One of the most underrated aspects of fantasy hockey league success is the work done on the waiver wire throughout the season. While every championship team needs stars at the heart of their rosters, the ability to surround those top players with capable contributors that can stuff the stat sheet is key to going all the way. We found a handful of players that might still be on the waiver wire in your league and could help you in both the short and long term moving forward. Here is a look at the top NHL fantasy waiver wire additions for this week.
LW/RW: Mikko Rantenen, Colorado Avalanche
If you haven’t been paying attention, the Avalanche look like a very improved team in comparison with the one that was historically bad last season. Colorado isn’t a Stanley Cup contender by any stretch of the imagination but they do have some intriguing young pieces that could help in fantasy hockey leagues. Rantenen is one of those players who should be worth a look as he has generated 17 points in 18 games this season. Rantenen has produced five of his six goals on the man advantage and leads the Avalanche with 10 powerplay points. His eligibility at both the left and right wing positions makes him even more valuable in leagues that count both positions.
The Avs have cooled off after their hot start as they are just 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. They’re a team you typically want to target when they’re at home. They’re 6-1-1 at home this season compared to 4-7-0 when they’re on the road.
C: Matthew Barzal, New York Islanders
Barzal is another young player that has emerged as a capable fantasy hockey league asset early on this season. Barzal leads all rookies with 18 points this season, so it’s no surprise that he is being talked about among the favorites to win the Calder trophy early on. While he is playing on the second line with the Islanders, he has been given time on the team’s top powerplay unit along with John Tavares. Barzal is definitely worth a look if you need help at the center position.
D: Mattias Ekholm, Nashville Predators
After a slow start to the year, Ekholm has really taken off over the past couple of weeks with four goals and 10 points over his last 12 games. Ekholm will have a tough time keeping up that production rate but he has proven himself as a capable contributor that could help your team if you have a need on the back end. Ekholm also has 25 hits and 28 blocks in 19 games this year so he is that much more valuable in leagues that count those categories.
C/LW/RW: Teuvo Teravainen, Carolina Hurricanes
Another player that has really heated up of late is Teravainen, who has five goals and 10 points in his last four games for the Hurricanes. The 2012 first round pick is up to eight goals and 19 points in 19 games this season. Carolina has some intriguing scoring weapons up front and Teravainen has clicked on a line with Jordan Staal and Sebastian Aho. There likely won’t be many point per game players on your waiver wire this season so make sure you grab Teravainen before somebody else does.
G: Malcolm Subban, Vegas Golden Knights
Marc-Andre Fleury remains sidelined with a concussion for Vegas, which means Subban should be back in a starting role following his return from a lower body injury. The former Boston Bruins prospect is 2-0-0 with a 2.06 goals against average and a .936 save percentage for the Golden Knights this season. Subban’s value will remain high for as long as Fleury is sidelined with the concussion. If you need a quick fix in goal, consider adding Subban off the waiver wire if he is available in your fantasy hockey league.
Las Vegas has won back-to-back games but they’ve cooled off after a really good start. They are just 2-5-1 in the eight games prior. Even so, their 68 goals is the second-best mark in the Western Conference and that’s with two games in hand over the St. Louis Blues, who lead with 70.
The 2017-18 odds to win the Stanley Cup have been posted. Click here to get the latest lines from BetDSI, including moneylines, totals, props and futures!
