NHL Injury Report & Waiver Wire Ahead Of Week 9 Games: Rasmus Dahlin, Sebastian Cossa
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 9 Injury Report
Trevor Zegras - Anaheim Ducks - Lower-body
Last week it was Leo Carlsson, this week it is Trevor Zegras. The Ducks forward injured himself against the Vegas Golden Knights and the prognosis doesn’t look good. He was immediately placed on IR and it sounds like he could be out of the lineup for a while. Zegras has just ten points on the season and really isn’t worth stashing on your bench. There are a ton of good options on the waiver wire.
Rasmus Dahlin - Buffalo Sabres - Back
Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin has missed the last two games due to back spasms and there is currently no timetable for his return. The Swedish defenceman hasn’t played since December 3rd and we haven’t seen him at practice. Word around the rink is, that he’s been dealing with this issue since training camp, so the team may want to play it extra safe with their best player. This is a tough blow for fantasy owners, so just sit tight and wait for an update.
Joel Eriksson-Ek - Minnesota Wild - Lower-body
Joel Eriksson-Ek has been placed on IR and is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. We don’t know when he may have suffered the injury, since he played 21-minutes in the last game before his injury, but it’s serious enough to keep him out a few weeks. Eriksson-Ek has been very good this season for the Wild and his fantasy team, so this is obviously a huge blow. At this point, we shouldn’t expect him to return to the lineup before the new year.
Petr Mrazek - Chicago Blackhawks - Undisclosed
Petr Mrazek injured himself last game against the Winnipeg Jets and has already been placed on IR. The veteran netminder left during the first period and it sounds like he is going to be out of the lineup for a while. If you had Mrazek on your fantasy team, you may just want to move on from him now. His numbers this season have been decent, but he still plays for one of the worst teams in the league. I know goalies are hard to find on the waiver wire at this point of the year, but holding onto him just doesn’t make sense.
Cam Talbot - Detroit Red Wings - Lower-body
Cam Talbot has missed the last three games, and we still don’t know when he may be able to return to the lineup. The veteran netminder is no stranger to injuries, so this is just par for the course. Detroit has a ton of goalies in its system, so it’s unlikely the team will force him back before he is 100% ready. If you can stash him away for the time being, do so. He should regain his starting role once he is healthy.
Fantasy Hockey Week 9 Waiver Wire
Sebastian Cossa - Detroit Red Wings - Yahoo!: 1% owned
I want you to listen to me very carefully: Sebastian Cossa needs to be stashed on your bench ASAP. The rookie has been called up due to Talbot and Alex Lyon both being out due to injury and he’s not here just to sit on the bench. Ville Husso is terrible and can’t stop a beach ball, so at some point, Cossa is going to get a start and it could come this week. He has put up elite numbers in the AHL and has earned the opportunity to start one game, which could come as early as Monday. He probably goes back down once everyone is healthy, but for now, he is an elite short-term option. Don’t sleep on him.
Owen Powers - Buffalo Sabres - Yahoo!: 33% owned
With Dahlin out of the lineup, the Buffalo Sabres are going to need some other players to step up. Owen Power was already seeing a healthy amount of minutes before the injury and could see even more as the days moved on. He played a career high 29-minutes against Winnipeg and has moved up to the top power play unit. His point totals are decent, but with the volume of ice time he will be seeing, he can certainly rack up more points and shots on goal. This is a prime spot for the kid and a good short-term solution for fantasy owners who need a boost on the back end.
Marco Rossi - Minnesota Wild - Yahoo!: 26% owned
With Joel Eriksson-Ek out of the for an extended period, Marco Rossi will see an increase in minutes, which will boost his value. He’s played very well this season-- racking up 23 points in 27 games-- but now he’s moving up to the top power play unit and he could be a point-per-game player over the next few weeks. He has six points in the last five games and should be able to continue this hot streak.
Lane Hutson - Montreal Canadiens - Yahoo!: 35% owned
I feel like it’s time to talk about Lane Hutson again. It’s been well documented that he doesn’t have a goal this season, but he does have 18 assists, six of which have come in the last six games. The goals will come at some point, but the kid is finally seeing some time on the top power play unit and his ice time is consistently around 22-minutes. He’s also racking up some blocked shots, so he’s not just a one-trick pony. He is a serious candidate to finish with over 45-points this season, which isn’t horrible for a rookie defenceman. If you need some depth on the back end, this is the player to target.
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.