Dynasty Fantasy Hockey: Top 10 2020 NHL Draft Prospects

1. Alexis Lafrenière LW/ 6’1/ 192LBS/ QMJHL

Number one on my list is Alexis Lafrenière. To say the least he’s an absolute beast. His ability to control the game and dominate the game are otherworldly. His point-producing-prowess is elite. Lafreniere is currently positing a ridiculous 2.61 points-per-game pace. There’s no slowing this kid down, and don’t expect him to drop off that much. There are no glaring holes in his game, he is the entire package and he will be one of the next great players.

His shot is other worldly, he has an unteachable sense of where to put the puck. He simply wills it into the net with that skill. His release is capable of making a goalie’s head spin he can release the puck either on the rush or at a stand-still.

Lafreniere’s vision and sense of the game are assets that he uses to excel at being a fantastic playmaking forward. He can find his teammates anywhere on the ice, opposing teams cannot get watching him because he will make the play before the opposition knows what happened.

Dynasty Fantasy Hockey players – if you’re going to tank, this is the year you’re going to want to. Lafreniere can be the player that takes your team to the next level in your leagues. He is an elite player in almost every sense of the game. He will dominate a game whenever he wants to.

2. Quinton Byfield C/ 6’4/ 214 LBS/ OHL

6’4, 214 pounds, scores lots and skates like the wind. What else do I have to say? Without a doubt Quinton Byfield is one of the best skaters in the draft class, his stride is effective and generates explosive power. He is a rare breed of skater, not just a powerful straight forward skater, his agility and his turns are sublime. Combine that with his size and offensive prowess and now we have someone who becomes the only legitimate contender for the first overall conversation. Back to his offense for a second – Quinton really likes to score goals and he certainly makes it look easy. With a quick release, a heavy shot Byfield has the offensive tools that shows me he can be a potential 40-plus goal NHL player.

I want to make it really clear – Quinton isn’t dominating competition because he’s big, sure he is big. But rather this rare combo of size, skill, strength, speed and hockey IQ has made Quinton a special player.

If your sitting in the bottom of the standings of your dynasty fantasy hockey league and don’t get that coveted number 1 pick, Byfield is more than an adequate consolation prize. He has the talent to be a game breaking player.

3. Lucas Raymond RW/LW/ 5’10/ 165 LBS/ SHL/Superelit

One particular word keeps popping up in my head when I think about Lucas Raymond, and that is explosive. His skating is explosive, his play making is dangerous and his shot is tremendous. One of the most impressive things about Lucas is that he does everything confidently at full-speed. A rare skill to have, players like Connor McDavid are able to control the puck and make plays at that sort of pace. No that isn’t a comparison to McDavid, it’s simply stating that he can do amazing things with puck at top-end speed. Lucas will simply embarrass people with his deft puck skills.

Lucas simply finds a way to get the puck back, his ability to create turnovers with his speed, his ability to generate those chances is an elite talent. He always wants the puck, and he use that skill and work ethic to get it.

Lucas at this point is in my solid three. The only knock I have is Raymond’s skating stability while engaged physically and his shot velocity. Regardless, Raymond is an elite talent who will be a permanent fixture in your lineup from the day he steps foot on to the NHL ice.

4. Alexander Holtz RW/LW/ 6’0/ 183 LBS/ SHL/Superelit

Alexander Holtz is one of the best shooters in this draft class, everything about his shot screams elite. Whether it’s his slap shot or wrister, he is going to beat a lot of goalies with either shot. He also possesses the ability to find his spot on the ice to create opportunities. Holtz is an incredibly smart player, with great on-ice vision and great puck skills. His playmaking sense is also high-end, while he’s capable and good at finding passing lanes for his teammates, Holtz prefers to finish the play himself.

Holtz is a fantastic puck-handler. He is capable of working himself out of tight situations to create opportunities for himself. Combined with his on-ice vision, he possesses this innate ability to be great positions almost at any given moment.

Once again, Holtz is a fantastic hockey player and an elite player, but he needs to work on skating acceleration and his agility at top speeds. When he receives the puck at a stand still defenders are able to catch him. But when he gets to his top speed he is able to separate himself from defenders.

If you’re looking for a goal scorer early in your dynasty fantasy hockey prospect drafts take a shot on Alex Holtz. When he reaches the NHL he is going to be hard to predict as a shooter, and unpredictability makes a player very deadly. Holtz at 4th overall is as solid of a choice as any.

5. Cole Perfetti C/ 5’10/ 185LBS/ OHL

Cole Perfetti, if you’re looking for a shooter, he is your guy. Easily one of the most accurate shooters in the 2020 draft, he scored 37 goals with the Spirit as a rookie. But, he’s so much more than just a shooter, his hockey IQ is off the charts good. With that sense he is able to find passing lanes to create more opportunities for his teammates with his excellent playmaking.

Cole’s creativity is impressive to say the very least. He is constantly moving, he’s always moving to find a spot to create an offensive chance and the ability to evade defenders. The poise he has with the puck is an unteachable skill, he’s found a way to be even keeled in his decision making and he doesn’t force the play. Instead, he forces defenders to move to create space for him to take his shot or make a smart pass. His unpredictability makes him really hard to anticipate.

Cole is as good of a shooter as they come, but his downside at this point is his skating. His acceleration is average: while he is always moving, from a standstill he will get burned by players that have a quicker three strides.

6. Yaroslav Askarov G/ 6’3/ 176LBS/ Catches R/ VHL

Remember this name. Yaroslav Askarov is the second coming of Carey Price; an elite or dare say franchise goaltender. The lanky Russian goalie is the best goaltending prospect in a very long time. He will absolutely be an elite option in goaltending for the foreseeable future.

Yaroslav’s skill set is unmatched among 2020 goalies, the combination of poise, athleticism, reaction, reads, IQ, positioning, name anything and Askarov possesses that skill. He will stare down the best shooters in the game with ice in his veins and make the save look simple. He’s always going to compete, he hates to lose and will do anything to make sure he is doing everything he can to win a game. He has, will, and is going to steal games for whatever team he plays on. He is going to will it into existence.

I can’t say enough good things about Askarov, he is the best Russian goalie since Andrei Vasilevskiy, his development path will be similar. Don’t be surprised to see him crack an NHL roster at 18.

Askarov is currently my 6th pick, but there’s also a case to be made about him cracking the top 5. If you need a franchise goalie, this is your guy. Even if you don’t, Askarov is going to be better than most goalies in a few years time. Don’t sleep on the kid in your dynasty fantasy hockey drafts.

7. Hendrix Lapierre C/ 5’11/ 172LBS/ QMJHL

Hendrix Lapierre is a premier playmaker. What he lacks in size and speed he makes up in hockey sense and his masterful skill to distribute the puck. Hendrix still projects to be a top line player. He isn’t going to score a lot of goals, but he will rack up the assists.

Lapierre’s ability to read the ice, dissect plays, and feed crisp accurate passes to his teammates is a high-end developed skill. Lapierre is also able to anticipate the play, he creates lots of chances by getting into the right spot at the right time.

Hendrix’s skating is a sore spot in his game. He needs to work on both his acceleration and his top end speed. He has an incredibly difficult time evading and separating himself from defenders.

Hendrix is a volatile player in the sense that he could move up and down in this draft. He is a premier playmaker and is never a bad choice at 7.

8. Jamie Drysdale D/ 5’11/ 165LBS/ OHL

If you want to see an elite skating, puck moving, highly skilled defenseman look no further than Jamie Drysdale. His calling card is skating, he’s not only fast, but his edge work is amazing. He’s difficult to forecheck because of it and that makes him extremely elusive.

Drysdale is an incredibly talented puck mover. He creates chances with his speed, but his ability to hit a tape to tape pass at long lengths has made him even more deadly. He is capable of connecting long lead passes with ease, making the transition out of the D-zone that much easier on him and his team.

The only knock I have with Jamie is that he is a very light player. It isn’t necessarily a detriment to his game, but being engaged physically versus larger competition may be a downfall.

Jamie is the best defenseman available in this draft, his blend of speed, skill, and smarts makes him a special d-man. If your team needs a d-man and you’re in the 3-10 range don’t hesitate to grab him in your dynasty fantasy hockey prospect drafts.

9. Anton Lundell. C/LW/ 6’1/ 183LBS/ Liiga.

At number 9, I have Anton Lundell. This may seem like a drop for some people, but I have reasons for that. He’s a talented 200-foot defensively responsible forward. That type of player doesn’t always translate to be a point producing player in the NHL. I do however believe Anton will find a way to be a decent point producer.

Anton’s a big kid with a lot of drive, he doesn’t have a lot of intensity in his game however he is a polished, responsible center who plays the puck with confidence and accuracy in all three zones. He knows when to take chances or just slow the game down and make a simple pass to make things happen. Anton also possesses a high quality shot, he seems to always find a lane and take a good quality shot. His release is deceptive but he could afford to add some weight to his shot.

Due to Anton’s hockey IQ it will be an easier transition for him to go from Euro-pro to NHL, it’s hard to say what Lundell’s offensive upside looks like but I’d expect him to be a staple on a NHL’s top 6 forward group.

Another talented center, there’s nothing wrong with taking Anton in the 5+ range. He will come around and when he does he will be a very solid option for your team.

10. Tim Stützle C/W/ 5’11/ 165LBS/ DEL

When you watch Tim Stützle play be ready to be amazed at how quick he is. It’s not just how fast he is, it’s his ability to take sharp turns and accelerate. His agility is impressive, Tim uses that agility and speed to separate himself from defenders and does it with ease. The first strides Stutzle takes are explosive, from a stand still to top end speed is elite.

Tim is able to make plays, take shots and create opportunities all at full speed. He has the ability to move the puck around exceptionally well into open areas and keep the play moving. His vision and IQ play a huge factor in how easily he creates offensive chances.

Tim will need to use his speed at the next level. He has a slight frame and when engaged physically he is pushed off the puck.

Upside, this pick is all about offensive upside. Tim at 10 is a very solid pick, offense flows through him naturally, this is never a bad pick even if it is a little earlier.

There we go! The first installment of the OTH Dynasty Fantasy Hockey Top 10 2020 Draft Prospects. Thanks for taking the time to read this!