Fantasy Hockey 2022/23 Week 21 Waiver Wire Report

Welcome to my 2022/23 Week Twenty One 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.
 
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Best Standard League Adds (25% to 65% Yahoo ownership):
 
1) Dylan Cozens, Buf, (61% Yahoo ownership): Dylan Cozens is on pace for 72 PTS and is still just 61% owned on Yahoo. He has made several appearances on this report so far this season, and with the Sabres playing 4 games in the week ahead, my guy will get yet another plug (9 PTS and 26 shots in his last 11 GP). Meanwhile; Alex Killorn in Tampa is playing 2nd line and top power play, scoring 10 PTS in his last 13 GP. The Lightning have a Sat-Sun back-to-back followed by a 4-game week, and Killorn is available in 73% of leagues. Great streaming target.
 
2) Dawson Mercer, NJ, (53% Yahoo ownership): The New Jersey Devils loaded up ahead of the trade deadline, and have a 4-game week coming up. Dawson Mercer is on fire playing top line and second power play, scoring 15 PTS in his last 12 GP with 33 shots and a +10. There’s a risk he could be bumped down the line-up when Meier is activated, but his recent hot streak should protect his spot alongside Hischier. Another option that’s more widely available is Seth Jarvis in Carolina, who plays on the top line with Sebastian Aho, along with the 2nd power play unit, scoring 8 PTS in his last 10 GP.
 
3) Cam Talbot, Ott, (60% Yahoo ownership): The Ottawa Senators have won 7 of their last 10 games and have a 4-game week coming up against mostly non-playoff teams. I added Talbot to one of my teams last week and plan to hang on a little while longer. It could also be a good week to stream John Gibson, who is more widely available, has a great upcoming schedule and has posted a .916 SV% in his last 8 games. The Hurricanes also play 4 games and Antti Raanta is a fantastic spot-start option whenever he gets the nod. I’m also mildly interested in Thatcher Demko with a .919 SV% in his first 2 games back. The Canucks only play 3 games, but all against non-playoff teams.
 
4) Troy Terry, Ana, (56% Yahoo ownership): The Anaheim Ducks traded Kulikov and Klingberg at the trade deadline, but left their forward group mostly intact. Terry was 79% owned on December 1st, but saw his stock decline after a slump and an injury. But the winger is back in the line-up, scoring 5 PTS in his last 5 GP. He plays top line and top power play, and still has plenty of talented players to feed him the puck. Another option available in more leagues is Bryan Rust also has a 4-game slate, playing 2nd line in Pittsburgh with Malkin and 2nd power play. In his last 12 GP, Rust has amassed 7 PTS with 34 shots and 13 hits.
 
5) Noah Hanifin, Cgy, (59% Yahoo ownership):  It was a toss up this week for my top blueliner add, with the edge going to Noah Hanifin. In his last 12 GP, Hanifin has scored 7 PTS (3 on the PP) with 21 shots. If you’re in a categories league and need more help in shots and hits, Jeff Petry in Pittsburgh is riding a nice little hot streak, scoring 8 PTS in his last 12 GP with 31 shots and 31 hits. Petry has better numbers than Hanifin in the last 30 days, but I ranked Hanifin slightly higher on my priority list because the schedule is slightly better. Pittsburgh plays Tue-Thu-Sat-Sun while Calgary plays Mon-Tue-Fri-Sun which is more streamer friendly (weaker opponents too).
 
 
Honorable Mentions: Jeff Petry, Bryan Rust, Alex Killorn, Seth Jarvis, Antti Raanta
 
Last Week: Max Domi, Sam Girard, Nick Schmaltz, Philipp Grubauer, David Perron
 
 
Best Deep League Adds (under 25% ownership):
 
1) Juuso Valimaki, Ari, (10% Yahoo ownership): If you added Valimaki on my advice last week, now is not the time to drop. The Coyotes have another 4-game slate coming up, and both Gostisbehere + Chychrun have been traded. That puts Valimaki in prime position to be top pair and top power play for the remainder of the season. The young defenseman has scored 10 PTS (5 on the power play) in his last 12 GP. You could also go with Cam Fowler, who has a 4-game week ahead. Like Cozens he has been a frequent flyer on my waiver reports this season, and now the Ducks have shipped out Klingberg and Kulikov. Fowler has 10 PTS in his last 13 GP.
 
2) Dillon Dube, Cgy, (20% Yahoo ownership): Dube has been on my radar for a few weeks and has received some love in recent fantasy reports. He plays on the top power play and 2nd line, scoring 11 PTS (3 on the PP) in his last 12 GP with 28 shots and 21 hits. Solid option for category leagues. As mentioned above, the Flames have a strong schedule and Dube is a tantalizing option that’s 80% available. I’m also mildly interested in Mikael Granlund, recently acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins because they have a 4-game week, though it’s looking like the winger will be playing 3rd line away from both Crosby and Malkin.
 
3) Mads Sogaard, Ott, (13% Yahoo ownership): Sogaard has been alternating starts with the aforementioned Cam Talbot in the Ottawa goal, and has been solid, posting a .922 SV% in his last 6 GP. Though if the Flames starting pattern holds, Sogaard would get the two tougher opponents (Seattle-Calgary), but that’s still better than the alternatives in this ownership range. Kaapo Kahkonen is 92% available, and has posted a .929 SV% in his last 7 GP, getting a majority of San Jose’s starts in the last month. I’m a little nervous about the Sharks, but Kahkonen has been playing well.
 
4) Jason Zucker, Pit, (23% Yahoo ownership): The Pittsburgh Penguins have a 4-game week coming up, and Zucker plays on their 2nd line (with Malkin and Rust) and 2nd power play. The winger has scored 7 PTS in his last 12 GP, which isn’t exciting, but the 32 shots and 27 hits he accumulated in that span can help those of you in a categories league. Meanwhile Chicago has a 4-game schedule (including Mon-Wed-Fri when they’ll be easy to fit into your line-up) and Tyler Johnson shouldn’t have any competition left for his spot on the top power play (scoring 8 PTS in his last 13 GP with 31 shots).
 
5) Tomas Tatar, NJ, (21% Yahoo ownership): I’m not sure how the New Jersey Devils lines will shake out once Timo Meier joins the team, but as of right now it’s still Tomas Tatar playing on the top line with Nico Hischier. If Tatar gets bumped from the top 6, then my interest will drop considerably, but otherwise the dual-eligible winger has scored 10 PTS in his last 12 GP and could have a big week coming up if the deployment sticks. The aforementioned Blackhawks also called up young talented prospect Lukas Reichel, who has only played 1 game since the call-up but is centering their top line and top power play (scoring 3 PTS in 5 GP this season). He’s 99% available and could finish the season strong.
 
 
Honorable Mentions: Cam Fowler, Kaapo Kahkonen, Mikael Granlund, Tyler Johnson, Lukas Reichel
 
Last Week: Connor Ingram, Juuso Valimaki, Tyler Bertuzzi, Alex Killorn, Rafael Harvey-Pinard

Also, here is my quick reference chart if you're looking for what goalies to stream and when.