Fantasy hockey waiver picks – Celebrini finds his groove

Sean Allen, Special to ESPN.comDec 2, 2024, 02:00 PM ET

CloseSean Allen is a fantasy analyst for ESPN.com. He was the 2008 and 2009 Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hockey Writer of the Year. You can tweet him @seanard.

Every Monday, we’ll mine the waiver wire for lesser-rostered performers who have the potential to help fantasy teams in a variety of leagues. We’ll also present several strong streaming candidates for the immediate week ahead.

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Forwards

Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Colorado Avalanche (1.71 FPPG, 53.7% available): It took a few games, but Nichushkin has reclaimed his spot at the top of the Avs’ depth chart, both at even strength and on the power play. His preseason outlook was uncertain, but for now, Nichushkin has re-established himself as a key offensive contributor, frequently sharing the ice with superstars Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar. It’s time to get him back into lineups across the board, and the timing couldn’t be better. The Avalanche have a four-game slate this week, starting with matchups against the Sabres and Hurricanes, both of whom rank in the bottom 10 for power-play opportunities allowed. The week also includes a game against the Red Wings, who rank dead last in power-play goals allowed. In short, it’s shaping up to be a strong — or even spectacular — week for the Avalanche power play.

Kent Johnson, C, Columbus Blue Jackets (2.60 FPPG, 63.8% available): Riding a five-game point streak and averaging 2.82 FPPG since returning from injury, Johnson is finally delivering the breakout performance we’ve been anticipating. While the Blue Jackets’ current surge (points in six straight games) might not be sustainable long-term, Johnson has both the skillset and the opportunity to stay relevant in fantasy lineups.

Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks (2.31 FPPG, 34.2% available):…

Source link : https://www.espn.com/fantasy/hockey/story/_/id/42739264/espn-nhl-fantasy-hockey-league-pickups-waivers-streamers-add-start-celebrini-forsberg

Author : Sean Allen

Publish date : 2024-12-02 19:22:00

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