The NHL season is underway, which means fantasy hockey is in full swing. Whether you’re looking to bolster a 1-0 squad or make improvements to your roster and bounce back in Week 2, you’ve come to the right place. Below, I’ve listed five players who are must-adds moving forward for fantasy hockey. Here are my top fantasy hockey waiver wire pickups heading into the new week.
NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Advice (Week 2)
(Rosterships courtesy of ESPN)
Aliaksei Protas (F – WSH)| 49.3% rostered
Washington’s Aliaksei Protas had a breakout season in 2024-25, going for 66 points (30 goals, 36 assists) in 76 games. What’s crazy is that out of those 66 points, 60 (27 goals, 33 assists) were during 5-on-5 play, while five (three goals, two assists) were short-handed points. By no means is the 24-year-old a “power-play merchant,” racking up easy points on man-advantage opportunities.
With Protas slotting in on the second power-play unit this season, he can easily elevate his production and become a point-per-game player in the National Hockey League. Through two games this year, the Belarusian winger has two goals and two helpers.
Frank Nazar (F – CHI) | 41% rostered
The Blackhawks opened the season with a nationally televised game, so you may have seen Frank Nazar’s season-opening goal on that slick breakaway against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Panthers. The second-year player out of Michigan is off to a hot start with five points (one goal, four assists) through three games. He’s coming off a 53-game rookie season where he netted 12 goals and added 14 assists on 1.7 shots on goal per game (SOG/G).
Nazar is a part of this rebuilding cast in Chicago that has a lot of potential. He’s driving the second line and also getting work on the Hawks’ top power-play unit with the big guns of Connor Bedard and Teuvo Teravainen. If the Blackhawks are going to get any offense this year, it’s likely going to come from the Bedard-Nazar 1-2 punch. Nazar is averaging 2.3 SOG/G and could be worth a look if you need offensive depth.
Patrick Kane (F – DET) | 40.9% rostered
Speaking of the Blackhawks, former Chicago superstar Patrick Kane is still producing at the age of 36. This is a forward who, simply due to his elite hands and hockey IQ, will be able to contribute at a high level for as long as he wants. “Showtime” has already racked up four points (one goal, three assists) through two games with Detroit this year.
Most importantly for his fantasy production, Kane is playing on an elite Red Wings power-play unit featuring Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond. This is a group that cashed at the fourth-highest rate on the man advantage (27%) last season, and they’re already sitting at 25% this year (eighth). Kane still has a high floor in terms of point production, and the sky is the limit for the crafty veteran.
Matthew Schaefer (D – NYI) | 45% rostered
Keeping it with the theme of budding stars, we have to talk about Matthew Schaefer. The first-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft is already making an impact for the Islanders. The 18-year-old has two points (one goal, one assist) in two games with New York.
I like to loop in the sports betting side of things, and it’s worth mentioning that Schaefer has the second-shortest odds to win the Calder Trophy at +550 behind Ivan Demidov (+300) on DraftKings Sportsbook — 55% of us can still snag a player who’s expected to podium the award for the best rookie.
Schaefer is already logging north of 21:00 time on ice per game (TOI/G) and running the Isles’ top power-play unit. Of course, New York’s man-advantage unit has been horrendous for years, but Schaefer could be the one to turn things around and provide some offense from the point for Patrick Roy’s team.
Jonathan Quick (G – NYR) | 9.8% rostered
Obviously, Igor Shesterkin is the man in Manhattan, as he started 61 games (74.4%) last season for the Blueshirts. But, as strictly a streaming option, a netminder like Jonathan Quick could be the difference maker that gives you the edge in your fantasy hockey matchups this year.
In two seasons with the Rangers, Quick is 29-13-4 with a 2.87 GAA and a .903 SV%. He just made his 2025-26 debut on Sunday against the Capitals, limiting them to one goal on 21 shots faced (.952 SV%). Quick still has something in the tank, and being that Shesterkin will likely get a bulk of the work in the marquee games, the backup goaltender could draw some favorable matchups against inferior opponents.
Quick and other backup netminders like Charlie Lindgren and Jakub Dobes could be quality waiver wire adds from time to time this season.
