The 2023-24 NHL season is almost here, much to the excitement of all hockey fans. With this, your fantasy hockey drafts are coming up, and the real fun will soon begin. In fantasy hockey, managers know who the slam dunks are, like superstars Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Igor Shesterkin. However, there are some classic boom or bust players to be aware of, too. These are former must–have players in fantasy hockey who are coming off down seasons. Let’s discuss three of the most notable boom-or-bust players who may be worth taking a chance on now.
2023 Fantasy Hockey Boom-or-Bust Players
Jonathan Huberdeau
Jonathan Huberdeau may be the biggest boom-or-bust player heading into the 2023-24 season. The star winger struggled mightily in his first season with the Calgary Flames in 2022-23, posting 55 points in 79 games. That’s not bad production, but when noting he had 115 points with the Florida Panthers the season before, it was immensely disappointing. In fact, his 60-point dropoff is, unfortunately, a new NHL record.
Although Huberdeau struggled immensely last season, he’s a boom-or-bust player to seriously consider. Before last season, he produced at an over a point-per-game pace in four straight years, so he can bounce back. Yet, if last season’s Huberdeau is now the new norm, he may be a risky addition to your fantasy hockey club.
Tyler Seguin
Not too long ago, Tyler Seguin was one of the NHL’s top stars and a consistent point-per-game threat. However, his production in recent years has fallen off, and injury trouble is a notable factor behind this. This past season was particularly quiet from the 2010 second-overall pick, as he had 21 goals and 50 points in 76 games. Yet, when looking at his past success, I’d argue that he is still a boom-or-bust player to look at in the later rounds of your fantasy hockey draft.
Seguin is expected to have a top-six role with the Dallas Stars this season. He also will see plenty of power-time play. Perhaps these important roles will be the spark he needs to heat up again. There’s no question that the offensive skill is still there. Thus, consider this boom-or-bust player for your fantasy hockey roster.
John Klingberg
Let’s finish off this list with John Klingberg. Klingberg is a classic boom-or-bust player heading into the new season. After signing a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he is in a prime position to succeed. This is because the offensive defenseman will have several star forwards to work with, especially on the power play. Some include Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander. Thus, his offensive numbers should skyrocket back to his old totals in 2023-24.
When playing at his best, Klingberg has 60-point potential, and he could hit that playing with the Maple Leafs. However, when noting that he had a down season in 2022-23, the boom-or-bust label certainly applies to him.
Alas, we will need to wait and see how well these three boom-or-bust players perform in 2023-24 from here. They each have the potential to be a strong addition to your fantasy hockey roster if they turn things around. Time will tell if they do just that.
Looking for more great fantasy hockey analysis? Check out our 2023 Fantasy Hockey Draft Kit for team previews, rankings, and all the sleepers you can shake a stick at.