A strong core of star players will represent the foundation of championship contending teams in fantasy hockey leagues. At the same time, finding valuable waiver wire gems could help make the different between winning and losing both in the short and long term. With the first month of the NHL season in the books, we came up with a list of players that could be available in your league to help provide both an immediate fix and a long-term solution at key positions. Here is a look at the best fantasy hockey league waiver wire additions for this week.
RW: Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
There might not be a hotter waiver wire gem than Boeser right now. The rookie winger recorded a four-point night in Saturday’s 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. That included a hat track. Anytime you can shine against the Stanley Cup champions, you’re going to get noticed.
Boeser now has a team-high 13 points in 10 games this season. The Canucks are desperate for scoring help up front and should give the youngster every opportunity to continue to produce. After a sensational start, it’s clear that Boeser could be the best option on the waiver wire for fantasy hockey league GM’s that need help on the wing in both the short and long term.
LW/RW: Pavel Buchnevich, New York Rangers
If you are looking for a little more versatility in your lineup then Buchnevich could be the perfect choice. The young sniper has recorded points in four straight games while playing on the Rangers top line along with Mika Zibanejad and Chis Kreider. Buchnevich is a capable scorer that should be able to produce at a decent level for as long as he is playing on the top line in New York. The fact that he is eligible to play at both the left wing and right wing spots makes him more valuable in those leagues.
D: Jason Demers, Arizona Coyotes
Those that need a boost on the back end might want to consider adding Demers off the waiver wire. Yes, we know that the Arizona Coyotes are a terrible team. Entering Monday, they had registered a league-low two wins and five points. Save for the Edmonton Oilers, every other team in the entire league had collected at least double-digit points.
The veteran defenseman has been a steady presence for the Coyotes this season. He is up to two goals, eight points, 13 penalty minutes and 30 shots on goal in his first 15 games. Demers is only a minus-three on the season. That’s impressive when you consider that the Coyotes have given up 62 goals this season. No other team has hit the 60-goal mark. The potential is there for him to continue to put up decent numbers without the threat of a terrible minus rating this season. And if the Coyotes improve in that realm, he won’t hurt you in that category all that much.
C: William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights have been one of the surprise stories of the year so far with several relevant fantasy options. One forward that might have flown under the radar in your fantasy hockey league so far is Karlsson, who has been excellent for Vegas. Karlsson has produced four goals and nine points in 13 games so far this season. He could be an underrated source of production at the center position as long as he remains in the top-six forward group for the Golden Knights.
LW: Tanner Pearson, Los Angeles Kings
The Kings need Pearson to step up and showcase his offensive skill set this season. He could be in the midst of a major breakout. Pearson has recorded a goal and four assists over a three-game point streak. He also has 12 shots on goal over that span. Pearson has the offensive skill set to be a consistent contributor and should continue to play important minutes for Los Angeles. If you need help at the left wing position then you might want to consider adding Pearson this week.
The Kings are currently in first place in the Pacific Division with 22 points.
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