The 2025-26 NHL season opens with Carolina and Edmonton as co-favorites at TitanPlay, Florida and Colorado close behind, signaling a high-stakes Cup chase. Florida keeps its core while Carolina added talent, creating a crowded race among the top four. Historic moments—Orr’s Cup-clinching overtime, Ovechkin passing Gretzky, Lemieux’s comeback, and Selanne’s rookie explosion—anchor contemporary fantasy narratives, shaping milestone-driven ceilings for stars and sleepers alike.

Jack Eichel is entering the final year of his eight-year, $80 million contract with Vegas, with an extension expected to be settled soon. His career-best 94-point season keeps him as a fantasy anchor, and stabilization on a new deal should preserve high-end production regardless of timing.

Rasmus Andersson’s Calgary future is murky amid trade chatter and long-term fit questions, while Calgary’s pipeline of Parekh, Brzustewicz, and Mews adds complexity to his valuation. Toronto’s Nick Robertson also surfaces in rumors, underscoring how extensions and deadline moves are reshaping fantasy value league-wide.

Anders Lee’s Islanders contract status is being watched as Mathieu Darche favors a patient start to the season. Lee remains the captain with a year left, and there’s no urgency to re-sign yet, leaving fantasy managers to monitor early-season roles. Separately, Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes sparked talk of a potential future pairing, while Luke Hughes and Dougie Hamilton enter the broader roster chatter. Calgary Flames’ rumored roster-flexibility adds another layer for speculative moves and value targets.