Pizza Cannons, Snuggz & Kisses, & The Book Club Bandit: A Sedated Sleepover

Here at Sedated Sleeper Picks we try to play to our strengths and minimize our weaknesses. Our only weakness you ask? We sure don’t know how to work smart. But damn will we work hard. Just like in beer league hockey. I made a bone-headed play at the blue line and had to backcheck like a man possessed. When I got back to the bench my teammate commended me for my effort. I replied “If you’re gonna play stupid you gotta hustle.”

Let’s keep the hustle going and sneak a peak at the next 3 sleepers. Be careful you don’t wake those last 2 – Yahoo doesn’t even list their ADP so you know those sleepers be sedated.

C - ADAM FANTILLI 31G 23A +6 SOG 191 Yahoo ADP 158.9

Adamo Fantilli – known to his teammates as “Mo” – had a great sophomore season in 24/25. Supposedly his good year was powered by the connection he had with his stick. His hyperlite 2 which he calls “Excalibur” gets some special gameday treatment. He doesn’t tape it for warmup so it can see the light of day before battle. Then before the game starts he gets a large Hawaiian delivered to the locker room and uses it to fire slices at his hungry teammates (usually Yegor Chinakhov). Then he gives it a quick spit shine (there’s no lube) and you know he’s gonna bring that baby to the skate sharpener so it can be on point before he goes to war.

Ok enough nonsense and let's get to the important stuff. When I look under the hood at Fantilli’s stats from last year the thing that jumps off the page is he only had four (4!) power play points. You have to think that will at least be in the double digits this year. Not to mention his ATOI jumped almost 2 minutes from 15:43 to 17:29 between his rookie and sophomore seasons. I would expect this number to further increase in year 3. Don’t let this guy and his sword/stick sleep in on draft day. I would definitely take “Mo” 10-15 picks before his current ADP and watch him carve up opposing defenses like a Thanksgiving turkey.

RW – JIMMY SNUGGERUD 1G 3A EVEN 10 SOG Yahoo Rank 228

This rookie hails from Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes. Snuggy did what he does every offseason – return to his home state and go fishing. A late June fishing derby was anything but ordinary when the Tug Snug’s fishing rod broke. With some skate laces and his backup stick (and a lot of ingenuity) Snuggles was able to fashion a makeshift rod. With his first cast he got a bite – what do you know? A 19 lb Northern Pike. Good enough for 1^st place, beating runner-up Dustin Byfuglien by a pound. Insiders say he now keeps a tackle box filled with worms in his hockey bag at all times.

Snuggz & Kisses? Snug Daddy 3000? Whatever you call him, Snuggerud had a heck of a 2024-2025 season. 51 points in 40 games as the captain of the Golden Gophers, followed up by 4 points in a 10 game NHL cameo. Then the icing on the cake was 4 points in 7 playoff games. The 21 year old plays a hard game and features a great shot. He will likely play in the Blues’ top 6 and get at least some PP2 time, possibly even PP1. With an ADP outside of 200, this is a guy to draft in the later rounds of your 14 team re-draft league. He is certainly worth monitoring in 12-teamers as well. Remember – Snuggz, not drugs.

RW – CONOR GARLAND 19G 31A -13 SOG 171 Yahoo Rank 240

The 29 year old winger is now entering his fifth year in Van City. He put up 50 points last year but it’s his deployment that’s got me excited. He finished the year playing consistently in the top 6 and on PP1 after the JT Miller trade. He was thrown over the boards in all situations. His ATOI jumped up by over 4 minutes last season to 18:39. He’s not the most physical, but for a 5’8” winger 58 blocks and 49 hits is nothing to sneeze at.

Garland is about as scrappy as they come. Don’t let his smaller frame fool you. He plays every game like it’s a bar fight. He brings this kind of in your face intensity to everything he does. It’s not always happy endings though. Just last month he was attending a book club in his condo and he got agitated when the host, Doris, ran out of saltine crackers. Witnesses say he flipped the table, pulled out a stick and puck and continued cycling in the corner until the wee hours of the morning. No question that Garls has got that dawg in him. He’s a lot like the ‘08 Honda Civic in your driveway – not loved enough but it never breaks down. Look to get him in the last rounds of your deep leagues (14 teamers) and keep an eye on him in more standard sized leagues given the potential for significant ice time, good deployment, and contributions across the board.

Stay sleepy zzz