The waiver wire is an excellent way to add hidden gems and overlooked players to your fantasy hockey club. This remains true whether you plan to have them as short-term or long-term parts of your fantasy roster. Now that we are over a month into the season, we better understand which waiver-wire defensemen are worth snagging. As a result, here are three waiver-wire defensemen worth adding to your roster in Week 8.
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Defensemen to Consider for Week 8
Erik Gustafsson, New York Rangers
When the New York Rangers signed Erik Gustafsson this offseason, it was not talked about much. However, things have changed on that front significantly as of late. The 31-year-old has provided excellent offense from the point and is not showing any signs of slowing down. In 19 games played, he has three goals, 14 points, and a plus-6 rating. As a result, pick him up immediately if he is still available in your fantasy hockey league.
Gustafsson has been dominant in November, too, as he has 10 points over his last nine games. Getting this kind of production from a defenseman is huge for the Rangers, and he’s been a notable reason for their massive success as of late. Due to this, he is a waiver-wire defenseman who would be a steal to claim at this point of the campaign.
Brady Skjei, Carolina Hurricanes
One player whom fantasy managers should be keeping a very close eye on is Brady Skjei. While the Minnesota native is not a star, he is an effective top-four defenseman who plays a very steady all-around game. With that, he has quietly been off to an excellent start offensively in 2023-24, posting three goals, 11 points, and a plus-4 rating in 20 games. Due to this, he is another waiver-wire defenseman to consider for this week.
Skjei has been heating up lately, too, as he has seven points over his last nine games. Because of this increased spike in offensive production, he would be a strong waiver-wire addition at this point of the year. With that, he is also coming off an 18-goal and 38-point season, so he can produce when playing at his best.
Pavel Mintyukov, Anaheim Ducks
Pavel Mintyukov is a top prospect who has started off his 2023-24 season with a bang. In 21 games so far, he has one goal to go along with 12 points. However, when noting that he is playing for a small market in Anaheim, he sometimes can be overlooked. Due to this, there’s a chance that he’s still available in your fantasy hockey league. If so, add him as a waiver-wire pickup immediately.
After a bit of a cold stretch, Mintyukov is starting to pick up his play again. Over his last three games, he has two assists and has looked far better defensively. Because of this, the 20-year-old is a waiver-wire defenseman worth taking a flier on if available.
Nevertheless, Week 8 offers some pretty solid candidates to consider from the waiver wire. Gustafsson, Skjei, and Mintyukov are all having strong seasons, and it will be fun to see if they can keep it up from here.