When it comes to fantasy hockey, defencemen can often be the difference, especially in leagues that have separate defence scoring categories.
If you’re in that kind of league and have Mark Giordano on your team this season, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Heck, if you have Giordano on your team in a standard league, you know how important drafting top-end defencemen can be.
Of course, nobody knew Giordano would be as offensively dominant as he’s been so far. He’s leading all blue-liners in scoring despite having never finished in the Top 10 in years past. He’s been Top 20 a couple times and would have been Top 10 last season if not for injuries, so his breakout campaign hasn’t come totally out of left field like some of these guys on my Big List of the Top 100 Fantasy Defencemen.
I compiled this Big List during the pre-season, along with Comeback, Bust, Breakout and Rookie Sleeper candidates from across the league. I’ve since revisited my efforts in regards to Comeback, Bust, Breakout and Rookie Sleepers at the quarter-mark of the regular season. Looking back on my Top 100 Fantasy Defencemen after 20-some games, there are certainly some surprises based on statistics as of November 29.
Erik Karlsson isn’t the top point-getter among defencemen this season, at least not yet. The Ottawa Senators captain is chasing down Mark Giordano thanks to a recent surge that has bolstered his total to 7 goals and 20 points in 27 games. Karlsson is currently tied for 6th overall but still 8 points behind the leader.
Tier I
1) Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators — 22 GP, 6 G, 10 A, 16 PTS, ranked No. 7 (tie) = How is he not No. 1? He could still end up there for the third time in four years, but he got off to a slow start by his standards.
2) P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens — 24 GP, 5 G, 8 A, 13 PTS, ranked No. 18 (tie) = He’s not having the Norris Trophy type season that most expected based on his playoff performance this past spring. He should pick up the pace offensively and finish near the Top 5.
3) Shea Weber, Nashville Predators — 22 GP, 6 G, 8 A, 14 PTS, ranked No. 12 (tie) = He’s capable of more point-production too, although he’s an all-around player that doesn’t always show up on the scoresheet. In other words, he’s more valuable in real life than in fantasy.
4) Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks — 23 GP, 5 G, 10 A, 15 PTS, ranked No. 9 (tie) = He’s having another pretty good year, right around where I expected for output.
5) Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins — 9 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 3 PTS, ranked No. 128 (tie) = He got injured, but it’s safe to say I had him ranked too high regardless. The Bruins had played 24 games at this cutoff, so Chara’s stats would have prorated to just 8 points (tied for 49th). Like Weber, his impact is much bigger in real life than in fantasy.
Tier II
6) Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins — 22 GP, 4 G, 14 A, 18 PTS, ranked No. 4 (tie) = He was back among the league’s elite before getting hurt again after this cutoff. If healthy, he’s one of the best.
7) Mike Green, Washington Capitals — 19 GP, 3 G, 9 A, 12 PTS, ranked No. 25 (tie) = He got off to a real strong start but slowed a bit then got hurt AGAIN. He’s injury prone but productive when in the lineup.
8) Kevin Shattenkirk, St. Louis Blues — 23 GP, 2 G, 16 A, 18 PTS, ranked No. 4 (tie) = As per usual, he’s quietly going about his business and racking up the points. He’s not the flashiest guy on this list but effective nevertheless.
9) Ryan McDonagh, New York Rangers — 11 GP, 0 G, 4 A, 4 PTS, ranked No. 106 (tie) = He was another slow starter and another victim of the injury bug (separated shoulder). Like Subban, he didn’t pick up where he left off in the playoffs.
10) Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning — 5 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = He was leading the league when he got hurt (broken finger). Do the math and he would have had 32 points after 23 games. A painful loss for all of his fantasy owners, but thankfully he’s back now.
11) Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings — 23 GP, 2 G, 11 A, 13 PTS, ranked No. 18 (tie) = That’s a decent offensive pace for him, but I still think he could find another gear and get into the Top 10.
12) Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild — 22 GP, 1 G, 11 A, 12 PTS, ranked No. 25 (tie) = His stat-line isn’t amazing but some are suggesting he’s a Norris finalist, which speaks to his overall ability.
13) Keith Yandle, Arizona Coyotes — 23 GP, 3 G, 13 A, 16 PTS, ranked No. 7 (tie) = He’s right up there again, having ranked in the Top 10 the last couple years. Clearly, I should have had him higher but it was hard to justify putting him above any of the aforementioned guys.
14) Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks — 24 GP, 7 G, 12 A, 19 PTS, ranked No. 3 = He’s been a beast back on the blue-line, at least offensively. In hindsight, I probably should have swapped him with Chara. Live and learn.
15) Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues — 23 GP, 2 G, 11 A, 13 PTS, ranked No. 18 (tie) = Right around where I expected, albeit with potential for more production as the season progresses.
16) Alex Goligoski, Dallas Stars — 23 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 10 PTS, ranked No. 35 (tie) = I ranked him this high on the assumption that he’d be playing the point on Dallas’s top power-play unit but that didn’t pan out. He’s playing there now, so better late than never and perhaps he can climb back into the Top 20.
17) Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes — 23 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 PTS, ranked No. 35 (tie) = His offence had stagnated right around this cutoff, but he’s over that slump now it seems and should also trend upwards going forward.
18) Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames — 24 GP, 6 G, 18 A, 24 PTS, ranked No. 1 = That’s a pretty low ranking for the top scorer but he’s exceeding everybody’s expectations and I’m just glad I had him in my second tier.
Tier III
19) Jack Johnson, Columbus Blue Jackets — 19 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 9 PTS, ranked No. 45 (tie) = He’s been dealing with some off-ice issues (bankruptcy) but he should pick up the pace a bit.
20) John Carlson, Washington Capitals — 22 GP, 2 G, 11 A, 13 PTS, ranked No. 18 (tie) = Pretty much what I expected. He was playing behind Green for a bit, which held him back.
21) Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche — 23 GP, 2 G, 13 A, 15 PTS, ranked No. 9 (tie) = I knew he had the offence in him, I just didn’t expect it to come out this soon.
22) Justin Schultz, Edmonton Oilers — 23 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 PTS, ranked No. 35 (tie) = That stat-line is actually flattering for the way he’s played, which included a healthy scratch, but he’s got some serious offensive upside.
23) Torey Krug, Boston Bruins — 20 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = He missed some time to injury but should be another riser sooner than later.
24) Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks — 23 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 PTS, ranked No. 31 (tie) = Not great but not bad either. I would assume he’ll go up rather than down in the rankings.
25) Niklas Kronwall, Detroit Red Wings — 23 GP, 3 G, 12 A, 15 PTS, ranked No. 9 (tie) = The Wings have been a much better (and healthier) team this season, which obviously helps his cause.
26) Dion Phaneuf, Toronto Maple Leafs — 22 GP, 1 G, 10 A, 11 PTS, ranked No. 31 (tie) = About what I expected but I still wonder what ever happened to that booming shot he had coming out of junior? His goal total is low, but his overall game has really improved this season.
27) Tobias Enstrom, Winnipeg Jets — 22 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 9 PTS, ranked No. 45 (tie) = He’s capable of more but now he’s hurt too, which means he’s getting passed over on the depth chart.
28) Marek Zidlicky, New Jersey Devils — 23 GP, 3 G, 9 A, 12 PTS, ranked No. 25 (tie) = He’s not really slowing down with age and the Devils’ offence still runs through him on the power play.
29) Mark Streit, Philadelphia Flyers — 22 GP, 4 G, 9 A, 13 PTS, ranked No. 18 (tie) = Solid season for him so far.
30) Brian Campbell, Florida Panthers — 21 GP, 1 G, 6 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = He should be better than that. If he really wants out of Florida, as per a reported trade request in the off-season, then he better turn it up a notch to make himself a more desirable acquisition.
Tier IV
31) Lubomir Visnovsky, New York Islanders — 17 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = Injuries have hampered him yet again. When healthy, he’s projected to play on the Islanders’ top power-play unit.
32) Andrej Sekera, Carolina Hurricanes — 21 GP, 0 G, 8 A, 8 PTS, ranked No. 49 (tie) = He’s taken a step back from last season but is still a decent contributor.
33) James Wisniewski, Columbus Blue Jackets — 19 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 PTS, ranked No. 35 (tie) = Right where I expected him to be.
34) Erik Johnson, Colorado Avalanche — 22 GP, 4 G, 9 A, 13 PTS, ranked No. 18 (tie) = He’s been a bright spot for the Avs, taking his offence to the next level.
35) Matt Niskanen, Washington Capitals — 22 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 10 PTS, ranked No. 35 (tie) = Exactly where I expected him to be, but he’s actually picked up the pace since this cutoff thanks to Green’s absence.
36) Brent Seabrook, Chicago Blackhawks — 23 GP, 5 G, 9 A, 14 PTS, ranked No. 12 (tie) = He might drop down the rankings a bit but certainly an impressive start.
37) Jay Bouwmeester, St. Louis Blues — 20 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 PTS, ranked No. 161 (tie) = Where did his offence go? Granted last season’s point total was higher than usual but this is abnormally low for him.
38) Dan Boyle, New York Rangers — 8 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 2 PTS, ranked No. 161 (tie) = He’s been hurt so cut him some slack based on this small sample size.
39) Christian Ehrhoff, Pittsburgh Penguins — 22 GP, 0 G, 7 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = He’s picked up the pace since this cutoff and should end up closer to 30 than 60.
40) Andrei Markov, Montreal Canadiens — 24 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 PTS, ranked No. 35 (tie) = About what I expected. If he can stay healthy, he should stay in the top 40.
Tier V
41) Justin Faulk, Carolina Hurricanes — 22 GP, 2 G, 12 A, 14 PTS, ranked No. 12 (tie) = He’s enjoying a breakout season and coming off a very impressive November.
42) Roman Josi, Nashville Predators — 22 GP, 3 G, 8 A, 11 PTS, ranked No. 31 (tie) = About what I expected, which means I probably should have had him a little higher on this list.
43) Slava Voynov, Los Angeles Kings — 6 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS, ranked No. 161 (tie) = He got into some off-ice trouble (domestic violence charges), so his future is up in the air for the time being.
44) Alex Edler, Vancouver Canucks — 23 GP, 3 G, 5 A, 8 PTS, ranked No. 49 (tie) = About what I expected point-wise, but his overall game is back on track.
45) Travis Hamonic, New York Islanders — 19 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = His offensive upside might be a bit limited as he’s yet to reach that next level.
46) Dougie Hamilton, Boston Bruins — 24 GP, 5 G, 9 A, 14 PTS, ranked No. 12 (tie) = He really stepped up when Chara went down and is leading the way offensively from the back end.
47) Erik Gudbranson, Florida Panthers — 21 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS, ranked No. 128 (tie) = His offence has yet to translate from junior to the NHL. Maybe next year?
48) Cody Franson, Toronto Maple Leafs — 20 GP, 3 G, 11 A, 14 PTS, ranked No. 12 (tie) = He’s playing like a guy that wants to cash in next summer as an unrestricted free agent. Toronto might try to lock him up in the meantime.
49) Tyler Myers, Buffalo Sabres — 22 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = His stats don’t show it but he’s actually been better this season. Perhaps the offence will pick up as the season progresses.
50) Jason Garrison, Tampa Bay Lightning — 23 GP, 2 G, 11 A, 13 PTS, ranked No. 18 (tie) = He benefitted from Hedman’s injury and has been a good fit for the Lightning since coming over from Vancouver in a draft-day trade.
51) Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota Wild — 17 GP, 3 G, 5 A, 8 PTS, ranked No. 49 (tie) = Pretty much where I anticipated he’d be.
52) Sergei Gonchar, Dallas Stars — 11 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 PTS, ranked No. 128 (tie) = He was hurt to start the season then got traded to Montreal, where he’s been playing pretty decent since this cutoff.
Tier VI
53) Ryan Ellis, Nashville Predators — 22 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 PTS, ranked No. 35 (tie) = He got off to a strong offensive start under new coach Peter Laviolette but has slowed down as of late.
54) Zach Bogosian, Winnipeg Jets — 24 GP, 0 G, 8 A, 8 PTS, ranked No. 49 (tie) = He’s a solid defenceman but not much of a point-producer this season. He’s currently hurt, expected to miss at least a month.
55) Kris Russell, Calgary Flames — 22 GP, 0 G, 9 A, 9 PTS, ranked No. 45 (tie) = It’s strange that he hasn’t scored a goal yet given all of Calgary’s early-season success. But he’s still having a decent hand in the Flames’ offence.
56) Calvin de Haan, New York Islanders — 19 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 PTS, ranked No. 129 (tie) = He was hurt to start the season and now finds himself further down the depth chart than expected due to the Islanders acquiring both Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk in pre-season trades. He has offensive upside but just isn’t getting the power-play opportunities at present.
57) Brendan Smith, Detroit Red Wings — 18 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = Probably about what I expected, but he’s got potential for more too.
58) Jake Gardiner, Toronto Maple Leafs — 20 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS, ranked No. 106 (tie) = He’s not doing a very good job of earning that new contract. He should be producing more offence, so it would seem only a matter of time until he picks up the pace.
59) Seth Jones, Nashville Predators — 22 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = Ditto here. I thought he’d take a big step forward this season and be close to the top 40 in defence scoring.
60) Morgan Rielly, Toronto Maple Leafs — 21 GP, 2 G, 5 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = That’s about right, but again potential to put up bigger numbers as the season progresses.
61) Hampus Lindholm, Anaheim Ducks — 24 GP, 3 G, 5 A, 8 PTS, ranked No. 49 (tie) = Nice numbers for him even if he’s being overshadowed by Sami Vatanen.
62) Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers — 21 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 PTS, ranked No. 31 (tie) = He’s on absolute fire right now, up to 5 goals and 18 points after 26 games, which has him currently tied for 10th. He’s giving Filip Forsberg and Johnny Gaudreau a stiff challenge for the Calder Trophy. I didn’t expect this kind of elite offence from Ekblad as a rookie, but he’s looking really legit so far.
Tier VII
63) Nick Leddy, Chicago Blackhawks — 23 GP, 5 G, 5 A, 10 PTS, ranked No. 35 (tie) = Now of the New York Islanders, that change of scenery has helped him get more offensive opportunities and he’s making the most of them.
64) Matthew Carle, Tampa Bay Lightning — 23 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS, ranked No. 106 (tie) = He’s buried a bit further down the depth chart than usual and his numbers are reflecting that.
65) T.J. Brodie, Calgary Flames — 24 GP, 5 G, 15 A, 20 PTS, ranked No. 2 = Wowzers, who saw this kind of offence coming from him? He might be riding Giordano’s coattails a little bit, but he’s earning his own stripes in the process too. He was second overall at this cutoff but has since slowed down and been passed over by a couple others.
66) Jason Demers, San Jose Sharks — 23 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = I thought he’d have a couple more points, but I also didn’t think he’d play his way out of San Jose and wind up getting traded to the Dallas Stars. Maybe he’ll pick it up for his new team over the next 20 games.
67) Michael Del Zotto, Philadelphia Flyers — 21 GP, 2 G, 6 A, 8 PTS, ranked No. 49 (tie) = Those are pretty impressive numbers for a guy that nobody wanted to touch with a 10-foot pole throughout the summer until the Flyers got desperate just prior to the season due to injuries. His signing has paid dividends so far.
68) Danny DeKeyser, Detroit Red Wings — 23 GP, 0 G, 9 A, 9 PTS, ranked No. 45 (tie) = Great numbers for him, probably exceeding my expectations slightly.
69) Jake Muzzin, Los Angeles Kings — 17 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 10 PTS, ranked No. 35 (tie) = Talk about a Stanley Cup hangover, he had to shake it off after going pointless in his first 7 games before recording at least a point in 7 of his next 8 games.
70) Ryan Murray, Columbus Blue Jackets — 4 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS, ranked No. 220 (tie) = Let’s face it, he’s been pretty injury prone early on in his NHL career. He has big potential but he’s got to get healthy and then stay healthy in order to achieve it.
71) Jacob Trouba, Winnipeg Jets — 25 GP, 2 G, 5 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = He was another slow starter (pointless after 8 games, only 1 point after 12) who has really been on a tear lately, now up to 4 goals and 12 points in 28 games, which has him tied for 38th.
72) Jonas Brodin, Minnesota Wild — 13 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS, ranked No. 161 (tie) = Not the kind of output I expected, but he hasn’t been healthy either in his defence. He’s since scored his first goal and is up to 4 points after 16 games, so that’s an encouraging sign.
73) Olli Maatta, Pittsburgh Penguins — 16 GP, 1 G, 6 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = Those are good numbers for a guy who missed time while getting a cancerous tumour removed from his throat.
Tier VIII
74) Marc-Edouard Vlasic, San Jose Sharks — 24 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = He’s also leading his team with a plus-10 rating, but as he showed at the Sochi Olympics, he’s not just a shutdown defender.
75) Niklas Hjalmarsson, Chicago Blackhawks — 23 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = Ditto here as these two players are very much alike and very important to their teams beyond their average-at-best offensive contributions.
76) Anton Stralman, Tampa Bay Lightning — 23 GP, 2 G, 10 A, 12 PTS, ranked No. 25 (tie) = Cut the defensive shackles off and he’s quite the two-way defender. It helped being paired with Hedman from the start of the season, but Stralman kept producing even after his partner went down to injury.
77) Andrej Meszaros, Buffalo Sabres — 17 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 PTS, ranked No. 128 (tie) = He’s been a bust in Buffalo for the most part, spending a lot of time as a healthy scratch and not producing much in the way of offence.
78) Nikita Nikitin, Edmonton Oilers — 20 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = Ditto here, he hasn’t been the top-pairing defender Edmonton had been hoping for and has also sat out a game as a healthy scratch.
Tier IX
79) Paul Martin, Pittsburgh Penguins — 22 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = He’s been decent overall, albeit a bit quiet on the offensive side.
80) Francois Beauchemin, Anaheim Ducks — 18 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = Same here, he probably should have a bit better numbers.
81) Andy Greene, New Jersey Devils — 23 GP, 0 G, 7 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = About what I expected, nothing more, nothing less.
82) Dan Hamhuis, Vancouver Canucks — 20 GP, 0 G, 6 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = Same here, although he’s now sidelined with a long-term injury that will keep him out a couple months.
83) Dennis Wideman, Calgary Flames — 23 GP, 8 G, 4 A, 12 PTS, ranked No. 25 (tie) = He’s really exceeding expectations, especially in the goal-scoring department. He’s up to 10 goals and 17 points in 27 games, which has him currently tied for 13th overall.
84) John-Michael Liles, Carolina Hurricanes — 15 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS, ranked No. 106 (tie) = He’s been hot-and-cold already this season, dealing with injuries and healthy scratches but also picking up the odd point here and there.
85) Tom Gilbert, Montreal Canadiens — 23 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS, ranked No. 128 (tie) = He’s underachieving and has also been a healthy scratch. I’m not sure what’s wrong with him.
86) Trevor Daley, Dallas Stars — 23 GP, 5 G, 7 A, 12 PTS, ranked No. 25 (tie) = He had 6 points in his first 6 games, including 3 goals, before settling into a more typical pace. That said, he’s still putting up impressive numbers overall.
87) Kevin Bieksa, Vancouver Canucks — 23 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS, ranked No. 128 (tie) = Those numbers are pretty low for him, but he’s been pretty good again overall. Another one of those guys that doesn’t really show up on the scoresheet most of the time.
88) Andrew MacDonald, Philadelphia Flyers — 12 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS, ranked No. 128 (tie) = He’s battled injuries and now finds himself in a battle just to crack the roster. He’s another guy not earning his contract.
89) Dennis Seidenberg, Boston Bruins — 24 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = Nice bounce-back for him after missing most of last season due to injury. He’s paired with Hamilton in Chara’s absence and they have been good together at both ends of the ice.
90) Dan Girardi, New York Rangers — 22 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = More or less what I expected, the usual for him.
91) Johnny Boychuk, Boston Bruins — 21 GP, 2 G, 12 A, 14 PTS, ranked No. 12 (tie) = He had the hot hand to start the season, making an immediate impression with the Islanders by putting up 6 points in his first 3 games. Like Leddy, he’s been given a more offensive role and capitalized on it. Boychuk’s been sidelined by injury since this cutoff but should be back fairly soon.
Tier X
92) Jeff Petry, Edmonton Oilers — 23 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS, ranked No. 128 (tie) = He was sporting a minus-16 rating at this cutoff, but that isn’t necessarily indicative of his play. He’s been decent despite the lack of offence. The Oilers are a low-scoring team, but Petry’s not helping that matter.
93) Dmitry Kulikov, Florida Panthers — 17 GP, 0 G, 6 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = About what I expected, though I think he could pick up the pace as the season progresses.
94) Chris Tanev, Vancouver Canucks — 23 GP, 0 G, 6 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = Same here, in the ballpark of what I anticipated for him.
95) Brenden Dillon, Dallas Stars — 22 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PTS, ranked No. 192 (tie) = I still think he’s better than this, but the Stars gave up on him, sending him to the San Jose Sharks for Demers and a 3rd-round pick. He really has nowhere to go but up from here, so he could be a good buy-low candidate.
96) David Savard, Columbus Blue Jackets — 22 GP, 4 G, 4 A, 8 PTS, ranked No. 49 (tie) = Nice little breakout season in the works for him. He was a big point-producer prior to the NHL, so maybe he’s rediscovering that side of his game now.
97) Alec Martinez, Los Angeles Kings — 17 GP, 2 G, 5 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = Like Muzzin, he had a pretty severe hangover from scoring the Cup-clinching goal in overtime, starting this season with only 1 point after 10 games before finally hitting his stride. The Kings obviously like what they’ve seen more recently because they just locked Martinez up to a long-term extension.
98) Eric Gelinas, New Jersey Devils — 19 GP, 2 G, 5 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = He’s looking more and more like a full-time NHL defenceman and putting up decent numbers to boot.
99) Ryan Murphy, Carolina Hurricanes — 6 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PTS, ranked No. 192 (tie) = He’s in the minors again, which is honestly where he belongs in order to find his once promising offensive game again.
100) Rasmus Ristolainen, Buffalo Sabres — 23 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS, ranked No. 106 (tie) = I thought he’d be closer to 10 points by this cutoff, but nobody on Buffalo’s roster is racking up the offensive stats.
Noteworthy Omissions
Sami Vatanen, Anaheim Ducks — 24 GP, 5 G, 13 A, 18 PTS, ranked No. 4 (tie) = What a revelation he’s been this season. Playing the point on Anaheim’s super potent top power-play unit, Vatanen has become a fantasy stud. At least I had him as an honourable mention in the comments below, penciled in at No. 107.
Marco Scandella, Minnesota Wild — 20 GP, 5 G, 3 A, 8 PTS, ranked No. 49 (tie) = He was one of my top honourable mentions at No. 102, but obviously should have made this Big List in hindsight over at least a half-dozen others.
Cody Ceci, Ottawa Senators — 22 GP, 1 G, 7 A, 8 PTS, ranked No. 49 (tie) = He was one of those young guys that was hard to rank because you didn’t know what to expect from him. He’s exceeded my expectations so far, at least offensively. I had him as an honourable mention at No. 115.
Brayden McNabb, Los Angeles Kings — 23 GP, 0 G, 7 A, 7 PTS, ranked No. 59 (tie) = Same here. He was a castoff from Buffalo of all places, so I didn’t expect him to have much impact in Los Angeles, but I was wrong. He was off my radar for this Big List, but he’s even been paired with Doughty at times and hasn’t looked out of place. He was up to 9 assists after 27 games but is still searching for his first goal.
Kevin Klein, New York Rangers — 21 GP, 4 G, 2 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = He had always been labeled a stay-at-home defenceman but has showcased a nose for the net this season. With his overtime winner on Monday night, he now has 6 goals and 10 points after 25 games, which is currently tied for 46th. It seems unlikely that Klein will keep up this pace but he hasn’t slowed down yet. I didn’t have him in my top 125 counting honourable mentions, so shame on me.
Justin Braun, San Jose Sharks — 24 GP, 0 G, 7 A, 7 PTS = He’s a bona fide top-four and deserved to be on this Big List, perhaps instead of his former teammate, Demers. Braun has since scored his first goal of the season and is up to 10 points after 29 games. I missed the boat entirely on him.
Zach Redmond, Colorado Avalanche — 12 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = It took him a while to work his way into Colorado’s lineup but he’s been productive since becoming a regular. He didn’t make the cut for my honourable mentions, but Stefan Elliott did (sadly) . . . last and least at No. 125.
Michael Stone, Arizona Coyotes — 23 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = He’s taken another step forward this season and is on cusp of becoming fantasy relevant in deep leagues. He was among my honourable mentions at No. 106.
Jakub Kindl, Detroit Red Wings — 19 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = He must have just slipped my mind because I didn’t even have him as an honourable mention yet I’ve always been a bit of a closet fan and figured he could be more productive with a change of scenery. I still feel that way, for the record.
Thomas Hickey, New York Islanders — 22 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = Ditto here, another guy that I’ve liked since his WHL days and didn’t want to admit he’s been somewhat of a bust. But he’s been another pretty good fit for the Islanders and probably deserved at least an honourable mention for this Big List.
Tim Erixon, Columbus Blue Jackets — 18 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = I had him at No. 114 as an honourable mention but didn’t rank him higher because of his undetermined role prior to the season. I believe he was also recovering from an injury when I compiled this Big List.
Alexei Emelin, Montreal Canadiens — 22 GP, 0 G, 6 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = I had him pegged as more of a stay-at-home bruising type, but he benefitted from an early-season pairing with Subban. He’s still not much of a fantasy option.
Mattias Ekholm, Nashville Predators — 22 GP, 0 G, 6 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = I had him as an honourable mention at No. 116. He went on a little point streak this season but has been blanked for the most part again.
Matt Hunwick, New York Rangers — 20 GP, 0 G, 6 A, 6 PTS, ranked No. 72 (tie) = He only became a fringe fantasy guy because of a rash of injuries, but I don’t think anybody had him ranked among their top 125 prior to the season.
Mark Stuart, Winnipeg Jets — 25 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = Mostly a defensive guy, wasn’t on my radar, but has been chipping in with a bit of offence this season.
Dylan Olsen, Florida Panthers — 20 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = Wasn’t sure if he’d make the team or what his role would be this season so I left him off this Big List, but he’s playing and playing pretty well so far.
Jared Cowen, Ottawa Senators — 17 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = I originally had him on this Big List in the 90s but must have bumped him off and forgot to include him in the honourable mentions. He should eventually be capable of a bit more offence.
Yannik Weber, Vancouver Canucks — 18 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = I missed on him but not much of a miss there either.
Simon Despres, Pittsburgh Penguins — 21 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = He was No. 110 in my honourable mentions but got increased playing time due to injuries, which translated to a couple extra points.
Jonathan Ericsson, Detroit Red Wings — 23 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 PTS, ranked No. 91 (tie) = I prefer Kindl to Ericsson but I didn’t have either of them, although it’s unlikely that Ericsson will stay top 100 in defence scoring as the season progresses and other guys get healthy again.
Larry Fisher is a sports reporter for The Daily Courier in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Follow him on Twitter: @LarryFisher_KDC.