Week 11: Fantasy top 100 forward rankings for 2016-17

All season long, NHL.com will rank the top 100 forwards for standard Yahoo leagues (goals, assists, plus/minus, penalty minutes, power-play points, shots on goal). Players with long-term injuries have been removed from this list. Multiple positions indicate dual eligibility in Yahoo leagues.
These rankings are based on expectations for the rest of the season. Value is quantified by line combinations, power-play usage, past performance and overall upside in standard leagues. Changes in value each week are based on recent performance and/or lineup trends.

Evander Kane has always been a difficult forward to evaluate in terms of fantasy value. His potential is always high, but he has rarely lived up to the billing or stayed healthy long enough to try in recent seasons.
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TOP 50 'D'
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SLEEPERS FOR 2017
That said, Kane's recent performance makes it an absolute no-brainer to add him to your fantasy lineup, regardless of format.
Kane scored two goals on four shots for the Buffalo Sabres against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, giving him eight goals in his past 11 games after none in his first 12. His stock over the years has been marred by injuries but he has been healthy and productive whether or not he's played on a line with Jack Eichel of late. At 29 percent owned, he's arguably the most overlooked, underestimated fantasy player in the NHL right now.

Since 2011-12, Kane has been limited to 310 of a possible 410 games because of various injuries, but is still among the League leaders in shots on goal (1,192, 17th), penalty minutes (371, 41st) and hits (825, 39th) in the span. He scored 20 goals last season, his best single-season output since his 30 with the Winnipeg Jets in 2011-12, but is noticeably playing his best hockey in years since Eichel returned from injury Nov. 29.
Kane is even doing some damage on the Sabres' second power-play unit (four PPP), an area he has struggled in for much of his career (NHL career-high nine PPP in 2011-12). He is closing in on the top 200 in Yahoo's performance-based rankings (239th as of Wednesday) and has the rare category coverage that could make him a shoe-in for the year-end top 100 if he stays healthy.
Even though Kane has already missed 11 games and can play a maximum of 71, his pro-rated projection of 25 goals, 40 points, 77 PIMs, 12 PPP and 209 SOG would put him in rare company. Six players have had a 25-40-75-10-200 line in a single season since 2013-14: Wayne Simmonds (2013-14, 2015-16), Scott Hartnell (2014-15), David Perron (2013-14), Boone Jenner (2015-16) and Ryan Kesler (2013-14).

TRENDING UP

Anders Lee (LW, 22 percent owned) quietly leads the New York Islanders in goals (13) and has been one of the hottest League-wide of late with four in his past four games (T-2nd in span). He has been playing on the top line with John Tavares and an even bigger fantasy surprise in Josh Bailey (LW/RW, 8 percent owned), who's second on the Islanders behind Tavares (24 points) with 21 points. Remember, Lee was fantasy relevant as a rookie in 2014-15, when he played alongside Tavares for much of the second half, and finished with 25 goals and 197 SOG. With a spot on the first power-play unit with Tavares, Bailey, Ryan Strome and Nick Leddy solidified, Lee has bounced back in a big way and warrants consideration in all fantasy formats. If your league counts hits, Lee is even more valuable with 78 in 34 games.

TRENDING DOWN

This season has been the polar opposite of last season for Vincent Trocheck and fellow Florida Panthers secondary scorers Reilly Smith and Jussi Jokinen. Each finished with at least 50 points in 2015-16, but none are worth holding onto at the moment -- at least until Jonathan Huberdeau returns sometime after the New Year. Trocheck, who has not scored a point in his past four games, still carries high ownership (C, 44 percent) but is minus-15 and has seen little time on Florida's first power-play unit. With Seth Griffith holding down a spot on the top line with Aleksander Barkov and Jaromir Jagr, hot-starting Jonathan Marchessault has been bumped off that unit and has been in and out of the lineup because of injury. Marchessault and Trocheck each sit outside the top 100 forwards.

WORTH NOTING

-- Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat could return to the Tampa Bay Lightning lineup against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, finally some good news on their injury front. Forward Jonathan Drouin (undisclosed; day to day) recently joined goalie Ben Bishop (lower body) and captain Steven Stamkos (torn meniscus) on their injured list, but Kucherov's return offers some hope the Lightning can salvage their season and pursue a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The return of Kucherov, one of six players (Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Evgeni Malkin, Vladimir Tarasenko, Cam Atkinson) averaging better than a point per game (minimum 25 games) this season, should boost Tyler Johnson (C, 56 percent owned) and/or Vladislav Namestnikov (C/LW, 3 percent), with each having thrived alongside Kucherov in the past.

-- Tyler Toffoli (lower body) will not return to the Los Angeles Kings lineup until January, opening the door for other forwards down the lineup. Tanner Pearson (LW, 9 percent owned), who started hot and has been an efficient offensive player for the Kings through the years (plus-9 this season; plus-36 in NHL career), took Toffoli's spot on the first power-play unit against the Dallas Stars on Dec. 23. Pearson had a power-play assist in the game and has points in two straight and three of his past five. The 24-year-old is a more worthwhile standard-league fantasy add than veterans Marian Gaborik or Dustin Brown.

-- Connor Brown (RW, 1 percent owned) has been bumped up to the Toronto Maple Leafs' first power-play unit and an even-strength line with rookie Auston Matthews. Brown, 22, has been up to the task since the move, combining for three points in two games with two coming on the power play. He also has seven SOG in the span. He has 12 points in 33 games this season, but could surface in deep fantasy leagues if coach Mike Babcock keeps him in this spot the rest of the way.

Top 100 Fantasy Forwards

These rankings were last updated Dec. 28. They reflect the order of forwards in
NHL.com's top 200 rankings at the holiday break
.
1. Connor McDavid, C, EDM
2. Sidney Crosby, C, PIT
3. Patrick Kane, RW, CHI
4. Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, STL
5. Alex Ovechkin, LW, WSH
6. Evgeni Malkin, C, PIT
7. Joe Pavelski, C/RW, SJS
8. Jakub Voracek, LW/RW, PHI
9. Nikita Kucherov, RW, TBL
10. Wayne Simmonds, RW, PHI
11. Tyler Seguin, C/RW, DAL
12. Claude Giroux, C, PHI
13. Jamie Benn, LW, DAL
14. Patrik Laine, LW/RW, WPG
15. Artemi Panarin, LW, CHI
16. Mark Scheifele, C, WPG
17. Phil Kessel, RW, PIT
18. Nicklas Backstrom, C, WSH
19. Corey Perry, RW, ANA
20. Johnny Gaudreau, LW, CGY
21. Auston Matthews, C, TOR
22. John Tavares, C, NYI
23. David Pastrnak, RW, BOS
24. Blake Wheeler, RW, WPG
25. Jack Eichel, C, BUF
26. Cam Atkinson, RW, CBJ
27. Max Pacioretty, LW, MTL
28. Brad Marchand, LW, BOS
29. Aleksander Barkov, C, FLA (DTD)
30. Alexander Radulov, LW/RW, MTL
31. Ryan Kesler, C, ANA
32. Leon Draisaitl, C/RW, EDM
33. James Neal, RW, NSH
34. Ryan Getzlaf, C, ANA
35. Jeff Skinner, LW, CAR
36. Taylor Hall, LW, NJD
37. Ryan Johansen, C, NSH
38. Eric Staal, C, MIN
39. Mike Hoffman, LW, OTT
40. Patric Hornqvist, RW, PIT
41. Jeff Carter, C, LAK
42. Logan Couture, C, SJS
43. Milan Lucic, LW, EDM
44. Joe Thornton, C, SJS
45. Alex Wennberg, C, CBJ
46. Tyler Toffoli, C/RW, LAK (IR)
47. Mitch Marner, C/RW, TOR
48. Kyle Okposo, RW, BUF
49. Nick Foligno, LW/RW, CBJ
50. Jonathan Drouin, LW/RW, TBL
51. Anze Kopitar, C, LAK
52. Mark Stone, RW, OTT
53. Nikolaj Ehlers, LW/RW, WPG
54. Brandon Saad, LW/RW, CBJ
55. Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, WSH
56. Brayden Schenn, C/LW, PHI
57. William Nylander, C/RW, TOR
58. Jaromir Jagr, RW, FLA
59. Matt Duchene, C/RW, COL
60. James van Riemsdyk, LW, TOR
61. Patrice Bergeron, C, BOS
62. Filip Forsberg, LW, NSH
63. Nathan MacKinnon, C/RW, COL
64. Daniel Sedin, LW, VAN
65. Sean Monahan, C, CGY
66. Chris Kreider, LW, NYR
67. Rick Nash, LW/RW, NYR (DTD)
68. Tyler Johnson, C, TBL
69. Jordan Eberle, RW, EDM
70. Zach Parise, LW, MIN
71. Jonathan Toews, C, CHI
72. Brendan Gallagher, RW, MTL
73. Rickard Rakell, C/LW, ANA
74. Artem Anisimov, C, CHI
75. Jason Spezza, C/RW, DAL
76. Robby Fabbri, C/LW, STL
77. Mats Zuccarello, RW, NYR
78. Charlie Coyle, C/RW, MIN
79. Nazem Kadri, C, TOR
80. Victor Rask, C, CAR
81. Bryan Little, C, WPG
82. T.J. Oshie, RW, WSH
83. Derek Stepan, C, NYR
84. Jaden Schwartz, C/LW, STL
85. David Backes, RW, BOS
86. Sam Gagner, C/RW, CBJ
87. Viktor Arvidsson, LW/RW, NSH
88. Evander Kane, LW, BUF
89. Alexander Steen, LW/RW, STL
90. Marcus Johansson, LW/RW, WSH
91. Jakob Silfverberg, RW, ANA
92. J.T. Miller, C/LW/RW, NYR
93. Conor Sheary, LW/RW, PIT
94. Kevin Hayes, C/RW, NYR
95. Michael Cammalleri, LW, NJD
96. Tomas Plekanec, C, MTL
97. Valtteri Filppula, C/LW, TBL
98. Henrik Zetterberg, C/LW, DET
99. Mikko Koivu, C, MIN
100. Kyle Turris, C, OTT
Dropped out: Gabriel Landeskog (COL), Travis Zajac (NJD)
Just missed: Sebastian Aho (LW/RW, CAR), Sam Reinhart (C/RW, BUF), Mikael Granlund (C/LW, MIN), Radim Vrbata (RW, ARI), Bobby Ryan (RW, OTT), Henrik Sedin (C, VAN), Scott Hartnell (LW, CBJ), Matthew Tkachuk (LW, CGY), Anders Lee (LW, NYI), Derick Brassard (C, OTT), David Krejci (C, BOS), Mike Fisher (C, NSH), Nino Niederreiter (LW/RW, MIN), Teuvo Teravainen (C/LW/RW, CAR)
Key injuries: Steven Stamkos (C, TBL), Alex Galchenyuk (C, MTL), Marian Hossa (RW, CHI), Ryan O'Reilly (C/LW, BUF), Mika Zibanejad (C/RW, NYR), Jonathan Huberdeau (LW, FLA), Max Domi (LW, ARI), Andrew Shaw (C/RW, MTL), Patrick Sharp (LW/RW, DAL), Tomas Hertl (C/LW, SJS)
READ: Last week's Top 100 forward rankings