NHL waiver wire rankings (3/29)

Welcome to the Week 11 fantasy hockey waiver wire rankings where we have 16 teams scheduled to play four games. There are two teams scheduled to play two games in Week 11 of the fantasy hockey season, and there are several back-to-backs to target if you’re struggling to find consistency in net.

The Montreal Canadiens only have three games this week after having all of last week off. They now have a lot of games to make up, but most of their games will be made up in May when H2H fantasy hockey playoffs are happening. If you’re in a good spot in the standings, you may be able to find Josh Anderson or Nicholas Suzuki on the wire, as most cut ties with both players after zero games in Week 10. As a result of the schedule changes, the Ottawa Senators only have two games this week.

We’re just three weeks away until fantasy hockey playoffs in head-to-head formats, so we have to treat every week from here on out as if it were playoff time. Almost everyone in your fantasy hockey league will have plenty of players with four games for the week, as we have 16 teams with heavy schedules in Week 11. The way to be different this week, and weeks moving forward, is to target players who play on the lighter scheduled nights. I call this attacking the schedule. With that said, we have a pretty balanced schedule this week.

Monday: 7
Tuesday: 7
Wednesday: 6
Thursday: 9
Friday: 6
Saturday: 12
Sunday: 7

The key days to attack are Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. You need to take a look at Thursday and Saturday, and ask yourself who will likely be taking a seat on your bench on those busy days. Again, if you’re in a playoff spot, you don’t need to worry. If you’ve been streaming or you have players who have been average at best and you need wins now, you should consider swapping those players out for players on teams with games on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

You’ll also see a representative from each team playing four games as well as back-to-back options, fantasy hockey rankings and rest of the season rankings. I scanned the waiver wire across Yahoo, ESPN, and Fantrax leagues and sought out the players owned in fewer than 60% of leagues. Keep reading to see the fantasy hockey waiver wire rankings and drop candidates as there are several teams scheduled to play twice this week. It’s easy enough to suggest a player to add, but the tough part is finding a player to drop.

Any questions you can hit me up @chrismeaney. Check out Mean Streets and Fantasy Hockey Picks and Bets for more NHL content.

Rest of the season rankings

Four-game streams

Buffalo Sabres (MON vs. PHI, WED vs. PHI, THU vs. NYR, SAT vs. NYR)

With two games against the Flyers, I would only stream Taylor Hall, Sam Reinhart, Ramus Dahlin or Rasmus Ristolainen. Chances are if you own any of those four players you’re fighting for a playoff spot so I’d be looking to move on if they have another quiet week. Philadelphia has the second-high GA/60 (3.27) at 5v5 per 60 minutes and they’ve allowed the most goals this month, so the matchup to start Week 11 is great and the Sabres play four games in Week 12 as well.

Calgary Flames (MON vs. WPG, WED @ VAN, FRI @ EDM, SUN vs. TOR)

Noah Hanifin, D

Last week, I mentioned the boost in power-play time for Hanifan under Darryl Sutter, and it carried over in Week 10. He has three points, including one on the power-play in his past two games.

Mikael Backlund, C/RW

Backlund checks in for a second-straight week. He has points in back-to-back games and he’s touching other categories as well.

Carolina Hurricanes (TUE @ CHI, THU @ CHI, SAT vs. DAL, SUN vs. DAL)

Martin Necas, C/RW

Necas was in one of my first fantasy hockey waiver wire articles of the season and has been in all the weekly rankings, so if you’ve been reading along, you know I’m a fan. He’s a must-add and I would not sell high. Necas has goals in three straight games and scored two in his previous game. The winger finished with four points, two on the PP, and six shots on goal against Tampa Bay. He had 10 shot attempts and hit the post twice. Overall, Necas has nine goals and 28 points in 30 games.

Jordan Staal, C

Staal is a good source for faceoffs, shots, and hits. He also has some offensive upside.

Alex Nedeljkovic, G

I have him as a top-15 goalie the rest of the way. He’s an absolute stud.

Note: Check to see if Vincent Trocheck was dropped. He could return this week.

Colorado Avalanche (MON vs. ANH, WED vs. ARI, FRI vs. STL, SAT vs. STL)

Joonas Donskoi, LW/RW

Donskoi has six goals, 10 points and two PPP in his past eight games. He has at least five shots on goal in three of his past four games, as he and the Avs continue to pepper opposing goalies. Donskoi is averaging 13:28 per game this season but he played 17 minutes in each of his last two games. I don’t expect him to keep this pace and I would sell where you could, but I doubt anyone would buy. Enjoy it now.

Andre Burakovsky, LW/RW

Burakovsky is a decent stream but Donskoi is shooting a bit more lately.

Dallas Stars (TUE @ NSH, THU @ NSH, SAT @ CAR, SUN @ CAR)

Jason Robertson, LW

Robertson quietly has 21 points in 27 games this season and is averaging 17:58 through 16 games in March compared to 12:49 in nine games in February. There’s no question he’s trending up, as he’s currently skating on the first PP unit. The winger has two goals and eight points in his past eight games. He also has at least three shots on goal in seven straight and nine of his past 10 games. He’s been plus money in the shot prop world and we hit 14-1 first goal on Sunday.

Esa Lindell, D

Lindell is a great source for hits and blocks, plus he has a bit of offense to offer, as he’s skating on the second power-play unit. He has three points in his past six games, but it’s really the hits and blocks which make him appealing. Lindell has played 25, 26 and 25 minutes in his past three games.

Note: The Stars have a lot of games to make up so consider looking at Denis Gurianov and Radek Faksa.

Detroit Red Wings (TUE @ FLA, THU @ FLA, SAT @ TB, SUN @ TB)

Robby Fabbri, C/LW/RW

Fabbri has had a decent season for the Red Wings but I probably would only stream him in deeper formats. I don’t love the two games against the Lightning.

Filip Hronek, D

Hronek may pile up a few extra blocks with games against Florida and Tampa Bay this week.

Florida Panthers (TUE vs. DET, THU vs. DET, SAT vs. CLS, SUN vs. CLS)

Noel Acciari, C/RW

Acciari’s seen a boost in ice time with Aleksander Barkov and Patric Hornqvist sidelined. It remains to be seen how long they’ll be out, so Acciari is a true short-term stream. He has four points, two power-play points, nine shots, eight hits, 10 blocks and 51 FOW in his past four games. That’s quite the week.

Alexander Wennberg, C/LW

Wennberg has seen an increase in ice time as well but he’s been in the top-six all season. He won’t touch as many categories as Acciari but there’s power-play point upside.

Gustav Forsling, D

Forsling should see a massive bump in ice time with Aaron Ekblad likely done for the season. I would roster MacKenzie Weegar first, but Forsling is someone to keep an eye on. He’s been getting PP time and he played 25 minutes last night.

Los Angeles Kings (MON @ VGK, WED @ VGK, FRI vs. SJ, SAT vs. SJ)

Dustin Brown, RW

There’s absolutely no reason Brown should be on the waiver wire. He’s had at least three shots in 13 straight games and enters the week with 14 goals on the season.

Alex Iafallo, LW

Iafallo is more of a 14-team league add due to the two games against Vegas, but the Sharks are a good matchup for the winger if you’re looking for something toward the end of Week 11. He has three goals and eight points in his past nine games, and he’s put 15 shots on goal over his last three games.

Minnesota Wild (MON @ SJ, WED @ SJ, THU @ VGK, SAT @ VGK)

Mats Zuccarello, RW

I dropped Zuccarello myself last week after he had four days off, but he’s on my radar this week with two games against the Sharks. He only has one point in his last four games and only two shots in his past three, but he’s still getting plenty of ice time on the top line and first PP.

San Jose Sharks (MON vs. MIN, WED vs. MIN, FRI @ LA, SAT @ LAK)

Mario Ferraro, D

If you need hits and blocks.

Kevin Labanc, LW/RW

Deep add only. I don’t like the matchups against MIN.

Dylan Gambrell, C/RW

I added Gambrell last week for a few hits, and he racked up 12 in four games. He chipped in with six blocks and 25 faceoff wins.

Tampa Bay Lightning (TUE vs. CLS, THU vs. CLS, SAT vs. DET, SUN vs. DET)

Alex Killorn, LW/RW

Killorn has been one of the most added players over the past couple of weeks so you’re running out of time. He has four great matchups this week and he remains on the first PP unit.

Anthony Cirelli, C/RW

Cirelli needs to be owned in more leagues. I’m shocked he’s available in 50% of Yahoo leagues. He’s not a volume shooter, but he logged a lot of minutes and he’s part of a strong top-six.

Toronto Maple Leafs (MON vs. EDM, WED @ WPG, FRI @ WPG, SUN @ CGY)

Wayne Simmonds, RW

Simmonds only has one point in four games since returning to the lineup, but the upside is there, as he’s on the second line and first power-play.

Vegas Golden Knights (MON vs. LA, WED vs. LA, THU vs. MIN, SAT vs. MIN)

There are plenty of streaming options in Vegas:

William Karlsson, C – Needs to be rostered.
Chandler Stephenson, C/LW
Alex Tuch – LW/RW
Brayden McNabb, D

Washington Capitals (TUE @ NYR, THU @NYI, FRI @ NJ, SUN @ NJ)

Justin Schultz, D

Schultz is another player who should be owned in more leagues. He enters the week with seven points in his last seven games. He’s not a huge contributor in banger leagues but seven points in seven games is rare for a defenseman. He’s not a point-per-game player, but he logs a lot of ice time and he gets time on the second PP. Washington has scored at least four goals in seven of their past 10 games.

Garnet Hathaway, RW

The winger has 16 hits in his last three games and 24 in his last five.

Nic Dowd, C/RW

Dowd is a short-term add if you’re looking for faceoff wins, hits and blocks. Lars Eller seems close to returning though.

Winnipeg Jets (MON @ CGY, WED vs. TOR, FRI vs. TOR, SUN vs. VAN)

Paul Stastny, C/LW

Stastny continues to trend up as he’s hit the score sheet in seven of his past 10 games. He has four goals and eight points over that span. He’s on the wing on the Jets’ first line but he’s still racking up faceoff wins.

2 games

St. Louis Blues – Hold the studs; drop Mike Hoffman and Jaden Schwartz.
Ottawa Senators – Hold Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot.

Saturday and Sunday games

Carolina Hurricanes
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars
Detroit Red Wings
Florida Panthers
Tampa Bay Lightning – Curtis McElhinney will get one start vs. DET

Fantasy hockey waiver wire rankings (under 60%)

NHL waiver wire rankings (3/29)

Rest of the season rankings

Four-game streams

2 games

Saturday and Sunday games

Fantasy hockey waiver wire rankings (under 60%)

Under owned defensemen

Deep adds

Drop candidates

Buy-low

Sell-high

Hold

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