Tiered Fantasy Hockey Projections for 2025-26
The 2025-26 season is shaping up around a familiar core of superstars and a few key risers stepping into bigger roles. Instead of obsessing over exact rankings, grouping players into tiers helps you make sharper add, trade, and lineup decisions. Using recent performance trends and projected award races, let’s sort out where elite names like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar fit, and how emerging options such as Ryan Hartman and Tomas Hertl can give you an edge.
What’s New & Why It Matters
The big-picture takeaway from current projections is that the very top of the fantasy landscape remains anchored by a small group of forwards and defensemen who also sit near the front of real-life award conversations. Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon are again viewed as prime candidates for major hardware, which reinforces their status as foundational fantasy assets. You build around them, not away from them.
On the blue line, Cale Makar continues to separate himself from the pack. Projections highlighting him at the top of the defense scoring race underline just how valuable true PP1 quarterbacks are. Any time a defenseman can realistically pace or challenge elite forwards in point production, it changes how you construct your roster and where you’re willing to pay up in trades.
Further down the board, role changes are creating new fantasy opportunities. Ryan Hartman gaining a top-line role with the Minnesota Wild is a classic example: when a versatile forward gets stapled to high-end linemates at even strength (and possibly on the top power play), his fantasy profile can jump from streamer to every-week starter in many formats. Meanwhile, Tomas Hertl projects as a strong situational play against softer matchups, making him a useful streaming option when your schedule lines up.
Fantasy Implications
Points-Only
In points-only leagues, you’re chasing raw scoring and power-play exposure above all else. That’s where the top tier of forwards and defensemen comes into focus.
Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon sit in the elite scoring tier. Their projected award candidacies signal that nothing has changed about their usage: massive minutes, premium linemates, and heavy PP1 deployment. If you have one of them, your priority is to surround them with stable complementary scoring rather than trying to “win” a trade by moving them.
Cale Makar belongs in his own near-elite tier among skaters in points-only formats. Projections highlighting him at the top of the defense scoring race mean he can rival many top forwards in total production while occupying a defense slot. That positional leverage is enormous: it allows you to be more flexible with your forward depth and take on a bit more risk elsewhere, knowing your blue line is anchored by a near lock for high-end points and power-play production.
Ryan Hartman moves into a mid-tier points-only profile with his top-line promotion. His value is tied directly to who he plays with and how firmly he holds that role. If he sticks on the top line and sees regular PP time, he’s more than just a streamer; he becomes a viable hold in standard points leagues. If his deployment slips, he falls back into matchup-based usage.
Tomas Hertl slots into a streaming tier in points-only. Projections that highlight his upside against weaker defenses suggest he’s the type of player you cycle in when your roster is light on games or when his team has a favorable run of opponents. Think of him as a lever you pull to squeeze extra points out of your schedule rather than a set-and-forget core piece.
Categories / Bangers
In multi-category formats, the tiers shift slightly because volume stats and peripheral contributions matter as much as raw points.
Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid remain in the top tier, but their value is further boosted by their ability to drive multiple categories—shots, power-play points, and in MacKinnon’s case, strong volume stats that help you in several scoring columns. When you roster players in this tier, you can afford to target more specialized options later (for hits, blocks, or PIM) because your core is carrying you in the scoring categories.
Cale Makar sits in the premier defense tier for categories leagues. His offensive output and power-play role are the headline, but high-end defensemen also typically contribute in shots and sometimes blocks. That combination makes him a category anchor who can single-handedly keep you competitive from a blue-line slot.
Ryan Hartman is particularly intriguing in categories formats. A top-line role on the Minnesota Wild can unlock more points and power-play chances, but his underlying profile often includes useful secondary stats. That combination pushes him into a strong mid-tier option in categories leagues, especially in formats that reward volume and physical play. He’s the type of player who can quietly swing weekly matchups when he’s on a scoring line.
Tomas Hertl remains more of a matchup-based piece in categories, but his projected success against weaker opponents still matters. When you’re chasing specific categories late in the week, streaming a player like Hertl who can chip in goals, assists, and some volume stats is a smart way to close gaps without sacrificing efficiency.
Dynasty / Keeper
In dynasty and keeper formats, the tiers tilt toward long-term stability and sustained upside.
Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon are entrenched in the top dynasty tier. Their continued presence in award conversations signals that their prime windows are very much open. These are players you build around for multiple seasons; trading them away should only happen if you’re getting a massive, multi-asset return that clearly accelerates a rebuild.
Cale Makar is a cornerstone dynasty defenseman. Leading the way among defense scorers while still in his prime means you’re not just getting elite present-day production, but also a long runway of high-end output. In keeper formats with limited protection slots, he’s often worth prioritizing over many forwards because of the scarcity of true PP1 offensive defensemen. If you’re unsure how to value that kind of profile in a trade, lean on tools like our NHL Trade Analyzer to calibrate offers.
Ryan Hartman sits in a middle dynasty tier. A top-line role on the Minnesota Wild boosts his short-term value, but his long-term outlook depends on how firmly he holds that deployment and whether younger options eventually push for that spot. In keepers with deep protection lists, he can be a fringe keep; in shallower formats, he’s more of a win-now piece you ride while the role is strong.
Tomas Hertl is more of a short-to-medium term asset in dynasty. His value comes from exploiting favorable stretches rather than banking on a multi-year leap. Contending teams can use him as a flexible piece, while rebuilding squads should be open to moving him if his short-term production spikes.
Who to Add / Stream / Watch
- Ryan Hartman – Add (standard/categories): Top-line deployment with the Minnesota Wild gives him a strong mix of scoring and peripheral upside.
- Cale Makar – Trade target (all formats): Leading the defense scoring conversation makes him worth aggressive offers, especially in leagues that heavily reward power-play production.
- Nathan MacKinnon – Premium trade target (dynasty/keeper): A consistent award contender and elite producer you should only move for a massive, multi-asset haul.
- Tomas Hertl – Short-term stream (points-only/categories): Best used during stretches of games against weaker defenses to squeeze extra offense from your schedule.
- Connor McDavid – Hold/anchor (all formats): Remains a top-tier building block whose award-level projections make him nearly impossible to replace in any trade.
Fantasy Takeaways
- Build around elite award candidates: Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon remain foundational pieces; treat them as long-term anchors, not trade bait.
- Prioritize true PP1 defense stars: Cale Makar sits in a rare tier of defensemen whose scoring rivals top forwards, giving you massive positional leverage.
- Exploit role-driven breakouts: Ryan Hartman gaining a top-line role with the Minnesota Wild pushes him from fringe streamer to strong add in many leagues.
- Use matchup-based streamers smartly: Tomas Hertl is most valuable when you target him for stretches against weaker defenses to maximize short-term scoring.
- Think multi-year in dynasty: In keeper formats, prioritize long windows of elite production from players like Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon, and use tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer to evaluate big offers.
Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.