With the NHL season now officially underway, that means many NHL fantasy leagues are also starting up. Many have picked up big-name players on the Arizona Coyotes, like Clayton Keller, who was ranked 60th overall in ESPN’s fantasy top 300, or even Juuso Valimaki, who cracked the top 150 at number 142. However, many players didn’t get picked up that could be really good pickups before the Coyotes begin their season on Oct. 11. Here are some names that might be sleepers in your league.
Nick Schmaltz
Ranked 222nd overall, Nick Schmaltz falls right at the bottom of most eight-people drafts. Considering the past two seasons he’s had, this is a player that at best can reach around 70 points, especially on that incredible line with Keller and Barrett Hayton. At worst, he gets injured but puts up some decent points in a limited amount of games. Keller will most likely score around or more than 80 points this season, which means the Wisconsin native will contribute to most of those points. Pick him up if he’s available when you’re drafting that low or if someone on your team gets injured. He’s more than just a decent pickup.
Logan Cooley
Believe it or not, Logan Cooley was ranked 157 overall by ESPN. That is way below fellow rookie and predicted Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard, who was ranked at number 25. The Coyotes forward had four goals and two assists in the preseason, including a beautiful goal against the Los Angeles Kings in Australia. It apparently wasn’t enough to bump the youngster into even the top 150. Other Coyotes teammates who rank higher than him include Keller, Valimaki, and Lawson Crouse. If he’s available in the later rounds, do your team a favor and draft him. He will go up in value, especially if he plays the way he did during preseason, and could even be in the top 100 by the midpoint of the season.
Barrett Hayton
Hayton had a breakout season last year that helped save him from many labeling him as a bust. 43 points in 82 games played wasn’t bad at all especially when he was hot in late March, scoring points in every game. However, ESPN has him ranked 231 overall, meaning he will most likely fall out of most smaller drafts. With the 23-year-old projected to be back on the Keller and Schmaltz line, where he thrived last year, Hayton could be a nice pickup, especially in the bigger drafts where he’ll appear a bit later on. He’s definitely worth at least a look after a remarkable 2022-23 season.
J.J. Moser
The Coyotes’ defenseman is one of the lowest-ranked players from the team in the top 300. Coming in at 261, Moser isn’t the most offensive defenseman. Even after scoring 31 points last year in his sophomore season with the team, his greatest strength is his defensive play. He was a minus-12 on a sometimes barely existing blue line in Arizona last year.
His ability to block shots and prevent potential goals from happening is underrated for sure. While he won’t be getting the amount of points that a defenseman like teammate Valimaki will most likely receive in fantasy, Moser is a good defenseman to keep on your bench or to add him last minute to the starting lineup. I’d recommend adding him in a smaller league when injuries start to pile up, but in bigger leagues, take him around the same time that Schmaltz will be available.
Jason Zucker
It was honestly surprising not seeing Jason Zucker within the top 300, especially after having one of the best seasons in his career. The California native scored 48 points with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season before signing with the Coyotes over the offseason. During preseason, head coach Andre Tourigny has played the veteran on a line with Cooley and Dylan Guenther. While Guenther ultimately did get sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL), Zucker looked really good with Cooley, and something special could be forming between the two. I feel like being on a new team will also help his production. He could be a nice grab in the later rounds, and when injuries arrive, Zucker could be useful to get some points for your fantasy team.
Dylan Guenther
This one might be a late bloomer, but you should pick up Guenther when he gets called up, and let me tell you why. The Edmonton native had 15 points in 33 games in his first season in the NHL, and although he got sent back to the Western Hockey League, he kept on producing with the Seattle Thunderbirds. The forward had 29 points in 20 games and 10 points in seven World Junior games. In training camp/preseason, Guenther wasn’t disappointing at all. He played decently on a line with Zucker and Cooley, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that line comes back together at some point.
Related: Coyotes’ Cooley Has Real Shot at Calder Trophy
Sending him down to the Tucson Roadrunners was the right move, as you want the rookie to be fully developed and ready for the style of the NHL before throwing him into it full-time. He’ll be great in the AHL, especially with someone like Josh Doan down there with him. He’ll be back, though, and most likely he’ll be unclaimed in your league. If Guenther is available and when he gets called up, do yourself a favor and beat everyone to claim him. He will be good when he’s NHL-ready, and if he ends up on a line with someone like Cooley, it could be torture using him against your friends in fantasy.
Karel Vejmelka
The final player is one I’m very surprised didn’t make it into the top 300, and that’s goaltender Karel Vejmelka. There was a lot of talk during the season last year of a lot of playoff contenders having an interest in the 27-year-old goalie and for good reason. The Czech played 50 games with the team last year and posted an 18-24-6 record. What’s even better is that he posted a .900 save percentage through it all. Not terrible at all for a goalie who at times didn’t have an NHL-caliber defense in front of him. Think of what Vejmelka could do with a good team in front of him. He might have that this year. Even with that being said, if Vejmelka gets in the ballpark of the shots he faced last season, he could be racking up points all season long. Goalies can get injured and Vejmelka could be a great option to pick up and add to the team.
A lot of good Coyotes players are most likely still available in your fantasy league. While someone like Keller might be gone by the end of the draft, a lot of the names mentioned above are great producers who will sneak in some points for you and your team. Each NHL season is unpredictable, so even amidst injuries, the aforementioned Coyotes players will be great starters or replacements for your team, which could give you a significant advantage over your opponents.
