4 Must Draft Centers For 2022-23 Fantasy Hockey

• Four Centers you need on your squad for 2022-23 Fantasy Hockey
• Jack Hughes projected to hit 90+ points as a mid-round pick
• Read below for the four centers to add to your Fantasy Hockey draft queue right now

The 2022-23 NHL regular season is right around the corner, and that means it’s time to assemble your Fantasy Hockey squad. Center is a valuable position, especially in leagues that count faceoffs. Don’t let these four centers pass you by come draft day.

Fantasy Hockey Must Draft Centers

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Must Draft Fantasy Hockey Center #1 – Connor McDavid

This isn’t really breaking news, but if you have the top pick in your draft looking for a Fantasy Hockey center and don’t use it on Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid, you’re overthinking it.

NHL oddsmakers have him pegged for around 114 points, 10 more than teammate Leon Draisaitl. And that’s a baseline considering he hit 123 points in 80 games last season.

Just in case you needed a reminder that Connor McDavid is a cheat code. ? pic.twitter.com/l1CN6lBxFZ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 21, 2022

One area he might be able to grow in is goals. Coming off a career-high 44, don’t think McDavid wouldn’t love to add a Rocket Richard Trophy to his resume.

McDavid is quite simply the best hockey player on the planet regardless of position, and any fantasy hockey manager would be fortunate to have him on their team.

Must Draft Fantasy Hockey Center #2 – Auston Matthews

Auston Matthews is the NHL’s reigning goal-scoring king and MVP, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t replicate that feat this season.

His game only seems to be growing, in fact. In a preseason game against the Ottawa Senators, Matthews played a full minute on the penalty kill. Last season, he played only 5:40 shorthanded total.

More ice time means more opportunities to score, regardless of the situation. And with John Tavares injured to start the season, Matthews might be the 1st and 2nd line center in Toronto.

Nobody shoots like this guy, and if he can build on the playmaking side of his game, he could challenge for the points lead this season as well. He’s definitely a must draft Fantasy Hockey center.

Must Draft Fantasy Hockey Center #3 – Jack Hughes

Like the guys mentioned above, Jack Hughes was a first-overall draft pick. Unlike McDavid and Matthews, though, he’s really yet to pop as a franchise-type center for the New Jersey Devils.

Don’t let his point totals to date fool you, though.

In 49 games during an injury-plagued 2021-22, Hughes recorded 26 goals and 30 assists. That put him on pace for 43 goals, 50 assists, and 93 points over the course of a full 82 games.

Jack Hughes netted his first goal of the 2022-23 #NHLPreseason.

Hughes, who tied for the team lead in goals last season (26) while only skating in 49 games, can become the first @NJDevils player to score 30 markers in a season since Taylor Hall (39 in 2017-18). #NHLStats https://t.co/prxzDTFCm2

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) September 28, 2022

Staying healthy is key for the 21-year-old, but Hughes is about to explode, and you don’t want your fantasy team to miss out.

While other people are taking established names like Evgeni Malkin (62 ADP, the aforementioned Tavares (66 ADP), Nazem Kadri (67 ADP), or Patrice Bergeron (82 ADP), be proactive and act like Hughes is the 2nd or 3rd round pick he’ll become this season and get on the rising star before he hits another stratosphere.

Must Draft Fantasy Hockey Center #4 – David Krejci

This one’s a bit further off the board, but hear me out.

After taking a year-long hiatus to play in his native Czechia, David Krejci is back with the Boston Bruins and with a plum line assignment between Taylor Hall and David Pastrnak.

🎥 David Krejci looks back on the first few days of #NHLBruins camp: "It's great to be back…so many new faces, the game plan is changing a little bit as well, so that's something we've got to get used to…right now, I'm ready to play some games." pic.twitter.com/TaXgdwYkDZ

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) September 28, 2022

You might be rightly asking whether he’s lost a step or two, and that’s fair. HC Olomouc is a long way from the NHL.

He did, however, help the Czechs earn a bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships, recording 3 goals and 9 assists in 10 games on a line with Pastrnak.

Krejci is playing with two great talents, could be part of a five-forward power play unit, and is loving life back in Boston.