NHL Injury Report & Waiver Wire Ahead Of Week 22 Games: Andrei Svechnikov, Zach Benson
For some of you, the fantasy hockey playoffs are just getting underway. For others, the quest to go to the top stars next week. These next few weeks, every decision you make matters. We didn’t get this far just to get this far.
There is still lots of work to be done and players to be added from the fantasy hockey waiver wire. Let’s dive into the NHL waiver wire report and see where we need to be focusing our attention.
Fantasy Hockey Week 22 Injury Report
Buffalo Sabres - Josh Norris: Undisclosed, Jiri Kulich Concussion, JJ Peterka - Buffalo Sabres - Lower-body
I’m convinced that there is nothing worse than being a Buffalo Sabres fan. This team has been terrible for close to 15 years and are showing no signs of getting better. To make things even worse, three players are expected to be out of the lineup for the next few games. Josh Norris getting hurt isn’t new, but the timing of it certainly doesn’t help.
Jiri Kulich might miss the most time, so he’s probably worth dropping in all formats. JJ Peterka is listed as day-to-day, so he has the best chance of returning before the end of the week. If your fantasy team is counting on any of these three players, my condolences.
Andrei Svechnikov - Carolina Hurricanes - Upper-body
Andrei Svechnikov has missed the last three games due to an upper-body injury and his status for this week is still undetermined. The Hurricanes leave for California to continue their road trip, so we should find out soon if Svechnikov will make the trip or not.
If he doesn’t, it’s unlikely that he will return this week. Best best-case scenario is he makes the trip and can play against San Jose, so we’ll wait for an update before deciding how to proceed.
Zach Hyman - Edmonton Oilers - Undisclosed
Zach Hyman left Friday’s game against the Islanders due to injury and he was unable to suit up Sunday against the Rangers.
He did take part in the morning skate, so it doesn’t sound like his injury is serious. We still need to monitor his status before Tuesday’s game to see if he will play. If he were to miss another game, anyone skating with Leon Draisaitl would be an option to add to your team.
Neal Pionk - Winnipeg Jets - Lower-body
Neal Pionk is expected to miss a few more games due to a lower-body injury and is listed by the team as week-to-week. The Jets' defenceman has been very good this season, so this is a blow for fantasy owners.
If you’re counting on him this week to help you make the playoffs, it would be wise to look for help elsewhere. If you’re an owner who can stash him away on the bench, do so and wait for an update at the beginning of next week.
Filip Chytil - Vancouver Canucks - Concussion
The Canucks have announced that Filip Chytil is dealing with a concussion and there is no timetable for his return. Head injuries can be very tricky since there is no fixed protocol. The Canucks also start a six-game road trip later this week and if I were a betting man, I wouldn’t expect him to make the trip.
Is it possible for him to join the team if he’s better? Yes, but you don’t want to risk a second injury in a short period. The team could certainly use his services, but they obviously won’t push for no reason. If he doesn’t make the trip, hit the waiver wire and look for his replacement.
Fantasy Hockey Week 22 Waiver Wire
Kiefer Sherwood - Vancouver Canucks - Yahoo!: 37% owned
Sticking with the Canucks, they have moved Teddy Blueger to the second line and personally, that doesn’t excite me. He’s not much of an offensive factor and he sees no power play time. If we’re looking for value, Kiefer Sherwood is the way to go.
He’s skating on the second line and second power play unit and can find the scoresheet. In leagues with hits, he’s averaging over five in the last ten games and has 367 on the season. He may not win you a championship, but he won’t hurt your chances.
Jordan Greenway - Buffalo Sabres - Yahoo!: 1% owned
You know you’re down bad when Jordan Greenway is skating on the top line. We know the Sabres are dealing with injuries and they just need healthy bodies in the lineup.
Greenway isn’t a treat to score goals, but maybe playing with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch can help him collect a few points this week. At the very least, he will throw his weight around and stuff the hits category.
Zach Benson - Buffalo Sabres - Yahoo!: 2% owned
We’ll stick with the Sabres because misery loves company. Zach Benson is a young kid with skill and there’s no question he can find the back of the net. He’s been seeing a healthy amount of ice time, including 19 minutes in the last game.
Ideally, he would take Greenway’s spot, but he has a top-six role and is going to be on the ice a lot. He needs to rack up points to be valuable and I don’t know how many he can collect this week but if you’re desperate, this is the way to go.
Calvin Pickard - Edmonton Oilers - Yahoo!: 10% owned
The Edmonton Oilers need to find some consistency in goal, and they needed it yesterday. Stuart Skinner has had his ups and downs all year, and while Calvin Pickard hasn’t been any better, he’s been good in his limited starts in March. He’s allowed just six goals in three games, four of which came against Anaheim.
If Skinner stumbles, the Oilers won’t hesitate to go with the hot hand, so Pickard could be an option until the remainder of the season. We’ll see how this develops, but for now, he’s a speculative add in deeper formats.
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.