With preseason just starting, and much of the focus on split club games and the NHL in China, it is important to remember fantasy draft season is here. Every season a handful of NHLers exceed their pre-draft expectations. This year, the following batch of players are some of the most undervalued players in fantasy hockey. These players are worth over-drafting and should outperform their current ADP. Here are the five most undervalued players for the 2017-18 NHL fantasy season.
Jeff Skinner, LW, Carolina
ADP: 74
Jeff Skinner is getting some respect coming into the new season, but after finishing sixth in goals and seventh in shots, 74 seems too low for Carolina’s top left-wing. Skinner has shown consistent improvement or the last three seasons, increasing his point totals and ice-time closer to the level needed to be a truly elite fantasy option. His 15 power play points last season should improve, and he should see an uptick in game-winning goals. Skinner will be 25 this season, entering right into his prime on an up-and-coming Carolina squad. All this should add up to Skinner being a top-50 fantasy option.
Taylor Hall, LW, New Jersey
ADP: 81
The trade to New Jersey in the previous offseason did not help Taylor Hall’s fantasy value much last season, but the former first overall pick is primed to do better in 2017-18. Hall showed in 2013-14, he has the skills to be a superstar scoring 27 goals and totalling 80 points. Hall does not need to score 80 points to top his 81st overall ranking. Hall just needs to return to his career average for goals, which balances out to 27. Now with seven seasons in the NHL, Hall is entering his best years. If he can come close to his career high in assists per game, which is 0.74, he should top 70 points for New Jersey.
T.J. Oshie, RW, Washington
ADP: 91
An argument could be made that T.J. Oshie was almost too effective a scorer last season to be a great fantasy asset. Oshie led the NHL with an imposing 23.1% shooting percentage, meaning he needed just 143 shots to score 33 goals. Oshie did only play 68 games last season, and over a full year, he would have projected to score 39.8 goals. Oshie is more than just a pure-goal scorer. Oshie is good for 100+ hits in an entire season, and over the last four seasons, Oshie has never finished a year with a +/- lower than +16. If he can get closer to 200 shots, he could turn into one of the best forwards in fantasy this season.
Justin Faulk, D, Carolina
ADP: 115
There is hope in Carolina that the Hurricanes will show some signs of life this season and get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2009. To do so, it will take a better effort from the team’s blue-line and their best blueliner Justin Faulk. Faulk has been consistent over the last three seasons, scoring between 15 and 17 goals each year. He does have some work to do in other parts of his game to top his 115th overall rankings. His role on the power play diminished in 2017. After picking up 20 power play points in 2014-15 and scoring 12 power play goals in 2015-16, Faulk disappointed fantasy owners, scoring just four goals and totalling 13 points on special teams last season. This season will be Faulk’s seventh, and at 25, he is ready to enter his prime. The team is better, meaning Faulk should be better too. Look for new career bests for Faulk this season.
Bryan Little, C, Winnipeg
ADP: 145
Over the last few years, injuries have dogged Bryan Little, causing him to miss an average of 20 each season over the last three season. Little should have a clean bill of health for the 2017-18 season giving him an opportunity to again be an intriguing fantasy option. Last year was a rebuilding/development year for the Winnipeg Jets and winning was not a top priority. This season, the Jets added some players and shuffled some lines coming into the season, with the goal being a trip to the postseason. Little, a lifelong member of this franchise, will benefit from the life being revitalized into the organization. Little should top the 24-goals in 70 games he scored in Winnipeg’s last trip to the playoffs and could finish the season in the 60 to 70 point range.
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