New York Rangers pace week one with the strongest schedule, four games, and clear waiver-wire targets. Alexis Lafrenière and a top-line around him offer immediate value with power-play time, while Calgary’s Matt Coronado and Florida’s Anton Lundell stand out as low-owned, high-upside adds. Panthers youngsters Lundell and Tippett push for minutes, and Wild pieces Rossi, Kaprizov and Zuccarello, plus Penguins stars Crosby and Rakell, shape early-week roster decisions.

Stars like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner anchor lineups when Toronto hosts Montreal, while Vegas’ Eichel and Barbashev push for multi-point weeks. Monitoring injuries (Barbashev’s status, Barkov out) and back-to-back schedules will be key, with midweek ads shaping week one outcomes and potential pivots as rosters settle.

Connor McDavid’s two-year extension with Edmonton keeps his cap hit at 12.5M and locks his prime in Oilers blue and orange for the next stretch, signaling a strong runway toward a real Cup run and creating clear fantasy implications around Edmonton’s top line and depth pieces. The ovation chatter, plus the broader salary-growth talk for 10M+ players, frames a market shift that fantasy managers must account for when valuing Oilers assets and surrounding contributors.

The in-season Cup draft adds a playful but sharp layer: Emily Agard and Randep Randep join as fresh contestants as the league’s crown and the Cup ride on a snake order draft with bold picks, spicy taunts, and rules around the Waffle House penalty. The episode threads in reminders about Panthers defending the Cup, the opening-night rosters, and a parade of teams from across the NHL that could move the needle for fantasy rosters all season long.