Welcome to my 2021/22 Week Twenty-Three 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) Tage Thompson, Buf, (56% Yahoo ownership): Not only do the Buffalo Sabres play 4 games next week, they also play 4 in each of the first two rounds of the fantasy playoffs. That entire first line of Thompson-Skinner-Tuch is worth considering (more on the others below), with Tage atop the wish list. In his last 13 GP, Thompson has scored 11 PTS with 59 shots on goal (which is a lot). He’s also eligible at all 3 forward positions on Yahoo, making him really easy to fit into your line-up for the next 3 weeks.
2) Nick Schmaltz, Ari, (43% Yahoo ownership): Nick Schmaltz has started cooling off from his insane hot streak, but he’s worth hanging on to a little while longer because the Coyotes have an appealing schedule. In his last 13 GP, Schmaltz has scored 21 PTS, but only 5 PTS in his last 6 GP. The Coyotes play Edmonton, Chicago, Anaheim, and San Jose, and at least 3 of those teams have had serious problems keeping the puck out of their net lately. It’s worth checking which Yotes are available in your leagues this week.
3) Jamie Benn, Dal, (60% Yahoo ownership): The Dallas Stars have a juicy 4-game slate ahead, featuring Anaheim twice, Seattle, and San Jose. Jamie Benn has been productive lately, notching 12 PTS, 36 shots, and 17 hits in his last 13 GP. The Stars are fighting for their playoff lives and are throwing 110% into every game. Benn provides a great peripheral floor, but the ice time is low as he’s centering the 3rd line. If you want more offensive upside, Dylan Strome in Chicago has scored 18 PTS in his last 14 GP.
4) Spencer Knight, Fla, (56% Yahoo ownership): The Florida Panthers play 4 games this week, all against non-playoff teams. Sergei Bobrovsky has returned from injury, but Spencer Knight was outstanding in Bob’s absence and will hopefully get half their starts. Knight has posted a .931 SV% with 4 wins in his last 6 GP. Philipp Grubauer in Seattle is also a potentially interesting volume play who should start more games, but less likely to deliver wins (though they play Vegas twice, who have struggled lately).
5) Shayne Gostisbehere,
Ari, (48% Yahoo ownership): My top D recommendation this week was a 3-horse
race between Shayne Gostisbehere, Vince Dunn, and Colton Parayko (all playing 4
games). Dunn (4 PTS in last 4 GP) and Ghost (4 PTS in last 6 GP) have the
higher offensive ceiling, both producing on the power play right now. Downside;
Seattle and Arizona play 3 games in each of the first 2 rounds of the Yahoo
playoffs. Parayko will score fewer PTS, but play 4 games each of the next 3
weeks, providing more shots, hits, and blocks.
Honorable Mentions: Dylan Strome, Vince Dunn, Anthony Duclair, Anders Lee, Philipp Grubauer,
Last Week: Valeri Nichushkin,
Jesper Bratt, Cole Caufield, Jeff Petry, Pavel Francouz
Best Deep League Adds
(under 25% ownership):
1) Sean Durzi, LA, (8% Yahoo ownership): Drew Doughty is not expected to return in the regular season, and Sean Durzi has inherited the role of power play quarterback for the foreseeable future. Don’t let the low ownership % discourage you from buying in a shallow league. Yahoo leagues appear to have a very high inactivity rate right now. Durzi has scored 7 PTS in his last 7 GP with 15 shots, 10 hits and is worth streaming in all formats next week. If given the choice between Durzi and Gostisbehere, I’d probably lean Durzi.
2) Mason Marchment, Fla, (22% Yahoo ownership): Marchment’s ceiling takes a hit with Florida’s acquisition of Claude Giroux, but he can still be plenty productive on the team’s 3rd line with Sam Reinhart. It’s the peripheral stats that will really help you in category leagues. In his last 12 GP Marchment has potted 8 PTS with 31 shots and 22 hits. The Panthers have a fabulous schedule ahead, facing Montreal, Chicago, New Jersey, and Buffalo, which could all be high scoring games. Check your waiver wires for Panthers.
3) Kailer Yamamoto, Edm, (24% Yahoo ownership): If you added Yamamoto on my advice last week, you may as well let it ride. He continues to play with Connor McDavid, collecting 9 PTS in his last 7 GP, with 12 shots and 11 hits. My concern is Edmonton shaking up the lines after a surrendering 9 goals to the Calgary Flames in the Battle of Alberta last night (with Yamamoto registering 0 PTS on Edmonton’s 5 goals). But I wouldn’t drop him from my line-up until he is dropped off that top line, or starts to cool off.
4) Logan Thompson, Veg, (10% Yahoo ownership): Logan Thompson hasn’t been great, but he’s currently the best healthy goalie Vegas has, and the team is desperately fighting for a playoff spot. He has posted a .909 SV% over his last 8 GP, which is respectable. Vegas plays 3 teams below them in the standings this week, and Thompson should get all 3 starts. Meanwhile, Scott Wedgewood over in Dallas has moved to a better team and will get at least 1, possibly 2 starts, all against non-playoff teams.
5) Jeff Skinner,
Buf, (22% Yahoo ownership): Skinner has been pinging my radar for a few weeks
now and has been mentioned in my weekly waiver report, but I’ve had some
difficulty shedding my own prejudice about his terrible contract and accept
that he’s good again. Buffalo plays 4 games in each of the next 3 weeks, and
both Skinner-Tuch are available on a lot of waiver wires. In his last 13 GP, Skinner has recorded
9 PTS with 50 shots on goal. If your league counts shots, that whole line has
been firing a ton on net lately.
Honorable Mentions: Brady Skjei, Alex, Tuch, Yanni Gourde, Trevor Moore, Scott Wedgewood
Last Week: Kailer Yamamoto,
Anthony Beauvillier, Nico Daws, Ryan Pulock, Yegor Sharangovich
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