Top 200 Fantasy Hockey Rankings: How to Attack the 2025-26 Board
The new top 200 fantasy hockey rankings for 2025-26 are out, and they’re more than just a list. They’re a roadmap for how to build around elite anchors, manage goalie risk, and handle high-upside rookies and injuries. Instead of memorizing every slot, focus on what the rankings say about player value, roster construction, and where you can gain an edge on your league.
What’s New & Why It Matters
The headline at the top of the board is that Nathan MacKinnon is ranked as the number one overall player. That cements him as the premier building block in standard formats: elite scoring, heavy shot volume, and a locked-in role on Colorado’s top line and power play. The rankings essentially tell you that if you can build your roster around MacKinnon, you’re starting from a position of strength.
On the back end, the list reinforces that true workhorse goalies are scarce. Connor Hellebuyck sits near the top of the goalie pool, reflecting his combination of volume, consistency, and team context. In a landscape where many teams are leaning toward tandems, a reliable starter like Hellebuyck becomes a foundational piece in any build that prioritizes stability in the crease.
The rankings also highlight upside and risk. Rookie center Macklin Celebrini is slotted aggressively for a first-year player, signaling that his offensive ceiling is high enough to matter even in standard redraft leagues and especially in dynasty. On the flip side, Matthew Tkachuk is flagged as an injury watch: his multi-category dominance is unquestioned, but his health introduces uncertainty. Meanwhile, Tyler Seguin is effectively written off for 2025-26, with the expectation that he’s likely out for the season and should not be part of your plans.
Put together, the top 200 isn’t just ranking names; it’s drawing clear lines between players you can safely build around, players you gamble on for upside, and players you should avoid entirely.
Fantasy Implications
Points-Only
In points-only formats, the rankings are a strong reminder that ceiling is king. MacKinnon’s placement at the very top underscores his unmatched blend of goals, assists, and power-play production. Your strategy should be to secure one of these true offensive engines if you can, then layer in secondary scorers rather than overpaying for peripheral-heavy options who don’t keep pace on the scoresheet.
Celebrini’s aggressive placement is particularly important in points-only. The rankings are telling you he’s not just a speculative stash; he’s projected to be a meaningful scorer quickly. That makes him viable as a mid-round swing in shallower leagues and a priority in deeper ones where impact rookies can swing standings. Just understand that rookies carry volatility—your build should balance his upside with safer veterans.
Tkachuk’s injury note matters less in pure scoring than in multi-cat, but it still affects risk tolerance. If he’s discounted relative to his usual tier, you can justify taking on the injury risk in exchange for elite point production when he’s healthy. Seguin, however, is a simple fade: a likely season-long absence means he has no place on a points-only roster outside of IR-only formats where you have unlimited flexibility.
Categories / Bangers
In multi-category leagues, the rankings hint at how to balance raw scoring with volume in hits, shots, and power-play points. MacKinnon remains a cornerstone because he contributes across several offensive categories, especially shots and special-teams production. Building around him lets you focus later on complementary category specialists rather than chasing a do-everything forward later in the draft pool.
Tkachuk is one of the most consequential names in bangers formats. When healthy, he’s a unicorn: top-tier points, heavy hits, strong shot volume, and power-play usage. The rankings’ injury caveat suggests you should treat him as a calculated risk. If your league rewards hits and PIM heavily, you can afford to push him up your board relative to safer but less impactful options, provided you’re comfortable absorbing potential missed time.
Hellebuyck’s status as a top goalie is even more important in categories leagues that count wins, save percentage, and shutouts. A true workhorse stabilizes three or more categories by himself, freeing you from chasing low-volume spot starts. The rankings are effectively telling you that Hellebuyck is one of the few netminders worth paying a premium for if you want to compete in goalie-heavy formats.
Seguin’s likely season-long injury makes him a non-factor in bangers leagues as well. Even if your format has deep benches, there’s no reason to clog a spot with a player who isn’t expected to contribute at all.
Dynasty / Keeper
For long-term formats, the rankings provide a clear signal on how to value aging stars versus emerging talent. MacKinnon remains a blue-chip dynasty asset, and his placement at the top of the overall list confirms that his prime window is still wide open. If you’re contending, he’s the type of player you overpay for via trade; if you’re rebuilding, he’s the kind of piece you only move for a massive haul.
Celebrini is the biggest dynasty storyline here. Being ranked prominently in a top 200 that’s otherwise dominated by established NHLers tells you his projected trajectory is steep. He should be prioritized in any rebuild and is worth aggressive trade offers in keepers that allow you to hold players for multiple seasons. Just remember that even elite prospects can take time to fully pop; structure your roster so you’re not relying on him as your only offensive centerpiece right away.
Tkachuk’s injury risk is a bit less concerning in dynasty, where multi-year value matters more than a single season’s games played. If his manager in your league is spooked by the health note, this is a classic buy-low opportunity. Use tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer to gauge whether an offer centered around younger, less proven assets makes sense.
Seguin, unfortunately, looks like a sunk cost in most dynasty setups for 2025-26. If you’re in a shallow keeper with limited protection slots, he’s likely a cut. In deeper formats with IR spots, you can stash him only if your league rules and roster flexibility make it painless.
Who to Add / Stream / Watch
- Nathan MacKinnon – Add (all leagues): Ranked as the top overall player; build your roster around his elite scoring and usage whenever you have the chance to acquire him.
- Connor Hellebuyck – Add (all leagues): One of the few true workhorse goalies; prioritize him if you want stability and volume in the crease.
- Macklin Celebrini – Add (dynasty/keeper, watchlist in redraft): High-upside rookie whose aggressive ranking signals real near-term scoring potential.
- Matthew Tkachuk – Watchlist / Trade target: Injury concerns create risk, but his multi-category ceiling makes him worth monitoring and targeting at a discount.
- Tyler Seguin – Avoid (all but deep IR formats): Expected to miss most or all of the season; don’t tie up a roster spot unless you have very generous IR rules.
Fantasy Takeaways
- MacKinnon’s spot at the top of the rankings confirms he’s the premier building block in any format, worthy of aggressive investment.
- Hellebuyck’s placement among the elite underscores how valuable a true workhorse goalie is in both standard and categories leagues.
- Celebrini’s high ranking for a rookie makes him a priority asset in dynasty and a viable upside swing in deeper redraft leagues.
- Tkachuk’s injury status introduces risk, but his multi-category dominance makes him a prime candidate to buy low if his cost drops.
- Seguin’s likely season-long absence means he should be off your board in most formats, freeing you to focus on healthier upside plays.
Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.