It may be hard to believe, but the NHL regular season starts on Oct. 10. Thus, regular-season play begins in less than two weeks, much to the excitement of the hockey world. Due to this, fantasy hockey drafts are quickly approaching as well. When it comes to picking your goalies, managers know your best options include stars like Ilya Sorokin, Igor Shesterkin, and Andrei Vasilevskiy. However, there are some goalie sleepers who should seriously be considered as well. Let’s go over three of them now.
Top 3 Goalie Sleepers for 2023-24 Fantasy Hockey
Adin Hill
Adin Hill was one of the NHL’s best feel-good stories of the 2022-23 season. The 27-year-old was the Vegas Golden Knights’ unsung hero of the playoffs and helped lead them to the Stanley Cup. In 16 postseason appearances, he had an excellent .932 SV% and 2.17 GAA. For a longtime NHL backup, he dominated and earned a two-year, $9.8 million contract this summer because of it. Thus, he certainly is one of the goalie sleepers to watch this season.
Although Hill was spectacular in the playoffs, fantasy managers may be hesitant to select him due to his limited experience as an NHL starter. However, after seeing how wonderfully he played during Vegas’ Stanley Cup run, he’s one of the sleepers to seriously consider in your fantasy draft. Even if he is not your first choice in net, he has the potential to be a great goalie to have for insurance.
Ville Husso
Ville Husso is among the goalie sleepers to keep a close eye on this season. His first season with the Detroit Red Wings was far from perfect. In 56 games, he had a 3.11 GAA and a .896 SV% – both below the NHL average. Needless to say, he is hoping to bounce back in 2023-24, and there is reason to believe that he certainly can.
The Red Wings significantly improved their blue line this summer, adding Jeff Petry, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Justin Holl. They also added a solid two-way center in J.T. Compher. These additions should make Husso’s job a little easier, and it could help improve his play in the process. Furthermore, Husso was excellent just back in 2022-23, sporting a 25-7-6 record, a .919 SV%, and a 2.56 GAA. Due to all of this, he is one of the sleepers to take a shot at him in the later rounds of your fantasy draft.
Akira Schmid
There has been a lot of talk that the New Jersey Devils need to improve their goaltending. Although adding an elite netminder would be excellent for them, fantasy managers should also not overlook Akira Schmid. The 23-year-old made his presence known last season. In 18 regular-season appearances, he had a 9-5-2 record, a 2.13 GAA, and a .922 SV%. He was also wonderful in the postseason and stepped up when Vitek Vanecek struggled. Thus, he is among the top NHL goalie sleepers this season.
Schmid is a goalie on the rise, and he is one of the sleepers who warrant consideration in the later rounds of your fantasy draft because of it. He is expected to form a 1A/1B tandem with Vanecek to start the season. However, if he carries over his excellent play from last season to 2023-24, he could be their full-time starter.
Nevertheless, it will be fun to see how Hill, Husso, and Schmid perform in 2023-24. They all have the potential to be excellent sleepers for your fantasy hockey club, but time will tell if they end up being just that.
Looking for more great fantasy hockey analysis? Check out our 2023 Fantasy Hockey Draft Kit for team previews, rankings, and all the sleepers you can shake a stick at.