The fantasy hockey season often resembles an endurance test, so setting short-term goals for your teams is an avenue to staying on top of the game. Playing to win each matchup makes it easier in weekly, head-to-head settings, whereas looking to improve in particular categories you’re trailing in or trying to move up a point or two in the standings over a set period of time is helpful in rotisserie formats. Regardless of the format you play in, there is no doubting that the fantasy hockey waiver wire is an important source of help on a weekly basis.
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Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire 10-6
Here are a handful of players to consider adding who are owned in fewer than 60 percent of Fantrax leagues.
C Mikael Backlund, CGY (39%): The 29-year-old Swede is off to a respectable start with three goals, seven assists and 34 shots. His shut-down role centering the No. 2 line has also enabled him to see 18:23 of ice time per contest with 2:05 on the power play. Backlund isn’t going to provide many hits or blocked shots, but he does win a lot of faceoffs.
C Brett Howden, NYR (26%): One of the key pieces sent to the Big Apple in the J.T. Miller-Ryan McDonagh deal at the trade deadline last season, Howden’s found a groove of late with a goal, five points nine shots, six hits and four blocked shots through his past five outings. He’s currently nursing an upper-body injury, however, so there’s a chance he misses a game or two this week.
C/LW Brock Nelson, NYI (33%): A holdover from last week, Nelson continues to produce. He’s up to seven tallies on 29 shots through the first 14 games of the season while skating on an intriguing line with Anders Lee and Josh Bailey. Nelson obviously isn’t going to maintain a 24.1 shooting percentage, but he’s also got just two assists and is without a power-play point, so improvement in those areas will help offset the oncoming decline in shooting efficiency.
C/LW Boone Jenner, CBJ (38%): The meat-and-potatoes forward chips in across all categories and has been particularly effective of late with two goals, two assists, 15 shots, seven hits and six blocked shots through his past six outings. Jenner’s locked into a middle-six role and receives power-play time while also taking a lot of faceoffs.
C/LW/RW Devin Shore, DAL (20%): Currently, Dallas has split up Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin on the top two lines, which has Shore skating on the top trio with Seguin. The 24-year-old forward has cashed in on his promotion to a degree and is up to three goals, nine points, 12 hits and 11 blocked shots through 14 games. He’s not a high-volume shooter (3.57 shots per 60 minutes), but in deep settings, Shore carries value as long as he’s skating in a top-six role.
LW/RW Tobias Rieder, EDM (11%): The first-year Oiler is skating with Leon Draisaitl on the second line and has recorded seven helpers through his past eight games. Rieder is goalless on 28 shots for the season, too, so there’s statistical correction ahead in the goals column, too. Just note that his value could plummet if he’s not skating with Draisaitl.
RW Jason Pominville, BUF (54%): Everything has been going right of late for Buffalo’s top line. Pominville has connected with Jack Eichel and Jeff Skinner for 7.71 goals ad 22.62 high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes over 116:43 of shared ice time, and the veteran is an outing removed from a seven-game point streak that consisted of seven goals, six assists and 29 shots.
RW Josh Anderson, CBJ (48%): There’s a lot to like about Anderson’s game, and since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, his 1.07 goals per 60 minutes rank among elite company. He’s receiving power-play time and is also a huge help in the hits column.
RW Gustav Nyquist, DET (36%): Sporting a four-game point streak consisting of five assists, Nyquist is quietly delivering serviceable numbers. He’s only scored a single goal through 14 games, so his 3.2 shooting percentage has positive regression ahead of it, too. Just note that the 29-year-old Swede’s value drops in formats including plus/minus rating.
D Derrick Pouliot, VAN (16%): With Alexander Edler (knee) out, Pouliot has been quarterbacking the No. 1 power-play unit. The 2012 first-round selection scored a goal with the man advantage last time out and has recorded a respectable 23 hits and 17 blocked shots for the campaign. Vancouver’s top power-play unit is also sneaky talented.
D Adam Larsson, EDM (38%): While his secondary statistics are more valuable than his scoring numbers, Larsson appears set to have a career year. The 25-year-old defenseman has just five assists through 14 games, but his 16 shots, 12 PIM, 38 hits, 24 blocked shots and plus-5 rating provide a high fantasy floor for offensive to build on.
D Alex Goligoski, ARI (27%): An outing removed from a four-game point streak (a goal and six assists), Goligoski’s back in line to have another solid season. He’s recorded at least 35 points in each of the past five seasons while also moving the needle in the shots, blocked shots and hits columns, albeit, he’s only thrown nine body checks through 13 games to start the 2018-19 campaign.
G David Rittich, CGY (31%): The Czech has won four of five starts for a .927 save percentage and 2.23 GAA, whereas No. 1 goalie Mike Smith sports a 5-4-1 record with .871 and 3.71 marks. If Rittich continues to outplay Smith, it’s only a matter of time before he receives more starts. Calgary is in a win-now spot, after all.
G Mikko Koskinen, EDM (26%): The return to the NHL has been smooth for the 30-year-old Finn. Koskinen has won all three of his starts with a .935 save percentage and 2.01 GAA while also picking up a shutout. Edmonton now has the luxury to rest Cam Talbot more often, and there’s potential Koskinen receives approximately 25 starts over the course of the season — a big enough workload to reward.
Did you find this Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire article useful? If so you’ll probably appreciate Neil’s latest Fantasy Hockey Risers and Fallers as well.
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