2023-2024 Fantasy Hockey Preview: Sleepers

Below is a list of fantasy hockey sleepers for the 2023-24 NHL season. A lot of the players below could fall under the breakout section of the fantasy hockey draft kit, but I decided to list them here as sleepers. In fact, some of the players listed below are in the breakout section of the kit.

I shared a few players I view as undervalued, which is technically the definition of a sleeper. A sleeper is a clickbait term. The following players are players I think will outperform their average draft position.

You’ll also see several deep-league sleepers for those playing in the deepest of leagues, or those in 32-round best ball drafts. These are players I believe will become fantasy-relevant in 2023-24. Finally, I listed a few players buried down the rankings at Yahoo Sports. Some of the players have more value in leagues with hits and blocks, and I identified those players below.

Fantasy Hockey Rankings: https://www.ftnfantasy.com/nhl/fantasy-hockey-rankings

Targets: https://ftnfantasy.com/nhl/2023-2024-fantasy-hockey-preview-top-targets

Breakouts: https://ftnfantasy.com/nhl/2023-2024-fantasy-hockey-preview-breakouts

Busts: https://ftnfantasy.com/nhl/2023-2024-fantasy-hockey-preview-busts

Old Faces, New Places: https://ftnfantasy.com/nhl/2023-2024-fantasy-hockey-preview-old-faces-new-places

High Stakes Strategy: https://ftnfantasy.com/nhl/fantasy-hockey-high-stakes-draft-strategy

Best Ball: https://ftnfantasy.com/nhl/2023-2024-fantasy-hockey-best-ball-strategy

2023-2024 Fantasy Hockey Sleepers

Gabriel Vilardi, C, Winnipeg Jets 

Gabriel Vilardi is one of the best-kept secrets in the NHL, and he’s bound for a breakout in Winnipeg. With PLD and Blake Wheeler out of town, Vilardi, who played on the third line in Los Angeles, will get a chance to play in the top six and maybe the first line in Winnipeg. If he gets a chance to skate with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, he’ll be a must-own player. I fully believe he’ll get that chance. He’s listed as a C but will get winger eligibility. He’ll also top the 15 minutes he played last season and the nine power-play points he picked up. Oh, and he’s a good bet to top his career-high 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games last season. The Jets made out alright in this Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, and I expect Vilardi to become a fan favorite right away.

Kent Johnson, C/LW, Columbus Blue Jackets
Kirill Marchenko, RW, Columbus Blue Jackets 

Kent Johnson scored 16 goals and had 40 points, including 12 on the power play in his first full season in the NHL. He only averaged 14 minutes per game. But he played 15:28 in March and 17:44 in April. Johnson is too skilled not to receive another boost in ice time. He didn’t open last year on the first line, but there’s a real chance he plays on the first line this season. Either way, Columbus is much improved up front and on the back end. 

Kirill Marchenko had an impressive 21 goals in his rookie season and only played 59 games. The winger had a semi-high 16% shooting rate, but his shot is heavy and he’s a sniper. Ignore the four assists and -23 rating, this CBJ team is better this season. A top-six role isn’t a lock, but it’s possible. It sounds like he could open on the first line with Johnny Hockey and Boone Jenner. 

Connor Brown, RW, Edmonton Oilers

I’ve been in a few drafts where I felt the Connor Brown selection was a reach, but I get it. He’s expected to open up the season with Connor McDavid. You should want a piece of these Oilers, and having exposure to McDavid or Leon Draisaitl can be a difference-maker. Having said that, Brown was limited to four games last season and has had issues staying on the ice over the past couple of years. However, when he plays, he produces (two 20-goal seasons) and has experience playing with McDavid. They were linemates for two seasons in 2012-14 with the OHL’s Erie Otters and they combined for 145 goals and 416 points. Brown had 73 goals and 197 of those points, so he did his part. Don’t get it twisted, 50-60 points would be a very strong season for the winger. It would also be a career-best. He’s someone to think about in the back-end of your draft, or a touch earlier in best ball formats.

Matthew Knies, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs 

Some Leafs fans in your league may reach for Matthew Knies, but his ADP on Yahoo and ESPN suggests he’s free near the end of drafts. On the brightest stage in the playoffs, the rookie had four points, seven shots, and 15 hits in seven games. He averaged a decent 13:07 per game, which is pretty solid considering he only had three NHL games under his belt before the playoffs began. He played a decent role with Toronto and could stick inside a loaded top-six this season. 

Jonathan Drouin, LW, Colorado Avalanche

Jonathan Drouin was a huge disappointment in Montreal, but he has a new life in Colorado with a former teammate. 

I’m not saying he’ll keep pace with his old buddy Nathan MacKinnon, but I am saying I watched a lot of these two live in Halifax, and they were awesome together. I expect Drouin to be given a chance to play with Nate at 5v5 and on the power play. I don’t expect to see much of Gabriel Landeskog again this season, which gives the former Hab a chance to play heavier minutes than he did in Montreal. Drouin has the speed and play-making ability to stick too. 

Matias Maccelli, LW, Arizona Coyotes

Matias Maccell had a very impressive rookie season which consisted of 11 goals and 49 points in 64 games. The winger had 22 points in 32 games and played just over 14 minutes per game in the first half of the season, compared to 27 points over his final 32 games, while averaging 16 minutes per game. I wish he’d shoot more, but that may come, especially with a shot like the one in Arizona’s first preseason game this year.

Michael Matheson, D, Montreal Canadiens 

I hate to pick on Yahoo Sports!, but they have Michael Matheson ranked as their 466th player. He’s not even getting drafted in standard 12-team leagues over there and I think he has top 20 upside at the position. I took him as the 25th defenseman off the board in a best ball league at NFHC, but I reached a touch according to ADP. I think everyone is snoozing! Matheson only had 34 points last season but he only played 48 games. It was his first season with the Habs, and things started slow due to an injury, which delayed his debut until November. The former Penguin had eight points in his first 17 games with Montreal and 26 points over his final 31 games. He averaged 25 minutes per game over that span, which ranked inside the top five in the NHL, and he was a top-10 defenseman in fantasy over the final two months of the season. There’s no reason to think he won’t lead the Canadiens in ice time, which includes PP1 duties. Matheson will pile up shots, blocks and hits and will improve on last season’s career numbers should he play 60+ games. I’m not saying he’ll flirt with 70 points, but he’ll touch career highs across the board. He was one of our favorite players to attack in the shot prop game due to his usage. He’s such a good skater and he’s not afraid to move the puck up the ice himself or join the rush. Matheson averaged 2.48 points per game in high stakes leagues, which ranked 16th at the position. Over the last six weeks of the season, only Quinn Hughes, Devon Toews and Kris Letang had more ice time than Matheson. Over that span, he finished sixth in shot attempts, fourth in shots, 10th in scoring chances and 11th in points.

Sean Durzi, D, Arizona Coyotes 

Daily Faceoff has J.J. Moser and Juuso Valimaki on the power play for Arizona, but I’d be shocked if Durzi didn’t get a crack on the first unit. In fact, he was the quarterback on the first unit in Arizona’s first preseason game. Durzi’s 16 power-play points last season were more than Moser and Valimaki had, and Durzi played on the second unit in Los Angeles. The former Kings defenseman has 12 goals, 142 shots, and 263 blocks through 136 games. He averaged 19 minutes in his rookie and sophomore seasons, and it’s a number he could top in his first season with the Coyotes. His defensive game isn’t great, but he has an offensive upside, and it’s higher than his nine goals and 38 points from 2022-23.

Other Candidates

Wyatt Johnston, DAL
Seth Jarvis, CAR
Josh Norris, OTT
Logan Cooley, ARI
Lukas Reichel, CHI
Charlie Coyle, BOS
Kirby Dach, MTL
Luke Hughes, NJ
Owen Power, BUF
Calen Addison, MIN
Rasmus Sandin, WAS
Akira Schmid, NJ
Pheonix Copley, LA
Devon Levi, BUF

Undervalued

Blake Wheeler, RW, New York Rangers 

Blake Wheeler is not the player he once was, but he still has a lot to offer to the Rangers and fantasy owners. Even if he doesn’t open up the season inside the top six, he should get time on the first PP unit. The former Jet only had 15 power-play points last season, but he had 20 in 2021 and he had back-to-back seasons with 73 combined points on the man advantage from 2017-2018. His experience will get him on that first unit, and he’ll move up the lineup if Kaapo Kakko or Alexis Lafreniere can’t take a leap forward. I believe it’s Lafreniere’s time, but I’m not sold on Kakko. 

Ivan Barbashev, C/LW, Vegas Golden Knights 

Ivan Barbashev has never really been a fantasy asset, but the change of scenery to Vegas was great for both parties. The winger scored six goals and picked up 16 points in 23 regular season games with Vegas. He did this while playing a career high 17:40, compared to 16:24 with the St. Louis Blues prior to the trade. Barbashev found chemistry with Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault immediately, and that carried over into the playoffs en route to a Stanley Cup. Barbashev scored seven goals and had 18 points in 22 playoff games to give him 34 points in 55 games. That’s not a game-changing pace, but the exposure to the top line could get him to 60 points, which he had in 2021-22. His performance resulted in a five-year deal. I wouldn’t expect any power play production, but he’ll provide hits. 

Other Undervalued Players (BANGER+SHOTS LEAGUES)

J.T. Miller, VAN
Adrian Kempe, LA
Filip Forsberg, NSH
Cole Caufield, MTL
Valeri Nichushkin, COL
Owen Tippett, PHI
Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG
Evander Kane, EDM
Reilly Smith, PIT
Boone Jenner, CBJ
Tyler Bertuzzi, TOR
Taylor Hall, CHI
Ryan O’Reilly, NSH
Oliver Bjorkstrand, SEA
Lawson Crouse, ARI
Scott Laughton, PHI
Blake Coleman, CGY
Zach Werenski, CBJ
Moritz Seider, DET
Jakob Chychrun, OTT
Drew Doughty, LA
Jacob Trouba, NYR
Justin Faulk, STL
Jared Spurgeon, MIN
Cam Fowler, ANA
Radko Gudas, ANA
Adam Larsson, SEA
Ilya Samsonov, TOR
Adin Hill, VGK

Deep Sleepers
 

Eeli Tolvanen, SEA
Yegor Sharangovich, CGY
Evgenii Dadonov, DAL
Tyson Foerster, PHI
Tyler Johnson, CHI
Arthur Kaliuev, LA
Sean Monahan, MTL
Cam York, PHI
Erik Cernak, TB
Kaiden Guhle, MTL
Henry Thrun, SJ
Brandt Clarke, LA
Joseph Woll, TOR (stash)