Another week of fantasy hockey is in the books. If your team needs a bump in scoring production moving forward, you’ve come to the right place. Below I’ve listed five players who have shown promise and could be worth a shot on the waiver wire.
NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Advice (Week 8)
(Rostership percentages courtesy of ESPN)
Robert Thomas (F – STL) | 57.1% Rostered
Not every day you can find a first-line centerman on the waiver wire. I just snagged St. Louis’ Robert Thomas in my personal league while researching for this article. The sole reason Thomas is so widely available is that he just missed roughly a month with an ankle injury.
Thomas has been back with the Blues for three games, and he’s registered an assist in each contest. He’s up to nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 10 games played, making him nearly a point-per-game guy. Dare I say more? The centerman truly is the engine of this St. Louis offense.
While this engine may not be humming like others around the league, Thomas being back in the lineup should give the Blues a huge boost. He also slots in on the top power-play unit, which gives us some easy chances to pick up points.
Anthony Cirelli (F – TB) | 48.4% Rostered
Another big-name guy who’s available in roughly half of ESPN’s leagues is Tampa Bay centerman Anthony Cirelli. The second-line center is on an absolute tear right now, scoring eight points (six goals, two assists) in his last five games.
This heater brings him to 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) on the year, 28th-most in the NHL. Cirelli offers a long-term solution at forward if you need a bump in production.
Valeri Nichushkin (F – COL) | 43.1% Rostered
The Avalanche are getting healthy, and it’s showing up in their record, as they’ve logged a 6-1-0 mark over their last seven games. Valeri Nichushkin is one of Colorado’s elite forwards who just returned following a suspension.
Big Val got off to a slow start, going pointless in his first three games back. However, in Saturday’s 7-4 rout of the reigning champion Panthers, the winger logged three points (one goal, two assists). If you’re in a league where Nichushkin is available, pick him up.
In Nichuskin’s four games back, the Avs are scoring 3.5 goals per game. He is an integral part of their offense, which can be exemplified by the fact that he went for 53 points (28 goals, 25 assists) in just 54 games last year.
Samuel Girard (D – COL) | 14.4% Rostered
Keeping it with the high-flying Avalanche, Samuel Girard could make a solid addition to a fantasy defensive core. The veteran defenseman has 10 points (one goal, nine assists) through 20 games this season, which isn’t too shabby.
However, Girard also makes fantasy contributions with his shot-blocking ability. He’s 31st in the NHL in blocked shots (40), averaging 2.0 blocked shots per game (38th). Between stepping in front of pucks and picking up points by simply being on the ice with Colorado’s dynamic forwards, Girard’s worth a flier.
Jonathan Quick (G – NYR) | 28% Rostered
New York’s Jonathan Quick is 100% a streaming option if you need a quick solution in the crease. The veteran has played in just six of the Rangers’ 20 games this year (30%), so I probably wouldn’t suggest using a permanent roster spot with him.
However, Quick has been exceptional this season, going 4-1-0 with a 1.85 GAA (first) and .943 SV% (first). When he’s in there, he’s dominating. Now, yes, I’m aware Quickie just got lit up for six goals against the Oilers on Saturday night, but this is where common sense comes in.
I wouldn’t suggest streaming any goalie against Edmonton’s upper-echelon offense. Be wise and check the starting goalies each day, and you should be able to find favorable matchups you can exploit to help you crush your fantasy opponents.