The NHL trade deadline is fast approaching. While there haven’t been any significant trades this past week, Fantasy Managers need to keep an eye out in case there is a trade that has a Fantasy impact. Whether you need to replace an injured or slumping player, or just want to give yourself a boost, the Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire is here to assist you.
Week 20 Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire
Forwards
Mikael Backlund, C, Calgary Flames (43% Rostered)
Backlund has been on fire. He’s racked up four goals and 12 points in his past nine games. He’s up to 39 points in 58 games this season. Backlund has already matched last year’s point total, doing so in 24 fewer games. He is on the Flames’ top power-play unit and producing on special teams with four power-play points and three short-handed points. He has 185 shots, 30 PIM, 65 hits, and a plus-18 rating. There’s no reason to leave him on the waiver wire while he’s scoring at this rate.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C/LW, Carolina Hurricanes, (24% Rostered)
Kotkaniemi has had a bit of a rocky season. He was playing on the fourth line at times and enduring multiple lengthy point droughts. He’s back on the second line with Teuvo Teravainen and Martin Necas. As a result, Kotkaniemi is enjoying his most productive stretch of hockey this season, with seven points in his last seven outings. He’s up to 10 goals and 24 points in 56 games. He has six power-play points, 76 hits, 79 shots, and a plus-5 rating. He can bring some offense from the waiver wire for as long as he remains in a scoring role.
Eetu Luostarinen, C/LW, Florida Panthers (18% Rostered)
Luostarinen has elevated his role with the Panthers. He went from being the fourth-line center to currently playing as the second-line center. He’s on a line with the team’s top two scorers Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk. It brought more offense to Luostarinen’s game, as he has posted eight points in his last eight tilts. Through 60 games he has 13 goals and 30 points, setting career highs in both categories. The 24-year-old is more prominent on the penalty kill, but he spends time on the second power-play unit too. He’s certainly worth adding from the waiver wire for as long as he stays in the Panthers’ top six.
Defense
Adam Boqvist, D, Columbus Blue Jackets (46% Rostered)
Boqvist has missed much of the season, but he’s been good when he’s healthy. He has 15 points in 25 games on the campaign. Nine points in his past nine games, and he’s currently on a four-game point streak. He’s anchoring the top power-play unit, where he’s picked up six power-play assists. He has 35 shots and 24 blocks, but doesn’t provide much in terms of hits, PIM, or plus/minus. Finding defensemen who can produce offense is the toughest aspect to find, and it’s an area Boqvist excels in.
Erik Brannstrom, D, Ottawa Senators (22% Rostered)
Brannstrom has had a rough season Fantasy-wise. Just eight points in 51 games, with no significant production in peripheral categories. However, five of his points have been generated within the past nine games. He plays on the second unit of a Senators power play that’s 4th best in the league. His average ice time is 15:41 this season, but he’s played over 22 minutes in three of his past four matches. With Nikita Zaitsev traded out, that opens the door to more responsibility for Brannstrom. At the very least, he’s worth looking at in deeper leagues who want to add a few points from the blue line.
Goalies
Joonas Korpisalo, G, Columbus Blue Jackets (29% Rostered)
The Blue Jackets have been at the bottom of the standings all season. Despite that, Korpisalo has a respectable 10-10-3 record, with a 3.14 GAA and a .912 save percentage. He won his past two starts, against the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets, while allowing just one goal each contest. His strong play is earning him more and more games as the season progresses. Korpisalo is a pending unrestricted free agent, so it’s possible we see him traded ahead of the deadline. The possibility of going to a stronger team has an appeal.
Connor Ingram, G, Arizona Coyotes (23% Rostered)
Ingram has been playing some quality hockey lately. His most recent contest was a 34-save victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Before that he came in relief for Karel Vejmelka, stopping all 23 shots in a shootout defeat. Then prior to that, he posted an outstanding 47-save shutout over the Tampa Bay Lightning. That’s 104 saves out of 106 shots faced across his last three appearances. He has a 5-11-4 record with a 3.16 GAA and a .913 save percentage. While the Coyotes aren’t going to pick up a ton of wins, they have been playing well lately, going 5-1-4 over their last 10 games. Even in losses, Ingram will make a good amount of saves. Not bad at all for someone who was claimed off of waivers at the start of the season.