When it comes to fantasy hockey, players know to always take superstar forwards like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Nathan MacKinnon with their first picks. However, as you get deeper into your draft, making selections becomes harder. Due to this, it is good to know which forward sleepers are worth targeting in the later rounds. Let’s review four specific forward sleepers you should consider picking now.
Top 4 Forward Sleepers to Draft in Fantasy Hockey
Brandon Hagel
Brandon Hagel is one of the few forward sleepers you should consider taking a chance on. The 24-year-old just had the best season of his young career with the Tampa Bay Lightning, posting 30 goals, 34 assists, and 64 points – all new career highs. This helped him earn an eight-year, $52 million extension from the Lightning earlier this week. Now, he is heading into the new season expecting to improve further.
When looking at the Lightning’s roster, many would quickly take stars like Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Andrei Vasilevskiy. Yet, Hagel is another skilled player who has the potential to blossom into a star. Therefore, don’t be afraid to take a shot at him if he is available in later rounds.
Taylor Hall
Connor Bedard has rightfully been the talk of the town with the Chicago Blackhawks. It is understandable, as he’s a generational prospect expected to make an immediate impact. Yet, that does not mean that fellow offseason addition Taylor Hall should be ignored. The former Hart Trophy winner is in a natural place to succeed with the Blackhawks. Due to this, we should see him have a bounce-back season and increase his offensive production.
Hall had a down season with the Boston Bruins in 2022-23. In 61 games, he posted 16 goals and 36 points, and that’s far below his expectations. Much of that can be blamed on him receiving third-line minutes and limited power-play time. With Chicago, he will have a top-six role and be on their top power-play unit. Due to this and his past success, he is one of the forward sleepers you must consider picking.
Andrew Mangiapane
Andrew Mangiapane is also a player who should be viewed as one of the top sleeper forwards this season. The 27-year-old just had a down season, so some may hesitate to select him. In 82 games with the Calgary Flames, he posted 17 goals and 43 points. Although this was not inadequate offensive production, it was a notable decline from the season prior. In just as many games in 2021-22, he had 35 goals and 55 points.
When noting that Mangipane almost scored 40 goals just two seasons ago, there is a reason to believe that he can have a more significant season in 2023-24. He will also play in a new system, as Ryan Huska has taken over the head coach role. Perhaps this change could be the spark Mangiapane needs to get his production back up. Due to this, why not take a chance on him in the later rounds?
Filip Chytil
Filip Chytil is another one of the top forward sleepers you should consider selecting. This past season, the 2017 first-round pick took a significant step in the right direction. While playing primarily third-line minutes, he set new career highs in goals (22), assists (23), and points (45). He is a significant breakout candidate this season because of this.
Chytil can receive top-six minutes this season due to his improved play. If he does, his offensive production should only improve, making him an even more valuable fantasy asset. Chytil is only 23 years old and still has not even hit his prime. Expect this season to be a significant breakout campaign for him because of it.
All four of these players are clear forward sleepers who you must consider selecting in later rounds. Even though they are not superstars, they are good players in line for big seasons. Let’s see how this quartet performs in 2023-24 from here. Our expectation is that they will each have strong campaigns.