Post-Olympics Fantasy Waiver Wire: Targets by Team Need

The Olympic break is over, the schedule is compressed, and fantasy standings can swing fast. Instead of a generic pickup list, this week is about matching your needs to the right waiver adds while exploiting schedule advantages. Whether you’re chasing goals, power-play points, peripherals, or just looking to squeeze extra games into a short week, there are a few clear post-Olympics priorities.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The biggest post-Olympics storyline is in net: Lukas Dostal returns to the Anaheim Ducks with momentum after a strong tournament and now walks into a favorable run of opponents. In many leagues, he’s still on the wire, yet he profiles as a volume starter with a soft landing spot in the schedule.

Up front, Alex Laferriere is the main forward riser. With Kevin Fiala sidelined, Laferriere is positioned for a top-line role on the Los Angeles Kings, potentially riding shotgun with Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe. That kind of deployment can turn a fringe streamer into a rest-of-season contributor, especially in leagues that reward power-play production.

Anthony Duclair and Pierre-Luc Dubois are more speculative but still interesting. Duclair’s recent benching with the New York Islanders clouds his floor, yet his January scoring binge showed what he can do when he’s rolling in a middle-six scoring role. Dubois is working back from injury on a Washington Capitals line with Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas, giving him a path to meaningful minutes and secondary scoring.

On the blue line, Neal Pionk returns for the Winnipeg Jets with a chance to grab power-play work, particularly if Josh Morrissey misses more time. With several upcoming opponents featuring shaky penalty kills, Pionk becomes a classic short-term categories streamer.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In points-only formats, you’re chasing pure offense and deployment. Laferriere is the headline add here. A top-line role with elite linemates on the Kings dramatically raises both his floor and ceiling; even if his individual talent lags behind his line mates, simply being on the ice with Panarin and Kempe at even strength and potentially on the power play should translate into steady assists and opportunistic goals.

Dubois is the next-best scoring add. Centering or riding shotgun on a scoring line in Washington, he has a history of producing when healthy and engaged. Coming off injury, there’s always some rust risk, but the opportunity to rack up secondary points and occasional power-play production makes him a strong depth scorer for standard and deeper points-only leagues.

Duclair is more boom-bust. His January surge with the New York Islanders reminded managers of his streaky goal-scoring upside, but recent benchings show how quickly his role can evaporate. In shallow points-only leagues, he’s more of a watchlist name; in deeper setups, he’s a viable add if you can tolerate volatility and are hunting for a hot streak.

On defense, Pionk’s value in points-only hinges on power-play access. If Morrissey is out and Pionk steps into a primary or secondary unit against weak penalty kills, he can chip in enough assists and secondary points to matter as a short-term patch.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-cat leagues, schedule and volume matter as much as raw talent. Dostal’s favorable run of games for Anaheim makes him a priority add for wins, saves, and potentially decent ratios if he carries his Olympic form back to the NHL. Even if the Ducks aren’t a powerhouse, a true starting goalie facing softer opponents is gold for managers who have been streaming the position.

Dubois brings a multi-category profile in Washington. Skating with Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas suggests he’ll be in the middle of physical games, offering hits and shots along with his scoring. If your roster needs a center who won’t kill you in points while boosting peripherals, he’s an excellent fit.

Duclair is more scoring-weighted but can still help in shots and occasional special-teams production when he’s in the coach’s good books. If he reclaims a top-six role and power-play time, he becomes a solid categories asset; if he stays buried, he’s an easy drop. That makes him a classic short-leash add in leagues that reward goals, shots, and power-play points.

Pionk is tailor-made for categories streaming. When he’s on a power-play unit, he can contribute power-play points, but even at five-on-five he offers some combination of shots, blocks, and hits. With the Jets facing penalty-kill–vulnerable opponents, he’s exactly the kind of defenseman you plug in for a week to chase PPP and secondary peripherals.

Dynasty / Keeper

Dynasty managers should focus most on Laferriere and Dostal. Laferriere’s potential emergence as a top-line winger on a strong Kings team is significant; even if he doesn’t fully break out this season, the organization clearly sees him as capable of handling bigger minutes when injuries strike. That’s the type of player you stash in deeper keeper formats and hope he sticks in the top six long term.

Dostal’s trajectory as Anaheim’s starting goalie is equally important. A strong international showing followed by a good post-Olympics run could cement him as the Ducks’ long-term answer in net. In goalie-scarce dynasty leagues, this is the window to acquire or claim him before his value spikes.

Dubois and Duclair are more win-now than long-term assets. Dubois still has name value and could rebound, but his fantasy appeal in keepers depends on whether he can re-establish himself as a consistent top-six producer. Duclair is best viewed as a short-term scoring streamer rather than a core dynasty piece. Pionk is a veteran categories helper; in dynasty, he’s mostly a depth option for contending teams rather than a build-around defenseman.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Lukas Dostal – Add (all but shallowest leagues): Riding a strong Olympic performance into a soft post-break schedule for Anaheim, he’s a high-priority volume starter for wins and saves.
Alex Laferriere – Add (standard and deep): Injury-created top-line deployment with elite Kings linemates gives him immediate scoring and power-play upside.
Pierre-Luc Dubois – Add (standard/deep, multi-cat): Returning from injury into a scoring role in Washington, he can help across goals, assists, shots, and hits.
Anthony Duclair – Short-term stream (deeper leagues): Streaky goal-scorer for the Islanders who’s worth streaming if he’s back in the top six and on the power play.
Neal Pionk – Short-term stream (categories): Speculative power-play specialist for Winnipeg with a good schedule against weak penalty kills while Morrissey is out.

Fantasy Takeaways

Prioritize Lukas Dostal if you need goalie help; his post-Olympics schedule and starting role for Anaheim make him a rare wire gem.
Alex Laferriere is a must-consider add wherever a top-line Kings winger with power-play exposure has value.
Anthony Duclair and Pierre-Luc Dubois are situational adds: ride them when their roles are secure, and be ready to move on if usage dips.
Neal Pionk is a classic schedule-based streamer for categories leagues, especially while Winnipeg leans on him with Josh Morrissey sidelined.
Use the compressed post-Olympics schedule to your advantage by targeting players with strong deployment and favorable opponents rather than chasing name value alone.

Source: ESPN.com. See the original for full details.