Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Cirelli, York and Schedule-Edge Streams
This week’s waiver wire is all about squeezing value from hot streaks and busy schedules. With several mid-tier options stepping into bigger roles, you can patch scoring, bolster peripherals, and attack soft matchups without burning long-term assets. We’ll group recommendations by team needs and highlight where the schedule gives you an edge.
What’s New & Why It Matters
Anthony Cirelli has surged back into relevance as the top-line center for the Tampa Bay Lightning, riding shotgun with an elite winger and piling up multi-point efforts. That kind of deployment turns him from depth piece into must-roster in many formats. On the blue line, Cam York is anchoring key minutes for the Philadelphia Flyers and benefits from a four-game week, giving him both volume and category juice.
Up front, Mason Marchment is on a scoring heater for the Columbus Blue Jackets, skating on the top line and flashing short-term upside after a big multi-point outing. In goal, Anton Forsberg is lined up for multiple starts with the Ottawa Senators, making him a widely available streaming solution for managers chasing saves and wins. Finally, Trevor Moore returned from injury, scored immediately, and now benefits from a favorable schedule with the Los Angeles Kings, creating a sneaky edge in deeper leagues.
Fantasy Implications
Points-Only
Scoring help is the priority in points-only formats, and Cirelli is the headliner. Centering a premier winger on Tampa Bay’s top line gives him strong assist potential with enough goal upside to be more than just a streamer. As long as he’s locked into that role, he profiles as a rest-of-season hold rather than a short-term patch.
Marchment is more of a classic hot-hand play. His recent outburst on Columbus’ top line signals that he’s in a good spot to produce, but his track record is streaky. In points-only leagues, he’s ideal if you need a one- or two-week injection of offense and can easily churn the spot if the production cools.
Moore fits somewhere in between. He’s not as flashy as Marchment, but the combination of a favorable Kings schedule and immediate scoring in his return from injury makes him a strong depth scorer in deeper points-only setups. With multiple games and likely middle-six usage, he can quietly rack up points while others chase bigger names.
Categories / Bangers
In multi-cat leagues, York and Forsberg become more valuable, and schedule volume is critical. York’s profile is ideal: he contributes blocks and some offense, and the Flyers’ four-game slate amplifies his counting stats. Even if he’s not a pure power-play specialist, his overall usage and ice time give him a high floor for blocks with enough points to justify a roster spot.
Forsberg is a classic categories streamer. With two expected starts this week, he can swing wins, save percentage, and saves in head-to-head matchups. Because he’s widely available, you can time your add to coincide with his starts, then move on if the matchups turn sour.
Cirelli also gains value in categories due to his all-around game. While the offensive surge is the main draw, his deployment means steady shots and decent peripheral contributions. Marchment and Moore can chip in with shots and some physical play depending on your scoring settings, but they’re primarily scoring-focused adds rather than pure banger specialists.
Dynasty / Keeper
In long-term formats, these names are mostly short- to medium-term patches rather than cornerstone assets, but there are nuances. York is the most interesting dynasty piece. As a young defender logging heavy minutes and contributing across categories, he’s the type you can stash as a multi-year asset, especially if his offensive role continues to grow.
Cirelli’s long-term value is tied to his spot in Tampa Bay’s core. He’s already established as a reliable real-life center, and any sustained run alongside top-tier talent boosts his dynasty appeal as a steady, if unspectacular, producer. He’s more of a safe depth piece than a future star, but that has real value in deeper keeper formats.
Marchment, Forsberg, and Moore are more situational in dynasty. Marchment’s age and streaky scoring make him a win-now streamer rather than a must-hold. Forsberg is a useful depth goalie while he’s getting starts, but his long-term role is uncertain. Moore’s value spikes when he’s healthy and in a good lineup spot, but he’s better treated as a flexible depth option than a core keeper. Use tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer if you’re weighing whether to flip any of these players as part of a larger dynasty move.
Who to Add / Stream / Watch
- Anthony Cirelli – Add (Scoring, PP exposure): Top-line center in Tampa Bay riding a strong scoring stretch, with exposure to elite talent and solid rest-of-season appeal.
- Cam York – Add (Peripherals, schedule edge): Heavy-minutes defender for Philadelphia who piles up blocks and chips in points during a four-game week.
- Mason Marchment – Short-term stream (Scoring): Hot top-line winger in Columbus coming off a big multi-point performance, ideal for short bursts of offense.
- Anton Forsberg – Short-term stream (Goalie volume): Expected to start twice for Ottawa, giving you a chance to grab wins and saves in a busy matchup week.
- Trevor Moore – Add/Watchlist (Short-week streamer, schedule edge): Scored in his first game back for Los Angeles and benefits from a favorable Kings schedule, especially in deeper formats.
Fantasy Takeaways
Scoring needs: Prioritize Cirelli as a multi-category scorer with strong linemates, then use Marchment as a hot-hand stream if you’re chasing short-term offense.
Power-play and usage: Cirelli’s top-line role and York’s heavy minutes give them reliable ice time, raising both their floors and ceilings in most formats.
Peripherals and volume: York’s blocks and Forsberg’s expected starts make them prime targets in categories leagues, especially with busy schedules amplifying their counting stats.
Schedule edges: Lean into the Flyers’ four-game week with York and the Kings’ favorable slate with Moore to maximize games played and matchup control.
Short-week streamers: Treat Marchment and Forsberg as plug-and-play options—ride their current roles and then churn if their usage or production dips.
Source: ESPN.com. See the original for full details.