NHL Waiver Wire: FAAB Budgeting

Before jumping into this week's pickups to consider, a quick primer in FAAB budgeting is in order. Because of the high replacement level of fantasy players in the NHL, FAAB isn't overly common. However, it's still worth touching on a few strategies.

Saving your FAAB for goaltenders is encouraged. Lines will juggle and skaters will go on hot and cold streaks. Additionally, forwards and defenseman will often rotate on and off of the No. 2 power-play unit. Typically, it isn't worth busting much of your FAAB budget on a skater unless they're about to return from injury and poised to slot back into a top-six role with power-play minutes.

Otherwise, holding out for goaltenders with the potential to garner the lion's share of starts is the best play. Peter Budaj serves as a solid example, but the injury bug will strike again throughout the season. It always does.

Going forward, the player analysis will include FAAB tips where it's advised to bid aggressively. Additionally, ownership percentages have been added to help manage your transactions.


Center

Alexander Wennberg, CLM (Yahoo: 29%, ESPN: 42%, CBS: 33%): Columbus is running out of ammunition for their cannon, and Wennberg is proving to be an elite offensive catalyst with a league-leading 13 assists, including eight with the man advantage. Wennberg is a low-volume shooter (15 SOG through 13 games), which limits his goal-scoring upside, but he's ascended to must-own status as a key cog of a clicking offense. Those in need of a pivot can go the extra mile to add Wennberg.

Eric Staal, MIN (Yahoo: 23%, ESPN: 77%, CBS: 55%): This is another example of a head coach getting the most out of his players, as Staal has found his groove with Minnesota. Bruce Boudreau puts his players in positions to succeed, and the veteran center has posted 12 points -- five goals -- through the first 13 games of the season and is averaging 19:23 per night with 2:49 on the man advantage. Staal is worth a roster spot in all settings because of solid cross-category production and is a nice backup plan to Wennberg.

Nazem Kadri, TOR (Yahoo: 45%, ESPN: 53%, CBS: 63%): Head coach Mike Babcock has turned Kadri's career around, as the 26-year-old center has evolved into a two-way pivot that matches up against the opposition's top players. Typically, that role would be a fantasy anchor, but Kadri has thrived thus far with seven goals, 11 points and 34 shots on net. Kadri also helps with 41 PIM and 22 hits through 15 games. He's not a roster priority in all leagues, but he's a nice option if you need help across all categories.

Left Wing

Patrick Maroon, EDM (Yahoo: 20%, ESPN: 16%, CBS: 29%): Although line combinations switch frequently, not all promotions are created equally. Maroon has hit his stride alongside Connor McDavid, and the winger has posted four goals, six points and 16 shots over his past five games. Add his six PIM and 11 hits, and Maroon projects to be one of the best multi-category contributors in the league for the duration of his stay on McDavid's flank. He's worth upping the ante for in all formats.

Travis Konecny, PHI (Yahoo: 18%, ESPN: 23%, CBS: 45%): After registering five helpers through his first five games, Konecny has flipped the script with four goals and a helper through his past 10 outings. He's playing top-six minutes and receiving time with the No. 2 power-play unit while registering 2.38 shots per game. Additionally, his 27 hits are an impressive mark for a rookie. He's universally under-owned.

Right Wing

Mitch Marner, TOR (Yahoo: 43%, ESPN: 40%, CBS: 64%): If you can stomach the plus-minus hit, Marner owns high-end skill and can help in the offensive categories. Through the first 15 games of the campaign, Marner has five goals, 12 points, 41 shots and is averaging 2:15 on the power play. Additionally, he could soon find himself skating with Auston Matthews, which could prove to be a dynamic duo.

Kevin Hayes, NYR (Yahoo: 49%, ESPN: 53%, CBS: 68%): The 2015-16 season was a disappointment, but Hayes has been a fantasy star to start this year. While playing down the depth chart isn't typically fantasy friendly, Hayes has feasted on weaker opponents and posted six goals and 13 points with a plus-12 rating over 15 games. The Rangers are the highest-scoring team in the league, which helps Hayes' fantasy floor and the likelihood of maintaining a high plus-minus rating.

Defense

Damon Severson, NJD (Yahoo: 30%, ESPN: 53%, CBS: 66%): The Devils aim for low-event, low-scoring games, which isn't the formula for fantasy success. However, Severson has capitalized on his extended power-play opportunities for five helpers with the man advantage, and has 11 points -- two goals -- through 14 games thus far. The 22-year-old defenseman doesn't move the needle in the peripheral categories much, but if you're searching for offense from the blue line, Severson is worth spending up for.

Noah Hanifin, CAR (Yahoo: 15%, ESPN: 19%, CBS: 43%):Justin Faulk is week-to-week with an upper-body injury, and Hanifin logged 23:23 with 6:34 on the power-play last time out. The sophomore should continue to log more minutes for the duration of Faulk's absence, and he's already posted seven helpers through 14 games this season. There is a plus-minus risk, and Hanifin doesn't pad the hits, PIM or blocked shots columns, but his offensive upside is worth targeting.

Morgan Rielly, TOR (Yahoo: 29%, ESPN: 58%, CBS: 83%): While his fantasy value hasn't caught up to his real-world worth, the gap is narrowing. Rielly is averaging 22:46 per game for the season, and he's seen an uptick in power-play time over the past two games with an average of 2:34. Toronto paces the league with 26.23 scoring chances per 60 minutes at five-on-five, which is further encouraging for Reilly's fantasy stock going forward.

Goalie

Connor Hellebuyck, WPG (Yahoo: 36%, ESPN: 22%, CBS: 52%): The No. 1 goalie in front of a high-powered offense warrants universal ownership, especially since Hellebuyck paced the league in five-on-five save percentage (.941) among goalies with 1,000 minutes last year. It's worth paying the toll for Hellebuyck because of his upside to return low-end No. 1 goalie numbers for stretches.

Players to consider from previous articles: Derek Stepan, Nikolaj Ehlers, Charlie Coyle, J.T. Miller, Alex Killorn, Jonathan Marchessault, Nick Foligno, Victor Rask, Viktor Arvidsson, Brock Nelson, Zach Werenski, Brady Skjei, Jeff Petry, Calvin Pickard, Jimmy Howard, James Reimer, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Juuse Saros

Four-game streamers

The Flames, Panthers, Kings, Lightning, Capitals and Jets all play four games next week. Here are a handful of additional players to consider adding in weekly setups.

LW Tanner Pearson, LOS (Yahoo: 15%, ESPN: 26%, CBS: 51%): Widely available, Pearson is locked into a top-six role with power-play time. He also entered Sunday with five goals, eight points and 28 shots over 13 games, highlighting his offensive upside.

C/LW Valtteri Filppula, TAM (Yahoo: 10%, ESPN: 11%, CBS: 16%): While he might be a grab left primarily for deeper leagues, Filppula has four goals and five helpers thus far and receives power-play time with the No. 2 unit. He's also a good bet to return a plus-rating.

D Jacob Trouba, WPG (Yahoo: 27%, ESPN: 42%, CBS: 53%): Back from a contract holdout, Trouba's cross-category upside increases with Tyler Myers (lower body) nursing an injury. The 22-year-old defenseman is a must-add at this point.