Waiver additions shouldn’t be seen as players who can put a fantasy team over the top. They should be seen as stop-gaps until the regular player returns. If the incoming player is better than the player he’s replacing, at this point of the year, that fantasy team may be in some trouble.
Here are some names — both for this week and for the season — to look for on the waiver wires, along with their ownership rates.
Darren Helm (Detroit) – 6.5 per cent owned on ESPN, 4 per cent owned on Yahoo!
It’s been a very good start to the year for the Red Wings, with the team tied atop the Atlantic Division as of Sunday with 41 points. It’s been a very good start to the year for Darren Helm, too, as he’s on pace for career best marks in both goals and assists.
With Stephen Weiss now out with an injury, it seems like Helm is a lock to stay on the second line for Detroit with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Tatar. Not only that, but Helm is starting to get some consistent power play time as well. This has led to a boost in playing time, as Helm has gone from a bit over 13 minutes a game through November to nearly 16 minutes a game so far in December.
Over his last two games, Helm has eight offensive zone starts to just four in the defensive zone, with the first and fourth lines getting most of the defensive responsibilities. The added power play time, talented line mates, and easy zone starts make Helm a nice add for the foreseeable future. Over the next month, Detroit has Buffalo twice, Columbus, Colorado, Ottawa, New Jersey, Edmonton, and Calgary.
Rene Bourque (Anaheim) – 0.9 per cent owned on ESPN, 1 per cent owned on Yahoo!
It’s not very often that players who were put on waiver wires in real hockey are recommended as waiver wire pickups in fantasy hockey. Rene Bourque is one exception to the rule, though.
Corey Perry went down with a knee injury for the Ducks, and looks to be out until after Christmas. In the meantime, Devante Smith-Pelly was put on the top line for Anaheim, alongside Bourque and Ryan Getzlaf. While Smith-Pelly might seem like the proper addition, it’s Bourque, and not Smith-Pelly, that is getting top power play time, too.
Next week, Anaheim is on an Eastern Conference trip with games in Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa. None of those teams are in the top half of the NHL in percentage of unblocked shot attempts – puck possession. All the teams are fairly proficient on the penalty kill, but Anaheim should make hay at even strength. Bourque is a fine add for those looking for a bandage for next week.
Bourque is also a good play next week on Sportsnet’s Fantasy Hockey Pool here on Sportsnet.ca. It’s a salary cap-style game, with players costing one to four points, and there are weekly prizes, as well as a grand prize. Anaheim has three good matchups and Bourque is just a one point player. That’s good value.
Michael Frolik (Winnipeg) – 2.4 per cent owned on ESPN, 5 per cent owned on Yahoo!
Injuries to Winnipeg’s blue line has forced Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice to put Dustin Byfuglien back on defence. This has shuffled around the forward lines a bit, and in Winnipeg’s most recent game, Frolik was playing on a line with Mark Scheifele and Mathieu Perreault. That line was broken up in the third period of the Anaheim game, and Evander Kane replaced Perreault.
Frolik is one of those players that is underrated because he puts up stellar possession numbers but doesn’t rack up points. Frolik’s career high in points is 45 (his rookie season), but until this year, he only had one season where he wasn’t a positive possession player on his own team (and that was 2011-2012 with Chicago). That means plus/minus shouldn’t be a big concern for him.
Frolik can score — he has cracked 20 goals twice and had 15 last year — so he’s not a Daniel Winnik-type. He’s playing on a very good line, is getting decent zone starts, and is getting some power play time. With Winnipeg at home this week to Buffalo, Boston, and Philadelphia, there are some good matchups ahead. Frolik is a good add for at least this upcoming week.
David Savard (Columbus) – 3.5 per cent owned on ESPN, 1 per cent owned on Yahoo!
As I was finishing this article, the Chicago Blackhawks announced a trade that sent young winger Jeremy Morin to Columbus for defenceman Tim Erixon. While Columbus – mostly because of injuries – was in need of forward depth, the play of David Savard was part of the reason why Erixon seemed expendable.
There are 37 defencemen in the NHL with at least five power play points this year, and Savard is one of them. It’s not that astounding, but in a 12-team league that starts four or five defencemen, it’s valuable. With Erixon gone, it seems like Savard is a lock to stay on the power play units, and he’s playing with Jack Johnson right now.
The one thing that hinders Savard’s value is he’s buried in zone starts, owning the second-lowest rate of offensive zone starts among Blue Jackets defencemen this year. That’s one reason why he’s sitting at minus-9 on the season. Fantasy owners looking for power play points, though, should grab Savard, who will be playing regularly for a top-five power play by conversion percentage.
Don’t forget to check out Sportnet’s Pick ‘n Play, a game that matches up players facing off the following Saturday. There are different categories, and new players are released on Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays.
*Some stats courtesy of Hockey Analysis, Hockey Reference, Behind The Net, War On Ice, ESPN, and Yahoo!
