Five Fantasy Regression Candidates for 2026-27

The Hockey News has identified five players whose 2025-26 production may be difficult to repeat for fantasy managers this fall.

Scott Wedgewood is the name that stands out most. Last season he went 31-6-6 with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage, remarkable numbers. The Hockey News doubts that a journeyman heading into his age-34 season, who may split starts with Mackenzie Blackwood, will get anywhere near them again. His goals-saved above average last season was five times better than his previous best, per hockey-reference.com, and it was only the fourth time in eight seasons that number was even positive.

Among players with 50 or more goals over the last three seasons, Anthony Mantha's 21.4 shooting percentage leads the league. Over the same stretch his PDO has sat above 1.000 and his goals have regularly outpaced his expected totals. Now with the Devils rather than the Penguins, he figures to be lower in the lineup pecking order, especially with Luke Evangelista acquired and Arseny Gritsyuk coming off a decent rookie season.

Pavel Zacha's 30-goal season in Boston was fuelled by a career-high 22 power-play points, including 11 goals, and a shooting percentage that ballooned to 22.9 percent. Among the 181 players with at least 20 power-play shots last season, he ranked 167th in shots per 60 but tied for 20th in goals. That kind of efficiency rarely holds, and JJ Peterka could push him off the top unit entirely.

Darren Raddysh is the most nuanced case. The Hockey News Fantasy Guide projects him for 58 points with Toronto, which would have ranked in the top 20 among defencemen last season. The regression risk is real, but his offensive ability and power-play role make a true bust unlikely.

Wyatt Johnston scored 27 of his 45 goals on the power play last season, an output that required a 21.8 shooting percentage to achieve. Only Leon Draisaitl and Alex Ovechkin have managed 20 or more power-play goals in consecutive seasons in the cap era. Johnston remains a strong fantasy asset, but expecting him to contend for the Rocket Richard is a stretch.