In the sports world, when it comes to projecting and prognosticating, no one does it better than Vegas oddsmakers – the house always wins for a reason. Which is why we've recently been using their odds to help shape our top-10 list while comparing the best players in the fantasy hockey realm across all positions. Clearly, goal scoring isn't a position, but knowing the top shooters in the NHL and having at least one of these names employed on fantasy rosters in leagues of all formats usually results in that GM having a bit more cash in the pocketbook at the end of the 2024-25 season. A total of seventeen players hit the 40-goal plateau last season with four of them getting 50-or-more: Nathan MacKinnon, Zach Hyman, Sam Reinhart, and the nastiest shooter in the game today Auston Matthews.

Who's primed to tickle more twine this year? Tap into the top-10 Rocket Richard Trophy threats and find out.

10. Jack Hughes (+3000)

The book is out on Hughes, if he's healthy and in the lineup he's one of the best offensive fantasy pieces in the NHL. However, lack of size and muscle on his diminutive frame makes him somewhat of a liability when it comes to the punishing physicality nightly NHL hockey puts on the body. Regardless, Hughes' sensational skating ability and dynamic play-making skills give opposing defenders fits while creating elite chances for his New Jersey Devils teammates. Speaking of which, the Devils are a different-looking group on the backend now with Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, a returning Dougie Hamilton, and of course, newly-minted number one goaltender Jacob Markstrom holding things down. Meaning guys like Hughes are likely going to be much more comfortable and operating with a lot more room at the offensive end. Fifty goals and a hundred points are very much possibilities for Hughes – if he stays on the ice, don't be surprised when these odds for him taking the Rocket plummet.

9. Zach Hyman (+2000)

Let's get this out of the way early and quickly: Hyman deserves all the credit in the world for an unreal fantasy season last year when he popped a 54-piece that he followed up by leading the NHL in playoff scoring with 16 in 25 games. But he shouldn't have the odds he currently does to win this award. With that said, Hyman should be looked at as a player who is much more likely to fall back into the 30-to-35 goal zone and therefore, should not be a name fantasy GMs reach on after one standout campaign. Of course, Hyman still plays with the best player on the planet in Connor McDavid, Edmonton has one of the deadliest power-play units the league has seen in a long time, and the Oilers did get even more lethal offensively with the additions of Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, but be wary of Hyman's outlying season that's definitely over-inflating his fantasy value.

8. Brayden Point (+2000)

What does the first season without Steven Stamkos in Tampa Bay mean for a guy like Point? Well, considering Stammer assisted on 13 of Point's 46 tallies in 2023-24, it could result in a dip in production. Although, let's not forget the Lightning also reeled in the biggest fish on the offseason forward market with Jake Guentzel, so expecting Point to return to his expected 40-goal form is a much safer expectation. Somehow this player doesn't get enough credit as one of the best goal men in the league with a wicked-accurate shot and a tendency to score in the clutch, leading the NHL in game-winning goals last year with 12. Point shouldn't be around on many fantasy hockey draft boards much past the end of the second round, depending on the amount of GMs and format of the league.

7. Nathan MacKinnon (+1500)

If we're talking value in terms of odds to win this thing, MacK Daddy at +1500 is the wager to be had. MacKinnon is a top-three player off any draft board and his all-around game just earned him the title as the league's MVP after taking home the first Hart Trophy of his career for a beast-mode 140-point season. Shooters shoot, and this past year MacKinnon did just that to the tune of a career-high 51 goals and 405 shots on net, also leading the league in shots. Somehow, it feels like he just could be warming up and at only 28 years old, his best hockey might still be yet to come.

6. Filip Forsberg (+1200)

Taking nothing away from Forberg or his stellar statistical coverage only a year ago, but if there's any name that seems out of place on this high-caliber list it's his. First of all, Forsberg over a guy like MacKinnon? That right there has us doubting the Vegas bookmakers. Look, Forsberg put up great numbers for the Nashville Predators last year with 94 points, 141 hits, 43 penalty minutes, and 347 shots on net. Digging a little deeper, though, reveals a player that, perhaps, overachieved as Forberg's previous high for shot total was only 247 nearly a decade ago during the 2014-15 season. Some would point to the influx of talent in Smashville and think Forsberg might be primed for even more success, but the fact remains there are now a lot more names in the mix up front that could eat into Forsberg's ice and opportunity on the top power play. Is he a solid fantasy option? No doubt. However, he should not be considered the sixth-deadliest shooter in the league or a serious threat for the Rocket.

5. Connor McDavid (+1000)

It's Connor McDavid – what else needs to be said? Seriously.

4. Kirill Kaprizov (+750)

If Bill Guerin and the Minnesota Wild front office could ever find a stud to feed Kaprizov the puck, this is a player who could realistically be in the 60-goal club, that's how dangerous Dollar Bill is with the puck on his tape. Peripheral category coverage isn't why you go after a guy like Kaprizov, but when it comes to pure shooters in today's game, not many come better than the 27-year-old Russian sniper. The Wild are running it back with basically the exact same roster in the top-six forward group after yet another relatively quiet offseason from Billy G, so Minnesota could struggle to put goals on the board if they rely too heavily on Kaprizov on the top power-play unit. Any way you slice it, Kaprizov will be in the mix as a top goal getter in the NHL this season, but be careful about any other pieces on the Wild, the entire group was disappointing all season long only a year ago.

3. Leon Draisaitl (+750)
Draisaitl at any time is a lethal offensive option, but with the big German heading into this upcoming NHL campaign in a contract year, number 29 is primed to go off in a major way. Draisaitl's 179 goals over the past four regular seasons combined are nothing short of sensational and with the Oilers an improved club with a full season of Kris Knoblauch behind the bench, Edmonton is poised to once again be an offensive juggernaut with the ability and depth to put up crooked numbers in the goal column. When that ultimately comes to fruition, expect Draisaitl to be at the precipice of that attack and at the top of the list when it comes to Rocket Richard Trophy voting.

2. David Pastrnak (+550)

Two things immediately come to mind when you think of Pastrnak and fantasy hockey: consistency and lethally-accurate shooting. If not for the next name on this list, Pasta would be a shoo-in selection as the favourite for this year's Rocket because of his innate ability to perennially be one of the NHL's most-gifted goal getters. Back-to-back seasons which combine for 213 points, 108 goals, 789 shots on net, and 18 game winners cement Pastrnak as a pure shooter with game-changing goal-scoring ability who will undoubtedly be heard from in this Rocket race.

1. Auston Matthews (-115)

The haters will say he can't get it done in the postseason or that he's too soft or can only play one way, but Matthews is the real deal and is as deadly as they come in the offensive end. Sure, you might be able to build a case on the lack of team playoff success, but Papi is the best shooter in the NHL right now and it's not even close. Matthews has also rounded out his all-around two-way game, regularly creating chances by stripping pucks off the opposition with relative ease while also filling out peripheral fantasy categories with 93 blocked shots, 90 hits, and 20 penalty minutes. Vegas has nailed this projection as Matthews is as close to a lock bet when it comes to next season's Rocket as any player gunning for any award. Matthews led the league in goals three of the last four years and if the Maple Leafs want any shot at securing a playoff spot in the increasingly-dangerous Eastern Conference, he will need to do so once again.