We’re getting into the thick of the NHL season which means it’s the thick of the Fantasy Hockey season as well! With two months of the season behind us, teams and players are starting to round into form. Or, on the other hand, some players are underperforming and worth a flier in a buy-low spot. Let’s get right into our Fantasy Hockey Week 10 Primer with teams to stream, pickups on the waiver wire, trade targets, backup goalie options, and more!
This week, there are a dozen teams scheduled to play four games. That extra game can provide much-needed points to push you over the edge in your matchup. For each of the 12 teams, I have highlighted a player to watch (usually rostered in less than 50% of leagues) and a potential backup goalie to pick up, if they are worthy of rostering.
Boston Bruins
vs. VGK, @ NYI, @ MTL*, @ OTT*
Waiver Wire Watch / Trade Target: Taylor Hall (W | 65% Rostered)
Looking past the Perfection Line, all of whom should be owned in all leagues, Hall has been a bit disappointing this season. He only has five goals and eight assists with 59 shots on goal in 24 games.
Hall is still rostered in 65% of leagues, but now could be the time to buy-low on the winger. He has the skill and the Bruins are going to need their second line to step up.
Backup goalie watch: Linus Ullmark (62% Rostered) / Jeremy Swayman (61% Rostered)
Ullmark and Swayman are both good options if available in your league. The Bruins have a back-to-back in Canada to end the week.
Calgary Flames
MONDAY UPDATE: FLAMES GAMES POSTPONED THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY
@CHI*, @NSH*, vs. TOR, vs. CBJ
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Watch: Rasmus Andersson (D | 40% Rostered)
Andersson is quietly climbing the defensemen ranks. He has 15 points (all assists), 45 blocked shots, and 42 shots in 28 games. In six December games, Andersson has four points, 13 blocks, and 10 shots.
Backup goalie watch: Daniel Vladar (20% Rostered)
With a back-to-back to start the week, Daniel Vladar should get the nod in either Chicago or Nashville. Both are very winnable games for Calgary and Vladar is 5-1-1 with 2 shutouts and a .928 SV% this season
Carolina Hurricanes
@ MIN, vs. DET, vs. LAK*, vs. NSH*
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Watch: Jaccob Slavin (D | 47% Rostered)
Slavin has 14 points (1 G, 13 A), 38 blocks, and 55 SOG in 26 games. He only had four points (all assists) in 13 November games and already has four points (one goal, three assists) in five December games.
Backup goalie watch: Antti Raanta (23% Rostered)
Raanta is starting on Sunday in Vancouver and should start again either Saturday or Sunday against the Kings or Nashville. The veteran netminder is 4-1-1 with a.904 SV% this season.
Chicago Blackhawks
vs. CGY, vs. WSH, vs. NSH*, @ DAL*
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Watch: Jonathan Toews (C | 31% Rostered)
Toews didn’t score his first goal of the season until last week and now has markers in two straight games. Captain Serious was likely dropped by whoever drafted him in your league after a slow start, but he could start coming around as the Blackhawks do.
He had three points in nine October games, six in 12 November games, and now those two goals through six December games.
Los Angeles Kings
@ TBL, @ FLA, @ CAR*, @ WSH*
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Watch: Viktor Arvidsson (W | 40% Rostered)
Arvidsson has 13 points (five goals, eight assists) and 78 shots in 19 games. He’s on a bit of a tear recently with a five-game point streak into early December and points in six of his last eight games.
The winger has three goals and five assists for eight points to go along with 34 shots in his last eight games. Now is the time to ride the hot hand.
Nashville Predators
vs. CGY, vs. COL*, @ CHI*, @ CAR
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Watch: Ryan Johansen (C | 43% Rostered)
Johansen has been coming into his own recently. The first-line center has 24 points (8 G, 16 A) in 27 games this season, so he really should be rostered in more than half of leagues.
Since November 20th, Johansen has had 15 points (3 G, 12 A) in 11 games. The Predators are on a roll and Johansen has been a big part of that.
New Jersey Devils
@ PHI, vs. VGK, @ DET*, vs. PIT*
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Watch: Jesper Bratt (W | 50% Rostered)
If Bratt is still available in your league, go put in a claim. The winger has 24 points (8 G, 16 A) in 26 games this season and, like Johansen, has been hot recently.
Bratt is riding a five-game point streak one game after seeing a five-game point streak get snapped. He has 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in his last 11 games. Dating back to October 30th, Bratt has 24 points and 65 shots in 21 games. He’s only been held without a point in four of his last 21 games.
Ottawa Senators
@ FLA, @ TBL, @ PHI*, vs. BOS*
Fantasy Hockey Waivers Pickup: Tim Stuetzle (C, W | 29% Rostered)
We’re digging deep here into the Senators, who don’t exactly have a lot of players worth rostering. Stuetzle could get there soon, though.
The young German forward only has 13 points (3 G, 10 A) and 54 shots in 25 games this season. However, he’s picked it up recently with five points and 13 shots in his last four games. Could this be a sign of things to come?
Seattle Kraken
@SJS*, @ANA*, vs. EDM*, vs. TOR*
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Watch: Jaden Schwartz (W | 23% Rostered)
From one bad team in the Senators to another, the Kraken don’t exactly have anyone worth adding right now. Schwartz fits the bill best, though.
Schwartz had 21 points in 40 games with St. Louis last season and has 19 points in 25 games this season in Seattle. He’s shown off his offensive ability recently with three points in his last four games and 11 points in his last 12 games. The winger is a bit streaky and could be at the start of a hot streak heading into a four-game week.
Toronto Maple Leafs
@ EDM, @ CGY, @ VAN*, @ SEA*
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Watch: Ondrej Kase (W | 6% Rostered)
Kase has taken full advantage of his increased ice time with Mitch Marner hurt. The Czech winger has 13 points in 26 games on the season with five points in his last four games and seven points in his last seven games. He’s shooting the puck as well with 22 SOG in those seven games.
At just six percent rostered with four games against relatively poor defensive teams on the schedule, Kase could be a sneaky pickup even in deeper leagues.
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Watch: Petr Mrazek (51% Rostered)
Mrazek returned from injury with a so-so start. He got the win but allowed four goals on 35 shots in a 5-4 win against Chicago. He should get an easier opponent next weekend against the Canucks or more likely the Kraken.
Vancouver Canucks
vs. CBJ, @ SJS, vs. TOR*, vs. ARI*
Fantasy Hockey Trade Target: Elias Pettersson (C | 90% Rostered)
Ok, this obviously isn’t a waiver claim, but we have a great buy-low opportunity on Elias Pettersson. The Swedish center has struggled this season with just 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in 28 games. However, he’s shooting the puck with regularity as he has 64 SOG in those 28 contests.
But Pettersson isn’t seeing the results with those shots. He has a career shooting percentage of 15.9, however, so there should be some regression from his 6.3% this season. Petterson could see an offensive resurgence with Bruce Boudreau behind the bench. See if you can buy Pettersson low off of his frustrated manager.
Backup goalie watch: Jaroslav Halak (7% Rostered)
Halak will likely get the start against the Coyotes next Sunday and that’ll be a great spot for him to get his first win of the season. Despite a 2.85 GAA and .910 SV%, Halak is 0-4-1 on the season.
Vegas Golden Knights
@ BOS, @ NJD*, @ NYR*, @ NYI
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Watch: William Karlsson (C | 31% Rostered)
Wild Bill Karlsson returned from injury with a bang, picking up two points in three games thus far. That brings him up to five points in 11 games on the season, which is low for the Vegas forward. He had 39 points in 56 games last campaign.
Karlsson is reunited with Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith on the second line and could move up to the top line between Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone if Keegan Kolesar doesn’t work out.
There’s no way that Karlsson doesn’t pick it up soon. Pick him up before he really picks it up.
Backup goalie watch: Laurent Brossoit (6% Rostered)
Brossoit should get the start either in Newark or New York, and it’s likely that it’ll be against the Devils with Lehner playing against the better team. The Vegas backup is 5-2-0 this season with a 2.66 GAA and .911 SV%.
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