AUG. 12 UPDATE: So we arrive at version 2 of the Top 300. This is easily the “softest” update I’ll make, simply because not much will change from a news perspective until players start reporting for camp. This update is mostly about coming at my list with fresh eyes and realizing where I’ve overrrated or underrated anyone. I’ve also factored in a few pieces of information gained since publishing version 1, most notably about Patrik Laine and Evander Kane.
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Hockey is back.

Okay, it’s not back. But it’s not far off, with the start of the 2024-25 regular season not even two months away. That means it’s time to start stretching the brain muscles for the early stages of your fantasy draft prep. I’m here to lead the workout with Version 1 of my top 300 player rankings for 2024-25.

If you’re unfamiliar with the process and ground rules of my fantasy rankings: let’s start there. Make sure you read these disclaimers before diving into the list.

(a) The rankings represent a working list that changes with each edition and will be updated with increasing frequency as the season approaches. Version 1 is my first impression after perusing every team’s 2023-24 stats, offseason roster additions and subtractions and prospect lists. Version 2 in late August will be a self-adjustment after giving my rankings a few weeks to breathe and gaining perspective on which players I under- or over-ranked. As training camp and the pre-season arrive, Versions 3 and beyond will reflect injuries, positional battles, prospects making or not making their teams, line deployments and so on. By October, a.k.a fantasy draft season, you can expect daily updates leading up to the start of the NHL season on Oct. 4.

(b) The rankings are for redraft leagues and based on the following stat categories: goals, assists, plus-minus, shots, power-play points, hits, blocks, wins, goals-against average, saves, save percentage and shutouts. Players who offer production across a variety of categories, such as the Tkachuk brothers or Andrei Svechnikov, get boosts. So do the precious few goaltenders who log heavy workloads and can compile beefy counting stats, such as *highlights text, copies, pastes from last year* Connor Hellebuyck and Juuse Saros.

(c) Real-life value does not always translate to fantasy value, and I always use Mark Stone as a prime example. He’s a tremendous real-life player. In fantasy? Mildly overrated. He doesn’t score many goals, doesn’t shoot the puck much and doesn’t throw many hits. So you’ll see some inferior real-life players ranked ahead of him in fantasy.

(d) Upside is everything, especially in early editions of these rankings. I am notoriously harsh on the boring veteran types who get 40 to 50 points a year in their sleep, such as J.T. Compher or Jordan Eberle. You’ll see some rookies who aren’t even guaranteed to make their teams ranked higher than them. Why? Because the boring vets can be found on the waiver wire at any time unless you play in a 32-team league. Use your late-round picks on upside plays. That might’ve landed you Luke Hughes or Brock Faber last season.

(e) During the lengthy process of reviewing rosters, ranking players, writing bios and constantly cutting and pasting names, I sometimes accidentally delete or omit a prominent player. If I do, hit me up on Twitter @MLarkinHockey and let me know.

Ready? Let’s drop the puck!

1. Connor McDavid, C, Oilers: Nothing to overthink here. To put it in perspective: an MVP-winning career season from Nathan MacKinnon is pretty much the baseline expectation for McJesus every year. After his goal total halved itself from 64 to 32, surely he can jump back up the 40s.

2. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Avalanche: Finally, he surpassed the 80-game mark for the first time in five years, and the results were predictably God-like. When you debut at 18 years old like MacKinnon did, it can feel like you’ve been around forever, but he’ll still only be 29 when the season starts. Maybe the 140-point explosion goes down as his peak, but he can give us another 120 at least. He gets the nod over Leon Draisaitl by almost doubling his shot total.

3. Leon Draisaitl, C, Oilers: It’s LOL-worthy to say it, but…is this a buy-low opportunity? After “only” giving us 41 goals and 106 points last season, he can tack 10 more onto each of those numbers. For fantasy purposes, I’d like to see him shoot more, but he’s so peerlessly accurate that he can do damage with far fewer pucks on goal than other superstars need.

4. Auston Matthews, C, Maple Leafs: He’ll never possess the same points ceiling as the names listed above him, but when you score 12 more goals than the next-closest player in the NHL, you belong in the elite first-round tier.

5. Nikita Kucherov, RW, Lightning: Am I disrespecting the reigning 144-point scoring champ by placing him fifth? Especially when he’s re-established his durability by missing one game in the past two seasons? Maybe, but he’s 31 and thus more likely than the other four to have topped out last season.

6. David Pastrnak, RW, Bruins: If McDavid, MacKinnon and Draisaitl are my tier 1, think of Matthews/Kucherov/Pastrnak as my tier 2. They’re virtually interchangeable. Matthews is the goals-format option, Kucherov the better pick in a points league, and Pastrnak is a hybrid of both – plus more durable.

7. Cale Makar, D, Avalanche: He got to 300 career points in one fewer game than Bobby Orr. He’s arguably a top-three talent on the planet, but today’s offense-heavy era yields a bunch of elite defensemen in fantasy, so Makar doesn’t lap the field. He’s still the gold standard, however.

8. Mikko Rantanen, RW, Avalanche: Set-and-forget the underappreciated superstar for 100 points and go back to sleep. As safe a pick as you’ll find in the first round.

9. Artemi Panarin, LW, Rangers: The Bread Man is a Future Hall of Famer, but I can’t say I saw a career-high 120 points and especially the career-high 49 goals coming in his age-32 season. He’s still an extremely reliable pick, but 35-60-95 would be a more realistic expectation this time around.

10. Jack Hughes, C, Devils: He’s going to produce like a top-five fantasy asset when he plays. But after he missed significant time – enough to lose plenty of people their leagues, I’m sure – in two of the past three seasons, we have to flag durability as a concern. If he gets to even 70 games this season, he’ll hit 100 points for the first time in his career.

11. Matthew Tkachuk, RW, Panthers: Slipped below 100 points last season for the first time since 2020-21, but he almost tripled his hit total. Still a multi-category monster, and positive regression from his 2023-24 shooting percentage of 9.3 will get him back to 90 points at least.

12. Kirill Kaprizov, LW, Wild: He’s 10^th in the NHL in points per game over the past three seasons. The supporting cast is never what he deserves it to be, but it’s improving with Matt Boldy, Brock Faber and Marco Rossi on the rise.

13. Brady Tkachuk, LW, Senators: He feels like a cheat code in hits/shots leagues. I’m still hoping he can level up one more time offensively. If he can get to the 40-goal, 80-point territory with the 300 shots and hits…he’ll be first-round material.

14. Connor Hellebuyck, G, Jets: It seems like you can’t trust even the elite goalies to deliver top-notch fantasy value every season…except for this guy. Hellebuyck offers ceiling, having won two of the past five Vezina Trophies, but his floor is just as important. He has dropped below a .910 save percentage once in his nine seasons, he has started 60 or more games in five consecutive non-shortened seasons, and he dominates whether the Jets have a good team or a mediocre one.

15. Roman Josi, D, Predators: Annually the best bet to lead all defensemen in goals and shots, with point-per-game production. He’s 34, but the improved team around him should offset the aging at least for this season.

16. J.T. Miller, C, Canucks: He has reached his peak at 31, but what a peak it is: give or take 100 points, 200 shots and 200 hits. If he was 25 years old, I’d have him top 10, but I could see some minor regression this season. Even if that happens, he’ll remain an elite combo-meal chef.

17. Evan Bouchard, D, Oilers: Delivered the massive breakout we knew he would and could easily finish as the top fantasy defenseman this time around. Can he level up again over the 18-64-82 stat line? I wouldn’t put it past him. Edmonton’s team looks even deadlier heading into 2024-25.

18. Igor Shesterkin, G, Rangers: Provides reliable excellence. Shesterkin has never posted a SV% below .912 in his five NHL seasons. He battled in-season inconsistency last year but caught fire after the All-Star break. He’s a tier below Hellebuyck simply because the volume is capped a bit lower. Whereas Hellebuyck is economical in his movement and built to play a lot, the uber-athletic Shesterkin needs more rest and has never reached 60 starts in a season.

19. Jason Robertson, LW, Stars: Could provide massive value coming off a drop from 106 to 80 points. At 24, he’s a strong bet to bounce back. But I’m playing a bit of a hunch here, admittedly. All his under-the-hood advanced offensive play-driving metrics last season regressed, so the drop in production wasn’t luck-based.

20. Quinn Hughes, D, Canucks: Has as many points upside year to year as any defenseman this generation but slots below the top three only because he’s less of a beast in the other categories. That said, it was awesome to see him make such huge gains in shots and goals.

21. Elias Pettersson, C, Canucks: I’m not one to go off intangibles too much, but Petey is a competitor. He has a lot to prove after what was a slight down year by his standards. I could see him spiking back to 100 points – while carrying a second-round cost on draft day. I like the value here.

22. Jeremy Swayman, G, Bruins: Among goalies with at least 50 games, he sits third in SV% over the past two seasons. Volume always held Swayman’s ceiling back, but with Linus Ullmark traded and Joonas Korpisalo presumably more of a backup than a platoon partner, Swayman probably sets a career high in starts. He has a shot to be the top overall fantasy goalie this year.

23. Rasmus Dahlin, D, Sabres: Had 20 goals, 59 points, 235 shots, 195 hits and 154 blocks in what qualifies as a regression/floor season. And he’s six months younger than Bouchard. You should remain all-in on Dahlin in fantasy.

24. Tim Stutzle, C, Senators: He seemed ready to smash through the 100-point stratosphere and instead regressed horribly in an 18-goal year. I’m not dissuaded. He’s not going to shoot 9.3 percent again. He maintains a high floor since he gives you triple-digit hits, and the superstar ceiling hasn’t gone anywhere. He’s only 22.

25. Brayden Point, C, Lightning: Because he’s such a good all-round player in real life, I’m always surprised when I check his year-end stats. “Damn, he had that many goals and points?” He has eclipsed 40 goals and 90 points three times and we should trust him to do it a fourth time at this point.

26. William Nylander, RW, Maple Leafs (-4): “Nylander will never match his contract-year output again” and “Nylander reached a new level last season” can both be true. Maybe he’s not a 98-point scorer again, but I buy him as a 90-point guy with a boatload of shots. I dropped him below Point given Point has done the 90-point thing thrice as often as Willy.

27. Mitch Marner, RW, Maple Leafs: Only six players have more points over the past five years. All the trade talk and Marner fatigue can be your friend in fantasy: he could fall to the second or third round and give you 100 points if he stays healthy.

28. Sebastian Aho, C, Hurricanes: Mr. Consistency always delivers a goal total in the mid-30s and set a career high with 89 points last season. That probably represents the peak, but it’s a nice one. Early-round picks are more about not losing your season than winning your season. Safer is better, and Aho is as safe as anyone.

29. Sidney Crosby, C, Penguins: Like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers version of Tom Brady, the late-career Crosby defies the aging curve so consistently that we should stop trying to understand how and just accept that he will remain a point-per-game god pretty much until he retires.

30. Connor Bedard, C, Blackhawks: McDavid and Crosby are the only two 18-year-olds this millennium to score at a higher rate than Bedard did as a rookie. Crosby and McDavid exploded to win the scoring title in their age 19 seasons. As far as Bedard: I won’t go that far, but I can confidently predict this is the final time he’ll be available outside the first round in redraft leagues for the next 15 years.

31. Jake Oettinger, G, Stars: Belongs in the tier of goalies with the talent and volume upside to finish atop their positional rankings in fantasy. Oettinger is coming off a disappointing regular season, however, and tends to get nicked up when his workload gets too heavy. His ceiling is as high as any goalie ranked higher, but Otter’s floor is slightly lower, too.

32. Jake Guentzel, LW, Lightning: There may be a recency bias reaction of, “Oh my god, he could play with Kucherov!” But just remember that Guentzel spent years as Crosby’s winger, so it’s not like he’s never had elite company. I’ve thus projected Guentzel more for his usual (great) production than for a massive leap, albeit a career year wouldn’t surprise me.

33. Zach Hyman, RW, Oilers: A little low for someone who finished third in the NHL in goals? Nah. Hyman is fantastic, but he’s 32, he smashed his career high in shooting percentage last season and he’s been a point-per-game player once in his nine seasons. He probably slides back to something like 45-30-75 this season. Nothing wrong with that.

34. Sam Reinhart, RW, Panthers: Tremendous all-around player. But we’re not paying for the 57-goal contract year that came while shooting 24.5 percent, right? Let’s be wise here. I still think he’s elevated his floor to something like 40 goals and 85 points.

35. Adam Fox, D, Rangers: Had 74, 72 and 73 points in his past three seasons. The latter total came in only 72 games but was buoyed by 17 goals while shooting at 12.4 percent, an unfathomably high rate for a defenseman. I’m picking nits here, of course. Fox is an absolute stud, albeit more so in points leagues as he’s not a banger-league monster.

36. Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Panthers: I surprised myself with this high ranking. But ‘Bob’ feels safer than he has in quite a long time. His backup, whether it’s Spencer Knight or Chris Driedger, isn’t a major playing time threat. Bobrovsky has earned long-term trust after backstopping Florida to a Stanley Cup. He’ll rank among the league leaders in starts and wins and should post above-average rate stats.

37. Juuse Saros, G, Predators: Last season was a step back, but Saros admitted his looming contract situation was affecting him. He has long-term security now and, by signing Scott Wedgewood as their backup, the Preds are not positioning prospect Yaroslav Askarov as a usurper. Saros is neck and neck with Hellebuyck as the annual best bet to lead the NHL in starts and saves. With the rate stats and win total likely to improve on a rising Nashville team, I’m back in, big time. Buy.

38. Filip Forsberg, LW, Predators: This ranking will prove way too low if he stays healthy again coming off his career-best line of 48-46-94 with 347 shots and 141 hits. But Forsberg was missing double-digit games with injuries every year before that. I’ve priced in the risk factor.

39. Kyle Connor, LW, Jets: A nice rebound candidate. He still managed 34 goals even in an injury-shortened season, and he was one of the league’s most durable players before last year. He’s earned a mulligan.

40. Aleksander Barkov, C, Panthers: The best defensive forward in the NHL has become a predictable fantasy commodity: production better than a point per game while missing give or take 10 games a year, which means we count on him for 80 points in 70 games.

41. Noah Dobson, D, Islanders: A nice mix of ceiling and floor here. He always gets double-digit goals, he’s jumped into the 70-point zone and he shoots the puck a lot. Rock-solid pick for your D1.

42. Victor Hedman, D, Lightning: His all-around play is declining in real life, but that’s not our concern in fantasy. Hedman still piles up the goals and points and contributes on a perennially elite power play. Like Crosby, Hedman is more of a floor pick than ceiling pick now, which is fine.

43. Thatcher Demko, G, Canucks: You draft him and feel confident you have a stud G1 for your fantasy team as long as he’s playing. But Demko gets nicked up time and again, to the point you breathe a sigh of relief if he even makes it to 50 starts. You want him, but you’ll need to pair him with a solid No. 2 that you feel comfortable using for extended stretches.

44. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, Lightning: True story – Vasilevskiy once told me he believed health was a skill, then he knocked on a table for good luck. That was right before 2022-23, his last fully healthy season. In 2023-24, returning from hip surgery in November, he never quite found a groove. And yet: he’s only 29 and has given us just one bad season in 10. We should give him the benefit of the doubt. If he struggles again, we can start worrying.

45. Clayton Keller, LW, Utah: He’ll be 26 when the season starts. The team around him is improving. We can at least count on him for 30 goals and 75 points, but does he have a career year in him?

46. Steven Stamkos, C, Predators: Tough player to rank. How effective will a 34-year-old Stamkos be outside the fertile fantasy confines of Tampa? It’s realistic to expect some regression. On the other hand, he should be highly motivated to make a statement after the emotional divorce, so I don’t expect him to fall off a cliff.

47. Tage Thompson, C, Sabres: So which version of Tage is the real one? He’s been merely good in two of the past three seasons and great in one. I still believe he’s a unique talent capable of a monster fantasy year. I’m staying on the Tage train for one more season. Even if the light doesn’t switch back on, his floor isn’t bad at all.

48. Jacob Markstrom, G, Devils: I’m cautiously optimistic. Markstrom’s play has fluctuated from great to bad to good over past three seasons, but he lands on a loaded Devils team away from the pressure of a Canadian market. Jake Allen is a strong backup who will eat into the workload, but Markstrom is a top-10 fantasy goalie.

49. Jack Eichel, C, Golden Knights: Eichel never reached the superstar ceiling that was promised but has settled in as a star. He misses a dozen games a year and gives you point-per-game production when he’s healthy.

50. Wyatt Johnston, C, Stars: He was a 24-goal scorer as a 19-year-old and a 32-goal scorer as a 20-year-old. Johnston’s upside is even higher than it appeared to be when he broke into the league. Does he jump to 40 goals this season? I can see it, but the hype factor will be high after his excellent playoff run, so be prepared to use an early pick if you want him.

51. Ilya Sorokin, G, Islanders: This feels low for arguably a top-three raw talent at the position. But the Patrick Roy factor is a problem. Dating back to the Colorado days, Semyon Varlamov was Roy’s guy, and he went to Varlamov for four of five games in the 2024 playoffs. I have to think the net is still Sorokin’s to start the year given his $8.25 million price tag, and I expect a bounce-back in performance, but the Varlamov threat is real and must be priced into Sorokin’s ranking.

52. Andrei Svechnikov, LW, Hurricanes: My yearly cycle: (a) “Ah, I guess Svechnikov will never quite smash down the door and become the multi-category monster I hoped he’d be”; (b); “Wait, he’s only xx years old?”; (c) “I’m back in.” So, yep, he averages 29 goals, 72 points, 244 shots and 192 hits per 82 games over his past three years and he’s only – wait for it – 24 years old. I’M BACK IN.

53. Jesper Bratt, RW, Devils: Three straight seasons between 26 and 32 goals and between 73 and 83 points. Boring is great in the early rounds. You want boring.

54. Josh Morrissey, D, Jets: Only three defensemen have outscored Morrissey over the past two seasons combined. He has as many points as Fox. Morrissey deserves D1 treatment, even if the team around him in Winnipeg looks a bit weakened for 2024-25.

55. Roope Hintz, C, Stars: I thought Hintz was on a rocket ship, destined for his best output yet in 2023-24, but his scoring went the other direction. Could he just be settling in as a ultra-reliable 30-goal machine who is better in real life than fantasy? This season will be telling.

56. Timo Meier, LW, Devils: So a horrible bust season for him consisted of 28 goals, 207 shots and 111 hits. That is the rock-bottom floor. With even a modest bounce-back in production he’ll be a top-40 player again.

57. Alex Ovechkin, LW, Capitals: The first half was a nightmare. Then Ovi cancelled the funeral with a second-half pace that extrapolated to a 46-goal season. He’ll be 39 when 2024-25 starts, but if we factor in all the upgrades Washington made this summer, maybe he has another 40-goal campaign in him.

58. Miro Heiskanen, D, Stars: Heiskanen has so much responsibility on the ice that he’s probably never going to lead his position in scoring. He’s good enough to get back to his 2022-23 output, however. And if 73 points are too much to ask again, how about 60-plus?

59. Chris Kreider, LW, Rangers: He’s 33 now, and power forwards sometimes hit a wall in their early 30s, but it hasn’t happened yet for Kreider. He’s a safe 35-goal guy until further notice.

60. Adrian Kempe, RW, Kings: He’s one of the best combo-meal wingers in fantasy but doesn’t carry the cachet of many similar guys. It therefore always feels like you can turn a profit when you pick him.

61. Mika Zibanejad, C, Rangers: After becoming a top-drawer goal scorer in 2019-20 and 2020-21, he’s failed to score even 30 goals in two of his past three seasons. He’s still an extremely high-floor player whom we can count on for 70 points but, at 31, perhaps his peak years are complete.

62. Cole Caufield, RW, Canadiens: He has taken the mantle from Brock Boeser as ‘Perceived elite goal scorer who somehow doesn’t even have a 30-goal season yet.’ Given how freakishly bad his shooting luck was this past season, I’m betting that changes. It was also extremely encouraging to see him get through a full season healthy.

63. Seth Jarvis, RW, Hurricanes: Went from one of the league’s unluckiest shooters in 2022-23 to one of the luckiest and broke through for his first 30-goal campaign. Additional progression for the talented youngster will offset any luck regression. I like him for 30 goals, 70 points, 175 shots and 100 hits.

64. Dylan Larkin, C, Red Wings: Point-per-game production and a nice shot total await, but he has missed double-digit games in three of his past four seasons. Time to officially slap the injury-prone label on him. He’s an 80-point player who gets you 70 because of time missed.

65. Joel Eriksson Ek, C, Wild: I think we’re at his peak now, but it sure is a nice one. He’ll bury 30 goals for you and chip in 250 shots and 150 hits. He’s also 19^th in the NHL in power-play goals over the past two seasons, which is worth noting if your league awards points for that stat.

66. Vincent Trocheck, C, Rangers: Pretty much a lock for 25 goals, 65 points, 200 shots and 175 hits, with slight year-to-year fluctuations in each category. He’s only missed one game in the past three years combined, too.

67. Carter Verhaeghe, LW, Panthers: He’s a late bloomer, meaning he’s closer to the end of his prime than it may seem, but he’s a reliable goal scorer in one of the league’s best fantasy environments.

68. Kevin Fiala, LW, Kings: Not an elite goals asset, but he’ll deliver you 70 points and 200 shots. Fiala has settled in as a reliable fantasy contributor and ideal second winger.

69. Mathew Barzal, C, Islanders: Hard to believe he went six years between 80-point seasons. That he got there reminds us what a special talent he is. Barzal is gifted enough that he should be scoring 100 points, but it’s not going to happen with the Isles. He can be a point-per-game guy again, but he won’t move the needle much in the goals or hits categories.

70. Robert Thomas, C, Blues: He finally started shooting the puck. He’s no longer a one-dimensional fantasy asset. A repeat of his 26-60-86 line is possible. Please keep it up, Robert.

71. Brad Marchand, LW, Bruins: A tremendous player, but he’s 36, and his scoring rate has declined in three consecutive seasons. His days of point-per-game production appear to be over.

72. Stuart Skinner, G, Oilers: He’s maddeningly inconsistent and will thus have stretches where you need to bench him in head-to-head. But he’s also the unchallenged No. 1 on an elite team and a safe bet for 55-plus starts. That’s quite valuable in fantasy.

73. Linus Ullmark, G, Senators: A potential hot take here is that Ullmark could be a bargain in drafts. We all know his value will take a hit with the trade to Ottawa, but will that make him fall far enough to become a profitable pick? The Bruins were an elite defensive team in front of Ullmark…when Patrice Bergeron was playing. They were middle of the road last year, and Ullmark was still solid. Maybe he’s not a Vezina winner anymore, but he could give you 30 wins and a .910 SV% as a Senator. An increase in playing time and volume stats should offset a drop in his rate stats.

74. Dougie Hamilton, D, Devils: If I knew I’d be getting a full season from him, I’d rank him 25 spots higher, easily. He’s a stud and surrounded by primo-scoring talent. But he’s missed significant time due to injuries in two of his past three seasons, and he’s 31 now. He makes me nervous, though he could be a huge value in drafts if he stays on the ice.

75. Lucas Raymond, RW, Red Wings: Kudos if you believed in the talent like I did. We deserved the breakout last year. It came with a shooting percentage of 19.0 and merely ordinary contributions in multi-cat fantasy formats. Raymond is great, but he’s a bit more valuable in real life than fantasy.

76. Matt Boldy, RW, Wild: He already has a 31- and 29-goal season to his name, and he’s still only 23. He’s capable of levelling up and challenging for 40 and a recommended draft-day target.

77. Erik Karlsson, D, Penguins: Predictably, his offense plummeted because he joined a team actually trying to win games and he thus couldn’t sell out for points. But even a muted version of Karlsson is still one of the better fantasy blueliners. He’s a passable D1 and an ideal D2.

78. Travis Konecny, RW, Flyers: Would love to see what he could do with more support on a contending team, but he’s re-upping long-term now, so we can settle for 30-goal seasons and occasional white-hot stretches, which can be particularly useful in head-to-head formats.

79. Jeff Skinner, LW, Oilers: In a season Buffalo deemed buyout-worthy, Skinner still managed 24 goals. While the hype factor in Edmonton will make him hard to profit on, it would be a mild upset if he doesn’t at least return to 30-goal production given all the talent around him now. Just don’t go crazy projecting him. He’s 32 and has one 40-goal season in 14 tries.

80. Mark Scheifele, C, Jets: The trouble with Scheifele in fantasy is that he’s such a low-volume shooter. He’s reached 200 shots once in 13 seasons. As he ages out of his prime, his upside has begun to dwindle. He maintains a 25-goal, 70-point floor, however, so don’t let him fall too far.

81. Jordan Kyrou, RW, Blues: Underrated. Averages 33-42-75 across his past three seasons. With the Blues not particularly relevant of late, I could see Kyrou falling farther than he should in drafts.

82. Bo Horvat, C, Islanders: The similarity between his and teammate Brock Nelson’s production has become uncanny. The numbers are indistinguishable. I’ve ranked them side by side and lean Horvat simply because he’s four years younger.

83. Brock Nelson, C, Islanders: He’s a lock for roughly 35 goals every single year. A great mid-round pick if you’re targeting that category specifically.

84. Nico Hischier, C, Devils: Go back and read what I wrote about Larkin. Hischier is the same: capable of a point per game, major missed time in three of his past four seasons. Hischier is a few years younger but has less goal-scoring upside.

85. Adin Hill, G, Golden Knights: With Logan Thompson out of the way, Hill has a shot to be a fantasy monster. But while he’ll always be heralded for his incredible Stanley Cup run of 2023, he has never started more than 35 games in a season. Is his 6-foot-6, 215-pound frame up to the task? There’s some boom/bust in picking Hill.

86. Nick Suzuki, C, Canadiens: Delivered a 33-44-77 line in his best fantasy output to date. Given his two-way mentality and responsibilities on the ice, I don’t expect him to peak higher than that, but he maintains a nice floor because he plays 21 minutes a night.

87. Moritz Seider, D, Red Wings: Argh. I thought he would be a multi-category fantasy king by now. But Detroit holds his ceiling back by (a) giving him incredibly tough minutes and (b) keeping him off PP1. So we have to settle for “only” 40 points, 200 hits, 200 blocks and 150 shots.

88. Brock Boeser, RW, Canucks: He finally did it! He played 81 games and buried 40 goals. Boeser always had the shooting talent to get there. That said, he converted on 19.6 percent of his shots and is a career 13.8 percent shooter, so I’d rather not pay for last year’s production. Let’s see him do it again.

89. Alexis Lafreniere, RW, Rangers: We have liftoff. The huge step forward finally happened. Playing on a dynamite line with Panarin and Trocheck, we can expect 2020’s No. 1 overall pick to keep the momentum going and break the 30-goal and 60-point thresholds. Maybe even more?

90. Quinton Byfield, LW, Kings: What a fun player to watch. The Byfield breakout is underway, but we need to tread carefully in redraft leagues. He’s coming off a 20-35-55 season and averages less than a hit per game. He’s not an all-around force in fantasy yet. He should improve on last year, but the hype factor may make him overvalued. If he’s moved to center, his linemate quality could also fluctuate.

91. Alex DeBrincat, LW, Red Wings: He’s as durable as can be, which makes his 25-goal, 65-point floor bankable. But where did the goal-scoring ceiling go? DeBrincat’s finishing has evaporated the past couple years. I’m hoping he gets back to 40 goals, but he hasn’t even scored 30 since 2021-22.

92. Nazem Kadri, C, Flames: The most surprising thing about Kadri last season: he played better as the Flames traded away veteran after veteran. That gives me faith that he can still deliver another strong all-around fantasy line even in his age-34 campaign.

93. Pavel Buchnevich, LW, Blues: He was a point-per-gamer in his first couple years as a Blue before slipping a bit last year. Was it the result of all the trade rumors? Now that he’s re-signed long-term, I see him returning to his previous level. He’s still in his 20s.

94. Drake Batherson, RW, Senators: I thought he had another level to reach, but is he tailing off? Still a handy player to own even if that’s the case, as he’ll provide give or take 25 goals, 60 points, 200 shots and 100 hits.

95. Brandon Hagel, LW, Lightning: He’s at his best when playing with Point and Kucherov, and I have to think the Bolts try Guentzel there first. So I’m wondering if 2023-24 (26-49-75) goes down as Hagel’s career year.

96. Jonathan Marchessault, RW, Predators: Last year’s 42 goals beat his previous career high by 12 and came in his age-33 season. I’m expecting more like 30 this year, but it’ll come with shots galore. He should be a hit on his new team.

97. John Carlson, D, Capitals: With Matt Roy and Jakob Chychrun arriving, Carlson’s minutes might come down after he logged a career-high 25:54 per game last season. But could that be to his benefit? Maybe the 15-year vet will be fresher. His point total could even creep back toward the 60s with an improved Capitals team.

98. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, LW, Oilers: Two years ago, he exploded for 104 points when his previous career high was 69. Regressed right back to his normal level last year. That sounds about right. Keep in mind, however, that Nuge has some increased competition for looks from Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson.

99. Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, Canadiens: Scored at a 32-goal, 70-point pace in the second half last year. The big fella might be ready to blow. I’m buying, though I’m keeping the projection here cautiously optimistic given his weak team and consistency fluctuations.

100. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G, Sabres: Are we sure Devon Levi is the heir apparent? ‘UPL’ is just 25 and was also a ballyhooed prospect. He seized the starter’s role last season and will keep it if he carries over his 2022-23 performance. (I wrote all that before he signed a five-year extension at $4.75 million a year on July 24. Now we know Buffalo’s plans for UPL).

101. Shea Theodore, D, Golden Knights: Second year in a row in which he missed a massive portion of the season due to injury. The good news is that it should drop his draft-day cost to that of a D2, and when he’s in your lineup, he can produce like a D1.

102. Anze Kopitar, C, Kings: I keep waiting for the production to fall off as he reaches his age-37 season. But he keeps cranking out his 25 goals and 70 points. That remains the best-case scenario, however, and the worst case is a sudden age-related decline.

103. Patrick Kane, RW, Red Wings: Showed last season that he wasn’t finished. Far from it, as he flirted with a point per game. I’m keeping his ranking conservative because the injury risk hasn’t gone anywhere. He’ll carry it for the remainder of his Hall of Fame career.

104. John Tavares, C, Maple Leafs: Does the $11 million man take so much heat that he’s now…underrated in fantasy? Tavares is declining, but there’s nothing wrong with his new standard in the range of 25-30 goals, 60-65 points, 250 shots and 100 hits. He can be useful if he stays at this level.

105. Jared McCann, C, Kraken: We can set aside the 40-goal campaign of two seasons ago. It was an outlier. The “real” McCann is still perfectly startable even in shallow leagues as a perennial 30-goal threat.

106. Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, Jets: Always an efficient scorer and always underused in Winnipeg. A trade would unlock his potential for a 35-45-80 type of season. For now, it’s his usual 25-40-65 range. Yes, the Jets have a new coach, but Scott Arniel was an internal hire, so there’s no guarantee Ehlers’ usage changes.

107. Charlie McAvoy, D, Bruins: As was the case with prime Drew Doughty in fantasy, McAvoy has become more of a floor play than a ceiling play. And the floor is nice: give or take 10 goals and 50 points, 150 hits and 150 blocks, with a game total in the low 70s.

108. Martin Necas, RW, Hurricanes: He’s great with the puck on his stick and wildly unpredictable year to year. I was hoping he’d get his wish and the Hurricanes would trade him, as he might have become more bankable if he got a consistent role elsewhere, but he has re-upped for two years, leaving his good-but-not-elite fantasy value unchanged.

109. Mark Stone, RW, Golden Knights: You’re getting something near point-per-game production, but you’re lucky if he even plays 60 games. This is Stone’s new reality. Great player, so-so fantasy commodity but usable when he’s healthy.

110. Evgeni Malkin, C, Penguins: He’s played 82 games two years in a row? I suppose with the Penguins no longer earning playoff spots, they don’t have to load-manage Geno anymore. The increase in volume stats offsets the aging as he begins his 19^th NHL season.

111. Adam Fantilli, C, Blue Jackets: Hopefully the modest stat line from an injury-abbreviated rookie year creates a buy-low opportunity. The young man has superstar potential, not just star potential. I predict a major sophomore leap. He’ll be the buzzy breakout everyone reaches on next year, but this is the year where you turn the major profit by picking him.

112. Zach Werenski, D, Blue Jackets: Columbus’ awful season might have obscured the fact Werenski had a career year: 11 goals and 57 points in 70 games. If he can play a full season, he’s capable of more than that if he ever gets a half-decent offense to work with.

113. Johnny Gaudreau, LW, Blue Jackets: We no longer have to pay the 115-point price. He’s a bust in Columbus, but even Bad Johnny Gaudreau carries a basement floor of 60 points. He could actually be a value play this season.

114. Luke Hughes, D, Devils: Highly impressive to tally 47 points as a 20-year-old defenseman. I do wonder if the returning Hamilton and the Devils’ other blueline additions actually bring Hughes’ minutes down a bit, so while I’m expecting another step forward, it may be a modest one.

115. Morgan Rielly, D, Maple Leafs: He’s normally one of the more reliable sources of points among defensemen. But given the Leaf power play’s tendency to slump and the addition of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Rielly’s value has become a bit more deployment-dependent.

116. Devon Toews, D, Avalanche: Nothing too flashy, just 50 points in his sleep every year. You know what you get from Makar’s partner.

117. Owen Tippett, RW, Flyers: The points ceiling is modest, but you can target the goal, shot and hit categories with Tippett, as he’s a plus contributor in all three. Still young enough that he could crash the 30-goal party one of these seasons, too.

118. Claude Giroux, RW, Senators: Not every pick can be a hipster home run swing. You need predictable veteran scoring to complement your reaches. That’s Giroux, who should continue cranking out 60-point seasons into his late 30s since he’s always playing with talented young linemates.

119. Mikhail Sergachev, D, Utah: Money talks, but so does trade acquisition cost. Utah gave up J.J. Moser and a top prospect in Conor Geekie to bring in Sergachev. He’s going to play and get every opportunity to be a focal point offensively. With a downgrade in the supporting cast, maybe he’s not a 60-point blueliner, but I can see 50 with some above-average contributions in banger stats.

120. Dylan Guenther, RW, Utah: The high-end prospect deserves more love for his excellent half-season in 2023-24. His 82-game pace: 33 goals, 64 points, 220 shots. One of the better mid-round breakout picks on the board this year.

121. MacKenzie Weegar, D, Flames: The twenty goals stick out like few stats of any player last season. His previous best was eight. But even with a return to his normal scoring rate, he’s an extremely well-rounded fantasy contributor. Weegar helps you in every stat. In fantasy, he’s Moritz Seider without the upside.

122. J-J Peterka, LW, Sabres: He already matured into Buffalo’s No. 2 goal scorer last season, and with Skinner gone, Peterka has less competition to be the Sabres’ top left winger. He could stack another breakout on top of the initial breakout this coming season. I’m bullish.

123. Frederik Andersen, G, Hurricanes: If you play in a rate-stat league, Andersen is a nice asset more years than not. But with his scary health concerns from last season and Pyotr Kochetkov pushing for playing time, Freddie’s value takes a hit in leagues that skew toward volume categories for goalies.

124. Alex Tuch, RW, Sabres: He could outperform the 20 guys above him on this list or play worse than the 20 guys below him. Tuch’s year-to-year performance varies wildly, which makes me shy away from him a bit.

125. Dylan Strome, C, Capitals: Even if he’ll never deliver on the promise of being drafted third overall in 2015, Strome isn’t really underachieving anymore. He has become a reliable 65-point playmaker in D.C. It be will interesting to see if Pierre-Luc Dubois challenges Strome for the No. 1 center gig at any point.

126. Brandon Montour, D, Kraken: Even if the signing was ill advised in real life, he can still deliver some nice seasons early in that seven-year deal. Montour won’t have the same talent to work with in Seattle that he had in Florida, but he’ll get all the plum looks on the top pair and power play.

127. Logan Cooley, C, Utah: The dynamic young pivot has lots of room to grow and projects as Utah’s long-term No. 1 center. Acquitted himself with 20 goals and 44 points as a rookie and should improve on those totals by, say, 20 percent in Year 2.

128. Alexandar Georgiev, G, Avalanche: Given his role and team, shouldn’t he rank much higher, especially after leading the NHL in wins two years running? Well, he’s delivered exactly one season as a good starter in his career, and I’m expecting Justus Annunen to push him hard for the No. 1 job.

129. Matvei Michkov, RW, Flyers: How gutsy will you be in a redraft league? He’s arguably the Calder Trophy frontrunner and could be a 30-goal scorer right away. I’ve tried to blend upside with the understandable unknown factor as he plays his first pro hockey in North America.

130. Thomas Harley, D, Stars: He has the upside to be a top-20 defenseman this year. I’m a bit wary about him repeating the 15 goals that came on 10 percent shooting. So I think the skill progression and luck regression offset each other, and he ends up with numbers similar to last season’s.

131. Yegor Sharangovich, RW, Flames: He should remain a power-play fixture, and his shooting talent is for real, so I like him for 30 goals again, albeit with another ugly plus-minus on a rebuilding team.

132. Brock Faber, D, Wild: Faber reminds me of prime Ryan Suter in that Faber isn’t a purely dynamic offensive talent but plays so many minutes as their all-situations horse that he can accumulate decent point totals on volume. He’s a solid D2 pick.

133. Drew Doughty, D, Kings: It feels like Doughty has faded into the background, yet he’s delivering as much, if not more, fantasy value than he did in his prime. Until Brandt Clarke ascends, Doughty has the juicy PP1 assignment locked down.

134. Bryan Rust, RW, Penguins: You don’t always have to reach in the middle rounds. Rust isn’t the most exciting pick, but he’ll get you 25 goals and his hot streaks are epic. He’s a better H2H pick than roto pick, because he’ll probably get almost half his yearly goal total in a scorching 20-game stretch.

135. Mats Zuccarello, RW, Wild: Tethered to Kaprizov, Zuccarello consistently helps in the assist category. He quietly sits 26^th in the NHL in helpers over the past three seasons.

136. Jordan Binnington, G, Blues: Delivered arguably the second-best season of his career in 2022-23. But he still plays on a mediocre team and, more importantly, backup Joel Hofer is really good and will continue eating into Binnington’s playing time.

137. Charlie Lindgren, G, Capitals: He’s earned a higher rank than this after leading the NHL in shutouts last season and helping Washington to a surprise playoff berth. But the arrival of Logan Thompson seriously caps Lindgren’s workload. In a best-case scenario, he gets 50 starts. Worst case? He loses the No. 1 job.

138. Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Hurricanes: He’s hardly a complete player, but he’s delivered double-digit goals and between 41 and 56 points in each of his past three seasons. And he joins arguably the best team of his career in the current incarnation of the Hurricanes.

139. Matt Duchene, C, Stars: We must always be wary of his good season/bad season career pattern, especially when he’s coming off a good season. But there are so many quality teammates surrounding Duchene that he should at least approach his 65-point campaign again.

140. Cam Talbot, G, Red Wings: He’ll get every chance to start for a Wings team hellbent on making the playoffs. On the other hand, Detroit is a vastly inferior defensive club to L.A., meaning Talbot’s rate stats could slip even if his volume stats don’t.

141. Mike Matheson, D, Canadiens: He’s quietly 20^th among defensemen in scoring across the past two seasons. Still doesn’t feel like he’s a long-term answer for the Habs, but he’s highly startable even in shallow leagues as long as he keeps his role.

142. Elias Lindholm, C, Bruins: The disastrous run in Vancouver was not the real Lindholm. Even if he never returns to the career-best work he did in Calgary with Gaudreau and Tkachuk, Lindholm could rebound nicely if he’s playing with Marchand and/or Pastrnak. I’m hoping for 60 points or more.

143. Noah Hanifin, D, Golden Knights: His power-play TOI increased 32 percent after the trade to Vegas. If he plays more of an offensive role than he did in Calgary, his upside increases a bit, and he could deliver his first 50-point season.

144. Viktor Arvidsson, RW, Oilers: Likely to play with McDavid or Draisaitl, Arvidsson is obviously positioned for his best production since his Nashville peak. But just remember the injury history and understand he’s not going to play a full season.

145. Joseph Woll, G, Maple Leafs: You can’t draft him as your No. 1. The injury risk is established at this point and very high. But if he stays on the ice, Woll has top-10 upside. His talent is not in question. So he’s a fun home-run swing as your second goalie pick.

146. Tristan Jarry, G, Penguins: He’s been a reasonably dependable mid-tier fantasy netminder for half a decade. But paying Alex Nedeljkovic $2.5 million annually on a two-year extension speaks volumes. ‘Ned’ will play plenty and challenge for the lion’s share of starts.

147. Ryan O’Reilly, C, Predators: You wonder if Stamkos gets a look at center, but the Preds’ first line was so good last year that coach Andrew Brunette may want to keep it intact. O’Reilly isn’t an offensive dynamo but he can get his 60 points pretty consistently.

148. Leo Carlsson, C, Ducks: Surely the Ducks do away with his load management and play him every game in Year 2. He’s a big breakout candidate as their No. 1 center of the future and probably the present.

149. Teuvo Teravainen, LW, Blackhawks: He’s going to play a lot more than he did in his final few seasons with Carolina. If Teravainen can stay on the ice, I like him as a sleeper for a 25-40-65 type of season playing with Bedard.

150. Mason McTavish, C, Ducks: He’s a beast in the making, and I expect him to become more of a banger league asset as he matures. If the Ducks didn’t also have Carlsson, I’d rank McTavish higher, but I’m betting on Carlsson to beat McTavish out for the No. 1 center job.

151. Kris Letang, D, Penguins: Even with Karlsson snatching his power play time away, Letang hit his benchmarks of 10 goals and 50 points, with some solid hit and block totals to boot. His ceiling is obviously lower now, but the floor is holding strong even though he’s 37 and carries a long history of health woes.

152. Jake Sanderson, D, Senators: Similar to Faber, Sanderson is an all-around great real-life defenseman whose offense is secondary but comes with a high floor since he’s playing in so many situations.

153. Vince Dunn, D, Kraken: Montour isn’t earning more than $7 million a year to play PP2, and it’s doubtful Seattle plays two D-men on PP1, so the signing hurts Dunn’s value.

154. Trevor Moore, LW, Kings: After some of the worst puck luck in the league in 2022-23, it all clicked in a breakout season for Moore. His 32-goal, 57-point, 244-shot line is low-key sustainable; he doesn’t have major competition in L.A.’s weakened top six. He ranked top-20 in the NHL in goals and shots per 60 at 5-on-5 last season, too.

155. Jamie Benn, LW, Stars (-18): The longtime power forward has 1,112 games of mileage and only plays 15 minutes a night now. But he has settled in as a handy middle-six forward who can fill out your depth in fantasy with 20 goals, 60 points and 100 hits. But I realized I ranked him above too many younger players with more upside, hence the big drop in his rank.

156. Pavel Zacha, C, Bruins (+5): He’s delivered seasons of 57 and 59 points since coming to Boston. I was slightly bearish on him repeating those numbers now that Lindholm is in town and could push Zacha down the depth chart. The good news is that Zacha can also play the left wing, and most offseason chatter suggests he’s going to move back there.

157. Macklin Celebrini, C, Sharks: He’ll get every opportunity to put up points given he may already be San Jose’s top forward before he even plays a game. But keep in mind his toolbox is that of an all-around, 200-foot forward. This ranking reflects my expectation that he gets to play in all situations, not so much that I think he’ll set the world on fire right away. He just turned 18 in June.

158. Jakob Chychrun, D, Capitals: On one hand, I’m excited to see what Chychrun can do with a fresh start. On the other, he’s not displacing Ovechkin and Carlson as the point men on Washington’s PP1, right? So we may not get a big spike in production from the goal-scoring D-man Chychrun.

159. Nick Schmaltz, RW, Utah: He’s an asset in points but not much else. Nothing wrong with a reliable 60-point guy, but he’s a zero in the hits category and doesn’t help a ton in shots or goals.

160. Gustav Forsling, D, Panthers: The shutdown virtuoso hits his 10-30-40 stat line every year now. He’s particularly handy if your league counts plus-minus: he led the NHL at plus-56 last season, and he’s plus-125 across his seven seasons.

161. Dylan Cozens, C, Sabres: Last year was very disappointing, but even the regressed version of Cozens had 19 goals, 47 points, 200 shots and 108 hits. Still rosterable – at worst. He’s good enough to level back up.

162. Artturi Lehkonen, LW, Avalanche: With Gabriel Landeskog’s and Valeri Nichushkin’s statuses up in the air, Lehkonen could be in line for a major role to open the year. Whatever happens, he’s an important piece of Colorado’s attack.

163. Connor Ingram, G, Utah: Tied for the league lead in shutouts last season and has overtaken Karel Vejmelka as the starter on a team that looks poised to improve. I’m balancing those positives with the fact he’s relatively unproven and had an .890 SV% from Feb. 1 onward last year.

164. Joey Daccord, G, Kraken: He was straight-up one of the best goalies in the NHL last year, posting a .916 SV% in 50 games. I’d like to see a bigger sample size of success, and he plays on a team unlikely to make the playoffs, but he could be a profitable pick again.

165. Pyotr Kochetkov, G, Hurricanes: Kochetkov is the first goalie on the board who isn’t the projected Game 1 starter for his team. In other words, he’s No. 1 in my backup rankings. He plays on an elite defensive club, he carries a .910 career SV% and the goalie in ahead of him on the depth chart will likely miss time. Kochetkov carries huge breakout potential, and if it doesn’t happen, he should still be a good streamer who helps your rate stats.

166. Matty Beniers, C Kraken: Even though I’ve maintained that he’s not a particularly high-ceiling player by first-liner standards, Beniers is obviously much better than what he showed in his disastrous sophomore year (15-22-37). I say he gets back to his Calder Trophy season in production (24-33-57).

167. Gustav Nyquist, LW, Predators: Why so low after his 75-point season? I’m just trying to keep expectations on Planet Earth, given he’ll be 35 when next season starts and was barely rosterable for the previous few seasons. I’ll accept that he’s back, but even 55-60 points would be impressive again.

168. Josh Norris, C, Senators: His ability and per-game fantasy production warrant a higher ranking than this. He’s two years removed from 35 goals in 66 games. But he has played 58 games combined in the past two seasons. The shoulder problems continue to plague him.

169. Boone Jenner, LW, Blue Jackets: Averages 31 goals, 55 points, 234 shots and 145 hits per 82 games across his past three seasons. But he averages 62 games. You will never get anything close to a full season from the perpetually banged-up Jenner. But he’s a great bench option in banger formats since he’ll help plenty when he does play.

170. Tyler Toffoli, RW, Sharks: Will have one of the weaker supporting casts of his career now that he chose money over winning to head for San Jose (nothing wrong with that; the man has a ring already). But Toffoli also won’t have stiff competition to play high in the lineup, so I fully expect him to get his 25-30 goals.

171. Darnell Nurse, D, Oilers: Still a plus contributor in goals, hits, blocks and shots, but the ceiling is lower now that he’s been permanently passed by Mattias Ekholm on the depth chart.

172. Gabe Vilardi, LW, Jets: Ripped off 22 goals in just 47 games. It came with a high shooting percentage, but Vilardi has been an accurate shooter for his whole career so far. Is this the cheapest potential 30-goal guy available in drafts? After mini breakouts two years running, he could enjoy a third breakout if he can avoid injury, which has been a big challenge for him.

173. Andrei Kuzmenko, RW, Flames: Almost a point-per-game player in his debut NHL season. Then he was unrosterable in fantasy as a sophomore…until he returned to almost a point per game after the trade to Calgary. He’s as volatile as it gets, but we have seen more good Kuzmenko than bad in the NHL.

174. Casey Mittelstadt, C, Avalanche: Better than his regular-season numbers post-trade suggested. Mittelstadt tilted the play and was quite good in the playoffs. He’s really only helping you in assists and points, but a 20-40-60 campaign feels achievable.

175. Trevor Zegras, C, Ducks: I get it if you’re fed up. And it feels like he’s going to get lost amid all the exciting young forwards in Anaheim. But he’s still only 23 and he’s gifted with the puck on his stick. His value could change drastically if he’s traded.

176. Michael Bunting, LW, Penguins: Hey, the Pens need him. His ice time jumped more than two minutes per game after they traded for him, and he delivered 19 points in 21 games. Pencil him in for 20-30-50 with wiggle room for a bit more.

177. Bowen Byram, D, Sabres: He’s my ultimate “on pace” guy seemingly every season. I badly want to see what Byram can do across 82 games as a Sabre. He’s one of the better goal scorers among blueliners and he can help in the banger categories, too.

178. Sean Durzi, D, Utah: Value could fluctuate depending on how Sergachev fits into the puzzle. It helps that Durzi can play both sides. But are we sure he’s staying on PP1? It’s a wait-and-see situation.

179. Seth Jones, D, Blackhawks: I steered you wrong last year. But Chicago looks vastly improved this time around. Jones’ assist total could inflate, and the plus-minus should improve for a second consecutive season.

180. Sam Bennett, C, Panthers: Similar profile to Jenner’s. Bennett will deliver 15 to 20 goals with some excellent hit and shot totals on a per-game basis, but his ferocious playing style keeps his game total in the 60s.

181. Filip Hronek, D, Canucks: Was one of the best value picks of any fantasy blueliner in the first half. Then he was a complete non-entity down the stretch, with no goals and four assists in his final 19 games. I’m splitting the difference here. Quinn Hughes’ partner is neither as good as his first half nor as bad as his second, and I expect something in the 45-point range.

182. Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, Red Wings: The upside is gone, but he’s a safe bet to play more than the 15:44 he averaged with Florida. His game-breaking ability is dwindling at 32, but the increased minutes could help him deliver another season in the 55-60-point range.

183. Anthony Stolarz, G, Maple Leafs: Like Woll, Stolarz has league-winning potential. If Woll’s health fails him again, Stolarz, who was statistically the best backup in the NHL last season, gets the greatest opportunity of his career. Even if Woll’s body holds up, Stolarz is in line for 25 to 30 starts.

184. Troy Terry, RW , Ducks: The 37-goal campaign of 2021-22 was never repeatable as it came with such a high shooting percentage. The Terry who gets 20-25 goals and 55-60 points is the real one. You can do a lot worse when filling out your depth forwards.

185. Mattias Ekholm, D, Oilers: The big shutdown blueliner actually delivers rosterable fantasy production now that he’s hitched to such a wagon of a team. Can probably get 40 points again with a great plus-minus total and actionable hit total.

186. Tomas Hertl, C, Golden Knights: He played on such a bad San Jose team that it clouded his true fantasy value, and then he was mostly a non-factor when he returned from injury to play for Vegas. Yet he’s only a year removed from back-to-back campaigns above 60 points. If he can settle into Vegas’ top six, he could greatly outperform his ADP.

187. Logan Thompson, G, Capitals: On his new team in D.C., he enters a similar situation in that he’s a 1B who will play a lot behind a starter who doesn’t have a long track record of success. It’s not inconceivable that he overtakes Lindgren, and Thompson will still have value even if he doesn’t.

188. Brayden Schenn, C, Blues: Scoring has started to wane as he enters his age-33 season, but he’ll still provide a solid floor of 20 goals, 45 points and a meaty hit total.

189. Lukas Dostal, G, Ducks: I’m predicting that Dostal pulls away from John Gibson this year and starts 45 to 50 games on a team I expect to improve markedly. I like him as a G3 sleeper or maybe even a G2 for you ZeroGoalie strategists.

190. Joel Hofer, G, Blues: He ranked among the best goalies in the league in goals saved above expected relative to his ice time. Binnington was also excellent, however, successfully fending Hofer off. So he’s a clear backup but a very good one.

191. Taylor Hall, LW, Blackhawks: Maybe Chicago’s other additions at forward distract drafters from the fact Hall is essentially a new addition too, coming back from an ACL injury, and will have a chance to make an impact in the Hawks’ top six.

192. Shane Pinto, C, Senators: Scored at a 54-point pace last season. His value depends so much on Norris’ health, though, as that determines whether Pinto is the No. 2 or No. 3 center.

193. Dustin Wolf, G, Flames: The opportunity is undeniable for one of the game’s best netminding prospects. I don’t know if this is the big breakout year for him, however, given the Flames are in rebuild mode and he struggled in his first season.

194. Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Wild: One of the toughest players to rank this year. ‘Flower’ is back for one more ride at 39 and might be the favorite to lead the Wild in starts. But he’s in decline and has competition from not one but two goaltenders in Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt. Fleury has had an amazing career but carries a lot of downside as a fantasy pick in 2024-25.

195. Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, Flames: Sigh. I believed in at least a partial comeback last season. But he’s a shell of what he was two years ago, and his supporting cast has diminished significantly, so I have to treat him as a 50-point guy until he wins back our trust.

196. Thomas Chabot, D, Senators: It’s hard to believe that such a talented puck-mover has only reached 40 points once in his past five seasons. That’s because, eight years into his career, Chabot’s career high in games played is 71 – partially because forces out of his control shortened some NHL seasons, and largely because he can’t stay healthy. Sanderson has passed him in the pecking order among Ottawa’s left-shot defensemen.

197. Alex Pietrangelo, D, Golden Knights: It appears he’s arrived at those twilight years in which long-time standout all-around defensemen start to lose their offense. On a team with Theodore and Hanifin, Pietrangelo doesn’t have to be the primary puck-mover. He can still deliver 40 points and help in the blocks and shots departments.

198. Frank Vatrano, RW, Ducks: Bless, you, Mr. Vatrano, for your 36-goal season. But if you think it’s a good idea to pay up for a guy who beat his career high in goals by 12 in his age-29 season and got 25 percent of his goals in the first nine games of the season…I’d like to play in a league against you. For money. Lots of money.

199. Charlie Coyle, C, Bruins: Predictably had a career year (25-35-60) when pressed into top-six duty. With Lindholm pushing Coyle back down the depth chart, he’ll return to being a fringe fantasy contributor…unless Zacha plays on the wing, which is a possibility. This is a long-winded way of saying that Coyle is someone I may move up in the rankings quite a bit once we get an idea of Boston’s lines.

200. Dawson Mercer, RW, Devils: One of my big breakout picks went bust in his third NHL season despite an increase in his ice time. Don’t give up on him yet, though. With Toffoli gone, Mercer has a better chance at top-six work.

201. Tyler Seguin, RW, Stars: Quietly finished 10^th in the NHL last season in 5-on-5 goals per 60. If used in the right (insulated?) matchups, Seguin can still help Dallas and your team at 32 years old. The ranking here is modest since we know the ceiling is something like 25-25-50 now.

202. Marco Rossi, C, Wild: Finally, he caught on as a full-timer and then some. He showed some real two-way chops and is still in the running to be Minnesota’s long-term No. 1 center. The ceiling could be similar to Hischier’s.

203. Justus Annunen, G, Avalanche: I know the sample size was small, but the .928 in 14 appearances has my attention. Georgiev is coming off a down year and enters the final season of his deal. Annunen has a real shot to steal the No. 1 job and become an important player in fantasy. Big-time sleeper.

204. Ivan Barbashev, LW, Golden Knights: You’d hope for a bit more scoring from a first-liner on a good team, but you can set your watch to 45 points and 180 hits, which makes him a good depth target in banger formats.

205. Rasmus Andersson, D, Flames: He relies a lot on assists for his fantasy value. As Calgary entered its rebuild and weakened the roster last season, Andersson’s value tanked; he had just 11 points in his final 34 games. He can still be a 40-point blueliner with a hefty block total to boot, but his ceiling is a lot lower with his team in transition.

206. Matias Maccelli, LW, Utah: It was very encouraging to see the shot and goal totals rise. It lifts the ceiling a bit for a player I had pigeonholed as a pure assist guy after his rookie year.

207. Chandler Stephenson, C, Kraken: He’ll play a lot given the massive contract he signed, so he’s a pretty good bet for 50 points again, but he also won’t be playing with someone as good as Mark Stone anymore. I’m not enthused.

208. Jake DeBrusk, LW, Canucks: It feels like the streaky DeBrusk has a wide range of outcomes given the talented linemate options available on his new team. But he was never hurting for big opportunities with great players in Boston, either. I’m betting his value stays about the same. He’ll be a depth option to give you 20-25 goals.

209. Semyon Varlamov, G, Islanders: He opens this season as the presumed backup even though he saw more action than Sorokin in the playoffs. But it’s clear Roy trusts Varlamov; he has more fantasy upside than he’s had in a while.

210. Brady Skjei, D, Predators: Such an odd statistical profile for a defenseman. His calling card is goal-scoring even though he’s not a power-play whiz. He’ll play behind Josi on the depth chart. Maybe Skjei provides another goal total in the teens thanks to his excellent shot, but I prefer to avoid a player whom I don’t really understand in a fantasy context.

211. Patrik Laine, RW, Blue Jackets (+36): Even the rock-bottom version of Laine has 28 goals, 61 points and 225 shots in 73 games over the past two seasons. Injuries remain a huge problem for him, but he has cleared a key hurdle by getting reinstated from the player assistance program. At 26, he’s still capable of delivering a big goal-scoring season in the right environment. We want a trade as soon as possible.

212. Lawson Crouse, LW, Utah: A must-roster player in banger formats since he’ll deliver something like 20 goals, 175 shots and 175 hits. It appears he’ll top out there, as he’s posted three straight seasons with similar totals.

213. Jonathan Drouin, LW, Avalanche: What an awesome story to see Drouin revive his career alongside old buddy MacKinnon. The Avs really do need him in a scoring-line role, too. But just understand he’ll help you mostly in assists and that’s it.

214. Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, Blackhawks: Will be fun to see what he can do alongside Bedard if he ends up on that line. But just remember, Bertuzzi played with great centers before, so it’s not like he is about to blast through the stratosphere. Hopefully, he can build on his torrid run with Auston Matthews after the All-Star break, which included 14 goals in Bertuzzi’s last 25 games.

215. Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, Capitals: Can he prove the Kings wrong after totally flopping in his one and only season with them? I’m skeptical at this point, but his draft cost will be its cheapest in years. If he gets a look on the Ovechkin line at some point…dare to dream.

216. Cutter Gauthier, LW, Ducks: I can’t wait to see what he can do after abusing his opponents in the college ranks and getting into one NHL game last year. He’s a Calder Trophy threat. Just do one thing for me: scroll 10 spots up and 10 spots down in these rankings and remember that a very good rookie year from Gauthier is still the floor for these other guys. A 45-point season would be excellent. He certainly has upside for more, but nothing is guaranteed.

217. Jake Neighbours, LW, Blues: Even though it came with a high shooting percentage, Neighbours carries first-round pedigree, so I don’t consider the 27 goals a fluke. He could repeat the feat, and he’s a banger-league asset to boot.

218. Logan Stankoven, RW, Stars: He’s a bulldog who can function in multiple roles, including third-line deployment. But he was also a HUGE scorer in major junior. He has major upside. Whether he blows the doors off this season will depend on where he plays in the lineup. It’s a crowded depth chart in Dallas. But it’s never a bad thing to bet on talent.

219. Matthew Knies, LW, Maple Leafs: He’s a gamer who showed particularly in the playoffs that he’s an important long-term piece. I still think he’s a better real-life player than fantasy asset for now. But he established a playable floor with 15 goals, 35 points and more than 150 hits and has room to grow if he gets consistent top-six work.

220. Petr Mrazek, G, Blackhawks: Ranked 19^th in the NHL in goals saved above expected last year and has a much better team around him. He’d be a sleeper if it weren’t for the guy ranked right below him…

221. Laurent Brossoit, G, Blackhawks: Brossoit was as good as any goaltender in the league last year. It’s important to note that Mrazek signed an extension earlier this year at a higher AAV than Brossoit’s, so we can’t assume Brossoit is going to steal the gig, but we could see close to a 50/50 split.

222. Tommy Novak, C, Predators: Could we see a big breakout here? Novak’s per-game production slipped year over year, but if Nashville’s first line stays intact, Novak could center Stamkos and Marchessault on the second line. Very important situation to monitor in camp.

223. Joel Farabee, LW, Flyers: The career trajectory has been odd for the 2018 first-rounder, but he did achieve career highs across the board last season (22-28-50) and he’s only 24. He’s a decent depth forward in fantasy with upside for a bit more depending on where he plays in John Tortorella’s lineup.

224. William Karlsson, C, Golden Knights: We’ve been down this road with Wild Bill before. Once in a while, he goes nuclear with a big puck-luck season. He’s just as likely to score 15 goals as he is to repeat last year’s 30.

225. Brent Burns, D, Hurricanes: He’s 39 now and experienced a sharp decline in fantasy production across the board. With Gostisbehere a threat to take some PP1 work, Burns is no longer a lock to even reach 40 points.

226. Zach Benson, LW, Sabres: It’s not easy to get 30 points in the NHL as an 18-year-old. So, yeah, Benson is good, and he’s just getting started. The production will leap this year, but by how much? Let’s see if he cracks Buffalo’s top six.

227. Cole Perfetti, RW, Jets: A 19-19-38 line with 142 shots might seem pedestrian. But he did so playing only 13:35 per game. Dear Jets: play him.

228. Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW, Kraken: A predictable fantasy commodity at this point in his career. He’ll get you 20 goals, 50 points and 175 shots pretty much every year.

229. Jack Quinn, LW, Sabres: This kid can play. Had 19 points in 27 games last year, building on his 37-point rookie campaign, and absolutely tore up the AHL before that. Could bust out the same way Peterka did last season. Please stay healthy, Jack.

230. Pavel Mintyukov, D, Ducks: I’m a big believer in his long-term potential as a combo-meal asset on defense. But he has real competition for minutes and opportunities from Cam Fowler and Olen Zellweger. All three are lefties. I’m worried they’ll cannibalize each other’s value a bit.

231. Tom Wilson, RW, Capitals: Probably not worth paying for the brand name when you can get similar combo-meal production from power forwards like Dakota Joshua several rounds later.

232. Olen Zellweger, D, Ducks: While Mintyukov has the more well-rounded fantasy profile, Zellweger has the most offensive upside. We have to make sure he makes the team first, but it’ll be surprising if he doesn’t after he played 26 NHL games last year.

233. Max Domi, LW, Maple Leafs: He’s mostly waiver material in shallow or even medium-sized leagues. But he’s fantasy-relevant when his assignments change. He had 17 points in 21 games to close out last season when he played with Matthews. We’ll watch him closely in camp.

234. Blake Coleman, RW, Flames: I’d hesitate to buy high on someone who hit a career high in goals in his age-32 season. That total came with easily the highest shooting percentage of his career. It’s also possible he’s traded during the season and ends up playing further down the lineup for a contender. I’m fading him.

235. Shane Wright, C, Kraken: He’s an NHLer from Game 1 this time. He better be. Little left to prove in the AHL, and the Kraken could use his goal-scoring release. He’s ready to snipe 20 in the NHL. He’s this year’s Rossi.

236. J.J. Moser, D, Lightning: Such a sleeper that I could see him being overhyped. He’s a promising puck-mover with breakout potential playing with so much talent around him in Tampa. But keep in mind that he’s a left shot who won’t be leapfrogging Hedman. I like Moser for 35-40 points, though.

237. Connor Zary, C, Flames: Not only did he impress with 34 points in 63 games as a rookie, but he was a positive play driver who should continue to earn his coaches’ trust. He should play a lot more than 15 minutes a game this time, and his point total should jump accordingly.

238. Will Smith, C, Sharks: Brainy center has a bright future in the NHL. The assumption here is that Celebrini will have the superior linemates, so I’m not expecting a monster debut from Smith. He will have more rookie fantasy value if he plays multiple positions and the Sharks mix and match their best raw talent.

239. Ivan Fedotov, G, Flyers: The NHL sample size is tiny, but the KHL track record is strong, and the Flyers are paying him like they want him to start.

240. Aaron Ekblad, D, Panthers: Almost no scoring to speak of last year. That could change with Montour out of the picture. The Panthers will need Ekblad to contribute more offensively, and he has done that more often than not in the past.

241. Ilya Samsonov, G, Golden Knights: He’s only a season removed from being a top-10 fantasy goalie. He’s also joining a better defensive team than Toronto and will be playing behind an injury-prone starter in Hill. There’s a path to legit fantasy value here, as hard as it can be to watch him with his shaky style.

242. Cam York, D, Flyers: Jamie Drysdale was the more hyped prospect, but York was a first-rounder, too. His breakout season of 10 goals, 30 points and 174 blocks was notable, as was the leap north of 22 minutes per game. There’s room for a bit more.

243. Owen Power, D, Sabres: He hasn’t been an exciting fantasy commodity and may never be, but he has established a steady points floor in the 30s and, at 21 years old, obviously has potential to grow. He’ll never be Dahlin, though. Power will always be a better real-life player than fantasy one.

244. Anton Lundell, C, Panthers: ‘Baby Barkov’ hasn’t levelled up offensively in the regular season yet, but a strong postseason hinted that he’s capable of more. The problem is that he’s stuck in the bottom six.

245. Nick Paul, C, Lightning: He’s one of the better third-liners in the NHL. That really helps the Bolts. As for us: he’s more of an occasional contributor who can pop in 20 goals with 100 hits.

246. Joonas Korpisalo, G, Bruins: The Bruins are kingmakers when it comes to goalies. We all expect Korpisalo to do career-best work with a better club in front of him, right? He showed what he could do after the 2023 Trade Deadline when he was briefly an L.A. King. But it won’t be a night-and-day difference from Ottawa; the Bruins were more of a middle-of-the-pack team defensively last year.

247. Valeri Nichushkin, LW, Avalanche: He’s a great player when he’s out there, with 100 points in 107 games over his past two seasons. The earliest he can be reinstated from the player assistance program is November, however, and there’s no guarantee he’s ready for action even then. Consider him the highest-upside bench stash on the board, as well as the riskiest.

248. Reilly Smith, RW, Rangers: It didn’t work out in Pittsburgh. But Smith was quite reliable in his 12 NHL seasons before that. The Rangers need a first-line right winger alongside Zibanejad and Kreider, and the job is Smith’s to lose.

249. Fabian Zetterlund, RW, Sharks: 24 goals, 204 shots and 120 hits? Interesting. I’m not totally sure he’ll get there again, because he’s unlikely to play 18:51 per night with the Sharks’ lineup gaining some talented players. But he certainly needs to be on our radar, whether we’re drafting him or eying him as an early waiver add.

250. Sean Monahan, C, Blue Jackets: Kudos to Monahan, who was left for dead, on a career revival that included playing 83 (!) games. But he had more goals last season (26) than he did in his previous three seasons combined. Reunion with Johnny Hockey or not, I am not drafting him.

251. Mason Marchment, LW, Stars: I’m probably underrating him given he delivered career highs of 22 goals and 53 points last season. But Dallas just has so much talent competing for scoring-line work that I’m not convinced Marchment escapes the third line.

252. Sam Montembeault, G, Canadiens: If the Habs show any signs of being a surprise team, you’ll want to pounce on Montembeault. His surface stats aren’t pretty, but he was one of the best goalies in the league relative to the difficulty of his workload last season.

253. William Eklund, LW, Sharks: Their new rookies will attract more attention, but Eklund is a solid prospect in his own right and has a 45-point season to his name already. He can build off that with a better team around him now.

254. Tyson Foerster, RW, Flyers: Sleeper. Bagged 20 goals as a rookie, with solid shot and hit totals, and should continue seeing quite a bit of ice time for a 22-year-old because he’s so good defensively.

255. Phillip Danault, C, Kings: Dubois is out of the equation, but Byfield could end up as the No. 2 center, keeping Danault in a third-line deployment. He can get his 45 points again, but there’s no multi-category upside.

256. Luke Evangelista, RW, Predators: Considering his 16-goal rookie campaign came on 9.3 percent shooting, there’s room for more here. I’d be more interested had Nashville not added Stamkos and Marchessault, though, as Evangelista is ticked for bottom-six duty.

257. Justin Faulk, D, Blues: His best years are likely behind him, but he’s not a bad late-round roster filler because he can sprinkle in contributions to pretty much every stat category.

258. Erik Gustafsson, D, Red Wings: Has always been an efficient scorer, and it appears he’ll get a look running Detroit’s PP1 ahead of Seider. A solid late-round sleeper if you prefer to wait on defensemen.

259. Kirill Marchenko, RW, Blue Jackets: He’s two for two in 20-goal campaigns for his NHL career. A good bet to repeat the feat and help you in shots as well.

260. Alex Killorn, LW, Ducks: Turning 35 in September, but he’s more than capable of another 20-goal campaign and could even see his numbers spike a bit as the Ducks’ young centers continue improving.

261. Arturs Silovs, G, Canucks: He owns an .898 career SV%, but that’s just in nine regular-season appearances. He earned Vancouver’s trust in the playoffs and, with Demko’s constant injury problems, Silovs is going to play. He’ll probably have to start for an extended stretch at some point.

262. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, Maple Leafs: For now, the fantasy value takes a big hit with the move to Toronto, where he’s looking at more of a depth role and PP2 work. But we’ll watch his deployment closely. If he’s getting looks ahead of Rielly on PP1 in camp, OEL will skyrocket up the board.

263. Mikael Granlund, C, Sharks: Quietly managed 60 points in 69 games last season. I’m not expecting nearly as many now that Celebrini and Smith are joining the lineup; Granlund smashed his TOI career high with 20:58 because San Jose had nobody else.

264. Philipp Kurashev, RW, Blackhawks: Did you know he had 30 points in 32 games to finish out last season? And yet…with Chicago adding so many forwards, Kurashev is no longer a great bet to play with Bedard. So I’m not confident he can build on, or even repeat, his 54-point campaign.

265. David Perron, LW, Senators: I like the landing spot. He should get middle-six line deployment and surely will get a chance to do what he does best: cook on the power play. A cheap endgame pick for 45 points and 100 hits.

266. Travis Sanheim, D, Flyers: The 10-34-44 stat line came with a big jump in his minutes. He’s Philly’s No. 1 defenseman now, and that elevates his volume-stat floor.

267. Jake Allen, G, Devils: Might play less than he did in Montreal now that he’s behind a workhorse in Markstrom, but Allen should be an asset in rate stats playing on his best team in years.

268. Ryan Hartman, C, Wild: This ranking will prove far too low if he ends up on the first line, but I’m projecting him as a third-liner. His upside evaporates if he’s not with Kaprizov.

269. Anthony Duclair, LW, Islanders: Solid bet to play on the Barzal line. Few players can keep up with his wheels, and Duclair is one of them. Should get 20 goals for his new team.

270. Rickard Rakell, RW, Penguins: He’s faded into obscurity, but he can actually still help you in fantasy because, even in his down years, he delivers in shots and hits.

271. Conor Garland, RW, Canucks: Sure, there’s 20-25-45 production here more years than not, but in the later stages of the draft I’d rather chase upside. You can find the Garlands of the world on the waiver wire during the season.

272. Anders Lee, LW, Islanders: Even though he’s over the hill, he mixes 20 goals with above-average shot and hit totals every year. You need to fill out the back of your squad with a few safe category contributors like Lee.

273. J.T. Compher, C, Red Wings: He’ll be good for at least half a point per game and not much else. Empty calories.

274. Kyle Palmieri, RW, Islanders: Went eight years between 30-goal seasons. I don’t recommend trusting last year’s resurgence. He’s 33.

275. Cam Fowler, D, Ducks: We keep waiting for a prospect to surpass him as Anaheim’s top puck-mover but it hasn’t happened yet. Fowler continues to churn out seasons in the 40-point range.

276. Jaccob Slavin, D, Hurricanes: The king of shutdown defensemen doesn’t need to score to be effective. But he collects give or take 30 points a year simply by helping keep the puck in the other team’s zone so long.

277. Brandt Clarke, D, Kings: He rips it up at every level. The AHL couldn’t contain him. I like him to stick in the NHL this time, but keep in mind Doughty still holds onto the PP1 spot as the team’s top right-handed ‘D’ for now.

278. Daniel Sprong, RW, Canucks: One of the most efficient scorers in the league over the past couple years. Even when he barely plays, he gets 15-20 goals. If Vancouver expands his role, is he a deep sleeper to get 30?

279. Mavrik Bourque, C, Stars: The AHL scoring champ and MVP has earned his permanent NHL employment. It will be hard to secure fantasy-friendly minutes with so much lineup competition, but he’s a perfect late-round home run swing given his upside.

280. Eeli Tolvanen, RW, Kraken: It’s weird to think of the former mega-prospect as a banger-league dynamo, but he’s out there popping 16 goals and throwing 200 hits. That’s playable if he keeps it up.

281. Kevin Korchinski, D, Blackhawks: It’s not that there’s a rush, but this is an important year for Korchinski since Chicago drafted an even higher-ceiling left shot blueliner in Artyom Levshunov. Korchinski needs a breakout season as a puck-mover if he wants to secure a juicy scoring role on the D-corps before Levshunov arrives full-time.

282. Ridly Greig, C, Senators: He’s a first-rate shift disturber, but he has plenty of skill, too. Ottawa’s forward corps is deep, however, so the low ice-time numbers suppress his value for now.

283. Filip Gustavsson, G, Wild: Who is the real Gustavsson? He was the second-best goalie in the NHL in 2022-23 and one of the league’s weaker ones last year. With top prospect Wallstedt breathing down his neck, Gustavsson would be better off on a new team.

284. Lane Hutson, D, Canadiens: It was only two games. But he averaged more than 22 minutes and picked up two points. Are the Habs ready to take the training wheels off their future power-play quarterback? That would be fun, albeit it’s not a lock to happen. He could use some AHL seasoning.

285. Evan Rodrigues, RW, Panthers: He’s not a natural finisher and may never hit 20 goals, but he plays on such a wagon of a team that he’s quite a deep-league asset in the shots category if you need to target it late in your draft.

286. Anthony Cirelli, C, Lightning: Such a great real-life player. It just has never translated into much fantasy value. Career high is 45 points after seven seasons.

287. Neal Pionk, D, Jets: Five straight seasons between 32 and 34 points, and he’s a big help in the hits category. He should be owned in any deep-banger league.

288. Frank Nazar, C, Blackhawks: Chicago has improved its depth enough that Nazar doesn’t have to make the team. But I hope he does, as he’ll quickly become their second-best center. The top prospect has a dynamic offensive toolbox.

289. Dalibor Dvorsky, C, Blues: St. Louis needs a game-breaking talent, and Dvorsky is that player. He acclimatized to the North American game last year in major junior, which he lit up. Can he make the jump to the NHL? Watch him in camp.

290. Matt Savoie, C, Oilers: The long-term potential is massive here. He’s a scoring machine. But does he make the team this year? The depth chart his absolutely crammed with Skinner and Arvidsson added. I don’t see a spot for Savoie. But he belongs on our watch lists in case he forces the issue in September.

291. Dmitri Voronkov, RW, Blue Jackets: Is he going to be a banger-league hero? Had 18 goals, better than a hit per game and 142 shots while playing limited minutes as a rookie.

292. Jordan Eberle, RW, Kraken: A passable roster plug in a deep league that counts power-play points. He maintains a reasonably high floor of 45-plus points.

293. Barrett Hayton, C, Utah: Seemed to be headed for stardom just a year ago. An injury-plagued year derailed him. If he can stay with Keller and Schmaltz, Hayton will be a genius late-round pick. But what if Cooley passes him? A lot can go right or wrong for Hayton this year.

294. Jared Spurgeon, D, Wild: Before missing most of last season he was a perennial lock for double-digit goals and a healthy block total. Still draftable while healthy.

295. Jesper Wallstedt, G, Wild: Welcome to the third-string goalie tier. Wallstedt should be an NHLer, period, but he’s blocked as long as Fleury and Gustavsson still play for the Wild.

296. Yaroslav Askarov, G, Predators: Third-stringer, part 2: Askarov is incredibly talented and instantly becomes a must-add if Saros gets hurt. But he’s stuck in the minors behind Saros and Wedgewood. Dang.

297. Devon Levi, G, Sabres: Third-stringer, part 3: By signing James Reimer to a one-way deal, the Sabres evidently aren’t going to rush Levi this time if he’s not ready, especially if UPL continues to play so well.

298. Jamie Drysdale, D, Flyers: We’re inching toward “Stop trying to make Fetch happen” territory. Despite his high-end prospect pedigree, he has only delivered one remotely relevant season in fantasy. And yet…he’s still only 22 and the Flyers thought highly enough of him to trade Gauthier for him. He’s going to get every chance to become their top offensive defenseman.

299. Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Avalanche: He plans to return this season. I’m skeptical that his knee will allow that. But if there’s even a chance of Landeskog being back in action, he’s worth stashing with a late-round pick.

300. Evander Kane, LW, Oilers (-126): Averaged his fewest goals and points per game in almost a decade last season. He can still help you in banger leagues as a depth forward, but with the Oilers’ new additions he’s not even a lock to play in their top six anymore. He also turns 33 in August, which is old in power forward years, and now we get the update that he’s likely to start the season on LTIR. The reasons not to draft him keep piling up.

ON THE BUBBLE:

Alex Nedeljkovic
Philipp Grubauer
Anthony Mantha
David Jiricek
Josh Doan
Mikael Backlund
Hampus Lindholm
Daniil Tarasov
Alex Lyon
John Gibson
Matthew Poitras
K’Andre Miller
Drew O’Connor
Connor McMichael
Andrew Mangiapane
Trent Frederic
Adam Henrique
Adam Lowry
Samuel Ersson
Ryan Strome
Elvis Merzlikins
Brandon Saad
Nick Bjugstad
Morgan Geekie
Eric Comrie
Alex Kerfoot
Mason Lohrei
Morgan Frost
Jiri Kulich
Victor Olofsson
Dan Vladar
Ross Colton
Nick Foligno
Martin Pospisil
Simon Nemec
Nikita Zadorov
Andre Burakovsky
Logan Couture
Easton Cowan
Stefan Noesen
James van Riemsdyk
Jack Roslovic
Alexander Holtz
Nicolas Roy
Jake Walman
Lukas Reichel
Nino Niederreiter
Danton Heinen
Sean Walker
Will Cuylle
Dakota Joshua
Yegor Chinakhov
Sean Couturier
Dylan Holloway
Alex Newhook
Cole Sillinger
Ivan Provorov
Damon Severson
Brendan Brisson
Kent Johnson
Jonathan Quick
Karel Vejmelka
Kirby Dach
Ville Husso
Mackenzie Blackwood
Rasmus Sandin
Scott Laughton
Warren Foegele
Matt Roy
Cayden Primeau
Thomas Bordeleau
Nils Hoglander
Ondrej Palat
Cam Atkinson
Vitek Vanecek
Shakir Mukhamadullin
Jagger Firkus
Timothy Liljegren
Colton Parayko
Jake McCabe
Darren Raddysh
Conor Geekie
Nick Robertson
Bobby McMann
Max Pacioretty
Pavel Dorofeyev
Alex Nylander
Oliver Kylington

_____

ON THE BUBBLE:

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