As always, defensemen are hard to come by in fantasy hockey. They are more unpredictable and while hoping they can contribute offensively, you also have to count on them to add other stats as well. Three of the top streaming options this week should serve as solid additions to your team, whether that be for one game or the remainder of the week and beyond.
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Defensemen to Target for Week 21
Jackson LaCombe, Anaheim Ducks
Jackson LaCombe continues to have a breakout season and is not taken advantage of in enough fantasy leagues this season. He has 11 goals and 34 points this season, and most of that production came after Cam Fowler was traded to the St. Louis Blues. LaCombe has scored two goals and recorded 10 points in his last nine games, only going pointless twice in that span.
He is the go-to defenseman for the Anaheim Ducks this season and the team is on the rise. LaCombe is on the top pairing and typically plays over 24 minutes per night and has been on and off the top power-play unit. Even so, he has two power-play points in his last seven games, so it is still some contribution. The Ducks still have games against the Utah Hockey Club, Nashville Predators, and St. Louis Blues this week, so you will get great value from him.
Shayne Gostisbehere, Carolina Hurricanes
Shayne Gostisbehere gets the pleasure of playing on the top power-play unit for the Carolina Hurricanes and he has been especially productive lately. The Hurricanes haven’t played great since the start of February, but now that the Mikko Rantanen drama is over and the team can move on, I expect the team to be back to their dominating ways.
Gostisbehere has seven goals and 35 points on the season, but he has been a little inconsistent with when points have come. That being said, he has one goal and six points in his last eight games and hasn’t gone multiple games in a row without recording a point since early February. He has recorded three power-play points in his last six games on top of shooting, hitting here and there, and blocking shots.
Filip Hronek, Vancouver Canucks
Filip Hronek has had an uptick in production lately, so before it wears off, this is the best time to grab him. While Quinn Hughes remains out of the lineup, Hronek is the number one defenseman playing tons of minutes, on the top power-play unit, and killing penalties. He has four assists in the last three games, two of them coming in the same game twice.
Hronek evenly distributes shots, hits, and blocks, and since being bumped to the top PP unit, he has recorded two points on the man advantage. This isn’t going to last forever, but for the time being, take this opportunity to add someone playing in this position as the chance doesn’t come around too often for defensemen. The Vancouver Canucks still match up against the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, and Utah.
Related: Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Week 21 Forward Streams
LaCombe and Gostisbehere should be the better long-term solutions if you’re looking to not only stream a defenseman, but hold onto him for a while longer, but Hronek is a great pure streamer until Hughes gets back to the lineup. Be sure to come back next week as the season winds down to get the best insight on who you should be streaming.
