Every week, we'll mine the waiver wire for lesser-rostered assets to help your squad, whether you favor dynasty or the redraft format, and we'll also toss in some tips for DFS players out there.
We're addressing fantasy matters a little differently this round, in focussing on goaltenders and defenseman, while keeping in mind ESPN.com's unique two-week scoring period and upcoming schedule imbalance.
As addressed in Sean Allen's latest Forecaster, some NHL teams are playing a lot more games than others in the next little while.
Goaltenders
Mikko Koskinen, G, Edmonton Oilers (Rostered in 32.7% of ESPN.com leagues): While the three recent wins and assumed boost in personal confidence are nice and all, my uptick in appreciation for Edmonton's starting netminder goes beyond last week's positive stretch. The team is altogether better for the fresh addition of Evander Kane. Not only in terms of what the goal-scoring power forward brings to the ice himself, but by way of how the rest of the lineup now shuffles out. The almost-$14-million third unit, comprising of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, and Zack Kassian, combined for three goals and three assists (plus-three) in Saturday's 6-2 victory over the struggling Canadiens. Takes some of the pressure off Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, doesn't it? With Kane aboard, Edmonton is going to win more games. Which bolsters Koskinen's fantasy value until/if the club brings in netminding help from elsewhere. The Oilers compete in five games over the next two weeks, and a dozen contests in February altogether.
Pavel Francouz, G, Colorado Avalanche (17.8%): I'm already swerving off thematic route here a bit, considering the Avalanche play in only three games from now until Feb. 13, but the opportunity to acquire such a valuable goaltending commodity is too rich to ignore. Colorado is crushing it as the hottest team in the league. Fully fit after sitting out the start of 2021-22, Francouz is playing as often, and as well (better, really) than Darcy Kuemper. He's a perfect 7-0 this January, including two shutouts, while showcasing a .935 SV% and 2.02 GAA. And unlike Kuemper, the Avs' other netminder remains largely available in ESPN.com leagues. Unless your goaltending corps is stacked, consider picking him up.
Craig Anderson, G, Buffalo Sabres (3.4%): It's with a healthy helping of caution that I campaign, however lightly, for anyone competing between the pipes for the Sabres. That minus-37 goal differential through 44 contests doesn't lie. But Anderson looked great the other day, didn't he? In his first appearance since Nov. 2, the 40-year-old stopped 27 of 28 shots in Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Coyotes. And he had a blast in the process:
"I felt like a kid again," Anderson said, postgame. "I reminded myself of why I put in the work the last couple of months. I had fun. You are playing a kids' game. If it's not fun, it's not time to play any more."
Right on. So when the matchup makes sense - say, if/when Anderson, and not Dustin Tokarski, faces the Blue Jackets, Canadiens, Islanders and Senators during a promising stretch mid-February - consider employing the veteran goalie as a streaming or Daily Fantasy option. He's played well for not-so-great teams in years' past, including earlier this very season.
Antti Raanta, Carolina Hurricanes (3.3%): While the Hurricanes don't hit the ice again until next Monday, they then face a busy rest of February, including 10 games in 20 days. I like Raanta a lot as a DFS option in Ottawa on Feb. 9 - one day after Frederik Andersen likely suits up against his old team in Toronto - and again in another second of back-to-backs in Philadelphia on Feb. 21. Carolina's No. 2 looked pretty super in his first post-injury contest since New Year's, allowing just one goal on 25 shots versus the Devils on Saturday. When healthy, Raanta is a reliable go-to more often than not.
Defenders
Jonas Brodin, D, Minnesota Wild (21.6%): Unless equipped with an excess of bench spots, the Minnesota defender better serves as a save-for-later addition. So make a note. The Wild are scheduled to play only three games this two-week fantasy span, including a pair of tilts on the road in Chicago and Winnipeg, before hosting the Hurricanes the following Saturday. But following that lighter stretch, the team competes every second day between Feb. 12 and Feb. 26 - which adds up to eight contests in a fortnight. Plenty of opportunity there for Brodin to contribute, now that he's recovered from a recent upper-body issue. The veteran blueliner has averaged 1.8 fantasy points/game when healthy this season.
Damon Severson, D, New Jersey Devils (15.5%): One of the league's more active teams leading into and out of the All-Star break, the Devils play six times between now and Feb. 13, beginning Monday night in Toronto. Anchoring the club's No. 1 power play in place of Dougie Hamilton, and seeing a significant boost in minutes overall, Severson is nearly guaranteed to kick in a good number of fantasy points between now and then. The 27-year-old defenseman has 12 points in 11 games, including four with the extra skater since Jan. 22. Still skating in a non-contact jersey in practice, Hamilton isn't ready to return from a broken jaw quite yet. And, goodness knows, the non-playoff bound Devils aren't going to rush their star blueliner back prematurely.
Calvin de Haan, D, Chicago Blackhawks (5.8%): No one has blocked more shots (48/14 games) than de Haan since the Christmas break, with the bulk counting these past three weeks. Throw in a hefty tally of hits, a respectable number of shots, the odd goal/assist, and it all works out to an average of 2.83 fantasy points/game through his past 10 contests. Few blueliners have contributed more in ESPN.com standard leagues over that span.
Alexander Romanov, D, Montreal Canadiens (3.2%): Allow me to shift gears from one defensive-defenseman in Montreal to another, now that David Savard (highlighted last week) has been ruled out approximately two months with an ankle injury. Only four other skaters have more hits (147) than Romanov this season, and the Canadiens blueliner bests them all in the shot-blocking department (71). In fact, the sophomore has averaged an even 2.0 fantasy points/game since Dec. 16 in standard ESPN.com leagues. This 22-year-old boasts serious value in leagues that reward more than conventional scoring.
Forwards worth considering: Jared McCann, LW/C, Seattle Kraken (31.0%); Michael Bunting, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs (10.9%); Matt Boldy, LW/RW, Minnesota Wild (7.8%)