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.

Pontus Aberg - Minnesota Wild - Winger

After being traded from Anaheim a couple of weeks ago, Pontus Aberg has become somewhat fantasy relevant. He’s skating on the third line with Zach Parise and newly acquired center Victor Rask. What’s interesting here is that Aberg is skating on the top power play unit. In his last four games, the 25-year-old has recorded three assists and is averaging just over 14 minutes per game. It’s not a ton of ice time, but he’s making the most of it. In deeper leagues, Aberg could be a nice buy-low option. He’s a depth add that could become something if his playing situation stays the same.

 

Frank Vatrano - Florida Panthers - Winger

Don’t look now, but Frank Vatrano is starting to get real hot. The Florida forward was recently promoted to the top line and that immediately paid dividend, scoring one goal and adding three assists against the San Jose Sharks. In total, Vatrano has collected ten points in his last ten games (6G, 4A). If he continues to see top line minutes, he will continue to produce. He’s only 25%owned on Yahoo!, so the best time to add him would be before the rest of the league catches on.

Drake Caggiula - Chicago Blackhawks - Winger

After spending the last two season with the Edmonton Oilers, Caggiula was traded to Chicago earlier this season and is skating on the top line with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. We can all agree that Caggiula isn’t a special player and that at one point someone will take his place, but it can’t hurt a player to be playing with those two superstars. The 25-year-old has only recorded one assist in eight games since the trade, but for fantasy owners who are looking for a home run add, Caggiula is that player. He’s a low risk add with some upside, just don’t get your hopes too high up.

Shayne Gostisbehere - Philadelphia Flyers - Defence

Didn’t think we would be talking about adding Shayne Gostisbehere off the waiver wire, but here we are. The 25-year-old is having himself a terrible season. He’s recorded just 20 points (5G, 15A) in 48 games and is a minis-12. He’s nowhere near his point total from last season (65 points in 78 games), and at this rate, he may not break 40 points. So why are we trying to add him? He’s too good of a defenceman to be this bad. The Flyers have been a mess all season and Gostisbehere has been part of the reason. What has hurt him the most of late is the Flyers rolling with a five forward power play system. That will hurt any defenceman, but Gostisbehere has suffered the most. At one point, the Flyers will go back to using a defenceman on the man advantage and that will help Ghost. His ownership is starting to drop as the season enters the final few weeks. If you find him on the waiver wire, he’s worth a pickup. It’s a huge risk at this point, but honestly, it can’t get any worse for the Flyers’ defenceman.

Robin Lehner - New York Islanders - Goalie

We’ve already talked about Lehner being a nice pick up a couple of weeks ago, but for some reason, despite his elite numbers, he’s only 66% owned on ESPN, which is still too low. Let’s just agree that Lehner’s numbers this year are elite. The 27-year-old has a 2.02 GAA and a .931 SV%. He may continue to lose some starts to Greiss, because he’s also been pretty great this season, but Lehner is a lock to have a strong game every time he gets the call for his team. He should be minimum 80% owned across both sites, so if for some reason he’s still on the waiver wire, he needs to be added to your team.

Thatcher Demko - Vancouver Canucks - Goalie

The rookie goalie made his season debut back on January 8th and came out with a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. The 24-year-old is the future of the Vancouver Canucks in goal, and the team might want to give the future some extra ice time. Jacob Markstrom is still the top dog in the blue paint, but Demko isn’t just going to sit on the bench and not play. He’s a young goalie that needs to play hockey, and what better place to play than the NHL! Demko is a deep-league add, but he’s worth at least a look, especially for Markstrom owners. The San Diego native has the skill to play in the NHL, now all he needs is some starts.