The Cut List - Time To Let Go? Who To Consider Dropping For Fantasy Hockey (Week 2)

October 4, 2026

The fantasy hockey Cut List for Week 2 of 2026. Andy analyzes potential fantasy hockey busts, overvalued players, and injured players to consider dropping.

Hey RotoBallers! With many potential early-season breakouts emerging as top waiver-wire pickups like Luca Cagnoni, Easton Cowen, and Vasily Podkolzin, managers may have to cut ties with a player they were excited to draft not even a week ago. While it is still very early, managers should not sit tight with an underperforming player when an upside player who could propel them to a fantasy championship is sitting on the waiver wire.

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.

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Forwards to Consider Cutting

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.

Ivar Stenberg, LW, San Jose Sharks

Rostered - 61%

Stenberg has been the second-most dropped forward on ESPN since the start of the season and has been cut drastically across Yahoo formats as well. Stenberg was selected with the second overall pick by the Sharks in the 2026 Draft and broke camp with the NHL roster after a strong showing in training camp and the preseason.

However, in his limited action, managers are already starting to cut ties. In his NHL debut, Stenberg logged 13:35 minutes of ice time while seeing just 29 seconds of power-play time. While it's too early to judge his production on the box score, his usage is worth emphasizing. He was deployed on the second line (which generated a low 25% xGoals%) and saw minimal usage on the second power-play unit.

In his second game, he did get on the scoresheet, tallying an assist on Tyler Toffoli's power-play goal; however, he still logged the sixth-fewest minutes among San Jose forwards.

Even if Stenberg improves, it is hard to imagine him cracking the top line, as Will Smith, Macklin Celebrini, and Mason Marchment are locked into that spot in the rotation.

Verdict: While managers in 12-team (or deeper) leagues should continue to stash the rookie, those in shallower leagues should cut ties in favor of a more solidified option with a higher floor. While Stenberg could eventually find his footing, managers should not waste a valuable bench spot in smaller leagues on a long-term play.

Porter Martone, Philadelphia Flyers

Rostered - 93%

Martone was drafted quite high across all leagues after his dominant late-season play and strong Stanley Cup Playoff performance. Over his first 19 NHL games (both regular season and playoffs), the former sixth overall pick scored six goals and added nine helpers. However, through his first two games, Martone has been a non-factor in the offense and logged just one shot on goal.

However, like Stenberg, we should not focus on the box score given the extremely small sample, but instead on his usage. Through Philadelphia's first two games, Martone has logged just 26 minutes of ice time, putting him third-lowest on the team (only above Alex Bump and Carl Grundstrom). His usage did not improve on Saturday night, as he logged only 11 minutes of ice time, the second-lowest on the team in their third match.

More concerning, Martone is currently skating in the third offensive line (alongside Tyson Foerster and Noah Cates), which greatly limits his upside from a volume standpoint. Martone will need to be productive with his workload to keep this spot in the lineup.

The lone bright spot is that the 19-year-old is seeing top power-play usage, which is critical to offsetting his lower 5-on-5 play ice time.

Verdict: Even though his early-season usage is extremely frustrating, especially for those who spent a top-100 pick on him, managers should not consider cutting ties in any standard league. Managers in 10-team leagues where Martone was dropped should view him as a priority pickup, as he should quickly return to the top six. If this trend continues, he will be on the hot seat in the coming weeks.

Bryan Rust, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins

Rostered - 76%

Unlike the other forwards in this week's edition, Bryan Rust has not stepped on the ice this season. The former two-time Stanley Cup Champion is on IR with an upper-body injury, which has allowed managers to stash him there. However, when he returns to the lineup (which could be soon, as he was seen skating in a full-contact jersey), should managers view him as a "must-roster"?

Bryan Rust is in the ice before practice. @SNPittsburgh https://t.co/YK61zvvb31

— Dan Potash (@DanPotashTV) October 3, 2026

Before his injury, Rust was primarily skating on the third line in Penguins camp. For much of his career, Rust has been a top-six forward, playing alongside Sidney Crosby, which has allowed him to score at least 28 goals in each of the last three seasons and at least 20 goals in every season since 2020.

However, Dan Muse and the staff have bumped Nicholas Robertson up to the top line alongside Crosby and Rickard Rakell. While this could change as the season progresses, Robertson looked outstanding in his debut, scoring two goals against the Flyers, which may encourage the coaching staff to keep the former Leaf alongside the future Hall of Famer.

Verdict: While Rust should remain on the top power-play when active, his role on the third line in 5-on-5 play is very concerning. In shallower formats or during a roster crunch, you can "stash" him on the IR for now, but when active, he is a viable drop candidate. Unless he quickly moves up to the top line, he will not see enough minutes to contribute in the scoring categories despite his previous career production.

Matvei Michkov, LW/RW, Philadelphia Flyers

Rostered - 40%

Another Flyer cut across many leagues this week is Russian winger Matvei Michkov. Michkov made headlines in his rookie season, totaling 63 points over 80 games (26 goals). However, since then, the former highly-touted prospect has been trending in the opposite direction. In 2025, Michkov's average ice time per game dropped by nearly two minutes, and he tallied just 51 points over 81 games.

Through the early going, it has not gotten much better for Michkov, as he has posted a -2 rating with no points and just two shots on goal through his first two games. He showed some signs of life on Saturday, scoring his first goal of the season and logging 16 minutes of ice time, higher than his average over the first two games.

However, unlike Martone, Michkov has been skating on the top line (alongside Travis Konecky and Christian Dvorak) and is getting top power-play minutes, which eases some concern and puts him in a position to spark a turnaround.

Verdict: While Martone should be given more leeway given his ADP, Michkov is a viable cut in most standard Yahoo leagues (with four bench spots). The 21-year-old still has high-end raw talent but hasn't found his footing with this coaching staff. His impact on Saturday was a good sign (and keeps him on the "hold" radar in 12+team leagues), but if more stable contributors are on the waiver wire like Artturi Lehkonen, managers should make the switch.

Other Names - 

• Vincent Trochek, UTH (not on top power-play unit)
• Anthony Cirelli, TB (second-line minutes, heavily reliant on offensive production)
• Owen Tippett, PHI (second-line power-play minutes)
• Valeri Nichushkin, CBJ (second-line minutes, heavily reliant on offensive production)

Defensemen to Consider Cutting

Alexander Nikishin, D, Carolina Hurricanes

Rostered - 35%

While managers stashing the frustrated Connor Hellebuyck were rewarded with an "IL" stint (on Yahoo), managers stashing the young Hurricane defender have not been that lucky. Nikishin is away from the team after an offseason trade request and has no plans to step on the ice for the Hurricanes.

As a result, managers who cannot stash an "NA" player are in a tough spot this early in the season. In his rookie season, Nikishin was very productive for fantasy, tallying 11 goals (33 points) with a stellar +18 rating, 132 hits, and 94 blocked shots. He was also busy on the man advantage, scoring four goals and adding six helpers.

However, with no end in sight to his trade request, managers in formats with shallower benches may need to cut ties to acquire an emerging player like Cagnoni, as holding a player who is a complete zero across the board is a major disadvantage.

Verdict: Nikishin has high upside if he joins a team that needs not only a power-play QB but also a blue-liner who can play top minutes. However, with an uncertain timeline, managers should not stash a player on their bench when they can instead roster someone who contributes now. He remains a viable stash in deeper 12+ team leagues, but those in shallower 12-team leagues can cut ties.

Brandon Montour, D, Seattle Kraken

Rostered - 80%

As noted for many forwards, since we are so early in the season, box scores are not the best way to make waiver-wire decisions. Instead, managers should closely monitor lineup trends and placements, as that will be key to identifying short- and long-term fantasy success.

Montour opened the 2026 season as an intriguing sleeper, as he could potentially earn the top power-play role in Seattle. However, in the opener, the nod went to Vince Dunn, who logged top minutes on the man advantage alongside Jared McCann, Bobby McCann, and company. Instead, Montour saw time on the second unit.

While this could fluctuate, Montour is a viable cut for now in standard leagues. In 2025, the 32-year-old posted a second-straight double-digit goal campaign while posting modest stats in "banger" leagues, with 75 hits and 78 blocked shots (lower than Dunn's total).

Verdict: Given that Montour provides minimal upside for hits and blocks (relative to other defenders), he relies heavily on power-play usage to be useful in fantasy. Managers should not wait much longer to part ways if he remains on the second unit.

Philip Broberg, D, St. Louis Blues

Rostered - 68%

With Broberg being a non-factor in hits and not a major "plus" in blocked shots, the young defender will rely heavily on offensive production to be useful in fantasy.

After totaling his first 30+ point season in 2025, managers viewed the Örebro native as a potential sleeper to build on that production. While Broberg has seen time in the first defensive pairing, he is not on the first power-play unit and saw only 51 seconds of power-play time in the season opener. On Saturday night, he logged only five seconds on the power play, which is extremely concerning.

Currently, veteran Camp Fowler operates in the top QB role and, even if he misses time, Adam Jiricek may have the leg up on Broberg on the power-play depth chart. With minimal upside for hits and blocks, Broberg is a safe cut in all standard leagues.

Verdict: Managers in standard 12-team (or shallower) leagues should drop Broberg for a defender with more stable power-play time. Unless the coaching staff completely changes the lineup, Broberg only has value in deeper 12+ team formats for now.

Other Names:

• Travis Sanheim, PHI (still a hold if you need blocks, but drop in power-play time limits upside)
• K'Andre Miller, CAR (in non-banger leagues)
• Rasmus Andersson, VGK (still a hold if you need blocks, but moving to second power-play unit will limit upside)

Goalies to Consider Cutting

Dan Vladar, G, Philadelphia Flyers

Rostered - 57%

Vladar was set to operate as the Flyers' top netminder after an impressive 2025 season, but his 2026 campaign has not gotten off to the best start after avoiding a potential serious injury in the final days of camp. Vladar served up seven goals in the season opener for the Pittsburgh Penguins on 38 shots. While the Flyers were completely dominated, it was not an impressive effort for the netminder, as he posted metrics well below average.

More concerning, however, is that the Flyers have yet to turn back to the 29-year-old since. In their last two games, Joseph Woll has gotten the nod and has been quite impressive, picking up two overtime losses against the Devils and Hurricanes. He stopped 41 of 44 shots on Thursday and stopped 37 of 40 against the reigning Stanley Cup Champions.

Even though Woll hasn't gotten in the win column yet, the coaching staff clearly trusts him early on, and he could push for a committee split if Vladar maintains this pace.

Verdict: Those in shallower formats should cut Vladar in favor of a high-end streamer or a volume option that is far more likely to hold his team's crease. While Vladar could return to form, managers should not expect him to extend his dominant play from the second half into 2026. This could become a split tandem in the immediate future (if not already).

Brandon Bussi, G, Carolina Hurricanes

Rostered - 96%

Let's round this list out with a more debated name in the fantasy community. Bussi enjoyed an incredible debut season in 2025, winning 31 of his first 39 NHL games and hoisting the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, his 2026 season did not get off to the best start. He took an overtime loss on Wednesday (19 saves) and lost to the Capitals, allowing five goals on 27 shots.

The Hurricanes turned to Pyotr Kochetkov on Saturday night, and he got the job done, allowing two goals on 20 shots en route to a win over the Flyers. While Bussi should remain the team's primary netminder, this seat could get warm much sooner than anticipated.

Managers should not forget that Bussi was not the same netminder during the second half. Over his last 12 games, the rookie posted a rough .865% SV% compared to the .906% SV% he held over the first 27.

Verdict: While Bussi remains a firm hold in 12-team leagues, he is officially on the watch list for those in shallower leagues. Managers expecting Bussi to be their No. 1 option (if they faded the position) should prioritize Kochetkov or another emerging netminder as a waiver-wire pickup ahead of Week 2, in case his struggles continue. Those in shallower 10-team leagues with ample waiver-wire options should not wait long to make the pivot.

Other Names:

• Darcy Kuemper, LAK (rough debut, could see a timeshare like Vladar)

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