Pacific Division 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Preview and Team Outlooks
The second part of the division preview series takes us to the Pacific, which was nicknamed the pillow fight in last year's playoff race. That could still hold true in 2026-27 -- three teams are adrift at various stages of rebuilds, while one is declining. Two are on the rise, and the two holding firm at the top have more questions than usual. We'll see if this season brings any change to the hierarchy, but for now, fantasy managers are best served betting on established talent.
Don't miss our previous Metropolitan Division deep dive.
Edmonton Oilers
A first-round exit gave the Oilers something they haven't had a lot of in a while: rest. It wasn't what they wanted, and it prompted a drastic change, as the team swapped out Kris Knoblauch with Mike Babcock as head coach. Babcock's history as a tough-as-nails coach is well covered, and that includes some instances where he has gone too far. That likely means a short shelf life in this situation, but the team is hoping that will include the elusive Stanley Cup as Connor McDavid sits two years away from free agency.
The Oilers took care of the depth in the offseason. Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy both received five-year contracts, signaling the team's win-now intent with long-term commitments to players over 30. Management then turned to the trade market, flipping Darnell Nurse to the Sharks for Shakir Mukhamadullin and Zack Sharp and sending a third-round pick to the Sabres for Devon Levi. Signings included Ryan Shea, Kasperi Kapanen, Mathieu Joseph, Max Jones and Frederik Andersen (undisclosed). The Oilers didn't lose much with Adam Henrique, Jack Roslovic and Curtis Lazar leaving in free agency, and with few newcomers up front, there could be a chance for prospects to come in and fill roles.
The reason there's still optimism with the Oilers' performance comes from McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Any team with those two leading the charge can't be ignored. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Vasily Podkolzin and Kapanen have had success as complementary players in top-six roles, especially when the two superstars play on separate lines. That makes them viable fantasy contributors, with Nugent-Hopkins and Hyman thriving on the power play while Podkolzin and Kapanen offer more physicality than offense. Dickinson slots in as a prototypical third-line center, and the intrigue begins there in regards to his wingers. Veterans like Joseph and Trent Frederic could get those spots, but Isaac Howard or Colton Dach could also contend for that kind of usage. Add in Jones, Owen Michaels and Josh Samanski to round out the bottom-six competition. The Oilers will have to contend with a couple of injuries up front early in the year, as Mattias Janmark (undisclosed) remains on the mend from his surgery due to a chronic injury. While he's a solid penalty killer, the chronic injury label means he can't be relied on to play regularly. Matt Savoie (undisclosed) is also expected to miss a few weeks to begin the campaign, and after his 37-point breakout in the 2025-26 regular season, his injury is a major concern. He should be available at a discount in fantasy, and with a potential top-six job waiting for him when he returns, he's still got sleeper potential.
Defensively, the Nurse trade could lead to some growing pains on the ice. Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm are reliable top-four options, and Shea or Jake Walman and Murphy should operate as more of a shutdown pairing if they work together. The depth is still a question, with Mukhamadullin, Spencer Stastney and Ty Emberson left to compete for one spot in the lineup when everyone's healthy. The defense doesn't necessarily hold the Oilers back, but it's not an overall strength. That will compound a very tenuous goaltending situation. Andersen is out with an undisclosed injury and is unlikely to be ready for the start of the year, leaving the crease to Tristan Jarry and Levi. Collectively, these three netminders might be enough, but their flaws keep all of them from being in the upper tiers for fantasy purposes. Andersen's injury risk, coupled with leaving Carolina's system, leads to significant potential for regression. Jarry is wildly inconsistent, as evidenced by his .858 save percentage over 19 regular-season games after he was traded to the Oilers last year. Levi has upside and has long looked ready for an NHL gig, but he's unproven and can't be counted on to seize the opportunity right away. If this becomes a three-headed monster, it could be a frustrating one for fantasy managers looking to stream budget options in net.
The Oilers get my top Pacific spot on their high-end talent. They could find their way this season, or they could crumble under pressure, both internal and external. Either way, they won't play boring hockey.
Vegas Golden Knights
After a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, there's renewed excitement around the Golden Knights. However, a tight cap situation cost them an up-and-coming star, and that leaves them thin at every position. Still, this is a team that has shown it will do anything to get what it wants. The playoffs are a bare-minimum expectation for a team still rich in top-end talent.
The biggest move of the offseason was a pure loss for Vegas, as Pavel Dorofeyev was dealt to the Rangers during the first round of the draft. The Golden Knights were never going to be able to fit in his eventual $11 million cap hit, but that's a lot of goals walking out the door. Cole Smith (Chicago), Brandon Saad (unsigned), Ben Hutton (unsigned), Colton Sissons (Toronto) and Reilly Smith (unsigned) are all gone, while Rasmus Andersson and Jeremy Lauzon got extensions. Trades saw Akira Schmid dealt to Florida, Kaedan Korczak flipped to Pittsburgh for Parker Wotherspoon and Keegan Kolesar sent to Detroit. Vegas limited most of its free agency work to depth moves, though Marc Gatcomb, Victor Olofsson and Raphael Lavoie could earn for NHL jobs this year. Still, any major move in 2026-27 will require money out to bring a big contract in.
The Golden Knights looked pretty good at times last year, headlined by Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner. Add Mark Stone to the mix when he's healthy, which is rarely for a full season, and that's a potent veteran core. Expect Ivan Barbashev to see top-six minutes as well. William Karlsson (wrist) should be in contention for the second-line center spot if he has recovered from his offseason surgery, but he has become a significant injury risk in recent years. That could open the door for Brett Howden, Tomas Hertl, Braeden Bowman or Trevor Connelly to get more top-six usage at times during 2026-27. Expect Olofsson to fill a depth role while Nic Dowd centers the fourth line and forwards like Alexander Holtz, Tanner Laczynski and Lavoie compete for the last spots on the roster. Overall, this forward group isn't as deep as it's been in recent years, but the top players remain elite, and Barbashev, Bowman and Hertl can all be quality depth picks in fantasy.
With mostly lateral moves on defense, Vegas' blue line looks to be in a good position as usual. Andersson will likely get top billing on power-play minutes, though don't discount Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin. Brayden McNabb is still around as a pure shutdown defender in a top-four role, and he'll be a strong source of blocked shots. Lauzon also brings some grit, particularly in PIM and hits. Wotherspoon was a gem for the Penguins last year, but he'll likely get a reduced role with his new team. The depth roles will go to one or two of Ville Heinola, Dylan Coghlan, Jaycob Megna, Adam Ginning and Jeremy Davies, but barring injuries, there won't be much rotation on defense. The crease belongs to Carter Hart and Adin Hill after Schmid was traded away, clearing a potential logjam. Hart carried the Golden Knights' throughout the playoffs and has low-end No. 1 potential in fantasy. Hill has been a starter before and could certainly take the job again if Hart falters. At worst, this is a hot-hand platoon, but the defensive structure should protect both goalies from facing too many shots.
Doubting Vegas rarely pays off. The franchise is proud of its success, and entering its 10th season, expectations remain high. The Golden Knights will need their luck to be as golden as their jerseys to avoid asking uncomfortable questions about the depth this year, but there's a lot of power in the lineup to flesh out fantasy squads at all levels.
Anaheim Ducks
The biggest move of the offseason was dictated for the Ducks, as general manager Pat Verbeek's hardball approach with young players came back to bite him. Still, this is a team with a ton of young upside that knocked off the Oilers last year. The trajectory is still pointing up, even if the path has gotten a bit rockier than it looked at the end of 2025-26.
The Ducks got their offseason started with A.J. Greer's four-year contract after flipping Radko Gudas to the Panthers. Further additions included Nick Jensen, Jeff Malott, Laurent Brossoit, Corey Schueneman and James Hamblin. Then came the meteor -- Philadelphia's offer sheet to Leo Carlsson for five years and $90 million, which the Ducks ultimately matched. Pavel Mintyukov and Tyson Hinds also return on new contracts, while prospects Marcus Nordmark and Nikita Klepov signed entry-level deals after being drafted in June. The Ducks also added some depth with trades for Sean Farrell and Cruz Lucius later in the offseason, but those moves are more likely to help AHL San Diego. The losses were limited in free agency, with Jacob Trouba (Sharks), Jansen Harkins (Lightning), Ross Johnston (Blues) and Jeffrey Viel (Lightning) exiting in free agency. Petr Mrazek (hip) remains unsigned as well, but the 34-year-old netminder is unlikely to be back with the Ducks. The Ducks had one more twist in store late in the offseason, waiving Chris Kreider for contract termination to free up money as they look to get Cutter Gauthier signed to a big deal of his own.
Carlsson is the centerpiece of this offense, but there will be added pressure thanks to his big payday. Luckily, he's far from the only young and talented forward around, as he'll be complemented by Gauthier (once he's signed) and Beckett Sennecke. The Ducks also have some serious experience with Mikael Granlund and Alex Killorn in the fold for top-six jobs. Troy Terry (hip) will be out until at least November, but he should reclaim a big role once he's healthy. Ryan Poehling (upper body) also ended the campaign injured, but he should slot in as the third-line center for 2026-27. Greer and Frank Vatrano can fit on the third or fourth lines as needed, while Malott, Nikita Nesterenko, Tim Washe and Sam Colangelo lead the contenders for depth jobs. Klepov seems to have the best chance among the prospects to break onto the roster, but that decision will come in the preseason. While there isn't a ton of sleeper potential for fantasy, the whole top six carries value in most formats, and Kreider being out of the picture opens up an extra spot for a young player to step up.
Jackson LaCombe proved himself with a 58-point regular season last year, and he's the leader on this blue line with the departures of Gudas and Trouba. Drew Helleson (undisclosed) grew into a larger role last year as well, while Mintyukov remains a bit more of a work in progress overall. Jensen (knee) is a massive injury risk entering his age-36 season, but he can handle a shutdown role when healthy. Ian Moore and Hinds have the inside track for the third pairing, but Tristan Luneau and Stian Solberg could be in the mix as well. Schueneman offers a bit more experience that would work as a seventh defenseman if the Ducks aren't ready to turn over the jobs to the kids. In goal, Lukas Dostal's numbers took a hit last year despite the team's improved success, but he's still the No. 1 option between the pipes. Ville Husso and Brossoit will battle for the backup job in camp, but behind a young defense, neither offers much fantasy upside.
While outside forces changed the long-term outlook for the Ducks, there's a lot to like for one of last year's breakout teams. Getting a taste of success for the young players was huge, and Carlsson's contract won't be too much of an anchor in a few years as long as the cap continues to rise. Third place in the Pacific should be the floor for this team, with the chance to push higher due to further development.
San Jose Sharks
While they missed the playoffs last year, the Sharks' growth was hard to ignore. There are young players in every key spot and more prospects on the way. The Ducks found the playoffs first, but the Sharks arguably have more long-term upside, especially since they haven't let negotiations linger with their future core pieces.
A couple of trades remodeled the Sharks in major spots before free agency began. Michael Kesselring was brought in from Buffalo as part of a swap of first-rounders, and William Eklund, Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda were sent to Ottawa for the No. 9 pick in 2026, which became Keaton Verhoeff. The Sharks parted ways with Ryan Reaves (hand, unsigned), Mario Ferraro (Jets), Nick Leddy (unsigned), John Klingberg (unsigned) and Vincent Desharnais (Capitals), paving the way for major changes on the blue line. In free agency, San Jose added Jacob Trouba, Mason Marchment, Eric Comrie, Brett Leason, Alex Barre-Boulet and Tye Felhaber. There's also the Darnell Nurse trade, which cost Shakir Mukhamadullin. Libor Hajek was signed in July, and Ilya Samsonov came along in September. The biggest signings came from in-house moves, as Macklin Celebrini signed a massive five-year, $94 million deal, while Collin Graf got a three-year deal and No. 2 overall pick Ivar Stenberg received an entry-level deal.
Celebrini is the keystone of this offense, and after a 115-point sophomore campaign, he has top-5 potential in the league at just 20 years old. Any player who gets top-line time alongside him will have an instant boost of fantasy value. For now, that looks to be in Will Smith's favor, as the two have worked well together early in their careers. Stenberg might get a chance on Celebrini's left, but Marchment would balance the top line with a veteran presence. Don't rule out another youngster in Igor Chernyshov, who had 19 points over his first 28 NHL games. Tyler Toffoli should also get a decent share of ice time with talented linemates in the middle six. It remains to be seen how the center depth will shake out beyond Celebrini -- Michael Misa is the long-term answer for the second line, but Alexander Wennberg's all-around experience may be best suited for that spot this year. Graf and Kiefer Sherwood represent versatile players who can work on any line, while Zack Ostapchuk, Barclay Goodrow, Adam Gaudette and Ty Dellandrea will compete for depth roles. If the Sharks take a step this year, the forward group could have fantasy relevance three lines deep.
The heavily remodeled defense is a positive sign, but also still needs some work. Nurse and Trouba will give the Sharks an intimidating presence, especially if paired together. Sam Dickinson should be the long-term power-play quarterback here, but he'll have to earn the job. Dmitry Orlov looked good with more power-play time in 2025-26, earning 18 of his 37 points with the man advantage last year. Kesselring will get a bottom-four role, while Hajek, Luca Cagnoni, Nolan Allan and Eric Pohlkamp are set to compete for the last spots on the blue line. Pohlkamp's experience as a high-scoring defenseman in the NCAA with Denver gives him the most long-term upside of the roster hopefuls, but he likely needs some AHL time. In goal, Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic are back, while Comrie joins the mix. That gives the Sharks the potential to carry three goalies, but this should realistically be Askarov's crease most of the time. The goaltending will go as far as the defense lets it, so don't overpay for Askarov (middle rounds) or Nedeljkovic (late rounds/waiver wire) in fantasy.
The Sharks look poised to take another big step. Inexperience is the only real concern with this roster, but betting on young players in fantasy is a fruitful strategy. This is another potential three-line offense with a budget-friendly defense for fantasy managers who miss out on a big-name blueliner.
Los Angeles Kings
While the other two teams in California are trending up, the Kings' competitive window is closing. Anze Kopitar is gone, so there's no Selke-caliber safety net up front anymore. However, instead of aiming to get young, the Kings' offseason saw them open the pocketbook for players well past their primes in hopes that experience will matter more than upside.
The Kings' signings included Erik Haula, Mats Zuccarello, Corey Perry, Lane Pederson, Scott Perunovich, Erik Gustafsson and Scott Laughton. Only Perunovich and Pederson are under 30, but they're also most likely to head to the AHL. Brandt Clarke got an extension in June as he continues to prepare for top billing on the blue line. In addition to Kopitar's retirement, the Kings also parted ways with Andrei Kuzmenko, Jeff Malott, Mathieu Joseph and Jacob Moverare. That's a decent amount of movement around the edges for a team that probably needs a bit more of a drastic move to get back to being a real contender.
The top line could be set in stone this year with Quinton Byfield centering Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe. That's a formidable trio, and a line like that would give Byfield breakout potential as he tries to live up to being the No. 2 pick from 2020. The rest of the depth is now filled with aging veterans, though that lends some injury risk that could lead to more reinforcements from AHL Ontario being necessary during the year. Expect Zuccarello to get power-play time as a playmaker. Kevin Fiala (lower leg) is working his way back from the brutal injury he sustained at the Olympics. Alex Laferriere and Trevor Moore offer some two-way upside in the middle six, but the lack of center depth will likely lead to Haula and Laughton playing a bit higher in the lineup than they should. Perry and Joel Armia should see time on the fourth line, while Alex Turcotte and Samuel Helenius are in the mix to center the fourth line. The Kings have some NHL experience waiting to challenge for a spot with Jared Wright, Andre Lee, Taylor Ward, Pederson, Kenny Connors and Cole Guttman.
Defensively, Clarke is the safe call as No. 1 blueliner now that Drew Doughty is in decline. This is Doughty's walk year, and even if he sticks around, it'll be at a lower number than his current $11 million cap hit. The rest of the defense should consist of Cody Ceci, Brian Dumoulin, Joel Edmundson and Mikey Anderson, who can all chip in blocked shots and some hits but little offense. Clarke is the only safe bet for fantasy on this blue line. At least the toughness will help keep the puck away from the net, where the duo of Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg returns. Forsberg surprised people last year, while Kuemper underwhelmed. Erik Portillo is also on hand as a No. 3 option, but the Kings will likely lean on veterans in the net as they are at every position.
Name recognition is the theme with this year's Kings roster. There's clear talent here, but this is a roster that would have looked a lot better five years ago. You can find value with the depth players for single-category targets, but aside from the top line and Clarke, there are few must-have options available here.
Seattle Kraken
For a team that's struggled to get beyond mediocre, this was still a brutal offseason. There was the report that Jason Robertson rejected a huge contract/trade to Seattle, and then the ongoing exit rumors for Shane Wright. Somehow, the Kraken still managed to keep a notable player around, but this team has been more floating in the shallow end than defending the deep.
With the big moves failing, the Kraken ended up seeing just Jaden Schwartz (Avalanche), Eeli Tolvanen (Rangers), Jamie Oleksiak (Canucks) and Matt Murray (unsigned) leave the team in free agency. Seattle acquired Mackie Samoskevich in June and gave him a three-year deal, while Bobby McMann stuck around on a six-year pact signed before he reached free agency. Curtis Douglas was the only free-agent splash, along with new deals for Victor Ostman and Jacob Melanson. Running back nearly the same roster from last year doesn't bode well for a team that isn't particularly close to contending, especially with only four NHL players approaching unrestricted free agency next summer.
The criticism with the Kraken has been an inability to evolve beyond their expansion draft identity of having three or four middle-six trios. That's largely unchanged, unless a breakout season happens. Matty Beniers and Chandler Stephenson will center the first two lines, with some combination of McMann, Jared McCann, Jordan Eberle, Kaapo Kakko and Samoskevich on the wings. Barring a trade in the preseason, Wright would open the year as the third-line center, though Berkly Catton could ultimately get that role. Frederick Gaudreau and Ben Meyers offer some center depth, while Melanson, Ryan Winterton, Douglas and Jani Nyman are the top contenders to fill out the fourth line. Jake O'Brien should get a long look in camp and would be an option to go to the AHL under the new rules regarding 19-year-old first-round picks, though he could still head to juniors as well. Veteran John Hayden as well as younger players in Oscar Fisker Molgaard and Jagger Firkus could get chances to contribute in the NHL during 2026-27. Overall, this is a forward group with few bad players but no game-changers.
The defense group is virtually unchanged from last year, aside from the Oleksiak departure. Vince Dunn and Brandon Montour will compete for power-play time, while Ryker Evans is still a candidate for that role as well. Adam Larsson remains a shutdown presence on the top pairing, and Ryan Lindgren fills a similar role on the second pairing. Josh Mahura could get more looks this year, as could Cale Fleury. Defensively, the prospect pool isn't quite as deep as the forward unit, so it seems unlikely any rookie blueliner will get pushed into an NHL role unless injuries pile up. Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer are back to share the goaltending duties this year, and it should be a more clear-cut partnership in the crease with Murray out of the picture. Grubauer will be motivated to perform in a contract year, but Daccord is the safer fantasy option despite his poor performance in 2025-26. Head coach Lane Lambert didn't make it easy to predict which netminder would get the crease for any given game last year, which further complicates things for fantasy managers if that continues. Ostman and Niklas Kokko will battle for the organizational No. 3 job. As with much of the rest of the roster, both Daccord and Grubauer have low-end No. 2 potential for fantasy, providing an acceptable floor with little upside.
Barring a standout training camp, the Kraken's roster looks set. If the team isn't going to be competitive now, prospects need to be given a chance to contribute in the NHL. The team's reputation as a destination to avoid for free agents won't change until there's a superstar-level young player leading the way. Expect more of the same in 2026-27 -- a just-fine roster that comes up a rung or two short on the ladder of playoff competitiveness.
Vancouver Canucks
Any hope of a bounce-back in 2025-26 was thwarted by more poor performances and ongoing injury concerns to the franchise goalie. The Canucks are now under a completely new regime, cleaning house behind the bench and in the front office. It's still not going to be pretty -- even at their worst, the Canucks couldn't snag a game-changing No. 1 pick, though getting the head coach's son at No. 3 isn't a terrible backup plan.
The Canucks were able to part with some players in free agency, letting Evander Kane (upper body, unsigned), Derek Forbort (hip, unsigned), Curtis Douglas (Seattle) and Teddy Blueger (Toronto) go in the offseason. Pierre-Olivier Joseph (Carolina) also left, while Nils Hoglander was dealt to Nashville and Brendan Gallagher was brought in from Montreal for experience and a fresh start. Still, there's been no movement on players like Elias Pettersson or Jake DeBrusk. In free agency, the Canucks restocked with Paul Cotter, Luke Schenn, Akil Thomas, Jamie Oleksiak and Trey Fix-Wolansky. Adam Novotny also signed his entry-level deal, while Zeev Buium got an eight-year extension. Chris Driedger will be in camp on a tryout after a year in the KHL as the Canucks look to get some extra goaltending depth.
Pettersson now wears the brunt of the Canucks' current wave of struggles alone. It's his team after the recent wave of departures of talent over the last couple of years. However, he has fallen far short of expectations in the last two years. Given the supporting cast around him, that won't change. Brock Boeser is still a decent top-line and power-play contributor, while Jake DeBrusk made serious noise with the man advantage last year and could see top-six usage in 2026-27. Marco Rossi and Filip Chytil will battle for second-line duties at center, with Rossi flexing 60-point potential while Chytil's injury risk makes him too unreliable for fantasy. The wing depth is massively unimpressive, though a Jonathan Lekkerimaki breakout could change that. Drew O'Connor, Linus Karlsson, Gallagher and Liam Ohgren will look to stick in the middle six, though Novotny or Braeden Cootes could mix things up if they're on the NHL roster all year. Cotter, Aatu Raty and Arshdeep Bains lead the way for the fourth line, while Max Sasson and Ilya Safonov could also compete for those spots.
The blue line is a clear point of weakness for Vancouver, but the building blocks are in place. Buium's extension kicks in next year, so he'll still be a bargain on his entry-level deal in 2026-27. Filip Hronek is an all-around contributor, which makes him the top current option for fantasy. Newcomers Oleksiak and Schenn play a similar style of punishing physical defense. Tom Willander, Elias Pettersson and Victor Mancini are likely to round out the NHL defense, and Guillaume Brisebois is likely the next man up if injuries occur. As much as the defense is a concern, the goaltending is arguably worse. Thatcher Demko (hip) is without a timeline to return, and the duo of Kevin Lankinen and Nikita Tolopilo left a lot to be desired last year. Driedger could get a contract just because of that, but he's unlikely to be much help for fantasy. This crease can be avoided on draft day.
Unlike many rebuilding teams, the Canucks have some clear, established top-six NHL forwards. Getting the most out of them will be new head coach Manny Malhotra's job. In terms of turning around a rebuild, the Pacific is the best division to be in right now. The Canucks still have a long way to go, and stocking up some prospects for a few years would be better than pushing all the chips as soon as things start to improve.
Calgary Flames
Unlike their rivals in Vancouver, the Flames have virtually no foundational players in their primes, aside from between the pipes. Committing to the rebuild isn't easy, especially since the Flames haven't bottomed out well enough to get the early first-round picks necessary to flip their fortunes quickly. That means the final year in the Saddledome is likely to be a forgettable one.
The Flames let go of some veteran that weren't part of the long-term plans. John Beecher (Florida), Victor Olofsson (Vegas), Ryan Lomberg (Columbus) and Jake Bean (undisclosed, unsigned) all left in free agency. The Flames also dealt away Olli Maatta and Blake Coleman to Minnesota for Jake Middleton and three picks. The team made no clear-cut NHL-level additions in free agency, signing just Michael Benning, Ben Jones, Jake Livingstone and Andreas Englund on two-way deals. The big addition of the offseason saw Calgary flip Etienne Morin and picks to the Devils for Simon Nemec and Maxim Tsyplakov. Alexander Nylander will also attend camp on a tryout.
The Flames' most prominent forward, Jonathan Huberdeau, will miss camp as he continues to recover from hip surgery. His production was down last year because he was playing through the injury, but that's not a great issue for a 33-year-old winger to be dealing with just halfway through his contract. It's tough to pinpoint how the Flames' top six will shake out since most of the team's forwards wouldn't be any higher than the second line on most other rosters. Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee, Matthew Coronato, Yegor Sharangovich and Mikael Backlund are all expected to fill large roles this season. Connor Zary (undisclosed) ended the year hurt but is likely to be fine. Matvei Gridin, Martin Pospisil and Adam Klapka are tougher forwards who could earn spots higher in the lineup. Ryan Strome should see middle-six usage and power-play time, and he looked good after getting traded from the Ducks last year. Tsyplakov, Tyson Gross, Jones and Samuel Honzek (upper body) are candidates to fill out the forward depth, with Honzek carrying the most potential. Jonathan Castagna could also be in that conversation as he makes the transition to professional hockey following his collegiate career. William Stromgren, Rory Kerins, Sam Morton, Brennan Othmann and Dryden Hunt all have the potential to get call-ups as well. Barring a breakout from players like Coronato, Zary or Gridin, there's not a lot to like in fantasy from the Flames' forwards.
The defense has been the focal point of the rebuild so far, and that means it'll be a fairly young group. Middleton joins Kevin Bahl (lower body) and Zach Whitecloud as the veterans on the blue line. Nemec has decent experience and could thrive in a larger role in Calgary than he was seeing in New Jersey. Zayne Parekh had plenty of ups and downs in 2025-26, but his offensive upside is still there. Yan Kuznetsov (upper body) was quietly impressive last year, and he should be able to command defensive assignments in a bottom-four role. Joel Hanley (upper body) and Brayden Pachal are likely to see depth roles, while Hunter Brzustewicz and Abram Wiebe are likely to get most of their minutes in the AHL to continue their development. Nemec and Parekh have enough fantasy potential to be worth a late-round pick. Dustin Wolf did fine in context last year, but his numbers took a step back. He can still volume his way to fantasy relevance, but a lack of wins puts him in No. 2 range in standard formats. Devin Cooley had a surprisingly strong year as the backup, leaving little room for competition in the crease during training camp.
It's going to get worse before it gets better for the Flames, though they could benefit if they continue to successfully offload expiring contracts for picks and prospects. This year will be rough for the team, and there isn't much fantasy value to pry out of the players currently on the roster. Keep the younger players in mind for dynasty, especially if the team can turn a corner in a few years.
We're now halfway through our look around the league. Next week, keep an eye out for the Central and Atlantic to wrap up our preview series.
