The waiver wire is a great place to find hidden gems that will help your fantasy hockey team in the short term and sometimes the long term as well. You have likely already taken advantage of this through the first eight weeks of the season. Regardless, there should still be strong options on the waiver wire at forward that we will look at. Even if it is only for a few games, these players are worth adding to help your team out. This is the place where you can find good options to take advantage of before anyone else in your league does.
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Forwards to Consider for Week 9
Mikael Granlund, San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks have started to pick up their play after the abysmal start to the season. This has not only seen them win more but also score more goals. Don’t get me wrong, the Sharks are still bad, but they are now a team where players are having impacts offensively and towards fantasy. Last week Tomas Hertl was someone to take note of. This week, it’s Mikael Granlund who’s been very hot as of late. When players are playing well, get them while they’re hot.
In the case of Granlund, he is the team’s second-line center and second on the team in points with 11 in 18 games. While he only has two goals and nine assists, those two goals and five of those assists have come in the last five games. He is on the power play and has rattled off some high-shot games. On top of all of that, he will make hits. The Sharks have scored 11 goals in the past two games, so he will be in on the action if that continues to an extent.
Yakov Trenin, Nashville Predators
Fortunately for the Nashville Predators, Yakov Trenin, the physical middle-six forward, has started to get on the scoresheet in other ways. Not only has he continued his physical play, he has started to score and produce offensively on a weak offensive team that needs it. He had no points in the first 14 games of the season but has five goals and seven points in his last nine games.
To go along with the goals and points, he is shooting more, which helps. I see Trenin as more of a rental while he’s hot since he’s most definitely available in nearly every league that isn’t extremely deep. With injuries to Thomas Novak and Cody Glass, expect Trenin to continue to get a pretty good look in the lineup. He is one of those rare players who can do it all when he’s producing offensively, which is right now.
Jake Neighbours, St. Louis Blues
Jake Neighbours has a very high shooting percentage this season, which has resulted in a lot of goals. That happens sometimes and it isn’t guaranteed to drop off in the short term. Like the two players before him in this group, he had a tough start to the season offensively, scoring two goals in his first 15 games. His shooting percentage was abnormally low and has since adjusted itself. While pucks continue to find the back of the net for the young winger, I suggest you take advantage.
Neighbours has seven goals and eight points in his last eight games, and since his confidence is riding high because shots are going in, he’s taking many more of them. He has never been one to shy away from physicality as well and has continued that tough play every game. As Neighbours has been playing so well, he has gotten the ice time to match, playing over 20 minutes in each of the past two games. He is firing on all cylinders right now and worth the pickup.
Players that may seem like great waiver wire pickups could fade quickly, while others could turn out to be great for a long time. These three players appear to be the best options in Week 9 of the fantasy hockey season among those who should be available. Take advantage before it is too late and make sure to check in with us next week for more strong options.