Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Pickups-11/20/14

The NHL and fantasy hockey seasons roll into the middle of their second month as teams and players emerge as serious contenders while others are exposed as just fast-starters who lack the staying power to produce on a continual basis.  If you’re a fantasy hockey owner, it may be time to move on from some of your still-struggling options and get some of the hottest pickups from the waiver wire.  Here are some of the names to look for if you decide to shake up your roster in our weekly look at the best fantasy hockey waiver wire pickups.

As always, all players listed are available in at least 50% of ESPN Fantasy Hockey leagues heading into the weekend and all stats are current through Wednesday night games:

Goaltenders

Devan Dubnyk-Arizona Coyotes: Dubnyk has gone 4-0-1 in his five starts for Arizona this season and won back-to-back games on the road on Friday and Sunday.  He’s putting pressure on starting goaltender Mike Smith, and Dubnyk could eventually earn the starting job if Smith continues to struggle.  Dubnyk is a name to watch for and to plug into your lineup if he gets the start between the pipes.

Michael Hutchinson-Winnipeg Jets: The Jets backup has also put the pressure on the veteran in front of him and earned a look on the fantasy hockey waiver wire.  He’s stopped 100 of 103 shots in his last four games including a pair of solid performances this past weekend.  Ondrej Pavelec still is ahead of him on the depth chart, but Hutchinson has earned some more time with his stellar play lately, and he makes a nice pickup-and-play option when he gets the start.

Jhonas Enroth-Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres lost Michal Neuvirth to an injury on Tuesday with a lower-body injury sustained when teammate Tyler Ennis crashed into him. Enroth stepped in and led the Sabres to a victory, and he will get more playing time for as long as Neuvirth is sidelined.  The Sabres defense is not a great one, though, so he’ll get lots of saves even though he won’t pick up many shutouts or wins.  If your leagues simply counts saves, Enroth makes sense as a short-term pickup since Neuvirth has proven to be somewhat injury-prone.

Defensemen

Jared Spurgeon-Minnesota Wild: Spurgeon missed a couple of weeks with a shoulder injury, but he’s looked strong in his three games back on the ice.  In those three games, he’s scored a goal and passed out an assist while recording 11 shots on goal.  He’s in the Wild’s top line alongside Ryan Suter and should continue to see plenty of ice time while picking up a solid amount of points as well.

Aaron Ekblad-Florida Panthers: Ekblad returns to our list for the second week in a row as the #1 overall pick from last June’s NHL draft continues to impress.  He has five assists and a goal in his last five games and continues to play in the top defensive pairing and on the top power play unit for a surprisingly solid Panthers team.

Jake Muzzin-Los Angeles Kings: Muzzin has dished out seven assists and scored a goal in the Kings last six games.  He’s on the ice for a ton of time and plays on the top power play unit for LA as well.  He doesn’t have the high ceiling of Spurgeon and Ekblad, but he’s showing he can definitely contribute at a high level after a slow start to the season which was at least partially injury-related.

Sergei Gonchar-Montreal Canadiens: Gonchar has two assists in his four games with Montreal since being acquired from the Stars and making his Montreal debut a week ago.  The Canadiens have plugged him in alongside Alexei Emelin and given him a lot of responsibility on the power play as well.  He should be a nice source of +/- and some solid points once he gets fully integrated into the Habs’ system.

Forwards

Kris Versteeg-Chicago Blackhawks: Stepping up to the team’s second line in place of the injured Patrick Sharp, Versteeg has been taking advantage of his opportunity and pouring on the points.  He scored a goal and passed out two helpers in his last game and now has seven points in his last six games.  If you need a forward, Versteeg is the best widely available option for at least as long as Sharp is sidelined.

Zemgus Girgensons-Buffalo Sabres: One of the few widely available top-liners, Girgensons looks like he’ll be the center on the Sabres top unit alongside Tyler Ennis and Matt Moulson. The three of them have racked up 14 points in three games played together and Girgensons has three goals and an assist in those three games.  He’s definitely an option to target on the fantasy hockey waiver wire as long as he keeps his top spot.

Jussi Jokinen-Florida Panthers: Jokinen takes his four-game point streak to the ice tonight with five assists and a goal over that span.  He’s been a big part of Florida’s success this season after joining the team from the Penguins this offseason.  He should continue to produce from his spot on the Panthers second line.

Nino Niederreiter-Minnesota Wild: Niederreiter has scored four goals in his last three games highlighted by his first career hat trick a week ago against the Sabres.  “El Nino” is solidly entrenched on the Wild’s second line and should keep producing alongside Mikael Granlund and Justin Fontaine.  He has 10 points in his 17 games played this season.

Boone Jenner-Columbus Blue Jackets: Jenner missed the start of the season with a hand injury, and  has joined the Blue Jackets top line in recent practices. In his seven games back, Jenner has passed out five assists while averaging just under 20 minutes a game.  He continues to get back to full speed, but his position on the top line could be a nice source of points going forward.