Brandon's 6 Fantasy Hockey Bold Predictions: Player Outlooks and Analysis (2026)

September 28, 2026

Brandon's fantasy hockey bold predictions for the 2026 season. His top calls, player outlooks, and analysis for Matthew Wood, Anthony Mantha, and more.

Hey, RotoBallers! Finding an advantage in fantasy hockey is never easy, and things move faster than you think. But sometimes you need to be bold to make the jump to the top. Identifying which players will have breakout seasons, regress, and more is always key during drafts.

Below are my top six bold predictions for the 2026-2027 NHL season and possible players to consider when drafting or even taking off of the waiver wire once the season starts.

Be sure to follow RotoBaller on X for all of our league-winning content and me @df_solutions. Also, use discount code SOLUTIONS for 50% off any Premium Packages and get access to our Team Sync platform with customized lineup tools, projections, and more based on your league settings. Also, check out our full updated top 250 rankings. Let's dive in!

Devon Levi Steals Starting Job in Edmonton and Becomes a Top Ten Goalie

Many may be unfamiliar with Devon Levi; however, he has plenty of experience despite his young age. Levi made his NHL debut in the 2022-2023 season, and he has made a total of 39 starts for the Buffalo Sabres. In that timeframe, he has a 0.18 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60. That puts him in the top 20 among goalies with 1200 or more minutes.

For comparison, Stuart Skinner is the 24th-best with a 0.15, Connor Ingram is the 33rd-best with a 0.12, and newcomer Tristan Jarry is the 49th-best with a -0.02. The latter three have more time in the crease, which is worth considering.

Edmonton has struggled to find a consistent goalie, and it shows with the above. Levi doesn’t have the same amount of experience as the veterans, but he has shown that he can perform above average with a ‘rebuilding’ Buffalo Sabres team.

With only Jarry to compete with (as Frederik Andersen is set to miss the start of the season), Levi already has an inside track to the starting job in Edmonton, and he could provide the clarity in the net to make the Oilers a strong Stanley Cup contender again.

A top-ten finish is not out of the question for the young netminder.

Bowen Byram Becomes the Star Defender He Was Projected to Become

Bowen Byram remains the face of skepticism as he heads into his first season wearing a Chicago Blackhawks sweater. The two-way defenseman was once compared to Cale Makar, his ex-teammate when the Colorado Avalanche drafted him.

In 91 games played for the Avalanche, Byram produced 15 goals, 28 assists, 43 points, +15 +/-, 135 shots on goal, 11.1 shooting percentage, 168 hits, and 93 blocks. In his two seasons with the Buffalo Sabres–164 games–he produced 18 goals, 62 assists, 80 points, +26 +/-, 203 shots on goal, 8.9 shooting percentage, 125 hits, and 210 blocks.

Out of 223 defensemen with a minimum of 920 minutes of ice time (roughly 66 games played), Byram was the 116th-best in Expected Goals For Per 60; he was in the bottom 50 in Expected Goals Against Per 60 and High-Danger Scoring Chances Against Per 60; he was the 81st-best in Scoring Chances For Per 60, and he was the 154th-best in Scoring Chances Against Per 60. Those two seasons in Buffalo were his first full seasons.

With added defensive help from his teammates, Byram will get more opportunity to produce offensively, and the Chicago Blackhawks will need it. They are dealing with several injuries at the start of the season, notably their star center, Connor Bedard.

This could put added pressure on Byram after his big payday. He is currently projected to play on the top pairing and quarterback the top power-play unit.

Nicholas Robertson Becomes a Top 20 Winger in His First Season With the Penguins

This may be a big red flag for most readers, but for those old enough to remember…look at what Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitz could do with Sidney Crosby. General Manager Kyle Dubas has been looking to acquire Nicholas Robertson from the Toronto Maple Leafs since he left the organization.

He finally did it during the offseason, signing him to a two-year, $6.5 million contract. Robertson has been projected all offseason to slot next to Sidney Crosby on the top line. During training camp, he played there, and in preseason games when they played the same night, he did as well.

The only question is which side of Sid he will ultimately play on, but that is not expected to affect performance much.

The young winger is coming off his best year yet, totaling 16 goals, 16 assists, 32 points, -13 +/-, 127 shots on goal, 12.6 shooting percentage, 75 hits, and 36 blocked shots, in 78 games played.

Last season, out of 361 forwards with 550 minutes of ice time or more (roughly 50 games played), Robertson was the 292nd-best in Expected Goals For Per 60 with 2.39, he was the 284th-best in Scoring Chances For Per 60 with 24.29, and he was the 248th-best in High-Danger Scoring Chances For Per 60.

This was all done with limited minutes in the bottom six, playing with less skilled forwards than Crosby or even Evgeni Malkin. Imagine what he can do with some of the arguably best players to ever play the game. He is a prime late-round sleeper for those in deeper leagues that could very well be a top waiver-wire pickup after the first few weeks.

Nick Robertson making an impact early in this one! pic.twitter.com/CZxIyjVZu4

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) September 22, 2026

Anthony Mantha Returns to Early-Career Form With the Help of A Devil

In his early years as a Detroit Red Wing, Anthony Mantha was lighting up the league. In just his second year, he posted 17 goals and 19 assists for 36 points in 60 games. He would then post back-to-back seasons with 48 points.

He quickly fell off after, largely due to several injuries, inconsistent linemates, a lack of chemistry, and more. It wasn’t until last year that Mantha not only returned to his early-career form, but exceeded it, setting new career highs with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Mantha produced 33 goals, 31 assists, 64 points, +10 +/-, 152 shots on goal, 21.7 shooting percentage, 52 hits, and 40 blocked shots. Furthermore, among the 361 forwards with 550 minutes or more of ice time, Mantha ranked 164th in Expected Goals For Per 60, 187th in Scoring Chances For Per 60, and 146th in High-Danger Scoring Chances For Per 60.

Like Robertson above, Mantha also played most of his season in the bottom six and, more specifically, the third line. He did get occasional looks next to Evgeni Malkin on the second line, but Mantha never secured the promotion.

Now he is being projected to play left wing on a line with New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes. Mantha will have every opportunity to skate past his career numbers from last year.  

Trevor Connelly Becomes A Mainstay On the Knights’ Top Line

Trevor Connelly has yet to make his NHL debut; however, this year could be the year he makes the big move. The hybrid winger/center did not disappoint in his second year as a professional with the Henderson Silver Knights, the Golden Knights’ AHL affiliate.

He possesses a strong work ethic, ice IQ, possession, a strong shot, and more. He showed it with 14 goals, 35 assists, and 49 points in 46 games. He then tallied one goal and five assists for six points in six playoff games for the Silver Knights.

Soon-to-be teammate Ivan Barbashev has never showcased the offensive capabilities he was originally drafted for, but he has shown his tremendous defensive skills. Because of his inconsistency and limited production on the Golden Knights' top line, he leaves a spot down the road for Connelly to fill.

This is where the rookie will get his opportunity to play alongside center and teammate Jack Eichel. Connelly can provide more consistency and an improved play style next to Eichel. It would also allow Barbashev to take on a more defensive role on the third line.

Connelly could easily become a steal in fantasy drafts and is a name to closely follow early in the season.

Matthew Wood Finishes the Season As A Top 60 Forward

Speaking of steals, nothing like saving the best for last. Matthew Wood is being severely underestimated heading into his projected second full season as a professional in the NHL.

The forward produced 17 goals, 13 assists, 30 points, -3 +/-, 103 shots on goal, 16.5 shooting percentage, 53 hits, and 25 blocked shots last year in 71 games for the Nashville Predators.  He also moved around a lot in the lineup, whether he played center or wing, or moved between lines. He never built a strong foundation or chemistry.

Heading into this season, he looks poised to be one of the biggest breakout stars. Based on early predicted starting lineups, Wood is expected to slot next to teammates Filip Forsberg and Nils Hoglander. Wood is also projected to be on the Predators' top power-play unit.

Last year, among 361 forwards with 550 minutes or more of ice time, Wood ranked 223rd in Expected Goals For Per 60, 229th in Scoring Chances For Per 60, and 281st in High-Danger Scoring Chances For Per 60.

The Predators have made several additions to their roster as they head into the 2026-2027 season, and some of those additions could also ease the offensive pressure, allowing him to play more freely. Can Wood lead the Predators back to the playoffs?

Third time's the charm 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Dov4T7zXVz

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) September 23, 2026

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