Fantasy Hockey Update 11/28: Should You Add Patrick Kane For His NHL Return?
Mark breaks down the best moves to make to help your fantasy hockey team this week.
We are back to a normal NHL schedule for Week 8 following the Thanksgiving holiday. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday will once again be the busiest days of the week, with 12 teams playing four games and only two teams playing two games.
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Fantasy Hockey Update
For player streaming options this week, the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers top the list. Both teams are having great seasons and show no signs of slowing down. The Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and Carolina Hurricanes all play a soft four games and should also be priorities for your player pool.
In other news, Patrick Kane is reportedly going to join the Detroit Red Wings. Kane underwent Hip Resurfacing Surgery and is going to try and make a comeback this year. No player has successfully come back from this procedure. The latest one I know of is Nicklas Backstrom, who has not been able to stay on the ice and is expected to retire this year. He is only worth a pickup in deep leagues or if you are desperate for a forward.
Corey Perry has left the Chicago Blackhawks for an indefinite period of time. No one really knows what is going on with the situation, but it sounds like the team asked him to leave. Perry then announced he was stepping away for personal issues. This is one of those situations where it is safe to drop Perry, as I don't see him returning this season.
Injuries to monitor
- Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres
- Timo Meier, New Jersey Devils
- Bryan Rust, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Rickard Rakell, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Oliver Bjorkstrand, Seattle Kraken
- Adam Fox, New York Rangers
- Shea Theodore, Las Vegas Golden Knights
- Alec Martinez, Las Vegas Golden Knights
- Joonas Korpisalo, Ottawa Senators
- Philipp Grubauer, Seattle Kraken
Best Fantasy Hockey Pickups
Let’s take a look at the waiver wire and see if we can find some value. Some of these players are just streaming options for this week, but some could help your team for the rest of the season.
C/RW Gabriel Vilardi, Winnipeg Jets (13% rostered)
Vilardi’s return is imminent and the Jets play their next four games at home. Once he is healthy, Vilardi should continue to play on the Jets' top line with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. This line was dominant before his injury, and I expect it to take off again with his return.
C/RW Dawson Mercer, New Jersey Devils (22% rostered)
Mercer has struggled this season, as has the entire New Jersey Devils team, but he’s playing with Jack Hughes and Tyler Toffoli now. Mercer’s scoring and shooting rate have both increased significantly during Hughes and Nico Hischier's absences, and now he is being put in a great position to increase that production.
C Nick Bjugstad, Arizona Coyotes (8% rostered)
Bjugstad has seen his ice time increase with the injury to Barrett Hayton, and he is on a three-game points streak. His line has remained very consistent and productive on an otherwise shaky team. If you are in need of a center for one night, he is a great filler.
D Erik Gustafsson, New York Rangers (40% rostered)
With Adam Fox still out with an injury, Gustafsson will remain on New York’s PP1. Since being promoted, he has 10 points in nine games. If he is available, this is a great week to grab him, as Fox is expected to return next week.
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