Center Rankings for 2018-19 Fantasy Hockey

Below are my 2018-19 Fantasy Hockey Center Rankings. There won’t be much movement from now until puck drop, but the latest can be found on FantasyPros. I’ve touched on my strategy when it comes to drafting a center, which ones to target and avoid, as well as which ones offer upside late in drafts. Keep in mind my center rankings give a slight boost to those who play in leagues with shots, hits, blocks and power play points.

Fantasy Hockey Rankings: Goalie | Left Wing | Right Wing | Centers | Defensemen

Fantasy Hockey: Center Strategy

Two of the first top picks in fantasy hockey drafts could very well be centers. Connor McDavid has led the NHL in points over the last two seasons. Sidney Crosby may not be the first overall pick in fantasy drafts, but some still consider him the best player in the NHL. It’s a fairly deep position and it’s top heavy as nine of the Top 13 forwards in fantasy last season were centers. 10 if you include Blake Wheeler who had center eligibility in some leagues. You don’t have to take too much stock into dual eligibility, but it’s nice to have a center that you can plug in on the wing as well. Centers obviously get a bit more valuable in leagues with faceoff wins.

Fantasy Hockey: Center Targets

Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon finished last season with 1.31 points per game which was just shy (0.01) of Connor McDavid’s output. MacKinnon had a career-high 39 goals, 97 points (32 power play points) and 284 shots in 74 games. He fell just short of winning the Hart Memorial Trophy and finished fifth in scoring. MacKinnon finished as a top five skater in fantasy hockey and can definitely repeat his numbers from a season ago. Believe it or not, he has a higher ceiling. Goals are hard to come by so you should target a volume shooter in the first couple rounds. 

Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers

Aleksander Barkov is shaping into one of the better young centers in the game. Barkov hit career-highs across the board last season: assists (51), points (78), blocks (67), power play points (17), shorthanded goals (5), shots (256), faceoffs wins (908), faceoff percentage (53.5) and time on ice per game (22:04). Barkov scored 27 goals, which was one shy of his career high. The sky really is the limit for the former second overall pick. Barkov will be entering year six in the NHL and 80 plus points are attainable. He’s part of what is a very potent top six in Florida. His 908 faceoffs won were the fifth most in the league as well.

Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning

Brayden Point was one of if not the best value on draft day last season. Many didn’t believe in his 18 goals and 40 points in 68 games as a rookie. Those people were wrong as Point scored 32 goals and had 66 points across a full 2017 season. Point put 217 pucks on goal, won 557 faceoffs and chipped in with 11 power play points. He played 19:37 a game and will only continue to get better with more time in the league. The Lightning top six is very lethal and he’s a big part of it. He’s also getting disrespected at drafts again this season. Don’t let him slip into the fifth or he’ll be gone before you know it. Last season was not a fluke. 

Sean Monahan, Calgary Flames

Sean Monahan’s career has been pretty consistent, but he has room to grow with a couple additions in the Flames’ top six. Monahan has at least 27 goals, 58 points, 17 power play points and 191 shots in his last four seasons in the NHL. He’s had 27 goals in two of those seasons and 31 in the other two. Monahan hit the 60-point mark in three of those seasons and is coming off a career year. The Flames’ number one center tied a career high in goals, and had a career-high 64 points and 202 shots. He’s a solid target in round five, but sometimes falls into the seventh. The addition of James Neal and Elias Lindholm is great news for Monahan. 

Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues

Ryan O’Reilly went from one of the worst defensive teams in hockey in Buffalo to one of the better defensive teams in St. Louis. O’Reilly’s value has taken a hit in plus/minus leagues as he was a career-worst -23 last season. In fact, O’Reilly has been a minus player in eight straight seasons. With that said, O’Reilly has scored 20-plus goals in four of his past five seasons and has at least 50 points in six straight season, excluding the lockout year. O’Reilly has tremendous value in leagues with faceoffs as he won 1,275 draws last season (most in the NHL) and has at least 1,000 wins in three straight campaigns. Overall, O’Reilly is a strong target this season and should see an increase in his point totals. He’s also going to make the Blues’ PP better as he’s had at least 22 power play points in three straight years. Although, his ice time may decline he’ll be surrounded by much better talent. He was a Top-20 C in leagues with faceoffs in 2017.

Others to consider: John Tavares, Steven Stamkos, Auston Matthews, Mark Scheifele, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Fantasy Hockey: Center Busts

Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings

I’ve completed enough drafts to know most don’t want anything to do with Anze Kopitar. As you’ll see below, he was taken in sixth round in both of my best ball drafts and by me. So why would I draft a guy who is going to be a bust? Well, Kopitar is pre-ranked as a first round draft pick and that’s exactly where he went in my industry mock six weeks ago.

Kopitar’s 92 points were good for the seventh most last season and he finished as a Top-10 player in leagues with faceoffs. Even without his 983 faceoff wins, Kopitar was a Top-15 player and one of the better values last season. Just like 2017, he’s getting passed on in fantasy drafts, but even more so this season due to his high shooting percentage. Kopitar not only had a career-high 92 points, but he finished with career high 35 goals and 17.5 shooting percentage. Look for his shooting percentage to get back to his career mark of 12.6. Kopitar may not be a 90-point guy, but his 52 point season in 2016-17 is an outlier. The former 11th overall pick can no doubt hit 30 goals and 80 points this season. He’s a first round bust, but a fourth round steal. 

William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights

To say William Karlsson had a breakout season last year, would be an understatement. Karlsson had 18 goals in his first 183 NHL games before scoring 43 goals in 82 games with the Vegas Golden Knights. Karlsson’s 23.4 shooting percentage was the highest mark in the league and will almost certainly decline along with his goal total. Karlsson is still a fantastic fantasy hockey asset and another 70-point season doesn’t seem like a stretch. It’s the 40 goals which will be hard to repeat. Expect more like 30 goals while still contributing high numbers in the takeaway department (78 last season).

Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins

Patrice Bergeron is a phenomenal all-around player as has been a fantasy darling in leagues with faceoffs for most of his career. Bergeron is coming off his first point per game season…well, almost. Bergeron tied a career high with 30 goals and finished with 63 points in 64 games. Pretty impressive considering it was his 14th season and he only flirted with point per game numbers in year two and three in the NHL. Bergeron had 10 more points in 2017 than 2016 and he played 15 fewer games. Bergeron has always been a lock for 220 plus shots with at least 20 goals, but he’s not a 75-80 point guy anymore. There are a couple red flags:  Bergeron had a career high 13.4 shooting percentage last season, when his career mark is 10.2. He also spent a fair bit of time sidelined and played a lot of last season with injuries. He’s already dealing with back spasms to start 2018.

Other candidates: Erik Haula, Eric Staal, Kyle Turris 

Fantasy Hockey: Center Breakouts

Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres

Jack Eichel scored a career-high 25 goals and 64 points over 67 games last season, which was his third in the NHL. Eichel has at least 24 goals and 238 shots on goal in all three seasons. The former second overall pick has 177 points over his first 209 games, including 121 in his last 128 games. He won’t contribute in categories such as hits, blocks, penalty minutes and he’s minus 54 for his career. None of that matters, though, as his ceiling is higher than his third round price tag. If you’re playing in a straight points and shots on goal league, he’s a Top-10 center. Neil Parker and myself talk about his outlook in the first episode of the Fantrax Hockey Podcast. 

Pierre-Luc Dubois, Columbus Blue Jackets

Pierre-Luc Dubois had an impressive rookie season and an even better finish to it. PLD scored 10 goals and 22 points over 15:58 minutes per game in his first 49 contests. He had 10 goals and 26 points in his final 33 games while playing 17:38 per game. Dubois took over the top line in between Artemi Panarin and Cam Atkinson, which included power play time as he finished with 15 PPP. Dubois should be a target of yours heading into fantasy hockey drafts as he should build on his 20 goals, 48 points, 127 hits, 165 shots and 461 faceoff wins.

Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers

Mika Zibanejad started last season strong (eight goals and 13 points in 13 games), and he finished the season just as strong (nine goals and 15 points in 17 games). The problem is, Zibanejad disappeared somewhere in the middle. It feels like he’s close to putting it all together, though. Mika had 37 points in his first 56 games with the Rangers and last season he had a career-high 27 goals and his 47 points were the second most in his seven NHL seasons. Zibanejad has hit the 20 goal mark three times and is coming off a career-high 14 power play goals and 21 PPP. He’s a great source for shots and faceoff wins as well. He should get heavy minutes with New York.

Other candidates: Nolan Patrick, Bo Horvat

Fantasy Hockey: Late Round Targets

Casey Mittelstadt, Buffalo Sabres

I’d temper expectations for Casey Mittelstadt in redraft leagues, but don’t let him go undrafted. Mittelstadt is just one of many former first-round picks that will be in the Sabres lineup this season. Mittelstadt was taken eighth overall in 2017 and got a taste of the NHL last year. The center had five points in six games and will be in contention for rookie of the year honors. It’s hard to imagine Mittelstadt getting top power play time with Buffalo, but he’ll for sure be on the second unit. A 50-point season is most likely his ceiling in his first full year in the NHL. 

Other candidates: Elias Petterson, Jonathan Drouin, Anthony Cirelli

Fantasy Hockey: Center Rankings