Connor McDavid heads into 2026-27 as the unanimous 1.1, but the gap behind him has never been thinner. A shorter training camp and a longer regular-season schedule add a new wrinkle to draft prep, and with Macklin Celebrini’s monster sophomore season, fantasy managers now have a genuine “Big Five” to build around at the top of Round 1. Below that, a deep crop of star defensemen — led by Cale Makar, with Evan Bouchard, Zach Werenski and Quinn Hughes right behind — gives blue-line-heavy formats real difference-makers early, while Andrei Vasilevskiy headlines the goalie pool after a league-leading, Vezina-winning campaign.
This board reflects standard category-league scoring and draft order as camps open. Injuries and role battles that surface once preseason play begins could still shuffle a handful of names, so treat the back half of the list as a living document to revisit closer to puck drop.
Tier 1: The Big Five
The clear top of the board — franchise centerpieces who can win a category by themselves most weeks.
1. Connor McDavid (C, Edmonton Oilers) — The floor for a healthy McDavid is a Hart-caliber season; still the safest 1.1 in the game and the engine of a stacked Oilers top six.
2. Nathan MacKinnon (C, Colorado Avalanche) — Point-per-game plus for six straight years running; anchors an Avs attack that keeps adding finishers around him.
3. Nikita Kucherov (RW, Tampa Bay Lightning) — The league’s most reliable shot-and-assist machine on a Lightning power play that still runs through him.
4. Leon Draisaitl (C, Edmonton Oilers) — Elite in every category and the rare center who also anchors the league’s best power play unit.
5. Macklin Celebrini (C, San Jose Sharks) — A 115-point sophomore leap vaults him into elite Big Five territory; the youngest true 1st-round lock in fantasy.
Tier 2: First-Round Locks
Elite, dependable difference-makers who should anchor any fantasy roster regardless of format.
6. David Pastrnak (RW, Boston Bruins) — Shot volume and power-play time make him a lock for 40-plus goals no matter who’s centering him.
7. Cale Makar (D, Colorado Avalanche) — Still the standard-bearer at defense; nothing close to a challenger for the top blueliner job in fantasy.
8. Kirill Kaprizov (LW, Minnesota Wild) — Elite shot and finishing touch; the clear engine of Minnesota’s offense whenever he’s in the lineup.
9. Martin Necas (RW, Colorado Avalanche) — Broke out fully after the trade to Colorado; now locked into a top-line, top-PP role with a superstar center.
10. Mikko Rantanen (RW, Dallas Stars) — Settled into Dallas after the trade chaos and delivered as a true first-line running mate for Robertson and Johnston.
11. Evan Bouchard (D, Edmonton Oilers) — The only rearguard to clear 90 points last season; durability and power-play usage make him a true building block.
12. Zach Werenski (D, Columbus Blue Jackets) — A workhorse minutes-and-points defenseman who quietly rivals the game’s best blueliners in category coverage.
13. Jason Robertson (LW, Dallas Stars) — Shot-first winger who keeps the puck on net at an elite rate alongside Dallas’s deep top six.
14. Quinn Hughes (D, Minnesota Wild) — Elite transition and power-play driver; the move to Minnesota didn’t dent his offensive workload one bit.
15. Jack Eichel (C, Vegas Golden Knights) — Full health finally unlocked his ceiling; a true point-per-game center with power-play gravity.
Tier 3: High-End Value
Stars with slightly more format-dependent value, but still capable of carrying a lineup on a given night.
16. Kyle Connor (LW, Winnipeg Jets) — Automatic 40-goal shooter who never misses time and always finds the back of the net.
17. Auston Matthews (C, Toronto Maple Leafs) — Health is the only question; a return to full form makes him a legit goal-scoring-title threat again.
18. Wyatt Johnston (C, Dallas Stars) — Ascending young center with a growing power-play role sandwiched between two elite wingers.
19. Nick Suzuki (C, Montreal Canadiens) — Montreal’s engine and captain; his all-situations usage keeps his floor high across every category.
20. Brady Tkachuk (LW, Florida Panthers) — Power, penalty minutes and a scoring touch make him one of the rare true power forwards left in the pool.
21. Matt Boldy (LW, Minnesota Wild) — Locked into a top-line role next to Kaprizov and Hughes; a clean point-per-game floor.
22. Jack Hughes (C, New Jersey Devils) — Elite skill and shot volume when healthy; injury history is the only thing keeping him outside the top 15.
23. Tim Stutzle (C, Ottawa Senators) — Back over point-per-game pace with a 30-goal floor and real 90-point upside this year.
24. Matthew Tkachuk (LW, Florida Panthers) — Category coverage machine — goals, hits and penalty minutes in one package for a stacked Panthers attack.
25. Cole Caufield (RW, Montreal Canadiens) — Pure shooter with a power-play role that keeps his goal totals near the top of the league.
26. William Nylander (RW, Toronto Maple Leafs) — Iron-man reliability and a top power-play job give him one of the highest floors at forward.
27. Rasmus Dahlin (D, Buffalo Sabres) — Every-situation workload and a big shot make him a top-five fantasy defenseman most seasons.
28. Mitch Marner (RW, Vegas Golden Knights) — New home, same elite playmaking; expect a heavy power-play role from day one in Vegas.
29. Jake Guentzel (LW, Tampa Bay Lightning) — Locked into a finishing role alongside Tampa’s top center; goals come in bunches when healthy.
30. Sidney Crosby (C, Pittsburgh Penguins) — Still producing at a near point-per-game clip into his late 30s; remarkable, sustained fantasy value.
Tier 4: Reliable Core Pieces
The backbone of most rosters — dependable weekly production across multiple categories.
31. Tage Thompson (C, Buffalo Sabres) — Elite shot volume and size; a 40-goal threat whenever Buffalo’s power play clicks.
32. Sam Reinhart (RW, Florida Panthers) — Consistent 40-goal-caliber finisher who benefits from a loaded Panthers top six every year.
33. Mark Scheifele (C, Winnipeg Jets) — Steady point-per-game center production with a strong power-play role in Winnipeg.
34. Moritz Seider (D, Detroit Red Wings) — Cracked 60 points and keeps climbing; durability and category coverage make him a safe blue-line target.
35. Alex DeBrincat (RW, Detroit Red Wings) — Reliable 30-goal scorer who slots in as a top-line finisher for Detroit.
36. Clayton Keller (RW, Utah Mammoth) — Utah’s clear top offensive option with a heavy power-play workload.
37. Artemi Panarin (LW, Los Angeles Kings) — New home in LA, same elite playmaking touch; still a lock for 80-plus points.
38. Lane Hutson (D, Montreal Canadiens) — Explosive, high-event offensive defenseman who quarterbacks Montreal’s power play as a young star.
39. Andrei Vasilevskiy (G, Tampa Bay Lightning) — Led the league with 39 wins and a second Vezina; the top goalie off the board in most drafts.
40. Brandon Hagel (LW, Tampa Bay Lightning) — Well-rounded scorer who chips in across goals, hits and power-play time for Tampa.
41. Dylan Guenther (RW, Utah Mammoth) — Ascending young winger with a growing role and real 40-goal upside.
42. Adrian Kempe (RW, Los Angeles Kings) — Consistent 40-goal-level shooter who now runs alongside Panarin in LA.
43. Jesper Bratt (LW, New Jersey Devils) — Playmaking winger who quietly racks up assists in New Jersey’s top six.
44. Brayden Point (C, Tampa Bay Lightning) — Reliable point-per-game center with power-play time on a deep Lightning attack.
45. Lucas Raymond (LW, Detroit Red Wings) — Emerging top-line winger with real breakout potential in Detroit’s improving offense.
46. Logan Thompson (G, Washington Capitals) — Established himself as a legitimate workhorse starter with strong all-around numbers.
47. Connor Bedard (C, Chicago Blackhawks) — Offseason shoulder surgery could push his debut to mid-November, but the talent still makes him worth a stash pick.
48. Sebastian Aho (C, Carolina Hurricanes) — Steady two-way center production with dependable point-per-game upside.
49. Filip Forsberg (LW, Nashville Predators) — Nashville’s top offensive weapon with consistent 30-goal-plus scoring.
50. Cutter Gauthier (LW, Anaheim Ducks) — Emerging power forward who’s carved out a featured role on Anaheim’s growing young core.
Tier 5: Solid Depth and Upside
A mix of proven veterans, bounce-back candidates and rising talent worth targeting in the middle rounds.
51. Leo Carlsson (C, Anaheim Ducks) — Big offseason offer sheet drama aside, he’s the centerpiece of Anaheim’s next great forward group.
52. Connor Hellebuyck (G, Winnipeg Jets) — Perennial Vezina contender who anchors a strong Winnipeg team in front of him.
53. Juraj Slafkovsky (LW, Montreal Canadiens) — Physical, improving winger who keeps climbing Montreal’s scoring charts.
54. Drake Batherson (RW, Ottawa Senators) — Ottawa’s most consistent point producer with a featured power-play role.
55. Tom Wilson (RW, Washington Capitals) — Rare blend of scoring and penalty minutes that boosts his value in category leagues.
56. Aleksander Barkov (C, Florida Panthers) — Missed all of 2025-26 recovering from ACL/MCL surgery but looked sharp for Finland at Worlds — a name to watch on draft day.
57. Kirill Marchenko (RW, Columbus Blue Jackets) — Ascending goal-scorer who’s become Columbus’s clear top offensive threat.
58. Mika Zibanejad (C, New York Rangers) — Dependable point-per-game-adjacent center with a top power-play role in New York.
59. Robert Thomas (C, St. Louis Blues) — Playmaking hub of the Blues’ offense with strong assist totals every year.
60. John Tavares (C, Toronto Maple Leafs) — Still a reliable secondary scorer and net-front finisher in Toronto’s top six.
61. Nikolaj Ehlers (LW, Carolina Hurricanes) — Explosive skater who adds a needed scoring jolt to Carolina’s top six.
62. Travis Konecny (RW, Philadelphia Flyers) — Philadelphia’s top offensive option with strong shot volume and power-play time.
63. Andrei Svechnikov (RW, Carolina Hurricanes) — Power forward with real goal-scoring upside when fully healthy.
64. Ivan Demidov (RW, Montreal Canadiens) — Led all rookies with 62 points; real second-year breakout candidate in Montreal.
65. Dylan Larkin (C, Detroit Red Wings) — Detroit’s captain and top-line center with steady point-per-game-range production.
66. Nico Hischier (C, New Jersey Devils) — Well-rounded two-way center who anchors New Jersey’s top line.
67. Jakob Chychrun (D, Washington Capitals) — Shot-first defenseman with real power-play scoring upside in Washington.
68. Matthew Schaefer (D, New York Islanders) — Calder Trophy winner after a 23-goal, 59-point rookie season; a foundational long-term fantasy blueliner.
69. Alex Ovechkin (LW, Washington Capitals) — Still a power-play weapon with a lethal one-timer even as his overall workload dips with age.
70. Ilya Sorokin (G, New York Islanders) — Reliable workhorse netminder who consistently outperforms his team in front of him.
71. Josh Morrissey (D, Winnipeg Jets) — Heavy-minutes, points-first defenseman who quarterbacks Winnipeg’s power play.
72. Jake Oettinger (G, Dallas Stars) — Proven playoff performer who carries a strong workload and win total for Dallas.
73. Darren Raddysh (D, Toronto Maple Leafs) — Power-play specialist blueliner who piles up points despite modest ice time.
74. Nick Schmaltz (C, Utah Mammoth) — Playmaking center who sets up Utah’s young scorers on the top unit.
75. Igor Shesterkin (G, New York Rangers) — Bounce-back candidate after an uneven year, still capable of Vezina-level numbers.
Tier 6: Late-Round Value and Sleepers
Depth pieces, streaming goalies and breakout candidates who can make or break a draft in the later rounds.
76. John Carlson (D, Tampa Bay Lightning) — Fresh start in Tampa gives him a real shot at reviving his power-play production.
77. Jordan Kyrou (RW, Washington Capitals) — Change of scenery to Washington sets up a rebound after a down year in St. Louis.
78. Morgan Geekie (RW, Boston Bruins) — Emerging finisher who’s carved out a featured scoring role in Boston.
79. Matthew Knies (LW, Toronto Maple Leafs) — Power forward who keeps climbing Toronto’s scoring depth chart.
80. Adam Fox (D, New York Rangers) — Elite puck-mover who remains one of the league’s top offensive defensemen.
81. Scott Wedgewood (G, Colorado Avalanche) — Steps into a bigger workload behind a strong Colorado defense.
82. Jackson LaCombe (D, Anaheim Ducks) — Made real strides on heavy minutes last year; all-around upside continues to trend up.
83. Jake Sanderson (D, Ottawa Senators) — Two-way, high-minutes defenseman with steady point production for Ottawa.
84. Zach Hyman (RW, Edmonton Oilers) — Net-front finisher who benefits enormously from riding shotgun with McDavid and Draisaitl.
85. J.T. Miller (C, New York Rangers) — Physical, productive center who provides multi-category value in New York.
86. Roman Josi (D, Nashville Predators) — Still Nashville’s clear top offensive defenseman despite a down year for the team.
87. Gabriel Vilardi (RW, Winnipeg Jets) — Big-bodied finisher who’s found a groove in Winnipeg’s top six.
88. Mathew Barzal (C, New York Islanders) — Skilled, if streaky, playmaking center who can carry stretches of the Islanders offense.
89. Bo Horvat (C, New York Islanders) — Reliable secondary scoring center with a strong net-front presence.
90. Bryan Rust (RW, Pittsburgh Penguins) — Speed-first winger who remains a consistent scoring option in Pittsburgh.
91. Miro Heiskanen (D, Dallas Stars) — Two-way, high-minutes defenseman whose offense fluctuates with Dallas’s power-play deployment.
92. Dylan Holloway (LW, St. Louis Blues) — Physical, ascending scorer who’s earned a featured role in St. Louis.
93. Erik Karlsson (D, Pittsburgh Penguins) — Still capable of elite offensive stretches, though ice time has trended down.
94. Dylan Strome (C, Washington Capitals) — Playmaking center who benefits from set-up duty alongside Washington’s shooters.
95. Roope Hintz (C, Dallas Stars) — Dependable goal-scorer in Dallas’s deep top six when healthy.
96. Jesper Wallstedt (G, Minnesota Wild) — Well-regarded young netminder pushing for a bigger share of Minnesota’s crease.
97. Victor Hedman (D, Tampa Bay Lightning) — Bounce-back candidate after just 33 games last year, though Carlson’s arrival could cut into his power-play role.
98. Logan Cooley (C, Utah Mammoth) — Ascending young center who keeps taking on more offensive responsibility in Utah.
99. Will Smith (RW, San Jose Sharks) — Skilled young winger who benefits from riding alongside Celebrini in San Jose.
100. Alex Tuch (RW, Washington Capitals) — Well-rounded veteran scorer who rounds out Washington’s top-six mix.
Draft-Day Reminders
- Track camp battles closely — Connor Bedard (shoulder) and Aleksander Barkov (ACL/MCL) both carry first-round talent but real health question marks entering the season.
- Defense is deeper at the top than usual. In categories or points formats that reward blue-line scoring, it’s fair to bump Makar, Bouchard, Werenski and Hughes above several forwards in this range.
- Goalie strategy still depends on format. If your league lets you punt the position early, workhorse starters like Vasilevskiy, Hellebuyck and Sorokin can be worth reaching for; in deeper punt-friendly formats, streaming timeshares later is still viable.
Rankings will keep shifting as preseason battles play out — check back with RinkHive’s fantasy hub for updates through the start of the regular season.