NHL Fantasy Hockey Week 21 Waiver Wire: Jack Quinn Finds Success on Top Line
Welcome to another edition of the Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Report. The only way to win a championship in any fantasy league is to be active on the waiver wire. If you aren’t checking the wire at least once a week, then you’re doing it wrong. Each week, we’ll look at some players you should be adding to your watch list, or adding right away. Let’s take a look at who we are keeping an eye on for this week.
Jack Quinn - Buffalo Sabres - Winger
With Alex Tuch out of the lineup, Jack Quinn has moved up to the top line and has looked really good. The kid can score goals, but now that he’s playing with Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner, I expect him to get even more opportunities to find the back of the net. He isn’t playing over 15 minutes a night, so that does limit his upside, but he’s 10% owned in Yahoo! leagues and is a great addition to a fantasy team that needs some scoring depth.
Nino Niederreiter - Winnipeg Jets - Winger
Nino Niedetteiter has found a new home in Winnipeg and could be a real force down the stretch. He can definitely shoot the puck and score goals, but he’s now playing with some talented players who can give him the puck. Winnipeg needs him to contribute offensively and I expect that to be the case. He played over 20 minutes last game against Edmonton and has two assists since joining his new squad.
Jakob Pelletier - Calgary Flames - Winger
Jakob Pelletier is a young player with a ton of skill, but that hasn’t translated to NHL success just yet. He’s skating in the top six with Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau, so he’s going to get his chances to shoot the puck and score goals. His ice time has been steady, but he isn’t seeing much power play time. The kid is too good to not score goals, so one has to believe that if he keeps playing the way that he does, the puck will eventually find the back of the net. Calgary is a team that shoots the puck a ton and if Pelletier can continue to see top-six minutes, I like his chances to be productive down the stretch.
Jonathan Quick - Vegas Golden Knights - Goalie
The Vegas Golden Knights acquired Jonathan Quick at the trade deadline and are hoping for him to play a big role for them as they continue to make a push for a playoff spot. The veteran netminder has struggled this season, but he didn’t come to Vegas to sit on the bench and do nothing. Logan Thompson is on IR and we don’t know when he’s going to be ready to come back, so Quick will have a chance to see significant playing time if he can turn back the clock. In the right matchup, he could be serviceable for fantasy teams that need some goaltending depth.
Dmitry Orlov - Boston Bruins - Defence
Since joining the Boston Bruins, Dmitry Orlov just can’t stop racking up points. He has nine points in the last four games and continues to see a healthy amount of ice time. He’s not going to keep this offensive pace up, but he’s hot right now, so he should be on every fantasy hockey team, even in shallow leagues. We know he can block shots, so at worst, he can still help you in that category down the stretch once the points go away.
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.