2026 NHL Playoff Fantasy Rankings by Banger Management Fantasy Hockey

The 2026 NHL playoffs are here and Banger Management Fantasy Hockey has released their complete expert rankings for your fantasy playoff draft. These rankings include VAL (value) and VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) scores for every player on all 16 playoff teams. Use these rankings in your Fantasy Playoffs snake draft or pool league to gain an edge over your competition.

About Banger Management Fantasy Hockey

Banger Management Fantasy Hockey is a fantasy hockey podcast and analytics resource dedicated to helping players win their leagues. Follow them for weekly analysis throughout the 2026 NHL playoffs.

Listen on Spotify Watch on YouTube

Rankings provided exclusively to Fantasy Playoffs for the 2026 NHL Playoff season

How to Use These Rankings

VAL measures projected fantasy point production during the playoffs. VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) measures how much better a player is compared to a typical replacement-level player available at that draft position. Positive VORP means the player significantly outperforms what you would get drafting randomly.

Focus on players with VORP above 1.0 in early rounds and use VORP to break ties between players. In Fantasy Playoffs the one-player-per-team rule means you cannot draft two players from Colorado or Tampa Bay — choose wisely.

How to Draft Using Expert Rankings on Fantasy Playoffs

Fantasy Playoffs lets you sort available players by Expert Rankings directly in the live draft room, so you can reference these Banger Management rankings pick-by-pick without leaving the app. Create a free private NHL playoff league, invite your friends, and set your draft time. Create your free NHL league now →

Complete 2026 NHL Playoff Fantasy Rankings

Elite Tier — Must Draft

VORP 1.5+

Click any column header to sort. VORP color: bright green = elite, green = strong value, grey = neutral, red = below replacement.

Elite tier NHL playoff fantasy rankings 2026 by Banger Management
#	Player	Team	Pos	VAL	VORP
1	Nathan MacKinnon	COL	C	6.1	+3.3
2	Nikita Kucherov	TB	RW	5.7	+3.3
3	Connor McDavid	EDM	C	5.4	+2.6
4	Martin Necas	COL	RW	4.6	+2.2
5	Evan Bouchard	EDM	D	3.8	+2.0
6	Leon Draisaitl	EDM	C	4.8	+2.0
7	Cole Caufield	MTL	LW	4.5	+2.0
8	Darren Raddysh	TB	D	3.6	+1.9
9	Jason Robertson	DAL	LW	4.4	+1.9
10	Cale Makar	COL	D	3.5	+1.8
11	Kirill Kaprizov	MIN	LW	4.3	+1.8
12	David Pastrnak	BOS	RW	4.2	+1.8
13	Matt Boldy	MIN	RW	4.2	+1.8
14	Brandon Hagel	TB	LW	4.1	+1.6
15	Rasmus Dahlin	BUF	D	3.1	+1.3
16	Mark Stone	VGK	RW	4.1	+1.7
17	Jake Guentzel	TB	LW	3.8	+1.3
18	Nick Suzuki	MTL	C	4.1	+1.3
19	Evgeni Malkin	PIT	C	3.7	+1.3
20	Lane Hutson	MTL	D	3.0	+1.2
21	Shayne Gostisbehere	CAR	D	2.9	+1.2
22	Seth Jarvis	CAR	RW	3.6	+1.2
23	Mikko Rantanen	DAL	RW	3.6	+1.2
24	Quinn Hughes	MIN	D	2.9	+1.1
25	Brady Tkachuk	OTT	LW	3.6	+1.1
26	Clayton Keller	UTA	LW	3.6	+1.1
27	Zach Hyman	EDM	LW	3.5	+1.0
28	Cutter Gauthier	ANA	RW	3.5	+1.1
29	Dylan Guenther	UTA	RW	3.5	+1.1
30	Jake Sanderson	OTT	D	2.7	+1.0
31	Scott Wedgewood	COL	G	5.4	+1.0
32	Charlie McAvoy	BOS	D	2.6	+0.8
33	Wyatt Johnston	DAL	C	3.7	+0.9
34	John Carlson	ANA	D	2.7	+0.9
35	Jesper Wallstedt	MIN	G	5.3	+0.9
36	Jack Eichel	VGK	C	4.0	+1.2
37	Erik Karlsson	PIT	D	2.8	+1.0

Strong Value Tier

VORP 0.5–0.9

Strong value tier NHL playoff fantasy rankings 2026 by Banger Management
#	Player	Team	Pos	VAL	VORP
38	Sidney Crosby	PIT	C	3.5	+0.7
39	Miro Heiskanen	DAL	D	2.5	+0.7
40	Dylan Guenther	UTA	RW	3.5	+1.1
41	Andrei Vasilevskiy	TB	G	5.1	+0.8
42	Jakub Dobes	MTL	G	5.2	+0.8
43	Artemi Panarin	LA	LW	3.3	+0.8
44	Nick Schmaltz	UTA	C	3.5	+0.7
45	Tim Stutzle	OTT	C	3.5	+0.7
46	Brock Faber	MIN	D	2.3	+0.6
47	Adrian Kempe	LA	RW	3.4	+1.0
48	Brandon Bussi	CAR	G	5.0	+0.7
49	Mikhail Sergachev	UTA	D	2.3	+0.6
50	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	BUF	G	5.0	+0.6
51	Filip Gustavsson	MIN	G	4.9	+0.6
52	Tage Thompson	BUF	C	3.4	+0.6
53	Troy Terry	ANA	RW	3.2	+0.8
54	Mattias Samuelsson	BUF	D	2.2	+0.4
55	Sebastian Aho	CAR	C	3.3	+0.5
56	Alex Lyon	BUF	G	4.9	+0.5
57	Juraj Slafkovsky	MTL	RW	3.2	+0.8
58	Alex Tuch	BUF	RW	3.2	+0.8
59	Bryan Rust	PIT	RW	3.2	+0.8
60	Sam Malinski	COL	D	2.1	+0.4
61	Jeremy Swayman	BOS	G	4.8	+0.5
62	Leo Carlsson	ANA	C	3.3	+0.5
63	Brent Burns	COL	D	2.1	+0.3
64	Viktor Arvidsson	BOS	RW	3.1	+0.7
65	Travis Konecny	PHI	LW	3.0	+0.5
66	Andrei Svechnikov	CAR	LW	3.0	+0.5
67	Colten Ellis	BUF	G	4.7	+0.4
68	Brock Nelson	COL	C	3.2	+0.4
69	Drake Batherson	OTT	LW	3.0	+0.5
70	Morgan Geekie	BOS	LW	2.9	+0.4
71	Jake Oettinger	DAL	G	4.7	+0.3
72	Jackson Lacombe	ANA	D	2.0	+0.2
73	Noah Dobson	MTL	D	2.0	+0.2
74	Mackenzie Blackwood	COL	G	4.7	+0.3
75	Mitch Marner	VGK	C	3.1	+0.3
76	Pavel Dorofeyev	VGK	RW	3.0	+0.6
77	Nikolaj Ehlers	CAR	LW	2.9	+0.4
78	Mattias Ekholm	EDM	D	2.0	+0.2
79	Tyson Foerster	PHI	LW	2.9	+0.4
80	Rasmus Andersson	VGK	D	1.9	+0.2
81	Logan Cooley	UTA	C	3.1	+0.3
82	Thomas Chabot	OTT	D	1.9	+0.1
83	Anthony Cirelli	TB	C	3.0	+0.2
84	Roope Hintz	DAL	C	3.0	+0.2
85	Bowen Byram	BUF	D	1.8	+0.1
86	Josh Manson	COL	D	1.8	+0.1
87	Brandt Clarke	LA	D	1.8	+0.1
88	Rickard Rakell	PIT	C	3.0	+0.2
89	Artturi Lehkonen	COL	LW	2.7	+0.2
90	Karel Vejmelka	UTA	G	4.5	+0.1
91	K'Andre Miller	CAR	D	1.8	+0.0
92	Anthony Mantha	PIT	LW	2.7	+0.2
93	Mats Zuccarello	MIN	RW	2.8	+0.4
94	Devon Toews	COL	D	1.7	+0.0
95	Jason Zucker	BUF	LW	2.7	+0.2
96	John Marino	UTA	D	1.7	+0.0
97	JJ Moser	TB	D	1.7	-0.1
98	Mike Matheson	MTL	D	1.7	-0.1
99	Thomas Harley	DAL	D	1.7	-0.1
100	Jacob Fowler	MTL	G	4.4	+0.0
101	Alexander Nikishin	CAR	D	1.7	-0.1
102	Casey Desmith	DAL	G	4.4	+0.0
103	Joel Eriksson Ek	MIN	C	2.8	+0.0
104	Pavel Zacha	BOS	C	2.8	+0.0
105	Trevor Zegras	PHI	C	2.8	+0.0
106	Jacob Trouba	ANA	D	1.6	-0.2
107	Gabriel Landeskog	COL	LW	2.5	+0.0
108	Jordan Spence	OTT	D	1.6	-0.2
109	Travis Sanheim	PHI	D	1.5	-0.2
110	Brayden Point	TB	C	2.7	-0.1
111	Dan Vladar	PHI	G	4.2	-0.1
112	Ryan Shea	PIT	D	1.5	-0.3
113	Ivan Barbashev	VGK	LW	2.4	-0.1
114	Esa Lindell	DAL	D	1.5	-0.3
115	Jack St. Ivany	PIT	D	1.5	-0.3
116	Anton Forsberg	LA	G	4.2	-0.2
117	Zach Benson	BUF	LW	2.4	-0.1
118	Sean Walker	CAR	D	1.5	-0.3
119	Josh Norris	BUF	C	2.6	-0.2
120	Kevin Fiala	LA	LW	2.3	-0.2
121	Victor Hedman	TB	D	1.4	-0.4
122	Dylan Cozens	OTT	C	2.5	-0.3
123	Valeri Nichushkin	COL	RW	2.4	-0.3
124	Owen Tippett	PHI	RW	2.4	+0.0
125	Ryan McDonagh	TB	D	1.4	-0.4
126	Lukas Dostal	ANA	G	4.1	-0.3
127	Arturs Silovs	PIT	G	4.0	-0.3
128	Marcus Johansson	MIN	LW	2.3	-0.2
129	Kris Letang	PIT	D	1.3	-0.4
130	Beckett Sennecke	ANA	RW	2.4	+0.0
131	Ivan Demidov	MTL	RW	2.4	+0.0
132	Mikael Granlund	ANA	LW	2.3	-0.2
133	Jamie Drysdale	PHI	D	1.3	-0.4
134	Artem Zub	OTT	D	1.3	-0.4
135	Hampus Lindholm	BOS	D	1.3	-0.5
136	Sean Durzi	UTA	D	1.3	-0.5
137	Nate Schmidt	UTA	D	1.3	-0.5
138	Jonas Brodin	MIN	D	1.3	-0.5
139	Jack Quinn	BUF	RW	2.3	-0.1
140	Connor Ingram	EDM	G	4.0	-0.4
141	Mason Lohrei	BOS	D	1.3	-0.5
142	Parker Wotherspoon	PIT	D	1.3	-0.5
143	Linus Ullmark	OTT	G	4.0	-0.4
144	Chris Kreider	ANA	LW	2.2	-0.3
145	Tomas Hertl	VGK	C	2.4	-0.4
146	Jackson Blake	CAR	RW	2.3	-0.1
147	Charle-Edouard D'Astous	TB	D	1.3	-0.5
148	Ryan Nugent-Hopkins	EDM	C	2.4	-0.4
149	Jake Walman	EDM	D	1.3	-0.5
150	Lawson Crouse	UTA	RW	2.3	-0.1
151	JJ Peterka	UTA	LW	2.2	-0.3
152	Mike Reilly	CAR	D	1.2	-0.5
153	Tyler Seguin	DAL	C	2.4	-0.4
154	Owen Power	BUF	D	1.2	-0.5
155	Egor Chinakhov	PIT	LW	2.2	-0.4
156	Noah Hanifin	VGK	D	1.2	-0.5
157	Samuel Girard	PIT	D	1.2	-0.5
158	Vladimir Tarasenko	MIN	LW	2.1	-0.4
159	Nikita Zadorov	BOS	D	1.2	-0.6
160	Josh Doan	BUF	RW	2.2	-0.2
161	Matt Duchene	DAL	C	2.3	-0.5
162	Cam York	PHI	D	1.2	-0.6
163	Shane Pinto	OTT	C	2.3	-0.5
164	Olen Zellweger	ANA	D	1.2	-0.6
165	Logan Stanley	BUF	D	1.2	-0.6
166	Jonathan Aspirot	BOS	D	1.2	-0.6
167	Max Crozier	TB	D	1.1	-0.6
168	Tristan Jarry	EDM	G	3.8	-0.5
169	Jamie Benn	DAL	LW	2.1	-0.4
170	Elias Lindholm	BOS	C	2.3	-0.5
171	Joel Edmundson	LA	D	1.1	-0.6
172	Jalen Chatfield	CAR	D	1.1	-0.6
173	Rasmus Ristolainen	PHI	D	1.1	-0.6
174	Alex Newhook	MTL	C	2.2	-0.6
175	Ryan McLeod	BUF	C	2.2	-0.6
176	Taylor Hall	CAR	LW	2.0	-0.5
177	Claude Giroux	OTT	RW	2.1	-0.3
178	Vladislav Kolyachonok	DAL	D	1.1	-0.7
179	Drew Doughty	LA	D	1.1	-0.7
180	Ian Cole	UTA	D	1.1	-0.7
181	Ryan Hartman	MIN	C	2.2	-0.6
182	Justin Brazeau	PIT	RW	2.1	-0.3
183	Emil Lilleberg	TB	D	1.1	-0.7
184	Jared Spurgeon	MIN	D	1.1	-0.7
185	Casey Mittelstadt	BOS	C	2.0	-0.5
186	Ben Hutton	VGK	D	1.0	-0.7
187	Kaiden Guhle	MTL	D	1.0	-0.7
188	Christian Dvorak	PHI	C	2.2	-0.6
189	Joonas Korpisalo	BOS	G	3.7	-0.6
190	Henri Jokiharju	BOS	D	1.0	-0.7
191	Pavel Mintyukov	ANA	D	1.0	-0.7
192	Jaccob Slavin	CAR	D	1.0	-0.7
193	Nick Blankenburg	COL	D	1.0	-0.7
194	Akira Schmid	VGK	G	3.7	-0.6
195	Darnell Nurse	EDM	D	1.0	-0.7
196	Vasily Podkolzin	EDM	LW	1.9	-0.6
197	Noah Cates	PHI	C	2.1	-0.7
198	Stuart Skinner	PIT	G	3.7	-0.7
199	Logan Stankoven	CAR	C	2.1	-0.7
200	Alex Laferriere	LA	RW	2.0	-0.4
201	William Karlsson	VGK	C	2.1	-0.7
202	Jack Roslovic	EDM	C	2.0	-0.4
203	Nils Lundkvist	DAL	D	1.0	-0.8
204	Joel Nystrom	CAR	C	1.0	-0.8
205	Anze Kopitar	LA	C	2.1	-0.7
206	Alexandre Carrier	MTL	D	0.9	-0.8
207	Zach Metsa	BUF	D	0.9	-0.8
208	Quinton Byfield	LA	C	2.1	-0.7
209	Ville Husso	ANA	G	3.6	-0.7
210	Alex Bump	PHI	LW	1.8	-0.7
211	Ilya Solovyov	PIT	D	0.9	-0.9
212	Tyler Kleven	OTT	D	0.9	-0.9
213	Tommy Novak	PIT	LW	1.8	-0.7
214	Emil Andrae	PHI	D	0.9	-0.9
215	Mikey Anderson	LA	D	0.8	-0.9
216	Nick Desimone	UTA	D	0.8	-0.9
217	Gage Goncalves	TB	LW	1.8	-0.7
218	Matvei Michkov	PHI	RW	1.9	-0.5
219	Parker Kelly	COL	LW	1.7	-0.8
220	Mackenzie Weegar	UTA	D	0.8	-1.0
221	Radko Gudas	ANA	D	0.8	-1.0
222	Darcy Kuemper	LA	G	3.5	-0.9
223	Nazem Kadri	COL	C	1.9	-0.9
224	Brayden McNabb	VGK	D	0.8	-1.0
225	Lian Bichsel	DAL	D	0.7	-1.0
226	Oliver Kapanen	MTL	RW	1.8	-0.6
227	Nick Jensen	OTT	D	0.7	-1.0
228	Zach Bogosian	MIN	D	0.7	-1.0
229	Corey Perry	TB	RW	1.8	-0.7
230	Peyton Krebs	BUF	LW	1.7	-0.9
231	Jake Middleton	MIN	D	0.7	-1.0
232	Kasperi Kapanen	EDM	LW	1.6	-0.9
233	Carter Hart	VGK	G	3.4	-1.0
234	Trevor Moore	LA	LW	1.6	-0.9
235	Andrei Kuzmenko	LA	RW	1.7	-0.7
236	Jayden Struble	MTL	D	0.7	-1.1
237	Alexander Petrovic	DAL	D	0.7	-1.1
238	Kaedan Korczak	VGK	D	0.7	-1.1
239	Jonas Johansson	TB	G	3.4	-1.0
240	Brian Dumoulin	LA	D	0.7	-1.1
241	Erik Cernak	TB	D	0.7	-1.1
242	Matt Savoie	EDM	RW	1.7	-0.7
243	Ridly Greig	OTT	RW	1.7	-0.7
244	Sam Steel	DAL	LW	1.6	-0.9
245	Jeremy Lauzon	VGK	D	0.6	-1.1
246	Noah Ostlund	BUF	LW	1.6	-0.9
247	Joel Armia	LA	RW	1.6	-0.9
248	Alexandre Texier	MTL	LW	1.6	-0.9
249	Kailer Yamamoto	UTA	LW	1.6	-0.9
250	Fraser Minten	BOS	C	1.8	-1.0
251	Ross Colton	COL	LW	1.6	-0.9
252	Connor Murphy	EDM	D	0.6	-1.1
253	Drew Helleson	ANA	D	0.6	-1.1
254	Noah Juulsen	PHI	D	0.6	-1.2
255	Filip Hallander	PIT	LW	1.7	-1.1
256	Connor Clifton	PIT	D	0.6	-1.2
257	Nick Seeler	PHI	D	0.6	-1.2
258	Adam Engstrom	MTL	D	0.6	-1.2
259	Bobby Brink	MIN	RW	1.6	-0.8
260	Jordan Staal	CAR	C	1.7	-1.1
261	Ben Kindel	PIT	C	1.7	-1.1
262	Mavrik Bourque	DAL	RW	1.6	-0.8
263	Andrew Peeke	BOS	D	0.5	-1.2
264	Ty Emberson	EDM	D	0.5	-1.2
265	Ian Moore	ANA	D	0.5	-1.2
266	Ilya Lyubushkin	DAL	D	0.5	-1.2
267	Alex Steeves	BOS	LW	1.5	-1.0
268	Brett Kulak	COL	D	0.5	-1.2
269	Michael Carcone	UTA	RW	1.6	-0.9
270	Alex Killorn	ANA	LW	1.5	-1.1
271	Declan Carlile	TB	D	0.5	-1.3
272	Marat Khusnutdinov	BOS	RW	1.5	-0.9
273	Kyle Capobianco	DAL	D	0.5	-1.3
274	Mason McTavish	ANA	C	1.6	-1.2
275	Conor Timmins	BUF	D	0.5	-1.3
276	Ryan Poehling	ANA	C	1.6	-1.2
277	Connor Dewar	PIT	C	1.6	-1.2
278	Fabian Zetterlund	OTT	RW	1.5	-0.9
279	Noel Acciari	PIT	RW	1.5	-0.9
280	Jordan Martinook	CAR	RW	1.5	-0.9
281	Michael Kesselring	BUF	D	0.4	-1.3
282	Michael Amadio	OTT	RW	1.4	-1.0
283	Nikolas Matinpalo	OTT	D	0.4	-1.4
284	Spencer Stastney	EDM	D	0.4	-1.4
285	Daemon Hunt	MIN	D	0.4	-1.4
286	Barrett Hayton	UTA	C	1.5	-1.3
287	Michael Eyssimont	BOS	LW	1.3	-1.2
288	Michael Bunting	DAL	LW	1.3	-1.2
289	Ryan Graves	PIT	D	0.4	-1.4
290	Kirby Dach	MTL	RW	1.4	-1.0
291	Max Jones	EDM	LW	1.3	-1.2
292	Carl Grundstrom	PHI	LW	1.3	-1.2
293	Zachary Bolduc	MTL	LW	1.2	-1.3
294	Cody Ceci	LA	D	0.3	-1.5
295	Sammy Blais	MTL	LW	1.2	-1.3
296	Tyler Myers	DAL	D	0.3	-1.5
297	Oliver Bjorkstrand	TB	RW	1.3	-1.1
298	Jeff Petry	MIN	D	0.3	-1.5
299	Scott Laughton	LA	C	1.4	-1.4
300	Braeden Bowman	VGK	RW	1.3	-1.1
301	Warren Foegele	OTT	LW	1.2	-1.3
302	Josh Anderson	MTL	LW	1.2	-1.3
303	Eric Robinson	CAR	RW	1.3	-1.1
304	Luke Schenn	BUF	D	0.2	-1.6
305	Jack McBain	UTA	C	1.3	-1.5
306	Reilly Smith	VGK	LW	1.1	-1.4
307	Sean Couturier	PHI	C	1.3	-1.5
308	Jack Drury	COL	C	1.3	-1.5
309	Tanner Pearson	BUF	LW	1.1	-1.4
310	Brett Howden	VGK	LW	1.1	-1.4
311	Arber Xhekaj	MTL	D	0.2	-1.6
312	Frederik Andersen	CAR	G	2.8	-1.5
313	David Jiricek	PHI	D	0.2	-1.6
314	Pontus Holmberg	TB	C	1.2	-1.2
315	Dominic James	TB	C	1.3	-1.5
316	Nick Cousins	OTT	C	1.1	-1.4
317	Stephen Halliday	OTT	C	1.3	-1.5
318	Samuel Montembeault	MTL	G	2.8	-1.6
319	Yakov Trenin	MIN	RW	1.1	-1.3
320	William Carrier	CAR	LW	1.0	-1.5
321	Blake Lizotte	PIT	C	1.2	-1.6
322	Zemgus Girgensons	TB	LW	1.0	-1.5
323	Nikita Nesterenko	ANA	LW	0.9	-1.6

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the top fantasy hockey picks for the 2026 NHL playoffs?

According to Banger Management Fantasy Hockey the top picks are Nathan MacKinnon (COL), Nikita Kucherov (TB), Connor McDavid (EDM), Leon Draisaitl (EDM), and Cole Caufield (MTL). These players have the highest VAL and VORP scores meaning they project to score the most fantasy points while providing the most value over replacement players.

What is VAL in fantasy hockey?

VAL stands for value and measures a player's projected fantasy point production during the playoffs. Higher VAL means more projected fantasy points. MacKinnon leads all players with a 6.1 VAL.

What is VORP in fantasy hockey rankings?

VORP stands for Value Over Replacement Player. It measures how much better a player is compared to a typical replacement-level player available at that draft position. Positive VORP means elite value. MacKinnon and Kucherov both have 3.3 VORP making them the top two picks.

Should I draft a goalie early in NHL fantasy playoffs?

According to Banger Management goalies have strong VAL scores. Scott Wedgewood (COL), Andrei Vasilevskiy (TB), Jakub Dobes (MTL), and Jesper Wallstedt (MIN) are the top goalie options. Wedgewood leads all goalies with 5.4 VAL as Colorado is projected to go deep.

Which NHL teams should I target in fantasy playoffs 2026?

Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Carolina Hurricanes have the most players with positive VORP scores. The one-player-per-team rule on Fantasy Playoffs means choose your best player from each team wisely.

Is Fantasy Playoffs free to play?

Yes Fantasy Playoffs is completely free for the 2026 NHL playoffs. Create your league at fantasyplayoffs.app and use these Banger Management rankings to build your team.

Ready to use these rankings in your draft?

Create a free private NHL playoff league and reference Banger Management's expert rankings live in the draft room.

Create Your Free NHL League →

Rankings by Banger Management Fantasy Hockey

Spotify YouTube

View Banger Management's Expert Profile →