Fantasy hockey top five breakout stories of 2021

With 2021 coming to a close, NHL.com is taking a look at five of the biggest fantasy hockey breakout storylines from the past two regular seasons combined. For more fantasy coverage, visit
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FANTASY RANKINGS:
Top 200
Forwards
|
D-men
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Goalies
NOTE: Statistical trends are from the start of the 2020-21 regular season Jan. 13 to Dec. 22 of the 2021-22 regular season.

Jack Campbell, G, TOR
Mostly a backup during his first five NHL seasons with the Dallas Stars and Los Angeles Kings, Campbell has emerged as arguably the most valuable fantasy goalie the past two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Campbell's save percentage (.930 in 45 games) leads the NHL among goalies to play more than five games. Campbell has won 71.1 percent of his games (32 wins in 45 games), second in the NHL behind the Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has won 72.7 percent (48 wins in 66 games), among goalies with at least 40 games played since the start of the 2020-21 season.
With an elite offense featuring forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner,
John Tavares
, William Nylander and defenseman Morgan Rielly, Campbell set an NHL record for consecutive wins to start a season (11 straight in 2020-21) and quickly won Toronto's starting job. After performing well in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (.934 save percentage, one shutout in seven games) despite the Maple Leafs losing their series to the Montreal Canadiens, Campbell has maintained his strong play this season and been the most valuable fantasy goalie in standard Yahoo Fantasy leagues.
Kirill Kaprizov, LW/RW, MIN
The Minnesota Wild forward was worth the wait after being selected in the fifth round (No. 135) of the 2015 NHL Draft; he signed with them July 13, 2020 after starting his professional career in the Kontinental Hockey League. Kaprizov has scored 87 points (39 goals, 48 assists) in his first 85 games, 13th in the NHL.
Kaprizov, who has anchored the Wild's top line primarily with wing Mats Zuccarello (0.89 points per game the past two seasons) and a rotation of centers, is fourth in even-strength points (67) behind Edmonton Oilers forwards Connor McDavid (95) and Leon Draisaitl (78), and Matthews (71). Kaprizov was voted the Calder Trophy last season as NHL rookie of the year and was 40th overall in standard fantasy leagues; he's taken another step forward this season and is among the top 10 overall in Yahoo (eighth).
Adam Fox, D, NYR
The New York Rangers defenseman has taken a huge jump in points per game (0.92 past two seasons) compared to his rookie year (0.60) and is second at the position in that category during that span behind Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche (1.04). Fox skyrocketed up the fantasy rankings last season after earning a first power-play role and won the Norris Trophy voted as the best defenseman in the NHL.
Fox has 68 assists in 85 games the past two seasons, fourth behind McDavid (104), Draisaitl (79) and Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (69), and is tied for third in power-play points (36) behind McDavid (59) and Draisaitl (53). Fox and Makar are widely considered the top two defensemen in any fantasy format.
Dallas' new top duo
Stars forwards Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz, along with veteran Joe Pavelski, emerged as their most productive fantasy line in 2021, unseating the well-established unit of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov. In terms of points per game the past two seasons, Hintz (0.96; tied for 24th in NHL, minimum five games), Robertson (0.95; tied for 28th) and Pavelski (0.92; tied for 34th) are among the NHL leaders.
Robertson went undrafted in most fantasy leagues last season but emerged as a Calder Trophy finalist in voting for NHL rookie of the year, and Hintz had a full-fledged breakout on Robertson's line despite dealing with lingering injuries. Robertson has proven he has fantasy staying power this season, averaging 1.09 points per game (25 points in 23 games). Since Robertson made his season debut Oct. 27 after an injury, Hintz has scored 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) in his 21 games.
Senators' first line
The Ottawa Senators had one of the most underrated lines in the NHL in 2021 with left wing Brady Tkachuk, center Josh Norris and right wing Drake Batherson. Tkachuk has been one of the most valuable fantasy players in multicategory leagues; he is fourth in shots on goal (300 in 81 games) and second in hits (348; behind Florida Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas' 369) the past two seasons, ranking 12th overall in Yahoo last season and 32nd this season.
During that same span, Norris is tied for 25th in goals (31) and Tkachuk is tied for 35th (29). Batherson is tied for 12th in points per game (1.22; 28 points in 23 games) this season among those to play at least five games, is tied for 34th in power-play points (24) the past two seasons combined, and averages almost two hits per game (1.97; 156 in 79 games).
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