Fantasy face-offs draft guide for 2019-20

NHL.com identifies forwards worth targeting in fantasy hockey leagues that count face-off wins and/or percentage for the 2019-20 season. For more fantasy coverage, visit NHL.com/Fantasy and subscribe for free to the NHL Fantasy on Ice podcast.

NOTES: Face-off percentage rankings from last season are minimum 500 attempts; rank from other years have been noted as necessary. ... These players, in addition to their upside in other offensive categories, have performed well in face-off efficiency and/or volume. … Players are listed in order of rank for leagues that count face-offs.

ELITE OPTIONS

Sidney Crosby, C, PIT
1,826 attempts, fifth in NHL (1,012 wins); 55.4 percent (career: 51.8)
Note: Since 2009-10, he is second in NHL in face-off attempts (14,959) and third in face-off wins (7,881)
Aleksander Barkov, C, FLA
1,939 attempts, second in NHL (1,041 wins); 53.7 percent (career: 50.5)
Note: Second straight season ranking top five in face-off attempts (fifth in 2017-18)
Leon Draisaitl, C/LW, EDM
1,340 face-off attempts (677 wins); 50.5 percent (career: 50.5)
Note: Took 422 more face-offs than Edmonton Oilers linemate Connor McDavid (918; 46.6 percent last season)
John Tavares, C, TOR
1,528 attempts (832 wins); 54.5 percent (career: 51.6)
Note: Next closest player on Toronto Maple Leafs in face-off attempts last season was Auston Matthews (911)
Patrice Bergeron, C, BOS
1,389 attempts (786 wins); 56.6 percent, ninth in NHL (career: 57.1)
Note: Leads active players in face-off wins (8,867) and percentage (58.4) since 2008-09 (minimum 5,000 attempts)
Tyler Seguin, C, DAL
1,255 attempts (676 wins); 53.9 percent (career: 52.1)
Note: Ranks 13th in NHL since 2014-15 in win percentage (54.0; minimum 3,500 attempts)
Claude Giroux, C/LW/RW, PHI
1,164 attempts (674 wins); 57.9 percent, fourth in NHL (career: 54.9)
Note: Fourth among active players in win percentage at 57.1 since 2014-15 (minimum 5,000 attempts)
Sebastian Aho, C, CAR
1,204 attempts (585 wins); 48.6 percent (career: 48.2)
Note: Moved to center full-time last season and became Carolina Hurricanes' face-off leader after attempting only 172 in 2017-18 and 35 as rookie in 2016-17
Mark Scheifele, C, WPG
1,736 attempts, seventh in NHL (803 wins); 46.3 percent (career: 45.2)
Note: Has attempted at least 1,100 face-offs in each of past five seasons

MIDDLE ROUNDS

Ryan O'Reilly, C, STL
1,910 attempts, third in NHL (1,086 wins, led NHL); 56.9 percent, eighth in NHL (career: 55.3)
Note: Led NHL in attempts (2,124) in 2017-18 and ranks fifth in win percentage (55.1) since entering League in 2009-10
Nicklas Backstrom, C, WSH
1,439 attempts (700 wins); 48.6 percent (career: 50.4)
Note: Has led Washington Capitals in face-offs with at least 1,300 attempts in each of past six seasons
Jonathan Toews, C, CHI
1,880 attempts, fourth in NHL (1,059 wins); 56.3 percent, 10th in NHL (career: 56.9)
Note: Has finished in top 10 in win percentage in nine of past 10 seasons (led NHL in 2011-12, 2015-16)
Sean Monahan, C, CGY
888 attempts (454 wins); 51.1 percent (career: 50.0)
Note: Reportedly played through thumb injury last season, which may have caused his dip in attempts compared to 2017-18 (1,407)
Mika Zibanejad, C, NYR
1,673 attempts, eighth in NHL (831 wins); 49.7 percent (career: 49.8)
Note: Next closest player in attempts on New York Rangers last season was Kevin Hayes (768; now with Philadelphia Flyers)
Gabriel Landeskog, LW, COL
694 attempts (361 wins); 52.0 percent (career: 50.5)
Note: Led pure left wings in face-off attempts and wins last season. It's worth noting how valuable it can be in fantasy to have a LW-only player excel in face-offs.
Matt Duchene, C, NSH
1,222 attempts (676 wins); 55.3 percent (career: 53.1)
Note: Led NHL in face-off win percentage with Colorado Avalanche in 2016-17 (62.6)
Dylan Larkin, C, DET
1,587 attempts, 10th in NHL (865 wins); 54.5 percent (career: 51.2)
Note: Has attempted at least 1,300 face-offs in each of past two seasons after taking 432 in 2016-17 and 100 as rookie in 2015-16
Tomas Hertl, C/LW, SJS
1,183 attempts (609 wins); 51.5 percent (career: 51.8)
Note: Has won at least 50.8 percent of face-offs in five of his six NHL seasons
Sean Couturier, C, PHI
1,323 attempts (755 wins); 57.1 percent, tied for sixth in NHL (career: 50.6)
Note: Tied for 8th in face-off win percentage (55.2) over past three seasons (min. 3,000 attempts)
Joe Pavelski, C/RW, DAL
989 attempts (526 wins); 53.2 percent (career: 54.9)
Note: Ranks sixth in face-off win percentage (55.2 percent) since 2007-08 (minimum 10,000 attempts)
Anze Kopitar, C, LAK
1,819 attempts, sixth in NHL (1,002 wins); 55.1 percent (career: 52.0)
Note: Has won at least 52.6 percent of face-offs in each of past seven seasons
Bo Horvat, C, VAN
2,018 attempts, led NHL (1,083 wins, second); 53.7 percent (career: 52.2)
Note: Took 1,260 more face-offs than next Canucks player last season (Jay Beagle, 758)

LATER ROUNDS

Vincent Trocheck, C, FLA
961 attempts (498 wins); 51.8 percent (career: 51.0)
Note: Limited to 55 games last season because of injury; took 1,577 face-offs in 82 games in 2017-18
Roope Hintz, C/LW, DAL
400 attempts (217 wins); 54.3 percent
Note: Was fifth among left wings in face-off attempts despite only playing 58 games as rookie
Ryan Johansen, C, NSH
1,461 attempts (782 wins); 53.5 percent (career: 53.1)
Note: Attempted 1,461 face-offs in 2017-18 and 1,472 in 2016-17
David Krejci, C, BOS
1,095 attempts (530 wins); 48.4 percent (career: 50.8)
Note: Win percentage dipped last season, but he had won at least 50.1 percent in nine of previous 10 seasons
Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, CBJ
1,047 attempts (455 wins); 43.5 percent (career: 43.6)
Note: Has attempted at least 1,000 face-offs in each of his first two NHL seasons
Eric Staal, C, MIN
1,257 attempts (642 wins); 51.1 percent (career: 48.1)
Note: Has attempted at least 1,100 face-offs in each of past three seasons and won at least 51 percent in seven of past eight
Colin White, C/RW, OTT
799 attempts (379 wins); 47.4 percent (career: 46.1)
Note: Ranked fourth among Ottawa Senators in face-off attempts as rookie, and Duchene (859; Nashville Predators) and Zack Smith (820; Chicago Blackhawks) are now with new teams.
Tyler Johnson, LW/RW, TBL
473 attempts (230 wins); 48.6 percent (career: 49.6)
Note: Face-off attempts dipped (719 in 2017-18) but still ranked fifth among pure wings.
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