Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups, Adds & Sleepers for Fantasy Hockey

Chris Wiegand analyzes some NHL forwards for Week 2 that are fantasy hockey waiver wire pickups, adds and potential sleepers for your fantasy hockey teams off the waiver wire.

Ah, the young NHL season. We’re halfway through week two, and already players that a lot of people have never heard of (raise your hand if you knew who Brock Nelson was before the Islanders opening game, I’ll wait…) are creating quite the names for themselves.

There are a few members of the regular crew atop the points column so far as well, with Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, and Alex Ovechkin having solid first weeks.

Let’s take a look at some of the fantasy hockey talent that may not have been drafted, but are worth a waiver wire grab in any points league.

Week 2 Waiver Wire for Fantasy Hockey

Brock Nelson, New York Islanders

Probably the biggest surprise early in the year, Nelson has been playing out of his mind for the red hot Islanders. He has 7 points in 3 games (4G, 3A), with 3 of those points coming on the PP.  He’s seeing time on the 2^nd line with Mikhail Grabovski and Ryan Strome, and currently logging 18:04 average TOI, with John Tavares and Kyle Okposo being the only two forwards playing more per game. He’s also a player that drives possession, sitting at an outstanding 58% Corsi early on.

Now, while I’m really high on Nelson, let’s be realistic. He’s on pace to have a 191 point season. Is that going to happen? Absolutely not. But, as anyone that’s been in a fantasy league knows, it’s all about trends and hot streaks, and right now Brock Nelson is firing on all cylinders. If he’s still sitting on your waiver wire, he’s definitely worth an add, and will probably be someone who’s worth hanging on to throughout the season, even after he cools off a little bit.

Tyler Toffoli, Los Angeles Kings

In the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year, “That 70’s Line” (Toffoli, Jeff Carter and Tanner Pearson) showed some phenomenal chemistry for the eventual champion Los Angeles Kings. That same line is wreaking havoc on opposing teams early on this year as well, and while Jeff Carter probably went in your draft, Toffoli (and Pearson, for that matter) are probably still available in your league. Toffoli is currently owned in only 58.7% of ESPN leagues. He’s trending upwards quickly though.

So far this season, the King’s offense seems to be shifting into gear after dropping their first two games to San Jose and Arizona. Toffoli has been  a huge contributor, posting 2G and 3A through 4 games, with one of those goals being a SH goal. He has 8 SOG and 6 Hits as well. As long as the Kings keep “That 70’s Line” together, expect Toffoli to be putting up points.

Tommy Wingels, San Jose Sharks

Wingels had a solid showing last year, his 2^nd full campaign with the San Jose Sharks.  He played in 77 games, putting up 38 points (16G, 22A) while primarily playing on the 3^rd line. This year, he’s off to a great start, grabbing 2 goals in the Sharks 4-0 drubbing of the Kings in the season opener. He’s a reliable forward who will probably never be a superstar, but will give you fairly consistent production throughout the season. Wingels reaching the 45-50 point mark isn’t an unrealistic expectation, especially if he keeps clocking time on the Shark’s second PP unit. Through 4 games so far this season, he has 4 points through 3 games, and has an average TOI of 16:34.

Matt Beleskey, Anaheim Ducks

Beleskey has been with the Ducks since 2008-09, but has been more of a role player. Last year was his most productive in the NHL, as he put up 9G and 15A. The reason I’m listing him here, is because as of this week, he’ll be playing on Anaheim’s 1^st line with Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. In his first game on the line, he had 5 SOG, and has netted a goal in his last 3 outings. Beleskey is worth a look right now, but will revert back to a role player if he can’t hang on to that 1^st line spot once Patrick Maroon gets healthy. In the meantime, expect him to see a good boost in points and TOI.

Honorable Waiver Wire Mentions

Brandon Sutter is playing 2^nd line center for the Penguins, and the increased ice team means 2 goals so far, and his 54.41 Corsi is great for the young season. 15.1% owned in ESPN Leagues. Oh, and Evgeni Malkin is his linemate, so that can’t hurt.

Andrew Shaw is playing where everyone thought Brad Richards was going to in Chicago, right between Patrick Kane and Brandon Saad. This is another line that had chemistry in the playoffs last year, and Shaw isn’t disappointing early, with 2 goals and an assist through 3 games. He’ll get you some extra points for hits as well, and is currently only owned in 35.1% of ESPN leagues.