Fantasy hockey sleepers: Metro Division: Hurricanes and Blue Jackets

With the calendars getting close to the end of September and training camps underway, fantasy hockey leagues have started to schedule their drafts. Hopefully, you have been keeping up with the off-season moves, rookies added, and players looking to take a step forward, while some may be regressing in other cases. To help you plan, this series of columns will focus on fantasy hockey sleepers, one per team in each division.

Fantasy hockey sleepers mean different things to each person. For some, it’s the hot rookie. For others, it’s those who will take a step forward. Some view them as prior year players or acquisitions in new situations, enabling that individual to exceed projections or their initial role. For purposes of this series of columns, the focus will mainly be on the latter – those who have a chance to surpass expectations or prior production. I welcome feedback, criticism, thoughts, etc., as one man’s meat is another man’s poison, and your view may differ vastly from mine.

We kicked off this series looking at the Atlantic Division, which was completed last Monday. This past Wednesday, we completed the Central Division. This column kicks off the Metro Division review which will be followed by the Pacific. As noted, in each column, two teams are covered. To simplify it, we are going alphabetically by first team name rather than by nickname. The xx and xx are the focus of this column, starting the Metro Division review.

Carolina Hurricanes:

Yes, it is odd to call the third overall pick from the 2018 draft a sleeper, but Jesperi Kotkaniemi should be on the verge of a breakout. Signed to a one-year offer sheet away from the Montreal Canadiens in the summer of 2021, Kotkaniemi inked an eight-year, $38.56 million contract in March 2022. Bolstered by that long-term commitment, Kotkaniemi showed signs of what might be to come.

Carolina signed Paul Stastny before last season, relegating Kotkaniemi to third-center and wing duty. He took a step forward with 18 goals and 25 assists while playing all 82 games. Kotkaniemi saw 2:43 more in ice time per game, posted 11 power-play points and dished out 105 hits. But he may be a sleeper in shallower leagues since he is being put in the position to build on that success.

Kotkaniemi should open the season as the ‘Canes 2C. If he remains in that spot between Andrei Svechnikov and Martin Necas, a major spike in production should ensue. Grab him a round or two before he normally might go and reap the benefits.

Columbus Blue Jackets:

The Blue Jackets have added high-end talent in the draft the past few seasons. One of those brought on board is Kent Johnson, selected fifth in 2021. Johnson had a cup of coffee in 2021-22 after finishing his college campaign at the University of Michigan but played his full season last year.

Johnson posted 16 goals and 24 assists, albeit with a minus-19 rating. Columbus added several pieces to improve the team, including drafting Adam Fantilli third overall. Much of the focus will be on Fantilli, which could result in Johnson slipping through the cracks a bit in some leagues, especially redraft ones.

Pencilled in as a second-line left wing, Johnson should see at least a small increase in production. The big rise will come in years three and beyond. But the rise in output and potential for more puts Johnson squarely on the fantasy radar.

Atlantic Division:

Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres

Detroit Red Wings and Florida Panthers

Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators

Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs

Central Division:

Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks

Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars

Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators

St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets