Welcome to another season of Fantasy Hockey! With the season right around the corner, it’s time to dig deep and look at some players that others may be sleeping on. The term “sleeper” is thrown around a lot in fantasy, but for the purpose of this article, we are going to look at players who are getting overlooked and should be going earlier than their current average draft position.

(Please note that average draft position (ADP) is as of September 2nd and is based on Yahoo! and ESPN rankings.)

 

Fantasy Hockey Sleepers 2023 

Rasmus Dahlin - Buffalo Sabres - Defence

ESPN: 21st

Yahoo!: 41st

MY ADP: 12th

Rasmus Dahlin is an elite defenceman who is getting overlooked on Yahoo! He broke out last season with 73-points and he could easily eclipse that total this season. Yahoo! has him going at the end of round three, which is just criminal. He may not throw his weight around, but he can block a decent amount of shots and he is elite in every offensive category. The Sabres are going to be a fun team to watch and if they want to make a push for a playoff spot, Dahlin is going to be a big part of that. No reason to draft him within the first two rounds.

Cole Caufield - Montreal Canadiens - Right Wing

ESPN: 69th (nice)

Yahoo!: 141st

MY ADP: 50th

Once again, Yahoo! is just missing the mark here. Cole Caufield had his season cut short due to a shoulder injury, but he still managed to score 26 goals. Health is always a concern, but there is no question that Caufield can find the back of the net. He’s projected to score 42-goals this season, so how in the world is he going outside the top-100? He might not rack up a ton of assists, but even if he gets 30, that 72-points in a season playing on a pretty mediocre hockey team. In leagues where goals are given more weight, Caufield needs to be taken AT THE LATEST in the 4th round. Show the man some respect!

Evan Bouchard - Edmonton Oilers - Defence

ESPN: 96th

Yahoo!: 83rd

MY ADP: 55th

With Darnell Nurse being #NotGood at producing points and Tyson Barrie now in Nashville, Evan Bouchard has the chance to really break out this season. Projections have him sitting at 48-points this season, but did we forget just how historically good Edmonton’s power play is? He was averaging close to a point-per-game once Barrie was moved and now he will have a full season to quarterback the top power play unit in the league. He could very well finish with 60-points if everything goes according to plan, so don’t worry about the shots he doesn’t block or his ice time sitting around 20-minutes a night. We are looking for quality with Bouchard, not quantity, and he’s going to give us a ton of quality minutes and points. 

Devon Levi - Buffalo Sabres - Goalie

ESPN: 317th

Yahoo!: 89th

MY ADP: 80th

Without using Google, name the two current goalies signed to a one-way contract with the Buffalo Sabres to start the season (Exactly, you had no idea). Devon Levi is a rookie goalie and that always comes with a ton of risk, but 317th on ESPN means he’s going undrafted and that just doesn’t make sense. He might not tear up the year, but he’s going to take over the #1 job right out of the gate and he’s never going to look back. There will be growing pains, but surely he can outperform Eric Comrie and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. He can be drafted as a second goalie in all formats.

Jonathan Huberdeau - Calgary Flames - Left Wing

ESPN: 158th

Yahoo!: 122th

MY ADP: 75th

This might feel like a reach, but a 115-point player just doesn’t forget how to play hockey. There’s no question that Jonathan Huberdeau didn’t enjoy playing under Darryl Sutter’s defense-first system, but with a new bench boss and a massive chip on his shoulder, Huberdeau could return to be a solid point producer. His projected 59-points is way off because it’s not taking into consideration the change in coach and philosophy. He’s not a goalscorer, but the Flames are going to be a decent team and will be trailing in enough hockey games to force the best players to be on the ice. The bump in ice time along with the freedom to express himself offensively should have flirted with a point-per-game pace.

Trevor Zegras - Anaheim Ducks - Centre

ESPN: 134th

Yahoo!: 150th

MY ADP: 90th

Trevor Zegras is a really talented hockey player on a god-awful team. The Anaheim Ducks aren’t going to be very good this season, but Zegras is going to get a ton of chances to go out and rack up points. His ice time should sit around 19-minutes per night and he’s going to play with the best winger (Troy Terry in case you were confused) more often than not. His shot volume might hold him back just a bit, but in terms of points, he had 65 last season and could very well top 70 come mid-April.

Logan Cooley - Arizona Coyotes - Centre

ESPN: 142nd

Yahoo!: 163rd

MY ADP: 105th

It’s always a risk taking a rookie early, but Logan Cooley can be the exception to the rule. The former 3rd overall pick signed his entry-level deal and will play for the University of Minnesota to play in the NHL. He put up 60-points in the Big-10 last season and is going to get a ton of chances to showcase his offensive skills. He wouldn’t have turned pro if the team was going to saddle him on the third line playing 13-14 minutes a night. He’s here to produce and that he will do. He’s projected to put up 60-points, which is pretty good. So why is he going so late in drafts? Well, he plays in Arizona and the team is sewer water. In a 10-team league, he’s worth either a UTIL spot or the first bench spot. Don’t be afraid to take good players from bad teams. 

Dylan Larkin - Detroit Red Wings - Centre

ESPN: 59th

Yahoo!: 69th

MY ADP: 40th

This isn’t a massive gap between ADP and where I think he should be going, but it’s still something to pay attention to. Dylan Larkin is an excellent player, but for whatever reason, the fantasy hockey community just forgets about him. He finished with 79 points last season in 80 games and is expected to be close to those numbers this year, so why are drafting him outside the 5th round in 10-team leagues? To be honest, he could very well set career numbers with the players he has around him. I also like his chances of hitting the 90-point mark, so stop sleeping on him and take him ahead of the popular names.

John Carlson - Washington Capitals - Defence

ESPN: 27rd

Yahoo!: 93rd

MY ADP: 20th

Here is the list of defencemen I’m taking ahead of John Carlson: Cale Makar, Dahlin and Roman Josi. That’s it. Carlson missed almost half of last season due to injury, but he’s back now and healthy and that’s all we care about. He will move back to his spot on the power play where he can just serve up pancakes for Alex Ovechkin to clap into the back of the net. He might be limited by the hits and blocked shots, but he’s a legit threat to finish with over 70 points and 200 shots on goal. Not bad for a player that you can snag in the 8th round on Yahoo! Don’t be a fool, the veteran defenceman can still produce at an elite level.

Connor Hellebuyck - Winnipeg Jets - Goalie

ESPN: 28th

Yahoo!: 31st

MY ADP: 15th

The fantasy hockey community is slightly sleeping on Connor Hellebuyck because they feel like he won’t be very good in Winnipeg, but who says he’s going to be there all season? It’s no secret that Hellebuyck wants to sign a long-term deal with a team that is on the verge of winning a Stanley Cup. He wants to go to a contender and there have been a ton of rumors about a possible match with New Jersey. I’m not saying he ends up there, but I don’t see him finishing the season in Winnipeg. He’s an elite goalie who deserves to be off the board by the end of the second round, but that isn’t the case right now. He is a workhorse and that isn’t going to change. Also-- how many times have we seen a player have a career year in a contract season? All the stars are lined up for the veteran netminder to pop off this year.