A key aspect of having success in a fantasy hockey league is to draft players in the mid to late rounds that have breakout seasons. These will be younger players who haven’t quite reached their potential. The right mix of development and opportunity could see the following players thrive. Draft them before others catch on!
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2021-22 Fantasy Hockey Breakout Players
C Jack Hughes, NJD
The 1st overall pick in 2019 has loads of potential. Hughes was underwhelming in his rookie season, netting 21 points in 61 outings. He was noticeably better in 2020-21. He tallied 10 more points in five fewer matches, and his plus/minus went from a lowly minus-26 to a plus-3. His average ice time increased from 15:52 to 19:04. Granted, some of that ice time was due to Nico Hischier missing much of the season. Hischier and Hughes will be the 1-2 punch down the middle. New Jersey has made several moves this offseason, most notably bringing in Dougie Hamilton. There’s no doubt that upgrading the defense will help get the puck out of the zone quicker, and onto the tape of Hughes’ stick. I see Hughes easily having a breakout year.
RW Kaapo Kakko, NYR
Being drafted 2nd overall in 2019, Kakko has had high expectations playing in the Big Apple. His results thus far haven’t quite been there though. He posted 23 points in 66 games for his rookie campaign, then followed it up with 17 points in 48 contests. He averaged just over 14 minutes of ice time both years. That should change with Pavel Buchnevich being sent to St. Louis. Kakko has top-six minutes awaiting, alongside a fantasy stud such as Artemi Panarin or Mika Zibanejad. His points per game pace increased in 2020-21, despite his average power-play time decreasing by nearly a minute. Like Hughes, his plus/minus went from minus-26 to a +3 rating. These are encouraging signs on their own, but become more prominent with his expected increased role.
Alexis Lafreniere could be another Ranger to consider for a breakout. However, with him competing on the left side with Panarin and Chris Kreider, I think Kakko is the safer bet for top-six minutes, and will likely be easier to find later in the draft.
LW Joel Farabee, PHI
The 21-year-old has shown promising progression thus far. He posted eight goals and 21 points in 52 games in 2019-20, then followed it up with 20 goals and 38 points in 55 games this past season. He recently signed a six-year, $30 million extension. The Flyers are banking on him being a staple in their top six for years to come, and I think that’s a wise bet. Farabee’s average ice time increased by two minutes last year, and he should see regular top-six minutes going forward. He’ll be one of the main players the Flyers rely on for offense, as the club has a changing of the guard up front.
C Jesperi Kotkaniemi, CAR
The rare occurrence an offer sheet wasn’t matched, Kotkaniemi leaves the Canadiens to join the Hurricanes. He generated 34 points in his rookie campaign. His following two seasons didn’t see as much production, with just eight points in 2019-20, and 20 points last year. His time in Montreal saw some success but was also rocky. Heading to Carolina, he’ll get a clean slate, but there’s a logjam at center. Sebastian Aho, Vincent Trocheck, and Jordan Staal are all in the mix. I would think Kotkaniemi gets moved to the wing. There he could direct more focus towards the offensive side of the game, and prove he has more to give.
LW/RW Anthony Mantha, WSH
At age 27, Mantha is the oldest player on the list. He was having a poor season by his standards before being traded by the Red Wings to the Capitals in a trade-deadline blockbuster. Mantha had spent his entire career in Detroit, posting a career-high 25 goal, 48 point season back in 2018-19. In Washington, he had eight points in 14 contests, which is a similar point pace to what he had in Detroit. However, a full season with the Capitals playing with Nicklas Backstrom or Evgeny Kuznetsov should boost his numbers. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him break out and reach the 30 goal and 60 point barriers.
RW Oliver Wahlstrom, NYI
Losing Jordan Eberle to the Seattle Kraken leaves an opening in the Islanders’ top six. Head Coach Barry Trotz could elect to move Kyle Palmieri up from the third line, but Palmieri showed to have the most chemistry with Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Josh Bailey has been a good fit as the second-line RW. That leaves Wahlstrom as the most likely candidate to get a crack at top-line duties.
He was drafted 11th overall in 2018 and was held pointless in a nine-game stint in 2019-20. This past season he earned a more regular role, notching 21 points in 44 appearances. He only played five games during New York’s playoff run though, as Trotz preferred to rely on more veteran players. That can’t happen again, Wahlstrom’s too talented to be in the press box. He’ll be a regular in the lineup, and if he finds chemistry with Mathew Barzal, he’ll be in for a big season.
For more rankings and analysis check out the 2021-22 Fantrax Fantasy Hockey Draft Kit.
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