Welcome back to the weekly Fantasy Hockey waiver wire article. We’ll be taking a look at the teams with the most favorable fantasy hockey schedules and the fantasy hockey waiver wire.
The NHL is back to a pretty typical schedule this week. You should be able to fill out your lineups with double-digit games on Tuesday (11), Thursday (12), and Saturday (12), but getting those extra points on Monday (four), Wednesday (three), Friday (one), and Sunday (three) will be crucial.
Optimizing your lineup is important in any fantasy sports league, and fantasy hockey is no different. Given the NHL’s unbalanced scheduling, there are certain teams that have better schedules on certain weeks throughout the year.
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 Schedule Week 18: Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds
The Arizona Coyotes are the team to target this week. They play on all four lighter nights this week. The Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, and Pittsburgh Penguins all play on two lighter nights (and three games in total).
Arizona Coyotes
- Monday @ PHI
- Wednesday vs. MIN
- Friday vs. CAR
- Sunday @ COL
Lawson Crouse (LW, RW – 43% Rostered)
Look, it’s the Arizona Coyotes. Outside of Clayton Keller and Sean Durzi, there aren’t that many great options.
Lawson Crouse has 29 points (19 goals) in 49 games this year, so at that rate, he should pick up at least two this week. He is in a bit of a cold stretch with two points (both goals) in his last nine games, though.
Nick Schmaltz (C, RW – 19% Rostered)
Schmaltz plays on the top line with Keller and is one of the Coyotes’ forwards that you may have actually rostered in the past. He has 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) in 47 games, including nine points in his last 13 contests.
Schmaltz should be able to pick up a few points and several shots on goal this week.
Logan Cooley (C – 15% Rostered)
Logan Cooley had a lot of hype entering the season, but he has just 25 points (six goals) in 50 games. However, Cooley recently had a four-game point streak and picked up seven points in a 10-game stretch prior to his last two outings. There are certainly worse options.
Jason Zucker (LW – 8% Rostered)
Veteran forward Jason Zucker is on fire for the Coyotes. Despite playing on the third line, Zucker has nine points (two goals) in his last 10 games, including a three-assist game in Nashville on Saturday night.
Zucker is widely available and has some extra value this week, given Arizona’s schedule.
Minnesota Wild
- Monday @ VGK
- Wednesday @ ARI
- Saturday vs. BUF
Ryan Hartman (C, RW – 18% Rostered)
Veteran forward Ryan Hartman has found a home in Minnesota. He’s currently playing on the third line but does get time on the second power-play unit.
Hartman has 25 points (15 goals, 10 assists) in 46 games this season but has been held without a point in his last four contests.
Marcus Johansson (LW – 2% Rostered)
Johansson is the only top-six Wild forward available in more than 21% of leagues. He had a strong stretch in December but has been ice cold as of late, with just four points (all goals) in his last 16 contests. Still, if you’re in a deep league, a winger playing on two light nights — and on a line with Marco Rossi and Mats Zuccarello — isn’t a horrible option.
Jonas Brodin (D – 2% Rostered)
Veteran defenseman Jonas Brodin plays over 23 minutes a night, so he has plenty of time to rack up shots, blocks, and even a few points. He’s been doing that as of late, with five points in his last five games as he quarterbacks the second power-play unit.
New York Rangers
- Monday vs. CGY
- Thursday vs. MTL
- Sunday @ NYI
Alexis Lafreniere (LW, RW – 32% Rostered)
Former first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere is finally having a bit of a breakout season. He’s playing on the second line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck currently, and has 31 points (14 goals) in 52 games.
Lafreniere has five points in his last six games and should continue that hot stretch this week.
Blake Wheeler (RW – 9% Rostered)
This is purely an opportunity play, as Blake Wheeler is on the top line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. He only has 21 points in 52 games this season, but four of them have come in the last five contests.
Pittsburgh Penguins
- Wednesday vs. FLA
- Thursday @ CHI
- Sunday vs. LAK
Bryan Rust (RW – 44% Rostered)
Bryan Rust might be my favorite pickup this week. He’s on the top line with Jake Guentzel and Sidney Crosby, as well as the top power-play unit.
Rust has 29 points (13 goals) in 36 games this season with 111 shots on goal, too. He has nine points in his last 13 games, including a goal on Saturday night.
Ryan Graves (D – 4% Rostered)
Ryan Graves is benefitting from playing on the second pair with Erik Karlsson. He’s worth a look in deeper leagues as a defenseman who can fill up the stat sheets with shots, hits, and blocks.
