With each team having played around five games so far this season, identifying some smart pickups is not as challenging as it was to start the year. The mixture of players on this list offer different values. Some of these players are an excellent short-term add, while others, with how their teams are looking so far this year, may provide value over the entirety of the season. Here are the best players to add for Week 2 of the NHL season.
Derick Brassard, C, Ottawa Senators
The savvy veteran is off to one of the best starts of his NHL career, picking up six points in five games while sporting a +/- rating of seven. Brassard had a down season last year, his first with the Ottawa Senators. In the prior two season, with the New York Rangers, Brassard averaged 59 points and had over 100 hits. It may be early in the season, but he could return to those numbers, making his a great asset to grab early in the season.
Mikko Rantanen, LW/RW, Colorado Avalanche
With their surprising start to the NHL season, there is a handful of Colorado Avalanche players floating around on the waiver wire. One of those players is Mikko Rantanen. The young forward has picked up five points in six games this season, while averaging close to three shots per game. His shooting percentage of just 5.9% should improve, giving him a much higher scoring potential if he can keep averaging close to three shots per game. Players like Rantanen are the reason why the Avalanche are over-exceeding expectations, and as long as the team remains hot, these players are good pickups in fantasy hockey.
Cody Ceci, D, Ottawa Senators
Having already matched his goal total from last season with two, Cody Ceci is on pace to be a much better fantasy option than he was a season ago. Ceci has always been good for getting blocks, but currently, he is averaging a career-high 3.4 blocks per game. Ceci has seen his role expand on the power play, while Karlsson is out with an injury. As long as Karlsson is out is worth sticking in your lineup. When Karlsson returns, Ceci will still see plenty of ice-time, as he did average 23:12 minutes last season. He will likely see a dip in his time on the power play and his goal-scoring output, but will still provide better fantasy production than he did in 2016-17.
Sven Andrighetto, LW/RW, Colorado Avalanche
Few players in the NHL had a better week than Sven Andrighetto. The duo-winger has six points in his last four games and saw his ice time climb to 19:33 in Colorado’s 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Andrighetto only has two games this week but should continue to be valuable when the Avalanche enter a busy stretch near the end of October. As long as Colorado is overachieving, their best players are worth picking up.
Mike Condon, G, Senators,
If there is any backup goaltender to own in the NHL, Mike Condon may be it. Condon nearly blanked the Edmonton Oilers, in his first start of the season, allowing a single goal on 36 shots. Knowing how much playing time Condon will get is a little tricky to predict, but he did show last season he has the availability to play more than the average backup. If you are not too worried about your current goaltending situation and just want someone with good value down the road, Condon is a good goaltender to add this week.
Adam Henrique, C, New Jersey Devils
With five points in his first five games, Adam Henrique is reminding people he can be an asset in fantasy hockey. Henrique is just one season removed from a 30-goal campaign. He has topped 20 goals three times in his career, and with a career shooting percentage of 15.5%, he can score when given the opportunity. Overall, the Devils offense looks much better than it did a season ago when it ranked last in the East Conference in goals scored. Henrique could be a very good long-term addition to your fantasy roster.
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