Power Play Sleepers by Team Need: Zucker, Orlov and More Waiver Wire Targets

If you’re chasing categories or trying to squeeze a few extra points out of a short week, the easiest edge is often on the power play. A handful of under-rostered skaters have stepped into prime man-advantage roles and can be tailored to exactly what your roster needs. Below, we’ll group this week’s best options by build type — scoring, power play exposure, peripherals, and short-week streaming — so you can attack the schedule instead of just reacting to it.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The common thread with this week’s targets is opportunity. Several teams have quietly reshuffled their top units, creating value pockets on the wire:

Jason Zucker has become a primary play-driver on the Buffalo Sabres’ power play, giving him sneaky multi-point upside whenever Buffalo has a heavy game slate.
James van Riemsdyk is thriving in a net-front role on the Detroit Red Wings’ power play, turning touches in the crease into immediate fantasy relevance.
Dmitry Orlov has emerged as the main power play quarterback for the San Jose Sharks, consolidating touches at the blue line and boosting his assist and shot volume potential.
Vladislav Gavrikov is temporarily running power play minutes for the New York Rangers while Adam Fox is out, adding offense on top of his usual defensive-category profile.
Luke Hughes sits on the cusp of a bigger role with the New Jersey Devils and could seize top-unit duties if the depth chart shifts.

Because these roles are tied to injuries and coaching tweaks, timing is everything. Aligning these pickups with weeks where Buffalo, Detroit, San Jose, New York, or New Jersey have favorable schedules can turn a fringe add into a matchup-winning move.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In points-only formats, you care less about hits and blocks and more about who touches the puck in scoring areas. That’s where these power play sleepers shine.

Zucker’s value in Buffalo comes from being a driver rather than a passenger. When he’s on the top unit, pucks run through him, which means primary assists and goals instead of peripheral secondary helpers. If the Sabres hit a stretch with multiple games in four or six nights, he becomes an ideal short-term add for pure scoring.

Van Riemsdyk’s role in Detroit is more specialized but just as valuable: he’s the finisher at the net-front. In points-only leagues, you don’t care how he gets it done — tips, rebounds, backdoor tap-ins — you just want the points. As long as he’s stapled to the top power play, his floor in busy weeks is extremely attractive.

On the back end, Orlov’s quarterback role in San Jose gives him access to almost every touch that leads to a man-advantage goal. Even on a weaker team, that kind of consolidation matters. In points-only formats, he’s a strong add when San Jose has a dense schedule because any power play success will likely include him on the scoresheet.

Hughes is more of a stash or watch in points-only. His ceiling is high if he secures top-unit duties in New Jersey, but until that happens, he’s best used in leagues where you can afford to be patient or where you can pounce the moment his role expands.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-category leagues, you want players who can help in more than just points. The good news: several of these options bring a mix of power play exposure and physical stats.

Orlov is the headliner here. As San Jose’s primary power play defenseman, he can chip in assists and shots while still contributing hits and blocks in his regular minutes. That combination makes him a strong all-around add in categories formats, especially in weeks where the Sharks play four times.

Gavrikov is a classic bangers blueliner who suddenly has a temporary offensive boost. With Adam Fox sidelined, his increased power play time for the Rangers adds potential for points and power play production on top of his usual defensive stats. He’s ideal as a short-term categories stream: ride the extra usage while it lasts, then reassess once Fox returns.

Zucker offers a different mix. He may not be a heavy hitter like Gavrikov, but as a play-driving winger on the Sabres’ power play, he can help in shots, goals, and power play points. If your team is light on scoring categories but already strong in hits and blocks, he’s a better fit than a pure banger.

Van Riemsdyk’s category value leans toward goals, power play points, and shots from in tight. He won’t carry you in hits, but his specialized scoring role is perfect if you’re chasing offensive categories late in the week and Detroit has games remaining.

Dynasty / Keeper

Long-term formats require a different lens. You’re less worried about this week’s schedule and more focused on who can grow into a core piece.

Hughes is the clear dynasty priority. As a young defenseman with a realistic path to top power play duties on a high-octane New Jersey offense, his ceiling is substantial. Even if he’s not the full-time quarterback yet, the fact that he’s already in the conversation is a strong signal. In dynasty, he’s a must-roster or at least a high-priority watchlist name, and you should be ready to move quickly if his role jumps.

Orlov has less long-term runway but can still be valuable in multi-year formats, especially in deeper leagues. As long as he holds the primary power play role in San Jose, he’s a steady source of blue-line production. If your dynasty squad is contending now, he’s the kind of veteran you acquire cheaply to stabilize your defense scoring.

Zucker and van Riemsdyk are more win-now pieces. Their value is tied heavily to current deployment and age, so they’re better used as short- to medium-term contributors for contending teams rather than long-term building blocks.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Jason Zucker – Add (Scoring / PP exposure): Top power play play-driver for the Buffalo Sabres, ideal for boosting goals and assists during busy weeks.
James van Riemsdyk – Add (Net-front scoring): Thriving in a net-front role on the Detroit power play, great for goals and power play points when the Detroit Red Wings have multiple games.
Dmitry Orlov – Add (PP quarterback + peripherals): Main power play anchor for the San Jose Sharks, offering assists, shots, and solid multi-cat support.
Vladislav Gavrikov – Short-term stream (Peripherals + temporary PP): Temporary power play usage for the New York Rangers on top of his usual hits/blocks makes him a prime short-window stream.
Luke Hughes – Watchlist / Stash (Dynasty scoring upside): Monitor closely in all formats as he pushes for a bigger power play role with the New Jersey Devils, stash in dynasty if possible.

Fantasy Takeaways

If you need pure scoring, prioritize Jason Zucker and James van Riemsdyk when Buffalo or Detroit have heavy game weeks.
For balanced category help, Dmitry Orlov and Vladislav Gavrikov combine power play opportunity with reliable peripheral production.
Use Gavrikov as a schedule-based streamer while Adam Fox is out, then be ready to move on once his power play time fades.
In dynasty and keeper formats, Luke Hughes is the key long-term target as he inches toward a full-time top power play role.
Always line up these adds with favorable team schedules to maximize games played and power play exposure in tight matchups.

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