Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire
There are six teams scheduled to play four games during Week 7 (Nov. 24 – Nov. 30) of the Fantasy Hockey season.
Week 6 saw us lose Pascal Dupuis for at least six months after he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung. Unfortunate injury for Dupuis and the Penguins, but an injury to a top-six player usually means a Fantasy boost for somebody else as you will see below.
Jay Bouwmeester saw his 737 consecutive game streak snap on Sunday due to a lower-body injury. He isn’t really Fantasy relevant, but it was the longest streak in pro sports. Mike Green left Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day. Joffrey Lupul (hand) is expected to return this week and Patrick Sharp (lower-body) is also close to returning. Pavel Datsyuk has been bothered by a groin injury all season long and missed Week 6, he could also miss Week 7. Semyon Varlamov is also day-to-day with a groin injury. I still really like Jake Allen.
Chris Meaney sat down with Dave Pitman to discuss a few players who are owned in fewer than 50 percent of Y! and ESPN leagues and are scheduled to play four games during Week 7 of the Fantasy Hockey season. Below are the teams that play four games and a player worth owning on each team.
Teams with four games this week.
Detroit Red Wings
vs OTT, vs PHI, @ NJ, vs VAN
Tomas Tatar – LW – Y! 26% / ESPN 28%
Tatar is on quite a roll with goals (four) in three straight games and eight of his nine on the year have come over his last 11 games. He’s been all over the net too with 21 shots over his last six games.
Minnesota Wild
@ FLA, vs, LA, @ DAL, vs STL
Jared Spurgeon – D – Y! 19% / ESPN 42%
Spurgeon is your guy if you’re looking for real-time stats. He’s only played 14 games this season and is ranked 10th in the NHL in blocked shots with 49. For those who struggle with quick math (me) that’s 3.5 blocks a game. He has three goals (one on the PP) and eight points to go along with a +10 rating on the season. Although plus/minus is hard to predict, his D-partner is Ryan Suter and he is fantastic in his own end. That duo won’t be on the ice for too many goals against.
New York Islanders
vs PHI, vs WSH, @ WSH, vs NJ
Ryan Strome – C/RW Y! 18% / ESPN 24%
Strome has been all over the score sheet of late with four goals and eight points over his last eight games. He only has one power play point, but at least he is getting PP time. He also has at least a shot on goal in his last 11 games, plus he will get you a few faceoffs wins which gives him an extra boost if you have that category in your Fantasy Hockey league.
Ottawa Senators
@ DET, @ STL, @ FLA, @ TB
Aside from Erik Karlsson, Bobby Ryan, Kyle Turris and Clarke MacArthur, there isn’t a whole lotta Ottawa you want. Mike Hoffman had a streak of five goals in five games, but his run seems to be over.
Philadelphia Flyers
@ NYI, @ DET, vs NYR, @ NYR
Brayden Schenn – C/LW Y! 44% / ESPN 54%
Brayden Schenn is playing on a line with Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek making him a must own in Fantasy Hockey leagues and a must play in daily formats. (Getty Images)
Schenn is skating alongside Claude Giroux and NHL points leader Jakub Voracek. No surprise Schenn is producing as the 23-year-old has 12 points over his last 12 games and 15 on the year to go along with a +7 rating. He also has 31 hits and shots in nine straight games, including 12 over his last four. He also has two power play points over his last five games. His ownership has jumped considerably over the past two weeks. Hopefully you didn’t miss out.
Pittsburgh Penguins
@ BOS, vs TOR, vs CAR, @ CAR
Nick Spaling – C/LW Y! 1% / ESPN 0%
If Spaling isn’t available in your leagues, I’m not sure what to tell ya! I probably make up most of his one percent ownership in Yahoo! leagues. He’s been skating on the Pens’ second line with Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist. That right there is the exact reason you have seen him pop up in the box score over the past week or so. Three of his seven points have come over his last four games. There’s no question Spaling will remain in a top-six role with the recent injury to Dupuis. Spaling is a great play in daily leagues and worth a stream for Week 7 of the Fantasy Hockey season. You may even end up keeping him for more than a week.
Other players to consider
Cody Eakin – C – Y! 2% / ESPN 0%
Eakin is playing alongside Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn and is putting up points. Heck, I could probably put up a point or two playing with those guys. Eakin has a three game point streak while playing on the Stars’ top unit; Two goals, three assists and eight shots on net over those three games. One of his goals was a shorthanded marker. A fantastic play in daily leagues.
Patrick Maroon – LW – Y! 3% / ESPN 2 %
Maroon has cooled off, but I still think he should be owned in 12-team leagues. Maroon has two points over his last four games heading into Sunday and he continues to play on a line with Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf.
Maroon has not cooled off! He picked up a goal and an assist Sunday night against the Coyotes, but he was playing alongside Ryan Kesler and Kyle Palmieri. He finished with a +2 rating. I don’t like him as much, but worth keeping an eye on. He may get moved back up on the top line.
Trevor Lewis – C – Y! 0% / ESPN 0%
I’m not telling you to go and grab Lewis right now, but he’s certainly worth your attention, especially in daily formats. Lewis has spent the past couple games on a line with Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik. He has a goal over his last two games and 13 shots over his last four. He loves to throw the body too with 26 hits over his last 11 games.
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