The fantasy hockey season is in full swing, and if you’re looking to improve your roster and give your team the competitive edge, then you’ve come to the right place. Below, I’ve listed four players who are must-adds heading into Week 4 of the season. Here are my top fantasy hockey waiver wire pickups this week.
NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Advice (Week 4)
(Rosterships courtesy of ESPN)
William Eklund (F – SJS) | 50% rostered
San Jose’s William Eklund is in his third full season in the NHL, and his production continues to skyrocket. He logged 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists) in 2023-24 and followed it up with a 58-point campaign (17 goals, 41 assists) last year. He’s already on a point-per-game pace this season with nine points (four goals, five assists) in nine contests. Eklund is averaging a solid 2.9 shots on goal per game (SOG/G).
The left winger is a staple of this young San Jose power-play unit, as this is where five of his points (two goals, three assists) have come from this year. The Sharks are going to find themselves in a lot of higher-scoring affairs, which should allow for Eklund’s production to continue.
Valeri Nichushkin (F – COL) | 42.7% rostered
Somehow, Colorado’s Valeri Nichushkin has slipped through the cracks of nearly 60% of ESPN leagues. He doesn’t get much ice time with Nathan MacKinnon these days, but he’s slotting in with a fierce second line (and second power-play unit) with capable passers in Gabriel Landeskog and Brock Nelson.
Out of the Landeskog-Nelson-Nichushkin line, the right winger is clearly the best shooting option. This has shown up in the stat sheet, as Nichushkin is averaging 3.1 SOG/G. That’s the 29th-best mark amongst forwards. The Russian-born winger has seven points (five goals, two assists), and he’s coming off a four-point week. Nichushkin makes a solid season-long option for anyone in need of a boost.
Ian Cole (D -UTH) | 10.5% rostered
Utah’s Ian Cole was one of the biggest movers over at ESPN fantasy hockey this week, seeing a 6.1% climb in rostership from 4.4% to 10.5%. Likely, the fact that he’s rostered in only 10.5% of leagues is because his fantasy contributions aren’t sexy. Cole only has four points (one goal, three assists), and he’s coming off a 17-point campaign (one goal, 16 assists).
However, it’s the underlying metrics like shots blocked and hits that make Cole a worthy pickup. Last season, Cole led the NHL in blocked shots (211) and averaged 1.2 hits per game. So far this season, he’s fifth in blocked shots (26) and is registering 1.4 hits per contest. Cole’s a hidden gem in leagues that reward these gritty stats.
Jakub Dobes (G – MTL) | 43.6% rostered
Sometimes I have to dig deep to find waiver wire players to tout, but then every once in a while, someone like Jakub Dobes plays so well that he separates himself from the rest of the player pool. We’re only a few weeks into the season, but it appears Dobes has pretty much stolen Sam Montembeault‘s job and taken over as the top netminder in Montreal.
Just how good has the 24-year-old Chechian been? He’s 5-0-0 (second-most wins) with a 1.77 GAA (second) and a .940 SV% (first). He has been the best goalie in the league, and he’s available in 56.4% of leagues. I believe this youthful Habs squad has the foundation to continue playing winning hockey, making Dobes a viable option in fantasy leagues.
