Alright my dudes we are looking directly down the barrel of the second half of the fantasy season. This is as good a time as any to look to review our rosters and see how we can improve those weak spots. Now as much as I endorse and love trading it can be taxing and tough to find the right pieces and trade partner to make the most beneficial moves.
So, we must look to the waivers and at this time it may seem that most have been sucked dry especially in deeper leagues. However, I challenge each of to look yourself and your rosters in the mirror and truly ask are you built to compete in the second half and beyond. The question isn’t how I can improve, it is I must continue to exhaust all avenues towards continuous improvement, if we want to be serious contenders.
So, that said how do we achieve this with waivers? Let’s look at some criminally under rostered players that have been good to great performers in the first half of the season. These fine gentlemen can be the answers we’ve been looking for to unlock our team’s true potential and really start stock piling those wins and rise in your league standings.
Yes, if you jump on one of or more of these studs you will have to cut an existing piece, but I believe that as in life these tough decisions must be done by all who seek greatness!
Our first fine gentlemen is the grizzled and ruggedly handsome Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators, C only eligible, L1, PP1, ATOI 19:56. This man has maintained this deployment on a line with Filip Forsberg and Gustav Nyquist since the beginning of the season. This has led to 33 Pts in 38 games, including 15 Gs, 17 PPP, 92 SOG, 26 BLKs and 13 HITs. That is a 71 Pt and 32 G pace for what is now a veteran who is aging like a fine wine and still available in over a third of leagues at only 61% rostership on Yahoo.
He holds even more value and if your league counts FOWs as a category. It’s simple I know he is center only but his S% has only regressed marginally from earlier in the season and at 16.3% and no competition for his 1C position he should absolutely be more highly rostered, get him now!
We now head to the West coast to do some deep-sea fishing with the Seattle Kraken and the category coverage creature himself Eeli Tolvanen. He is currently duel eligible LW/RW L3, PP2 and ATOI 16:01, now at first glance this doesn’t seem like ideal deployment. However, he is playing with Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde which has arguably been the Kraken’s best line this season. Also, we know how this team evenly rolls their PP units meaning he continues to see a healthy amount of TOI on the man advantage.
This has led to 24 Pts in 39 games, including 10Gs, 5 PPP, 81 SOG, 83 HITs and 43 BLKs, Big Beautiful Winger (BBW) alert! That is a 50 Pt and 21 G pace with some reasonable expectation to push that pace based on his SOG rate and minimal production on the PP to date. Let’s not be surprised if Tolvanen pushes that 60 Pt and 25G ceiling if he can increase his efficiency in finishing around the net.
So, you have a duel eligible F who is a category beast especially in HITs and SOG who is currently only 44% rostered on Yahoo, damn people that just a slap in the face to this man and an advantage to us to boost our competitive edge staring right at us, grab that fishing net and snag yourself this beautiful Kraken before he swims away.
Our final flaming stallion that you need in your life is the wild and free Blake Coleman of the Calgary Flames C/RW eligible, L3, PP2, ATOI 16:29. This stud has been with Micheal Backlund and Andrew Maniapane at ES for most of the season. Now again this doesn’t seem like the most ideal deployment, but Coleman has arguably been the Flames most consistent and best player throughout the first half.
That is saying a lot considering the team has been a dumpster fire so far this season and without the likes of Coleman who knows where they would be. This has led to 29 Pts in 38 games, including 15Gs, 1 PPP, 97 SOG, 43 HITs and 26 BLKs. That’s a 62 Pt and 32G pace for a stud who is only 59% rostered on Yahoo, that’s still available in over one third of leagues.
His handsomeness aside this man is an ES darling and is as consistent as the come in terms of his play on the ice, but like his fellow Big Beautiful Winger (BBW) in Tolvanen he can help you now across multiple categories. Based on his career numbers (career 9.9% shooter) his S% is a bit unsustainable at 15.5% but with regression most likely this is still a player that can realistically hit 25Gs just saying “add me”, so just do it before another GM beats you to the punch.
Honourable Mentions (HM) to consider from an under rostered perspective for us to strongly consider as valuable above replacement includes Robert Thomas (STL, C, 68% rostered), Tomas Hertl (SJS, C, 46% rostered), Owen Tippett (PHI, LW/RW, 56% rostered), Oliver Bjorkstrand (SEA, RW, 42% rostered) and Lawson Crouse (ARI, LW/RW, 53% rostered).
Well, I hope you found this article enlightening or at the very least has challenged you to take a hard look at your rosters and see where you can improve now. Waiver Wire mining can be taxing but let me guide you to those under rostered gems. This is how we all get better at fantasy hockey together and push ourselves to competing for those ever-elusive Championships. For those of you that have been following along my content creators’ journey even those that are on your “list” of un-rosterable players can help you win now, even if you can’t stomach it GMs that want greatest do whatever it takes to get those victories. We will turn of the fares for now and I look forward to taking you on another journey very soon, get it into it and its all love!
- Craig @craigerslife on Twitter/X
- A&G or FHFH Discord channels @Craiger (FIveHoleTaxiSquad & AG)
- Co-Host of the Five Hole Fantasy Hockey (FHFH) TaxiSquad Podcast available on any of your podcast providers.
Apples and Ginos 