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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 Colorado Avalanche and identified other preseason draft targets with point and win projections for the 2024-25 season.

1. Nathan MacKinnon, F, COL

NHL.com point projection: 135

The No. 2 player in NHL.com’s fantasy rankings behind Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, MacKinnon ranks second in the League in points per game (1.56) behind McDavid (1.71) over the past three seasons combined. MacKinnon led the NHL in even-strength points (92) and shots on goal (405) last season, had a career high in points (140; second behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov’s 144) and won the Hart Trophy voted most valuable player.

2. Mikko Rantanen, F

NHL.com point projection: 107

Over the past two seasons, Rantanen has had consecutive 100-point performances and is among the NHL leaders in goals (97; tied for third), points (209; seventh) and shots on goal (577; tied for ninth) over the span. Rantanen plays on MacKinnon’s line and is the third right wing in NHL.com’s fantasy rankings behind Kucherov and David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins.

3. Cale Makar, D

NHL.com point projection: 95

He leads active NHL defensemen in career points per game (1.07; 336 in 315 games) and has previously won the Norris and Conn Smythe trophies — making him the top defenseman in NHL.com’s fantasy rankings and the third Colorado player worth selecting in the first round of a standard draft.

4. Alexandar Georgiev, G

NHL.com win projection: 39

He leads the NHL in wins over the past two seasons combined (78) and is tied for sixth in shutouts (seven) over that span. He’s ranked among NHL.com’s top-10 fantasy goalies and is a fringe top-50 overall player in standard leagues with added value in leagues that count saves (1,588 last season; fifth in League).

5. Devon Toews, D

NHL.com point projection: 54

He’s had three straight 50-point seasons playing mostly on the top pair with Makar and the best plus/minus in the NHL since 2020-21 (plus-148), making him a top-15 fantasy defenseman option.

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Other COL players on preseason draft lists:

Bounce-back candidate: Artturi Lehkonen, F (point projection: 68)

Sleeper candidate: Casey Mittelstadt, F (point projection: 62)

Deep sleeper candidate: Jonathan Drouin, F (point projection: 55)

NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program: Valeri Nichushkin, F

Key injury: Gabriel Landeskog, F