Each week during the 2022-23 regular season, NHL.com presents the top 10 players to add to your Fantasy Hockey roster. Visit NHL.com/Fantasy and subscribe to the free NHL Fantasy on Ice Podcast for more information.
TOP 10 FANTASY WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
The following players are in high demand in the Yahoo Fantasy Leagues.
STRIKER
Nick SchmaltzC/RW, ARI (19 percent lined up)
The Arizona Coyotes forward had a power play goal with four shots on target and 23:12 minutes of ice time against the Los Angeles Kings on Friday. Schmatz has points in seven of his last eight games (ten during that streak; is tied 14th in the NHL as of Dec. 9), including a five-game scoring streak. He leads the Coyotes in 5-a-side goals (1.28), and points per 60 minutes (2.81) this season and is a must-buy player in the fantasy leagues.
Jason ZuckerLW, PIT (20 percent deployed)
The Pittsburgh Penguins winger has one power play assist and 11 checks in the two games since returning from a lower body injury. Zucker is playing a bounce-back season with the second-best points-per-game average (.72; 21 in 29 games) of his NHL career (best .78 with the Minnesota Wild in 2017-18) and will be in the second row with the elite center Evgeni Malkin deployed. Zucker ranks in the top 100 (83rd) in the Standard Yahoo Fantasy Leagues over the Christmas break.
Michael RasmussenC/LW, DET (3 percent lined up)
The Detroit Red Wings forward finds himself in an elevated role as a top center, playing alongside elite forwards Dylan Larkin, who dodged onto the wing during a hand injury. Rasmussen had five points, a +4 plus-minus and six shots on goal in his last two games, including a four-point game (two goals, two assists) against the Tampa Bay Lightning on December 21. Rasmussen is averaging 18:43 minutes of ice time in his last two games (season average: 14:28), and the 1.97-meter-tall forward has dished out more than two checks per game (65 in 30 games) this season.
Jordan SteelC, CAR (13 percent lined up)
The Carolina Hurricanes captain had three assists in Friday’s win against the Philadelphia Flyers and extended his point streak to four games (seven points, 11 checks during that period) for ten points (six goals, four assists) in his last eleven games means. Staal ranks fourth for the Hurricanes in goals scored (10), despite playing third row most of the time, and leads the team in hits (78 in 34 games).
Kaapo KakoRW, NYR (5 percent lined up)
The New York Rangers winger is on a breakout streak with seven points (five goals, two assists) in his last eight games. Kakko, the second pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, is developing in the young Rangers second draft alongside Wing Alexis Lafreniere and centers Filip Chytil. Kakko is tied for fourth within the team in goals (nine in 35 games) and is one shot away from breaking his NHL record (ten goals in 66 games in the 2019-20 season).
Video: NYI@NYR: Kakko with the lead
Kent JohnsonLW/RW, CBJ (9 percent lined up)
The Columbus Blue Jackets rookie has risen to the number-one center after Boone Jenner injured (thumb surgery, missing around four weeks). Johnson plays with the elite wingers on equal counts and also on the first power play Johnny Gaudreau and Patrick Laine. Johnson has two goals in his last two games and ranks fourth among all NHL rookies in this category (eight goals).
Thomas Novak, C, NSH (placed in less than 1 percent)
The Nashville Predators forward has two power play points and six shots on goal in each of his three NHL games this season. He also plays the center in the top row and on the first power play with the valuable winger Filip Forsberg. Novak spent much of the season with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (26 points in 25 AHL games) but has a chance to reassert his role for the remainder of the season.
Other forwards to watch out for: Wyatt JohnstonDAL; Daniel Jump, SEA; Aatu Raty, NYI; Morgan FrostPHI
DEFENDER
Erik GustafssonWSH (26 percent positioned)
The Washington Capitals defenseman added an assist in Friday’s win against the Winnipeg Jets to extend his scoring streak to four games (seven points, 15 shots over that period). After this John Carlsonthe Capitals’ top defenseman, is out indefinitely (upper body injury), Gustafsson is worth considering, especially since he also made the first power play alongside the elite left winger Alex Ovechkin has moved up.
Cam YorkPHI (1 percent established)
The Philadelphia Flyers defenseman has five points in eight games, including four assists in his last four games. York have already picked up half their points from last season (ten points in 30 games) and are a revival for the Flyers, who have scored 16 goals in their last four games. He also gets ice time on the second power play where he uses the forwards Joel Farabi (three points in his last three games) and Owen Tippett (2nd top Flyers scorer with ten goals) plays together.
Other defenders to watch out for: Jaccob SlavinCAR; Adam BoqvistCBJ
GOALKEEPER
Ukko-Pekka LuukkonenBUF (7 percent raised)
The Buffalo Sabers rookie has back-to-back games and four wins from his last five games. He had a catch rate of 91.7 percent during this period. Including a 41 save win at the Vegas Golden Knights on December 19th. Luukkonen, who shared the stakes with his experienced teammate Craig Anderson should continue to benefit from the support of the highest-scoring offensive player in the NHL (3.94 goals per game).
Other goalies to watch out for: Pheonix CopleyLAK; Mackenzie Blackwood; NJD; Lukas got itANNA