Fantasy Focus: Mining the waiver wire - playoff edition (Week 4)
Here’s hoping you’re still alive and well in your fantasy post-season. I’m in a battle for my life heading into Week No. 2 of the semifinal matchup in our decade-long deep keeper. And at this stage of the game, every single point matters. Whether you’re trying to fill out a few extra shots in category setups, grabbing an extra start, or maximizing pure points, finding tangible options on the waiver wire is paramount.
This week, we have just two clubs skating in four games – Anaheim and Vegas. Conversely, we have four teams with just two games of action – Tampa Bay NYI, New Jersey, and Minnesota. We’ll try and avoid those squads. In the mushy middle, Colorado, Seattle, Buffalo, and St. Louis all have three home games. Dallas Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh all face weaker than average clubs.
Timothy Liljegren, D - Toronto Maple Leafs (36% Rostered)
This one is a layup. Timothy Liljegren is the hottest pick-up on the fantasy block. The right-shot defender has six points in his last six games, and you might think that has something to do with him being elevated to the Maple Leafs' top power-play unit. But just one of those points has come while up a man.
The 24-year-old was once considered a potential elite offensive player. He’s tapping into that DNA right now and we’re hoping he can keep it rolling down the stretch. A top unit defender off of the wire at this time of year is the stuff that dreams are made of.
Anthony Duclair, RW - Tampa Bay Lightning (48% Rostered)
Even though Tampa Bay only plays twice this week, I’ve promised myself that I would just keep shouting for you all to pick up Anthony Duclair until his rostered numbers are high enough.
Things have been going oh-so-well for Duclair since landing in Tampa at the trade deadline. The veteran winger has looked terrific alongside NHL point leader, Nikita Kucherov. He has points in all seven games with his new club and has 14 points on his current nine-game streak.
If he suddenly gets top power play duties, there’s a non-zero percent chance that he’ll suddenly be prime Gretzky for the next three weeks. Just kidding… or am I?
Max Domi, C/LW - Toronto Maples Leafs (37% Rostered)
Back in Toronto, Max Domi is enjoying some success on the top line with Auston Matthews. He has five assists in his last three games while playing the pure setup man. With a fairly friendly set of opponents on tap this week, and the likelihood of Domi continuing to skate on the top line, this is a fair option.
Nils Höglander, LW - Vancouver Canucks (25% Rostered)
One of these days, the Canucks are going to start playing Nils Höglander more and we’re going to see what this guy is really made of. Because on a per-60 basis, Hoglander is CRUSHING it. As of Sunday, the 23-year-old has 22 goals on the season. All of those goals have come at even-strength.
Nils Höglander now tied with Mikko Rantanen for 9th in 5v5 goals and has done it while being 381st in 5v5 ice time lol
— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) March 24, 2024
He has more 5v5 goals than Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, William Nylander, Kirill Kaprizov, Nikita Kucherov and a host of other name-brand superstars who see an ocean’s worth more time-on-ice than Hoglander does.
The Swedish winger is skating alongside Elias Pettersson at even-strength and the two mesh well. Assuming that sticks down the stretch, expect a few more productive outings from Hoglander.
Jake Neighbours, LW/RW - St. Louis Blues (38% Rostered)
Jake Neighbours is taking all the right steps. The second-year forward has improved his metrics across the board. His 25 goals in 71 games this year sit third among U22 skaters. He’s currently riding a spell of seven points in his last six games.
To help boost his case for a pickup, Neighbours is eating up all of the fun ice time of late. He’s on the top line and top power-play unit. St. Louis is battling for their playoff lives. It’s a good recipe for continued production.
Morgan Frost, C - Philadelphia Flyers (36% Rostered)
As mentioned earlier, the Flyers have a three-game set this week and against clubs with just a 0.486 winning percentage. Morgan Frost is available in about 65 percent of all Fantrax leagues despite playing as the club's top centre. He eats up all of the offensive minutes for the club, starts nearly 70 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, oh, and he has eight points over a current-six-game streak.
Easy money.
