2024-25 Fantasy Hockey Sleepers

Taking the precise gamers within the early rounds of a fantasy draft is essential, however who you choose within the mid-to-late rounds typically defines your workforce’s success. Having good sleepers in your radar is a crucial software for the latter levels of the draft, however earlier than we dive into who it is best to have in your sleeper checklist, we must always first outline what we’re speaking about after we say “sleeper.”

What a sleeper is may appear apparent to many sports activities followers, however the time period will get just a little vaguer when you need to clarify the distinction between a sleeper and a breakout candidate — which is essential on this case as a result of there’s additionally a breakout candidate article. Whereas there can actually be some crossover, normally, a breakout candidate is about to achieve new heights, often for the primary time of their profession, whereas a sleeper might need already demonstrated what he is able to, however for one purpose or one other, he is lagged expectations for a significant time.

Aaron Ekblad, D, Florida Panthers

Taken with the No. 1 general decide in 2014, Ekblad has had an attention-grabbing profession. When it comes to uncooked offensive output, he is by no means reached the heights of Victor Hedman, Roman Josi or Cale Makar. In reality, he is solely surpassed the 40-point mark twice in his 10-year profession, although he excelled in 2021-22 with 15 objectives and 57 factors in 61 contests. Extra not too long ago, he was restricted to 18 factors in 51 regular-season appearances final yr resulting from harm and since he was taking part in a extra defensive position with considerably restricted power-play obligations. Nonetheless, with Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson gone, Florida would possibly ask Ekblad to serve on the highest power-play unit and shift to a extra offensive mindset. If he can keep wholesome, which has been a recurring concern for Ekblad, he has the potential to make this certainly one of his finest campaigns.

Patrik Laine, LW, Montreal Canadiens

Laine was taken with the No. 2 general decide within the 2016 NHL Draft behind Auston Matthews, and within the early days, it seemed like that was going to make for fairly the rivalry. Each are excellent aim scorers, however whereas Matthews has reached the 60-goal milestone twice, together with his 69-goal 2023-24 marketing campaign, Laine has supplied below 30 markers in every season since 2018-19. Inconsistency has been an issue for Laine, as have accidents. Nonetheless, he is not too outdated at 26, and he is getting a recent begin in Montreal after being dealt by the Blue Jackets on Aug. 19. Will he flip issues round and even keep wholesome sufficient to get the prospect? There isn’t any approach to know for positive, however provided that he must be a member of a really potent prime power-play alongside Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield, that is nearly as good of an opportunity as Laine has had shortly to recapture his former glory.

Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Colorado Avalanche

Landeskog is arguably not a sleeper candidate, however he is an attention-grabbing sufficient case to warrant that includes on this checklist. Earlier than he acquired damage, Landeskog had established himself as a powerful two-way middle who might rating, arrange his teammates, win faceoffs and play a gritty sport. Nonetheless, he is missed everything of the previous two campaigns and will not be accessible for the beginning of 2024-25 as a result of he hasn’t absolutely recovered from his knee harm. Whereas there is not any timetable for his return, Landeskog is anticipated to play in some unspecified time in the future this marketing campaign. On the age of 31, he is nonetheless younger sufficient for an efficient comeback and is somebody you do not wish to neglect. The Avalanche captain could be a draft-day steal if he rekindles his former glory.

Reilly Smith, RW, New York Rangers

Smith had some nice campaigns in Vegas’ early days, offering 68 objectives and 167 factors in 212 regular-season contests throughout his first three seasons with the franchise, which interprets to 26 objectives and 65 factors per 82 video games. He is been considerably inconsistent since and is coming off a down yr with Pittsburgh through which he recorded 13 objectives and 40 factors in 76 appearances. Nonetheless, after being dealt to the Rangers over the summer season, Smith is penciled in to play alongside both Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad or Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. Both duo would current the 33-year-old Smith with a golden alternative which may end in him seeing a big improve in offensive manufacturing.

Ilya Samsonov, G, Vegas Golden Knights

Samsonov’s profession has been a curler coaster. Initially chosen by Washington with the No. 22 general decide within the 2015 NHL Draft, he at one level seemed just like the Capitals’ future, however after a powerful rookie exhibiting in 2019-20, he crashed to the purpose the place he wasn’t even given a qualifying supply in the summertime of 2022. Toronto took an opportunity on him, and he thrived in 2022-23 with a 2.33 GAA and a .919 save proportion in 42 contests earlier than collapsing once more final season — at one level even being briefly despatched to the AHL. Nonetheless, there’s purpose for some cautious optimism this yr. He is becoming a member of Vegas, which has an ideal protection, and it would not be stunning to see him get vital ice time behind Adin Hill, who has by no means appeared in additional than 35 contests and has a noteworthy harm historical past. Samsonov additionally tends to bounce again, even shining at instances in 2023-24. As a pickup within the later rounds, he is not a foul choice to roll the cube on.

Victor Olofsson, LW, Vegas Golden Knights

Samsonov is not the one participant becoming a member of the Golden Knights with one thing to show. Olofsson signed a one-year, $1.075 million contract with Vegas after recording seven objectives and 15 factors in 51 contests with the Sabres final season — a far cry from his career-high 28 objectives in 2022-23. Reaching the 28-goal mark most likely is not within the playing cards for Olofsson provided that he completed that whereas setting a career-high 17.4 capturing proportion, however this would possibly find yourself being the 29-year-old’s finest season when it comes to factors, topping his earlier excessive of 49 factors in 2021-22. Cap constraints have left Vegas just a little skinny on the wings, which has opened the door for Olofsson to play alongside Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev. Provided that Olofsson already has a familiarity with Eichel from their Sabres days, this might work out very properly, particularly with Olofsson combating to show he nonetheless has a spot within the NHL after a disastrous marketing campaign.

Tanner Jeannot, LW/RW, Los Angeles Kings

On the very least, Jeannot goes to be a superb supply of PIM and hits as long as he stays comparatively wholesome. Even whereas logging simply 55 regular-season video games with Tampa Bay in 2023-24, he nonetheless managed to file 75 PIM and 211 hits. The larger query is that if he can present something of observe offensively. He failed to achieve the 20-point mark in every of the previous two seasons, however he confirmed some scoring potential in 2021-22 with 24 objectives and 41 factors throughout 81 outings with the Predators. Now with the Kings, he would possibly rekindle a few of that offensive prowess. The Kings are deep down the center, which ought to end in Jeannot seeing common minutes alongside both Quinton Byfield or Phillip Danault, even when the 27-year-old serves totally on the third line. It additionally would not be stunning to see him get a modest uptick in ice time in comparison with his common of 12:01 in Tampa Bay final season. None of that is to recommend he’ll immediately change into an ideal scorer, however crossing the 30-point mark is not out of the query, and given what else he brings to the desk, that bounce in manufacturing is sufficient to make him a pleasant seize in sure leagues.

Sam Montembeault, G, Montreal

Montembeault would additionally arguably match the invoice as a breakout candidate, however no matter what time period you wish to use for the 27-year-old netminder, he has the potential to be an ideal worth decide this yr. With a 16-15-9 file, 3.14 GAA and .903 save proportion in 41 contests final season, Montembeault does not look interesting at first look, however the workforce in entrance of him was the issue. When it comes to Objectives Saved Above Anticipated, Montembeault has been sturdy in every of the previous two campaigns, so he’d possible be coming off a pair of stable seasons if he had been taking part in for a good squad. With Montreal ready to probably take a significant step ahead this yr because of the continued development of its younger core, coupled with the addition of Laine, Montembeault would possibly lastly see among the rewards that sometimes include sturdy play.