2025-26 First Round Pick-By-Pick Draft Tips

Your first overall pick in your fantasy draft helps set the tone for what you will do the rest of the way. If you select an elite defenseman or goaltender, you can afford to wait a bit before doubling up. If you take a scorer, you can afford to be a bit more open-minded about your next selection.

With that in mind, let's explore who you should consider drafting with your first-round pick, depending on where you end up in the draft order.

Pick No. 1 – Recommendation: Connor McDavid

For the first time in seemingly forever, I considered placing someone other than McDavid in the top spot. Ultimately, I couldn't get there. These are McDavid's point totals over the past five seasons: 100, 132, 153, 123, 105. He had "only" 100 points a season ago despite missing 15 games due to injury. His 31 power-play points last season were his lowest mark since the 2017-18 campaign. In other words, McDavid essentially had one of his worst seasons in recent memory a year ago from an offensive standpoint, and he was still hysterically productive. No player can match his floor, and no player can match his ceiling.

Pick No. 2 – Recommendation: Nathan MacKinnon

This was an easy choice, as MacKinnon is the only player in the world close to hanging with McDavid in terms of individual talent and overall production. He led the league in assists last season with 84 and finished second in the NHL in scoring with 116 points in 79 games. MacKinnon's 320 shots on goal, while nowhere near the 405 he posted the year prior, still lead the league. The lone minor concern is that former long-time running mate Mikko Rantanen is now in Dallas. Regardless, MacKinnon is an easy bet-on-talent selection at this spot.

Pick No. 3 – Recommendation: Nikita Kucherov

Kucherov is a bit older than McDavid and MacKinnon and probably a bit greater of an injury risk, but he's also led the league in scoring two years in a row and has shown no signs of slowing down. Over the past three seasons, Kucherov has posted no fewer than 83 assists and 113 points, including 46 with the man advantage. He's also missed just five total games during that span. I would suggest taking things on a year-by-year basis with Kucherov at this point, but I see zero reason not to roll the dice for the 2025-26 campaign.

Pick No. 4 – Recommendation: Leon Draisaitl

Draisaitl might be the most consistent offensive player in the league. He scored 52 goals last season, the third time in the past four years he potted 50-plus. He's racked up at least 105 points in six of the past seven seasons. His power-play production has dropped three years in a row, but he still managed 33 points with the man advantage last season, an elite number. Everything under the hood here looks fine, and of course, Draisaitl gets a bump for playing alongside McDavid, even if the two rarely begin most games on the same line.

Pick No. 5 – Recommendation: David Pastrnak

The Bruins were terrible last season, and they may be even worse this time around. It's certainly not the type of offensive environment I typically like to invest in from a fantasy standpoint, but Pastrnak has proven to be an elite individual talent. Last year was his worst season in the past three, and he still had 43 goals and 106 points. He hasn't missed a game since the 2021-22 campaign. Set to play the entirety of this upcoming season at age 29, I'm expecting another dominant performance from Pasta.

Pick No. 6 – Recommendation: Cale Makar

I can't put into words how much of an advantage it is to have a defenseman in your fantasy lineup that produces like a quality first-line forward. Makar set career-best marks last season with 30 goals and 92 points in 80 games. He added 246 shots on goal, 35 power-play points, and a plus-28 rating for good measure. Makar's middling hit/block totals are irrelevant given his scoring numbers.

Pick No. 7 – Recommendation: Connor Hellebuyck

I admittedly struggled with where to rank Hellebuyck. He's most certainly a candidate to be over drafted, but he's earned it. That's what happens when you lead the league in GAA (2.00) and save percentage (.925), win 47 games and earn the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP. This is about as high as I'd be willing to go, however, simply because the odds of a true repeat performance are so low. Regardless, Hellebuyck is the no-doubt top goaltender on the board in drafts this year.

Pick No. 8 – Recommendation: Auston Matthews

Speaking of struggling with where to rank a player, I had an even more difficult time with Matthews than Hellebuyck. Matthews' goal total over the course of the previous four seasons is as follows: 60, 40, 69, 33. As is almost always the case, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Expecting Matthews to flirt with 60 tallies once again feels like a fruitless endeavor. So much needs to break correctly for that to happen. That said, a mean projection for him, health permitting, is probably somewhere around 45 goals per season. Given his gaudy shot totals and power-play production, the middle of Round 1 feels right from a fantasy standpoint.

Pick No. 9 – Recommendation: Kirill Kaprizov

Kaprizov played in exactly half of Minnesota's 82 games a year ago. His numbers, prorated over the course of a full season, would have been 50 goals and 112 points. Once you get past the McDavid's and MacKinnon's of the world, Kaprizov is right there in terms of individual talent. I don't like the supporting cast in Minnesota, but I never have, and it has never held Kaprizov back before. He won't be 29 years of age until late April, so health is the only thing holding him back.

Pick No. 10 – Recommendation: Mikko Rantanen

I touched on Rantanen a bit earlier. Yes, I liked him better when he was in Colorado playing with MacKinnon and Makar, but the truth of the matter is this remains an elite player, and it's not as if he's going to be out there with a collection of stiffs in Dallas. My lone concern is that Rantanen's shot total decreased last season to 212, down from 271 the year prior, but that number could easily rebound in his new home. The Finn once again seems like a lock for 40 goals and 90-plus points.

Pick No. 11 – Recommendation: William Nylander

Nylander scored a career-high 45 goals last season, but his assist numbers were down, which is why he finished with just 84 points in 82 games. With Mitch Marner off to Vegas in a sign-and-trade, the Leafs are going to need Nylander to showcase his playmaking skills more than ever. The goal total may dip a bit, but I expect the helpers to go through the roof. Toss in the fact that Nylander hasn't missed a game in three seasons, and you have a reliable first-round fantasy asset on your hands.

Pick No. 12 – Recommendation: Kyle Connor, Quinn Hughes, or Brady Tkachuk

I'm listing three players here because I didn't see a guy that immediately jumped out at me for the final spot, and because I think all are valid options depending on your settings. If your format places an additional emphasis on goals scored, an elite sniper like Connor is the way to go. Tkachuk is a no-brainer in leagues that value hits and shots. And while it's not my preferred style of drafting, Hughes probably has the highest ceiling given his position.