The NHL season is in full swing and that means so is fantasy hockey! It’s a long grind to get to the playoffs, and an even tougher challenge to win it all. Like every year, injuries are going to happen to key players, which means we need to be active on the waiver wire. The waiver wire can help you win a championship, so it’s important to add the right players at the right time. Let’s take a look at which players are worth looking adding for the upcoming week.

 

Corey Perry - Anaheim Ducks - Winger

After missing most of the 2018-19 season due to a knee injury, Corey Perry is back in the lineup and ready to help the Ducks win some hockey games. The veteran forward isn’t the player he once, but he can still be fantasy relevant for a team that needs some scoring. Perry is going to see top line minutes with Getzlaf and Rakell, and he’s expected to also see some time on the top power play unit. He’s only 45% owned on ESPN, so he’s available to add if you need some help up front.

Nick Bjugstad - Pittsburgh Penguins - Winger

After being traded from the Florida Panthers, Nick Bjugstad is hoping a new team will help reignite his career. What better place for him to do that than with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 26-year-old can play bother center and wing, so it will be interesting to see how Pittsburgh utilizes his talent. The former first round pick has only 13 points this season, but he’s moving from a mediocre offence in Florida to a power house scoring machine in Pittsburgh. At 16% owned on Yahoo!, Bjugstad is worth adding, even if there’s a chance that he does nothing.

Carl Soderberg - Colorado Avalanche - Center

Colorado’s top line has had a ton of success this season, but it looks like head coach Jared Bednar is ready to break the trio up. According to Daily Faceoff, Carl Soderberg is expected to take MacKinnon’s spot between Landeskog and Rantanen, which makes him fantasy hockey relevant. Soderberg has had a pretty decent season so far, scoring 17 goals and adding 14 assists in 50 games. The 17 goals is already a career high, and with the opportunity to skate between two excellent forwards, the veteran forward could easily hit the 25-goal total before the end of the season. The 33-year-old is only 18% owned on Yahoo!, so he’s very much available in shallow and deeper leagues. As long as he gets the opportunity to skate with Landeskog and Rantanen, he’s worth a roster spot.

 

Oscar Klefbom - Edmonton Oilers - Defence

There was a lot of talk that defenceman Oscar Klefbom would be ready to return to the lineup after the all-star break, but a setback to his injured hand in practice has pushed his timeline back by about two games. He did not play Saturday afternoon against the Flyers and he will not play Sunday against the Canadiens. The belief is that the 25-year-old will be ready by the beginning of next week, so fantasy owners may want to get a jump start by adding him now. The Oilers are a mess of a hockey team, but Klefbom is their best defenceman not named Darnell Nurse. He will make the power play better and he will go back to playing a ton of minutes every game. His ownership on Yahoo! is at 31%, so now would be the optimal time to add him.

Carter Hart - Philadelphia Flyers - Goalie

We’ve already talked about Hart being a nice pick up a couple of weeks ago, but for some reason, despite his outstanding play, he’s only 27% on ESPN. The worry is that once Michal Neuvirth and Brian Elliott get healthy again, Hart will lose his starting job and be sent back down to the AHL. That is a legitimate fear, but the rookie goalie has proven that he can play at this level and he gives his team a chance to win every time he starts. Even if he does get sent back down to the AHL, he should not be 27% owned! His 2.58 GAA isn’t amazing, but his .921 SV% is more than respectable. If for some reason the 20-year-old is floating around on the waiver wire, add him!