This article is part of our NHL Waiver Wire series.
Only three weeks remain in the regular season, so leaving no stone unturned is all the more important at this stage of the game.
It's an interesting time of year because a number of teams have their postseason seeding all but locked up, and ensuring their key players are healthy for the playoffs trumps all.
This currently appears to be particularly relevant for workhorse goaltenders, as Braden Holtby, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Ben Bishop (knee) and Frederik Andersen (upper body) are all either playing poorly or nursing injuries. Add Carey Price (concussion), Matt Murray (concussion), Corey Crawford (concussion), Brian Elliott (lower body) and Carter Hutton (neck) to the injured list, and there is a lot of uncertainty at the position.
Those chasing in the goaltending categories should be aggressive and try to pinpoint favorable matchups two or three days in advance to stay ahead of the competition. Additionally, owners who handcuffed their top goalies well in advance deserve a hat tip.
Here's the schedule for the next scoring period from March 19-25:
Four games: Coyotes, Bruins, Sabres, Blue Jackets, Oilers, Panthers, Kings, Canadiens, Predators, Penguins, Canucks
All other teams play three games
Remember to keep an eye on who is cut in your leagues because potential upgrades come in all forms. Also, note the players previously covered in this space listed below this week's recommendations.
Forwards
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM (Yahoo: 27%, ESPN: 50%, CBS: 57%): With three goals and two assists through six games since returning from a rib
Only three weeks remain in the regular season, so leaving no stone unturned is all the more important at this stage of the game.
It's an interesting time of year because a number of teams have their postseason seeding all but locked up, and ensuring their key players are healthy for the playoffs trumps all.
This currently appears to be particularly relevant for workhorse goaltenders, as Braden Holtby, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Ben Bishop (knee) and Frederik Andersen (upper body) are all either playing poorly or nursing injuries. Add Carey Price (concussion), Matt Murray (concussion), Corey Crawford (concussion), Brian Elliott (lower body) and Carter Hutton (neck) to the injured list, and there is a lot of uncertainty at the position.
Those chasing in the goaltending categories should be aggressive and try to pinpoint favorable matchups two or three days in advance to stay ahead of the competition. Additionally, owners who handcuffed their top goalies well in advance deserve a hat tip.
Here's the schedule for the next scoring period from March 19-25:
Four games: Coyotes, Bruins, Sabres, Blue Jackets, Oilers, Panthers, Kings, Canadiens, Predators, Penguins, Canucks
All other teams play three games
Remember to keep an eye on who is cut in your leagues because potential upgrades come in all forms. Also, note the players previously covered in this space listed below this week's recommendations.
Forwards
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM (Yahoo: 27%, ESPN: 50%, CBS: 57%): With three goals and two assists through six games since returning from a rib injury, Nugent-Hopkins's fantasy arrow is pointing up. His current assignment alongside Connor McDavid skyrockets him to top billing, and he should be added in all settings. Nugent-Hopkins might not last on McDavid's flank through the end of the year, but if the duo sticks, there's tremendous offensive upside.
J.T. Miller, TB (Yahoo: 51%, ESPN: 64%, CBS: 67%): Following Tuesday's hat trick, Miller now has five goals and four assists through seven games with the Bolts. He's also found himself skating alongside Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov in all situations, which is an ideal setup, as the duo has connected for an elite 5.91 goals per 60 minutes this season. Miller has fit in seamlessly so far, too.
Nick Bjugstad, FLA (Yahoo: 38%, ESPN: 44%, CBS: 38%): Still skating with Aleksander Barkov and Evgenii Dadonov atop the Florida depth chart, Bjugstad continues to score regularly. The Minnesota native has collected 18 points -- six goals -- through 19 games dating back to Feb. 1, and he's also helped in the peripheral categories with 63 shots, 23 PIM, 22 hits and a plus-8 rating during that stretch.
Derek Stepan, ARI (Yahoo: 30%, ESPN: 43%, CBS: 29%): While his fantasy ceiling is low, Stepan has provided serviceable numbers for a long stretch. The veteran has collected 20 points, 68 shots and a plus-6 rating through 28 games since the calendar flipped to 2018, and he's also locked in as the top offensive center for the Coyotes.
Charlie Coyle, MIN (Yahoo: 12%, ESPN: 24%, CBS: 26%): Things are beginning to turn around for Coyle, as he's collected nine points through his past 12 contests, including two goals and two assists during an active three-game point streak. His 34 shots during that stretch are another encouraging sign. The 26-year-old forward could be a solid contributor over the final weeks with positive regression ahead of his 2.12 points per 60 minutes after posting a 2.45 mark last season.
Mikkel Boedker, SAN (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 4%, CBS: 9%): The Dane has scored his way into a top-six role with six goals and seven assists through his past 14 games. Boedker has also seen his ice time climb to 15:13 per contest (1:53 on the power play) through his latest seven outings, and he's found the scoresheet in five of those games. While he's probably still best viewed as a low-floor, low-ceiling asset, Boedker is currently providing serviceable numbers for most settings.
Defensemen
Sami Vatanen, NJD (Yahoo: 44%, ESPN: 51%, CBS: %): While his ownership percentages continue to creep up, Vatanen remains available in far too many leagues. The 26-year-old Finn has collected two goals, 13 assists and 38 shots through his past 16 contests, and he's also solidified his role as the power-play quarterback on the No. 1 unit. Vatanen also tilts the scales in the hit and blocked shot columns.
Oscar Klefbom, EDM (Yahoo: 38%, ESPN: 38%, CBS: %): There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Swede's health, and it's likely he's been playing hurt for a prolonged stretch. Still, he's sandwiched a two-game absence with a three-game point streak consisting of two goals, two assists, 12 shots and six blocked shots. There's obvious risk, but Klefbom also offers a level of upside most waiver-wire options don't.
Erik Gustafsson, CHI (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 7%, CBS: 7%): With five points through his latest two games, Gustafsson is worth a look. He was promoted to the No. 1 power-play unit against Boston on Sunday, and with Chicago searching for answers, the 26-year-old defenseman could be given a long look in a meaningful role before his one-way contract kicks in next season.
Dylan DeMelo, SAN (Yahoo: 1%, ESPN: 2%, CBS: 3%): Piling up seven assists through six games has DeMelo on the fantasy radar, and especially considering his respectable offensive track record at the lower levels. However, he's recorded just four shots while logging only 14:56 of ice time with limited power-play looks during the six-game stretch, so DeMelo is likely still best left to deep formats.
Goaltenders
Philipp Grubauer, WAS (Yahoo: 41%, ESPN: 30%, CBS: 34%):Braden Holtby has only won one of his past eight starts and owns a disastrous .854 save percentage and 4.82 GAA during the skid. As a result, Grubauer has been receiving more starts, and he's allowed two goals or fewer in each of his past 10 outings (seven starts) for a 6-1-0 record, .951 save percentage and 1.40 GAA. Holtby might resume No. 1 duties at some point, but until then, Grubauer is a must-own netminder in all settings.
Kari Lehtonen, DAL (Yahoo: 25%, ESPN: 22%, CBS: 27%):Ben Bishop (lower body) is still out and without a firm return timeline, so Lehtonen projects to continue receiving the bulk of starts for the Stars. The Finn has struggled with a 1-3-2 record, .904 save percentage and 2.81 GAA with Bishop out, but Lehtonen should still be viewed as a serviceable matchup-based option. Dallas will right the ship in front of him sooner than later.
Curtis McElhinney, TOR (Yahoo: 17%, ESPN: 6%, CBS: 11%): A speculative grab after Frederik Andersen left Wednesday's win with an upper-body injury, McElhinney projects to handle the majority of work until the Dane is fully healthy. McElhinney has recorded an 8-4-1 record, .929 save percentage and 2.27 GAA with two shutouts in backup duty, so there's potential for him to hold down the fort for the immediate future.
Alexandar Georgiev, NYR (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 6%, CBS: 4%): With nothing to lose, the Rangers could continue to give Georgiev an opportunity to prove himself at the highest level. The 22-year-old Russian has won three consecutive starts and owns a .929 save percentage and 2.75 GAA through six appearances. It's a small sample size, but it wouldn't be surprising if Georgiev continued to help in the save-percentage column with the Rangers yielding the second most shots per game (38.0) since the All-Star break.
Peter Budaj, TAM (Yahoo: 3%, ESPN: 1%, CBS: 6%): There are goalie concerns in Tampa Bay with No. 1 Andre Vasilevskiy sporting an .874 save percentage through his past four outings and also speaking out about feeling fatigued. Budaj was activated off injured reserve Tuesday after missing approximately two months with a leg injury, so he'll probably be rusty. Still, the veteran should at least be a decent source of wins starting behind the best team in the Eastern Conference.
Players to consider from past columns: Matt Duchene, Kevin Fiala, Kyle Connor, Sam Reinhart, Tom Wilson, Zach Parise, Travis Konecny, Alexander Wennberg, Riley Nash, Timo Meier, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Anthony Mantha, Kevin Hayes, Zach Parise, Jeff Petry, Dion Phaneuf, Brandon Montour, Nikita Zadorov, Alexander Edler, Mike Reilly, Casey DeSmith, Juuse Saros, Tristan Jarry, Antti Niemi, Charlie Lindgren
