Welcome to my 2021/22 Week Four Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Report for those competing in head-to-head categories or rotisserie leagues. There are both standard and deep league acquisition targets. This report focuses on the best options among those who are likely to be available in your league as opposed to the universally owned players. There are 10 recommendations in total, 2 goalies, 2 defensemen, and 6 forwards. Some of these are only short-term targets, while others you may want to keep permanently.
Best Standard League
Adds (25% to 65% Yahoo ownership):
1) Moritz Seider, Det, (44% Yahoo ownership): Nine games into Seider’s NHL career, and the rookie defenseman has scored 8 PTS. He was on my deep league sleeper list prior to the season, and has suddenly elevated himself to standard league relevance. It’s unlikely that he’ll finish the season anywhere near a point per game, but we also don’t know precisely where his ceiling is. 40-50 PTS is certainly not out of the question, especially if he continues logging as much power play time as he’s been getting.
2) Drake Batherson, Ott, (60% Yahoo ownership): Seven games into the season, and Batherson has netted 7 PTS with 21 shots, 18 hits, and a +4. He’s providing points to go along with strong peripheral production. He’s been playing on the Sens top line with Josh Norris and Brady Tkachuk, which has boosted his fantasy ownership to an all-time high. He peaked at 28% owned last season. The Senators play 4 games this week, including the porous Blackhawks on Monday. Now is a great time to invest in this stock.
3) Yanni Gourde, Sea, (35% Yahoo ownership): Yanni Gourde has returned earlier than expected from injury, and is averaging 21:36 of ice time per game over 4 GP, adding 4 PTS with 10 shots and 4 hits. He’s playing top line, top power play for the Kraken and needs to be owned in more than 35% of leagues. Seattle might only play 3 games this week, but one of them is against Arizona, so that pretty much counts as two (though the floodgates may be closing on that). Gourde is as much a long-term target as he is a short-term streamer, as long as that deployment continues.
4) Lucas Raymond, Det, (49% Yahoo ownership): The Red Wings might have 2 nominees for the Calder trophy this season, and both of them are great waiver wire targets for the week ahead. Raymond has been playing top line, top power play and has amassed 9 PTS in 9 GP. At this point we should be able to eliminate the possibility that he’ll get sent to the minors before 10 GP to slide his entry level contract another year. This kid has a bright future, but like Seider, don’t expect him to finish with a point per game.
5) Alex
Nedeljkovic, Det, (46% Yahoo ownership): After a bad first game of the
season when Nedeljkovic allowed 7 goals against Tampa, the young netminder
posted a .921 SV% over his next 4 appearances. The Wings play 4 games, and if the
goalies continue alternating starts, Ned would get Montreal and Buffalo, Greiss
would get Boston and Vegas. Petr Mrazek did get consideration for this slot now
that he’s back from injury, but he was rusty in his first game back and the
Leafs have a tough schedule next week.
Honorable Mentions: Josh Norris, Kirby Dach, Vince Dunn, Petr Mrazek, Jordan Kyrou
Last Week: Viktor Arvidsson, Kevin Shattenkirk, Alex Killorn, Jordan Staal, Braden Holtby
Best Deep League Adds
(under 25% ownership):
1) Mikael Granlund, Nsh, (9% Yahoo ownership): Granlund has had a strong start to the season playing on the top line in Nashville with Filip Forsberg, scoring 6 PTS in his first 8 GP, with 3 on the power play. The peripheral stats aren’t great, but he’s been averaging nearly 21 minutes per game. There are a few Predators that are potential deep league streaming targets, with both Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene starting the season strong. Nashville has a juicy schedule this week, especially Fri-Sun versus Vancouver and Chicago.
2) Tanner Jeannot, Nsh, (3% Yahoo ownership): A few heads were turned when Nashville protected Jeannot in the expansion draft, and early this NHL season, we are starting to see why. Through 8 GP, the Preds Winger has scored 4 goals with 17 shots and 17 hits. Given the Predators schedule this week, Jeannot is an excellent streaming option if you need extra shots or hits, and you can find him on the waiver wire in 97% of leagues. His goal scoring pace in unsustainable, but you’re adding him for peripherals as much as points.
3) Artem Zub, Ott, (10% Yahoo ownership): Artem Zub is playing heavy minutes on the Senators top pair with Thomas Chabot, averaging 23:45 minutes per game. In 7 GP, Zub has produced 4 PTS with 9 shots, 15 hits, and a +6. He’s not on the top power play unit, but he is seeing time with the man advantage. He is already owned in more leagues than I observed at any point last season, as his stock is trading at an all-time high. He scored at a 25-point pace in 2021 and he’ll top that in 2022 if this deployment continues.
4) Filip Gustavsson, Ott, (4% Yahoo ownership): Gustavsson might be emerging as Ottawa’s #1 goalie in the absence of Matt Murray, and is available on waivers in most leagues. The young netminder has played 3 games this season and has posted a .932 SV% in that limited action. The Sens have been playing tighter defense than we’ve been accustomed to in recent history and are a better team than you might think. It’s a good week to own Senators and you won’t find a better goaltending option that’s 96% available.
5) Robby Fabbri,
Det, (7% Yahoo ownership): As mentioned above, the Wings have a strong schedule
this week, and will be without Tyler Bertuzzi in Montreal. That
should create an opportunity for Fabbri to get more top line minutes, and more
looks on the first unit power play. He is a strong “multi-category” performer, producing
solid shot and hit totals, in addition to scoring points. Robby peaked at 13%
owned in both 2021 and 2020 when he scored at a combined 46-point pace. He’s on
pace for 46 PTS in 2022.
Honorable Mentions: Nick Leddy, Thomas Greiss, Ryan Johansen, Matt Duchene, Reilly Smith
Last Week: Anton Lundell, Antti
Raanta, Gustav Forsling, Dustin Brown, Lawson Crouse
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