Next up in our 2023 Fantasy Hockey Sleepers series is the New York Islanders. The Islanders have some obvious fantasy hockey picks, such as Ilya Sorokin, Mathew Barzal, and Bo Horvat. Yet, they also have sleepers who fantasy hockey managers should consider adding to their clubs. Let’s discuss three of them now.
New York Islanders Sleepers for 2023-24 Fantasy Hockey
Brock Nelson
Brock Nelson is an Islanders sleeper to consider picking in your fantasy draft. He showed last season that he can produce at an elite rate offensively. In 82 games played, he had 36 goals to go along with 75 points. After nearly producing at a point-per-game pace, the veteran winger will be looking to build off it in 2023-24.
Nelson may not be the flashiest of players out there, but he is a proven top-six forward. He is also set to be a big part of the Islanders’ power play yet again this season. Thus, with all of this, seriously consider taking a shot on Nelson as you get into the middle rounds of your fantasy hockey draft.
Oliver Wahlstrom
The 2023-24 season is a big one for Oliver Wahlstrom. The former first-round pick has yet to become a top-six forward, and he has been in the rumor mill because of it. However, a new season offers a clean slate, and the young winger will be looking to break out because of it. The Islanders will also give him chances to succeed, so this could be a big year for him.
Injuries limited Wahlstrom to only 35 games last season, where he had seven goals and 16 points. Although his production was not very high in 2022-23, he has the skill to change that this season. As a result of all of this, as you get into the later rounds of your fantasy hockey draft, don’t be afraid to take a shot at him.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau
To conclude this Islanders sleepers list, let’s focus on veteran forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Pageau is known for his responsible defensive play and providing solid secondary scoring. This past season was particularly impressive for the veteran, as he had 13 goals and 40 points in 70 games. However, he has the skill to take his offensive production up another level in 2023-24.
Pageau will see middle-six minutes and receive a good amount of power-play time from the Islanders this campaign. Because of this, there’s a strong chance that we see the veteran’s offensive totals go up a bit. Due to this, he’s another Islander worth adding in the later rounds of your fantasy hockey draft. Who knows? Maybe he will end up being a complete steal for you.
Nevertheless, the Islanders have some solid sleepers whom fantasy managers need to consider selecting in their fantasy drafts. Nelson is the most notable underrated gem after his outstanding 2022-23 campaign. However, that does not mean that you should ignore Wahlstrom and Pageau, as they both have the potential to have big seasons. Alas, we will now need to wait and see how this trio performs during the 2023-24 campaign from here.
Make sure to check out all of the sleepers and breakouts of the 2023 fantasy hockey season!