last season and was 25-11-6 with a .918 save percentage and one shutout under coach Bruce Boudreau, who replaced Travis Green on Dec. 5, 2021. Demko should be considered a top 10 fantasy goalie and could get a boost from Vancouver having Boudreau for a full season and also the signing of two-way wing Ilya Mikheyev (four-year contract).
NHL.com win projection for Demko: 35
Elias Pettersson, C/LW -- He was tied with defenseman Quinn Hughes for second on the Canucks in points (NHL career-high 68) and had his highest NHL totals in goals (32), power-play points (27) and shots on goal (192). Pettersson, who played some left wing on the top line with Miller under Boudreau down the stretch, had 44 points (21 goals, 23 assists), including 16 points on the power play, in 34 games from Feb. 8 to the end of the regular season, second on Vancouver behind Miller (55 in 36 games) in that span.
NHL.com point projection for Pettersson: 78
Quinn Hughes, D -- He was tied for sixth among NHL defensemen in points last season, ranked fifth at the position in power-play points (31) and was 14th in the entire League in assists (60) with career bests in each category. Hughes, a fixture on the first power play with Miller, Pettersson and valuable center Bo Horvat, should be considered a top 10 fantasy defenseman and is one of four Vancouver players in NHL.com's top 50 overall rankings.
NHL.com point projection for Hughes: 72
Brock Boeser, RW -- He played an NHL career-high 71 games last season but had the lowest points-per-game average (0.65; 46 games) of his five full NHL seasons. That said, Boeser was still second on the Canucks in power-play goals (11; behind Horvat's 13) and third in shots on goal (195). Boeser, who has a great chance to play on the top line and first power play with Miller and Pettersson when healthy, should be considered a top 30 fantasy right wing and bounce-back candidate who's overdue for his first 30-goal season.
UPDATE: Boeser (hand surgery) is expected to be out for 3-4 weeks.
NHL.com point projection for Boeser: 57
