Fantasy Hockey 2022/23 Week 4 Waiver Wire Report

Welcome to my 2022/23 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) Brandon Montour, Fla, (32% Yahoo ownership): In the absence of Aaron Ekblad, the Florida Panthers are now leaning heavily on Brandon Montour to play on the top defensive pairing and top power play, logging more than 26 minutes per game in his last 4 GP, scoring 7 PTS in his last five. The Panthers have an incredible schedule this week with some very vulnerable prey on the menu (Arizona, San Jose, LA, and Anaheim). You may also want to try teammates Gustav Forsling or Radko Gudas if either is available in your league.

2) Gabe Vilardi, LA, (50% Yahoo ownership): Vilardi is playing top line and top power play for the Kings, scoring 11 PTS in his first 10 GP. Los Angeles will be playing 4 games this week, although 3 of them are Tue-Thu-Sat, which are busy nights that you might not be able to fit him into your line-up. This production might not be sustainable given that he only scored 7 PTS in 25 GP last season, but as long as this juicy deployment continues, he’s worth rostering in most formats. Dual wing eligibility is always a bonus.

3) Martin Necas, Car, (47% Yahoo ownership): Necas saw his stock price collapse since last season after a very disappointing performance when many people had high expectations. He was 88% owned on October 1st 2021, but just 10% on October 1st 2022 (nearly an 80% drop). No other forward had a larger absolute drop in ownership in that 1-year span, not even the injured Nick Backstrom. But the winger has scored 11 PTS in his first 8 GP playing on the 2nd line with Svechnikov and on the top power play unit. The Canes do play 3 games on light schedule nights, so you may also want to consider some of Martin’s teammates like Seth Jarvis.

4) Carter Verhaeghe, Fla, (38% Yahoo ownership): Verhaeghe started the season slow, going pointless in 5 of his first 6 games. But the top line winger has started to pick up the pace, and is now up to 7 PTS in 9 GP. As mentioned above, the Panthers should feast on some weak opponents, so it’s worth checking which Florida players are available in your leagues. Granted 3 of their games are on busy nights, so make sure you’ve got room. The Sabres have a more streaming friendly schedule, so if you can find someone like Tage Thompson on your waiver wire, that might be a better fit.

5) Alex Nedeljkovic, Det, (32% Yahoo ownership): It hasn’t been a great start to the season for Nedeljkovic (or a great end to last season), but the young goaltender could help you as a streamer this week. He should be getting 2 starts, 1 against Buffalo, then another against one of the New York teams. There is some risk, but there aren’t many goalies in this ownership range that don’t offer some degree of downside. Antti Raanta in Carolina is having a better season on a better team (.913 SV%) and will get at least 1, possibly 2 starts. Both are widely available.

Honorable Mentions: Seth Jarvis, Tage Thompson, Anton Lundell, Radko Gudas, Antti Raanta

Last Week: Mason Marchment, Josh Morrissey, Alexis Lafreniere, Chandler Stephenson, Anton Forsberg

 

Best Deep League Adds (under 25% ownership):

1) Filip Hronek, Det, (25% Yahoo ownership): Hronek was featured on my pre-season deep league Draft Bargains list, for the simple fact that he was projected for more points than anyone with an equal or lower ownership percentage. There weren’t many 30-40 point D-men available after pick 200. He’s not a sexy name by any stretch of the imagination, but he collects points. He is now seeing time on the top power play unit in Detroit, and needs to be owned in a lot more leagues if that’s going to be a permanent assignment.

2) Dylan Strome, Wsh, (24% Yahoo ownership): Strome was unceremoniously dispatched from Chicago when they declined to even make him a contract offer, so the Capitals scooped him up in free agency and now have him centering the top line and top power play. He’s seeing lots of ice time with Alex Ovechkin, which is a nice place to be. He has scored 6 PTS in their first 9 games and is worth a roster spot in deeper leagues while that lasts. I’m still not interested in Strome in standard sized leagues, unless it’s for a spot-start against weak opponents.

3) Jeff Skinner, Buf, (22% Yahoo ownership): It was a slow start to the season for Skinner, scoring only 5 PTS in his first 8 GP. The reason I’m interested in Skinner this week is that the Sabres play 4 games, 3 of them on quiet nights, so he’ll be easy to fit onto your roster and still plays on the top line and top power play. If you’re in a really deep league, teammates Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt have also started the season strong, are available in more than 90% of leagues, and also have that same ideal schedule.

4) Stuart Skinner, Edm, (22% Yahoo ownership): While Jack Campbell continues to struggle in Edmonton, his back-up (perhaps not much longer) Stuart Skinner has a .955 SV% in 4 appearances and just defeated Calgary in the Battle of Alberta Saturday night. The Oilers only play 3 games, but Skinner might be the new #1 after beating the Flames. Meanwhile, Charlie Lindgren has delivered strong performances in his first two appearances with a .925 SV% as Washington’s back-up, and will get at least 1, possibly 2 starts in the upcoming 4-game week for the Caps (hopefully he gets the Arizona start on Saturday).

5) Trevor Moore, LA, (10% Yahoo ownership): Moore plays 2^nd line and 2^nd power play in Los Angeles, scoring 6 PTS in his last 7 GP, providing evidence that his breakout last season was not a fluke. The Kings play 4 games, 3 on busy nights, but at least Moore’s dual-wing eligibility will help give you a little more roster flexibility. Moore will also help you in the shot category, as he’s getting an abundance of ice time and fires a lot of rubber at the net, with 31 in 10 GP. I also kinda like Eetu Luostarinen in really deep leagues, as he is 98% available and Florida has an easy schedule.

Honorable Mentions: Sean Durzi, Casey Mittelstadt, Dylan Cozens, Charlie Lindgren, Eetu Luostarinen

Last Week: Eric Comrie, Nick Robertson, Rasmus Sandin, Reilly Smith, Kaapo Kakko