The Cut List - Time To Let Go? Who To Consider Dropping For Fantasy Hockey (Week 3)

October 11, 2026

The fantasy hockey Cut List for Week 3 of 2026. Andy analyzes potential fantasy hockey busts, overvalued players, and injured players to consider dropping.

Hey RotoBallers! Another week of NHL action is behind us, so it's time to turn our attention to the waiver wire. Unfortunately, for every add, there has to be a drop. Even though we are still early in the season, managers do not want to hold on to a sinking asset for long.

Below, we will look at some of the most dropped players across Yahoo and ESPN leagues and decide whether managers should follow the trend or hold tight if the metrics suggest a turnaround is possible. In this week's edition, we'll focus on many middle-round picks who have been major disappointments in the first two weeks and determine if it's already time to cut bait.

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Forwards on the Hot Seat

Note: Similar to targeting players on the waiver wire, it is crucial to understand your league scoring before making any cut decision. If a player is in a cold scoring slump but still producing in other categories in your format (like faceoffs, hits, blocks), managers should think twice before cutting ties.

Jordan Kyrou, RW, Washington Capitals

Rostered - 40%

The 28-year-old was dealt to the Eastern Conference in the offseason but has had a very disappointing start. After enjoying three straight 30-goal seasons earlier in his career, Kyrou has tallied just one point (an assist) over four games. As a result, managers have already begun cutting ties as he enters Week 3 with a 40% rostership rate.

The main reason he's a drop candidate is his usage. So far, Kyrou has played primarily on the third line and the second power-play unit. While he has averaged just under two full minutes of power-play time in each contest, he has posted a -5 rating with only four total shots on goal.

Unfortunately, his underlying metrics do not suggest a major turnaround is near. Per MoneyPuck.com, the veteran winger has generated a -2% Relative Expected Goals%, which is the fourth-lowest on the team. His 51% Fenwick% puts him near the middle of the pack among Washington forwards.

Even if Kyrou were to be bumped up to the top six, there is no guarantee he would see a surge in scoring.

Verdict: Kyrou is a safe cut in most standard formats. While those in deeper leagues may consider holding depending on waiver-wire depth, you can likely find a better asset with higher short- and long-term upside.

Dylan Holloway, C/LW, St. Louis Blues

Rostered - 80%

Another forward widely drafted across all leagues but already seeing his rostership dip is Dylan Holloway of the Blues. Holloway is coming off his second straight 20+ goal season, but his ability to register hits and blocks makes him a far more desirable fantasy option. Last season, Holloway logged 129 hits with 41 blocked shots and even more in 2024.

While he has logged 10 hits through four games, the rest of his fantasy production leaves much to be desired. The 25-year-old has yet to tally a single point and holds a -5 rating with just six shots on goal.

Despite his lack of scoring, Holloway is still seeing top minutes. Holloway is being deployed alongside Robert Thomas and Jimmy Snuggerud on the top forward line and is seeing a prominent role on the top power-play unit (averaging 2:58 of PP TOI per game).

Even though many managers have cut ties, Holloway profiles as a firm hold ahead of Week 3. According to MoneyPuck.com, this line is due for a significant positive regression, suggesting better days ahead. This trio has generated an elite 70.4% xGoals% with a 2.92 xGoals For Per 60 Minutes.

Holloway has generated a remarkable 54.1% on-ice expected goals. The visual below further shows that Holloway is taking shots in high-danger situations; he just hasn't gotten much puck luck.

Verdict: Even though his short-term production has been underwhelming, Holloway is still generating very positive metrics, making him a must-hold in all standard formats. He (and the entire top line in St. Louis) is due for a major scoring binge.

Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, Carolina Hurricanes

Rostered - 85%

Like Holloway, Ehlers was drafted in all formats but has seen his seat get quite warm after a low start. Through five games, the 30-year-old has yet to find the back of the net and has tallied just two assists (both on the power play) with a -3 rating. Ehlers is not a major factor in banger categories, which makes his offensive production critical to his fantasy profile.

When he is not on the scoresheet, Ehlers is a borderline non-factor in fantasy.

Last season, Ehlers had a productive debut year in Raleigh, tallying 71 points (26 goals) over an 82-game slate, but those fortunes haven't carried into the new year.

Like Holloway, there is reason to continue to hold and not cut ties, as many managers have done over the past 48 hours. Per MoneyPuck, Ehlers has generated a modest 50.2% On-Ice Goals% on the surface but holds an elite 67.2% On-Ice xGoals% with a 65% Corsi. Last season, he posted a 66% Corsi% with a 64.0% On-Ice xGoals%, suggesting little of his underlying profile has changed.

Instead, his linemates have kept him down. Ehlers is skating on the third line (with Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook), which has generated a combined 38.1% xGoals%, the lowest among the team's forward lines. However, he is still seeing time on the top power-play unit, which should keep his scoring totals afloat.

Verdict: Managers should hope to see him move up to the top-six soon, but Ehlers' underlying marks haven't declined enough to raise concern. His floor will remain low for now, but managers in a standard league should not consider dropping him because of the slow start.

Other Names - 

• Rickard Rakell, PIT (Pittsburgh's top line has gotten off to a very slow start, a worthy cut for a streamer in shallower leagues)
• Gabriel Vilardi, WPG (seeing top power-play time but in the midst of a cold slump)
• Ivar Stenberg, SJ (slow start, only worth holding in 12+ team leagues)
• Porter Martone, PHI (discussed in last week's edition, playing time remains a major concern for his outlook)

Defensemen on the Hot Seat

Bowen Byram, Chicago Blackhawks

Rostered - 75%

The 25-year-old was shipped to the Blackhawks in the offseason as their No. 1 blue liner but has failed to meet those lofty expectations early on. Through four games, Byram has posted a -6 rating with just four shots, no points, six blocks, and no hits.

Despite logging just under 25 minutes of ice time per game (with over three and a half minutes on the power play), Byram has yet to tally a single point. While much of this is due to the lack of talent around him, Byram has been better off on your bench.

As expected, his underlying metrics aren't all that impressive. Per MoneyPuck.com, Byram has generated 49% Corsi% while he and his linemate Artyom Levshunov have generated a 50% xG% as a pair.

While the production has been extremely disappointing, managers in all formats (outside of very shallow eight-team leagues) should not drop Byram. The blue-liner is seeing top minutes, which should allow him to keep totaling hits/blocks while getting opportunities to get on the scoresheet.

Additionally, while this Chicago offense has been lackluster, it will improve once Frank Nazar returns from suspension and, more importantly, Connor Bedard returns from the IR. If the struggles linger once this team is at full strength, then he is fine to drop.

Verdict: Given that he still sees a massive share of ice time, managers in all standard leagues should pivot from the recent trends and hold Byram. This Chicago offense should improve once Bedard returns, and managers should reassess his performance later in the season. The seat is hot, but he is not an "easy" cut like Kyrou.

Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning

Rostered - 90%

Are we really spotlighting a player who is rostered in 90% of Yahoo leagues after just two weeks of action? Given his recent usage and underlying marks, it may be time to sound the panic alarms for Victor Hedman.

Tampa Bay's longtime No. 1 blueliner has fallen to the No. 3 pairing, and his fantasy production has cratered as a result. Over four games, Hedman is averaging under 15 minutes of ice time per game, on pace for the worst of his career. More importantly, the veteran has logged just over 30 seconds of power-play time, also on pace for the worst of his career.

As noted above, Hedman skates alongside Maxwell Crozier on the bottom pairing and sits far down the power-play depth chart, with John Carlson as the No. 1 option and Charle-Edouard D'Astous recently sliding into the second pairing.

It is crucial to emphasize that it is still early, and usage could change. However, Hedman's daily floor is at its lowest. If this trend continues, Hedman will likely be a low contributor in banger categories while narrowly hitting the 15-point mark.

Verdict: The 35-year-old could be the victim of some early-season "load management," which is why he remains a firm hold despite the recent trends. Managers who need production on the blue line should be proactive and drop other underperforming players to hold Hedman for now.

If he remains in this role by the end of the month, he will become a drop candidate.

Mattias Samuelsson, Buffalo Sabres

Rostered - 65%

Samuelsson came off a breakout season in 2025 and was a sneaky pick for those looking for upside on the blue line. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old has totaled just two points in four games while posting a -3 rating, with only three hits and three blocks.

Last season, Samuelsson tallied 41 points in 78 games, averaging 1.7 hits and 1.9 blocked shots per game. Like many on this list, we're focusing on usage rather than box-score production early in the season, given the small sample.

So far, the former 32nd overall pick has logged just 20 minutes and 43 seconds of in-time, near two-minute dump form in his 2025 usage. He is still skating on the top pairing alongside Rasmus Dahlin, which is promising, but he has yet to crack the power-play unit.

Under the hood, Samuelsson has generated a strong 56% Corsi%, but carries an underwhelming 63.7% Off-Ice Expected Goals%. Last season, his mark was 10 points slower. While he had minimal power-play usage last season, he hasn't replicated that success in 2026, likely because the team has struggled to score.

The main concern, however, is his lack of hits and blocked shots. Samuelsson is averaging fewer than a hit and block per game, down two points from his 2025 rate.

Verdict: Even though he hasn't seen much power-play time yet, Samuelsson is still on the top pairing, which should give him more scoring opportunities once Buffalo's offense finds its footing and he gets more chances to add hits and blocks.

While those in standard leagues can likely find better short-term upside on the waiver wire, those in deeper formats should hold for a bit longer.

Other Names:

• Sam Malinski, COL (scratched earlier this week, seeing no power-play time)
• Rasmus Andersson, VGK (seeing second-unit power-play time but has been a much lower factor in blocked shots as projected)

Goalies on the Hot Seat

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Bufalo Sabres

Rostered - 71%

After posting a 22-9 record last season, expectations were high for Luukkonen playing for a competitive Sabres team. However, his 2026 has started rough, with a 1-2 record, a 4.02 GAA, and a .782 SV%. He has allowed at least four goals in two starts and made more than 20 saves in only one game (his season debut).

Among goalies with at least three starts, Luukkonen ranks second-worst in Goals Saved Above Expected (-5.1). Last season, Luukkonen posted 10.5 Goals Saved Above Expected. Buffalo's No. 2 netminder, Colten Ellis, was quite sharp in his season debut, posting a .900% SV% (18-for-20) in his victory over the Wild.

Before posting a 2.51 GAA last season, Luukkonen had a 3.06 GAA and an .898% SV% (2022-2024), suggesting last season may have been an outlier.

Verdict: Those in shallower leagues should cut ties in favor of a goalie with a far more stable floor and upside. While Luukkonen could return to his 2025 form, he is an extremely volatile asset to deploy in standard formats.

Those in 12+ team leagues should view him as a "must-bench" candidate until he shows a sign of life. If the net begins to turn to Ellis, Luukkonen could be a unanimous cut.

Yaroslav Askarov, San Jose Sharks

Rostered - 70%

Can the volume outweigh the inconsistency? Through three games, Askarov has posted a rough .862% SV% with a 3.87 GAA but has gotten the nod in three of San Jose's first four games. He has won two of these starts and is expected to be the team's primary netminder for the entire season.

While his projected workload cannot be underestimated, managers without truly elite net options should be cautious with their ratios, as a bad stretch could sink them to the bottom of their roto standings or leave them little chance to win those categories in a head-to-head format.

Last season, Askarov appeared in a season-high 47 games and posted a similar 3.81 GAA with an .886% SV% (21-20-4 record). Last season, he posted -18.9 Goals Saved Above Expected, but he's made progress early in 2026 with 0.2 Goals Saved Above Expected.

As a team, San Jose ranks 10th worst in Expected Goals Against and ninth worst in high-danger shots against, putting Askarov in rough situations. While he could turn in those 30+ save efforts (as shown on October 3), he could follow it up with an .808% SV% effort that could sink your chances in a head-to-head matchup.

Beauty of a save by Yaroslav Askarov https://t.co/RFA49wHDsB

— SJ Sharks Source (@sharkssource) October 5, 2026

Verdict: Those in 12+ team leagues where starting goalies aren't on the waiver wire should hold Askarov but be cautious in matchups. Those in 12-team or shallower leagues with little stability in their net should instead pivot to high-upside "backups" like Joseph Woll, Sergei Murashov, or Anthony Stolarz, who will deliver much better ratios, albeit with less volume.

Managers should not view Askarov as a viable No. 2 and instead as a risky No. 3 option. His ratios are too volatile to roster in nearly 70% of Yahoo leagues.

Other Names:

• Dustin Wolf, CGY (poor team context, only worth holding in deep leagues for volume)

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