5 NHL EDGE Standouts to Target in Fantasy Hockey for 2026-27

Doan turned an encouraging start into a 25-goal, 52-point season. The most interesting part was where the offense came from. NHL EDGE had him fifth in the League with 41 high-danger shots on goal through his first 25 games, already eight more than he recorded across 51 games the previous season.

That close-range volume matters because it shows Doan was not relying only on low-percentage shots or a temporary shooting spike. He was consistently reaching the areas where goals are most likely to be scored. Buffalo later reported that he finished first among its forwards in five-on-five shot-attempt differential and second on the team with nine power-play goals.

Doan is no longer a secret, but a 52-point season can still leave him priced below younger players with more name recognition and less evidence of a complete NHL role.

Fantasy Takeaway: BUY

Target Doan as a credible top-six winger with power-play utility. In leagues that reward goals and shots, his high-danger involvement gives the profile extra weight.

Slafkovský’s breakout reached the box score: 30 goals and 73 points in 82 games. His EDGE profile explains why the improvement looked more substantial than a hot finishing stretch.

Through 57 games, he had nearly doubled his total of 20-plus mph bursts from the previous season despite playing 22 fewer games. His 23.03 mph maximum speed was the best of his first four NHL seasons. He also ranked in the 91st percentile in high-danger goals and the 87th percentile in power-play offensive-zone time among forwards.

That combination is the attraction. Slafkovský is getting faster, reaching dangerous ice and holding a meaningful role on a young Montreal power play. The 73 points raised his acquisition cost, but the underlying changes suggest the breakout was built on more than shooting luck.

Fantasy Takeaway: PAY FOR THE BREAKOUT—WITHIN REASON

He is a target for managers willing to pay for an established young core piece. Do not expect a discount, but do not dismiss the season as a one-year spike either.

Fantilli’s EDGE résumé is unusually complete. He combines elite straight-line speed with a heavy shot and the ability to finish from dangerous areas. In the NHL’s published Columbus breakdown, he ranked at or above the 96th percentile among forwards in maximum speed, 22-plus mph bursts, top shot speed and high-danger goals.

Any one of those numbers can be noisy. Together, they describe a repeatable scoring toolkit. Fantilli can create separation, force defenders backward and finish both off the rush and around the net. Those are useful traits for a center expected to remain central to Columbus’s offense.

The warning is price. Dynasty managers already understand his pedigree, so this is not a classic buy-low recommendation. The EDGE data instead gives us confidence when deciding whether to trade a strong veteran package for a younger foundational center.

Fantasy Takeaway: AGGRESSIVE DYNASTY TARGET

Fantilli is worth pursuing when the cost fits a long competitive window. His tracking profile supports both his goal upside and the possibility of another level.

Speed is not automatically offense for a defenseman, but it expands what a player can do. Sanderson led all NHL defensemen with 263 bursts above 20 mph during the 2025 calendar year. Over the same period, he ranked sixth at the position with 66 points.

His 2025-26 season reinforced the connection. Sanderson recorded 54 points in only 67 games, reaching 14 goals and 40 assists. His skating lets him recover defensively, join the rush and move laterally at the offensive blue line without surrendering as much safety as a slower player might.

For fantasy managers, the important question is role stability. Ottawa also has Thomas Chabot, but Sanderson’s age, mobility and established production make him more than a secondary option who happened to run hot.

Fantasy Takeaway: TARGET AS A LONG-TERM D1

The acquisition cost will be substantial. His EDGE profile provides a strong reason to treat his scoring rate as the work of a high-end modern defenseman rather than an outlier.

Broberg is the speculative name on this list. His 2025-26 offense did not immediately match the expectations created by his first season in St. Louis, but the skating foundation remains attractive.

NHL EDGE placed him in the 96th percentile among defensemen in maximum speed and the 92nd percentile in 20-plus mph bursts during 2024-25. That mobility gives him the ability to transport the puck and recover when a play breaks down. More encouragingly, he shared eighth among NHL defensemen with 11 points from March 21 through the end of the 2025-26 season.

There is still a deployment ceiling to consider, especially if he does not control the first power-play unit. But his age, contract security, skating and late-season finish make him a sensible trade target when another manager focuses mainly on the modest full-season total.

Fantasy Takeaway: BUY LOW IN DEEP DYNASTY LEAGUES

Broberg is best treated as an upside D3 or D4 rather than a guaranteed star. The bet is that elite mobility and a growing role eventually create more consistent offense.