NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Rankings (11/26)

Chris Meaney

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Welcome to the Week 8 Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire article here at FTN Fantasy. Each weekend I’ll preview the week to come in Fantasy Hockey. I’ll highlight some of the best waiver wire pickups, players to stash, players to buy low and sell high, which players to drop and who to stream. I’ll also highlight some of the injuries, and what it means for you and the Fantasy Hockey landscape.

There are 12 teams scheduled to play four games for the week, and just two teams with only two games in Week 8 (Nov. 27 – Dec. 3).

The strategy I like to call “attacking the schedule” can be the difference in winning a championship. Each week, find out which borderline players or streamers wouldn’t crack your lineup on the busy days on the schedule.

Drop those players for players scheduled to play on the lighter scheduled nights. Those days are usually Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. If you’re in a shallow league or a roto league, this strategy may not mean that much to you. But if you’re not going to play an average player on a busy night like Thursday or Saturday, you’re better off dropping him for someone playing on those lighter days. This strategy is similar to “two-start” pitchers in Fantasy Baseball.

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My fantasy hockey rankings – updated at 11 p.m. ET.

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Injuries

Tage Thompson, BUF
Timo Meier, NJ
Bryan Rust, PIT
Rickard Rakell, PIT
Oliver Bjorkstrand, SEA
Adam Fox, NYR
Shea Theodore, VGK
Alec Martinez, VGK
Joonas Koprisalo, OTT
Philipp Grubauer, SEA

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire

The waiver wire consists of players owned in fewer than 60% of Yahoo leagues. They are ranked in order of how I value them for the rest of the season. I dug deep for those playing in NFHC High Stakes leagues.

Last Chance

Matt Duchene, DAL
Owen Tippett, PHI
Cam Atkinson, PHI
Robert Thomas, STL
Pavel Zacha, BOS
Sean Couturier, PHI
Tyler Bertuzzi, TOR
Tyler Seguin, DAL
Quinton Byfield, LA
Eeli Tolvanen, SEA
Wyatt Johnston, DAL
Lawson Crouse, ARI
Travis Sanheim, PHI
Mike Matheson, MTL
Connor Ingram, ATI
Pyotr Kochetkov, CAR

Deep-League Adds

Alex Iafallo, WPG
Trevor Moore, LA
JJ Peterka, BUF
Cole Perfetti, WPG
James van Riemsdyk, BOS
Logan Cooley, ARI
Mike Hoffman, SJ
Ryan Poehling, PHI
Torey Krug, STL
Kaiden Guhle, MTL

Banger Leagues

Radko Gudas, ANA
Adam Larsson, SEA
Connor Murphy, CHI
Pavel Mintyukov, ANA
Jamie Oleksiak, SEA
Brenden Dillon, WPG
Jonas Siegenthaler, NJ
Marcus Foligno, MIN
Yakov Trenin, NSH

Hold

Valeri Nuchushkin, COL
Jesper Bratt, NJ
Jared McCann, SEA
Mason McTavish, ANA
Evander Kane, EDM
Frank Vatrano, ANA
Quinn Hughes, VAN
Mike Matheson, MTL
Cam Talbot, LA
Adin Hill, VGK
Connor Ingram, ARI

Consider Dropping

Andrei Kuzmenko, VAN
David Perron, DET
Jaden Schwartz, SEA
Patrik Laine, CLS
Vladimir Tarasenko, OTT
Tyson Barrie, NSH

Week 8 (Nov. 27- Dec. 3)

Four games

Boston Bruins

(MON @ CLS, THU vs. SJ, SAT @ TOR, SUN vs. CLS)

Pavel Zacha, C

This has to be the last week we’ll see Zacha owned in fewer than 70% of leagues. He’s owned in most competitive leagues and should be. He has points in seven of his last eight games.

Charlie Coyle, C

I liked Coyle as a deep league sleeper heading into the season, but he had a very slow start. I was only able to hold him in 14-team leagues with faceoff wins. Well, Coyle is feeling it at the moment, as he enters the week with points in five straight games. He has four goals and seven points over that span. Coyle has nine goals and 19 points in 20 games this season. He also has at least four shots on goal in three straight games. I don’t think he’ll be a point-per-game player, but he could score 25 goals. He also has a great schedule this week with two games against the Blue Jackets and one against the Sharks.

James van Riemsdyk, LW

JVR has 10 points in his last nine games. It’s a good week to stream from the Bruins.

Jake DeBrusk, W

It’s been a rough week, but he has points in three of his last five games. If you’re in a deep league, consider DeBrusk due to the matchups.

Buffalo Sabres

(MON @ NYR, THU @ STL, SAT @ CAR, SUN vs. NSH)

JJ Peterka, RW

Peterka has an impressive eight goals and 16 points on the season, and 14 of those points have come over his last 14 games. He has six goals over that span and at least two shots on goal in 12 of his last 13 contests. He’s logging heavy minutes, and that won’t change.

Casey Mittelstadt, C

If you’re looking for a streamer this week, Mittelstradt may be the better play, but I like Peterka more long term. Middelstadt has points in four straight games and five of his last six. He isn’t a big shooter, but he’ll win you some faceoffs and is on the top line with Alex Tuch and Jeff Skinner.

Chicago Blackhawks

(TUE vs. SEA, FRI @ DET, SAT @ WPG, SUN @ MIN)

Phillipp Kurashev, C

Kurashev is a nice player, and he skates with Connor Bedard. It’s not enough for me to want to stream him in a 12-team league. Deep league, DFS play and someone to consider in the shot prop game.

Connor Murphy, D

Hits and blocks.

Colorado Avalanche

(MON vs. TB, THU @ ARI, SAT @ ANA, SUN @ LA)

Ross Colton, C/LW

Colton has picked up a point in five of his last seven games and has four goals over that span. He’s a deep-league streaming option only. Ryan Johansen is too inconsistent, as is Jonathan Drouin.

Columbus Blue Jackets

(MON vs. BOS, WED vs. MTL, FRI vs. OTT, SUN @ BOS)

Boone Jenner, C/LW

Jenner is up to 11 goals on the season. He loves to hit and shoot and he’s good in the faceoff circle.

Zach Werenski, D

One of my targets this season, but definitely hard to hang onto given the slow start. He quietly has 14 assists and 46 shots in 19 games. He’s a horse on the blueline.

Kirill Marchenko, RW

Here’s another guy who was in the fantasy hockey draft kit, and another guy who started off very slow. I’m not sure I’d bother in a normal week, but the Blue Jackets have games on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Those are great days to stream players in deep formats, but the schedule has Boston twice.

Others to consider:

Patrik Laine, W
Adam Fantilli, C
Ivan Provorov, D

Florida Panthers

(MON @ OTT, TUE @ TOR, THU @ MTL, SAT vs. NYI)

Sam Bennett, C

Bennett needs to be rostered in more than 14% of Yahoo! Sports leagues. It’s only a matter of time before he gets going. He only has one goal in his eight games, but he’s missed a lot of time. He’s locked into a top six role on a strong offensive team. I’d look at him before Evan Rodrigues.

Nashville Predators

(TUE vs. PIT, THU vs. MIN, SAT vs. NYR, SUN @ BUF)

Ryan O’Reilly, C

There’s not much here, which is probably why ROR is owned in fewer than 60% of leagues. He has an impressive 18 points in 19 games (10 goals) and enters the week on a seven-game point streak. O’Reilly is a beast in the circle. He was in here last week and picked up two goals and four points.

Gustav Nyquist, LW

Nyquist was also in here last week and extended his point streak from four games to seven. He has nine points over that span and could be headed for more as long as he sticks on the top line.

Jeremy Lauzon, D

Hits and blocks.

New York Rangers

(MON vs. BUF, WED vs. DET, SAT @ NSH, SUN vs. SJ)

Erik Gustaffsson, D

Gustafsson has been awesome with Adam Fox on the sidelines, but his value will take a hit as Fox is close to returning. You have to love the Rangers schedule at the moment. Plus, they’re one of the hottest teams in the NHL at the moment. EG has 10 points in his past nine games.

Alexis Lafreniere, W

From last week:

“Lafreniere has already scored seven goals this season and has been rewarded with more ice time. The former first overall pick has had a slow start to his career, but he’s proving last year’s career-high 23 goals weren’t a fluke. The winger is shooting an alarming 26% so far, but he’s also shooting more and has received a career-high 16:37 through 15 games. His winger Artemi Panarin has at least one point in every game, which is a reason to consider Lafreniere.”

Lafreniere scored another goal last week. He’s a fantastic option at the end of the week with the Sharks on the schedule.

San Jose Sharks

(MON vs. WAS, THU @ BOS, FRI @ NJ, SUN @ NYR)

Tomas Hertl, C

Hertl is pretty much a must-own in leagues with face off wins, but I know most don’t play with that stat. Hertl has four goals, 16 points and 47 shots in 21 games. He has back-to-back games with two points.

Calen Addison, D

Addison is getting leaned on more in San Jose than he was in Minnesota. He has three power-play points in his past four games. That kind of production isn’t sustainable in this offense.

Mike Hoffman, LW

Hoffman will be quiet most of the season, but he could still score 25-30 goals. He has five in his last five games.

Nikita Okhotiuk, D

Blocks and hits.

Tampa Bay Lightning

(MON @ COL, TUE @ ARI, THU vs. PIT, SAT @ DAL)

Tanner Jeannot, W

Hits and blocks. Nicholas Paul if you’re looking for a point or two.

Vegas Golden Knights

(MON @ CGY, TUE @ EDM, THU @ VAN, SAT vs. WAS)

Ivan Barbashev, C/LW

He only has six points on the season, but he’s linked to the top line at 5v5. For the time being anyway. I’d definitely stream Chandler Stephenson over him if he’s available.

Brayden McNabb, D

McNabb is a great source for hits and blocks, especially if Shea Theodore and Alec Martinez miss time.

Washington Capitals

(MON @ SJ, WED @ LA, THU @ ANA, SAT @ VGK)

Ryan Strome, C & Tom Wilson, RW

These two are borderline holds in 12-team leagues. Alex Ovechkin has been quiet, but they’ve been the best line for Washington. The Caps are very thin up front. Two of Washington’s four games are strong matchups.

Rasmus Sandin, D

Logging heavy minutes and piling up counting stats.

Two games

Edmonton Oilers
Los Angeles Kings

Hold Quinton Byfield.

Attack The Schedule

Monday – 6 Games
Tuesday – 10 Games
Wednesday – 3 Games
Thursday – 14 Games
Friday – 2 Games
Saturday – 13 Games
Sunday – 5 Games

CLS – MON, WED, FRI, SUN
NYR – MON, WED, SAT, SUN
BOS – MON, THU, SAT, SUN
BUF – MON, THU, SAT, SUN
COL – MON, THU, SAT, SUN
WAS – MON, WED, THU, SAT
SJ – MON, THU, FRI, SUN
OTT – MON, FRI, SUN
LA – WED, SUN

The Blue Jackets have a game on each of the smaller scheduled nights in the NHL this week. Keep in mind they play the Bruins twice, but the Habs and Sens make up for it.

Back-to-Backs

Buy-Low Candidates

Jason Robertson, DAL
Kirill Kaprizov, MIN
Roope Hintz, DAL
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM
Andrei Svechnikov, CAR
Miro Heiskanen, DAL
John Carlson, WAS
Jake Oettinger, DAL
Alexandar Georgiev, COL
Ilya Samsonov, TOR

Sell-High Candidates

Brock Boeser, VAN
William Karlsson, VGK
Mark Stone, VGK
Leo Carlsson, ANA
Erik Gustafsson, NYR
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, FLA
Filip Hronek, VAN
Semyon Varlamov, NYI