Philadelphia’s Porter Martone sits atop the 2026-27 rookie fantasy board after arriving with a heavy net-front game, but a deep class of first-year talent gives managers scoring, shots, hits, power-play upside and a few intriguing crease options to track.
Key takeaways
- Martone leads the rookie group after producing 15 points across his first 19 NHL regular-season and playoff games for the Flyers.
- Toronto’s Gavin McKenna, the first pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, brings NCAA production and a potential premium spot beside the Maple Leafs’ stars.
- Washington defenseman Cole Hutson and Chicago forward Anton Frondell enter the season as serious Calder Trophy candidates.
- Jacob Fowler gives Montreal another young goaltending option after posting a .908 save percentage in 17 NHL appearances.
- Buffalo’s Konsta Helenius, Chicago newcomer Roman Kantserov and San Jose’s Ivar Stenberg are positioned for meaningful opportunities in young attacks.
Top rookie targets for 2026-27
1. Porter Martone, F, Philadelphia Flyers — average draft position: 68.7. The sixth overall selection in 2025 signed with Philadelphia on March 29 and made his NHL debut two days later. In the final nine regular-season games, Martone posted four goals and six assists while delivering 16 hits; no other NHL player reached both 10 points and 15 hits in that stretch. All four of his regular-season goals came from high-danger ice, a welcome development for a Flyers club that finished with only 102 such goals, second fewest in the League. The 19-year-old has a path to the top line and first power-play unit, making him especially valuable in leagues that count shots and physical play.
2. Gavin McKenna, F, Toronto Maple Leafs — ADP: 93.9. McKenna enters the League after going first overall in the 2026 draft and delivering 51 points, including 36 assists, in 35 games as a Penn State freshman. He was tied for fifth in NCAA scoring and averaged 4.34 shots per game. After the World Junior Championship, he piled up 33 points in 19 college games; at that tournament, he finished second in scoring with 14 points in seven games. Toronto could use his ability to create with the puck after ranking last in offensive-zone time percentage at 38.9 last season, even though the Leafs remained dangerous around the net with 130 high-danger goals and 85 from mid-range areas. McKenna, primarily a left wing, could skate with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies or join John Tavares and William Nylander, with first-unit power-play duty also possible.
3. Cole Hutson, D, Washington Capitals — ADP: 91.7. Hutson showed immediate category coverage in 14 games, recording three goals, seven assists, six power-play points, 22 shots and 16 hits while averaging 17:27 per night. The 43rd selection in the 2024 draft had a seven-shot outing, three games with at least three hits and one two-power-play-point performance. His top speed reached 22.94 mph, placing him in the 91st percentile among NHL defensemen. At 20, Hutson carries an offensive outlook comparable to that of his brother, Montreal’s Lane Hutson, and is already a top-five defenseman in long-term fantasy formats.
4. Anton Frondell, F, Chicago Blackhawks — ADP: 138.3. Frondell closed last season with nine points, 36 shots and two power-play points in 12 games. The third overall pick in 2025 became just the sixth 18-year-old since 2015-16 to register at least nine points in his first dozen NHL contests, joining Connor McDavid, Patrik Laine, Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini and Matthew Schaefer. His 93.56 mph hardest shot and 61.82 mph average shot speed both landed in the 94th percentile among forwards, albeit in a limited sample. With Bedard expected to miss the beginning of the season because of injury, Frondell could be handed a major workload right away.
5. Ivar Stenberg, F, San Jose Sharks — ADP: 132.8. The second pick of the 2026 draft put up 33 Swedish Hockey League points at age 18 or younger, the fifth-highest total in that age group in league history. Only Daniel Sedin, Markus Naslund, Tomas Sandstrom and Henrik Sedin posted more. Stenberg also helped Sweden capture World Junior gold, sharing the team lead with 10 points in seven games and producing a goal and two assists in the gold-medal game. He joins a Sharks offense that missed the playoffs but still ranked ninth in high-danger goals with 132 and tied for 10th in mid-range goals at 84. That environment gives him an outside path into the Calder conversation.
6. Konsta Helenius, F, Buffalo Sabres — ADP: not available. Helenius had four points in nine regular-season games, then scored twice on four shots in four playoff appearances for Buffalo. His spring continued with Finland’s overtime winner at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. The 14th pick in 2024 posted a 66.57 mph average shot speed, good for the 98th percentile among forwards in his small NHL sample. Buffalo averaged 3.45 goals per game last season, fifth in the NHL, but lost Alex Tuch in the offseason. Helenius, 20, can play center or wing and has a clear opening to claim a larger role.
7. Roman Kantserov, F, Chicago Blackhawks — ADP: not available. Kantserov arrives after leading the KHL with 36 goals and turns 22 on Sept. 20. Chicago’s forward group already includes Bedard, Frondell and Frank Nazar, while the club also added veteran playmaker Patrick Kane, who had 16 goals and 41 assists in 67 games for the Detroit Red Wings last season. The Blackhawks ranked third in average shot speed at 59.65 mph despite missing the postseason. With Bedard sidelined early, Kantserov could get a chance beside Frondell or Nazar before potentially moving into a different look once Bedard returns.
8. James Hagens, F, Boston Bruins — ADP: 129.0. Hagens appeared in two regular-season games and three playoff contests for Boston, collecting one assist and two shots during the regular-season cameo. At Boston College, the seventh overall pick in 2025 finished 10th in NCAA scoring as a sophomore with 47 points in 34 games. He also recorded 37 points in 37 games as a freshman in 2024-25. A third-line assignment and second power-play role may be his starting point, though his ceiling is considerably higher. In two NHL games, he registered 12 skating bursts between 18 and 20 mph.
9. Jacob Fowler, G, Montreal Canadiens — ADP: 150.6. Fowler went 9-6-2 with a .908 save percentage and one shutout in 17 games. While Jakub Dobes drew plenty of attention through his breakout season and Montreal’s 2026 playoff run, Fowler remains a significant part of the Canadiens’ young goaltending picture. His .911 save percentage on mid-range shots ranked in the 88th percentile. The 21-year-old stands second in keeper and dynasty rankings among goaltenders age 25 or younger, behind only Minnesota Wild netminder Jesper Wallstedt, and could form a useful tandem with Dobes.
10. Victor Eklund, F, New York Islanders — ADP: not available. Eklund made his NHL debut April 14 under new coach Peter DeBoer, finishing with an assist, two shots and two hits in 15:30. The 16th pick of the 2025 draft is the younger brother of Ottawa Senators forward William Eklund. His 62.40 mph average shot speed placed in the 95th percentile among forwards, while his 43.0 percent even-strength offensive-zone time ranked in the 88th percentile. He also produced 10 points in nine AHL games, including a power-play goal. Eklund will battle Cole Eiserman, Calum Ritchie and Kyle Palmieri for top-six and first-unit power-play minutes; Eiserman had nine points in 12 AHL games, while Palmieri had 18 points in 25 NHL games before a season-ending injury.
Names to keep on the watch list
The next tier is packed with forwards who could force their way into NHL roles as the season develops. Anaheim’s Roger McQueen, Carolina’s Charlie Cerrato and Bradly Nadeau, Chicago’s Sacha Boisvert, Colorado’s Matthew DiMarsico and T.J. Hughes, Detroit’s Carter Bear, Nashville’s Aiden Fink, Islanders forward Cole Eiserman, Pittsburgh’s Bill Zonnon, San Jose’s Quentin Musty and Filip Bystedt, St. Louis’ Justin Carbonneau, Tampa Bay’s Sam O’Reilly, Utah’s Tij Iginla and Caleb Desnoyers, Vegas’ Trevor Connelly, Washington’s Ilya Protas and Andrew Cristall, and Winnipeg’s Viggo Björck all merit monitoring.
On the blue line, Montreal’s David Reinbacher, Islanders prospect Kashawn Aitcheson and Ottawa’s Carter Yakemchuk are additional rookie-eligible defensemen to follow. In goal, Calgary’s Arsenii Sergeev, Colorado’s Ilya Nabokov, Detroit’s Trey Augustine, Utah’s Sebastian Cossa and Pittsburgh’s Sergei Murashov round out the group of potential first-year contributors.
Chicago may offer the widest early runway among the skater groups because Bedard’s absence opens minutes for Frondell and Kantserov. Toronto’s McKenna, Philadelphia’s Martone and Washington’s Hutson, meanwhile, have the strongest cases to become immediate staples in scoring and power-play categories. Montreal’s Fowler is the crease name worth circling for managers seeking starts, save percentage help and long-term upside.
SEO title: 2026-27 NHL Rookie Fantasy Rankings: Martone, McKenna and Hutson Lead the Board
SEO description: A rink-side look at the top NHL rookie fantasy options for 2026-27, from Porter Martone and Gavin McKenna to Jacob Fowler and other emerging names.
