Mock drafts are already in full swing, training camps will be opening soon and before you know it, the 2025-26 fantasy hockey season will be upon us. The following tiers aren’t an order for drafting, but they can still serve as a tool to find value and player types to address roster needs.
[Join or create a fantasy hockey league for the 2025-26 NHL season]
Tier 1 NHL Forwards: McDavid, Draisaitl, MacKinnon, Kucherov
Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov
Fantasy managers selecting in the top four of drafts have four outstanding options. A strong case can be made for any one of them going first overall because of the offensive potency they bring to the table. McDavid (385), Kucherov (378), MacKinnon (367) and Draisaitl (340) are the leading scorers over the last three seasons, and they are the top four contributors on the power play during that span. All four of them are comfortable bets to surpass the 100-point plateau while racking up shots on goal.
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Tier 2 – Elite Building Blocks for Your 2025-26 Fantasy NHL Draft
David Pastrnak, Kirill Kaprizov, Mikko Rantanen, Auston Matthews, Kyle Connor
There are some question marks here. Can Pastrnak stay dominant with the Bruins trending downward? Can Kaprizov and Matthews stay healthy? Can Rantanen retain his offensive value with fewer minutes in Dallas? Can Connor push higher after a career year in 2024-25?
While Pastrnak may seem like the safest bet to answer his query positively, the other members of this category possess tremendous upside, particularly when it comes to goal scoring, and could all be in the conversation for 100 points if everything breaks their way.
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Tier 3 – High-End Fantasy Options: Crosby, Eichel, Hughes, Marner
Sidney Crosby, Jack Eichel, Jack Hughes, Mitch Marner, Sam Reinhart, William Nylander, Artemi Panarin
The offensive upside is a bit lower here than the previous assortment, but it isn’t by that much. Still, all the players in this grouping have 90-point upside. Eichel achieved that mark in 2024-25 after injuries held him back in previous seasons, and Hughes has the potential to return to that pace, and possibly exceed it, if he avoids extended absences. In a contract year, Marner topped 100 points for the first time at the NHL level last campaign. However, joining Vegas in the offseason could bring his totals down a peg. Crosby, 38, has topped 90 points in three straight seasons and could hold off Father Time for at least one more year….