Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Week 5
We’ve reached the quarter-way point of the 2022-23 fantasy hockey season, and if your squad is struggling, it’s an excellent time to look at who is available on the waiver wire that could improve your team.
Kevin Hayes, Kirby Dach, Jason Zucker and David Savard are among the players you should be targeting this week.
Let’s dive into these players you should add in week five.
Kevin Hayes, F, Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers may have cooled down, but their star center has remained red hot.
Kevin Hayes has been a point-a-game player this season. Hayes has four goals and 12 assists in 16 games, including six points on the powerplay. Even when Hayes doesn’t find the scoresheet, his ability to hit the net consistently and block shots always gives him some fantasy production.
Hayes is available in 80% of leagues despite averaging two fantasy points a game. Give Hayes an add before your league mates realize how well he has performed.
Kirby Dach, F, Montreal Canadiens
The former third-overall pick's first season in Montreal got off to a slow start, as he had just two points in his first six games. Then head coach Martin St. Louis decided to move Kirby Dach up to the first line to play alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, which resulted in Dach’s production exploding.
In Dach’s last eight games, he’s had multiple points in half of them. Dach has four goals, 10 assists and six power-play points. Dach only has 25 shots on goal, so if he starts shooting a little more, his fantasy value will only continue to grow.
Give Dach an add and enjoy his breakout campaign as he’s on pace to shatter all of his previous career highs.
Jason Zucker, F, Pittsburgh Penguins
Jason Zuker has been struggling to stay healthy for the past few seasons, but so far this season, he’s managed to avoid the injury bug and is performing his best since he was a 33-goal scorer with the Minnesota Wild back in 2017-18.
Zucker has four goals and 10 assists through 14 games but recently has been particularly hot, with points in six of his last seven games. In addition, Zucker has been throwing his body around as he has an absurd 41 hits this season.
With Zucker averaging 2.1 fantasy points a game and being on fire offensively lately, add him to your squad.
David Savard, D, Montreal Canadiens
In fantasy hockey, the highest point-scoring defenseman aren’t always the most prominent names, and David Savard falls into this category.
Savard only has six points on the season, all of which are assists, but his fantasy production comes from his defensive stats. Savard has been a puck-blocking machine with 52 blocked shots to go along with 10 hits.
With Savard averaging 2.2 fantasy points a game, give him an add over some offensive defenseman who needs to be on the scoresheet to provide you with fantasy production.
Ben Palillo is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email bgp5079@psu.edu.
