Fantasy hockey awards for 2016-17 season

With the 2016-17 regular season coming to a close, it's time for the NHL.com fantasy staff to reflect on the players who have defined the landscape -- for better or worse.
Fantasy writers Pete Jensen, David Satriano, Ben Zweiman and Brian Metzer have selected their most valuable players at each position based on standard-category coverage. Each writer has weighed in on the biggest surprises, disappointments and top rookies, and identified some early bounce-back and sleeper targets for next season.

FANTASY RANKINGS:
TOP 250 FOR 2017-18
|
TOP 100 'F'
|
TOP 50 'D'
|
TOP 25 'G'

Pete Jensen, NHL.com Senior Fantasy Editor (@NHLJensen)

Fantasy MVP: Connor McDavid (runner-up: Nikita Kucherov)
Center MVP: Connor McDavid (runner-up: Sidney Crosby)
Left Wing MVP: Brad Marchand (runner-up: Mike Hoffman)
Right Wing MVP:Nikita Kucherov (runner-up: Patrick Kane)
Defenseman MVP:Erik Karlsson (runner-up: Victor Hedman)
Goalie MVP:Sergei Bobrovsky (runner-up: Braden Holtby)
Standout rookie:Auston Matthews (runner-up: Patrik Laine)
Biggest surprise:Leon Draisaitl (runner-up: Viktor Arvidsson)
Biggest underachiever:Matt Duchene (runner-up: Oliver Ekman-Larsson)
Bounce-back candidate:Aaron Ekblad (additional pick: Tyler Toffoli)
Sleeper for 2017-18:Tyson Jost (additional pick: Joshua Ho-Sang)

David Satriano, NHL.com Staff Writer (@davidsatriano)

Fantasy MVP:Connor McDavid (runner-up: Brad Marchand)
Center MVP:Connor McDavid (runner-up: Sidney Crosby)
Left Wing MVP:Brad Marchand (runner-up: Alex Ovechkin)
Right Wing MVP:Nikita Kucherov (runner-up: Patrick Kane)
Defenseman MVP:Brent Burns (runner-up: Erik Karlsson)
Goalie MVP:Sergei Bobrovsky (runner-up: Braden Holtby)
Standout rookie:Patrik Laine (runner-up: Auston Matthews)
Biggest surprise:Mikael Granlund (runner-up: Cam Talbot)
Biggest underachiever:Matt Duchene (runner-up: Anze Kopitar)
Bounce-back candidate:Claude Giroux (additional pick: Cory Schneider)
Sleeper for 2017-18:Brock Boeser (additional pick: Julius Honka)

Ben Zweiman, NHL.com Staff Writer (@BZweimanNHL)

Fantasy MVP:Brad Marchand (runner-up: Connor McDavid)
Center MVP:Connor McDavid (runner-up: Sidney Crosby)
Left Wing MVP:Brad Marchand (runner-up: Max Pacioretty)
Right Wing MVP:Patrick Kane (runner-up: David Pastrnak)
Defenseman MVP:Brent Burns (runner-up: Dougie Hamilton)
Goalie MVP:Sergei Bobrovsky (runner-up: Cam Talbot)
Standout rookie:Matthew Tkachuk (runner-up: Zach Werenski)
Biggest surprise:Nazem Kadri (runner-up: Viktor Arvidsson)
Biggest underachiever:P.K. Subban (runner-up: Matt Duchene)
Bounce-back candidate:Anze Kopitar (additional pick: Claude Giroux)
Sleeper for 2017-18:Anthony Mantha (additional pick: Christian Dvorak)

Brian Metzer, NHL.com Correspondent (@Brian\_Metzer)

Fantasy MVP:Connor McDavid (runner-up: Sidney Crosby)
Center MVP:Connor McDavid (runner-up: Crosby)
Left Wing MVP:Brad Marchand (runner-up: Alex Ovechkin)
Right Wing MVP:Patrick Kane (runner-up: Nikita Kucherov)
Defenseman MVP:Brent Burns (runner-up: Erik Karlsson)
Goalie MVP:Braden Holtby (runner-up: Sergei Bobrovsky)
Standout rookie:Auston Matthews (runner-up: Patrick Laine)
Biggest surprise:Viktor Arvidsson (runner-up: Justin Schultz)
Biggest underachiever:Anze Kopitar (runner-up: P.K. Subban)
Bounce-back candidate:Gabriel Landeskog (additional pick: Oliver Ekman-Larsson)
Sleeper for 2017-18:Christian Fischer (additional pick: Joel Eriksson Ek)

NOTES: NHL.com has categorized dual-eligible forwards at their primary position. ... Yahoo average draft position has been taken into account for certain awards. ... Standard leagues categories include goals, assists, plus-minus, penalty minutes, power-play points and shots on goal for skaters, and wins, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts for goalies.