Welcome back to the Fantasy Hockey weekly waiver wire article highlighting teams to stream and best pickups for Week 2 of the 2023-24 NHL season!
Optimizing your lineup is crucial in any fantasy sports league, and fantasy hockey is no different. Given the NHL’s weekly scheduling, there are certain teams that have better schedules on certain weeks throughout the year.
You should be able to fill out your lineup on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, which are the bigger slates throughout the week, while Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday usually have fewer games.
In Week 2, there are nine games on Tuesday, 12 on Thursday, and 15 on Saturday. That leaves Monday (5), Wednesday (2), Friday (2), and Sunday (2) as the lighter days this week.
In this article, we’ll be highlighting a few teams that play on lighter nights in order for you to maximize your roster for any given week. The Fantasy Hockey Waiver wire is key!
If you are in a shallower or deeper league –– or just have a question or comment –– feel free to reach out to me on Twitter (@RGilbertSOP) or in the SGPN Discord!
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Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 2: Teams to Stream
We’ll be targeting the Calgary Flames and the Detroit Red Wings this week. They play each other in one of the two games on Sunday to finish out the week as one of their three games on lighter nights (four total).
Calgary Flames
- Monday @ WSH
- Thursday @ BUF
- Friday @ CBJ
- Sunday @ DET
The Flames play on Monday, then have two off days before playing thrice in four days. There are a handful of Calgary players worth adding for this week (and beyond).
Mikael Backlund (C – 40% Rostered)
Flames center Mikael Backlund should be given a look this week.
He centers the third line and has yet to record a point through two games, but four games this week should present him with plenty of opportunities.
Backlund centers veteran Blake Coleman and rookie Matt Coronato on the third line. He’s also the center on the Flames’ second power-play unit. While he’s not going to be a breakout candidate at 34 years old, the veteran is worth an add during a busy week for Calgary.
Andrew Mangiapane (LW, RW – 39% Rostered)
Flames winger Andrew Mangiapane already has four points (two goals, two assists) through two games this season. He’s done that on a total of three shots while picking up one hit.
Mangiapane plays on the top line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Elias Lindholm. He also sees ice time on the second power-play unit for Calgary.
The veteran forward is someone worth picking up for this week and potentially worth keeping for the long haul. Over the past two seasons, he’s totaled 52 goals and 46 assists for 98 points. He should be able to find the back of the net as long as he plays in the top six.
Matt Coronato (RW – 6% Rostered)
Flames rookie Matt Coronato is someone to keep an eye on this season. He’s currently on the aforementioned third line but has a chance to move up the lineup, given Calgary’s forward depth.
We’re already seeing that the Flames have some trust in his offensive game, as he’s getting a crack on the top power-play unit.
Coronato has one goal on four shots through his first two games this season.
Detroit Red Wings
- Monday @ CBJ
- Wednesday vs. PIT
- Saturday @ OTT
- Sunday vs. CGY
The Red Wings are an interesting team this season. They’ve made some offseason moves to indicate an aggressive season, but they still have a bit to go in the competitive Atlantic Division. They’re a very top-heavy team, which opens up some possibilities for this week.
Lucas Raymond (LW, RW – 40% Rostered)
Young winger Lucas Raymond is one of the pieces that the Red Wings are trying to build around. He’s currently slotted on the top line with Dylan Larkin and star acquisition Alex DeBrincat.
Raymond entered the season with 40 goals and 62 assists in 156 games over the first two years of his career. Now, entering his age-21 season, he’s off to a strong start with one goal on six shots.
The former fourth-overall pick should be rostered in more than 40% of leagues. Grab him while you can, especially for this week.
J.T. Compher (LW, RW – 26% Rostered)
Veteran forward J.T. Compher was one of those offseason additions in Detroit. The former Avalanche is coming off a career-high 52 points (17 goals, 35 assists) last season and is slotted in on the Red Wings’ third line.
Compher may not have a very high ceiling overall, but he’s off to a hot start with one goal and two assists on three shots through two games. Give him a look to add some extra games during a favorable week for Detroit.
Jake Walman (D, 2% Rostered)
Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman is a very steady presence on the Detroit blue line. He’s not going to put up many points, but he’s on the top pair and should see at least 20 minutes a night.
Walman has one power-play assist and six shots on goal through two games this season. He’s also blocked eight shots, which is where his true value lies.
Take a look at Walman in banger leagues or in deeper leagues if you need defense.
