With the start of fantasy hockey just a few weeks away, many people are deep into researching which players they will be looking to draft. It’s so important to target value when building a fantasy hockey team, and the best way to do that is by finding those “sleeper” picks. If you were on the Elias Pettersson train last season-- congratulations, you cashed in very nicely. Everyone is going to be looking for that same player this year, but for this article, we are going to focus on  some NHL players who are already pretty established in the league, but aren’t getting the respect they deserve. Let’s take a look at six sleeper picks that you should be targeting in your upcoming draft.

Nazem Kadri, COL C - After a disappointing 2018-19 season that ended with Kadri being suspended for the remainder of the first round, the 28-year-old was traded in the offseason to Colorado, and that should make fantasy owners very happy. Currently ranked outside the top-100 forwards, Kadri deserves more respect than a bench player in 10-12 team leagues. Prior to last season, the Ontario native had a back-to back 30-plus goal season, all while being assigned the task of shutting down the opposing team’s best players. Now, Kadri will have the opportunity to play regularly in the top-6 on a team that is desperate for scoring depth. His 44-point performance shouldn’t reproduce this season. If healthy, Kadri should be able to crack the 60-point mark this season with minimal difficulty. There’s no reason to sleep on him at the draft table.

Anthony Mantha, DET W - Don’t fall into the trap of fading players who play for terrible teams. Heading into his fourth full season, Anthony Mantha has proven that he has an elite NHL shot and he can be that power winger in Detroit for years to come. The 24-year-old missed some time last season due to injury, but still managed to score 24 goals. If healthy, the Quebec native can easily hit 30-goals without breaking a sweat. The Red Wings are expected to struggle this season, so they will be playing a lot of catch-up hockey, which means more opportunities for him to score goals. If he can stay on the top line with Dylan Larkin for most of the season, it’s not crazy to expect Mantha to hit a new personal high in goals and points. The ceiling is high for this young man, so it’s kind of crazy to see him being drafted as the 83rd best forward in drafts. He should be a top-100 overall pick in the draft, period. 

Sam Steel, ANA C - Let’s keep Sam Steel our little secret, okay? The Alberta native got his first taste of NHL action last season-- playing 22 games while scoring six goals and adding five assists. It’s no secret that the Ducks are going to be a #NotGood this season, but they are a team rebuilding and the kids are in California ready to take over. Ryan Getzlaf and Rickard Rakell should continue to see top line work, but there’s a good chance that Steel emerges as the second line center and eventually sees some power play time. With a good supporting cast, there’s no reason the 21-year-old can’t hit 50-points this season, which isn’t terrible for a player currently ranked outside the top-200. You can’t get him for free in 10-12 team leagues, but in deeper formats, it may be best to draft him with one of the later picks.

MacKenzie Blackwood, NJD G -  kind of funny that people are saying the Devils have a chance to make the playoffs when they intend on making MacKenzie BlackWood and Cory Schneider compete for stars. Schneider was once upon a time a pretty good goalie, but multiple injuries -- including hip surgery-- have left the once All-star a shell of his former self. In the long run, Blackwood will prevail as the clear top goalie in New Jersey, and that will happen sooner rather than later. Schneider is bound to get hurt and that will give the 22-year-old goalie all the opportunity he needs to take control of the starting job. In his first season, the Ontario native posted a 2.61 GAA and a 0.916 SV% playing in front of an AHL lineup. The Devils have gotten considerably better over the summer, and that makes Blackwood an even better bet to surpass his current value. He’s ranked outside the top-175 overall, but you can probably grab him as early as the 25th goalie off the board. Don’t let the ghost of Schneider scare you away.

Nicholas Suzuki, MON C/W - Did you really think we wouldn’t be talking about my Montreal Canadiens? Of all the possible prospects that could make the team, Suzuki has the best chance of having a successful rookie season. After tearing up the OHL for the last three seasons, the former first-round pick is ready to play in the NHL on a regular basis. The Habs need to find players who can score goals, and Suzuki can do that. The best part-- he can play all three positions! If he can prove to head coach Claude Julien that he can play with the big boys, there’s a nice spot on the second line with Max Domi and Jonathan Drouin with his name on it. Playing with those skilled players only increases his chances of racking up points. There’s no fear that anyone drafts him in shallow leagues, or for deeper formats for that matter, but it’s worth using your last pick in the draft on a player with the potential to score 20-goals and add another 25-assists. If it doesn’t work out for him in training camp and Montreal decides to send him to the AHL, you drop him and add some other 35-point player available on the waiver wire. It’s a risky pick, but that’s how fantasy hockey championships are won.

Dougie Hamilton, CAR D - Guess who lead the Hurricanes in shots on goal last season. No, you didn’t guess Hamilton, but that’s exactly who did. The 26-year-old finished last season with 259 shots on goal, third most amongst defenseman. Of the nine defenseman to finished with over 200-shots on goal, only Hamilton played fewer than 20-minutes per game. He did all of this while seeing second power play unit minutes because Justin Faulk continues to be given the opportunity to be decent. Despite setting a career high in goals (18), the Toronto native is ranked 107th overall in fantasy hockey. I’m not saying that you need to draft him as a top-five defenceman, but he deserves a little more respect than his preseason ranking. At some point, Hamilton is going to get those top power play minutes that he deserves, and when he does, he will score 20-goals and add another 35-assists and become an elite defenseman, and that could happen this year. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by.