Fantasy Hockey 2014: Enticing Sleepers to Keep Your Eye On

Fantasy hockey is back.

The NHL regular season fired up Wednesday night, but there are surely some stragglers who have yet to draft or are still looking for ways to improve their teams at the last minute.

For those of you, here's one final look at some of the most intriguing and undervalued sleepers heading into the 2014-15 campaign.

Jonathan Huberdeau, W, Florida Panthers

Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images

The 2012-13 Calder Trophy winner took a major step back during his sophomore campaign last season, tallying just nine goals and 19 assists in 69 games. An average of 0.41 points per game was a far cry from his 0.66 mark during his strike-shortened rookie season.

Still, there is plenty to suggest a bounce-back season is in store.

He's only 21 years old. He played well at the IIHF World Championships, notching a goal and four assists for Team Canada. And he's now playing under the tutelage of Gerard Gallant, with whom he has experience from their days with the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Gallant, via the Miami Herald's George Richards, has had nothing but praise for the burgeoning star:

"

He was 155 pounds when I had him, but he was a great hockey player with a lot of competitiveness.

He’s getting bigger and stronger and his game is going to come. I know this kid, know his passion. He’s not just going to be a good hockey player, but a real good one in this league.

"

Playing next to super-talented Aleksander Barkov on the first line and likely getting a slew of chances on the team's top power-play unit, Huberdeau has a legitimate shot to double last year's numbers.

"I have a couple good players with me, so we just need to fit together,” he said. “I think we can be a good line, put up some points.”

The former No. 3 pick is too talented to play as poorly as he did a year ago. Get him at a discount while you still can.

Darcy Kuemper, G, Minnesota Wild

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

With Josh Harding injured, the starting goaltender job in Minnesota came down to Darcy Kuemper and veteran Niklas Backstrom. A day before the season opener, the 24-year-old was named the starter, according to the Star Tribune's Michael Russo:

It's unknown if Mike Yeo will continue to stick with Kuemper in the crease, but he clearly will have the first shot to put a stranglehold on the job. And if he plays like he did last season, he'll do just that.

Kuemper gave up 2.43 goals per game with a .915 save percentage in 26 appearances last season, with those numbers shifting to 2.03 and .913 in the postseason.

"I see a very confident player,” said Yeo, via the Star Tribune's Chip Scoggins. “I hate to use the word, but swagger, that’s the way he’s playing the game right now and he’s backing it up.”

You're likely going to get Kuemper outside the top 30 netminders. As the starter for one of the best teams in the West, that kind of price makes him an absolute steal.

Matt Calvert, W, Columbus Blue Jackets

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Unless you're playing in a 20-team league or a Columbus Blue Jackets-only league, there's a good chance Matt Calvert has gone or will go undrafted. He's owned in just 0.1 percent of ESPN leagues.

As such, he is a much deeper sleeper than the previous two, but there's sneaky value here.

The 24-year-old has tallied just 63 points in his first four seasons in Columbus, but he's also yet to play more than 56 games in any of those seasons. If he can stay healthy, he has the speed and the energy to make a legitimate impact in both real life and the fantasy world. 

Although his role is a bit undefined at this point, Calvert, who netted the double-overtime game-winner in Game 2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins last postseason, has the ability to finish with about 18 goals, 40 points and 80 penalty minutes.

Considering where you'll you get him, that's gravy.