Hidden Gems: 8 Central Division Players to Watch | with Louis Boulet

Hidden Gems is back for Part 3, and we're heading into the Central Division! 💎

Blake is joined once again by Louis Boulet of LB-Hockey to uncover eight players who might not be obvious fantasy hockey draft targets, but have the underlying skills and potential opportunities to become seriously interesting in 2026-27.

With training camp underway, we're looking beyond the box score to explore current line combinations, power-play deployment, microstats and the specific circumstances that could unlock each player's fantasy value.

This episode features:

🏒 Frank Nazar (CHI) — Elite transition ability and a potential breakout opportunity alongside Patrick Kane.

🏒 Sam Malinski (COL) — A 40-point defenseman who produced almost entirely without power-play minutes.

🏒 Justin Hryckowian (DAL) — A forechecking and defensive monster whose offensive upside depends on deployment.

🏒 Bobby Brink (MIN) — A sneaky playmaker who could thrive alongside Minnesota's elite offensive talent.

🏒 Mavrik Bourque (NSH) — A fresh start, a six-year contract and an opportunity to centre Filip Forsberg.

🏒 Connor McMichael (STL) — Can a new environment help him rediscover his 26-goal scoring touch?

🏒 Michael Carcone (UTA) — Outstanding per-minute offensive numbers trapped in a limited role.

🏒 Cole Perfetti (WPG) — A healthy offseason and a potential top-line, PP1 opportunity alongside Winnipeg's biggest stars.

These aren't all players you need to draft today. They're players you need to know before the opportunity arrives.

Eight teams. Eight Hidden Gems. Plenty of fantasy upside.

Let's get to BIZ!

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