Every draft has landmines — players who look tempting on name value but end up dragging your roster down. Here are some players who could be overvalued in 2025 fantasy drafts.
1. Alex Ovechkin, LW (WSH)
- Still a legend, but age and declining team offense mean his ceiling is dropping.
- If you draft him expecting 50 goals, you’ll likely be disappointed.
- At the right spot he’s fine, but don’t burn a first-round pick.
2. Steven Stamkos, C/W (TBL)
- Productive when healthy, but injuries and declining usage are red flags.
- Drafting him as your #1 center is risky; he fits better as depth.
3. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G (TBL)
- Once the safest goalie pick, but wear and tear plus Tampa’s aging roster lower his value.
- Still good, but not worth being drafted as the first goalie off the board anymore.
4. Shane Wright, C (SEA)
- Huge prospect hype, but still unproven at the NHL level.
- Great dynasty stash — not worth an early redraft gamble.
5. Jakob Chychrun, D (OTT)
- Big shot volume makes him look appealing, but health issues and inconsistency hurt.
- Often drafted too high for a defenseman with a shaky track record.
6. Sergei Bobrovsky, G (FLA)
- Incredible playoff runs inflate his draft stock every year.
- In regular season fantasy, streakiness kills — he’s more waiver-wire stream than cornerstone starter.
7. Veterans in Decline (General Warning)
- Sidney Crosby, Patrice Bergeron (if active), or similar vets may still produce, but expecting peak years is unrealistic. Draft them for depth, not stardom.
Draft Strategy Tips
- Avoid drafting on name recognition — the best fantasy players are often younger, healthier, and getting top minutes.
- Balance risk — one or two of these players later in your draft is fine, but don’t build your core around them.
- Check ADP (Average Draft Position) in your league platform. If a player is going much earlier than you’d be comfortable, let someone else take the gamble.
See more draft prep at our Fantasy Hockey Rankings.