The NHL regular season is in full swing, and it’s time to ensure our fantasy rosters are in good hands.

Early-season waiver wire adds can be the difference between a championship and missing the playoffs altogether, so let’s dive into some players worth adding from the wire right now.

*Ownership percentages courtesy of ESPN

Check out our 2022-2023 Fantasy Hockey Rankings

NHL Week 1 Waiver Wire Advice

Marcus Foligno (LW – MIN) 16.2% rostered

Does your league count penalties minutes, plus/minus, and hits? If so, target Foligno as a well above-average player in those categories.

I’m not going to lie, he’s due for goal-scoring regression. Over the last two seasons, Foligno has tallied 34 goals on just 138 shots on goal, good for an outrageous 24.6% shooting rate. For context, Foligno’s career mark is now 13.7%. However, we shouldn’t rely on the bruising forward to score goals.

ESPN projects Foligno to tally a decent 15 goals and 19 helpers this season, but also 94 penalty minutes and a plus-21 rating. He recorded 112 PIMs and a plus-25 a season ago.

The hits are the most attractive part for me. Foligno’s 238 hits last season ranked him 13th in the league, while only Brady Tkachuk, Tanner Jeannot, and Tom Wilson scored more than Foligno’s 24 goals among those ahead of him in hits.

We value players who score the most goals and record the most assists and items, such as special teams’ points. However, we also need the players who deliver in the peripheral categories and Foligno figures to do that with authority again this season.

Blake Coleman (LW, RW – CGY) 9.5% rostered

Another player that might not provide a ton of offensive production, Coleman is a nice supporting player in peripheral categories.

I mean, ESPN has Coleman projected for 20 goals this season, and for good reason. Not only has he cracked that 20-goal plateau twice in his five full NHL seasons, but he is also coming off a 16-goal campaign from a season ago.

However, like Foligno, Coleman is a great supporting player in the less-renowned categories. Coleman put 212 shots on goal, recorded 163 hits, earned 60 penalty minutes, and was a plus-16 player last season. He even recorded 44 blocked shots which is a solid number for a forward.

He’s not going to rack up many assists, and he won’t see much if any, power-play time. However, Coleman delivers above-average production in as many as five categories and is, therefore, more useful than many in your league think.

Alexis Lafreniere (LW – NYR) 33% rostered

It’s safe to say Lafreniere has fallen well below expectations as a potential generational talent coming off a historic junior career. The 2020 No. 1 pick in the draft has recorded just 52 points through his first 136 NHL contests. However, now could be the time to claim him for nothing.

He was held pointless in his season debut Tuesday, but he put four shots on goal and recorded four hits. Again, if your league counts hits, it’s worth noting Lafreniere quietly recorded 108 hits last season in addition to his 110 shots on goal and solid 37 penalty minutes.

Here’s why I really like him right now: his spot on the roster. With Vitali Kravtsov out for at least the Rangers’ next two games, it appears Lafreniere is moving up to the team’s second line alongside Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. A former Hart Trophy finalist, Panarin is a potential 100-point player. That’s big for Lafreniere’s upside if he can stick on that line.

Keep a close eye on his performance Thursday night, as it could be a major flip in his fantasy value this season and beyond.

Mason Marchment (LW – DAL) 23.2% rostered

The jury is out on whether Marchment can build on his out-of-nowhere season with the Panthers in 2021-22, but he’s certainly worth a flyer to find out.

Marchment recorded 19 goals and 47 points across 54 games in Florida last season, but he could see an increased role on the Stars with addition power-play minutes involved.

Marchment also recorded 114 hits, 121 shots on goal, and 53 penalty minutes a season ago. ESPN projects the big winger to notch 22 goals, 52 points, 75 penalty minutes, and 194 shots on goal in addition to what I likely to be a boatload of hits again this time around.

Marchment could certainly prove to be a rock-solid, cross-category producer in a second-line role with the Stars this season.

Jared McCann (C – SEA) 45.7% rostered

We’ve focused on players that will provide help in peripheral categories this season, so let’s pivot to a player with a wealth of offensive upside on the heels of a career year.

McCann was part of an anemic Kraken offense last season but still managed 27 goals and 50 points across 74 contests while putting 199 shots on goal in the process. Those totals shattered previous career highs as he looks to build on that production in the 2022-23 campaign.

McCann can play both wing and center, but most important is that he’s a member of the team’s top line and top power-play unit alongside a likely fantasy stud in Matt Beniers, the second overall pick from the 2021 draft. Both McCann and Beniers scored in the Kraken’s season opener against the Ducks Wednesday.

McCann is a strong candidate to crack both 60 points and 200 shots on goal this season, with plus/minus looming as his lone dark spot.

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