NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Rankings (3/3)

Welcome to the Week 22 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.

There are 11 teams scheduled to play four games in Week 22 (Mar. 4 – Mar 10), and three teams scheduled to play two games. You’ll see streams from each team with four games below.

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
Brady Tkachuk, OTT
Travis Konecny, PHI
Adrian Kempe, LA
Clayton Keller, ARI
Jake Guentzel, PIT
Mark Stone, VGK
Bryan Rust, PIT
Valeri Nichushkin, COL
Gabriel Vilardi, WPG
Josh Norris, OTT
Tyler Seguin, DAL
Patrik Laine, CLS
Pavel Zacha, BOS
Viktor Arvidsson, LA
Tomas Hertl, SJ
Logan Couture, SJ
Trevor Zegras, ANH
Adam Fantilli, CLS
Dougie Hamilton, NJ
Mikhail Sergachev, TB

Quick Thoughts

Shane Pinto, Tyson Foerster, Dylan Guenther and Rickard Rakell are all benefiting from injuries in their respective lineups. More on all four below.
Nichushkin is skating again. He could be back soon so make sure he’s owned. He’s a top-30 forward when in the lineup.
I’d hold Vilardi if you can.

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

Owen Tippett, PHI
Nick Suzuki, MTL
Patrick Kane, DET
Robert Thomas, STL
Nazem Kadri, CGY
Dylan Strome, WAS
Boone Jenner, CLS
Shane Pinto, OTT
Charlie Coyle, BOS
Artturi Lehkonen, COL
Gustav Nyquist, NSH
Nick Schmaltz, ARI
Zach Werenski, CLS
Torey Krug, STL
Travis Sanheim, PHI
Pyotr Kochetkov, CAR
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF

Shane Pinto, C, Ottawa Senators

Pinto has overtaken a role inside the top six and on the first power play. Unfortunately, Josh Norris is hurt again and Pinto is the biggest beneficiary. Pinto was already playing well, so I wouldn’t hesitate adding him. He has six goals, 16 points and 57 shots in 18 games. Not only is he shooting (3.1 per game), he’s winning faceoffs, throwing body checks and blocking shots.

Deep-League Adds

Wyatt Johnston, DAL
Alexis Lafreniere, NYR
Dylan Guenther, ARI
Tyson Foerster, PHI
Tyler Bertuzzi, TOR
Logan Stankoven, DAL
Juraj Slafkovsky, MTL
Troy Terry, ANH
Adam Henrique, ANH
Sean Monahan, WPG
Chandler Stephenson, VGK
William Karlsson, VGK
Jack Roslovic, CLS
Kyle Palmieri, NYI
Philipp Grubauer, SEA
Nico Daws, NJ

Logan Stankoven, C

Stankoven headlined last week’s waiver wire article and didn’t disappoint. The rookie has three goals and four points in his first five games in the NHL. He also has an impressive 15 shots on goal, including nine in his past two games. The Stars are among the leaders in goals, as they have talent all over their lineup. Whether alongside Wyatt Johnston or Matt Duchene, Stankoven will have great players to play with. It’s only early, but he may keep his spot in the lineup when Tyler Seguin is ready to return. In fact, I expect him to.

Tyson Foerster, C/RW

When Travis Konecny returns, Foerster may see a dip in production, but he should stick inside the top six. He has six goals and seven points in five games since returning to the lineup.

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
Ryan McDonagh, NSH

Don’t Sell

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

Consider Dropping

Matty Beniers, SEA
Evan Rodrigues, FLA
Sean Couturier, PHI
Brayden Schenn, STL
Mason Marchment, DAL
Evgeni Malkin, PIT
Bowen Byram, COL
Thomas Harley, DAL
Aaron Ekblad, FLA
Jake Sanderson, OTT
Connor Ingram, ARI

Week 22 (Mar. 4 – Mar. 10)

Four Games

Arizona Coyotes

(TUE vs. CHI, THU vs. MIN, FRI vs. DET, SUN @ CHI)

Dylan Guenther, LW

Guenther and Arizona check in for the second straight week, and I wouldn’t gloss over them this time. The Coyotes finally ended their 14-game losing streak thanks to Guenther, who had a goal and an assist in a 5-3 win in Ottawa. The winger has eight goals and 17 points in 24 games, including five points in his past six games. He has at least two shots in nine straight games and leads all Arizona players in shot attempts over the last three weeks. He’s become the shooter on the first power play. Guenther may not be consistent enough to hold in 12-team leagues, but he should be owned in all keeper formats. Shooting isn’t all he does well, though.

Check out this pass from Guenther to Logan Cooley. It was just one of two beautiful primary assists from Guenther in Arizona’s game Sunday in Washington.

Nick Schmaltz, C/RW

Schmaltz is always underrated in fantasy hockey because of the team he plays on. He doesn’t shoot much, but he has of late with Clayton Keller sidelined. He quietly has seven points in his last seven games. Five have come on the power play.

Boston Bruins

(MON @ TOR, TUE vs. EDM, THU vs. TOR, SAT vs. PIT)

Charlie Coyle, C

Coyle could be hanging around the waiver wire. He skated on the first line with David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand in the Bruins’ last game. He’s been with Marchand pretty much all season. With Pavel Zacha considered day-to-day due to a lower-body injury, there could be even more ice time for Coyle. It also may trigger a move for someone like Adam Henrique.

Calgary Flames

(MON vs. SEA, THU @ TB, SAT @ FLA, SUN @ CAR)

Yegor Sarangovich, F

Sharangovich has triple eligibility, so he may be able to help if you have a hole in your lineup this week. I viewed him as a sell-high candidate the second the Flames traded Elias Linholm. The ice time should at least be there for Sharangovich for the rest of the season. He closed last week with three goals in two games. To be honest, this isn’t a good schedule for Calgary. I would only look at them in deep formats, outside of Kadri.

Chicago Blackhawks

(MON @ COL, TUE @ ARI, SAT @ WAS, SUN vs. ARI)

Nick Foligno, LW & Seth Jones

Chicago has two games this week against Arizona, so you may get a couple of points, but you’re only streaming these two players for shots, hits and blocks.

Columbus Blue Jackets

(MON vs. VGK, TUE @ PIT, THU vs. EDM, SAT vs. NSH)

Jack Roslovic, C

Roslovic has 10 points in his past nine games and 32 shots on goal over that span. He’s holding down a spot on the first line and power play with Boone Jenner and Johnny Gaudreau.

Kirill Marchenko, RW

Jenner and Zach Werenski are the only two CLS players I’d hold onto. Marchenko has been on my roster a few times as has Dmitri Voronkov, but they are hard to hold unless you’re in a 14-team league. Marchenko and Voronkov are shooters who may just finish with 45-50 combined goals this season. That’s promising if you’re a Blue Jackets fan.

Edmonton Oilers

(TUE @ BOS, THU @ CLS, SAT @ BUF, SUN @ PIT)

Mattias Ekholm, D

You’re streaming for hits and blocks, and you hope he falls into a couple of assists.

Florida Panthers

(MON @ NYR, TUE @ NJ, THU vs. PHI, SAT vs. CGY)

Sam Bennett, C

Bennett touches just about every category in fantasy sports. Those who play with shots, hits and faceoff wins know how valuable he is. He has 26 shots on goal in his past five games.

Nashville Predators

(TUE vs. MTL, THU vs. BUF, SAT @ CLS, SUN vs. MIN)

Tommy Novak, C

Believe it or not, Novak has points in 11 of his last 13 games. He has 13 points over that span, including four in the power play. A recent promotion to PP1 makes him an appealing deep-league stream.

Pittsburgh Penguins

(TUE vs. CLS, THU vs. WAS, SAT @ BOS, SUN vs. EDM)

Rickard Rakell, RW

Rakell turned out to be a decent stream last week, so we can hold him this week. He has a couple of multi-point games over the past five matchups and is racking up shots.

Lars Eller, C

Eller is actually skating on the first power play as the Pens look for something on the man advantage. I wouldn’t count on a lot of production, but he’s been scoring and he’ll win you a few faceoffs.

St. Louis Blues

(MON @ PHI, TUE @ NYI, THU @ NJ, SAT @ NYR)

Torey Krug, D

Krug has been pretty decent of late and is touching other categories like blocks because of a boost in ice time. Five of his 12 points over the last 10 games have come on the PP. He has nine blocks in the last three games and has played at least 24:46 in each one of those games.

Colton Parayko, D

Parayko hasn’t been as productive in the point department, but he’s great in leagues with shots, hits and blocks. The Blues could trade one of their defenseman, which would likely result in a boost for whoever doesn’t get moved.

Toronto Maple Leafs

(MON vs. BOS, WED vs. BUF, THU @ BOS, SAT @ MTL)

Tyler Bertuzzi, LW

Bertuzzi saw his four-game point streak snapped over the weekend, but he’s playing his best hockey as a Maple Leaf. He’s getting rewarded with more ice time and it’s resulted in more shots, hits and blocks. He’s one of the better streams to start the week, and you may end up holding him.

Two games

Attack the Schedule

Monday – 6 games
Tuesday – 9 games
Wednesday – 3 games
Thursday – 12 games
Friday – 4 games
Saturday – 13 games
Sunday – 5 games

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

TOR – MON, WED, THU, SAT
ARI – TUE, THU, FRI, SUN
CGY – MON, THU, SAT, SUN
CHI – MON, TUE, SAT, SUN
COL – MON, WED, FRI
ANH – WED, FRI, SUN
DET – WED, FRI, SAT
MIN – THU, FRI, SUN
SEA – MON, TUE, FRI

COL & TOR are the only teams with games on Monday and Wednesday. See who wouldn’t make your starting roster on Tuesday and Thursday, and stream from COL & TOR.
ANH, ARI & MIN are the only teams with games on Friday and Sunday. The Coyotes have more to offer and the schedule is better.
BOS, CHI, CLS, FLA, SEA & STL play Monday and Tuesday. SEA is the only team of the six to not have four games.
CGY, CAR, CHI, EDM, NSH & PIT play Saturday and Sunday. CAR doesn’t have four games, but they finish the week with three games in four days. ARI, CGY, EDM, MIN, NSH & PIT also close Week 22 with three games in the final four days.

Back-to-Backs

ARI
BOS
BUF
CGY
CAR
CHIx2
CLS
DAL
DET
EDM
FLA
MIN
NSH
OTT
PIT
SEA
STL
TOR
WPG

Projected Goalie Streams

Scott Wedgewood FRI @ ANH
Spencer Martin SUN vs. CGY

Buy-Low Candidates

Alex Ovechkin, WAS
Tim Stutzle, OTT
Timo Meier, NJ
Nico Hischier, NJ
Jespe Bratt, NJ
Roope Hintz, DAL
Alex DeBrincat, DET
Tage Thompson, BUF
Cale Makar, COL
Brandon Montour, FLA

Sell-High Candidates

Alexander Kerfoot, ARI
Jonathan Drouin, COL
Adam Henrique, ANH
Yegor Sharangovich, CGY
Jonathan Huberdeau, CGY
Blake Coleman, CGY
Evgeni Malkin, PIT
Johnny Gaudreau, CLS
Dylan Cozens, BUF
Nazem Kadri, CGY
Noah Hanifin, CGY
Jordan Binnington, STL