New York Rangers missed the 2025 playoffs amid a fractured season, with a volatile backdrop from front office chaos to on-ice discord. Mike Sullivan was brought in as head coach to steady the locker room, while big moves reshaped the roster: Kreider was dealt to Anaheim, Miller to Carolina, and Gavrikov signed to pair with Fox. Alexis Lafreniere looms as a potential hockey trade chip, setting up a high-stakes summer. The club eyes a claw-back playoff push in 2026 with a retooled core and clearer leadership.

Canada’s sports fandom tilts heavily toward hockey, with 58% following the NHL and half of women surveyed confirming NHL appeal. The NHL leads the national follow-rate, while the NFL, MLB, CFL and NBA fill the next spots, underscoring a hockey-driven fantasy landscape even as new leagues like PWHL and the Toronto Tempo enter the conversation. Star power dominates, with Connor McDavid topping favorites, Sidney Crosby close behind in many regions, and Auston Matthews rounding out the big five; Cole Caufield leads in Quebec, and Brad Marchand looms as Atlantic pride.

For fantasy, the narrative centers on the five anchors McDavid, Crosby, Matthews, Caufield, and Marchand, whose production streams shape early-season bidding and lineup construction. The report’s regional nuances and the rise of women’s hockey hint at evolving fantasy ecosystems beyond the NHL, suggesting depth in cross-league exposure as the sport expands its footprint across Canada and beyond.

NHL extension season heats up as Connor McDavid’s Edmonton deal looms, setting the tone for a flurry of conversations across the league. Kaprizov in Minnesota, Eichel in Vegas, and Connor in Winnipeg emerge as top fantasy-watch names as extension talks shape salaries and cap implications. Long mid-term or short-term bets could alter line combos and surrounding value. Rumors about Erik Karlsson to Toronto and Hutson’s looming Montreal extension add further layers for fantasy bettors tracking futures and cap gymnastics.

Watch for Kaprizov’s eight-year proposal around the $120–130 million mark and McDavid’s own deal cadence; both can shift team construction and fantasy upside. Robertson’s RF A status and Dallas’ cap decisions, plus Hutson’s contract trajectory, are key dominoes. Subtle shifts in these contracts can redefine who benefits on offense and who loses a touch of opportunity in 2025+.