Fantasy Hockey: Waiver Wire Targets 🎯 (02/10/22)
Below is a list of players under 50 percent owned in Yahoo! fantasy leagues that are designed to give you an advantage in a variety of league formats. These players have the ability to help you in both the short and long term.
Jeremy Swayman – BOS – G (39% Owned)
With Tuukka Rask announcing his retirement on Wednesday, Swayman will be back in a timeshare with Linus Ullmark (79% owned) in the Bruins’ crease. Swayman was called up by Boston and made his first start in over a month on Tuesday, losing 4-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Prior to being sent down to make room for Rask, Ullmark and Swayman had been splitting starts evenly. Both had started 16 games but Swayman was the odd man out due to contract implications, despite arguably having the better season to that point.
With Swayman being back in the picture and the Eastern Conference playoff race virtually being set already, there is no reason to believe that the duo won’t continue rotating starts as they did earlier in the season. The 40% ownership discrepancy between Ullmark and Swayman will not remain now that Rask is officially done. Don’t miss out on Swayman while he is still available.
Jakub Vrana – DET – LW (18% Owned)
Vrana has been skating at practice recently and could be cleared for contact soon. After being traded to the Red Wings at the deadline last season, Vrana excelled in a very small sample, scoring 11 points (8G / 3A) in 11 games.
The Red Wings are much improved this year thanks partly to having a healthy Tyler Bertuzzi in the lineup and the emergence of rookies Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider. Once healthy, Vrana should find himself playing regularly in the top-6 and top power-play unit and could make a big impact for the Red Wings and your fantasy team.
Luke Kunin – NSH – C/LW/RW (13% Owned)
If you are in a league that counts hits, Kunin is a player worth seriously considering. Going into action on Wednesday, Kunin had averaged 4.4 hits, 2.5 shots, and scored five goals over his last 10 games while regularly playing on the second line with Ryan Johansen.
For reference, a player like Jamie Benn (58% owned), who really only holds value in hits leagues now, is averaging two hits per game, 2.5 shots, and had only three points (2G / 1 A) over that same 10 game period while seeing virtually the same deployment as Kunin. If you are in a league where Benn holds any value, Kunin should most likely be rostered as well.
Matt Boldy – MIN – LW (25% Owned)
Boldy has now played 11 games this season while recording 10 points (4G / 6A) and has developed instant chemistry playing at even strength on a line with Kevin Fiala. The rookie has also been a regular fixture on the top powerplay unit and already has three powerplay points in his young career.
Boldy did not start the season with the Wild and has thus not received the same attention that talented rookies like Seider (85% owned), Raymond (55%), and Trevor Zegras (53%) have received. That being said, Boldy arguably finds himself in the best position to succeed of all rookies and is being given every opportunity to continue producing at his early-season pace.
Michael Bunting – TOR – LW (30% Owned)
Bunting was mentioned in our weekly streamers but his ability to help your fantasy team in the long-term needs to be reiterated. In his last 24 games, Bunting has picked up 21 points (9G / 12A) all while getting limited powerplay deployment. Bunting seems to have developed great chemistry at even-strength with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and should remain a fixture on that top line for the foreseeable future.
Gustav Nyquist – CLS – LW/RW (10% Owned)
Nyquist is worth a look in deeper leagues as he is currently playing on a very hot top line in Columbus with Boone Jenner and Patrik Laine. Laine has been known to be a streaky scorer in his career, and he is currently on a major hot streak with nine points (6G / 3A) in his last four games. In those same four games, Nyquist has six points (2G / 4A) and should be able to keep producing as long as Laine keeps creating offence.