NHL Fantasy Hockey Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups: Marco Rossi Moves Up to Top Line
Welcome to another edition of the Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Report. The NHL season is in full swing, which means we need to 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 Week 9
Zach Benson - Buffalo Sabres - Winger
The Buffalo Sabres have struggled this season but they do have some young players who are getting a chance to showcase their skills, one being Zach Benson. The rookie is seeing time on the second line and is playing over 15 minutes per night. As long as he sees consistent ice time, his chances of racking up points are high. He’s 3% owned in Yahoo! leagues and should only be considered in deeper formats.
Marco Rossi - Minnesota Wild - Centre
The Minnesota Wild have won three games in a row and Marco Rossi has played a big part in that. The kid has three points in the last two games and is getting a chance to centre the top line with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. As long as he can hold down that spot, there’s no reason to believe that he can’t keep collecting points. He’s up to 14 points on the season and there’s a real chance that he could be a point-per-game player for the remainder of the season.
Michael Carcone - Arizona Coyotes - Winger
I have no idea what Michael Carcone has been eating the last few days but it’s turned him into a goal scoring machine. The undrafted winger is up to 11 goals this season and has four in the last three games. He’s doing all this while playing just over 12 minutes per night. He’s not going to be able to keep this hot streak going forever, but right now, he can certainly help a fantasy hockey team that is desperate for goals. He’s widely available on all platforms and won’t hurt your roster one bit.
Justin Barron - Montreal Canadiens - Defence
The Montreal Canadiens struggle to score goals but that doesn’t mean we should disregard everyone on the team. Justin Barron has been given the opportunity to play more important minutes and he’s taken full advantage of it. He is seeing well over 20 minutes on most nights and has locked down a spot on the second power play unit. Not only can he contribute offensively, but he can also collect some blocked shots. His ceiling isn’t very high, but in deeper formats, there’s nothing wrong with taking a chance on him.
Sam Montembeault - Montreal Canadiens - Goalie
At some point, the Montreal Canadiens are going to have to accept that Jake Allen and Cayden Primeau are not it. Sam Montembeault recently signed a three-year contract but he is still part of a three goalie rotation. On the surface, his 2.73 GAA and .910 SV% aren’t elite, but he is by far the better goalie of the gang. The Canadiens aren’t a great team, but when Montembeault is in action, he gives his team a chance to win. He’s playing about once a week and that’s just not fair to him. If he keeps his strong play up, the coaching staff will have no choice but to play him more. If he’s on the waiver wire, it would be wise to pick him up now before everyone else. This is a long-term add that could help someone win a fantasy hockey championship.
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.