You won’t have a problem finding an elite defenceman for your fantasy hockey team. One of these options
is Philadelphia Flyers defenseman, Shayne Gostisbehere. And while it might be a tad risky, the payoff could he huge.

Gostisbehere led all rookie defenseman in scoring during the 2015-16 season. He burst onto the scene with little fanfare outside of Philadelphia, but within a few weeks, he was a household name in the fantasy community.

The thing about Gostisbehere is that he’s still so young. Nobody knows how good he can be. With 46 points during his rookie season, you can only assume he’s a lock to match or exceed that number for his sophomore year. And even if he doesn’t, the potential for even a 40 point season is reason enough to invest in him on draft day.

As it stands, Gostisbehere is slotted to be selected around the 40-50 pick range on most draft rankings. That places him in the same tier as Roman Josi and Drew Doughty, two defensemen that exceeded the 50 point plateau for the 2015-16 season.

You’re going to drafting one of these three for their scoring; that’s not a secret. They all put up some impressive peripheral stats, but scoring is the main focus. And of the three, Gostisbehere probably offers the highest upside.

We’ve seen what Doughty can do for your fantasy team. He’s usually good for about 40 points a season. Meanwhile, Josi is coming off a monster two-year stretch that saw him put up 55 and 61 points. But with P.K. Subban now in Nashville, you might see a drop off in Josi’s production.

If you take Gostisbehere, you’re going to be taking a gamble. Although, you might be making the right choice. Unlike Josi, Gostisbehere is his team’s top defenseman, and will be on the ice for every power play and doesn’t need to sacrifice his totals for any other player at his position. And while Doughty might be a safer pick, Gostisbehere offers the potential for a much higher point total.

It’s your decision on drafting Shayne Gostisbehere. You will never know how a fantasy hockey season will play out on draft day. It’s best to take the player that offers the greatest reward, and that’s Gostisbehere.

Follow Daniel James Gentile on Twitter @dgentleman9288