Week 7 Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Report

Welcome to my week seven fantasy hockey waiver wire report, two weeks away from American Thanksgiving when playoff races are decided (allegedly). The award for best schedule this week goes to the Utah Coyotes, playing 4 times, twice on light nights. San Jose and Edmonton are the only other 4-game teams and there are limited options on those rosters currently on fire, so if you want to max games, you’ll need to hope fresh heaters get sparked. Dallas easily has the best schedule of the 3-gamers, playing twice on light nights, facing Anaheim and San Jose Monday-Wednesday. Washington plays Sunday (tomorrow) and Monday, so if you need a Sunday streamer that you can drop after Monday, look at Capitals.

Even if you don’t play fantasy and just follow me for betting advice, my stat graphics at the bottom of this page can be very useful for player prop betting. We’re still playing with relatively small samples, with values like San Jose’s 0% winning percentage skewing some multipliers. Every week these reports feature players who are hot, play often in the week ahead and show their stats from the last 30 days. Players on my fantasy radar tend to be strong targets for prop bets too, the obligatory disclaimer being I don’t track or care about player prop markets.

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Best Standard League Adds (20% to 65% Yahoo ownership):

1) Mikael Granlund, SJ, (66% Yahoo ownership): The window to add Mikael Granlund may have closed, but he’s a must add player even in 10-team leagues for the week ahead, currently on one of my rosters. He has 17 PTS in his last 15 GP and shoots a ton in big minutes. The Sharks offense is running cold lately, but Mikael still has 5 PTS in his last 6 GP, and they do get the advantage of facing an above average number of back-ups in the opposing goal. He is eligible at all 3 forward positions, plays on their top line and top power play, where he is joined by Fabian Zetterlund and William Eklund (more on him below). Zetterlund is available in nearly 75% of leagues and has 11 PTS in his last 15 GP, with 34 shots and 38 hits. He’s not up on the top power play with Granlund currently, but the duo has been productive at even strength.

2) Logan Stankoven, Dal, (41% Yahoo ownership): As mentioned in the intro, Dallas has a juicy Monday-Wednesday combo, if you want to ride a few early in the week then drop for someone with a busier Thursday to Sunday. Logan Stankoven is playing 2nd line with Wyatt Johnston and the top power play, scoring 9 PTS (2 on the PP) in his last 11 games, with 36 shots and 9 hits. He has added RW eligibility, which would have boosted his draft status if he had that prior to the season starting. He’s available in one of my 12-team leagues and near the top of my wish list for the upcoming week. Mason Marchment is even more widely available and has 10 PTS (4 on the PP) in his last 10 GP, with 18 shots and 23 hits (if you’re looking for extra hits). He plays on the 2nd power play unit with his linemates Duchene and Seguin.

3) Darnell Nurse, Edm, (57% Yahoo ownership): This endorsement is a bad omen for my upcoming 2024 Worst NHL Contracts List (90% finished), but Darnell Nurse is putting up numbers and the Oilers are 1 of 3 teams playing four. In his last 13 GP, Nurse has 8 PTS (1 on the PP) with 34 shots and 27 hits. If you’re in a category league counting shots and hits, Nurse is more than just a 1-week streaming option, he might be a long-term hold. I’m still not wavering that he has one of the league’s worst contracts, but it’s slightly less ominous if he continues putting up numbers like this. Another option experiencing a similar revival is Thomas Chabot in Ottawa, scoring 9 PTS (1 on the PP) in his last 13 GP, with 31 shots, 12 hits, and a +8. Chabot was one of my guys a few years ago and is still only 27 years old.

UPDATE: Nurse just took a nasty headshot from Ryan Reeves and may need to take some time off…

4) Dylan Guenther, Uta, (54% Yahoo ownership): Dylan Guenther was shot out of a cannon to start the season, rewarding me for using my last pick to grab him in one of my leagues. Inevitably that torrid start cooled and he was dropped to open up a streamer slot. I’m a ruthless GM, and like to think my lack of patience is one of my strongest managerial traits. He’s currently playing second line with Logan Cooley, but also plays on the top power play power unit. In his last 12 GP, Guenther has 8 PTS (2 on the PP) with 26 shots. The Yotes won the best schedule of the week award, narrowly beating out San Jose, who also has a young gun worth streaming. First overall pick Macklin Celebrini only has 2 PTS in 5 GP since returning from injury, playing 2nd line and 2nd power play, but has tremendous upside coming in the future.

5) Connor Ingram, Uta, (57% Yahoo ownership): Connor Ingram is by no means a “safe” play in the week ahead, winning only 3 of his last 8 games with an .885 SV%. His back-up (who is featured below) is eating into his workload and may be wrestling away the #1 job. Given Utah lost their last game, they could go to Ingram for a Monday start against Washington, then possibly the first leg of the back-to-back vs Pittsburgh. Yes, his stock is declining, but there are limited options in the 20% to 65% ownership range, so there was nobody better to unseat him. Cam Talbot is a far better option but now up to 66% owned and harder to find on waivers. Even with Detroit only playing 3 games, Talbot has a .917 SV% in the last 30 days and is taking the reigns as the undisputed #1 in Detroit.

Honorable Mentions: Thomas Chabot, Cam Talbot, Fabian Zetterlund, Mason Marchment, Macklin Celebrini

Last Week: Rikard Rakell, Ryan O’Reilly, Ivan Barbashev, Colton Parayko, Cam Talbot

Best Deep League Adds (under 20% ownership):

1) William Eklund, SJ, (10% Yahoo ownership): If all the Mikael Granlund stock has been scooped up in your leagues, you can collect his residuals with William Eklund, joining him on the top line and top power play, available in 90% of leagues. In his last 14 GP, Eklund has 11 PTS (3 on the PP) with 19 shots and 14 hits. This is a player I’ve pumped as a draft bargain the last 2 seasons, so I’m emotionally invested in his eventual breakout. He’s on nearly a 60-point pace this season which might officially qualify as a breakout if sustained long-term. If you’re looking for more shots and hits, Ryan Donato is playing top line and top power play with Bedard, scoring 20 PTS in his last 12 GP, with 38 shots and 24 hits. The Blackhawks only play 3 times with no light nights, but have some defensively weak opponents on the schedule.

2) Michael Kesselring, Uta, (10% Yahoo ownership): If you need help on the blueline across multiple different categories this week, Michael Kesselring is 90% available and playing 2nd power play for Utah, one of many Coyote players featured here today. In his last 12 GP, the defenseman has scored 6 PTS (sadly, none on the PP) with 23 shots and 18 hits. He received an endorsement from Dmitri Filipovic this week, proclaiming MK the latest addition to his “my guys” list. A hotter option is Rasmus Sandin in Washington, who plays tomorrow and Monday if you want a shorter term add. In his last 14 GP, Sandin has 9 PTS (none on the power play), 17 shots, 19 hits, and a +12, so he might be more than a 2-day stream in deep leagues. He’s blocked on the power play depth chart by Chychrun and Carlson.

3) Karel Vejmelka, Uta, (7% Yahoo ownership): Karel Vejmelka has been bad the last year or so, but he’s heating up and might be an even better option than Connor Ingram to stream. Karel the thrill is available in 93% of leagues and has a .924 SV% in his last 5 games. Recent history has me unconfident this is sustainable long-term, but he displayed a propensity for game stealing in the less recent history, so anything is possible. If you’re in a league with goalie scarcity, he’s worth a stream for the upcoming week because of schedule, and maybe you hang on a little longer if the heater continues. Or you could just spot start Calvin Pickard who will be facing Montreal or Ottawa Wednesday/Thursday. He has 4 wins with a .915 SV% in his last 5 games, but might only get the one start.

4) Anders Lee, NYI, (17% Yahoo ownership): The New York Islanders only play 3 games with no light nights, but if you can fit Anders Lee into your line-up, he’s on a nice heater right now with 8 PTS in his last 6 GP with 11 shots and 7 hits. Interesting is that his output improved after the loss of Barzal, with Lee currently slotted top line with Horvat and Pageau, plus the top power play. He has 45 shots in his last 14, so he’s worth considering as a longer-term hold in deeper leagues counting hits and shots, at least until the heater cools down. Speaking of cold, Alex Kerfoot only has 2 PTS in his last 6 GP (with 11 shots), but is centering the Coyotes top power play. The good news is you’ll get more games and light nights from Kerfoot, who is 99% available.

5) Nick Bjugstad, Uta, (2% Yahoo ownership): If you’re looking for a top line center who hits often, plays 4 games, and available in 98% of leagues; look no further than Nick Bjugstad. Not a ton of points lately, notching only 4 in his last 9 games, but he also added 14 shots and 15 hits. The downside being he’s not playing power play. The Yotes do have a back-loaded schedule coming up, including Saturday-Sunday, so you can always hold off on adding them until later in the week. You could even add Bjugstad in shallower category leagues if you just need a few extra hits on the weekend. If you’d rather a higher offensive ceiling, his teammate Matias Maccelli is also widely available. In his last 12 GP, Maccelli has 7 PTS with 18 shots. Not exactly hotter, but a higher career scoring rate. He plays 2nd line and 2nd power play.

Honorable Mentions: Ryan Donato, Rasmus Sandin, Matias Maccelli, Alex Kerfoot, Calvin Pickard

Last Week: Jack Roslovic, Dmitry Orlov, Brett Howden, Conor Garland, Alex Nedeljkovic