Fantasy EDGE Tiers: Building Around Robertson, MacKinnon and Kucherov
Advanced tracking and EDGE-style data make it easier than ever to separate true fantasy anchors from short-term streams. For 2025-26, a handful of elite forwards headline the top tiers, while emerging options in Utah offer sneaky value. Let’s break down where Jason Robertson, Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov and the Utah Mammoth duo of Nick Schmaltz and Dylan Guenther fit into your rest-of-season plans.
What’s New & Why It Matters
The key shift in this EDGE-driven look is how usage and on-ice involvement sharpen our fantasy tiers. Robertson’s combination of heavy shot volume and a locked-in top-six, PP1 role for the Dallas Stars cements him as a true lineup cornerstone. In Utah, Schmaltz and Guenther both project for significant minutes and prime power-play deployment for the Mammoth, giving them far more appeal than their name value alone might suggest.
MacKinnon remains an awards frontrunner and offensive engine for the Colorado Avalanche, while Kucherov continues to drive elite scoring chances for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The takeaway: these four stars sit comfortably in your highest tiers, but the way you use Schmaltz and Guenther—stream, schedule play, or hold—can be the difference in tight leagues.
Fantasy Implications
Points-Only
In pure scoring formats, Robertson, MacKinnon and Kucherov all belong in your top offensive tier. Robertson’s role as a top-six winger and PP1 fixture in Dallas, combined with his team-leading goal and shot profile, makes him a set-and-forget starter with league-winning upside. MacKinnon’s status as an elite center on Colorado’s first unit and power play keeps his floor sky-high; when a player is in the mix for multiple NHL awards, you treat him as a foundational piece, not a matchup play.
Kucherov’s value in points-only leagues is straightforward: he’s a premier playmaker and finisher on Tampa Bay’s top line and PP1, and profiles as an ideal centerpiece if you’re looking to consolidate talent via trade. Use the NHL Trade Analyzer to gauge what kind of package it takes to acquire him without overpaying.
Schmaltz and Guenther sit a tier or two below but still matter. Schmaltz’s first-line, PP1 role for Utah, along with strong ice time and shot attempts, gives him mid-tier points-only appeal, especially when the Mammoth have favorable stretches. Guenther’s top-line and top power-play deployment boosts his ceiling; when Utah’s schedule is dense, he can be a high-upside plug-in who rides the coattails of that PP1 usage.
Categories / Bangers
In multi-cat formats, Robertson’s shot volume and goal scoring remain his calling card, and his presence on Dallas’ top power play fuels strong power-play production. He belongs in your top scoring-category tier, and his consistency makes him a stabilizing force in weekly head-to-head matchups.
MacKinnon’s all-around offensive involvement—driving play at even strength and on the man advantage—keeps him near the top of any categories list. He’s the kind of player who can single-handedly swing goals, assists, power-play points and shots in a given week. Kucherov offers a similar profile, leaning more into assists and power-play production; if your league rewards special-teams scoring heavily, he might even leapfrog others in your internal hierarchy.
For Utah, Schmaltz is a strong streaming option in categories leagues when you need volume: high ice time, plenty of shot attempts and a PP1 role all point to spike weeks. Guenther’s top power-play deployment makes him an ideal schedule play—when Utah has four games or a run of soft opponents, his combination of scoring chances and man-advantage time can patch holes in goals and power-play categories.
Dynasty / Keeper
In long-term formats, MacKinnon remains a blue-chip asset. His candidacy for multiple NHL awards underscores not just current dominance but sustained elite value. You rarely move a player like this unless you’re executing a clear rebuild and getting multiple cornerstone pieces back.
Robertson is firmly in that same dynasty tier. A top-six, PP1 winger who already leads his team in goals and shots is exactly the type of profile that ages well in fantasy; he should be a multi-year pillar on competitive rosters. Kucherov, while still elite, might sit a half-step below in dynasty strictly due to long-term horizon considerations, but in any contending window he remains a premium trade target.
Schmaltz and Guenther are more context-dependent. Schmaltz’s heavy usage and bounce-back potential make him a solid mid-tier keeper if your league is deep enough to value top-line Utah forwards. Guenther’s combination of top-line role and PP1 time for the Mammoth gives him intriguing upside; he’s the kind of player you stash in deeper dynasty leagues, hoping that his current opportunity translates into sustained production as Utah’s core matures.
Who to Add / Stream / Watch
- Jason Robertson – Add/Hold (all leagues): Locked-in top-six and PP1 role in Dallas with team-leading goals and shots makes him a foundational starter, not a streamer.
- Nathan MacKinnon – Add/Hold (all leagues): Elite center and awards contender for Colorado; treat him as an untouchable core piece unless you’re rebuilding.
- Nikita Kucherov – Trade target (standard/shallow): Top-line, PP1 winger for Tampa Bay with elite scoring; use the NHL Trade Analyzer to structure a fair offer.
- Nick Schmaltz – Short-term stream (standard/deep): First-line, PP1 deployment and high ice time for Utah make him a prime schedule-based streamer with bounce-back potential.
- Dylan Guenther – Schedule play (deep): Top-line and PP1 role for Utah boosts his value during heavy Mammoth weeks or soft stretches in your matchup calendar.
Fantasy Takeaways
- Start Jason Robertson everywhere; his combination of goals, shots and PP1 usage in Dallas puts him in your top scoring tier.
- Treat Nathan MacKinnon as a long-term franchise piece—his awards-level impact for Colorado translates directly into elite fantasy production.
- Make Nikita Kucherov a priority trade target in points-heavy formats, leveraging his top-line and PP1 role in Tampa Bay.
- Stream Nick Schmaltz in categories leagues when Utah’s schedule is favorable; his ice time and shot attempts give him strong spike-week potential.
- Use Dylan Guenther as a schedule-based banger/points hybrid, capitalizing on his top power-play role for the Mammoth during busy weeks.
Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.