Undervalued Skaters to Target for Fantasy Value in 2025-26

Finding edges in fantasy hockey often comes down to spotting players whose real-life impact exceeds their perceived value. For the 2025-26 season, several low-salary skaters are generating strong point shares and flying under the radar. These are the types of players who stabilize your roster’s depth and free up resources for stars in cap formats. Let’s dig into how Marcus Johansson, Ryan Shea, Emil Lilleberg, Alex Petrovic and Louis Crevier can help you win your league.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The underlying theme with this group is simple: their on-ice contributions outstrip their cost. The original analysis leans on salary versus point shares, highlighting skaters who produce meaningful value without the corresponding cap hit or hype. That’s gold for fantasy managers, especially in leagues with salary caps or tight roster constraints.

Johansson, a top-six forward for the Minnesota Wild, stands out as one of the best value plays in the league. His combination of role and efficiency makes him a classic buy-low candidate in points-driven formats. On the blue line, Shea of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Lilleberg of the Tampa Bay Lightning profile as strong contributors relative to their cost, with Lilleberg particularly well-suited to streaming in multi-cat setups.

Deeper down, Petrovic on the Dallas Stars and Crevier on the Chicago Blackhawks are the kind of undervalued depth defensemen who can quietly pay off. Their current salaries and usage suggest room for profit if their roles grow or if injuries open up more minutes. For fantasy, that means cheap exposure to potential upside without sacrificing flexibility elsewhere on your roster.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In points-only leagues, you’re chasing pure scoring and power-play exposure, and undervalued skaters help you stack more offense under the cap. Johansson is the headline name here. As a top-six forward with strong point shares and a modest salary, he’s exactly the kind of player who can outperform his fantasy reputation. Managers should treat him as a buy-low or priority add if he’s sitting on waivers in shallow or mid-sized leagues.

On defense, Shea and Petrovic both offer sneaky value. Shea’s profile as a top-four defenseman with good point contributions suggests he can be more than just a depth plug; he’s a viable third or fourth fantasy defenseman in deeper points formats. Petrovic is more of a depth play, but his underlying value metrics imply that he’s doing more with his minutes than most managers realize. In leagues where 5–6 defensemen are started, he’s a cheap way to round out your blue line without overpaying.

Crevier is more of a long-view consideration in points-only. As a young defenseman with potential for increased usage, he’s not a must-roster yet, but he belongs on the radar in deeper setups where any emerging producer has value. Lilleberg’s primary appeal isn’t pure scoring, but his efficiency and role on a strong Tampa Bay roster make him a reasonable short-term plug when injuries hit.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-category and bangers leagues, the calculus shifts toward peripherals and volume. Here, Lilleberg becomes particularly interesting. As a second-pair defenseman for Tampa Bay with efficient performance metrics and a low cap hit, he’s a textbook streaming option. Even if his raw point totals aren’t elite, his combination of minutes and defensive responsibilities can translate into useful category coverage, especially in hits, blocks, and potentially plus-minus on a strong team.

Shea’s value also rises in categories formats. As a top-four defenseman in Pittsburgh, he should see enough ice time to contribute across the board. If he’s already posting strong point shares at his current salary, any uptick in usage or special-teams work could make him a steady multi-cat asset. He’s the type of player you can add cheaply and then forget about as a reliable back-end defenseman.

Johansson remains useful in categories leagues primarily for his scoring and potential power-play exposure. He’s less of a bangers specialist and more of a complementary scorer who helps with goals, assists, and possibly power-play points. Petrovic and Crevier, as depth and young defensemen respectively, are more format-dependent. In very deep bangers leagues that reward blocks and physical play, they can be worth monitoring as inexpensive category fillers, especially if their roles expand.

Dynasty / Keeper

Dynasty and keeper formats reward managers who identify undervalued assets before their breakout. Among this group, Crevier and Shea stand out as the most intriguing long-term pieces. Crevier’s label as a young defenseman with potential for increased usage is exactly what you want to stash on a farm roster. If Chicago leans into his development and he grows into a larger role, you’ll have secured a cheap, multi-year contributor.

Shea, already profiling as a top-four defenseman with good value metrics, is a strong dynasty hold or trade target. His current perception likely lags behind his actual impact, which creates a buying window. If he locks down a stable role and continues to post strong point shares, his fantasy stock should climb steadily over the next few seasons.

Lilleberg is more of a mid-term play. His current value as a streamer in bangers formats could evolve into something more permanent if he cements his second-pair role and gains additional responsibilities. In deep dynasty leagues, he’s worth a speculative stash or at least a close watch. Johansson and Petrovic are more win-now pieces; their primary appeal is immediate value rather than long-term upside, making them better suited for contenders than rebuilders.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Marcus Johansson (Add – shallow to standard): Top-six role on Minnesota with excellent value-to-cost profile makes him a strong add in points-focused leagues.
Ryan Shea (Add – standard to deep): Emerging top-four defenseman in Pittsburgh whose point shares suggest reliable, underpriced production.
Emil Lilleberg (Short-term stream – categories/bangers): Second-pair Tampa Bay blueliner who offers efficient, low-cost category coverage when you need a defensive streamer.
Alex Petrovic (Depth add – deep leagues): Undervalued Dallas defenseman whose metrics hint at more impact than his name recognition implies.
Louis Crevier (Watchlist – dynasty/keeper): Young Chicago defenseman with room for increased usage, ideal for stashing or monitoring in long-term formats.

Fantasy Takeaways

Target Marcus Johansson as a buy-low or waiver add in points-only leagues where his top-six role and value metrics aren’t fully priced in.
Ryan Shea is a strong under-the-radar defense add, especially in deeper formats where his top-four usage and point shares can shine.
Use Emil Lilleberg as a flexible streamer in categories and bangers leagues when you need short-term blue-line help.
Alex Petrovic offers inexpensive depth on defense; he’s a smart way to round out your roster without overspending.
Louis Crevier belongs on dynasty watchlists as a young, undervalued defenseman who could grow into a larger role.

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