MCKEEN’S 2026-27 NHL YEARBOOK: Fantasy Prospect Rankings – Top 20 Defence

I have found that the vast majority of readers who read and follow my work are in dynasty keeper leagues with peripheral stats, or bangers leagues. The following rankings are based on projected point production and include added value to players who can contribute to other categories, such as hits, blocks, PIMs, and faceoff wins.

In fantasy hockey, we have a limited number of prospect roster spots, and as such I put higher value on prospects who have a quicker ETA to the NHL or have superstar upside.

This will help you identify the top 30 forwards, 20 defencemen, and ten goalies to target in your fantasy leagues.

To be considered a prospect, skaters must be under 26-years-old as of September 15th, 2026, and have played in under 60 career games, or less than 35 in a single season. For goalies, less than 30 career games played, or 15 in a single season.

Top 20 Defence

1. Cole Hutson, LD – Washington Capitals

Hutson returned for his sophomore season at Boston University, and expectations were high. While his point per game total with the Terriers fell from1.23 to 0.91 and his World Junior was cut short due to injury, the season was still successful in terms of his development. Hutson signed with Washington following a disappointing season for B.U. and made an immediate impression in the NHL with 10 points in his first 14 games. Cole Hutson has arrived in the NHL and is ready to assume the role of PP1 quarterback. Expect similar production and value to his older brother Lane in Montreal.

2. Carter Yakemchuk, RD - Ottawa Senators

The seventh overall selection in 2024, Yakemchuk played his first full professional season in the AHL with the Belleville Senators and was very impressive, scoring 10 goals and 40 points in 54 games. His strong play earned him a short, late season NHL call up where he did not look out of place with 14:32 TOI and posting a goal and an assist in four games. The 6-foot-4, 207-pound defender is a physical, hard hitting, hard shooting defender that carries the puck. With Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot holding the top pairing role, there is no rush on Yakemchuk even though he could step into a top four NHL role now.

3. Chase Reid, RD – Seattle Kraken

Seattle has had considerable draft day luck having top ranked players “fall” to them on draft day. Shane Wright was the consensus number one pick in 2024 and was shockingly available at Seattle’s fourth pick. Good fortune repeated as the top ranked defender was still on the board with the seventh pick. Seattle has spent the vast majority of their premium draft capital on forwards, which means there is little competition either on the roster, or in the pipeline for Reids' potential to be a future number one franchise defender. Reid will play his D+1 season in the NCAA at Michigan State under Head Coach Adam Nightingale and could be NHL ready in the following season.

4. Kashawn Aitcheson, LD – New York Islanders

When Kash arrives in the NHL, he will quickly become a fantasy multi-category beast. Aitcheson is best known for his aggressive and physical play, dishing monster hits and getting under the skin of his opponents. While he excels at the physical game, his offensive acumen is not to be overlooked. Aitcheson posted back-to-back 20+ goal seasons in the OHL with the Barrie Colts. In his final season in the OHL, Aitcheson had a dominant performance posting 70 points and 97 PIMS in 56 games. Aitcheson will likely start his professional career in the AHL with the Hamilton Hammers. With Matthew Schaefer firmly entrenched as the Islanders top defender and PP quarterback, Aitcheson will assume a secondary role. Even with limited offensive opportunity, he will get his points and offset it with plenty of peripheral support.

5. Alberts Smits, LD – New York Rangers

Smits shot up the draft rankings all year in his draft year, and the Rangers selected him with the fifth overall selection. Smits is a big, 6-foot-3, 209-pound defender who is one of the more pro and NHL ready players in the 2026 draft class. The 18-year-old played the majority of the season playing pro in Liiga where he posted 13 points in 38 games. His offensive ceiling is not as high as many of the top ranked defence prospects, but his floor is very high, and he brings strong peripheral stats. His play internationally showed some offensive upside with five points in five games at the World Junior, and 0.5 points per game at the Olympics and World Championship against NHL players. The Rangers have several options with where to roster Smits in the 2026-27 season; he could make the NHL roster, or if they think he is close, the AHL is an option. He could also be loaned back to Jukurit for another season in the Liiga. Wherever Smits starts the year, bet on him finishing it in the NHL.

6. Carson Carels, LD – Calgary Flames

Not the flashiest of offensive defenders, Carels still finds ways to produce transition offence as he posted 20 goals and 73 points in 58 games in his draft year with Prince George. Carels' more flashy style comes from his aggression and hitting ability. He is a physically aggressive defender taking advantage of his 6-foot-2, 198-pound frame. Carels will play his D+1 season in the NCAA at North Dakota and return to the WJC to play a top role for Canada after making the team last year as a 17-year-old. The biggest obstacle for Carles to be a top fantasy producing player in two or three years is the Flames depth with the recently graduated Zayne Parekh, the recently acquired Simon Nemec penciled in for top offensive deployment.

7. Keaton Verhoeff, RD – San Jose Sharks

Verhoeff was considered as high as first overall by some in the scouting community heading into the 2026 draft after a dominant junior career with the Victoria Royals where he scored 21 goals and 45 points in 63 games in his D-1 season. At the start of the season, it would be wild to say the Sharks would come out of the first round with Ivar Stenberg, Verhoeff and Ryan Lin. It’s an incredible haul. In Verhoeff, the Sharks hope to have landed a future top pairing defender as the 6-foot-4, 216-pound right shot defender has all the tools required for the job. He skates, hits, has a hammer of a shot, is sound defensively and has offensive upside. In his draft year he represented Canada three times from the Hlinka to the WJC to the U18 all while developing in the NCAA at North Dakota playing against older, stronger competition. It is safe to say he has franchise defender upside with a floor of top pairing with Sam Dickinson.

8. Jackson Smith, LD – Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus 2025 14^th overall picks spent his D+1 season developing in the NCAA at Penn State where he made an immediate impression, scoring four points in his first three games and regularly playing over 20 minutes a game. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound defender has excellent speed and skating ability, making him a mobile two-way threat. The 19-year-old remains unsigned, suggesting a sophomore season in the NCAA is coming to further his development where he can look to expand on his already impressive freshman campaign of 11 goals, 26 points in 35 games.

9. Cameron Reid, LD – Nashville Predators

After being selected 21^st by Nashville in 2025, Reid returned to Captain the Kitchener Rangers to and OHL and Memorial Cup Championships. Reid flew under the radar posting point per game offensive production and making the Canadian World Junior roster. His WJC play was underwhelming, posting just one assist, but his all-around game was dominant at times with his club team. He lacks elite level skills; his best attribute is his hockey sense and ability to read and react to plays. He defends well, has average size of 6-foot-0, 194 pounds and is an above average skater. Reid will play the coming season in the NCAA developing at University of Michigan before signing with the Predators. He could take a few years to reach the NHL and could develop into a top pairing defender.

10. Ryan Lin, RD – San Jose Sharks

Lin is another under the radar prospect you may not want to sleep on. The Sharks' third first round selection in the 2026 Draft quietly had an impressive draft season. He opened with six points in five games at the Hlinka and carried that momentum into the WHL where he scored 10 points in the first five games. Remember, he is a defenceman. He finished the year with 14 goals and 57 points through 53 games with the Vancouver Giants. The Giants were not a good team, and had he played on a top team, his counting stats could have been ridiculous. Lin will play his D+1 season developing in the NCAA at the University of Denver under Coach David Carle.

11. Daxon Rudolph, RD – Buffalo Sabres

A potential boom or bust fantasy prospect. Rudolph has an attractive file as a 6-foot-3, 205 pound right shot defender. He is an excellent skater and posted an impressive draft year stat line of 28 goals and 78 points in 68 games. So why was he drafted as late as 14^th overall? His style of offence raises questions if he can be successful at higher levels, as well as his casual defensive game. Rudolph will move up to play at a higher level in his D+1 season in the NCAA with the University of Denver where he will compete for ice time with five other NHL drafted defencemen. Perhaps we will get a better feel for his NHL upside after his freshman season.

12. Tommy Bleyl, RD – Nashville Predators

The offensive American defenceman had a breakout draft season taking advantage of the new CHL-NCAA rule. This time it worked in favor of the QMJHL as Bleyl joined the Moncton Wildcats as a Michigan State commit. In his rookie season in the Q, he hit the ground running with a five-game point streak and rode that all season long consistently producing to the tune of 81 points in 63 games. Bleyl was named the QMJHL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Slightly undersized at 6-foot-0, and a slim 170 pounds He needs to add some muscle and mass while developing at the NCAA in his D+1 season. How he plays in the NCAA against bigger, stronger competition will be telling regarding his NHL upside.

13. Xavier Villeneuve, LD – Chicago Blackhawks

There is a good debate between Villeneuve vs Bleyl as to who has the better fantasy upside. While many will concede that Villeneuve is the higher skilled with the higher offensive upside, many question if he will realize that upside at the NHL level. At 5-foot-11, 163 pounds size is working against him, but he will play his D+1 season at Boston University and try to follow in the Hutson brothers' footsteps. Size is not his only obstacle; there are serious concerns about his defensive and off-puck game. Sure, he has dynamic offensive skills and can dangle, but when he does not have the puck on his stick (98% of the time), how is he impacting the game? If he can put it all together with the Terriers under Coach Jay Pandolfo, he could be a blue-chip fantasy prospect.

14. Dmitri Simashev, LD – Utah Mammoth

The sixth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft was regarded at the time as a big, mobile defensive defender. Fantasy drafters likely let him fall to the mid first round in fantasy drafts given the lack of offensive production. The 6-foot-5, 203-pound Russian made his debut in North America last season and after making the Mammoth out of training camp, he was sent to the AHL after posting just one point in the first 24 games. In the AHL, he was a different player and found his offensive game posting eight goals and 35 points in 40 games with Tucson. Simashev should return to the NHL and his pairing with Mikhail Sergachev as a top four pairing. Look for some offensive production to come with him, but his peripheral stats will always be his principal value in leagues with multicategory stats.

15. Radim Mrtka, RD – Buffalo Sabres

It was a season of highs and lows for the 2025 ninth overall pick. Mrtka struggled throughout the season with illness and injuries. The 6-foot-6 defender was assigned to the AHL to start the season, but after four games he was returned to the WHL. In 43 games he scored 34 points, but only one goal. He also played in the WJC through injury and finished the year back in the AHL. Mrtka has size and mobility; he can play a physical game but is not physically aggressive. The offensive production may be slow to develop as it often is in bigger defenders, and he has a roster depth challenge in Buffalo. With all these concerns aside, it is difficult to not see him in the NHL in the short term and provide fantasy managers with a well-balanced diet of stat categories.

16. Harrison Brunicke, RD – Pittsburgh Penguins

If Brunicke is not the Penguins' top prospect, he is certainly their best defensive prospect. Brunicke started the season in the NHL after making the team out of training camp. After nine games he was assigned for a short four game tour in the AHL before joining Team Canada at the WJC. Brunicke was then returned to the WHL for the balance of the Kamloops Blazers season where he posted 24 points in 24 games. He finished the year in the AHL and had a deep playoff run with Wilkes-Barre scoring seven points in 15 games before bowing out to the Marlies in the Conference Final. Brunicke is a key part of the Penguins rebuild and likely gets most of his ice time in the AHL this year as the Penguins have several players under contract holding the top six roster spots.

17. Eric Pohlkamp, RD – San Jose Sharks

Pohlkamp has seen his stock rise since transferring from Bemidji State to Denver as a sophomore. In his junior season he helped Denver to a Natty, was a Hoby Baker nominee and led all NCAA defenders in scoring 39 points in 35 games. The Sharks scouts deserve stick taps for identifying the value in the fifth round of the 2023 draft as since then he continues to develop and is trending towards a top four offensive defender in the Sharks system. Pohlkamp signed his ELC with the Sharks following his junior season and played one AHL playoff game with the Barracuda. He should play full time in the AHL for his rookie season, and if the 22-year-old can make a quick adjustment to the pro level, he could make his NHL debut soon.

18. Hunter Brzustewicz, RD – Calgary Flames

Last year I commented that the Zayne Parekh addition gave Brzustewicz fantasy value a big hit. Well, it took another hit with the addition of Simon Nemic and then yet another when the Flames drafted Carson Carels. All Brzustewicz can do is develop his own game and forge his way into the roster. Last year he did just that, splitting time between the NHL and AHL playing 34 games in both leagues. His NHL production of seven points with 16 minutes of ice time is promising. He also provided decent peripheral stats with 33 SOG, 24 hits, and 33 blocks. This is a critical development season for him to avoid being surpassed on the depth chart and to secure a roster spot and a new contract.

19. Tarin Smith, LD – Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks are defence drafting savants. Smith was a 2024 third round pick, 79^th overall. Since his draft he has continued to improve and develop his game. His final season in junior saw him post 16 goals, and 55 points in 71 games along with a plus minus of plus 65 and 95 PIM to boot. Smith will remain unsigned and take his development to the NCAA with the University of Minnesota. Smith is an offensive defender that plays more physically and aggressively than his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame may suggest. He is well under the radar in a lot of leagues and has high fantasy value with multi-category formats.

20. Tyson Jugnauth, LD – Seattle Kraken

Perhaps an even better value pick would be the Sharks selection of Jugnauth in the fourth round of the 2022 Draft. After flaming out in the NCAA, he had a breakout in the WHL. I know what you’re thinking; the NCAA is a much more difficult league, so WHL production is less impressive. Granted, but Jugnauth carried his WHL momentum right into the AHL where in his rookie season he played his way into the top pairing on defence by scoring 45 points in 72 games. I would say in doing so he has surpassed the likes of Ty Nelson, and Lukas Dragicevic and has an inside edge on a roster spot ahead of recently drafted prospects like Chase Reid and Blake Fiddler. If he continues to develop, he will play his way right onto the Kraken defence by seasons' end.