Give me a reason to draft this guy! Late round fantasy hockey picks - ESPN

ESPN Fantasy Hockey expert Sean Allen provides strategic guidance for maximizing late-round draft picks that could make the difference between mediocrity and championship glory.

Fantasy hockey championships are won in the margins, not with obvious early-round selections. Allen emphasizes that success comes from identifying value after pick 200, where context trumps star power and upside hides in deployment details like power-play assignments and depth chart opportunities. His analysis focuses on 12 undervalued players with clear pathways to meaningful production.

• Forward sleepers: Quinton Byfield (Kings heir to Kopitar), Matty Beniers (breakout season potential), Cole Perfetti (increased role post-Ehlers), and Jeff Skinner (veteran presence for improving Sharks)
• Defensive value: Jamie Drysdale (Flyers PP1 opportunity), Cam Fowler (Blues upside), Alexander Romanov (multi-category contributor despite modest scoring)
• Goalie targets: John Gibson (fresh start in Detroit), Karel Vejmelka (volume opportunity with Utah), Jeremy Swayman (proven starter capability despite team struggles)
• Key strategy: Target players with specific reasons for improvement rather than generic lottery tickets