Fantasy Hockey Playoff Gems by Need: Scoring, PP, Peripherals and Streams
Playoff weeks are won on the margins: an extra game, a surprise power-play bump, or a goalie riding a heater. Instead of a generic add/drop list, this guide sorts the top waiver gems by what your roster actually needs—scoring punch, power-play exposure, peripheral help, or short-week streaming. With tight schedules and limited moves, matching the right player to the right category gap is everything.
What’s New & Why It Matters
The key theme this week is opportunity meeting schedule. Gabriel Landeskog is back in a top-six, PP1 role for the Avalanche, instantly becoming one of the best multi-cat adds on most wires. In net, Frederik Andersen is rolling as the starting goalie for the Hurricanes, while Casey DeSmith lurks as a schedule-based streaming option for the Stars. Up front, young winger Gabe Perreault is thriving in a top-six role for the Rangers, and Viktor Arvidsson is quietly providing steady secondary offense for the Bruins.
Most of these teams have favorable game clusters during playoff matchups, giving you extra volume on lighter nights. That schedule edge—combined with prime deployment—turns these under-rostered names into legitimate week-winning pieces.
Fantasy Implications
Points-Only
If you’re chasing pure offense, Landeskog and Perreault are the priority adds. Landeskog’s spot in Colorado’s top six with PP1 time means he’s stapled to elite talent and should contribute both goals and assists as long as he stays healthy. Perreault’s emergence in the Rangers’ top six gives him exposure to high-end linemates and a green light to create offense; his ceiling is especially appealing in leagues that reward raw point totals without worrying about hits or blocks.
Arvidsson fits as a stabilizer in points-only formats. His role as a secondary scorer for Boston means he may not explode for huge totals, but he can smooth out your lineup with consistent production, especially on weeks where the Bruins have a strong schedule cluster. Andersen is also valuable in points-only leagues that count wins and ratios; riding a hot starting goalie on a strong team can swing your matchup even if you’re not chasing volume saves.
Categories / Bangers
In multi-cat setups, Landeskog becomes a centerpiece target. He contributes across the board—goals, assists, power-play points, shots, and the physical categories—making him ideal if you’re trying to cover multiple stat gaps with a single roster move. His PP1 role also boosts his value in leagues that weigh special-teams production heavily.
Arvidsson offers a nice blend of scoring and volume stats. While he’s more of a secondary scorer, his shot volume and steady usage can help in goals, shots, and occasional power-play production. Perreault’s primary value in categories leagues is his offensive upside and potential power-play exposure; he’s less of a bangers specialist but can still help in shots and PPP if he sticks in an offensive role.
In the crease, Andersen is a strong add for wins and ratios while he’s hot. If your league counts saves and starts, DeSmith becomes interesting as a watchlist or short-term stream: the Stars’ favorable schedule means he could pick up spot starts on back-to-backs, giving you cheap volume without overcommitting a roster spot.
Dynasty / Keeper
Perreault is the clear dynasty prize here. Thriving in a top-six role for the Rangers at a young age suggests a long runway of offensive production. Even if his current pace cools, the combination of skill, opportunity, and organizational confidence makes him a strong stash in any keeper or dynasty format.
Landeskog’s long-term value hinges on health, but his multi-category profile remains elite when he’s on the ice. In keepers with limited slots, he’s more of a win-now asset than a long-horizon cornerstone, but he can absolutely be worth holding if your window is open. Andersen and DeSmith are more short-term tools than long-term anchors; goalies are volatile, and their current value is tied heavily to immediate workload and team context.
Arvidsson profiles as a mid-term depth scorer in dynasty—useful in deeper formats but not a build-around piece. Think of him as a reliable veteran who can fill out your lineup while you wait on higher-upside prospects to mature.
Who to Add / Stream / Watch
- Gabriel Landeskog – Add (all formats): Top-six, PP1 role in Colorado with multi-category production and a strong playoff schedule make him a priority pickup.
- Gabe Perreault – Add (standard, deep, dynasty): Thriving in the Rangers’ top six with real offensive upside and potential power-play exposure.
- Viktor Arvidsson – Add (standard, deep): Steady secondary scoring for Boston with enough shots and PP potential to help in multiple offensive categories.
- Frederik Andersen – Add / Short-term stream: Hot starting goalie for Carolina who can rack up wins and solid ratios during a favorable stretch.
- Casey DeSmith – Watchlist / Spot stream: Backup in Dallas with a favorable upcoming schedule that could yield valuable spot starts on lighter nights.
Fantasy Takeaways
- If you need all-around help, prioritize Landeskog for his combination of scoring, PP1 time, and peripheral coverage.
- For pure scoring and upside, Perreault and Arvidsson are your best bets, especially in points-focused leagues.
- Andersen should be aggressively added while he’s hot, particularly if you’re chasing wins and ratios in the playoffs.
- DeSmith is a smart schedule-based streamer—monitor Stars back-to-backs and deploy him for spot starts.
- In dynasty formats, Perreault is the main long-term target, while Landeskog is an impact piece for win-now contenders.
Source: rotowire.com. See the original for full details.