Every Monday, we'll mine the waiver wire for lesser-rostered performers who have the potential to help fantasy teams in a variety of leagues. We'll also present several strong streaming candidates for the immediate week ahead.
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Forwards
Matvei Michkov, F, Philadelphia Flyers (1.6 FPPG, 49.4% available): The kid is on fire, with five goals and five assists on 28 shots in his past six contests. Competing in the top-six and on the No. 1 power play for a Flyers club that is still in playoff contention, Michkov is a special player who deserves greater fantasy respect across the ESPN Fantasy universe. Don't count him out of the Calder race yet either.
Valeri Nichushkin, F, Colorado Avalanche (1.9 FPPG, 51.2% available): Now that he's back in action, the Avalanche power forward's slow uptick in rostership since the start of February makes little sense. It took only one game for Nichushkin to get back to his dominant self, scoring a goal on five shots in Friday's win over the Wild. Grab this fantasy gem now before it's too late.
Adam Fantilli, F, Columbus Blue Jackets (1.7 FPPG, 64.9% available): Riding a four-game point streak, the second-year skater has seven goals and seven assists in his past 13 contests. Just as importantly, he remains fixed at center between Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov, even with Boone Jenner back in the lineup. On that note, also give Jenner a fantasy look. The veteran has seven(!) assists in four games since returning to a Jackets team that's scoring a lot these days.
Shane Wright, F, Seattle Kraken (1.5 FPPG, 90.7% available): We can no longer write off the center's recent productive run as a pleasant blip. Five goals and nine assists (plus-5) through 12 games is a large enough sample to consider signal and not noise. Wright is averaging 2.4 fantasy points/contest in ESPN standard leagues, comfortably leading his Kraken teammates in scoring over that 12-game span,
See also:
Leo Carlsson, F, Anaheim Ducks (1.2 FPPG, 66.5% available)
Defensemen
Alex Vlasic, D, Chicago Blackhawks (1.7 FPPG, 71.4% available): First to anchor the Blackhawks' top power play now that Seth Jones is in Florida, the young defenseman contributed an assist with the extra skater in Saturday's 6-3 victory over the Ducks. With 23 points already this season, Vlasic is worth a fantasy whirl in deeper fantasy leagues. Especially now.
Mason Lohrei, D, Boston Bruins (1.5 FPPG, 86.8% available): The skilled puck-moving sophomore has five points in five games, including a goal and two assists on the power play, since Charlie McAvoy suffered a shoulder injury and subsequent infection during the 4 Nations tournament. As it stands, Lohrei is expected to continue anchoring Boston's No. 1 power play while McAvoy remains out indefinitely.
Rasmus Ristolainen, D, Philadelphia Flyers (1.5 FPPG, 96.7% available): Ristolainen is making more of a convincing case for himself these days as rumors swirl about a possible trade. Quiet for too much of the season, the veteran blueliner has four points in his four most recent contests, including a power-play assist. He also fired seven shots on net in Winnipeg this past Saturday. Overwhelmingly available across the ESPN Fantasy spectrum, Ristolainen could prove useful as an injury sub in deep competition, whether he remains in Philadelphia or moves elsewhere, at least while he remains in this inspired groove.
Jake McCabe, D, Toronto Maple Leafs (1.7 FPPG, 89.8% available): Always good for a valuable number of blocked shots, McCabe is pitching in a little extra to the scoresheet these days. As such, the Maple Leafs blueliner merits a look in deeper leagues that reward both offensive and defensive categories.
See also:
Alexander Romanov, D, New York Islanders (2.2 FPPG, 41.5% available)
Thomas Chabot, D, Ottawa Senators (1.8 FPPG, 44.5% available)
Goaltenders
Karel Vejmelka robs Devils with save
Anthony Stolarz, G, Toronto Maple Leafs (3.8 FPPG, 39.9% available): After Joseph Woll's porous play in Sunday's 6-5 OT win in Pittsburgh, Stolarz could see a little more action down the stretch, beginning Monday against the visiting Sharks. The Maple Leafs' netminder has been great since returning from injury, cobbling together a 4-0 record (.925 SV%) while averaging 5.2 fantasy points/contest in ESPN standard leagues.
Karel Vejmelka, G, Utah Hockey Club (1.9 FPPG, 87.3% available): Before Saturday's 3-1 loss to New Jersey, the club's No. 1 had won four straight, allowing a total of only five goals. Utah is finally healthy top to bottom and in position to fight for the second Wild Cardand Vejmelka's solid play deserves a fair deal of credit for that recent run of success. Just know the HC compete in only two contests this week -- Detroit Thursday and the Blackhawks on Friday -- so delaying this particular acquisition for a few days might be more logical.
Short-term streamers
Teuvo Teravainen, F, Chicago Blackhawks (1.6 FPPG, 68.0% available): As discussed in our look at how to best hack the schedule this March, the veteran forward is zoned in at present, with a dozen points in eight games, capped off by a goal and two assists versus Anaheim on Saturday. The Blackhawks have business with L.A., Ottawa, Utah, and Nashville this week, with three of those contests falling on less-busy nights. Get what you can out of the streaky Teravainen before he cools off again.
Kyle Palmieri, F, New York Islanders (1.6 FPPG, 51.2% available): If he doesn't get dealt away from the Islanders, the veteran is set to face the Rangers, Jets, Sharks, and Ducks this week. If he is moved before Friday, the winger should be in place to compete for another squad over this weekend, which is also fine. On another one of his patented tears, Palmieri has five goals in his past six contests.
Warren Foegele, F, Los Angeles Kings (1.5 FPPG, 94.5% available): Skating with Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore on a second scoring line, the former Oiler has five goals and three assists in eight contests. The Kings battle the Blackhawks and Blues on two sparsely-scheduled evenings to start the week, before facing St. Louis again and Vegas over the weekend. If requiring a healthy, productive forward, think about adding Foegele onto your fantasy roster through that appealing stretch.
Washington Capitals: Enjoying a day off between each contest, the Capitals play the Senators, Rangers, Red Wings, and Kraken on the four most lightly-scheduled dates this week. As far as fantasy schedules go, such a staggered slate doesn't get much more attractive. As for appealing streaming options, target forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois and Aliaksei Protas, and goalie Logan Thompson -- who's due to rebound off a less-impressive run of late.