Nick Szeman’s 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Sleepers
Finding value in the later rounds of your draft can be the difference between building a good fantasy team and a championship roster. Every year, players outperform their draft-day price because of increased opportunity, a larger role, a bounce-back season or simply being overlooked by the fantasy community.
With that in mind, each of Daily Faceoff’s four Fantasy Hockey analysts has identified their favourite sleepers for the 2026-27 season. These aren’t necessarily players we expect to become superstars, but players we believe are being drafted too late (or not at all) relative to their fantasy upside.
All Sleeper Lists:
Brock Seguin’s Sleepers
Beebs Bondy’s Sleepers
Matt Larkin’s Sleepers
Anton Forsberg (LAK – G) | ADP: —
From afar, analyzing Forsberg’s year-end stats from the 2025-26 season paints the picture of a very capable backup goalie. The 33-year-old Swedish goalie posted a solid 2.57 GAA, .909 SV%, and three shutouts while appearing in 36 games (16-12-5) in his first season with the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings acquired Forsberg last offseason to play in a supporting role behind Darcy Kuemper, and his totals suggest that he did just that. That said, Forsberg made the Kings’ net his own during the final weeks of the regular season. Forsberg started five of the Kings’ final six games as they made their late-season push for the playoffs. The Kings were swept in the postseason, but Forsberg played all four games and was one of their top performers.
Kuemper’s salary is higher than Forsberg’s, typically an indicator of who will be the team’s starting goalie, but the Kings’ crease is far from decided. Entering his age-36 season, Kuemper has been inconsistent in recent years, and his abilities heading into 2026-27 remain uncertain. Forsberg proved what he could do last season, and the team rewarded his strong play. If Forsberg can continue that level of performance, he’s likely due for an increase in deployment, making him an intriguing late-round sleeper.
Josh Norris (BUF – C) | ADP: —
Over the past five seasons, Norris has scored a very respectable 157 points (87G / 70A) in 224 games, averaging 0.70 points per game. Additionally, he has averaged over two shots on goal and over one hit per game over the same span, solid totals to fill out any fantasy roster. That said, the biggest drawback of owning Norris is his injury history, as he has missed 186 games across his last five seasons. Norris’ unfortunate reputation has made fantasy owners wary of drafting him, resulting in him going undrafted in most leagues. The caution is warranted, but his top-line role and top-unit deployment on the power play make him worth owning, especially when you can select him late in a draft.
The late rounds of drafts are usually reserved for unproven players you’re hoping can break out. It’s not often you can select a proven offensive contributor. Norris is that player. While another injury seems more likely than not, he is a player worth grabbing.
Will Cuylle (NYR – LW/RW) | ADP: —
Cuylle was a talking point heading into fantasy drafts last season. Entering just his third NHL season, Cuylle took a massive leap offensively, all while maintaining his reputation as one of the NHL’s premier hitters. That said, the 24-year-old was unable to build on that breakout, falling to just 38 points (20G / 18A) and posting a lowly -12 plus/minus while playing for the worst team in the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers. While discouraging, the fact is that Cuylle is not the only player who had a down season for the Rangers.
In the 2024-25 season, Cuylle scored 45 points (20G / 25A) and recorded 301 hits in 82 games. He finished that season as the only player with over 40 points and 240 hits, in a class of his own. Even with his slight decrease in point production in 2025-26, his mix of offence and physicality makes him a unique fantasy asset in the modern NHL. He won’t take a massive leap offensively, but his 38-point season likely represents his floor, and he should continue to contribute over 3.5 hits per game. In fantasy leagues that count hits, Cuylle remains a must-own player.
Max Shabanov (MIN – RW) | ADP: —
Since Artemi Panarin made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2015-16 season, fantasy owners have been intrigued whenever a KHL superstar makes his way to North America. Unfortunately, more often than not, elite talent and point production have not translated to the same success at the NHL level. Shabanov’s NHL debut last season tells a similar story, finishing with just 18 points (5G / 13A) in 44 games. That said, he was never truly given the opportunity to thrive with the New York Islanders.
The 25-year-old Shabanov spent a large portion of the season on the fourth line and was regularly a healthy scratch, as his offensive mindset did not fit the Islanders’ playing style. Now, Shabanov gets a fresh slate with the Minnesota Wild, and a chance to play alongside countryman and superstar Kirill Kaprizov. Before joining the NHL, Shabanov finished third in scoring in his final KHL season, tallying 67 points (23G / 44A) in 65 games. Don’t expect Shabanov to produce anywhere near those totals this season, but he clearly has the offensive talent. There’s zero risk in taking a flier on Shabanov in the final round of your draft.
Nicholas Robertson (PIT – RW) | ADP: —
Robertson entered the NHL with a lot of promise. He was an offensive threat in the OHL, translated that talent to the AHL, and was following a similar path to his brother, Dallas Stars forward and proven goal scorer Jason Robertson. However, the 24-year-old Nicholas Robertson battled injuries early in his career and never met expectations, falling short while playing under the bright lights for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s coming off his best season, scoring 32 points (16G / 16A) in 78 games, but it still fell well short of what the Maple Leafs’ faithful were hoping for.
In the offseason, the Maple Leafs decided to move on from Robertson, trading him to the GM who originally drafted him, Kyle Dubas, now GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins. One of the biggest frustrations during Robertson’s tenure in Toronto was that he was never put in a position to showcase his potential, averaging less than 12 minutes of ice time over his five seasons. It’s unclear what Robertson’s role will be with the Penguins, but the team hopes they can tap into his full potential. It seems inevitable that he will at some point play alongside Sidney Crosby, who has certainly helped lesser players masquerade as offensive talents. Robertson is another player to target at the end of your draft who poses very little risk.