Over 200 players in the National Hockey League have double-digit points through the first quarter of the 2022 season. It is an incredible number and shows how many players remain significant to their team despite their position on the depth chart. Fantasy hockey waiver wires are ripe with talent due to the league-wide production.

Teams remain locked in divisional races that will intensify as the season lengthens. Treat the players on league waiver wires as future assets that can blossom into consistent prospects for your starting lineup. Don’t be skeptical about stashing players on bad teams, as their usage and opportunity are more important than winning or losing. Conversely, good teams have players who get shut down due to an opposing defense or who underperform for periods.

I’ve gathered several prospects on good and bad teams alike and will make a case for each one to be acquired. Then, stash these players on your bench for future deployment or roll them into lineups as a floor play if necessary.

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Center

Nicolas Roy (C – VGK): 1.8%
The Vegas Golden Knights are riding a three-game winning streak, and 24-year old third-line center Nicolas Roy is a quiet contributor. He skates on the second powerplay unit and still manages to hit 17 minutes average time on ice despite being on the Golden Knights’ third-line. In two of his last three games, Roy has two multi-point finishes and benefits from the talented personnel. He’s widely available, so stash him and watch his role continue to grow in the coming weeks.

Tage Thompson (C – BUF): 12.7%
Tage Thompson skates on Buffalo’s first line and top powerplay unit but does not benefit from the personnel that surrounds him. The Sabres are 1-8-1 in their last ten games, and Thompson has suffered from the losing streak, going three straight games without a point. So why roster Thompson? The 24-year old is talented and averages anywhere from four to six shots on goal per matchup, which builds a quality floor in lineups. Not every player is a home-run hitter, but Thompson has 16 points and ten goals this season, so the positive regression will soon hit. Stash Thompson and wait for him to regain confidence and momentum before tossing him into starting lineups.

Wing

Alexandre Texier (RW – CBJ): 0.7%
A player heating up and available nearly everywhere is fourth-year winger Alexandre Texier. The 22-year old is on the fourth line and doesn’t earn any time on the powerplay units, but he still manages to produce when called upon. In his last five games, Texier has scored four points while taking at least two shots on goal. He’s developing nicely for the Blue Jackets and should be stashed for future lineup deployment.

Jonathan Drouin (RW – MTL): 7.4%
Once again, I’m recommending another player from one of the worst teams in the league. Don’t let the record steer you away from stashing Jonathan Drouin off of waiver wires, as he sees 17 minutes average time on ice and has 14 points in 22 games for the Canadiens this season. He earns first-line minutes and opportunities and the top powerplay unit and managed to produce a two-point outing against Tampa Bay this week. He disappears for stretches but stashing Drouin, who is Montreal’s third-leading point scorer this season. Drouin is a player to stash that can be deployed this weekend if necessary. However, his ceiling is capped due to the lack of offense displayed for most of the season.

Defense

Jamie Drysdale (D – ANA): 10.4%
19-year old defenseman Jamie Drysdale is settling into his role with Anaheim in his second season. He has been quiet for the Ducks in their last three games, but he compensates for his lack of production in the offensive zone with blocked shots. Drysdale has at least two blocked shots in four of his last five games but can also set up plays for a fairly potent offense. There are plenty of opportunities for the young talent, so stash Drysdale off of waivers and value him as a plug-and-play Utility option moving forward.

Alexander Edler (D – LAK): 4,7%
After 15 years with Vancouver, Alexander Edler finds himself on a new franchise, skating on the second line of Los Angeles Kings. The 35-year old defenseman has finished his last six games with a positive plus-minus rating and manages to rack up a couple of shots on goal and a couple of blocked shots in the process. The Kings don’t rely on Edler for goals, but he is efficient anchoring the back of the attack, earning ten assists in 25 games. Edler is a quality player with a solid floor and can be acquired in 95 percent of ESPN fantasy leagues.

Goalie

Jonathan Quick (G – LAK): 22.1%
Staying in Southern California, veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick makes quite a compelling case to be stashed off of waiver wires. In his last two starts, the 36-year old netminder has two wins, allowing only one goal against quality opponents like Edmonton and Dallas. A rough stretch before this impressive run in net saw Quick surrender ten goals, leading to many fantasy managers reacting poorly and dropping him from their roster. Take advantage of the temporary lull on Quick’s value to get a good return on investment. Cal Petersen gets plenty of run as the Kings’ alternative relief netminder, but Quick has three more starts than him, so don’t be discouraged about his outlook. He could wind up leading Los Angeles up the Pacific Division race in the coming weeks, so stash Quick and roll him into lineups with confidence.

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Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.