We have a mix of new and familiar faces all producing that can be found in this week’s edition of the Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Report.
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Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire for Week 17
Forwards
RW Tyler Toffoli, LAK (47%): Toffoli has been doing well lately, posting four points in as many games. He has 20 points in 50 games, and while he likely won’t reach the 40 he hit last year – and certainly not the 58 he reached in 2015-16 – he can bring some secondary scoring to your squad.
LW Kevin Labanc, SJS (46%): The winger has six points in his last seven games, including a three-point night against the Coyotes. He’s on pace to set a career high in points, having 30 points in 52 games thus far.
C Derek Stepan, ARZ (41%): The Coyotes No. 1 center has undoubtedly had a down year, netting just 23 points in 50 games. The positive note is that he’s picked up his scoring lately, fetching five points in his past six contests. Playing on the top line means he’s always in a position to succeed and could be in line to bounce back from a rough first half to the season.
C Joe Thornton, SJS (39%): Jumbo Joe is showing that even at 39 years of age, he’s still got it. He’s posted seven points in the past nine games. He doesn’t add much category coverage, but if you’re in need of some points, Thornton makes for a safe option – especially while he’s playing on the Sharks lethal power play, ranked seventh in the league.
LW Frank Vatrano, FLA (36%): The 24-year-old is thriving in Florida, posting 16 goals and 26 points in 47 games, smashing his previous career-high 10 goals and 18 points set back in 2016-17. He has nine points in his last seven contests, including a four-point performance against the Sharks on Monday. He’s playing on the top line alongside Aleksander Barkov and Evgenii Dadonov, giving him a great opportunity to succeed and making him a sneaky pickup.
C Nick Bonino, NSH (22%): The centerman has been on a tear, notching 10 points in his last nine outings. He has 27 points on the campaign, already surpassing last year’s total of 25, and is starting to look like the player the Predators thought he could be when signing him in the summer of 2017.
LW Brendan Lemieux, WPG (12%): The 22-year-old is a solid source of PIM and hits, racking up 47 PIM and 51 hits in 32 games. He doesn’t provide much offense, but has scored a trio of goals over his past two games. He can bring value for those in deeper leagues.
Defense
D Vince Dunn, STL (49%): The 22-year-old is having a productive season despite the struggles of many of his teammates. He has 21 points in 45 games – a significant uptick in production compared to his rookie campaign where he 24 points in 75 games. He has four points in his past six outings and it won’t be long before more owners take notice of Dunn’s value.
D Jaccob Slavin, CAR (48%): The defender has five points in his last three contests, including a three-assist performance versus the Oilers last Sunday. He’s been quietly putting up notable numbers of late, scoring 11 points in his past 13 games. His 23 points are the most among the blue line on his Hurricanes – ahead of teammates Dougie Hamilton and Justin Faulk, who have 19 and 17 points respectively. Pick Slavin up before your league members realize that he’s the true No. 1 defenseman on his team.
D Cody Ceci, OTT (19%): Ceci has four points in his past six outings and brings some category coverage for those in deeper leagues. He’s taken 79 shots on goal, 61 hits, and 95 blocks. His 15 points in 46 games puts him just four shy of last year’s total and could take a run at a new career high should he net a dozen more points.
D Adam Pelech, NYI (10%): The defensive defenseman brings value for deeper leagues with his 85 hits and 63 blocks. He can chip in with the occasional offense too, as he has three points in his last three games.
Goaltending
G Jordan Binnington, STL (46%): His ownership is up from last week’s 39%, but he shouldn’t still be available in more than 50% of leagues. Binnington is 5-1-1 since receiving his first NHL start. The Blues were written off earlier in the season, but are now within striking distance of a playoff spot, largely due to the play of Binnington. Pick him up while you still can.
G Darcy Kuemper, ARZ (44%): The Coyotes netminder is on a roll, going 6-0-1 in his last seven affairs. He’s defeated some of the NHL’s top teams during that stretch, including the Sharks and Maple Leafs, and makes for a solid backup or third string goaltender on your squad.
For more great fantasy hockey talk, listen in on Chris Meaney and Neil Parker on the Fantrax Fantasy Hockey Podcast, as they hit on all the injuries, streamers, and recent trends you need to know to stay on top of the fantasy ice.
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