NHL Fantasy: Breakouts and sleepers to target

theScore will be rolling out fantasy hockey content in the lead up to the 2024-25 season to get you prepared for your drafts. We begin with sleepers and breakout candidates.

Preseason ranks and position eligibility courtesy of Yahoo.

Breakouts

The following players have already established themselves as valuable fantasy commodities but could reach new heights in 2024-25 and outperform their projected draft position.

C/RW Wyatt Johnston, Stars

Preseason rank: 47

If there's any player who could make the leap from 65 points to 100 this coming season, it's Johnston. He has "superstar" written all over him. The 21-year-old phenom enjoyed a true coming-out party in the playoffs, racking up 10 goals and six assists in 19 games. He also averaged a point per contest in the season's second half.

Dallas lost Joe Pavelski in the offseason and didn't replace him, meaning there's an opening on the top line with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. Johnston is a prime candidate to grab that spot as he can play both center and right wing. With a sizeable uptick expected from his 17-minute average in 2023-24, Johnston could far exceed his early-round draft position.

LW/RW Matt Boldy, Wild

Preseason rank: 94

Boldy has already proven to be a legitimate offensive threat with back-to-back 60-point seasons, but there's plenty of room for him to grow further. He's still only 23 years old and boasts an enviable skill set with his large frame and soft hands.

He averaged a point per game in the second half of the 2023-24 season and saw his average ice time jump by nearly two minutes. If that's a sign of what's to come in 2024-25, Boldy could easily produce at least 80 points.

LW Juraj Slafkovsky, Canadiens

Preseason rank: 103

Sticking with our trend of players coming off strong second halves, there may be no better example than Slafkovsky. The 2022 No. 1 pick managed just 15 points in the first half of the 2023-24 campaign before erupting for 35 in the second half.

Slafkovsky was rewarded with an eight-year extension this offseason. Don't be shocked if he makes the Canadiens' brass look like geniuses by racking up 30-plus goals and 65-plus points. That type of production would make Slafkovsky a steal at his preseason rank.

D Jake Sanderson, Senators

Preseason rank: 196

Sanderson is one of the game's most talented young defensemen. Betting on young talent in the second half of your draft, where Sanderson is projected to go, is a recipe for success.

The 2020 No. 5 pick is coming off a stellar 38-point season. He posted outstanding underlying metrics last year, which can often be a future predictor of increased offensive production. Sanderson will have plenty of opportunity, logging huge minutes at five-on-five while likely quarterbacking the top power-play unit, though the oft-injured Thomas Chabot will challenge him for the latter. A 50-point season with 150 blocks for Sanderson is well within reach.

G Pyotr Kochetkov, Hurricanes

Preseason rank: 134

Kochetkov projects to split the Hurricanes' crease with Frederik Andersen in 2024-25, but Kochetkov has a good chance of being the better goalie and getting more starts. Andersen will turn 35 before the season starts, and he's missed extended periods of time in recent years due to injuries and health issues. Kochetkov, meanwhile, is just 25 and has displayed plenty of promise in his 69-game NHL career.

The Hurricanes lost two key pieces of their defense with Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce, but Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker are stellar replacements. As long as Rod Brind'Amour is coaching, the Canes' crease projects to be valuable in fantasy. Considering Andersen's preseason rank is 52 spots higher, Kochetkov could yield far more value from his draft position.

Sleepers

The following players won't be on the radar of most users in your league but could provide immense value as late-round picks.

LW/RW Jake DeBrusk, Canucks

Preseason rank: 149

DeBrusk is two years removed from potting 27 goals in 64 games. While he didn't have the monster contract year he was hoping for, he still netted a nice long-term deal with the Canucks. He'll now play under Rick Tocchet, a former teammate of his father, Louie.

The 27-year-old is expected to ride shotgun with Elias Pettersson, one of the game's most skilled playmakers. He could also conceivably carve out a role as the net-front presence on Vancouver's loaded No. 1 power-play unit. A 30-goal, 60-point season is a real possibility for DeBrusk. He also laid a career-high 107 hits last season for the leagues that reward physicality. Not bad for a player you can get in the back half of your drafts.

LW Matthew Knies, Maple Leafs

Preseason rank: 426

Knies endured some ups and downs during his rookie year, but he became one of Toronto's most trusted forwards during the postseason. His average ice time of 13:41 per contest last season is bound to see an uptick in his sophomore year after fellow left-winger Tyler Bertuzzi departed in free agency.

The physical power forward could become a favorite of new head coach Craig Berube. Expect Knies to play on the top line with fellow Arizona native Auston Matthews for the majority of the campaign. It's a role Knies held for much of last season, but he could better capitalize on the prized real estate now that he has a full season under his belt. A 25-goal, 50-point, 200-hit campaign is in the cards for Knies, who managers can likely get in the last round of drafts.

D Adam Boqvist, Panthers

Preseason rank: 739

Boqvist signed in Florida for the league minimum after getting non-tendered by the Columbus Blue Jackets. That type of trajectory doesn't scream "fantasy asset," but the Panthers have a high success rate on reclamation projects under general manager Bill Zito. They struck gold with Carter Verhaeghe, Gustav Forsling, Brandon Montour, Sam Bennett, and several others when nobody wanted them. Boqvist could be next.

The 2018 No. 8 pick, Boqvist is still just 24 years old. He'll have to improve his defensive game to become a lineup mainstay, but the offensive upside is tremendous. He's still averaged 34 points per 82 games in his five-year career without a true breakout season. With Brandon Montour's departure, there's an opening on the second pair and on the top power-play unit. If Boqvist hits his stride and gains Paul Maurice's trust, he could become a 45-point player.

D Lane Hutson, Canadiens

Preseason rank: 920

Hutson didn't look out of place during his brief NHL audition in 2023-24, picking up a pair of assists in two games. Head coach Martin St. Louis wasn't afraid to throw him right into the fire, as Huston averaged 22:43 in those two contests.

While it can be difficult for rookie defensemen to make an instant impact, Hutson is offensively gifted enough to overcome his 5-foot-10, 162-pound frame and lack of experience. His vision is outstanding, and he's as shifty as they come. He projects to quarterback Montreal's No. 1 power-play unit, which could be surprisingly dangerous this season.

G Anthony Stolarz, Maple Leafs

Preseason rank: 309

There's a lot of buzz surrounding Joseph Woll (preseason rank of 79). He's younger than Stolarz, homegrown, and projects to get the opening-day nod. But even if there's a near-50-50 split between the pipes, Stolarz is being slept on.

Woll has averaged just 24 games (NHL and AHL) per season since turning pro due to injuries. Stolarz has never played more than 28 regular-season NHL games, but he owns a stellar .915 save percentage across seven seasons, four of which were spent on some awful Anaheim Ducks teams. It's not completely uncommon for goalies to break out at the age of 30, either. The 6-foot-6, 243-pound Stolarz could have immense value while ranked 230 spots lower than Woll.

Josh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on X @JoshWegman_.