Monday, November 28, 2016

Fantasy waiver wire: PIMs specialists to consider

via NHL.com.

Some fantasy owners are fine having penalty minutes in their league, and others are adamantly against it. If PIMs are something you must endure throughout a season, it's important not to ignore the category when considering who to pick up off the waiver wire. If you can find a player to give you a boost in PIMs as well as chipping in a few points here and there, all the better for you against the opposition.

Andrew Shaw (C/RW, 25 percent owned) of the Montreal Canadiens has been an asset in deeper formats. The agitating forward has dual eligibility and has scored a goal every three games since Nov. 12, when he had a goal and two assists in a 5-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings. Shaw ranks fifth in the NHL with 41 PIMs through 22 games this season. He ranks among the top 50 in PIMs (341; 15 major penalties) since entering the League in 2011-12, and has done a nice job providing shots on goal (42) and plus/minus (plus-8) coverage this season. Shaw, ranked 70th in Yahoo's performance-based rankings, sees time on the power play (2:13 per game; one power-play point) for Montreal and has scored at least 14 goals in each of the past three seasons. Don't be surprised if more pucks start going into the net for him. 

It could be a fluke, but Matt Martin (LW, 11 percent owned) of the Toronto Maple Leafs has scored goals in back-to-back games despite limited ice time. Used primarily to protect Toronto's young talent, Martin is coming off an NHL career-high 19 points with the New York Islanders last season. He's ahead of Shaw in terms of PIMs, ranking third in the League with 46 in 21 games. 

If you're targeting a defenseman as a PIMs specialist, Josh Manson (4 percent owned) of the Anaheim Ducks has been a steady contributor despite his offensive deficiencies. He's failed to get any PIMs in his past three games, but before that he had 25 in a five-game stretch from Nov. 10 to Nov. 20. Manson isn't as appealing as some of the other options on the wire, but PIMs are a necessary evil and the Ducks defenseman chips in assists every so often.

WAIVER WIRE WATCH

Sam Reinhart, C/RW, BUF (25 percent owned)

Reinhart hasn't exactly set the League on fire in his second season, but the eventual return of center Jack Eichel to the Buffalo Sabres lineup could have a trickledown effect throughout the roster. If Eichel returns and coach Dan Byslma decides to put Reinhart on his wing again, that could boost the latter's offensive numbers. Reinhart has a respectable 10 points (four goals, six assists) with five PPP and 53 SOG in 21 games. If you have room to stash Reinhart in hopes that Eichel brings some life into the Sabres lineup, go for it. Evander Kane (LW, 21 percent) and Matt Moulson (LW, 10 percent) are two other Sabres forwards that could potentially benefit from Eichel's return as well.

Jarome Iginla, RW, COL (22 percent owned) 

Sticking with the PIMs theme, Iginla is tied for 16th in the League with 31 PIMs for the Colorado Avalanche. With five points through 20 games, he's on pace to finish with his lowest point total in a full season since 1997-98 (32 in 70 games with the Calgary Flames). That said, he has experienced some bad luck that should turn around soon; he has three goals on 42 shots (7.1 percent). Iginla has been productive in his past four games with a goal, an assist and a plus-5 rating with four PIM and 13 SOG. If you're willing to be patient, Iginla could pay off for your team down the road, especially with the possibility he could be traded in his contract year.

Trevor Daley, D, PIT (12 percent owned)

Daley is another veteran who should start to produce at a higher rate, closer to what he's accustomed to in his NHL career. The 33-year-old had 22 points in 53 games after being acquired by the Penguins in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 14. Daley added six points in 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games before breaking his ankle. He's second in ice time per game (21:12) on the Penguins behind Kris Letang (26:05) and gets time on the second PP unit (1:33 per game; two PPP). Once Pittsburgh's forward group gets fully healthy, Daley will likely see more assists and PPP.

Travis Zajac, C, NJD (12 percent owned)

If anyone deserves comeback player of the year through the first quarter of the season, it's Zajac. The 31-year-old center has 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 21 games and is on pace for his highest point total since 2009-10 (NHL career-high 67). The return of left wing Michael Cammalleri (48 percent owned) has been particularly helpful for Zajac, who has a goal and four assists in his past three games. Another good sign is Zajac is putting up points mostly at even strength after getting 17 of his 42 points last season with the man advantage. The New Jersey Devils offense is starting to turn things around (T-19th in NHL with 2.43 goals per game) and Zajac has been the catalyst.

Jonathan Bernier, G, ANA (12 percent owned)

Ducks coach Randy Carlyle has become hesitant to go with struggling young goaltender John Gibson, and Bernier has taken advantage of the opportunities. The two goalies are essentially in a time share and Bernier is proving he may deserve the bulk of the starts. He's 4-1-1 with a 2.02 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in nine games; Gibson is 6-7-3 with a 2.62 GAA and .906 SV% in 16 games. Bernier hasn't allowed more than three goals in a game all season, which isn't surprising considering the Ducks are a strong defensive team. Anaheim has a road back-to-back set coming up this weekend, Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers and Sunday against the Calgary Flames -- each being a winnable game. Bernier has plenty of short- and long-term fantasy value in standard and deep formats.

Others to consider: Mikko Koivu, C, MIN (17 percent); Matthew Tkachuk, LW, CGY (14 percent); Bo Horvat, C, VAN (10 percent); Jonas Brodin, D, MIN (9 percent); Martin Hanzal, C, ARI (6 percent)

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Fantasy picks: Brassard could shine vs. former team

via NHL.com.

Each day this season, NHL.com's fantasy staff will provide daily picks for DraftKings NHL contests. This list of targets includes expensive and value options at each position to help you build a winning roster.

NOTE: These picks are for four-game Sunday contests, excluding the 1 p.m. ET game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins game and the 1 p.m. ET game between the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets.

C - Derick Brassard, OTT ($5,300)

Brassard has been a fantasy bust this season with three goals and nine points in 20 games for the Ottawa Senators, but he had two goals and three points in two games prior to Saturday. Brassard spent the past four seasons with the New York Rangers, and led them in goals last season, and will play at Madison Square Garden for the first time since he was traded in June. It's a rink he's obviously familiar with, and you can bet he'll be motivated to show the Rangers what they're missing.

C - Kevin Hayes, NYR ($5,700)

Hayes, who will get to face former teammate Brassard, is having a much better season thus far. He leads the Rangers with 19 points and is second with 10 goals. You'd like to see more usage on the power play (12th on the Rangers in power-play ice time per game, one point) but that's about the only frustrating thing with his game. Hayes is averaging 3.5 DraftKings points per contest, tied for second even though he's tied for eighth among centers in price. And we all know the rate at which the Rangers offense has been producing this season.

W - Elias Lindholm, CAR ($4,400)

The Carolina Hurricanes wing had a goal and two SOG in a 2-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. He had two goals and seven points in 19 games prior to Saturday, but two goals and six points have come in his past 10 games. Lindholm is averaging 2.5 DraftKings points per contest and is on a four-game point streak. Playing on a line with Victor Rask and Teuvo Teravainen has benefitted Lindholm, and he's a cheap option against the Florida Panthers.

Each day this season, NHL.com's fantasy staff will provide daily picks for DraftKings NHL contests. This list of targets includes expensive and value options at each position to help you build a winning roster.

NOTE: These picks are for four-game Sunday contests, excluding the 1 p.m. ET game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins game and the 1 p.m. ET game between the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets.

C - Derick Brassard, OTT ($5,300)

Brassard has been a fantasy bust this season with three goals and nine points in 20 games for the Ottawa Senators, but he had two goals and three points in two games prior to Saturday. Brassard spent the past four seasons with the New York Rangers, and led them in goals last season, and will play at Madison Square Garden for the first time since he was traded in June. It's a rink he's obviously familiar with, and you can bet he'll be motivated to show the Rangers what they're missing.

C - Kevin Hayes, NYR ($5,700)

Hayes, who will get to face former teammate Brassard, is having a much better season thus far. He leads the Rangers with 19 points and is second with 10 goals. You'd like to see more usage on the power play (12th on the Rangers in power-play ice time per game, one point) but that's about the only frustrating thing with his game. Hayes is averaging 3.5 DraftKings points per contest, tied for second even though he's tied for eighth among centers in price. And we all know the rate at which the Rangers offense has been producing this season.

W - Elias Lindholm, CAR ($4,400)

The Carolina Hurricanes wing had a goal and two SOG in a 2-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. He had two goals and seven points in 19 games prior to Saturday, but two goals and six points have come in his past 10 games. Lindholm is averaging 2.5 DraftKings points per contest and is on a four-game point streak. Playing on a line with Victor Rask and Teuvo Teravainen has benefitted Lindholm, and he's a cheap option against the Florida Panthers.

G - Anthony Stolarz, PHI ($7,500)

The Philadelphia Flyers prospect will make his long-awaited NHL debut. Stolarz was recalled from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League several times last season but never appeared in a game. Now he gets his chance with Michal Neuvirth injured and starter Steve Mason taking a breather. The 22-year-old was 6-2-0 with a 2.39 GAA and .927 SV% in the AHL and is worth a play at this price against the Calgary Flames.

Friday, November 25, 2016

Fantasy awards at one-quarter mark

via NHL.com.

We've reached the one-quarter mark of the 2016-17 NHL season, and there has been no shortage of fantasy surprises -- for better or worse.

Now is an opportune time to identify the most valuable standard-league assets at each position, including top rookie, biggest surprise, and more. Standard Yahoo leagues include goals, assists, plus/minus. penalty minutes, power-play points and shots on goal for skaters, and wins, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts for goalies.

NOTE : These selections are based solely on fantasy performance to date, not on expectations for the rest of the season. In certain cases, Yahoo average draft position has been taken into account.

Most Valuable: Connor McDavid (EDM)

Honorable mentions: Carey Price and Shea Weber (MTL), Nikita Kucherov (TBL)

Top Center: Connor McDavid (EDM) 

McDavid has outperformed his lofty average draft position (5.0) and has been the most valuable fantasy asset in the League. He leads the NHL in scoring with 27 points in 21 games entering Friday, and has provided outstanding coverage of plus/minus (plus-6), PPP (seven) and SOG (58). Despite plenty of different linemates, McDavid's productivity has not wavered. He has the much-improved Edmonton Oilers atop the Pacific Division.

Honorable mentions: Sidney Crosby (PIT), Mark Scheifele (WPG)

Top Left Wing: Artemi Panarin (CHI)

It's been a disappointing season for left wings with slow starts for Alex Ovechkin (who's now back to normal), Jamie Benn and Johnny Gaudreau (prior to injury), but Panarin has proved to be no fluke for the Chicago Blackhawks. Despite not seeing nearly as much time alongside Patrick Kane as he did last season, Panarin has avoided the sophomore slump. He's the only left wing with at least 15 points (19), a plus-10 (plus-11) rating and 50 SOG (56). The scary part is Panarin's power-play production (four) still has plenty of room for improvement; he had 24 PPP in 80 games as a rookie.

Honorable mentions: Alex Ovechkin (WSH), Brad Marchand (BOS)

Top Right Wing: Nikita Kucherov (TBL)

Kucherov and Scheifele are the only two players with at least 10 goals and 10 assists entering Friday. Despite concerns after Kucherov was a restricted free agent and didn't sign until just before the season began, he leads the NHL in road points (17 in 11 games). Even after linemate Steven Stamkos went down with a long-term injury, Kucherov has reaffirmed his elite status with four goals, two assists, a plus-5 rating and 15 SOG in his past five games.

Honorable mentions: Patrick Kane (CHI), Vladimir Tarasenko (STL)

Top Defenseman: Shea Weber (MTL) 

The Weber-for-P.K. Subban trade was arguably the biggest fantasy talking point of the offseason, but the aftermath has taken a surprising twist. Subban has been a top 10 fantasy defenseman with the Nashville Predators, but the older Weber has emphatically reminded fantasy owners that he's still in peak form for the League-leading Montreal Canadiens. He's tied for the NHL lead in power-play points (10), has the second-best rating (plus-17) behind Michael Grabner (plus-19) of the New York Rangers, and has the most goals (eight) among D-men.

Honorable mentions: Brent Burns (SJS), Zach Werenski (CBJ)

Top Goalie: Carey Price (MTL) 

Speaking of the Canadiens, Price has them atop the NHL standings by Thanksgiving for the second straight year. He was 10-2-0 prior to sustaining a season-ending injury last November, and has returned to his prior form with a 12-1-1 record, a 1.71 GAA, .945 SV% and two SO. He has the second-best even-strength SV% (.957) among goalies with at least 10 games played, trailing only Devan Dubnyk (.959), but has four more wins than the Minnesota Wild goalie in one fewer game.

Honorable mentions: Devan Dubnyk (MIN), Tuukka Rask (BOS)

Biggest Bounce-back: Sergei Bobrovsky (CBJ)

Few expected Bobrovsky and the Columbus Blue Jackets to play as well as they have, especially being in the tough Metropolitan Division. He was available late in fantasy drafts (ADP: 133.4), but is currently a top-five goalie in standard leagues. Bobrovsky is on pace to shatter his career high in wins (32 in 2013-14) and challenge the peripherals of his Vezina Trophy-winning season in 2012-13 (2.00 GAA, .932 SV%, four SO); he is 10-5-1 with a 2.18 GAA, .929 SV% and three SO in 16 games.

Honorable mentions: Jakub Voracek (PHI), Ryan Kesler (ANA), Marian Hossa (CHI), Nick Foligno (CBJ)

Biggest Steal: Alex Galchenyuk (MTL; ADP: 133.8)

Galchenyuk has gone from a preseason breakout candidate to 10th overall in Yahoo's performance-based rankings. He has found his groove alongside another huge steal in Alexander Radulov, and is sixth in the NHL in scoring with 21 points in 21 games. He is plus-10 and on pace for a career high in power-play points (seven so far; career high: 16 in 2015-16).

Honorable mentions: J.T. Miller (NYR; 153.3), David Pastrnak (BOS; 169.0), Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL; 170.7)

Top Rookie: Patrik Laine (WPG)

The NHL's youth movement is in full effect this season, and Laine is tied for second in the League in goals (12, five on the power play), behind Sidney Crosby (14) of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Winnipeg Jets' offense became dangerous after coach Paul Maurice put Laine and Scheifele on the same line early and often, and Laine is leading a strong rookie class in scoring with 18 points in 22 games. Maybe the strongest honorable mention of any category goes to Blue Jackets rookie defenseman Zach Werenski, who's covering five of the six standard categories and is the fourth most valuable fantasy defenseman.

Honorable mentions: Zach Werenski (CBJ), Auston Matthews (TOR), Mitchell Marner (TOR)

Biggest Surprise: Jonathan Marchessault (FLA)

Not many could have envisioned Marchessault standing among the top 40 fantasy assets this deep into the season. He has nine goals, seven assists, five PPP, a plus-3 rating and 55 SOG, ranking 39th among standard-league assets. Marchessault has been a fixture among the Florida Panthers' top-six forwards and on their first power-play unit, helping the team overcome the long-term injury to Jonathan Huberdeau. There could be some regression over time, but fantasy owners who added Marchessault off the waiver wire have gotten enormous bang for their buck in terms of production and/or sell-high value. An honorable mention is Grabner, who is among the League's best in two of the six standard offensive categories.

Honorable mentions: Artem Anisimov (CHI), Michael Grabner (NYR), Alexander Wennberg (CBJ)

Biggest Disappointment: Brian Elliott (CGY; ADP: 71.3) 

Elliott, who led the NHL in SV% (.930, minimum 15 games) last season with the St. Louis Blues, has already lost the starting job to Chad Johnson at the one-quarter mark of the season. It's been a shocking fall from grace for Elliott, who was traded to the Calgary Flames on Jun. 24 and was expected to boost one of the worst back ends in the League (3.13 goals per game in 2015-16, last in NHL). Among the 34 goalies to play at least 10 games as of Friday, Elliott is tied for the fewest wins (three) and has the worst GAA (3.42) and SV% (.882).

Honorable mentions: Evgeny Kuznetsov (WSH; 20.4), Patrice Bergeron (BOS; 35.9), Andrew Ladd (NYI; 86.6)

Fantasy picks: Sharks in good spot at home

Each day this season, NHL.com's fantasy staff will provide daily picks for DraftKings NHL contests. This list of targets includes expensive and value options at each position to help you build a winning roster.

C - Connor McDavid, EDM ($8,500)

McDavid is a straight chalk play Friday against the Arizona Coyotes, who are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. The young center has been unstoppable lately with four goals and four assists in his past three games. After working through some growing pains in his first season with the Edmonton Oilers, left wing Milan Lucic ($5,200) and McDavid have sparked some chemistry and make for an intriguing stack option for cash games.

C - Kevin Hayes, NYR ($5,300)

The New York Rangers have scored 28 goals in six games following a loss this season. Hayes is tied for first with J.T. Miller for the team lead with 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) and has been one of the best value plays in DraftKings (3.4 points per contest). The Philadelphia Flyers are allowing the sixth-most DraftKings points to opposing centers and the injury to Mika Zibanejad has given Hayes a promotion to the first line with Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello. The Rangers are a great team to stack considering they have the NHL's top offense and none of their forwards and defensemen cost more than $6,600.

W - Joe Pavelski, SJ ($7,300)

The San Jose Sharks captain has turned it on with a goal, three assists and 22 shots on goal during a four-game point streak. He has 19.5 DraftKings points combined in his past three games and gets a great matchup against the New York Islanders, who are allowing the second-most points to opposing right wings. Pavelski has been a point-per-game player at SAP Center (eight points in eight games) and the Sharks have scored a power-play goal in seven of eight at home. There also are similarly priced wings that have upside in Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks ($7,400) and Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars ($7,300).

W - Rickard Rakell, ANA ($6,400)

If you aren't willing to pay up for Perry, then Rakell makes sense considering he's riding a three-game goal streak. There's a chance Jonathan Toews won't play for the Chicago Blackhawks, which would give Rakell a much easier matchup, particularly on the power play. Rakell has been a point-per-game player at home with five goals and two assists in seven games (4.5 DraftKings points per contest). Among wings in Friday contests, Rakell ranks sixth in DraftKings points per game (4.3) despite being priced 19th.

D - Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI ($5,600)

Rarely will you see Ekman-Larsson this cheap in DraftKings, but that's what happens when you haven't scored a goal in 11 games. Ekman-Larsson has three assists in that span and hasn't had more than 3.5 DraftKings points in any of his past 10 games. This is a risky play, especially in cash games, but the Oilers are streaky and have allowed 13 goals in their past four road games. Ekman-Larsson is 13th in the League in ice time per game (24:38) and first in power-play ice time per game (4:18). He gets a ton of usage and could be a huge play in tournaments if he has a game he's accustomed to against Edmonton.

D - Julius Honka, DAL ($3,600)

Since being recalled from Texas of the American Hockey League to replace Johnny Oduya in the lineup, Honka has played well with an assist and 10 SOG in two games. He's skating on the top defense pair and top power-play unit for the Dallas Stars, whose offense has underperformed this season, but could have a strong game against the Canucks, who allowed five goals against Dallas on Nov. 13. Honka's price tag will only increase as he continues to produce, so employing him while he's not as established is key.

G - Martin Jones, SJ ($8,300)

Jones has allowed a goal, stopping 59 of 60 shots in back-to-back wins against the New Jersey Devils on Monday and Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. He has been stellar at home this season, going 6-2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .940 save percentage in eight starts. The Islanders have scored two or fewer goals in each of their past six games (1-3-2) and have scored at least three goals in one of seven road games. Backup Aaron Dell ($8,000) would also be a great play; he was in net for a 3-2 win against the Islanders at Barclays Center on Oct. 18.

G - Chad Johnson, CGY ($7,300)

Johnson has, for now, taken over the starting job for Brian Elliott, who has struggled this season. The once backup has started five of the past six games for the Calgary Flames. Johnson is 4-1-0 and has allowed six goals with two shutouts in his past five games. The Boston Bruins will be playing their third game in four days and Johnson has been impressive on the road (4-1-1, 1.48 GAA, .945 SV%). Proceed with caution should the Flames opt to go back to Elliott ($7,300), but perhaps the start against a depleted Boston team will bring out the best in his game.

- NHL Fantasy Hockey (NHL.com)

Fantasy projected goalie starters

Projected goalie starters are based on reporting of NHL.com staff and correspondents at morning skates, team announcements and media reports. While last-minute lineup changes are possible, these projections provide fantasy owners with the most up-to-date information available.

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RANGERS: Henrik Lundqvist
FLYERS: Steve Mason

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BLACKHAWKS: Corey Crawford
DUCKS: TBD

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ISLANDERS: Thomas Greiss
SHARKS: Aaron Dell

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PENGUINS: Marc-Andre Fleury
WILD: TBD

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SABRES: Anders Nilsson
CAPITALS: Philipp Grubauer

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JETS: Connor Hellebuyck
PREDATORS: Pekka Rinne

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FLAMES: Chad Johnson
BRUINS: TBD

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BLUE JACKETS: Sergei Bobrovsky
LIGHTNING: Ben Bishop

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RED WINGS: Jimmy Howard
DEVILS: Cory Schneider

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CANUCKS: Ryan Miller
STARS: Antti Niemi

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OILERS: TBD
COYOTES: Mike Smith

- NHL Fantasy Hockey (NHL.com)

Monday, November 21, 2016

Fantasy waiver wire: Goaltenders surprising

by Ben Zweiman / NHL.com Staff Writer

This season, we've seen plenty of goalies off to surprising starts. One of the most notable resurgences so far has been Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward (33 percent owned in Yahoo leagues), who extended his winning streak to four games after a 3-1 victory against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.

Ward, 32, is 6-4-3 with a 2.36 goals-against average and .916 save percentage in 13 starts. After going 1-3-1 and allowing 18 goals in five starts in October, Ward is 4-1-2 with a .941 SV% and has allowed two or fewer goals in six of seven starts in November. The veteran has started eight of the Hurricanes' past 10 games, and with backup Eddie Lack struggling (1-2-1, 3.78 GAA, .856 SV%), Ward likely will start 50-plus games for the third consecutive season.

The Calgary Flames traded for Brian Elliott during the offseason in hopes he could be the missing piece of the puzzle that gets them back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Instead, Elliott has been the furthest thing from that, going 3-8-0 with a 3.36 GAA and .882 SV% in his first 11 starts. As a result, Chad Johnson (14 percent owned) has started four straight for Calgary. He's 3-1-0 and has allowed six goals in that span and it would appear he's overtaken Elliott for the starting job. Elliott, who led the NHL in save percentage (.930) with the St. Louis Blues last season, could easily bounce back, but he'll need to regain the confidence of coach Glen Gulutzan. Until that happens, expect Johnson to get the majority of the starts.

Many had pegged Arizona Coyotes goalie Mike Smith (38 percent owned) as a potential sleeper, but a lower-body injury early in the season derailed those hopes temporarily. Smith returned on Nov. 16 against the Flames, allowing two goals on 24 shots in a 2-1 overtime loss. But on Saturday, the veteran made 43 saves in a 3-2 overtime win against the San Jose Sharks. Smith should see the bulk of the starts for Arizona moving forward and is worth adding in almost all formats.

WAIVER WIRE WATCH

Teuvo Teravainen, LW/RW, CAR (17 percent owned)

Hurricanes coach Bill Peters has had a tough time finding where Teravainen fits into the lineup, but it's clear after last week that he belongs in the top six. Teravainen has three goals, four assists and is plus-5 with 16 shots on goal in his past five games. He skated at left wing on the second line with center Victor Rask and right wing Elias Lindholm on Sunday, playing 6:01 on the power play (18:13 of ice time). Teravainen is shooting the puck more, which clearly has given him some confidence and he should continue to rack up points with the Hurricanes playing well.

Vladislav Namestnikov, C/LW, TBL (14 percent owned)

It's impossible to replace Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, who is expected to miss four months after surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. But Namestnikov got a big promotion to centering the first line, playing with Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov. He had two assists, one after Stamkos left in a 4-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings last Tuesday, and also had an assist in 10:31 of ice time in a 3-0 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. Namestnikov is skating on the first power-play unit and already has five PPP this season. He's worth a look in deeper leagues.

Sam Gagner, C/RW, CBJ (7 percent owned)

You would think the leading goal scorer on the second-ranked offense in the NHL would be owned in more than six percent of leagues. Well, that's Gagner, who has been a key part of the Columbus Blue Jackets surge lately. He's tied with captain Nick Foligno with seven goals and has been extremely productive playing mostly in a bottom six role. Gagner, averaging 13:36 of ice time per game, is considered a power-play specialist, fourth on Columbus in PP ice time per game (2:26). The Blue Jackets power play is first in the NHL (31.8 percent) and as long as it keeps producing, so should Gagner. 

Nic Dowd, C, LAK (2 percent owned)

Another young player who has established himself via a key injury, Dowd has been centering the Los Angeles Kings second line with captain Anze Kopitar sidelined with an upper-body injury. Prior to a 3-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday, Dowd had a three-game point streak (three assists) and he's currently fifth on the Kings in points with 10 in 18 games. He's been working on the second PP unit and has a goal and two assists on the man-advantage. There's a chance Dowd will see his role diminish once Kopitar returns, but he's done enough to warrant consideration in deep formats and could even be a nice stash in a keeper league.

Julius Honka, D, DAL (1 percent owned)

The Dallas Stars recalled Honka and defenseman Esa Lindell from Texas of the American Hockey League on Sunday, and Honka is expected to make his NHL debut Monday against the Minnesota Wild in place of the injured Johnny Oduya. Dallas fans have been anticipating Honka's debut considering the Finnish defenseman is arguably their most promising prospect. He was sixth at his position with 44 points (11 goals, 33 assists) in the American Hockey League last season and had three goals and nine assists in 16 games before being recalled. Honka is a skilled offensive player, so there's a chance he gets a look on the power play. If he performs well enough in the absence of Oduya, Honka could force his way into the Stars' top four and would be an absolute steal off the wire.

Others to consider: Andrew Shaw, C/RW, MTL (18 percent); Jared Spurgeon, D, MIN (11 percent); Mike Fisher, C, NSH (10 percent); Elias Lindholm, C/RW, CAR (4 percent); Mikko Rantanen, RW, COL (4 percent)

Could Zibanejad's injury affect Rangers depth?

New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad broke his left fibula when he fell awkwardly into the end boards 41 seconds into overtime in the Rangers' 3-2 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers on Sunday.

Zibanejad will miss 6-8 weeks, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said.

Zibanejad actually scored in the second period of the game. He has 15 points in 19 games this season.

Vigneault also said that the team will not recall a forward from the AHL, so that means that Oscar Lindberg could see some playing time.

Lindberg had an amazing start to last season but wound up being a healthy scratch in most of the games later in the season. He may need to fill in a fourth line spot with a Rangers' lineup that should be shaken up from Zibanejad's injury.