Yes, it is VERY early to talk about fantasy hockey next year, but we at eDraft are here to give you the best preview we can all offseason (and postseason) long. Here is an early look at the top ten centers for fantasy hockey next year.
1. Sidney Crosby - Pittsburgh Penguins
If he can stay healthy, it is pretty clear that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is the best player to have on your fantasy team. He puts up all sorts of points and can help your offensive categories more than anyone else in the NHL. If you have the first pick in your fantasy hockey draft, Crosby is the guy you're going to want to get.
2. Evgeni Malkin - Pittsburgh Penguins
Malkin missed 22 games this year, but still put up 72 points: 23 goals and 49 assists. He is one of the best offensive players in the world and could even surpass his teammate Crosby if the regular season next year looks anything like this year's playoffs: Malkin was moved to the top line and took ice time away from the struggling Pittsburgh captain.
An added bonus, Malkin's style of play will also give you more penalty minutes than other high-scoring centers.
3. Ryan Getzlaf - Anaheim Ducks
Do not expect Getzlaf to score quite as often next year as he did this year (31 G, 56 A) as it would be extremely tough to duplicate his 2013-14 performance, but expect him to get you great numbers in literally every facet of the game. His chemistry with Anaheim right winger Corey Perry may create the top duo in the league, and expect both to light it up again next season.
Also, Getzlaf is a big, strong, physical power forward who will get you an uncharacteristically large number of hits for a high-scoring forward.
4. Tyler Seguin - Dallas Stars
In his first year wearing green and silver, Tyler Seguin finally exploded onto the scene as a true NHL star with 37 goals and 47 assists. With a year like 2013-14 under his belt and a young group of players around him, he should only improve on those stats in 2014-15.
Seguin is still maturing into a NHL superstar, and it is entirely possible that he may not even have reached his ceiling yet. He should be one of the most interesting players to keep an eye on next season.
5. John Tavares - New York Islanders
Tavares is an unbelievable offensive weapon and can be expected to contend for the Hart Trophy for league MVP. Unfortunately, he missed the final 23 games of the 2013-14 season with an injury. Nevertheless, he still scored 24 goals and added 42 assists for a total of 66 points in 59 games - all while playing on an absolutely horrid New York Islanders team.
If he can get some support around him this offseason and if he can stay healthy, Tavares will be a huge asset to anyone's fantasy team. His plus-minus will be an issue and it docks him down a couple spots on this list, but he will still give you a ton of goals and assists.
6. Claude Giroux - Philadelphia Flyers
It is really tough to put Giroux this low on the list, but he will still be a steal for anyone who gets him. He had 28 goals and 58 assists last season - all coming when his team needed him the most. Giroux did, however, have quite the slow start to the season and disappointed many of his fantasy owners in the process...until their patience paid off.
Expect Giroux to have a more steadily consistent year in 2014-15. He may not have a huge burst of scoring like he did this past season, but he is definitely capable of equalling his statistics if he starts out well.
7. Matt Duchene - Colorado Avalanche
Duchene finally came through in 2013-14 after several years of disappointment, and he was a huge reason why his Colorado Avalanche not only made the playoffs for the first time since 2010 but won the Central Division.
He played in 71 games, but still led the Avs in scoring with 23 goals and 47 assists.
Colorado is a very young team and can be expected to improve even more over the coming years. Duchene and his young teammates like Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon will mature and bolster their stats even more next season.
8. Jonathan Toews - Chicago Blackhawks
Toews a a big name and is known for his defensive as well as his offensive ability. Playing for Chicago and being a terrific two-way player, Toews's plus-minus should be expected to be extremely high and he could be a player that can help you win that category almost every week.
In addition to the high plus-minus, Toews can obviously score too. He potted 28 goals this season and added 40 assists.
9. Anze Kopitar - Los Angeles Kings
Fantasy hockey doesn't have anything to do with playoffs, but Kopitar has shown this spring just how valuable of a player he is. He can do it all on offense and defense, and is a candidate for the Selke Trophy for best defensive forward because of it.
Kopitar is always a consistent scorer. He netted 29 goals and tallied 41 assists this year while putting up an incredible plus-34 rating.
Waiting on a center in your draft can be a smart idea as players like Kopitar will be available a little bit later than they should be due to the position's depth.
10. Joe Pavelski - San Jose Sharks
"Little Joe" is becoming the new face of the San Jose Sharks after his incredible 41-goal, 38-assist season in 2013-14. He gets bumped down this low for next year though because it is unclear which direction his team is heading after blowing a 3-0 series lead against the Los Angeles Kings in the first round.
Pavelski's value will be cleared up after the offseason, but he seems like a gamble right now because it is unclear how big of a shakeup the roster will go through.