Fantasy: 5 bust candidates who won't meet expectations

Here are five players who are unlikely to meet expectations next season relative to the round you'll need to draft them in. This doesn't mean you should avoid these players at all costs if they slide from their average draft positions (ADP), but they may not pan out as well as expected if you grab them too high.

All statistics in charts aside from ADP are from 2021 season

Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres

Eichel is one of the riskiest players entering this year's draft. Since his NHL debut, fantasy GMs have typically selected him in the first or second rounds. However, there's too big of a question mark this year surrounding his health, so it isn't worth the risk of taking him anywhere outside of the bottom rounds.

There's no guarantee the 24-year-old will hit the ice at all this season with a potential major neck surgery on the table. There's also no way to ensure which team Eichel will suit up for. If he somehow sticks with the Sabres, then there won't be much talent surrounding him. Getting traded midseason often doesn't work out either, as it takes time for a player to gel with new teammates in a new system.

Taking Eichel at his current ADP could end up costing you your draft. Some superstar-caliber players are available around his ADP, and there are much safer options who will almost surely outperform him. If he falls a few extra rounds and you can stash him on your IR ... Sure, go for it.

Patrik Laine, Columbus Blue Jackets

It looked like Laine finally figured out his game with the Winnipeg Jets during the 2019-20 campaign when he scored 63 points over 68 games. Getting traded to the Blue Jackets last season could have been one of the worst possible outcomes for the talented but often frustrating winger.

The beginning of Laine's tenure in Columbus didn't go as planned, as he scored 10 goals and added 11 assists across 45 games while also being benched a number of times. The Blue Jackets still don't have a true No. 1 center on their roster, and Laine will likely struggle to produce at a steady rate once again this year.

There are plenty of viable wingers who are typically being drafted later than Laine, such as Teuvo Teravainen, Kevin Fiala, and Dominik Kubalik. You're better off staying clear of Laine until he once again proves he can score goals at a consistent rate.

Darcy Kuemper, Colorado Avalanche

Kuemper's obviously a talented goalie, but his constant battles with injuries are his biggest obstacle from becoming a premier NHL netminder. The 31-year-old is entering his 10th campaign in the league and has appeared in over 30 games in a season just twice.

The Avalanche showed their faith in Kuemper by coughing up a couple of big assets to acquire him from the Arizona Coyotes. The situation couldn't be much better for Kuemper as he'll backstop one of the league's best teams and have a strong defensive core in front of him.

Kuemper could very easily end up as one of the NHL's best goalies this year if he stays healthy, but the risk is way too high to take a gamble on him. He's currently going off the board in drafts as one of the top-five goalies and as high as third in Yahoo drafts. It just doesn't make sense to spend a valuable pick in the opening rounds on a No. 1 goalie who could end up playing half of the games this season. If you decide to take the plunge on Kuemper, snatching up Pavel Francouz as a handcuff would probably be worthwhile.

Joe Pavelski, Dallas Stars

Pavelski had one of the best seasons of his career last year after a miserable start to his tenure with the Stars during the 2019-20 campaign. Last season, he led the club with 25 goals and 51 points, and he seemed to have found the spark in his game again.

There are a couple of reasons to think Pavelski will regress this season. His age should start catching up to him as he just turned 37 this summer. On top of that, key contributors Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov are expected to return to full health this year after missing the majority of last season.

Dallas' lineup is extremely deep and defensive-minded. The Stars won't depend on Pavelski to produce on offense as much as they did last year, and his role could be slightly reduced. It's unlikely he'll replicate his fantastic season again as he enters the twilight of his career, so you're better off gambling on younger players in that area of the draft who can put together career years.

Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets

Wheeler's stats from last season make it seem like he produced a great campaign with 46 points over 50 games. However, there's cause for concern after digging a little deeper. His 46.30 Corsi For rating at five-on-five ranked 16th on the Jets, while Wheeler's 43.36 expected goals for percentage ranked 19th.

The 35-year-old looked like he lost a step for most of last season, even catching some flack from local reporters for his lackadaisical effort at times. Wheeler was on the ice for 31 goals for and 46 goals against during five-on-five situations in 2020-21.

He's hovered around a point-per-game average over the last few seasons, but these glaring numbers point to a potential regression as the winger ages. Winnipeg's lineup features a ton of offensive talent, with Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers continuing to establish themselves as stars, and Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois playing down the middle.

It wouldn't be surprising if Wheeler doesn't end up with his usual point total in 2021-22.