Player outlooks · hockey
Who they are this season, in plain words
Every player here has a written outlook and an injury assessment grounded in this week's reporting, the same research behind every Fantasy Memo. Ranked by consensus rest-of-season value, skaters and goalies alike.
Centers
1Connor McDavidEDM · C1McDavid is the Oilers' first-line center and top power-play and penalty-kill forward, and the coverage I found has no injury concern and no sign of a role change.2Nathan MacKinnonCOL · C2MacKinnon is the first-line center and first power-play unit forward on a 7-5-1 Avalanche team (record as of the Oct. 31 preview), with no designation and nothing in current coverage that threatens that role.3Leon DraisaitlEDM · C3Draisaitl is a first-line, first-power-play-unit player on a team that has kept him beside Connor McDavid, and the reporting I found shows no threat to that role and no injury concern.12Auston MatthewsTOR · C4Matthews is Toronto's top-line center and a first-unit power-play fixture. The wire note says day-to-day, and I found no practice report or coach update on it dated after that note.13Macklin CelebriniSJ · C5Celebrini is San Jose's first-line center and top power-play driver, and the wire note about a game-time decision is stale: he returned from that lower-body injury on Oct. 10 and has been playing since.14Jack EichelVGK · C6Eichel is Vegas's top-line center and the team scoring leader, and the open question is whether his hot start holds, not whether his role is safe.15Nick SuzukiMTL · C7OutSuzuki is out for the near term: the Canadiens announced on Oct. 22 that he will miss two to four weeks with an upper-body injury, and no return date has been confirmed.17Tage ThompsonBUF · C8Tage Thompson is Buffalo's top-line forward and first-unit power-play shooter, but whether he plays center or wing and who skates with him are still changing from game to game.19Martin NecasCOL · C9Martin Necas is the first-line right wing and a first-unit power-play forward on Colorado, and the lineup pages I read agree on that as of Nov. 1-2.20Jack HughesNJ · C10Jack Hughes is the center between Jesper Bratt and Arseny Gritsyuk and runs the first power play, and the main unknown for the rest of the season is whether his 14 games last season repeat.22Sebastian AhoCAR · C11Aho is Carolina's top-line center, on the first power-play unit and the first penalty kill, and the coverage I found has no sign of that changing.25Jake GuentzelTB · C12Guentzel is skating on Tampa Bay's top line and first power-play unit in the current reporting I found, so he is a core scorer for the rest of the season. His role looks stable, though the reporting on it is thin.26Tim StutzleOTT · C13Stützle is Ottawa's top-line center and a first-unit power-play player, and the sources I found show his usage as stable even though his linemates keep changing.34Sam ReinhartFLA · C14Reinhart is Florida's second-line center and first power-play unit forward while Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand are on injured reserve, and his usage should stay solid unless one of them returns.36Joel Eriksson EkMIN · C15Joel Eriksson Ek is the first-line center between Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy and plays on the first power-play unit, and every current source I read agrees on that.43Bo HorvatNYI · C16Horvat is the Islanders' first-line center and a first power-play unit regular. The one open item is the day-to-day wire note, which I could not tie to a specific injury or a return date.50Seth JarvisCAR · C17Jarvis is a third-line right wing who has played on the second power-play unit since coming off IR on Oct. 21. The wire's day-to-day note is the only caution on his availability.51Wyatt JohnstonDAL · C18Wyatt Johnston is a top-six center who plays about 20 minutes a night and sits on the first power-play unit, but his status is unclear because the wire lists him day-to-day and I found no update after it.57Leo CarlssonANA · C19Carlsson is the top-line center on a Ducks team that is scoring heavily, and he is on the first power-play unit, which is where most of his production comes from. This is based on lines projected for Nov. 1 and practice lines from Oct. 28. I did not fetch Daily Faceoff's own line page.59Steven StamkosNSH · C20Stamkos is a top-line, first power-play-unit scorer for Nashville and has produced at that level through the first 14 games, though no analyst I found questions the role.61Vincent TrocheckUTA · C21Trocheck is a second-line center on a deep Utah forward group, with second power-play and penalty-kill work and no first-unit power-play role in the lineups I found.63Dylan LarkinDET · C22IRLarkin is suspended without pay and away from the Red Wings while the team looks for a trade, so he has no on-ice fantasy role until he is moved or the standoff ends.66Connor BedardCHI · C23Bedard is the Blackhawks' first-line center and their main offensive driver, but the shoulder issue means his availability is the open question, and I found no update beyond the wire note.68Dylan CozensOTT · C24Dylan Cozens has moved from center to Tim Stützle's right wing on Ottawa's top line, with a first power-play unit role, as of the November 1 game preview. He is a top-six forward with the best linemate on the roster, but how long the move lasts is unconfirmed.74Roope HintzDAL · C25Hintz is a second-line forward who plays on the first power play, and his current day-to-day status is the main open question. I found no beat-writer or Daily Faceoff analysis of his season.77Logan CooleyUTA · C26Cooley is a top-six forward and a first-unit power-play fixture for Utah, and the open question is whether he plays second-line center or left wing.78Nico HischierNJ · C27Hischier is New Jersey's second-line center and captain. He also plays first-unit power play and first-unit penalty kill, and he has been scoring mostly on the power play.81Nick SchmaltzUTA · C28Nick Schmaltz is Utah's top-line center and a first power-play unit regular, so he should stay a core scorer for the rest of the season. I found no injury designation, and I found no analyst debate specific to him.84Evgeni MalkinPIT · C29Malkin is a second-line right wing and second power-play unit piece who has already been scratched once this season, with a day-to-day note on him now that I could not tie to a specific injury or date.85Tomas HertlVGK · C30Hertl is a middle-six center on Vegas who has moved between the second and third lines this season, with a first power-play unit spot in the projections I found.87Aleksander BarkovFLA · C31IRBarkov is a top-line center who is out with a left knee injury, and his coach put his return at about four weeks after Oct. 29, so he is not a near-term lineup piece.89Mika ZibanejadNYR · C32Zibanejad is the Rangers' first-line center and a power-play regular, but I found no analyst debate about him, only line reports that moved his wingers around.94Logan StankovenCAR · C33Stankoven is Carolina's second-line center, with second power-play and second penalty-kill time, and the current line pages show nothing that threatens that.97Adam FantilliCBJ · C34Fantilli is a top-line center with first-unit power-play time on Columbus's current projections, but our wire note says "out" and I found no reporting that explains it, so his availability is the open question.98Mark ScheifeleWPG · C35Scheifele is Winnipeg's first-line center and on the top power-play unit as of early November, so he is a top-of-lineup player with no designation. The one open question is who his wingers are.104Sidney CrosbyPIT · C36Crosby is Pittsburgh's first-line center and first power-play unit forward, and nothing I found shows his role changing this season.105Mathew BarzalNYI · C37IRBarzal is a top-six center with no return date, and the Islanders have given no timeline for when that changes.108Carter VerhaegheFLA · C38Verhaeghe is a second-line left wing on the first power-play unit for Florida, and his hot start (a hat trick, as FHN's 14-day-old piece reports) is the main thing behind his value. The day-to-day note is the one open item, and I found nothing newer on it.110John TavaresTOR · C39IRTavares is a 36-year-old second-line center on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, with no return date reported, so his rest of season depends on how fast he recovers and whether he gets his old spot back.114Ryan Nugent-HopkinsEDM · C40Nugent-Hopkins is back from his lower-body absence and is playing as Edmonton's second-line center on the top power-play unit, so for now he is a healthy top-six piece.116Morgan GeekieBOS · C41Morgan Geekie is a second-line right wing who holds a first power-play spot for Boston, with his goal-scoring tied to his shot and the man advantage.119Elias PetterssonVAN · C42Elias Pettersson is Vancouver's first-line center and first-unit power-play forward as of early November, and no current coverage I found argues about that.120Brayden PointTB · C43Point is the first-line center between Jake Guentzel and Nikita Kucherov and a first power-play unit regular, and the early-season coverage I found treats his slow power-play start as bad luck rather than a role change.122Sam BennettFLA · C44Bennett is a top-six center on a Panthers team that has Barkov, Marchand and Markstrom on injured reserve. His line still has Matthew Tkachuk, but the left wing and the line's rank in the lineup have changed from game to game.124Ryan O'ReillyNSH · C45O'Reilly is the top-line center and a first-unit power-play fixture for Nashville, and the only open question in the current reporting is who plays on his wings.132Matt DucheneDAL · C46IRDuchene is a long-term injured reserve player who is recovering from core surgery. Reporting points to a return around January at the earliest, so he has no role until then and little certainty after.136Nazem KadriCOL · C47Kadri is a second-line right winger with first-unit power-play time on a deep Colorado team, still without a goal this season but producing assists.141Pavel ZachaBOS · C48Zacha is the Bruins' first-line center and first power-play regular in the projections I found, so his role is secure when he plays. The open question is the upper-body issue that has him a game-time decision, and I found no update on it past the wire note.142J.T. MillerNYR · C49J.T. Miller, a 33-year-old center and the team captain, is a second-line center on the Rangers who also works on the first power-play unit, and his usage has been steady through the first weeks of the season.143Brock NelsonCOL · C50Brock Nelson is a second-line center on a deep Colorado team. He also has a secondary power-play role and a penalty-kill role, so his usage is steady, but he is not the main offensive driver.151Elias LindholmBOS · C51Lindholm is a third-line center who plays shutdown minutes, kills penalties and has a spot on the first power-play unit, so his value comes from deployment and not from a scoring-line role.153Trevor ZegrasPHI · C52Zegras is a top-line left winger who still takes some faceoffs and plays a hybrid center role, and he is on the first power-play unit, so he is a top-six, top-unit forward for the Flyers who were struggling early in the season.154Robert ThomasSTL · C53Robert Thomas is the Blues' No. 1 center in the line charts I could read, but I found no beat-writer or analyst commentary, so this describes usage only and not any debate.158Cole PerfettiWPG · C54Perfetti is a top-line winger beside Mark Scheifele and has been on the first power-play unit in the most recent game I could read, though the other winger on that line has changed between games.169Dylan StromeWSH · C55Dylan Strome is Washington's second-line center and a first-unit power-play regular, and the current lineup reporting I found is consistent on both points.174Bobby McMannSEA · C56McMann is a second-line left wing with first-unit power-play time, and Jared McCann's reported 10-week injured reserve stint should keep him in the top six for now.178Shane PintoOTT · C57Pinto is a middle-six center who also kills penalties first. His line and power-play slot have changed from game to game, so what he gives you depends on where the Senators put him.182Mason McTavishSTL · C58McTavish is the Blues' second-line center and second power-play option, and the early evidence says he was a strong pickup. The one open question is whether he gets promoted to the top line.184Charlie CoyleCBJ · C59Coyle is a veteran center in Columbus's middle six who has been getting some power-play time, but current coverage is thin and I could not confirm his line or unit for tonight.187Will SmithSJ · C60Will Smith is a top-six right wing on a Sharks team that has been shuffling its lines, and he has kept a spot on the first power-play unit. The one open question is whether he plays next to Macklin Celebrini or one line down.188Mikael GranlundANA · C61Granlund is a second-line center on a top-six power-play unit for Anaheim, and the latest practice lines have him in that spot.194Anton LundellFLA · C62Anton Lundell is a third-line center who plays a lot of penalty kill and gets second-unit power-play time. His scoring ceiling depends on the Panthers' injured centers, Barkov and Marchand, staying out.196Fraser MintenBOS · C63Fraser Minten is Boston's second-line center right now, and he has produced early, but analysts still debate whether he is a true No. 2 or a very good third-liner in a bigger role.197Alex SteevesBOS · C64Alex Steeves is a Providence (AHL) call-up candidate for now, not an NHL regular. He is not in Boston's current lineup, and the available coverage says he would only play if forward injuries open a spot.204Emmitt FinnieDET · C65Finnie is Detroit's first-line center as of the Oct. 31 Daily Faceoff update, with first power-play unit and first penalty-kill unit time, and his hold on the job depends on how Detroit's center group reshuffles around the injured Kasper and the scratched Larkin.208Anton FrondellCHI · C66Frondell is Chicago's second-line center as a 19-year-old rookie. He has a real two-way role and a second-unit power-play slot, and his early production is modest but steady.216Boone JennerWSH · C67Jenner is a physical, penalty-kill-heavy depth forward who was on the second line through at least October 20, and who appears to have been bumped down when Pierre-Luc Dubois returned to the lineup.218Kevin RooneyUTA · C68Rooney is not part of Utah's NHL group as far as I can find, so he has no reliable fantasy role for now.219Wilmer SkoogDET · C69Wilmer Skoog is a minor-leaguer for now, not an NHL lineup piece: Detroit waived him on September 23 and he is listed with Grand Rapids of the AHL.225Joseph LaBateVAN · C70Joseph LaBate is not on the Vancouver Canucks this season: he became an unrestricted free agent this past off-season, and as of the most recent NHL.com free agent tracker update he remains unsigned by any NHL club heading into training camp.230T.J. TynanCOL · C71Tynan is no longer part of the Colorado organization at all this season: he left as a free agent and signed a one-year AHL contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds on July 2, 2026, so he has no path to NHL games with Colorado in 2026-27.233Liam FoudyNYI · C72Liam Foudy was placed on waivers on September 26, 2026 for assignment to AHL Hamilton, so barring an unexpected recall he is not part of the Islanders' NHL picture as the 2026-27 season begins.235Justin RobidasCAR · C73Justin Robidas is a speedy, undersized center who was placed on waivers by Carolina on September 26, 2026, and, barring a claim, is expected to open the year in the AHL rather than on the Hurricanes' roster.236Cameron HughesDAL · C74Cameron Hughes is a fringe, waiver-wire-caliber bottom-six center whose season opened with an upper-body injury before he could even establish a camp role.243Anthony RichardPHI · C75Anthony Richard is not a Philadelphia Flyers player for the 2026-27 season: multiple May 2026 reports say he left the organization to sign in Switzerland, so he has no path to NHL fantasy relevance with Philadelphia this year.246Ryan TverbergTOR · C76Ryan Tverberg is expected to open the season with the AHL's Toronto Marlies rather than in Toronto's NHL lineup after being placed on waivers for assignment.248Tristan BrozPIT · C77Tristan Broz enters Pittsburgh's camp as a genuine roster bubble forward: he has NHL-caliber tools but must beat out more established bodies for a bottom-six job, and his fate for the 2026-27 season likely hinges on injury attrition elsewhere on the roster rather than a clear-cut spot.250Alex Barre-BouletSJ · C78Barre-Boulet remains a bubble/AHL-caliber forward for San Jose heading into 2026-27, currently sidelined by a day-to-day issue in the final week of training camp.251Kenny ConnorsLA · C79Kenny Connors will open the 2026-27 season in the AHL, not on the Kings' NHL roster, positioned as the club's top center call-up option once regular-season injuries hit.259Trevor KuntarBUF · C80Kuntar is a fringe AHL forward who got a long look in Buffalo's camp and scored on his first Sabres preseason goal, but the club has already returned him to the minors for the start of the season.262Patrick GilesSJ · C81Patrick Giles projects as a fringe fourth-line depth forward for San Jose whose short-term fantasy relevance is essentially zero while he works through an upper-body injury suffered in the Sharks' September 22, 2026 preseason game against Vegas.263Brayden SchennNYI · C82Brayden Schenn is a second-line center on the Islanders who also plays on the first power-play unit, and the tracker pages I read show that role holding through Oct. 31.268Georgii MerkulovCOL · C83Merkulov is a longshot bottom-six forward option in Colorado who signed a one-year, $850,000 deal on July 20, 2026 and is fighting for a roster spot out of training camp, having produced almost nothing in his NHL time to date.269Tristen NielsenCOL · C84Nielsen enters the 2026-27 season as a fringe forward fighting for the last bottom-six roster spot in Colorado, most likely destined for another season split between Denver and the AHL Eagles unless he wins that job outright.275Nils AmanVAN · C85Nils Aman is no longer part of the Vancouver Canucks organization: Elite Prospects' transaction log shows a confirmed move from Vancouver to Djurgardens IF of the Swedish SHL dated 21 July 2026, and he is absent from every piece of Canucks training camp and preseason line coverage found for September 2026.276Sam MortonCGY · C86Sam Morton is a 26-year-old undrafted center who is a deep AHL/NHL depth piece for the Flames organization, and as of the last days of camp he is bound for the minors rather than an NHL role to start the season.279Jonathan MarchessaultNSH · C87Marchessault is a third-line right wing who gets some power-play time, based on line-tracker pages. I found no analyst commentary on his season, so this comes from lineup data only.288Jack McBainUTA · C88Jack McBain heads into 2026-27 as a physical, faceoff-capable middle-six center for Utah, valuable more for his role and secondary counting stats than for power-play production.289Jack RoslovicTOR · C89Jack Roslovic is a first-line right wing on Auston Matthews's line and the second power-play unit, but the Leafs have not settled who stays on that line, and last week's results were poor.293Luca PinelliCBJ · C90Pinelli is a well-regarded Columbus forward prospect who pushed for a bubble roster spot in camp but was optioned to AHL Cleveland on September 23, 2026, meaning he opens the season in the minors rather than with the Blue Jackets.294John HaydenSEA · C91John Hayden is a physical, low-scoring depth forward on a one-way deal who is fighting for a bottom-six roster spot rather than a meaningful fantasy asset for the 2026-27 season.295Kai UchaczVGK · C92IRUchacz is a depth/prospect center whose immediate outlook is on hold: he is currently sidelined by a week-to-week undisclosed injury that is costing him a chance to fight for a bubble roster spot in Vegas's training camp.297Tyler ToffoliSJ · C93Toffoli is a third-line winger with second-unit power-play time on a Sharks team built around its young core, and the lines have been changing from game to game.298Brady MartinNSH · C94Martin is a training-camp story again: after making Nashville's opening-night roster as an 18-year-old last season only to be scratched and returned to junior after three games, the 2025 fifth overall pick is fighting for a roster spot for a second straight year and has looked good doing it.
Left wings
4Brady TkachukFLA · LW1Brady Tkachuk is a top-line Panthers winger with a first power-play role, and the one open question is a day-to-day note that I could not find any coverage of.7Kirill KaprizovMIN · LW2Kaprizov is the Wild's top left winger and top-unit power-play piece, and the only open question is the day-to-day wire note, for which I found no current detail.9Matthew TkachukFLA · LW3Matthew Tkachuk is a top-line, first power-play-unit winger for Florida, now playing alongside his brother Brady, and nothing I found suggests that role is under threat.16Matt BoldyMIN · LW4Matt Boldy is a first-line right wing on the top power-play unit, so for the rest of this season he is a core scoring option on the Wild's best offensive group.18Jason RobertsonDAL · LW5Robertson is a second-line left wing on Dallas's current projected lines and appears on the first power-play unit in the sources I could read, with no injury designation on him.23Filip ForsbergNSH · LW6Forsberg is Nashville's top-line-adjacent left wing and a power-play regular, but I could not read a current line page, so his exact slot today is unconfirmed.31Kyle ConnorWPG · LW7Kyle Connor is still Winnipeg's top-line left wing and first power-play option, and his shot volume is intact despite a recent cold stretch, so he stays the offense's centerpiece for the rest of the season.33Brandon HagelTB · LW8Hagel is a second-line left wing who also gets first-unit power-play time, and the only open question is the day-to-day note, which I could not clarify.39Cutter GauthierANA · LW9Gauthier is a shoot-first winger on Anaheim's first power-play unit, and his even-strength line has changed several times in the past week, so it is not settled.53Lucas RaymondDET · LW10Raymond is a second-line winger who still holds a spot on the first power-play unit, and his deployment has shifted several times this season.56Artemi PanarinLA · LW11Panarin is the Kings' first-line left wing and a first power-play unit fixture, and the early reporting I found shows no sign of that changing.65Artturi LehkonenCOL · LW12Lehkonen is Colorado's first-line left winger beside Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas, with second power-play and penalty-kill work. Every source I read agrees on that.71Dylan HollowaySTL · LW13Holloway is a top-six-capable left wing who was demoted from the Robert Thomas line to the third line about three days ago, and his role is still shifting game to game.72Kiefer SherwoodSJ · LW14Sherwood is a second-line right wing and second power-play unit forward on a young Sharks team, and the reporting I found is thin on any debate about him.73Jesper BrattNJ · LW15Bratt is a second-line winger who plays on the first power-play unit, and the coverage I found shows no dispute about that role.75Nikolaj EhlersCAR · LW16Ehlers is a second-line left wing on the top power-play unit for Carolina, and the current lines have him in a scoring role rather than the third-line spot he was projected for in the preseason.82Zach HymanEDM · LW17IRHyman is an injured winger with no announced return date, and his place on the second line and first power-play unit is open until he is healthy and back in the lineup.90Viktor ArvidssonDET · LW18Arvidsson is a top-line right wing on a first-unit power-play role right now, and I found no current reporting that questions it.92Kevin FialaLA · LW19IRFiala is on injured reserve with a lower-leg injury and, per Laviolette on Oct. 29, is week-to-week, so he is out until further notice and I found no return date.99Will CuylleNYR · LW20Cuylle is a third-line left wing on the Rangers right now, in a depth role with a bit of penalty-kill and secondary power-play work, and I found no analyst commentary on where he goes from here.102Alexis LafreniereNYR · LW21Lafreniere is a top-line right wing on the first power-play unit. His line was reshuffled on October 30, and the Rangers are 7-6-1 after 14 games.106Jared McCannSEA · LW22IRMcCann is the top-line left wing for Seattle and has started the season healthy and productive, after last season was cut short to 9 games.115Juraj SlafkovskýMTL · LW23Slafkovský is a top-line Canadiens winger with a first power-play unit spot, and the open question is who centers him once Nick Suzuki is healthy.131Ivan BarbashevVGK · LW24Ivan Barbashev is the left wing on Vegas's top line with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone, and he plays the second power-play unit. The coverage I found does not show any real disagreement about his role.135Zach BensonBUF · LW25Zach Benson is a productive left wing who has moved up to the top line next to Tage Thompson, and his current scoring pace is strong, though the line pairing is not settled.139Alex OvechkinWSH · LW26Ovechkin is a third-line left wing who still holds a first power-play spot, per projected lineups from Oct 29 and Nov 1. I found no current reporting on the day-to-day note, and I did not read a live line page.145Jake NeighboursSTL · LW27Jake Neighbours is a third-line left wing who also gets first-unit power-play time and penalty-kill minutes, based on projected-line sites checked 26 October. I found no beat-writer or Athletic analysis, so this rests on line data only.147Brad MarchandFLA · LW28IRMarchand is an injured-reserve winger tentatively about three weeks from returning, so he is a stash-or-wait case whose usage after he returns depends on what Florida does with its lines around Barkov.156Blake ColemanMIN · LW29Blake Coleman is a second-line left wing on a deep Wild team. He also gets second power-play and penalty-kill minutes, and the main uncertainty is who plays center and right wing next to him.171Gabriel LandeskogCOL · LW30Landeskog is a second-line left wing with second-unit power-play time on Colorado's current projected lines, and coverage points to a middle-six scorer, not a top-line driver.173Pierre-Luc DuboisWSH · LW31Dubois is Washington's top-line center and its top defensive center, and he appears to be back in the lineup after an illness. His 2026-27 role is set more by the power-play question than by the even-strength line.177Joel FarabeeCGY · LW32Farabee is a top-line left winger on the first power-play unit and first penalty-kill unit, so his role looks secure for now. The open question is who centers him.195Jason ZuckerBUF · LW33Zucker is a 34-year-old bottom-six winger coming back from offseason abdomen surgery. Current reporting points to third-line work with some second-unit power-play time, and his usage in this return is not settled.198Chris KreiderMTL · LW34Kreider is a second-line left wing with second-unit power-play time on a one-year deal, and his production depends on whether he stays beside Kapanen or moves back to the top line.200Lawson CrouseUTA · LW35Crouse is a middle-six left wing and penalty killer who has moved between the top two lines. He has no power-play role in anything I found, and I found no analyst commentary on him.202Emil HeinemanNYI · LW36Heineman is coming off a breakout 22-goal, 31-point season on Long Island and enters 2026-27 as a name to watch, but the most recent training camp practice groupings have him skating a notch lower in the lineup than where he produced last year.214Pavol RegendaSJ · LW37Pavol Regenda is not on an NHL roster for 2026-27: he left the San Jose organization and signed in Sweden's SHL, so he has no NHL fantasy relevance this season.226Rafael Harvey-PinardPIT · LW38Harvey-Pinard is not currently part of the Pittsburgh Penguins' NHL picture: the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins' own site reported on July 7, 2026 that he signed an AHL-only contract for 2026-27, and last season he spent almost all of his time in the AHL, so his path to any NHL fantasy relevance this season runs through injuries elsewhere and a recall, not a training-camp roster spot.238Shane LachanceNJ · LW39Lachance is a big, well-regarded 22-year-old prospect getting a real look on a crowded Devils fourth line in camp and preseason, but he still looks more likely to open the season with AHL Utica than to hold a full-time NHL roster spot.240Connor ClattenburgEDM · LW40Connor Clattenburg is a physical, energy-line winger fighting for a bottom-six roster spot in Edmonton, not a projected everyday NHL regular to open the season.241Anton BlidhNYR · LW41Anton Blidh was placed on waivers by the Rangers on September 25, 2026, per RotoWire and Pro Hockey Rumors, and is expected to report to AHL Hartford if he clears, so he enters the season as a non-factor for New York's opening lineup barring a recall.247Hugh McGingPIT · LW42Hugh McGing is a veteran AHL depth forward on a one-year AHL-only contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, with no realistic path onto the Pittsburgh Penguins' NHL roster in the near term.249Samuel BlaisOTT · LW43Blais is a two-way contract depth forward trying to win a bottom-six job in Ottawa's camp, not an established roster piece, and his fantasy relevance this season hinges entirely on whether he sticks on the NHL side rather than starting in the AHL.253Riley TufteNJ · LW44Tufte is a size-and-shooting depth forward option who signed a one-year, one-way, $850,000 deal with New Jersey on July 1, 2026, but he heads into the last days of camp fighting for a bottom-six NHL job rather than holding one.256Dylan DukeTB · LW45Dylan Duke is a 23-year-old left wing prospect trying to crack Tampa Bay's NHL lineup out of camp, but as of late September 2026 there is no confirmed evidence he has made the Lightning's regular-season roster or been slotted onto an NHL line.271Andrew AgozzinoUTA · LW46Agozzino retired from professional hockey on July 21, 2026, and has moved into coaching, so he is not a fantasy consideration for the 2026-27 season.273Josiah SlavinCAR · LW47Josiah Slavin attended Carolina's training camp on a professional tryout (PTO) but was released from that PTO as the Hurricanes trimmed their roster, and he is now with the AHL's Chicago Wolves, where he is captain; he has no path onto Carolina's NHL roster for the 2026-27 season as things stand.277Jake DeBruskVAN · LW48DeBrusk is a top-line left winger on a Canucks team that is 3-12 on ESPN's page, with first-unit power-play time in the sources I read, and his day-to-day tag is the open question.281Fabian ZetterlundOTT · LW49Zetterlund opens November as Ottawa's top-line left wing next to Tim Stützle, with second-unit power-play time, but the spot has changed several times this season and I found no analyst commentary on whether he keeps it.291Jonah GadjovichFLA · LW50IRGadjovich remains sidelined by the neck injury that ended his 2025-26 season early, and as of the last team update he has no timetable to return, making him a non-factor to open this season.
Right wings
6Nikita KucherovTB · RW1Kucherov is still Tampa Bay's top-line right wing and first power-play option, but his reported trade request and expiring contract put a question mark over where he plays the rest of the season.8David PastrnakBOS · RW2Pastrnak is the right wing on Boston's top line and first power-play unit, with no analyst debate about his role in the coverage I found.21Alex DeBrincatDET · RW3DeBrincat is a top-line winger on the first power-play unit for Detroit, and the current projections show that role as stable.24Mark StoneVGK · RW4Stone is the first-line right wing and a first-unit power-play piece for Vegas, and he is producing at a high rate through 15 games, with the main question being whether the finishing holds.28Andrei SvechnikovCAR · RW5Svechnikov is a top-six right wing on a 11-2-2 Stanley Cup champion, and he has started the 2026-27 season productively with 6 goals and 7 assists through 15 games. I found no current analyst coverage of his role or outlook, so this rests on a projected lineup and a game log.30Mikko RantanenDAL · RW6Rantanen is a top-six right wing who also plays on both power-play units, and he has stayed in that role even as Dallas keeps reshuffling the players around him.38Cole CaufieldMTL · RW7Caufield is Montreal's top-line winger and a first power-play unit shooter, and the open questions this season are who centers him and how long the Suzuki injury lasts.40William NylanderTOR · RW8Nylander is a top-line or second-line winger who stays on the first power-play unit, but which line he plays on has changed repeatedly and a day-to-day note is attached.41Kirill MarchenkoTOR · RW9IRMarchenko is an injured-reserve winger with no confirmed return date. Before the injury he was producing at about a point per game for Toronto, so his role should be waiting for him when he is healthy.45Clayton KellerUTA · RW10Keller is a first-line, first-power-play-unit forward for Utah as of the Nov. 1 preview. His even-strength linemates have changed from game to game, but his usage has not.47Drake BathersonOTT · RW11Batherson is a top-six right wing on Ottawa's first power-play unit, but his even-strength line has changed from report to report, so his linemates are not settled.48Alex TuchWSH · RW12Alex Tuch is a top-six winger on a deep Capitals forward group, and he has shuffled between the first and second lines over the first weeks of the season.49Vasily PodkolzinEDM · RW13Podkolzin is playing the best role of his career: he skates on Edmonton's top line beside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and the open question is whether coach Mike Babcock keeps that line together.52Adrian KempeLA · RW14DTDKempe is the Kings' top-line right wing and first power-play unit forward when healthy, but he sat out Saturday's game against Buffalo with an undisclosed injury, so his near-term status is the open question.62Mitch MarnerVGK · RW15Marner is a top-six right wing and first-unit power-play facilitator on a Vegas team that is 9-5-1, and he is producing almost entirely as a passer. The only open item is the day-to-day wire note.67Dylan GuentherUTA · RW16Guenther is a top-line right wing and a first-unit power-play regular for Utah, according to lineup pages dated Nov. 1, though I found no analyst commentary behind those pages.83Tom WilsonWSH · RW17Tom Wilson is a top-line right wing for Washington this season, and he also appears on a first power-play unit in the line pages I found.91Beckett SenneckeANA · RW18Sennecke is a second-line right wing on Anaheim's top power-play unit, and he is scoring on a very high shooting percentage that has not been tested over a full season.93Jackson BlakeCAR · RW19Jackson Blake is a second-line right wing on a Carolina team that won the Stanley Cup in June, and several line-tracking sites also have him on the first power-play unit.96Porter MartonePHI · RW20Porter Martone is a second-line right wing on the Flyers' first power-play unit, and the season's early evidence suggests his usage is still modest in ice time even though the role is set.100Alex LaferriereLA · RW21Laferriere is playing first-line minutes for Los Angeles, and sources disagree on who his linemates are and whether he is the center, so his usage is solid but the lineup around him is unsettled.101Travis KonecnyPHI · RW22Konecny was on Philadelphia's top line and second power-play unit going into Sunday, but the wire note says he went on injured reserve Sunday with a lower-body injury, so he is out for an unconfirmed stretch and I found no return timeline.109Jimmy SnuggerudSTL · RW23Snuggerud is a top-line right wing who also works on the first power-play unit, and the reporting I found has him scoring at a fast early pace.111Timo MeierNJ · RW24Timo Meier is a top-six winger who is currently on Nico Hischier's line and on the second power-play unit. Last season's 14 games and 5 points are a small sample, and I found no current coverage explaining them.112Luke EvangelistaNJ · RW25Evangelista is a top-line right wing on the Devils this season, and the day-to-day wire note is the only thing that could interrupt that. I have not seen anything on its severity.125Jack QuinnBUF · RW26Jack Quinn is a second-line right wing who also holds a first power-play spot, and he has started the season hot, with the open question being who plays on his line.129Rickard RakellPIT · RW27Rakell is a top-line right wing beside Sidney Crosby on a Penguins team that started 5-6-2, and he has been on the first power-play unit in the lineups I found.137Valeri NichushkinCBJ · RW28Nichushkin was promoted to the top line in the Oct. 24 game against Vegas, and he looks like a top-six winger who gets power-play time and kills penalties, though that line has changed often this month.146Ryan LeonardWSH · RW29Leonard is a 21-year-old depth-line right wing on a deep Capitals forward group, with a power-play role that sources disagree on, and the contract extension he signed on September 15 does not guarantee a bigger role.149Bryan RustPIT · RW30IRRust is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and will be re-evaluated after six weeks, so he is a long-term absence, and the club has not promised a return at the end of that window.150Jordan KyrouWSH · RW31Kyrou is a top-six right wing on a line that just produced, and recent reporting has him on the first power-play unit, but the line has only been together for a short stretch.157Troy TerryANA · RW32IRTerry is a stash-only winger who opened the season on long-term injured reserve after June hip surgery. Reporting points to a return in mid-November at the earliest, and that date is an estimate, not a confirmed one.159Arseny GritsyukNJ · RW33Gritsyuk is a first-line left wing next to Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, with second-unit power-play time. He is scoring early, but the day-to-day wire note is the one open question.160Jordan EberleSEA · RW34Eberle is a 36-year-old right wing who has been in Seattle's top six and on a power-play unit through the first weeks of 2026-27, but the unit and the line slot have changed from game to game.165Owen TippettPHI · RW35Tippett is an injured-reserve top-six winger with no reported return date, and the Flyers have been playing without him while they sit 3-7-3.170Patrick KaneCHI · RW36Kane is a 37-year-old right wing who, per the latest line page I could read, sits on Chicago's third line but still has a power-play role. His even-strength spot has moved around since Connor Bedard returned.172Pavel DorofeyevNYR · RW37Dorofeyev is a summer-trade addition who struggled early and was moved to the top line on October 30, so for now he has a top-six, first-power-play-unit role that he still has to prove he can hold.191Brock BoeserVAN · RW38Boeser is a top-line right wing on a first-unit power play, and his current deployment is more settled than the October shuffling suggests.192Victor EklundNYI · RW39Victor Eklund is a 20-year-old rookie who has moved up to the Islanders' second line and second power-play unit, and his role has been growing in recent games.199JJ PeterkaBOS · RW40I found no current reporting on Peterka, so I can't say what he is for the rest of this season beyond what the data supplied to me shows.201Matt CoronatoCGY · RW41Coronato is a top-line right wing with first-unit power-play time on a Flames team that is 6-8-0, and he just had a career-best four-point game.203Matvei MichkovPHI · RW42Michkov is a third-line right wing on a hot streak who holds a first power-play spot, and his current output leans heavily on that power-play role and on a goal surge.217Cole O'HaraNSH · RW43O'Hara is a prospect with one NHL game behind him, and I found no current reporting that puts him in Nashville's lineup, so he is a speculative depth option for now.220Arthur KaliyevOTT · RW44I could not confirm where Kaliyev is playing this season. Daily Faceoff's player page lists him as a free agent, and he does not appear in the Senators lines I found for October 2026.221Claude GirouxOTT · RW45Giroux is a 38-year-old depth winger for Ottawa, and for now he is a third-line player with second power-play-unit time, though his slot has changed often since the season began.231Michael Brandsegg-NygårdDET · RW46Brandsegg-Nygård is a physical second-line winger with second-unit power-play time. The open question is whether his early scoring pace holds, not whether he has a role.237Nathan LégaréNJ · RW47Nathan Légaré is not a New Jersey Devils fantasy asset this season: he did not receive a qualifying offer, became a Group 6 unrestricted free agent, and signed with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL for 2026-27, per NHL.com's Free Agent Tracker and corroborating KHL.ru and EliteProspects reporting dated around July 23, 2026.255Felix Unger SörumCAR · RW48Unger Sorum is a 21-year-old right wing prospect fighting for a temporary top-nine spot created by Seth Jarvis's shoulder surgery, and while he has flashed in exhibition play, most current reporting expects him to open the year in the AHL rather than lock down a full-time NHL job.261Tyson FoersterPHI · RW49Foerster is a third-line right winger with some second-unit power-play time, and he is working back from a hand injury that cost him one game; his scoring has been thin this season.272Ivan DemidovMTL · RW50IRDemidov is a 20-year-old Canadiens winger who is out with a lower-body injury. The 2-to-4-week window ends around November 3, and as of the latest report he had not returned to practice, so his return date is unknown.278Walker DuehrWPG · RW51Walker Duehr is a bottom-six/depth right wing on a two-way NHL contract who is currently sidelined by a lower-body injury and, even healthy, was not projected into a full-time NHL role for the Jets this season.282Bogdan TrineyevWSH · RW52Trineyev opens the 2026-27 season a National Hockey League roster afterthought: Washington put him on waivers on September 25, 2026, to loan him to AHL Hershey, so unless he is claimed by another club he will begin the year in the minors rather than as a National Hockey League fantasy option.287Joshua RoyUTA · RW53Roy is not a fantasy factor to start the season: Utah placed him on waivers on September 25, 2026 for assignment to AHL Tucson, and unless he is claimed by another club he will open the year in the minors rather than on the Mammoth's NHL roster.290Jason PolinBUF · RW54Jason Polin was placed on waivers by Buffalo on September 25, 2026 for assignment to the AHL's Rochester Americans, so as camp roster cuts were finalized he was ticketed for the minors rather than the Sabres' opening-night lineup.
Defensemen
5Evan BouchardEDM · D1Evan Bouchard is a top-pair Oilers defenseman who is scoring at a very high rate early this season, but I could not read a current power-play page, so his man-advantage role is unconfirmed.27Quinn HughesMIN · D2Quinn Hughes is Minnesota's top defenseman and the quarterback of the first power-play unit, with no sign in current reporting that either role is under threat.37Cale MakarCOL · D3Makar is Colorado's top-pair, first-power-play defenseman, and the only open question for the rest of this season is the day-to-day wire note, whose cause and timeline I could not find.42Rasmus DahlinBUF · D4Dahlin is Buffalo's top-pair, first power-play defenseman, and the only open question is whether the upper-body issue costs him games.54Roman JosiNSH · D5Josi is Nashville's top-pair defenseman and first power-play quarterback, and the reporting I found shows no sign of that changing this season.60Zach WerenskiCBJ · D6Werenski is Columbus's top-pairing defenseman and the first power-play unit's defenseman, and the Oct. 31 preview data shows no sign of that changing.64Seth JonesFLA · D7Seth Jones is Florida's PP1 quarterback and a top-four defenseman who plays heavy minutes, and he is coming off a hot start. The day-to-day wire note is the only open question about his availability.70Matthew SchaeferNYI · D8Matthew Schaefer is a 19-year-old first-pair defenseman who also quarterbacks the Islanders' top power-play unit, and he is the team's most-used blueliner. He was named an alternate captain for this season.80Mikhail SergachevUTA · D9Sergachev is Utah's top-pair left-side defenseman and quarterback of the first power-play unit, playing heavy minutes. The day-to-day note is the only thing that clouds that.86Shayne GostisbehereCAR · D10Gostisbehere is a third-pair left defenseman who runs the first power-play unit, so his value this season comes almost entirely from power-play time.95Jakob ChychrunWSH · D11Chychrun is a right-handed-shooting-agnostic offensive defenseman who has started 2026-27 producing, with a goal and an assist in the Oct. 3 opener and two assists on Oct. 25, but I found no current line or power-play chart, so his exact deployment is unconfirmed.103Erik KarlssonPIT · D12Karlsson is the Penguins' top-pair right-shot defenseman and first-unit power-play quarterback, and the coverage I found has his role as settled and his defensive play as the open question.117Charlie McAvoyBOS · D13McAvoy is the top-pair right-side defenseman on a Bruins team that was 10-4-1 going into Monday's game, and he is projected for the first power-play unit and the penalty kill.118Moritz SeiderDET · D14Seider is Detroit's top right-side defenseman, and the sources I found show him on the first pair, first power-play unit and first penalty kill, so he should hold a large all-situations role.123John CarlsonTB · D15Carlson is a 36-year-old right-side defenseman who was signed to run Tampa Bay's power play, but the one line page I could read has him on the second unit, and no analyst coverage I found settles that.127Jake SandersonOTT · D16Sanderson is Ottawa's top left-side defenseman and first-unit power-play quarterback. He is back after an eight-game absence, and the main risk for the rest of the season is another lower-body problem.130Darren RaddyshTOR · D17Toronto signed him to a large eight-year deal as a right-shot, puck-moving defenseman and the club's highest-paid blueliner, so he is a fixture in the offensive role. I could not verify his current pairing or power-play unit.133Lane HutsonMTL · D18Lane Hutson is Montreal's top-pair left-side defenseman and a first power-play unit fixture, so for the rest of this season he is a high-usage offensive defenseman with no designation.134Tristan LuneauANA · D19Luneau is a 22-year-old right-shot defenseman who just signed a long extension and is a regular in Anaheim's lineup, though he is currently on the third pair and the second power-play unit.144Adam FoxNYR · D20Adam Fox is the Rangers' top right-side defenseman and their first power-play quarterback, and the sources I read show no change to either role as of Daily Faceoff's page, last updated 1 November.148Oliver BonkPHI · D21Oliver Bonk is a 21-year-old rookie right-shot defenseman who started the season in the AHL and has played his way into the Flyers' lineup. Reporting puts him on a middle pair with a second-unit power-play slot, and his place is not yet safe.155Miro HeiskanenDAL · D22Heiskanen is Dallas's top-pairing, all-situations defenseman, and the coverage I found shows no sign that is changing this season.161Josh MorrisseyWPG · D23IRMorrissey is a long-term injury absence with no return date, and Winnipeg has been playing without him since the injury on Oct. 7, so his rest-of-season value depends on when the wrist heals.162Devon ToewsCOL · D24Devon Toews is the top-pair partner of Cale Makar and a penalty-kill regular, and his power-play slot is the open question: second unit in most listings I found, with one listing placing him on the first.176Brandon MontourSEA · D25Montour is a second-pair right-side defenseman who plays on the second power-play unit and the second penalty-kill unit. His availability for Tuesday against Detroit is in doubt because of a lower-body injury.180Victor HedmanTB · D26Hedman is a third-pair defenseman with a reduced role this season, and he is currently day-to-day with a lower-body injury, so he is best seen as a depth blueliner whose availability matters more than his upside.183Cole HutsonWSH · D27Cole Hutson is a 20-year-old rookie defenseman who is in Washington's bottom defensive pair as of the Nov. 1 game, with a possible power-play role that I could not confirm.193Jackson LaCombeANA · D28LaCombe is the Ducks' top left-side defenseman and a first-unit power-play and penalty-kill regular, and nothing I found suggests that changes soon.211Hunter McDonaldPHI · D29McDonald is a big, physical left-shot depth defenseman whose spot on Philadelphia's roster today I could not confirm, so he is a watch-list name until he is shown to be in the lineup.213Marek AlscherFLA · D30Alscher looks like Charlotte depth for now, with no NHL role found in current reporting, so he is a call-up option only.215Angus BoothLA · D31Angus Booth is a depth defense prospect who is not in the Kings' current lineup, so he is mainly a recall candidate for the rest of the season.223Hunter SkinnerNSH · D32Hunter Skinner is a left-shot minor-league depth defenseman who cleared waivers this week and will open the season with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, not on Nashville's NHL roster.224Simon LundmarkTB · D33Lundmark is a fringe AHL depth defenseman who has been reassigned off the Lightning's NHL roster for the 2026-27 season and offers essentially no fantasy relevance unless Tampa Bay suffers multiple injuries on the blue line.227Dougie HamiltonNJ · D34Dougie Hamilton is a second-pair right-side defenseman who plays both special teams, so his fantasy value comes from power-play shots and points, with little else.228Kirill KudryavtsevVAN · D35Kudryavtsev enters the 2026-27 season having been sent down to the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks in the final round of training camp cuts, so for fantasy purposes he is not currently part of Vancouver's NHL picture at puck drop on September 29.229Carson LambosMIN · D36Carson Lambos opens the 2026-27 season in the AHL, not on Minnesota's NHL roster: he lost the final training camp defense spot to David Spacek and cleared waivers on September 24-25, 2026, reporting to the Iowa Wild (The Hockey News and Yahoo Sports, checked 25 September 2026).232Maveric LamoureuxUTA · D37IRLamoureux entered September camp as a long-shot depth defenseman fighting for a bottom-pair NHL job, and an upper-body injury suffered in a September 22 preseason game against the Kings has now knocked him out of that competition just as the season starts.234Kevin GravelNSH · D38Kevin Gravel opened 2026-27 training camp assigned to Milwaukee's (AHL) camp rather than Nashville's, which points to a season as veteran AHL depth rather than an everyday NHL role.239Maxim GroshevTB · D39Groshev is a long-shot organizational depth defenseman for Tampa Bay this season, not an NHL fantasy consideration barring an injury wave on the Lightning blue line.242Ronan SeeleyCAR · D40Seeley is a legitimate long-term Carolina defensive prospect but he is opening the 2026-27 season in the AHL, not on the Hurricanes' roster, so he carries no fantasy relevance until an injury forces a recall.244Daniil MiromanovCGY · D41Miromanov is not an NHL fantasy option this season: TSN reported on August 7, 2026 that the unrestricted free agent defenseman signed a two-year deal with the KHL's SKA St. Petersburg, ending his run with the Flames organization.245Matthew BenningTOR · D42Current reporting does not support treating Benning as a Toronto Maple Leafs roster piece for 2026-27: he appears to have finished last season as an expiring, depth defenseman and to remain an unsigned free agent heading into this season, so there is no team or camp role to report for him right now.252MacKenzie WeegarUTA · D43Weegar is a top-pair right-side defenseman and first-unit penalty killer for Utah. Every current source I read has him next to Mikhail Sergachev, but his power-play role is not settled.254Dysin MayoCBJ · D44Mayo enters this offseason as an unconfirmed roster piece: the most recent official record found (Puckpedia, checked this week) lists him as an unrestricted free agent whose one-year, $775,000 two-way deal with Columbus expired at the end of the 2025-26 season, and no current reporting was found confirming a new contract with the Blue Jackets or a spot on their 2026-27 training camp roster.258Jordan OesterleNSH · D45Jordan Oesterle announced his retirement from professional hockey on July 13, 2026, as confirmed by NHL.com, the Nashville Predators, RotoWire and other outlets, so he will have no role of any kind in the 2026-27 season.260Domenick FensoreCOL · D46Fensore is an AHL depth defenseman for Colorado this season, not an NHL roster piece, and only injuries elsewhere on the Avalanche blue line would put him in an NHL sweater.264Viking Gustafsson NybergMIN · D47Gustafsson Nyberg is a highly regarded 6-foot-6/7 defense prospect who briefly appeared with Minnesota during the 2025-26 season but was sent down before the 2026-27 opener, making him a non-factor for the Wild's NHL lineup for now.265Ludvig JanssonFLA · D48Jansson is a depth right-shot defenseman prospect who is very unlikely to open the season with Florida and is best watched as a call-up name to monitor if the Panthers' blueline gets hit by injuries.270David ReinbacherMTL · D49Reinbacher enters the 2026-27 season as a legitimate opening-night roster candidate for the first time, with a defensive-zone injury to Kaiden Guhle clearing a real path onto Montreal's blue line rather than another season strictly in the AHL.274Derek ForbortVAN · D50Derek Forbort is not on Vancouver's roster for 2026-27: the IR-LT/hip designation reflects last season, and Forbort has actually been an unsigned Group 3 unrestricted free agent since July 1, 2026.280Topias VilenNJ · D51Vilen enters camp as a longshot depth option on New Jersey's blue line, with an exhibition look but no clear path yet to a regular NHL job this fall.283Abram WiebeCGY · D52Wiebe is a first-year pro defenseman who was cut from Calgary's NHL training camp on September 23, 2026 and assigned to the AHL's Calgary Wranglers, making him a deep organizational depth piece rather than a near-term NHL fantasy option.284Ty MurchisonPHI · D53Ty Murchison is a physical, defensive left-shot defenseman prospect who flashed well in a brief three-game NHL callup last season before a season-ending injury, and after a full healthy summer of training he pushed for a bottom-pairing job in the 2026-27 camp, though the most recent camp assessment has him ticketed for a return to the AHL to open the year.286Jake LivanavagePIT · D54Jake Livanavage is a 22-year-old, left-shot defenseman who signed out of North Dakota, got a brief NHL cameo at the end of last season, and spent this training camp fighting for a full-time job; as of the Penguins' own announcement on September 26, 2026 he has been reassigned to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, so he opens the season outside the NHL lineup.292Keaton MiddletonCOL · D55Middleton is a fringe, physical stay-at-home defenseman who has spent most of the last several seasons shuttling between the Avalanche and the AHL's Colorado Eagles, and the current beat coverage suggests he is again fighting for a bottom-of-the-roster job rather than a settled NHL spot heading into 2026-27.296Isaak PhillipsWPG · D56Isaak Phillips opens the 2026-27 season in the AHL, not with Winnipeg, after being waived and clearing to the Manitoba Moose this week, so he carries essentially no realistic fantasy value unless the Jets' blue line is hit by injury or trade.299William VilleneuveTOR · D57IRVilleneuve is a young defense prospect who signed a two-year, two-way deal with Toronto in July 2026 after a strong AHL Marlies season, but he underwent ACL reconstruction and is out long-term, making him a non-factor for the entire 2026-27 fantasy picture unless something changes.
Goaltenders
10Jake OettingerDAL · G1Oettinger is Dallas's clear No. 1 goalie and has been playing like an elite one, with DeSmith taking the occasional rest start. The wire's day-to-day tag is not explained by anything I found dated after it.11Linus UllmarkOTT · G2IRUllmark is Ottawa's clear No. 1 goalie, but he is on injured reserve with a lower-body strain, and the only return date I found is a projection from one preview site.29Jesper WallstedtMIN · G3Wallstedt is Minnesota's No. 1 goalie while Filip Gustavsson recovers from hip surgery, and the open question is how many starts he keeps once Gustavsson is back.32Pyotr KochetkovCAR · G4Kochetkov is the hotter half of a Carolina tandem with Brandon Bussi: he is 7-0-0 and has taken a growing share of starts, but the split has not settled and his health history is the main risk.35Joel HoferSTL · G5Hofer looks like the Blues' primary starter this season, with Jordan Binnington as the backup, but I found no current analyst piece that settles how the starts will split over 84 games.44Scott WedgewoodCOL · G6Wedgewood is Colorado's backup goalie to start the 2026-27 season as best I can tell, but I found no current reporting on how the tandem is being split this year, so treat the role as unconfirmed.46Jacob FowlerMTL · G7Fowler is Montreal's lead goalie right now, but that rests on six starts, and the club has not said how the job is split once Samuel Montembeault is healthy.55Andrei VasilevskiyTB · G8Vasilevskiy is Tampa Bay's undisputed No. 1 goalie this season. He is the reigning Vezina winner, is coming off a slow stretch, and the Lightning are managing his workload with a backup.58Mackenzie BlackwoodCOL · G9Blackwood is the projected No. 1 goalie for Colorado this season, with Scott Wedgewood as the backup, but I found no start counts, so I can't say how lopsided the split is.69Ilya SorokinNYI · G10Sorokin is the Islanders' clear number one goalie for the rest of this 84-game season, with Semyon Varlamov taking a minority of starts.76Logan ThompsonWSH · G11Thompson looks like Washington's lead goalie again after a lower-body injury. Daily Faceoff's page, which I fetched, shows him starting on Oct. 28 and again on Sunday, Nov. 1, so the game-time-decision note appears to be stale.79Jeremy SwaymanBOS · G12Swayman is still Boston's No. 1 goalie, but DiPietro has taken a real share of the starts, and Swayman has had a rough stretch after a strong first 10 games.88Connor HellebuyckNJ · G13Hellebuyck is New Jersey's No. 1 goalie after his Oct. 23 trade from Winnipeg, but the Devils have only shown a back-to-back split with Jake Allen so far, so his share of starts is not yet settled.107Anton ForsbergLA · G14Forsberg is one half of a Kings goalie tandem that has no settled order, and ESPN's Oct. 18 note says the Kings' starting job is up for grabs while the team is 0-4-2.113Alex LyonBUF · G15IRLyon is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury that set back in mid-October, so he has no usable role until he is cleared and wins back starts from Luukkonen.121Clay StevensonWPG · G16Clay Stevenson is Winnipeg's No. 2 goalie behind Stuart Skinner, and the Hellebuyck trade on Oct. 23 settled the top of the depth chart but added Nico Daws as a possible threat to the backup job.126Carter HartVGK · G17Carter Hart is the Golden Knights' lead goalie on current evidence, but he is in a real split with Adin Hill and is coming off an undisclosed injury that has not been explained.128Casey DeSmithDAL · G18DeSmith is Jake Oettinger's backup in Dallas, on a two-year extension through 2028-29, and he should get spot starts rather than a share of the net.138Arsenii SergeevCGY · G19Sergeev is a rookie emergency backup in Calgary: he was called up from the AHL after Devin Cooley's injury, started the second half of a back-to-back, and his role lasts only as long as Cooley is out.140Devin CooleyCGY · G20IRCooley is Calgary's No. 2 goalie behind Dustin Wolf, but he has started a lot of games early this season. How long that workload lasts is the open question.152Igor ShesterkinNYR · G21IRShesterkin is done for 2026-27: the Rangers announced he is out for the season with a right knee injury, and he should not be counted on for any games.163Nico DawsWPG · G22Nico Daws is a backup-level goalie in a three-man Winnipeg crease, and as of the 1 November lineups he is not the listed No. 2 behind Stuart Skinner.164Brandon BussiCAR · G23Bussi is the Stanley Cup-winning goalie sharing Carolina's crease with Pyotr Kochetkov, and he has been shaky this season, so his share of starts is the open question.166Filip GustavssonMIN · G24IRGustavsson is an injured reserve goalie who is out for at least another month from the Oct. 18 report, and he is behind Jesper Wallstedt on the depth chart, so he has no clear starter's role when he returns.167Jacob MarkstromFLA · G25IRMarkstrom is Florida's No. 1 goalie on the shelf with an upper-body injury, and the reporting I found gives no return date past the coach's 10-14 day estimate from 20 October.168Dylan GarandNYR · G26Garand is the Rangers' de facto No. 1 goalie for now, with Igor Shesterkin hurt and Joonas Korpisalo on injured reserve. The latest coverage I found is dated October 22, and it says the job is his for the foreseeable future.175Philipp GrubauerSEA · G27Grubauer has shared the Kraken net with Joey Daccord this season and has been starting often, but he was pulled in his most recent reported start (Oct. 30 at Calgary), so his hold on the share looks shaky.179Akira SchmidFLA · G28Schmid is Florida's No. 2 goalie behind Jacob Markstrom, and he is getting extra starts for now because Markstrom is hurt. The ESPN player page I read on Oct. 19 says Markstrom has an undisclosed minor injury.181Trent MinerCOL · G29Trent Miner is a minor-league goalie for Colorado right now and only matters to NHL managers if one of the two Avalanche goalies above him gets hurt.185Drew CommessoCHI · G30Commesso is Chicago's emergency third goalie for now: he was loaned to Rockford on September 27, and the only current NHL path I found is an injury or a slump ahead of him.186Michael DiPietroBOS · G31DiPietro is Boston's backup behind Jeremy Swayman. He has opened 2026-27 well, with 2 wins and a shutout in 3 starts, but nothing found says the split has moved toward him.189Jake AllenNJ · G32Jake Allen is the Devils' lead goalie on current evidence, but he is the larger half of a tandem with Nico Daws, and his early 2026-27 results have been shaky.190Dan VladarPHI · G33Dan Vladar looks like half of a Flyers tandem with Joseph Woll, and current coverage doesn't show which of them is the clear No. 1.205Victor OstmanSEA · G34Victor Ostman looks like organizational depth for Seattle: he is not in the NHL lineup reporting I found, and he made one NHL start last season, in April 2026.206Colten EllisBUF · G35Ellis enters 2026-27 as Buffalo's third goalie behind clear starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and free-agent addition Alex Lyon, but a Sept. 24 upper-body injury to Lyon in preseason has put Ellis in position for real early-season minutes if he makes the Opening Night roster.207David RittichNJ · G36Rittich is an AHL goalie for now: New Jersey waived him, he cleared, and he was sent to Utica on September 28, so he has no NHL role unless the Devils recall him.209Matt MurraySEA · G37Matt Murray's one-year, $1 million deal with Seattle covered the 2025-26 season only, and current training-camp reporting on the Kraken's goaltending depth chart for 2026-27 does not mention him at all, so his standing on this roster right now is unclear rather than settled.210James ReimerNYR · G38Reimer is a 38-year-old stopgap the Rangers signed on October 25 to a one-year, $850,000 deal while Igor Shesterkin is out for the season, and how many starts he gets is not yet settled.212Ukko-Pekka LuukkonenBUF · G39Luukkonen is Buffalo's current starter and has been shaky: coverage through 1 November shows a slow start, some recent improvement, and trade chatter that is not tied to any move yet.222Dennis HildebyTB · G40Hildeby is Tampa Bay's clear backup goalie behind Andrei Vasilevskiy, a role he stepped into after an offseason trade from Toronto, and he opened his Lightning tenure with a strong debut start.257Adin HillVGK · G41Adin Hill is the second goalie in a Vegas tandem led by Carter Hart, and he has been playing in a real rotation early in 2026-27.266Daniil TarasovDET · G42Tarasov is Detroit's No. 2 goalie behind John Gibson and has been unusually sharp in a small sample, but he is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, so his near-term work depends on his health and on Gibson's.267Pheonix CopleyCBJ · G43Copley signed with Columbus on July 1, 2026 as veteran goalie depth, but as of September 23, 2026 he has been placed on waivers for assignment to the AHL's Cleveland Monsters, meaning he opens the 2026-27 season outside the Blue Jackets' NHL crease picture unless another club claims him.285Hunter ShepardOTT · G44The evidence I found does not support the premise that Shepard is currently with Ottawa: he was traded away from the Senators, and I found no current reporting placing him on Ottawa's 2026-27 training camp roster.300Nikke KokkoSEA · G45Kokko is Seattle's goaltending prospect ticketed for another season in the AHL, someone to know as an injury-recall option rather than an NHL fantasy piece for 2026-27.