NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Rankings (2/18)

Welcome to the Week 20 Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire article here at FTN Fantasy. Below you’ll see 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, what it means for you and the Fantasy Hockey landscape.

This is a very busy week, as there are 19 teams scheduled to play four games in Week 20 (Feb. 19 – Feb 25). I listed every team slated to play four games, with a suggestion on each team, but I tried to highlight some of the best options below. The San Jose Sharks are the only team scheduled to play twice this week, so that won’t hurt you, as there are hardly any players in SJ worth rostering at this point of the season.

It’s that time of the season where you need to start piling up wins. It may mean you have to cut a struggling player for a four-game stream or someone trending up. Sometimes you have to make uncomfortable moves, but the way to get the best of your opponents moving forward is to have more games played, while taking advantage of the matchups each week.

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.

Please be sure to check out our fantasy hockey Discord channel. Reach out to me anytime with questions!

My fantasy hockey rankings

Please subscribe, rate and review our podcast Dangle Bet Celly at FTN.

Injuries

Jack Eichel, VGK
Jake Guentzel, PIT
Valeri Nichushkin, COL
Patrik Laine, CLS
Tomas Hertl, SJ
Logan Couture, SJ
Trevor Zegras, ANH
Adam Fantilli, CLS
Dougie Hamilton, NJ
Shea Theodore, VGK
Mikhail Sergachev, TB
Justin Faulk, STL
Aaron Ekblad, FLA
Connor ingram, ARI

Quick Thoughts

Theodore is expected to return very soon, so I’d make sure he wasn’t on the waiver wire. I’d expect him to get his spot back on the first power play.
Rickard Rakell will take Guentzel’s spot on the top line. The winger will be sidelined for the next four weeks.
Mikael Granlund is someone to consider in a very deep league. The Sharks only play twice this week though.

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

Juraj Slafkovsky, MTL
Owen Tippett, PHI
Mason Marchment, DAL
Tyler Seguin, DAL
Brayden Schenn, STL
Dylan Strome, WAS
Boone Jenner, CLS
Bryan Rust, PIT
Artturi Lehkonen, COL
Gustav Nyquist, NSH
Brock Faber, MIN
Zach Werenski, CLS
Thomas Chabot, OTT
Nico Daws, NJ

Deep-League Adds

Johnny Gaudreau, CLS
Wyatt Johnston, DAL
Chandler Stephenson, VGK
Quintn Byfield, LA
Viktor Arvidsson, LA
Pierre-Luc Dubois, LA
Josh Norris, OTT
Kyle Palmieri, NYI
Jake Neighbours, STL
Corey Perry, EDM
Shane Pinto, OTT
Andrei Kuzmenko, CGY
Torey Krug, STL
Kaiden Guhle, MTL
Simon Nemec, NJ

Banger Leagues

Radko Gudas, ANH
Jeremy Lauzon, NSH
David Savard, MTL
Kaiden Guhle, MTL
Nick Seeler, PHI
Alec Martinez, VGK
Adam Larsson, SEA
Jake McCabe, TOR
Mario Ferraro, SJ
Connor Murphy, CHI
Yakov Trenin, NSH
Alexander Romanov, NYI

Don’t Sell

Nikita Kucherov, TB
William Nylander, TOR
Matthew Tkachuk, FLA
Roope Hintz, DAL
Matt Duchene, DAL
Matt Boldy, MIN
Nick Suzuki, MTL
Juraj Slafkovsky, MTL
Quinn Hughes, VAN
Evan Bouchard, EDM
Mike Matheson, MTL

Consider Dropping

Matty Beniers, SEA
Evan Rodrigues, FLA
Nick Schmaltz, ARI
Jamie Benn, DAL
Jeff Skinner, BUF
Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG
Tyson Barrie, NSH
Hampus Lindholm, BOS
Jake Sanderson, OTT

Week 20 (Feb. 19 – Feb. 25)

Four Games

Anaheim Ducks

(MON @ BUF, WED vs. CLS, FRI @ LA, SUN vs NSH)

Mason McTavish, C/LW & Troy Terry, RW

The Ducks don’t have a lot to offer, but I like their second line with McTavish, Terry and Frank Vatrano. It’s Vatrano who has the highest ceiling of the three, but he’s rostered in most formats. I lean McTavish over Terry, because he touches more categories.

Boston Bruins

(MON vs. DAL, WED @ EDM, THU @ CGY, SAT @ VAN)

Pavel Zacha, C & Charlie Coyle, C

Coyle had a quiet week, so it’s possible he’s on the wire. It’s Zacha who is on line one with David Pastrnak and on the first power play.

Buffalo Sabres

(MON vs. ANH, WED @ MTL, FRI @ CLS, SUN vs. CAR)

Dylan Cozens, C/RW

I’m not really interested in anybody on the Sabres besides their top line. Jeff Skinner may be on the wire, and I get it because he’s been awful. I’d grab him if he was available because BUF has three favorable games this week. If you’re in a deep league, consider Cozens. He’s had a disappointing season but has nine points in his last nine games and is on the first power play.

Carolina Hurricanes

(MON vs. CHI, THU vs. FLA, SAT vs. DAL, SUN @ BUF)

Teuvo Teravainen, W

I’d check to see if Andrei Svechnikov or Martin Necas were available first. Tevo has points in five of his last nine games and 10 total over that span.

Chicago Blackhawks

(MON @ CAR, WED vs. PHI, FRI vs. WPG, SUN vs. DET)

Nick Foligno, LW & Philipp Kurashev, C

You have to be in a 14-team league or salary cap format to consider anybody in Chicago outside of Connor Bedard and maybe Seth Jones. Having said that, Foligno has points in five straight games and three goals over that span. Bedard’s return helps his outlook and helps Kurashev, as all three hooked up for points in Chicago’s last game. Kurashev also has points in five straight games. You’re not going to want to stream them against Carolina or Winnupeg though.

Columbus Blue Jackets

(TUE @ LA, WED @ ANH, FRI vs. BUF, SUN vs. NYR)

Boone Jenner, C/LW

Jenner is one of the best fantasy hockey players out there in formats with shots, hits and faceoff wins. I assume he’s rostered in those formats. I brought him up because he’s sub-50% in Yahoo leagues. He has goals in three straight games and 17 shots over that span. He’s also played over 70 minutes in those three games combined.

Johnny Gaudreau, LW

Don’t look now, but Johnny Hockey has points in six straight games and nine of his past 11. All of his points are assists (12), but he’s at least hitting the score sheet. I’d sell high, but I’d also stream him against the Ducks and Sabres.

Kirill Marchenko RW, Yegor Chinakhov RW & Dmitri Voronkov, LW

This is a line to certainly consider in NHL DFS given the right matchup. They scored twice on Saturday against San Jose and have two favorable matchups this week. I own Marchenko and Chinakhov in deeper formats, and they’re both serviceable.

Dallas Stars

(MON @ BOS, TUE @ NYR, THU @ OTT, SAT @ CAR)

Mason Marchment, LW

If you’ve been following my work, you have Matt Duchene, Tyler Seguin and Marchment on your fantasy hockey teams. You’re running out of time to get Marchment. This trio has been a moneymaker for us all season long at FTN. Seguin is owned in fewer than 60% of Yahoo leagues and shouldn’t be when you consider his center Duchene has four straight games with at least two points (55 points in 54 games). Don’t let the tough schedule steer you away, these are three players who can help you the rest of the way.

Detroit Red Wings

(MON @ SEA, THU vs. COL, SAT vs. STL, SUN @ CHI)

J.T. Compher, W

First of all, make sure nobody dropped Patrick Kane in your 12- or 10-team leagues. He has points in all four of his games since returning to the lineup. Compher is also on a bit of a heater with goals in back-to-back games and points in eight of his last 10.

Edmonton Oilers

(MON @ ARI, WED vs. BOS, FRI vs. MIN, SAT vs. CGY)

Corey Perry, RW

I immediately grabbed Perry in one of my leagues when I saw he moved up to the first line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. I don’t expect him to stick with those two for the rest of the season, but it worked on Saturday, and he should open up the week in Arizona on the first line. Perry finished with a goal and an assist, and his 16:36 TOI was the most he’s played in his seven games with the Oilers. He’s been playing in the top-six for the last couple of games with either McDavid or Draisaitl. He’s worth a stream, and you may just end up keeping him.

Minnesota Wild

(MON vs. VAN, TUE @ WPG, FRI @ EDM, SAT @ SEA)

Jonas Brodin, D

The Wild are a one-line team. Brodin can help in leagues with blocks.

Nashville Predators

(TUE @ VGK, THU @ LA, SAT @ SJ, SUN @ ANH)

Gustav Nyquist, LW

The Preds are also a one-line team. Nyquist is on the only good line Nashville has, and he’s been productive for the last couple of months.

Jeremy Lauzon, D

Lauzon can single-handedly win you the hit category.

New Jersey Devils

(TUE @ WAS, THU vs. NYR, SAT vs. MTL, SUN vs. TB)

Ondrej Palat, LW

Palat continues to produce on the top line with Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt.

Nico Daws, G

I streamed Daws last week against the Seattle Kraken and have hung on ever since. He’s played four games in a row for New Jersey, including the second half of a back-to-back. He was great in all four. Goaltending is exactly what the Devils need, so he may just take control of the net regardless of Vitek Vanecek’s status.

New York Rangers

(TUE vs. DAL, THU @ NJ, SAT @ PHI, SUN @ CLS)

Alexis Lafreniere, W

Lafreniere is inconsistent, but he’s been playing alongside Artemi Panarin all season long. I don’t love the matchups this week, so I’d probably leave him on the wire.

Jimmy Vesey, LW

Vesey will get the first crack of replacing Blake Wheeler on the top line. I doubt he sticks.

Ottawa Senators

(MON @ TB, TUE @ FLA, THU vs. DAL, SAT vs. VGK)

Josh Norris, C

This is the first of a few four-game weeks for the Senators, as they have a lot of ground to make up on the NHL when it comes to games played. Shane Pinto was a hot shot prop target for us last week, but I think Norris has a higher ceiling. They’re both on the first power play, but Norris is on the first line with Brady Tkachuk. However, this is a very tough week for the Senators.

Tampa Bay Lightning

(MON vs. OTT, THU vs. WAS, SAT @ NYI, SUN @ NJ)

Anthony Cirelli, C

Cirell’s production of late took me by surprise. I had to take a second look to see if he actually did have points in 10 of his last 12 games, and he does! In fact, Cirell has racked up 13 points over that span and has logged some heavy ice time along the way.

Toronto Maple Leafs

(MON @ STL, WED @ ARI, THU @ VGK, SAT @ COL)

Timothy Liljegren, D

Liljegren is a short-term add with Morgan Rielly suspended. Liljegren has five points in his last two games, and two of them came on the power play. He’ll quarterback the first unit for the next two games. John Tavares is expected back Monday, so Max Domi will fall back out of the top six.

Vancouver Canucks

(MON @ MIN, TUE @ COL, THU @ SEA, SAT vs. BOS)

Nils Hoglander, LW

Points in four of his last five games and currently skating on the first line.

Vegas Golden Knights

(MON @ SJ, TUE vs. NSH, THU vs. TOR, SAT @ OTT)

Chandler Stephenson, C

Stephenson has hit the score sheet in eight of his last 12 games. He really shouldn’t be on the wire with the Golden Knights expected to get healthier soon.

Winnipeg Jets

(MON @ CGY, TUE vs. MIN, FRI @ CHI, SUN vs. ARI)

Gabriel Vilardi, C/RW

Our guy Vilardi finally broke out on Saturday with two goals and an assist. He picked up two points on the power play, scored the game-winning goal and finished with four shots. It’s no surprise when you consider he was promoted to the top line again with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. Nikolaj Ehlers seems to be the odd man out at the moment.

Two games

Attack the Schedule

Monday – 10 games
Tuesday – 8 games
Wednesday – 5 games
Thursday – 11 games
Friday – 3 games
Saturday – 13 games
Sunday – 7 games

Having players on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday will give you an edge this week.

BUF – MON, WED, FRI, SUN
CHI – MON, WED, FRI, SUN
CLS – TUE, WED, FRI, SUN
EDM – MON, WED, FRI, SAT
WPG – MON, TUE, FRI, SUN

Back to Backs

ANH
BOS
CAR
CLS
DAL
DET
MINx2
MTL
NSH
NJ
NYR
OTT
PHI
TB
TOR
VAN
VGK
WPG

Sat & Sun Games

Buy-Low Candidates

Alex Ovechkin, WAS
Tim Stutzle, OTT
Brady Tkachuk, OTT
Adrian Kempe, LA
Jack Eichel, VGK
Zach Hyman, EDM
Alex DeBrincat, DET
Tage Thompson, BUF
Josh Morrissey, WPG
Brandon Montour, FLA

Sell-High Candidates

Alexander Kerfoot, ARI
Jonathan Drouin, COL
Adam Henrique, ANH
Yegor Sharangovich, CGY
Jonathan Huberdeau, CGY
Blake Coleman, CGY
Johnny Gaudreau, CLS
Mark Stone, VGK
Mats Zuccarello, MIN
Evgeni Malkin, PIT
Noah Hanifin, CGY
Ilya Samsonov, TOR