Pittsburgh’s Casey DeSmith (17%) and Dallas’ Jake Oettinger (14%) are worth scooping up this week, as they could share the crease with Tristan Jarry and Anton Khudobin, respectively.
Florida blueliner MacKenzie Weegar (38%) has attracted plenty of attention on the waiver wire thanks to a four-game point streak and plenty of category coverage. He’s worth adding to your roster if he’s still available. Pavel Buchnevich is still available in 71% of Yahoo leagues.
Jordan Greenway jumped to 27% after he was rostered in 19% of Yahoo leagues from a week ago when he was featured on Waiver Wired. Kasperi Kapanen is now rostered in 32% of Yahoo leagues after he was sitting at 18% last week. Alex Killorn’s rostered percentage went from 25% to 32% from a week ago. Chandler Stephenson is available in 81% of Yahoo leagues, while Adam Boqvist can still be rostered in 87% of Yahoo leagues. Kevin Labanc remains at 6%, which is where he was a week ago.
Editor’s Note: The Colorado Avalanche host the Los Angeles Kings on NBCSN at 5:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. Check out all the action here.
Don’t forget, for everything NHL, check out NBC Sports EDGE’s Player News, and follow @NBCSEdgeHK and @CoreAbbott on Twitter.
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Let’s get into this week’s recommendations:
Jonas Brodin (Minnesota) - D - Rostered in 24% of Yahoo leagues
Brodin narrowly missed the cut last week on Waiver Wired and he’s worth mentioning now because his rostered percentage has been on the rise. He has supplied five goals, 13 points, 41 shots and 50 blocks in 23 contests this season. Brodin has collected two goals and five points in the last seven matches.
Alex Nedeljkovic (Carolina) - G - Rostered in 24% of Yahoo leagues
Nedeljkovic has a 5-2-1 record this season with a 2.21 goals-against average, a .926 save percentage and one shutout. He has surrendered just two goals in each of his last four outings, while winning the past three. Nedeljkovic has been sharing time in the crease with James Reimer due to Petr Mrazek’s absence following thumb surgery. He makes for a strong pickup until Mrazek is able to return, especially during what is a favorable upcoming stretch of games for the Hurricanes.
Paul Stastny (Winnipeg) - C, LW - Rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues
Stastny appeared on Waiver Wired a week ago and he is still available in 82% of Yahoo leagues despite having five goals in six games. He has been developing some chemistry while playing on the wing alongside Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. Stastny has scored six times, while adding one assist and 18 shots in the last nine matches. He has also been centering the top power-play unit.
Scott Laughton (Philadelphia) - C, LW - Rostered in 17% of Yahoo leagues
Laughton has two goals and three helpers in the past six games. He has also been credited with 11 shots, 31 hits and five blocks during that span. Laughton has been skating with Kevin Hayes and Travis Konecny. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get power-play time, but he provides pretty good category coverage nonetheless. Laughton is up to seven goals, 15 points, 35 shots and 72 hits in 22 appearances.
Noah Dobson (New York Islanders) - D - Rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues
Dobson has taken a big step forward during his sophomore season with three goals and 12 points in 28 games. He has given more responsibilities with the Islanders this season, including playing on the man advantage. Dobson has posted three power-play points along with 44 shots, 33 blocks and 25 hits.
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Shayne Gostisbehere (Philadelphia) - D - Rostered in 13% of Yahoo leagues
Gostisbehere has found the scoresheet in four of the past five games, while being credited with 19 shots on target. He has three goals and one assist during that span, including two markers and one helper during a three-game point streak. Gostisbehere has picked up all three of those points on the power play, while skating on the top combination of the Flyers.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi (Montreal) - C - Rostered in 9% of Yahoo leagues
Kotkaniemi came up empty in a recently-completed two-game set against Calgary, but he has turned it around offensively lately. He has accounted for one goal and four assists in seven games so far this month. Kotkaniemi has moved up into Montreal’s top-six forward group, while skating between Tyler Toffoli and Brendan Gallagher. He has plenty of upside as the playmaker of the trio.
Tyler Johnson (Tampa Bay) - C, RW - Rostered in 7% of Yahoo leagues
Johnson has produced in spurts this season. He is in the midst of his most successful stretch of 2020-21 with two goals and five assists in his past eight outings. Johnson has three multi-point efforts over that span as well as 14 shots on target. He has been playing outside of Tampa Bay’s top-six forward group lately, but his uptick in production and a busy upcoming schedule makes him a decent short-term pickup option.
Kieffer Bellows (New York Islanders) - LW, RW - Rostered in 1% of Yahoo leagues
Bellows stepped up in a big way for the Islanders on Saturday night with a pair of goals in a 3-2 win over New Jersey. He filled in on the top line with Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle in the place of injured winger Anders Lee. The Islanders captain is out of action indefinitely due to a lower-body injury, which presents Bellows with a great opportunity. He didn’t have a point in his previous eight appearances this year, while averaging just 9:35 of ice time. The 22-year-old forward logged 14:52 of playing time on Saturday, including 3:29 on the power play.
Daniel Sprong (Washington) - LW, RW - Rostered in 0% of Yahoo leagues
Sprong has registered two goals and one assist during a three-game point spree. He hasn’t been logging a great deal of ice time, but he has been taking advantage of his chance to play higher on the depth chart because of Tom Wilson’s suspension. Sprong has been skating on the second line with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jakub Vrana.
Honorable mentions:
Evan Rodrigues (Pittsburgh) - C, RW - Rodrigues has playing alongside Evgeni Malkin and Kasperi Kapanen due to an injury to Jared McCann. If McCann doesn’t return during what is going to be a busy week for the Penguins then Rodrigues, or whoever ends up in that spot, is worth keeping an eye on as a potential short-term addition.
Colin Blackwell (New York Rangers) - LW, RW - Blackwell picked up an assist on Saturday, while skating with Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome. He has been productive in a bottom-six role for the Rangers this season, with five goals and nine points through 17 outings, and could be a decent addition if he can hold down a spot on that combination.
