Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Targeted Adds by Team Need

Instead of chasing the hottest name every Sunday night, dial in on what your roster actually lacks: scoring, power-play juice, peripherals, or short-week streamers. This week’s waiver wire offers a handful of forwards in prime deployment spots who can plug those specific holes and exploit favorable schedules.

What’s New & Why It Matters

Several under-rostered forwards have landed in plum roles on their NHL clubs, and that usage is exactly what we want to attack on the waiver wire. Dylan Strome is locked into a top-six center role with the Washington Capitals, seeing prime power-play time and regular shifts with Alex Ovechkin. That combination of even-strength chemistry and PP1 usage gives him a stable scoring floor.

In Edmonton, Vasily Podkolzin has earned a top-line winger spot with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the Edmonton Oilers, including power-play exposure. Any reasonably skilled winger in that role carries massive ceiling, especially in weeks where Edmonton has a dense schedule or multiple home games.

Egor Chinakhov has climbed into a top-six and PP1 role for the Pittsburgh Penguins, giving him a clearer path to consistent production than he’s had in the past. Meanwhile, Ivan Barbashev continues to ride shotgun with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone on the Vegas Golden Knights, offering a blend of scoring and category coverage even without heavy power-play usage.

Finally, Mats Zuccarello remains a top-six winger with PP1 time for the Los Angeles Kings. Age concerns may scare some managers off, but his role still screams short-term value, especially in points-heavy formats or weeks where Los Angeles has a strong schedule.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In pure scoring leagues, deployment is king. Strome, Podkolzin, Chinakhov, and Zuccarello all check the key boxes: top-six usage and power-play exposure. Strome’s history of producing alongside Ovechkin suggests his point pace is sustainable as long as he sticks on that line and the top unit. He’s the safest medium-ceiling add if you just need steady assists and secondary scoring.

Podkolzin is your high-risk, high-reward swing. Skating with McDavid and Draisaitl on both the top line and power play gives him access to multi-point nights in bunches. If your team is middle of the pack and you need a jolt to climb the standings, he’s the kind of upside add who can move the needle quickly.

Chinakhov’s top-six and PP1 role in Pittsburgh makes him a strong middle-ground option: less explosive than Podkolzin’s situation, but with a clearer long-term runway if he holds onto that deployment. He’s especially appealing if your league rewards goals slightly more than assists, as his profile leans toward finishing.

Zuccarello is a classic veteran stabilizer. With top-six minutes and PP1 time in Los Angeles, he’s a plug-and-play points producer whenever the Kings have a four-game week or a cluster of home dates. If you’re protecting a lead in the standings and want reliability over upside, he’s a priority add.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-cat formats, you still want scoring, but you can’t ignore hits, shots, and power-play points. Barbashev is the standout here. Skating with Eichel and Stone in Vegas, he chips in offense while also contributing in hits and shots, giving you a rare combination of category coverage from a waiver-level forward. Even without heavy PP usage, his across-the-board contributions make him a strong fit for roto and head-to-head category leagues.

Podkolzin also has multi-cat appeal. His role with McDavid and Draisaitl should generate plenty of shots and scoring chances, and his style of play can add some physicality. If you’re chasing goals, shots, and the occasional hit while still wanting exposure to elite talent, he’s a premium add.

Strome and Chinakhov are more scoring-weighted, but both can help in power-play points thanks to their PP1 usage. Strome’s role with Ovechkin naturally leads to secondary assists and PP touches, while Chinakhov’s increased responsibility in Pittsburgh should translate into more volume and chances on the man advantage.

Zuccarello’s main category contributions will be assists, power-play points, and a modest shot volume. He’s not a banger, but in leagues where PPP is a separate category, his PP1 role in Los Angeles makes him a sneaky way to close that gap without sacrificing efficiency.

Dynasty / Keeper

For long-term formats, age and trajectory matter as much as current deployment. Podkolzin and Chinakhov are the clear priority stashes. Podkolzin’s current role with McDavid and Draisaitl may fluctuate over time, but the fact that he has earned that trust suggests the organization sees him as part of its core. If he cements himself as a long-term top-six winger with PP1 access, his dynasty value could spike.

Chinakhov’s rise into a top-six and power-play role in Pittsburgh is a significant development. For a player whose path to minutes wasn’t always clear, this season could be the turning point. In dynasty leagues, he’s the kind of player you want to grab before the breakout is obvious to everyone else.

Strome is more of a win-now piece in keepers: his value is tied closely to his role with Ovechkin and PP1 in Washington. He’s worth holding in deeper keeper formats while that deployment holds, but he’s less of a long-term cornerstone than the younger wingers.

Zuccarello and Barbashev are primarily redraft assets. Zuccarello’s age caps his long-term appeal, while Barbashev’s fantasy value is heavily role-dependent. In very deep dynasty leagues, Barbashev can be a useful depth piece for his peripherals and occasional scoring spikes, but he’s not a must-stash.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Dylan Strome – Add (standard/shallow): Top-six center and PP1 in Washington, offering steady points and strong even-strength chemistry with Ovechkin.
Vasily Podkolzin – Add / Upside Stream (all formats): Riding shotgun with McDavid and Draisaitl on the top line and power play, giving him league-winning upside during busy weeks.
Egor Chinakhov – Add (deep / dynasty): Elevated into a top-six and PP1 role in Pittsburgh, making him a smart long-term stash with immediate scoring potential.
Ivan Barbashev – Categories Add (standard/deep): Skating with Eichel and Stone in Vegas while contributing hits and shots, ideal for multi-cat and bangers leagues.
Mats Zuccarello – Short-term Stream (points-only/standard): Veteran top-six winger with PP1 time in Los Angeles, perfect for exploiting four-game weeks or injury gaps.

Fantasy Takeaways

If you need pure scoring stability, prioritize Dylan Strome and Mats Zuccarello for their secure top-six and PP1 roles.
For maximum upside and power-play exposure, Vasily Podkolzin is the swing to take while he’s attached to McDavid and Draisaitl.
In categories and bangers formats, Ivan Barbashev’s mix of hits, shots, and top-line usage in Vegas makes him a high-impact add.
Dynasty managers should move quickly on Egor Chinakhov, whose new top-six and PP1 deployment in Pittsburgh raises his long-term ceiling.
Use schedule edges by streaming Zuccarello and Podkolzin during heavy weeks for their teams, then reassessing once their game volume normalizes.

For more on turning deployment into fantasy value, check out our guide on how to value PP1 time, and if you’re weighing 2-for-1 offers involving these names, run them through our NHL Trade Analyzer before you decide.

Source: Rotowire. See the original for full details.