Five Sleeper Centers Who Will Outperform Their ADP

One of the most important things to know headed into a fantasy hockey draft is the depth of talent in the league at any given position. Is there a heavy volume of high-scoring right-wingers projected to go in the early rounds before falling off a cliff in the later rounds? Can you snag a valuable defenseman in the mid-rounds, saving your high picks for the elite scorers?

At center, it's widely known that fantasy hockey is littered with talented, productive players. It's the one position you know you won't have to reach for because you often can get a viable center late in drafts.

But how do you know which ones to grab? That's where we come in. Don't break the bank on draft day and overspend when there are high-skilled, point-producing centers that your league-mates are surely passing on. Check out the following five centers who are sure to outperform their average draft position.

Late-Round Centers to Target

Ryan Johansen (NSH - C) - ADP 144.4

It's honestly a little baffling to see Johansen getting selected at his current average draft position. It's not very often that one can find a bona fide number one center on a true Cup contender in the 12th round. With 54 points (15 goals, 39 assists) last season, Johansen might have had a down year for his standards but the 26-year-old had previously posted four consecutive 60+ point seasons (61, 60, 71, 63) prior to that. In addition, Johansen consistently puts up respectable peripheral numbers as displayed by his 78 penalty minutes, 15 power play points and 87 hits in 2017-2018. The playmaking center is a near lock on the Predators top line (with league superstar Filip Forsberg) and first power play unit - not to mention he could easily return to his normal 60-point range this upcoming season

Brayden Point (TB - C) - ADP 126.8

Point's current ADP suggests that somehow there are still a number of fantasy owners completely unaware of his excellent sophomore season in 2017-2018. The Alberta native registered 66 points (32 goals, 34 assists) to go along with a plus-18 rating and 218 shots on goal in playing all 82 games. The 22-year-old center has already established himself on the Lightning's second line (averaged 19:37 in time-on-ice last season) and could earn minutes on the top power-play unit as the season progresses. Point likes to shoot the puck (217 shots) and given his 32 notches last season, can be expected to increase his shot volume in his third NHL season. Considering his current draft position, the talented center could very well turn out to be one of the biggest bargains of upcoming fantasy drafts.

J.T. Miller (TB - C/RW) - ADP 163.6

The only thing more surprising about J.T. Miller's current ADP is that the Rangers actually included the former top prospect in a deal in which they gave up Ryan McDonagh last season. Miller, having already posted 40 points in 63 games with the Rangers prior to the trade, exploded with ten goals (and eight assists) in 19 games with his new team to close out the regular season. The former 15th overall pick's 23 goals on the season marked his third consecutive 20-goal campaign and his 58 total points were a career-best. Miller has also established himself as a sturdy category filler, having registered at least 40 penalty minutes and 100 hits in each of the past three seasons. At just 25-years-old, playing in a very deep Lightning forward group, Miller should be expected to build off his strong start in Tampa Bay last year and set new career-highs across the board.

Elias Lindholm (CGY - C/RW)  - ADP 169.7

Sometimes all it takes for a young player to realize his potential is a change of scenery. Selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft by the Hurricanes, Elias Lindholm had failed to truly develop into the top line scorer the team envisioned on draft day. In fact, in his first five NHL seasons, Lindholm has failed to surpass the 45-point mark despite possessing significant offensive ability and consistent top-six forward minutes. Cue June 23rd, 2018 - when the Hurricanes shipped Lindholm (and Noah Hanifin) to the Calgary Flames in a five-player blockbuster. Following the trade, Lindholm signed an impressive 6-year, $29.1 million contract with his new club. The Flames have stated from the beginning that they intend to use the strong two-way forward in a top-line role, with the 23-year-old jumping onto the right-wing alongside young superstars Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. It's expected that Lindholm will earn top power play minutes as well, putting him in line for a break-out in his sixth NHL season. If the Swedish forward gets off to a good start with his new team and sticks on the team's top line, he could be a great bargain at his current ADP.

Kyle Turris (NSH - C) - ADP 171.7

When you consider Turris' up-and-down season with his new team (following a November trade from Ottawa), it's understandable that he might slip down draft boards for the upcoming season. The center's 65 games with Nashville can be broken down into thirds: 18 points in his first 23 games, 8 points in the next 23 games and 16 points in the final 19 games. Add it all together (with his 11-game start in Ottawa) and you get a 51-point (16 goals, 35 assists) season. It's not uncommon to see a player deal battle inconsistency following a trade made during the season - a traded player has to learn a new system, fit in with new teammates and learn a new city on the fly. It can be especially difficult for a player like Turris who had established roots in Ottawa over the course of his six-year tenure there. In his first full season with the club in 2018-2019, expect Turris to thrive holding down the center position on the Predators' second line. At just 29-years-old, Turris isn't anywhere close to slowing down and we could very well see him post his second career 60-point campaign this season.