Next up in our 2023 Fantasy Hockey Sleepers series is the Florida Panthers. The Panthers are heading into the season with a strong roster led by stars like Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, and Aaron Ekblad. They also have an array of quality sleepers worth paying attention to in fantasy hockey. Let’s discuss three specific ones now.
Florida Panthers Sleepers for 2023-24 Fantasy Hockey
Brandon Montour
Brandon Montour is a sleeper worth considering for your fantasy hockey team. However, he will need to be a waiver wire addition, as he will miss the first few months of the season. Yet, once he is healthy, he is a must-have sleeper for your fantasy hockey roster. His outstanding play last season, both offensively and defensively, is exactly why.
Montour, 29, dominated in 2022-23, posting 16 goals and 73 points in 80 games. He also had eight goals and 13 points in 21 playoff games. Playing for a small-market team like the Panthers has made him overlooked, and that ought to change. He is an immensely impactful defenseman and worth adding to your fantasy team because of it.
Sam Reinhart
Sam Reinhart is another skilled Panthers player worth considering for your fantasy hockey club. The 27-year-old had a strong 2022-23 campaign, posting 31 goals and 67 points in 82 games. Yet, when noting that he is entering a contract year, he could be in line for an even better campaign in 2023-24.
Reinhart showed in the past that he has point-per-game potential. In 2021-22, for example, he had an impressive 82 points in 79 games. If he can produce at a rate like this again, he would be worth selecting in the middle-to-later rounds of your fantasy draft. He will once again have a top-six role and see power-play time, so a huge offensive season should be in order.
Eetu Luostarinen
Now, it’s time for a Panthers deep sleeper – Eetu Luostarinen. The 6-foot-3 center took a big step forward in 2022-23. In 82 games, he set new career highs in goals (17), assists (26), and points (43). Although it was a successful year for the 2017 second-round pick, he has the potential to improve even further in 2023-24. This is especially so when it comes to his offensive production.
After his successful 2022-23 season, Luostarinen is expected to have a bigger role on the power play. It is understandable, as his net-front presence ability is excellent. With that, when injuries arise during the campaign, he is a prime candidate for top-six minutes. This, in turn, should be the jolt he needs to have an even stronger season. Due to this, don’t be afraid to take a shot at the young forward in the later rounds of your fantasy hockey draft.
Nevertheless, the Panthers have a pretty solid group of sleepers whom fantasy managers should pay attention to this year. Montour and Reinhart are proven veterans who have the ability to produce even more. Luostarinen, on the other hand, has immense potential and will be looking to tap into it more in 2023-24. Alas, we will need to see how this trio performs for the Cats this campaign from here.
Make sure to check out all of the sleepers and breakouts of the 2023 fantasy hockey season!