The NHL season is in full swing and that means so is fantasy hockey! It’s a long grind to get to the playoffs, and an even tougher challenge to win it all. Like every year, injuries are going to happen to key players, which means we need to be active on the waiver wire. The waiver wire can help you win a championship, so it’s important to add the right players at the right time. Let’s take a look at which players are worth looking adding for the upcoming week.

Anthony Duclair - Ottawa Senators - Winger

After being traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Ottawa Senators, Anthony Duclair is hoping that this new change of scenery will be the last one. The 23-year-old was never able to make an impression on former head coach John Tortorella, to the point that he opened questioned if Duclair knew how to play the game. It was not a good relationship, but that is all in the past now. The Quebec native will get a shot to pay in the top-6 on a regular basis, so maybe that will make him fantasy relevant again. He’s pretty much free on both sites, so fantasy owners who want to take a risk on him can do so.

Jimmy Vesey - New York Rangers - Winger

With Mats Zuccarello now in Dallas, a spot on the top line has opened up, and it looks like that spot will be filled by Jimmy Vesey. The 25-year-old is going to get a ton of ice time, and that should help his production. His 30-points in 60 games isn’t very spectacular, but the hope is by seeing more time with Zibanejad and Kredier (if he’s still on the team come Monday) will lead to more points. He’s a low-risk option if you need some scoring depth on your team.


Alexander Kerfoot - Colorado Avalanche - Winger

With Colorado free falling in the standings, head coach Jared Bednar has been switching lines around in the hopes to get his team back on track. This has lead to Alexander Kerfoot finding himself on the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Those two have been outstanding since the beginning of the season, and if Kerfoot can just give them the puck, his point total should start to increase. This is another case of a player getting an opportunity to show the coaching staff that he can play with the best. As long as Kerfoot is seeing top line minutes, he’s fantasy relevant.

 

Marcus Pettersson - Pittsburgh Penguins - Defence

Both Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin were injured in Saturday’s outdoor game against the Flyers. The severity of both injuries isn’t known yet, but should both defenceman miss an extended period of time, this would make Marcus Pettersson almost a must-add in many fantasy formats. The 22-year-old is currently seeing top power play minutes, and if he can hang on to that role over the next couple of games, he will for sure rack up the points. He only has 13-points in 37 games, but his role is slowly starting to expand, so fantasy owners that have an open roster spot should take a gamble on Pettersson.

Brian Elliott - Philadelphia Flyers - Goalie

With Carter Hart expected to be out a minimum of ten days, Brian Elliott is going to get a chance to win back his starting job. While it’s very unlikely that he does, he’s going to get the bulk of the action until Hart is ready to return. The veteran goalie is only 22% owned on Yahoo!, so fantasy owners that need a short-term solution in goal would be wise to add him. It’s likely that the Flyers will be sellers come trade deadline on Monday, but Elliott still has some value if you can play him in the right matchup.