Fantasy Hockey Sleepers Who Can Win You 2026-27

Sleeper hits are often the difference between a good fantasy season and a championship. For 2026-27, several under-the-radar options are stepping into bigger roles, better linemates, or clearer paths to minutes. Understanding how these situations translate into fantasy value is where sharp managers gain an edge.

Below, we break down five key sleepers — Egor Chinakhov, Joel Hofer, Anthony Mantha, Mason Marchment, and Valeri Nichushkin — and how to deploy them across different formats for maximum upside.

What’s New & Why It Matters

Each of these sleepers is getting a meaningful change in role, team context, or opportunity that could unlock another level of production.

Egor Chinakhov, Pittsburgh Penguins: Slotted as a top-six winger with Evgeni Malkin and seeing secondary power-play time (PP2). His calling card is a heavy shot, and riding shotgun with an elite playmaker gives him a realistic path to a breakout in goals.
Joel Hofer, St. Louis Blues: Coming off a strong post-Olympics stretch, he’s positioned as a potential starting goalie. If he seizes the crease, he jumps from streaming option to every-week starter in many leagues.
Anthony Mantha, New Jersey Devils: Now in a top-six role on a high-powered New Jersey offense. With consistent minutes in the scoring lines, his natural goal-scoring ability becomes much more fantasy-relevant.
Mason Marchment, San Jose Sharks: Projected to ride the top line in San Jose with emerging young talent. He brings a mix of scoring and physical play, which is particularly valuable in bangers formats.
Valeri Nichushkin, Columbus Blue Jackets: Expected to be a top-line winger with PP1 exposure in Columbus. Increased ice time and a primary power-play role set the stage for a bounce-back season if he can stay healthy and locked into that deployment.

In all five cases, the key is not that they’re unknown — most fantasy managers have heard of them — but that their new situations are not yet fully priced into how they’re being valued. That gap between perception and opportunity is where sleeper value lives.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In points-only leagues, you’re chasing raw scoring — goals, assists, and power-play production — with less concern for peripherals.

Egor Chinakhov is one of the more intriguing pure scoring sleepers. Top-six deployment with Malkin plus PP2 time gives him exposure to Pittsburgh’s best offensive situations. His shot-heavy profile means that if he sticks on that line, a goal-heavy breakout is firmly in play.
Anthony Mantha benefits from the New Jersey environment. The Devils can drive offense from multiple lines, so even if he’s not on the very top unit, a stable top-six role should give him steady chances. In points-only, he’s the type of mid-tier winger who can quietly post strong goal totals if he stays healthy.
Valeri Nichushkin might offer the highest ceiling of this group in points-only. Top-line, PP1 usage with Columbus is exactly the combination you want: heavy minutes, prime offensive deployment, and first crack at high-danger opportunities. If his bounce-back narrative hits, he can outperform more established names going ahead of him.
Mason Marchment is more format-dependent. On a rebuilding San Jose team, his raw point ceiling is a bit capped compared to the others, but top-line usage still makes him a viable depth scorer. Think of him as a middle-tier points-only sleeper who becomes much more attractive in leagues that also count hits.
Joel Hofer doesn’t directly contribute points, but in leagues where goalie wins or shutouts are counted alongside skater points, a starting job in St. Louis gives him meaningful value. His upside is tied directly to how firmly he grabs the No. 1 role.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-category leagues, deployment plus stat profile is everything. You’re not just asking “who scores?” but “who fills multiple boxes?”

Mason Marchment is the headliner for bangers formats. As a projected top-line winger in San Jose who brings both scoring and physicality, he’s exactly the kind of player who can quietly rack up hits while contributing enough offense to stay in your lineup. In deeper leagues with hits and possibly PIM, he’s a priority late target.
Valeri Nichushkin should also be a multi-cat asset. Top-line, PP1 deployment in Columbus means he can contribute across goals, assists, shots, and power-play points. If he leans into a heavier game, he can chip in some secondary banger stats as well, making him a strong all-around wing option.
Egor Chinakhov brings shot volume and goal potential, which are gold in categories leagues that count shots on goal. Add in secondary power-play exposure and you get a winger who can help in goals, SOG, and PPP if the Penguins’ second unit clicks.
Anthony Mantha is more of a scoring-focused categories play. His primary value comes from goals and shots, with some potential for plus/minus help if New Jersey drives play as expected. He’s less of a hits specialist than Marchment, but still useful in leagues where pure scoring wings are scarce.
Joel Hofer is a classic categories goalie sleeper. If he earns the starting job, he can contribute in wins and potentially save percentage or goals-against categories. His post-Olympics surge suggests he can handle a heavier workload; the question is whether St. Louis gives him the volume.

Dynasty / Keeper

In dynasty and keeper formats, you’re not just chasing this year’s breakout — you’re trying to get ahead of multi-year trends.

Egor Chinakhov is particularly interesting long term. A young winger with a big shot playing alongside Malkin now, he could eventually transition into a more central offensive role in Pittsburgh as the core ages out. If he cements himself as a fixture in the top six, you’re looking at multiple seasons of 60+ point potential.
Joel Hofer has one of the most valuable dynasty profiles: a young goalie with a realistic path to a starting role. If he proves he can carry the load, you get several years of starting-caliber production at a position that’s notoriously hard to fill.
Valeri Nichushkin is more of a win-now dynasty piece. His value is tied to Columbus giving him prime minutes and PP1 time. If that role sticks, he’s a strong medium-term hold; if not, he slides back into more of a streaming profile.
Anthony Mantha and Mason Marchment are better suited to short- and medium-term windows. Both can be excellent depth keepers if your league keeps a large number of players, but they’re more likely to be cycled as value contracts or trade chips rather than long-term cornerstones.

In deeper dynasty setups, all five are worth rostering; in shallower keepers, prioritize Chinakhov and Hofer as the best combination of upside and runway.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Egor Chinakhov – Add (standard leagues): Top-six role with Malkin and PP2 time in Pittsburgh gives him real breakout scoring potential.
Valeri Nichushkin – Add / Trade target: Top-line, PP1 deployment in Columbus makes him a strong buy-low candidate for a bounce-back season; consider using the NHL Trade Analyzer if he’s already rostered.
Joel Hofer – Watchlist / Add in deeper leagues: If he seizes the St. Louis starting job early, he quickly becomes a must-roster goalie in categories formats.
Anthony Mantha – Short-term stream: Ride his top-six usage in New Jersey when the Devils have favorable schedules or he’s on a hot streak.
Mason Marchment – Add in bangers, stream elsewhere: Top-line role in San Jose plus hits makes him a high-impact multi-cat winger, even if raw points lag behind the others.

Fantasy Takeaways

Target Egor Chinakhov late as a high-upside goal scorer riding shotgun with an elite playmaker in Pittsburgh.
Joel Hofer is a prime late goalie stash; if he locks down the St. Louis crease, his value spikes quickly.
Anthony Mantha’s top-six role in New Jersey gives him sneaky goal-scoring upside, especially in leagues that reward shots.
Mason Marchment should be prioritized in bangers formats thanks to his blend of hits and top-line opportunity in San Jose.
Valeri Nichushkin’s expanded role on Columbus’ top line and PP1 makes him a classic bounce-back sleeper across most formats.

Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.