Welcome to my 2021/22 Week Sixteen 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) Evan Bouchard, Edm, (50% Yahoo ownership): Evan Bouchard has scored 4 PTS in 4 GP (with 11 shots and 6 hits) since being promoted to the Oilers top power play unit. That could end when Tyson Barrie returns from injury (which won't be for at least another week, possibly longer), or it could prove permanent. The Oilers are going to play 5 games in the extended week 16, and there aren’t many defenseman I’d rather have than Bouchard. He’s owned in both my leagues, otherwise I’d be making a claim. Chychrun is back from injury and the Coyotes play 5 games too, he may be available on your waiver wire.
2) Vitek Vanecek, Wsh, (58% Yahoo ownership): If you added Vanecek on my advice last week, you were rewarded with a shutout. Now is not the time to drop. Let it ride. The Capitals will play 5 games over the next 2 weeks and Vanecek has been starting a majority of their games. In his last 7 GP, the young goaltender has 4 wins with a .929 SV% and 2 shutouts. Until Vitek falters or Samsonov gets hot, Vanecek is a must-own in damned near every league. Petr Mrazek also has some streaming value with the Leafs busy schedule ahead.
3) Tim Stuetzle, Ott, (33% Yahoo ownership): The Ottawa Senators are scheduled for 7 games over the next 2 weeks, and Jimmy Stu finds himself centering the top line with Brady Tkachuk. Over his last 8 GP, Stuetzle has scored 5 PTS with 20 shots and 25 hits (including 8 hits in a game against Pittsburgh). If he can sustain hit rates anywhere near this high going forward, he could quickly become a fantasy all-star. He was 55% owned on October 1st when people were anticipating a possible breakout. We may very well see that in the 2nd half.
4) Jesper Bratt, NJ, (57% Yahoo ownership): The New Jersey Devils are playing 6 games in the match ahead and Bratt has scored 12 PTS in his last 10 GP playing on the top line with Jack Hughes. Bratt was 2% owned on Yahoo Oct 31, then 33% on Nov 30, then 51% at the end of December. His stock has been climbing steadily upwards over the last 3 months and during that time he has made multiple appearances on my weekly waiver wire report. He should surpass 60% by the end of January, but is still just a streamer in standard leagues.
5) Zach Hyman,
Edm, (61% Yahoo ownership): The scoring slump of the Edmonton Oilers may
finally have come to an end, with 18 goals in their last 4 GP. In the team’s
first game with Evander Kane, Hyman found himself on the third line with
Nugent-Hopkins, but still managed to score 2 goals with an assist. Ideally you
want to see Hyman playing with either McDavid or Draisaitl, but the Oilers have
a busy week and Zach may very well get some McDavid exposure. Hyman scored at a
58-point pace through the first half of the season.
Last Week: Viktor Arvidsson, Vitek Vanecek, Sam Girard, Blake Coleman, Evan Rodrigues
Best Deep League Adds
(under 25% ownership):
1) Damon Severson, NJ, (22% Yahoo ownership): Severson has been on my radar for the last few weeks, and has been recommended in some of my recent reports. An injury to Dougie Hamilton vaulted Severson onto the top power play unit where he has thrived, scoring 12 PTS in his last 11 GP, with 27 shots and 14 hits, averaging 26:31 of ice per game. He is on pace to score 42 PTS this season. Severson peaked at 10% owned last season, so his stock is trading at a 52-week high. Though he’ll lose some value when Hamilton eventually recovers from his broken jaw.
2) Anton Forsberg, Ott, (9% Yahoo ownership): Both Ottawa Senators goalies are viable options in more than just deep leagues this week, given the unique scheduling situation. Over the last 30 days, Anton Forsberg has a .926 SV% in 4 GP, with Matt Murray at .920 in 6 GP. The Sens have been getting shockingly good goaltending lately, surrendering 3 or less goals in 7 of their last 9 games. There will be a few tough opponents among Ottawa’s 7 games, so it’s not a slam dunk that you’ll get a great performance. You’ll need to proceed with some caution.
3) Alex Formenton, Ott, (4% Yahoo ownership): Alex Formenton has scored 9 PTS in his last 10 GP, and has been impressively productive for a 4% owned player. The Ottawa forward group has been hit hard by the injury bug lately, with Formenton currently listed on the 2nd line with Tierney and Gaudette. That’s not an optimal line combination, but he’s still going to get plenty of time on ice. You may also want to consider adding Tyler Ennis, who is up on the top line with Stuetzle and Tkachuk, scoring 5 PTS in his last 7 GP with the Senators.
4) Yegor Sharangovich, NJ, (6% Yahoo ownership): There are a few Devils worth owning for the next 2-weeks, and Yegor is up on the top line with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. Full disclosure; Sharangovich is not exactly hot at the moment, scoring just 4 PTS in his last 9 GP with 26 shots. He qualified for this list based on his line deployment, and the corresponding potential over a 6-game span. Nico Hischier on the 2nd line has scored 7 PTS in his last 11 GP, so that’s another option, as is Dawson Mercer down on the 3rd line with their busy schedule.
5) Kailer Yamamoto,
Edm, (4% Yahoo ownership): There is a new top line in Edmonton featuring Connor
McDavid, Evander Kane, and Kailer Yamamoto. The Oilers defeated Montreal 7-2 in
the first game with this new alignment, so this deployment is likely to
continue for at least a few more games. Yamamoto has only scored 3 PTS in his
last 6 GP, but the Oilers have 5 games in the match ahead, so Kailer is a
potential lottery ticket if you want to take a swing at some upside. He
averaged 67% ownership last season, but disappointed his supporters.
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