It’s getting close to that time of year again when you and all your friends get together for your fantasy hockey drafts.
And for those looking to get a head start on their research for this upcoming 2025-26 season, Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin dove into his top-300 players last week. It’s an expansive list that also included 90 players on the bubble, but today we’re going to look at Larkin’s thoughts about the 12 Edmonton Oilers ranked within his top-300.
The upper tier
The Oilers have three players within the top-20 of Larkin’s list: Leon Draisaitl (No. 2), Connor McDavid (No. 3) and Evan Bouchard (No. 17).
Most notably, there’s been a shift in the top-three spots. While last year McDavid was No. 1 and Draisaitl was No.3, sandwiched with Nathan MacKinnon between them, the Colorado Avalanche superstar took over the top spot this season.
Larkin noted how it was a “virtual tie between the big three,” MacKinnon gets the edge as the declining Avalanche “need every game they can get” from him.
Here’s what Larkin said about Draisaitl and McDavid:
2. Leon Draisaitl, C, Oilers: Second in the NHL in goals and points over the past nine seasons. He’s consistently the safest player on the board – so safe that missing 11 games last season didn’t even stop him from winning the Rocket Richard Trophy.
3. Connor McDavid, C, Oilers: The best annual bet of any player to get 100 points every year. But McDavid isn’t the No. 1 fantasy player for me anymore. That one 64-goal year aside, he isn’t the goal-scoring threat his superstar peers are, and because it’s Stanley Cup or bust, the Edmonton Oilers will load-manage the hell out of him if he shows any wear and tear late in the regular season – a.k.a. fantasy playoff time in head-to-head leagues.
Bouchard also finds himself high on the list, coming in as the third-ranked defenceman behind Cale Makar (No. 5) and Quinn Hughes (No. 16). Here’s what Larkin wrote about Bouchard:
17. Evan Bouchard, D, Oilers: Incredibly productive in Edmonton’s dominant attack, and Bouchard is also incredibly durable, missing two games total across his past four seasons. Given how potent his shot is, he could reach 20 goals one of these years on top of the 70 to 80 points.
The mid-range guys
Larkin had four Oilers players ranked between picks 116 and 201: Zach Hyman (No. 116), Stuart Skinner (No. 122), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (No. 143) and Darnell Nurse (No. 201).
Hyman was noted as a player who could slide up the list, but that “his wrist injury may delay the start of his 2025-26” season. Skinner, meanwhile, was the 19th-ranked goaltender, given the spot for “playable volume on a great team.”
Larkin has concerns about where Nugent-Hopkins’ game is at, noting how he “averaged his fewest points per game in eight years last season” and that it’s something “we can’t write off as nothing given he’s 14 years into his career.” It’s hard to believe it’s been 14 years.
Lastly, Nurse was highlighted as a player who “helps you in pretty much every category,” and is something who “should be rostered in every deep banger league.” He loves to hit and he loves to block shots.
The deep cuts
Five players are guys who could be considered within the deep cuts section: Jake Walman (No. 253), Ike Howard (No. 266), Matt Savoie (No. 267), Andrew Mangiapane (No. 268) and Mattias Ekholm (No. 273).
Larkin sees Walman as a third-pairing guy who will play on the second power play, but likely caps out as a half a point per game player “at best.”
The next three names all find themselves in order, and that’s understandable. It’s a mixed bag about what to expect.
In Howard, Larkin sees someone people need to “pump the brakes on the hype,” while he sees Savoie’s pro experience helping him. In Mangiapane, Larkin says he can’t be forgotten. Here’s what he wrote of the three:
266. Isaac Howard, LW, Oilers: Yes, he won the Hobey Baker, but can we pump the brakes on the hype? He’s never played a second of pro hockey. We can’t just assume he’s ready to hang with McDavid. There’s certainly upside, sure, but I fear he’s already overvalued.
267. Matt Savoie, LW, Oilers: Savoie also has a real chance at top-six work. He has less goal-scoring upside than Howard but is a bit more experienced, having played in the AHL and tasted a few NHL games. Coin flip between them.
268. Andrew Mangiapane, RW, Oilers: For all the hype Howard and Savoie are getting…have we considered that Mangiapane could end up on McDavid’s wing? Keep in mind that he can play either side and that Hyman will likely miss the start of the season…
Lastly, there’s Ekholm, who comes in as the final Oiler on the ranking. Larkin noted how the blue liner “showed signs of decline during the 2025 playoffs,” but is still a top-pairing defenceman.
