Fantasy Hockey Focus: The dreaded sophomore slump

With the Four Nations Cup break looming and the NHL Trade Deadline not far behind, the race to the fantasy hockey postseason is upon us. Fantasy managers looking toward the future will be looking for young players to bolster their future rosters, while those gunning for a championship will be in buyers's mode. 

So let’s look at some second-year skaters who aren’t finding the same success as they did in their rookie 2023-24 campaigns, but could still be in line for future progression. 

Zach Benson, W - Buffalo Sabres

Few players play a full NHL season at 18 years old, and even fewer that aren’t top-of-the-draft picks. Buffalo’s Zach Benson was an exception, playing 71 games as a true rookie in 2023-24. He managed 1.76 points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, which isn’t elite in and of itself, but was