We’re back to looking at the best players that are available in the majority of leagues. After taking last week to reflect on some midseason awards, there’s been a handful of players making notable contributions for even the deepest of leagues. Our Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Report will fill you in on who’s been making an impact.
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Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire for Week 19
Forwards
C Jesperi Kotkaniemi, MTL (49%): The rookie has tallied six points in his past 10 games, but the most recent five have all been goals. Many scoffed when Montreal decided to select the Finn with the third overall pick, but not only does he belong in the NHL, he’s been one of the top youngsters, with his 26 points being tied for third best in the rookie scoring race.
LW Jakub Vrana, WSH (49%): Vrana has quietly been compiling points for the Capitals, notching 10 in his past dozen games. He’s been playing on a line with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson, as well as the second power-play unit. He’s already surpassed last season’s 27 point total as he sits with 31 on the year, and will continue to add to his career year in the second half of the campaign.
RW Tyler Toffoli, LAK (45%): His Kings may be last in the Western Conference, but Toffoli is still finding ways to be productive. He has eight points in his last seven appearances, including 23 shots on goal. He’s seeing 2:01 of power-play time per game, and given the lack of scoring in Los Angeles, he’ll continue to be relied on going forward.
LW Brandon Saad, CHI (44%): The winger is having a solid bounce-back season after posting just 35 points in 2017-18. He’s already up to 17 goals and 31 points, and could get back to being a 50-point player should he continue he recent pace. He has nine points in his past 12 games.
C Bryan Little, WPG (42%): Little continues to fly under the radar in the majority of leagues, despite his continuous production. He has 14 points in his past 13 games, half of which being goals. He is the thirteenth highest scoring player in the league during that timeframe, so pick him up while you still can.
RW Jack Roslovic, WPG (33%): The depth forward has made some noise lately, posting seven points in as many games. Most notably is his four-point performance in Winnipeg’s 9-3 whooping of the Ducks last Saturday, which included a power-play hat-trick. He’s seeing a considerable uptick in ice time, receiving at least 14 minutes in his last few games, compared to his season average of 9:16.
LW Evan Rodrigues, BUF (11%): The multi-positional forward has compiled eight points in his past 10 outings. That alone makes him worth considering, but he received a boost in linemates recently. The Sabres broke up their top line, and the result is Rodrigues playing on a line with Sam Reinhart. Rodrigues has 19 points thus far, but could see that number quickly rise playing with a high-end playmaker.
Defense
D Tyler Myers, WPG (41%): The giant blue liner frustrated many fantasy owners with his incredibly slow start. However, he has four points in as many games, and is starting to look like the player we saw put up 36 points last year. Sitting at 17 points, he’s not going to reach last season’s total, but if he can continue this recent trend and be productive down the stretch, he’s worth a look.
D Jordan Oesterle, ARZ (13%): The Coyotes defender has compiled seven points in his last 10 outings, and has been logging heavy minutes for the team lately – playing over 20 minutes a night and anchoring the second power play unit. Arizona has been decimated with injuries all year, and Oesterle has stepped up to help fill the void.
D Danny DeKeyser, DET (8%): The defenseman has been on a tear since returning from injury – posting five points in six contests. This brings him up to 12 points on the campaign, matching the total of each of his past two seasons, but doing so in just 26 games this time. While he likely won’t reach the 30 point mark like he did back in 2014-15, he is scoring at a higher rate than ever in his career, making him a worthwhile option in deeper leagues.
Goaltending
G Curtis McElhinney, CAR (36%): The 35-year-old veteran goaltender is enjoying the most productive season of his career. He has a 12-6-1 record along with a 2.37 GAA and .918 save percentage. He’s just one win away from setting a career high, and he’ll likely reach that soon with how well he’s been playing recently. He’s won four of his last five starts, including a 4-0 shutout victory over the Penguins Tuesday night.
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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