So, what do you think of your fantasy hockey team so far? Are you impressed? Discouraged?
Maybe your team is all systems go, which has to feel good. But if your team is under-performing, then it’s time to remind you of the small sample size of the games that have actually been played so far.
What may seem like the right move based on early-season returns might turn out to backfire if you feel the need to over-manage your lineup.
So these waiver-wire adds (and those of the next few weeks) come with a caveat: Is this the right move for you long-term?
Having said that, if you need to make some injury replacements, or still feel the need to make a change, here are some players who have been making waves recently and are unowned in most leagues.
Victor Rask, C, CAR
The Hurricanes have played six games, and Rask has scored at least one point in each of them.
He will no doubt cool off after scoring four goals on just 15 shots. But on the scoring-challenged Hurricanes, he should continue to receive the minutes, as he has averaged just over 18 minutes per game.
He is still available in many fantasy leagues because he plays at the deepest position, but you could certainly do worse if you are looking for at least a short-term injury replacement.
Rask has the upside to quietly reach 50 points this season.
Vladislav Namestnikov, C/LW, TB
Namestnikov has a goal and an assist over each of his last two games, but it’s his current situation that should grab your attention. He has recently been spending time with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov (find more line combinations here), and has seen an increase in power-play minutes.
His time on ice per game has slowly increased each season and currently sits at an average of just under 15 minutes per game — good news, considering how difficult it is to crack the Bolts’ top six.
Something else that adds to Namestnikov’s appeal: He may have recently gained left wing eligibility in your fantasy league.
Ryan Dzingel, LW, OTT
There’s lots to like about Dzingel so far this season.
For starters, he already has four goals over the first six games of the season. More importantly, he’s clicking with two proven scorers in Derick Brassard and Bobby Ryan at the moment.
This deep-league recommendation would be contingent on him not being sent back to the fourth line, but Dzingel’s speed could earn him a spot anywhere on the Senators’ top three lines, which all have the potential for fantasy value.
Troy Brouwer, RW, CGY
Brouwer may have been dropped in your league after the Flames’ slow start (only one win in their first six games).
The Flames have now won two games in a row on the road against tough opponents, and Brouwer is on a roll with a four-game point streak.
He’s on a solid second line with veteran Kris Versteeg and up-and-comer Sam Bennett. Brouwer is a low-risk commodity, although keep in mind that he has never reached 45 points over his career.
Alex Edler, D, VAN
A defenceman with just one point in seven games probably isn’t what you have in mind for a hot waiver-wire pickup, but it’s the peripheral stats that Edler earns from top-pair minutes (24:30 per game) that should be worthy of your attention.
If your league counts blocked shots, Edler is currently the top defenceman in the league with 26, while he’s in the top 20 in shots on goal and top 30 in hits.
He should continue to accumulate those totals as long as he stays healthy and the Canucks maintain a more defensive approach from last season.
Andrew Hammond, G, OTT
In many leagues, goaltenders that receive regular starts can be difficult to find, even in the short term. So the news that Craig Anderson will be taking a personal leave from the Senators should make Hammond fantasy relevant again.
Although Hammond has started just one game and allowed five goals in that start, you may remember him from his 2014-15 rookie season, when he went on a 20-1-2 run for a Sens team fighting for the playoffs.
So the Hamburgler should be a tastier choice for your fantasy team than Boston’s injury replacement duo of Malcolm Subban and Zane McIntyre.
