Navigate the high-stakes value of Connor McDavid’s supporting cast as a revamped roster and intriguing rookie prospect redefine the fantasy outlook for this Stanley Cup hopeful.
The countdown to the NHL season is on, which means fantasy hockey managers are shifting from offseason speculation to draft-day preparation. With rosters taking shape after a summer of trades, free-agent moves and lineup changes, now is the time to identify the players who could deliver the biggest returns and the ones who could leave you disappointed.
Our team-by-team fantasy guide breaks down each club with three names to know in a sleeper who could outperform his draft position, a breakout candidate poised for a bigger season, and a potential bust whose asking price may be too steep. We continue with the Edmonton Oilers.
Edmonton finished last season 41-30-11 for 93 points, second in the Pacific Division, powered by a monster year from Connor McDavid, who led the league with 48 goals, 90 assists and 138 points. The Oilers clinched home-ice advantage in the first round, but after back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final in 2023 and 2024, this year ended in disappointment, with Edmonton falling in six games to Anaheim in the first round.
That early exit put a clear focus on the offseason in fixing a goaltending situation that's lingered as a concern for years. Edmonton addressed their long-time goaltending issues, acquiring Stanley Cup champion Frederik Andersen along with prospect Devon Levi.
With McDavid entering the first season of a two-year, team-friendly extension, the pressure is squarely on Edmonton to make the most of it, and while the offseason additions have generally been viewed as improvements, there are still real questions about whether they're enough to get the Oilers back to true Stanley Cup contention.
Sleeper: Isaac Howard
After dominating the NCAA and making the jump to his first pro season this past year, the 22-year-old Wisconsin native remains the Oilers' most highly-touted prospect. His rookie campaign in Edmonton wasn't what many were hoping for, as Howard finished with just five points in 29 games.
But it was his first taste of pro hockey, and after an appearance at the World Championships with Team USA and a full offseason to adjust to the pace of the game, he looks poised to take a real step forward. There's plenty of runway for the former 2022 first-round pick, with only Colton Dach and Vasily Podkolzin ahead of him on the left wing.
If Howard can build on his roughly 15-point pace from last season, catch fire early and pass a near-40-point player like Podkolzin on the depth chart, he could emerge as an exciting top-six option alongside two of the sport's best players in McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, finally living up to his first-round pedigree.
Breakout: Zach Hyman
At 34, many are starting to doubt whether Hyman still has his fastball, and that's exactly the kind of skepticism fantasy managers can exploit. Going as late as 100th overall, Hyman offers near point-per-game upside.
After finishing the 2024-25 season with just 44 points in 73 games, he rebounded in a major way last season before injuries intervened, finishing with 52 points in just 58 games and showing the big-time player is still very much in there.
With a full offseason to recover and a spot back on the top line alongside a motivated Connor McDavid looking to erase Edmonton's worst playoff finish since 2021, Hyman is set up well. Expect him to clear 70 points this season, making him a strong value in the ninth or tenth round.
Bust: Frederick Andersen & Tristan Jarry
This offseason saw the Oilers' defense take a step back with Darnell Nurse finally shipped out of town to the San Jose Sharks. Edmonton will now lean on a second pairing built around offensive defenseman Jake Walman, who has had his struggles in his own zone, alongside stay-at-home presence Connor Murphy.
The third pairing is even more of an unknown, pairing decent offensive contributor Ryan Shea, newly arrived from Pittsburgh, with Shakir Mukhamadullin, a 2021 first-round pick who hasn't quite panned out and is now on his third team, though he has shown some defensive reliability.
Both Shea and Mukhamadullin posted solid defensive numbers on losing teams, but how the unit gels together, how new bench boss Mike Babcock reshapes the defensive structure, and whether more proven options were left on the table all make this group a significant question mark heading into the season.
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