The first week of the season has passed and it was an odd one. Some teams played once and others played three times. When looking to stream players, teams that play a lot matter. But when looking for steals on the waiver wire to hold onto, that doesn’t matter as much. Any good fantasy hockey manager will be looking to add players quite frequently. Sometimes this is due to injuries and other times because some players aren’t performing. This is the place where you can discover some good options to take advantage of before anyone else does in your league.
Waiver Wire Forwards to Consider for Week 2
Teuvo Teravainen, Carolina Hurricanes
Teuvo Teravainen has been playing on the second line to start this season. Since Andrei Svechnikov is out for the time being, Teravainen gets to benefit from top-six minutes alongside the team’s leading scorer from last season, Martin Necas. Instead of playing in the bottom six where he was slotted in last season upon returning from injury, Teravainen, a winger who has had some great seasons in Carolina, is back contributing like he has in the past.
Teravainen has scored four goals in the team’s first three games of the season despite only recording five shots. His shooting percentage is bound to go down, but he’s getting strong opportunities and converting. He has two goals at even strength, one on the power play, and one shorthanded. While he’s usually not known for playing physically, he has thrown four hits already. His career high is 35 in a season. The added physicality will help out in most fantasy hockey leagues.
Boone Jenner, Columbus Blue Jackets
While Patrik Laine is now playing center for the Columbus Blue Jackets, this has put Boone Jenner in a good spot. He moves down to be the second-line center and gets more favorable matchups. Plus he still has Johnny Gaudreau on his wing. Jenner will still log a lot of minutes and play in all situations. For someone who shouldn’t have been a top-line center and is still being forced to play there the last few seasons, he should see his production rise as the Blue Jackets are better overall this season too.
Jenner has always been very physical, and for a forward, blocks a lot of shots. He will also take penalties, so he is a great all-around player if his offense continues. In the first two games of the season, he has three goals and four points. One of his goals has come on the power play as well. The top unit will be more effective and so will he.
Evan Rodrigues, Florida Panthers
Evan Rodrigues used to be your prototypical bottom-six player until two seasons ago. When there were injuries, he stepped up big for the Pittsburgh Penguins. This got him on teams’ radars and he did the same thing on the injury-prone Colorado Avalanche. There was a place open for him on the Florida Panthers and they brought him in to fill a top-six role. He has done that very well so far, even though it’s only two games in.
In the Panthers’ first two games, he has scored two goals and recorded four points. He is lining up on the top line beside Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart and should remain there as long as the production continues. He doesn’t necessarily help out a lot in other areas, but when it comes to producing offensively, he looks like he can be counted on. The Panthers are always a very offensive team and that’s good for fantasy hockey.
Andrew Mangiapane, Calgary Flames
While the line of Mikael Backlund, Blake Coleman, and Andrew Mangiapane worked last season, Mangiapane’s goals dropped significantly. He should be a big part of the offense and that’s what the Calgary Flames are trying to do this season. He is slotted in and playing on the top line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Elias Lindholm this season.
Mangiapane already has two goals and four points in two games this season. He isn’t shooting a lot yet and his physicality is usually higher. That is something to watch, but I think the Flames will address that and he’ll pick it up. For now, he seems reliable in his ability to get points with the Flames’ big guns.
There are always good options on the waiver wire in most fantasy hockey leagues. These are the best options that should be available right now at forward, but not for long. Come back next week for the best players you should add to get the advantage.