NHL Fantasy Waiver Wire: Avoid the Devils, Scoop Up Minnesota FAs

Mar 4, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; New Jersey Devils left wing Joseph Blandisi (64), defenseman Jon Merrill (7) and defenseman Steven Santini (34) stand on the ice after giving up a goal to the Boston Bruins during the second period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; New Jersey Devils left wing Joseph Blandisi (64), defenseman Jon Merrill (7) and defenseman Steven Santini (34) stand on the ice after giving up a goal to the Boston Bruins during the second period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Letting You Know Which Players You Should Add/Drop Heading Into Week 22, Complete Injury Update, Players of the Week, and More!

Welcome back to our weekly NHL fantasy hockey waiver wire. Minnesota still remains a very hot team when it comes to free agents. New Jersey’s players have lost a massive amount of stock in their nine games losing streak so avoid them like you would the Avalanche.

Like always, we’re here to help you gain the most out of your hockey pool. Most NHL fantasy pools consist of a weekly total before being reset. So, it’s best to maximize your scoring during that week to either stay in the lead or try to climb the standings. The toughest part is always releasing players, but if you’re in a pool that isn’t very active, you can take those chances.

If you’re in a pool that everyone is involved in daily, at least keep your star players even if they’re going through a cold streak, so they’re not picked up when you release them.

*For a Yahoo pool containing 10 teams or less that only focus’ on the essentials*

Adds: (Depending on how your free agent pool looks)

Centres:
Sam Gagner (CBJ) – 30% ownership, 755 adds since last week, 17G, 26A, +8
Jake Guentzel (PIT) – 7% ownership, 724 adds since last week, 10G, 9A, +4
Mika Zibanejad (NYR) – 33% ownership, 523 adds since last week, 11G, 16A, +7
Jason Spezza (DAL) – 65% ownership, 421 adds since last week, 12G, 28A, -13
Rickard Rakell (ANA) – 37% ownership, 394 adds since last week, 28G, 11A, Even
Jordan Staal (CAR) – 20% ownership, 372 adds since last week, 13G, 23A, +3

Left Wingers:
Tomas Tatar (DET) – 15% ownership, 759 adds since last week, 17G, 16A, -7
Sebastian Aho (CAR) – 31% ownership, 638 adds since last week, 20G, 18A, -1
Gustav Nyquist (DET) – 27% ownership, 491 adds since last week, 9G, 25A, -2
Josh Bailey (NYI) – 26% ownership, 447 adds since last week, 12G, 37A, -7
Ondrej Palat (TB) – 29% ownership, 349 adds since last week, 14G, 20A, +3
Alexandre Burrows (OTT) – 10% ownership, 298 adds since last week, 13G, 13A, +2

Right Wingers:
Michael Frolik (CGY) – 19% ownership, 1,507 adds since last week, 15G, 26A, +12
Tom Wilson (WSH) – 6% ownership, 382 adds since last week, 6G, 10A, +11
Drew Stafford (BOS) – 4% ownership, 356 adds since last week, 6G, 11A, +3
Charlie Coyle (MIN) – 44% ownership, 256 adds since last week, 15G, 31A, +9
Andrew Shaw (MTL) – 20% ownership, 233 adds since last week, 10G, 14A, +4
Jason Zucker (MIN) – 44% ownership, 215 adds since last week, 21G, 24A, +33

Defence:
Ryan Ellis (NSH) – 38% ownership, 1,117 adds since last week, 12G, 18A, +7
David Savard (CBJ) – 13% ownership, 952 adds since last week, 5G, 15A, +25
T.J. Brodie (CGY) – 36% ownership, 721 adds since last week, 6G, 23A, -17
Nick Leddy (NYI) – 51% ownership, 579 adds since last week, 11G, 26A, -2
Brady Skjei (NYR) – 28% ownership, 457 adds since last week, 3G, 29A, +14
Shayne Gostisbehere (PHI) – 80% ownership, 356 adds since last week, 6G, 23A, -23

Goalies:
Antti Raanta (NYR) – 52% ownership, 3,929 adds since last week, 13W, 46GA, 2.32GAA
Aaron Dell (SJ) – 17% ownership, 1,813 adds since last week, 9W, 25GA, 1.88GAA
Jimmy Howard (DET) – 41% ownership, 915 adds since last week, 6W, 30GA, 1.96GAA
Brian Elliott (CGY) – 78% ownership, 700 adds since last week, 20W, 92GA, 2.51GAA
Jonathan Bernier (ANA) – 20% ownership, 683 adds since last week, 12W, 60GA, 2.72GAA
Petr Mrazek (DET) – 60% ownership, 535 adds since last week, 15W, 118GA, 2.99GAA

*For a Yahoo pool containing 20 teams or less that only focus’ on the essentials*

Adds: (Depending on how your free agent pool looks)

Centres:
Nick Bonino (PIT) – 5% ownership, 210 adds since last week, 13G, 16A, -2
Phillip Danault (MTL) – 4% ownership, 112 adds since last week, 10G, 21A, +1
Antoine Vermette (ANA) – 3% ownership, 88 adds since last week, 8G, 14A, -10
Nick Schmaltz (CHI) – 10% ownership, 74 adds since last week, 6G, 13A, +9
Oscar Lindberg (NYR) – 1% ownership, 64 adds since last week, 5G, 10A, Even
Mathieu Perreault (WPG) – 12% ownership, 60 adds since last week, 7G, 21A, -11

Left Wingers:
Tobias Rieder (ARI) – 2% ownership, 128 adds since last week, 15G, 16A, -6
Justin Abdelkader (DET) – 8% ownership, 91 adds since last week, 5G, 12A, -15
Steve Ott (MTL) – 1% ownership, 82 adds since last week, 3G, 4A, -6
Jordan Martinook (ARI) – 1% ownership, 56 adds since last week, 11G, 14A, -1
Calle Jarnkrok (NSH) – 3% ownership, 55 adds since last week, 14G, 13A, -5
Micheal Haley (SJ) – 0% ownership, 54 adds since last week, 1G, 9A, +5

Right Wingers:
Drew Stafford (BOS) – 4% ownership, 367 adds since last week, 6G, 11A, +3
Zack Kassian (EDM) – 2% ownership, 170 adds since last week, 6G, 13A, Even
Jarome Iginla (LA) – 17% ownership, 111 adds since last week, 10G, 10A, -24
Oliver Bjorkstrand (CBJ) – 2% ownership, 90 adds since last week, 5G, 4A, +5
Jannik Hansen (SJ) – 2% ownership, 80 adds since last week, 6G, 8A, +3
Cal Clutterbuck (NYI) – 4% ownership, 54 adds since last week, 3G, 13A, Even

Defence:
Stephen Johns (DAL) – 2% ownership, 186 adds since last week, 4G, 5A, -8
Brooks Orpik (WSH) – 9% ownership, 177 adds since last week, 0G, 13A, +31
Kevin Bieksa (ANA) – 2% ownership, 167 adds since last week, 2G, 9A, -1
Justin Braun (SJ) – 1% ownership, 158 adds since last week, 3G, 7A, Even
Connor Murphy (ARI) – 1% ownership, 101 adds since last week, 1G, 14A, -9
Alex Petrovic (FLA) – 2% ownership, 74 adds since last week, 1G, 10A, +4

Goalies:
Magnus Hellberg (NYR) – 1% ownership, 142 adds since last week, 0W, 0GA, 0.00GAA
Louis Domingue (ARI) – 3% ownership, 59 adds since last week, 7W, 69GA, 3.20GAA
Jean-Francois Berube (NYI) – 1% ownership, 44 adds since last week, 3W, 26GA, 3.13GAA
Anton Khudobin (BOS) – 1% ownership, 30 adds since last week, 4W, 29GA, 2.76GAA
Richard Bachman (VAN) – 1% ownership, 17 adds since last week, 1W, 1GA, 1.00GAA
Keith Kinkaid (NJ) – 2% ownership, 15 adds since last week, 6W, 47GA, 2.67GAA

*For an ESPN pool containing 10-20 teams, including all statistical categories*

Centres:
Martin Hanzal (MIN) – 16G, 14A, -17, 47PIM, 4PPG, 4PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 144SH, 124HITS, B50LKS, 2GWG
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (OTT) – 9G, 18A, +11, 18PIM, 0PPG, 0PPA, 0SHG, 2SHA, 137SH, 137HITS, 65BLKS, 2GWG
Mikko Koivu (MIN) – 18G, 32A, +31, 22PIM, 2PPG, 14PPA, 0SHG, 1SHA, 119SH, 26HITS, 54BLKS, 4GWG
Zack Smith (OTT) – 16G, 16A, +8, 55PIM, 1PPG, 0PPA, 4SHG, 0SHA, 123SH, 119HITS, 33BLKS, 1GWG
Adam Lowry (WPG) – 11G, 10A, -1, 39PIM, 3PPG, 3PPA, 0SHG, 1SHA, 104SH, 179HITS, 45BLKS, 0GWG
Patrik Berglund (STL) – 19G, 8A, -8, 26PIM, 3PPG, 2PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 124SH, 134HITS, 37BLKS, 4GWG

Left Wingers:
Marcus Foligno (BUF) – 12G, 9A, -5, 64PIM, 0PPG, 0PPA, 1SHG, 0SHA, 88SH, 245HITS, 52BLKS, 0GWG
Viktor Arvidsson (NSH) – 24G, 24A, +15, 18PIM, 4PPG, 3PPA, 4SHG, 2SHA, 204SH, 20HITS, 39BLKS, 3GWG
Nick Ritchie (ANA) – 12G, 12A, +2, 41PIM, 1PPG, 1PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 130SH, 209HITS, 19BLKS, 3GWG
Tanner Pearson (LA) – 22G, 18A, +12, 11PIM, 3PPG, 3PPA, 0SHG, 1SHA, 152SH, 105HITS, 20BLKS, 4GWG
Gabriel Landeskog (COL) – 15G, 13A, -15, 58PIM, 5PPG, 1PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 129SH, 116HITS, 29BLKS, 2GWG
Jason Zucker (MIN) – 21G, 24A, +33, 30PIM, 1PPG, 0PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 145SH, 57HITS, 36BLKS, 3GWG

Right Wingers:
Patrick Eaves (ANA) – 23G, 18A, -11, 16PIM, 11PPG, 5PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 171SH, 68HITS, 36BLKS, 1GWG
Tom Wilson (WSH) – 6G, 10A, +11, 78PIM, 0PPG, 0PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 73SH, 198HITS, 33BLKS, 0GWG
Radim Vrbata (ARI) – 16G, 33A, -19, 12PIM, 3PPG, 11PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 198SH, 41HITS, 24BLKS, 2GWG
Rick Nash (NYR) – 18G, 15A, +4, 20PIM, 5PPG, 3PPA, 1SHG, 0SHA, 166SH, 57HITS, 30BLKS, 3GWG
Zack Kassian (EDM) – 6G, 13A, -1, 88PIM, 0PPG, 0PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 97SH, 158HITS, 13BLKS, 0GWG
Sebastian Aho (CAR) – 20G, 18A, -1, 16PIM, 5PPG, 6PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 171SH, 32HITS, 13BLKS, 4GWG

Defence:
Luke Schenn (ARI) – 0G, 7A, -8, 68PIM, 0PPG, 0PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 79SH, 229HITS, 99BLKS, 0GWG
Nikita Zaitsev (TOR) – 3G, 26A, -17, 30PIM, 1PPG, 7PPA, 0SHG, 1SHA, 89SH, 154HITS, 117BLKS, 0GWG
Calvin de Haan (NYI) – 4G, 15A, +10, 36PIM, 1PPG, 1PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 92SH, 107HITS, 160BLKS, 1GWG
Ivan Provorov (PHI) – 5G, 19A, -9, 24PIM, 0PPG, 4PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 130SH, 94HITS, 138BLKS, 1GWG
Dmitry Orlov (WSH) – 5G, 24A, +29, 47PIM, 1PPG, 5PPA, 0SHG, 0SHA, 102SH, 101HITS, 82BLKS, 0GWG
Josh Manson (ANA) – 3G, 10A, +5, 67PIM, 0PPG, 0PPA, 0SHG, 1SHA, 66SH, 204HITS, 65BLKS, 1GWG

Goalies:
Roberto Luongo (FLA) – 17W, 15L, 6OTL, 104GA, 1,113SV, .915SV%, 1SO
Thomas Greiss (NYI) – 23W, 14L, 4OTL, 102GA, 1,107SV, .916SV%, 3SO
Calvin Pickard (COL) – 12W, 22L, 2OTL, 104GA, 1,028SV, .908SV%, 2SO
Brian Elliott (CGY) – 20W, 13L, 3OTL, 92GA, 927SV, .910SV%, 2SO
Mike Condon (OTT) – 18W, 11L, 5OTL, 85GA, 890SV, .913SV%, 5SO
Ben Bishop (LA) – 16W, 13L, 4OTL, 83GA, 838SV, .910SV%, 1SO

More from Editorials

Legend:
G = Goals
A = Assists
PIM = Penalty Minutes
PPG = Power-Play-Goals
PPA = Power-Play-Assists
SHG = Short-Handed-Goals
SHO = Short-Handed Assists
GWG = Game-Winning-Goals
SH = Shots
Hits = Hits
BLKS = Blocks
W = Wins
L = Losses
SV = Saves
SV% = Save Percentage
SO = Shutouts
GA = Goals Against
GAA = Goals-Against-Average

Drops: (Players currently on cold streaks).
Nazem Kadri (TOR) – 3 points in last 8 games.
Tyler Toffoli (LA) – 2 points in last 6 games.
Mats Zuccarello (NYR) – 2 points in last 7 games.
Henrik Sedin (VAN) – 1 point in last 4 games.
Jakob Silfverberg (ANA) – 1 point in last 4 games.
Brandon Saad (CBJ) – 1 point in last 4 games.
Patrick Marleau (SJ) – 1 point in last 4 games.
Marcus Johansson (WSH) – 1 point in last 5 games.
Ryan Strome (NYI) – 1 point in last 5 games.
Marian Hossa (CHI) – 1 point in last 5 games.
J.T. Miller (NYR) – 1 point in last 5 games.
Nino Niederreiter (MIN) 1 point in last 6 games.
Corey Perry (ANA) – 1 point in last 6 games.
Alexander Wennberg (CBJ) – 1 point in last 7 games.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (EDM) – 0 points in last 3 games.
Blake Wheeler (WPG) – 0 points in last 3 games.
Alex Ovechkin (WSH) – 0 points in last 3 games.
David Backes (BOS) – 0 points in last 3 games.
Tomas Hertl (SJ) – 0 points in last 4 games.
Ryan Kesler (ANA) – 0 points in last 4 games.
Evgeny Kuznetsov (WSH) – 0 points in last 4 games.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (ARI) – 0 points in last 4 games.
John Carlson (WSH) – 0 points in last 4 games.
Auston Matthews (TOR) – 0 points in last 5 games.
Daniel Sedin (VAN) – 0 points in last 6 games.
Brayden Point (TB) – 0 points in last 6 games.
Erik Johnson (COL) – 0 points in last 7 games.
Mikko Rantanen (COL) – 0 points in last 7 games.
Matt Duchene (COL) – 0 points in last 10 games.

Philipp Grubauer (WSH) – 0-2-0 in last 2 games.
Connor Hellebuyck (WPG) – 0-2-0 in last 2 games.
Cory Schneider (NJ) – 0-1-0 in last game.
Braden Holtby (WSH) – 0-2-0 in last 2 games.
Peter Budaj (TB) – 0-2-0 in last 2 games.
Petr Mrazek (DET) – 0-1-0 in last game.

Key Injuries:
John Gibson (ANA) – Lower-Body – Day-to-Day
Ryan Spooner (BOS) – Concussion – Indefinitely
Kyle Okposo (BUF) – Ribs – Week-to-Week
Scott Darling (CHI) – Upper-Body – Day-to-Day
Ryan Murray (CBJ) – Hand – Indefinitely
Matt Calvert (CBJ) – Oblique – Week-to-Week
Semyon Varlamov (COL) – Groin – Day-to-Day
Aaron Ekblad (FLA) – Upper-Body – Day-to-Day
Tomas Plekanec (MTL) – Upper-Body – Day-to-Day
Travis Zajac (NJ) – Personal – Day-to-Day
Mike Cammalleri (NJ) – Upper-Body – Day-to-Day
Henrik Lundqvist (NYR) – Hip – March
Mark Stone (OTT) – Undisclosed – Day-to-Day
Kyle Turris (OTT) – Finger – Day-to-Day
Bobby Ryan (OTT) – Finger – Day-to-Day
Carl Hagelin (PIT) – Lower-Body – Day-to-Day
Patric Hornqvist (PIT) – Concussion – Day-to-Day
Kris Letang (PIT) – Upper-Body – Week-to-Week
Olli Maatta (PIT) – Hand – Day-to-Day
Robby Fabbri (STL) – Knee – Out-for-Season
Tyler Johnson (TB) – Lower-Body – Day-to-Day
Steven Stamkos (TB) – Knee – Indefinitely
Loui Eriksson (VAN) – Lower-Body – Day-to-Day
Jacob Markstrom (VAN) – Lower-Body – Day-to-Day
Kevin Shattenkirk (WSH) – N/A – March
Andre Burakovsky (WSH) – Hand – Day-to-Day

Next: Toronto Rookies Chasing the Playoffs

Top Forward of the Week: Evgeni Malkin (PIT) – (4GP, 4G, 2A, 6PTS, +5)

There’s been a third player in the battle for the league lead this season in points between Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, and that player is Evgeni Malkin. Like many top-tier players, Malkin is nearly impossible to acquire in a deal unless you are giving up someone else who has an impact as significant as his.

Top Defenseman of the Week: Erik Karlsson (OTT) – (4GP, 2G, 5A, 7PTS, +6)

Erik Karlsson has had a slow start to the season but in these last few months, he’s been kicking his play into a gear that’s only been shown a couple other times, for instance when he leads defenseman in the NHL. But due to Brent Burns being solid all season that title is going to be a long shot for Karlsson, however, he will get close. And this means acquiring him is quite like the Malkin situation, you’re not going to get him unless it’s for someone with the same impact.

Top Goalie of the Week: Brian Elliott (CGY) – (3GP, 3W, 2SO, .978SV%, 0.67GAA)

Brian Elliott has been on absolute fire the last few weeks which is great for poolies. I myself have had him a few times throughout the season and have dropped him every time due to cold play. And if other people in your pool have been doing the same this is great cause this means he’s most likely a free agent. So go out and grab him cause if he keeps up this play, he’s going to finish the week very strong with some awesome numbers.