Fantasy hockey rankings: MacKinnon, Hellebuyck lead the way

A new NHL season brings with it a new season of ESPN Fantasy Hockey. While the Florida Panthers have been celebrating their second straight Stanley Cup win, teams have been busy getting their teams ready for the 2025-26 season.

From the New York Islanders drafting Matthew Schaefer with the first pick in the draft, to the Vegas Golden Knights trading for Mitch Marner and longtime veteran Brent Burns signing with the Colorado Avalanche, you can catch up on all the faces in new places right here.

It's never too early to start planning out your teams, whether you're debating keepers or prepping for your draft. Get ahead of the game with the newest set of fantasy hockey rankings.

These rankings are based on expectations of fantasy points produced for the entirety of the 2025-26 NHL season. Fantasy points are based on the ESPN Fantasy standard game.

Skaters: goals = 2 points, assists = 1 point, shots and hits = 0.1 points
blocked shots and special-teams points = 0.5 points;

Goaltenders: wins = 4 points, OT losses = 1 point, shutouts = 3 points
saves = 0.2 points, goals against = -2 points.

1. Nathan MacKinnon, Col (C1)
2. Auston Matthews, Tor (C2)
3. Connor Hellebuyck, Wpg (G1)
4. David Pastrnak, Bos (RW1)
5. Connor McDavid, Edm (C3)
6. Cale Makar, Col (D1)
7. Brady Tkachuk, Ott (LW1)
8. Filip Forsberg, Nsh (RW2)
9. Leon Draisaitl, Edm (C4)
10. Jake Oettinger, Dal (G2)
11. Nikita Kucherov, TB (RW3)
12. Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB (G3)
13. William Nylander, Tor (C5)
14. Artemi Panarin, NYR (LW2)
15. Macklin Celebrini, SJ (C6)
16. Kyle Connor, Wpg (LW3)
17. Kirill Kaprizov, Min (LW4)
18. Igor Shesterkin, NYR (G4)
19. Jack Hughes, NJ (C7)
20. Filip Gustavsson, Min (G5)
21. Mikko Rantanen, Dal (RW4)
22. Alex Ovechkin, Wsh (LW5)
23. Cole Caufield, Mon (RW5)
24. Roman Josi, Nsh (D2)
25. Jack Eichel, VGK (C8)
26. Sergei Bobrovsky, Fla (G6)
27. Steven Stamkos, Nsh (C9)
28. Jake Guentzel, TB (LW6)
29. Dustin Wolf, Cgy (G7)
30. MacKenzie Weegar, Cgy (D3)
31. Kirill Marchenko, CBJ (LW7)
32. Brayden Point, TB (C10)
33. Adin Hill, VGK (G8)
34. J.T. Miller, NYR (C11)
35. Tim Stutzle, Ott (C12)
36. Sidney Crosby, Pit (C13)
37. Adrian Kempe, LA (C14)
38. Sam Reinhart, Fla (RW6)
39. Jason Robertson, Dal (LW8)
40. Rasmus Dahlin, Buf (D4)
41. Darcy Kuemper, LA (G9)
42. Martin Necas, Col (C15)
43. John Tavares, Tor (C16)
44. Tage Thompson, Buf (C17)
45. Evan Bouchard, Edm (D5)
46. Zach Werenski, CBJ (D6)
47. Elias Pettersson, Van (C18)
48. Clayton Keller, UTA (RW7)
49. Victor Hedman, TB (D7)
50. Matt Coronato, Cgy (LW9)
51. Nazem Kadri, Cgy (C19)
52. Matt Boldy, Min (LW10)
53. Dylan Guenther, UTA (RW8)
54. Adam Fantilli, CBJ (C20)
55. Vincent Trocheck, NYR (C21)
56. Alex DeBrincat, Det (RW9)
57. Mark Scheifele, Wpg (C22)
58. Mitch Marner, VGK (RW10)
59. Dylan Larkin, Det (C23)
60. Quinn Hughes, Van (D8)
61. Brandon Hagel, TB (LW11)
62. Jesper Bratt, NJ (LW12)
63. Dylan Holloway, StL (C24)
64. Jordan Kyrou, StL (RW11)
65. Bo Horvat, NYI (C25)
66. Moritz Seider, Det (D9)
67. Pavel Dorofeyev, VGK (LW13)
68. Connor Bedard, Chi (C26)
69. Sebastian Aho, Car (C27)
70. Nick Suzuki, Mon (C28)
71. Mika Zibanejad, NYR (C29)
72. Anthony Stolarz, Tor (G10)
73. Seth Jarvis, Car (RW12)
74. Matvei Michkov, Phi (RW13)
75. Brock Nelson, Col (C30)
76. Nico Hischier, NJ (C31)
77. Ilya Sorokin, NYI (G11)
78. Joey Daccord, Sea (G12)
79. John Carlson, Wsh (D10)
80. Alex Tuch, Buf (RW14)
81. Kevin Fiala, LA (LW14)
82. Logan Thompson, Wsh (G13)
83. Lucas Raymond, Det (RW15)
84. Frank Vatrano, Ana (LW15)
85. Logan Cooley, UTA (C32)
86. Joel Eriksson Ek, Min (C33)
87. Travis Konecny, Phi (RW16)
88. Rickard Rakell, Pit (C34)
89. Wyatt Johnston, Dal (C35)
90. Jake Sanderson, Ott (D11)
91. Timo Meier, NJ (LW16)
92. Jackson LaCombe, Ana (D12)
93. Jordan Binnington, StL (G14)
94. Josh Morrissey, Wpg (D13)
95. Alex Laferriere, LA (RW17)
96. Mackenzie Blackwood, Col (G15)
97. Carter Verhaeghe, Fla (C36)
98. Roope Hintz, Dal (C37)
99. Chris Kreider, Ana (LW17)
100. Mikhail Sergachev, UTA (D14)
101. Erik Karlsson, Pit (D15)
102. Sam Montembeault, Mon (G16)
103. Adam Fox, NYR (D16)
104. Jonathan Marchessault, Nsh (LW18)
105. Juuse Saros, Nsh (G17)
106. JJ Peterka, UTA (RW18)
107. Drake Batherson, Ott (RW19)
108. Brandon Montour, Sea (D17)
109. Mike Matheson, Mon (D18)
110. Cutter Gauthier, Ana (LW19)
111. Anders Lee, NYI (LW20)
112. Tomas Hertl, VGK (C38)
113. Dylan Strome, Wsh (C39)
114. Bryan Rust, Pit (RW20)
115. Frederik Andersen, Car (G18)
116. Marco Kasper, Det (C40)
117. Will Cuylle, NYR (LW21)
118. Nikolaj Ehlers, Car (LW22)
119. Thatcher Demko, Van (G19)
120. Noah Dobson, Mon (D19)
121. Rasmus Andersson, Cgy (D20)
122. Tom Wilson, Wsh (RW21)
123. Tyler Toffoli, SJ (RW22)
124. Jared McCann, Sea (LW23)
125. Owen Tippett, Phi (RW23)
126. Mason Marchment, Sea (LW24)
127. Brock Faber, Min (D21)
128. Brad Marchand, Fla (LW25)
129. Matthew Knies, Tor (LW26)
130. Kris Letang, Pit (D22)
131. Gabriel Vilardi, Wpg (C41)
132. Andrei Svechnikov, Car (RW24)
133. Robert Thomas, StL (C42)
134. Charlie McAvoy, Bos (D23)
135. Dmitri Voronkov, CBJ (C43)
136. Mason McTavish, Ana (C44)
137. Seth Jones, Fla (D24)
138. Neal Pionk, Wpg (D25)
139. Stuart Skinner, Edm (G20)
140. Marco Rossi, Min (C45)
141. Jakob Chychrun, Wsh (D26)
142. Brock Boeser, Van (RW25)
143. Ryan O'Reilly, Nsh (C46)
144. Darnell Nurse, Edm (D27)
145. Fabian Zetterlund, Ott (LW27)
146. Thomas Harley, Dal (D28)
147. Colton Parayko, StL (D29)
148. Sam Bennett, Fla (LW28)
149. Evander Kane, Van (LW29)
150. Anton Lundell, Fla (C47)
151. Miro Heiskanen, Dal (D30)
152. Jacob Markstrom, NJ (G21)
153. Gabriel Landeskog, Col (LW30)
154. Dougie Hamilton, NJ (D31)
155. Evgeni Malkin, Pit (C48)
156. Conor Garland, Van (RW26)
157. Mikael Granlund, Ana (C49)
158. Jonathan Huberdeau, Cgy (LW31)
159. Tyson Foerster, Phi (RW27)
160. Trevor Zegras, Phi (C50)
161. Anze Kopitar, LA (C51)
162. Charlie Lindgren, Wsh (G22)
163. Zack Bolduc, Mon (C52)
164. Barrett Hayton, UTA (C53)
165. Mathieu Olivier, CBJ (RW28)
166. Jake DeBrusk, Van (LW32)
167. Will Smith, SJ (C54)
168. Lane Hutson, Mon (D32)
169. Matt Duchene, Dal (C55)
170. Matthew Tkachuk, Fla (LW33)
171. Kyle Palmieri, NYI (RW29)
172. William Eklund, SJ (LW34)
173. Lukas Dostal, Ana (G23)
174. Dylan Cozens, Ott (C56)
175. Nick Schmaltz, UTA (RW30)
176. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Wsh (C57)
177. Brayden Schenn, StL (C58)
178. Kiefer Sherwood, Van (LW35)
179. Anthony Cirelli, TB (C59)
180. Morgan Rielly, Tor (D33)
181. Gustav Forsling, Fla (D34)
182. Eeli Tolvanen, Sea (LW36)
183. Kent Johnson, CBJ (C60)
184. Elias Lindholm, Bos (C61)
185. Linus Ullmark, Ott (G24)
186. Mathew Barzal, NYI (C62)
187. Ryan Donato, Chi (C63)
188. Jake Walman, Edm (D35)
189. Tristan Jarry, Pit (G25)
190. Noah Hanifin, VGK (D36)
191. Pavel Buchnevich, StL (LW37)
192. Elvis Merzlikins, CBJ (G26)
193. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edm (C64)
194. Blake Coleman, Cgy (C65)
195. Juraj Slafkovsky, Mon (LW38)
196. Oliver Bjorkstrand, TB (RW31)
197. Mats Zuccarello, Min (RW32)
198. Warren Foegele, LA (LW39)
199. Drew Doughty, LA (D37)
200. Devon Toews, Col (D38)
201. Brady Skjei, Nsh (D39)
202. Joseph Woll, Tor (G27)
203. Morgan Geekie, Bos (C66)
204. Mackie Samoskevich, Fla (C67)
205. Logan Stankoven, Car (C68)
206. K'Andre Miller, Car (D40)
207. John Gibson, Det (G28)
208. Sean Durzi, UTA (D41)
209. Matias Maccelli, Tor (LW40)
210. Lawson Crouse, UTA (LW41)
211. Patrick Kane, Det (RW33)
212. Jacob Trouba, Ana (D42)
213. Troy Terry, Ana (RW34)
214. Aliaksei Protas, Wsh (C69)
215. Valeri Nichushkin, Col (LW42)
216. Kaiden Guhle, Mon (D43)
217. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buf (G29)
218. Zach Hyman, Edm (RW35)
219. Adam Larsson, Sea (D44)
220. Boone Jenner, CBJ (LW43)
221. Brandt Clarke, LA (D45)
222. Karel Vejmelka, UTA (G30)
223. Jason Zucker, Buf (LW44)
224. Jaden Schwartz, Sea (LW45)
225. Leo Carlsson, Ana (C70)
226. Simon Edvinsson, Det (D46)
227. Sean Monahan, CBJ (C71)
228. Jake Neighbours, StL (LW46)
229. Quinton Byfield, LA (C72)
230. Brent Burns, Col (D47)
231. Mikael Backlund, Cgy (C73)
232. Jared Spurgeon, Min (D48)
233. Teuvo Teravainen, Chi (LW47)
234. Shea Theodore, VGK (D49)
235. Shane Wright, Sea (C74)
236. Cole Perfetti, Wpg (LW48)
237. Mattias Ekholm, Edm (D50)
238. Tyler Bertuzzi, Chi (LW49)
239. Alex Vlasic, Chi (D51)
240. Jackson Blake, Car (RW36)
241. Thomas Chabot, Ott (D52)
242. Michael Bunting, Nsh (LW50)
243. Connor McMichael, Wsh (C75)
244. Matty Beniers, Sea (C76)
245. Claude Giroux, Ott (C77)
246. Travis Sanheim, Phi (D53)
247. Luke Hughes, NJ (D54)
248. Shayne Gostisbehere, Car (D55)
249. Taylor Hall, Car (LW51)
250. Andrei Kuzmenko, LA (LW52)