2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Forward Tiers: How to Attack the Elite

The top of the forward pool is absolutely loaded for 2026-27, but not all stars are created equal for fantasy. Tiering the elite helps you decide when to pay up, when to pivot, and where the real value pockets sit. Using the latest tiered breakdown of the position, let’s sort out how to approach names like Connor McDavid, David Pastrnak, Macklin Celebrini, and Connor Bedard in different formats.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The top tier still runs through McDavid, who remains the safest bet for elite point production and category coverage. He’s the foundation piece you build around in any format, and nothing in the latest tiers suggests otherwise.

The bigger shake-up is the push of Celebrini into the conversation with the very best. Coming off a 115-point campaign, he’s being treated less like a speculative breakout and more like a potential Tier 1 fixture. That changes how aggressive you should be in securing him as your offensive anchor.

Pastrnak sits right on the Tier 1/2 border. He’s coming off a slight step back but still carries a track record of repeated 100-point seasons. The tiers frame him as a high-end alternative to McDavid-level picks: a player you can build a scoring-heavy roster around if you miss on the absolute top slot.

Bedard is the wild card. Slotted in a lower tier due to a shoulder injury that’s expected to keep him out until early November, he’s a classic risk/reward piece. His tier reflects a reduced floor early in the season but massive upside once he’s back to full strength.

Finally, the tiers flag a few important context notes: Cole Caufield is tagged as a mild concern for regression, while Tim Stutzle is highlighted as a potential value play with room to grow into more responsibility and production. Even though they aren’t in the core player list here, their inclusion in the tiering discussion helps define where the value cliffs and landmines lie among high-end forwards.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In pure scoring formats, the tiers are almost a direct proxy for how you should prioritize forwards. McDavid is in a class of his own: the safest path to a huge points edge over your league. If you’re fortunate enough to land him, you can afford to be more flexible later, taking on a bit more risk with volatile scorers because your baseline is so high.

Celebrini’s placement near the top is a statement. A 115-point season isn’t a fluke-level blip; it’s the profile of someone who can legitimately push for the scoring title. In points-only leagues, you should be comfortable building your entire offensive plan around him, especially if you’re in a format that rewards raw point totals over peripheral stats.

Pastrnak’s slight dip last year doesn’t materially change his profile. The tiers still treat him as a premier scorer with a long track record of elite production. In points-only, he’s a foundational piece with a high floor and ceiling, and he’s a perfect pivot if you miss on McDavid or Celebrini.

Bedard’s lower tier in points-only is almost entirely injury-driven. Missing the first month or so matters more in shallow leagues and short seasons, but his upside once healthy is enormous. In deeper or more competitive leagues, you should be willing to accept the early absence in exchange for a potential top-tier scorer from November onward.

Cole Caufield’s caution tag suggests you should temper expectations for a big leap in points. In points-only formats, that means treating him more as a complementary scorer than a core building block. Tim Stutzle, on the other hand, is framed as a potential value with room to climb toward 90 points if his role continues to expand, making him a strong mid-tier target.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-category leagues, the tiers still start with McDavid, but the gap between him and the next group can narrow slightly depending on your scoring settings. His elite point totals will drag along strong contributions in shots and power-play production, but if your league leans heavily into hits, PIM, or blocks, you may want to pair him with more physical wingers later.

Pastrnak’s role as a volume shooter with top power-play usage makes him a monster in leagues that reward shots and power-play points. Even if his raw point total wobbles a bit, his category profile remains extremely stable. That’s why the tiers keep him near the top: he’s not just a scorer, he’s a multi-cat driver.

Celebrini’s emerging-star label means there’s still some uncertainty around his non-scoring categories, but the 115-point output implies he’ll be heavily involved in offensive situations. In banger-heavy leagues, you may want to pair him with more rugged forwards, but his scoring alone can carry you in goals, assists, and special-teams categories.

Bedard’s situation is trickier in categories. The missed time hurts counting stats across the board, and if your league has limited IR spots, the opportunity cost is real. However, his offensive upside once he returns still gives him a path to being a difference-maker in goals, shots, and power-play production. Managers in deeper multi-cat formats should weigh their roster flexibility before committing.

The caution on Caufield is more about expectations than a total fade. If his scoring plateaus or dips slightly, he’s less valuable in leagues that don’t reward his shot volume or goal-scoring spikes. Stutzle’s potential jump in responsibility, meanwhile, could translate into more power-play time and better category coverage, making him a sneaky way to fill multiple boxes without paying true superstar prices.

Dynasty / Keeper

Dynasty and keeper formats are where these tiers really shine. McDavid remains the gold standard: elite now, with enough runway left that you don’t need to worry about imminent decline. He’s the kind of asset you only move if you’re completely overhauling your build, and even then you should demand a haul—use tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer to sanity-check any blockbuster offers.

Celebrini is the centerpiece of the next generation. A 115-point season at this stage of his career suggests you’re looking at a long-term cornerstone. In keeper formats, he should be valued nearly on par with McDavid, especially if your league skews younger or rewards long-term control of star players.

Bedard’s injury complicates the short term but barely dents his dynasty appeal. Shoulder issues can be scary, but the tiers still treat him as a high-upside asset with a long runway. If a contender in your league is nervous about the early-season absence, this is a prime window to buy at a slight discount.

Pastrnak’s long run of elite production makes him a premium keeper, but in very long-term dynasty formats you might rank him a touch below McDavid and Celebrini purely on age and future window. Still, his combination of proven scoring and stable role keeps him firmly in the top tier of long-term assets.

For secondary pieces, the tier notes on Caufield and Stutzle matter. Caufield’s potential step back suggests you shouldn’t overpay for name value alone in dynasty trades. Stutzle’s upward trajectory, by contrast, makes him a strong trade target before he fully settles into that 90-point range and becomes nearly impossible to acquire.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Connor McDavid – Add / Build Around: The safest elite forward on the board; lock in a massive scoring edge and construct the rest of your roster around him.
Macklin Celebrini – Priority Add: A 115-point breakout with Tier 1 upside; treat him as a franchise cornerstone in all formats.
David Pastrnak – High-End Add: Four straight 100-point seasons before a minor dip; still an elite scorer with multi-category juice.
Connor Bedard – Add with Patience: Out until early November with a shoulder issue, but his upside once healthy justifies stashing him if you can absorb the early absence.
Cole Caufield – Watchlist / Value Check: Tagged for a possible step back, so monitor his early-season role and production before overcommitting.
Tim Stutzle – Value Add: Highlighted as a potential climber toward 90 points with increased responsibilities, making him a strong upside play.

Fantasy Takeaways

McDavid remains the clear Tier 1 centerpiece; if you land him, you can afford more risk later in your build.
Celebrini’s 115-point breakout moves him into near-elite territory, making him a justifiable foundation piece in every format.
Pastrnak’s slight dip doesn’t erase his track record; treat him as a stable top-tier scorer with strong category coverage.
Bedard’s early-season injury lowers his floor but creates a buying window for managers who can stash him.
Caufield carries some regression risk, while Stutzle looks like one of the better value plays among high-end forwards.

Source: Rotowire. See the original for full details.