NHL Fantasy Hockey Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups: Charlie Coyle Continues Scoring for Bruins
Welcome to another edition of the Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Report. The NHL season is in full swing, so we must start looking at the waiver wire. This part of the year is critical to be able to claim players that might have been missed in drafts. Some of these players will help you win a championship, so make sure you aren’t asleep at the helm of your fantasy team. Let’s take a look at some players worth targeting this week.
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Pickups
Charlie Coyle - Boston Bruins - Centre
The Boston Bruins are just so thin down the middle, but they keep finding ways to win hockey games. Charlie Coyle is centering the second line between Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk and has five points in the last three games. He has 13 goals on the year and is on pace to score over 25. Not too bad for a player that is only 30% owned in Yahoo! leagues. The Bruins aren’t a dominant offense, but Coyle is going to get every chance in the world to produce, so he’s a great add in all formats.
Jesse Ylonen - Montreal Canadiens - Winger
Some of you are asking who Jeese Ylonen is and that’s a fair question. The kid is a 24-year-old from Finland and he’s trying to convince head coach Martin St. Louis to give him more ice time! He can shoot the puck and drive the play, but he’s playing on the fourth line most nights and seeing under ten minutes a game. Even when Montreal decided to go with 11 forwards against Tampa Bay, he played just 12 minutes. The Canadiens need scoring and Ylonen can give them some of that. He’s a goalscorer in the AHL, which I know doesn’t mean he will do that in the NHL, but give him a chance! He finished the last game on the second line, so maybe this is a sign of things to come.
Paul Cotter - Vegas Golden Knights - Winger/Centre
Paul Cotter has been moved up to the second line and it has already paid off. The Vegas forward played a season-high 16 minutes last game and recorded an assist with three hits. He has four points in the last three games and is playing with a ton of confidence. The ice time is still limited, but he’s making the most of what is being given to him. Vegas is a talented team that can score goals, so if he can hold down his second-line spot, the points will follow.
Torey Krug - St. Louis Blues - Defense
Let me start by saying this: I dislike Torey Krug. Not him as a person-- I'm sure he’s a nice family man who pays his taxes-- but as a hockey player, he’s beyond overrated. So why is he here? The Blues are down Justin Faulk and someone has to step up and do something. Krug is skating on the top power-play unit and is seeing over 23 minutes a night. With that amount of ice time, good things are bound to happen. No one is pushing him to play more or to take his spot on the top power play, so you have to believe he’s going to rack up some points. Just be ready for him to disappoint you.
Dennis Hildeby - Toronto Maple Leafs - Goalie
I’m not going to lie, I had to dig REALLY deep to find out who Dennis Hildeby was. The 22-year-old was born in Sweden and drafted by the Leafs in the 4th round in 2022. He has a solid 2.20 GAA and a .919 SV% in 15 games in the AHL. Does that mean he will be good in the NHL? Nope, but he certainly can’t be worse than Ilya Samsonov, who was placed on waivers before Hildeby was called up. Martin Jones is going to get a chance to run with the starting job, but it’s 2024, let’s stop pretending like he’s anything good. Toronto is desperate for goaltending and they will give anyone a chance at this point. Maybe nothing comes from this, but if your fantasy hockey team is desperate for a goalie, this is the route to go. It can’t get any worse, right?
All stats provided by NHL.com
Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.