This article is part of our NHL Waiver Wire series.
The holiday season impacts the NHL schedule this week as there are no games Saturday or Sunday. However, there is plenty of balance with 22 teams playing three games and just eight teams suiting up twice.
A trio of wingers are worth targeting this week, and there's a must-add defeseman. Justin Schultz will receive top offensive looks with Kris Letang (lower body) and Trevor Daley (upper body) both looking at extended absences.
Remember to double-check the availability of players previously covered in this space and check the recommended adds in the our Daily Puck articles throughout the week.
Evander Kane, F, BUF (Yahoo: 25%, ESPN: 37%, CBS: 56%:) Heating up with four goals, seven points, 27 shots and eight PIM in his last eight games, Kane has found his fantasy footing. He's a high-volume shooter who can provide cross-category production and is locked into a top-six role. He's a universal fantasy own.
Anders Lee, F, NYI (Yahoo: 10%, ESPN: 38%, CBS: 25%:) After playing the bulk of Friday's game with John Tavares, Lee's fantasy value is on the rise. The duo has combined for a solid 2.81 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five the last three years, and Lee has exceptional hands. He's also caught fire lately with eight goals, 10 points and 27 shots in his last 12 games.
Conor Sheary, F, PIT (Yahoo: 35%, ESPN: 15%, CBS: 56%:) When Sidney Crosby is your most frequent linemate at five-on-five during your career, and you've combined
The holiday season impacts the NHL schedule this week as there are no games Saturday or Sunday. However, there is plenty of balance with 22 teams playing three games and just eight teams suiting up twice.
A trio of wingers are worth targeting this week, and there's a must-add defeseman. Justin Schultz will receive top offensive looks with Kris Letang (lower body) and Trevor Daley (upper body) both looking at extended absences.
Remember to double-check the availability of players previously covered in this space and check the recommended adds in the our Daily Puck articles throughout the week.
Evander Kane, F, BUF (Yahoo: 25%, ESPN: 37%, CBS: 56%:) Heating up with four goals, seven points, 27 shots and eight PIM in his last eight games, Kane has found his fantasy footing. He's a high-volume shooter who can provide cross-category production and is locked into a top-six role. He's a universal fantasy own.
Anders Lee, F, NYI (Yahoo: 10%, ESPN: 38%, CBS: 25%:) After playing the bulk of Friday's game with John Tavares, Lee's fantasy value is on the rise. The duo has combined for a solid 2.81 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five the last three years, and Lee has exceptional hands. He's also caught fire lately with eight goals, 10 points and 27 shots in his last 12 games.
Conor Sheary, F, PIT (Yahoo: 35%, ESPN: 15%, CBS: 56%:) When Sidney Crosby is your most frequent linemate at five-on-five during your career, and you've combined for 3.51 goals per 60 minutes, your fantasy value is high. Sheary has eight goals, 18 points and 63 shots through just 25 games this season, and he's a must-own winger. This is another throwback recommendation because his ownership remains too low.
Justin Schultz, D, PIT (Yahoo: 58%, ESPN: 53%, CBS: 83%:) When Letang and Daley were healthy, the sustainability of Schultz's offensive binge was in doubt. However, as the clear No. 1 offensive defenseman, Schultz's fantasy value skyrockets. After all, he has posted five goals, 13 points, 21 shots and a plus-12 rating through his past 10 games. Schultz also logged a season-high 23:03 of ice Saturday against Toronto. Don't be stingy with your FAAB dollars.
David Savard, D, CLM (Yahoo: 7%, ESPN: 13%, CBS: 23%:) Amidst an excellent fantasy stretch with five assists, 22 shots, 18 blocked shots, eight PIM, 15 hits and a plus-12 rating through his last 10 games, Savard's cross-category production plays in deeper seasonal leagues. His lack of power-play time (just 15 second per game) limits his offensive upside, but Columbus continues to be an offensive juggernaut that averages 3.32 goals per game.
Mike Smith, G, ARI (Yahoo: 44%, ESPN: 25%, CBS: 56%:)Backstopping the worst team in the league is obviously an unfavorable fantasy situation, however, Smith is still moving the needle in virtual settings. The 34-year-old veteran owns an incredible .932 save percentage and has won seven of 16 starts. His 2.59 GAA is a mediocre mark, but if you're selective with his starts, there is plenty of value. Smith is receiving the majority of starts, after all.
Players to consider from previous articles:Michael Cammalleri, Mitch Marner, Alexander Wennberg, Derek Stepan, Mikko Rantanen, Anthony Mantha, Eric Staal, Nino Niederreiter, Jakob Silfverberg, Rickard Rakell, Charlie Coyle, Victor Rask, Nazem Kadri, Viktor Arvidsson, Matthew Tkachuk, Oscar Klefbom, Jake Gardiner, Morgan Rielly, Jared Spurgeon, Dion Phaneuf, Jeff Petry, Damon Severson, Dmitry Orlov, Brady Skjei, Antti Raanta, Chad Johnson, Scott Darling, Peter Budaj
