Dynasty Fantasy Hockey Rankings: Building for 2026 and Beyond

Dynasty and keeper formats force you to think in multi-year windows, not just who’s hot this month. The latest dynasty rankings spotlight rising stars like Macklin Celebrini and caution flags on aging elites such as Roman Josi. Let’s unpack what these shifts mean so you can time your buys, sells, and holds for maximum long-term value.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The updated dynasty landscape leans heavily toward youth, especially players with realistic five-year star outcomes. Celebrini is being treated as a potential franchise center for the San Jose Sharks, the kind of asset you can build around in any keeper format. His combination of pedigree and projected opportunity pushes him into the conversation with the very best long-term forwards.

On the blue line, the gap between established studs and incoming talent is narrowing. Lane Hutson is climbing quickly thanks to his offensive upside with the Montreal Canadiens. Meanwhile, Cale Makar remains elite but no longer sits alone atop every list, and Josi’s age-related decline is starting to show in his dynasty valuation.

In goal, Jesper Wallstedt is emerging as one of the few netminders worth a premium stash. The rankings recognize that goalie volatility is real, but Wallstedt’s trajectory with the Minnesota Wild makes him a rare long-term building block at the position.

These shifts matter because dynasty success is less about nailing one superstar and more about constantly arbitraging timelines: moving off aging names a year early, buying into the right prospects before they explode, and knowing which current stars are still safe long-term anchors.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In pure scoring formats, Celebrini is the headliner. He’s tagged as a generational-level talent with a clear path to top-line, top power-play usage in San Jose. Even if there are short-term growing pains, his five-year outlook screams 1C production with elite point-per-game upside. In points-only dynasty, you should be willing to pay a premium for that ceiling.

Makar’s slight slide in the rankings shouldn’t scare you off. He’s still described as an elite option, and as long as he’s driving offense for the Colorado Avalanche’s top unit, he remains a cornerstone defenseman. If anything, any perceived dip in his ranking is a buying opportunity in leagues where managers overreact to small changes.

Hutson’s rise is all about offensive projection. His profile suggests a future power-play quarterback in Montreal, which is gold in points-only formats. Even if his real-life minutes are sheltered early, the categories that matter to you—assists, power-play points, and overall scoring from the back end—are squarely in his wheelhouse.

Josi, on the other hand, is flagged for decline. He can still help you win now, but the rankings are telling you that his five-year scoring outlook is trending down. In points-only dynasty, that’s a clear signal to explore trades while his name value is still enormous.

Wallstedt’s impact in points-only is more muted in the short term, but the long view is appealing. Once he’s entrenched as a true No. 1, volume plus solid ratios can make him a top-tier goalie scorer in formats that reward wins and saves.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-cat leagues, the calculus shifts slightly. Celebrini still profiles as a foundational piece, but his true dominance will come from scoring and shot volume more than hits or PIM. You’re buying him for elite offensive categories, then filling your grit elsewhere.

Makar remains a unicorn in categories: offense from the blue line, heavy shot volume, and strong plus-minus in most seasons. Even if his ranking dipped a bit, his multi-category footprint is still massive. He’s the type of defenseman you build your entire categories blue line around.

Hutson’s value in bangers leagues will depend heavily on how much he’s used in offensive situations versus heavy defensive minutes. The rankings highlight his bright offensive future, so think of him as a power-play specialist who boosts points, power-play points, and possibly shots more than hits and blocks. Pair him with a more physical defender to balance your build.

Josi’s projected decline is especially important in categories leagues where aging defensemen can see dips in ice time, shot volume, and peripheral stats. If your league heavily rewards hits and blocks, his erosion there over the next few years could be steep. This is exactly the type of profile you want to move off before the counting stats fall off a cliff.

Wallstedt’s categories upside is substantial once he’s a full-fledged starter: strong save percentage, potentially good win totals, and the kind of workload that can anchor your goalie group. In leagues with limited goalie slots, that future security is a major edge.

Dynasty / Keeper

Dynasty is where these rankings really shine. Celebrini is a classic “overpay now, profit later” asset. If you’re rebuilding, he’s exactly the type of player you consolidate into—move two or three good-but-not-great pieces to land him and reset your competitive window around his prime years.

Hutson is a prototypical dynasty trade target. He’s not yet fully established, but the rankings clearly signal belief in his long-term upside. That’s the sweet spot where you can still acquire him at a discount relative to what he might be worth once he’s running a top power play.

Makar, labeled as a hold, is your stability piece. Even if other defensemen are closing the gap, he remains a safe multi-year anchor. Moving him only makes sense if someone in your league still values him as untouchable and offers a king’s ransom in younger assets.

Josi is the textbook sell-high in dynasty. The rankings anticipate age catching up with him, which means this is likely one of your last chances to extract true star-level value in a trade. Use his name recognition and recent production to target younger, ascending pieces like Hutson or future picks that align with your timeline.

Wallstedt fits into the “patient stash” bucket. In goalie-scarce dynasties, you should be willing to burn a roster spot for a couple of seasons to secure what could be a long-term G1. Just be realistic about your contention window; if you’re all-in for this year only, he’s more of a luxury than a necessity.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Macklin Celebrini – Add (all dynasty depths): Treat him as a franchise forward with elite five-year upside; pay the premium if you’re not locked into a win-now-only window.
Lane Hutson – Trade target / Watch: Rising offensive defenseman whose value should climb as he approaches a full-time role and potential PP1 duties in Montreal.
Cale Makar – Hold / subtle buy: Still an elite defenseman; any ranking dip is more about others rising than him falling, making him a sneaky trade target if discounted.
Roman Josi – Sell-high: Projected age-related decline makes this the right time to shop him to contenders who still view him as a top-tier stud.
Jesper Wallstedt – Prospect stash: Premium goalie prospect worth a long-term bench spot in any dynasty with moderate or deep rosters.

Fantasy Takeaways

Prioritize Macklin Celebrini as a centerpiece in dynasty; his projected ceiling justifies aggressive trade packages.
Target Lane Hutson before he fully breaks out—his offensive blue-line upside is exactly what wins long-term in keeper formats.
Don’t panic about Cale Makar slipping a bit in rankings; he remains a high-end, multi-year anchor on defense.
Shop Roman Josi now, using his name value to pivot into younger assets before age-driven decline hits your standings.
Stash Jesper Wallstedt where you can; future G1 goalies with this kind of trajectory are rare and worth the wait.

Source: ESPN.com. See the original for full details.