Fantasy - WireTap: 3 players to watch on the wire
Every Sunday, we examine 3 players you should consider picking up from the waiver wire in your pool.
The first week of the NHL season is almost in the books, with four games scheduled for Sunday. Many of the usual suspects have already jumped to the top of the scoring list - including Sidney Crosby, John Tavares, Steven Stamkos and Tyler Seguin - while the early and undrafted standout free agents have likely been scooped up off your league's waiver wire.
One player that must be owned in 100 percent of fantasy leagues is Pittsburgh Penguins winger Patric Hornqvist. Acquired from the Nashville Predators (along with Nick Spaling) in exchange for James Neal, Hornqvist is the top rated player in Yahoo leagues as of Oct. 19, with four goals, four assists, a plus-two rating and 28 shots on goal in only four games played.
Yet somehow, he's still available in 12 percent of league. If you're in one of those, grab him as soon as humanly possible.
Here are three other players to watch on the wire this week:
Mikkel Boedker (ARI): 5 goals, 1 assist, +3, 15 SOG
Owned in 24 percent of Yahoo leagues
Drafted eighth overall by the Coyotes at the 2008 Draft, Boedker broke out last season to the tune of 19 goals, 32 assists and 166 shots on goal.
This year, the winger finds himself on a line with underrated, two-way center Antoine Vermette and veteran forward Shane Doan, and, with the departure of Radim Vrbata this past offseason, Boedker appears set to build off the career highs set a year ago as the focal point of the offense up front.
Boedker recorded his first career hat trick on Oct. 15, and is on track to almost double last season's shot production. If he can keep up a consistent effort - an issue thus far in his career - he should be good for 25-30 goals and 60-65 points, which would be tremendous value for a player with an original Yahoo draft ranking of 307.
Set to become a restricted free agent next summer, count on him going all out in search of a nice pay day from the Coyotes.
T.J. Brodie (CGY): 2 goals, 4 assists, +4, 15 SOG
Owned in 41 percent of Yahoo leagues
Brodie was a revelation on the Calgary blue line in 2013-14, with four goals, 27 assists, 104 shots on goal and an even plus/minus rating, no small feat on a squad that posted a minus-32 goal differential.
Through six games this year, Brodie is averaging a point per game, with a plus-four rating and a 51.3 Corsi for percentage at even strength.
To date - and yes, it's early - Brodie is the third-highest ranked defenseman in Yahoo leagues, and is excelling on the Flames' blue line alongside Mark Giordano, while stacked up against the opposition's top forwards.
Unlikely to keep up his current scoring pace, he should, at the very least, top the 31-point mark set a year ago, and would be a great pickup for managers looking for a solid third or fourth defenseman for their fantasy teams.
Filip Forsberg (NSH): 1 goal, 4 assists, +5, 12 SOG
Owned in 22 percent of Yahoo leagues
Much of the rookie hype coming into this season revolved around Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jonathan Drouin (and rightfully so), but Filip Forsberg's time appears to have finally arrived in Nashville, much to the delight of fantasy managers.
Skating on the top line with James Neal and Mike Ribeiro, Forsberg recorded a point in four of his first five games, with a season-high four shots in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.
Based on how nice his shot looked on his lone goal this season (seen below), his goal production is sure to ramp up, especially if he keeps averaging over two shots per game and posting positive possession numbers.
(Courtesy: NHL.com)
Week 2 Outlook:
| Team | Games |
|---|---|
| Anaheim | BUF (10/22), CLS (10/24), SJ (10/26) |
| Arizona | @NSH (10/21), @MIN (10/23), FLA (10/25) |
| Boston | SJ (10/21), NYI (10/23), @TOR (10/25) |
| Buffalo | @ANA (10/22), @LA (10/23), @SJ (10/25) |
| Calgary | TB (10/21), CAR (10/23), WSH (10/25) |
| Carolina | @WPG (10/21), @CGY (10/23), @EDM (10/24) |
| Chicago | PHI (10/21), @NSH (10/23), @STL (10/25), OTT (10/26) |
| Colorado | FLA (10/21), VAN (10/24), @WPG (10/26) |
| Columbus | @SJ (10/23), @ANA (10/24), @LA (10/26) |
| Dallas | VAN (10/21), @NJ (10/24), @NYI (10/25) |
| Detroit | @MTL (10/21), PIT (10/23), @PHI (10/25) |
| Edmonton | TB (10/21), WSH (10/23), CAR (10/24) |
| Florida | @COL (10/21), @ARI (10/25) |
| Los Angeles | BUF (10/23), CLS (10/26) |
| Minnesota | ARI (10/23), TB (10/25) |
| Montreal | DET (10/21), NYR (10/25) |
| Nashville | ARI (10/21), CHI (10/23), PIT (10/25) |
| New Jersey | NYR (10/21), DAL (10/24), @OTT (10/25) |
| NY Islanders | TOR (10/21), @BOS (10/23), DAL (10/25) |
| NY Rangers | @NJ (10/21), @MTL (10/25) |
| Ottawa | TOR (10/22), NJ (10/25), @CHI (10/26) |
| Philadelphia | @CHI (10/21), @PIT (10/22), DET (10/25) |
| Pittsburgh | PHI (10/22), @DET (10/23), @NSH (10/25) |
| San Jose | @BOS (10/21), CLS (10/23), BUF (10/25), @ANA (10/26) |
| St. Louis | VAN (10/23), CHI (10/25) |
| Tampa Bay | @EDM (10/20), @CGY (10/21), @WPG (10/24), @MIN (10/25) |
| Toronto | @NYI (10/22), @OTT (10/23), BOS (10/25) |
| Vancouver | DAL (10/21), @STL (10/23), @COL (10/24), WSH (10/26) |
| Washington | @EDM (10/22), @CGY (10/25), @VAn (10/26) |
| Winnipeg | CAR (10/21), TB (10/24), COL (10/26) |
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