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Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Pickups & Advice: Week 17 (2025)

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Pickups & Advice: Week 17 (2025)

Another week of fantasy hockey is in the books. If you’re looking to bolster your roster with a few waiver wire pickups you’ve come to the right place. Below I’ve listed four players widely available in ESPN fantasy leagues I believe are on the verge of breaking out.

Here are my four favorite NHL fantasy waiver wire suggestions heading into the new week.

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NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Advice (Week 17)

(Rostership percentages courtesy of ESPN)

Nick Schmaltz (F – UTA) | 25.6% Rostered

Utah’s Dylan Guenther (lower-body) injury has forced other forwards to step up for the Hockey Club. The whole top-six has flourished since Guenther’s departure, but Nick Schmaltz is the player most worth a look. He has three goals and five assists in the six-game span since Guenther went down, racking up two shots on goal per game (SOG/G during the stretch).

Schmaltz is getting top-line minutes alongside Logan Cooley and Clayton Keller, as well as slotting in on Utah’s 13th-ranked power-play group (22.39%).

Pierre-Luc Dubois (F – WSH) | 24.4% Rostered

If you’re in a deeper league and simply need a forward who’s consistently producing points, Pierre-Luc Dubois may be your guy. Washington’s second line, which features Dubois at center and Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson on the wings, has been an underrated group this year.

Dubois has amassed 39 points (62nd in the NHL), which is third on Washington’s roster. His 29 assists (62nd) are second. He’s eighth in shots on goal (SOG) with 81, as well as averaging 0.8 hits and 0.7 blocked shots per contest. It’s not flashy with Dubois, but he’s a guy who’s going to bring his lunch pail on a nightly basis and help contribute.

Morgan Geekie (F – BOS) | 3.8% Rostered

I believe it’s time to put some stock in Boston’s Morgan Geekie, who is slotting in on the Bruins’ top line with Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak. Geekie’s on a tear right now, racking up eight points (five goals, three assists) in his last seven games. He’s played 17:38+ time on ice per game (TOI/G) in five of those contests, so it appears his workload is increasing as we inch closer to the end of the season.

Geekie’s up to 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) on the year. His 91 SOG are the fourth-most among his Boston teammates. He’s averaging 1.9 SOG/G with a solid 16.5% shooting rate. Boston’s offense isn’t great, but if they’re going to get any scoring contributions, they’ll likely come from the Geekie-Zacha-Pastrnak line. I like Geekie as a depth option in deeper leagues.

Darcy Kuemper (G – LAK) | 55.9% Rostered

Let’s round things out with a goalie suggestion. Los Angeles’ Darcy Kuemper continues to excel this season, as he enters the new week ranked 21st in wins (14-4-6), third in GAA (2.09), fourth in SV% (.922) and 11th in shutouts (two). In nine outings this month, the 34-year-old owns a 1.38 GAA and .948 SV%.

Los Angeles does well to protect its goaltenders, as they’ve faced the fewest shots on net (1,149) and fewest high-danger shots (117). Kuemper’s workload is increasing as he cements himself as Los Angeles’ top goalie, which makes me believe he’s worth a look as a longer-term option in net. 

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