30 in 30: Top NHL Fantasy Sleeper Picks - San Jose Sharks

It’s almost time for those annual fantasy hockey drafts. While most drafts feature the same players going in the first two rounds, it’s those players that you take in the mid-late rounds that will win you your league. Here’s the twenty-fourth of the thirty players that could be great sleeper picks in your draft this year.

Martin Havlat – San Jose Sharks

Position – Right Wing

Height – 6’2”

Weight – 215

Drafted – 1^st Round, 26^th Overall, 1999 NHL Entry Draft

2010/2011 NHL Stats – 78GP, 22G, 40A, 62P, -10, 52PIM

It seems kind of odd to name Martin Havlat as a sleeper pick in a hockey pool but based on his potential this year you might want to move him up on your draft list. After spending the last two seasons in Minnesota, Havlat was traded to the San Jose Sharks this summer for Dany Heatley. Despite playing on an offensively challenged team the last two years, Havlat seemed to rejuvenate his career by scoring 116 points in 151 games. Even though he was once deemed as a bit of a band-aid Havlat has only missed a handful of games over the last three seasons.

With his injury issues being seen as an issue of the past, it’s easy to look at Havlat and assume that he could have a career season. Last season he put up 62 points playing with Kyle Brodziak, Andrew Brunette, & Matt Cullen. This year he’s going to be playing with Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Logan Couture. Havlat’s best year was during the 2008/2009 season when he scored 77 points as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. It’s not hard to think that he could have a career year with the Sharks who were sixth in offence last season. It’s scary to think that he could be on a power-play unit this season that consists of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, Dan Boyle, and Brent Burns.

Previous Sleeper Picks:
Day 1 - Anaheim Ducks
Day 2 - Boston Bruins
Day 3 - Buffalo Sabres
Day 4 - Calgary Flames
Day 5 - Carolina Hurricanes
Day 6 - Chicago Blackhawks
Day 7 - Colorado Avalanche
Day 8 - Columbus Blue Jackets
Day 9 - Dallas Stars
Day 10 - Detroit Red-Wings
Day 11 - Edmonton Oilers
Day 12 - Florida Panthers
Day 13 - Los Angeles Kings
Day 14 - Minnesota Wild
Day 15 - Montreal Canadiens
Day 16 - Nashville Predators
Day 17 - New Jersey Devils
Day 18 - New York Islanders
Day 19 - New York Rangers
Day 20 - Ottawa Senators
Day 21 - Philadelphia Flyers
Day 22 - Phoenix Coyotes
Day 23 - Pittsburgh Penguins