A solid pivot is at the center of any good fantasy hockey team. They’re often the most well-rounded players on the ice and provide points in every form. Drafting a center early in your fantasy hockey draft is a wise move, but only if you draft the right one. So here’s a look at the top 10 fantasy hockey centers for the 2011-12 National Hockey League season.
10. Brad Richards, New York Rangers – Richards, who in the off-season signed a lucrative deal with the Rangers, is coming off a 77-point season (28 goals, 49 assists). He’s twice has registered 91 points in his career and projects to a similar first year in the Big Apple.
9. Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes – He’s not going to blow you away with his numbers, but Staal is one of the most reliable centers in the game. He’s put up at least 70 points in six straight seasons, including a 100-point outburst in 2005-06. Pencil in 30 goals.
8. Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks – The physical Getzlaf’ misses games from time to time, but he’s worth the risk. He is an elite talent when on the ice, scoring 19 goals with 57 assists in only 67 games last season. Moreover, he has 415 points in 430 career games. Do the math.
7. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins – Injuries are a concern for Malkin, who missed nearly half the 2009-10 campaign due to a knee injury. It limited him to 12 goals and 22 assists. When healthy, however, Malkin is a game-changer who easily is capable of registering 100 points.
6. Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings – At age 24, Kopitar is one of the game’s brightest, yet most underrated stars. Last season, he scored 25 goals and dished out 48 assists, plus was named an All-Star for the second time in his career. Move him up on your draft boards in keeper leagues.
5. Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings – Datsyuk is a point-per-game machine when healthy. He had 59 points in 56 contests last season and for his career has 651 points in 662 games. Daysyuk is a lock for at least 30 goals, around 100 points and a bunch of shots on goal.
4. Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks – One of the most well-rounded players in the game, fantasy or real world, Toews last season notched 32 goals and 76 points (25 on the power play). Furthermore, he has a plus-25 rating and peppered goalies with 233 shots. That’s fantasy gold.
3. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins – A healthy Sidney Crosby would be the first off the board, but obviously there are post-concussion concerns here. Crosby scored 66 points in 41 games last season, so even if he misses time in 2010-11, he’ll outscore most of his counterparts. You have to assume he won’t play 82 games in 2010-11, but even in limited action, he’s a stud.
2. Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks – Sedin may be soft in the playoffs, but he’s a regular season monster. He has appeared in all 82 regular season games for six straight seasons – hey, that’s being tough, isn’t it? – and averaged 103 points the last two seasons. When it comes to putting up points, he’s on another level and the safest picks on the board.
1. Steven Stamkos, Tampa Lightening – Not only is he the top pivot in the game, he’s arguably the best player hockey player on the planet right now. With 45 goals and 46 assists, he registered his second straight season of at least 90 points. And here’s the scary part: Stamkos will be 21-years old when the 2010-11 seasons starts. Draft him early in all formats.
On the bubble: Henrik Zetterberg (Detroit Red Wings), Nicklas Backstrom (Washington Capitals), Ryan Kesler (Vancouver Canucks), Patrick Sharp (Chicago Blackhawks), Joe Thornton (San Jose Sharks).
Sources
The Official Site of the National Hockey League.
Hockey-Reference.com.