The Hockey News – Yearbook 2026

Summary

The Hockey News Yearbook 2026-27 (Volume 80 No. 01) delivers 226 pages of NHL team previews, fantasy draft guides and player features, kicking off the season with 32 team-by-team breakdowns starting on page 46, 10 things to watch in the coming season (p10), and deep profiles on Cutter Gauthier (p15), Nikita Kucherov (p20), Mitch Marner (p24), Dylan Guenther (p28), Ryan O'Reilly (p32), Martin St-Louis (p34) and Morgan Geekie (p36). Carolina celebrates its first Cup in 20 years on the cover.

The yearbook opens with "The First Word" (p7) and publisher's note (p8) before launching into 10 Things to Watch (p10), a rookie report (p14), and the feature player profiles. The NHL team previews section (p46) covers all 32 teams with roster changes, prospect pipelines and season projections. The fantasy section includes noteworthy trends (p176), ask the experts (p180), skater bios (p182) and goalie bios (p204). Ryan O'Reilly's leadership analysis and Martin St-Louis' coaching profile are editorial standouts.

Regular columns include The First Word and The Last Word (p226). The yearbook functions as a complete pre-season reference for hockey fans, fantasy players and bettors.

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Content Guide

▸ Season Preview / Team Analysis / Player Profiles / Fantasy

p10 · 10 Things to Watch
Ten storylines for the 2026-27 NHL season, including the salary-cap jump to USD 95.5 million, the new 84-game schedule, and the impact of offer-sheet compensation changes after the Leo Carlsson deal. Each entry includes a predicted outcome. Fantasy managers should note item 7 — the article identifies three teams with favourable schedule density for streaming goalies.

p15 · Cutter Gauthier
Profile of the young forward entering his breakout season, with scouting reports from three anonymous NHL executives. The piece includes his 2025-26 stats, off-season training regimen and projected linemates. Dynasty-league managers should target Gauthier in the second round of startup drafts based on the usage projections printed here.

p20 · Nikita Kucherov
Feature on the veteran winger's continued elite production into his 30s, analysing his playing-style adaptation as speed declines. The article cites his power-play point production as evidence of sustained value. Points-only league managers can expect 95-105 points based on the three-year trend-line charted here.

p24 · Mitch Marner
Analysis of Marner's role under the new coaching staff and his contract-year motivation. The piece tracks his even-strength versus power-play production split. Head-to-head managers should target Marner early in drafts where peripheral categories (assists, power-play points) are weighted heavily.

p32 · Ryan O'Reilly
The veteran centre's leadership impact on a young team, with quotes from teammates and coaches about his defensive-zone faceoff work and mentoring role. The article includes his faceoff win rate by zone. Category-league managers should target O'Reilly for faceoff wins and shorthanded production in the middle rounds.

p46 · NHL Team Previews
All 32 teams covered with projected rosters, prospect depth charts, cap space and divisional finish predictions. Each team gets 11 key statistical categories from the previous season. Season-long bettors should cross-reference the over-under win projections printed here against their sportsbook's opening lines.

p176 · Noteworthy Trends
Fantasy-relevant trends from the previous season: shot-attempt differentials, goalie workload patterns and special-teams efficiency by team. The data is presented in sortable tables. Weekly-streaming managers should bookmark the power-play and penalty-kill rankings for schedule-based adds.

p180 · Ask the Experts
Panel answers reader questions on draft strategy, keepers, and mid-season waiver-wire management. The consensus advice on goalie drafting strategy (wait until round 6) is consistent across all five experts. Anyone preparing for a draft this weekend should read the keeper-value calculation method explained in the final answer.

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Editor's Take

The Yearbook delivers exactly what it promises: 226 pages of pre-season NHL intelligence with no filler. The 10 Things to Watch section is the best quick-read entry point, and the team previews are comprehensive enough for both fantasy managers and real-life fans. The weakness is the player profile selection — Marner and Kucherov are covered extensively everywhere; the yearbook would have benefited from more under-the-radar names. This issue is essential for anyone in an NHL fantasy league and useful for fans wanting a single-season reference document.

Strengths
• 32-team previews with cap space, prospect pools and win projections
• 10 Things to Watch with specific fantasy implications per item
• Cutter Gauthier scouting report from anonymous NHL executives

Weaknesses
• Player profiles lean too heavily on established stars over rising talent
• No playoff bracket analysis or Cup-contender tiers

Verdict: Essential — the definitive pre-season NHL reference for fantasy managers and fans; worth the annual purchase.