We're back with Part 2 of our power-play quarterback series, taking a closer look at the defensemen expected to run each team’s man advantage heading into the season. For fantasy managers, power-play deployment can often be the difference between a breakout season and a disappointing one, making these roles some of the most important to track before draft day.

Western Conference

Cale Makar – Colorado Avalanche

Makar remains the gold standard when it comes to NHL power-play quarterbacks and should once again be one of the first defensemen drafted in fantasy leagues. While he didn’t quite match his 92-point performance from 2024-25, he still posted an outstanding 79 points in 75 games while pacing for 86 points, including 29 on the power play. Surrounded by one of the league’s most talented forward groups, his role on PP1 is as secure as it gets, making him one of the safest and most valuable fantasy defensemen in the NHL.

Miro Heiskanen – Dallas Stars

Heiskanen bounced back with an excellent season, finishing with 63 points in 77 games and reclaiming his spot as Dallas’ top power-play quarterback. Thomas Harley is an outstanding offensive defenseman and has proven he can step into that role when needed, but Heiskanen remains the clear first choice on PP1. Dallas also iced one of the league’s most dangerous power plays, ranking second at 28.6% powerplay efficiency, while leading the NHL with 71 power-play goals. If that unit continues to produce at the same level, Heiskanen has a realistic shot at returning to the 70-point range and climbing back up fantasy draft boards this fall.

Quinn Hughes – Minnesota Wild

Much like Makar this is an easy lock in Hughes to quarterback the top power-play unit in Minnesota. Few blueliners can dictate the pace of a power play the way he can, and back-to-back 76-point seasons show just how reliable his production has become. His presence gives the Wild’s power play a significant boost while cementing Hughes as a safe and dependable fantasy defensemen to draft.

Mikhail Sergachev – Utah Mammoth

Finishing with 59 points in 78 games last season, including 26 on the power play,  Sergachev has further cemented himself as one of the better fantasy defensemen outside the elite tier. Mackenzie Weegar has shown during his time in Calgary that he can effectively run a top power-play unit and would be the logical replacement if Sergachev were to struggle or miss time. Barring that, Sergachev’s fantasy value should only continue to rise as Utah added Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee. Whether both, one, or neither crack the top unit, they give Utah even more offensive depth to complement an already dangerous young power play.

Philip Broberg – St. Louis Blues

Entering this season Philip Broberg has a chance to establish himself as St. Louis’ long-term power-play quarterback. He set career highs with 34 points in 81 games last season as his role continued to grow after joining the Blues. While his offensive production has yet to reach another level, St. Louis lacks a true offensive catalyst from the blue line, giving Broberg every opportunity to claim the job. His skating and puck-moving ability make him the best fit, even after recording just five power-play points last season. Broberg is still developing offensively, but increased power-play usage could lead to a breakout campaign and make him a worthwhile fantasy sleeper.

Roman Josi – Nashville Predators

Nashville simply does not have another defenseman capable of matching Josi's offensive instincts. He remains the unquestioned quarterback of Nashville’s top power-play unit and there is little reason to believe that changes this season. Despite the Predators’ offensive struggles, he continues to drive the attack from the blue line and finished with 55 points in 68 games while logging heavy power-play minutes. His production has dipped over the last couple of seasons due to injuries, but his role remains unchanged. As long as Josi is healthy, he remains one of the safer fantasy options in Nashville.

Josh Morrissey – Winnipeg Jets

Morrissey hit is breakout 76-point season in 2022-23, expectations increased and since then he has settled into a consistent 55–65-point range over the past two seasons. While his numbers have dipped in comparison to elite ceiling of players like Makar or Hughes, he is an easy fantasy lock on the Winnipeg depth chart. Winnipeg relies heavily on Morrissey to quarterback the top unit, move the puck, and create opportunities for shooters like Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. He is a steady fantasy contributor with a strong combination of power-play usage and ice time.

Bowen Byram – Chicago Blackhawks

A new chapter in Chicago brings with it a clear opportunity to take over the top power-play unit, giving Byram the type of role he has been waiting for. He showed his offensive upside last season in Buffalo, finishing with 42 points in 82 games, including seven power-play points, while averaging just 1.36 minutes of power-play time primarily on the second unit. This season, he will have the opportunity to work alongside Connor Bedard (when healthy) and Chicago’s young forward core. The biggest question is whether the Blackhawks will give him that responsibility, but there is little reason to believe they brought him in without expecting him to handle those minutes. All signs lead to a path to top power-play usage.

Shea Theodore – Vegas Golden Knights

Shea Theodore enters the season with something to prove after seeing his offensive role reduced last year. After posting 57 points in 2024-25, his production dropped to 39 points last season while his power-play usage also declined. Some of that was due to injury, while Vegas also shifted more opportunities to Rasmus Andersson, who finished just nine points ahead of Theodore with 13 power-play points. Andersson struggled during the playoff run against Carolina, which could open the door for Theodore to regain a larger role. This will be an interesting situation for fantasy managers, as Theodore could become a draft-day value pick if his power-play usage returns.

Evan Bouchard – Edmonton Oilers

Finishing with 95 points in 82 games, including 33 on the man-advantage should easily put you as the head honcho on any team. Include a heavy shot to your arsenal and you have Evan Bouchard. His ability to make quick decisions and distribute the puck to elite finishers in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers’ power play is built around creating space for their stars, and Bouchard has shown he can facilitate that attack. There is virtually no competition for his role, and as long as Edmonton’s core remains intact, Bouchard will to carry elite fantasy value.

Jackson Lacombe – Anaheim Ducks

At this point, the Ducks are running out of options. They moved on from John Carlson, Jacob Trouba, and Radko Gudas while also trading Olen Zellweger. Most of those players were unlikely to take over the top unit, but the point remains: Jackson LaCombe enters the season as the clear favorite to quarterback the power play. The Leo Carlsson uncertainty is behind us, and we now have a better idea of what this first unit should look like. LaCombe broke out with 58 points last season, including 17 on the power play, showing he has the offensive instincts to handle a bigger role. He may not be an elite fantasy defenseman yet, but the combination of age, opportunity, and upside makes him an intriguing target.

Brandt Clarke – Los Angeles Kings

Clarke's power-play usage under Jim Hiller was limited, as he finished with just 13 power-play points last season. Drew Doughty‘s presence and the Kings’ preference for veteran stability also slowed his development, but a larger offensive role now feels inevitable. Laviolette has a history of trusting offensive defensemen and allowing them to activate in the offensive zone, which should benefit Clarke’s skill set. His offensive instincts already make him one of the most intriguing young blueliners in the league, and with a potential top unit featuring Artemi Panarin, Quinton Byfield, Adrian Kempe, and Mats Zuccarello, Clarke enters the season as a strong breakout candidate.

Vince Dunn – Seattle Kraken

Since Dunn's breakout 64-point season, injuries and Seattle’s inconsistent offense have kept him from reaching that same level of production. Last season was his first near full campaign since that breakout, and while the Kraken struggled to generate offense consistently, it wasn’t a reflection of Dunn’s play. More importantly, there isn’t another defenseman on the roster capable of pushing him for the top power-play quarterback role. His 21 power-points still provided a respectable fantasy floor, but his ceiling will ultimately depend on Seattle’s forwards taking a step forward offensively.

Sam Dickinson – San Jose Sharks

This one can honestly go any which way but the Sharks are projecting Dickinson to become their eventual No. 1 defenseman of the future. After already completing a full NHL season, Dickinson has shown his skating, puck-moving ability, and two-way game are elite but ever better, coachable which translates to ice time. With San Jose continuing to build around their young core, this is a perfect opportunity for Dickinson to take on a larger role. Luca Cagnoni remains the biggest threat, as his offensive instincts and ability to quarterback a power play at the professional level may already be more advanced. Cagnoni could begin on the second unit but has the skill set to force his way up. Despite additions like Michael Kesselring, Darnell Nurse, and Jacob Trouba, my projection is Dickinson starts on the top powerplay, with Cagnoni pushing for the role if he earns a full-time NHL spot out of camp.

Zayne Parekh – Calgary Flames

Like most fantasy managers, the Calgary Flames are banking on Parekh becoming hockey’s most exciting young defensemen. He showed plenty of offensive creativity during his 37-game NHL debut, finishing with 20 points, including six on the power play with three of those coming as goals. Calgary has lacked a true offensive catalyst from the blue line for years, and Parekh has the skill set to change that. The addition of Simon Nemec does create some competition, but Parekh’s offensive upside gives him the inside track to becoming the Flames’ top option on the man advantage.

Zeev Buium – Vancouver Canucks

After splitting time between Minnesota and Vancouver last season, Buium struggled to consistently produce at the NHL level. Looking at Vancouver’s depth chart, Filip Hronek is really the only other realistic option, and he doesn’t appear to be blocking Buium’s path. This is Buium’s job to lose. With the Canucks likely facing another challenging season, there should be plenty of opportunities for them to give him meaningful minutes and allow him the chance to continue developing. His fantasy value may not be as high as it was in Minnesota, but his offensive skill set fits today’s NHL perfectly. Dynasty managers likely already have him stashed, while those in redraft leagues, not so much, but keep an eye on him as increased responsibility could lead to a value-add pick.

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!