Fantasy Hockey 2022: 1st-Round Mock Draft and Best Team Names
The 2022-23 NHL regular season is nearly upon us, meaning fantasy hockey leagues across the world are gearing up for their drafts.
Friday marks the official start of the season, when the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks play the first of two games in Prague, while NHL Opening Night is set for Oct. 11 when the New York Rangers host the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Los Angeles Kings welcome the Vegas Golden Knights.
The top of fantasy drafts this year will look similar to others in recent years, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Auston Matthews and Nathan MacKinnon being among the early selections, but some new names could be in the mix for the first round as well.
What follows is a first-round fantasy hockey mock draft based on a 10-team league with standard scoring.
The standard scoring categories in Yahoo fantasy hockey leagues are goals, assists, plus/minus, power-play points, hits, shots on goal, goalie wins, shutouts, goals-against average and save percentage.
2022-23 1st-Round Mock Draft
1. Connor McDavid, C, EDM
Much like Pittsburgh Penguins superstar center Sidney Crosby ruled the top of fantasy drafts in the late 2000s and early-to-mid 2010s, Edmonton Oilers center McDavid is now doing the same.
Few would argue against the notion that the 25-year-old is the best player in the NHL, and he has the numbers to back up that claim.
McDavid led the NHL with 123 points last season, marking the fourth time in his seven-year career that he won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer. He is also a two-time winner of the Hart Trophy as league MVP and finished second last year.
The Canadian has 97 or more points in each of the past six seasons, and based on his consistency plus a sky-high floor and ceiling, nobody else can be considered with the top pick.
2. Leon Draisaitl, C/LW, EDM
It isn't often that the two best players in the NHL reside on the same team, but that has arguably been the case for the Oilers in recent years.
If McDavid is the class of the league, then Draisaitl isn't far behind, especially since he was even better than his teammate during the 2019-20 season. The German led the NHL with 110 points that season and was named MVP.
The 26-year-old followed it up with 84 points in 56 games the following season, and he finished fourth in the NHL with 110 points and second in goals with 55 last year.
He has reached the 100-point plateau in three of the past four seasons, and the fact that he plays alongside McDavid at times gives him a high floor.
Draisaitl also has positional flexibility as a left winger and center, giving him some added value.
3. Auston Matthews, C, TOR
Toronto Maple Leafs center Matthews has been an elite goal scorer since the first time he stepped on a sheet of NHL ice, but he reached new levels last season.
The 25-year-old was already a three-time 40-goal scorer entering the 2021-22 campaign, but he smashed his previous career high of 47 by scoring 60 times en route to being named league MVP.
The American sniper has now led the NHL in goals in each of the past two seasons, and he is essentially taking the spot occupied by Washington Capitals legend Alexander Ovechkin for many years.
Matthews also led the NHL with 348 shots on goal and tallied 106 points last season, which was 26 more than his previous career high, thus making him a complete player worthy of a top-three pick.
4. Nathan MacKinnon, C, COL
He may not have the 100-point seasons like McDavid and Draisaitl, or a 60-goal campaign like Matthews, but there isn't much risk involved with taking Colorado Avalanche center MacKinnon at No. 4 overall.
For starters, the 27-year-old is the leader of the best team in the NHL with the most offensive depth, meaning he isn't likely to have any issues racking up points on a consistent basis.
MacKinnon scored at least 90 points in three straight seasons from 2017 through 2020 and was on a 100-point pace in 2020-21 with 65 points in 48 games.
Perhaps the one concern with the Canadian is the fact that he missed some time last season due to injury, but he still recorded 32 goals and 88 points in 65 games, plus 24 points in 20 playoff games en route to the Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup.
5. Kirill Kaprizov, LW, MIN
While the top four picks in this mock have been established first-rounders in fantasy for some time, Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov is the new kid on the block.
It was apparent early on that the 25-year-old had the potential to be an elite player, as he finished with 27 goals and 51 points in 55 games as a rookie in 2020-21, en route to winning the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year.
Based on that, Kaprizov was a speculative second- or third-round pick in most fantasy drafts last year, and that move paid off handsomely when he finished fourth in the NHL with 108 points and tied for fourth in goals with 47.
The Russian is just getting started, meaning he has a chance to compete for the goal-scoring crown and potentially even the Hart Trophy this season.
6. Alexander Ovechkin, LW, WAS
It isn't necessarily always exciting to use a first-round pick on a player who has been around for nearly two decades, but it is difficult to argue with the success fantasy managers have enjoyed with Washington Capitals winger Ovechkin as their cornerstone over the years.
The 37-year-old is one of the most decorated and accomplished players in NHL history, with three Hart Trophies, nine Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophies, one Art Ross Trophy, one Stanley Cup and one Conn Smythe Trophy to his credit.
With 780 career goals, Ovechkin has a chance to retire as the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer if he can continue to play at an elite level for a few more years. And he isn't showing any signs of slowing down.
The Russian finished fourth in the NHL with 50 goals last season, marking his ninth career season with 50 goals or more. Also, his 90 points were his most since the 2009-10 season, and he was second in the NHL with 334 shots on goal, meaning he remains a top fantasy contributor.
7. Cale Makar, D, COL
While loading up on high-upside forwards is usually the best course of action over the first few rounds of a fantasy hockey draft, there are always a few exceptions to the rule, and Avs defenseman Cale Makar is among them.
The 23-year-old is a rare breed of defenseman in that he is an elite offensive player and point producer. In fact, he was 20th in the NHL last season with 86 points and second among defensemen behind only Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators' 96 points. Makar also led all blueliners with an absurd 28 goals.
Both of those were career highs for the Canadian, who has gotten better in each of his three NHL seasons. He is also coming off winning the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman last season, plus he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP thanks to his 29 points in 20 games for the world champion Avalanche.
What truly set Makar apart, though, was his plus/minus rating of plus-48, which was fifth among all players last season and helped give him far more value than any other defenseman.
8. Igor Shesterkin, G, NYR
Like defenseman, goalie isn't usually a position worth exploring until the second round at the earliest, but that isn't the case this year since two netminders are clearly head and shoulders above the rest.
One of them is New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who won the Vezina Trophy last season as the top goalie in the NHL. He won 36 of the 53 games he appeared in and posted a goals-against average of 2.07, a .935 save percentage and six shutouts.
Among netminders who appeared in at least seven games, the 26-year-old led the NHL in both GAA and save percentage, and he was third in shutouts.
Shesterkin plays for an up-and-coming team in the Rangers, and if he gets an even bigger share of the starts in 2022-23 as expected, he should have no problem returning first-round value.
9. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, TB
While Shesterkin didn't arrive on the scene as an elite goalie until last season, Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning has been the class of the position for at least the past five years.
The 28-year-old won the Vezina Trophy in 2019 and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2021. He is also a two-time Stanley Cup winner, and he has finished fifth or better in the Vezina voting in each of the past five seasons.
Compared to the career year he had in 2020-21 with personal bests of a 2.21 GAA and .925 save percentage, his numbers were down last season to the tune of a 2.49 GAA, .916 save percentage and just two shutouts.
Still, the Russian led the NHL with 39 wins, marking the fifth consecutive season he paced the league in that category. He also played in the fourth-most games of any netminder with 63 appearances, and that doesn't figure to change, which gives him huge value as a workhorse goalie for one of the NHL's best teams.
10. Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, CGY
Assuming the elite forwards, plus Makar, Shesterkin and Vasilevskiy, all come off the board, there is no more wide-open spot in all of fantasy hockey this year than the No. 10 pick.
There are as many as 10 players who could make sense in that spot, meaning it all comes down to personal preference. For those looking to avoid selecting a bust at the end of the first round, Calgary Flames left winger Jonathan Huberdeau would be a strong pick.
The 29-year-old will be in new surroundings this season, as he was traded to the Flames after spending the first 10 years of his NHL career with the Florida Panthers. The timing of the trade was somewhat curious, though, since he is coming off a career year.
The Canadian set career highs with 30 goals, 85 assists, 115 points and a plus-35 rating, and while he will no longer be playing alongside the likes of Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart and Co. in Florida, he joins a similarly talented Flames team and will try to take the spot vacated by Johnny Gaudreau, who tied with Huberdeau for second in the NHL with 115 points last season.
Fantasy Hockey Team Name Suggestions
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Potential Patrick Kane Trade Packages If Blackhawks Star Hits Market amid NHL Rumors
The Chicago Blackhawks signaled that they would be entering a rebuild after trading rising stars Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach during the 2022 NHL draft in July, and the selling of star players could continue this winter with Patrick Kane.
The 33-year-old is entering the final year of an eight-year, $84 million contract with the Blackhawks and is set to earn $10.5 million in 2022-23. He had been included in numerous rumors throughout the summer due to the assets Chicago could get in a trade including the veteran, in addition to his possible unwillingness to stick around for a rebuild.
Kane's NHL career is entering its final stages, and if he wants a chance to add another Stanley Cup to his resume, remaining with the Blackhawks might not be the best option.
It's difficult to imagine the team improving on its finish to the 2021-22 campaign in which it finished seventh in the Central Division with 68 points and missed the playoffs.
The Athletic's 2022-23 season projection for the Blackhawks also has the team finishing toward the bottom of the NHL standings and lists the franchise's best-case scenario as finishing last in the league and winning the draft lottery:
"The Blackhawks are going to be bad. Very bad. Among one of the worst in the league. Whether they sink to the very bottom depends on how much player movement there is during the year to send NHL-caliber players out. The expectation should be that quite a few are on the move by the time the deadline rolls around."
All that said, it remains to be seen whether Kane wants a move away from the team he has spent his entire 15-year NHL career and won three Stanley Cups with.
The Buffalo, New York native told reporters on Sept. 22 that he had been blocking out the trade rumors over the summer. He added that while he realizes he could be moved this season, it's "not really anything" he has been thinking about just yet.
By the time the trade deadline approaches, seeking a move could well be on his mind, especially if the Blackhawks are near the foot of the Western Conference standings.
So, lets take a look at some hypothetical trade packages if Kane does hit the market.
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers have been linked to Kane since the 2021-22 season's trade deadline.
The Blueshirts were one of the most exciting teams in the NHL last season, finishing second in the Metropolitan Division with 110 points. It was their best end to a regular season since 2014-15.
However, they were unable to get over the hump in the postseason, falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.
Could Kane be the player to get them back into the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since they fell to the Los Angeles Kings in 2014? It's possible, but what sort of package would general manager Chris Drury need to offer the Blackhawks to land him?
Well, one idea would be to offer winger Alexis Lafrenière and New York's 2023 first-round pick to Chicago in exchange for Kane.
The Rangers selected Lafrenière first overall in the 2020 NHL draft, and there was plenty of hype surrounding him at the time, with some even comparing him to Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.
However, the 20-year-old has failed to live up to those expectations in two seasons with the Rangers.
During his rookie year, he notched 12 goals and nine assists for 21 points in 56 games. Last season, he tallied 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points in 79 games. That's not much of an improvement.
Lafrenière has also been buried on New York's depth chart, and he is playing on the third line, sitting behind first-liner Chris Kreider and second-liner Artemi Panarin. He's not going to surpass either of those names any time soon.
If he was traded to the Blackhawks, he would be getting top-six minutes, which would likely be better for his development and career.
Some Rangers fans might not like this proposed trade, but it's what it takes to bring in an elite scorer like Kane. In addition, The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta reported in March that New York would be open to trading Lafrenière if the return was significant, so the winger isn't untouchable.
That said, it's unclear if adding Kane would be significant enough for the team to part with Lafrenière.
However, the thought of reuniting Kane and Panarin on the same line in the Big Apple should be enticing enough for the Rangers to consider it.
Edmonton Oilers
Like the Rangers, the Edmonton Oilers would be an intriguing destination for Kane.
They finished second in the Pacific Division last season with 104 points and reached the Western Conference Finals before being eliminated by eventual Stanley Cup champion, the Colorado Avalanche.
Edmonton is on the cusp of contending for a title, and adding Kane could help put the team over the edge in 2022-23.
However, it's important to note the Oilers would have to get creative in order to fit him under the salary cap. The franchise is nearly $7.6 million over the limit, per CapFriendly, so something would need to be done to create enough space to fit Kane on the roster.
Provided the Oilers free up some cap space, one trade option for general manager Ken Holland would be to package Jesse Puljujarvi, a couple of solid prospects and a 2023 first-round pick in exchange for Kane.
Puljujarvi, the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft, has never lived up to the hype. In 65 games last season, he tallied 14 goals and 22 assists 36 points. Moving him to Chicago would allow him to see consistent top-six minutes.
Trading a first-round pick speaks for itself, and the rebuilding Blackhawks would most likely want a first-rounder in any deal for Kane.
As for prospects, moving a player such as Raphaël Lavoie and/or Philip Broberg could be intriguing to the Blackhawks.
Broberg, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 draft, had a solid 2021-22 season with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors. The 21-year-old blueliner tallied four goals and 19 assists for 23 points in 31 games. He also appeared in 23 games for the Oilers, notching one goal and two assists.
Winger Lavoie, 22, also spent last season with the Condors, tallying 13 goals and 26 points in 56 games.
Broberg is more of a high-end prospect, while his teammate would be considered a mid-level prospect.
If the Oilers landed Kane, it's reasonable to believe he would play on the first line alongside Evander Kane and Connor McDavid. Adding him to the Edmonton offense would make it even more potent.
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings took a big leap forward in 2021-22 with a combination of veterans and fresh faces who helped them make the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign, and that success could continue in 2022-23.
The Kings finished third in the Pacific Division with 99 points before being eliminated by the Oilers in seven games in the first round of the playoffs. Adding a player like Kane could help the team get out of the first round for the first time since 2014, when they won the Stanley Cup.
Chicago would likely need to retain some of Kane's salary to make a deal work, but L.A. could offer a trade package that would make doing so worthwhile.
Kings general manager Rob Blake could look to package Alex Turcotte, a 2023 first-round pick and a mid-round pick in a deal for Kane.
The draft selections will surely be enticing for the Blackhawks as the 2023 class is expected to be loaded with talent. In addition, Turcotte could be inserted into the team's lineup this season and see a good amount of playing time that would help his development.
The 21-year-old was selected fifth overall in the 2019 NHL draft but didn't make his debut until the 2021-22 season in which he tallied zero points in eight games. He spent most of last season with Ontario Reign in the AHL, recording six goals and 12 assists in 27 games.
The Kings have plenty of young talent, so Turcotte is expendable. Adding Kane to a lineup that already includes Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala could really change the outlook of the entire 2022-23 season for the franchise.
Why Coyotes Should Prioritize Jakob Chychrun Trade amid Latest NHL Rumors
The Arizona Coyotes, currently undergoing a rebuild, will begin the 2022-23 season on Oct. 13. They may not be a Stanley Cup contender, but they're hoping to make progress after missing the playoffs each of the past two years.
Although the Coyotes' first regular-season matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins is less than two weeks away, there's still one major question involving Arizona's roster: Will Jakob Chychrun be a part of it?
Trade rumors have been swirling about the 24-year-old Chychrun, who has been with the Coyotes since they picked him in the first round of the 2016 NHL draft. He may be young, but he already has six years of experience in the league.
According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Chychrun wants out of Arizona. And although the Coyotes "still tell everybody that they're willing to be patient" in negotiations, per Dreger, things may be picking up here shortly.
"What is clear now as the regular season is fast approaching is that the trade interest in Chychrun is once again intensifying," Dreger said on TSN's Insider Trading. "Some say that the Coyotes have softened to some degree at least in their expected return and are more willing now to take on a contract or contracts."
Dreger reported that Arizona's asking price is "still high," as it likely expects to receive a first-round draft pick and/or a top prospect in exchange for Chychrun. So a team will need to part with some valuable assets in order to complete a deal with the Coyotes.
However, there are plenty of teams that are potentially willing to do just that.
"Some of the teams that are listed with interest include the Ottawa Senators, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Edmonton Oilers, the Los Angeles Kings, the St. Louis Blues, the Columbus Blue Jackets and on and on it goes," Dreger said.
With so many suitors, Arizona should likely try to orchestrate a trade soon. If Chychrun wants a fresh start, it would be better for both him and the Coyotes to get that before a new season.
It makes sense why there are a large number of teams interested in Chychrun. He's been a solid offensive contributor during his time in Arizona, tallying 142 points (53 goals and 89 assists) in 337 career games.
But the Coyotes also haven't been the best team during that stretch, and there haven't been a ton of talented players next to Chychrun on the ice. So if he joins a playoff contender, he may put up even better numbers. Especially because he likely hasn't yet reached his full potential.
Chychrun has three seasons remaining on his contract, as he won't hit free agency until 2025. That's another reason why teams should be willing to part with substantial draft capital, as it'd be getting him for more than just the short term.
At this point, it makes sense for the Coyotes to trade Chychrun as soon as possible. He wants to leave, and if he were to get injured early in the season, it could negatively impact the offers that Arizona would be receiving. Now is the opportune time to make something happen on this front.
Seattle Kraken Unveil Mascot 'Buoy,' Drawing Inspiration from Fremont Troll
The Seattle Kraken finally have a mascot.
The NHL's 32nd franchise, which began play with its inaugural season during the 2021-22 campaign, announced Saturday that its mascot draws inspiration from the Fremont Troll, and its name is Buoy.
Seattle unveiled Buoy by having having him rappel from the rafters at Climate Pledge Arena before a preseason game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Hundreds of names and ideas were submitted for the Kraken's new mascot, but the iconic Fremont Troll sculpture located on N. 36th St. in Seattle is what inspired Buoy's creation.
The Kraken did not want to use an octopus for their mascot because the Detroit Red Wings already use an octopus as their mascot. They also didn't want to use a Kraken, because no one actually knows what a Kraken looks like.
Kraken vice president of entertainment experience and production Lamont Buford said, per ESPN's Ryan S. Clark:
"We looked at all the characters in this area, and we wanted to make sure that what we brought was going to be unique. We didn't want to be like anybody else. When you look at a lot of mascots in sports, you can tell which mascots that were generated from looking at another mascot. We wanted to make sure we avoided that."
So, the next time you're at Climate Pledge Arena, be sure to be on the lookout for Buoy.