Top 200 Fantasy Hockey Rankings: How to Use the Board for 2025-26

NHL.com’s new top 200 list for the 2025-26 fantasy hockey season is a great starting point, but the edge comes from how you interpret it. Let’s break down what the rankings say about elite talent like Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, and Nikita Kucherov, how to treat injured or risky options such as Mark Stone, and where a prospect like Macklin Celebrini fits into your plans.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The headline change in NHL.com’s top 200 is that MacKinnon is graded as the best overall fantasy option for 2025-26. That reflects not just his scoring, but his all-situations usage and reliability in standard categories. McDavid and Kucherov remain firmly in the elite tier, but the list subtly nudges managers to see MacKinnon as the safest all-around foundation piece.

On defense, Cale Makar is treated as the clear top blueliner, reinforcing the idea that he should be valued closer to the very best forwards than to the rest of the defense pool. In goal, Andrei Vasilevskiy is highlighted as the leading option, signaling confidence in his workload and win potential despite the volatility that usually comes with the position.

The rankings also flag context risk. Mark Stone is specifically tagged as an injury concern whose current health status drags down his rest-of-season value. Meanwhile, Macklin Celebrini is framed as a long-term asset more than an immediate league-winner, which is crucial for dynasty and keeper managers trying to balance upside with patience.

Overall, the list is less about surprising names and more about sharpening tiers: a tiny group of true fantasy anchors at the top, a small cluster of premium defense and goalie options, and then a large middle class where roster construction and category needs should drive your choices.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In points-only formats, the rankings effectively confirm that MacKinnon, McDavid, and Kucherov are your offensive centerpieces. MacKinnon’s placement at the very top underscores his combination of goals, assists, and power-play opportunity on a loaded Colorado attack. McDavid’s note as a consistent top performer reinforces his unmatched ceiling in pure scoring environments, while Kucherov’s profile as a high-scoring winger with strong power-play usage makes him one of the safest elite wing options.

Makar’s status as the premier defenseman is especially important in points-only leagues that reward defense scoring heavily. His offensive flair and top-unit power-play role with Colorado give him forward-like upside from the blue line. If your league counts defense scoring separately or has positional bonuses, Makar’s ranking suggests he should be treated as a cornerstone asset rather than just a positional fill.

For goalies, Vasilevskiy being highlighted as the leading option signals trust in his ability to provide wins and strong ratios on a Tampa Bay team that still supports him well. In points-only setups that award points for wins and shutouts, he’s one of the few netminders who can justify being prioritized ahead of many skaters in the middle of the top 200.

Macklin Celebrini is more nuanced in points-only. The rankings frame him as a promising rookie with high potential, but not necessarily a guaranteed immediate star. In shallow points-only leagues, that pushes him closer to a midseason watchlist or speculative bench spot; in deeper formats, he’s a reasonable stash if you can tolerate some early inconsistency.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-category formats, the top of the board is about category coverage as much as raw points. MacKinnon’s placement as the top player reflects that he can contribute across goals, assists, shots, and power-play production, while also benefiting from heavy usage. McDavid remains a category monster in scoring and power-play points, and his ranking confirms that you’re still getting one of the best multi-cat profiles in fantasy even if he isn’t listed first overall.

Kucherov’s high-scoring winger tag is especially valuable in leagues that separate positions strictly; elite production from the wing is harder to replace than from center in many formats. His strong power-play role in Tampa Bay also boosts his value in leagues that count power-play points or reward shot volume.

Makar’s offensive profile makes him a premium asset in leagues that count shots, power-play points, and possibly plus-minus. His ability to drive offense from the back end means you can afford to take more specialized forwards later, knowing your defense is already supplying high-end scoring.

Vasilevskiy’s ranking as the top goalie is a reminder that, in categories leagues, a true workhorse on a strong team can stabilize wins, save percentage, and goals-against average almost single-handedly. However, the inherent volatility of goalies means you should still weigh team build: if you invest heavily in him, you’ll want to lean into skaters who bring hits, blocks, or shots later to balance your categories.

Mark Stone is the cautionary tale here. The rankings explicitly label him as an injured forward whose current status undermines his fantasy value. In bangers formats, that means you can’t rely on him to provide his usual blend of scoring and peripheral stats. Unless your league has generous IR spots, he’s more of a late gamble or outright fade than a core piece.

Dynasty / Keeper

For dynasty and keeper leagues, the rankings highlight two very different types of assets: established superstars and long-term projects. MacKinnon, McDavid, and Kucherov are still foundational pieces with multi-year elite windows. Their placement at or near the top of the board reinforces that you should be very reluctant to move them without a massive return; use tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer to sanity-check any blockbuster offers involving them.

Makar’s status as the premier offensive defenseman makes him a dynasty cheat code. High-end offensive defensemen tend to age well from a fantasy perspective, and his role in Colorado should keep him relevant for years. In keeper formats with limited protection slots, he’s one of the rare defensemen who deserves to be locked in alongside elite forwards.

Celebrini is flagged specifically as a prospect to monitor in dynasty formats. That suggests the expectation of significant long-term upside, even if the immediate production might be uneven. In deep keeper or dynasty leagues, he’s exactly the kind of player you stash on a farm or bench spot: you may not get top-50 production right away, but the ceiling is high enough to justify patience.

Stone, on the other hand, is a warning sign in dynasty. The injury note in the rankings implies that his long-term reliability is in question. In keepers, he’s more of a short-term swing than a player you plan around for multiple seasons, and you should be willing to move on if healthier, younger options emerge.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Nathan MacKinnon – Add (all leagues): Ranked as the top overall option, he’s a franchise-level anchor in any scoring format.
Connor McDavid – Add (all leagues): Still an elite scorer with unmatched upside; build your roster around his strengths.
Nikita Kucherov – Add (all leagues): High-end wing production and power-play usage make him a priority core piece.
Cale Makar – Add (all leagues): The top fantasy defenseman, offering forward-like offense from the blue line.
Andrei Vasilevskiy – Add (standard+ leagues): Leading goalie option with strong win and ratio potential.
Macklin Celebrini – Watchlist / Stash (dynasty): Promising rookie with high long-term upside, best suited for keeper and dynasty formats.
Mark Stone – Avoid / Late gamble only: Injury concerns significantly cap his reliability and rest-of-season value.

Fantasy Takeaways

MacKinnon’s placement at the top of the rankings confirms him as a premier building block in every format.
McDavid and Kucherov remain elite, high-floor anchors you should only move for massive, multi-piece returns.
Makar and Vasilevskiy are rare at their positions and deserve to be treated as true difference-makers, not just positional fillers.
Celebrini is a long-term play: prioritize him in dynasty and keeper leagues, but be cautious about overcommitting in shallow redraft formats.
Stone’s injury status makes him a risky investment; focus on healthier options unless your league settings make stashing him easy.

Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.