This article is part of our NHL Waiver Wire series.
While the days of the NHL bye breaks are behind us, the wonky schedule continues with Arizona, Calgary and Los Angeles all playing just twice next week. The rest of the league plays at least three games, so you'll want to downgrade your Coyotes, Flames and Kings over the next seven days and potentially cut ties with any of their fringe assets.
The fantasy stretch drive is officially underway, and the playoffs are knocking on the door in some settings. Being active from here out can make a huge difference, so make sure to max out all your available transactions and game limits.
This week's cast of characters covers various category needs and league formats. The go-to adds are Bryan Little, Tanner Pearson, Mark Streit and Steve Mason. All are proven commodities that have found themselves underowned but still boast plenty of upside.
With that in mind, remember to double-check the availability of players previously covered in this space and keep tabs on the recommended adds in our Daily Puck articles throughout the week.
Bryan Little, F, WPG (Yahoo: 34%, ESPN: 54%, CBS: 68%): A seven-game stretch with just a single goal might have Little back on the waiver wire. He's notched a goal, two helpers and five shots through his latest two games, and he's producing at a career-high pace in the goals, points and shots columns. Winnipeg has also scored at least three goals in eight consecutive games, so there is plenty of offense
While the days of the NHL bye breaks are behind us, the wonky schedule continues with Arizona, Calgary and Los Angeles all playing just twice next week. The rest of the league plays at least three games, so you'll want to downgrade your Coyotes, Flames and Kings over the next seven days and potentially cut ties with any of their fringe assets.
The fantasy stretch drive is officially underway, and the playoffs are knocking on the door in some settings. Being active from here out can make a huge difference, so make sure to max out all your available transactions and game limits.
This week's cast of characters covers various category needs and league formats. The go-to adds are Bryan Little, Tanner Pearson, Mark Streit and Steve Mason. All are proven commodities that have found themselves underowned but still boast plenty of upside.
With that in mind, remember to double-check the availability of players previously covered in this space and keep tabs on the recommended adds in our Daily Puck articles throughout the week.
Bryan Little, F, WPG (Yahoo: 34%, ESPN: 54%, CBS: 68%): A seven-game stretch with just a single goal might have Little back on the waiver wire. He's notched a goal, two helpers and five shots through his latest two games, and he's producing at a career-high pace in the goals, points and shots columns. Winnipeg has also scored at least three goals in eight consecutive games, so there is plenty of offense to go around.
Christian Dvorak, F, ARI (Yahoo: 3%, ESPN: 6%, CBS: 20%): Averaging 18:06 of ice time with 2:27 on the power-play since Martin Hanzal was dealt, Dvorak is locked into a scoring role. He's also heated up with seven goals and 11 points through his past 15 games and owns significant offensive upside. Dvorak notched 92 goals and 230 points through 125 games over his final two OHL seasons, after all.
Andrew Shaw, F, MON (Yahoo: 19%, ESPN: 16%, CBS: 35%): While Shaw presents little game-to-game consistency and his role has been fluctuating a lot of late, he can help in deeper fantasy settings. With three goals, four points, 17 shots, four PIM and 16 hits through his past seven games, Shaw is tilting the scales across all categories. If you're chasing PIM, he is an option who still offers some offensive upside.
Brandon Dubinsky, F, CLM (Yahoo: 28%, ESPN: 47%, CBS: 38%): Now three games removed from a solid offensive stretch (four goals and 11 points through 11 outings), Dubinsky is a cross-category contributor who provides a sneaky fantasy floor. For the campaign, the pivot has 66 PIM, 194 hits and a plus-13 rating and 17 of his 32 points have come over the past 22 games, too.
Tanner Pearson, F, LOS (Yahoo: 28%, ESPN: 42%, CBS: 57%): Scorching hot, Pearson has seven goals, 14 points and 32 shots while averaging 17:56 of ice time per (2:56 on the power play) through his past 11 games. Additionally, he's clicked with frequent linemates Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli for an impressive 3.27 goals per 60 minutes over the past three years.
Micheal Ferland, F, CGY (Yahoo: 2%, ESPN: 2%, CBS: 4%): A flier for deep leagues, Ferland has landed on the top line with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau. Ferland has scored four goals with 12 shots, 11 hits and a plus-7 rating through his past six games. The rambunctious winger owns a sneaky shooting arsenal and helps in the PIM column, too. Just be aware that Ferland could quickly find himself in a bottom-six role, so his value might be fleeting.
Mark Streit, D, PIT (Yahoo: 22%, ESPN: 35%, CBS: 58%): Still capable of moving the offensive needle, Streit joining the highest-scoring team in the league sets up nicely for the veteran. He notched a goal and an assist in his debut against Tampa Bay on Friday and should see prime offensive minutes until the Pittsburgh blue line gets healthy. Just note that his window of relevance could be short lived, but Streit could also prove to be a league-winner.
David Savard, D, CLM (Yahoo: 9%, ESPN: 15%, CBS: 28%): The high-floor defenseman moves the needle across all categories and is logging healthy minutes for the Blue Jackets. Savard's offense is hit or miss, but he does have a respectable five points, 21 shots, four PIM, 15 hits, 23 blocked shots and a plus-3 rating while averaging 22:02 of ice time per game through his past nine outings. He's not a strong option outside of deep leagues that include plenty of peripheral categories.
Steve Mason, G PHI (Yahoo: 42%, ESPN: 26%, CBS: 57%): After sitting out six straight games, Mason has now started three in a row without losing in regulation and posting two wins, a .969 save percentage and 0.96 GAA. He entered the campaign with a .921 save percentage over the prior three seasons, so a strong finish isn't out of the question from Mason. He's a speculative buy-low candidate who could reward handsomely in all settings.
Joonas Korpisalo, G, CLM (Yahoo: 3%, ESPN: 3%, CBS: 8%): Through his past three outings, Korpisalo has gone 2-1 with a .952 save percentage, 1.35 GAA and a shutout. Columbus has an upcoming back-to-back set with Buffalo, and the 22-year-old netminder should receive one of those starts. In deep settings, or in a competitive weekly matchup, that start could provide a significant boost for your virtual club.
Players to consider from previous articles: Mikael Granlund, Evander Kane, Jake Guentzel, Josh Bailey, Ryan Strome, Rickard Rakell, Anthony Mantha, Marcus Johansson, Frank Vatrano, Anders Lee, Mathieu Perreault, Bo Horvat, Jussi Jokinen, Jason Zucker, Sam Reinhart, Richard Panik, Radim Vrbata, Nino Niederreiter, Nazem Kadri, Nick Schmaltz, Tomas Hertl, Justin Williams, Matthew Tkachuk, Brayden Point, Jake Gardiner, Oscar Klefbom, Jacob Trouba, Dmitry Orlov, Jeff Petry, Alex Goligoski, Jared Spurgeon, Dion Phaneuf, Brady Skjei, Juuse Saros, Philipp Grubauer, Aaron Dell, Carter Hutton, James Reimer
