The Fantasy Hockey season is slowly coming to an end, which means we have to start making some tough decisions. At this point of the year, it’s about finding players on the NHL waiver wire report that can produce. 

Fantasy hockey injuries at this time of the year may become season-ending, but that doesn’t mean all the hard work from the start needs to be lost. Let’s take a look at some names that we need to keep an eye on for the upcoming fantasy week regarding the NHL injury report for Week 20 plus the most recent NHL waiver wire report.

 

 

 

NHL Injury Report Ahead Of Week 20 Games: Fantasy Hockey Injuries

Brad Marchand - Boston Bruins - Upper-body

Brad Marchand was unable to suit up Sunday against the Minnesota Wild due to an upper-body injury and there is no timetable for his return. The captain went hard into the boards against the Penguins and wasn’t able to return. 

He’s been having a very productive season -- racking up 47 points in 61 games -- so if he does miss an extended period, it would be devastating for the Bruins and a tough pill to swallow for fantasy owners. For now, we need to wait for another update and see if he can return to practice towards the end of the week.

Darnell Nurse - Edmonton Oilers - Undisclosed

Darnell Nurse has missed the last two games due to an undisclosed injury and we don’t know exactly when he may be able to return to the lineup. This injury came out of nowhere, since Nurse didn’t show any signs of an injury, but it’s serious enough for him to miss a couple of games. 

The veteran defenseman isn’t a force offensively, but he can shoot the puck and rack up blocked shots, so he does have some fantasy value. The team is calling him day-to-day, so we’ll see if he’s able to play against Anaheim on Tuesday.

 

 

 

Roman Josi - Nashville Predators - Upper-body

If the Nashville Predators could end their season at this exact moment, I’m sure most of them would do so. It’s been a year to forget for this team. After spending up to bring in some notable veterans, they have failed to come together as a team and are not close to sniffing a playoff spot. 

Now Roman Josi is out of the lineup, and it could be a minute before he’s ready to return. The team is calling him week-to-week, so he’s in danger of missing the start of fantasy playoffs. We’ll see how he progresses over the next few days, but don’t be optimistic.

Jack Hughes - New Jersey Devils - Upper-body

Jack Hughes left Sunday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights due to an upper-body injury and did not return. Hughes crashed hard into the boards and immediately got up holding his arm/shoulder. 

He was in a great amount of pain and there was no question that he wouldn’t be returning to the game. The team will likely provide us with an update over the next 48 hours, but if you saw how he feels and the force, you already know that the news won’t be good. There’s a real threat that he is done for the season.

Quinn Hughes - Vancouver Canucks - Undisclosed

Quin Hughes was given a maintenance day on Sunday and the team did say that he is dealing with something and his status for Wednesday’s game against Anaheim is uncertain. He was dealing with an injury over the break and was able to return, but it could be short lived if he can’t suit up. 

His production hasn’t been great since returning -- recording one assist and a minus-5 rating in three games -- so it’s clear that he isn’t 100%. The team did say that this was more of a “tweak” and that it isn’t related to the injury he was dealing with before. We’ll wait for an update over the next couple of days, but the team may elect to give their best player some extra rest.

 

 

 

Fantasy Hockey Week 20 Waiver Wire

Boone Jenner - Columbus Blue Jackets - Yahoo!: 29% owned

Columbus forward Boone Jenner made his season debut against Chicago and has been on an absolute tear. He hasn’t found the back of the net yet, but he has seven assists in four games. 

He’s playing meaningful minutes and is helping his team make a push for one of the two wildcard spots. He’s a great addition for fantasy teams that need some depth. 

Maverick Bourque - Dallas Stars - Yahoo!: 2% owned

I like the idea of what Mavrik Bourque could bring to a fantasy hockey team, but I don’t know if he will get there. The 23-year-old has put up some very good numbers this season -- scoring nine goals and adding 11 assists while seeing time on the second power play unit -- but his ice time remains an issue. 

He’s playing under 14 minutes most nights, making it extremely hard for him to keep producing. The Stars are deep offensively, so an injury will need to happen for Bourque to get a bump in minutes. He’s probably a good player to target in really deep formats until he can secure a more permanent role in the top-six.

 

 

 

Brett Kulak - Edmonton Oilers - Yahoo!: 1% owned 

I did not have Brett Kulak as a fantasy option in March on my bingo card, but here we are. The veteran defenseman has seen a bump in minutes with Darnell Nurse out of the lineup and he is making the most of it. In that span, he’s averaging over 24 minutes of ice time, two points, six shots on goal and ten blocked shots. 

It’s a very small sample size, but it’s noticeable. If he’s going to continue to see this amount of ice time with Nurse out, then he must be on your fantasy team. He’s a short-term solution, but he can help you pad some categories and help you win your weekly matchup.

Spencer Knight - Chicago Blackhawks - Yahoo!: 16% owned 

I don’t think Spencer Knight is excited to leave Florida's sandy beaches and warm weather for the cold, windy city of Chicago, but he may be excited to know that he can be a starting goalie. He was part of the deal that sent Seth Jones to the Panthers, and while targeting a Chicago goalie on the waiver wire feels like a bad idea, Knight may be the exception. 

He immediately becomes the best goalie on the roster and will see some favorable matchups. The Blackhawks next four games are at home, and you figure he’s going to start at least two of those games. It might be rough for him at the beginning, but in a favorable matchup like Nashville and Ottawa, he can certainly provide value.