Preseason Rankings: Defensemen

The following series of posts will list the top 10 fantasy players at each skill position based on projected fantasy output for the upcoming 2009 season.

Another Washington Capitals star tops the list of elite defensemen in the NHL. Mike Green’s breakout season (31 goals, 42 assists) of a year ago has pushed him into the upper echelon of scoring defensemen. Next on the list is the seasoned veteran Dan Boyle, who’s now in his second year with the San Jose Sharks. Look for him to improve on his strong numbers last season. Both Dion Phaneuf and Zdeno Chara play an aggressive hard-hitting brand of hockey, so beware of the possible injury risks. If healthy, both guys have a tremendous shot from the blue line and can mix it up in front of the net. After an injury-shortened season in 2007-08, Shea Weber bounced back with 23 goals and 30 assists last season for the Nashville Predators. He’ll be looking to take another step forward toward establishing himself as one of the better offensive defensemen in the league. The bottom of the list is filled with established veterans who consistently produce good offensive numbers, while also setting the standard on the defensive side of the puck. Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer may not be sharing the same blue line for the Anaheim Ducks this season, but both guys are looking to continue their success for their respective teams.

1. Mike Green (WAS)
2. Dan Boyle (SJ)
3. Dion Phaneuf (CGY)
4. Zdeno Chara (BOS)
5. Shea Weber (NSH)
6. Nicklas Lidstrom (DET)
7. Chris Pronger (PHI)
8. Andrei Markov (MON)
9. Scott Niedermayer (ANH)
10. Sheldon Souray (EDM)

Fantasy Impact: Finding goal-scoring defensemen is usually the difference between making it to the playoffs in your fantasy league and winning the championship. Every good team is going to have a Zach Parise or Rick Nash, but the teams that have a Mike Green or Dan Boyle are the ones that get the extra bump. This is especially critical when you've got to have four defensemen in your starting lineup. Having one of the top list of guys is nice, but I'd argue that it's even worth having two of them, just so you don't have to worry about the position. You can usually find fill-in forwards that'll get you 20 goals and 20 assists, but the drop in scoring defensemen is sharp.

Preseason Rankings: Forwards

The following series of posts will list the top 10 fantasy players at each skill position based on projected fantasy output for the upcoming 2009 season.

At the forward position, the talent pool is deep with guys who can put the puck in the net. At the top of the list is Alexander Ovechkin, who led the league in scoring last season with 56 goals. Enough has already been said about the Washington Capitals superstar, so let’s move on to the more intriguing players on the list. After building on two solid 30-seasons for the New Jersey Devils, Zach Parise took a big step forward last season in establishing himself as one of the top goal-scorers in the NHL with his 45 goal total. The guy with the biggest scoring upside coming into the season has to be Dany Heatley. Playing on the same line as Joe Thornton should net him at least 15 more goals over last season’s total (39), which would put him in Ovechkin’s neighborhood. At 32-years-old, it’ll be interesting to see whether Jerome Iginla plays like the guy who scored 50 goals two seasons ago or the 35-goal scorer from last season. Playing for a retooled Calgary Flames team should help take some of the pressure off of him and possibly help open up more shooting lanes him. After increasing his goal-scoring total three consecutive years (40 goals last season), Rich Nash has established himself as a star on an otherwise nameless Columbus Blue Jackets team. After a hot start for the Buffalo Sabres last season, Thomas Vanek has to prove that he belongs among the leagues elite offensive goal-scores.

1. Alexander Ovechkin (WAS)
2. Zach Parise (NJ)
3. Corey Perry (ANH)
4. Dany Heatley (SJ)
5. Jerome Iginla (CGY)
6. Rick Nash (CLS)
7. Ilya Kovalchuk (ATL)
8. Patrick Kane (CHI)
9. Thomas Vanek (BUF)
10. Mike Cammalleri (MON)

Fantasy Impact: The important thing to remember about forwards is that very few of them are good enough to do it all themselves. They really heavily on their linemates to setup a lot of their goals, which is why the top goal-scorers inevitably play for the best teams. It's very difficult to put up strong numbers on a bad team. With that in mind, a guy like Dany Heatley is bound to benefits significantly from his trade to the San Jose Sharks. On the flip side, even though I really like Rick Nash's game, the Columbus Blue Jackets still don't have the supporting talent for him to reach his potential. I wouldn't be surprised if his goal total drops this season after three straight years of going up.

Preseason Rankings: Centers

The following series of posts will list the top 10 fantasy players at each skill position based on projected fantasy output for the upcoming 2009 season.

Let's start with the captain on the ice, the center, where the names at the top of the list are all too familiar: Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Pavel Datsyuk, but the rest of the top 10 is much more interesting. Rising star Jeff Carter is looking to build on a breakout 46-goal season and lead the Philadelphia Flyers back to the playoffs. Joe Thornton continues to drive the San Jose Sharks offensive machine and the addition of Dany Heatley could even provide a scoring boost, if that's possible. At just 21-years-old, Jonathan Toews is already coming off of a 34-goal campaign. With another step forward, he could easily be one of the top 5 centers next season. He's got all the tools to be a great player in the NHL.

1. Evgeni Malkin (PIT)
2. Sidney Crosby (PIT)
3. Pavel Datsyuk (DET)
4. Jeff Carter (PHI)
5. Ryan Getzlaf (ANH)
6. Joe Thornton (SJ)
7. Henrik Zetterberg (DET)
8. Marc Savard (BOS)
9. Jonathan Toews (CHI)
10. Nicklas Backstrom (WAS)

Fantasy Impact: Having a strong presence at the Center position is vital to any championship fantasy hockey team, but make sure you have strategy going into the draft. If you're looking for more of a goal-scoring center, then Joe Thornton probably isn't your guy. If you want an assist machine, then you should probably avoid Henrik Zetterberg. Basically it's all about having a plan. Know what guys will be available in later rounds and don't reach for recognizable names who are past their prime.