Fantasy Hockey 2025-26 – Matt Larkin’s Must-Draft Players
Fantasy hockey drafts are won and lost on the margins. Every manager knows the stars in the first couple of rounds, but the real difference-makers are often the players who provide value at the right draft slot. That’s what our MUST-DRAFT picks are all about: spotlighting the skaters and goalies that are highlighted on our draft lists, and should be on your list too. These are players whose production, opportunity, and upside make them nearly impossible to pass on at their current average draft position (ADP). Whether it’s a proven star who is undervalued, a breakout candidate ready to explode, or a steady contributor who’s better than the name recognition suggests, these are the MUST-DRAFT players who can tilt your league in your favour.
More Must-Draft Player Lists:
- Brock Seguin’s Must-Draft Players
- Beebs Bondy’s Must-Draft Players
- Dylan Berthiaume’s Must-Draft Players
- Nick Szeman’s Must-Draft Players
1. Seth Jarvis | Carolina Hurricanes | C/LW/RW | ADP: 81.0
Jarvis, one of the NHL’s funniest players, awakened something in me last season when, during an interview discussing the Hurricanes’ most promising young players, he joked, “Hey, I’m only a year older than these guys!” It’s so true. He has an old face, doesn’t he? But Jarvis is just 23, four seasons into his NHL career and still ascending. His per-game scoring rate has increased in consecutive seasons and, because he’s such a strong defensive forward, Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour entrusts Jarvis with a lot of minutes. He clicked on a line with Sebastian Aho and Jackson Blake during the stretch run last season. Jarvis’ full-season 2024-25 line of 32-35-67 in 73 games was solid, but over Jarvis’ final 45 games, he posted a 23-23-46 line, which extrapolates to 42-42-84 over a full season. That’s about exactly what I expect Jarvis to do this season. He’s dealing with a shoulder injury that may require surgery next year, but the fact he’s delaying it so he can play in the Olympics tells me it’s not a short-term concern. I expect Jarvis to lead Carolina in scoring this season while offering the bonus of 80-100 hits in banger formats.
2. Matvei Michkov | Philadelphia Flyers | RW | ADP: 79.5
I’m not merely excited because Michkov averaged better than a point per game over the final third of his rookie season. I’m excited because he did so as a rookie who began the campaign as a teenager and who has always been projected to become a fantasy hockey juggernaut. From the 4 Nations Face-off break onward, Michkov sat third among all NHLers in 5-on-5 points, trailing only David Pastrnak and Robert Thomas. Now Michkov is out from under volatile coach John Tortorella’s thumb and less likely to be jerked around the lineup and healthy scratched. Yes, new Flyers coach Rick Tocchet can be tough in his own right, but he’s also a players’ coach who has entrusted his star forwards with big roles in the past. Look at the career years Tocchet got from Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller during their peaks in Vancouver. With Trevor Zegras also arriving as a dynamic potential linemate, I expect Michkov to break through as an all-star-caliber player this year.
3. Lukas Dostal | Anaheim Ducks | G | ADP: 131.5
Dostal’s surface stats last season were pretty pedestrian at first glance: 23-23-7, 3.10 goals-against average, .903 save percentage. But he played for the worst defensive team in the NHL, facing one of the most difficult workloads leaguewide in chance quality and quantity. Dostal ranked as one of the better goalies in the league in goals saved above expected per 60 last season. The Ducks’ major improvement in the standings was largely because of Dostal and John Gibson, who was even better. With Gibson traded to Detroit, Dostal becomes Anaheim’s unquestioned starter. And with Joel Quenneville arriving as head coach, not to mention all the young talent on the rise in Anaheim, Dostal should have a far better team in front of him this season. He’s already a great young goalie, but we should see big boosts in his volume stats (wins, shutouts, saves) and, with better defensive play in front of him, his rate stats (GAA, SV%). He’s a strong buy for me, his value kept in check because he plays in an obscure market.
4. Leo Carlsson | Anaheim Ducks | C | ADP: —
Yes, I’m conducting the Ducks hype train. The Ducks were so confident in Carlsson’s potential as a big, dominant two-way center that they passed on superstar prospect Adam Fantilli to draft Carlsson second overall in 2023. Late last season, the monster began to awaken in Carlsson. He posted 29 points in his final 31 games as one of several young Duck forwards who cooked during the stretch run. I’m always bullish when a breakout comes from a player who was always supposed to do this. Carlsson has cemented himself as the No. 1 center on a team that (a) has lots of other rising young talent, including Carlsson’s linemate Cutter Gauthier and (b) added more offensive support in Mikael Granlund and Chris Kreider. Don’t be surprised if Carlsson delivers 70-80 points on a Ducks team that competes for a playoff spot.
5. Luke Hughes | New Jersey Devils | D | ADP: 97.5
If Hughes remains unsigned for fantasy draft season, we can use that to our advantage and hope it drops his acquisition cost by a round or two. I’m confident the Devils get their key RFA signed in time for the season. Hughes already has multiple 40-point seasons to his name and is still just 21. That’s…not normal for a young NHL blueliner. Hughes is special. Among 214 defensemen who logged 500 or minutes at 5-on-5 last season, he sat in the 92nd percentile in primary assists per 60. That was on a Devils team blitzed by injuries all season, most notably his older brother Jack’s. Luke should have a lot more help from his forwards this time around while continuing to be an asset in the goal, shot and block categories. Finishing as a top-15 fantasy blueliner with a 10-50-60 type of stat line is well within his range of outcomes.