2023/24 Week 16 Fantasy Hockey Waiver Report

Week 16 of the NHL season is here and I have some potential streaming targets. The award for best schedule this week goes to the LA Kings, who play on all 4 light nights and have some potentially porous opponents on their slate. Vegas did finish slightly ahead in terms of opponent total leakage, but only play on 2 light nights. Columbus and Chicago each play 4 games against all the same opponents. We also have a few 3-game teams with desirable schedules, so scroll down to see my strength of schedule and watch list graphics with stats last 30 days and player’s upcoming schedules to help you maximize your moves.
 
My blog has been moved to Substack this season and I’ll be repeatedly encouraging everyone to sign-up for a free subscription to alleviate my dependence on Twitter for traffic. I’m concerned that Elon will follow through on his threat to charge everyone for Twitter and ostensibly destroy his own company. Subscribers receive an email notification each time a new post is published, and even if Twitter stays free, the algorithm likes to hide Tweets with links so you don’t leave.
 
Best Standard League Adds (25% to 65% Yahoo ownership):
 
1) Charlie Coyle, Bos, (37% Yahoo ownership): The Boston Bruins have the 5th best schedule by total opponent leakage (my new slang for goal allowing), playing 2 of 4 on light nights, and Charlie Coyle now finds himself centering Pastrnak and Marchand on the top line and top power play. In his last 14 GP, Coyle has scored 13 PTS (2 on the PP) with 33 shots and 12 hits; providing quality output across multiple stat categories. Not sure how long that deployment will last, but it’s tremendous in the meantime. If you don’t have room for a center, Jake DeBrusk is eligible at both wings, but only plays 2nd line and 2nd power play. In his last 14 GP, JD has scored 11 PTS (6 on the PP) with 30 shots, 11 hits, and a +7.

2) Trevor Moore, LA, (64% Yahoo ownership): The LA Kings have the best schedule coming up, and Moore is among the top candidates to target. He’s eligible at both wings, plays line 2, power play 2, scoring 5 PTS with 22 shots in his last 7 GP. He had been slumping prior to his recent uptick in PTS, so that ownership % is probably a little too high, unless a majority are playing category leagues with shots. If Moore isn’t available, his center on line 2, PP 2 is owned in half is many leagues. Phillip Danault has been the hotter of the two, scoring 8 PTS (2 on the power play) in his last 7 games (but shoots far less than Moore). Also joining them on that line two is Kevin Fiala, who is likely the primary driver offensively.

3) Sam Bennett, Fla, (31% Yahoo ownership): The Florida Panthers have the 3rd best schedule this week, including 3 on light nights, and Sam Bennett is playing on the defacto line 1 with Tkachuk as well as the top power play (we’ll see how that shakes out after Barkov returns). He’s widely available (he’d be owned in more leagues with wing eligibility) scoring 6 goals and 9 PTS (3 on the PP) with 33 shots and 19 hits in his last 13 GP. Great peripheral stats producer for those of you in category leagues, and 3 light nights makes him easy to start. If you’d rather a winger, Quinton Byfield is a strong option, playing top line and top power play in LA. Though he’s a little chilly lately with just 3 PTS (all on the PP) in his last 7 GP.

4) Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buf, (37% Yahoo ownership): After struggling earlier in the schedule, UPL has only given up one goal in his last 3 starts, winning 5 of his last 7 games with a .943 SV%. The Sabres only play 3 games in the week ahead (including a back-to-back), but their opponents are a combined 4-26 in their last 10 games, so even if you only get 2 starts out of UPL, they have a high probability of victory. He is outplaying Levi and earning a greater share of the starts. There were a few contenders for this slot (which you can see below), but no slam dunks looking at the scheduling. Detroit only plays 3 games, but Alex Lyon has been carrying a big load for the hot Wings, winning 6 of his last 8 with a .917 SV%.
 
5) Hampus Lindholm, Bos, (54% Yahoo ownership): My final watchlist only included 1 defender in this ownership range who plays 4 games, with few enticing options among that demographic, but at the top was Hampus Lindholm, who has been putting up points in the last month. In his last 14 GP, Lindholm has 8 PTS (3 on the PP) with 13 shots and 6 hits. Those peripheral stats may turn off some of the category league crowd, but there’s a plan B. I’ll probably be parting ways with Thomas Harley as Heiskanen is expected to return soon, but I’m hanging on to Brock Faber. Minnesota only plays 3 games, but in his last 14 GP, Faber has recorded 8 PTS (4 on the PP) with 33 shots and 15 hits. Spurgeon is out for the season and Faber owns PP1.
 
Honorable Mentions: Jake DeBrusk, Alex Lyon, Brock Faber, Quinton Byfield, Phillip Danault
 
Last Week: Mason Marchment, Tyler Seguin, Jonathan Drouin, Thomas Harley, Marc-Andre Fleury
 
 
Best Deep League Adds (under 26% ownership):

1) Chandler Stephenson, Veg, (21% Yahoo ownership): As mentioned in the intro, Vegas has the best schedule for total (not average) opponent leakage, while injuries to Eichel and Karlsson led to a line one promotion for Chandler Stephenson, playing with Mark Stone. He was also promoted to the top unit power play, scoring 5 PTS (1 on the PP) in his last 6 GP, with a +5. Granted, Stephenson was ice-cold before this current promotion, but he was also productive with Stone in the past. If you can’t fit a center-only option into your line-up, those injuries in Vegas also led to a line-up promotion for Nicolas Roy up to line 2 and power play 2, eligible at RW and C. In his last 6 GP, he has 5 PTS with 15 shots.

2) Trent Frederic, Bos, (14% Yahoo ownership): This is not the first plug for Trent Frederic in my weekly waiver reports, as he’s been putting up quality numbers for an extended period despite only playing 3rd line and no power play. In his last 14 GP, Freddy (I’m assuming that’s his nickname) scored 10 PTS (did get 1 on the PP) with 24 shots, 21 hits, and a +8. He’s eligible at both center and RW, with great peripheral numbers for category leagues. If you’d rather a top line, top power play option who plays 3 times on light nights against leaky teams, Jordan Eberle in Seattle is 76% available. In his last 12 GP, the winger has scored 7 PTS (2 on the PP) with 25 shots. Wed-Fri-Sun vs Chi-Stl-Cbj is a nice fit.
 
3) Dave Rittich, LA, (6% Yahoo ownership): The Los Angeles Kings play 4 games, all on light nights, and Cam Talbot has been buckling under the heavy load he’s supporting with an .897 SV% in the last 30 days, while Big Save Dave has a .933 SV% in 5 games. He’s available in 94% of leagues and should be getting called upon more often if he continues outplaying a declining Talbot. That could make him a valuable deep league asset down the road if LA ever gets good again and he’s getting more frequent usage (honestly, they should trade for Juuse Saros). If you’d rather grab a back-up from a better team, Florida plays 4 and Anthony Stolarz (.907 SV% last 30 days) should get the Predators and Islanders (who aren’t exactly pushovers).
 
4) Matt Roy, LA, (19% Yahoo ownership): We have already discussed the LA Kings wonderful schedule, which adds value to Matt Roy, who has been putting up outstanding hit and shot totals for LA. In his last 14 GP, Roy has 6 PTS (none on the power play) with 34 shots and 24 hits. That would be a good shot total for a forward. The points aren’t exciting and he’s not on the power play, so there are better options in points-only formats. If you’d rather have a defender on a top unit power play, the Blue Jackets play 4 and Adam Boqvist has 4 PTS (3 on the PP) in 4 games since returning from injury. He’s averaging 21:34 of ice time (he’s leading the team in PP ice after 2 periods tonight), but has nearly as many PTS as hits and shots, which hurts in category leagues.

5) Cole Sillinger, Cbj, (2% Yahoo ownership): Sure, the Columbus Blue Jackets have the toughest 4-game schedule this week (same as Chicago but 1 less light night), but if your league counts shots and hits, you should still find usefulness for Cole Sillinger. Only 6 PTS in his last 11 GP doesn’t jump off the screen, but the 29 shots and 18 hits certainly do. They currently have him centering line one with Johnny Gaudreau (which I’ll admit is less exciting than it used to be), but is not listed on the power play (update: Cole Sillinger does have a goal tonight vs New Jersey). His linemate Yegor Chinakhov is listed on that top power play, but has also posted a pedestrian 4 PTS in his last 11 GP. At least he’s another active shooter, firing 28 shots in those 11 games.

Honorable Mentions: Nicolas Roy, Jordan Eberle, Yegor Chinakhov, Anthony Stolarz, Adam Boqvist
 
Last Week: Lukas Dostal, Erik Haula, Jake McCabe, Tyler Bertuzzi (rescinded the next day), Juraj Slafkovsky