All of the players listed below have plenty of fantasy value for the 2026-27 season. In this particular context, we are fading either their draft position or their statistical expectations. They may also be riskier than other options in similar situations, and fantasy managers will need to decide whether the hefty investment is worthwhile.

A couple of bonus players are worth mentioning before we get started. The uncertainty surrounding Dylan Larkin and Connor Hellebuyck during training camp makes them worrisome draft options. Larkin hasn't participated in Detroit's camp yet because of an upper-body injury, while Hellebuyck is serving a suspension for not reporting to Winnipeg's camp. Both have trade requests pending, making it unclear when they will be back on the ice and which team they'll play for in 2026-27.

Fantasy Hockey Draft Busts and Overvalued Players for 2026-27

Brad Marchand, LW/RW, Florida Panthers 

Marchand suited up for only 52 games in the last NHL campaign due to persistent injuries. He still managed to pile up 27 goals, 54 points and 138 shots on net when he was in the lineup. He has been going around the 145th pick in Yahoo leagues and has been selected in 47% of pools. While it's probably safer to avoid him, he does have outstanding appeal as a stash option. The 38-year-old forward hoped to avoid surgery over the offseason, but opted to have a procedure in the summer that will keep him out until at least November. It's believed that he has been dealing with a hip and sports hernia injury, which can be notoriously difficult to recover from fully, and his age likely won't help the matter. It could take him some time to ramp back up to game speed, and the risk of aggravating the issue is high. 

Scott Wedgewood, G, Colorado Avalanche 

What a difference a year makes. Wedgewood went from being a popular waiver-wire hero in 2025-26 to being a bit overvalued this time around. He was chosen in 15% of leagues and had an average draft position (ADP) of 141.9 last campaign, but now he is the seventh goaltender off the board ahead of the 2026-27 season. Colorado's netminders carry plenty of fantasy value because of the talent that plays in front of them. Wedgewood will be a solid option between the pipes, but his 31-6-6 record, 2.02 goals-against average (GAA) and .921 save percentage (SV%) may have set unrealistic expectations. That will be a tough act to follow. Fellow Colorado puck stopper, Mackenzie Blackwood, also shouldn't be going over 40 picks later. Head coach Jared Bednar has been very complimentary of Blackwood early in training camp. Blackwood is expected to get every opportunity to reclaim the No. 1 job in 2026-27. A season-opening injury to Blackwood in 2025-26 and Wedgewood's outstanding start made it harder to move away from the timeshare. They will probably split time in the crease again, but Wedgewood is garnering the attention an undisputed starter typically gets, while Blackwood is being largely overlooked. 

Brandon Bussi, G, Carolina Hurricanes 

Bussi was another valuable roster addition after the 2025-26 season started. He earned a 31-6-2 record with two shutouts, a 2.47 GAA and an .894 SV% in 39 appearances. He also played four playoff games against Vegas and helped the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup. Bussi benefited greatly from Frederik Andersen's struggles and Pyotr Kochetkov's lengthy injury absence. Bussi's ADP among netminders is just outside the top 10, while Kochetkov is being chosen in only 6% of Yahoo leagues with an average pick of 138.4. Kochetkov has been a solid option in the past and should push Bussi for playing time in the 2026-27 campaign. 

Mark Scheifele, C, Winnipeg Jets 

Scheifele's ADP of 36.4 isn't egregiously out of place, but he is being chosen ahead of some centers with higher point ceilings. He remains an excellent producer and should be above a point-per-game pace. However, he likely won't be surpassing the 100-point mark for the second time in his NHL career during the 2026-27 campaign. The 33-year-old generated 36 goals and 103 points in 82 games last season. He scored only nine goals in 26 outings to conclude the year, but his offensive rates stayed fairly consistent. Scheifele will be a solid fantasy choice despite an anticipated drop in overall points. 

Cole Caufield, LW/RW, Montreal Canadiens 

Caufield lit the lamp 51 times last season and finished with 88 points in 81 games. He will likely be an 80-point producer again in 2026-27, but topping the 50-goal plateau again will be an uphill climb. It's far safer to pencil him for slightly over 40 tallies. However, fantasy managers have been selecting him with much higher expectations, with an ADP of 18.0. Among left wingers, only three players are being chosen ahead of Caufield, and he is currently the fifth right winger off the board. He has been picked ahead of players like Jack Hughes, Matt Boldy, Mikko Rantanen and Kyle Connor. It's fair to assume Caufield has started his fantasy ascent, but he is going higher than expected at the draft table after posting a career-high 19.8 shooting percentage in 2025-26. 

Victor Hedman, D, Tampa Bay Lightning 

Hedman skated in only 33 games during the 2025-26 regular season. He registered one goal, 16 assists, 50 shots on net, 44 blocked shots and 19 hits. Hedman missed time due to injury and to address his mental health. The 35-year-old defender is ready for the 2026-27 campaign and has bounce-back appeal, but he will likely remain on the second power-play unit. The Lightning signed John Carlson to a two-year, $17 million contract in the summer. Tampa Bay probably prefers the right-shot option in that spot after seeing Darren Raddysh flourish there in 2025-26, and Carlson has been working with the first combination during training camp. Carlson and Hedman currently have similar ADPs of 83.6 and 90.7, respectively, but a significant gap in their offensive contributions could be a foregone conclusion if Hedman assumes a reduced role. 

Pavel Dorofeyev, LW/RW, New York Rangers 

Dorofeyev netted a career-high 37 goals in 2025-26 and scored 35 times in the 2024-25 regular season. He also contributed new personal bests with 27 assists and 30 power-play points last year. Of those, 20 were power-play goals for a Vegas team that ranked sixth with the man advantage in 2025-26. The Rangers acquired Dorofeyev in the offseason and signed him to a seven-year, $77 million contract. New York also had an excellent power play last season, ranking just ahead of the Golden Knights in efficiency, but Vegas scored five more goals. There will likely be an adjustment period with his new team, but Dorofeyev's fantasy value could take a hit if he doesn't play alongside a playmaker. He has been working mostly on the second line during training camp, but ideally, he would be with Mika Zibanejad. The 25-year-old Dorofeyev has an ADP of 72.3, ahead of some superb options like Lucas Raymond, Jesper Bratt, Drake Batherson, Ivan Demidov and Zibanejad.