Fantasy Hockey Update: Best Waiver Wire Pickups In The New Year
Mark gives an update on the fantasy hockey world as we head into 2024, including his top pickups of the week.
Happy New Year! We are at the halfway point of the season, and things are starting to fall into place. This is the time of the fantasy season when we need to start piling up some wins, and one of my favorite strategies is to work the waiver wire with teams who play the most each week.
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Fantasy Hockey Update 1/2
Injuries to Watch
- Kirill Kaprizov, MIN
- Mats Zuccarello, MIN
- Timo Meier, NJ
- Troy Terry, ANA
- Kyle Connor, WPG
- Boone Jenner, CLS
- Bryan Rust, PIT
- Patrik Laine, CLS
- Zach Werenski, CLS
- Justin Faulk, STL
- Tyson Barrie, NSH
- Dougie Hamilton, NJ
- Shea Theodore, VGK
- Seth Jones, CHI
- Filip Gustavsson, MIN
- Jake Oettinger, DAL
- Adin Hill, VGK
Best Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Pickups Week 13
This week, we have four teams playing four games (the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets) and four teams playing just two games. I always like targeting players from teams who play the most games in a week.
Daily Game Breakdown
- MON: 1
- TUE: 13
- WED: 2
- THU: 13
- FRI: 3
- SAT: 12
- SUN: 4
As you can see we have almost all teams playing Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Usually games are a little more spread out, but with a schedule like this, the waiver wire is a little more straightforward.
RW Nino Niederreiter, Winnipeg Jets
Niederreiter has scored 12 goals with 10 assists (22 points) in 35 games this season, quietly putting him on pace for a career-high in goals and a 50-point season. He has a great rapport with linemates Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton, earning trust from the coaching staff and more minutes of ice time.
LW Gustav Nyquist, Nashville Predators
Nyquist is a streaky scorer but since being promoted to the top line, he has seven points in his past five games. There's already a really good matchup coming his way on Tuesday with the Blackhawks.
LW Matias Maccelli, Arizona Coyotes
Maccelli is on one of my favorite lines for the Coyotes with Lawson Crouse and Nick Bjugstad. He has five assists, and his shooting rate has been steadily increasing. He is not going to blow your socks off, but he is a steady player and good for fill-ins.
LW/RW Jake DeBrusk, Boston Bruins
DeBrusk has a three-game point streak currently totaling five points (two goals and three assists), three power-play points, and seven shots on goal. He is skating on a new line with forwards Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle and ranks third on the Bruins in shots on goal.
G Nico Daws, New Jersey Devils
The Devils sent goalie Akira Schmid down to Utica of the American Hockey League on Thursday and recalled Daws, who had a .929 save percentage in three AHL games this season. With Schmid and Vitek Vanecek struggling this season, Daws could see a number of starts moving forward and get plenty of goal support.
RW Philipp Kurashev, Chicago Blackhawks
Now playing on the top line with Connor Bedard, Kurashev feels like he is about to break out. He has 22 points in 29 games, including one goal and four assists in his last four. As long as Kurashev is on Chicago’s top line, he is worth keeping on your roster long-term.
LW Marcus Johansson, Minnesota Wild
With Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello out with injuries, Marcus Johansson has had to step up to the Wild's top line and has been producing points. He has two goals and five points in his last three games. With three games this week against weaker opponents, I like his chances of racking up some more. With Kaprizov and Zuccarello’s injuries both long-term, he is also a good player to hold on to for future weeks.
G Laurent Brossoit, Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg is playing four games this week, including a back-to-back trip in California, playing the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks. Both these games should be wins, and Brossoit will play in one of them. There is also a slight chance he will get a second start with the tightly packed schedule. He has won two of his last three starts with a .929 SV% or more in each of them. Add all this up and he is a great goalie to stream for this week.
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