Parasite Season: Zegras, Laine, and Frederic Leeching Their Way to Fantasy Glory

Even though the postal worker’s union is on strike, I’m here (on a Saturday) to deliver you our most recent crop of Sleepers. This special delivery is looking at the guys who will hopefully provide big fantasy seasons because of their exposure to star talent – fantasy parasites if you will. These aren’t leaders — they’re feeders. But in fantasy, we don’t care who’s driving the bus as long as we pick up the points.

C – TREVOR ZEGRAS 12G 20A -8 SOG 98 Yahoo ADP 172.8

Trevor Zegras’ career is similar to going down a water slide. You're excited, it's going great, you're all wet, then bam. You get stuck. Guy behind you loses his bathing suit and some big ol nuts are sliding towards your face. Thats what injuries and contract negotiations did to Zegras. In the 2022-23 season he put up 65 points. Things were looking on the up and up for the young kid. Drafted 9th overall only a couple years earlier in 2019. Then an injury riddled season only allowed him to play 31 games in 23/24, followed by 32 points in 57 games last season after recovering from knee surgery.

Zegras is getting a fresh start in the city of brotherly love, getting reunited with his old teammate Jamie Drysdale. Expect Matevi Michkov to be the one to get this water slide moving again. Finding some chemistry and looking great on pp 1, expect a big splash at the end of this ride. Rejuvenated and playing with some elite talent, expect Zegas to bounce back this season and hopefully we can all get a little wet. 70+ points with the upside for possibly more is a real possibility at the end of this ride

LW,RW – PATRIK LAINE 20G 13A -14 116 SOG Yahoo ADP 171.5

You ever see a single father crushing a Timmie’s cup while driving, knowing full well that there is definitely some Bailey’s in there. But, wait, there's more. He's holding his baby son on his lap just to add an extra element of skill. Probably just forgot the car seat. He's a Wednesday and every second weekend kind of guy. Rookie dad. Well, that’s actually Ivan Demidov driving and Patrick Laine is his baby. The chemistry seems to be there in the preseason. These two look to be on the same page on PP1. Laine scored 20 goals in 52 games last year, with 15 of those markers coming on the powerplay.

He will score some goals this year playing with the talent around him, but at some point, that baby on his father's lap is probably gonna get hurt. His 17.2% shooting percentage proves the cannon still fires — it just needs someone to light the fuse without crying first. Enter cannon-lighter Ivan. So, sit back and enjoy the ride while you can.

C,LW,RW – TRENT FREDERIC 8G 7A -16 78 SOG Yahoo ADP 168.6

Frederic isn’t here for art. He’s here for contact, chaos, and Connor McDavid’s statistical runoff. After being shipped to Edmonton, he signed an 8-year deal and immediately took up residence on McDavid’s right wing — which is basically like being stapled to a fire hydrant in a hurricane. Don’t look too closely at his poor numbers in Boston last year – the team as a whole was bad. In 23/24, Trent had 22 tucks, 18 apples and 204 hits. The big difference being he is now projected to start this year in Edmonton on the top line. Riding right wing with McDaddy in the middle and Uncle Leo on the other flank you couldn’t ask for a better landing spot.

Every shift will be the same: McDaddy & Uncle Leo will do something divine, Frederic collects the fantasy residue — a secondary assist here, a rebound goal there, and about four hits for dessert. He’s not driving offense. He’s stealing from it. And that’s perfect.

Think of Frederic as a parasite that makes its host stronger. McDavid gets space; Frederic gets paid; you get victories.

The NHL is full of alphas — but fantasy championships are won by the organisms that adapt faster than anyone else. Zegras will glide behind Michkov’s creativity, Laine will siphon Demidov’s oxygen, and Frederic will ride McDavid’s slipstream straight to your championship.

So, embrace the leeches. Because in the jungle of fantasy hockey, it’s not the predators who survive —it’s the ones who know exactly whose blood to drink.

Stay sleepy zzz