The 2025-26 NHL season churns ahead, and with that come injuries, breakout performers and line changes. This creates opportunities for our fantasy hockey teams, with players getting more chances to showcase their skills. Below, I’ve listed four players I consider must-adds for a fantasy hockey squad in need of a boost. Here are my top fantasy hockey waiver wire pickups heading into Week 3.
You can check out my Week 2 suggestions here, where we hit on a few budding stars like Aliaksei Protas, Frank Nazar and Matthew Schaefer.
NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Advice (Week 3)
(Rosterships courtesy of ESPN)
Quinton Byfield (F – LAK) | 50.1% Rostered
I’m a bit surprised to see Los Angeles’ Quinton Byfield rostered in only half of ESPN leagues. The forward is coming off a season where he notched a respectable 54 points (23 goals and 31 assists) in 81 games, averaged 1.9 shots on goal per game (SOG/G) and contributed to 26.2% of the Kings’ goals.
Top centerman and team captain Anze Kopitar (foot) is listed as week-to-week, and with him out of the picture, the Kings’ depth chart currently has Byfield driving the top line. Byfield was already on my radar, but now that he’ll have an elevated role in the offense, it seems like a no-brainer to take a flier on him.
Artturi Lehkonen (F – COL) | 43.1% Rostered
With this move on Artturi Lehkonen, I’m just looking to get Nathan MacKinnon-adjacent. Simply slotting in on the top line with MacKinnon and Martin Necas should create plenty of scoring chances for the Finnish forward. That has been the case for the top-line left winger, who has amassed seven points (two goals and seven assists) out of the gate this season. Across six games, Lehkonen is also averaging 2.3 SOG/G.
What’s most interesting is that the Avalanche’s power-play unit is cashing at only 12% (3-for-25), so once this unit, which features Lehkonen on the second line with capable players like Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin, gets humming, we could really see his production skyrocket.
Dawson Mercer (F – NJ) | 18.7% Rostered
I’m going to round out this article with a couple of New Jersey Devils. Starting up front, I have Dawson Mercer on my shortlist. He’s currently on the second line, but it’s a very solid threesome with Nico Hischier up the middle and Timo Meier on the opposite wing. So far, Mercer is a point-per-game player. He has three goals and two assists through the first five outings. He’s also getting time on the top power-play unit.
Mercer is a solid depth player who’s going to continue to develop with New Jersey’s young, budding core. As long as he remains on the Devils’ top power-play unit, he should be considered for fantasy teams.
Jake Allen (G – NJ) | 8.5% Rostered
Another beneficiary of an injury is New Jersey’s Jake Allen. Top netminder Jacob Markstrom is reportedly out for “a couple of weeks” as of late last week. Jake Allen has stepped in, and he has been superb this season. The goaltender is 2-0-0 with a 1.88 GAA (eighth) and a .934 SV% (sixth). His goals saved above expected (GSAx) is 2.76 (15th), which is pretty solid considering he has only played three games.
Allen also has an experienced, healthy defensive core in front of him, so he shouldn’t face too many high-danger shots. That has been the case, as the Devils have allowed the ninth-fewest high-danger shots (17). Allen is a serviceable option in net, and with a competent group around him, he should thrive in the interim.
