Hutch's Hockey: Top NHL Players on Strong Teams to Add

Top Fantasy Hockey Breakout Players on Strong NHL Teams: Value Picks & Deep-League Gems

The idea last week was to take a look at teams lower in the standings and find ways to generate fantasy value from them. A week of hockey has done a little shuffling to the standings, but it's time to look at the flip side of that exercise. 

Players who are doing well on strong teams are ideal for fantasy. There's a certain stability that winning provides, and a team that fills the net regularly plays with steady confidence. Intangibles aren't a big part of fantasy, but confidence and momentum are definitely in play here. As I said last week, I still prefer a star on a bad team to a depth player on a good team, but there's situational value in having both types of players on your virtual roster. 

So, who are these strong teams? It's not just the division leaders, but longstanding powerhouses like the Lightning, Avalanche, Stars, Hurricanes and Golden Knights definitely influence the fantasy game heavily. It's also rising teams like the Ducks, Sharks and Blackhawks, which are overflowing with young talent. There are also teams like the Islanders, Bruins, Wild and Mammoth that have been surprisingly effective this year compared to where they were at last year, with new players stepping up with potential. 

Overall, this look at key players on various teams has less to do with the league standings than expectations. There are some teams that are doing better than expected and are still outside of the playoff picture. Likewise, some mentioned last week have underachieved but are still competitive. This is where that intangible of momentum comes in. It's a tug-of-war between expectations and results, and you want to find as many overachievers as you can to help your team win. 

Picking players off strong rosters can be tough, especially with the younger emerging teams that are still trying to pin down some line combinations. Any young player with a stable role is a huge boost, but many of those building-block types are already rostered, so you want to look at who they're sharing ice with. 

Emerging Fantasy Stars From Rebuilding NHL Teams

Ducks : The Ducks' rebuild looked poised to take a step forward this season, and that's exactly what has happened. Adding key veterans over the years has paid off, but internal growth from the team's youngest players has been massive in getting Anaheim to stay near the top of the Pacific Division. 

Action: Add Beckett Sennecke. He's been locked in as the second-line right wing for virtually the entire season. For the most part, he's been consistent -- just one of his droughts has lasted longer than two games. He's on a seven-game point streak (one goal, six assists), and he's also on the second power-play unit. He's a 19-year-old rookie, so there will be some ups and downs, but he's here to stay. Sennecke's pace is around the 60-point mark, and even if he dips to around 45-50 points by the end of the year, he's done enough to be on all fantasy rosters. 

Sharks : Up in the Bay Area, another rebuild has taken off as well. The Sharks don't have the same level of success as the Ducks, but they have their own crop of exciting young talent. They're still building -- in a year or two, there could be a lot of California at the top of the Pacific. 

Action: Consider picking up William Eklund. He was just starting to build momentum in late October before a lower-body injury cost him four games in early November. His offense hasn't bounced all the way back, but he has five points over his last eight outings. Eklund will be a bit of a risk for formats that use plus-minus rating -- he's minus-11 over 22 contests this season after being just minus-7 on a much worse 2024-25 edition of the Sharks. Eklund is trusted to play in all situations, having earned eight of his 16 points this year on the power play. He'll be in the top six regularly, and a lineup shuffle could eventually put him on a line with Macklin Celebrini, which would be a best-case scenario. 

Blackhawks : The Blackhawks' youth movement is another that has paid off quite well. Unlike their California counterparts, Chicago has significantly more veteran forward depth, though the team's blue line is quite young. The Blackhawks have used seven defensemen regularly this year, allowing various blueliners to play to their strength in more sheltered minutes. 

Action: Artyom Levshunov's start to the season was nothing special, but he's turned things around now to be a fantasy factor. He got his first goal of the season Wednesday versus the Wild, and he wrapped up November with nine points in 14 games. There are some warts in his defensive play -- his minus-6 rating for the month is a concern. As long as he doesn't lose his power-play spot, fantasy managers can overlook the weaknesses because the strengths more than cover it. At just 20 years old, Levshunov has the potential to be a massive scorer from the blue line for years to come. 

Stable Contributors on Elite-Performing Squads Driving Fantasy Value

Avalanche : When it comes to the truly elite teams this year, no one's topping the Avalanche at this point. They're not just winning games -- they're dominating, with the best offense and goal differential in the league by miles. You already know about Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, and the goalie duo of Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood has been excellent as well. 

Action: One of the underrated aspects of this Avalanche team is the defense. It's rare for a team with the best offense to also have one of the best defenses. A strong third pairing makes this possible, and Sam Malinski has been a big reason why. Playing on his off side this year, the left-shot blueliner has only gone and racked up 12 points and a plus-15 rating over 25 appearances. He earned seven of those points -- and a plus-12 rating with 13 blocked shots and 22 shots on net -- during his 13 outings in November. Most importantly, he's gained trust from head coach Jared Bednar. Malinski's appeal is more for deeper fantasy formats, but he's unlikely to be a problem on the ice, and that stability is worth a lot. 

Lightning : A rough start to the year for the Lightning left some concerns that the championship window was closing. That doubt can be erased after a stellar November that saw the team pull clear at the top of the Atlantic Division. They've pulled off the turnaround despite a battered defense. 

Action: It's time to add Anthony Cirelli. He missed four games in the middle of the month due to an upper-body injury, but he's earned six points and a plus-10 rating over seven contests since he returned. He's a top-six fixture as usual, and his defensive play will always keep him in a larger role. The 28-year-old center proved he could be more than just a shutdown player with his 27-goal, 59-point regular season in 2024-25, and he's on pace for similar production this year. He'll be a big boost for plus-minus rating and blocked shots, though the bulk of his offense will be at even strength. 

Golden Knights : A team as talented as the Golden Knights should never be discounted. The biggest weak spot is in goal, but with three strong scoring lines and a stingy defense, they're still well-positioned for success. However, for all of the star power on this roster, an unheralded rookie is grabbing attention in November. 

Action: Braeden Bowman is a strong deep-league option. Mark Stone's recent return from a wrist injury has wiped out Bowman's power-play usage, but the 22-year-old winger is still getting top-line usage at even strength. He's opened his NHL career with four goals, three assists, 20 shots on net and a minus-4 rating over 10 games. Bowman went undrafted, so he's already playing with house money, making it this far, but he's quickly proven his value to provide the top-six potential Alexander Holtz has yet to cash in on. 

Stars : The Stars are a team with few weak spots. Injuries have certainly had an effect this year, but they're still second only to the Avalanche in the whole league. The strength of this team comes from its balanced offense, and while that's great on the ice, it's less than ideal in fantasy. 

Action: Trade away Roope Hintz. It almost pains me to say that -- in fantasy terms, he's one of my favorite 2C options. He's also playing above a point-per-game pace, and his 13.3 shooting percentage this year is actually his lowest since he shot 9.1 percent as a rookie in 2018-19. So, why sell now? Hintz will usually miss some time due to injuries. He's already been out once this season, losing five games to an undisclosed injury. He's also been riding alongside Jason Robertson, who is on an absolute heater. Hintz's value might never be higher than it is right now, as it's only a matter of time before Mikko Rantanen or Wyatt Johnston steals the spotlight from the Stars' more tenured core pieces. Find a player at a position of need who has less competition for a starring role on his team, and make a swap. 

Hurricanes : There may not be a team that better embodies regular-season success than the Hurricanes. Their system is effective at wearing down teams, and they always seem to be near the top of the standings. 

Action: Trade for Nikolaj Ehlers. The buy-low window is closed, but Ehlers' 12-point effort over 15 games in November, capped by an overtime game-winning goal Sunday against the Flames, is still worth getting in on. If you're lucky, your fellow fantasy manager will be willing to offload this talented winger because of his slow start. Ehlers has bought into the Hurricanes' style, and while he will always be more skill and speed over grit, his differences add a little more to the team's mix. The Danish winger took some time to build chemistry with his teammates, but he should be producing north of a 60-point pace for the remainder of the campaign. 

Youth Movement Trumps Experience in Fantasy Strategy for 2025-2026 Season

Islanders : Winning the lottery is life-changing, and the Islanders have done just that since drafting Matthew Schaefer. This formerly boring team is now tantalizing with talent, though the blue-collar roots of the last decade or so are still evident in the depth. Losing Alexander Romanov (shoulder) and Kyle Palmieri (knee) for the season will test the depth, and that's where fantasy managers should dive in. 

Action: Max Shabanov could be set for a breakout in the wake of Palmieri's injury. The 25-year-old Shabanov fell off the radar after missing 12 games with an upper-body injury earlier in the season. When he returned, he struggled until his three-point pop versus the Red Wings on Nov. 20 from a fourth-line role. He had to wait a little longer, but after Palmieri went down with a knee injury Friday, Shabanov stepped up and looks to have the first chance at a second-line spot, as well as a gig on the first power-play unit. I'm excited, though I'll temper expectations a bit here -- he has seven points, 20 shots on net and 10 hits through 14 outings. I'd go for a wait-and-see approach, but Shabanov's definitely on the watch list if he can seamlessly step into a larger role. 

Wild : Somehow, the Wild have taken a team with one true superstar and turned it into a powerhouse. The defense is the foundation here, and getting good years out of a handful of past-their-prime wingers has helped as well. 

Action: Acquire Jesper Wallstedt by any means necessary. Three shutouts in his last six games is all you need to see. He's been a top goaltending prospect since going 20th overall in 2021, and he's making the most of his first full NHL season. The Wild look ready to embrace a timeshare in the crease, and while Wallstedt is no longer widely available on the waiver wire, he's still out there in too many leagues. Consider a trade if you have to. The Wall of St. Paul is built strong and tall, and he's going to be a fantasy force for years to come, which could include a Calder nomination at the end of this season. 

Bruins : No one saw the Bruins' collapse last year coming, but I doubt anyone expected the team to immediately turn things around either. They've taken a few knocks on the injury front, but the top players have been exactly what the team has needed to stake out some territory near the top of a wide-open Atlantic Division. 

Action: I don't like to telegraph my calls here, but trade away Morgan Geekie. Full marks for what he's done this season, especially with eight goals over his last six games. His ceiling could very well be much higher than I ever thought, which was about the 40-point mark that he breezed by last year. He's been the right fit as a physical and versatile forward in the Bruins' top six over the last three years. Geekie just isn't going to keep going goal-for-goal with Nathan MacKinnon all year. Geekie's shooting 28.6 percent while posting 20 goals in 27 games, but he's added just six assists. Someone will want what he's already produced, and his eye-popping numbers will lead to an overpay that will make your team stronger for the long run. 

Mammoth : The Mammoth were right on the edge of the playoffs last year, and they'll likely be battling with a handful of teams for a wild-card spot for the rest of 2025-26 as well. This is another young team, but Utah's step forward this season has been a little smaller than the competition's. 

Action: Trade for Dylan Guenther. Inconsistency in November isn't encouraging, but Guenther is one of the best young scorers in the league. He's shooting 10.0 percent this season -- that's low for a sniper, but not so low as for him to be struggling. He's at 19 points and 90 shots on net through 26 appearances, putting him right on pace to match last year's 60-point effort, though that came in 70 games. The upside is there, and with four points over his last four outings, he appears to be heating up as well. 

If the season were a single hockey game, we're about at the end of the first period. This season has had a lot of lessons so far. In many ways, it's a firm reminder that writing a weekly column doesn't make me as much of a know-it-all as I'd like to think sometimes. There have been plenty of surprises, and virtually every team in the league can make things competitive in any given game. 

That also means casting a wide net for fantasy. As much as I love a good line stack, this has been a great year to get fantasy contributions from a variety of teams. These last two weeks of columns have shown that teams all over the standings still have players with upside, whether it's purely for a waiver-wire move or with a plethora of trade candidates. The best part of a season like this is the excitement it'll create for the future. With all of the young talent emerging this year, just imagine what it'll be like when this year's draft picks start to ascend to the NHL within the next few years. 

The best advice for how fantasy hockey works now is that you should take the younger of two players with similar production. The NHL is a young man's league, and that's only becoming more true with 19- and 20-year-old phenoms popping off. Betting on potential is almost always a good idea because players are making good on that potential so quickly. 

That's all for this week, and we'll be back to more of the traditional waiver-wire talk next Monday. 

Stuck between two players available on the waiver wire? Check out the NHL Player Comparison Tool or the NHL Trending Players to help break the tiebreaker on your waiver wire decisions.