Welcome back to another year of fantasy hockey with Dobber! With the NHL preseason winding down, fantasy managers are now in the process of drafting and preparing for their leagues season. The NHL campaign officially kicks off Tuesday, October 7th. 

Whether you have already drafted your team and are scanning the waiver wire for possible adds, or you are eagerly anticipating your draft, we have the information you need. Fantasy hockey managers, let’s look at the upcoming season!

Fantasy Hockey Player Outlook

Taking a look at which players you should be targeting in your leagues fantasy drafts. Who can be had in the later rounds, and who should you avoid drafting? Take a look at our fantasy hockey player’s outlook for the upcoming week.

*Note: All stats are courtesy of ESPN Fantasy Hockey. ADP-Average draft position.

Early Season Adds (Claim these players in the later rounds of drafts or free agency)

Morgan Geekie, C, Boston Bruins, ADP=214.3

Morgan Geekie broke out last season for 33 goals in Boston. Boston lost most of its core over the course of the last two years. This has thrust Geekie into the top-line role for the Bruins. He’ll be playing alongside David Pastrnak who is consistently a top fantasy producer. Even if Geekie can’t replicate his goal totals from last season, playing alongside the Bruins superstar will pay dividends in itself. At his average draft position, he is a steal in the later rounds.

Zeev Buium, D, Minnesota Wild, ADP=224.6

19-year-old Zeev Buium is entering his rookie season for the Minnesota Wild. While Ivan Demidov is still the Calder favorite, Buium could challenge for a nomination. He was dominant offensively in the NCAA, and we saw him run Minnesota’s power play during the playoffs. If he gets onto the top unit this season, he could be a sneaky value pickup for fantasy managers. He is only rostered in 17% of leagues, currently.

Young Players to Build Off (Young players who could be steals)

Matthew Knies, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs, ADP 123.5

In his second full season with the Leafs, Matthew Knies managed 58 points in 78 games. With the loss of Mitch Marner in the offseason, he becomes more valuable to Toronto’s offense. He’ll likely start the year on Auston Matthews wing as well as the top power play. Expect him to build on and improve his totals from last season. Knies is a steal outside the top 100.

Lane Hutson, D, Montreal Canadiens, ADP=95.5

Don’t expect a sophomore slump from Lane Hutson this year. The 2024-25 Calder winner had a historic season for the Canadiens, putting up 66 points. He was tied for sixth in points by a defenseman and finished top ten in fantasy points for blueliners. He’ll start the year on the team’s top powerplay unit and he’ll have more weapons at his disposal this season in Montreal. If he can bring up his goal totals, he has top five fantasy upside amongst defensemen.

Buy-Low Players (You should trade for these players as soon as possible)

Roope Hintz, C, Dallas Stars ADP=115.3

Roope Hintz is coming off a down year by his standards in 2024-25. He still managed 67 points; however, we saw him tally 75 in 73 games two seasons ago. This season, the playmaking center could be in for a big year, however. He’ll have two of the NHL’s top wingers potentially flanking him in Mikko Rantanen and Jason Robertson. The Stars should also boast one of the league’s top powerplays. Hintz could be a great add if he falls outside of the top 100.

Brad Marchand, LW, Florida Panthers, ADP=137.1

Brad Marchand doesn’t put up the points that he once did in his prime, as is reflected by his ADP. However, with Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov missing significant time, Marchand should see a bigger workload. He likely finds his way onto the top power play as well. The Panthers are still on of the NHL’s top teams, and you can expect Marchand to be a big part of their success this season. At his ADP, Marchand has high fantasy upside.    

Steer Clear (Players you should avoid at their average draft position)

Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks, ADP=22.8:

Macklin Celebrini had an incredible rookie season for the San Jose Sharks. While nobody expects him to regress from the 61 points he tallied last year, managers should pump the brakes a bit on Celebrini. We saw similar projections from Connor Bedard last year as many managers took him in the top two to three rounds of drafts. While Bedard improved upon his rookie totals, it wasn’t enough to warrant such a high selection. Celebrini should bring solid fantasy value in year 2, however, steer clear of him in the early rounds.

Darcy Kuemper, G, Los Angeles Kings, ADP=57.9

Darcy Kuemper boasted solid numbers for the LA Kings last season. He finished top five amongst goaltenders in fantasy points. However, Kuemper has never been an elite goalie on a consistent basis throughout his career. Furthermore, the Kings arguably got worse in the offseason, which could lead to more goals against Kuemper. Simply put, there are better netminders available at his ADP.

NHL Team Outlooks

Analyzing the upcoming week schedule and looking at which NHL teams are expected to have a strong week and who will be in tough. Which teams’ players should you be buying stock in and which teams should you avoid at all costs? Take a peek at the NHL team outlook for the upcoming week.

*Note: This week runs from October 7 – 12. Keep in mind that teams playing multiple games will be more valuable this week due to the reduced duration of the week.

Early Season Favorites (These teams will pay dividends in the coming games)

Florida Panthers: Despite losing their captain Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, long-term, expect a strong first week from the Panthers. They open their season with a home and home against the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers. Two home games to begin the year facing two of the worst teams in the league should pay early dividends for the Panthers. Fantasy managers can also capitalize as Florida is one of the NHL’s deepest teams and has plenty of fantasy options to be had over the course of the draft.

Boston Bruins: The Bruins had an abysmal 2024-25 season, finishing near the bottom of the league. However, they begin the season with a favourable schedule. Boston begins the season taking on a Capitals team that is expected to regress. They will then head home to face the Blackhawks. Boston doesn’t have the fantasy depth they had in previous years, but there are some potential fantasy gems that managers should target in the middle-late round of drafts.

New York Rangers: The Rangers bounce back year should get off to a hot start judging by their opening week schedule. They open their season at home against an aging Pittsburgh Penguins squad before travelling down the road to take on the Buffalo Sabres. The Rangers have plenty of fantasy players who could be in line for big nights against two poor teams.

Expected to Struggle Out of the Gate (Avoid players on these teams this week at all costs)

Dallas Stars: The Stars are one of the NHL’s best teams. However, they open their season on the road against a juggernaut Winnipeg Jets squad. Managers shouldn’t steer clear of Stars players in general but be weary when starting them in their opening tilt.

New Jersey Devils: After an injury-riddled 2024-25 campaign, the Devils are looking to make a statement this season. This will be a tough task early on, however, as they’re on the road against their divisional rival, Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes are one of the NHL’s best defensive teams. Don’t expect major performances out of any rostered Devils players in their season opener.

Philadelphia Flyers: The Philadelphia Flyers are likely in line for another season in the Eastern Conference basement. Facing the two-time Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers to open their season won’t be an easy task.