Top Breakout Stars to Watch in the 2025-26 Fantasy Hockey Season

Identifying breakout candidates on draft day is an excellent way to find value in the later rounds and win fantasy league championships. For the 2025-26 season, I decided to narrow the scope by excluding first- and second-year skaters from the equation. Still, there will be plenty of youth on display, as they are poised to take the next step after gaining some valuable NHL experience. They find themselves in favourable positions to receive increased roles in the upcoming campaign and should make significant impacts. 

Logan Cooley: Key Fantasy Asset for Utah Mammoth

Cooley made plenty of progress in his sophomore season, earning 25 goals and 40 assists in 75 appearances after collecting 44 points across 82 outings in his rookie campaign. He is already well on his way toward becoming a star, and he should find another gear in 2025-26. After spending most of the first half of the year on the second line, he performed exceptionally well alongside Clayton Keller on the top combination in the second half of 2024-25. The 21-year-old Cooley will likely lock down the team's No. 1 center role this season, and the increase in responsibilities, including more minutes in power-play situations, should improve his statistics. He has 30-goal upside and should comfortably surpass the 70-point plateau.  

Matthew Knies: Rising Star for Toronto Maple Leafs

Following his promotion to the top line, Knies made significant strides in the 2024-25 season. He compiled 29 goals, 58 points, 153 shots on net and 182 hits in 78 matches. While his 19.1 shooting percentage may seem high, it is realistically sustainable. The majority of his chances were high-danger ones around the front of the goal, and he will get plenty of opportunities in the 2025-26 campaign with linemate Auston Matthews funnelling pucks toward opposing goaltenders. The 22-year-old Knies plays a physical game, which enhances his value in banger leagues. He will log big minutes and could flirt with the 70-point mark.  

Leo Carlsson: Promising Talent for Anaheim Ducks

After being brought along slowly during his rookie year, Carlsson became a regular in the lineup in the 2024-25 campaign. His scoring rates improved despite reductions in shots per 60 minutes and average ice time per contest. However, he should remedy those concerns this season. He will likely see playing time in all situations for the Ducks. He stands a good chance of cementing himself as a go-to producer, whether he skates alongside veterans Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn and Troy Terry, or plays with fellow emerging talents like Cutter Gauthier and Mason McTavish. The 20-year-old Carlsson supplied 20 goals, 45 points and 114 shots on target across 76 appearances last season. The No. 2 selection in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft has the potential to jump over the 60-point mark this campaign. 

William Eklund: Emerging Playmaker for San Jose Sharks

Eklund registered a team-high 41 assists and ranked second on the Sharks with 58 points and 16 power-play points in 77 appearances last season. His 2024-25 performance marked a significant leap forward after he had 45 points across 80 contests in the 2023-24 campaign. He got a lift from having rookie sensation Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli, who joined the team via free agency in July of 2024. The 22-year-old Eklund still has room to grow further, and a 20-goal and 60-plus point effort is well within his reach. He still has one more season remaining on his entry-level contract, but after signing a three-year, $16.8 million contract in the summer, he will be part of the team's exciting young core for the foreseeable future.  

Adam Fantilli: A Top Fantasy Prospect in Columbus

In his sophomore season last year, Fantilli tied for the team lead with 31 goals and ranked third on the Blue Jackets with 48 even-strength points. When Sean Monahan went down with a wrist injury, Fantilli moved up to the top line and racked up 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) in 28 games. The 20-year-old Fantilli remained hot down the stretch, netting 10 goals on 35 shots and adding two assists in 13 outings. While he's unlikely to maintain that level of shooting prowess over the course of a full season, he has considerable fantasy appeal going into his third NHL season. He is a valuable top-six forward on a Columbus team that tied for seventh in the league in goals per game (3.26) last campaign. He also earned 113 hits, making him a burgeoning banger-league keeper. If he gets an increased role on the man advantage this campaign, he could cross into the 60-point plateau. 

Cole Perfetti: Rising Stock in Fantasy Leagues

Perfetti posted career highs in 2024-25, racking up 32 assists, 50 points, 143 shots on goal and 71 hits across all 82 regular-season contests. He also clocked a personal-best average ice time of 15:11 per game, which seems likely to climb even higher in 2025-26 after Nikolaj Ehlers departed for the Carolina Hurricanes via free agency. Perfetti's five-on-five production will be interesting to monitor, especially if he plays alongside newcomers Jonathan Toews and Gustav Nyquist. Still, there is a great deal to like about Perfetti's fantasy upside this campaign, especially if he secures a spot on the top power-play combination. He could be within the 60-70 point range. 

Will Cuylle: Fantasy Potential with the New York Rangers

Cuylle made a name for himself in fantasy formats that favor physical play by ranking fourth in the NHL with 301 hits last season. He also generated 20 goals, 45 points, 152 shots on net and 50 blocked shots in 82 games. After collecting nine goals and 18 points in 21 contests during a hot start to the 2024-25 campaign, he slowed down drastically amid the Rangers' struggles. However, he managed to provide 12 points, including nine helpers, in 20 outings to conclude the year. He logged most of his playing time down the stretch with J.T. Miller, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin. With Kreider out of the picture, Cuylle has a chance to establish himself as a top-six forward for the Rangers in 2025-26. The 23-year-old Cuylle will be a valuable source of hits, and his offensive game is expected to continue improving.