NEWSLETTER
As many of us are preparing for or having fantasy football drafts, the dates are also quickly approaching for folks to enjoy fantasy hockey. With the Blackhawks going into what figures to be a long season, the question for their fans is whether or not a player (other than Patrick Kane) has much value on their fantasy roster this season.
If you’re going to draft with your heart (and, possibly, your head) there might be some solid sleepers on the Blackhawks’ roster this season to find value on your fantasy roster this coming season.
Here are a few Blackhawks to consider in your fantasy drafts this year:
Max Domi
Domi might be your opening night No. 2 center in Chicago. His 2021-22 season was split between Columbus and Carolina thanks to a late-season trade, and his numbers were interesting. In total, Domi scored 11 goals and added 28 assists in 72 games (.54 pts/gm). He also added six points in 14 playoff games for the Canes last season.
If he takes advantage of the increased opportunity that will undoubtedly present itself in Chicago, the hope is that Domi is closer to the player who scored 45 goals in 153 games for Montreal over the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.
Sam Lafferty
Lafferty is a fascinating player to consider for the coming season. He scored five goals in 46 games after he was acquired in a January trade from Pittsburgh and saw his ice time increase monthly as the season progressed. He also had 103 hits for the Blackhawks.
His 56 appearances last year between the Penguins and Blackhawks are the most of his career, but the 27-year-old showed that he can play the game with speed and grit. Like Domi, he should take advantage of an increased role with the Blackhawks’ limited options up front this season and could have a nice year.
Ian Mitchell / Caleb Jones / Jack Johnson
The Blackhawks have a lot of bodies to sort out on the blue line this season, and new head coach Luke Richardson will have an eye on that position as a long-time defenseman in the league himself.
One of the questions Richardson will need to sort out in training camp will be his power play. We figure Seth Jones will be part of the top unit, but who will serve as the second team power play quarterback? It could be one of these three defensemen, who will battle for a spot on Chicago’s third pair. Mitchell figures to have the most offensive upside of the three, but he’s also the youngest of the three and might have a harder fight in front of him to stay in the NHL.
