NHL Fantasy Hockey Week 4 Waiver Wire: Andrei Kuzmenko Is A Top Pickup for Vancouver Canucks
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 that are trending up the fantasy hockey rankings and who you should be adding to your watch list. For fantasy hockey Week 4, Vancouver Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko is among the top risers in rankings and NHL projections. Be sure to check out the NHL injury report, our NHL daily projections, and all of our NHL seasonal tools before making roster moves or setting those fantasy hockey lineups. Let’s take a look at this week's top fantasy hockey waiver wire pickups.
NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Pickups Week 4
Andrei Kuzmenko - Vancouver Canucks - Winger
The Vancouver Canucks are a mess of a hockey team, but that hasn’t slowed down Andrei Kuzmenko. The rookie has seven goals in 12 games this season and has found a home on the second line. The 26-year-old was pretty good the last few seasons in the KHL and he seems to be adjusting to life in North America pretty well. He’s currently on pace to score 35 goals this season, which isn’t too bad. He’s a player I’d look to add immediately to my team.
Carter Verhaeghe - Florida Panthers - Winger
The Florida Panthers are not the same team they were last season, but Carter Verhaeghe is out here reminding everyone that he can be an above-average player in this league. He has six goals in the last five games and is shooting the puck a ton. He’s also seeing over 20-minutes of ice time per game in the last three, and while that number will come down at some point, for now, he’s getting every opportunity to contribute and make an impact. He could be a long-term fantasy option for a team desperate for some scoring.
Kirby Dach - Montreal Canadiens - Center/Winger
Most people believed that Kirby Dach was coming to Montreal to play down the middle on the second line, but the kid has found himself playing on the top line with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, and so far, that experiment has gone well. Dach has seven points in the last four games and is seeing a decent amount of ice time. His shot volume is low and he doesn’t really hit or block shots, but he’s a big kid who can pass the puck and score goals, and for fantasy purposes, that’s a good thing. He could push 55-plus points this season if he continues to skate on that top line.
Erik Kallgren - Vegas Golden Knights - Goalie
We spoke about Erik Kallgren a few weeks ago, but he’s still only 32% owned in Yahoo! leagues, so we still have time to jump on board the train before it leaves the station. With Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov both on IR, Kallgren is going to be the starting goalie moving forward. He should be able to hold down the fort for the new couple of weeks.
Caleb Jones - Chicago Blackhawks - Defenseman
With Seth Jones out of the lineup for a few weeks, his brother Caleb is stepping up and picking up some of the workload. He has six points in the last seven games and is pretty good at blocking shots. The points are a bonus because he has no offensive game, but he’s doing enough to merit being on a fantasy team in the short term. He can be added in deeper formats.
All stats provided by NHL.com
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Related NHL Links:
- NHL Injury Report Week 3: Jake Oettinger Out for the Dallas Stars
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- Fantasy Hockey Projections
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Player News
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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.