2024-25 fantasy hockey losses

While the players discussed below may be labeled as potential “flops,” they still possess a lot of value and are worth selecting on draft day. However, fantasy managers should be cautious during the 2024-25 season to avoid the disappointment of investing a high pick in a player who may not live up to expectations. Avoiding some overvalued options and not going too far to select others over more reliable options are great ways to maximize roster depth.

Reinhart has been a reliable source of offense for the Panthers since joining the organization in 2021-22. He scored 33 goals and 82 points in 78 games that year before dropping to 31 goals and 67 points in 82 appearances in 2022-23. Last season, Reinhart reached a new level, collecting 57 goals and 94 points in 82 appearances. He had a career-high 233 shots on goal but benefited tremendously from a league-best 24.5%. That kind of success isn't nearly sustainable, especially for a player who didn't even have a 35-goal season before 2023-24. Reinhart also scored 27 power-play goals, which was league-leading, after scoring 16 goals in consecutive seasons. He will be productive in the 2024-25 season, but it would be a mistake to pick him too high and expect the same results.

Zach Hyman, Left Back/Right Back, Edmonton Oilers

Hyman scored 54 goals and 77 points in 80 games last season, surpassing his previous record of 36

While the players discussed below may be labeled as potential “flops,” they still possess a lot of value and are worth selecting on draft day. However, fantasy managers should be cautious during the 2024-25 season to avoid the disappointment of investing a high pick in a player who may not live up to expectations. Avoiding some overvalued options and not going too far to select others over more reliable options are great ways to maximize roster depth.

Reinhart has been a reliable source of offense for the Panthers since joining the organization in 2021-22. He scored 33 goals and 82 points in 78 games that year before dropping to 31 goals and 67 points in 82 appearances in 2022-23. Last season, Reinhart reached a new level, collecting 57 goals and 94 points in 82 appearances. He had a career-high 233 shots on goal but benefited tremendously from a league-best 24.5%. That kind of success isn't nearly sustainable, especially for a player who didn't even have a 35-goal season before 2023-24. Reinhart also scored 27 power-play goals, which was league-leading, after scoring 16 goals in consecutive seasons. He will be productive in the 2024-25 season, but it would be a mistake to pick him too high and expect the same results.

Zach Hyman, Left Back/Right Back, Edmonton Oilers

Hyman exploded last season with 54 goals and 77 points in 80 games. He surpassed his previous record of 36 goals in the 2022-23 season thanks to an 18.6 shooting percentage, which was the second-best mark of his career. Hyman also benefited from a remarkable 100-assist performance from Connor McDavid. McDavid had a hand in 35 of Hyman's goals in the 2023-24 season after helping with 19 assists in the 2022-23 season. As talented as McDavid is, getting back to 100-plus assists will be a tall order. Hyman, 32, could see the same offensive adjustment that teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins did when he plummeted from 37 goals and 104 points in the 2022-23 season to 18 goals and 67 points last season. Hyman will be productive this season, but the chances of him achieving the same scoring output are slim.

Boeser had a career year on offense last season, scoring 40 goals and putting up 73 points in 81 games. He was buoyed by a personal-best 19.6% shooting percentage in a 2023-24 season where everything seemed to go in the net for the Canucks. Boeser also scored a career-high 16 goals on the power play and eclipsed 200 shots for the second time in his eight-year career. His spot alongside JT Miller at even strength and on the power play makes him an attractive option for fantasy managers. Still, drafting him expecting to repeat his performance is risky, as he hasn't even had a 30-goal or 60-point season prior to 2023-24. He has a lot to prove this coming season.

Marchand has scored 67 points in two straight seasons while seeing a decline in points per game in three straight seasons. He has also only hit the 30-goal mark once in the last five years. The 36-year-old winger appears to be fading on offense, and his days as a point-per-game threat may be over. He also underwent three surgeries on his elbow, groin, and abdominal area during the offseason. That he was able to play despite these issues is commendable and could be interpreted as an encouraging sign, arguing that he could improve if he stays healthy. On the other hand, it is also a massive red flag, as it could lead to recurring issues, lineup lapses, and worse stats.

After being limited to 32 appearances in the 2022-23 season, Demko came back big last season, posting a 35-14-2 record with a 2.45 goals-against average and .918 save percentage. However, he suffered a knee injury in March that forced him to miss 14 straight games. The 28-year-old goaltender returned for three appearances, including one in the playoffs, before sitting out Vancouver's final 12 games of the postseason. As the Canucks enter training camp, Demko faces an uncertain timeline for his return, as he is expected to have to manage his knee issue throughout the 2024-25 season. His fantasy value hasn't suffered that much yet according to early drafts and mocks, but that will likely change. Demko is shaping up to be a risky fantasy option for the upcoming season.

Vatrano had his breakout season in 2023-24, scoring 37 goals and 60 points in 82 games. He surpassed his previous highs of 24 goals in 2018-19 and 41 points in 2022-23 due to some inconsistent scoring. He scored 14 times in his first 23 appearances before scoring seven times in his next 26 games. Vatrano followed with a streak of eight goals in 11 games before scoring once in 17 games. He finished the year with seven goals in five games. Vatrano recorded a career-high 18:21 minutes of ice time per game last season, but that will likely decline in the 2024-25 season. The Ducks intend to give their young core more opportunities to play important roles, which could push Vatrano into a third-line role and displace him from the top power-play combination.

Matheson was a standout player last season, recording 11 goals, 62 points, 187 shots and 186 blocks in 82 games. He was underrated in fantasy drafts, but the tide has turned ahead of the 2024-25 season. Matheson had similar point rates in the 2022-23 season despite being limited to 48 appearances, but he could see his scoring come back down to earth this coming season. He didn't have a 40-point season before catapulting above 60 in the 2023-24 season. Matheson set career highs on the power play last season with five goals and 23 assists, but his role in that capacity could be reduced in the 2024-25 season if promising Lane Hutson is ready to take over as the team's top power play quarterback.

Ekblad missed the first 16 games of the 2023-24 season after shoulder surgery and only played in nine of 22 games in the final period due to other injuries. In 51 appearances, he recorded four goals, 18 points and 98 shots. Ekblad probably has the best chance to replace Brandon Montour, who signed with Seattle in July, on the top power-play unit, as Gustav Forsling has averaged just 43 seconds of power-play time over the past three seasons. Ekblad, 28, has plenty of potential for a comeback and fantasy managers are betting on that scenario based on early drafts. However, his inability to stay healthy means he remains a risky option for 2024-25. Ekblad hasn't played a full season since 2018-19. Plus, he just came off the worst performance of his career. Ekblad could be worth a late-draft selection, but is currently trading a bit too high.