Edmonton Oilers fantasy projections for 2026-27

As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, the fantasy hockey staff ranks the top five Edmonton Oilers players for standard leagues and provides skater points and goalie wins projections for the 2026-27 season.

1. Connor McDavid, F

NHL.com fantasy rank: 1

McDavid led the League in points (138), assists (90) and power-play points (54) last season while also ranking third in goals (48; behind Nathan MacKinnon's 53, Cole Caufield's 51); it was the second-highest single-season point total of McDavid’s career (153 points during 2022-23 season). McDavid leads active NHL players in both career points per game (1.54; 1,220 in 794 games) and career 100-point seasons (nine; third most in history behind Wayne Gretzky’s 15, Mario Lemieux’s 10) and became the third-fastest player in League history to reach 1,200 points (reached mark in 784th game; behind only Gretzky’s 504 games, Lemieux’s 593 games). The 29-year-old is at the top of NHL.com's fantasy rankings) and remains the most-coveted player regardless of league format.

NHL.com point projection: 135

2. Leon Draisaitl, F

NHL.com fantasy rank: 5

Draisaitl ranked fourth in the NHL in points per game (1.49; 97 points in 65 games) last season, which was an 84-game pace of 125 points. Draisaitl is a six-time 100-point scorer (tied with Nikita Kucherov for second most among active players behind McDavid) and has had three seasons of at least 110 points (including career-high 128 in 2022-23). Since 2021-22 (past five seasons combined), Draisaitl leads the entire NHL in goals (235 in 377 games) and power-play goals (109) and ranks second in power-play points (217; behind McDavid’s 244). Draisaitl is a perennial top-five overall fantasy pick, and drafting either McDavid or Draisaitl early always presents stacking options with any of the other top Oilers skaters later in drafts.

NHL.com point projection: 117

3. Evan Bouchard, D

NHL.com fantasy rank: 21

Bouchard is coming off his full-fledged breakout season; he led NHL defensemen in points (95), assists (74) and even-strength points (60), setting career highs in each of those categories, and finished second at the position in power-play points (33; behind Quinn Hughes’ 34). Bouchard, who will turn 27 on Oct. 20, also set a career high in goals (21; fifth among defensemen) last season and was tied for third in the entire NHL in assists (behind McDavid’s 90, Kucherov’s 86). Bouchard plays on the top pair and first power play with frequent exposure to McDavid and Draisaitl, making him a fringe top-20 overall player in NHL.com’s fantasy rankings and fourth among defensemen behind Cale Makar, Zach Werenski and Hughes.

NHL.com point projection: 86

4. Zach Hyman, F

NHL.com fantasy rank: 87

Hyman reached the 30-goal mark (31) for the third time in his career despite being limited to 58 of Edmonton’s 82 games last season. The 34-year-old has had a high fantasy ceiling in the past in terms of goals (54 in 2023-24; third in NHL) and peripheral category coverage. Since 2022-23 (past four seasons combined), Hyman is one of five players in the entire NHL to average 3.00 shots on goal per game (3.22), 0.50 goals per game (0.51) and 0.90 hits per game (0.96); the others are McDavid, Auston Matthews, David Pastrnak and Tage Thompson. Hyman is a potential fantasy draft bargain attainable around the top 75 overall.

NHL.com point projection: 67

5. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, F

NHL.com fantasy rank: 154

Nugent-Hopkins was third on the Oilers in power-play goals (11) last season behind Draisaitl (16) and McDavid (13) and ranked fourth on the team in assists (36), points (56) and power-play points (29) despite missing 10 games. A past 100-point scorer (career-high 104 in 2022-23), Nugent-Hopkins brings exposure to McDavid, Draisaitl and Bouchard on the first power play for Edmonton, which led the NHL in power-play percentage last season (30.6). The 33-year-old is a fantasy bounce-back candidate who could be available in the later rounds.

NHL.com point projection: 65

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Other EDM players on preseason draft lists:

Breakout candidate: Matt Savoie, F (point projection: 49)

Potential draft bargain: Frederik Andersen, G (win projection: 25)

Deep sleeper: Vasily Podkolzin (point projection: 44)

Bounce-back candidate: Tristan Jarry, G (win projection: 18)

Category coverage players: Mattias Ekholm, D (point projection: 40); Jake Walman, D (point projection: 33)

Players to watch in keeper/dynasty leagues: Devon Levi, G; Isaac Howard, F