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As part of NHL.com’s 32 in 32 series, the fantasy hockey staff has ranked the top 5 players on the Edmonton Oilers and identified other preseason draft targets with point and win projections for the 2024-25 season.

1. Connor McDavid, F

NHL.com point projection: 140

He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with an NHL-leading 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) in 25 postseason games and is coming off his fourth straight and seventh career 100-point regular season (132). McDavid remains the consensus top-ranked fantasy player, regardless of format.

2. Leon Draisaitl, F

NHL.com point projection: 120

Like McDavid, Draisaitl had more than a point per game during the 2024 playoffs (31 in 25 games) and another 100-point regular season (106; third straight and fifth of career). Draisaitl is a fringe top five overall fantasy player in redraft leagues and brings added intrigue entering his contract year (potential 2025 unrestricted free agent).

3. Evan Bouchard, D

NHL.com point projection: 90

After having NHL career highs in points (82; fourth among defensemen) and power-play points (35; third at position) in the regular season, Bouchard had 32 points (six goals, 26 assists) in 25 postseason games – the most at the position in a single playoff since Brian Leetch in 1994 (34 points in 23 games). Bouchard is third among defensemen in NHL.com’s fantasy rankings behind Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche and Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks and is worth reaching for in the first two rounds.

4. Zach Hyman, F

NHL.com point projection: 86

He ranked third in the NHL in goals (career-high 54) last season behind Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs (69) and Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers (57), 10th in shots on goal (290) and tied for 15th in even-strength points (57). Hyman, who brings frequent exposure to McDavid, is the fourth Oilers player in the top 20 overall of NHL.com’s rankings.

5. Stuart Skinner, G

NHL.com win projection: 37

Despite a slow start, Skinner finished the 2023-24 regular season tied for third in wins (36) behind Alexandar Georgiev of the Avalanche (38) and Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets (37). Skinner then led the Oilers on a deep postseason run (14 wins, one shutout in 23 games) as they finished one victory away from a championship, losing to the Panthers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Skinner thrived after the in-season coaching change to Kris Knoblauch and should be considered a top 10 fantasy goalie option this season.

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Other EDM players on preseason draft lists:

Bounce-back candidates: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, F (point projection: 79); Jeff Skinner, F (point projection: 74); Viktor Arvidsson, F (point projection: 56); Evander Kane, F (point projection: 52)

Sleeper candidate: Mattias Ekholm, D (point projection: 49)

Rookie to watch: Matthew Savoie, F (point projection: 36)