The 2022 NHL season is quickly approaching its halfway point, but every team is still mathematically alive for the postseason. It’s a long 82-game grind, and we’ve seen specific teams and players experience bursts of greatness and disheartening slumps. Most of the players identified in this weekend waiver wire article are individuals who have elevated their play in recent games or those who possess enough experience and talent to yield a good return on investment.

Value most of these waiver wire prospects as high-upside stash assets that should be placed on fantasy benches unless desperate. Depending on your league settings, a few of these players may also offer a floor high enough to warrant consideration in a Utility slot in lineups. By ignoring the team record and focusing on the usage and statistics generated by players, you can strengthen your fantasy rosters to endure the final three months of the season.

Fantasy championships are won by making decisive moves on the waiver wire throughout the regular season. So add one of these prospects to fit your needs and improve your chances of raising the hardware and collecting the purse in the championship round! Let’s jump in!

Rostered percentages courtesy of ESPN. 

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Center

Colton Sissons (C – NSH): 0.8%
Nashville is surging right now, sitting atop the Central Division. Hidden on their third-line attack is 28-year old Colton Sissons. He’s now in his eighth season with the Predators and is already close to doubling his assist total from last season, netting an assist in every other game since January 1st. Sissons is an adequate goal scorer and has shown the ability to rack up multiple assists in a game. He is a textbook example of a high-upside prospect and is available on virtually every league’s waiver wire. Stash Sissons and treat him as an emergency Utility option moving forward.

Dylan Cozens (C – BUF): 1.7%
20-year old Dylan Cozens is weathering the storm in Buffalo. He centers the Sabres’ first-line attack and has 16 points through 33 games, ending a recent point skid with an assist against Nashville in a big win on Thursday. His shots on goal tend to be low, but he’s a talented scorer and gets some of the best opportunities on their top powerplay unit in addition to skating on their first-line attack. It’s rare to find a first-line player healthy and available in 98 percent of fantasy leagues. Take advantage and stash Cozens as an intriguing prospect that could develop into a more consistent player for the Sabres in just his second season in the league.

Wing

Trevor Moore (LW – LAK): 1.4%
Trevor Moore will not be available as widely as he is for much longer. The 26-year old churns out production on the second-line attack for the Los Angeles Kings and is heating up as of late. Moore has scored three of his five goals across the previous seven games, which is an excellent indicator of him ratcheting up his level of play. Moore earns additional minutes on the second powerplay unit and has two assists in each of his last two outings. He’s red hot and has the Kings riding a three-game win streak entering the weekend. He’s a high-volume shooter and is a must-add player to most lineups. Value Moore as a high-floor Utility option that can occasionally deliver a massive ceiling performance.

Conor Sheary (LW – WAS): 2%
Not many fourth-line skaters garner consideration in redraft leagues, but Conor Sheary defies this stereotype. The 28-year old also adds additional minutes on the second powerplay unit for the Capitals and has scored three goals across his last four games. Sheary is another prospect that qualifies as a consistent point earner while recently hitting his stride to gain momentum. Expect Washington to continue relying on him in his second season with the franchise as they attempt to end their four-game losing streak to stay in contention within the Metropolitan Division. Stash Sheary and deploy him as needed to relieve a lower-tier starter.

Defense

Jake Bean (D – CBJ): 1.7%
23-year old defenseman Jake Bean has popped at specific points of the season for the Columbus Blue Jackets offense. He endured a five-game point slump but just ended it with two assists against a much more talented Carolina Hurricanes team on Thursday. He offers decent upside but is inconsistent with returning a value, making Bean a stash-and-see prospect. Bean is a more intriguing prospect in dynasty leagues, but he does possess enough talent and usage to emerge as a reliable option on the league’s youngest team.

Keith Yandle (D – PHI): 9.4%
The Philadelphia Flyers went out and signed veteran defenseman Keith Yandle this offseason, hoping to tap into his experience and presence in the defensive zone. The 35-year old has returned value with their investment, accounting for the Flyers’ eighth-most points (13). While he has yet to score a goal with Philadelphia, Yandle is consistently delivering an assist for an offense that intermittently goes and stops. He racked up two assists against Boston on Thursday to end a four-game point slump, which is why he remains so widely available on league waiver wires. Of course, you aren’t rostering Yandle for his shots on goal or scoring ability, but he does possess an ability to set up scoring possessions. As a result, he is more of a wait-and-see prospect to stash, but he can be an emergency option to deploy as well.

Goalie

Alexandar Georgiev (G – NYR): 10.5%
The New York Rangers may have found something in 25-year old goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. He is the reserve netminder for the Rangers but has been performing at a high level in most of his starts, earning a 2.71 GAA and seven wins thus far. He’s been particularly stout defending the crease in the last week, lowering his GAA percentage to 1.53 while facing 30-plus shots in all three of his previous starts. You’ll want Georgiev when your starting netminder is not available, and he offers a massive floor and ceiling. Yes, starting netminder Igor Shesterkin (G – NYR) will eventually return from the Covid-19 protocols, but Georgiev is still worth stashing for the duration of this season.

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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_.