The Stanley Cup playoffs might seem like a distant memory by now given what has been a crazy offseason. Beyond that, only half the 32 NHL teams even made the playoffs. Still, for fantasy purposes, there were those whose playoff scoring rate varied – for better or worse – enough from their regular season rate as to beg the question whether their 2026-27 regular season scoring pace will be more akin to how they performed in the playoffs. Enter this month's poll.

For the 20 voting choices, I've listed their 2025-26 regular season scoring rate and 2026 playoff scoring rate, plus the midpoint between them. Using his midpoint, if you believe a skater will score in the 2026-27 regular season, closer to his 2026 playoff rate than his 2025-26 regular season rate, you should vote for him. If, instead, you think his differing playoff scoring was not a harbinger for how he'll fare in 2026-27, then do not vote for him. To be clear, we're talking about scoring rate, not actual points.  Here's an example to ensure we're all on the same page.

If a skater tallied 66 points in 77 games in the 2025-26 regular season (70-point scoring rate) but six in ten playoff games (49 point scoring rate), the midpoint between his playoff and regular season scoring rates would be 59.5. You would then vote for him if you think his 2026-27 regular season scoring rate will be 59 or lower (i.e., closer to his playoff rate) but not vote for him if you think he'll have a scoring rate of 60+ points (i.e., closer to his 2025-26 regular season rate). If the numbers were flipflopped (70 playoffs, 49 regular season), you'd vote for him if you thought his 2025-26 regular season scoring rate would be 59 or higher.  If the midpoint is a round number, he would need his scoring rate to either exceed or fall below that number to get your vote.

The 20 voting choices are listed below in alphabetical order. I only selected players for whom this would not be a foregone conclusion, and no one where the gap between their rates was less than ten. A link to cast votes will appear at the end of the column.

Jackson Blake (Regular rate = 54; Playoff rate = 86; Midpoint = 70)

Amazingly, Blake was the only Hurricane to produce at better than a point per game rate in the playoffs. In doing so, he created a pretty big gap between his regular season rate and playoff rate, leaving you to decide whether he caught lightning in a bottle in the playoffs, or if it was a sign that Blake has taken the next step and will produce at a 71+ point rate in 2026-27.

Josh Doan (Regular rate = 52; Playoff rate = 63; Midpoint = 57.5)

Although Alex Tuch is gone, there is still a logjam of Sabres forwards. Doan isn't paid what Josh Norris or, now, Zach Benson, but Done seemed to make strides during the playoffs. Can he carry enough of that momentum into 2026-27 to have a 58+ point scoring rate though; or will he be victimized by there being too many cooks in the Buffalo forward kitchen?

Leon Draisaitl (Regular rate = 122; Playoff rate = 136; Midpoint = 129)

The disappointing playoff showing for Edmonton cannot be blamed on Draisaitl, who stepped up. But although Draisaitl has had a regular season scoring rate in the 120-130 range four times, he's only produced at a 130+ rate once, and he's now on the other side of 30.

Jack Eichel (Regular rate = 100; Playoff rate = 82; Midpoint = 91)

After ending a second straight season with a scoring rate of exactly 100, Eichel's production dipped in the playoffs. But that was under John Tortorella, who will not be returning, making it seem far less likely that Eichel would produce at a 90-point or lower rate.

Morgan Geekie (Regular rate = 69; Playoff rate = 55; Midpoint = 62)

Although it is true Geekie is riding a streak of five straight seasons of increased scoring rate, that has to end sometime, and he quieted after a scorching start, plus there's now another quality forward in Boston in the form of JJ Peterka. Still, even if Geekie's streak does come to an end, for his scoring rate to drop from nearly 70 to 61 or lower might be a stretch.

Shayne Gostisbehere (Regular rate = 75; Playoff rate = 52; Midpoint = 63.5)

Few could have predicted Ghost to produce as amazingly as he did during the regular season, although him having an OZ% of just under 70% certainly helped his cause. With John Carlson opting not to sign with the Canes, Ghost still seems like their default option for blueline offense, although Alexander Nikishin does loom. With that and Ghost faring a good bit worse in the playoffs, it's plausible that he scores at a 63-point rate or lower in 2026-27.

Mikael Granlund (Regular rate = 58; Playoff rate = 68; Midpoint = 63)

After scoring at a 71-point rate in 2023-24, Granlund's production has dropped in each of the past two seasons. Gone now is Mason McTavish, plus Troy Terry will be on the shelf for a while, perhaps making it so Granlund could do well enough to rise to a 64+ point rate again.

Taylor Hall (Regular rate = 48; Playoff rate = 82; Midpoint = 65)

After morphing into a journeyman the past few seasons, the former Hart winner thrived in the playoffs alongside Blake and Logan Stankoven. Carolina likely won't fix what isn't broken, seemingly giving Hall a chance to pick up in 2026-27 where he and the two youngsters left off, in which case a scoring rate of 66+, which Hall hasn't reached since 2019-20, might be plausible.

Miro Heiskanen (Regular rate = 67; Playoff rate = 82; Midpoint = 74.5)

After a very subpar 2024-25, Heiskanen rebounded in a major way, then proceeded to do even better in the playoffs. Still, a 75-point pace is quite high, and only one above Heiskanen's prior best. For sure he's very talented, and a "the guy" defenseman; but it's not clear he's cut from enough of a scorer's cloth to hit that level again.

Kirill Kaprizov (Regular rate = 94; Playoff rate = 112; Midpoint = 103)

After scoring rates of 105+ in each of the prior two seasons, Kaprizov dipped below the century mark in 2025-26. But with rumors swirling Minnesota finally will get him a top tier center, plus his showing in the playoffs, a rate of 104+ feels readily achievable.

Jackson LaCombe (Regular rate = 58; Playoff rate = 68; Midpoint = 63)

The arrival of John Carlson did not actually hurt LaCombe much, plus Anaheim no longer has Oren Zellweger, Jacob Trouba, or Radko Gudas, meaning if anything his role should increase. That could mean more tough minutes, which wouldn't help his scoring. Still, if, as it seems, this signifies him graduating to "the guy" status, and for a team that's on the rise, him having a 64+ point scoring rate in 2026-27 is within reason.

Porter Martone (Regular rate = 91; Playoff rate = 41; Midpoint = 66)

After great success upon late in the season, and playing the type of hockey Rick Tocchet did when he was in the league, Martone didn't fare as well in the playoffs. And let's not forget how well Matty Beniers also did in limited late season action, yet instead of building on that success, it's been downhill for him ever since then. This one seems very much up in the air.

Martin Necas (Regular rate = 105; Playoff rate = 82; Midpoint = 93.5)

Since we already saw that Nathan MacKinnon fared worse, it should not be surprising that Necas did so also, since they were joined at the hip all season. Although too skilled to be rightfully called a passenger, Necas' fate for sure is tied to that of MacKinnon; so if Mac eases of the offensive gas pedal, Necas' production rate would likely suffer.

Jason Robertson (Regular rate = 96; Playoff rate = 109; Midpoint = 102.5)

After a strong regular season, JRob upped the ante in the playoffs, making a statement that wherever he ends up in 2026-27, he should be seen as a top tier fantasy option. Still, not many players hit the century mark in scoring rate, such that maybe he overachieved enough in the playoffs to make it so he won't be able to exceed his midpoint in 2026-27.

Nick Schmaltz (Regular rate = 74; Playoff rate = 55; Midpoint = 64.5)

JJ Peterka may be gone from Utah, but Vincent Trocheck arrived in his place and Trocheck, like Schmaltz, is a centerman. Given Trocheck's big body and superb faceoff acumen, it might be him on PP1 in place of Schmaltz, which would make it more likely that Schmaltz settles back at a 64 or lower scoring rate, which, let's not forget, was right where he'd been in the two seasons prior to 2025-26.

Shea Theodore (Regular rate = 46; Playoff rate = 67; Midpoint = 57.5)

Due to Vegas running a 5F PP1 for most of the 2025-26 regular season, Theodore's PP time cratered, and it took a toll on his scoring. He was back on the top unit in the playoffs, and, unsurprisingly, his scoring spiked. Also, the exodus of Pavel Dorofeyev makes it less likely that Vegas would revert to a 5F PP1, meaning Theodore should be able to produce above his midpoint and thus closer to how he did in the playoffs.

Tage Thompson (Regular rate = 82; Playoff rate = 94; Midpoint = 88)

Indeed there's a logjam at forward for the Sabres; but barring a major change, Thompson will remain the first line center and on PP1. Although he had that role in all of 2025-26 and only managed exactly point per game scoring, he had 44 points in his last 41 games, which would put him right at the midpoint if projected over an entire season.

Devon Toews (Regular rate = 29; Playoff rate = 69; Midpoint = 49)

Is there any chance that Toews produces in 2026-27 as well as he did in the playoffs? Barring an injury to Cale Maker, almost assuredly no, as part of what led to Toews doing as well as he did in the playoffs was Makar missing games and, when he did manage to play, him not being his usual self. That having been said, Toews' 2025-26 regular season was so terrible that the midpoint is a number which he exceeded three seasons in a row in the past for the Avs, and nearly hit in 2023-24, so a return to that level of production is realistic.

MacKenzie Weegar (Regular rate = 29; Playoff rate = 68; Midpoint = 48.5)

Much like Toews, Weegar's playoff scoring rate is something he's highly unlikely to replicate in the 2026-27 regular season. But also like Toews, due to how downright lousy Weegar fared in the 2025-26 regular season, his midpoint might be exceedable, as although he won't be a PP1 QB given the presence of Mikhail Sergachev, he could get better deployment due to the exodus of Sean Durzi, and, with that, be able to return to a scoring level that was familiar to him the prior two seasons.

Pavel Zacha (Regular rate = 68; Playoff rate = 41; Midpoint = 54.5)

It seemed that even as Zacha kept doing well throughout 2025-26, there were already whispers about how he was overachieving. Plus, he went from 24 points in 20 Q4 games to only point per every other game scoring in the playoffs. Still, is it realistic that he'd fall all the way to a 54 point or lower rate? Maybe, as he was beneath that threshold as recently as 2024-25.

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Those are the 20 choices. Vote for any and all you think will produce in the 2026-27 regular season – for better or worse – at a scoring rate closer to their 2026 playoff scoring rate versus closer to their 2025-26 regular season scoring rate. To cast your votes, click here.

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Questions for Mailbag Column

I am looking for questions to include in my next mailbag. To get your questions to me, private message "rizzeedizzee" via the DobberHockey Forums or email [email protected] with "Roos Mailbag" as the subject line.