Matt Larkin’s fantasy hockey top 300 player rankings for 2023-24

FINAL UPDATE: This is it. The NHL regular season has arrived, the 32 franchises have made their final roster cuts, and we know exactly who will or won’t be in their teams’ lineups to start the season. If you’re part of the Last Minute Drafter Club, today is a huge day for you. Below is the most up-to-date cheat sheet possible.

On to the rankings! Best of luck in 2023-24! Let me know if these rankings end up guiding you to championships!

The 2023-24 fantasy hockey season carries an air of anticipation. We’re coming off a magical 2022-23 season in which so many players – Connor McDavid, Erik Karlsson, Linus Ullmark – delivered historically great efforts. We also have an influx of unbelievably exciting rookies breaking into the league, from 2023 draftees like Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli to older prospects ready for full-time duty like Luke Hughes and Logan Cooley.

I thus feel a certain giddiness putting together my 2023-24 top 300 player rankings. Some years it feels like every player carries downside or red flags. But this year? I see endless fantasy potential. It’ll be a fun one.

If you’re a regular reader of the Top 300? Welcome back. If you’re a newbie? It’s important to read my parameters before diving in. Here we go!

(a) The rankings are a working list that evolves over time and will be updated with increasing frequency as the season approaches. Version 2 (late August) might have minor changes: late-summer signings or trades, gut reactions after letting my list breathe a few weeks and so on. As training camp and the pre-season arrive, Versions 3 and beyond will reflect injuries, positional battles, prospects making or not making their teams and line deployments. By October, a.k.a fantasy draft season, you can expect weekly and even daily updates leading up to the start of the NHL regular season.

(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 J.T. Miller and Jacob Trouba, get major boosts. So do goaltenders who log heavy workloads and can compile beefy counting stats, such as the perennial workhorses Connor Hellebuyck and Juuse Saros.

(c) Real-life value does not always translate to equal fantasy value. Think of highly regarded players like Quinn Hughes and Robert Thomas. They tend to sit lower in my rankings than their perceived real-life values because I penalize them for their lack of stat-category diversity. Lots of assists but very few goals, hits, shots and so on.

(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 Jaden Schwartz. You’ll see some rookies who aren’t even guaranteed to make their teams ranked higher than the Schwartz types. 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.

(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.

Let’s…go!

1. Connor McDavid, C, Oilers: Finally, he gets that goal total into the God tier, and I can hand him the undisputed fantasy crown instead of ranking him No. 2.

2. Leon Draisaitl, C, Oilers: The points floor is, what, 110? He doesn’t shoot the puck as often as other elite goal scorers, but nobody is more efficient. Leon has the highest career shooting among active players (min. 200 GP) at 18.1.

3. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Avalanche: He’s never a good bet to play a full season, but it doesn’t matter. He’s so dominant that he can deliver top-three value in 70 games. Reminiscent of Mario Lemieux in that sense.

4. Mikko Rantanen, RW, Avalanche: A 55-50-105 line last season reflects a player equally elite as a passer and goal scorer. That makes him a true superstar.

5. Jack Hughes, C, Devils: Coming off a 99-point, 336-shot season on an ascending team…and he’s 22. Typically, top-five slots belong to superstars smack in their primes, yet Hughes is just beginning his. He’s somehow a top-five pick with upside. My apologies – I’m drooling.

6. David Pastrnak, RW, Bruins: Coming off a 61-goal, 113-point season in which he led the NHL in shots and finished second in the Hart Trophy vote.…shouldn’t he be a top-three fantasy asset? The chemistry with Pavel Zacha carries over, but I just would like a more inspiring linemate than James van Riemsdyk.

7. Matthew Tkachuk, RW, Panthers: The best power forward of his generation has consecutive 100-point seasons to his name. I’m holding him outside the top five because he’s not the all-category bruiser he’s perceived to be in fantasy. Averaged less than a hit per game last season.

8. Jason Robertson, LW, Stars: The safest pick in the 5-10 range of Round 1. One of the best pure scorers in the league, in his prime at 24, playing on a great line, and durable.

9. Auston Matthews, C, Maple Leafs: Has the talent to match or even exceed the 100-point stalwarts I’ve ranked above him. But since he misses give or take 10 games a year, if anything veers off course with his puck luck, his scoring ceiling drops, as we saw last season.

10. Elias Pettersson, C, Canucks: He’s an all-situations maven who led the NHL in shorthanded goals last season. With his role expanded, his TOI jumped almost two minutes per game, and voila, he’s a 100-point scorer now. A set-it-and-forget-it pick in Round 1.

11. Nikita Kucherov, RW, Lightning: The 113 points were lovely last season, but so were the 82 games played. He’s 30 now, however, so the shaky prior health history makes him riskier than most other first-rounders.

12. Tage Thompson, C, Sabres: So fun to watch, and last season’s 47-47-94 line may not be his peak. But what did other big-man superstars like Lemieux and Lindros have on top of unique talent? Injury woes. Thompson was dinged up down the stretch last year. I could see him settling in as a 75-game-per-year player, albeit an elite one.

13. Cale Makar, D, Avalanche: Didn’t lord above the pack on ‘D’ as much last season, but he still produced at a 90-point pace. He’s 24 and on a Hall of Fame trajectory; I thus don’t believe we’ve seen the signature Makar season yet. Maybe it’s this year.

14. Kirill Kaprizov, LW, Wild: Not quite the dominant superstar in Year 3 that he was in Year 2, and he missed 15 games due to injury. But he’s young enough to bounce back physically and threaten for 100 points again. If only the Wild could find him a better 1C, though.

15. Mitch Marner, RW, Maple Leafs: One of the safest picks on the board, pretty much a lock for 95-plus points. But he lacks the goal-scoring upside of the guys ranked above him.

16. Ilya Sorokin, G, Islanders: Across his first three seasons, he hasn’t finished with a goals-against average higher than 2.40 or a save percentage lower than .918. He’s the best bet among all goalies for per-game excellence, and his ceiling exploded when the Isles let him start 60 games last season. Elite play + good volume = my top fantasy goalie for 2023-24.

17. Tim Stutzle, C, Senators: The 90-point explosion was wonderful but didn’t even tell the full story. Half those points – 45 – came in Stutzle’s final 33 games. I’m banking on a leap into superstardom and first-round value this season, similar to what Jack Hughes delivered last season.

18. Jake Oettinger, G, Stars: Wins, GAA, SV%, shutouts – name the key stat and ‘Otter’ has improved it, year over year over year in his first three seasons. Top-tier pedigree, talent, size, big workload and a great team. What more could you want in a fantasy tendy?

19. Brady Tkachuk, LW Senators: I don’t think Brady has the points ceiling of his linemate Stutzle, but point-per-game production plus the legit chance to lead the league in shots and hits makes Brady a unicorn. In leagues with banger-skewed stat configurations, he’s a first-rounder.

20. Rasmus Dahlin, D, Sabres: He broke out for 15 goals, 73 points, 204 shots, 105 hits and 132 blocks during a season in which more than 50 percent of the rookie skaters in the NHL were older than him. That’s 95 players! Dahlin is very much still tracking for the Hall-of-Fame-grade ceiling he was billed to have as a rookie. What’s his next level-up going to look like?

21. Timo Meier, LW, Devils: Only two players have tallied at least 35 goals, 300 shots and 150 hits in each of the past two seasons: Ovechkin and Meier. Somehow, Timo feels underrated in fantasy. The fact he didn’t totally set the world on fire post-trade to New Jersey last season could keep make him a mild steal.

22. Artemi Panarin, Rangers: The Bread Man’s points per game in four seasons with the Rangers: 1.38, 1.38, 1.28, 1.12. He turns 32 in October. That means he’s probably peaked as a fantasy asset. He should remain a rock-solid second round pick for a few more seasons, however.

23. Igor Shesterkin, G, Rangers: Talented enough to warrant consideration as the first goalie off the board, but he ranked eighth in games started last season. His quick, athletic style takes a lot out of him, so he’s a long shot to reach 60 starts. Then again, his new backup is quite a shaky option in Jonathan Quick. Does that mean Shesterkin ends up playing more?

24. Alex Ovechkin, LW, Capitals: He continues to age incredibly well. Still, he couldn’t be a first-round fantasy phenom forever. He turns 38 Sept. 17 and averaged his fewest shots per game in six years last season. The team around him is also weaker than what he’s used to. So maybe something in the range of 40-35-75 with his usual hearty helping of shots and hits is the new norm.

25. Sidney Crosby, C, Penguins: If late-30s players like Joe Pavelski can still produce top-line numbers, living legend Crosby at 35 can be a 90-point guy for a couple more years. Or at least score at a 90-point pace. Last season marked only the second time in 18 years that he played 82 games.

26. Miro Heiskanen, D, Stars: I knew Pete DeBoer would unlock him. He’s done it with multiple defensemen during his coaching career. Last year’s borderline point-per-game production wasn’t an anomaly. Heiskanen really is this good and, at 24, he hasn’t necessarily peaked.

27. Dougie Hamilton, D, Devils: I just love his fantasy environment in New Jersey. Last year’s glorious 22-goal, 74-point season feels sustainable with all the talent around him. He does carry more injury risk than the other elite fantasy D-men in his price range, however.

28. Adam Fox, D, Rangers: Production has stayed the same for the past three seasons. He’s so good that I thought he might have another level in fantasy, but Fox does so many things well at both ends of the ice in real life that he’s probably best suited to live in the 75-point range while playing world-class defense.

29. Mika Zibanejad, C, Rangers: Over his past three seasons, he’s missed a single game while tallying the 20^th-most goals and 19^th-most points in the league. Safe as can be. Safe in the early rounds is what you want.

30. Aleksander Barkov, C, Panthers: His per-game production borders on first-round caliber. But Barkov has averaged 11.67 missed games over this past three campaigns. He’s a 90-point guy who will instead give you 80 in 70 games.

31. J.T. Miller, C, Canucks: You don’t have to like his personality to like him in fantasy. Two straight seasons of 30-plus goals, 80-plus points, 200-plus shots and 170-plus hits. An underrated combo-meal king.

32. Brayden Point, C, Lightning: I realize I’m disrespecting him with this ranking following a 51-goal, 95-point season. But Point’s year-to-year production fluctuates. He wasn’t even a point-per-game player the season prior, and he scored on a career-best 21.8 percent of his shots last season. I feel more comfortable predicting 40-40-80.

33. Connor Hellebuyck, G, Jets (-5): Such a hard player to rank. He should be a top-two fantasy netminder given he plays more than anyone and delivers excellent rate stats most seasons, too. But now we’re no longer crossing our fingers for a trade. He’s locked into a weakened Jets team after signing his extension. I don’t love that for his fantasy value.

34. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, LW, Oilers: “He got half his points because of that amazing power play.” And your point is…? That amazing power play hasn’t gone anywhere. Maybe he isn’t a 100-point player again, but I’d be shocked if he didn’t rack up another 80.

35. Kyle Connor, LW, Jets: You can set your watch to his 30-goal, 80-point floor. But the Jets have thinned out on offense after trading Pierre-Luc Dubois and buying out Blake Wheeler. If Mark Scheifele gets moved during the season, too, whom does Connor play with?

36. Alexandar Georgiev, G, Avalanche: Led the NHL with 40 wins and delivered five shutouts plus a .918 SV%. I feel like he did it all somewhat under the radar? Was a top-four goalie last season. I’m coming around on the idea of him repeating his performance.

37. Erik Karlsson, D, Penguins: I’m trying to rank him high enough to honor the amazing accomplishment of 101 points as a blueliner. But…he did it at 33, miraculously played all 82 games and was likely selling out for offense on a team going nowhere. I’ll accept that he’s back, but “back” might be more like 70-80 points on the Pens, who have competition for prime minutes in right-shot Kris Letang.

38. Steven Stamkos, C, Lightning: Has shed the injury-prone tag to deliver back-to-back 81-game seasons with excellent scoring production in each. He did drop from 106 to 84 points year over year, though, and at 33, he’s unlikely to reverse the trend.

39. Quinn Hughes, D, Canucks: Only three blueliners have outscored him across the past three seasons. If only he contributed in the other stat categories. In fantasy, he’s Fox without the blocks and double-digit goal totals.

40. William Nylander, RW, Maple Leafs: Probably at his ceiling now, but it’s a nice one. Two consecutive seasons between 34 and 40 goals, between 80 and 87 points, with 250-plus shots each time and one total missed game. Quietly reliable.

41. Sebastian Aho, C, Hurricanes: If you pro-rate the 56-game sample in 2020-21, Aho has delivered five consecutive seasons with at least 30 goals and 65 points. That’s the floor. And at 26, he’s still young enough to beat his career highs of 38 goals and 81 points.

42. Clayton Keller, LW, Coyotes: Breakout 87-point season included 19 goals, 44 points in his final 31 games. He was always supposed to be this good, too. He had top-tier prospect pedigree. The jump in production is for real.

43. Connor Bedard, C, Blackhawks: Oh baby, the early highlights look good. I’m a full believer in his generational talent. But stop and break it down: if Bedard delivers an 80-point rookie year, he’s a massive success, right? Pretty much all the forwards ranked above him are virtual locks to do so, whereas I merely think Bedard will do so. Even with Taylor Hall in town, the Year-1 supporting cast is also pretty suspect in Chicago.

44. Roman Josi, D, Predators: Haven’t placed Josi this low for years. But look at the talent around him in Nashville right now. Who will finish the chances he creates? There’s a reason his offense fell off so much last season. So maybe he’s “only” a 60-point blueliner going forward.

45. Roope Hintz, C, Stars (-6): Playing with Robertson, Hintz has broken through as a steady point-per-game beast. He hinted at even more with his powerhouse playoff performance, though. I could see him jumping to 40-50-90 this year. But just note that all the guys I’ve ranked directly above him have actually done that. He’s banged up and no longer a lock to play on opening night.

46. Jake Guentzel, LW, Penguins: More like Jake Dangerfield, amirite? Across the past five seasons, Guentzel’s 82-game averages include 39 goals, 82 points, 248 shots and 86 hits. He’s money. Ahead of schedule in his recovery from ankle surgery and is a game-time decision for opening night. Awesome. Even if he doesn’t play, he’s clearly very close.

47. Johnny Gaudreau, LW, Blue Jackets: Jonathan Huberdeau was the fantasy bust of the year, but Gaudreau quietly tumbled 41 points from 115 to 74. With improved help around him, he can rebound by at least 10 points. Probably more.

48. Kevin Fiala, LW, Kings: Entrenched as a point-per-game producer, and with Dubois in town, there’s an additional quality linemate option for Fiala.

49. Cole Caufield, RW, Canadiens: In 83 games across two seasons since the Martin St. Louis takeover: 48 goals and 71 points. If the shoulder co-operates this season, 50 goals isn’t out of the question at all.

50. Linus Ullmark, G, Bruins: Sheesh, what a tough player to rank. He’s the reigning Vezina winner, but he delivers far less volume than the other elite fantasy netminders. His team situation is also in flux. How much will the Bruins regress in 2023-24 after saying goodbye to Patrice Bergeron, Taylor Hall, Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and David Krejci?

51. Alex DeBrincat, RW, Red Wings: His 27-goal disappointment came while spending much of his season with rookie Shane Pinto. Dylan Larkin is an obvious upgrade. DeBrincat has eclipsed 40 goals twice, 30 goals three times and has played all 82 games in four of his six seasons.

52. Juuse Saros, G, Predators: I don’t think it was wise for new GM Barry Trotz to paper over his middling roster with aging vets like Ryan O’Reilly and Luke Schenn. That said: they will improve the Preds defensively. They may not be able to score, but at least Saros should have a conscientious group in front of him. So maybe he retains his near-elite fantasy value after all.

53. Brad Marchand, LW, Bruins: Marchand suffered a hit in fantasy value from the Patrice Bergeron retirement because it meant the direct loss of a linemate. Marchand is also 35 and scored at his lowest rate in seven years last season. I was excited when he got a look on the Pastrnak line early in the pre-season, but now it appears the Bruins will spread them out and put Marchand on his own line. I don’t love that for his fantasy value.

54. Jack Eichel, C, Golden Knights: Stanley Cup recency bias will give him a bump, so you may have to pick him earlier than normal to get him. Another year removed from his disk replacement surgery, he’s back to being a point-per-game guy, albeit one who still carries significant injury risk.

55. Zach Hyman, LW, Oilers: Handy player with a high floor, but I’m a bit wary paying for his jump from 54 to 83 points in his age-30 season. He only had 23 points in his final 30 games. Last year will probably go down as the peak.

56. Alex Tuch, RW, Sabres: Really cooking now on Buffalo’s first line. I don’t know if he tops last season’s career-best 34-43-79 line, however. Tuch is 27 and has never played more than 78 games in a season. His current level still makes him an excellent second winger for your fantasy squad, though.

57. Nico Hischier, C, Devils: Just a great all-round player. Why that is relevant: the Selke types like Bergeron, Jonathan Toews, Anze Kopitar etc. have always traded some offense to fulfill all their responsibilities. That’s why I don’t see Hischier bettering his 80-point breakout.

58. Evan Bouchard, D, Oilers: After the Tyson Barrie trade freed up the PP1 spot for Bouchard, he had 36 points in 33 games including playoffs. Giddyup for the big breakout in 2023-24. I can’t hold back my enthusiasm any longer. Screw it. I’m reaching.

59. Dylan Larkin, C, Red Wings: See Hischier entry above. It took Larkin eight seasons to reach that career high of 79 points. That said: he’s never played with a goal-scorer of DeBrincat’s caliber, so this season seems destined to yield Larkin’s true career year.

60. Jesper Bratt, RW, Devils: “Just draft Devils” might be my strategy this year, honestly. Bratt backed up a 73-point breakout with 73 more points, establishing himself as a reliable 30-40-70 guy on what should be a top-five offense in the NHL.

61. Trevor Zegras, C, Ducks: I didn’t expect him to plateau last season. He’s far too talented to hit his ceiling at 22, though, and the team around him is improved for 2023-24. I think we get point-per-game Zegras this time around.

62. Carter Verhaeghe, LW, Panthers: Most encouraging about his 41-goal explosion: it came with a shooting percentage matching his career mark. His shot total jumped by more than 100 year over year, so he’ll need to sustain that elite work rate to remain a 40-goal guy. I think he does it or at least comes close.

63. Mark Scheifele, C, Jets: I wouldn’t bet on another 42 goals. His shooting percentage was north of 20 last season, and he had the first 200-shot season of his career. More likely his reliable 30-goal self this time around if we trust his career norms.

64. John Tavares, C, Maple Leafs: Maybe the ‘Tavares is washed’ narrative can create a discount. He was never fleet of foot to begin with, and his fifth season as a Maple Leaf was his second best: 36 goals, 80 points and the highest hit total of his career at 112. He’s declining, sure, but it’s not like he’s pushing 40. He’s 33.

65. Evander Kane, LW, Oilers: Last season didn’t scare me too much from an injury-prone perspective, as a fluke skate cut isn’t the same as some kind of nagging soft tissue problem. Kane in 84 regular season games as an Oiler: 38 goals, 64 points, 298 shots, 259 hits. Maybe that’s the ceiling rather than the floor at this point, but it’s excellent if he can even reach 80 percent of that.

66. Josh Morrissey, D, Jets: He was much more than a top-67 player last season. But I’m a little wary of a player who (a) beat his career high by 39 points in his seventh full season and (b) plays on a team that got weaker over the summer. Morrissey is a great puck-moving defenseman, don’t get me wrong, but let’s play it safe with a 10-45-55 type of projection rather than another 16-60-76.

67. John Carlson, D, Capitals: He’ll turn 34 in January and he’s coming off a season in which he fractured his skull after taking a puck to the head. The 2023-24 Caps probably aren’t a playoff team either. That means Carlson has plausible downside. That said, a declining Carlson should still produce at close to a 60-point pace, so he works just fine as a back-end D1.

68. Moritz Seider, D, Red Wings: Even his “sophomore slump” yielded 42-plus points, 207 hits and 190 blocks. That’s strong all-around production, and, again, that’s the worst it’s going to get for the 22-year-old. The ceiling remains pretty glorious.

69. Jeff Skinner, LW, Sabres: Finally, Skinner delivered two good seasons in a row! It’s staggering. Despite having 14 NHL seasons (and zero playoff games) under his belt, he’s hardly ancient at 31, and he’s chugging along on Buffalo’s top line. I’m probably underrating him based on his production last season, but his previous inconsistency keeps my enthusiasm in check.

70. Jordan Kyrou, RW, Blues: The speedster upped his shot output and jumped from 27 to 37 goals as a result. He can probably stay in the latter scoring range, though the Blues look weaker on paper than they did a year ago, which could cap Kyrou’s upside a bit.

71. Darnell Nurse, D, Oilers: Helps you in every category: double-digit goals, 40-plus points, 200 shots, give or take 150 hits and blocks. He’s Seider, except Nurse’s peak appears to be Seider’s floor.

72. Joe Pavelski, RW, Stars: Did you see his playoffs? He’s still as good as ever at 39, and playing with Robertson and Hintz should continue to mask any age-related decline. I’m still in for another season. We just have to price in the fact that his game will fall off one of these years.

73. Vince Dunn, D, Kraken: Was one of my favorite bargains last year. He won’t be this time coming off a 64-point breakout, but he still isn’t a brand-name star playing for the Kraken. He could give you D1 value at a D2 price.

74. Victor Hedman, D, Lightning: I struggled to rank Hedman, especially relative to his teammate Mikhail Sergachev. Did last season mark the beginning of Hedman’s decline years? It’s too soon to count him out, but I do think he needs to be load-managed at this stage of his Hall of Fame career. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a 70-game guy from here on out. I like him for a bounce-back in per-game production given he had so much more time to rest up with Tampa’s season ending in April.

75. Adrian Kempe, LW, Kings: He sure is streaky within the confines of a season, but he’s gotten home with back-to-back campaigns of 35 or more goals, 240-plus shots and 110-plus hits. Time to trust him.

76. Mikhail Sergachev, D, Lightning: We long awaited the season when the Bolts let Sergachev cook and gave him bellcow ice time. It finally happened last season, and he outproduced Hedman. I’d like to see it one more season before labelling Sergachev a true D1 in fantasy.

77. Charlie McAvoy, D Bruins: He’s a tremendous real-life player who has settled in as more of a very-good fantasy commodity who is above average in almost every stat category. Doesn’t shoot the puck enough to be a D1, but you’re in great shape if he’s your D2.

78. Matt Boldy, LW, Wild: The puck luck found him late last season when he buried 15 goals in his final 19 games. After 31 goals in his sophomore season, he should jump to 35-plus in Year 3.

79. Tyler Toffoli, RW, Devils: Reliable threat for 30-plus goals, 200-plus shots lands in perhaps his most fertile fantasy environment yet. Likely will play with Bratt and Hughes.

80. Martin Necas, RW, Hurricanes: I love it when a young player’s goal production jumps not due to an increase in shooting percentage but because he’s getting to the net and firing the biscuit more. That was Necas last season, which suggests his 28-43-71 stat line is repeatable. The question is if he can improve on it.

81. Anze Kopitar, C, Kings: Delivered his best numbers in five years. Given that was the product of an improving team around him and that team looks even better this season, Kopitar can probably deliver another sturdy season of just below point-per-game production.

82. Thatcher Demko, G, Canucks: How high you value Demko depends a lot on faith: faith in his ability to stay healthy, faith that the Canucks can play well when the games actually matter. I do have faith in his talent and workload. After returning from injury last season, he went 11-4-2 with a .918 SV% in 17 games.

83. Patrik Laine, RW, Blue Jackets: No one doubts Laine’s raw shooting talent, and he’s accomplished more than he gets credit for, sitting two goals away from 200 at 25 years old. But he misses too many games to be worth paying full price for. I’ll let someone else invest in the name brand.

84. Brent Burns, D, Hurricanes: Even at 38, he’s one of the better sources of goals and shots at his position now that he’s back on an elite team. As long as fellow right-shot scoring defenseman Tony DeAngelo doesn’t cut into Burns’ role, he’s still a difference maker in fantasy.

85. Brock Nelson, C, Islanders: Scored 37 goals in 2021-22, but his 36 goals in 2022-23 impressed me more. The former came with a shooting percentage above 21, while the latter came with far more shots and a more sustainable 16.1 shooting percentage. He’s capable of making it three in a row.

86. Travis Konecny, RW, Flyers: Did you know he was on pace for 48 goals and 98 points halfway through last season?! Imagine what he could do with a change of scenery. Cross your fingers for a trade. If he’s still a Flyer all year, however, he’ll have to stay in the 30-goal, 60-point range with so little help around him.

87. Chris Kreider, LW, Rangers: A bit more downside than some other 30-goal guys in his tier because he doesn’t accumulate many assists and because he’s 32. Power forwards, more than other player archetypes, tend to suddenly fall off in their early 30s.

88. Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, Kings: He’s a pretty safe source of 65 or so points. But don’t boost him after his trade to the Kings. He played with great forwards in Winnipeg, too. Value should be relatively unchanged.

89. Bo Horvat, C, Islanders: Was unsustainably lucky before the trade, was unsustainably unlucky after the trade, and the net result was about right: a career-best 38-32-70 line in 82 games. He should be good for more or less the same. Is he the poor man’s Brock Nelson?

90. Andrei Svechnikov, LW, Hurricanes (-24): It’s hard to believe he still hasn’t even delivered a 70-point season, but he’s only 23, and his combo-meal stat profile keeps his fantasy ceiling high. That said, he couldn’t make it back from his ACL injury in time for the start of the season. He’s on IR. Once he cracks the lineup, he’ll likely take some time to reach his peak form again.

91. Noah Dobson, D, Islanders: I’d love to see him as a cog in more of a high-octane offense. But He’s established himself as a reliable 10-40-50 type contributor and is still young enough to elevate to a higher tier.

92. Jared McCann, LW, Kraken: Long underrated, he may be slightly…overrated in drafts this year? He’s clearly Seattle’s best goal-scoring threat, but he nabbed 40 while converting 19 percent of his shots last season. His career mark: 12.1. I’d draft him expecting 30 this time.

93. Darcy Kuemper, G, Capitals: Any goalie who can deliver league-average work while starting 55 games has value in fantasy. But Kuemper’s rate stats nosedived with his team downgrade from Colorado to Washington, and his situation hasn’t improved. You want him to be your G2, not your G1.

94. Nikolaj Ehlers, RW, Jets: Has missed 30 percent of Winnipeg’s games over the past three seasons. Scores enough to be ranked 20 spots higher, but we have to price in the injury risk at this point.

95. Andrei Kuzmenko, RW Canucks: The guy scores 39 goals in his NHL debut and barely cracks my top 100? Yup. He did it with a downright silly shooting percentage of 27.3. He scored on more than a quarter of his shots. A .273 average would be solid in Major League Baseball. So, no I will not pay for a repeat, albeit some progression as a player could offset the luck regression.

96. Filip Forsberg, LW, Predators: I’ve always like what he brought on a per-game basis in fantasy, mixing healthy doses of goals, shots and hits…but I think I’m out. He can’t stay healthy. Double-digit games missed in five of his past six seasons.

97. Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, Flames: From 115 to 55 points. The drop is absolutely astounding. He just can’t be that bad again in 2023-24, especially without Darryl Sutter around to play him at his off position for the first 50 games. Surely ‘Huby’ can rebound to the 70-point range?

98. Claude Giroux, C, Senators: I’m not too worried about The Vladimir Tarasenko acquisition threatening Giroux’s ice time given he can play all three forward positions. Pretty durable at 35, he can hang in the 70-point zone again with lot of ascending skill surrounding him.

99. Alex Pietrangelo, D, Golden Knights: Consistently above average in goals, shots and blocks while always delivering 45-55 points.

100. Evgeni Malkin, C, Penguins: Coming off his highest point total in five years, but here are Geno’s games missed over his past five seasons: 14, 14, 23, 41, 0. Which one do you think is the outlier?  

101. Elias Lindholm, C, Flames: The 42-goal bonanza in 2021-22 was the outlier. Last season’s 22-42-64 is the real him. And that’s perfectly fine for your No. 2 fantasy center.

102. Nick Suzuki, C, Canadiens: The point total keeps climbing, but I’m not sure it rises much higher given Suzuki’s two-way profile. If he and Caufield can play a full season together, there’s probably a 30-45-75 line in Suzuki one of these years, though.

103. Matty Beniers, C, Kraken: Natural to get excited about any Calder Trophy winner. But Beniers is quite similar to Suzuki – a strong 200-foot game that makes him a better real-life player than fantasy asset. I don’t think Beniers is a point-per-game guy this season.

104. Pavel Buchnevich, RW, Blues: Has missed 28 games over the past two seasons. When he’s in the lineup, he’s quite an underrated fantasy asset, solidly north of a point per game since becoming a Blue.

105. Mark Stone, RW, Golden Knights: He had the highest shot output of his career in 2022-23! That would excite me a lot if he wasn’t such a gargantuan injury risk. He’ll have to manage his chronic back troubles for the rest of his playing days.

106. Devon Toews, D, Avalanche: Safe source of 50 points as Makar’s partner. Was nice to see Toews diversify his fantasy value with a career-high 138 blocks last year, too.

107. Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, Senators: Probably has another 30 goals in his stick. I expect him to be overdrafted, however, thanks to the hype after he joined a Canadian team. I doubt he falls to me.

108. Nazem Kadri, C, Flames: He was never going to duplicate his 87 points in 71 games as a 31-year-old. Regressing to a much more typical stat line of 24 goals, 56 points, 267 shots and 99 hits made sense. He can deliver that again. Still one of the better combo-meal fantasy contributors.

109. Joel Eriksson Ek, C, Wild: Since his 2020-21 breakout: 26 goals, 54 points, 229 shots and 141 hits per 82 games. Multi-dimensional players like these win you pools. Also has become a power-play maven. Had 23 points with the man advantage last season.

110. Shea Theodore, D, Golden Knights: Coming off a weird fantasy season. Missed 27 games due to injury after being quite durable before that. Also saw his ice time slashed by close to two minutes per game. I still think he’s a great fantasy blueliner…but maybe he’s peaked?

111. Nick Schmaltz, RW, Coyotes: Back to back seasons just south of a point per game. His heaters are becoming the stuff of legend; he got 33 of his points in a 26-game stretch. Would be nice to see him get through 70 games, let alone 82.

112. Dylan Cozens, C, Sabres: I believe in the breakout. Cozens has high draft pedigree, after all. I’m not sure he jumps up another level just yet, though, since he’s not a first-liner and the Sabres’ next wave of talent has to catch up to him.

113. Drake Batherson, RW, Senators: In his prime now and one of the more underrated combo meal forwards in the fantasy game. Went 22-40-62 with 249 shots and 115 hits, and I think he’s capable of levelling up one more time. Let’s hope he doesn’t kill you in plus-minus again.

114. Kris Letang, D, Penguins: When he’s in the lineup, he still produces like an elite fantasy defenseman. But he’s 36 and has endured a litany of scary health woes in his career, so it’s dangerous to grab him too early. Some encouraging news, though: he’s getting PP1 work with Karlsson rather than Karlsson bumping him to PP2.

115. Dawson Mercer, RW, Devils: The Devils’ depth chart got a bit more crowded with the Toffoli acquisition, but I’m pretty confident Mercer plays with Hischier and Meier and builds on the 27-goal breakout from last season. If his ice time rises north of 16:34, which it should, we could see 30-40-70.

116. Jacob Trouba, D, Rangers: Average at best as an offensive contributor, but he’s Mr. 200-200-200. He should get you near that number in shots, hits and blocks.

117. Tristan Jarry, G, Penguins: The Pens have improved their team. They’re committed to winning. They’ve re-signed Jarry at an AAV that makes him an unchallenged starter. All great for his fantasy value. I just wish we could count on him for consistency. His yearly SV% in the NHL: .880, .908, .887, .921, .909, .919, .909. Close your eyes and spin the dial.

118. Sam Reinhart, RW, Panthers: For a guy known to be streaky, Reinhart has become quietly safe as a full-season asset. Four straight years with a goal pace of at least 22 and a points pace of at least 59.

119. Jacob Markstrom, G, Flames: He’s still capable of being a top-10 fantasy netminder again if the Flames don’t sell off any more pieces before the season starts. Markstrom needs to start strongly, however, with Dan Vladar and elite prospect Dustin Wolf breathing down his neck.

120. Filip Gustavsson, G, Wild: Game for game, only Ullmark was better last season. But Gustavsson still has to share the net with Marc-Andre Fleury. Not enough volume to be your No. 1 yet.

121. Lucas Raymond, LW, Red Wings: Don’t lose faith. He took a step back, but he’s too intelligent not to find his way. He’s only 21. That said, since his profile is that of a playmaker, his fantasy upside is very good rather than great.

122. Jonathan Marchessault, LW, Golden Knights: Hits that 20-30-50 floor with 200 shots in his sleep every year. That reliability adds to his value.

123. Pavel Zacha, C, Bruins: With the Bergeron and Krejci dominoes falling, Zacha is likely locked into a top-six role even if Boston acquires a center before the season starts. His fantasy outlook trends way northward.

124. Devon Levi, G, Sabres (+27): Boom. He did it. The hyped prospect makes Buffalo’s opening night roster. So did Eric Comrie and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, though. So while Levi’s fantasy potential is sky-high, the crease battle isn’t totally settled. But don’t get me wrong: it’s wonderful news that Levi will open the season as the 1A.

125. Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, Maple Leafs: Bertuzzi showed in his late-season run with the Bruins that he can do real damage on a good team. He’ll likely get the first run with Matthews and Marner – and the early-camp line deployments confirm what we suspected. But since Bertuzzi plays a scrappy game, he’s useful anywhere in Toronto’s top nine, so he’s not a lock to play line 1 all year.

126. Seth Jones, D, Blackhawks: It’s natural to think about the forwards when wondering whose fantasy value Bedard will augment the most. I actually think Jones is the answer. Bedard and Hall should help finish more chances and boost Jones’ assist total. He still provides balanced fantasy production aside from the ugly plus-minus. I’m feeling increasingly optimistic that he can be a real value in drafts this year.

127. Taylor Hall, LW, Blackhawks: The Bedard Factor makes Hall a fun draft pick. Just remember he hasn’t eclipsed 20 goals in six years. So don’t pull a muscle reaching for the soon-to-be 32-year-old. Speaking of which: he’s hurt to open camp. It doesn’t sound yet like he’s in danger of missing regular-season games, though.

128. Rickard Rakell, RW, Penguins: Welcome to your boring veteran years, Rickard! You could reach on a rookie or go for a guy who should get you 25 goals, 200 shots and 100 hits, give or take.

129. Tomas Hertl, C, Sharks: Same team, situation and stats as the teammate Logan Couture. Remarkably similar production. Break the tie with Hertl because he’s younger.

130. Robert Thomas, C, Blues: An excellent real-life player. In fantasy, he’s an asset in assists and points but a liability in shots and hits.

131. Mathew Barzal, C, Islanders: The 85-point rookie season is never coming back. Time to stop dreaming. He’s a decent source of assists and doesn’t move the needle as much as you think given his raw ability.

132. Mats Zuccarello, RW, Wild: He’ll be 36 by opening night. Reminds me of Pavelski in that he’s hitched his wagon to an elite player – in this case Kaprizov – and revived his career in its twilight years. It doesn’t make a ton of sense, but I could see one more good year from Zuccarello.

133. Brandon Hagel, LW, Lightning: Busted out for 30 goals playing primarily with Point and Kucherov. Stamkos took his spot in the playoffs, though. Hagel is a handy real-life player but his fantasy value feels a little bit linemate dependent. Started camp with Point and Kucherov but isn’t with them at the moment.

134. Matt Duchene, C, Stars: Will play lower in Dallas’ lineup. That also means less pressure and better matchups, and he’s capable of shifting to the wing. Overrated a year ago and now I think he’s actually a sleeper for 30 goals.

135. Jakob Chychrun, D, Senators: His team situation improved with the trade to Ottawa but so did his competition for work. His average power play TOI dropped 28 percent. I still like Chychrun’s upside as a goal-scoring D, but Thomas Chabot eats into the overall value a bit.

136. Zach Werenski, D, Blue Jackets: He loves to join the rush and is one of the better goal-scoring threats at his position. He carries quite a bit of upside with the Blue Jackets improving their lineup. He carries just as much downside as a player who has missed significant time due to injury in three straight seasons.

137. Morgan Rielly, D, Maple Leafs: Moves the puck but his goal production is below average and he’s merely OK in the banger categories. Factor in the threat of John Klingberg stealing some PP time and the arrow points downward for Rielly.

138. Jake DeBrusk, RW, Bruins: Just when he delivered consecutive seasons of 25 or more goals and entered the fantasy circle of trust…Boston’s center situation implodes. At the moment, it’s looking like Charlie Coyle will center DeBrusk. Coyle is not Bergeron.

139. Vincent Trocheck, C, Rangers (-7): Provides a balanced stat line very similar to Eriksson Ek’s but in a body four years older. Trocheck’s feisty physical style takes a toll, so he could begin to decline earlier than most 30-year-olds. Looks like he’s line 3 to start the year, too.

140. Sam Bennett, C, Panthers: Being a wrecking ball comes at price. “Bennett will not give you anything close to 82 games,” I wrote before his injury last week, which will cost him the start of the season. When he’s in the lineup, he’ll give you significant lifts in shots and hits, with decent goal production.

141. Adam Fantilli, C, Blue Jackets: He did not turn pro to play in the bottom six. Will get every opportunity to drive a scoring line, and I expect one of the better rookie campaigns we’ve seen in fantasy for a while. Bedard hype distracts from the fact that Fantilli is also a player you want to target. He’s really damn good!

142. Brayden Schenn, C, Blues: Always seems to reach his 20-goal, 50 point floor and usually delivers a little more than that. Kevin Hayes could eat into his playing time, though. Whichever guy centers the third line will get a downgrade in linemate quality this year. Schenn is safe on line 2 for now.

143. Troy Terry, RW, Ducks: The shooting percentage predictably regressed to normal levels, and his 37-goal breakout shrunk to 23 last season. That feels about right. Solid offense in the RW2/3 range.

144. Bowen Byram, D, Avalanche: In his past two seasons: 72 games, 15 goals, 41 points, 114 shots, 135 hits, 80 blocks. And he’s 22. One of these years, he’s going to stay healthy and become a full-fledged fantasy star. As you can guess from this ranking, I’m predicting it’s this season.

145. Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Avalanche: Crucially important to the Avs for his two-way impact, and he’s matured into a solid points contributor in fantasy, but he’s just not built for the 82-game wear and tear. Has missed 49 games across the past two seasons alone.

146. Thomas Chabot, D, Senators: I hyped him for years, waiting on that leap from fantasy D2 to a top-10 stud at his position. It just didn’t happen. His heavy workload is hindering his ability to get through a full season, and he faces increased competition on the depth chart. He’s a complementary piece for your team rather than a building block.

147. Ilya Samsonov, G, Maple Leafs: He was a top-10 goalie last season. But I believe Joseph Woll is a real threat to Samsonov’s playing time. I see Samsonov as more of a 1A than an unchallenged No. 1, and while he was great last season, he hasn’t been the model of consistency thus far in his career.

148. Adin Hill, G, Golden Knights: Has to be the 1A after leading Vegas to the Stanley Cup. But Logan Thompson won’t evaporate into thin air. How many games does Hill start…40? 50? Career sample size isn’t huge, either. He could turn you a nice profit, but we can’t call him a sure thing in fantasy yet.

149. Barrett Hayton, C, Coyotes: He gave us a post-hype mini breakout last season, forging great chemistry on the top line with Keller and Schmaltz. Hayton did most of his damage in the second half – 29 points in his final 35 games – which is great for 2023 drafting since his overall stat line looks pedestrian. I think he’s a 60-point player whom you can steal at the draft slot of a 45-point player.

150. Frederik Andersen, G, Hurricanes: Still a competent goaltender and plays with the best defensive team in hockey in front of him. There’s a reason why the Canes employ three starting-caliber stoppers, though. Andersen gets banged up. He only started 33 games last season. He’s also posted a sub-.900 SV% in two of his past three seasons.

151. Drew Doughty, D, Kings: He’s enjoying a mini-resurgence in his mid-30s just like Kopitar. With the Kings on the rise, Doughty can be a 50-point guy again. He had a two-year durability dip but was back to 81 games last season.

152. Vitek Vanecek, G, Devils: Made it through the offseason and into the season without New Jersey trading for another goalie. We can thus cautiously draft him, but Akira Schmid is a real threat.

153. John Klingberg, D, Maple Leafs (+20): It appears he’ll be healed from his upper-body injury in time for the Leafs’ opener – and will play PP1. That’s what we’ve been waiting to hear. Give Klingberg a major stock boost as long as he holds down this plum assignment.

154. Stuart Skinner, G, Oilers: Feels like he should be higher given he’s the No. 1 on a Cup contender who started 48 games and delivered a .913 SV% as a rookie. But he doesn’t exactly have a vice grip on the gig following a postseason in which he was pulled in four different games. Jack Campbell is providing stiff competition in the pre-season. Suddenly there’s major risk in picking Skinner. What if Campbell steals the job back?

155. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, Lightning: So much for a rested, resurgent Vasy. His microdiscectomy will cost him almost a third of the NHL regular season – which means closer to half the fantasy regular season. I subscribe to the theory that you don’t want to draft injuries given your team will sustain plenty of new ones during the season. But if you’re the type to likes to stash a high-upside player for the second half, Vasy will be the No. 1 stash out there, period. I’d advise not to pick him inside the top 100. But he remains a must-draft player even in shallow formats.

156. Ivan Barbashev, LW, Golden Knights: He’s more comfortable and productive as a winger than a center, so it’s good news to see him re-sign with Vegas. In 45 games with the Golden Knights between the regular season and playoffs: 13 goals, 34 points, 114 hits, extrapolating to 24 goals, 62 points and 208 hits. That would certainly play nicely.

157. Artturi Lehkonen, LW, Avalanche: Does so many things well. Broke out for a career-best 20 goals and 51 points last season. He’s 28, so I think this is his peak performance level.

158. Rasmus Andersson, D, Flames: Has delivered D2 production with consecutive seasons of 50 and 49 points. Is the goal-scoring leap sustainable? It came with the highest shooting percentage of his career. Feels safer calling him a 5-45-50 type.

159. Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, Capitals: Flatlined at 55 points last season. Never seems to string together consecutive great years. He also isn’t typically bad two years in a row. Feels like he could use a change of scenery to spark him.

160. Hampus Lindholm, D Bruins: More than a third of his points came in his first 17 games when he was on a heater last season before McAvoy came back. Lindholm is a better real-life defenseman than fantasy asset. Don’t bet on another 53 points. More like 43, which is still solid.

161. Bryan Rust, RW, Penguins: Bounce-back candidate. Shooting percentage plummeted well below his career norm last year. He can get back to a 30-goal pace.

162. Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Panthers: He played three tremendous rounds of playoff hockey this past spring. Before that? He lost his job to the third-stringer. He also turned back into a pumpkin in the Stanley Cup Final. The No. 1 gig is still Bob’s to lose, but he’s been a subpar fantasy goalie in three of his past four seasons.

163. Wyatt Johnston, C, Stars (-4): Getting 24 goals as a rookie was a nice start. If he can lock in second-line deployment for the entire year, we’re looking at a major sophomore breakout in Dallas. We just need him on the ice, though. Like Hintz, he was held out of pre-season games and may not be ready for Game 1.

164. Jamie Benn, LW, Stars: His incredible resurgence coincided with a career-best shooting percentage. He’s 34 with plenty of mileage on his power forward body. I’m not expecting anything close to that 78-point season this time around.

165. Joonas Korpisalo, G, Senators: Terrible 2021-22, great 2022-23 after hip surgery, bad playoffs. Hard to know which version of Korpisalo we’ll get, but he has a nice opportunity for a No. 1 workload and a career year.

166. Tom Wilson, RW, Capitals: He’s always been valuable in banger formats, but his 33-game sample last year quietly put him on pace to shatter his career bests in goals and shots. If his big body can hold up, he might be a steal this season.

167. K’Andre Miller, D, Rangers: Loved seeing him break through offensively while remaining a nice asset in the hits department. I don’t see him bettering last season’s totals unless he starts getting significant power-play work, though.

168. Justin Faulk, D, Blues: Even with a huge shift in team quality, Faulk delivered another double-digit goal season with 50 points and robust contributions in hits, blocks and shots. Underrated.

169. MacKenzie Weegar, D, Flames: Took him a while to get acclimated, but he contributed a little bit of everything as he always does. Poor man’s Trouba in terms of what he brings.

170. Seth Jarvis, RW, Hurricanes: Breakout didn’t happen as I predicted a year ago. I’m doubling down. Among NHL players with at least 180 shots, only one had a lower shooting percentage than Jarvis last season. He was snakebitten. I like him for something like 25-30-55 this time.

171. Jeremy Swayman, G, Bruins: Welcome to the Luxury Backup tier. Swayman should play more than any other 1B in the league and give you top-end rate stats while you’re at it. You could make a case that 30-35 games from him are worth more in fantasy than 50 from a mediocre starter.

172. Filip Chytil, C, Rangers: Nice to see a high-pedigree prospect bloom into a 23-goal scorer. Problem is, Chytil is blocked by Zibanejad and Trocheck on the Rangers’ depth chart. Or is he? Chytil is still getting a second-line look.

173. Dylan Strome, C, Capitals (-7): Most common linemate at 5-on-5 last season: Ovechkin. If he can usurp Kuznetsov again, Strome could match his career-best 23-42-65 line. But he’s not slated to begin the year with Ovi at even strength.

174. Logan Couture, C, Sharks (-19): The Sharks will be pretty irrelevant in fantasy once they trade Karlsson. But don’t take your eye off Couture. He can still deliver you 20 goals and 60 points if you’re willing to take the plus-minus hit. He’s week-to-week after getting hurt in offseason training and will start the year on IR.

175. Brandon Montour, D, Panthers: Tremendous 2022-23. But do you want to pay full price for someone who doubled his career high output at 29 and had offseason shoulder surgery? Feels like What Not to Do 101. He’s still out a couple months – I had merely forgotten to drop him in my last update. My bad!

176. Aaron Ekblad, D, Panthers: He’s a stud when he’s playing. We all know that. He’s also coming off an offseason shoulder surgery that, according to a recent update, puts him on track to return between November and January. He’s missed 21, 21 and 11 regular season games, respectively, in the past three seasons, with many more DNPs to come this season.

177. Cam Talbot, G, Kings: Has the inside track to start for a Cup contender. He’s also 36, has physically worn down and had the second-worst SV% of his career last season. As much bust potential as he has boom.

178. Luke Hughes, D, Devils: He’s the No. 1 defense prospect in hockey, expected to play a full season in a carnival offense spearheaded by his brother Jack. Hughes will become a great fantasy commodity on defense. Will it happen right away? I’ve ranked him as if it will. I’m encouraging you to reach on this one.

179. Josh Norris, C, Senators (-27): Anyone with 37 goals in 74 games over his past two seasons should be welcome on all our squads. But with two major shoulder injuries in his past two seasons, he’s high-risk. Now he’s out indefinitely, not cleared to return from the injury. It’s time to let one of your opponents draft this headache.

180. Tyler Seguin, C, Stars: Still just 31 but feels older given the wear and tear. He’s settled in as a veteran floor play if you need 20 goals and 50 points.

181. Mason McTavish, C, Ducks: Plenty of breakout potential following his rookie campaign. As the Ducks’ No. 2 center, however, his linemate quality is merely OK. I could see a modest jump in production but nothing epic just yet.

182. David Perron, LW, Red Wings: Possible he outproduces 10 or 20 names above him. But at 35, the upside has evaporated. He’s now a solid floor play who gets you 50-plus points.

183. Anders Lee, LW, Islanders: Two straight healthy seasons and he’s back to his usual 25-goal range. Just remember that he broke into the league as a regular relatively late, so he’s already 33. He’s a floor guy now. No more ceiling.

184. Jakub Vrana, LW, Blues: Since the Washington Capitals traded him in 2021, he has 32 goals in 62 games with Detroit and St. Louis. If he can keep his head on straight and stay in the lineup, he scores. A lot.

185. Brock Boeser, RW, Canucks: I can’t figure out who he is as a player right now. He’s an elite shooter who doesn’t shoot all that much. After years scoring at a 30-goal pace but never playing enough games to get there, he plays a career high 74 last year and gets 17 goals. So what can we expect this time around? If I need to ask that question, I’m letting someone else draft him.

186. Viktor Arvidsson, RW, Kings: Nice to see him get through a relatively healthy season. It yielded his best fantasy line in four years. No longer an upside guy but a safe veteran source of 20-30-50, give or take.

187. Owen Tippett, RW, Flyers: Got his first real stretch of runway and delivered exactly what we hoped he could from a fantasy perspective: 27 goals, 231 shots, 125 hits. His potential progression coupled with weak supporting cast probably offset each other, so I’ll predict a repeat of 2022-23.

188. Chandler Stephenson, C, Golden Knights: When a guy starts his career in more of a grinder role and blooms late, it’s hard to see him as something else. But Stephenson has eclipsed the 60-point mark in two straight seasons. Time to trust him as a solid two-category playmaker.

189. Connor Brown, RW, Oilers: Have to assume he gets an extended look with his old Erie Otters buddy McDavid. Brown is obviously fun as heck to draft as a sleeper this year. But just remember he’s coming off a torn ACL and his career high is 43 points. I do expect a career year, but an all-star he ain’t.

190. Evan Rodrigues, C, Panthers: The Panthers thought highly enough of Rodrigues to pay him $3 million annually over the next four seasons. We can trust that they’ll give him opportunities all over their top nine. He’s a high-volume shooter joining a strong group of play-driving forwards. I can envision a career year.

191. Andrew Mangiapane, RW, Flames: Shooting percentages over his past four seasons: 15.6, 19.8, 18.9, 9.3. Incredibly unlucky last season. Even if he doesn’t rebound to score 35 like in 2021-22, 25 feels like a reasonable ask.

192. Teuvo Teravainen, LW, Hurricanes: Will continue to help you in assists but has more injury downside than a lot of other players in this price range. Medium risk for only a medium reward at this point.

193. Tyson Barrie, D, Predators: Was still a half-point-per-game guy after being traded to Nashville, and his ice time skyrocketed. I think Barrie will be overlooked in drafts this year on the grounds that he’s lost the cushy Edmonton situation. Value pick.

194. Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Red Wings: Could turn a nice profit for you if he cements himself on Detroit’s top power play. Still carries some year to year volatility, however, so don’t reach too hard.

195. Victor Olofsson, RW, Sabres: He’s one-category player but at least it’s the most important category: goals. He’ll get you 20 of those at minimum. Good mid to late round pick if you need help in that stat.

196. Reilly Smith, RW, Penguins: He might have higher-ceiling linemates in Pittsburgh. So while he’s likely peaked at 32, the improved situation might offset that and keep him at his 55-point level.

197. Matias Maccelli, LW, Coyotes: A fun hipster pick after his 2023-24 breakout, but he’s a category killer. Doesn’t play a physical game and doesn’t shoot the puck at all. Overrated in fantasy.

198. Owen Power, D, Sabres: The hyper-intelligent youngster will be a stalwart on Buffalo’s blueline for years to come. He doesn’t have to pile up points to be effective. That said, 35 in his rookie year was more than I expected, so I’m higher on his fantasy upside than I was a year ago.

200. Ville Husso, G, Red Wings: He’s the reverse Swayman, right? Here we have a 1A who will get good volume but might also give you below-average rate stats playing for a middling club. How high you rank a goalie like Husso will depend on your category configuration.

201. Andre Burakovsky, RW, Kraken: Not an asset in goals, hits or shots, but he can help you in assists and points playing a top-six role in Seattle again.

202. Carter Hart, G, Flyers: Deserves more respect than this as a fantasy commodity. But that team in front of him is putrid, worse than last year’s, and his future is cloudy. Could he end up traded? It’s a stay-away situation for now in fantasy.

203. Philipp Grubauer, G, Kraken: Feels strange ranking a “starter” so low. But Grubauer has been a liability in his first two seasons with the Kraken. Are we even sure he keeps the No. 1 job? When a player carries this many question marks, it gives me a headache. His advanced metrics suggested he wasn’t that bad last year, for what it’s worth.

204. Gabe Vilardi, C, Jets: Definitely has intriguing potential following his 23-goal breakout. I’m just not quite ready to trust him as money in the bank given the prior injury history and team change. But it’s exciting seeing him with Connor and Scheifele as the first-line right winger.

205. Jordan Eberle, RW, Kraken: Not an exciting player to own. More fun to reach on a sleeper pick in this price range. But will that player give you 20 goals and 63 points? Eberle did last season.

206. Logan Cooley, C, Coyotes: It’s not always the draft-year rookies who make the biggest fantasy splashes. Cooley is dynamic, he’s ready to be an important offensive weapon right away, and he should be one of the best rookie forwards in the NHL.

207. Michael Bunting, LW, Hurricanes: Coming off consecutive 23-goal seasons. On one hand, he got those playing with elite fantasy forwards in Toronto. On the other hand, he flashed plenty of ability when he debuted with Arizona before then. So he can be an asset on his new team.

208. Charlie Coyle, C, Bruins: Do we have to pump the brakes on Coyle’s exciting No. 2 center deployment? Rookie Matt Poitras has emerged as a threat – enough to make me hesitate on Coyle, who was never a high-upside pick to begin with.

209. Boone Jenner, C, Blue Jackets (-27): Delivered pretty significant fantasy value last season with 26 goals, 214 shots and 129 hits in just 68 games. Not playing on first line to start the season, though. Will be hard to match last season.

210. Tommy Novak, C, Predators: Who is this guy? Was bordering on career minor-leaguer. Debuted with 27 unproductive NHL games as a 24-year-old. Then, as a 25-year-old, he rips off 17 goals and 43 points in 50 games? That included 35 points in his final 36 games. The Preds forward group looks pretty weak, but Novak should have a plum role.

211. Dmitry Orlov, D, Hurricanes: Don’t pay for Orr-lov after his great run with the Bruins post-trade last year. Orlov isn’t an offensive dynamo. He’s a good all-around blueliner who does everything decently. He’s never even reached 40 points in a season.

212. Gustav Forsling, D, Panthers: We’ve counted on him for 10-plus goals, roughly 40 points and even 200 shots during his breakout over the past couple years. Looks like Oliver Ekman-Larsson has beaten him out for PP1 work, though. Too bad.

213. Kirill Marchenko, RW, Blue Jackets (+23): Cy Marchenko delivered a hilarious 21-4-25 stat line last year. He did that in just 59 games. Maybe the goofy numbers are your friend, as they could suppress the value of a later-round pick who has 30-goal upside. Love to see him getting a look with a primo setup man in Gaudreau and new first-line center…Laine?

214. Max Pacioretty, LW, Capitals: Still good enough to score at a 30-goal pace. As he returns from a re-tear of his Achilles, however, it appears he’ll start the season on LTIR, making him more of a late-round stash in redraft leagues.

215. Dillon Dube, LW, Flames: Has established himself as a decent fantasy depth forward capable of 15-20 goals with well north of 100 hits. Nice spike in ice time last year but is still just around the 15-minute mark. Neds more PT if he’s going to level up further.

216. Max Domi, LW, Maple Leafs: Generally, Domi does more damage in fantasy when he’s playing a lot on a weak team, while he’s barely rosterable on a good team. This season: he needs to hold off one of Bertuzzi and Matthew Knies to stick in the top six. Or so we thought. He’s getting some right-wing play in camp. That doesn’t mean he cracks the top six, but it does give him another avenue to get there.

217. Mikael Backlund, C, Flames: I get that he was closer to a top-100 value last season. But offense is a bonus part of his game, not a feature. He’s a third-liner and he’s 34. So I expect a return to his 15-25-40 type of stat line.

218. Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Wild: Looks like he’s the 1B now to Gustavsson’s 1A. But Fleury should play more than almost any other backup, so his fantasy value isn’t quite dead yet.

219. Blake Wheeler, RW, Rangers: Still averaged more than 70 points per 82 games over his past three seasons, so he’s not declining as much as some people believe. Playing in the Rangers’ top nine should keep him fantasy relevant. But keep the leash reasonably short given he’s 37. Latest line combos have him on third line and PP2.

220. Kent Johnson, LW, Blue Jackets: Too bad they don’t have a Michigan Goal stat category. Johnston has oodles of pure talent and flashed it as a rookie with a 40-point season. Technically on third line, but the forward group is so wide open that I wouldn’t worry about his early deployment too much.

221. Phillip Danault, C, Kings: Probably the player whose fantasy value is damaged most by the Dubois acquisition. It likely means a third-line role skewing more toward shutdown work for Danault, whose fantasy value was never anywhere close to his real-life value in the first place.

222. Lawson Crouse, LW, Coyotes: One of the tougher players to rank. Coming off a great season in which he delivered 24 goals and close to 200 hits. Also has much more support around him. But the Coyotes’ additions could also push Crouse down the depth chart. Double-edged sword.

223. Anton Lundell, C, Panthers: Very similar season to the Canes’ Jarvis in that Lundell’s expected breakout stalled thanks to an unlucky shooting percentage. Whether Lundell makes the jump this season will depend on where he plays. Sometimes he’s Barkov’s left winger, other times he’s the Panthers’ third-line center.

224. Cam Fowler, D, Ducks: Two years in a row north of 40 points. At least nine goals in three of his past four seasons. You could do a lot worse when filling out your depth on defense.

225. Damon Severson, D, Blue Jackets: Role upgrade but team downgrade. Net result: probably 35-ish points again, with upside for more if the Jackets are ahead of schedule and if he eventually gets PP1 looks.

226. Jason Zucker, LW, Coyotes: Delivered best fantasy line in five years. The 27 goals were nice, but how on earth did he jump to 197 hits in his age-31 season when his previous career high was 87? Tough to count on that number again. Should play plenty on his new team, so 20 goals remain possible.

227. Filip Hronek, D, Canucks: Was quietly productive for years without a ton of talent around him in Detroit. He’ll have higher-end skill players to pass to in Vancouver. Not sure if he’ll find his way onto PP1, but 40 points, maybe even more, feels feasible.

228. Mattias Ekholm, D, Oilers: Offense isn’t Ekholm’s calling card, but he moves the puck decently for a big guy and accumulated some solid numbers after being traded to Edmonton simply by being on the ice with their superstars. He had 14 points and was plus-28 in 21 regular-season games as an Oiler. He won’t be out there with the magical power play but will soak up his share of even-strength points.

229. Ivan Provorov, D, Blue Jackets: I really thought he was going to become an all-around fantasy stud. It just didn’t happen as a Flyer. New lease on life as a Blue Jacket. He’s still fairly young for a D-man at 26 and carries combo meal upside. At the very least, he should be owned in medium and deep leagues.

230. Karel Vejmelka, G, Coyotes: Sleeper. The Coyotes could be one of the more improved teams in the league this season. More wins and more help for their No. 1 goalie. Vejmelka could turn a profit as your third goalie.

231. Logan Thompson, G, Golden Knights: Sample size of excellence isn’t huge, but he’s been up to the task so far with a .915 SV% in his first two seasons, and he should play more than most backups.

232. Joseph Woll, G, Maple Leafs: With Matt Murray LTIR’d, Woll is locked into an NHL job. He’s the 1B but has the talent and makeup to overtake Samsonov as soon as this year. Woll would be a league-winner type of pick in that scenario.

233. Jake Sanderson, D, Senators: Established a solid points floor and was an asset in blocks as a rookie. I’m very bullish on his real-life value. In fantasy, the left side of Ottawa’s blueline is crowded between him, Chychrun and Chabot, so maybe Sanderson holds at his current value another year.

234. Tony DeAngelo, D, Hurricanes: His first go-round with the Canes made sense. The second is awkward now that Brent Burns is in town as the top-pair righty and power-play maven. If DeAngelo is a third-pair D-man who plays PP2, his ceiling lowers quite a bit…but so far, it seems the Canes will try both of them together on PP1. That’ll work.

235. Alexis Lafreniere, LW, Rangers (-17): Worked on the top line for most of camp, but now he’s trending back toward bottom six duty and is nicked up to boot. Not coming into the season with the momentum we hoped he’d have.

236. Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW, Kraken: The 20-25-45 stat line disappointed, but he did get almost half his goals in the last 20 games of the season as his puck luck positively regressed. So I could see him jumping back up to the 25-25-50 range this season.

237. Semyon Varlamov, G, Islanders: With Sorokin’s workload growing, Varlamov is no longer King of the 1B Goalies, but he’ll still give you solid rate stats when he’s filling in.

238. Andreas Athanasiou, LW, Blackhawks: You’ll find 20 goals and maybe 175 shots here. Whether he improves on those totals depends on whether he gets a look with Bedard. So far, he isn’t slated to.

239. Noah Hanifin, D, Flames: Has established a pretty high floor. Won’t hurt you in goals, should be average or better in points and helps in shots. Nothing wrong with that as your third or fourth defenseman.

240. Casey Mittelstadt, C, Sabres: Lost in the fever over Thompson, Dahlin and Cozens: Buffalo’s former top prospect Mittelstadt put up 59 points. The calories are somewhat empty as he doesn’t shoot or hit much, but he might be here to stay as a helpful assist guy in fantasy.

241. Ryan Johansen, C, Avalanche: He’s a boring fantasy commodity, but look at what J.T. Compher did last year as the Avs’ No. 2 center, getting lots of ice time with Rantanen. Johansen has more natural offensive ability. He’ll only help in assists, but he might get you 40 of ’em with 10-15 goals added on.

242. Morgan Frost, C, Flyers: His talent and first-round pedigree finally yielded a noteworthy performance last season. Following his 19-goal, 46-point breakout, was likely Philly’s No. 1 center to start the year – but a healthy Couturier provides some unexpected competition to keep an eye on.

243. Torey Krug, D, Blues: Still talented enough to score 50 points, but that doesn’t matter when he plays 60 games a year. At this point he’s not giving you much more than empty assists – but he’s at least back from his foot injury in time for the season.

244. Matthew Knies, LW, Maple Leafs: Flashed some serious play-driving ability during his taste of the Stanley Cup playoffs and was credited with 15 hits in the seven postseason games he played. I could see a 15-25-40 type of stat line with 175 hits, making him a sleeper in deep leagues and maybe even medium leagues.

245. Antti Raanta, G, Hurricanes: Almost always delivers strong rate stats, as evidenced by his .919 career SV%. But in addition to competition for work from Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, Raanta has his own checkered health history. Lots of pitfalls if you draft him.

246. Adam Larsson, D, Kraken: The 33 points might not be repeatable, but Larsson still feels like a safe pick to me if you’re drafting him for his consistently awesome banger-league stats. When he’s giving you 200+ hits and 150+ blocks in his sleep, the points are gravy. He sneaks inside the top 250 since he has a higher points ceiling than the other bruiser types.

247. Jonathan Drouin, LW, Avalanche (+16): Can Nathan MacKinnon revive his old buddy’s career? MacKinnon was active in recruiting Drouin, and the former Halifax Mooseheads teammates get a look together – with Rantanen too. I like Drouin as a late-round flier at worst or, in shallower leagues, an early-season waiver target.

248. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C, Hurricanes: Maybe the light is finally turning on? He’s still only 23. He closed out last season with 18 points in his final 22 games. And he remains Carolina’s second-line center on paper.

249. Patrick Kane, RW, free agent: Hopefully his mostly-woeful 2022-23 was the result of his unrepaired hip injury. Can a healthy Kane be a difference maker in the second half of the season once healthy? He’s worth a late-round stash on your IR if your league rules allow it. Nice to see him skating this week, but he’s still a month away from even negotiating with teams, and he’ll be tough to fit under the cap. So I’m not bumping him up the ranks yet.

250. Michael Matheson, D, Canadiens: How did he suddenly become fantasy relevant at 29? Well, he’s playing top-pair minutes and PP1. He quietly was a difference-making pickup in the fantasy stretch run last year and wound up with 34 points in 48 games. He’s not this good, but his role remains intact, so he’s absolutely draftable.

251. Akira Schmid, G, Devils: Looks like he’ll be the No. 2 to start the season rather than an AHLer. After he outplayed Vanecek in the postseason, Schmid is unquestionably a sleeper to seize 1A duties.

252. Ryan O’Reilly, C, Predators: His skills are in decline. He was always more valuable in real life than fantasy, and the disparity has become more pronounced. And yet…he won’t be hurting for ice time as Nashville’s No. 1 center. He could have a mild rebound in fantasy.

253. Jordan Binnington, G, Blues: How much damage are you willing to take for volume? Binnington will play plenty, but he torpedoes your rate stats and the team in front of him is getting worse. Pass.

254. Rasmus Sandin, D, Capitals: How about those 15 points in 19 games after the Caps acquired him? Also likes to throw his weight around. I wish he’d shoot the puck more, but he’s a sleeper with some upside given he should play more than ever on a team in transition.

255. Anthony Beauvillier, LW, Canucks: Found nice chemistry on top line with Pettersson and Kuzmenko. Beauvillier posted nine goals and 20 points in 33 games after the trade to Vancouver. I like him as a late-round depth pick.

254. Cole Perfetti, LW, Jets: Don’t forget about him. Stat line didn’t pop as a rookie because he missed 31 games. With the Jets trading a couple veterans, his opportunities should increase. Head injury in pre-season is concerning though.

255. Kevin Korchinski, D, Blackhawks: Made the team. Major fantasy upside, even as a rookie. Big-time offensive ability. Has size and mobility. More of a deep-league add for now and a wait-and-see in smaller leagues; he’ll still have a learning curve to handle.

256. Jared Spurgeon, D, Wild: Has delivered double-digit goal totals six times in his career, and he’s extremely helpful in the blocks department to boot. Got hurt last week and is now week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

257. Kevin Hayes, C, Blues: He was Philly’s No. 1 center by default and put up the second-most points of his career. After the Blues acquired him for a song, he’s likely ticketed for third-line work behind Thomas and Brayden Schenn. The trade torched Hayes’ fantasy value.

258. Kirby Dach, C, Canadiens: I wouldn’t call 2022-23 a breakout for Dach on his new team, but it was a serious course correction at the very least. His first 40-point season should come this year, with potential for more if he’s on the first line as a winger.

259. Sean Durzi, D, Coyotes: Was an underrated performer with the Kings who should have every opportunity to climb Arizona’s depth chart. I predict he ends up being a PP1 guy eventually. A legit sleeper who can help in multiple stat categories.

260. Lukas Reichel, LW, Blackhawks: In a year where the rookies get the sleeper buzz, there’s a prime opportunity to steal the prospect Reichel. He has little left to prove in the AHL and he flashed at the NHL level with seven goals and 15 points in 23 games last year. The Hawks are committed for now to trying him at center, though, which means no Bedard as a linemate. Boo.

261. Kaapo Kakko, RW, Rangers: Looked like Lafreniere had won the battle for top-six work but suddenly Kakko has the inside track or line-1 duty heading into the season. Can he run with it? Worth picking him up off waivers to find out.

262. Jeff Petry, D, Red Wings: Is he washed up in real life? It’s debatable. Not debatable: Petry still provides a nice stats buffet in fantasy: roughly half a point per game, two shots per game, two blocks per game and three hits per game. And ice time shouldn’t be a problem now that he’s a Red Wing.

263. Dominik Kubalik, RW, Senators: He wasn’t just a throw-in as part of the DeBrincat trade. Kubalik averages 24 goals, 188 shots and 92 hits per 82 games after four NHL seasons. He can play. Problem is, he’s a bottom-sixer on a Sens team looking pretty loaded at forward.

264. Quinton Byfield, LW, Kings: The analytics tells us Byfield, Kopitar and Kempe were a dominant line in their time together last season. They outscored opponents 31-11 at 5-on-5. Cool…but it didn’t actually yield much fantasy value for Byfield. I’m intrigued given his pedigree, sure, but let’s keep the pot at a simmer for a guy who had 22 points – including just three goals – in 53 games last season.

265. Neal Pionk, D, Jets: Still quietly sprinkles in a nice share of hits, blocks and even a passable point total. The 10 goals last season came with almost double his career-average shooting percentage, though, so I expect that number to come down.

266. Jack Campbell, G, Oilers: Campbell always performs his best as a backup rather than a starter – when the pressure is off. He’s the new Brian Elliott. Sure enough, Campbell is giving Skinner a serious push in the pre-season. The crease competition is back on.

267. Josh Anderson, RW, Canadiens: He shoots a lot, hits a lot and usually lands in the 20-goal range. He’s more of an in-season streamer than a player you draft, though. He gets hurt often, and he did most of his damage last year because he played higher in the lineup after Caufield’s season-ending injury.

268. William Karlsson, C, Golden Knights: 43 goals pretty much happened in an alternate universe. Wild Bill is a great real-life player. In fantasy: third-line center who get you 15 goals and 40-50 points. Meh.

269. Anthony Duclair, RW, Sharks: He looked fast and healthy in the playoffs. Shouldn’t hurt for playing time in San Jose, either. I could see him getting 20 goals. But he’ll have a weaker supporting cast.

270. Nino Niederreiter, RW, Jets: Seven 20-goal seasons, seven 100-hit seasons. You know exactly what you’re getting from the veteran at this point.

271. Alex Killorn, LW, Ducks: I actually liked him as an underrated pick because the backlash depressed his value. Alas, broken finger, out until November. Will make for a nice in-season waiver add.

272. Ryan Donato, RW, Blackhawks: So far, he’s the frontrunner in the Bedard right winger sweepstakes, and we must boost him accordingly. (And yes, I just took my Tyler Johnson writeup from last week and changed it to Donato, LOL).

273. Ryan Hartman, C, Wild: The huge breakout at 27 never felt true. Back to earth last season. Still likely ticketed for first-line work alongside Kaprizov and Zuccarello.

274. Cam Atkinson, RW, Flyers: Great to see Atkinson back on the ice and looking healthy. He can be a 20-goal guy again. Just keep in mind that he’s quietly 34. So the ceiling is lower than what it used to be.

275. Jamie Drysdale, D, Ducks: It’s easy to forget about Drysdale given the Ducks have so many exciting blueline prospects and he lost all but eight games last season because of a shoulder injury. He’s still just 21, and he’ll get every opportunity to re-establish himself in a key puck-moving role this season. Glad that he’s signed, but I worry the missed time will lead to a slow start.

276. J.J. Peterka, LW, Sabres: A strong bet to improve on his promising 12-20-32 rookie line if he can hold down a second-line gig. Has natural goal-scoring ability and the feisty work ethic to get himself into high-danger shooting positions.

277. Dylan Guenther, RW, Coyotes: Got his feet wet and looked competent in 33 games as a rookie. He should stick full-time this year. More competition to crack the top six, however, with so many new players coming in.

278. Juuso Valimaki, D, Coyotes: Became a nice source of puck movement after the Coyotes stole him from Calgary last season. Can repeat his 35 points but doesn’t pop in any other fantasy stat.

279. Elvis Merzlikins, G, Blue Jackets: Much improved team around him gives him some mild boom potential. Has legit competition from Daniil Tarasov, however.

280. Tomas Tatar, LW, Avalanche: A safe source of 40 points. For the floor to be higher, he’ll need to beat out Drouin for top-six duty.

281. Conor Garland, RW, Canucks: If you have enough upside guys, you can grab Garland with a late pick and thank him for the guaranteed 15-20 goals and 40-45 points. A real-life trade could bolster his ceiling.

282. Jonas Johansson, G, Lightning (NR): Whoever takes over the starting gig with Vasilevskiy out obviously carries fantasy value. For now, Johansson has the best chance. But he holds an .886 career SV%. I’m not convinced Tampa stands pat. You have to draft him in a deep league, but don’t reach. The Bolts could add another starter in short order.

283. Matt Coronato, RW, Flames: We’re trying to strike the balance here between acknowledging an exciting pre-season from a top prospect and not weighing pre-season results too heavily in our evaluation. But Coronato’s shot looks deadly and he’s playing in the top six right now. He has to make the team at this point, no?

284. Zach Benson, RW, Sabres: Maybe it’s just flowery pre-season hype. Maybe he gets sent back to junior after nine games. It doesn’t matter – you have to draft this kid in case he sticks. The offensive upside is high. The ceiling would be finishing as one of the top rookie scorers in the league. The floor: you drop your final pick after a week. No problem.

285. Daniel Sprong, RW, Red Wings: Quietly buried 21 goals in 66 games for Seattle last season. He has impressed in the pre-season and has a shot to start the year in a top-six role. Stock up, no doubt.

286. James van Riemsdyk, LW, Bruins: Not an exciting pick, but appears to have recaptured the LW1 job on the Pastrnak line. You can’t leave a player on the wire in deep leagues if he has that role.

287. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, Panthers: Right now, he’s the PP1 beneficiary with Ekblad and Montour out. That’s actionable for as long as ‘OEL’ has that job.

288. Shane Pinto, C, Senators: His great October set some unrealistic expectations last year. He still got 20 goals as a rookie, which ain’t half bad. Norris’ return pushes Pinto into a probable third-line gig this year, though. Also: he ain’t signed and the Sens have no room for him under the cap at the moment.

289. Ridly Greig, C, Senators (NR): No Pinto? No Norris? The feisty Greig is slated to open the year as Ottawa’s No. 2 pivot between Tarasenko and Batherson. Priority add in deep leagues.

290. Leo Carlsson, C, Ducks: Long-term ceiling is a dominant No. 1 center. Injury will delay his start, but at least it’s not too serious. You still want him as a stash in deep redraft eagues.

291. Sean Couturier, C, Flyers: Who knows how long he’ll last, but he’s on the ice and should slide back into a prominent role on one of Philly’s top two lines.

292. William Eklund, LW, Sharks: Hoping he gets a longer look at the NHL level after proving himself as an AHLer. The Sharks sure could use one of their top prospects in the lineup every night.

293. Joel Hofer, G, Blues: This guy is good. He should give Binnington a real push for starts this season.

294. Nicklas Backstrom, C, Capitals: I’m skeptical about the 35-year-old’s chances of playing even half a season, let alone a full one. But, hey, he’s starting the year on the top line and top power-play unit. He’s draftable in most leagues.

295. Pavel Mintyukov, D, Ducks (NR): I thought Olen Zellweger was going to earn this spot. Mintyukov, however, has a more well-rounded game. Zellweger’s long-term fantasy upside is huge, but so is Mintyukov’s. Perfect final pick in your draft in case he works his way into meaningful power-play deployment.

296. Will Cuylle, RW, Rangers (NR): Forced his way onto the roster – and into the top six, plus PP2 – with a great pre-season. Was a strong goal-scoring power forward in major junior and the AHL. There’s some potential here.

297. Matt Poitras, C, Bruins: Was the story of Boston’s pre-season and earned a spot in the NHL as a middle-six center. Maybe he ends up not being ready for primetime, but what if he beats out Coyle for second-line duty?

298. J.J. Moser, D, Coyotes (NR): Looks like he’ll open the year getting the top power-play work for an improved Coyotes team. Could be one of the better early-season waiver grabs as a result.

299. Anthony Stolarz, G, Panthers: With Spencer Knight headed to the minors, Stolarz opens the year in what could be a sneaky-important role. Alex Lyon won the job away from Bobrovsky last spring; don’t sleep on Stolarz either. When ‘Bob’ slumps, he really slumps.

300. Yegor Sharangovich, RW, Flames: Bounced around the depth chart but seems to have settled into the top six heading into the season opener. Upside in goal-centric formats given his opportunity and skill.

DROPPED OUT: Brandt Clarke, David Jiricek, Olen Zellweger, Simon Edvinsson, Alexander Holtz

THE BUBBLE: Veteran waiver fodder

Yanni Gourde
John Gibson
J.T. Compher
Adam Henrique
Jaden Schwartz
Radko Gudas
Eeli Tolvanen
Brady Skjei
Trevor Moore
Ondrej Palat
Blake Coleman
Matt Dumba
Ross Colton
Alexander Barabanov
Jaccob Slavin
Sam Montembeault
Pheonix Copley
Marcus Johansson
Pavel Francouz
Mason Marchment
Ryan Strome
Samuel Girard
Andrew Copp
Anthony Cirelli
Jack Roslovic
Eetu Luostarinen
Scott Laughton
Evgenii Dadonov
Kevin Shattenkirk
Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Brandon Saad
Erik Gustafsson
Alex Iafallo
Tyler Johnson
Frederick Gaudreau
Nick Paul
T.J. Oshie
Petr Mrazek
Denis Gurianov
Marcus Foligno
Jake Allen
Mikael Granlund
Cody Glass
Tanner Jeannot
Mackenzie Blackwood
Kyle Palmieri
Zach Parise
Joel Farabee
Kaapo Kahkonen
Brandon Tanev
Justin Schultz
Sammy Blais
Ilya Mikheyev
Phil Kessel

THE BUBBLE: Upside stashes

Dustin Wolf
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Matt Savoie
Alex Newhook
Matthew Phillips
Spencer Knight
Adam Boqvist
Jonatan Berggren
Jiri Kulich
Calen Addison
Jack McBain
Klim Kostin
Alexandre Texier
Arthur Kaliyev
Juraj Slafkovsky
Tyson Foerster
Conor Geekie
Peyton Krebs
Lukas Dostal
Jack Quinn
Daniil Tarasov
Pyotr Kochetkov
Phil Tomasino
Taylor Raddysh
Arvid Soderblom
Luke Evangelista
Cole Sillinger
Marco Kasper
Logan Stankoven
Marco Rossi
Shane Wright
Cam York
Thomas Bordeleau
Noah Cates
Tye Kartye

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