New York Islanders: Fantasy Hockey Ranking July 2018

With hockey season less than three months away, we get our first look at how the New York Islanders rank in terms of fantasy projections.

Fantasy sports has become such a big part of sports watching culture, and not just for football either. Fantasy hockey has gained momentum especially recently, so it’s important that we stay updated on how the New York Islanders roster ranks from a fantasy perspective.

NHL.com released their rankings of the Top-100 Forwards, top-50 d-men, and top 25 goalies. So today, we’ll take a look at potential picks in your fantasy draft from the Islanders.

Forwards

40. Mathew Barzal

Coming in as the 40th ranked forward is Mathew Barzal. Barzy is coming off a 85 point rookie campaign. Experts are predicting him falling in the drafts due to concerns about his supporting cast. Barzal is projected to go in fifth rounds, which is really good value because he has the potential to improve on an 85 point season.

82. Anders Lee

Lee’s coming off a 40 goal season last year. Yes, he’ll have a new center but he has the fifth most goals in the league over the past two years. Lee is a safe pick at later points in the draft that should net you over 30 goals.

89. Jordan Eberle

Similar to Anders, Eberle should be obtainable at later points in the draft. He had 59 points last year and should have around the same this year, as he’s expected to continue to play with Mathew Barzal.

Just Missed: Anthony Beauvillier

With a strong second half, Anthony Beauvillier finished with 21 points. He has the potential to yield a high reward as a late-round sleeper, especially if he’s on a line with Barzal and Eberle again this year.

Not Mentioned: Josh Bailey

Bailey’s coming off a 71 point season so it’s a little surprising to not see him mentioned. Nationally, the expectation is that he’ll miss Tavares but even if he produces 60 points he can have some value for your fantasy team depending on where you take him.

Defense

38. Ryan Pulock

Ryan Pulock lead all rookie defensemen in goals last year with 10. While playing regularly for a full 82 game season, he’s expected to produce at a much higher level. If Pulock gets more time on the power play, which he should, he’ll be a very valuable fantasy player.

Falls Out: Nick Leddy

Nick Leddy fell out of the top 50 due to a poor season last year. He finished with 42 points but finished with a staggering -42. While I’m not the biggest fan of plus-minus as a stat, I understand why he fell out after a down year. I expect him to be much better this year, but it’s still a risk from a fantasy perspective.

Goalie

Just Missed: Robin Lehner

Robin Lehner will play his first season in New York, well the Metro area of New York, after spending the last three years with Buffalo. Lehner is an upgrade from what the Isles have, but from a fantasy perspective, he doesn’t have starting goalie potential.

Next: Islanders Center Depth

For more fantasy rankings as the season gets closer, be sure to check out the website for info on the Islanders before you hit your draft.