Five Sleeper Defenseman Who Will Outperform Their ADP

Drafting defenseman can be one of the most difficult components of a fantasy hockey draft. Excluding goalies, the defenseman position is easily the shallowest of the bunch as value seems to drop drastically once the elite blueliners get scooped up. You enter a draft without a strategy or knowledge of the options at the position and you'll find yourself struggling to fill your typical four to five defenseman spots.

For instance, does one load up with a few elite blueliners (such as Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns) in the early rounds of the draft? Or does one take the more conservative route and wait until the middle-late rounds to fill out his or her blueline? Regardless of the direction you follow, one thing is well-known: finding bargain defenseman late in drafts can be the difference maker between owning a good team and a great one.

Without further ado, let's discuss some options that won't break the bank so you can go into drafts with some flexibility. Whether it's a veteran due for a bounce-back season or a young rearguard looking to elevate his game to the next level, here are five sleeper defenseman that will certainly outperform their current average draft position.

Late-Round Defensive Sleepers

Colton Parayko (STL - D) - ADP 136.6

It's not very often that you come across 6'6", 230-pound defenseman with the skating and offensive ability of Parayko. He's smooth, quick, and can distribute the puck in all three zones. The 25-year-old blueliner enters his fourth NHL season having put together consecutive 35-point seasons, including a 2017-2018 campaign in which he posted 212 shots and 120 hits. Surrounded by an influx of both young and veteran talent in St. Louis, Parayko seems primed to break past the 35-point mark this season. He's expected to build upon his 22:37 time-on-ice per game on his team's second pair, and could push for an opportunity on the top power-play unit given his cannon of a shot. As a cross-category producer, Parayko could become an important late-round selection for any fantasy owner.

Kevin Shattenkirk (NYR - D) - ADP 140.1

Over the past five seasons, Shattenkirk has established himself as a premier offensive defenseman in the NHL, ranking in the top 20 among his peers in points-per-game (17th), assists (17th), power play goals (5th), and power play points (4th). However, after signing a big ticket with the Rangers last summer (4-years, $26.6 million), the 29-year-old failed to find his footing in his first year with his new club. Shattenkirk missed significant time with a knee injury and posted just 23 points (five goals, 18 assists) in 46 games. The result is a steep slip down most fantasy hockey rankings, something that will allow the former first-round draft pick to fly under the radar for the first time in his career. While the Rangers aren't expected to be great, Shattenkirk should still log big-time minutes as the club's bonafide number-one defenseman and power play quarterback. The New York native might not threaten for a Norris in 2018-2019, but, given his ability to produce offense at a high level throughout his career, he's definitely worth a flier as a strong bounce-back candidate.

Duncan Keith (CHI - D) - ADP 147.6

It wasn't necessarily a surprise to see 35-year-old Duncan Keith regress offensively in his 13th NHL season. The Blackhawks were not expected to contend for a division title and Keith had sure played a lot of hockey in over 1000 games in the regular season and playoffs. However, few expected the star blueliner's production to dip down to just 32 points (two goals, 30 assists), a -29 rating and only ten power play points in 2017-2018. Keith posting just two goals over the course of 82 games was simply mind-boggling, the product of a ridiculous small 1.1% shooting percentage. Despite the down year, the three-time Stanley Cup Champion still displayed he can skate like the wind and flashed his offensive ability on a nightly basis (just without the results). Given his incredible body of work over the past decade, it's possible that Keith's statistical regression is simply a blip in the radar. He still holds down the number-one role on a team headlined by superstars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. He should see extended time on the top power-play unit. You'd think his shooting percentage will positively regress more toward his 4.4% career rate. Considering the two-time Norris winner is getting taken on average in the 13th round, isn't it worth finding out if he's more like the 53-point elite defenseman of 2016-2017 rather than the 32-point producer of last season?

Justin Faulk (CAR - D) - ADP 151.5

Justin Faulk did not have his best offensive season in 2017-2018. The seven-year NHL veteran posted his lowest full-season point total (31) since his rookie campaign back in 2011-2012. His goal total (8) was a stark regression from the career-high 17 goals he buried just two seasons ago. Considering this, Faulk still managed to provide fantasy relevance, carried by his excellent peripheral stats. In fact, Faulk was one of just eight defensemen to register at least 200 shots on goal and 100 hits last season. At just 26-years- old, Faulk's chances of returning to the 35-40 point range seem pretty good. He's got a heavy shot that severely contradicts his drastically low 3.8% shooting percentage in 2017-2018, and he should earn time on his team's top power-play unit. At his current average draft position, Faulk could be the biggest draft bargain in fantasy pools this season.

Oscar Klefbom (EDM - D) - ADP 171.2

Klefbom makes it onto this list after failing to meet expectations in Edmonton last season. After breaking out with 38-points (12 goals, 26 assists) and 202 shots two seasons ago, Klefbom was expected to take a step forward as an offensive defenseman in 2017-2018. Instead, dealing with a nagging shoulder injury, the Swedish blueliner posted just 21 points in 66 games before getting shut down due to surgery. Headed into the 2018-2019 campaign, Klefbom is reportedly healthy and hungry to help his team bounce back. The 24-year-old should man his team's first pair and top power-play unit. He shoots the puck at an elite rate (fifth at his position in shots per game (3.1) last season). He might not offer much in peripheral categories but finding a potential 45-50 point defenseman with one of your last picks could be a steal in upcoming drafts.