Fantasy hockey mock draft 1.0; new podcast

NHL.com has conducted a fantasy hockey mock draft (12 teams, 192 players) for the 2026-27 season. For more coverage, visit NHL.com/Fantasy.

NOTES: This is a non-keeper mock draft with standard categories (goals, assists, power-play points, shots on goal, hits and blocked shots for skaters; wins, goals-against average, save percentage, shutouts for goalies). Roster size is 16 players: two centers, two left wings, two right wings, four defensemen, two goalies and four bench spots.

PJ and CM indicate the NHL.com fantasy writers (Pete Jensen and Chris Meaney) who participated. The other teams (T2-T9, T11, T12) were selected by fans; any simulated picks from fans were based on Yahoo Fantasy average draft position (ADP).

This draft was conducted Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, and the results differ from NHL.com's top 250 rankings.

1. Nathan MacKinnon, F, COL (PJ)

2. Connor McDavid, F, EDM (T2)

3. Macklin Celebrini, F, SJS (T3)

4. Nikita Kucherov, F, TBL (T4)

5. Leon Draisaitl, F, EDM (T5)

6. Cale Makar, D, COL (T6)

7. David Pastrnak, F, BOS (T7)

8. Kirill Kaprizov, F, MIN (T8)

9. Nick Suzuki, F, MTL (T9)

10. Jason Robertson, F, DAL (CM)

11. Zach Werenski, D, CBJ (T11)

12. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, TBL (T12) - G1

Takeaways: MacKinnon, who's No. 2 in NHL.com's rankings, went ahead of McDavid. Celebrini, who's only 20 years old but had 115 points last season, went ahead of Kucherov, who has the most points in the entire NHL over the past two seasons combined (251 in 154 games).

The Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning each had two players taken in the first round. Vasilevskiy was the first goalie off the board to close out the opening round.

13. Quinn Hughes, D, MIN (T12)

14. Wyatt Johnston, F, DAL (T11)

15. Martin Necas, F, COL (CM)

16. Jack Hughes, F, NJD (T9)

17. Auston Matthews, F, TOR (T8)

18. Evan Bouchard, D, EDM (T7)

19. Jake Oettinger, G, DAL (T6) - G2

20. Matt Boldy, F, MIN (T5)

21. Lane Hutson, D, MTL (T4)

22. Cole Caufield, F, MTL (T3)

23. Connor Hellebuyck, G, WPG (T2) - G3

24. Brady Tkachuk, F, FLA (PJ)

Takeaways: Hellebuyck, who has requested a trade out of Winnipeg, still went in the second round of this mock draft and was third among goalies. The Avalanche, Oilers, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadiens each had three players taken in the first two rounds.

Four defensemen (Makar, Werenski, Q. Hughes, Bouchard) went among the top 20 overall.

25. Logan Thompson, G, WSH (PJ) - G4

26. Jack Eichel, F, VGK (T2)

27. Mikko Rantanen, F, DAL (T3)

28. Kyle Connor, F, WPG (T4)

29. Rasmus Dahlin, D, BUF (T5)

30. Tage Thompson, F, BUF (T6)

31. Matthew Tkachuk, F, FLA (T7)

32. Jake Guentzel, F, TBL (T8)

33. Clayton Keller, F, UTA (T9)

34. Matthew Schaefer, D, NYI (CM)

35. Cutter Gauthier, F, ANA (T11)

36. Ilya Sorokin, G, NYI (T12) - G5

Takeaways: Gauthier, who remains a restricted free agent, still went in the first three rounds after scoring a career-high 41 goals last season. Eichel and Rantanen fell outside the top 25 overall.

The Buffalo Sabres had two players in the top 30 overall after ending their long Stanley Cup Playoff drought last season. It's significant that Schaefer, the reigning Calder Trophy winner, went in the first three rounds of this non-keeper mock draft.

37. Igor Shesterkin, G, NYR (T12) - G6

38. Mark Scheifele, F, WPG (T11)

39. Dylan Guenther, F, UTA (CM)

40. Tim Stützle, F, OTT (T9)

41. Moritz Seider, D, DET (T8)

42. Aleksander Barkov, F, FLA (T7)

43. Sidney Crosby, F, PIT (T6)

44. William Nylander, F, TOR (T5)

45. Brandon Hagel, F, TBL (T4)

46. Jake Sanderson, D, OTT (T3)

47. Mitch Marner, F, VGK (T2)

48. Leo Carlsson, F, ANA (PJ)

Takeaways: Even after the departure of Brady Tkachuk from Ottawa, Stutzle went among the top 40 overall. Barkov, who missed all of last season because of injury, followed the Tkachuk brothers as the third Florida Panthers player taken in this mock draft.

Crosby and Marner were potential draft bargains based on how far they slipped in this simulation.

49. Darren Raddysh, D, TOR (PJ)

50. Juraj Slafkovsky, F, MTL (T2)

51. Jesper Wallstedt, G, MIN (T3) - G7

52. Alex DeBrincat, F, DET (T4)

53. Adam Fox, D, NYR (T5)

54. Scott Wedgewood, G, COL (T6) - G8

55. Jakob Chychrun, D, WSH (T7)

56. Jeremy Swayman, G, BOS (T8) - G9

57. Lucas Raymond, F, DET (T9)

58. Adrian Kempe, F, LAK (CM)

59. Sam Reinhart, F, FLA (T11)

60. Robert Thomas, F, STL (T12)

Takeaways: Nine goalies went in the first five rounds of this mock draft. Raddysh was the second-highest offseason mover taken in this simulation (after Brady Tkachuk).

Slafkovsky and Wallstedt have full-fledged breakout potential.

61. Artemi Panarin, F, LAK (T12)

62. Filip Forsberg, F, NSH (T11)

63. Brandon Bussi, G, CAR (CM) - G10

64. Miro Heiskanen, D, DAL (T9)

65. Roman Josi, D, NSH (T8)

66. Jacob Markstrom, G, FLA (T7) - G11

67. Adam Fantilli, F, CBJ (T6)

68. Josh Morrissey, D, WPG (T5)

69. Brayden Point, F, TBL (T4)

70. Charlie McAvoy, D, BOS - suspended 6 games (T3)

71. Connor Bedard, F, CHI - INJ.

(T2)

72. John Carlson, D, TBL (PJ)

Takeaways: Bedard is expected to miss the start of the season because of injury. Fantilli remains a restricted free agent.

Selections in this round featured bounce-back candidates in Josi, Markstrom, Point and Carlson.

73. Mackenzie Blackwood, G, COL (PJ) - G12

74. Porter Martone, F, PHI - rookie (T2)

75. Dylan Larkin, F, DET (T3)

76. Roope Hintz, F, DAL (T4)

77. Kirill Marchenko, F, CBJ (T5)

78. Pavel Dorofeyev, F, NYR (T6)

79. Erik Karlsson, D, PIT (T7)

80. Jesper Bratt, F, NJD (T8)

81. Ivan Demidov, F, MTL (T9)

82. Brock Faber, D, MIN (CM)

83. Will Smith, F, SJS (T11)

84. Drake Batherson, F, OTT (T12)

Takeaways: Martone was the first rookie selected in this mock draft. Larkin, who requested a trade after last season (became public knowledge June 4), still went in the top 75 overall of this simulation.

85. Beckett Sennecke, F, ANA (T12)

86. Karel Vejmelka, G, UTA (T11) - G13

87. Jakub Dobes, G, MTL (CM) - G14

88. Sebastian Aho, F, CAR (T9)

89. Mikhail Sergachev, D, UTA (T8)

90. J.T.

Miller, F, NYR (T7)

91. Logan Cooley, F, UTA (T6)

92. Mika Zibanejad, F, NYR (T5)

93. Jackson LaCombe, D, ANA (T4)

94. Spencer Knight, G, CHI (T3) - G15

95. Cole Hutson, D, WSH - rookie (T2)

96. Gavin McKenna, F, TOR - rookie (PJ)

Takeaways: Knight went much higher than his NHL.com fantasy goalie rank (23rd among goalies). McKenna went third among rookies behind Martone and Cole Hutson; it's worth noting McKenna was stacked on the same team as Raddysh.

97. Alex Ovechkin, F, WSH (PJ)

98. Shayne Gostisbehere, D, CAR (T2)

99. Brandt Clarke, D, LAK (T3)

100. Sergei Bobrovsky, G, TOR (T4) - G16

101. Zach Hyman, F, EDM (T5)

102. Mark Stone, F, VGK (T6)

103. Victor Hedman, D, TBL (T7)

104. Nick Schmaltz, F, UTA (T8)

105. Shea Theodore, D, VGK (T9)

106. Dylan Holloway, F, STL (CM)

107. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G, BUF (T11) - G17

108. Timo Meier, F, NJD (T12)

Takeaways: Veterans Ovechkin (ADP: 93.1) and Hedman (90.2) are going much lower than usual in fantasy drafts. Holloway and Hyman, who provide rare category coverage, went much lower than their NHL.com rankings (Holloway: 58; Hyman: 71) and are potential draft bargains.

109. Bo Horvat, F, NYI (T12)

110. Noah Dobson, D, MTL (T11)

111. MacKenzie Weegar, D, UTA (CM)

112. Quinton Byfield, F, LAK (T9)

113. Juuse Saros, G, NSH (T8) - G18

114. John Tavares, F, TOR (T7)

115. Nico Hischier, F, NJD (T6)

116. Brandon Montour, D, SEA (T5)

117. Dougie Hamilton, D, NJD (T4)

118. Seth Jarvis, F, CAR - INJ.

(T3)

119. Nikolaj Ehlers, F, CAR (T2)

120. Alex Tuch, F, WSH (PJ)

Takeaways: Tuch was stacked on the same team as L. Thompson and Ovechkin.

Jarvis is expected to miss the start of the season because of injury.

121. Kiefer Sherwood, F, SJS (PJ)

122. Philip Broberg, D, STL (T2)

123. Luke Hughes, D, NJD (T3)

124. Joel Hofer, G, STL (T4) - G19

125. Rickard Rakell, F, PIT (T5)

126. Trevor Zegras, F, PHI (T6)

127. Bowen Byram, D, CHI (T7)

128. Seth Jones, D, FLA (T8)

129. Mathew Barzal, F, NYI (T9)

130. Nazem Kadri, F, COL (CM)

131. Thomas Harley, D, DAL (T11)

132. Vince Dunn, D, SEA (T12)

133. Rasmus Andersson, D, VGK (T12)

134. Mattias Samuelsson, D, BUF (T11)

135. Anton Frondell, F, CHI - rookie (CM)

136. Filip Hronek, D, VAN (T9)

137. Andrei Svechnikov, F, CAR (T8)

138. Matthew Knies, F, TOR (T7)

139. Ryan O'Reilly, F, NSH (T6)

140. Lukas Dostal, G, ANA (T5) - G20

141. Alexander Nikishin, D, CAR (T4)

142. Morgan Geekie, F, BOS (T3)

143. Alexis Lafreniere, F, NYR (T2)

144. Carter Hart, G, VGK (PJ) - G21

Takeaways: Frondell was the fourth rookie taken in this mock draft. Hart, who led the Vegas Golden Knights to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, will have Ryan Craig as his new coach this season.

Svechnikov, who brings rare category coverage of points, shots on goal and hits, is a potential bargain based on how far he slipped in this simulation. Another potential bargain in this round was Geekie, who is tied for 10th in the entire NHL in even-strength goals over the past two seasons combined (56).

145. Jacob Trouba, D, SJS (PJ)

146. Zeev Buium, D, VAN (T2)

147. Travis Konecny, F, PHI (T3)

148. Sam Bennett, F, FLA (T4)

149. Jet Greaves, G, CBJ (T5) - G22

150. Dylan Strome, F, WSH (T6)

151. Yaroslav Askarov, G, SJS (T7) - G23

152. Tom Wilson, F, WSH (T8)

153. Dan Vladar, G, PHI (T9) - G24

154. Jimmy Snuggerud, F, STL (CM)

155. Bryan Rust, F, PIT (T11)

156. Thomas Chabot, D, OTT (T12)

157. Steven Stamkos, F, NSH (T12)

158. Joel Eriksson Ek, F, MIN (T11)

159. Logan Stankoven, F, CAR (CM)

160. Linus Ullmark, G, OTT (T9) - G25

161. Evgeni Malkin, F, PIT (T8)

162. Vincent Trocheck, F, UTA (T7)

163. Zach Benson, F, BUF (T6)

164. Jordan Kyrou, F, WSH (T5)

165. Jackson Blake, F, CAR (T4)

166. Tomas Hertl, F, VGK (T3)

167. Dustin Wolf, G, CGY (T2) - G26

168. Olen Zellweger, D, BUF (PJ)

Takeaways: Zellweger was selected but is not ranked in NHL.com's top 250; he joins a Sabres defense that already features Dahlin, Samuelsson and Owen Power. Blake quietly led the entire 2026 playoffs in even-strength points (18) and is a potential full-fledged breakout candidate on the same line as Stankoven.

169. Ivar Stenberg, F, SJS - rookie (PJ)

170. Sergei Murashov, G, PIT - rookie (T2) - G27

171. Aaron Ekblad, D, FLA (T3)

172. Brad Marchand, F, FLA (T4)

173. John Gibson, G, DET (T5) - G28

174. Dylan Cozens, F, OTT (T6)

175. Mason Marchment, F, SJS (T7)

176. Gabriel Vilardi, F, WPG (T8)

177. Simon Nemec, D, CGY (T9)

178. JJ Peterka, F, BOS (CM)

179. William Eklund, F, OTT (T11)

180. Josh Doan, F, BUF (T12)

Takeaways: Stenberg was the fifth rookie taken in this mock draft. Murashov, who was the sixth rookie off the board, and Ekblad were selected in this simulation but are not ranked in NHL.com's top 250.

181. Carter Verhaeghe, F, FLA (T12)

182. Jacob Fowler, G, MTL - rookie (T11) - G29

183. Darnell Nurse, D, SJS (CM)

184. Elias Pettersson, F, VAN (T9)

185. Filip Gustavsson, G, MIN - INJ.

(T8) - G30

186. Pavel Zacha, F, BOS (T7)

187. Tyler Bertuzzi, F, CHI (T6)

188. Brock Nelson, F, COL (T5)

189. Alex Lyon, G, BUF (T4) - G31

190. Will Cuylle, F, NYR (T3)

191. Michael Misa, F, SJS (T2)

192. Egor Chinakhov, F, PIT (PJ)

Takeaways: Nurse was the second San Jose Sharks defenseman taken in this mock draft and one of nine players on the team selected in this simulation. Cuylle was selected but is not ranked in NHL.com's top 250.

Gustavsson is expected to miss the start of the season because of injury. Four goalie tandems had both members selected in this mock draft: Colorado (Wedgewood, Blackwood), Buffalo (UPL, Lyon), Minnesota (Wallstedt, Gustavsson) and Montreal (Dobes, Fowler).

Fantasy Draft HQ: Early rankings for 2026-27

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