It is such a great feeling to have hockey back in our lives, and I’m anticipating some intense games this year. Our roster moves are a bit more urgent this year with a truncated season, so if you didn’t execute the mythical perfect draft, don’t delay on tweaking your roster. Here are some potential waiver additions with currently low ownership.

As for who’s hot and who’s not, here are the teams with five or more wins so far this season:

• Toronto – six wins
• Winnipeg – five wins
• Vegas – five wins

Teams with one win include:

• Ottawa
• New York Rangers

Center

Jordan Kyrou (STL): 17%
Kyrou has scored at every level (290 points in 250 OHL games), so his current breakout isn’t that shocking. It may be ahead of schedule, though, as he had only 44 NHL games under his belt coming into the season. Earning ice time on a stacked roster isn’t easy, but the retirement of Alexander Steen and shoulder surgery for Vladimir Tarasenko has opened the door somewhat. He’s currently listed on the second line with talented linemates (Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz) and leads the team in scoring with seven points in seven games.

Joel Eriksson Ek (MIN): 32%
Another young center, at 23 years of age, Eriksson Ek, is also leading his team in scoring with six points in seven games. Whenever he was assigned to the AHL, he scored at a point per game pace and is now a fixture with the big club (averaging just under 17 minutes per game in ice time). He’s also a consistent hitter, topping out at 134 in his first full season.

Left Wing

Nick Ritchie (BOS): 9%
Ritchie is a young grizzly still looking to find his game in an increasingly small man’s game. At 230 pounds, he plays a rough and tumble style but is not without offensive upside (210 points in 212 OHL games). He was drafted 10th overall in 2014, but Anaheim seemed to have soured on him after some heated contract talks, and Boston may have pounced at the right time. He’s already laid out more than 220 hits (twice) in a season and could be a 20 goal scorer if he stays in the top six in Beantown.

Alexandre Texier (CLB): 9%
Texier has left-wing eligibility but may end up at center with Patrik Laine as his winger. That’s the tweet. Even if that doesn’t break his way, the second-round pick from France is a legitimate prospect after honing his skills in Finland for a couple of years. With 17:53 in average ice time, he might be one of Tortorella’s guys, and may well get an extended audition in the top six. He’s currently leading the team in goals, with four, and has six points in his first seven games.

Right Wing

Kevin Labanc (SJ): 6%
It seems like the Sharks are an afterthought these days, but they still boast some serious offensive talent. Hertl, Couture, and Meier might not be flashy names but have all been 60-70 point guys to date. Labanc himself hit 56 points a couple of years ago and was a huge scorer in the OHL (234 points in his last 133 games). He’s averaging 15:31 in ice time on the top line and should be a fixture in the top six.

Jordan Greenway (MIN): 4%
Greenway is more of a dart at this point but should be easy to acquire at 4% ownership. Another huge dude, he posts up at 6’6″ and 225 lbs., and like Ritchie, he brings some offensive skill. Power forwards are still highly prized assets in the NHL, and Greenway might find his ice time increase from the already impressive 15:18 per game.

Defense

Justin Schultz (WAS): 9%
Pairing Justin Schultz with Zdeno Chara could be a savvy move for the Capitals. It was four years ago (but it seems longer) that Schultz posted 51 points for the Pittsburgh Penguins. I don’t see that happening again, but he is a prime bounce-back candidate with four points in his first seven games. If Chara can be a steadying influence, Schultz might find his offensive game again and has plenty of talent around him in Washington.

Rasmus Andersson (CGY): 20%
Andersson is a bit of a trailblazer, a draft and develop defenseman on a Flames team that has struggled in this area. Andersson was a prolific scorer in the OHL with 124 points in 131 games but took a full two years in the AHL to adjust to the pro game. He only posted 22 points in 70 games last year but already has four points in his first five games to start this season. Paired with Marc Giordano, he’s already become a key cog with an ATOI of 21:23, and his booming shot will be a big part of the number one power-play unit.

Goal

James Reimer (CAR): 9%
Carolina has only played three games to date (due to a Covid-19 outbreak), so it’s a bit early to get a definitive read on their goaltending situation. Reimer won his only start to date, posting a save percentage of .939. His stats were superior to the current number one goalie (Petr Mrazek) last season, and both have historically been a 1b type of netminder. In a shortened season, a goalie like Reimer has an even better chance to get on a roll and establish his right to be the guy on an up and coming team.

Sleeper

Carter Verhaeghe (FLA): 7%
There’s typically no shortage of sleepers at the start of an NHL season, and this year offers many options. I’m throwing out a guy who was playing in the East Coast Hockey League four years ago and is now a left-winger on Aleksander Barkov’s line. Florida has only played three games to date, but Verhaeghe already has three goals and five points. He may flash and burn but may also be a late bloomer playing with one of the NHL’s best young centers.

Sheldon Curtis is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Sheldon, check out his archive and follow him @sheldon_curtis.