We’re into 2024 and it’s hard to fathom the NHL regular season is almost half over. I mean, I’m not shocked as this seems to be the case every year.
This also means we need to really buckle down and think about who we want on our rosters in the fantasy hockey playoffs.
Here are four names worth a look at this juncture in the season.
NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Advice (Week 13)
Max Pacioretty (LW – WSH) | 11.9% rostered
Pacioretty made his long-awaited season debut for the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, logging 11:47 of ice time while recording two penalty minutes and a pair of hits. He skated in third-line duty and did not factor into the power play.
This is all to be expected. Pacioretty has played just six games since the beginning of the 2022-23 season and he will certainly be eased back into action. We also need to remind ourselves just how productive he has been despite a lengthy injury history.
Since the start of the 2020-21 season, the 35-year-old has recorded 46 goals and 91 points over 93 games played. Additionally, he has put 338 shots on goal in that time, good for a healthy 3.63 shots per game in that time.
Now, not everything is rosy. He’s at the back-end of his career and has endured four straight injury-filled seasons. He hasn’t played more than 71 games since the 2018-19 campaign. Furthermore, the Capitals are no longer the high-octane offense we’ve come to know in the Alex Ovechkin era as their 2.36 goals per game rank 30th and their 13.73% clip on the power play sits 28th. In theory, Pacioretty can certainly help in those areas.
His history of goal-scoring, point-producing, and high shot volumes is certainly worth a look on the wire.
Sam Bennett (C, LW – FLA) | 37% rostered
Bennett is a player who brings a little of everything to the table. His seven goals and 13 points in 26 games (41-point pace in a full season) is solid. However, it’s the physicality that is most attractive as he’s laid 39 hits along with 49 penalty minutes on his injury-shortened season. He has also tallied a rock-solid six points on the man advantage.
The veteran is logging a solid 16:40 of ice time per game as the Panthers’ second-line center while seeing first-unit power-play minutes. He has bounced back and forth between the first and second units but any time on a talented Panthers power play is valuable.
Also of importance is Bennett’s offensive production should trend upward with positive regression likely for superstar Matthew Tkachuk in the season’s second half. Tkachuk has just 30 points in 38 games after recording 109 points across 79 contests in a career year last season. However, his 5.3% shooting rate is well below half of his 12.6% career mark. He is going to score more goals moving forward, plain and simple.
The cross-category production here is far too valuable for 37% rostership.
Blake Coleman (RW, LW – CGY) | 39% rostered
This one, to me, is also a head-scratcher.
Here’s a classic example of an undervalued player based on name value. Through 38 games, Coleman has tallied 15 goals, 29 points, 34 penalty minutes, 97 shots on goal and 43 hits. Oh, and he’s also a massive plus-17, good for a share of 11th league-wide.
That’s some hearty production at sub-40% rostership. He’s on pace to blow by his previous career high of 38 points set just last season while his 15 tallies also put him on cruise control for a career-best mark, even if his 15.5% shooting rate settles back toward his 9.9% career mark.
The one knock on the 32-year-old is he doesn’t see any power-play minutes. He has recorded only a single man-advantage point on the season. He’s skating with a couple of quality offensive players in Mikael Backlund and Andrew Mangiapane, a line that has clearly clicked as Coleman has popped in five goals alongside a pair of helpers across his last five contests.
Like Bennett, we’re seeing too much cross-category action here to ignore.
Martin Jones (G – TOR) | 14.9% rostered
Even if it’s for the short term, Jones is a very nice look between the pipes of a very good Toronto Maple Leafs team.
With Joseph Woll on inured reserve and unlikely to return before the end of the month and the mightily struggling Ilya Samsonov demoted to the minors, it is very much Jones’ net in Toronto and he has taken advantage.
He has struggled for some time now but sits with a tidy 2.20 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage across 10 games (eight starts). He also has a pair of shutouts in that time. Not too shabby for work a No. 3 that suddenly was thrust into the top spot on the goaltending totem pole.
This is his best work since the 2017-18 season when he posted a 2.55 GAA and .915 SV% with the San Jose Sharks. He has struggled each season since but has, so far, resurrected his career with the Leafs this season. As a result, he is at least a very nice short-term option between the pipes.
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