Six games or so into the season, the early-season noise is starting to separate into real signal. Here are six players worth a look on your waiver wire this week, from widely available sleepers to guys who are probably already gone in your league.
1. Fraser Minten | F | Boston Bruins | 13% Rostered
Last 2 GP | 3G | 2A | 5 PTS
Five points in the last two games will get anyone’s attention, and Minten has earned it. The young center has given Boston exactly what it needed from its depth group: a responsible two-way player who is suddenly finishing his chances. Nobody should expect him to keep up a 2.5-points-per-game pace, but at 13% rostered you’re getting him nearly free while he’s hot. Grab him in deeper leagues and ride the streak. In shallower formats, he’s a strong short-term add who can go back to the wire once he cools off.
2. Sean Walker | D | Carolina Hurricanes | 40% Rostered
Last 4 GP | 0G | 6A | 6 PTS
Walker has been one of the quiet engines in Carolina’s puck-moving system, with six assists in his last four games. That fits a Hurricanes team that pushes its defensemen into the play and leans on volume. The goals haven’t come yet, but the shot attempts are there, so expect a few to go in eventually. If your blue line is thin, he’s a reliable defensive add. At 40% rostered, he probably won’t be available much longer.
3. Ryan Leonard | F | Washington Capitals | 40% Rostered
6 GP | 2G | 4A | 6 PTS
This is the add with the most long-term upside. Leonard plays a heavy, aggressive style that pays off in multi-category leagues: points, shots, hits. A point per game through six contests looks like a young player settling in, not a fluke. Anyone in a keeper or dynasty league should already have him. In redraft, he’s worth a roster spot now, before the 40% rostered number turns into 70%.
4. Mason McTavish | F | St. Louis Blues | 28% Rostered
Last 4 GP | 3G | 3A | 6 PTS
McTavish was a top-three draft pick, and over the last four games he’s looked like it: six points, a nose for the net, and enough confidence to drive play. Being only 28% rostered is a market inefficiency. He has the pedigree, the skill, and the role to sustain real production in St. Louis. Of the forwards on this list, he’s the one I’d most confidently pick up and hold.
5. William Carrier | F | Carolina Hurricanes | 3% Rostered
Last 7 GP | 0G | 6A | 6 PTS
This is the deep-league special. Carrier is known for hits, forechecking, and making opponents miserable, not for playmaking, so six assists in seven games is a pleasant surprise. Some regression is likely, since that assist rate is well above his career norms. The banger stats aren’t going anywhere, though. In leagues that count hits, he’s a sneaky add who can fill your physical categories and chip in on the scoresheet while the hot streak lasts. In points-only leagues, you can probably look elsewhere, but he could be useful in deeper leagues.
6. Mikael Granlund | F | Anaheim Ducks | 42% Rostered
6 GP | 2G | 6A | 8 PTS
Granlund keeps producing. Eight points in six games makes him the most productive player on this list, and the veteran is running Anaheim’s offense with his usual playmaking. At this stage of his career he isn’t flashy, but he’s dependable and contributes steadily on the power play. At 42% rostered, he’s probably the safest add here for managers who want production now without a lot of risk. Pick him up, slot him in.
Bottom line: For upside, McTavish and Leonard are the priority adds. For immediate production, Granlund and Walker are the safe plays. Minten and Carrier are fun streamers, so enjoy the ride while it lasts.
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