Defensemen are never that easy to find on the waiver wire, but there are always some standouts each week that should provide good value to stream. Whether this is because they are hot right now or trending up for the rest of the season, here are the three best targets that should be available in the majority of fantasy hockey leagues this week to add.
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Defensemen to Target for Week 10
Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens
Lane Hutson has been impressive with the puck from the moment he stepped into the NHL. He may not be great defensively, but that’s not where his game is focused. He can hold onto the puck and make incredible moves to create offense and it has shown. The rookie has been stellar lately. He is on a seven-game assist streak and has recorded eight assists over that time.
Hutson is still without a goal this season, but has 19 assists through 28 games and is logging big minutes in many games. He is playing on the top pairing and on the top power-play unit, so more of his production will now provide even more fantasy hockey value. The young star has three power-play points in the last four games. The Montreal Canadiens still play the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets this week and if you like or need assists, Hutson is someone to pick up and hang onto.
Damon Severson, Columbus Blue Jackets
Damon Severson has sneakily been somewhat fantasy-relevant this season as the Columbus Blue Jackets’ success has boosted his value and allowed him to get in on more offensive production. The top-4 defenseman doesn’t play the power play, but he does kill penalties to boost his time on ice and allow him to block more shots.
Severson has two goals and five points in the last five games and six goals and 15 points in 27 games on the season. He shoots and has the ability to continue to produce offensively with some better defensive qualities that many may focus on now. The Blue Jackets have been scoring and Severson is playing some big minutes. After the matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Blue Jackets still play the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, and Carolina Hurricanes, so it is a busy end of the week and an opportunity for more games if you stream Severson.
Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota Wild
Jared Spurgeon seems ramped back up to where he should be at on the Minnesota Wild’s defense. He plays over 20 minutes per night and before Brock Faber, he was more of a go-to d-man for offense. Spurgeon still has that in him as he has three goals and 11 points in 21 games this season. More importantly, he has three goals and five points in the last five games.
Spurgeon has recorded two points on the power play in the previous four games, so it adds value where many thought it wouldn’t really come from this season with Faber ahead of him. While averaging two shots per game, the veteran will hit and block even more shots, so he covers most bases in terms of value for fantasy. The Wild are a very good team and he is feeding off of that. This is fortunate for fantasy managers looking for someone like him to pick up. Like with the Blue Jackets, the Wild still play three more times this week after their matchup with the Utah Hockey Club. Minnesota plays the Edmonton Oilers, Flyers, and Vegas Golden Knights, so there’s a lot of opportunity for the following three games on the schedule.
Related: Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Week 10 Forward Streams
In an area that is typically hard to find the best value week in and week out, there are some solid options that should be available in more fantasy hockey leagues than not. Be sure to check back next week for not only defensemen to stream but goalies and forwards as well.