Florida Panthers fantasy preview for 2020-21

As part of NHL.com's 31 in 31 series, the fantasy hockey staff identifies relevant players from the Florida Panthers. For more fantasy coverage, visit NHL.com/Fantasy and subscribe for free to the NHL Fantasy on Ice podcast .

Jonathan Huberdeau, LW(NHL.com rank: 41) -- Huberdeau has scored 170 points (53 goals, 117 assists) in 151 games the past two seasons, ninth in the NHL. Huberdeau was fifth in the NHL with 29 power-play points last season, behind Edmonton Oilers centers Leon Draisaitl (44) and Connor McDavid (43), Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (38) and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (31). Huberdeau and center Aleksander Barkov are clear top 50 overall players for Florida, even without their second- and third-best wings, Evgenii Dadonov, who signed a three-year contract with the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 15, and
Mike Hoffman
, an unrestricted free agent.
Aleksander Barkov, C(46) -- Barkov is 13th in the NHL and sixth among centers with 158 points (55 goals, 103 assists) in 148 games the past two seasons. Barkov and Huberdeau have formed one of the best fantasy and power-play duos in the NHL, helping the Panthers rank fourth with the man-advantage at 24.4 percent the past two seasons. Barkov could be attainable a round or two later in drafts than last season and is the ideal No. 1 fantasy center option if you address other positions in the first two or three rounds.
Panthers 31 IN 31: [Season preview | 3 Questions | Top prospects | Behind the Numbers]
Keith Yandle, D (115) -- Since joining Florida in 2016-17, Yandle is fifth among NHL defensemen with 96 power-play points, behind Torey Krug of the St. Louis Blues (107), John Carlson of the Washington Capitals (107), Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning (106) and Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks (97). Yandle's 204 points (27 goals, 177 assists) in 315 games is seventh among defensemen during that span. Yandle, a fringe top 20 fantasy defenseman, brings exposure to Huberdeau and Barkov in man-advantage situations, and it's worth noting Yandle scored an NHL career-high 39 power-play points in 2018-19, which was third among all NHL players behind Lightning forwards Nikita Kucherov (48) and Steven Stamkos (40).

Sergei Bobrovsky, G (136) -- Bobrovsky was 23-19-6 with a .900 save percentage and one shutout last season, his first with the Panthers. Bobrovsky played 50 games, tied with Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues for sixth-most in the NHL, but his save percentage was 12th among the 13 goalies to play at least 45 games, ahead of Braden Holtby, who had an .897 save percentage in 48 games with the Capitals. Bobrovsky has bounce-back appeal with a clean slate and the Panthers adding defensemen Markus Nutivaara and Radko Gudas, but is better suited as a third or bench fantasy goalie than a No. 2 option.
Patric Hornqvist, RW (146) -- Hornqvist, acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sept. 24, is a perennial fantasy category coverage asset, specializing in power-play goals (34 since 2016-17, 26th in NHL), shots on goal (3.2 per game in the NHL) and hits (2.1 per game last season). Hornqvist, a net-front presence on the Penguins' first power play for years with elite centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, is an attractive fantasy pick in late rounds, as is forward Anthony Duclair (one-year contract), with the chance to land on the top line with Huberdeau and Barkov and/or the first power play with those valuable forwards and Yandle.
Other players to consider in late rounds or off waiver wire: Aaron Ekblad, D (168); Anthony Duclair, LW/RW (235); Grigori Denisenko, LW (247); Owen Tippett, RW; Chris Driedger, G
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