Nov 10, 2026 5:41 PM

Exploit early-season slumps and injury woes to secure undervalued stars like Robert Thomas and Dylan Guenther before these potential cornerstone pieces ignite your championship run.

With nearly 20 games of the regular season in the books, some players have lived up to the hype, some have far exceeded it, and some have left plenty to be desired.

Most fantasy owners likely have a player in each category, with some who have surpassed expectations and others who haven't made their mark yet. Draft position, price and a number of other factors don't always let you land the players you want, but the early season gives owners a chance to capitalize on the limited sample and make moves that have a lasting impact. 

This is the time to trade away the hot hand that will eventually cool off, while buying in on slow starters at the right time could land a cornerstone piece for a championship roster. Here are a few undervalued players who are likely flying under the radar of most fantasy owners right now.

Robert Thomas

Center is one of the deepest positions in fantasy hockey, and owners hoped Thomas would be a solid starting point at the position, taking him in the early 50s of drafts. It has been a slow start for Thomas and the Blues as a whole, though Thomas is not playing badly by any means, with 12 points in 17 games, while St. Louis sits at 7-8-2. 

Related stories

Over the past several years, he has established himself as a point-per-game player, averaging that mark in four of the last five seasons, and despite the slow start he should get back to it this year. He is already showing signs of a bounce back, with six points over his last five games.

Darren Raddysh and Kirill Marchenko

It's always hard adjusting to a new team, but Raddysh appears to be finally getting there, and he is doing so with most of his regular linemates missing time. Toronto has been battered by injuries this season, with John Tavares, Marchenko, Jack Roslovic, Max Domi, Morgan Rielly and others all out at points. 

The Maple Leafs have struggled to find stability, yet Raddysh has started to produce, with five assists in his last seven games. As Toronto gets healthier, those numbers should continue to climb closer to what he did last season.

With that in mind, Marchenko is another buy-low candidate. Many owners have likely moved him to the back burner, as he has been injured since October 26, and this could be the last real chance to get him at a steal. 

The Russian winger is guaranteed to play with star linemates, either Auston Matthews on the top line or William Nylander on the second, which should help him maintain his point-per-game pace this season. Get him while he isn't on people's minds and let him make his impact when he returns.

Dylan Guenther

Utah's elite shooting winger has shown at just 23 that he is a gamer, reaching or being on pace for 60 points in three straight seasons. He is coming off his best season yet, with 40 goals and 33 assists for 73 points in 79 games. 

He is producing at a decent clip this season, with six goals and six assists for 12 points in 18 games, and the main stat holding him back is his plus-minus. He is a minus-12, tied for seventh-worst in the NHL with three other forwards.

If he can start to rebound along with the rest of the Mammoth, his plus-minus should climb. Utah has struggled defensively, allowing 3.50 goals per game, tied with three other teams for sixth-worst in the NHL. 

If the Mammoth can improve as a team on that end, Guenther's rating should improve too, and his counting stats should follow once the team can play more offense rather than worrying about defense.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Comments
anonymous profile image
Powered by RoundtableAn AI/DeFi-powered Enterprise Media Operating System. Learn more at Roundtable.io.© Roundtable 2026. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy