Fantasy: 4 risky picks worth gambling on

Get ready for your season with theScore's fantasy hockey draft kit.

There are a number of NHL players that stand out as less than reliable options in 2020-21 fantasy drafts for one reason or another.

Some are dicey due to age or injury concerns, while others saw their value diminished as the result of a disappointing 2019-20 campaign. However, more than a few of these players are still worth gambling on.

Here are four risky NHL fantasy picks worth embracing this season:

Tyson Barrie, D, Oilers

It's no secret that Barrie fell out of favor in Toronto thanks to his defensive liabilities and a dip in his offensive production from 59- and 57-point seasons with the Colorado Avalanche to 39 with the Maple Leafs in 2019-20.

Despite that decrease, Barrie drove possession last season, posting expected goals for, scoring chances for, and Corsi For percentages above 50.

The 29-year-old is now in a situation with the Oilers that could allow him to rediscover the form he displayed in his prime years. If Barrie sticks on Edmonton's first power-play unit - which is likely considering he was essentially brought in to replace the injured Oscar Klefbom - he'll have copious opportunities to rack up fantasy points galore alongside Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and James Neal.

Barrie signed a one-year deal with the Oilers, so he'll be even more motivated to prove himself after his awkward exit from the Leafs. That also bodes well for his fantasy value.

Anthony Mantha, LW/RW, Red Wings Dave Reginek / National Hockey League / Getty

Mantha is currently being picked around No. 156 in Yahoo drafts, which would be the 13th round in 12-team leagues. The reluctance from fantasy managers is understandable to a degree.

The Red Wings forward played only 43 games last season due to a punctured lung and suited up for 67 contests in 2018-19. He's on the NHL's worst team, and he'll no longer have the motivation of playing for a contract after signing a four-year extension in November.

That's all cause for concern, but there are reasons to take a chance on Mantha. He played down the stretch before the pause, and, by all accounts, he's healthy heading into the upcoming campaign. Despite missing a chunk of time in 2019-20, the Canadian winger produced nearly a point per game, including 12 goals and 22 points over his first 23 contests. His 16 goals in 43 games project to 30 markers over a full season.

Mantha has developed undeniable chemistry with fellow playmaker Dylan Larkin on Detroit's top line, and his shooting percentage dipped under 12% last season for the first time since his 2015-16 rookie campaign. At 26 years old, he's entering his prime. Despite the inherent risk, Mantha is worth selecting with a mid- to late-round pick.

Cam Talbot, G, Wild Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

Talbot is another new face in a new place this season, and the 33-year-old is a risky pick for several reasons. The obvious one is his age, and he hasn't been a true No. 1 netminder since occupying the role with the Oilers in 2017-18. Throw in the fact that Talbot is now a member of the mediocre Wild, and it's easy to see why fantasy managers are going to pass on him come draft night.

However, there's reason to predict he'll be fine - and potentially even valuable - in 2020-21. The former Calgary Flames goaltender is coming off his best campaign in years, and while he played only 26 games in 2019-20, he authored an impressive .919 save percentage.

If the concern is Talbot won't earn as many wins with his new team, keep in mind Minnesota collected one less victory than Calgary last season while playing one less game. Though the Wild underperformed defensively in 2019-20, their top four of Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, and Matt Dumba remains unchanged and could easily restore its status as one of the most effective groups of rearguards in the NHL.

Plus, with backup Alex Stalock now out indefinitely and Kaapo Kahkonen serving as Talbot's backup, the latter should get the vast majority of starts for Minnesota. That would make Talbot worthy of a gamble in leagues that start two goaltenders, or even as insurance in those that start one.

Jeff Skinner, LW, Sabres Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / Getty

Skinner fell off the fantasy map with 14 goals and nine assists in 59 games last season after amassing a career-high 40 goals in 2018-19. The Sabres winger is the definition of a risky pick because of this variance, but there's one big reason to bet on him providing value in 2020-21.

Reuniting with former Carolina Hurricanes teammate Eric Staal and playing with him on Buffalo's second line should help reignite Skinner's game. Staal is 36 years old, but the two forwards shouldn't need much time to re-establish their old chemistry. Skinner having a skilled center he's already familiar with can only benefit him.

His 2019-20 struggles were due at least partly to bad luck, as he tied his career-low shooting percentage of 7.7 after finishing with an inflated rate of 14.9 during his breakout campaign. He's averaged 10.9% over his 10-year career.

Skinner probably won't bury 40 goals again, but he shouldn't have a problem scoring around 25 times and notching 50-plus points with less misfortune and Staal feeding him passes. That potential makes him worthy of a speculative pick in the later rounds of fantasy drafts.

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