Lane Hutson capped a Calder-winning rookie season by leading rookies with 66 points and 60 assists, putting Norris Trophy odds in play as he heads into his age-21 season. San Jose's Macklin Celebrini sits among Hart contenders after 25 goals and 63 points; Matvei Michkov matched him in points and led rookie goals for Philadelphia. Luke Hughes (NJD) and Quinn Hughes (VAN) emerge as Norris hopefuls, while Ivan Demidov (MTL) flashed in the playoffs and is Calder favorite for 2025-26. Lian Bichsel (DAL) and Kaedan Korczak (VGK) offer depth, and Yaroslav Askarov (SJS) hints at goaltending upside. A rich rookie landscape awaits in 2025-26 fantasy drafts.

Jack Eichel contract chatter centers on 13-14M, a cap-friendly figure below McDavid and Kaprizov that helps Vegas preserve its Cup window. Luke Hughes lingers in Devils lore as a potential all-Hughes reunion. Erik Karlsson rumors point to Detroit as a likely landing spot. Pavel Zacha attracts Canadiens and Flames interest as a second-line center, with Montreal also eyeing Jayden Struble, Joshua Roy and Oliver Kapanen. Mason McTavish remains on Montreal’s radar as Ducks seek to re-sign him, while Sweeney stays alert and Thanksgiving rumors swirl.

Breakout benchmarks for fantasy hockey shift upward: since 2009-10, 281 forwards have broken into the top 100 at least twice. Median FPPG to clear is 1.89, and a player must sustain that for half a season to qualify. The typical breakout occurs at age about 24 with 143-402 career games. About 115 forwards hit that bar; the list highlights players likely to graduate from potential to proven and push into top-six minutes this season.

Montreal’s Mike Matheson faces a pivotal final year at 4.8M cap, with a real chance to stay as Hutson and other young D push for PP time. The piece maps fantasy angles: Matheson’s value if he stays; waiver risks for Struble/Xhekaj; Necas’ market for the Avs; potential 3C and left-shot deadline targets; and what the rosters imply for daily fantasy and fantasy trades.

Ivan Demidov is the headline at Canadiens rookie camp, a 19-year-old Russian talent penciled in for a top-six role who wowed with a highlight reel of goals and reads on the ice. He followed a 49-point KHL season with a memorable Bell Centre debut and playoff show, instantly becoming the Calder Trophy chatter in Montreal. Teammate Florian Xhekaj and a cast of young prospects—Fowler, Radkov, Pickford—offer a kitchen-sink of potential, while Hutson’s Calder-winning shadow looms large as Montreal builds for the future.