Every fantasy hockey champion needs an edge, and it often comes from unearthing late-round gems. These are the players flying under the radar: undervalued veterans, breakout candidates, and prospects poised to deliver more than their current ADP (Average Draft Position) suggests. All of the DailyFaceoff Fantasy analysts have highlighted their favourite names that might not be at the top of your league’s draft board but could pay off in a big way. By identifying the players who are being overlooked, you can stock your roster with hidden value and gain the kind of advantage that wins trophies.
MORE SLEEPER LISTS:
Brock Seguin’s Sleepers
Dylan Berthiaume’s Sleepers
Matt Larkin’s Sleepers
Nick Szeman’s Sleepers
Elias Pettersson | Vancouver Canucks | ADP: 79.5
Pettersson, fantasy owners, and Vancouver fans alike would like to forget his 2024-25 drama-filled season ever existed. Take out last year’s horrendous 45 points in a 64-game campaign, and Pettersson was once one of the most exciting talents in fantasy hockey and a potential top 20 draft pick. Just one season removed from averaging 36.5 goals and 95.5 points per season for the previous two years, the talent, skill, and elite playmaking ability are still there for the 26-year-old to return to elite production. Pettersson is expected to be a key force driving Vancouver’s offence back to prominence in 2025-26, occupying both their top power play and forward lines, putting him in all the right positions for a bounce back. A return to full health and 200+ SOG like we saw in both 2022-23 and 2023-24 could go a long way in bringing him back to his mid-30 goal scoring form we had grown accustomed to before last season. His 102-point campaign in 2022-23 is a reminder of the elite ceiling Pettersson possesses and can bring to your fantasy team, as he remains one of only 19 players across the entire NHL to reach the 100+ point milestone since 2019-20. Before 2024-25, Pettersson gave us yearly reminders of his elite finishing ability and vision by never once finishing below 28 goals or 66 points in any of his first five full NHL seasons. These previous career lows would’ve still ranked him 52nd in goals and 66th in points among skaters last season. Both Pettersson and Zibanejad are in very similar situations; Swedish Stars who used to fly off the board in early rounds, looking for bounce-back seasons in great positions, while offering minimal risk. Pettersson is going half a draft higher than Zibanejad, so weigh up your risks and rewards accordingly.
Mika Zibanejad | New York Rangers | C/RW | ADP: 150.5
A perennial top-60 pick for the last six seasons, Zibanejad is just one year removed from averaging 81.3 Pts per game (across his previous 3 seasons); yet, he is being drafted as the 150th player off the board in this year’s fantasy drafts. This is despite still finishing just 75th in scoring on what many, including the Rangers’ faithful, considered a horrendous year in 2024-25. One year removed from seven consecutive 200+ SOG seasons, it appears draftees are soon to forget the consistency and durability the Swedish superstar provided for nearly a decade. According to Rangers’ reports, Zibanejad is expected to be given every chance to excel again as he starts the season in a fantastic spot as JT Miller’s right winger on both New York’s top power play and forward lines. The combination of Zibanejad and Miller found success last season after the latter was dealt to New York from Vancouver on January 31st, combining for a total of 68 points in the final 64 games of the regular season. If Zibanejad can return to even a shell of his 39-goal, 91-point season from 2022-23, you’re in for incredible value in comparison to his average draft stock. His dual eligibility works as a cherry on top for an already steal of a pick that seems to be plummeting down draft boards.
Mats Zuccarello | Minnesota Wild | RW | ADP: Undrafted
Usually, players who stick to the hip of superstars like Kirill Kaprizov tend to go much earlier in drafts than their expected stock. The 38-year-old ageless wonder, Mats Zuccarello, has seemingly done the exact opposite, despite his consistent yearly production. Despite being expected to line up on Minnesota’s top line and power play to start the season for a fourth straight campaign, the right-winger is going undrafted in many drafts as owners overlook his grey beard for younger, less reliable potential. After 15 NHL seasons, we know what to expect from the Norwegian winger: mid-to low 20’s goal scoring and 150-200 SOG with near point-per-game production. His position in Minnesota’s lineup makes him a must-roster bottom-of-the-roster asset. In the last four seasons, Zucarello ranks 27th in power-play points (106) and 57th across the entire NHL in points (263). The veteran is the perfect slept-on addition to any lineup that may have drafted goal-heavy out of the gate and is looking for some sneaking consistent assists and points in their final rounds. He is currently going undrafted, meaning this is a very low-risk move with an excellent floor.
John Klingberg | San Jose Sharks | D | ADP: Undrafted
Drafting end-of-the-draft defensemen can often be like a shot in the dark when trying to fill out the bottom of your fantasy roster. The best way to fill those holes is by focusing on players who are expected to take premium positions on rosters. Queue up 33-year-old John Klingberg, who is entering his first year with the young and exciting San Jose Sharks after signing a one-year, $4 million contract in the offseason. Klingberg has spent the last few seasons rehabbing his way back into the NHL and appears to be fully healthy for the first time since 2022-23 after a strong postseason with Edmonton last year. We watched Jake Walman excel with 32 points in 50 games in a similar role with the Sharks last season before being traded to Edmonton. Klingberg, who once had a 67-point, 204 SOG season in 2017-18, looks primed and ready to step into a similar role to what Walman had a season ago and provides much more offensive upside than the now Oiler. The veteran brings a “been-there-done-that” approach to the Sharks, including seven consecutive seasons with 17 or more power-play points while in the Stars organization between 2014 and 2022. Klingberg is a low-risk defensive option that could end up solidifying your team for the long run if he sticks as the top power play guy in San Jose and builds a repertoire with the exciting young talent around him. He has shown previously that he can thrive, excel, and shoot close to 200 SOG with proper usage; a risk we can take at the end of our fantasy drafts.
Josh Norris | Buffalo Sabres | C | ADP: Undrafted
Norris was unfortunately only able to flash his brilliance for three games in a Sabres jersey last season before a season-ending oblique injury ended his year. The 26-year-old excited Buffalo and fantasy fans alike by bursting out of the gate with a goal, two points, and 10 PIMs after his trade from Ottawa to Buffalo for Dylan Cozens at last year’s trade deadline. Hockey fans are hoping the 26-year-old can return to the form that saw him turn heads as a sophomore when he potted 35 goals and 55 points in 66 games with Ottawa in 2021-22. For the first time in a long time, it appears Norris finds himself healthy out of training camp and is lining up for a top-six role and power play spot with superstar Tage Thompson. For Norris to truly provide sleeper value this season, he will have to surpass 66 games in a season for the first time in his six-year injury-filled career. The flashy center is still well worth the risk with your final draft picks strictly due to his elite goal-scoring ability, as it is nearly impossible to find 35+ goal upside at this point in any draft. If you went heavy on assist-friendly players early in your draft, Norris could be the perfect piece to provide that much-needed goal scoring while occupying a fantastic position for success in Buffalo’s up-and-coming lineup.