Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Advice & Alternate Universe Rule Ideas
Before diving into the fantasy hockey waiver wire this week, I want to take a trip through some of my interesting ideas for sports rules. The basis of this thought process came from an NFL game a few weeks ago, which got me thinking about if one sport adopted a rule from another.
The initial idea was "what if, instead of yardage penalties, NFL teams had manpower advantages/disadvantages for one play?" For example, instead of going back five yards on a false start or a delay of game, the non-offending team got to bring on an extra player for the next play. This could be an extra receiver for a long-yardage situation or an extra blocker in short- and medium-yardage areas. Essentially, this would be an adaptation of the NHL's power play rule for football. Except, instead of a set amount of time -- which wouldn't work with the NFL's running clock situations -- it's just one play, or maybe multiple plays for more serious fouls, like facemasks and pass interference. Having an extra player could be much more useful than moving up a few yards.
But why stop there? How about changing NHL penalties from time in the sin bin to one free shot from a certain distance in the offensive zone, a la a basketball free throw? This one doesn't seem like it would have as much potential -- NHL goaltending would have a pretty easy time with
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Advice & Alternate Universe Rule Ideas
Before diving into the fantasy hockey waiver wire this week, I want to take a trip through some of my interesting ideas for sports rules. The basis of this thought process came from an NFL game a few weeks ago, which got me thinking about if one sport adopted a rule from another.
The initial idea was "what if, instead of yardage penalties, NFL teams had manpower advantages/disadvantages for one play?" For example, instead of going back five yards on a false start or a delay of game, the non-offending team got to bring on an extra player for the next play. This could be an extra receiver for a long-yardage situation or an extra blocker in short- and medium-yardage areas. Essentially, this would be an adaptation of the NHL's power play rule for football. Except, instead of a set amount of time -- which wouldn't work with the NFL's running clock situations -- it's just one play, or maybe multiple plays for more serious fouls, like facemasks and pass interference. Having an extra player could be much more useful than moving up a few yards.
But why stop there? How about changing NHL penalties from time in the sin bin to one free shot from a certain distance in the offensive zone, a la a basketball free throw? This one doesn't seem like it would have as much potential -- NHL goaltending would have a pretty easy time with a straight-on slap shot, and goalies would be able to adjust in time with a static shot even at an angle. It's an idea, but I still prefer hockey's power plays to a free shot.
Then there's offside. Except, what if there wasn't? The NHL got rid of the two-line pass rule to open things up, and offense is improving year by year lately. What if players could set up shop wherever they wanted, with 100 percent legal cherry-picking. It would absolutely drive the coaches nuts, but it could open up the game even more. Between getting speedy players on breakaways and leading to odd-man situations in the defensive zone frequently, goals would be on the rise even more. The one downside to it all is the potential for excessive showboating.
Of course, there's another sport with a similar offside rule to hockey, but in a more frustrating fashion. That would be soccer, where the last defender sets the offside line. I loathe offside in soccer, even more now with video assistant referee (VAR) technology, which often lets the play run before crushing fans' hopes and dreams with a review. For this alternate reality, let's assume hockey keeps its offside rule, and it's so popular that we add two more lines to a soccer field, say 30-35 yards from the end line. Yes, soccer would get its own "blue lines," and the player with the ball would have to be first into the zone with possession, or the pass would have to put the ball in the zone before the recipient. VAR technology stays, defenses gain a point of structure and scoring drops even more in a game that tends to be defined by one or two moments. So, maybe not the best idea, but it would be interesting to see it in use.
One more thought on rules. I hate hockey's empty-netters/pulling the goalie. It's unique to the sport for the most part, outside of a soccer goalie coming up late in a game for a free kick. Everyone wants more goals in hockey, but empty-netters just cheapen the endings of games. Two ideas here: either the empty-netter ends the game, creating the risk of causing a team to automatically lose if they make a bad pull, or pulling the goalie can only happen on delayed penalties or the final minute of the third period while down no more than one goal. No more pulling the goalie far too early or when chasing a massive deficit -- just let those mostly lopsided games play out. Those changes probably won't ever happen, but I can dream.
Fantasy Forward Breakouts to Target on the Waiver Wire
Back in the real world, it's time to look at which players are ready to help your fantasy team. A couple of Blue Jackets are starting to generate attention. I'll start with Adam Fantilli, who ended a 17-game goal drought Saturday versus the Lightning. Sometimes, getting one goal is all it takes to break the dam. He had eight assists and 49 shots on net during the drought, so he's got a good process going. He's also centering the top line, which has been a role that has held steady for him. Fantilli has 33 points in 51 outings this season, and he can add decent totals in hits and blocked shots as well.
Charlie Coyle has carried some momentum through milestones this week. His 1,000th NHL game was Thursday versus the Stars, and he followed it up with his 200th career goal in Saturday's win over the Lightning. Coyle is still on the third line, but he's been chipping in offense in bursts while adding good all-around numbers. He has eight points over 12 outings in January, and he's at 33 points, 84 shots, 69 hits and 33 blocked shots over 51 contests this season. Coyle is eligible at center and right wing in Yahoo formats -- that versatility is worth a look.
Cody Glass is on quite the impressive run with six goals and three assists over his last eight games. Despite that offense, he's actually moved down to the Devils' fourth line, though it's not just a trio of plugs -- he has rookies Arseny Gritsyuk and Lenni Hameenaho on his wings. Gritsyuk has had some good moments this year, while Hameenaho is still fresh into the NHL. Glass is versatile enough to move around the Devils' lineup. He has just 18 points in 41 outings overall, but he has some under-the-radar potential if he remains with skilled young players rather than traditional bottom-six forwards.
The Wild got back to full strength up front Saturday with the return of Matt Boldy. However, Ryan Hartman is still on the top line, and he deserves a look from fantasy managers while sharing ice time with Kirill Kaprizov. Hartman has five goals and three assists over 12 outings in January, and he's added 18 blocked shots this month. The veteran forward has gone less for outright physicality this season -- his hits and PIM are down -- but he's been effective on offense as a versatile part of the Wild's forward group.
I don't want to overreact to a small sample, but Marco Kasper has two goals and four assists over his last five games. I was hyped for him heading into the season -- perhaps too much -- and he rewarded me with five points in 37 games prior to the holiday break. His recent stretch is his first really good one all season, but it's earned him a spot alongside Dylan Larkin as the Red Wings continue to rotate players in that first-line left wing spot. I like Kasper's potential better than Emmitt Finnie or James van Riemsdyk, who have both gotten looks there previously as well.
Owen Tippett put his name back in the mix with a hat trick and an assist in Friday's 7-3 win over the Avalanche. That was his third multi-point effort in January -- he's earned six goals and four assists this month. The Flyers just don't have much separation in their top nine, outside of Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras. Different players will get hot for a week or two when the team does well, but it's a group prone to team-wide slumps as well. Tippett's 33 points in 50 outings puts him on track to challenge for the second 50-point campaign of his career, and he should land between 25-30 goals as well.
Top Defensemen Impacting Fantasy Through Shots, Hits and Plus-Minus
On defense, I want to highlight a couple of all-around options. Lately, there haven't been a lot of depth defensemen going on surprising runs -- it's been more of the usual suspects showing out from the blue line. Mattias Ekholm often doesn't get his due as a strong blueliner for the Oilers. He has four helpers and a plus-3 rating, along with five blocked shots, over his last four games. Ekholm's at 23 points in 53 outings -- that's enough offense alone to be in the conversation in fantasy. Add in his 85 blocked shots, 49 hits and plus-15 rating, and there's enough category coverage to keep him in the mix. In my home league, Ekholm ranks 27th among defensemen in the league's fantasy settings, which are goals, assists, plus-minus rating, power-play points, shots on goal, hits and blocked shots.
Just a little farther down the list is Mike Matheson. It's tough to grab attention on Montreal's blue line, what with Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson hogging the headlines. Matheson has been more than good enough for fantasy managers this season, and with a goal and six assists over his last nine games, his offense has stabilized again after a rough December. Matheson's 103 blocks on the year have him in the NHL's top 20, and he's added 25 points and 69 shots in 49 contests.
Goalies Worth Streaming Amid Rotation Trends and Recent Hot Stretches
The Sharks' crease is going to belong to Yaroslav Askarov in the long run, but the young goalie has shown some signs of wear recently. That said, Alex Nedeljkovic has pushed his way into an even split of time in January, thanks to an active five-game winning streak. He has a 1.99 GAA and a .931 save percentage in that span. Nedeljkovic could take a short-term run at the starting job, but if the alternating pattern continues, he's lined up for games against the Oilers and the Blackhawks before the Olympic break. Consider him a streaming option for now.
With Alex Lyon back from a lower-body injury, the Sabres' crease is back to being a three-man situation. Lyon has won both starts since his return, including a shutout over the Islanders on Saturday. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been fine but not great, winning four of seven outings in January despite a 3.01 GAA and .907 save percentage this month. Lyon could be in line for at least half of the workload moving forward, though Colten Ellis is also still in the mix.
Back in this reality, it's important to know the rules you're playing with. Fantasy hockey is not a monolith -- some players are better suited for one format over another. From one year to another, finding the right balance for your league and your competitors is a big part of running a league. I've stuck to head-to-head for the most part, especially when leading a league.
I want to dabble a bit with a points league, but it needs a different approach than regular head-to-head. Finding the right point values for different categories while allowing all players to be useful is the end goal, but the path to that isn't all that clear. The key element in points leagues for me is a weekly and seasonal move limit. Unlimited moves in points leagues waters down drafting by making free agency too important. I want the draft to mean something, so that streaming isn't the only way to win. It may take a few years of messing with the rules to figure out what works best. As for regular sports, we'll just have to wait and see how things evolve over the years -- but I don't expect any of my alternate rules to take hold any time soon. Check back in next week for the last waiver-wire advice prior to the Olympic break.
Stuck between two players available on the waiver wire? Check out the NHL Player Comparison Tool or the NHL Trending Players to help break the tiebreaker on your waiver wire decisions.
