The first week of the NHL season is complete, which has given players a chance to show what they’ve got. Assuming someone in your league picked up Tyler Bertuzzi after his four-goal performance, best not to wait around while others make their mark. Thus begins the rush for everyone to try and claim the best the fantasy hockey waiver wire has to offer before they’re gone.
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Week 2 Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire
Forwards
C/RW Jordan Kyrou, STL (68% rostered): He’s been a popular claim on the waiver wire, but it may not be too late to snag him in your league. He’s off to an electric start with two goals and four assists in two outings. He’s playing in the Blues’ top six on a line with Brayden Schenn and new addition Pavel Buchnevich. Kyrou had his first breakthrough as a full-time NHL’er last season when he played 55 contests, scoring 35 points. The 23-year-old is showing he has even more to give. The Blues have plenty of good forwards, yet it’s possible Kyrou ends up being the best fantasy player by season’s end.
LW Michael Bunting, TOR (52%): Bunting quietly produced 10 goals and three assists in 21 games late last season for the Arizona Coyotes. That made him an interesting signing for the Maple Leafs and immediately had me pencil him in as a late-round draft target. He scored a hat trick early in the pre-season, helping him earn the trust of the coaching staff. He’s playing on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander. Bunting is surrounded by talent and is making the most of it so far. Through four games he has two goals, one assist, eight hits, and 14 shots.
LW/RW Brandon Tanev, SEA (51%): Selected from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the expansion draft, Tanev was brought in for his energy. Through five games with the Seattle Kraken, he has nine PIM and 13 hits. You can depend on him to lay out the body on a regular basis. Last year he racked up 139 hits in just 32 contests. He just played his 300th career NHL game and is three hits shy of 1000 career hits. Good chance he reaches that milestone in his next match. Oh, and he can score too, as he has three goals on the season, tied for the most on his team.
C/RW Danton Heinen, PIT (29%): After scoring 47 points during his rookie campaign in 2017-18 with the Boston Bruins, Heinen has seen his fantasy value drop each passing year. Last season he had just 14 points while playing for the Anaheim Ducks. However, it seems he’s found new life in Pittsburgh. Heinen scored a goal in each of his first three contests. He’s playing on the top line and getting minutes on the secondary power play. His role could diminish when Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Bryan Rust return. On the other hand, having that talent on the ice could boost his fantasy value further. In any case, he’s worth taking a flier on for the time being.
C/LW Derick Brassard, PHI (10%): Brassard is no longer a 60 point player, but he can still provide value in deeper leagues. He has a goal and two assists through two games, along with four hits and a plus-2 rating. He’s playing on the Flyers’ second line with Joel Farabee and Cam Atkinson. Brassard could be a good option until Kevin Hayes returns from injury to reclaim the second-line center spot.
Defense
D Ryan Graves, NJD (35%): Acquired from the Colorado Avalanche during the offseason, Graves is having an excellent start as a Devil. He’s played two matchups, earning three assists, six hits, five blocks, and a plus-7 rating. He’s playing on the top pair with Dougie Hamilton and averaging over 23 minutes of ice time. Graves averaged roughly 19 minutes a game in each of the past two seasons. If he can continue earning an extra four minutes per game, that will surely help him provide more fantasy value, especially with more hits and blocks.
Goalies
G Braden Holtby, DAL (42%): Dallas began the year with many question marks in net. Anton Khudobin and Jake Oettinger were the tandem last year. Ben Bishop is still injured and it’s unclear if he’ll return. The Stars crowded things more and signed Holtby, which caught some by surprise, including me. I thought that meant Holtby would be the backup or third-string, but so far he’s been the No. 1 goalie in Dallas. He’s started three of the team’s four games. He left the first game due to dehydration, but he’s looked good in every appearance. He has a 1-1-0 record with a 1.75 GAA and .947 save percentage. The Stars are stingy on defense and will help Holtby get back to his previous form after a couple of rough seasons. If he can continue earning starts, he’s easily worth nabbing from the waiver wire.
If you enjoyed Brandon’s fantasy hockey waiver wire, you’ll also want to check out Mark Hillier’s Week 2 Goalie Streams!
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