As the NHL offseason settles, fantasy hockey managers can begin strategizing for the 2026 season with ESPN's early rankings. Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche tops the list, followed closely by Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers. Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov lands at third.

Defenseman Zach Werenski is the top-ranked blue-liner, while Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning leads the goaltender rankings. These rankings are based on ESPN Fantasy's standard scoring system, which rewards goals, assists, shots, hits, blocked shots, and special-teams points for skaters, and wins, overtime losses, shutouts, saves, and goals against for goalies.

The early rankings provide a snapshot of player projections, with a mix of established stars and emerging talent populating the top 250. Fantasy owners will want to monitor player movement and performance throughout the year to refine their draft boards.