2020-21 Top 100 Fantasy Hockey Forward Rankings

There are many premium scorers in the fantasy hockey world, as offense continues to rise in the NHL. Our top 100 forward rankings will cover the best of the best, and look at how free agency has impacted their fantasy value.

While the Stanley Cup Championship was as good as ever, the 2019-20 NHL season left something to be desired for fantasy hockey managers. No worries, the NHL is getting right back at it, and you should too! Whether you want to join an existing league or start one of your own, The Fantrax Fantasy Hockey Commissioner has all the features that will make the upcoming season a success for all.

At the Top

Nathan MacKinnon edges out Connor McDavid for the top spot. MacKinnon racked up 93 points while McDavid matched his jersey number with 97 points. What gave MacKinnon the advantage was his immense shot total. He took 318 shots last year, while McDavid took 212. A shot difference greater than 100 is hard to ignore. It’s quite likely that these two will be the top two scorers in the league, and you can’t go wrong with either one. Base your selection on the categories your league tracks.

Alexander Ovechkin is ranked third, making him our top winger. The Great Eight turned 35, but he’s still the best pure goal scorer in the NHL with 48 goals in 68 contests. What makes Ovechkin even better in fantasy hockey are his shot and hit totals. His 311 shots were second only to MacKinnon, and his 185 hits were top 15 among forwards. However, no other 30 goal scorer came close to that many hits, and certainly no other 40 goal scorers. Ovechkin brings a unique mix where he can dominate in several categories.

Fresh off his Stanley Cup victory, Nikita Kucherov comes in at number four. He led the way for Tampa Bay with 34 points in 25 post-season contests. He had 85 points in the regular season, which would have been a 107 point pace over a full season. It’s a drop from his remarkable 128-point 2018-19 campaign but would have been his third consecutive year scoring at a 100 point pace production or better. Kucherov is one of the best offensive threats in the league, and his fantasy value remains incredibly high.

Free Agency Impact

Taylor Hall joining the Buffalo Sabres on a one year deal makes him a great bounce back candidate. Let’s not forget his MVP caliber 2017-18 season where he reached a career-high 93 points. His 2018-19 campaign was cut short due to injury, but he scored at a point per game rate with 37 points in 33 appearances. However, in 2019-20 his scoring rate dropped to 52 points in 65 games, splitting time with the New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes.

Now he gets a chance to play on a line with Jack Eichel, a top 5 centre in our rankings. Hall’s production is sure to improve, and we could easily see him return to being a point per game player. We’re projecting Hall to be a top 5 left winger this year. Due to his lower production last season, you may be able to get him as a steal after the first couple rounds of your draft.

Evgenii Dadonov joins the Ottawa Senators after signing a three year deal. He scored 25 goals and 47 points in 69 games, while scoring 70 and 65 points in the previous two seasons. He won’t be playing alongside Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau anymore, so expect Dadonov’s production to take a hit. The Senators will be relying on Dadonov to score, so we still envision him being a solid fantasy contributor.

Still Searching

At the time I’m writing this, Mike Hoffman still remains without a team. With 29 goals and 59 points in 69 games last season, we consider him a top 100 forward. However, his value could increase or decrease, depending on the team he signs with and the role he plays. If he returns to the Florida Panthers, or joins another team needing a top six forward, then don’t hesitate to draft him.

Anthony Duclair’s 40 point season is his best since 2015-16, when he tallied 44 points. He’s shown he’s capable of providing goals and high shot totals in the right scenario. Mikael Granlund is another notable free agent, coming off a career-low 30 point campaign. He struggled with Nashville, but signing elsewhere could help him rediscover his offensive game.

2020 Fantasy Hockey Forward Rankings

Rankings are based on the following categories: Goals, Assists, Plus/Minus, Shots on Goal, Power Play Points, and Hits.

Collaborated by Brandon Altomonte, Victor Nuño, Mike Omelan, and Jesse Severe.

Notable Injuries:  Brad Marchand (BOS), David Pastrnak (BOS), Gustav Nyquist (CBJ), Tyler Seguin (DAL), Vladimir Tarasenko (STL)

Also check out Brandon’s Goalie Rankings and Defensemen Rankings! We’ll be pumping out lots more great Fantasy Hockey content in the coming weeks!

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