We are carving our way through the early stages of the fantasy hockey season but yet, it’s still hard to believe we are almost through the first week of November.

Nonetheless, it’s Monday, and that means it’s time to scour the waiver wire in hopes of landing some short and long-term help moving forward.

Let’s dive into the top names to snatch up in Week 5!

NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Advice (Week 5)

(Rosterships courtesy of ESPN)

Pavel Mintyukov (D – ANA) | 28.1% Rostered

This is a name that dynasty owners need to pay attention to as 2022 first-round pick Pavel Mintyukov is speeding along in his development into a No. 1 defenseman at the NHL level.

The 19-year-old has notched a healthy eight points through his first 11 games in the NHL after a massive season last year in the OHL. Split between the Saginaw Spirit and the Ottawa 67’s, Mintyukov notched 24 goals and 92 points across just 69 games. Even better, points aren’t the only area where the youngster contributes to fantasy managers.

Mintukov has added a healthy 17 blocks and 22 hits to his ledger. Furthermore, he is also a massive plus-six on the campaign, and while he has just one power-play point on the season, he is indeed the quarterback of the Ducks’ top power-play unit. The Ducks aren’t going to dominate on the power play, but those man-advantage points will come for Mintyukov moving forward.

All of the above is very impressive for a 19-year-old rookie blueliner at the NHL level. He is a must-add in dynasty leagues, while redraft owners would be prudent to consider the youngster, even if it’s for the short term.

Trevor Moore (LW – LA) | 26.2% Rostered

Trevor Moore has been a bubble fantasy asset for the last couple of seasons, but he remains a nice depth piece that can contribute in a few different categories.

The diminutive winger has notched six goals and 11 points across his first 11 games this season, but it doesn’t stop there. He has fired a healthy 34 shots on goal while registering a plus-three rating for a very good L.A. Kings hockey club. For good measure, he has three power-play points to his credit, along with four penalty minutes.

The production isn’t exactly out of nowhere. He notched 10 goals and 29 points last season across 59 games, while his 163 shots in that time put him on pace for 227 shots across a full 82-game season. Moore’s shot total has increased in each of the last two seasons, and he most certainly is on pace for a third straight increase in the shots-on-goal department.

If you need help on the left wing, Moore is a rock-solid addition contributing nicely across the board.

Dawson Mercer (C, RW – NJ) | 58.6% Rostered

Normally, these pieces are restricted to players rostered in fewer than 50% of ESPN leagues, but we will make an exception here with the Devils’ Dawson Mercer as at least a short-term addition down the middle.

We can usually boast about a player’s stats as a reason to grab him off the waiver wire, but that isn’t the case with Mercer. The 22-year-old has notched just one goal for his lone point across 11 games on the season while putting just 16 shots on goal. He also has just one hit and is a minus-four with only two penalty minutes on the campaign.

However, the Devils are currently without Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier down the middle. As a result, Mercer has been catapulted to the top line alongside Timo Meier and Tyler Toffoli, while he will also get first-unit power-play reps with those same two wingers. Remember, Mercer tallied 27 goals as a 21-year-old sophomore just last season while he was a plus-22 while skating in all 82 regular-season games for the second straight season. In fact, he has not missed a game to this point in his NHL career.

The production obviously hasn’t been there to begin the season. However, he will get a massive opportunity for the next handful of games, making him an excellent option for Week 5 of the fantasy hockey season.

Reilly Smith (RW – PIT) | 18.5% Rostered

Like Moore above, Reilly Smith has been a bubble fantasy asset for the last couple of seasons. He is a rock-solid depth piece who can contribute nicely across the board.

The veteran has notched six goals and 11 points through his first 10 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has added 24 shots on goal alongside three power-play points and a plus-three rating with six hits to boot. He’s skating on the Pens’ second line alongside Evgeni Malkin but is also holding down a spot on the top power-play unit, a significant boon to his fantasy value.

The 32-year-old registered 26 goals and 56 points in 78 games last season, along with 180 shots on goal. The shot totals aren’t massive but that is some solid production while he has been on the positive side of the plus-minus ledger in 11 of his last 12 seasons, including a plus-11 rating just last season.

It’s certainly surprising that Smith is just 18.5% rostered, considering his early-season output and his role in a potent Pittsburgh offense. Add it up, and you have yourself a nice depth piece for both the short and long term.

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