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Sean Allen
Every Monday, we’ll mine the waiver wire for lesser-rostered performers who have the potential to help fantasy teams in a variety of leagues. We’ll also present several strong streaming candidates for the immediate week ahead.
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Forwards
Elias Lindholm, RW, Boston Bruins (1.66 FPPG, 36.1% available): He’s back on the top power-play unit again, a spot that was occupied by Morgan Geekie in recent weeks. More importantly, he’s picking up fantasy points, with 2.29 per game across his past seven games.
Boone Jenner, C, Columbus Blue Jackets (2.00 FPPG, 73.0% available): Playing his first game of the season on Saturday, Jenner was lined up with Kent Johnson and Cole Sillinger as the line accounted for two goals against the Blackhawks. The Blue Jackets have been pleasantly competitive this season, so Jenner has a path to match his 2.2 fantasy points per game (FPPG) from last season.
Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, Washington Capitals (1.79 FPPG, 52.3% available): Dubois’ 1.79 FPPG on the season is passable, but not must-roster. However, a closer look at his production on a monthly basis tells a story of a player who is getting more comfortable playing on his third team in three seasons; his FPPG since Dec. 1 is 1.97; since Jan. 1 it is 2.12; and since Feb. 1 it is 2.47. Dubois is now in must-roster territory.
Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Colorado Avalanche (1.95 FPPG, 56.7% available): Yet to play for the Avs in 2025, there is a chance that Nichushkin is back in the lineup in time for both of their games this week, starting Wednesday at home. The Avs offense has been OK without him, but the team is losing too much. They need his presence back on a scoring line. It’s unclear how he fits in post-Mikko Rantanen, but we can be confident his role will be prominent given the Avs trajectory.
Matthew Knies, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs (1.81 FPPG, 38.7% available): Available in more than one-third of leagues? Really? Knies deserves more love. He’s dialed in on the wing of the best sniper in the league and plays as the fifth man on an all-forward power-play unit stacked with established stars all around him. Pick him up now.
Matvei Michkov, RW, Philadelphia Flyers (1.53 FPPG, 52.5% available): Five goals! That’s how many the line of Michkov, Owen Tippett and Sean Couturier were on the ice for against the Oilers on Saturday. There’s a plausible scenario in which Michkov closes out the season as a fantasy stalwart, not a fantasy burden. His ice time lately suggests he’s out of the doghouse.
See also:
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Adam Fantilli, C, Columbus Blue Jackets (1.66 FPPG, 62.8% available)
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Pavel Dorofeyev, RW, Vegas Golden Knights (1.73 FPPG, 50.8% available)
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Pavel Buchnevich, RW, St. Louis Blues (1.44 FPPG, 44.5% available)
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Aliaksei Protas, C, Washington Capitals (1.76 FPPG, 55.7% available)
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Logan Cooley, C, Utah Hockey Club (1.86 FPPG, 30.3% available)
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Jiri Kulich, C, Buffalo Sabres (1.20 FPPG, 98.8% available)
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Marco Kasper, C, Detroit Red Wings (1.28 FPPG, 95.4% available)
Defensemen
Mason Lohrei, D, Boston Bruins (1.43 FPPG, 93.1% available): Lohrei is right back in the saddle on the top power-play unit for the Bruins as they’ve lost Hampus Lindholm for the season and Charlie McAvoy for several weeks. Lohrei has had moments of success with the unit and was on the point when the Bruins started turning things around during an earlier McAvoy injury. It’s worth keeping an eye on him and the schedule. For example, this four-game week might be a bit tougher with three of the teams allowing minimal power plays per game to their opponent.
Drew Doughty, D, Los Angeles Kings (2.03 FPPG, 49.8% available): Doughty looked in fine form for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off and settled back into his primary role on the Kings’ blue line. The only surprising thing about it is his 50.2% availability as a fantasy free agent.
Noah Hanifin, D, Vegas Golden Knights (1.47 FPPG, 31.5% available): Somewhat related, as Shea Theodore‘s injury opened up the door for Doughty at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Theodore’s injury also pushes Hanifin into a quarterback role on one of the league’s better power plays. Hanifin’s fantasy production has declined lately, so perhaps some additional offensive time gets him back on track.
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Alexander Romanov, D, New York Islanders (2.08 FPPG, 39.3% available)
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Sean Durzi, D, Utah Hockey Club (2.02 FPPG, 55.1% available)
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Ivan Provorov, D, Columbus Blue Jackets (1.51 FPPG, 75.9% available)
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Martin Fehervary, D, Washington Capitals (1.60 FPPG, 93.1% available)
Goaltenders
Eric Comrie, G, Winnipeg Jets (2.04 FPPG, 98.6% available): We are getting to a spot in the season in which fantasy goaltender off the free-agent pile will be hard to come by, but we can focus instead on targeting the schedule. The Jets should absolutely feast this week, with four games against four teams all ranked in the top 10 for fantasy points allowed to opposing goaltenders. There’s even a chance Comrie gets more than one of them if the Jets start dialing back Connor Hellebuyck‘s playing time in anticipation of the playoffs. Ideally, Comrie could get the Sharks and Predators, but he’s worth starting even if he gets the Senators and Flyers.
Alex Nedeljkovic, G, Pittsburgh Penguins (1.14 FPPG, 93.9% available): The schedule could also be good to the Penguins crease this week, but with a big asterisk. The two games against the Flyers are a cross-state rivalry that tends to elevate both teams. So maybe the Flyers play above better than their usually generous ways to opposing goaltenders. The Bruins are also a good matchup, but the Maple Leafs represent a hurdle at the end of the week, as they rank 27th in fantasy points to opposing goalies.
Spencer Knight, G, Florida Panthers (2.15 FPPG, 95.2% available): And finally, the Panthers take on both of the teams ranked first and second in points to opposing goaltenders. The Oilers aren’t as nice, sitting 24th as a tough filling to the soft sandwich created by the Predators and Flames this week. With our luck, Knight will get one of the easy matchups, but it’s worth noting some major fantasy points should come from the Cats crease this week.
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Short-term streamers
Cole Perfetti, LW, Winnipeg Jets (1.53 FPPG, 75.6% available): As mentioned above, the Jets have a fantastic schedule for goaltending this week, but it’s pretty good for the offense, too. Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov are solid ways to get some access to the Jets offense, and both have been topping 2.0 FPPG across their past six games.
Vinnie Hinostroza, RW, Minnesota Wild (0.81 FPPG, 100.0% available): Currently rolling on the second line for the Wild, but also getting some top power-play minutes, Hinostroza occupies a solid spot in the lineup, but hasn’t done too much with it yet. That said, combining anyone from the Wild, Maple Leafs, Rangers or Stars on your bench with Perfetti,Namestnikov or any other Jets player in a league with daily lineup changes will get you seven games from that roster spot.
Phillip Danault, C, Los Angeles Kings (1.42 FPPG, 82.4% available): A solid schedule this week lines up with Danault putting up 2.70 FPPG across his past five games, and like the Jets, the Kings pair well with several teams for full-week coverage. In daily-lineup leagues, grab Danault and anyone from the Bruins, Hurricanes, Flames, Wild, Predators, Penguins or Blues for seven games.
Alexandre Carrier, D, Montreal Canadiens (1.57 FPPG, 96.6% available): With Kaiden Guhle injured, Carrier has been playing more minutes in a more prominent role. He gets enough counting stats in this spot to be fantasy friendly. But be warned that it comes to an end when Guhle returns.