The week ahead is only three days long due to the All-Star break. Once games conclude on Wednesday, they won’t resume until the following Monday. Most head-to-head leagues will combine the next two weeks as one matchup, giving you a total of 10 nights of action. Remember, “weekly moves” pertain to the matchup, so you will still have the same number of adds despite the two-week period. Here a look at some waiver wire adds for week 16.
Waiver Wire Adds
Forwards
Dylan Strome (9% owned in Yahoo leagues)
It’s no question that Dylan Strome has fallen off the fantasy hockey radar over the past year. He excelled when he arrived in Chicago from Arizona but has failed to find that form since. Strome struggled mightily at the beginning of this season, to the point where trade rumours were swirling. However, he’s recently found himself on a line with Patrick Kane and is producing. The 24-year-old has eight points over his last five games. The Blackhawks play twice over the next three days, avoiding the heavy night of Tuesday meaning he should get into your lineups. Give him a shot.
Brandon Hagel (3% owned in Yahoo leagues)
Like Strome, Brandon Hagel has had recent success on that top line. He has five goals and eight points over his last eight games. With Jonathan Toews in concussion protocol, Hagel has also found his way onto the Blackhawks top powerplay unit. He has potential for points over this short week and should be available in most leagues.
Robby Fabbri (8% owned in Yahoo leagues)
Robby Fabbri has been producing since his old Guelph Storm teammate Tyler Bertuzzi joined him on the second line. He has eight points in his last seven games. Not only is he next to Bertuzzi at even-strength, but he’s part of a strong powerplay unit with Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider and the aforementioned Tyler Bertuzzi. The Red Wings are at home for two games this week. They welcome the Anaheim Ducks on Monday and Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, making him one of the better waiver wire adds.
Kailer Yamamoto (5% owned in Yahoo leagues)
If you listened to Episode 75 of the FHB Podcast, you’d know how we feel about Kailer Yamamoto. Despite that, he’s playing on a line with Connor McDavid and the newly-signed Evander Kane. He was able to generate an assist in their first game as a line on Saturday night. Based on his current position in the lineup, he’s worth looking at given that the Oilers play on Monday and Wednesday this week.
Michael Bunting (17% owned in Yahoo Leagues)
Michael Bunting has hitched his wagon to one of the NHL’s best players in Auston Matthews. Anytime you have a fringe fantasy asset with a favorable schedule playing with an elite player (see Yamamoto above) it’s never a bad add. Bunting is fresh off his second-career hat-trick. He now has 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points in 40 games this season. He should be able to add to those totals with back-to-back games against Jon Gillies and Akira Schmid of the New Jersey Devils this week.
Defencemen
Rasmus Andersson (36% owned in Yahoo Leagues)
With the exception of a few games, Rasmus Andersson has been the go-to d-man on a stacked powerplay unit for the Calgary Flames. He’s accumulated 20 points this season, nine of which were with the man-advantage. Andersson also has four points in his last six games. With a two-game slate this week, he makes for a good as if you need help on the back-end.
Ryan Pulock (12% owned in Yahoo Leagues)
Ryan Pulock is gearing up for a return to the ice after sustaining a lower-body injury that’s kept him out since November 15th. The Islanders have back-to-back home games on Tuesday and Wednesday this coming week against two of the league’s worst teams – the Ottawa Senators and Seattle Kraken. The Islanders haven’t been world beaters in their own right, which is why Pulock is one of the more intriguing waiver wire adds. He may be deployed on the powerplay (ranked 25th in the league) to help spark it. At the very least, he will provide a decent floor of shots, hits and blocks to help your team in a light week of action.
Goalies
Dan Vladar (8% owned in Yahoo leagues)
The best managers are always looking for spot starts. Daniel Vladar on Wednesday night is a great one. Vladar came out of the gates hot this season as Jacob Markstrom’s understudy but as trailed off lately. He has three losses in a row, his last one being January 7th. Still, a game against the Arizona Coyotes shouldn’t be passed up. Both teams will meet after playing the night before. If there’s a bounce-back game coming, circle that one.
Petr Mrazek (46% owned in Yahoo leagues)
Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Sheldon Keefe has come out and said that they will use Petr Mrazek more moving forward because of the condensed schedule. He’s already started two of the last three games and is likely to get the second half of the upcoming home-and-home against the New Jersey Devils. The Maple Leafs are a far superior team to the Devils, making Mrazek a good option on a busy night of action around the NHL.
