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Sleeper
These players will be overlooked by your average GM for a plethora of reasons. Mostly, because they're not as smart as you,
and they haven't discovered the joys of the Landshark Draft Guru. Some of these guys had below average seasons last year,
due to injury, etc. Others are traditionally undervalued. These guys will slide a round or two beyond where they should. Don't miss out on them.
Offense
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Nicklas Backstrom
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WAS
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Backstrom may have fallen off the radar for many fantasy owners, unwilling to invest an early pick in a player who has fallen so far over the past two seasons. When healthy, he is among the elite playmakers in the game. Following a 40 game absence, he showed he was fully recovered with a decent playoff run. Like Ovechkin, Backstrom's fate may be largely tied to the new system Oates will install. Keep an eye through the pre-season to see how he and Ovechkin fare. Don't be shocked to see him finish in the top 10 for total points this year.
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Pascal Dupuis
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PIT
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For years, Dupuis has plugged away on the 3rd and 4th lines in Pittsburgh, getting spot action with Crosby in between injuries. More than any other Penguin, he seems to find chemistry with #87 with every shift he gets. While the lines in Pittsburgh will continue to be jumbled, he should see enough time with Sid to match or exceed his career-high 25 goals that he registered last season. He possesses a wicked shot and has the potential to be a 30-goal man.
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Dany Heatley
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MIN
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With all the madness in Minnesota this summer, Heatley has become somewhat of an afterthought. His goal and point totals have been shrinking steadily since leaving Ottawa in 2009. He remains the top threat on the right wing for the Wild. Expect a decent rebound in numbers for the Heatley. 30+ goals should be in your scopes.
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Max Pacioretty
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MON
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Pacioretty has been steadily climbing each season and broke through last year with 33 goals and 65 points. He's now the top threat in Montreal. The first round pick from 2007 is just now reaching his prime and could be in store for a monster season. He still flies under the radar a bit, so you can snag him a round or two later than he should go.
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Mike Richards
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LOS
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Were it not for that new Stanley Cup ring on his finger, 2011-12 could have gone down as a total loss for Richards. From a stats perspective, his first season since leaving Philly was a disaster. He dropped down to 18 goals and 44 points. He was much better in the playoff run, contributing 15 points in 20 games. Will the post-season success help him regain his confidence? It has to get better. Flag him as a sleeper and catch the rebound.
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Bobby Ryan
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ANA
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By most accounts, 2011-12 was a "down" year for Ryan and the Ducks. Trade rumors persisted and haven't subsided yet. Despite the distraction and the team's inability to win, he managed to cap 30 goals for the 4th straight season. That puts him in special territory, yet he remains somewhat under the radar. If he can overcome the distractions, and possibly find himself on another roster, it could be a big bounce-back year. Many GMs will overlook him in the early rounds. Flag him as a sleeper.
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Wayne Simmonds
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PHI
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With Jagr out of town and a fresh new 6-year contract to back him up, Simmonds is poised for a potentially huge season. He is the best bet to claim the sweet spot on Giroux's right wing, which would likely lead to career highs in goals and points. He fell just shy of 30 goals last season. He should top that mark this time around. He's also a consistent producer in the PIM column, adding to his total fantasy value.
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Thomas Vanek
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BUF
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Thomas Vanek: Goal scoring yo-yo. Just chart his goal totals over his career and you'll note they go up, then down, then up, then down... Last season he went down. So, how far up will they rebound in 2012? The Sabres were likewise up and down at times last season, as the new-look team struggled to gel. It finally came together in the spring and should be in good shape to challenge this fall. Expect a big bounce back year from Vanek as the team's leading gun. He could top 40 goals for the 3rd time in his career.
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Jakub Voracek
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PHI
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Voracek's fantasy line has remained pretty consistent over his first four NHL seasons. To this point, he's pretty much been a non-factor. The Flyers are counting on him to take a big step forward in 2012-13, and should take on Jagr's role on the RW. He may even see some minutes on the top line with Giroux. Expect a bump.
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Defense
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Zach Bogosian
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WIN
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It's tempting to write off Bogosian. After four seasons, he has yet to come close to living up to his billing as the #3 overall pick from 2008. Keep in mind, he's just 22 year old. Last season was his best, with 5 goals and 30 points, and he did that while fighting off several injuries that limited him to 65 games. Consider 30 points to be a starting point for where he should finish in 2012-13. He's more likely to top out near 40.
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Jay Bouwmeester
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STL
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At some point you would think the offense has to return to Bouwmeester's game. He was on a strong upward trajectory before leaving Florida for Calgary. While he gives the Flames great all around play, he hasn't been much of a fantasy factor, despite logging close to 30 minutes a night. Should he be moved, as rumors always suggest, he may become a different player. Even if he stays with Calgary, the potential is there for a big season at some point.
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Simon Despres
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PIT
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Having failed to land Suter or any other help on defense, the Pens will turn to the young stable of defensemen to join the attack. Despres may emerge as the best option in 2012-13. He has a ton of potential and has a shot to be a good sleeper pick.
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Tobias Enstrom
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WIN
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Enstrom's stock was rising rapidly last summer after putting up 10 goals and 51 points in 2010-11. A broken collar bone suffered last fall severely limited his production last season, which may cause him to be somewhat looked over in this year's draft. It didn't take him long to get back to averaging 25 minutes a game for the Jets and is likely to bounce back into the 50 point territory this season.
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Erik Johnson
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COL
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Johnson hasn't met expecations of a first-overall draft pick, at least not in terms of fantasy value. He's entering his prime at age 24 and expectations should be high for him going forward. He's not on the radar for most fantasy GMs, so you can claim him late and cash in on this sleeper pick should this be the season for him to emerge.
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Roman Josi
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NAS
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Josi may be one of the least-known commodities in fantasy circles. That should change in 2012-13. Like Ellis, Josi will assume a greater role with the departure of Suter. He's an early favorite to get paired with Weber on the top unit in Nashville. That alone should put him on your radar. Take him late in the draft, endure the snickers, and rub it in come playoff time.
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Goalies
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Sergei Bobrovsky
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COB
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The Jackets are about ready to give up on Mason, following several train wreck campaigns. Bobrovsky quietly arrived this summer, flying under the radar of the Nash hype. The Flyers abondoned the young Russian after hitching their checkbook to Bryzgalov, but he still has much promise. Despite the loss of an icon in Nash, Columbus became a better team defensively with the trade, and have yet to realize the benefits of a full season with Wisniewski and Jack Johnson on the blue line. If you're looking for a home run sleeper pick late in your draft, this may be your best bet in net.
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Ray Emery
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CHI
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Emery's "comeback" to the NHL has been somewhat uneventful. From the Blackhawk perspective, that's a good thing. From a fantasy perspective, he's not been much of a factor. He will once again have the opportunity to step in if/when Crawford stumbles and possibly earn a starting job in Chicago or elsewhere. Emery enters the 2012 at just 29 years of age, despite having a long history of headlines in this league. There is still time for him to make good on the promise. Draft him late as a quiet sleeper pick.
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Jonas Hiller
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ANA
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Hiller had himself a mighty fine season for the Ducks, playing a whopping 73 games. Unfortunately, he received very little offensive help to help put Wins on the board. He will enter the season unchallenged as the #1 in Anaheim once again, but will again be limited by the play of the men in front of him. The Ducks should be better this time around, and you may be able to snatch up Hiller as a solid #2 late in your draft. Potential sleeper here.
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Al Montoya
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WIN
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Montoya moves from one goalie circus to another. For the past couple of seasons, he provided an occasional glimmer of goodness in the Islander crease. Now, he will seek to extend his well-traveled career with a Jets team in need of some consistency. With Mason's departure and Pavelec's inconsistent play (and off-ice troubles), Montoya has an opportunity to the #1 guy for the first time in his career. If you're in a deep league and want an outside shot at a sleeper, consider Al.
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