Waiver Wired: Overlooked gems
The NHL season has only just begun, but injuries or lowered expectations could result some roster tinkering. Normally, I would suggest exercising patience this early in the year, but there are some players out there who are worthy of being on your fantasy roster. Most of the skaters listed below may have been overlooked on draft day, while others have impressed out of the gate. Several of them could find permanent spots on your team for the rest of the season, so give them a chance or place them on your watch list.
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Mikael Granlund (MIN) - C - Owned in 32 percent of Yahoo leagues
Granlund is positioned to take a significant leap forward this season, while skating on the top line between Zach Parise and Jason Pominville. The trio combined for two goals and five assists in Minnesota's opening night win over Colorado. Granlund's stock has been on the rise since his 2014 playoff performance and this season should see it continue to go up. Snatch him up immediately.
Johnny Boychuk (NYI) - D - Owned in 44 percent of Yahoo leagues
Boychuk's ownership percentage is rapidly climbing, so act quickly if you plan to add him. He has registered one goal and four helpers in his first two games with the Islanders, with four points coming on the power play. Boychuk has topped 23 minutes in both contests and it's very likely that the 2014-15 campaign will be a breakout year for him offensively. He has flourished in the early going with his new club and is clearly relishing his increased role.
Brock Nelson (NYI) - C - Owned in 16 percent of Yahoo leagues
The 22-year-old forward notched 14 goals and 26 points in 72 matches last year, while averaging 14:15 of ice time per game. His average playing time in 2014-15 has already gone up to 18:34 and he's amassed six points in his first two contests. Nelson has three goals, with two coming by way of the power play, and he has three assists. He's currently skating on the second line with Mikhail Grabovski and Ryan Strome, but he has seen time with John Tavares and Kyle Okposo as well. Nelson has a great deal of upside and being utilized in key situations will help his numbers tremendously.
Cam Atkinson (CBJ) - RW - Owned in 12 percent of Yahoo leagues
Atkinson fired 216 shots last year and scored 21 times for a 9.7 shooting percentage. He has tallied three markers on eight shots after two games this campaign. Atkinson has 30-goal scorer written all over him if he can start cashing in on his opportunities. Of course a little more puck luck wouldn't hurt either. He's skating on the top line with Ryan Johansen and Nick Foligno, which should help make that happen.
Antoine Vermette (ARI) - C, LW - Owned in 17 percent of Yahoo leagues
Vermette provides incredible fantasy value for leagues that credit faceoffs as a category. He won 56.4 percent of the 1,783 draws he took last season, while earning 24 goals and 45 points in 82 games. He has a 54.8 percent win rate in the circle after two games in 2014-15. If faceoffs aren't part of your league then Vermette's contributions do take a hit, but he's still a serviceable player. He collected a goal and an assist in Arizona's 3-2 overtime win over Los Angeles on Saturday night. Both points came on the power play. Vermette has opened the season as Arizona's number one center between Shane Doan and Mikkel Boedker.
Alex Stalock (SJS) - G - Owned in 27 percent of Yahoo leagues
Stalock is viewed as a legitimate threat to steal starts from Antti Niemi this season and if the first two games are any indication then it will be a close battle. Both goaltenders posted shutouts in their opening appearances of the year. Niemi had a 34-save goose egg against Los Angeles on Wednesday and Stalock blanked Winnipeg with 30 stops on Saturday. Niemi's unrestricted free agent status may result in a change eventually, so keeping Stalock in your back pocket is highly recommended. Picking him up as a handcuff would also be a wise move.
Teddy Purcell (EDM) - RW - Owned in 7 percent of Yahoo leagues
Purcell has gotten off to a strong start with the Edmonton Oilers this campaign. He potted a power-play goal in his Oilers debut and he recorded two assists in Edmonton's 5-4 shootout loss to Vancouver on Saturday. Purcell has been quickly developing chemistry with David Perron and Mark Arcobello on the team's second line. The trio combined for one goal and five helpers in Saturday's match. He's seeing power-play time and his ceiling for points could be in the 50-55 range.
Antoine Roussel (DAL) - LW - Owned in 20 percent of Yahoo leagues
Roussel finished third in the NHL last season with a whopping 209 penalty minutes. He's already amassed 14 minutes in the sin bin after two games this year, with all of it coming in Saturday's 4-1 loss to Nashville. Roussel is one of the league's better agitators, but he can contribute offensively as well. He has a goal and an assist to go with seven hits and four blocks. Roussel's ability to contribute in several categories and his ability to rack up penalty minutes makes him a valuable and versatile fantasy player.
Andrew Shaw (CHI) - C - Owned in 27 percent of Yahoo leagues
Shaw's spot on the second line was figured to be lost when the Blackhawks signed Brad Richards, but coach Joel Quenneville decided to keep Shaw in the middle of Patrick Kane and Brandon Saad to begin the season. He picked up a goal and an assist in Saturday's 6-2 win over Buffalo for his first points of 2014-15. Shaw has also been credited with four shots and four hits. He has maintained his spot, as a net presence, on Chicago's top power-play unit as well. Shaw scored a personal best 20 goals and 39 points in 80 games last year and he has the potential to record more due to his chemistry with Kane and Saad.
Jiri Tlusty (CAR) - LW - Owned in 5 percent of Yahoo leagues
Tlusty appeared in 68 games during the 2013-14 season and he produced 30 points after he scored 23 times during the lockout-shortened campaign. He has been much better at the start of this year with three goals and one assist in his first two contests. Tlusty potted a hat trick in Saturday's loss to the New York Islanders. He plays on the top line with Eric Staal and Alexander Semin, but that combination could be disrupted if Staal's upper-body injury keeps him on the shelf for an extended period of time. Tlusty is a bit of a risky pick, especially with Staal injured, but he can put up points on the Hurricanes' top unit.
Drew Stafford (BUF) - RW - Owned in 1 percent of Yahoo leagues
Just like last season, the Buffalo Sabres probably won't be a popular destination for fantasy owners. However, there will be some players worth rostering and Stafford could be one of them. He's eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of the year, which serves as motivation, and is viewed as possible trade bait. Stafford has four shots and two assists in two matches thus far. He's averaging 17:33 of ice time, while skating on the top line with Tyler Ennis and Matt Moulson.
Tobias Enstrom (WPG) - D - Owned in 26 percent of Yahoo leagues
It wasn't long ago that Enstrom was regarded as one of the top offensive-minded defenders in the NHL. Prior to the team's move to Winnipeg, he posted back-to-back 50-point campaigns as a member of the Atlanta Thrashers. Enstrom started to regain some of his past form in 2013-14 with 10 goals and 30 points in 82 games. He picked up two helpers in Winnipeg's regular season opener and will log big minutes for the Jets all season, including plenty of time with the man advantage. Enstrom could be in line to record 35-45 points this year.
