Fantasy Hockey Tiers: Nazar, Gostisbehere and Lee Emerging for 2025-26
The 2025-26 season is already reshaping fantasy value charts, especially for managers who react quickly to role changes. A few names are forcing their way into relevance thanks to prime deployment and strong underlying profiles. Let’s break down where Frank Nazar, Shayne Gostisbehere and Anders Lee fit in fantasy tiers, and how to handle them across points-only, categories and dynasty formats.
What’s New & Why It Matters
Nazar has moved into a true top-six role for the Chicago Blackhawks, with prime power-play usage. That combination of even-strength minutes with skilled linemates and PP1 time is exactly what turns a watchlist name into a viable roster piece in competitive leagues.
On the blue line, Gostisbehere is thriving with the Carolina Hurricanes as a top-pair, power-play quarterback. Any defenseman flirting with elite point production while running PP1 on a strong offensive team belongs in the conversation with the better fantasy D options, especially in leagues that reward power-play points.
Lee, meanwhile, remains a classic volume-and-chance generator for the New York Islanders. His high-danger shot profile makes him a sneaky streaming weapon whenever the schedule lines up, particularly in leagues counting shots and goals where short heaters can swing weekly matchups.
Layer on the broader context of stars like Nathan MacKinnon and Connor Bedard driving the Art Ross conversation and Cale Makar pacing the Norris race, and you get a landscape where elite names are stable at the top, but mid-tier roles are shifting quickly. That’s where attentive fantasy managers can gain an edge.
Fantasy Implications
Points-Only
Tier: Emerging scoring asset – Frank Nazar
Nazar’s combination of top-six deployment and PP1 usage in Chicago pushes him into an “emerging scorer” tier. In points-only formats, opportunity is often half the battle; he has both ice time and offensive teammates to convert that into production. He’s not yet in the automatic-start tier with established stars, but he’s moved beyond pure speculative stash territory. Think of him as a mid-tier forward with upward mobility if the production keeps pace with the role.
Tier: High-end offensive defenseman – Shayne Gostisbehere
Gostisbehere’s current pace and PP1 quarterback role for Carolina place him firmly in the high-end offensive defenseman tier. He may not sit with the absolute elite like Makar, but he’s clearly above the streamer class. In points-only leagues that separate defensemen, he’s a near must-roster; in formats that lump all skaters together, he’s a strong D2/D3 type whose power-play involvement gives him a reliable floor.
Tier: Streaming scorer – Anders Lee
Lee’s value in points-only is more schedule- and matchup-driven. His high-danger shooting suggests bursts of multi-goal potential, but his overall profile is streaky. That places him in a streaming tier: you want him active during heavy home stands, soft defensive opponents, or when he’s clearly riding a hot streak, but he’s not a lock to hold all season in shallow leagues.
Categories / Bangers
Tier: Multi-cat depth forward – Frank Nazar
In categories leagues, Nazar’s main appeal is his scoring and power-play exposure. If he maintains solid shot volume and chips in on the man advantage, he becomes a valuable depth piece in standard leagues. He’s less of a banger in the traditional hits/blocks sense, so his tier is more “offense-first depth forward” than true multi-cat stud. Still, managers needing goals, assists and PPP should keep him high on the watchlist.
Tier: PP specialist with category juice – Shayne Gostisbehere
Gostisbehere’s fantasy tier in bangers leagues is driven by power-play points, shots from the back end and overall offensive involvement. While he’s not known primarily for heavy hits or blocks, his offensive categories can be strong enough to offset that. In leagues that heavily weight PPP and SOG, he’s closer to a top-tier D option; in more physical formats, he settles into a strong but not elite tier, best paired with a more rugged defenseman on your roster.
Tier: Bangers-friendly streamer – Anders Lee
Lee’s high-danger shot profile makes him ideal for categories and bangers setups. He can stack shots, goals and potentially some peripheral stats in short bursts. That puts him in the “bangers-friendly streamer” tier: not necessarily a set-and-forget starter, but one of the first names you should consider when you need a short-term boost in shots and goal potential, especially during four-game weeks.
Dynasty / Keeper
Tier: Upside swing – Frank Nazar
In dynasty, Nazar becomes significantly more interesting. A young forward already trusted with top-six and PP1 duties on a rebuilding Chicago team fits squarely into the “upside swing” tier. He’s not yet a cornerstone asset like Nathan MacKinnon or Connor Bedard, but he’s the type of player you acquire before the breakout is fully priced in. If your league rewards patience and you can absorb some volatility, Nazar is worth targeting as a medium-risk, high-reward piece.
Tier: Win-now producer – Shayne Gostisbehere
Gostisbehere’s dynasty tier is more about maximizing current contention windows. His strong production and prime PP role in Carolina make him ideal for win-now teams that need immediate help on defense. Long-term, his value will ebb and flow with team context and power-play usage, so rebuilding squads may view him more as a trade chip than a core piece. If you’re contending, he’s the type of veteran you overpay slightly for to shore up your blue line.
Tier: Veteran depth – Anders Lee
In keeper and dynasty formats, Lee slots into the veteran depth tier. His game is built around net-front presence and high-danger chances, which can age reasonably well, but his ceiling is capped compared to younger, more dynamic forwards. He’s a solid hold for contenders needing depth scoring, but a player rebuilding teams should be willing to move for futures if he heats up and draws interest. Use tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer to gauge market value before making a move.
Who to Add / Stream / Watch
- Shayne Gostisbehere – Add (standard and deep leagues): Top-pair, PP1 role in Carolina with strong point production makes him a priority add on defense.
- Frank Nazar – Watchlist / Add in deeper leagues: Top-six and PP1 usage in Chicago give him breakout potential if the recent production holds.
- Anders Lee – Short-term stream: High-danger shot volume makes him an excellent short-run play when the Islanders have a favorable schedule.
- Cale Makar – Trade target for contenders: Norris-level play keeps him among the safest elite defensemen to build around in all formats.
- Nathan MacKinnon – Elite hold: Art Ross contention underscores his status as a foundational fantasy asset you build your roster around.
- Connor Bedard – Dynasty cornerstone: Early award buzz highlights his long-term upside; acquire if any manager is even slightly undervaluing him.
Fantasy Takeaways
- Nazar’s promotion into a top-six, PP1 role in Chicago elevates him from speculative stash to legitimate add in deeper points-only and dynasty formats.
- Gostisbehere’s offensive surge and PP1 quarterback job in Carolina move him into a high-end offensive defenseman tier, especially valuable in PPP-heavy leagues.
- Lee’s high-danger shot profile makes him a prime streaming option in categories and bangers leagues whenever the Islanders’ schedule is favorable.
- In dynasty, prioritize upside swings like Nazar while using veterans such as Gostisbehere and Lee as win-now pieces or trade chips.
- Keep elite names like MacKinnon, Bedard and Makar locked in as core assets while you churn the mid-tier for emerging roles like Nazar’s.
Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.