EDGE stats: Sleepers for 2026 NHL Awards, Stanley Cup Playoffs

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we look at the underlying metrics behind some 2026 NHL Awards and 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs sleepers.

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EDGE SLEEPERS FOR 2026 NHL AWARDS

1. Rantanen for Hart Trophy

Forward Mikko Rantanen, who was traded twice last season, ranked highly at his position in various advanced metrics despite inconsistent usage:

• Total skating distance: 257.40 miles (96th percentile)
• Power-play skating distance: 37.0 miles (97th percentile)
• Top shot speed: 92.09 mph (88th percentile)
• Midrange shots on goal: 83 (95th percentile)
• Midrange goals: 12 (95th percentile)
​​• High-danger shots on goal: 65 (91st percentile)
• Offensive zone time percentage: 46.5 percent (94th percentile)

Rantanen can help Dallas’ deep and elite offense, which has three capable No. 1 center options in Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston and Matt Duchene, reach its full potential and will be playing for new coach Glen Gulutzan, who previously was an assistant with the Edmonton Oilers, where he worked with superstar forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. With Rantanen emerging as a Conn Smythe Trophy contender through the first two rounds of the 2025 playoffs before the Stars lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final, he proved he was far from just a product of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and has the upside of winning the League MVP in the coming seasons with Dallas.

2. Blackwood for Vezina Trophy

The goalie excelled for the San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche last season, finishing just outside the top 10 qualifying leaders in high-danger save percentage for the entire regular season (.826); he then ranked third in that category during the playoffs (.837). Blackwood and backup Scott Wedgewood (.849 high-danger save percentage; 94th percentile among all goalies) give Colorado one of the best tandems entering this season, and Blackwood’s 22 wins in 37 regular-season games with the Avalanche indicate he has an individual ceiling of contending for the Vezina Trophy. Colorado was the fastest team in terms of 20-plus mph speed bursts (2,493) last season and ranked fifth in offensive zone time percentage (43.7 percent), so the Avalanche’s skater group should provide plenty of goal support for Blackwood all season long.

3. Sanderson for Norris Trophy

Defenseman Jake Sanderson (age 23) is part of the Senators young core, which also includes forwards Brady Tkachuk (26 years old) and Tim Stutzle (23), that helped snap their seven-season playoff drought last season. Sanderson ranked second at his position in 22-plus mph speed bursts (19; trailed only Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar's 27) and 20-plus mph bursts (199; trailed only Makar's 206). He also finished in the 95th percentile in total skating distance (272.26 miles) and second at his position in total miles skated on the power play (39.38).

Sanderson’s 30 power-play points (tied for 16th in NHL) were the most by a Senators defenseman since Erik Karlsson had 30 in 2014-15. Ottawa was the only team with three different players with at least 30 power-play points last season (Stützle had 33, tied for 10th; forward Drake Batherson had 31, tied for 13th). Sanderson (NHL career-high 11 goals, 46 assists, 57 points last season) is a well-rounded, workhorse defenseman with another gear to reach given his elite shot metrics, ranking among the leaders at his position in long-range shots on goal (94; 97th percentile), midrange shots on goal (41; 95th percentile) and midrange goals (five; 94th percentile).

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EDGE SLEEPERS TO MAKE 2026 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

1. Columbus Blue Jackets

They led the NHL in 5-on-5 goals last season (201) but finished two points behind the New Jersey Devils for third place in the Metropolitan Division and the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Defenseman Zach Werenski, a first-time Norris Trophy finalist, was an NHL EDGE juggernaut who ranked in the top three at his position in total skating distance (320.25 miles; first), high-danger goals (seven; first), midrange goals (10; third) and 20-plus mph speed bursts (162; third).

In terms of 20-plus mph speed bursts, forwards Adam Fantilli (264; 98th percentile) and Kirill Marchenko (183; 93rd percentile) ranked highly at their position and shared the Blue Jackets goal lead (31 each). Having forwards Sean Monahan, Boone Jenner, Dmitri Voronkov and/or Yegor Chinakhov healthy, together with goalie Jet Greaves (.901 high-danger save percentage; .944 midrange save percentage; 99th percentile in each category) carrying over his late-season heroics, could help the Blue Jackets reach the next level and qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2020.

2. Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks made several changes during the offseason, including the hiring of coach Joel Quenneville, who ranks second all-time in wins (959; behind Scotty Bowman’s 1,244) and has won the Stanley Cup three times (2010, 2013, 2015 with Chicago Blackhawks). Anaheim also added veteran pieces in forwards Chris Kreider (67 high-danger shots on goal last season; 92nd percentile at position) and Mikael Granlund (three long-range goals, 98th percentile at position; 18 long-range shots on goal, 87th percentile). Both players ranked highly in total miles skated and offensive zone time percentage on the power play and could help improve Anaheim’s NHL-worst power play (11.8 percent last season).

The Ducks also have a promising young core in wing Cutter Gauthier, who was among the forward leaders in top skating speed (23.37 mph; 95th percentile), 20-plus mph speed bursts (200; 95th percentile), top shot speed (93.22 mph; 92nd percentile), midrange shots on goal (79; 94th percentile) and midrange goals (10; 90th percentile), and defenseman Jackson LaCombe, who was tied for second at his position in high-danger goals (six) and ranked third in high-danger shots on goal (27). Lukas Dostal was the only goalie in the NHL last season to rank in the top five in saves from each major shot location region last season; he was fourth in high-danger saves (350), fifth in midrange saves (412) and fifth in long-range saves (371). Dostal is a full-fledged breakout candidate after the Ducks traded John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings, and together with the up-and-coming talent around him, can lead Anaheim to the playoffs for the first time since 2018 as early as this season.

3. Buffalo Sabres

Led by elite goal-scorer Tage Thompson, who led the NHL in top shot speed (106.00 mph) and was a standout in midrange goals (16; 98th percentile) and high-danger goals (17; 93rd percentile) last season, the Sabres added another hard shot in right-shooting defenseman Michael Kesselring (third in top shot speed at 103.77 mph).

If center Josh Norris, who excelled in top skating speed (23.76 mph; 98th percentile among forwards) last season, stays healthy, young forwards Zach Benson and/or Jack Quinn seize elevated roles after the departure of JJ Peterka and another addition, goalie Alex Lyon (.910 midrange save percentage with Detroit Red Wings last season; ninth in NHL) can provide average goaltending, Buffalo’s offense could make them a surprise contender in the Eastern Conference wild-card race and end its 14-season playoff drought.

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EDGE SLEEPERS TO WIN STANLEY CUP IN 2026

1. St. Louis Blues

The Blues, who returned to the playoffs in 2025 after a two-season absence, ranked third in the NHL in midrange shots on goal (699) and were tied for ninth in midrange goals (84) last season before signing another midrange standout this offseason in forward Pius Suter (10 midrange goals with Vancouver Canucks last season; 90th percentile among forwards).

Forward Dylan Holloway (top shot speed of 97.99 mph; 10th at position) and defenseman Philip Broberg (top skating speed of 23.48 mph; 96th percentile at position) were significant additions for St. Louis last season, and the Blues gave the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets everything they could handle in a Game 7 loss in the Western Conference First Round despite Holloway missing the series because of injury. With a chance to integrate rookie forward Jimmy Snuggerud and defenseman Logan Mailloux, the Blues’ depth at all roster positions has reopened their Stanley Cup window (won championship in 2019).

2. Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens went 15-5-6 following the 4 Nations Face-Off break last season, the fourth best points percentage (.692) in the NHL during that span, and were the youngest team to reach the 2025 playoffs. Led by the reigning Calder Trophy winner, defenseman Lane Hutson (top skating speed of 23.77 mph ranked third at the position), Montreal ranked third in 22-plus mph speed bursts (119) and 20-plus mph bursts (2,222). Then, the Canadiens acquired defensemen Noah Dobson in a trade with the New York Islanders on June 27; he was a standout at his position in 20-plus mph speed bursts (77; 91st percentile) and top skating speed (22.80 mph; 89th percentile) last season.

Forward Zack Bolduc, another offseason trade acquisition, ranked highly among forwards in midrange goals (10; 90th percentile) and top shot speed (92.10 mph; 88th percentile) with the St. Louis Blues last season and brings much-needed physicality to the lineup. Dobson and Bolduc both have the puck-possession skills to improve Montreal's 5-on-5 shot-attempt percentage (47.8 percent) last season, which was the sixth lowest in the NHL. With all four of their 20-goal scorers from last season (Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Brendan Gallagher, Patrik Laine) returning, plus a full season from top prospect Ivan Demidov (No. 5 pick in 2024 NHL Draft), the Canadiens are a dark horse contender to win multiple rounds this postseason.

3. Washington Capitals

The Capitals, who finished first in the Eastern Conference (51-22-9, 111 points) last season, were the only team to rank in the top eight in goals from each major shot location region last season: fifth in high-danger goals (137), eighth in midrange goals (85) and tied for third in long-range goals (23). Washington also ranked third in 90-plus mile per hour shot attempts (105), second in average shot speed (62.69 mph) and had the most comeback wins (25).

The Capitals had the most players with at least 20 goals last season (seven) and were led by veteran wing Alex Ovechkin, who was tied for ninth in midrange goals (15) and led forwards in long-range goals (five). Washington also had strong seasons from wing Tom Wilson (22 high-danger goals; tied for ninth in NHL), wing Aliaksei Protas (11 midrange goals; 93rd percentile among forwards), center Dylan Strome (four long-range goals; tied for second at position) and defenseman Jakob Chychrun, who ranked second at his position in midrange goals (11).

Washington goalie Logan Thompson was tied for sixth in midrange save percentage (.912) last season and finished among the leaders at his position in goal differential (plus-61; third) and percentage of games with greater than a .900 save percentage (59.5 percent; ninth). In the playoffs, Thompson’s high-danger save percentage (.860) led the NHL among goalies who played multiple rounds. In the final season of Ovechkin’s contract, the Capitals, who won the Stanley Cup in 2018, will continue to integrate rookie Ryan Leonard and have a path to make an even deeper playoff run in the Metropolitan Division.

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NOTE: These lists were a collaborative effort by Pete Jensen, Chris Meaney and Troy Perlowitz.