Fantasy hockey: Waiver pickups to target this week

Working the waiver wire is a crucial part of any championship fantasy hockey season. Finding players to work into your lineup every single week that can add points to your total is the best way you can control the outcome of your matchup.

Each week, we'll go over players at every position and at different levels of rostership so you can fill out your fantasy squad with the best players available in your league. Let’s dig in:

Forwards

Rostered in 41-50% of leagues: Carter Verhaeghe, LW - FLA (46% rostered)

Verhaeghe is in an enviable position for two different reasons this week: Firstly, he’s continued in his top-line deployment from last season, garnering tons of minutes alongside Panthers captain and superstar Aleksander Barkov. Secondly, the Panthers have a terrific schedule for the upcoming week. Not only do the Panthers play four total games, but three of those games come on this week’s off nights (Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday).

Getting those off-night games played is crucial to getting the most possible games played out of your roster. Avoiding the problem of having too many players all playing on the same night and leaving potential production on your bench is a huge portion of what you should be considering as you comb the waiver wire each week.

Honourable Mentions: Anton Lundell, C - FLA (46%) & Matty Beniers, C - SEA (50%)

Rostered in 31-40% of leagues: Andrei Kuzmenko, LW - VAN (40% rostered)

Kuzmenko has been very impressive through his first couple of games in North America, registering nine shots and a goal in those contests. The 26-year-old former KHL standout has worked his way onto the top power-play unit and has quickly found chemistry with Canucks star Elias Pettersson.

The ice time has been a little up and down (18:04 in Game 1, 14:36 in Game 2), but if Kuzmenko keeps up this level of production he should stabilize that deployment sooner rather than later. Given the early returns, he should be rostered in all but the shallowest of leagues.

Honourable Mentions: Mason McTavish, LW - ANA (31%) & Mason Marchment, LW/RW - DAL (34%)

Rostered in 21-30% of leagues: Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW - SEA (26% rostered)

Similar to Lundell above, Bjorkstrand benefits from both deployment (averaging 19:12 time on ice through three games) and a favourable schedule this week (Seattle playing four games with three off nights). Bjorkstrand has fired 15 shots in those three games and looks motivated to put his forgettable 2021-22 season in the rearview as soon as possible. Bjorkstrand has run very hot and very cold throughout his career, but while he’s hot he is definitely worth the pickup.

Honourable Mentions: Viktor Arvidsson, LW/RW - LAK (21%) & Travis Konecny, RW - PHI (26%)

Rostered in 0-20% of leagues: Dawson Mercer, C/RW - NJD (20% rostered)

Mercer is a deeper cut with just one assist in the Devils’ first two games, but he’s been getting top-line deployment alongside star centre Jack Hughes and it feels like a matter of time before he starts to fill the net. The shot production here is impressive as well: Six shots in his first game and five in his second, despite averaging just a little more than 17 minutes per game. I’d like to see Mercer crack the top power-play unit as well, but as long as he’s attached to Hughes he’s worth rostering in deeper leagues.

Honourable Mentions: Cole Perfetti, C/RW - WPG (17%) & Jared McCann, C/LW - SEA (15%)

Defensemen

Rostered in 26-50% of leagues: Shayne Gostisbehere - ARI (38% rostered)

Gostisbehere certainly has the stink of the Coyotes’ general lack of talent on him, but “Ghost Bear” has showed out in Arizona’s first two games and should be rostered in far more than 38% of Yahoo leagues. Gostisbehere is averaging a tremendous 24:25 of ice time in those contests and has already put up a goal and two assists to go with eight shots. If there’s going to be any offence to be had in the desert this season, you can bet Gostisbehere will be involved and fantasy managers shouldn’t forget about him just because of the team he plays for.

Honourable Mentions: Sean Durzi - LAK (27%) & Ryan Pulock (27%)

Rostered in 0-25% of leagues: Brandon Montour - FLA (15% rostered)

Montour checks all the boxes I’m looking for in a pickup: top power-play deployment, plenty of even-strength ice time, and a terrific schedule upcoming. Given the Panthers have those three off nights as mentioned above, you’ll have no trouble working Montour into your lineup and reaping the rewards of his usage on that electric Florida power play. I’m not sure if Montour will maintain his spot on that power-play unit all season long, but as long as he is you should definitely be considering him any time you’re looking to make a pickup for your defence.

Honourable Mentions: Calen Addison - MIN (12%) & Samuel Girard - COL (22%)

Goalies

Rostered in 26-50% of leagues: Jake Allen - MTL (29% rostered)

Allen has had a terrific start to his season, allowing just four goals on 70 shots. I’m anticipating a heavy workload for him and while the Canadiens are no defensive juggernaut, Allen is a very solid option, especially if you went with a “ZeroG” approach in your draft. Keep an eye on the matchups, but don’t underrate Allen simply because the Canadiens aren’t expected to be a playoff team this season. Allen has a long history of NHL-calibre play, and while he may go through rough stretches this season like any other goalie, he’s one of the better bets among those netminders not commonly rostered.

Honourable Mentions: Philipp Grubauer - SEA (29%) & Vitek Vanecek - NJD (42%)

Rostered in 0-25% of leagues: James Reimer - SJS (25%)

Reimer and Kaapo Kahkonen have shared the Sharks’ net evenly in the early going, with both netminders getting two starts. Kahkonen was blown up for five goals on 25 shots on Saturday night, while Reimer has been solid through his two starts with a .924 save percentage (five goals on 66 shots). Finding goalies who are both playing well and getting some volume is key to streaming successfully at the position, and Reimer fits the bill in both respects for the upcoming week at the very least.

The Sharks’ net is a situation you’ll have to continually monitor, but Reimer will almost certainly get at least two starts this week so you can pick him up and get some production while you wait and watch that situation unfold.

Honourable Mentions: Stuart Skinner - EDM (10%) & Craig Anderson - BUF (8%)

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Nate Groot Nibbelink is the creator of Apples & Ginos Fantasy Hockey and the originator of the #ZeroG draft strategy. You can find him pontificating about obscure fantasy hockey strategy topics in the Apples & Ginos Discord Server or on Twitter @applesginos.

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