Pavel Mintyukov‘s five year, $7.4 million AAV extension is a bet on upside more than current production. The 21-year-old has shown flashes of being a dynamic puck mover with offensive instincts and the ability to transition the puck efficiently, but his defensive game remains a work in progress. Those flashes were more evident early in his career, and consistency has been a point of contention. The timing of the deal is what stands out most. With the Leo Carlsson offer sheet, Anaheim appears to be getting ahead of any future offer sheets before costs climb even higher than they are. If the Ducks ultimately match Carlsson’s offer sheet, they’ll be committing a combined $25.4 million annually to just Carlsson and Mintyukov alone. It’s another sign that Anaheim’s cap picture is becoming much tighter by the day.

Hearing Pavel Mintyukov and the Anaheim Ducks are getting an extension done.

It will be in the Brandt Clarke range, which is 5 x $7.4M

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 5, 2026

Yegor Chinakhov signed a three-year extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins carrying a $6.25 million AAV after taking a significant step forward this season. He brings plenty of offensive upside and  production last season which makes him a worthwhile gamble for Pittsburgh. If this year’s breakout proves to be sustainable, the Penguins could end up with one of the better value contracts among scoring wingers. The three-year term also works well for both sides, giving Pittsburgh cost certainty while allowing Chinakhov another opportunity to cash in if he continues on this trajectory.

Egor Chinakhov signs a three-year extension with the #pens carrying a $6.25M AAV, avoiding arbitration

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 5, 2026

The Penguins also took care of another piece of business, signing goaltender Arturs Silovs to a short team one-year contract at a cap hit of $2.8M avoiding arbitration. It's a nice deal for both the Penguins and Silovs who should have a clear spot with the Penguins as part of a tandem with either Sergei Murashov or Joel Blomqvist. I would suspect that Silovs will likely get the higher end of starts to begin the season.

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With most NHL rosters largely set particularly on the backend, I thought it’s a good time to project each team’s power play quarterback heading into the season. Some clubs have obvious answers, while others have legitimate battles that could carry into the season, but that’s what makes this exercise interesting. This week, I’ll break down the Eastern Conference before shifting my focus to the Western Conference next week.

Eastern Conference

Rasmus Dahlin – Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo’s offense runs through Rasmus Dahlin from the blue line, and he is the unquestioned quarterback of the top power play. Even during stretches where the Sabres have struggled offensively, Dahlin has consistently produced because of his heavy workload in every situation. Unless an injury changes the equation, there is virtually no competition for his role. Dahlin remains a locked-in No. 1 defenseman capable of posting another 70+ point season while contributing heavily on the power play. His combination of opportunity, talent, and ice time gives him a safe fantasy floor among NHL defensemen.

John Carlson – Tampa Bay Lightning

I initially had Victor Hedman in this spot after the Darren Raddysh move to Toronto and with all the rumors with Carolina getting first dibs on Carlsson it almost seemed as if Tampa was going back to the well with Hedman. Well, since then Carlsson signed with the Lightning and now enters the season as the favorite to claim full control of one of the most dangerous power plays alongside Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point. As things stand today, Carlsson projects as the clear No. 1 quarterback and should continue to produce reliable fantasy value thanks to his role on one of the league’s premier man-advantage units.

Lane Hutson – Montreal Canadiens

Lane Hutson wasted little time proving he belongs as Montreal’s power-play quarterback. There isn’t another defenseman in the organization who possesses his combination of skill and offensive instincts, making his hold on the top unit extremely secure. Hutson is well outside of the top-five when it comes to power-play production and yet he posted 78 points this past season. One can only assume he will hit well north of the 20 powerplay points he hit his past season. Continued development from this young Canadiens’ forward group, Hutson has legitimate potential as one of the NHL’s premier offensive defensemen.

Charlie McAvoy – Boston Bruins

Charlie McAvoy fantasy upside isn’t quite as high as some of the names on this list but he is an excellent all-around defenseman who logs massive minutes in every situation. McAvoy had his best season from a production standpoint with 11 goals and 50 assists in 69 games, putting him at a 72-point pace. The Burins added JJ Peterka to the lineup hoping to add some more firepower to the lineup. While a massive offensive breakout feels unlikely, McAvoy remains a dependable fantasy option who should provide solid production across multiple categories while benefiting from consistent top-unit power-play usage.

Jake Sanderson – Ottawa Senators

After breaking out with 58 points two seasons ago, Jake Sanderson followed it up with 54 points in just 67 games this past season. Over a full 82-game schedule, that production translates to a 66-point pace, which would have been a new career high. With Brady Tkachuk no longer in the picture, Ottawa’s top power-play unit will need to generate more offense to help replace that production. That creates even more opportunity for Sanderson to drive the attack from the blue line and continue building on his already impressive fantasy value.

Moritz Seider – Detroit Red Wings

Moritz Seider took another step forward offensively setting career highs with 10 goals, 60 points, 187 shots on goal, and 3:12 of average power-play ice time per game. He was Detroit’s clear-cut offensive defenseman, finishing 20 points ahead of the next-highest scoring blueliner, Justin Faulk (40). The gap was even more noticeable on the power play, where Seider produced 28 points compared to just nine from Faulk. While players like Simon Edvinsson and Axel Sandin-Pellikka may eventually push for additional offensive opportunities, Seider remains firmly in control of the top unit heading into the season. The Dylan Larkin dilemma may alter the overall equation in Detroit but that should not affect Seiders spot on the top unit.

Seth Jones – Florida Panthers

Florida already possesses one of the league’s deepest rosters, and Jones gives them another experienced puck-moving defenseman capable of handling the responsibilities of running the first power play. The Panthers have historically relied on their forwards to drive offense, meaning Jones doesn’t need to force plays to remain productive. Instead, he’ll benefit from distributing the puck to one of the NHL’s most dangerous collections of finishers. His fantasy ceiling may not rival his peak seasons in Chicago or Columbus simply based on how many stars are on this team, but his role on an elite team should keep him firmly relevant.

Darren Raddysh – Toronto Maple Leafs

John Chyka revamped nearly half of this Toronto Maple Leafs roster, but the top power-play looks relatively the same aside from one addition, Darren Raddysh. He developed into an effective puck mover in Tampa Bay and has the offensive instincts to keep elite finishers like Auston Matthews and William Nylander in scoring positions. He doesn’t need to drive the offense himself. His role is to move pucks efficiently, avoid costly mistakes, and take advantage of his heavy shot when opportunities arise after scoring 10 power-play goals last season. Toronto signed Raddysh with the expectation that he’ll get every opportunity to lock down the top unit.

Shayne Gostisbehere/Alexander Nikishin – Carolina Hurricanes

As things stand, Carolina’s top power-play quarterback appears to be either Shayne Gostisbehere or Alexander Nikishin. Gostisbehere handled most of the work last season, averaging 3:10 of power-play ice time per game, while Nikishin saw a more limited 1:26. The Hurricanes were heavily linked to John Carlson before talks fizzled. Until there’s more clarity, expect Gostisbehere to open the season on the top unit, though a more balanced split with Nikishin remains a realistic possibility as the season unfolds.

Erik Karlsson – Pittsburgh Penguins

Erik Karlsson remains Pittsburgh’s most dangerous offensive defenseman and should once again quarterback the Penguins’ top power-play unit. As long as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin remain healthy, Karlsson will have no shortage of elite finishers to distribute the puck and Karlsson’s offensive workload isn’t likely to change. A healthy Karlsson is still capable of producing among the league leaders in power-play points by a defenseman, making him a valuable fantasy option despite the Penguins’ aging roster.

Jamie Drysdale – Philadelphia Flyers

The battle for the Flyers' top power-play quarterback is still fairly unsettled, but Jamie Drysdale has a slight early edge. He finally logged a near full season, appearing in 78 games and finishing with just 34 points, including nine on the power play. He also led all Philadelphia defensemen in power-play usage at 2:19 per game. The next closest was Travis Sanheim at 1:06, and he managed just three power-play points all year. Outside of Drysdale, no one on the blue line has really stepped forward, and the gap behind him is not significant enough to call it locked in. For now, Drysdale looks like the default option on the top unit for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Jakob Chychrun – Washington Capitals

Jakob Chychrun enters the season as Washington’s projected No. 1 power-play quarterback after thriving in his first year with the Capitals. His ability to threaten from the point forces penalty killers to respect his shot, creating more room for the forwards to operate. While his role appears secure heading into the season, one name worth monitoring is Cole Hutson. Washington’s highly skilled prospect possesses dynamic offensive abilities and projects as the organization’s power-play quarterback of the future. It may not happen immediately, but if Hutson adapts quickly to the NHL, the Capitals could eventually give him an opportunity to run the first unit. For now, however, Chychrun remains the clear fantasy option

Zach Werenski – Columbus Blue Jackets

Zach Werenski is coming off back-to-back career offensive seasons of his career and remains the clear driver of Columbus' power play. He controls everything from the blue line, using his skating, vision, and puck distribution to set up finishers like Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, and newly added Valeri Nichushkin. No other defenseman on the roster is realistically pushing him for that role. Even with his recent trade rumors, Werenski's usage and offensive ceiling remain stable, and his fantasy value continues to sit in the elite tier among defensemen.

Matthew Schaefer – New York Islanders

Mathew Schaefer wasted no time making an impact in his rookie season, finishing with 59 points and 18 on the power play while averaging 3:19 in man-advantage usage. He quickly established himself as one of the most complete defense prospects to enter the league in recent years, and backing that up with a Calder Trophy win only reinforced the upside in his game. Despite Noah Dobson's departure, the Islanders didn't miss a beat on the top unit, with Schaefer stepping in and taking control of that role. There will be natural growing pains, but the offensive ceiling is obvious.

Dougie Hamilton/Luke Hughes – New Jersey Devils

This is one of the more intriguing situations to watch. Dougie Hamilton remains one of the league’s better offensive defensemen when healthy and enters the season as the favorite to retain the top power-play role. However, Luke Hughes continues to develop into exactly the type of dynamic offensive defenseman who could eventually take over. I see Hamilton likely starting the season on the first unit, but this is one of the few teams where a midseason changing of the guard would not be surprising.

Adam Fox – New York Rangers

The Rangers look a lot different than they did just a few months ago with both Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck no longer in the lineup. Despite those significant changes, Adam Fox remains the unquestioned quarterback of New York’s top power-play unit and one of the NHL’s elite offensive defensemen. His role is as secure as any blueliner in the league, and he should continue to be a dependable source of assists and power-play production regardless of the new-look forward group.

Thanks for reading! See you next week! For more fantasy hockey content and analysis, follow me on X @Punters_hockey. If you have any questions about your team or a trade? My DMs are always open, happy to help!