Week 9 Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Report

Welcome to my week nine fantasy hockey waiver wire report, as we say goodbye to November, just one month away from 2025. I’ll be honest, there was an abundance of streaming options between 20% and 65% owned, but the list of 4-game options thinned out quick for the deep league section. So I’m taking a swing on cold streaks reversing in my honorable mentions under 20%. There are 7 teams playing 4 times, with Islanders getting the top slot in total opponent expected goals against, but Dallas and Toronto offer the best light night flexibility, as I’m rostering a few Stars myself for exactly this reason.

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. 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.

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

1) Valeri Nichushkin, Col, (59% Yahoo ownership): Nichushkin is back from rehab and back on the top line with Nathan MacKinnon, scoring 6 PTS in his last 4 GP, with 10 shots and 6 hits. He was sitting on waivers in one of my leagues and I scooped him up for nothing. You would be advised not to pay too steep a price for this player yourself, as he’ll always be a risk to fall off the wagon again, going back into the player assistance program. I hope for the best because it’s a better league with him playing, not just because I’m holding stock. He’s on the top power play but has been doing most of damage even strength. The Avs play 4 times, but a tougher schedule than average. You could also try his linemate Artturi Lehkonen, who only plays 2nd power play and only has 2 PTS in his last 6 GP, but plays on a great line.

2) Mason Marchment, Dal, (60% Yahoo ownership): Another player added to one of my teams last week was Mason Marchment, who was my #2 recommended add here 7 days ago. The Dallas Stars play 4 times and all 4 on “light” nights, though not an optimal slate of opponents at allowing goals. Regardless, Marchment has 15 PTS (3 on the PP) in his last 12 GP with 25 shots and 17 hits. At that rate he might be holding that roster slot beyond the Stars busy slate of games, but he’s also occupying a valuable streaming slot, so we’ll have to wait and see. His linemate Tyler Seguin was added to 2 of my teams in the last 6 days and will remain on both for the week ahead. Stars were deliberately targeted for their busy upcoming schedule. Seguin has 12 PTS (2 on the PP) in his last 12 GP with 35 shots, eligible at multiple positions.

3) Kirill Marchenko, Cbj, (37% Yahoo ownership): If you’re in a really competitive league, Marchment and Nichuskin are likely long gone from waivers. Neither were available in my second league, but you do have a decent chance at finding the members of a productive Columbus top line featuring Kirill Marchenko and Sean Monahan. Kirill the thrill is the more desirable of the pair (the 3rd we’ll get to below), scoring 7 PTS with 19 shots and 6 hits in his last 6 games. Monahan had the same number points but fewer shots in that span. Columbus plays 4 times, twice on light nights, but will be facing some tough opponents. An even more widely available option is Anders Lee, with the Islanders winning the best schedule award. Lee plays top line, but is down on the second power play, logging 14 PTS in his last 14 GP with 36 shots and 19 hits.

4) Jake Walman, SJ, (54% Yahoo ownership): Jake Walman was featured here last week, where I speculated Liljegren would not be able to hold that top power play spot. Fast forward 7 days and Jake the snake is back on PP1 and has scored 8 PTS (2 on the PP) in his last 8 GP with 26 shots. The Sharks are only playing 3 times this week, all busy nights, against “good” teams, but a few prone to goal leakage lately. Still, he’s a long-term hold in many formats, which makes me feel fabulous that my Red Wings had to trade a 2nd round pick to San Jose to take Walman off their hands. He’s not available in either of my leagues but Aaron Ekblad is on my waiver wire. Panthers also play 3 games all on busy nights, but Ekblad is up on the top power play unit, scoring 6 PTS in his last 7 GP, with 12 shots and 9 hits.

5) Karel Vejmelka, Uta, (25% Yahoo ownership): The Utah Coyotes play Dallas Monday, then get 4 days off, then play 4 in 6 nights with a few tough opponents. But I’ve decided to stick with Vejmelka on one of my teams, dropping Alexandar Georgiev instead (for the second time). In his last 9 GP, Karel is sporting a .925 SV%, but just 3 wins on account the team in front of him hasn’t been great. We’ll see what happens after Connor Ingram gets healthy, but the coach already started riding the hotter hand before Ingram going down, so long as he continues being the warmer of the duo, we’re good. Semyon Varlamov is another widely available option, with his .902 SV% the last 30 days (5 GP). Isles have some struggling opponents ahead (Canes notwithstanding) and Varlamov could get 2 starts.

Honorable Mentions: Artturi Lehkonen, Tyler Seguin, Aaron Ekblad, Anders Lee, Semyon Varlamov

Last Week: Keifer Sherwood, Mason Marchment, Stefan Noesen, Jake Walman, John Gibson

Best Deep League Adds (under 20% ownership):

1) Dmitri Voronkov, Cbj, (6% Yahoo ownership): The aforementioned 3rd player on the Blue Jackets top line and top power play is Dmitri Voronkov, scoring 7 PTS in his last 6 GP with 12 shots. The left winger is available in 94% of leagues, in part because he missed a big chunk of time due to injury, then only had 1 point in his first 6 games back when he was averaging 3rd line minutes, then the ice time started increasing and he notched 9 PTS in his next 7 games. Do I trust the line staying hot or him sustaining that assignment? Not necessarily, but I always like striking while the iron hot. You can always drop for the next rising stock if they cool off. If you’re just looking for hits, his teammate Mathieu Olivier provides plenty. In his last 13 GP, the goon has scored 4 PTS with 20 shots, and 45 hits. Even better if your league counts PIMs.

2) Kent Johnson, Cbj, (15% Yahoo ownership): It’s been a tough road for blue-chip prospect Kent Johnson, between demotions to the AHL and injury, but since returning from his latest malady, the youngster has 6 PTS in 4 GP. That brings him to 11 PTS in 8 GP on the season, which puts him on official breakout alert. Still a small sample and this needs to be sustained before we get too excited, but given they’re playing 4 games this week, the downside of taking him for a test drive before making a longer-term commitment is much lower than the ceiling. His linemate Adam Fantilli is in a similar boat and showing signs of growth, scoring 7 PTS (3 on the PP) in his last 13 GP with 22 shots and 26 hits. Johnson won’t give you the hits, but probably more points. Johnson is currently on PP1, Fantilli is not.

3) Maxime Tsyplakov, NYI, (6% Yahoo ownership): The New York Islanders won the best schedule of the week award with Isles players only receiving honorable mentions to this point in the report, so we’ll remedy that with Maxime, who plays 2nd line and top power play. In his last 14 GP, the dual-eligible winger has 8 PTS (2 on the PP) with 21 shots and 43 hits. Obviously, someone you’ll want to prioritize in hits leagues over points leagues, but he’s got a decent shot at putting up a few of those too. Another option is Andre Burakovsky in Seattle, who is ice cold with 3 PTS in his last 14 GP, but he plays top line and top power on a 4-game team, that’s the best I’ve got in the last forward slot. It was between him and Beniers, who has 4 PTS in 14 GP.

4) Spencer Knight, Fla, (9% Yahoo ownership): If you’re in a deep league with slim pickings on the goalie waiver market, you might be able to find Spencer Knight, who is available in 91% of Yahoo leagues. Bobrovsky has struggled lately and Spencer Knight is heating up with a .941 SV% in his last 3 games (including today’s shutout win against Carolina). If this trend continues, you could see them in a more equal time share on one of the league’s best teams. Bobrovsky did win his last 2 starts, so those struggles might be stabilizing (one of my teams certainly hopes so). Another option who could see more action in the upcoming week is Eric Comrie, the back-up in Winnipeg, who plays 4 games. Just keep an eye if he gets declared for St. Louis or Buffalo, otherwise wait until their weekend back-to-back against Chicago and Columbus.

5) Ryker Evans, Sea, (7% Yahoo ownership): Vince Dunn has been activated from injured reserve, which could cost Evans his spot on the power play, but he put up quality numbers with Vince out. In his last 14 GP, Evans has 9 PTS (2 on the PP) with 13 shots and 20 hits. Less PP time is unlikely to boost the shot totals, so you do need to be in a hits league for this kid to have full value. There were just limited options among the 4-game D under 20% owned, none that popped onto my radar quarterbacking a first unit anyway. One option who received a plug here last week is Ryan Pulock, but the primary part of his appeal is shots and hits, only scoring 2 PTS in his last 7 games with 11 shots and 15 hits. Right now, Isles have Cholowski on the top unit and Pulock-Dobson on the 2nd unit. I doubt that lasts, but Cholowski is available in 100% of Yahoo leagues.

Honorable Mentions: Adam Fantilli, Ryan Pulock, Mathieu Olivier, Eric Comrie, Andre Burakovsky

Last Week: Matt Coronato, Joonas Korpisalo, Olen Zellweger, Pius Suter, Eric Robinson