Every fantasy hockey draft has players you want on your roster, and players you want on your roster at the right price.
That’s the important distinction behind this list.
Being drafted too early doesn’t mean a player is going to have a bad season. In fact, several players on this list could have very good 2026-27 campaigns. The problem is that their current draft position is already asking you to pay for a lot of that production. If you’re taking a player in the third round, you’re not drafting him to simply have a good season. You’re drafting him to outperform the players available around him.
With training camps underway and fantasy drafts happening right now, ADP is becoming especially important. Current draft prices can move quickly as line combinations, injuries and power-play roles become clearer. So, before you click that draft button, here are 20 players I’m not looking to reach for at their current price in 2026-27.
1. Matt Boldy — Minnesota Wild
Boldy is coming off an outstanding 2025-26 season, scoring 42 goals and establishing himself as one of the better young goal scorers in the league. The problem is that his current draft price assumes he can essentially repeat that performance. His shooting percentage jumped to 16.5% last season after entering the year with an 11.8% career mark, which creates some regression risk. He also benefited from a significant increase in high-danger shooting, so it’s not as simple as saying the entire season was luck, but expecting another 42-goal season is a much bigger bet than expecting Boldy to remain a very good fantasy player.
The Add List Take: I still want Boldy. I just don’t want to pay a first-round price for his best-case scenario. If he slips into the second round, the conversation changes quickly. At his current ADP, however, I’m more comfortable taking a player with a slightly lower ceiling but a better combination of floor and value.
2. Jack Hughes — New Jersey Devils
Few players in the league are more dangerous offensively than Hughes when he’s healthy, which is exactly why he’s so tempting in fantasy drafts. The problem is availability. Hughes has played 62 or fewer games in each of his past three seasons and has exceeded 65 games only once in his seven-year NHL career. He’s still capable of producing at an elite rate when he plays, but his current draft cost requires you to bet on a healthy season.
The Add List Take: This is a classic ceiling-versus-price decision. I love the ceiling. I don’t love paying an early second-round price and hoping for the best. If Hughes slides, I’ll happily take the gamble. I’m just not going to chase him ahead of several players with significantly better recent availability. As they say in sports, the best ability, is availability.
3. Quinn Hughes — Minnesota Wild
Uh oh another Hughes brother. Hughes remains one of the most valuable offensive defensemen in fantasy hockey, but his move to Minnesota introduces a new variable. He has spent his entire NHL career in Vancouver, where he was the unquestioned centerpiece of the Canucks’ power play and transition game. Now fantasy managers have to determine exactly how his new environment affects his usage, scoring opportunities and overall offensive ceiling.
His current ADP sits around the top 20 overall, so you’re paying for another elite season before seeing how everything fits together.
The Add List Take: Hughes could absolutely justify his draft position. That’s not the argument. The argument is that there are enough unknowns surrounding the transition that I’d rather take him a few spots later than pay full price for the expected outcome.
4. Roman Josi — Nashville Predators
Josi is one of the best offensive defensemen of his generation, but fantasy managers have to acknowledge where he is in his career. He’ll be 36 entering the 2026-27 season and is coming off a 13-goal, 55-point campaign in 68 games. That’s still useful production, but his current draft price leaves relatively little room for another decline.
The Add List Take: I wouldn’t be surprised if Josi finishes with another 50-plus points. I would be surprised if he gives you the type of elite fantasy return his earlier draft position demands. At this stage, I’d rather take a younger defenseman with comparable production and more upside.
5. Sidney Crosby — Pittsburgh Penguins
This one hurts.
Sid the Kid continues to defy expectations, and his 29 goals and 74 points in 68 games last season showed that he’s still an excellent offensive player. But he’s entering his age-39 season and not a kid anymore, and the fantasy question isn’t whether Crosby can still produce, it’s whether he can produce enough to justify being drafted ahead of younger players with similar offensive potential.
The Add List Take: If Crosby falls, I’m interested. If he’s sitting there in the fourth round, I’m probably taking him. But I’m not going to draft the name and hope Father Time doesn’t show up. There are too many younger forwards available in that range who offer a better combination of production and long-term reliability.
6. Jacob Markstrom — Florida Panthers
Markstrom is one of the most difficult players to evaluate this season because the move to Florida creates an obvious bounce-back narrative. Unfortunately, the numbers from last season aren’t particularly encouraging. His goals saved above expected dropped to minus-11.9, and a change of scenery doesn’t automatically erase declining performance or age-related risk.
The Add List Take: I understand why people are drafting Markstrom. Florida could provide a much better environment for wins, and that matters enormously for fantasy goalies. But I’m not paying a premium for the assumption that everything magically gets better. I’d rather draft a goalie with a clearer path to both starts and performance.
7. Nazem Kadri — Colorado Avalanche
Kadri’s return to Colorado is one of the biggest reasons his fantasy stock has risen, but the reunion has also pushed his draft price higher than I’m comfortable with. He scored just 16 goals and 50 points in 77 games last season, and at 36 years old, expecting a major offensive revival simply because he’s back with the Avalanche feels optimistic. His biggest problem is opportunity. Colorado already has Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson down the middle, leaving Kadri in a secondary role.
The Add List Take: Kadri could have a useful season, but I don’t see enough upside at his current cost. I’d rather wait several rounds and take a younger player with a clearer path to a bigger offensive role.
8. Juraj Slafkovsky — Montreal Canadiens
Slafkovsky is exactly the type of player fantasy managers want to believe in. He’s young, talented, massive and has already shown flashes of becoming a legitimate top-line NHL forward. But that upside is now being priced into his draft position. The problem with taking Slafkovsky too early is that you’re essentially betting that the breakout happens immediately and at a substantial level. There’s still considerable uncertainty surrounding his consistency and year-to-year offensive development.
The Add List Take: I absolutely want Slafkovsky on my radar. I just don’t want to draft him as though the breakout is already guaranteed. If he slips, he’s one of the players I’d aggressively target.
9. Rasmus Dahlin — Buffalo Sabres
Dahlin remains one of the most talented defensemen in hockey, but his fantasy draft price has reached the point where you’re expecting another step forward rather than simply banking on his established production. The issue isn’t talent. It’s opportunity cost. When you’re taking Dahlin in the early rounds, you’re passing on forwards who can potentially give you considerably more goal and point production.
The Add List Take: Dahlin is a very good fantasy defenseman. But “very good” isn’t necessarily enough to justify an early-round pick when elite forwards are still available. In leagues that heavily reward defensemen, I have more interest. In standard formats, I’m willing to wait.
10. Jake Sanderson — Ottawa Senators
Sanderson is one of the defensemen I expect to continue improving, but his current draft price is already reflecting a significant jump in production. That’s dangerous territory for a young defenseman. He’s entering the stage of his career where a breakout is possible, but fantasy managers have to distinguish between projecting a breakout and paying for the breakout before it happens.
The Add List Take: Sanderson is a player I like more than his current draft position. That’s usually a warning sign. If I can get him a round later, I’m interested. If I have to take him at his current cost, I’d rather use that pick elsewhere.
11. Lane Hutson — Montreal Canadiens
Hutson is one of the most exciting young defensemen in fantasy hockey, and there’s a legitimate argument that he could eventually become one of the league’s elite offensive defensemen. But his current ADP has moved into a range where you’re paying for a substantial portion of that future upside already. The challenge with young defensemen is that offensive production can fluctuate dramatically based on power-play efficiency, shooting percentage and deployment.
The Add List Take: I love Hutson as a fantasy player, but I don’t love paying top-40 prices for him. If you’re drafting for upside, he’s tempting. If you’re drafting for value, I’d let someone else pay the premium.
12. Cutter Gauthier — Anaheim Ducks
Gauthier is another young player whose fantasy upside is obvious, but his current draft position is beginning to reflect the breakout many fantasy managers expect rather than the production he has already established. That’s not necessarily a bad bet, but it becomes a bad bet when you’re passing on proven 80- to 90-point players to make it.
The Add List Take: Gauthier is one of my favorite young players to watch this season, but I don’t need to draft him aggressively to own him. If he falls into the right range, I’m interested. At his current price, I’ll take the established production.
13. Adrian Kempe — Los Angeles Kings
Kempe has become a remarkably consistent fantasy contributor, which is precisely why he’s easy to overlook when discussing value. But his current draft price puts him into a range where I’m looking for more upside. Kempe can score, shoot and contribute across multiple categories, but there are younger players available around his ADP who could make a much larger jump in 2026-27.
The Add List Take: Kempe is the type of player I would happily draft if he slips. He’s safe enough to have value, but I don’t want to pay for his ceiling when I can take a player with more room to outperform his draft position.
14. Alex Tuch — Washington Capitals
Tuch’s move to Washington creates plenty of fantasy intrigue, but it also creates uncertainty. A new team can improve a player’s situation, but it doesn’t automatically guarantee that his individual production will spike. His current ADP has him being selected well ahead of some proven fantasy forwards, which makes the risk harder to justify.
The Add List Take: I like Tuch more than his reputation suggests, particularly in leagues that reward shots, hits and other peripheral categories. But if you’re drafting primarily for points, I’d rather wait and take a player with a more established offensive track record.
15. Mika Zibanejad — New York Rangers
Zibanejad is one of those players whose fantasy reputation can sometimes lag behind his actual production, but the opposite can also happen when managers draft based on what they remember him doing several years ago. His current ADP is around the late-fifth/early-sixth-round range across the major platforms.
The Add List Take: At his best, Zibanejad is a very useful fantasy center. But at this point, I’m looking for more certainty at that price. I’d rather take a player with a clearer path to increased opportunity than bet on Zibanejad rediscovering his peak offensive form.
16. Darren Raddysh — Toronto Maple Leafs
Raddysh is one of the more interesting cases on this list because his 2025-26 season was legitimately impressive. The concern is what happens when fantasy managers start drafting him based on what he just did rather than what he is most likely to do again. His 22 goals and 70 points from last season are a massive number for a defenseman, and his current ADP reflects expectations that he’ll remain in that neighborhood.
The Add List Take: I’m not saying Raddysh can’t score. I’m saying 70 points is a very high bar to clear again. At his current price, I would rather bet on a defenseman who has already demonstrated that level of production over multiple seasons.
17. Leo Carlsson — Anaheim Ducks
Carlsson remains one of the most talented young centers in hockey, and this is probably the riskiest name on the list because the upside is enormous. The fantasy problem is that his current ADP is already pricing in a substantial breakout. Young players can make enormous jumps, but they can also take another year to reach the level fantasy managers expect.
The Add List Take: Carlsson is absolutely a player I want in 2026-27. I just don’t want to pay the price of certainty for a player whose biggest fantasy asset is still his future upside. If he falls, I’m interested. If he doesn’t, I’ll take the proven veteran.
18. Tim Stützle — Ottawa Senators
Stützle is another player where the talent isn’t the issue. He’s still young enough to improve, he’s capable of huge offensive stretches and he’s already established himself as Ottawa’s offensive centerpiece. But his current draft position puts him into a range where you’re expecting a significant fantasy return rather than simply hoping for another good season.
The Add List Take: Stützle is a player I can easily see finishing higher than his current ADP. But that’s not the same as saying I want to take him there. In the early rounds, I’m looking for players whose floor and ceiling both justify the price. Stützle’s ceiling is excellent; I just want a little more certainty before paying for it.
19. Roman Kantserov — Chicago Blackhawks
Kantserov is one of the most intriguing young players entering the NHL, and he has legitimate fantasy upside. The problem is that rookies carry a massive amount of uncertainty, particularly when fantasy managers start drafting them aggressively based on prospect pedigree and preseason hype. We’ve seen plenty of highly touted rookies become immediate fantasy contributors. We’ve also seen plenty take time to establish themselves.
The Add List Take: This isn’t a fade on Kantserov. It’s a price check. If you’re taking him outside the early rounds, I love the upside. If he’s being drafted alongside established top-six NHL forwards, I’m taking the veteran and letting someone else make the projection.
20. Connor Hellebuyck — Winnipeg Jets
Hellebuyck is still one of the league’s most recognizable fantasy goalies, but his current draft range presents an interesting opportunity-cost problem. Goalies are particularly difficult to project because wins, team defense, workload and individual performance all interact. His ADP varies dramatically between platforms, which is another reminder that fantasy managers need to know the draft room they’re actually playing in rather than relying on one universal ADP number.
The Add List Take: I’m not avoiding Hellebuyck. I’m avoiding paying a premium simply because he’s Hellebuyck. If the goalie run starts early and he falls into a reasonable range, I’m interested. But I’m comfortable waiting and attacking the position later if the room pushes him too high.
The Big Lesson: Don’t Confuse “Too Early” With “Bad”
This is probably the most important part of the entire article. There are players on this list who could finish the season among the best fantasy players at their position.
That’s not the point.
Fantasy hockey is about value relative to draft position. If you draft a player in the second round and he finishes as a second-round player, you haven’t necessarily gained an advantage. If another manager drafts a similar player four rounds later and gets comparable production, that manager has gained the value. That’s why I want to look beyond the player and focus on the price. A player can be a great NHL player and a poor fantasy pick at a certain ADP, and that price can change everything.
What To Do Instead
When one of these players starts climbing higher than you’re comfortable with, don’t panic, have alternatives ready.
If a player is being drafted for his ceiling, look for someone whose current ADP is based more heavily on his floor. If an aging veteran is being selected because of his name, look for a younger player with increasing opportunity. If a breakout candidate is going too early, look for another breakout candidate whose price hasn’t caught up yet. That’s where the real advantage can come from. The goal isn’t to avoid every risky player. The goal is to make other managers pay for the risk.
The Add List’s 5 Draft-Day Rules
1. Don’t draft the player — draft the value.
A great player can still be a bad pick if he’s being drafted too early.
2. Don’t pay for last year’s career year.
Ask whether the underlying opportunity supports another season at that level.
3. Don’t pay full price for a breakout before it happens.
Young players can explode, but you want to leave yourself room for the projection to be wrong.
4. Know who is available later.
Before reaching for a player, look at the next 20-30 players on your board.
5. Let other managers chase names.
Your goal isn’t to draft the most recognizable roster. It’s to build the roster that gives you the most value from every pick.
Final Thought
Every fantasy draft has a few players who make you think, “I really like him… just not there.” Those are often the most important players to identify before your draft.
You don’t have to be right about whether these players will have good seasons. You simply have to recognize when the draft room is asking too much for the production you’re likely to receive. Let someone else pay for the ceiling, take advantage of the value that falls, and keep your roster flexible enough to attack the players who slide. Because the best draft isn’t necessarily the one where you get all of your favorite players.
It’s the one where you consistently get more production than you paid for.
Happy Drafting,
– The Add List +