Fantasy Hockey 2022: 4-Round NHL Mock Draft and Underrated Sleepers

The 2022-23 NHL season is right around the corner. Regular-season action is only a little more than a week away, as the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks will face off on Oct. 7 in Prague.

Things will ramp up more the following week, with the rest of the NHL's 32 teams getting the season started. The Colorado Avalanche will be looking to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning are seeking their third title in four seasons and the rest of the league is also hoping to contend for the Cup.

Another reason fans should be excited for the return of the NHL is that fantasy hockey will soon be back. If you're not in a league yet, there's still time to create/join one and hold a draft before the regular season gets underway.

As fantasy managers prepare for the upcoming season, here's a look at a four-round mock draft, followed by several sleeper players who should be targeted in the mid-to-late rounds.

4-Round 10-Team Mock Draft

Rich Graessle/Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 24: A general view of the NHL logo on the back of the goal on April 24, 2022 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Getty Images)

First Round

1. Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers

2. Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton Oilers

3. Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

4. Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche

5. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche

6. Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning

7. Kirill Kaprizov, LW, Minnesota Wild

8. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, Tampa Bay Lightning

9. Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, Calgary Flames

10. Mikko Rantanen, C/RW, Colorado Avalanche

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Second Round

11. Victor Hedman, D, Tampa Bay Lightning

12. Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panthers

13. Matthew Tkachuk, RW, Florida Panthers

14. Igor Shesterkin, G, New York Rangers

15. Alex Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals

16. Kyle Connor, LW, Winnipeg Jets

17. Mitchell Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs

18. Roman Josi, D, Nashville Predators

19. Artemi Panarin, LW, New York Rangers

20. Jacob Markstrom, G, Calgary Flames

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Third Round

21. Steven Stamkos, C/LW, Tampa Bay Lightning

22. Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins

23. David Pastrnak, RW, Boston Bruins

24. J.T. Miller, C/LW, Vancouver Canucks

25. Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers

26. John Carlson, D, Washington Capitals

27. Mika Zibanejad, C, New York Rangers

28. Brady Tkachuk, LW, Ottawa Senators

29. Ilya Sorokin, G, New York Islanders

30. Frederik Andersen, G, Carolina Hurricanes

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Fourth Round

31. Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago Blackhawks

32. Aaron Ekblad, D, Florida Panthers

33. Moritz Seider, D, Detroit Red Wings

34. Quinn Hughes, D, Vancouver Canucks

35. Thatcher Demko, G, Vancouver Canucks

36. Jack Campbell, G, Edmonton Oilers

37. Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Minnesota Wild

38. Jake Oettinger, G, Dallas Stars

39. Kris Letang, D, Pittsburgh Penguins

40. Andrei Svechnikov, LW, Carolina Hurricanes

Matty Beniers, C, Seattle Kraken

AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

Seattle Kraken forward Matty Beniers skates against defenseman Tyson Barrie during the third period of a preseason NHL hockey game, Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, in Seattle. The Kraken won 3-0. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Matty Beniers has only 10 games of NHL experience, which came at the end of the 2021-22 regular season. But he showed exactly why the Kraken took him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft, tallying nine points (three goals, six assists) in his first taste of the league.

The 19-year-old Beniers could carry that momentum over into the 2022-23 campaign and have a breakout season. He's been impressive in Seattle's first two preseason games, as he scored a goal in its first exhibition contest vs. the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.

Because Beniers doesn't have a ton of experience yet, he's not getting a ton of fantasy hype. But that could be different by this time next year if he has the type of success he's capable of this season.

Get ahead of the rest of your fantasy league by drafting Beniers, then sit back and enjoy watching him play for the Kraken this season. The talented center could put up some solid offensive numbers.

Bowen Byram, D, Colorado Avalanche

AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram skates against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period of an NHL preseason hockey game Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)

Cale Makar is the Avalanche's clear top defenseman because of his skills on both ends of the ice, and that's why he's frequently selected within the first five picks of fantasy drafts this year. But there's another blueliner in Colorado worth keeping an eye on.

Bowen Byram was taken by the Avs with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft, but he's played only 49 games over the past two seasons. He was impressive when he was on the ice during the 2021-22 campaign, tallying 17 points (five goals and 12 assists), but he was limited to 30 games because of concussion issues.

If the 21-year-old Byram can stay healthy during the upcoming season, he could have a breakout year. There will be a lot of talented players on the ice around him in Colorado, and that could put him in a great position to have success.

So if you're targeting a sleeper defenseman after the early rounds, Byram could be a great player to pick up because of his potential.

Cam Talbot, G, Ottawa Senators

AP Photo/Jim Mone

Minnesota Wild goalie Cam Talbot (33) defends the net in an NHL hockey game against the Edmonton Oilers, Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Although Cam Talbot is entering his age-35 season, he's still playing at a high level. Last season, the netminder had a 2.76 goals against average and a .911 save percentage in 49 games for the Minnesota Wild.

Now, Talbot is again in a new environment. After playing for five teams over the previous nine seasons, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators in July. And he'll be looking to provide some consistency for them in the net.

The Senators have missed the playoffs each of the past five seasons, but they're a team on the rise. If they can play well in front of Talbot, then the goaltender could end up being a strong fantasy option because of the numbers he's capable of posting.

While fantasy managers may not want to bank on Talbot as their starter entering the season, he's a great sleeper option who could be a strong No. 2 goaltender to have on the roster.