For whatever reason, there’s typically a divide between traditional hockey writing and fantasy writing. The church-and-state attitude means fantasy writers get all the fun when it comes to making draft cheat sheets, Top 300 rankings and all the lists that are indispensable on draft night.

Am I jealous? Maybe a little. I think all individuals who cover sports for a living have a little Matthew Berry in them. So when my editor suggested I compile a list of 10 hockey players I’d be willing to reach for in the coming fantasy drafts and auctions this season, I quickly accepted the offer. (It didn’t occur to me until later that the assignment came shortly after he invited me into his own fantasy league.)

These 10 players are guys I’m willing to grab earlier than where they’re ranked in the ESPN Top 300 (with their current ranking in parenthesis). They’re players who coaches, teammates or scouts have mentioned as guys ready to make a jump. Did I leave one or two of my favorites off the list for the sake of my own team? Maybe. Perhaps that’s why we leave the fantasy writing to others.

[Editor's note: Start your free ESPN Fantasy Hockey season here.]

1. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche (No. 44)

It's not breaking news that MacKinnon is a star in the making. He won the Calder, so he's not exactly flying under the radar. But what we saw last season was just the beginning. The kid was dominant in the playoffs, with a gear that few other players in the league have. He plays in a system that is conducive to producing offense. He scored 24 goals as a rookie, and I expect that total to jump considerably. In the last 22 games of the regular season, he scored just two goals on 66 shots -- shooting percentage of three. His luck will improve there.

By now you’ve heard he’s put on muscle, and that’s great. The better news is that he’s learning how to use his speed at the NHL level.