Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Report: Championship Week!
-1000x600.jpg)
Published: Jun 05, 2021
Welcome to the fantasy hockey waiver wire report! If you’ve made it to the finals, congratulations! This season has been a grind, and it’s time to bring home the championship. Let’s take a look at which players can help you bring it all home.
Tyler Seguin - Dallas Stars - Center
It looks like Tyler Seguin is going to make his season debut as early as Monday, which is perfect timing for owners who are pushing for a championship. He was activated from IR, and should slot into a top-6 role immediately. Dallas still has a lot to play for, and Seguin can definitely help the team. If he is on the waiver wire, it would be a smart move to add him.
Jesse Puljujarvi - Edmonton Oilers - Winger
The Oilers play the Canucks four times this week, and that is good news for fantasy owners. Jesse Puljujarvi looks to be back on the top line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, so if he’s available on the waiver wire, he is a great add this week. I expect Edmonton to dominate each of those games, and for Puljujarvi to rack up some points.
Craig Smith - Boston Bruins - Winger
Craig Smith has five points in the last two games and is in a great spot this week. The Bruins have games against New Jersey and the Rangers, two teams who aren’t that great defensively. With Boston’s top line commanding a ton of respect, their second line should be able to find some space and continue to rack up points.
Mikey Anderson - Los Angeles Kings - Defence
The L.A. Kings play four games this week: two against Arizona and two against Colorado. The last two games aren’t great matchups, but Mikey Anderson is seeing a ton of ice time of late, and has three points in the last four games. If you need help on the blue line, he’s a player to consider in deeper formats.
Ilya Sorokin - New York Islanders - Goalie
The rookie hasn’t played since April 27th because Semyon Varlamov has been on fire, but I expect him to get at least two starts this week, and they would be very juicy matchups. The Islanders play Buffalo and New Jersey twice, two teams who can’t score goals and are far out of the playoff picture. Barry Trotz is terrible at confirming his goalies early in the day, but we have to believe that he’s going to want to give his starting goalie some rest heading into the postseason, and Sorokin is good enough to be able to handle those games. If he is available, I’ll take the risk of adding him and pray that he sees some starts as the week moves on.
All stats provided by NHL.com
Player News
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters that Zach Eflin (lat) is likely to return and start Sunday against the Angels
It was assumed that Eflin would be back this weekend, but now we have a concrete date. The 31-year-old may not be at full strength after throwing fewer than 60 pitches in his rehab start, but the Orioles feel confident enough to have the right-hander back on the bump for the series finale against the Angels.
Riley Greene is not in the lineup for the first game of a doubleheader against the Rockies on Thursday.
Greene will get a break and likely return to the lineup for the second game of the twin-billing. Zach McKinstry will get the start in left field while Greene rests.
Panthers released TE Jordan Matthews.
Matthews converted to tight end a few years ago and hasn’t made much noise at the position. The change has, however, likely kept him in the league for a few more seasons. He appeared in four games with the Panthers last year but didn’t record any stats on offense. The Panthers also released or waived WR Dax Milne, C Andrew Raym, and TE Colin Granger.
Yu Darvish (elbow) is facing live hitters on Thursday.
Darvish has been throwing bullpen sessions and traveled to the team’s complex in Arizona to face live hitters on Thursday. It will be his first time facing live batters since a spring training appearance on March 13th. He will likely need a few sessions like this before the Padres can map out a rehab appearance timeline for him.
Adael Amador is starting at second base and batting ninth for the Rockies on Thursday.
Amador has now started three of the last four games at second base for the Rockies. He’s gone just 7-for-43 this season with 15 strikeouts in 16 games. He’s just 22 years old, so there is plenty of time for him to adjust to the MLB level, but he doesn’t need to be on redraft radars right now.
Jackson Holliday is playing second base and batting second for the Orioles on Thursday against the Twins.
With Cedric Mullins sitting out on Thursday, Gunnar Henderson will bat lead off, and Holliday will jump up from sixth in the order to second. Holliday is riding a hot streak right now, and the Orioles are taking advantage. This is likely just a one-game sample with no Mullins or Adley Rutschman in the lineup, but Rutschman has been struggling, so perhaps it could become a more permanent spot in the lineup for Holliday moving forward.