TOP 10 FANTASY WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
The following players are in high demand in the Yahoo Fantasy Leagues.
STRIKER
Dominic CubanLW/RW, DET (20 percent deployed)
He has scored in four straight games for the Detroit Red Wings and has eight total points (three goals, five assists) during that period, including three straight multi-point games. Kubalik, who signed a two-year contract in Detroit on July 13, benefits from his formation in the top flight and the first power play with the prolific center Dylan Larkin and has four power play points and ten shots on goal in his last two games.
Nico HischierC, NJD (37 percent lined up)
A power-play assist for the New Jersey Devils in Saturday’s win against the San Jose Sharks put him on six points (two goals, four assists) and 11 shots on goal in a three-game winning streak. He is second among Devils forwards with the most average ice time (19:12) behind Center Jack Hughes (21:28) and posted the second-most tied scores (five) behind fellow winger Jasper Bratt (six).
Video: ANA@NJD: Hischier scores in the second third
Jake DeBruskLW/RW, BOS (42 percent lined up)
He has five points (two goals, three assists) in five games this season and is second in shots on goal for the Boston Bruins (25, including their nine in a game on Oct. 20) behind elite right wingers To David Pastr (37). DeBrusk skates in line with Boston’s number one center Patrice Bergeron (six points in six games) and winger Pavel Zacha (four in six games) and shouldn’t lose any of his energy once left winger Brad Marchand (hip surgery) recovers from injury.
Kevin HayesC, PHI (21 percent positioned)
He leads the Philadelphia Flyers in assists (seven) and points (eight in six games) and shares the most power play points (three). Hayes plays in the top row Travis Konecny (leads the Flyers by four goals) and Joel Farabi (three points against the Nashville Predators on Saturday) and also gets on the first power play with a defender Tony DeAngelo (five points in six games) under new coach John Tortorella.
Cole PerfettiC/RW, WPG (15 percent deployed)
The Winnipeg Jets rookie has a three-game points streak (one goal, three assists) and skates on the second row with valuable forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois and Blake Wheeler. He averages 16:09 minutes of ice time per game, including 2:07 especially in the second power play formation, and is considered a secret candidate for the Calder Trophy under new coach Rick Bowness.
Shane PintoC, OTT (8 percent lined up)
The Ottawa Senators forward ranks among the leaders among NHL rookies in goals (four, 1st), points (five in five games, tie 2nd) and shots on goal (12, tie 3rd). Even if Pinto runs into the third row with a tie, he will also be in the second power play with the top-class storm newcomers Alex DeBrincat and Claude Giroux used and already scored a power play goal this season. It is also worth noting that with Josh Norris a center sustained an undisclosed injury on Saturday.
Marcus JohanssonLW/RW, WSH (1 percent deployed)
He has a three-game points streak and has points in four of his last five games (two goals, three assists, including three power play points over that period). Johansson, who has one of the Capitals’ third most shots on goal (13 in six games), plays in the back row with center Dylan Strome and the right winger T.J. Oshie as well as during the absence of the injured attackers Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson also in the first power play with the elite left winger Alex Ovechkin.
Video: LAK@WSH: Johansson restores lead
Other forwards to watch out for: Nicholas RobertsonLW, TOR (24 percent positioned); Oliver WahlstromRW, NYI (12 percent)
DEFENDER
Calen AddisonMIN (27 percent positioned)
He leads the NHL rookies with six points (all assists) in five games and is the Minnesota Wild’s third-best player in power play points (four) behind forwards Mats Zuccarello (seven and Kirill Kaprizov (five). Addison along with Kaprizov, Zuccarello and another valuable attacker Matt Boldy on the first power play, makes him the best option for the injured defender Aaron Oakleaf by the Florida Panthers (lower body injury, on the long-term injured reserve list).
Arber XhekajMTL (12 percent lined up)
The undrafted defenseman had a multi-point game (one goal, one assist) for the Montreal Canadiens against the Dallas Stars on Saturday and is tied third in the NHL in checks (26 in six games) behind valuable forwards Evander Kane (28) from the Edmonton Oilers and Ovechkin (27). Xhekaj is a secret specialist who has quietly snuck into the top 75 of the standard fantasy leagues.
Other defenders to watch out for: Filip HronekDET (44 percent positioned); Brandon MontourFLA (26 percent); Sean DurziLAC (25 percent); Artem ZubOTT (2 percent)
GOALKEEPER
Eric ComrieBUF (23 percent set up)
He recorded back-to-back away wins at the Edmonton Oilers on October 18 and the Calgary Flames on October 20 with 46 and 40 saves, respectively. Comrie, who has a 93.0 percent save percentage in three games since signing a two-year contract with Buffalo on July 13, shares the stakes with veteran Craig Anderson (2-0-0, 97.0 percent save percentage), but he’s still worth betting on after the Sabers play the Seattle Kraken, Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks this week.
Other goalies to watch out for: MacKenzie Blackwood, NJD (17 percent lined up)