EDGE Stats Targets: Fantasy Hockey Tiers for 2025-26
Advanced EDGE-style data is perfect for finding fantasy hockey value before the rest of your league catches on. For 2025-26, several forwards stand out for shot volume, power-play usage and award-level ceilings. Here’s how to tier Sam Bennett, Vincent Trocheck, Joel Eriksson Ek, Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid for the season ahead, and what that means for your roster decisions.
What’s New & Why It Matters
The EDGE-driven analysis behind these names leans heavily on things fantasy managers care about most: high-danger chances, shot volume, and power-play deployment. Bennett and Eriksson Ek are highlighted as second-line centers who still see top power-play time, giving them sneaky access to premium scoring situations. Trocheck is a top-six forward with PP1 duties on a strong New York Rangers attack, while MacKinnon and McDavid remain in their own universe as potential award winners and perennial scoring leaders.
For fantasy, the key shift isn’t that MacKinnon and McDavid are elite — that’s a given — but that mid-tier forwards like Bennett, Trocheck and Eriksson Ek are generating underlying numbers that can temporarily push them into higher tiers. When those trends line up with favorable matchups or hot streaks, they become priority streams or short-term anchors in competitive leagues.
Fantasy Implications
Points-Only
In points-only setups, you’re chasing pure offense and power-play exposure. Bennett’s role as a second-line center with PP1 time on the Florida Panthers makes him a classic streaky scorer: when he’s on a run and firing a lot of pucks on net, he can produce like a top-six mainstay. He’s best treated as a tier below your core forwards but with short bursts of top-tier production when the schedule and form align.
Trocheck’s combination of a hard shot, consistent power-play involvement and strong linemates on the Rangers places him in a similar tier: not a true cornerstone, but a reliable plug-in who can ride team momentum. In many points-only leagues, he fits as a mid-tier forward who can creep into your top group during hot stretches.
Eriksson Ek’s value spikes when he’s facing weaker defensive teams, as highlighted by his favorable matchup against the Anaheim Ducks. In points-only formats, think of him as a matchup-driven scorer: a mid-tier option who jumps a tier whenever he’s facing bottom defenses or getting extended PP1 looks.
MacKinnon and McDavid, meanwhile, sit firmly in the elite tier. The EDGE analysis framing them as front-runners for major awards is just another way of saying they offer league-winning scoring ceilings. In points-only leagues, they are foundational pieces you build around and almost never move unless you’re overhauling your roster via a blockbuster in the NHL Trade Analyzer.
Categories / Bangers
Categories managers need more than just points; they need volume. Bennett’s high shot totals are a major asset here. Even when he isn’t scoring, those shots buoy his floor in SOG and can lead to spikes in goals when puck luck swings his way. His physical style also tends to translate into a useful banger profile, making him a multi-cat stream with upside.
Trocheck’s value in categories leagues is tied to his power-play role and shot volume. He’s the type of player who can chip in across several offensive categories at once — goals, assists, power-play points and shots — which nudges him into a higher practical tier than in pure points-only. On weeks when the Rangers have a heavy schedule, he’s a prime multi-category stream.
Eriksson Ek is particularly interesting in bangers formats. The EDGE spotlight on his shot volume and favorable matchups suggests he can be more than just a depth scorer; he can be a category tilting option in shots and potentially other physical stats, especially when he’s leaned on in a second-line, PP1 role. Against weak defensive teams, he can briefly perform like a top-tier multi-cat forward.
MacKinnon and McDavid remain in the top tier in categories leagues as well. Their elite scoring and shot generation give them massive ceilings in goals, assists, power-play points and shots. Even without specific hit or block data, their offensive dominance alone keeps them at the very top of any tiered list.
Dynasty / Keeper
Dynasty managers think in multi-year tiers. MacKinnon and McDavid are long-term franchise anchors. Being framed as award front-runners underscores that their production should remain elite for the foreseeable future, making them top-tier dynasty assets you structure your roster around. Trading one of them requires a haul of multiple high-end pieces, and any move should be run through a tool like the NHL Trade Analyzer to gauge value.
Bennett, Trocheck and Eriksson Ek fall into the middle dynasty tiers. They’re not cornerstone assets, but their combination of PP1 usage, top-six roles and strong underlying shot metrics makes them valuable mid-career pieces. In deep keeper formats, they’re ideal as secondary scorers: players you’re happy to roll out now while remaining flexible enough to move if their roles change.
Among this group, Eriksson Ek may have the most intriguing long-term growth potential. His role as a second-line center with PP1 time on the Minnesota Wild and his reliance on shot volume rather than pure finishing luck suggest a relatively stable fantasy profile. In dynasty tiers, he sits as a solid mid-tier hold with room to climb if the Wild’s offense takes a step forward.
Who to Add / Stream / Watch
- Sam Bennett – Add/Stream (standard leagues): Second-line center with PP1 time on a strong Panthers offense, riding shot volume and recent scoring form.
- Vincent Trocheck – Short-term stream (standard/shallow): Top-six role and PP1 usage on the Rangers make him a prime target when New York has a heavy schedule.
- Joel Eriksson Ek – Add in deep, stream in standard: High shot volume and plus matchups, especially versus weak defenses like Anaheim, give him multi-cat upside.
- Nathan MacKinnon – Elite hold / trade target: Award-level ceiling and top-line role in Colorado make him a franchise fantasy piece in any format.
- Connor McDavid – Elite hold / trade target: Perennial top scorer for the Edmonton Oilers, with unmatched consistency and ceiling in all scoring formats.
Fantasy Takeaways
- Bennett’s combination of a scoring streak, high shot volume and PP1 usage in Florida makes him a priority streaming option in points-focused leagues.
- Trocheck’s steady power-play role and strong linemates on the Rangers give him reliable short-term value, especially in categories formats.
- Eriksson Ek’s shot-heavy profile and favorable matchups against weak defenses like Anaheim make him a strong bangers and multi-cat target.
- MacKinnon’s status as a potential multi-award candidate cements his place in the top fantasy tier, particularly in dynasty and keeper leagues.
- McDavid remains a perennial elite option whose consistent scoring keeps him at the very top of any rest-of-season or long-term fantasy rankings.
Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.