More defensemen have stepped up since last week, so there are some stronger offensive options that also help out in other areas. There aren’t many games left for these players, but you should get at least two more games of streaming out of them this week.
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Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Defensemen to Target for Week 17
Thomas Chabot, Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators may be horrible at keeping pucks out of their net, but they are still finding ways to stay in games due to their strong offense. This helps many players, including Thomas Chabot, who hasn’t played the full season due to injury. He has five goals and 21 points in 37 games, which is pretty solid, but over his last seven games, he has a goal and six points.
Chabot will shoot and block more shots than he will hit, but he does add some of that as well as penalties, making him a good all-around defenseman to grab while the Senators are scoring and he’s getting on the board. Ottawa plays the Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils to close out the week.
Mattias Ekholm, Edmonton Oilers
Mattias Ekholm was just a part of two NHL records for the Edmonton Oilers. He recorded his first career hat trick, making it the first hat trick in back-to-back games by a defenseman on a team in NHL history. Two of his goals also contributed to the fastest four goals scored by defensemen in a game in NHL history. The Oilers are scoring at will and are second in the league in goals. Ekholm is playing with Evan Bouchard and in prime scoring positions.
In his last five games, the veteran Ekholm has three goals and seven points. He has picked up the shooting and regularly hits and blocks shots. There’s no reason the Oilers will slow down their scoring now, and the team plays the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild still this week.
Mattias Samuelsson, Buffalo Sabres
If you thought the Buffalo Sabres would slow down, you’re mistaken. They continue to win and score, and Mattias Samuelsson has been a part of that, not just a factor of that. He has broken out and really bounced back from last season, and it has been very welcome for a team trying to finally get back to the playoffs.
He is on the top pairing with Rasmus Dahlin and has eight goals and 28 points on the season. Samuelsson has five assists in his last five games, putting up points in four of them. He has also been taking some penalties, but he hits and blocks more shots than he does shoot himself. With the Sabres rolling and Samuelsson playing a lot, he’s going to keep putting up points and contributing in fantasy. Buffalo has games against the Los Angeles Kings and Montreal Canadiens to close out the week.
Related: Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Week 17 Forward Streamers
For the couple of games you could have any of these top options to stream on defense, they shouldn’t disappoint. Be sure to come back next Monday for the top streamers in net, at forward, and on defense again.
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