The Fantasy Hockey season is in full swing and the injuries are starting to ramp up. Some players will be out for an extended period, but that opens the door for others to step up and seize their chance. There are a couple of players on the waiver wire that should be on your roster moving forward. Let’s take a look at those names and continue to build momentum throughout the week. 


Fantasy Hockey Week 8 Injury Report


Leo Carlsson - Anaheim Ducks - Upper-body

Leo Carlsson has missed the last two games due to an upper-body injury and we don’t know when he might be able to return. The kid has 11 points on the season, which isn’t much, but he’s still one of the better players on the team. The potential for him to be elite is there, but he may not be there just yet. From a fantasy perspective, he’s probably a depth player so don’t fall in love with him and be ready to move on should better options become available.


Logan Stankoven - Dallas Stars - Lower-body

Dallas forward Logan Stankoven was unable to suit up against the Colorado Avalanche and his status moving forward is still up in the air. Stankoven has 15 points on the season and has been a nice surprise for fantasy managers who took a chance on him. The team has listed him as day-to-day, so it doesn’t sound like he will be out long-term. For now, let’s wait for another update from the Stars and go from there.


Pavel Buchnevich - St. Louis Blues - Lower-body

Pavel Buchnevich didn’t play against Philadelphia due to an injury he suffered in the game before that and we do not know how long he will be out of the lineup. The team has listed him as day-to-day, but we haven’t seen him at practice and the fact that he couldn’t finish the last game he was in does make things more complicated. The veteran is having a decent season, but the Blues are a below-average offence and Buchnevich is going to suffer because of that. If he’s out for a while, be ready to cut him loose.


Nikita Kucherov - Tampa Bay Lightning - Undisclosed

Nikita Kucherov was unable to play against the Toronto Maple Leafs and we have no idea what he might be dealing with. There was no indication that the Russian winger was dealing with something, but when he wasn’t on the ice for warmups, we knew something was up. The team hasn’t said why he wasn’t able to play or how long he may be out, so this just makes everything more complicated. He is one of the best players in the world and any time he does miss would hurt the Lightning and fantasy owners, so let’s hope it’s just a one-game thing and that he can return to start the week.


Nikolaj Ehlers - Winnipeg Jets - Lower-body

Nikolaj Ehlers left Friday’s game in the second period due to a lower-body injury and there is a chance that he will miss at least one game. He played just six minutes in that game before being forced to leave. The winger is putting together quite a season-- racking up nine goals and 25 points in 24 games-- so any extended period of time out of the lineup would be a problem. It’s too early to know how long he could be out, so let’s wait for an update and proceed from there. Even if he is out of the lineup for some time, just stash him on IR or your bench and hope he can return sooner rather than later.
 

Fantasy Hockey Week 8 Waiver Wire

 

Mathieu Olivier - Columbus Blue Jackets - Yahoo!: 12% owned

It’s not every day you see a 4th line tough guy as a fantasy option, but here we are. Mathieu Olivier is a tough customer but he’s also someone who can stuff categories. His offensive production has been nice, but he can also pick up some shots, throw his weight around, block shots and rack up penalty minutes. He can so many things, and yet, he’s only 12% owned. I know he’s not a household name, but for a fantasy team that needs a boost in multiple categories, Olivier can help. He might not win you a championship, but he certainly won’t hurt your chances.

 

Adam Gaudette - Ottawa Senators - Yahoo!: 7% owned

Let me start by saying that I do not think Adam Gaudette is going to maintain this hot pace he is on. He’s shooting a ridiculous 37%, so at some point, he’s going to regress and it’s going to hurt. That being said, the veteran has found a way onto the top line, so the increased ice time could delay the regression. He has one assist on the season, so he is the definition of boom-or-bust. He’s probably worth considering in deeper formats, but remember; all good things must come to an end.


David Jiricek - Minnesota Wild - Yahoo!: 1% owned 

The Columbus Blue Jackets traded David Jiricek to the Minnesota Wild for a package of picks and this could be a win for everyone involved. Jiricek needed a change of scenery after he couldn’t crack a below-average Columbus team. The kid was taken 6th overall in 2022 and is only 21 years old, so the sky is the limit. Minnesota has room on their back end for him, now it’s just a question of if Jiricek can do the work and crack the lineup. He will report to the AHL to start, but we should expect him to get called up sooner rather than later. If your league has an N/A spot, you should stash him there.


Jaxson Stauber -  Utah Hockey Team - Yahoo!: 1% owned 

We spoke about Jaxson Stauber last week as a speculative add, but this week, we are talking about him as a possible backup goalie with upside. His ownership has gone from 9% to 1%, but I expect that to change over the coming days. He posted his first career shutout Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights and that could propel him into getting another chance to showcase his stuff. Again, he’s not going to become the starter tomorrow and Karel Vejmelka is still playing very well, but Stauber is a goalie I like and fantasy owners need to realize this too. Grab him now before it’s too late.