Week 16: Fantasy top 100 forward rankings for 2017-18

Each week during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with an overview of the fantasy forward landscape. With production trends, injury news and top 100 rankings based on performance and upside in standard Yahoo leagues, fantasy owners should use this information as a basis for roster decision-making.

MORE FANTASY COVERAGE:
Top 50 'D'
|
Top 25 'G'
|
Daily projected lineups

TRENDING UP

Max Pacioretty, LW, MTL: The Montreal Canadiens forward has scored seven goals in eight games since Jan. 2 after he had eight in his first 39 games. His shot volume remains among the best in the NHL (178, T-6th), and he's kept his hot streak going on a line with Paul Byron (LW/RW, 3 percent owned in Yahoo) and Charles Hudon (LW, 1 percent) after the injury to center Phillip Danault (head).
Patrick Maroon, LW, EDM (45 percent): The Edmonton Oilers forward is reaping the benefits of being moved back on to a line with elite center Connor McDavid, totaling five points (four goals, one assist) and 10 shots on goal his past three games. The Oilers have four games left on their homestand, making their new top-six additions, Drake Caggiula (C/LW, 1 percent) and Jesse Puljujarvi (RW, 8 percent), also worth streaming in deeper leagues.

TRENDING DOWN

Nicklas Backstrom, C, WSH: Left wing Alex Ovechkin has moved up to No. 2 in these forward rankings behind Kucherov, but it's worth noting Ovechkin has been centered by Evgeny Kuznetsov lately instead of Backstrom. Kuznetsov (50th) is ranked much higher in Yahoo than Backstrom (95th) based on standard-category performance and could surpass Backstrom here next week if he sticks with Ovechkin. Backstrom, 30, has no goals, one assist and a minus-4 rating his past five games.

Los Angeles Kings wings: Tyler Toffoli (C/RW, 84th in Yahoo) has remained fantasy-relevant despite the long-term injury to center Jeff Carter (ankle), but he has one goal on 23 SOG and is minus-4 in his past seven games. There's still no timetable for Carter's return, but he is at least skating on his own again. Toffoli could become a buy-low candidate if this scoring drought continues, so fantasy owners who stashed Carter can begin targeting Toffoli. Dustin Brown (LW/RW, 49th in Yahoo) is now difficult to sell high after being held without a point in 11 of his past 17 games.
Injured left wings: Losing Taylor Hall for any length of time could be a blow to the New Jersey Devils' chances of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs with how tight the Metropolitan Division has been. Hall, an elite fantasy left wing over the past 30 days (5th in Yahoo) and for the season (21st), will miss at least the two games before the NHL All-Star break (Jan. 26-29) because of a hand injury. Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat (132nd in Yahoo) will miss 6-8 weeks because of a lower-body injury.

---

#

TOP 100 FORWARD RANKINGS

Standard Yahoo categories include goals, assists, plus/minus, PIMs, PPP and SOG for skaters. ... Value has been quantified based on factors including but not limited to past production, line combinations, power-play usage, injury history, age, sleeper, bounce-back or breakout potential, anticipated regression, contract status, Yahoo ADP and overall upside for the rest of the season. ... Any players with day-to-day injury concerns (DTD) are noted. NEW - INJ. indicates a player who has returned from injury and rejoined the rankings.
1. Nikita Kucherov, RW, TBL (SAME)
2. Alex Ovechkin, LW, WSH (+1)
3. Sidney Crosby, C, PIT (+1)
4. Connor McDavid, C, EDM (+1)
5. Steven Stamkos, C, TBL (-3)
6. Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, STL (SAME)
7. Tyler Seguin, C/RW, DAL (SAME)
8. Blake Wheeler, C/RW, WPG (SAME)
9. John Tavares, C, NYI (+1)
10. Nathan MacKinnon, C, COL (+2)
11. Brad Marchand, LW, BOS*
12. Phil Kessel, RW, PIT (-1)
13. Evgeni Malkin, C, PIT (SAME)
14. Jamie Benn, C/LW, DAL (SAME)
15. Johnny Gaudreau, LW, CGY (+2)
16. Patrice Bergeron, C, BOS (+7)
17. Patrik Laine, RW, WPG (-1)
18. Patrick Kane, RW, CHI (+1)
19. David Pastrnak, RW, BOS (+2)
20. Auston Matthews, C, TOR (SAME)
21. Jakub Voracek, RW, PHI (-6)
22. Claude Giroux, C/LW, PHI (-4)
23. Ryan Getzlaf, C, ANA (-1)
24. Anze Kopitar, C, LAK (+1)
25. Alexander Radulov, RW, DAL (+2)
26. Brayden Schenn, C/LW, STL (+2)
27. Taylor Hall, LW, NJD (DTD)
28. Aleksander Barkov, C, FLA (+5)
29. Nicklas Backstrom, C, WSH (-5)
30. Jonathan Marchessault, C/LW, VGK (SAME)
31. Sean Monahan, C, CGY (SAME)
32. Jack Eichel, C, BUF (+2)
33. Leon Draisaitl, C/RW, EDM (+2)
34. Mathew Barzal, C, NYI (+2)
35. Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, WSH (+4)
36. Brock Boeser, RW, VAN (-7)
37. Artemi Panarin, C/LW, CBJ (-5)
38. Josh Bailey, LW/RW, NYI (SAME)
39. Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, FLA (+1)
40. Sean Couturier, C, PHI (+1)
41. Vincent Trocheck, C, FLA (+1)
42. Mikko Rantanen, LW/RW, COL (+2)
43. Brayden Point, C/RW, TBL (+2)
44. Anders Lee, LW, NYI (-7)
45. William Karlsson, C/LW, VGK (+5)
46. Tyler Johnson, C/RW, TBL (+2)
47. Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, WPG (-4)
48. Mikael Granlund, C/RW, MIN (+12)
49. Joe Pavelski, C/RW, SJS (SAME)
50. Tyler Toffoli, C/RW, LAK (-4)
51. William Nylander, C/RW, TOR (-4)
52. Wayne Simmonds, RW, PHI (-1)
53. Matthew Tkachuk, LW, CGY (+10)
54. Max Pacioretty, LW, MTL (+13)
55. Eric Staal, C, MIN (SAME)
56. Mark Stone, RW, OTT (DTD)
57. Patric Hornqvist, RW, PIT (+5)
58. Evander Kane, LW, BUF (-6)
59. Jonathan Toews, C, CHI (-3)
60. Vladislav Namestnikov, C/LW, TBL (-6)
61. Rickard Rakell, C/LW, ANA (+3)
62. Gabriel Landeskog, LW, COL (-4)
63. Logan Couture, C/LW, SJS (-4)
64. Reilly Smith, LW/RW, VGK (-3)
65. James Neal, LW/RW, VGK (+6)
66. David Perron, LW/RW, VGK (+10)
67. Dustin Brown, LW/RW, LAK (-10)
68. Ryan Johansen, C, NSH (-3)
69. Kyle Turris, C, NSH (-3)
70. Corey Perry, RW, ANA (-2)
71. Mike Hoffman, LW/RW, OTT (+3)
72. Joe Thornton, C, SJS (INJ.)\\
73. Jordan Eberle, C/RW, NYI (+8)
74. Viktor Arvidsson, LW/RW, NSH (-4)
75. Anthony Mantha, LW/RW, DET (-6)
76. Mitch Marner, C/RW, TOR (-4)
77. James van Riemsdyk, LW, TOR (-4)
78. Dylan Larkin, C/RW, DET (-3)
79. T.J. Oshie, RW, WSH (-1)
80. Nick Schmaltz, C/LW, CHI (SAME)
81. Evgenii Dadonov, RW, FLA (+4)
82. Bo Horvat, C, VAN (NEW - INJ.)
83. Danton Heinen, C/LW/RW, BOS (-4)
84. Kevin Fiala, LW/RW, NSH (+3)
85. Patrick Maroon, LW, EDM (+13)
86. Jason Zucker, LW/RW, MIN (+8)
87. Mika Zibanejad, C, NYR (-5)
88. Pierre-Luc Dubois, C/LW, CBJ (-5)
89. Kyle Palmieri, RW, NJD (-5)
90. Mats Zuccarello, RW, NYR (-1)
91. Jeff Skinner, LW, CAR (-1)
92. Alexander Steen, C/LW/RW, STL (NEW)
93. Teuvo Teravainen, C/LW/RW, CAR (-2)
94. Clayton Keller, C/LW/RW, ARI (-2)
95. Kyle Connor, LW, WPG (-2)
96. Micheal Ferland, LW/RW, CGY (SAME)
97. David Krejci, C, BOS (NEW)
98. Ryan Kesler, C, ANA (-1)
99. Mathieu Perreault, C/LW, WPG (NEW)
100. Anthony Beauvillier, C/LW, NYI (NEW)
* Marchand suspended five games
\\
Fantasy buzz: Impact of Thornton injury on Sharks
Dropped out: Jake Guentzel, C/LW, PIT; Milan Lucic, LW, EDM; David Backes, RW, BOS; Alex Kerfoot, C/RW, COL; Yanni Gourde, C/RW, TBL
Just missed:Mikael Backlund, C, CGY; Jesper Bratt, LW/RW, NJD; Matt Duchene, C/RW, OTT; Rick Nash, LW/RW, NYR; Mikko Koivu, C, MIN; Pavel Buchnevich, LW/RW, NYR; Nico Hischier, C, NJD; Erik Haula, C/LW, VGK; Travis Konecny, C/LW/RW, PHI; Elias Lindholm, C/RW, CAR; Andreas Athanasiou, C/LW, DET; Jordan Staal, C, CAR; Henrik Zetterberg, C/LW, DET; Nick Foligno, C/LW/RW, CBJ; Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, EDM; Kyle Okposo, RW, BUF; Ondrej Kase, LW/RW, ANA; Jason Spezza, C/RW, DAL; Zach Parise, LW, MIN; Mattias Janmark, C/LW, DAL
Key injuries:Filip Forsberg, LW, NSH; Mark Scheifele, C, WPG; Jaden Schwartz, LW, STL; Sebastian Aho, LW/RW, CAR; Nino Niederreiter, LW/RW, MIN; Ondrej Palat, LW, TBL; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, EDM; Cam Atkinson, RW, CBJ; Jeff Carter, C, LAK; Chris Kreider, LW, NYR
READ: Last week's Top 100 forward rankings