With the NHL trade deadline on Wednesday this week, fantasy hockey league managers have to be very careful when it comes to lining up their waiver wire selections based on schedules. For example, the Tampa Bay Lightning play on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week but if you want to pick up one of their players it might make sense to avoid Brian Boyle, who is expected to be on the move at the deadline and thus would not play the Wednesday and Friday for Tampa Bay. There are plenty of capable waiver wire options elsewhere as well and it made sense for us to keep the focus on players that we do not think will be moved before this week’s deadline. Here is a look at the top NHL fantasy waiver wire options for this week.
LW: Ondrej Palat, Tampa Bay Lightning
If you are trying to find a capable option from the Lightning that isn’t expected to be moved at the trade deadline then Palat might be the best bet. Palat is still available in the majority of most fantasy hockey leagues but he is playing on the top line in Tampa Bay next to Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov, which should mean plenty of opportunities this week. Palat has five points in his last five games heading in to this week so you might want to grab him if he is still available in your fantasy hockey league.
RW: Jason Pominville, Minnesota Wild
Pominville now has 24 points in his last 23 games and he could see an uptick in his production following Martin Hanzal’s trade to Minnesota. Hanzal will center a line with Pominville and Zach Parise and that should provide a boost for the NHL fantasy stock of all three of those players. Pominville is a capable veteran winger and with set to play four games this week it makes sense to grab him now if he is still available.
D: Brady Skjel, New York Rangers
One of the most underrated players in NHL fantasy leagues over the last month is Skjel, who has eight assists over his last 11 games. Skjel hasn’t gone more than two games without earning a point since mid-January and while his powerplay production is capped by his limited minutes he has been consistent and creative enough at 5-on-5 to warrant a pickup if you need help on the back end right now.
C, LW: Ryan Spooner, Boston Bruins
Spooner has found his comfort zone under interim head coach Bruce Cassidy and his production has picked up as a result. Spooner now has four points in six games since Claude Julien was fired and 10 points in his last 14 games overall. Spooner has bounced around the lineup for Boston but he seems to have found at least a temporary home on a line with Frank Vatrano and Jimmy Hayes at even strength while also playing on the Bruins top powerplay.
C, LW: Nick Schmaltz, Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks might be keen on adding another scoring winger to their top-nine group but Schmaltz has been absolutely on fire of late and he definitely deserves to stay on the top line for now. Schmaltz has three goals and six assists over his last seven games while playing with Jonathan Toews. The 21-year-old was a first round pick for Chicago in 2014 and he is only beginning to tap in to his immense potential in a prime situation with the Blackhawks right now.
Of Note In Trade News:
As of this writing, the Washington Capitals have acquired former St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. It’s a huge move for the Capitals as it provides them one of the best puck-moving defensemen in the NHL and bolsters their run for a Stanley Cup. It will hurt the NHL fantasy value of some of their other defensemen. As for the Blues, they have traded from an area of strength but are clearly becoming sellers at the trade deadline. That should open up some opportunities on their team in terms of NHL fantasy on the blue line.
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